The Quest for Allegiance Continues...

[Nohime]

Nohime had just left Sun Jian's territory after an interesting discussion with some of the men there. However, she had no time to waste. She had to go to the next kingdom on her list. Originally, she had intended to go to Cao Cao's territory, but she was a bit curious about the Yuan Shao forces. Therefor, she had diverted her course for the mountains in He Bei.

Traveling through these mountains was very treachorous, particularly since she was by herself. It had taken her weeks to be able to navigate through the massive landmarks. She had occasionally met up with a bandit or two, but she always made sure they got a taste of her claws before she knocked them over the edges of the cliffs.

After finally finishing her journey through the mountains, she arrived at Nan Pi, Yuan Shao's territory. She observed the walls of the main town and couldn't help but chuckle to herself a bit. This should prove interesting. Someone who is cautious enough to fortify his stronghold like this would most likely never let his guard down in any situation. She would have to see.

[Hiro]

He raised his hand putting the back of his hand to cover his mouth as he yawned. In his hand there was a bottle of wine and in his other his two hook swords. He wore his casual white robe attire, with a slight trim of black. His black hair was down and flat enough to partly covered an eye. It wsa just another lazy day in the so called chao. He could never understand why people were so hectic in these times. It wasn't all that bad inbetween battles, well not for him anyway. After losing his family to the bandits and fending for himself after Zuo Ci continued on. He found things to be easier to deal with. But hid that from most with his playful and lustful styles.

It was another lazy day for him, there wasn't any battles to be fought to plans to be made. Nothing but to lay on the outskirts of the great city, just outside the gate and under the shade of a tree. He didn't know where Xian disappeared off to and his brother Burai and Anrui were probably off training or gaining more respect and power from Yuan Shao but that was just an assumption. While he just finished his own training and now lays here, doing absolutely nothing, but thinking. He placed a hand on one of his scars on his face and slightly drifted into thought. He kept his eyelid closed to hide his red eyes. His eyes were a reason most feared him, what and his skills in fighting.

His thoughts were interupted as he heard a sound of someone walking near. "Hmm?" He lazily said without much though. He leaned up and looked around making sure he kept his eyes slightly closed to hide to color of his eyes. He saw a woman and she was wearing purple, in a regal manner. Strange, weren't that the colors of Dong Zhuo's forces? Why would his enemy send somone? But then again she was alone, maybe a wanderer? Bah, to be honest he didn't care, but he didn't want to get in trouble if somethign happens. That would put a damper in Burai's plan. So he lazily stood and walked over to her. "Miss, can you tell me your reason for being here?" He asked politely as he could. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. He had to be careful from letting his more lustful sie from getting out.

[Nohime]

Nohime jumped slightly when she suddenly heard a young man's voice. She whirled around and saw him. He was quite attractive, she had to admit. Even with the scar across his nose and his face, he had a handsome face. She quickly relaxed and smiled a rather sultry smile. The time was now to try and pour on her charm. This was going to prove to be a rather entertaining visit.

"Well, well, look who we have here," Nohime began, making her voice sound as alluring as possible. "I'm here to see some representative of Yuan Shao. I'm curious about joining a powerful force in this country. You see, I'm new here...and my name is Nohime."

[Yen Wang (Burai)]

Burai was walking about. trying to fine something to indulge himself. Sadly he was having no lucky. Everything was rather dull and boring. "There hasn't been much to do these last couple of days." burai sat down on a bench defeated, by boredom. He hunched over and let out a groan of defeat.

He looked up into the sky and sighed. "I managed to sneak away from Anrui; hoping I find something rather entertaining.." Burai continued to sulk quitely at the bench. He managed to see his broyjer off in the distance. He was off flriting again, but this time he found quite the catch it seemed. Burai quietly chuckled. "Perhaps I found something to do afterwards." Burai slowly got up and tip-toed his way through a crowd of people and hid behind a tree. Making sure to hide himself and his weapon carefully. He wanted to see how much his brother had improved. "Who is this woman, and why is she being confronted by Hiroshi?"

Burai was baffled by this and continued to watch the two from a distance. With a devilish grin on his face. "If Anrui...Catches me I will be scolded for a month." That grin became a frown. Even so it didn't stop him.

[Hiro]

Her face, beautiful, her body, sexy, and her voice very alluring. In laymen's terms, everything about her was quite seductive more than the average woman. He could go as far to say that her beauty matched the Qiaos and Diao Chan. He dropped his bottle of wine, a string was tied around his middle finger, so it dropped as far the string would allow. His other hand controlled his blades and lightly tapped his blades on his shoulder. He lightly rubbed his chin with his now free hand with a light grin. A woman with princess in her name? He assumed either she was from a regal background or her parents cherished her, but he wasn't going to say anything about it, they weren't too close...Yet.

"Nohime?" He asked voicing his interest. "Quite a name for a wanderer." He took a moment and looked her up and down examining her body and face. She didn't seem to be much of a fighter, but he could be wrong, after all a beautiful face could be a dangerous foe. Even though he wasn't just going to let down his guard, it wouldn't stop him from flirting a little. "Iam Hiroshi, major of Yuan Shao's Army." Before he would let her see his employer, why not see what she could do. Maybe recruit her under his and his brother's forces instead. "It is a pleasure to meet you." He said taking her hand and giving it a light kiss.

[Yen Wang (Burai)]

"What is Hiroshi doing?" Burai couldn't believe his eyes, Hiroshi was not doing himself any justice. Burai could see that he still had many years of catching up to do. "Perhaps this is what the china women were accustomed too. " The polite nice guy routine , is too old fashioned." Burai shrugged in disappointment. "He needs me teach him a few more lessons."

Suddenly it dawned upon him. A women like that wouldn't come here on normal business. "An assassin, I would have trouble with that one...Her web already has Hiroshi entangled." Burai smiled, "Such womanly charms would have no affect on me. Perhaps if she had sake, I am but a simple man." Burai laughter quietly amongst himself. He continued to watch the two quietly.

[Nohime]

Nohime smiled and watched him take and kiss her hand. This was a bit entertaining. It didn't take long at all for her to charm this one. She then took what he said about her name into consideration. She pulled away a bit, but kept her seductive gaze locked onto his eyes. "I am a noblewoman from Japan, but I have escaped to stay here in China," she explained. "This country seems more hospitable than the territory my former lord was gathering."

She wondered how this man would react to hearing that. After all, to admit that she was a noblewoman and had a lord might give away that she had been married before. Oh well, this was something that she felt no need to lie about, especially since that dreadful man was no longer in her life.

Suddenly she couldn't help but feel that they were being watched. She broke her gaze and began to observe her surroundings. This almost felt like a trap. She started to become quite nervous. Surely they wouldn't ambush her when she had done nothing wrong.

[Hiro]

A smile came on his face, a woman of Japan? He knew of the gestures of Japan. Thought the men of Japan were honorable, it didn't mean they were passionate. When it came to women, their polite and passionate words were false to their true intentions. If only he knew earlier, she might think he was enchanted with her. He found her beautiful, but there was a void in his heart for the woman he loved most but has passed on from the world. The only woman to really enchant him to the point of nervousness and stupidity was his late wife. As she pulled away, he stood with his eyes mostly closed continuing to hide his red eyes. But his eyes looked into hers, trying to read her true intentions, with her seductive eyes and choice of words, his trust in her quickly dissipated.

He would never trust nobility for it was nobility is what cause the death of his beloved. He placed a free hand feeling much anger within himself thinking of her and haven't been able to let go. He placed a hand over an eye and lightly rubbed, a smile on his face, hiding his thoughts. With her look she must of thought she had a hold over him, why not let this continue? This could be entraining for him. He thought of his words carefully, he wanted to understand, if she were the type to take advantage of someone if they were to be 'enchanted'. It was opened to many things if it were the case. Such as betrayal and that was never good.

"A noble? I see." He said lowering his hand over an eye keeping himself calm. "Hence the more regal attire. And you chose the wrong time to move." To him the hellish time was nothing, he has been through alot with the help of his brother. But to most this was a time of dreadful war and many lived in fear. "This small peace will end soon and war will in ensue. I advise to join a right side, meaning us. It would be ashame to waste your talents. If you really are a noble you should know how to read, write, and tactics of war. Battling wise, you should at least know how to use a bow. Am I correct?" He asked soundly, trying to see if she was telling the truth.

He noticed her eyes wander from his, she was paranoid, worried about something. He needn't care of his surroundings currently, he did nothing wrong and he was in safe territory. He moved closer to her placing a hand and lightly moving her hair behind her ear. "You need not worry. You are safe here unless you lied to me about your story." He lightly moved his hand down her cheek the a finger around and off her chin, showing that he could be just as charming. "I do hope you did not lie."

[Yen Wang (Burai)]

"Tch!" Burai moved quickly behind the tree, to hide himself. "Those watchful eyes, could be a hindrance to my cause." Burai closed his eyes and agreed that it was time to abort his mission and introduce himself. He cast out one final glance to see Hiroshi, making another advancement. This caused him to roll his eyes. "Such people take out the art in flirting, I swear.." Though in all honesty Burai was probably just as bad, but in his eyes flirt was more than troublesome.

Burai would gather gaze at a woman and admire her beauty, and try his best to avoid the awkwardness. Burai would rather avoid his brotehr and that women. It always those kind of women that gives Burai trouble, but she was easy on the eyes. "I guess a small greeting would be suffice." Burai causally came from behind the tree and walked over to the two. "Oy Hiroshi, did you plan on keeping this wild flower all to yourself?"

[Nohime]

Nohime's eyes continued to survey the area. Suddenly, she noticed Hiroshi begin to advance towards her. He was beginning to act quite flirty and a little too close for this particular situation. Everything he had said up to the point of stating that he wasn't sure if she had lied or not had been accepted at face value. Of course she knew how to do all those things that he had asked, though she wasn't quite adept at using a bow and arrow. However, when he asked her if she lied, she felt insulted immediately. She drew away from him, wanting with every fiber of her being to smack him across his face, but she controlled herself.

"How dare you?" she hissed. "I wouldn't lie about that. The only thing I failed to mention is that I plan to live here in China and never return to my fomer lord! Besides, since I abandoned my country, I am no longer a noblewoman. I am simply a stranger to this country."

Suddenly, she saw another man appear. She had to admit, she did enjoy being described as a wildflower, but still, he was the one that had been watching them. Again, she felt insulted. "And just who are you?" she demanded.

[Hiro]

At first he thought she was going see through his false flirtatious ruse when she drew from him. Then with her choice of word it seemed that she didn't like being called a liar. A smile came on his face, it seemed that she did have a light sense of honor after all. That small aspect made her actually like-able. She might after make a good recruit under him and his brother. And with her hiss, she obviously didn't know who he was. He supposed it was a good thing. He flash a actual meaningful grin, doubting Nohime would understand the meaning.

Before he could discontinue his advances and tell her of his intentions of possibly recruiting her, he was cut off by a familiar boastful voice. "Oy Hiroshi, did you plan on keeping this wild flower all to yourself?" A voice that could only belong to one person and that was his brother. A bead of sweat dropped from the back of his head. He wondered why his elder brother liked to intrude his dealings with most women. He let out a soft sigh. "Brother, you tend to interrupt me when I try to do something. Or misunderstand what I'm trying to do or say." It was would seem that Burai's attention was fully on Nohime. Other wise he would know what Hiroshi was trying to do. "Why did you leave Lady Anrui alone? I can't watch her she doesn't like me as much as you." He soundly then looks at Nohime. "Nohime...This is my brother Burai."

[Yen Wang (Burai)]

Burai placed his free hand behind his head. "I am Shigure Burai, I apologize for hiding behind that tree, I'm rather shy." Burai smiled timidly at the woman. The ways he hissed at his brother was some what nerve wrecking and arousing. Burai brought his hand down to his side, and into his pocket.

"Brother, I do not always interrupt you. This time, I had a good reason...I will give to you, once I think of one." Burai laughed lightly. "Anrui is old enough to take care of herself. Hiroshi, I can't be watching her all the time. Besides she is supposed to be keeping an eye on me." He paused for a moment "Nohime?" Burai came from Japan. that Name was rather odd here in China. "Lady Nohime, you must be tired, Why not take a moment to relax at the inn. I'm sure Hiroshi will treat you to whatever you want!"

Burai gave her a bright encouraging smile. Making sure not to look at his brother while he spoke. He had a feeling his brother would disprove of his suggestion.

[Nohime]

Nohime was too busy feeling a bit like a fool to have noticed Hiroshi's grin. She felt like she had walked into a trap, but in reality, there was not really a need to feel like that. She listened to the brothers begin to bicker to each other a bit. She rolled her eyes, especially when Burai offered for her to stay at an inn. She pouted a bit and took a deep breath.

"I beg your pardon, but I came here to find out more about Yuan Shao and how he runs things here!" she exclaimed. "And besides, I am in a hurry." She backed away before continuing her conversation. "Now, would you kindly let me know about Yuan Shao's government. Or, if you have someone better in mind, feel free to let me know."

[Hiro]

He couldn't fully depict her her heart whether or not she was a loyal person or not. In any case if she isn't she would be more of a pawn than anything else. He wanted to see her skill in fighting, depending on what she does, her usefulness might sky rocket from where it is now. But as he was about to strike at her with a low amount of force but with great speed. Mentioned something about Anrui, so he withheld his attack. "Lady Anrui, is too young to face off anyone in a fight. You know that as much as I do. I am not saying she is useless she can fend for herself. But that doesn't mean she can defend herself." He said calmly, showing some actual emotion. Then let out a sigh so he can not overdo anything.

"I was about to mention it before my brother cut me off." He said lightly tapping his chin, still debating about whether or not telling her about their own future ideas and forces. "Tch, sorry for calling you a liar. Your regal tone shows me your truth." He said soundly, swaying his eyes under his eyelids to glare at his brother for making such a suggestion as that. If his older brother wanted the damn woman he could have her. Just he had to use his own money. He looked deeply into her eyes. "Nohime, have much talent to be used, I can see that. But most men in China will only see you for your beauty. Rather than using you for your talents they will only use you for their own needs, they are false with their demented search for 'peace'. But what they truly want is to just satisfy their own greed."

He waves a hand to his brother and him. "My brother and I can use you for the abilities you have. We are assembling a force, and I would like you to join us." He said being straight foreword, and serious. He expected her to laugh in his face for what he had just said, but that would just mean she had no vision of the future. At least, not the vision that he and his brother had for the future of China. He felt she would make a great asset in his quest. If not she would just be another corpse in their way. "What do you say? Nohime?"

[Yen Wang (Burai)]

Burai sighed, as she didn’t take him on his offer. That would make things much comfortable. Well I do have something thing better-“But before he could finish. Hiroshi began to speak to her about particular matters. This annoyed Burai somewhat. “Why would he say something like that?” Burai’s grip on his trident became more firm. To make it worse he said we. Burai’s pride took a heavy blow. But it was from his brother, he wasn’t aware of what he said.

Burai frowned, and turned his body to face Hiroshi. He ignored Hiroshi’s eye gestures “Ah yes, My organization brother, not ours.. I understand your eagerness. If you truly believe this woman has the talent to be a part of my dream, then I’ll consider it. As a gracious leader, one mustn’t bask in one’s own glory.” Burai turned away from Hiroshi; still greatly annoyed by his statement. “Yuan Shao is a noble who’s family has done many great things. None in my opinion are great, but he has the ability to pay me. Thus now he has the strongest army.”

Burai fettled his eye patch for a moment. “Lady Nohime you could serve him or anyone else.I would say you would be wasting your time. These rulers now-a-days are cowards, not warriors. Hmph.” Burai looked her into her eyes. “Such elegance should be with me. I would hate to see such a beautiful flower tainted, by the unjust of the others, who are unfit to rule.” Burai winked at her, and bowed. As he rose back up he stared at the woman and back at his brother. “Even if you don’t choose to join me. There is no reason we can’t be civil “