Emeralds and Enemies

Chapter Five

Jong Tai Yi talked the pair of guards who accompanied him within the palace grounds into letting him wait for Park Junseo near the west gate. While he strained to see if his best friend in the southern capital had made it through the check points, his guards spotted someone that had them talking. The sturdy boy was assisted a heavy-set man with a pronounced limp to get settled onto a bench and then knelt to examine the troublesome leg.

"You didn't tell us your friend knew Knight-Master Lei," one of his guards commented.

"I'm not sure, Junseo is probably just helping. You know what he is like."

"Right. Well, we a going to break protocol a bit here. You and Junseo will come to the practice courts with me. He can be your second guard today."

Tai Yi narrowed his eyes a bit while he processed the arrangement. The guards trusting Junseo to provide protection was probably not that surprising given that his friend had already proved himself more than capable on that front. Just a few months ago, when they had been roommates at the school dorms Junseo foiled kidnap attempt. The relocation to palace reinforced Tai Yi's security detail while he continued to serve as the surety for the northern alliance but thankfully his friend still found time to visit.

The Knight-Master's name and title identified him as a member of the ruling family but not high in the line of succession. So, there had to something more about the man that would justify his guard breaking protocol. It was just the kind of puzzle that Tai Yi liked to work out. He did not catch the full exchange between Junseo, his patient, and the guards, but was sure he would get the story from his friend while they sweated it out under the eye of one of the palace training masters.

Tai Yi used to dread combat training. He was so much smaller than the other boys at school and his northern styles entirely unwelcome. In the palace yards he was called on to demonstrate his different forms. This felt awkward until Junseo was also called upon to demonstrate Moon Temple patterns and the whole training group discussed the advantages of each style.

Today they had guests from the Prince's training yard, one of whom was from Tai Yi's home province of Pysonan. His countryman was nearly as tall as Junseo but was of a finer build so it was interesting to watch them spar. The pair stuck to the set patterns of the level but increased the speed at every turn. The match was stopped when their visitor broke form with a northern style kick and Junseo responded in kind. Tai Yi was then called to join in a four-way match using strictly northern moves. Their team was declared the winner after Junseo helped him with a boosted flip which put Tai Yi into position make a double hit. They grinned widely as they bowed to their opponents and the referee.

"How come they can break levels like that?" one of the palace regulars complained.

"Levels, in matches? Never really understood why you wouldn't just go-for-it anyway you know how." Tai Yi shrugged.

This led to a discussion on the expectations of the classical forms as opposed to combat readiness. The session wound up with their training master reminding them that while life was not the same as the tournaments. Then he went on about how the discipline they practiced provided important keys to success on and off the matts. After the class was dismissed, the northern trainee approached.

"It is good to see how well you are doing here my lord," he said in the northern dialect as he bowed to Tai Yi.

"I am very happy you could join us. I hope we will see you here again soon," Tai Yi replied.

"The Regents made the request to my training yard so I will be here at least a couple of times a week."

"I hope it is not too much of an imposition." Tai Yi Tai Yi smothered a sigh. The Board of Regents controlled Psyonan province while the search continued for Tai Yi's father and brother. He resented their frequent interference.

"Not at all. I don't think I have had a better match since coming south." The older boy's smile was genuine as he bowed again and departed.

"I rather like him, what did he say his name was again?" Junseo asked from where he stood behind Tai Yi.

"Park Sen Dou. He will be in the senior finals this year." Tai Yi's guard supplied the information.

Tai Yi looked at the two of them with a mix of admiration and annoyance. They clearly were taking no chances with someone new interacting with him. He was grateful that they were not more obvious about protecting him but it was an uncomfortable reminder of the need to be cautious. Tai Yi pushed back his worries and invited Junseo to stay over.

"Math homework again?" Junseo teased.

"It's not the only reason. You know I like your company." Tai Yi stopped short of pleading but his eyes revealed his feelings.

In the few short weeks since they met, Tai Yi had started to think of Junseo as a brother. In truth, he was closer than Tai Yi's brother had ever been. Junseo never made it feel like he noticed the gap in their ages or social ranks.

On the surface the presumptive lord of Pyongan province would never be expected to associate with the son of country doctor even if that boy had proved to be such an effective guard. The truth was something else again. A secret Tai Yi had sworn to keep but one making his time here in the south into a special mission for his homeland.

On the way back to his quarters he quizzed both his companions about that man who had sparked the change in the guard's protocol earlier. The guard summed up his admiration saying, "There was a time Knight-Master Lie ruled the practice courts here. Nobody could best him. Not with weapons anyway. There is a rumour that Training Master Wu took him at hand-to-hand but nobody I know saw the match."

Tai Yi elbowed Junseo to try to get him to ask if this might be the same Master Wu who had trained Junseo at the Moon Temple. Junseo ignored the prods because he was confident the answer would be yes.