Inside the tent, the air was heavy with the scent of spices, fire, and sweet lemon and cinnamon. At that moment, the curtains were pulled roughly back by a large man. He had pale skin and dark almond eyes. He looked over at the man in his seat coldly.
An Ruo set down his cup and stood up with a courteous smile. He reached out a hand. "I appreciate you for coming, Anno Iwao."
The man by the name of Anno Iwao stared at his hand, clearly insinuating he would not shake it.
Instead, he asked in a throaty and rumbling voice, "Why has the leader of the An summoned me here?"
Not taking offense, An Ruo simply chuckled. He sat back down and gestured towards a chair with a wide palm. The request was politely made, but Anno Iwao just stared at him in silence. Smiling more lightly, An Ruo leaned back in his seat.
"Lately my people and I have been at odds with the Western Empire."
"You mean you attacked them." Anno Iwao stated blatantly.
"That's a possibility." An Ruo's mouth twisted wryly. "However, we recently found ourselves in an unpleasant situation. One that requires support."
Hearing his words, Anno Iwao sneered. "You attacked an Empire unprepared, and now that you're losing, you want my people to help you? It's interesting to see the state your clan has fallen to." There was a goading edge to his voice, barely sheathed.
If An Ruo felt the tension, he did not show it. "You are not wrong, and I won't dare deny we miscalculated a little." His words made Anno Iwao snort in contempt. An Ruo continued, his voice was mild. "However, conquering the Western Empire is something I can never retreat from. I realized in the beginning it would be difficult to win, which is why I have turned to my last resort."
He looked at the large man standing before him. His face was hard and cruel, his eyes as cold and dark as onyx. His fingers toyed with the hilt of his chiseled blade, though An Ruo knew he had never used a sword in earnest.
An Ruo offered him a genial smile. "You and your army are known for their brute strength. With your aid, my clan and I will be able to defeat the Western Empire. Once that is done, we will move on to the north, south, and east."
Anno Iwao made a sound of contempt, disgust even. "You want to surmount all four empires? Only a crazy fool would think of such a plan."
An Ruo leaned forward in his seat, eyes sharp. "Say what you wish, but you must know that if we are to conquer the Western Empire, the probabilities wouldn't be unprofitable. I need you and your men to make this work."
There was silence between the two men. Although it seemed Anno Iwao was staring at him with scorn, An Ruo could see a flicker in his eyes. He was intrigued.
"What will my people get out of it?" Anno Iwao finally asked.
A slow but complacent smile made its way onto An Ruo's face.
His voice was remarkably calm as he inclined his head politely to the other man. "Please, take a seat and we shall talk."
…
Moonlight brushed the leaves in shades of bone and silver as the guests drifted among them. Members of the An Clan were still looking at the strange men from a homeland they had never known exit their leader's tent.
"W-Who are those men?" A young man anxiously glanced in the direction of the men mounting their horses before galloping away.
Elder An, the oldest member of the clan, followed their movements before shifting to An Ruo exiting the tent. His eyebrows furrowed.
"Lord An." Elder An approached An Ruo with a questioning gaze. "Those men, who…"
"Soldiers of the Chkanashi clan. They will be our allies in this war. In this situation, we can only depend on foreign clans." An Ruo answered.
"My Lord…" Elder An was in shock. "We can't give up yet! To resort to working with foreign powers it…it will destroy our clan—"
Before he could finish, Elder An was interrupted by An Ruo. He started at the older man unhappily with a threatening aura. "Elder An, you had better remember who is in charge here. If I hear objections again, I won't let you off easy, even if you've served our clan for a long time."
The eyes that stared at Elder An were strangely vacant of expression but still made his bones shudder. He could see fires dancing in the onyx of his eyes.
"Do you understand?" An Ruo pressed.
Elder An lowered his head. "Yes, Lord An."
After throwing down those words, An Ruo turned around. Watching him leave, the other members of the clan were similarly stunned.
"Elder An, are we going to work with those people?" A young man approached him.
Elder An pressed his lips together. "It would appear so."
"What…What are we going to do?"
The moonlight ran cold along the old man's face. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as if he was calming his fluctuating emotions. He only opened them again a long while later.
"There is nothing we can do."
Putting their people in danger. Fruitless accomplishments and creating an ally with foreign clans. An Ruo was unable to gather the strength to lead them to victory nor concede defeat to protect their people. An Hongyu wouldn't want a leader like this.
Unfortunately, there was no one to succeed…
A resolute glint lit up in Elder An's old eyes.
"No…there's one way."
"Elder An?" The young man asked.
"It's nothing. No one questions the Lord's words any further." He waved his hand and quickly scurried to his tent, not minding the confused glances his way.
Upon entering his room, Elder An quickly pulled out a piece of papyrus and ink. He stared hesitantly for a moment before taking a deep breath and dipping his brush.
"This is the only way...He can be the only one."
…
"Sun, maybe we should wait a little longer." Rin's heart beat faster the closer they neared her grandfather's room.
"Are you worried?" An Sun raised an eyebrow.
"For you, mostly." She shot him a helpless glance.
An Sun stared at the girl's furrowed brows and chuckled. He rubbed his thumb along the center of her forehead. "Don't trouble yourself with such concerns. Everyone knows how your old man cherishes you. Such a thing won't ruin your relationship."
He leaned forward to kiss a strand of her hair. "Besides, even if he imposes, I already promised to be yours."
Rin stared with wide almond-shaped eyes. She frowned. "You say whatever you want without thinking, don't you?"
"Do I?" He lifted an eyebrow.
"You do!" Rin huffed.
"Then is it a bad thing?" He smiled.
She stared at An Sun's handsome face while biting her lip. "Not this time. No."
In fact, his words greatly reassured her.
Unable to hold back his grin, An Sun suddenly bound his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.
Rin was stunned. "What are you—"
"No one will see. But if I am making you uncomfortable, then say the word." He spoke so softly that only a mosquito could hear. His voice then was like a comfort upon her heating skin.
But she heard. And her face flushed furiously.
After a short moment, the arms by her sides lifted and touched his back. She snuggled her face closer into his chest.
"I don't dislike it." She was too embarrassed to face him.
An Sun's eyes gave off a faint light, one he quickly hid. He breathed in a deep breath. He stroked her back soothingly. His palm slid down to her waist and massaged it gently.
He shut his eyes and said in his husky, magnetic voice, "Stay with me always, all right?"
"You as well." Rin lifted her face from his chest. "As long as you promise, I will too."
Looking down at her stern expression, An Sun felt something tickle his heart. He never thought there would be someone to make him feel such a way. Feel so complete and cherished.
Joy broke on his face, and he reached for her. Rin let him hold her, let him press them so close that nothing might fit between them. It was only then she could feel as if he would never disappear.
Suddenly, An Sun's eyes sharpened. With Rin still in his arms, he swiftly turned them around and stepped back. Too shocked to process anything, Rin slowly lifted her head. Her eyes widened in surprise. Meanwhile, faced with a sharp blade to his face, An Sun simply stared at his opponent coldly.
"Oi, old man, mind putting the sword away?"
Bai Han stared at him and trembled, face red with fury. "Get your hands off my granddaughter right now you bastard!"
Rin tried freeing herself from An Sun's hold. "Grandfather, calm down and let me—"
"I'm not letting you go over there until he puts that sword away." An Sun firmly held onto her willowy waist.
"You…Are you insinuating I would hurt my own grandchild?" Bai Han fumed.
"Considering how easily you pulled your sword on me, it's up for question." An Sun frowned.
"Sun," Rin warned.
"Rin, come here right now!" Bai Han pressed.
"Put the sword away and then I will." An Sun rebuked.
"Get your filthy hands off my granddaughter, and I will!"
The corner of An Sun's lips twitched irritably. "You are a stubborn old man."
"And you're a bastard who deserves to have a sword shoved up his—"
"Enough!" A loud and deep voice intervened.
Looking over, the three saw the dark-faced General Guo standing in the middle of the hall. His sharp eyes scanned every single one of them.
"Han, put away your sword. Sun, remove your hands from my niece, will you? I don't want rumors spreading about either of you."
Reluctantly, both men did as he said. Relief spread across Rin's face.
"Now, let's go inside so we don't have the entire palace hearing our conversation. There's a lot we need to discuss." His eyes looked between Rin and An Sun.
Rin sighed softly and nodded her head. Based on her grandfather's reaction just now, she was already beginning to fear the outcome...