Key glanced at Ghost when he returned. Everything was as when he had left an hour ago.

The Three was still outside Shuang's chambers indicating she was inside and that her two bodyguards were still not allowed inside, her 'punishment' for them interfering with her 'protest' to marry old Zhang. On her arrival back to her quarters. She had banned them from entering her rooms.

"Shuang o'kay?"

"Yup, she's safe inside, still ignoring us ... and Lord Zhang."

Ghost shook his head. Shuang's belief that the elderly Master Kai was Xi Xuan made her refuse to entertain him. Over the past few days, his numerous invitations to meet were summarily declined, some with excuses some without. When Ghost tried to explain, she covered her ears and shouted at him to get out of her sight. Traitors do not belong in her presence.

"She can't ignore him forever. The Engagement feast is in a few more days and the wedding feast after that," reasoned Ghost.

"She can try," Key smirked. "I already pity Lord Zhang. He will have his hands full with her as a wife. Thank God we will be free by then."

The Five shook his head. He was really glad he was not in Xi Xuan's place. "She's not doing herself any favours. Starting marriage life with a bad attitude is going to make both parties miserable. So much for an alliance. "

Inside, Shuang was still engrossed in her painting. The colour palette next to her was a mess of primary and mixed hues. She was currently obsessed with pretty flowers in full bloom. However as it was winter and all the flowers and greenery had withered, so she was copying from another drawing.

"By the way ... she's out."

Key's eyes lighted up. "Really?" The next second, he choked up. "Thanks Ghost," he said his voice breaking. "I ... I ..."

Ghost clapped the emotional Three on his back. "Ice is waiting for you in the tool shed behind the vegetable garden."

The Master Thief was blinking rapidly trying to get his emotions under control. Ice was out. She was saved. He breathed deeply regaining control.

"Get her something to eat and drink. She's not in the best shape."

"I'll do that."

He hugged the younger Shard briefly. "Thanks Ghost. I really owe you one. If you ever need anything in the future, just ask."

Ghost clapped the Three on his arm, accepting his thanks. "Go to her."

Key nodded then hobbled past the front door and made a show of peeking in. When LiQuin saw him, he waved and pantomimed shivering. It was cold outside, winter was upon them. She covered her mouth to hide her smile at his comical gestures but shook her head. No, they were still not allowed in. Sorry. The lady was still angry at them. Key shrugged exaggerating defeat and backed away from her view.

"Seriously?"

"What?"

"Do you have to make it so obvious?"

"I just wanted to make sure they see me and know that we are 'around'. We must condition them to assume we are always lurking somewhere even if they don't see us."

"I know that."

"It makes our need to disappear for short whiles job easier. Less suspicious. Maybe you should show your face too, you know, to confirm your presence. They won't know you were missing for a bit."

Ghost snorted. "I think I'll pass."

"Sure?"

"Go, be quick. I'll cover you."

-----

On the way to the tool shed, Key pilfered some food from the kitchens. It was warm against his chest.

"Ice?" Key whispered in the dim tool shed.

No response.

Key stilled himself making sure he was in the shadows. He did not call her name again. No response meant that she had either fallen asleep or there were people around. Was there danger? Or ... did she not make it here? He shook his head in denial. No, Ghost said she had made it. He trusted the Five.

He calmed himself to listen.

Nothing. All was quiet except ... there! Soft sounds of regular breathing were coming from further back. He sighed in relief.

Stealthily, the Shard made his way to his lover. Peeking behind piled up sacks of seeds, he found her. She was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. His heart constricted, she was so thin and pale.

"Ice ... it's me Key. I'm here," he whispered.

Her eyes slowly cracked opened. When she saw Key, she gave a small cry of joy grabbing his arms.

"Oh my God! Key! You're here! You're really here! I can't believe it!" she sobbed in relief. "I thought I'd never see you again." Seeing his wonderful handsome face after her long captivity made her lose all sense of self control. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have come here on my own."

"It's o'kay, it's o'kay, I'm here," he hugged her tightly, happy that she was alive. "You're out now."

"Oh no! Your leg! What happened?" she cried.

"It's nothing. I'm almost healed, don't worry."

"Ghost was hurt too. I noticed his hand was bandaged. Why are the two of you hurt? Is it because of me? Key ..."

"Shhh, shhh, everything is going to be o'kay," he hugged rocking gently. That motion always calmed her down.

"I'm sorry," she couldn't stop apologizing. Her impulsive actions had led her to being caught and made Key worry. It had also injured her two Shard brothers. "I only wanted to impress you so that you'd like me more than Ghost. I'm sorry I got caught and made you worry."

"Like you more than Ghost? Of course I like you more than Ghost!"

"Really?"

"Of course! You're my girl! I love you Ice. I'm going to marry you one day. I admire Ghost a lot and am even jealous of some of his awesome skills but I am not going to marry him! You're my love, he's my idol and mentor! I love him as my Shard brother, nothing more."

"Oh!" her eyes widened in surprise. She did not hear anything he said after the words 'marry you' came out of his mouth. "Is that a proposal?"

"Yes, no, I mean ... I want to marry you but I wanted to ask you in better way ... a more romantic way." Key sighed hanging his head. "This is neither the time nor the place to propose. I messed it up."

"No, Key, it's perfect," she gave him a watery smile hugging him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"More than Ghost?"

Key grinned wiping her tears away, "Yeah, more than Ghost."

"That's good. Because sometimes I think he is prettier than me."

Key chortled. "That's true but ..."

She whacked him on his arm before he could complete his sentence causing him to yelp feigning pain.

"I hate you."

He planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I hate you too, love. Now eat this and get some rest," he pushed the warm food into her hands. "I'll be back later. We'll get you out of Zhai's place later tonight."

-----

After Ice's escape, Ghost made his last food trip the next day. Thankfully, the morning meal was the same monotonous affair. Ghost dutifully trudged across the cold fields with the other servants on prison food duty. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Guard Fu and Guard Gao did not rush him, nor did they try to catch him. They only greeted everyone in the usual bored fashion.

So far so good.

Inside, he felt a nervous tension build as he approached Cell 6. The prisoners huddled together for warmth. Would they recognize him as the servant who helped one of them get away yesterday? He glanced at them surreptitiously alert for any sudden cry of alarm. He was ready for action and an explanation but there was none. Everyone was wrapped up in their own world of misery.

Slowly, Ghost went through the motions of setting out the food. After completing their tasks, the servants and accompanying guards filed out in silence.

Nice! No alarm was raised. In fact, no one seemed to notice anything amiss.

"Thank God my penalty with Han is over. The is the last meal I'm sending! I don't have to make this trip anymore!" Ghost waved cheerfully when they started the trip back.

"So fast?"

"What do you mean so fast? It was the longest three days of my life. I can't take all this hard work. My back is killing me."

Guard Gao laughed.

"Hey Ghost, make another bet with Han. Maybe we'll get to see you again."

"I'm not that stupid to get tricked twice!"

"Ha, ha, ha, that's what you think! I bet we'll see you again soon."

"Not if I can help it!" Ghost shot back.

With that, the Shard hurried after the other servants who had started off without him.

-----

That night was exceptionally dark. The shy moon was hiding behind the clouds again reluctant to show her radiant face to the world. The playful clouds moved about, obligingly taking turns to conceal her beauty.

It was a perfect night for escape.

Key entered the tool shed during the hour of the Rat (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.) when the Zhai household had retired for the night. The usually bustling atmosphere was replace by a serene quiet. Only the night servants and guards on duty were awake.

Quietly, he made his way to the back. Ice was ready and waiting.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, love. Much better. Are you alone?"

"Yup. Who else were you expecting?"

"I... umm, thought you might show up with Ghost. I wanted to thank him."

"He's covering for me so that I could come to you."

"Covering for you?"

"Yeah, we are working here as Shuang's bodyguards. We have a legitimate reason to be here."

"Oh! So you're both not hurt because of me. That's good to know. I felt bad and was worried."

She did not bother to ask the specifics of his mission. It was confidential information and he could not tell her even if he wanted to. She held out a dirty black scarf.

"Please return this to Ghost. Tell him I said thank you."

"He said you can keep it."

"No, I don't want it."

Key took the scarf tucking it into his belt. "I'll take it then."

"Hey!" Ice made to grab it back but Key blocked her grinning.

"Seriously Key! Do you want it because I used it or because it belongs to Ghost?"

Key wiggled his eyebrows at her. "What's wrong with me keeping it if both of you don't want it? It'll remind me of the two most important people in the world to me. I'll treasure it foreverrrr," he said clutching the cloth to his chest dramatically while batting his eyes at her.

Ice laughed. "You're so childish sometimes! Keep it then if it makes you happy."

"I will!"

"You being silly is normal but seeing Ghost acting like a fool was really weird."

"Ghost was acting like a fool?"

"Yes, he was making weird faces and gagging over the stench of waste we were carrying out. He got the guards' attention by making them laugh and poke fun at him."

"Really?" Key could not imagine his cool idol acting like that. The Five deliberately acting silly and encouraging ridicule to divert attention? He wished he could have seen it.

"I'm sure he has been through worse on his other missions. Remember the cattle thief case?"

"Yes, I remember that one. Nobody wanted that mission because it required waiting in the smelly dung filled pens for days to observe the thieves' mode of operations and countering it. Ghost did it and caught the culprits. There was a 'No Kill' order' on that mission. Master Wang wanted them alive to compensate him for his lost cattle. "

"It was a disgusting assignment."

"If he had not lent me his scarf and acted so foolishly to distract the guards I would not have escaped so easily. I did not expect the guards here to be so vigilant, they were actually counting the slaves as we walked past!"

Ghost must have known that and prepared a diversion. It explained his long absence earlier. Key felt grateful and thankful to the Five's foresight. Ghost had made it easier for the inexperienced Ice to slip away.

Now, it was his turn to complete the mission; getting her away from Zhai's domain. Time was of the essence. She must get away as far as possible before daybreak, in case her absence was discovered.

"When you get out, go straight back home. Report to Old Wolf and then to Xian for a medical check up." Key paused organizing his thoughts.

"Report to Old Wolf that we've completed two missions. Also, that Ghost confirms Lord Wen will die on Shuang's wedding day."

"Oh!" she covered her mouth.

So guarding Lady Shuang was a multi-operation mission. How complicated. No wonder he was paired with Ghost, there was a 'Kill Order'. Key was the best Three, so their Targets must have some valuable items. It must be a challenge to steal in a household this well guarded, that was probably where Ghost came in, she reasoned. Even the guards who were bored at the prison were alert. But Ghost ... how could he confirm his Kill before it happened? Although he had never missed his Targets before, wasn't this a little too arrogant of him? He must be very confident. She wondered how the Five was going to achieve that.

"How is he going to do that?"

"I don't know," Key admitted frowning. It was Ghost's solo mission and he did not know the Five's plans. Never mind, his job now was to complete his part in their joint mission. "No more talking. Follow me."

Key led Ice across the vegetable garden and through a maze of buildings. They ended at a high wall. She looked up.

"I can't climb that," she confessed, "... and neither can you," she said pointedly referring to his wounded leg. There were no convenient trees nearby only low shrubs, weeds and long grass. The high wall was also smooth with no footholds.

"Not up, down. Let me find it."

The Shard examined his surroundings, searching for something among a patch of bramble bushes. When he found it, he beckoned her over. Carefully, he pushed aside thick long weeds to reveal a hole at the base of the wall. "Go through here. Careful of the thorns."

"How did you know there's a hole here?"

Key grinned. "Ghost. He knows a few ways to get in and out of this place."

She groaned. "I wish I knew about it sooner."

"No Ice. Don't come back here. Nightshade has put your name on the black list. You will have to face some punishment when you return."

"But ..."

"Face your punishment, keep yourself out of trouble and wait for me until I get back. Can you do that? After this mission, I'll be rich. I'll ask Old Wolf for permission and we can get married."

Ice blushed. "O'kay. I'll do as you say."

Just then, little cold white flakes started floating down. It was a beautiful sight against the dark night. Ice caught her breath.

"Oh! It's snowing," she said softly. "It's the first snow... how romantic."

Key leaned over to pull her cloak tighter around her. "I love you Ice. Be careful. Now go and make sure not to leave any tracks."

"I love you too," she pecked him on the cheek before scrambling out the hole. She was gone in seconds.

Key stood rooted to the spot dumbfounded for a while, shocked from the pleasant surprise. A silly smile spread across his face. When he reached Shuang's place, his heart was lighter than ever before. His girl was safe and she loved him.