Xu Huang awakened. He looked around dozily, his eyes not quite open. His hat had shifted down over his head and sat at an odd angle, obscuring his view. He fumbled with it sleepily, trying to shake off the sleep.

When his vision finally returned to him, he looked around to Zhang Liao's bed, only to find his injured friend was gone.

He suddenly bolted up; the covers Liao had placed slumping to the ground. Where was he?

He rushed out of the room and looked down the corridor. Xiahou Yuan was walking down and Huang quickly rushed to him.

"Yuan! Have you seen Liao?" He asked.

"Calm down! No I haven't." Yuan said.

Huang Grunted and pushed Yuan aside, rushing down the hall.

"You could say excuse me!" Yuan growled after him.

Huang bolted down the corridor as fast as he could run, looking into every room he passed. He passed Xiahou Dun, drying his damp hair.

"Dun! Have you seen Liao?" Huang shouted.

"Hey, lighten up! I just saw him a few minutes ago. He's in the baths." Dun smiled.

The relief was clear on Huang's face and he sighed, deeply relieved.

"Oh, thank heavens. Is he safe?" Huang sighed.

"He is fine! Sima Yi is with him." Dun laughed.

The two gave respectful salutes and went on their separate ways.

Huang continued to the baths, not rushing now. Master Sima Yi would keep him safe.

When he got there, to his relief, he saw the two men bathing, talking together.

"Zhang Liao!" Huang called gleefully, walking over to the two men.

"Oh Huang, your awake." Liao smiled.

"I was worried sick about you!" Huang sighed.

"You shouldn't be. I feel fine. I just felt a little dirty and didn't want to wake you." Liao smiled.

Sima Yi turned to Huang, grinning. "Let him fly the nest Huang, you can't mother him forever!" Yi teased.

Liao splashed water at Yi and he laughed.

Huang relaxed. Liao was back to normal, the wound would heal up soon and all would be fine.

"So," Liao said turning back to Yi. "When will we save Zhang He?" Liao asked.

"That is not our main priority," Yi said.

Liao's face sunk. "But… what if Zhuge Liang…" Liao pleaded.

"He will be fine, he is a resourceful man. We should not need to aid him." Yi said.

"Then what is our main priority?" Liao asked.

Yi stood up, taking a towel in hand and starting to dry himself.

"I need to send a letter to Sun Quan." Yi grinned.

"What will that accomplish?" Liao asked.

Yi laughed. "Oh Zhang Liao, you know nothing of strategy!"

Liao looked down and Yi knew he had offended him.

"Let's just say, I have a plan that will aid our cause greatly…" Yi smiled.

---

Zhang He shifted. His head throbbed again.

I lost it… how could I lose it?

He eased his eyes open to see Jiang Wei, sitting in the far corner of the tent. Wei's head was buried in his hands, his kneed tucked tightly into his chest. He shivered, like he was crying.

Zhang He shifted to a sit, watching Wei intently. The wounds on the boy's fingers were bleeding afresh, the scarlet blood slowly trailing over his gauntlets and down his arms. His hands were black with dirt.

"Jiang Wei…" He sighed.

Wei twitched.

"Talk to me Wei…" He said.

There was a brief moment of silence that seemed to stretch for an eternity.

"Yes… I was…" Wei muttered.

"You were? What do you mean?" He asked confused, shifting closer to Wei's side.

"You asked me…." Wei sighed.

"What?" He asked, now close to Wei. He placed a hand on Wei's shoulder.

"You asked me if I was happy in Cao Wei…. And… I was." Wei sighed, not turning to look at He, instead shifting his face into his knees and looking at his bloody hands.

Zhang He sighed, rubbing his hands on Wei's shoulder. "Then, why don't you go back?"

Wei fell silent, stretching out his hand to the ground in front of him and grinding his bloody fingers into the dirt.

"Stop, stop! You'll hurt yourself!" He cried, quickly reaching out and grasping Wei's hand and pulling it away from the floor.

"Zhuge Liang is coming for you. He is going to execute you." Wei muttered.

Zhang He sighed. "Somehow, I thought that might happen. Never mind."

"Never mind?" Wei asked.

"Death before dishonour." He muttered.

Wei looked down, still hiding his face from He. "He'll be here soon, but I just…"

"What is it?" He asked.

"I have to ask you…" Wei sighed.

"Anything." He said.

"Why did you try to hurt Liu Chan?" Wei asked.

Zhang He smiled. "I'm sure you understand that Zhao Yun is omitting part of the story, he couldn't have Zhuge Liang know that I spared him."

"Spared him?" Wei asked.

"I chased him down, in Chang Ban, got all ready to end his life, until I saw the child, I couldn't harm a child for the sake of revenge. So I let him go." He said.

Wei seemed satisfied with the answer.

"Run…" Wei whispered.

"What?" He asked.

"Run away now, home to Sima Yi, I won't stop you, and by the time Zhuge Liang notices, he'll be too late to catch you." Wei muttered.

"What about you? Will you be alright?" He asked.

Wei fell silent. "Friends… I will do anything for my friend."

Zhang He smiled, standing up. "Thank you…"

"Hurry up…" Wei muttered.

He understood. He walked over to the door of the tent, pushing it aside and ran out.

Wei sat in silence for a while, his tears turning into a laugh. Liang couldn't hurt He if he was home.

Soon Zhuge Liang entered, and looked around the room.

"Jiang Wei, where is Zhang He?" Liang asked.

Wei laughed deeply, his head still buried in his knees.

"Where is he Wei?" Liang growled.

When no answer came from his apprentice he burned with anger, walking to Wei's side and pulling him up by the back of his scarf.

He Took Wei's breastplate in hand and stared into his eyes.

"Where is he?" Liang demanded.

"I let him go." Wei muttered.

"You did what?" Liang snapped, his grip tightening on the cloth and armour.

"I let him go." Wei repeated.

Liang's emotion finally showed. His calm exterior split. He was furious.

"Do you have ANY idea what you have done?" Liang Snarled, pulling Wei close and looking into his eyes.

Wei stopped laughing now, Liang seemed far more angry then he had anticipated.

"DO YOU?" Liang Yelled, shaking Wei hard.

Zhao Yun walked in, "Master Liang, Is everything alright?" Yun asked.

"The prisoner has fled, pursue him and KILL HIM!" Liang Shouted.

Yun bowed and rushed out of the tent to his horse.

"No! Don't kill him!" Wei called.

Liang's eyes widened with shock. "You… you are friends?" Liang growled.

Wei didn't answer.

"When did you meet him? What trickery did that beast use to ensnare you?" Liang growled.

"He… he was kind." Wei muttered.

Liang, in a sudden fit of rage, flung his apprentice to the floor, his body colliding hard with the solid earth.

"Trap you with kindness? That demon!" Liang snapped.

"Master Zhuge Liang…you're hurting me…" Wei cried.

And Liang fell silent, suddenly realising what he had done. Zhang He had won again.

"Jiang Wei… I'm sorry…" Liang Said stretching out his hand.

"Get away!" Wei said, backing up to the door, grabbing his trident.

"Jiang Wei…" Liang cried, tears now forming in his eyes.

"Don't come near me!" Wei shouted, his eyes filling with tears also. He scrambled to his feet, pointing his trident at his master.

"I'm so sorry…" Liang Cried, but Wei fled, rushing off as fast as he could.

"Wait! Stop!" Liang Shouted, rushing after him.

But Wei had already reached the stables, and fled mounted on Guan Yu's Red Hare.

"Stop!" Liang screamed, stretching out his hand, but the thunder of hoof beats drowned his voice as the boy tore off into the forest.

Liang swore, cursing himself. He should never have let his hatred for Zhang He come between them, he should have kept calm, now he feared that he may have lost them both…

The serving maid brought Sima Yi his writing things and he nodded in acknowledgement. She made a respectful gesture and left. Yi took his brush in hand and started to write. Everything was going to work out perfectly…