They were seated at a table on low cushions covered in thick, soft wool of a light green color. Yenay and Anshi sat opposite one another and Sya Mu and Han were at either side. In the center stood a small, shallow rosewood box filled almost to the top with a fine white sand,  

Yenay addressed them. "I am pleased that you arrived together. Today is a day I have set aside to talk with all three of you, You see, I need to speak to you together and it is a matter that has been on my mind for some time. I had been planning it for later however, Minister Han's arrival was a bit of a surprise. A fortunate one, but it moved my own schedule up a little. It also afforded me more time to sit and watch him with you as you adjusted to the huge changes that occurred and how it affected the three of you."

Anshi interjected. "Mother, why all of this observing? Why not open up when Han first arrived?"

"My son, you are one of the dearest people in my heart. You, Qinyang and Lan Zhan. Han and Sya Mu, are the dearest in your own heart..."

"As dear as you..."

She smiled gently. "Your heart is huge, and I thank you for my place within it, My Son. It is so large that it expands constantly as your given family is re-discovered and you open to them. But these two...well it is hard to put into words..."

Han cleared his throat. "As you may know, Anshi and I ended our relationship. He is now committed to Sya Mu and I am at peace with that and am happy for them."

"Please, Minister Han...semantics mean nothing to me. They are merely smoke screens. And they definitely do not figure into what I will be saying. Facts are that you and Anshi exchanged rings and portraits, did you not? You also made bows. This made him your husband even if it is not a marriage recognized by an Office of Registry,"

Sya Mu, hesitant and worried, spoke. "Mo...General Yenay..."

Yenay looked at her and smiled. "You almost called me Mother, did you not? Is there something I need to know before I continue?"

"I...I..."

Anshi took Sya Mu's hand as she stuttered. "Mother. We want the camp to stay unaware, because this celebration is to be for A'Qiang and Xiao Mian. But last night, Sya Mu and I made our vows to our ancestors and to ourselves. We are wed."

Yenay reached over to clasp their joined hands.

"I am not surprised. You will need to let you Mother Qinyang know as soon as possible. I will send her a message to return when I am through. She will be as delighted asI am But, my son. you seem to seem to have committed to several different people.

He went white.

"With your permission, I will offer a solution. It will show why this can work"

"But how anything can explain my love for both of them at once? How can I be this abhorrent to those I care about?" Her son asked.

"Stop it, Anshi! You are one of the purest souls I know. Now calm yourself and listen. Do you happen to have your sphere with you?"

"You mean the sapphire? Yes. I always carry it with me."

Will you remove it and place it in the center of the box?"

He looked puzzled but he obeyed. It sat, glowing serenely against the shimmering white grains.

"Lovely...My children, I have been watching you for a long time. Sya Mu, I saw you grow from a strong and driven child to adulthood. I saw you begin to love Anshi in your teens, I watched you long for him and I watched Anshi fight the battle to try and understand his own heart's beat. Then, out of the blue, Han arrived on the scene, with the ability to crack through that frozen organ and make it able to feel again. Han, you warmed it so Sya Mu could land, take root and flourish as well. Han, with a generosity so enormous, he bared himself to Anshi's hatred and turned it into love. Then gave up that love for his lover's dream. Sya Mu has taken this heart and sworn to protect it as strongly a you did.

You three have coupled as soulmates. Anshi, you and Han have paired. Sya Mu, you and Han have paired, and finally, Anshi and Sya Mu have paired. You have become a soul group. None of you can live without the other. The pain of separation is excruciating and becoming unbearable, is it not?"

Sya Mu wiped away a rear, "The thought this morning, of Han leaving us once more, nearly caused me to panic. I felt like I would lose a part of us."

"You just said 'us', did you not?"

"Yes."

"You see. It is a natural thing for you."

Han jumped in." But they just wed. I cannot disrupt that. They need each other, not someone else in the picture." 

Anshi interrupted.' We will take our time , a honeymoon space, but can we feel assured that you will not leave while we do so?"

Yenay quieted them at this point.

"Han, sometimes self-sacrifice is not a correct choice. Let me show you." She pointed to the lone sphere in the sand. "Anshi sits here. Alone and unaware that he does not need to be. This was him even when he was first surrounded by me and the Lan Sect. Alone in the Universe, severed. Frozen."She held up a large grey pearl. 

"This is is a soul known as Han" She drew a circular ring around the sapphire with the pearl. "They nearly collide but the pearl veers off and then the pearl known as Han shifts its destiny and begins to respond to the sapphire, Anshi." She held up a sphere of smoky topaz. "This gem does nearly the same thing. Sya Mu begins to orbit Anshi as well. 

What these three do not realize is that this is their destined existence The only thing that will be in flux is who will remain in the center. That space will change. Perhaps the pearl will need the protection of the other two more. Or maybe rhe topaz. The one certain thing is that they will always, and forever, circle one another. Loving. Protecting, Ispiring one another in any way that they choose or that is needed."

Han looked thoughtful. There will be those that will hate us for this."

"Are you a stranger to unearned hatred, my boy? Did you survive it?"

"No stranger to it but I did overcome it. I can take it and I will protect them from it."

"Good. Who else has a question?"

Sya Mu blushed scarlet and stammered. " I...I...wish to address...the elephant in the room. What...what about the physical part?" She noticed the other two ducking their heads and blushing harder than she.

"WHAT??? I am only asking what you two wanted to but were too scared to ask!"

Yenay laughed out loud "Whatever is right will come naturally, given time and is nobody else's business but yours. Especially your mother's, you outrageous child! And I do pray each one of you will call me and Qinyang Mother from now on."

Han whispered, "Thank you, General. It would be an honor. I barely remember my own mother. Finding another is a gift I could never have imagine on this day full of gifts."

He rose quickly and left before tears overcame him and the others ran after to soothe him.

'Ah.' the good General thought, 'Just as it should be.'