Lan Ge Ban helped Dawa Tuya to her feet. She was a woman of stature, and even at six feet tall, Lan Ge Ban was on an eye-to-eye level with her. He liked that. She was tall and strong, like a silver maple. Her hair, the same color as that tree's leaves, was braided into a long, fat plait over one shoulder and shone under the sun from the opening in the yurt above. The eyes were a dark steel color. The shape of her face spoke of her Mongol and Tibetan ancestry, bronzed and all soft curves and sharp angles with a high flush more obvious since he had appeared.

Lan Ge Ban was also muscled and hardy, was all Lan. There was a refined look to his battle-weary face, and a scar ran the length of the left side of his face, a thin yet well-healed scar from a battle during the Wen War. Dr. Yue had sutured it after he was brought to the Hunting Lodge for treatment. His stitching was delicate and exquisitely done, leaving the fine scar that seem to add to the mystique of the man. It had a rakish appeal, not disturbing or distracting in the least. His hair was a darker grey and his eyes were deep, dark brown. Dawa Tuya thought they looked like bittersweet cacao. So delicious!

She grinned up at him.

"No need to worry, not tired in the least. We got along well. You have been riding all day. Your arm must be weary, holding that eagle aloft as well. Sit and we will have a cup of hibiscus tea."

He did as she bade him, secretly relieved. A long day's hunt was a bit more exhausting these at his age. He had hit forty years old recently and it was a little more noticeable. He was still full of vigor, but he could tell he probably only had about ten more years of active duty.

He removed his hunting coat and the light leather armor beneath it and sat on a cushion, clad in leather leggings and a dark, heavy cotton tunic.

Tuya brought a bowl of water and soft soap over and watched in appreciation as he washed the grime from the hunt away from his face, forearms, and hands. A drop of water ran down his defined neck and she had to tear her eyes away.

******

The day they met was a bright, late winter morning.

She arrived at Anshi's camp in Yunmeng, unannounced, and flung herself into prepping the evening meal. The young Chieftain had offered her a place within, and she was anxious to get started. She had promised dinner and was tossing, and marinating beef culled the day before from the large herd of cattle.

She heard a deep voice outside.

"What do you mean, she just walked in and started fucking cooking.? All outsiders must be introduced to me upon arrival. Get out of my way. Fucking useless!!"

A force of nature blew in, hand on the sword hilt, and stood before her. The stunning woman looked up, seemingly unimpressed, piercing him with a steely stare.

" Thename is Dawa Tuya, and if I wasn't supposed to be here, would I be fucking elbows deep in raw meat, getting ready to feed your fucking asses?"

She kept her cool but the raw power emanating from this Lan before her was hard to miss. Handsome, rugged, and no silly youth; to say she was impressed was an understatement.

His jaw dropped as she spewed his salty language back at him without blinking or missing a beat. He fell for her at that very moment.

" Did you leave your manners outside? Introduce yourself, Soldier."

He stood straight. "Lan Ge Ban. General, Security Chief. You should have made your presence known, Lady Dawa."

"Hardly a Lady, General. My people only use given names, except among our leaders. and as I said, I am Dawa Tuya. Chief Anshi has hired me to organize the upkeep of everyone's nutrition, among other things. This is my domain, General. If you have other duties. Please attend to them or roll up your sleeves and help. I am doing this on short notice."

Lan Ge Ban made a quick decision. He removed his white armor and rolled up his immaculate white sleeves exposing those lovely Lan forearms, that all Lan men seemed to possess. He washed them carefully and plunged them in and began to toss the mixture. A smile tugged at the corner of Dawa Tuya's mouth, and she quickly suppressed it. This man was full of surprises! At one point, their hands brushed against one another's, and they froze momentarily, then began mixing again.

A soldier, worried at the quiet within, carefully peeked in and gasped when he saw his Captain at the table, arms covered with scraps of meat and seasoning.

"Sir, will you be joining us for rounds?"

"You handle it."

"But sir, I..."

"Have you never seen a man cook before?"

"Only my father, never a General!"

"This General is cooking. Be on your way."

The soldier scurried off.

They moved the meat into the waiting pot, washing their arms thoroughly after. Together, they walked the heavy pot outside to the iron tripod that was anchored over a fire and placed it on a waiting hook. They ignored the stupefied looks from the troops around the fire and returned to the kitchen yurt.

"Now, General. Shall we have a bit of tea and some fresh buns? Let's start again. I am Dawa Tuya,and you?"

He laughed and the sound pleased her greatly. It was as deep and as rich as his voice, and she found she like the sound very much. Despite his warrior exterior, she sensed a soft heart and a kind disposition. Lan Gen Ban had layers. She liked layers in a man

She mentally shook herself. Dawa Tuya, you are thirty-eight years old, your hair is gray and you are far from young anymore. You may soon start the change at this point. What are you doing? Yet she found herself attracted to the captain before her.

"I must apologize, Dawa Tuya. I was taken by surprise by your arrival."

"And I am sorry that I did not think of camp protocol, Genera; I was too excited by this opportunity. Chief tain Anshi's story has become a legend to us Steppe people;  decimation of his tribe and to find him alive! I leaped at the chance to join this expedition. I will be searching for my roots as well as we travel."

"He is remarkable, indeed. We have been through a lot together."

She rose and said, "Please pop in any time. I am sorry for our shaky start. Buns on the house from now on!"

He bowed and smiled. "I will take you up on that!" As he left, her heart was pounding.

******

They still met every day, if possible, for their tea. The flowery scent of hibiscus contrasted beautifully with the tangy taste of the wild berries she added, and they sipped slowly. Their eyes rarely left each other, and this was their private time during the day. They also had, until the arrival of the teens, been slipping into one another's beds. Their age and past experiences had taught them one thing in common. Do not hesitate. Grab your happiness when you can. Both widowed, both world-weary, they jumped at this secret chance at love and happiness.

They reveled in this secret, while Anshi watched it blossom. He was happy for them and was content to let them have this time, but he was already composing a song for a future wedding. If it continued and came to pass, he would be officiating over the first marriage in The Lost Eagle Tribe. He wondered what else this journey would bring to them all.