Anshi: The Lost Eagle of the Steppes

Queen

Anshi and High Minister Han waited for several hours. It seemed that too many ministers were submitting too many petitions. Han knew it was a power play but he also knew the limits of the Dowager Queen's patience. Any moment now she would shut their nonsense down and have them pissing in their fancy robes with one look...Ahhhh. Eunuch Wu could be seen scurrying toward them.

"Please High Minister Han. The Dowager Queen is ready to greet Chieftian Anshi......she threw the last petition at Minister Chen's head. He barely ducked in time."

"Announce us immediately. One should never toy with perfect timing after all."

He looked at Anshi and was reminded that under his newest persona of Chieftain, there lay a Lan of beauty, dignity, and charisma.

The young man was wearing his formal Lan robes for the occasion. All white and subtle blues floated as he walked as if his feet did not even touch the ground. His hair was impeccable and despite the tan from months on the road, his skin glowed a rich, polished bronze that took the breath from the Minister for a moment. Anshi returned the look with one of his own; the inevitable one of cool neutrality that barely covered a deeper contempt. They had been back to square one for a month now. Old habits die hard. And this habit seemed to be even further entrenched.

"You will do. You are Lan and Lans take the day in the end."

"It is best if everyone remembers that."

Han gave an inward sigh. Anshi's loathing had seemed to increase the closer they came to the Kingdom of Qian. He could almost see the walls rebuilding brick by brick within the Chieftain, with each li they crossed towards the city. Han recognized it. It was a pure animal survival instinct, and this place had brought it out of Anshi quicker than anything that had happened on Spice Road, previously. He simply hoped that The Singer was an accomplished enough actor to hide it and continue with the business of solidifying the treaty.

The doors opened and Eunuch Wu made the Announcement.

"The Envoy, Lan Anshi, Chieftain of The Tribe of the Lost Eagle requests an audience with our Benevolent and Heavenly Childe King Si Aang BaiHu and his Gentle Mother, the Dowager Queen Wang Bai DingXiang."

All eyes turned to watch as Han led the way in his dark blue robes and peaked hat, tall and imperious. Anshi followed like an elegant prince descended from Cloud Recesses, impervious to the looks of curiosity from most, and the scorn of others who still remembered his rise at the side of the deposed prince as a favored slave and his sudden fall from grace. His focus was the two people seat on thrones on the dais before him.

On the immense one at the center, sat a small boy with huge eyes, already wise and a little weary from the day he had been compelled to sit through the same contentious wrangling among the adults present. Anshi saw him perk up at his arrival, though. The eyes began to sparkle with interest. But the real glory sat to his right.

The Mother of Qian. She was dazzling. Cloth of yellow silk, H heavily embroidered in long, flowing black dragons, carrying delicate white lilacs in their mouths. Every detail etched in thread of gold. Jet hair swept up and anchored with gold and jeweled pins. Necklaces of gold, jade, and pearls swathed a slender neck. Perfect rosebud mouth, white jade skin. Luminous eyes penetrated the onlooker's soul, appraising yet compassionate. This woman he had never met, but whom he had been called upon to aid in a very dark moment.

Every inch a Queen.

He moved gracefully to his knees and then into a full Kowtow, fluid and flawless in every way and she smiled down on him.

"Rise, Chieftain Lan Anshi. We are pleased to greet you. Your sterling reputation precedes you and we are honored."

"Your Highness. I am humbled by your grace and hospitality."

"Please rise. Honored guests do not stay on their knees with me." She smiled gently and looked at the throng before them.

"Gentlemen, Envoy Lan Anshi is a treasured guest in our Kingdom. He and his people are to be accorded the utmost respect and deference and nothing less during his stay here."

She turned her attention back to him. "I am sure the last day has been exhausting for you. A banquet is being planned for tomorrow night so I suggest you visit your encampment today. Then get some rest. I know you must be exhausted."

A small voice interjected. "Chieftain Anshi, do you play Tsu Chu?" Anshi immediately knelt before the tiny King.

"Yes, I do. I would rather play it than anything else in the world."

The child's eyes lit up. "Would you like to play a match with me sometime?"

"I would Your Majesty. It would be a great honor."

"I would rather it be fun. I will send my eunuch to you to schedule some day while the weather is still fine."

"I will be there, Your Majesty."

The Dowager Queen rose and took her son's hand. "It has been a great pleasure, Chieftain Anshi. We look forward to the banquet tomorrow night. Have a good day."

Anshi and Han returned to the room where they had waited for their reception. Han breathed a deep sigh of relief. "That was excellent. You handled it perfectly."

There was no answer as Anshi sat on a chair, his hands shaking. He felt a cold nothingness wash over him. Han was instantly concerned.

"Anshi?"

Anshi waved him away.

"Please, don't. I...I simply want to get away from here. This place, every inch here, oppresses me. I...can hardly breathe within these walls. I hate it, everything about it is torture and I cannot bear this."

"Anshi, what can I...?"

"One thing. No informalities. We do not have that kind of relationship. I was a slave, and you were my trainer, nothing more. I was a commodity here, chattel. So were you." He rose and began to pace. Han had known this would happen and that words, long suppressed would flow one day: he was just not ready for them, and he felt his heart shatter. He could only stand and take it.

"I want to conclude this as soon as possible. I want to get back on my road; find a dry, golden desert. Strip off my clothes and walk naked there. Let the hot, blowing wind and sand scour my crawling skin and burnish this place from it. There is nothing, no one here for me, not really. I will do my duty and leave in the spring; I cannot bear this." He strode off to find his people. Han stood rooted for an endless moment then fled blindly to his rooms.

And in a secret closet off to one side, the Queen stood silently, absorbing the conversation she had overheard. And her heart hurt for them both.