Jong Tai Yi, heir to Psyonan province in the northern principality, paced back and forth in his well-appointed apartment. He was in the south for school and to serve as a surety for the treaty with the Kingdom of Corrana. He had been confined to the castle precincts after a failed kidnapping attempt and all these months later remained under a tight watch.

He just received important news so wanted to talk with his best friend in the capital. Unfortunately, Park Junseo was very busy so Tai Yi could not guess whether the messenger should go to the temple, forge, training yard or medical academy. In the end he requested the services of four palace couriers. Three returned empty handed. He did not disguise his disappointment but tipped them never-the-less.

The fourth brought back a cleverly folded note. Tai Yi immediately recognized one of his friend's origami tricks and rewarded the courier appropriately. He then retreated to his bedroom and refolded the paper to represent a bird in flight. Then he was able to piece together the Shen characters for "when you wake." Tai Yi took the extra precaution of burning the note.

He did not know what kind of dangers Junseo might face from his connections to the southern court, but he did not want anyone from the north learning his friend's secret. Or more properly, put the open secret about twice royal heir together with the extraordinary boy who had already saved him at least once. To his mind having foiled the kidnapping attempt was minor when compared to the way Junseo had helped him survive the loneliness of his palace confinement and the grief over his father's passing. In his heart Tai Yi named Junseo a brother and now he desperately needed a brother's advice. His anxious pacing was interrupted by his servant announcing a visitor.

"Park Sen Dou?" Tai Yi did not expect his occasional partner for practicing northern forms to have come from Prince's training yard in the evening. He gathered himself together and invited the fine-featured young man in.

"I have a delivery from our mutual friend," Sen Dou announced then bowed and held a package out with both hands. Tai Yi responded seriously to this bit of formal theatre and then dismissed his servant before unwrapping the parcel he had been handed. Sen Dou struggled to keep a straight face when one of Junseo's custom puzzle boxes was revealed.

Sen Dou shook his head. "Oh, that's rich. I can't believe he would do something like that."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for a trainee to get out of evening practice? Death's door may not be an acceptable excuse, even with a reaper standing right beside you."

"Yet here you are."

"Yes, well a dragon-sealed message from Knight-Master Lie, counter-signed by General Tan, got the lieutenant's attention so he over-rode my drill-sergeant. Whatever is locked in trick box has to be pretty important."

"Right. I think I will probably need your help with it so I hope you can stay for a bit." Tai Yi blushed a bit thinking of the lengths his friend had gone. He was pretty sure it was not about what was in the box. It took the two of them the better part of an hour to get into the puzzle box. In it was a note asking Sen Dou to make a specific move on the Go board and a request for him to continue the game with Tai Yi.

"I don't understand." Sen Dou said after he read the note. "This was important enough for a General to help get me out of the barracks. A General, for a game of Go?"

Tai Yi thought his guest should have been more impressed by the use of the Royal family's signet but didn't say anything for a moment. He thought about how disappointed he had been when Junseo could not come until morning, and how his friend made sure he had some company. "I guess Junseo was worried about me," he swallowed hard and looked away.

"News from home?" Sen Dou asked gently.

"Yes, but I can't really talk about it." Tai Yi admitted. He turned away to swipe his eyes.

"Right," Sen Dou said as he put his hand on the boy's shoulder and guided him over to the board. "Let's see where this next move puts us."

It did not take long for them to become absorbed with the slow battle unfolding on the game board. Sen Dou admired both the subtilty with which Junseo had build his position, and the effectiveness of Tai Yi's counter measures. After a few exchanges he had to admit he was feeling out of his depth.

"Don't worry. I am sure Junseo can reset the board. We started this game by exchanging notes so he keeps a running tab on our positions in case he gets called away."

"Sounds like you guys take this pretty seriously."

"Well, my Dad started teaching me when I was four or five. Then I showed Junseo. He told me he would study the game and before long we were replaying some of the classics together. He said it helped with the strategy sessions he has with other trainees and Knight-Master Lie. I'd say lately we come out pretty even against each other so he could probably go for a ranking if he wanted."

"I guess that probably means you have some kind of ranking." Sen Dou chuckled as Tai Yi's ears turned red.

"So far only with the juniors but I did alright back home. My tutors here don't approve. They got really mad when I kept beating them but Junseo isn't like that. These days, if I win, he just has me walk him through my logic and what a better counter might have been."

"I know what you mean. You have seen how he is on practice court. Of course, he likes to win, but he always wants to learn."

"I want him to come north," Tai Yi said very quietly.

"Have you seen his ruby ring?" Sen Dou matched his tone and smiled at the quick nod. "It might not be safe."

"Nothing is safe." Tai Yi said bitterly then sighed. "Even you won't be safe if you stay much longer." He started walking toward the entrance hall, then paused to explain: "Our usual cover is to say our deliveries involve Affairs of State. Nobody outside of the most senior members of court should ask any more questions. If your drill masters don't know the code repeat it and then ask for a protocol officer. That should stop them in their tracks. If not, then the protocol officer will have to contact me and I will put on a temper. Now the inspection team is on their way the protocol office will not want me in a temper."

"I think you might enjoy showing them a bit of temper." Sen Dou's eyes twinkled.

"After being the most congenial hostage for all this time, I just might." Tai Yi nodded to himself and then thanked his guest profusely.