Lan Qinyang and Yenay stared at the sumptuous feast before them. The entire surface of a large table was covered with delicacies in fragile porcelain bowls. Gold chopsticks were at every place setting. After their bows, they were invited to sit by Lady Shen and the queen smiled correctly and waited until the old woman left after being told to stand in front of the outer doors and let no one through. She frowned at her queen. Standing at the door? That meant no chance to enter the listening closet. The Queen arched a finely shaped eyebrow in return and the old servant left in a barely concealed huff.

The Queen finally relaxed.

"Lady Shen is my wall, but sometimes I have to rein her in. This afternoon is for three mothers to get to know one another. I am honored to finally meet in private with you. Minister Han has related the circumstances of how you became mothers to Envoy Anshi. I am pleased with what he has told me.

I must first say how sorry I am at how he suffered here. I cannot imagine a child of mine going through the horrors Anshi did.

I was only twelve myself when I was married to the deposed prince. I gave birth two years later and I was unable to conceive after that. I was too young to bear the young King and it caused...problems.

Yenay watched the Dowager Queen carefully through the observant copper eyes of a General. Ascertaining friend from foe was a specialty for her. If you were a friend, you had her loyalty. If foe, her enmity knew no bounds. It was always Guardian first for her. She sensed only sincerity from the wise young woman before her. She heard Qinyang exhale in relief and knew her mate was in accord with her in her assessment. So she allowed herself to relax as well.

"I met Anshi on the Steppes, and he was about four years old. I was at loose ends at that time, forcibly separated from my Qinyang, exiled North. I almost gave up when I was rescued by members of a caravan. I was with them for two years and Anshi, whose mother had died, became close to me. We were inseparable.

I still remember when I first woke up and saw those green eyes staring down at me. He was holding my hand and saying, 'Hey! Wake up! If you wake up, I will sing you a song.' So, he did."

The Queen imagined the scene and empathetic tears filled her eyes. "He was much changed when he arrived here. I heard he was quite feral by the time he arrived. "

"Wounded eaglets do not do well in captivity."

"True."

Qinyang added," It was not just here, Your Majesty. There were many places he cannot speak of after he left here, and he endured much abuse. He had shut his singer's voice away completely by the time Yenay rescued him. He was planning on committing suicide that night because the most interested bidder was a brothel owner who wanted him for his exotic looks. He did not want that final indignity."

The Regent stared at Qinyang in horror. "Thank the gods you spotted him, General Yenay. I wish there were more saviors like you and Qinyang in this world. I was lucky and had one myself. I was a terrified young girl, newly pregnant when Han joined my household as chief administrator. He had worked his way back into the Old King's confidence and the tyrant wanted his new heir to be protected. He had seen my husband's behavior slipping into madness and therefore wanted someone he could trust running the household, keeping me healthy and able to give birth. Because Han is a eunuch and considered no physical threat, he was given that chance to prove himself again. I had heard rumors of his frigid disposition and I was quite intimidated at the thought of him running my daily life. But, day after day passed and I began to see the pain when his façade rarely but occasionally slipped. He became warmer to me as the time of my confinement grew near, like a caring older brother. And when the Childe Kng was seven, Anshi appeared to change my husband."

The meal was finished. and the plates cleared yet the women continued well into the afternoon.

The Regent continued. "That was a shock to Han and a good one in many ways. He told me, that when he looked up from his desk and saw Anshi standing there, he almost collapsed. He had thought he was dead by that time. Not even a whisper was out there of his existence. He was overcome.

Anshi stood there like a stone edifice, green eyes blazing with hatred and mistrust. He walked over and held a sword to Han's throat.

Han thought, "So be it. If this is what he needs." And was all he wanted at the time when he felt the cold blade and saw it as a blessed release. And what more fitting way, than to offer his neck to the one he had helped injure? Anshi had no idea of the lengths Han had gone to. to protect him. What was hidden deeply in Han's heart.

Their eyes were locked and Han nodded in acceptance. 'Please, do it. This hell on earth would be over.'

He did not beg for his life. He wanted to give it to Anshi if it brought Anshi peace. He was honest as always and I think it must have touched Anshi in some small way. After all, Han never lies. It is why he is a true diplomat. He is absolutely trustworthy. And so the cut never came."

The two mothers were riveted. This was a part of his night in Qian, that Anshi had not revealed to anyone, not even Yenay. Had it been too raw, this meeting between the two?

"Anski spoke emotionlessly to Han. 'I have discovered that this voice, the one the Crown Prince desires, the voice so important that my tribe was destroyed for it; that my friends died several weeks ago for it, can kill. One note and this entire palace, everyone in it will drop in agony to their knees and die. Any move to betray me or stop me and I will do it.'

Han nodded slowly. 'You wish access to the Crown Prince? You will use your voice?' 

'Yes. I will nullify him in any way in my means to save the people I love.'

'You have my word. You will not be stopped. How may I help?'

'Why should you help?'

'I hate him as much as you, Jalgiz.'

'My name is Anshi, Son of Daniyar and Rakhat of the Great Eagle Tribe. I am now Lan Anshi of the Gusu Lan Sect. I called myself Jalgiz, only from the day I was kidnapped.'

'Anshi. It is a beautiful name, much more so than Jalgiz. That name was too full of sadness.'

Ansji gave him a quizzical, disdainful look. 'That matters not to me. What is your answer?'

'I give you my word that you will leave here safely. I will place the Young Prince on the throne, to be guided by his mother. It has been a desire of mine since the child was born. She is kind and wise. I can speak to her. I have never made a promise to you I have not kept.'

Han told me Anshi studied him for several long minutes and believed him. As much as the man was so intrinsically woven into the nightmares of his past, what he said was the truth. He had never lied to him. Han then approached me. 

I ordered him to allow it."