Hello Readers! I started writing this chapter and reintroducing a little girl, now grown up, that appeared briefly in Unconventional Cultivation. She was one of the war orphans adopted by Lan Qinyang and Chang Yenay. As I began writing her story here, she clearly began to take on qualities belonging to one of my best friends, my fellow writer, chocolatewithtea, author of Red Light

. So, this fascinating woman emerged, ready to join the Caravan. Hope you love the fictional Dai Lu, as much as I love my cohort...Tea will also collaborate in writing many of her Chapters with me as this character progresses.

Enjoy Dai Lu, which means, Leads The Way in Chinese. She is gonna shake everything up as the story progresses!

Dedicated to chocolatewithtea, author and partner in crime.

*********************

A stranger walked up to the Eastern Checkpoint. The woman was of medium height, and she wore a mishmash of clothing that made no sense to the perfectly outfitted sentry in pristine Lan blues and whites. She wore a white linen tunic, and dark green trousers that were nipped into the slim waist and flowed loosely out to her ankles. She was entirely swathed by scarves that covered her head, face and were looped around her neck and waist, made from embroidered cotton and silks. She was dusty and wanted a long hot bath and a full stomach. Anything, or anyone in her way was in deep trouble.

The sentry blocked her and spoken in no-nonsense tones. Bad mistake. It just made her get her attitude's ass right over its back.

"State your name and business."

"I am here for the gathering. My name is Dai Lu."

He consulted a scroll. "Not on the list. Surname, please?"

"I have never accepted a Surname."

"Everyone has a Surname. Without an invitation or a complete name, I cannot admit you."

She squared off in front of the taller man and slowly looked up into the man's eyes. He felt like a snake being sized up by a mongoose and he involuntarily took a step back.

"There, that's a good boy. I am family."

His momentary lapse embarrassed him, and he regrouped and doubled down ."Not acceptible."

She had to admire his guts, even though he was a bit dense and stupid and probably would be a sentry for life. " I could say Lan, I could say Chang"

."Which?"

"Try either."

He consulted the scroll. " Neither. Turn and leave."

She reached into the scarf that was tied around her slim waist and her black eyes impaled him as he placed his hand on his sword's hilt.

"Steady baby boy, Lady Lan Qinyang would not like it if you harmed her daughter."

She pulled out a weatherbeaten butterfly and whispered a few sentences. It took off before he could stop her and the stare down continued. He sent his own butterfly to his supervisor, and one to try and intercept hers. It was useless. Her butterfly merrily out-danced his and thne just as quickly, out-distanced the blue pursuer as if it was still a caterpillar. She consulted her fingernails as if he was nothing in her estimation. He looked at her as if she were a dung beetle crawling out from under a camel patty.

A man of medium height approached and addressed the soldier. It was Lan Qiang.

"Sentry? The problem?" He sized up the woman standing, arms crossed at her chest, feet parted defiantly. She looked relatively harmless to him, and he rounded on the hapless private. "Please tell me this is important. My slate is full. "

"This person has sent an unauthorized message into camp and refuses to state her full name. ." The woman in the foreign garb was enjoying the hell out of the situation. Stirring the pot was a favorite past-time of hers and this encampment looked like it needed another cook to spoil the broth, something she had always been good at. The new guy was going to be even more fun than the sputtering guard. He was already becoming irritated as she stared at him in amusement.

"Who are you, Miss? Our security is unusually tight right now and I do not have time for this. Either hand over an invitation or provide us with a name. If not, leave."

"Oh, Little Squirt, you have grown up and become very stuffy, haven't you?"

She unwrapped the scarf from around her head and Lan Qiang's face froze in astonishment.

"Dai Lu! Dai Lu!!!. Where the hell have you been, Elder Sister? And when did you turn beautiful?"

He grabbed her in a hug bear hug and lifted her feet off the ground, spinning in a full circle, to the sentry's panicked astonishment."

"Brat! When did you turn into a man? And put me down immediately! Do you have any idea how disconcerting it is, having your kid brother lift you off the ground. Down, now!""

The sentry began to stammer, "Sis...Sis...Sis...?" He was white as a sheet.

""Yes," Replied A'Qiang. "Do not mind her. She can be obnoxious sometimes..."

A new voice joined in.

"Sometimes??? You scared the core right out of the poor man".

Dai Lu, whirled quickly. "Mother!!! "

Qinyang stood there, her eyse glowing in loving delight. She held her arms open wide "My Maddening Girl! We sent invitations to every capital we could think of. We heard nothing."

Dai Lu ran forward and any attempt at being a strong woman melted like snow in a mid-winter thaw. She snuggled in the embrace and drew a deeo breath. The sandalwood perfume made her burrow deeper in to her mother's neck. "Oh Mom Qin. I have missed you, so much."

She felt a sharp slap on her behind and lifted her head.

"Then you should write back more often, young woman." Yenay stood there, trying not to smile and failing miserably and the guilty party grinned as she jumped into Yenay's strong embrace. "Oh Mom Yenay. You know how missives go astray. And how many times was I in places that had no way to even get one on a caravan?" She wheedled like a bratty child.

"Well, at least you are here. Let's go to our yurt. Have something light to tide you over and get you bathed before the banquet. I hope you don't mind yurt living?"

"I have lived in plenty of worse places than a nice warm yurt. Are we having camel tonight?"

"Of course. the fattest hump we could cull!'

"When did the Lan start eating meat?" Asked the stunned traveler.

"iSnce they began hanging around me". Dai Lu turned and found herself lifted and spun once again. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared into Ansh's bright green gaze, also filled with tears.

"Brother! " She whispered.

"Ah Sister!" he whispered in return . " It has been far too long."

She stood back, still holding Anshi's strong hands. "How did this happen? You were still in study when I pulled up stakes and struck out on my own."

"We have a lot to talk about."

"I hear I will be gaining a sister-in-law!"

"Yes. You will like her I think. She is a strong and amazing woman."

"And beautiful, I am sure."

"Of course!"

He grinned at her, but the connection was suddenly broken as she noticed another man, a stranger to her, standing behind Anshi. She took a deep breath as she looked at the most beautiful man she had ever seen in all of her days of traveling the globe. Obviously blood-related to her adopted brother, with the same high cheekbones and generous mouth, the same cut jaw and nose, this man was even a shade taller, and she found herself falling into a pool af perfect sapphire as she met his eyes for the first time.

She blinked to clear her head.

Anshi smiled fondly as he turned to this gorgeous creature. "May I introduce my Fifth Brother. Davaajav."

The taller man made a deep bow and when he lifted his head, that azure gaze snared her again.

It is my honor to meet you at last Lady Dai Lu."

"