"Sima Yi hasn't come back yet…" Wei sighed quietly, tipping his cup so the wine lapped at the edges.
"He'll be back later, he usually takes a while." Zhang He said, taking the last bite of his Baozi. He collected up the leftovers to take back to Zhang Liao; Sima Yi wasn't going to eat his anytime soon.
He watched the boy play with his wine and sniggered a little.
Wei looked over, his nose crinkling. "What?" Wei laughed.
"He never let you have wine?" He laughed.
"Oh shut up!" Wei said, putting has mask back on and abandoning the wine.
"Not thirsty?" He asked.
Wei ignored him, standing up, but shrunk back down into his seat at the sight of all the Cao Wei officers.
"You alright?" He asked.
Wei shivered. "Yeah… Just a little…" Wei said but stopped half way through.
"Its alright, you'll be fine." He said. He shifted to Wei's side and put a hand on his shoulder. "It took me a while to settle in, I know how hard it is in a new force."
Wei turned to look at the hand on his shoulder, watching the chain that stretched from his friend's wrist.
"Its not a new force… I was here before." Wei sighed.
Zhang He looked down, rubbing the boy's shoulder to try and soothe him.
"There…. There's something I have to do. Can I borrow your horse?" Wei asked.
Zhang He looked shocked. "Such a question! What do you need a horse for?" He asked.
"Don't worry about it, and I want to do it before Sima Yi comes back." Wei said.
He smiled. "Of course you can."
---
Lu Xun lay silently, listening to the sound of horse hooves hitting the dust somewhere behind him. He assumed he was in a carriage now; there was a hard wooden floor, which shook and rumbled under his body. He knew to keep silent; his new captor was sitting just above him and last time he made a sound he was rewarded with a kick in the chest.
They had left his first captor behind, the new man leading him out of the house. The first touch of breeze on his skin told him he was outside, although still bound and blindfolded. He had no idea where he was, the new captor dragging him stumbling along by the rope round his neck. He had stumbled and fallen, for which he had been beaten. After what seemed like an eternity, he was pulled off his feet and bundled into… he assumed a carriage.
Now he listened intently to the man, his breath just audible over the thundering wheels of the cart shuddering over the rocky road. His new captor was obviously wealthy, perhaps a high ranking military official. He cried quietly.
What do they want with me?
The blood was drying on his upper lip, from where his captor had beaten him. His nose had stopped bleeding a while ago, but it still stung, he was sure he could feel the bruise rising.
When the carriage slowed to a halt, Xun held his breath, listening carefully for anything…
There were voices, it sounded like a gate captain by the way the man addressed the driver of the carriage.
Soon they were on the move again, but stopped. His captor stood up and yanked Xun to his feet.
Xun stumbled, falling out of the carriage and on to hard ground. Well-packed earth. He could feel the dust settle on his face where is skin was bare.
"Get up!" His captor's voice growled.
Xun tried, his feet scrabbling against the dusty barren earth, but he had no strength and fell back down.
"I said get up!" His captor snapped again, tugging on the rope.
Xun started to weep.
"I can't please… I Cant!" He cried, his voice muffled by the gag.
Xun wouldn't stop crying, warm tears covering his eyes, blocked from escaping by the blindfold.
He waited for his captor to beat him, but the blows never came. Instead he felt two rough hands grip the back of his robes, dragging him along.
Xun cried with relief, for his captor had let go of the rope.
---
The wind rushed across his face, the veil of his new headdress flicking around his ears.
He gripped the reigns tightly, watching the head of Zhan He's black steed bob up and down as it ran.
Faster, Faster!
Jiang Wei subconsciously urged the horse forward. It was a fine beast, and if it was fast enough, he would be back at Cao Wei camp in half a day.
I hope this works...
---
"Master Zhuge Liang…" Zhao Yun's calm voice called into his tent.
Liang arched his back, turning awkwardly to look at his intruder.
"What do you want?" Liang asked, sighing.
"Ling Tong of Sun Wu is here, he wishes to speak with…. With Jiang Wei…" Yun said.
Liang sighed deeply, taking the golden hilt of his feather fan in hand and rising slowly to a stand.
"I will meet with him." Liang said.
"Are you sure sir?" Yun asked, his voice full of concern.
Liang walked past him, looking down into his fan. "Please direct me to him."
Yun nodded, quickly rushing to Liang's side to lead him.
They walked across the camp until they came to Liu Bei's tent.
Liang walked in, Yun pushing aside the canvas door, to see Ling Tong and his personal guards making obeisance before Liu Bei.
Liu Bei nodded to Liang, who nodded back and Bei gestured them to stand.
Liang stepped forward, adopting his emotionless gaze.
"So, I hear you have come to talk with Jiang Wei. May I ask what business you have with my apprentice?" Liang said, keeping his eyes affixed on the young man's face.
Ling Tong was wary of Liang, from his last encounter.
"Master Zhou Yu is sick, and Lu Xun is missing. I was told your Jiang Wei might know of Xun's location." Tong said.
Liang was shocked, he didn't want Liu Bei to know that Jiang Wei had friends in Sun Wu. He quickly rushed to Ling Tong, and bowed to his lord.
"Lord Liu Bei, if I may I will take this from here." Liang Said.
"As you wish." Liu Bei said. Both Liang and Tong made obeisance before Liang motioned him out of the tent. Tong's private guards followed close behind, keeping their eyes trained on Zhuge Liang.
After a short walk, they stopped at Zhuge Liang's tent. He ushered the men inside and bade them sit.
"So, what's this all about, why can't I speak to Jiang Wei? Tong asked.
Liang sighed. "Because he too is missing."
Ling Tong was shocked. "What?"
Liang nodded solemnly. "You know that the two were good friends I assume." Liang said.
"Yeah, the chief filled me in on that one," Tong said.
"Well it seems my Jiang Wei was also friends with Zhang He of Cao Wei, and they have run away together.!" Liang sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead.
Tong raised his hand to his mouth and sighed.
"I don't know of Lu Xun being friends with Zhang He, but the chances are if the two are missing, then they will be in the same place." Tong said.
Liang looked up. "You think so?"
Tong nodded, "If you think Wei went with Zhang He, where would they go?" Tong asked.
"I fear they have gone to Cao Wei." Liang said.
As the words left Zhuge Liang's mouth, a fatigued soldier ran in to the tent, panting. Liang stood up.
"What happened?" Liang asked.
The soldier panted. "Zhang He is here, Zhao Yun has him cornered in Jiang Wei's tent."
Liang and Tong both looked at each other and rushed out of the tent. Liang could hear Yun shouting as his spear struck.
They rushed into Jiang Wei's tent to see Zhao Yun viciously fighting, fending off an attacker in blue and purple robes armed with steel claws.
Yun thrust his spear and the attacker leapt over it, cutting himself a hole in the side of the tent through which he ran.
"After him!" Zhuge shouted, rushing himself to pursue.
They all rushed outside chasing the fleeing man. But as Liang caught glimpse of the man he stopped. The man jumped up onto a coal black steed and turned a glance back at the Shu Han main camp.
Liang's grip loosened and his white feather fan dropped to the floor.
Beneath the purple mask, was not Zhang He.
It was Jiang Wei.
Yun notched an arrow in his bow but Zhuge Liang leapt upon him, pulling the bow away.
"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Liang gasped, turning to take another look, but Jiang Wei, and his steed had fled into the forest.
"What's wrong master Zhuge Liang?" Yun gasped, "I could have hit him!"
"It was Jiang Wei!" Liang cried.
Yun was shocked. "No…"
"Erm… am I missing something here?" Ling Tong asked.
Liang slumped to his knees, covering his face with his hands.
The realisation sickened him.
Jiang Wei had defected.
