Anshi: The Lost Eagle of the Steppes

Celestial Deductions

Anshi had bathed and dressed his hair with Han's help, the morning of the signing. His Lan blues and whites were hanging on a rack in a corner, glowing brightly in the morning sunlight. He was a bit nervous and Han's strong guidance helped anchor him. Days of rehearsals and nights of private reassurances from his attentive lover had gone a long way to relieving the pressure. Han walked over and wrapped his arms around him, leaning his head against the strong back.

"My love, once this is over, things will be normal again. We have our first play date with the Childe King coming up. He has a whole list of games he wants to either play or learn."

I guess we will both be learning how to be children again, hmm?"

"And why not, even if it is for a few hours a day? We never really got that chance, did we?"

"No. We grew up fast here. Helping him have that will be a privilege."

"Breakfast and correspondence will be brought in soon, then we dress."

Anshi turned around and hugged Han back, leaning down to kiss him softly. "Thank you. You are my rock, you know."

"You may always lean against me when you need to."

"I may need to, tonight."

"That can be arranged..."

At that point, there was a single knock at the door. Han opened it to a court lady who led breakfast in. She busied herself setting the table out and placing congratulatory scrolls and a few packages at Anshi's place setting. He came to a box and opened the outer wrapping.

There lay an exquisitely hand-painted box. A dark sky and flying across it was an Azure Dragon. Minute details had rendered it lifelike, and you could almost feel the heat from the flames that he breathed. He lifted the top and stared in disbelief. A ring sat in the center, set in silver. A flawless blue sapphire glowed at him. Next to it was a perfect sphere, a polished scrying ball cut from an Indian Emerald. He reached out to pick up the ring and Han grabbed his wrist.

"Don't. Wait." He ran to his desk and grabbed a tin container. He placed a soft white square of cotton onto the table, then brought out a small vial.

"I must check these things for poison, my love.' He used a chopstick to lever the ring onto the cotton then poured the solution from the vial over the piece of jewelry. They waited. The solution remained clear. The Han lifted it carefully and rubbed the inside with the cloth. No darkness appeared that way either. Then he repeated it on the sphere. Nothing.

"These are safe. Anshi, the paper lining on the inside of the lid has just been folded to fit. Do you wish to remove it?"

Anshi answered by using a dry knife and gently prising it out. He flipped it over and another painting was revealed. At first, it looked like random, glittering dots but as he softly smoothed it out, he found he was looking at a night-time sky map. And one he knew well. It was the Chinese sky in early spring. He knew because the constellation Mao Xiu liu was clear in the upper left quadrant and the constellation Ren Ma zuo was lower and toward the right. March is the time when they are the closest in proximity.

He looked up at Han. "Send someone to find Chieftain Maral. Ask Wei Ying and Lan Zhan as well."

As they waited Anshi lift the ring and slipped it on the index finger of his right hand. It fit like it was made for him. He held the emerald sphere in his left hand, letting it warm slowly.

"My love. This is your signing date today and someone knows this. It is good luck for people to sign treaties and other documents while wearing a sapphire on their signing hands. Who could this be from? Do you have any idea?

"I...am not sure. I have a suspicion but I need Uncle to verify some things first."

Anshi's hand shook after he replaced the ring beside the sphere and carefully refolded the sky map and reset it in the top of the lid. Then he fitted the lid in place. Han clasped his soulmate's hand firmly. "Are you frightened?"

"No. I am more intrigued and excited I think."

Han smiled. "Good. This is not a day for anxiety."

A rap on the door again and Maral, Lan Zhan, and Wei Ying entered, looks of concern on their faces.

Anshi rose and embraced them. He was trying to contain himself, but it was difficult.

"I received a gift today. It has been tested and all are free of poisons. But it is a curious one! I have a theory, but I need you to give me any additional input before I conclude. Can you help?"

"Of course," replied Maral immediately, followed by his adoptive brothers.

"I replaced things as they were when I opened them. Uncle. You knew us as children. You knew and loved my parents. You were the ones we thought arrived first at the scene. There is one mystery of our fates that day that nobody was able to solve. Please look at the box and the contents and tell me what you see."

Maral, wise eyes sharp and discerning. sat before the table. He studied every inch, top to bottom, using a single finger to spin the box 360 degrees.

"The Azure Dragon. Not only is it your personal Mansion in the heavens but it symbolizes the sect your mother was born to in the Western Steppes."

Anshi's eyes began to glitter in a rush of excitement.

Maral asked, "May I open it?" Anshi nodded and in one movement the ring and sphere were exposed. Wei Ying drew a deep breath and knelt to take a deeper look, mesmerized by the stones in their pure magnificence.

"These gems...they are glorious. Practically no occlusions in either. And they are heavy with magic." He held his hands over them. " I sense no resentful energy. Whoever cleansed and programmed these has only positive intentions. He is strong. As strong as you, Little Brother."

"Lan Zhan. The paper inside the top. Would you look at it?"

"Certainly." The long, tapered hands gently removed it from its nest and his eyes gleamed as he spread it out, delighted with the artistry.

"It is the night sky, early Spring. It highlights the two major constellations. While others like Beidou are present, the artist seems to place Mao Xiu Liu and Ren Ma Zou in special prominence."

"When I was small, I had a special brother, Davaajav. He was 10 at the time of the massacre and no trace of him was ever found. He was presumed dead, as I was. We often lay under the stars, and he would impart our mother's wisdom to me. I asked you here to see what you would see. I needed to know that what lay before me was not hopeful wishing. But only one person would know of those skylit nights where we were as one, in the presence of our dead mother. Only one person would go to these lengths to craft such a gift for me, build around that kind of soft purity.

I believe that Davaajav is alive and is trying to give me the tools to come to him."