Thirty days passed on the road, and unless the two men had business to take care of, they had little to do with one another.

High Minister Han had frightened himself badly. He had come so close to telling Anshi his true feelings that night and that would have been disastrous. Handing the young Chieftain that kind of power over himself, especially a man whose early, deeply set hatred was barely covered up by a veneer of civility, could have destroyed the treaty long sought by the Queen to whom Han owed everything. He had come so close, drunk and lonely as he was, to confessing all to a man who barely tolerated his presence. Luckily, his secret passion was now locked down even tighter. And the tension between them was at an all-time high by the time they reached the sight of Qian.

Anshi thought he was prepared. The only other time he had seen the sprawling city after his expulsion was the night he had wiped the Crown Prince's mind clean. It had been dark, and he had kept his imprint strictly to Han's anteroom and the prince's bedchamber. He paused, fighting with all his might to quell his rising gorge. He hated how this place made him feel, as if its only purpose was to suck him into its bowels and utterly consume him. Han busied himself as Anshi struggled for control, leaving the Chieftain some privacy until he gathered himself.

Anshi's voice was steady, if a bit rough when he asked the Minister where the camping site was for the combined caravans.

"If you look, to the North Gate, there is a huge expanse that has been cleared. Plenty of outbuildings for storage of feed and supplies. It is bordered by a small river, providing everyone with an endless supply of water and the hills beyond the other banks are good for hunting and gathering. Many new stores have been allowed to set up in the city walls to accommodate purchases that you may need. The Queen has said that you all will want for nothing to make it through the fall and winter."

"Please tell her we are grateful to the Childe King and Her Highness.'

"Of course."

Han was back home and yet he still felt unsteady. The close proximity of his, no, not his, The Singer, was still hard to overcome. Truth be told, he really wasn't sure if that was what he really wanted. Pain at being so close to all he ever desired was constant and his struggle to suppress it was taking a toll. He wanted negotiations over quickly and the first step was introduction to the court.

"Her Majesty desires that you take up residence in her palace. It is where all dignitaries stay when visiting Qian for state business. Your personal bodyguards are welcome and will be quartered near you, of course. I have taken the liberty of having your belongings moved there. It is at the opposite end of the complex, far from the quarters of the deposed Crown Prince."

"That is thoughtful of both of you. I do not wish to see him but once, to access the changes my singing wrought."

"Of course. He stays happy but unaware and unoccupied by everyday worries."

"Good. I have never really liked what I had to do that night."

Han saw the stress on Anshi's face, and he fought to keep his concern to himself.

"He brutalized you. You need not feel remorse."

"I entered his mind without permission. I ravaged it. No reason excuses those actions. They may have been necessary, but it was an ugly thing to do."

"You are too compassionate, Chieftain."

"I would rather suffer from that shortcoming then be a..." He let the rest of the sentence drop.

"Than be an iceberg? An automaton? We all have our own survival techniques, Singer. Mine suits me very well. Let us say no more. Both our heads need to be cool until the treaty is hammered out and spring arrives. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Then, if the arrangements for your people are acceptable, we will settle them over there. Then I will escort you to the White Lilac Palace. A dinner will await you and your staff. If you need anything further after that please inform Lady Shen. She is Her Majesty's Chief Lady in Waiting, her old wet nurse to be exact. A word to the wise, she fears no one and her only allegiance is to the Dower Queen and her son. A worthy ally and a dangerous opponent."

"Thank you for the advice."

"Take it as a warning. The queen surrounds herself with those she trusts, and she is a very discerning young woman. She has negotiated these waters deftly. For some reason she wishes to know you better. I believe she feels very beholden to you for your help with the deposed Crown Prince."

"I hope to never disappoint her."

"That would be wise. It is the one thing I find hard to forgive."

Their eyes met and Anshi saw the old Han surface for a moment before he turned his horse to the Northern gates.

"We have much to do. Let's settle your people and then head inside."

**********

Anshi was greeted at his door by a short, stout woman of undetermined old age. She could have been anywhere from 50 to 100 years old. Her demeanor made Han seem warm and fuzzy and she boldly sized him up and he knew she found him lacking. But, then again, she probably would make anyone on her turf feel the same. This was Lady Shen, or the Lady of Doom as she was known behind her back. Her bow was barely deferential.

"Welcome Chieftain Anshi. Your clothes have been unpacked and stored away. At least one set is here. The others have been sent to laundry. It is amazing how dusty everything gets when being dragged about by camels and yak. They will be returned by early morning, ready for court tomorrow. We must all look our best, mustn't we? At court?" She did not wait for an answer.

"Your chamber pot is in the corner, behind your dressing screen. A tub will be delivered in the morning for bathing. A maid will be in to assist you at that time."

"I...I am capable of attending to my own needs, Thank you." Anshi was mortified as he felt himself go red.

Lady Shen shook her head. 'Oh dear...where did they find this child?' He was a virgin, if she ever saw one, and she had seen many. Had a few in her time as well. She sized him up. 'Oh to be young again. Ah, next lifetime. Next lifetime let me be tall, willowy, rich and insaitiable!'

"Well, I suppose the maid can be dispensed with for the time being.  If you do need anything, you can always ring for me. I am old enough to have changed your swaddling clothes. Nothing embarrasses me, young man. Does the Chieftain need anything more?"

"No! No. Nothing more. Thank you, Lady Shen." She smiled to herself as she left the room. So much fun, torturing the young!

She tsk'ed as she left and Anshi wiped the sweat from his brow. He kicked off his boots and changed into a fresh sleeping tunic then blew out the larger lamp.

He moved to the window for a breath of fresh air and as he did he looked across a small courtyard to another wing directly across from him. He saw a figure silhouetted as it paced to and fro. It was unmistakably High Minister Han and he was walking slowly, head down, looking as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He stood to one side until the figure finally blew out his own lamp, Then Anshi laid down. Despite his fatigue, sleep was hard to come by that first night in Qian.