Cole handed Xiao the glass of water when he woke up the next morning. "You are not drinking so much ever again under my watch," he said.

Xiao downed the whole glass. "You're right." He handed the glass back to Cole then grinned despite a minor headache. "But I could get used to this treatment. It's better than being kicked awake." Cole didn't speak, causing Xiao looked up at him inquiringly. "What?"

"King Joseph is coming today," Cole informed him.

"Oh great! We can go and greet - "

"No. We will stay here and you better behave," Cole said shortly.

"If you are referring to what happened yesterday, it wasn't my fault," Xiao said defensively. "The young woman just happened to run into me."

"It still drew attention," Cole said. "That's not something we want for you. Come on, tie your hair up and get dressed. George got you a servant's uniform so you can blend in."

Xiao protested against it but Cole was adamant. In a scurry, Cole lifted up his hair flowing over his shoulders and revealed his neck. Though slender and pale, there was an ugly drawing of a sort branded onto the skin, the edges of which were still red. Cole could clearly see a muscle jumping in Xiao's neck, making the ugly tattoo seem almost alive. He recognized it - 

"Get off!" Xiao said shrilly.

Cole did, his eyes wide. "Xiao - "

Xiao looked at him with such ferocity that he was frightened into silence. Even when Xiao was fighting, he always bore an expression of utmost relaxation. "Don't mention it to anyone," Xiao warned.

"But that's - "

Xiao narrowed his eyes threateningly and his lips curled into a smile that had no affability. "You think I don't know?"

"You - "

Xiao huffed and looked away. "I was twelve years old when Noah Sherman branded it onto me. Why did I start wearing my hair down? How can I not with that monstrosity on my neck. It was sheer luck that no one had seen it, honestly."

Cole was looking at him with eyes wide with horror. "You visited the Wen River Seclude," he said slowly. "I - "

"You didn't stop him from doing it even though you could have," Xiao said, eyes still fixed on the window sill. "So call me hypocritical for judging you by your sect again."

Cole was drowning in his abhorrence. A morning eight years ago, he was walking out of the great hall when Noah Sherman called and beckoned for him from behind a bush. Seeing his older disciple brother hiding made him laugh and he ran towards him. "What is it Noah?"

"Just come." Noah led him to a river where a boy about his age was playing in the river. He had a blue martial arts robe with sleeves and pant legs rolled up. Quick as lightning, Noah was onto the boy, pinning him down on the ground. Cole watched in horror at something he had only overheard Noah mentioning to Jason. The boy tried to fight, to wreath out of his grip, but Noah wouldn't let go. The boy then looked up at him and his eyes widened in a plea that was quickly replaced with pain. Cole only stood there, too scared of this version of Noah to do anything.

Presently, Xiao smiled and stood up and walked in front of the window which showed the view of the yard. "I was terrified that day," he said. "A twelve year old."

Cole didn't want forgiveness as he knew what he did, his nature, was to go along with his older disciple-brothers and how wrong they were and how wrong he was. He didn't say anything for a long time and Xiao looked out the window in silence. "You are right to avoid me," Cole said.

Xiao sighed and sat down again. "I owe you my life," he said.

Both were at a loss at what to say and do and only the growing ruckus on the street could break their silence. Cole rushed out of the room and Xiao, after making sure the collar of his servant's uniform could roughly cover his branding, ran out too. It was his innate ability that he could find Cole in a crowd and squeezed in beside him. Cole smiled without looking at him.

Soldiers on horseback were racing past, making sure to whip the civilians who were not in their way. But despite the violence, people still gathered and watched on. Some even cheered up ahead, presumably for the king. Stretching their necks and getting their tip toes like the rest, Xiao and Cole saw the carriage in red and gold. Four horses pulled the eight-wheeled thing, all strong and well-feed white stallions. The carriage was beautiful, as all things royal should be. The oak wood that made it was covered with the softest and shiniest fabric, made from the moths' silk in the east and dyed with the best colourants from the north. It glowed in the sun presently and hid the face of the king from the civilians. Many were disappointed but most anticipated this and were content with being on the same street as the king. Some were upset that they couldn't kill the king right then and now and some could only be angry silently and wait until they could complain to their family later.

Xiao's eyes followed the carriage as it was pulled away into the makeshift palace. From within, he could hear the twinkling of a laugh. Skeptical, he turned to Cole to confirm his hearing. Cole nodded. Following the King's carriage were ones for the queen and then one for the only concubine that the king had brought. Surrounding them were generals and court officers alike. Xiao had picked out George at the front of the group as soon as the king's convoy was in sight. He had went out to welcome the king.

Then behind all of them came a very simple and crude wooden cart, curtained off and guarded with five horsemen on each side. Murmuring broke out among the onlookers as to who could possibly be inside. Cole lightly squeezed Xiao's arm.

After the king's convoy all went in, the crowd dispersed. Cole went back into the officials' dwelling where they resided and Xiao followed. They were testing the theory that the most dangerous place was the safest place.

Once they were inside, Cole faced Xiao with a determined air. "I'll go into the palace and talk to Grandmaster Maguire," he said. "If he wanted me to save him, I will get him out, otherwise, I'll follow his instructions."

"I'll come with you," Xiao said. "He's my mentor."

"I owe this to you," Cole said. "Besides, I know how the makeshift palace is after working there."

"You're a genius for infiltrating the system," Xiao said and Cole's face was complacent. "But let me come along. If you owe me, let me come along."

Cole smiled finally and nodded. "I just don't want you to put your life in danger."

Xiao shook his head. "I've been to more dangerous places," he boasted. "What's one makeshift palace to me?"

Cole rolled his eyes and smiled indulgently and the two lied down to rest. Having been near the palace enough times, they forgoed the testing out of escape routes.

A bit earlier than midnight, two dark shapes emerged out of the residence. With several flashes, which would be all an onlooker would have been able to discern, they were over the wall of the palace, alerting none of the guards. It was lucky that the guards were changing shifts when they neared. Then, Cole was leading the way to the back, where he remembered the grandmaster's cell was. Xiao, followed, but he often lagged behind as he examined the palace.

The wind carried over a waft of paint that the knights' nose could detect. All over the place, were beautiful decorations and intricate designs that took Xiao by surprise. If it had been an ordinary tyrant's manor, he would have taken one of the filigree in the rooms.

From within the rooms, Xiao could hear a faint chatter of the servants and maids. From up ahead, he could see the inner palace where the queen and the concubines must reside. He peered through the windows that he passed.

Cole, up ahead, was too engrossed in the thought of what the grandmaster would say if he was in the state fit for speech and thus was very much focussed on getting to him. Xiao lagging behind was attributed to Xiao not being as agile as him, something he would like to believe.

They got to the back and saw that many soldiers were standing guard around a room. In normal circumstances, they would have casted a distraction and then got inside, but they didn't risk it tonight, because they didn't want their coming in to be noticed. They feared of putting the grandmaster in danger and somehow dragging George into the mess. 

Xiao took out a pigeon incense burner he had obtained from the traffickers all the way back in Wyatt City without Bradley's knowledge and lit it up from an upwind position. Within seconds, the guards were crumpling to the ground. Grinning triumphantly, Xiao nudged Cole. Cole smiled and leaped down. Retrospectively, Xiao wondered whether it was because Cole was part of the Anlang Sect that he did not scold or look down on him for using such a dirty trick. Bradley would have scolded him. If Jonah had done this, Xiao himself ought to feel incumbent to scold him. 

He followed Cole down and opened the locked door with the "magic" key. Inside, Maguire was sitting against the wall, meditating despite being chained to the wall by one ankle and having tied hands. With the sound of the door opening, he opened his eyes. Xiao was running over. He tired to cut away the ropes tying his mentor's hands but the grandmaster jerked his hands away quickly. "Xiao."

"Mentor, let me get you out," Xiao said earnestly, with tears in his eyes as he looked at the unkempt clothing of his meticulous mentor and the streaks of dirt and grease on his face.

Grandmaster Maguire shook his head. "I want this to be cleared up," he said. 

"Grandmaster Maguire," Cole spoke up respectively behind Xiao. He had closed the door behind them and watched the scene unfold. "We will do whatever we can to get you out of here legally. But can you please tell us what happened?"

"Cole Fessler," the grandmaster greeted. "Thank you two for coming for me. I was in Bodang County when the king's convoy passed through. Upon hearing that I was in the area, King Joseph, who has met me once before asked for me. During our talk, I told him of the abductions and trafficking that has been happening. That night, I was kept in the king's residence and I was drugged. Then I was woken up and the crime was put on me."

"So it was Amanda Davidson who did it?" Xiao asked.

"I think the concubine is affiliated with the trafficking organisation," the grandmaster confirmed.

"Shi - " Xiao cut himself off as the grandmaster looked down on crude words like these. "We will get the issue brought up to the King," he promised.

"How?" Cole asked from behind.

Xiao grinned at him briefly before turning back to the grandmaster. "Is there anything I can do for you now, mentor? You've taught me so much and yet - "

The grandmaster smiled. "All I ask is that you stay safe and sensible."

Cole, angry Xiao wouldn't share his plan with him, almost laughed at the sensible part. He watched as Xiao kowtowed to his mentor. The grandmaster closed his eyes, telling them to leave. Cole opened the door and started giving the cure to the guards. Xiao helped amid his sniffling. Just as some guards were stirring, the two left the palace.

"These dogs wouldn't dare mention anything," Xiao said. "Once they assess that there was no real damage, they wouldn't report up to their superiors for a scolding."

Cole hummed in agreement. "So what's your plan?"

Xiao grinned. "I have a friend here."