transitioning // li dian x reader

chapter two

"Lady (Y/N)! Master Cao Cao and another man have been spotted assisting Yuan Shu at the supply depot!"
I furrow my brows together. According to my research, the only notable officers Cao Cao has under his reign are his cousins, Master Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, Master Cao Ren, and his son Cao Pi.

"Who is this 'other man'?" I ask warily.
The messenger nods rapidly a few times.
"He responds to the name 'Li Dian', my lady."
I wrap my hand tighter around the reins of my birch-colored horse. Nobody was going to get in my way of joining Lord Cao Cao's army.
"Understood. Mobilize the troops! Do not harm any of Lord Cao Cao's men! Ride straight to the supply depot!" I spur my horse into action and twirl my spear around in my hand. I could see my new future now. Cao Cao accepts me into his army. I don't make many friends, not a problem, and I slay Dong Zhuo and avenge my father. My horse takes off at neck breaking speed. As the wind whips my hair this way and that, I shout a rallying cry to my troops.

"Today we rewrite our destiny!" And to my joy, my loyal soldiers reply to my cry with enthusiastic shouts of their own.
-------

Within a few minutes, I arrive at the supply depot, where Yuan Shu is under attack by two other officers under Dong Zhuo; men I recognize as Xu Rong and Zang Ba. As I dismount my steed, two officers clad in blue arrive, seemingly to Yuan Shu's aid. The officer with the goatee, intimidating face and elegant sword I instantly recognize as Lord Cao Cao.
He's even more impressive in person.
The other man, he is covered from head to toe in indigo armor, with a long blue scarf wrapped around his neck. The only skin visible is his face, pale with pink lips and hazel eyes. Delicately structured. This must be the Li Dian that the messenger spoke of.
Very attractive...my brain purrs. I shake my head, trying to clear those thoughts out. I came here to join an army, not find a lover.

That could come later, perhaps.
I charge into the depot with a battle cry, catching Xu Rong off guard. I swing my spear at his head, hoping to end this quickly. He raises his own great sword to block my attack, staggering backwards a few steps with the force of my blow.

"Lady (Y/N)?!" Zang Ba shouts.
"Have you betrayed Lord Dong Zhuo? Why?" Xu Rong asks in a bewildered tone as I push against his great sword. I grunt in response.
"That's the dumbest thing you've ever said, and with all due respect, you've said a lot of dumb things," I admit, forcing Xu Rong back. Before Zang Ba can attack me, Li Dian slashes at him with his...abnormal weaponry. I'll be sure to ask him what it is later.

Swinging the spear around me, I deliver quick slashes to Xu Rong's torso. I deal little damage, but I can tell he's tiring quickly, trying to block with that obnoxiously heavy weapon. He whips the deadly blade of the great sword towards my head, and I narrowly duck, standing upright as soon as the sword passes. Then I bring the hard wooden hilt of my spear up against the under side of his jaw. Xu Rong's head snaps back and he drops his weapon to clutch at his bleeding lips.

"You filthy wench!" My former comrade snarls.
"I will slay you! And then aid Lord Dong Zhuo in his dreams of paradise!" Xu Rong pulls a smaller sword out of the sheath on his hip, charging recklessly at me. Effortlessly, I sidestep his attack and trip him with my leg, watching as he falls pathetically to the ground. The sword skitters out of his grasp. Time seems to stand still for a moment or two.
"Go ahead. Kill me," Xu Rong taunts, rolling over onto his back. I walk towards the poor man and stand over his body.
"The pawn of a pig like you doesn't deserve such a luxury," I say in a monotone voice. He chuckles, something I don't expect.

"All this talk...when you're really just another whore of Dong Zhuo's...nice undergarments, by the way."
My face heats up, realizing that me standing over him gives the pervert a decent view up my skirt. Without sparing a second thought, I take my spear and thrust it as hard as I can into Xu Rong's shoulder.
His screams of pain are excruciating to hear.
"I may have said I wouldn't kill you," I whisper, leaning in close. "But that doesn't mean I won't make you suffer." Xu Rong's eyes moisten ever so slightly.

I-I can't do this. I'm just as bad as that disgusting pig right now.
I hurriedly move off of him and remove the blade of my spear from his shoulder. As he scrambles to his feet to try to escape, I whack him in the head with the wood of my spear and he falls to the ground unconscious. The blood seeping from his wound into the dirt makes me nauseous. Diverting my attention to my surroundings, the man called Li Dian was chasing off Zang Ba with his gigantic weapon, while Lord Cao Cao was defeating the last of remaining peasant soldiers. Yuan Shu remained motionless in the midst of it all, sword hanging limp at his side. Concerned, I walk over to him and place a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Master Yuan Shu, I trust you have not been injured in this chaos?" As if snapping out of a trance, his sword is suddenly at my throat.
"Don't take another step forward!"
"Hey, hey, hey, hold on a minute! Please wait, Master Yuan Shu!" The man in charge of the supply depot relaxes his grip on the hilt of his sword, but still keeps the weapon aimed at my neck.
"I don't think she's our enemy. She helped fend off your attackers, Master Yuan Shu," Li Dian quickly explains. He places a thoughtful hand on his chin.

"I had a feeling someone was going to defect today..." He mumbles. I arch an eyebrow. Yuan Shu drops his weapon, although he continues to shoot me dirty looks out of the corner of his eye.

"Li Dian...it seems you've made a new acquaintance." Cao Cao strides, purposefully, over to the three of us. In all honesty, I'm at a loss for words.

"M-my lord...!"
I hurriedly drop into a kneel at Cao Cao's feet.
"My name is (Y/N)...and I would like to be amongst your ranks when you unify China, Lord Cao Cao!" Stealing glances upwards, all three men have their eyebrows raised. Yuan Shu and Li Dian in shock...Cao Cao in pleasant surprise. Cao Cao makes a deep humming noise in the back of his throat.

"Rise, (Y/N). I want to look you in the eyes."
I do as I'm told, brushing dirt off my knees and skirt. His gaze is stern and intimidating, and I have to resist the urge to look away.
"Why do you desire to work under my rule?" Cao Cao inquires. I take a deep breath.

"I only was an officer of Dong Zhuo to protect my family. My father was a skilled swordsman, who was threatened death if he didn't join Dong Zhuo's ranks.
"At the time, my mother was ill, and I was just a child, so he joined reluctantly, in order to preserve his family. Soon, my father worked his way to the top, and when I became of age, at the side of my father I fought at Dong Zhou's beck and call. We were instantly disgusted with his so called dreams of 'paradise.' But we had no choice but to serve him if we were to keep each other safe. But a few months ago," you pause and take a deep gulp.
"My mother passed. My father was grief-stricken, and along with the weight of the crimes he committed, he looked ready to drop at any moment. In secret, I was plotting to defect. I chose you in the end after weeks of research, Lord Cao Cao. Rather than Liu Bei or Sun Jian or Yuan Shao." Cao Cao smirks triumphantly.
"All that was left was for me to decide when I was defecting. The plan was for me to take my father and flee...flee to a better life... But unfortunately, he was slain yesterday. By Dong Zhuo himself. The reason I am not aware of yet, but I knew that now was as good a moment as any other." I tried to quell my shaking breaths.

"I understand if you would just rather kill me, but I-"
"Welcome to the army, (Y/N)."
-------
AN: *wipes brow* Well I hope you guys like this update. Quick note, your outfit is based on the light armor edit parts in DW7 and DW8 Empires. If you don't like it, feel free to change it in your head. Next chapter might be up tomorrow if I write like I planned.