Zitao returned feeling much refreshed. He was dressed in the black pants and t-shirt that Chanyeol gave him, with a cloak, to cover most of his body, and of course his mask.

At their campfire, the fire already burned down and the night air was chilly. He could see that the knights are already asleep with their own bedroll. He looked around to find that prince Yifan was nowhere to be found, where could he be? Zitao ask himself.

He walked to the wagon to get his own blanket. He spread the blanket next to the wagon, and as he was about to lay down, something caught his eyes, Zitao reaches for it, and as he get ahold of it. He blink and move it closer to see clearly, only to find out that it was a flute.

Sitting from his spread blanket, he examines the flute, and from looking at it, Zitao could guess that it is already old. He bring the flute to his lips, without lifting his mask, (his mask aren't that thick anyway) and he start blowing to test it.

The sound that comes out to the flute was still good. Zitao smiled to himself, he could keep the flute in case he got bored from their journey.

Putting the flute to the side, he welcomed its now-familiar shelter. He tossed and twisted, trying to fit his body to the unrelenting contours of the ground.

Overhead, the sky was an indigo blue, with the lighter clouds scudding across it. The moon had nearly completed its circuit and was casting a cheerful glow across the land.

How beautiful, it held Zitao spellbound; he reaches to his now-owned flute, thinking that he might play a song he knew that could fit this mesmerizing night.

Zitao start playing a very slow, relaxing music that contrast the stillness of the night sky that night.

The sound echoed to the silent night, making the knights to wake up. If anything, they could have been really angry for disturbing their sleep, but the music was so good, that they hardly didn't want to go back to sleep, and so they listen as the sound of the flute was being played.

They figured that the beautiful music was played by none other than prince Zitao himself. Back at the time, when the grand ball was held. One news has spread like fire that night; the news was about prince Zitao playing beautifully like no other

They also know that it was also not prince Yifan, since all they knew how the princel dislike music.

Except the oh-so hater of music, was also enjoying listening the music like them.

Yifan was sitting at the tree just near the wagon, from below; he could see prince Zitao playing a flute. He look up to the sky above, that prince, he thought, have really good taste of music, a soft smile crept across his lips.

That's damn for sure are.

After the evening's turn events. Zitao slept dreamlessly, noticing nothing until prince Yifan, “Wake up everyone, we've got a long day ahead of us!” Roused the camp. In time of eating, Zitao elected to stay close to the wagon to eat the plate of biscuit and beans that Chen handed him. Because if he only eat until everyone finished eating their meal, then that would be a waste of time.

And beside prince Yifan hate wasting time, he really seems to be into this mission (it's a good thing though), and Zitao figured it's because of his girlfriend, her life depends on him.

He must have really cared for her. Zitao almost laugh at how he suddenly sounds bitter.

They start their journey with a little talk as possible, stopping only if prince Yifan would say so.

Late in the afternoon, Kai rode up next to prince Yifan, “ Sehun said to tell you we're making better time than we thought, He's scouted on ahead and he says we ought to be at the kingdom of Anhui in an hour or so. “

“Good,” prince Yifan said, “it'll give us a chance to unload in the daylight”.

Zitao sigh in relief, his feet are already hurting from walking nonstop. All thanks to that arrogant prince, whom he'd been glaring since the moment he said that Zitao can't ride any horse nor in the wagon.

Bastard.

Zitao was snap on his hating session of prince Yifan, by the steps of a horse coming towards him.

“Hey, You'd been walking nonstop, you alright?”. Chanyeol ask him

Zitao shook his head, “no, my feet doesn't hurt at all, I'm fine.” Zitao answer reassuringly.

Chanyeol look at him for a minute and chuckle with a shake of his head, “No you're not, don't lie. You're limping while walking,” Chanyeol point out, “just enough evident that you're hurt.”

Zitao duck his head and clutches his cloak from behind, like a child being scolded.

Chanyeol watch prince Zitao’s movement with amusement, “how cute,” he murmured, nudging his horse and left quickly.

Zitao look up, blinking at Chanyeol’s back, did he just heard him right? Or was he just hearing things?.

Chanyeol walk to the side of prince Yifan. He could see the kingdom of Anhui just miles away, “it's a good thing we're ahead of time.” he said, looking to the side to look at prince Yifan.

“If you feel sorry for him, why don't you let him ride your horse instead of you.” prince Yifan said flatly. He nudged his horse, making the horse to jog, leaving Chanyeol behind with a baffled expression.

Chanyeol raised his brow, what was the sudden attitude for? Was he perhaps...jealous? In whom?

Is it for him?

Chanyeol wants to laugh at that thought, and so he does, very loud. Loud enough to be heared by everyone.

Especially by prince Yifan, who has now had a very angry face.

Chen leans a little to Kai’s ear, “he finally lost it”.

Kai nod while looking at Chanyeol’s back with a sad expression, “how sad”.

The kingdom of Anhui was big as Zitao thought it would be. They arrive just as the sun was about to sit down.

As they walk to the town of Anhui. Zitao move his eyes from one place to another, it's his first time to be in a place like this. He could see some of the vendor that are already packing up to close, probably because it's already night. He looks up to see the big palace of Anhui towering all the other buildings there

They stop and leave the wagon and horses outside in what Zitao think is a bar house.

He was about to follow them inside, but prince Yifan turn around and face him, blocking his path, “What do you think you're doing?”.

“Um, following you”, Zitao answered.

“Oh no you won't”, prince Yifan shake his head, “you’ll be staying here outside, and guard the wagon. I won't pay for you to have a room when you're already causing enough trouble”.

“Bu-”,

“Do I hear some complain?”, Prince Yifan asks, cutting Zitao.

Zitao bit his lips and shake his head, he want to argue back but prince Yifan is right, he has cause enough trouble by going with them. Beside his not the one who's in charge here, prince Yifan is.

It’s okay, he can handle it, it's just a night with no room and proper bed to sleep with anyway.

It's all for joonmyun, he'd do all for Joonmyun.

“Good”, prince Yifan nods and proceeds to go inside.

The knights give Zitao a hesitant look before following prince Yifan.

Chanyeol gave Zitao a squeeze on his shoulder, “don't worry, I'll bring you food and bandages for your feet”, he says, before disappearing with others.

Zitao sigh heavily, he turn around and walk to the wagon, as he approach the wagon. He gave one last look of the bar, thinking how nice would it be to sleep in a comfy bed tonight, just for tonight, before climbing up.

After preparing his space and bed to sleep on, Zitao’s throbbing feet soon claimed his attention. He gingerly eased his booth off. Both feet were terribly swollen, as well as being raw and covered with blisters. He winced as the throbbing increased and wished he had a pail of cold water to bathe them in.

He wiggled around sideways so his feet could rest on sheets and his back was propped against the wagon's side.

And soon Zitao drifted into an uneasy sleep, with throbbing feet.

It was probably late at night when Zitao woke up, to see a food and a roll of soft cloth strips near him. He smiles as he reaches for the bandages first.

He would thank Chanyeol later for his kindness.

The next day, a particularly hard jolt of the wagon woke Zitao. His feet were still tender when he stepped out of the wagon, although the soft bandages did help a lot. His concern for his feet however, was dwarfed by pains that shot through every other part of his body

He longed to get out and walk through the town of Anhui, but seems like his feet won't let him.

From above, Yifan was watching Zitao staggered around stiff-legged.

For a moment, a soft look crept around his face, while looking at the boy below.

Zitao was rubbing one of the horse shoulders when he sees prince Yifan coming out, dressed with his full armor, with a sword at his side.

And once again, Zitao found himself being thankful that he has a mask on, because