After Anshi left the Bungalow, he decided that he would walk for a while. He desperately needed to clear his head, to calm his emotions. It was not in his nature to cause pain to another human being, much less someone who had grown to care about him very deeply. He just could not return that love the way she wanted. She was his sister in his heart and that was that. It was good that he was leaving. She could not shake these feelings with him constantly there to keep the wound open.

Eventually, he noticed a tall, slender form, slightly shorter than himself, following him from a few paces behind. He felt his pulse quicken as he realized he was close to the alley where Mian Mian and the other Lan guards were murdered in a vain attempt to capture Anshi and return him to slavery. He quickened his pace and then turned down a side street nearby, unsheathed his sword, and waited. The figure began to pass and Anshi moved swiftly. He came up behind the tracker and placed the sword against his neck. 

"Do not move if you wish to live. Why are you following me?'

"Anshi. Anshiits me, A'Qiang". The figure pulled back the hood from his cloak and revealed a handsome yet very frightened face

"What the hell? A'Qiang"? Anshi stepped back, hands suddenly nerveless and shaking.

"Little Brother, have you lost your mind? Have you forgotten where we are? What happened a few yards further? Why on earth would you follow me at twilight and not let me know you were there? I could have killed you, you fool!" 

Anshi sat on the top of a low wall, his breathing hard and labored. A'Qiang sat on the ground in front of his older brother. They were similar in build, but that is where the resemblance ended. That was natural since both were adopted by Chang Yenay and Chang Lan Qinyang and were not related by blood. They had been among the lucky ones over the years; orphaned or abandoned children that the women had devoted their lives to raising and sending back into the world as strong and fruitful citizens determined to make their mark in the name of Cloud Recesses.

Anshi was handsome and more muscular, his complexion reflected his Steppe heritage, a deeper hue that had an underlying bronze that glowed. His cheekbones were prominent, the nose strong and high. His face was slightly broader than the elongated elegance of the Lan Clan,  while the mouth was generous and quick to express pain and sorrow. And those eyes, piercing and startling with that emerald light that reflected the sun-drenched grasses and forests of the Northern Steppes.

A'Qiang was a typical Lan-type, beautiful and elegant, his strength more hidden and deceptive. Pale, beautiful as all Lan men were, his innate gentleness was always present, his countenance calm and grave at times.  His eyes were a deep velvety brown, like a mink wrap, designed to bring warmth and comfort. They instantly soothed anyone seeking compassion from their depths. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and it belonged to Xiao Mian; his devotion since childhood had never wavered.

"I was sent by our Mothers to ask you to dinner. I was at the Bungalow gates when I heard Xiao Mian screaming at you. I tried to put distance between us, so I would not be indiscreet. Uncles will calm her down. But you seemed terribly upset and alone. I wanted to make sure you were alright, too."

Anshi smiled fondly at the younger man. It was a strained smile, full of regret and self-recrimination. "I hurt her badly. There are no excuses."

A'Qiang was quiet for a moment. He knew his brother well. No matter what he said, the man he admired the most, who taught him to fly and fight, would always shoulder more than his fair share of responsibility. That had not changed since the killings of Mian Mian and the Guards; not since General Lan Ming had sacrificed her life to save The Singer in the battle against Meng Shi and her forces; not even as a five-year-old was dragged from his family yurt and forced into servitude because someone coveted his voice.

"Anshi. She will recover. She is her mother's daughter. Your only mistake was not bringing this to her earlier. But then, nobody wanted her to experience any more pain. However, the heart goes in its own direction. Yours is being pulled to your homeland. Her's is broken but will mend. Mine is hers and always will be. I will protect her, no matter what. Even from you, in the future."

"I am counting on that, A'Qiang. I am not the man for her and I know she will come to realize that".

"I will be a pace behind her until she wakes up from all of this and begins to clear her mind. Then, she can decide whether to see me in a different light or not."

"You are more like Lan Zhan than any of us."

"I grew up, watching him with Wei Ying. His patience and devotion were a lasting influence, I suppose. He never wavered and neither can I. This is just a fact, and maybe a warning. You may come back wanting another chance with her."

"Rest your mind, Little Brother. She is my sister and only my sister. Stay by her and support her through this. I believe she will one day see that the better man has been by her side the entire time."

"A'Qiang smiled shyly. This was the greatest compliment that Anshi had ever given him, and he was determined to live up to his request.

'I will protect her with my life.'

"But watch out! Do not spoil her too much. She will expect it from you for life!"

"Too late, Big Brother. Too late."

They laughed. This talk had been a long time in coming and needed to be said before Anshi took his caravan into the unknown.

"So, what have the Moms been whipping up all day?"

"Not sure. it smells spicy and delicious. They have been making each of your favorite dishes before you leave, and they expect you home every night for a decent meal."

"I can live with that. I may not have many more meals like theirs in my immediate future. I will eat my fill and make them happy."

Qinyang was bossing Yenay around the kitchen. She banned her wife from cooking a long time ago and regulated her to prep work and cleanup. Yenay was relieved because the tedium of waiting for a pot to boil or a wok to heat to the perfect temperature was excruciating. She wanted to fling a ladle through a door at times. Not to mention, her creations tasted like bull dung. Besides, it allowed her to watch her adored mate as she danced fluidly from pot to pot, making her soldier's heart sing. Qinyang was still unbearably gorgeous, and Yenay had been wrapped around her little finger since they were twelve years old.

Qinyang turned swiftly. "Our surprise?"

"Hidden in the other room."

We will reveal it after he tastes the dishes. You know Anshi, hell grab a spoon and head straight for the pots, tasting everything in sight.

Yenay sighed sharply and Qinyang ran to her side to hug the strong and quiet woman with the molten copper eyes. 

"Oh, my Beauty, My Guardian. He will come back to us one day, with all of his answers to all of his questions." She wiped the tears on the high, angular cheekbones. Then she stood on tiptoe to lay a gentle kiss on the soft mouth that was compressed tightly against her sadness. Yenay wrapped arms, as strong as iron, around her Soldier's Woman and buried her face against the slender neck.

"I know. I know, but I want..."

"You want to protect him from further hurt. But this is the only way we can help him find the peace he seeks."

Yenay nodded wordlessly. She was not as bad as Lan Zhan, but a woman who also responded with a quick look or a swift strike of the sword, rather than a lot of what she considered useless verbiage. They broke apart as the young men rushed in, their large bodies and restless energy suddenly filling up the room.

Anshi was instantly starving and as he began plunging the ladle into each pot, exclaiming at the aromas and tastes, Yenay went carefully towards the other room.

"Mom Qinyang! This is amazing. What is this, a mutton stew? This is fabulous. You have outdone yourself! I am going to miss this when I go."

A strange and strong voice spoke from behind him. 

"No, you won't. I cooked that stew from a sheep I slaughtered with my own hands, yesterday."

Anshi whirled around and faced a tall and somewhat intimidating woman. Her eyes gleamed in a face similar to his own, and she continued.

"Your Mothers invited me to cook for you tonight. I suppose it is a sort of job interview. I am to convince you to allow me to be the cook on your journey, I can also serve as an interpreter and advisor since I am from the Steppes myself and lived in tribal caravans most of my life." She looked him up and down with shrewd and appraising eyes.

" When do we start?"