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"Mi Xun!"

It was odd, almost uncomfortable to see myself back in the dark blue I used to wear. Looking down, it felt unfamiliar – or, rather, I felt unfamiliar. It was only a moment ago that I was clad in ruby red, defending Jian Yong's central base. Now, I fought alongside the enemy – well, their enemy, to be exact.

"Fall back!" my Wei allies commanded. Units fled the battlefield, running towards our main camp. It was situated near the docks, for a quick escape.

"Mi Xun!" The voice, usually calm and collected, was edged with panic, and some fear. I closed my eyes. If I headed straight to the main camp, I would risk being seen, and cut down. On impulse, I ran into the forest path to my left, hoping he would not find me.

It was vain hope, of course. My footsteps were echoed, daring to outrun even me. My name rang around me, again and again. It made me want to go deaf. It made me want to die.

An arm flashed out in front of me, and I sidestepped in time to raise my daggers in instinctive defense. An attractive, boyish face blinked up at me, confused and hurt, imploring.

"Why are you running?" He asked softly.

I thought, staying quiet for a moment. "Because I'm lost. I don't know what to do." I admitted, feeling my cheeks burn. "Why are you running after me?"

He stared back at me, his light golden eyes burning with a fierce determination.

"Because I'm lost. I don't know what to do without you."

I lowered my guard, blinking back my shock. "Do you not understand? I lied, I tricked you. Everything was a set up, down to this last battle. It was all laid out for me, from the very beginning."

"Then why do you say you are lost?" he reasoned quietly.

"Because I never wanted to do this." I rubbed my face, and I could feel my wounds stinging ferociously behind my palm. "I just want to return home. I just want to forget about all this."

"But I don't want you to go home." He insisted, a stubborn look on his face. "I don't want you to forget… about me."

My head snapped up, and a look of pained indignation came to my face. "Go back to your main camp, Lu Xun. And tell your commander: Wei has overrun Jiang Dong Castle." I snapped, my eyes trailing to the mass of blue hurrying to the docks.

"And what will you do, then?" He murmured, sheathing his sword.

"I don't know. Leave. Go back to He Fei. It is none of your concern." I replied stiffly.

"So I will come find you." He shot back, irritatingly smug.

"Don't." I hissed. "You will get yourself killed."

"And we all put ourselves in that risk when we step out of bed." He argued, making to step towards me. I raised my daggers to his neck, crossing the blades against the skin of his throat.

"Leave. Now." I growled.

"And if I should not?" He taunted. "You'll kill me, then? Go ahead."

A heavy silence fell, with us staring challengingly at each other. I stepped back, making my decision.

A blade pierced his armor, lodging itself deep into his stomach. His eyes widened as he groaned in agony, crumpling to the ground, a heap of fiery red clothing.

A hand rested on my shoulder, and a steely voice whispered into my ear as I stared down at the fallen Wu general.

"Well done, General. You have served your kingdom well."

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"General Qiao! You're late for your war meeting-"

"I know!" I snarled, running past the scribe who was clutching his scrolls to his chest. He looked stunned at the curt tone I'd used, but I'd rushed past too quickly to care.

"General Qiao! Lord Cao Pi is already in the council room, he awaits-"

"I heard, Cao Xui," I countered angrily, skidding across the marble floors. Nearly missing my destination, I stumbled clumsily through the war council room's heavy doors. All chatter and discussion ceased, and every pair of eyes averted to me, panting heavily from ramming into a pillar which, in my haste, I had not forseen.

"General Qiao. How nice of you to drop by. Care to take a seat?" Our strategist, Sima Yi, sneered. I glowered back, knowing he thought of me as some sort of idiot.

"Lord Cao Pi. Please – forgive my tardiness." I knelt at my emperor's feet, bowing my head. Behind me, someone scoffed.

"Take a seat, general. We have much to discuss." Emperor Cao's icy voice commanded. "As we were saying, strategies must be made to take Wu territory. By cutting down their resources, they'll be weakened, and will crumble at a strike. We know that their forts are heavily guarded. Therefore, we must attack from the inside – break their forces, with their own forces." Cao Pi continued, as I settled myself beside General Zhang He, who patted my hand lightly in reassurance before returning his attention to our lord's words.

"A ploy letter, perhaps?" Sima Yi suggested. "Break the trust between them by planting a defection letter on one of their officers."

Cao Pi pondered, furrowing his brow. "It is… Plausible. But overused."

"We'll save that for a plan B." Zhang He sang, smiling politely. Sima Yi scowled venomously back. Unable to resist, I tried to choke back my laughter, which came out much too loudly.

The twisted Wei strategist raised his eyebrows at me. "Something to say, Mi Xun?"

I cast him a look of pure, unchallenged hatred.

"Your thoughts, General Qiao, are open for discussion here at the council. If you have anything to say, please do." Cao Pi interrupted in a bored tone.

"Well." I racked my brains. I hadn't much expected to speak at all in the council – usually, I dozed off by the first half of it. I didn't see the need for strategy – why should I, if I could just wipe out whom I pleased, and claim what I had to? "How about… Erm."

"Yes?" Sima Yi smiled wickedly. "We're all dying to hear your very elaborate and foolproof plan, general."

"Instead of a brainless defection letter, which has been used too often," I spat, glaring at him, "We should consider a fake defection, itself."

"Preposterous, my Lord-" Sima Yi began to protest, but the emperor raised a sharp hand to silence him.

"If we send a Wei officer to defect to Wu, we will surely gain access to their strategies. These plans will be passed onto us, and we will be able to counterattack every move they make."

Murmured assent filled the room.

"Our fake defection will have to be very convincing." Xiahou Dun mused. "They're not stupid, I'll give them that. They'll need a reason to completely trust our spy. A reason, perhaps, to hate Wei."

I cast a scathing look at the obnoxious strategist, seated beside the emperor.

"That can be arranged." I muttered quietly.

"Our spy must also be trustworthy. We can't risk him really defecting to the other side." Sima Yi added smugly, as though it were his brilliant idea from the beginning.

"Yes." Cao Pi murmured softly. "Which is why it will be a 'her'."

The room fell silent and awkwardly tense. Everyone stared in disbelief.

"My Lord, you cannot think-?"

"Who would it be, but-?"

"Lady Zhen? But, sire – " Xiahou Yuan started, but Cao Pi slammed his right hand on the desk's surface with such force that everyone cringed, despite themselves.

"My wife? Do you see me as a fool?" He growled.

"No, no, sire. I only meant-"

"General Qiao. Would you carry out your ingenious plan?" He bellowed at me, looking like half a madman.

My eyes widened, and everyone stared in expectance at me. I wanted to say, 'no, thank you, my lord, but I'm quite fine. You know. Here'.

"Of course, my Lord. It would be an honor."