too fleeting to catch.
He couldn’t reassure her when he wasn’t certain himself what
would happen. Instead he hushed her again. His kiss was tender this time, trying
to reach past her stubborn head into her heart. To the part that, for all her
outward fierceness, was still abandoned and afraid.
He dreamed of more nights like this. Days as well, until the
end of time. He had dreamed about turning the horses and riding west. Or even
south back to the cities of the Tang Empire. Any place where he wouldn’t have to
give her up. But running away would mean exile and isolation and that wasn’t
what he wanted. Not for Dao or for himself.
Chapter Seven
A cluster of yurts came into view in the distance. As
they approached, more dwellings appeared. This settlement was four times the
size of the one Dao had visited in the southern region. A patrol of armed
horsemen rode out to greet them. The men dismounted and bowed to Kwan-Li. One
after another, they clasped his arms in greeting as if long lost brothers while
she looked on in confusion. After the exchange, the riders climbed back into the
saddle to escort them. With each step, she could feel Kwan-Li slipping further
away.
Her entire purpose for coming to Khitan was to become an
alliance bride. There was no place on this earth where they could be together.
She couldn’t spend their last moments in regret.
At the border of the camp, Kwan-Li instructed her to dismount
and reached out to steady her as she lowered herself to the ground. Dao took his
hand, but he held on long after she had her footing. His fingers tightened over
hers and he gave her a look so intense that her heart was in her throat.
“Is this proper?” she whispered. She had to be a princess
again.
His only answer was a half smile before he let go.
Ruan came out to meet them. His grizzled face broke into a grin
as he clasped Kwan-Li’s arms in greeting. The grin faded as he looked from
Kwan-Li to Dao.
“Princess,” he said, with more seriousness than usual.
She looked about worriedly. “What of the others?”
She didn’t see the other tribesmen who had ridden with them,
but Ruan laughed. “Good. Strong. We Khitans are tough,” he boasted.
Ruan switched to his native tongue to speak to Kwan-Li. The two
men conferred briefly before Ruan left them.
“The Uyghur delegation is here,” Kwan-Li reported to her. “They
arrived a few days ago. We are going to see the khagan now.”
His expression had become as guarded as it had been at the
beginning of their journey when they had been strangers to each other. The sight
of it sent a stab of panic through her. She wanted Kwan-Li back.
They walked toward the center of the camp. With each step, her
stomach twisted. By the time she saw the large canvas tent surrounded by
banners, she was so tangled up she couldn’t remember the greeting she had
rehearsed. The speech had sounded so stately and grandiose a few months ago.
Dao had filled her head with ideas that this would be easy. She
would be covered in jade and gold and no one would ever know that she was
nothing but a floor sweeper. For the first time, she lamented that her
ridiculously lavish procession had been left behind.
“Do I look like a princess?” she whispered frantically.
Kwan-Li’s gaze traced over her face. “Always.”
She didn’t feel like a princess. She was covered in dust and
her hair was wind-battered and uncombed. They paused at the threshold of the
yurt. The entrance flaps had been pulled wide and several grim-faced guards
stood at the opening.
“Do you truly want to marry the khagan?” Kwan-Li asked
softly.
“It doesn’t matter what I want.”
She wanted to be back in the endlessness of the steppe. With
him.
As they entered the yurt, she could feel the circular wall
enclosing her and trapping her. Each breath was forced and her tongue grew thick
and useless. Her feet sank to the floor like lead.
The structure was large enough to encompass an assembly of
thirty
He couldn’t reassure her when he wasn’t certain himself what
would happen. Instead he hushed her again. His kiss was tender this time, trying
to reach past her stubborn head into her heart. To the part that, for all her
outward fierceness, was still abandoned and afraid.
He dreamed of more nights like this. Days as well, until the
end of time. He had dreamed about turning the horses and riding west. Or even
south back to the cities of the Tang Empire. Any place where he wouldn’t have to
give her up. But running away would mean exile and isolation and that wasn’t
what he wanted. Not for Dao or for himself.
Chapter Seven
A cluster of yurts came into view in the distance. As
they approached, more dwellings appeared. This settlement was four times the
size of the one Dao had visited in the southern region. A patrol of armed
horsemen rode out to greet them. The men dismounted and bowed to Kwan-Li. One
after another, they clasped his arms in greeting as if long lost brothers while
she looked on in confusion. After the exchange, the riders climbed back into the
saddle to escort them. With each step, she could feel Kwan-Li slipping further
away.
Her entire purpose for coming to Khitan was to become an
alliance bride. There was no place on this earth where they could be together.
She couldn’t spend their last moments in regret.
At the border of the camp, Kwan-Li instructed her to dismount
and reached out to steady her as she lowered herself to the ground. Dao took his
hand, but he held on long after she had her footing. His fingers tightened over
hers and he gave her a look so intense that her heart was in her throat.
“Is this proper?” she whispered. She had to be a princess
again.
His only answer was a half smile before he let go.
Ruan came out to meet them. His grizzled face broke into a grin
as he clasped Kwan-Li’s arms in greeting. The grin faded as he looked from
Kwan-Li to Dao.
“Princess,” he said, with more seriousness than usual.
She looked about worriedly. “What of the others?”
She didn’t see the other tribesmen who had ridden with them,
but Ruan laughed. “Good. Strong. We Khitans are tough,” he boasted.
Ruan switched to his native tongue to speak to Kwan-Li. The two
men conferred briefly before Ruan left them.
“The Uyghur delegation is here,” Kwan-Li reported to her. “They
arrived a few days ago. We are going to see the khagan now.”
His expression had become as guarded as it had been at the
beginning of their journey when they had been strangers to each other. The sight
of it sent a stab of panic through her. She wanted Kwan-Li back.
They walked toward the center of the camp. With each step, her
stomach twisted. By the time she saw the large canvas tent surrounded by
banners, she was so tangled up she couldn’t remember the greeting she had
rehearsed. The speech had sounded so stately and grandiose a few months ago.
Dao had filled her head with ideas that this would be easy. She
would be covered in jade and gold and no one would ever know that she was
nothing but a floor sweeper. For the first time, she lamented that her
ridiculously lavish procession had been left behind.
“Do I look like a princess?” she whispered frantically.
Kwan-Li’s gaze traced over her face. “Always.”
She didn’t feel like a princess. She was covered in dust and
her hair was wind-battered and uncombed. They paused at the threshold of the
yurt. The entrance flaps had been pulled wide and several grim-faced guards
stood at the opening.
“Do you truly want to marry the khagan?” Kwan-Li asked
softly.
“It doesn’t matter what I want.”
She wanted to be back in the endlessness of the steppe. With
him.
As they entered the yurt, she could feel the circular wall
enclosing her and trapping her. Each breath was forced and her tongue grew thick
and useless. Her feet sank to the floor like lead.
The structure was large enough to encompass an assembly of
thirty
Similar Books
