Poisonous Shadow

-What's that supposed to mean?!- yells Hua

-Excatly what I said! WE MUST LEAVE!- repeat himself the 4th Prince, before taking the man's wrist and running away. While passing through the exit, they cross path with Dong Hu, which alarms the young Prince.

...

-So... What now?- asks Hua shaking in Pei's arms

-I will go back and check... The situation...- tries to talk XianLen, still breathing heavily

-No, absolutely not! You are not going back into that place anytime soon!- warns him PeiZhi

-We, being just guards, will continue serving at the Palace as always... I'll check the situation and let you know if you may return or keep hiding yourself, Your Highness-

-Mhn... You are probably right- he nods with pressed lips

-Where will he be staying tho?- points out Hua -It's not easy to hide a Prince... Even less if he becomes a target for someone inside the Palace-

-Don't worry about it, I have... "Skills". I'll come back in a couple of days for updates, in the meantime I need to sort out a few matters... Don't worry I'll stay away from the Palace- The Guards both nod and see him off.

...

-Oh Wan... Thanks God you're safe- he bends down as the big fox hops down from the arms of the approaching man. The Prince hugs Wan tightly while getting back up -Thanks for rescuing him, Yu-

The water haired man nods in response -So, how's the situation?-

-One General of the Easter Regions attacked the Palace. He took vantage of our current vulnerability, wanting to claim the Throne as his. Then in all the chaos, a fire started and consumed the main Halls... But this is only the official version- sighs XianLen seating down on a rock, his eyes following the column of smoke, high in the sky... -Everyone know it was no General that marched against the Palace. The Princes have been fighting for that "chair" since forever... Planning and betraying eachother in the darkness, and now an innocent man is going to get killed for their greed... The man they blamed was supposed to depart for War months ago, but got tricked into this plan and remained in his domain instead.... Perfect occurrence for everyone to think he really has been planning all this for the Throne-

He bends over, now facing the ground -But this is not what I'm concerned about... Dynasties falls and Kings die since the World has existed- he faces the other man -I saw... A weird man... A very dark aura was upon him-

-Do you know who that was?-

The Prince shakes his head -I only know that he was Lai'Er rival in the Sect, he was leaving the General's building and walking around the Palace's main street as we were escaping... He looked completely unbothered, no rush at all and almost smiling-

The other man cleanch his fists gritting his teeth, not speaking a word

-Do you know him? He was probably at the Palace for his discharge from the training sections but... What if he has something to do with the Massacre?-

-Discharge?- he rises an eyebrow

-Uhm, once the tutors and Generals repute the Nobles ready, they assign them to a different Armada and discharge them from the Sect... Something my father came up with to keep everyone nice and quiet- he rolls his eyes

-Where did he got assigned?-

-I have no idea, it's not like I could ask him while I was running for my life...-

The man nods again and turns to leave -Ehy! I'm not finished talking...! Ah what a bothersome man- he murmurs before yelling toward his back -Maybe try asking his old comrades!-

-Well well well... What do we have here?- asks a voice behind the Prince, while a soft hand lowers on his shoulder. XianLen gasps and chage his features turning around shocked, as soon as Wan realize the danger he starts growling toward the unkown man -Who are you...?-

"I completely didn't sense him approaching..." thinks the man in white, still confused

-Ying SheGu- he murmurs with an apparently kind smile, but somehow still scary... The moon reflect on the dozen of metal rings adorning the black-purplish hair cornering the man's cadaveric pale skin

Due to the very soft voice of him, XianLen gets the wrong word -Ying as Win...?- he asks hoping that the man in front of him is a relative of ChangLai

-As Shadow- he smiles -Anyway, what... Is the 4th Prince possibly doing out here in the dark, talking with a nameless man right after his family got slaughtered?- his tone is so soft that it comes as frightening, insinuating danger in each slow sentence and making the skin crawls.

The Prince takes a step back but the man leans over, maintaining distance but hovering on him. He reaches out an arm but stops midway at the shocked expression of the Prince, the man sighs turning his palm elegantly to catch a lock of XianLen' hair -I'm not going to hurt you...- his lips almost unmoving, a faint grin -... Yet-

He examine the hair closely and nods -Mhn... So well done, I almost couldn't tell it was a disguise...- His eyes alone turn to the fox -... Worthy of someone of your kind- he comments, staring right into the Prince soul before straighten up with both hands behind his back

-"What" are you?- the question apparently is funny for the man who elegantly laugh -I suppose the name I was given explains itself-

-I want to hear it from you-

The man nods making the hair rings tilt -A poisonous snake, hidden in the dark in search for food...-

The Fox growls and XianLen shield it with his long sleeve -I suppose I'm a succulent mouse now-

-Why would you think so?-

-For which brother of mines do you work?-

The man smirks -I do not work for anyone... I just simply take vantage of peoples and situations- he comments now showing his side profile to the Prince, facing the moon instead

-So your purpose is... To be Emperor?- asks unsure the prince

The man rises an eyebrow, looking like a young disciple not understanding his Master's teaching -Aiming so low... I am not-

"Low...?!" Another step back

The Man turns the face toward XianLen again, his hands still behind the back and the eyes following his movements closely. One more step back from the Prince and he fully turns around, in less than a second his hand is around the Prince's throat while a needle penetrate Wan's skin -W... Wan...?!-

-He's only sleeping-

The Prince then takes a breathe of relief and close his eyes, ready to die now that his lover is not watching. But no more pressure comes.

He opens his eyes, another hand is holding on Ying SheGu's wrist... Stopping him from choking the prince.

"Yu...!" exult the Prince in his clouded brain

The nameless man stares into the other one, visibly hurting his bones, but SheGu just smiles -You don't want to fight me... Jie JianYu- even if he's at disvantage he still seems to be the one holding the knife's hilt

-Let him go- warns him the water haired man, the voice low and menacing.

SheGu opens his hand that soon after gets released, his arm goes again behind the back -Should I take this as a declaration of War?- asks the poisonous man with a smile

-As much as I can't fight you, same goes for you... None of us would get out alive of this-

-So what do you propose to do now?- he rise an hand while talking, looking genuinely confused

-Let's just go separate ways, SheGu... Untill you don't block my path, I won't bother you-

The shadowy man scrolls his sleeve, lowering his hand, and nods a couple of times -It's fine for me-

The Prince and JianYu begins leaving but get stopped by the other man -About that little toy of yours... I like it-

The water haired man turns his head above the shoulder -That's part of my path, stay away- he growls leaving once for all

Ying SheGu giggles silently -Ah... This War is getting more and more interesting-

-Sir!- a woman approaches and bends on one knee behind him, making the man turn instantly serious

-Speak-

-We found her-

-Mhn... Well done, my job here is done- he stares one last time where the 2 men have disappeared and leave with the sound of dancing fabric