Anshi: The Lost Eagle of the Steppes

Lan Tiger and His Prey

"My Sweet?," whispered Wei Ying that night, as they lay under a Quiet spell, satiated for a few minutes.

"Mhn?"

"Our Anshi is in love."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"You...you hadn't noticed? How could you not notice??? The looks, the way Han leaned into Anshi's shoulder, the tears, soooo romantic." He raised up on an elbow and stared down at the beautiful face below him.

" Honestly, Lan Zhan..." Then he caught the twinkle in those topaz eyes, and he slugged him in the stomach which only elicited a grunt of laughter from his soulmate.

"How could I miss it Wei Ying, my silver-eye beauty? It is the same looks we share everyday. And I do mean everyday."

Wei Ying giggled and burrowed deep into Lan Zhan's chest and inhaled. "Do you think Han has developed a fondness for sandalwood as well? I wonder if they enjoy that as we do."

"I do not know. And that is their life, my little busybody. I cannot imagine it. Your scent is perfect ...the sweetness of lotus. The Minister prefers lilac. I cannot imagine it is anywhere near as lovely as yours and mine together. Ours will always be superior. I fall into your lotus. It surrounds me. Drives me mad"

"Oh gods, you have gotten me so hot again, my love, My King. Give me your hand. Can you feel me? Can you feel what you do to me? And you? What has it done to you? Sweet Heavens, Lan Zhan! I swear, that will kill me one day."

He could see, in the faint light of the lamp, those glowing eyes and caught the very moment they began to reflect the light. Eyeshine. Golden eyeshine. The Lan Tiger was emerging, and Wei Ying felt himself shiver with desire and the nearness of danger. He loved it like this. The tightrope that the cat walked at this moment, stalking him, baring white teeth. The first bite at the base of the throat. Wei Ying gave a light scream of ecstasy and the tongue emerged to swipe away the pain. Love bites that he lived for. Marks that shouted he was mated only to his husband.

Suddenly he was flipped over and taken, and Wei Ying mewled in delight as heard the feline growl that emerged from his Tiger and the fists weaved deep into his hair, parting it and the teeth nipped the back of his neck, those lips kissing the marks at once. He screamed again and again at the length and width of his husband as he was well and truly claimed once more. That claiming that brought Wei Ying back to life so many times. That claiming was his reason for breathing. He felt his partner beginning to explode and he released as well, both of them howling into the night.

Wei Ying collapsed and curled into a ball. As he began to doze, he wondered briefly if he could whip his husband into a third frenzy tonight. He saw the answer in his sleepy Lan's eyes, daring him to try.

The next morning they stepped into the courtyard for a breakfast laid out by the servants and spied Anshi and Han moving toward them from Han's wing of the palace. Wei Ying recognized Han's walk, that tell-tale gait that came from certain deliciously aching muscles. That little walk of shame and secret pride after a night of passionate lovemaking. He felt happy for the man. He knew what it was like, tied to a strong and self-contained man whose wounds were as deep as your own. The give and take.

He suddenly realized, with a flash of sadness, that the glory of that love the two shared was not as fulfilling physically, for the Minister. The injuries he had suffered were catastrophic yet these two had overcome it with sheer love. Wei Ying was humbled by this pairing. The love that he and Lan Zhan had was all-encompassing, but this other couple was walking a path that was so different. It even had a finite ending that they were facing, yet they were grabbing for every ounce of love they could fit in during this time together. It should have been a time for them when a new love was only filled with lightness and flowers and golden sunlight. His respect was growing by leaps and bounds for the men in front of him.

He felt Lan Zhan reach for his hand to soothe him. The quiet man had read his thoughts as usual and sought to calm him. He smiled at him, grateful for his intuition. He always helped to dispel his darker thoughts. Yes, all couples begin a path knowing nothing. It is up to them, regarding the path they walk and how it ends.

"Good morning!" The High Minister was as proper as ever. His dark blue robes accented the large steel-grey eyes and they were warm and welcoming. He bowed deeply to his visitors. Han was a little nervous. These were two of the most important men in Anshi's life, men who had faced grim obstacles to be together as well. The scars on his own back itched as he thought of the horrendous punishment meted out to Lan Zhan by Lan Qiren and the discomfort he felt daily as a reminder. And he had faced it bravely after vainly attempting to save the love of his life. A family with control and little conscience was a dangerous place when power was misused. And Wei Ying, ceaselessly giving, eternally sacrificing, relentlessly vilified and made to pay for another's crimes...He felt inadequate in their presence.

The initial awe did not last long. Wei Ying had all of those amazing traits but he was also impish and ribald. His humor elicited laughs from everyone even his stoic husband. Then he began relating the first time they had met High Minister Han at the Meng Shi war council.

"And I remember you sitting there before it started, so silent and forbidding. I even smiled my brightest, most entrancing smile at you, trying to break through and get some sort of reaction. I failed and you gave me this look that said 'Impudent Puppy.'

 I said to Lan Zhan, 'My best smile and he didn't even turn a hair! This is not a very movable person, He's a tougher nut to crack than you were when we first met.' Well, Lan Zhan never missed a beat. He turned to me and said...".

At this point, Lan Zhan rested his forehead on his thumb and forefinger and shielded his face with the rest of his hand in mortification. Wei Ying would pay dearly for this indiscretion later tonight...

"He said, 'Then do not try. You are my nutcracker, not his.'

Laughter filled the courtyard and the loudest of all was Han. Even Lan Zhan lowered his hand, amazed at the quiet man's reaction.

"No! Really!? That...that is too funny. I can't...can't believe that was going on down at the end of that table! Lan Zhan, you never changed your facial expression, not even once! Truly, you are a formidable opponent."

"You are not offended?"

"Not in the least. That is the first time I think I have ever been part of an amusing anecdote in my life."

They were still laughing when the mothers joined them.