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.
