the young man was using evil magic of some sort to take his son away from him.
Temujin laughed pleasantly as he signed for Chagar to rise and stand beside him. "Fear not, Bolar Khan. If I am a wizard, it is a magic you will never understand, and it will make you, your son, and all who ride with me more than we are now. Take me to your camp and fear not, for all will be well."
Not knowing what to do, Bolar Khan looked at Casca and pointed his sword at him. "And what of him? He is not of these lands – of that there is no doubt. Is he under your spell also?"
Temujin commanded Chagar to strip the bodies of the dead and gather their horses. He spoke over his shoulder at Bolar Khan, showing his lack of fear of the khan by turning his back to him. "Ahhh, the Old Young One is something special. As to why he is with me, you must ask him."
Bolar Khan did just that. He was anxious to strike out at someone – anyone – in his confusion and anger, and this was one from outside. There would be no blood feuds involved if he slew this ugly, long-nosed dog the boy called the Old Young One, though in truth he did not look to be very old, just ugly. He just stood there like a lump of dogshit, doing and saying nothing.
"Well, why are you at the side of this... this boy, who would be master of all? Answer or I'll split you open, outsider!" Bolar Khan raised his sword to accent his threat.
Casca was not particularly concerned with Bolar Khan's threats. The dwarfish khan was just confused a bit, as he had every right to be. "I am with the young master because it has to be that way. Don't ask me why. I couldn't answer it any more than our own son could. Perhaps as you said, he has a spell of sorts over me and our son. If that is so, we will not be the last. And lower your sword, Bolar Khan. You have no quarrel with me unless you wish the same quarrel with Chagar, for he also is Temujin's man now."
Bolar Khan lowered his sword. He was not certain that if Temujin gave the command that his son would not fight against him. It was a question he had no desire to put to the test. Perhaps this insanity would pass with a little time. "Very well, for now I will leave things as they are and we shall ride to my camp. There, as you say, young Temujin, son of Yeshugei, we may learn more."
Barely controlling his rage, he yelled at his women. "Ho, sluts, bind the wound of my son and gather our horses! We ride this instant!"
CHAPTER ELEVEN
As the band moved out, Casca understood why the Tatars had wanted to take it so badly. Not only were there the women and mounts for riding, there were also five packhorses and two of the ugly, hairy double-humped camels of the north loaded with goods. Salt, bars of iron for the making of swords and arrowheads, bolts of Georgian wool, and the dozens of small things for which the men and women of his tribe had placed their orders.
Bolar had been trading. One of the things he had bought was the young girl, Bortei, who had castrated the Tatar. She was to be Chagar's first wife.
Buying wasn't exactly the right word, but it was close enough. Bolar had to pay a bride price to gain her for his son, and gain for himself Ashif Khan as a kinsman in the tribes of the Quonqurat. As for the other goods, he doubted that the Tatars knew what was in them, but anything that was transported to this remote area had to be of value.
It irked Casca a bit to see the women riding. They were all better horsemen than he was. Mongol women could ride nearly as well as their men. They proved this time and again as they crossed mountain ranges and rivers, places where Casca was not always successful in keeping his seat. Twice he fell off during river crossings to the Mongols' great amusement, and they had obvious contempt for one who rode as poorly as he. Bolar couldn't see what even Temujin would want with a man who could not stay on his horse.
Temujin wasted no time. Every minute they were together alone, he made Casca teach him. But
Temujin laughed pleasantly as he signed for Chagar to rise and stand beside him. "Fear not, Bolar Khan. If I am a wizard, it is a magic you will never understand, and it will make you, your son, and all who ride with me more than we are now. Take me to your camp and fear not, for all will be well."
Not knowing what to do, Bolar Khan looked at Casca and pointed his sword at him. "And what of him? He is not of these lands – of that there is no doubt. Is he under your spell also?"
Temujin commanded Chagar to strip the bodies of the dead and gather their horses. He spoke over his shoulder at Bolar Khan, showing his lack of fear of the khan by turning his back to him. "Ahhh, the Old Young One is something special. As to why he is with me, you must ask him."
Bolar Khan did just that. He was anxious to strike out at someone – anyone – in his confusion and anger, and this was one from outside. There would be no blood feuds involved if he slew this ugly, long-nosed dog the boy called the Old Young One, though in truth he did not look to be very old, just ugly. He just stood there like a lump of dogshit, doing and saying nothing.
"Well, why are you at the side of this... this boy, who would be master of all? Answer or I'll split you open, outsider!" Bolar Khan raised his sword to accent his threat.
Casca was not particularly concerned with Bolar Khan's threats. The dwarfish khan was just confused a bit, as he had every right to be. "I am with the young master because it has to be that way. Don't ask me why. I couldn't answer it any more than our own son could. Perhaps as you said, he has a spell of sorts over me and our son. If that is so, we will not be the last. And lower your sword, Bolar Khan. You have no quarrel with me unless you wish the same quarrel with Chagar, for he also is Temujin's man now."
Bolar Khan lowered his sword. He was not certain that if Temujin gave the command that his son would not fight against him. It was a question he had no desire to put to the test. Perhaps this insanity would pass with a little time. "Very well, for now I will leave things as they are and we shall ride to my camp. There, as you say, young Temujin, son of Yeshugei, we may learn more."
Barely controlling his rage, he yelled at his women. "Ho, sluts, bind the wound of my son and gather our horses! We ride this instant!"
CHAPTER ELEVEN
As the band moved out, Casca understood why the Tatars had wanted to take it so badly. Not only were there the women and mounts for riding, there were also five packhorses and two of the ugly, hairy double-humped camels of the north loaded with goods. Salt, bars of iron for the making of swords and arrowheads, bolts of Georgian wool, and the dozens of small things for which the men and women of his tribe had placed their orders.
Bolar had been trading. One of the things he had bought was the young girl, Bortei, who had castrated the Tatar. She was to be Chagar's first wife.
Buying wasn't exactly the right word, but it was close enough. Bolar had to pay a bride price to gain her for his son, and gain for himself Ashif Khan as a kinsman in the tribes of the Quonqurat. As for the other goods, he doubted that the Tatars knew what was in them, but anything that was transported to this remote area had to be of value.
It irked Casca a bit to see the women riding. They were all better horsemen than he was. Mongol women could ride nearly as well as their men. They proved this time and again as they crossed mountain ranges and rivers, places where Casca was not always successful in keeping his seat. Twice he fell off during river crossings to the Mongols' great amusement, and they had obvious contempt for one who rode as poorly as he. Bolar couldn't see what even Temujin would want with a man who could not stay on his horse.
Temujin wasted no time. Every minute they were together alone, he made Casca teach him. But
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