Chivalrous

Chapter Twenty-Five - Night

Xiao changed into his night suit and got out the temple. It was about time he got back to patrolling at night, especially since Frank was gone. In the depth of his heart and mind, he wanted to go out to make sure Bradley didn't get hurt in the night. Xiao shouldn't have said the things he did during the argument. What he wanted to do tonight was to find a trafficker, capture him, and bring him to Bradley as a way of apologizing. Surely Bradley couldn't say anything after Xiao did something good.

He ran along the streets, hoping to see Bradley and also hoping to not see him until he found a criminal. It was luck - he spotted a shadow south-east of him. A vindictive pleasure rose within him. Bradley, look at that, I am not a waste of space like you think. He could brag about this in Bradley's face after Bradley forgave him. Xiao followed it silently over the wall of a manor. This confirmed that the man ahead of him was a trafficker. So when the man was approaching a window, Xiao let out a dart that grazed the neck of the trafficker. The trafficker swerved around and Xiao was already in front of him, sword pressed into his neck.

"Do any funny business and you're done with," Xiao threatened.

The trafficker, who looked incredibly nervous and frightened, nodded his head minutely.

"I'll need you to carry me," Xiao told him. 

The trafficker looked bemused. "Carry you? Young knight, where - "

"I don't know, do I? Where were you supposed to go after you get the maiden?"

The trafficker's mouth fell open. "I - "

"If you value your life, I suggest you do as I asked," Xiao said. "It's nothing on you, really. Just pretend I'm a maiden."

The trafficker nodded. "I'll - I'll do that."

Xiao pressed his sword on the trafficker's neck, causing the trafficker to grimace and squeeze his eyes shut. "What's your name?"

"Bernie."

"Where are you going to carry me?"

"Armanet Village by the base of Sinatra Hill."

"How will you get there?"

"Pass Luciani City."

Xiao sheathed his sword. The ruffian seemed to be telling the truth. He knew from experience that lying on the spot is actually quite difficult. He stood there, arms open. "Alright, Bernie, do whatever you do usually."

Bernie picked Xiao up awkwardly with trembling arms and slung him onto his back. Before Xiao was completely onto him, a dagger was at his throat again. 

"Like I said, no funny business," Xiao said.

"But won't the person waiting for me see the dagger?" Bernie asked.

Xiao laughed into his ear. "You forgot that my hair will cover it up completely." As he said it, he hung his head down and pointed the dagger at Bernie's heart. "This should be fine."

Bernie was terrified beyond words and he started running, slower than usual. Xiao was heavier than the maidens Bernie usually carried - even though Xiao had a slim build, he was tall and muscular. But the cause of Bernie's slow speed was actually due to him wanting to delay his own doom. 

Xiao didn't think about that. He only thought that Bernie wasn't as agile as his fellow traffickers, who, despite having inadequate fighting skills, were experts at running away. "Can't you go faster?"

Bernie could but oblige. He headed straight towards and passed the neighbouring town of Luciani and into a village by the edge of a small hill. Xiao supposed this was Armanet Village. He hadn't been this way. It had always been Bradley who came this way. He usually stayed around Wyatt City while the others went far off like the good younger brother he was.