“My lord!” exclaimed Jeno, helping Luhan tie his belongings to the saddle of his white horse. “Is it really safe for you to travel alone like this? We are at war!”

“I must go alone,” replied Luhan, climbing quickly onto the horse. “But don’t worry,” he added with a soft smile, wrapping his cloak tightly around himself against a powerful gust of wind, “I am well protected.”

“I can come with you, sir! I can be your guard!”

“That is quite brave of you, son. But you must stay here, and guard the castle. My cloak will keep me safe. Surely, you’ve heard the Legend.”

Jeno furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. “Do you mean, the ‘Legend of the White King?’ With all due respect, your highness, I thought that was just a fairytale.”

Luhan smiled once more while reaching up to straighten his crown. “I wouldn’t dismiss it so casually. There’s a reason why my crown and my cloaks are so sacred to our Kingdom.”

Jeno instinctively looked up at the towering flagpole, where one of the King’s cloaks waved in the wind. “There’s more than one?”

“There are three,” explained Luhan, “all cut from the same fabric.” He looked down at the cloak he was wearing and then followed Jeno’s gaze up towards the makeshift flag. “They have protected our people for centuries. That is why I’m leaving one here. As long as it continues to fly, our Kingdom will be safe. Promise me you’ll look after it.”

Jeno immediately saluted the King. “I will protect it with my life.”

Just as Luhan was about to ride away, the small guard thought of one last question. “My lord, if I may ask, where is the third cloak?”

Luhan spurred his horse into a steady gallop. “With King Kyungsoo, of course!” he called out, as he rode into the West.

…

Blue flames arose from the towering flagpole at the center of the castle’s square, engulfing the cloak that Luhan had hoisted to its top. Kyungsoo craned his neck back to take in the surreal sight as Sehun urged their stallion to make haste. They had only narrowly escaped from the White City just before it was overwhelmed with enemy forces.

Darkness fell around the exiled riders as they entered the shade of the Eastern forest.

“This way,” called out Kai, from the front of the pack, riding alone atop his Black mustang. 

The others followed his lead for what seemed like hours, until Kyungsoo finally protested. “How much farther?” he cried out, grabbing onto Sehun’s wrists and forcing him to pull on the reins. Suho and Chanyeol flanked them on either side, each on their own horse.

“We cannot stop!” yelled the Black Knight, circling around a large tree and making his way back towards the others.

“Where the hell are we?” asked Kyungsoo. “Why is it taking so long?!”

Kai rode forward and faced the White King. “I had to use the route farthest from the main path, so that we wouldn’t run into any enemies. The Black City is not too far from here.”

Kyungsoo frowned. “Well maybe we should take a break and plan something properly before waltzing into hostile territory.”

“There are several secret entrances that we can use, my lord,” replied Kai, showing some deference to appease the annoyed King.

“And then what?” asked Kyungsoo, not so easily satisfied.

“Chen will likely be in the General’s headquarters,” answered Kai. “It is located close to the Eastern gates. We can meet him there and fill him in on the plan.”

“And Baekhyun?” asked Kyungsoo, instinctively turning towards the Admiral.

“We can’t be sure he’s back from the Blue River,” replied Chanyeol, speaking as though he had given the idea plenty of thought already. “But even if he’s back, the Western docks are on the opposite side of the city. It would be unsafe to travel their tonight.”

“I must agree, my lord,” added Suho. “Perhaps we can ride to him first thing in the morning.”

“No,” said Kai, in a rather forceful tone. “I will ride to the Western docks tonight, after dropping you off at the General’s quarters. Time is limited and we