“Come with me,” he told Mĕilì with his hand on her back. “I’ll show you to my room where you can stay for now. I’ll have Năinai and some other servants ready the room I’ll give you as your personal chambers.”

 “Zhàn,” called out Chéng from behind them. Ānníng turned around and waited for the lieutenant to catch up. “I’m going to town for a few things. Would you like me to get anything for her?”

 Ānníng looked down at Mĕilì. He smiled in thought and turned back toward Chéng.

 “Wait for a bit,” he said. “I’ll go with you.”

 Chéng nodded and rested against a nearby tree to wait for his friend.

 Ānníng hurried Mĕilì along to his bedroom and opened the door for her to go inside. When she only peeked in but didn’t step over the raised threshold, he lifted her in his arms and carried her across.

 She gasped and held tightly onto his neck. She looked around the dimly lit room as he gently set her to her feet.

 “I’ll open the windows, angel,” he told her.

 As he went to each side room and each window in the main room, she stared at everything lit up by the incoming sunlight. There were weapons and armor, statues and scrolls. There were even plants in pots on the floor and smaller ones on desks and tables. On the walls were scrolls depicting battle as well as meditative poetry.

 “It isn’t much,” he was saying as he returned to her, “but I’m a soldier. I haven’t been here a lot, and when I am, I don’t like a lot of clutter. Your room will be different,” he told her as he took her hand.

 He guided her to a tea table in the center of the room, then motioned for her to sit on a floor cushion as he took a teapot in his hand.

 He leaned out and motioned for Qīn'ài to take the kettle. “Fresh water for tea, please, Năinai.”

 “Yes, General,” she smiled and left to do as told.

 Ānníng returned to Mĕilì and wiped the cups placed on the table in wait to be filled with tea. “Your room will have whatever you wish to make it pretty and feminine. Qīn'ài can help you. I’ll have her find a younger maidservant to help, as well.”

 He stopped wiping the last cup and looked down at her. She was listening to him but still looked around the room as if it were a heavenly wonder. He smiled at her curiosity.

 “I know you probably don’t want to go into the market yet,” he said as he knelt on one knee to speak closer. “If you tell them what you would like, they can get it for you. Anything you don’t like, they can return and get you something else. This is your home from now on. Fill it with what will make you happy. Understand, angel?”

 She stopped her scrutiny of his odd room and looked into his eyes as he lowered himself to be nearer. She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck.

 “Thank you, husband,” she whispered.

 She squeezed him tighter as she tried to adjust to hearing the word spill from her lips.

 Ānníng’s smile grew larger and he returned her hug. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair behind her.

 “I’ll be gone for a little while, wife,” he said. “I need to speak to the staff about your arrival and hear their reports about what happened while I was away. After that, I’ll be going into town with Chéng for some supplies we’ll need. Is there anything you want?”

 She shook her head and held his hand.

 “Please hurry,” she said softly. “I don’t want to be alone.”

 He held her again and patted her back. “I will, angel. Don’t be afraid. No one here will harm you in any way, and Qīn'ài will be here for you. I’ll send her back after I speak with everyone in the courtyard.”

 He stood and went for the door, turning back once to smile and wink at her. She gave him a small wave as she twisted her hair around her hand once again. He grinned to himself as he hurried to the courtyard and thought of all the things he would buy for her.