Greywolf - Kula takes command

The tent flap closed behind Yasataar, and at once everyone began speaking in their harsh language, a few voices beginning to argue as Khan Khingla uttered a single word.

The large tent went silent as the Great Khan looked to either side. "I have listened to your words. Now, all of you shall listen to mine. The People of the Eternal Sky are going to take the first path the Keeper of the Spirits spoke of, the forging of a new nation, and the Blood-corn we take from the vaults of Bukhara will be the cornerstone of our success.

"As to the raid itself, such an important responsibility must be given to the one who has proven himself superior time and time again. War-leader Kula, will you take charge of our warriors?"

Kula rose to his feet and bowed. "I would be honored, Great Khan. May I have your blessing to organize them as I see fit?"

"You have my blessing in this and in all matters. Have you given any thought of a plan?"

"I began planning the moment I heard this idea mentioned. Greywolf, I understand you instructed the Daemo Shadow-walker on opening the gateway near Bukhara, which means you're familiar with the place. Can you open the way for three hundred warriors?"

Papa knew I'd be called upon to do exactly this one day, and drilled into my head how to understand the use of space. "Yes sir, but they're going to have to stay close together until we're fully inside the Grey. Otherwise, someone on the edge may get left behind."

"That will not be a problem. So, three groups of one hundred men each: the Khanda swordsmen, led by Prince Timur, the eighty five mercenary Xian crossbowmen with their Artifact weapons, led by Captain Tang, and one hundred of Tengri's Chosen, under my command. Also Karl the Outlander and Lys, Titan the Ogri, and Prince Timur's Reaver Knight and her Wardogs."

"Prince Timur," Khan Khingla said in a formal voice, "since this was your original plan, it is right that you share in the glory and the risks of seeing it accomplished. Will you accept command of the Khanda swordsmen and follow Kula as War-leader?"

The prince rose to his feet and bowed. "Great Khan, it will be my honor and privilege to do so."

Kula gave him a brusque nod. "So, the plan itself will be simple and easily changed should problems arise... as they always do." Khan Khingla chuckled as Kula smiled back at him, probably over some private memory. Then the War-leader's craggy face grew stern once more. "Since Tengri has blessed us with two Shadow-walkers, we will use Greywolf to open the way and fight off Shadow creatures, while keeping the Daemo in reserve among the Chosen."

Kula gave me a dark look. "Prince Timur has told me about you." Oh, shite. "I need to know if I can trust you to follow my orders without question, and to take no unnecessary risks."

Everyone's eyes were on me as I nodded. "Yes sir..."

Kula raised his eyebrows. "But?"

Take a deep breath. This is important. "I need to know if you'll listen to what I tell you when we're in the Shadowlands." Shite, his eyes are narrowing. "I mean, I know how important this is, but I know the Shadowlands and its creatures better than anyone else. If you don't listen to me it could get someone killed." It did once, but I decided to leave that off unless he asked.

The War-leader stared at me a moment. "I listen to warriors, not to children. Act like a warrior and you will have my attention. Are we clear?"

I suppressed a sigh. "Yes sir."

He turned back towards the Khan. "We know the schedules of their patrols, so moving the raiding party to the ruin undetected shouldn't be a problem. We move through the Shadowlands to the temple of Ghash-Kimil, where another dead tree marking a gateway is guarded, then arrange our forces so when Greywolf returns us to the real world, all the priests will die. The Khanda will hold the temple with part of the Xian mercenaries as support, and as Captain Tang moves the rest to the vaults to begin taking the Blood-corn, the Chosen, along with the Ogri, will attack Muzen."

An old man on the nobleman's side raised his hand. "This attack will not be quiet."

"The city will not be either," Prince Timur said. "According to our spy, Redhunter, the last night of the festival will be a frenzy of merrymaking and gaudy magic, and once we've broken down the doors, no one will notice the fighting."

"If your friends from the rival temples keep their word by having the guards stand down," Kula said.

Prince Varsena raised his hand. "Great Khan, I have seen the High Priest's house, and have an idea that might make things easier. Instead of attacking directly, what if we used a ruse to get them to open the doors?" Khan Khingla motioned for Varsena to rise, and he got to his feet. "War-leader Kula, there are at least fifty or more priests in the temple of Ghash-Kimil. Half the Chosen take their robes and march Greywolf to the side door next to the kitchen, while the other fifty wait in the darkness near the main one."

Kula was slowly nodding. "Muzen will think Greywolf was skulking around and got caught." He gave me a sharp look. "Will Muzen believe this?"

I shrugged. "If enough hands are holding onto me, I can't make a big enough gate to enter the Shadowlands."

"Or," Varsena added, "Greywolf pretends to be unconscious. Either way, the side door will open. If you attach a half-dozen crossbowmen to the Chosen, the moment Kula gives the command, the crossbowmen open fire, then fall back as the Chosen rush the door."

Behind me, Karl said, "Great Khan, may I add a thought?" He motioned with his hand, and Karl moved up beside me. "If I can involve Ishi, it'll make the ruse more plausible."

Kula glanced over at Prince Timur, who stroked his beard. "I believe Karl's onto something."

"It will also give us a hostage," Kula said, "should your friends from the rival temples decide to turn on us."

Prince Timur drew himself up. "They would never dare betray us for fear of sparking a war with the People."

Khan Khingla cleared his throat. "Greed makes people stupid. Kula, regardless of their actions, we will keep our end of the bargain."

War-leader Kula bowed. "As you command."

The Great Khan looked around with a satisfied expression. "Does anyone else care to speak before this meeting ends?" Prince Avitohol raised his hand and the Khan frowned. "Avitohol, if you are going to ask for the traditional place beside the War-leader for an unbloodied boy, you know I must refuse. This raid could well end in disaster, and I dare not risk your life."

Avitohol looked as though he wanted to argue the point but didn’t dare, as Kula turned towards the throne. "Great Khan, we could take his blood brother Bayan in his place. That way, Avitohol will share in the glory."

The Khan nodded. "Do so. Anyone else?" The tent remained silent and he opened his arms. "Then this council is over. As always, keep the words spoken within these tent walls close to your chest."

"Yes, Great Khan." All the men rose to their feet and bowed. I got up as well, grasping my faded tunic and putting it on as Prince Avitohol picked up my body armor and examined it. "Varsena," he calls back over his shoulder, "you should see this. His Artifact back plates were sliced in half."

If I'd been a touch slower, it would've been my back as well, but I kept that thought to myself as the men began leaving the tent. I looked up as Prince Varsena joined us and too the armor from Avitohol's hands. He was a little taller than I was, and solid, only seeming to be slender in comparison to Prince Timur, who strode past us without a word. Varsena examined the armor front and back with a critical eye, before looking up. "Greywolf, I can fix this if you want."

"You will?" He nodded, and my eyes widened a little. "But... you're a prince, ah, your highness."

Varsena chuckled. "Do not let my brother Prince Iron-for-brains hear you call me that, or I will never hear the end of it."

"They don't give themselves airs," Karl said as Lys vaulted herself onto his shoulder. "Prince Varsena's also a mage, which puts him into a different category than his brothers."

I gave Karl a puzzled look, but Varsena was the one who answered. "The People possess several scales from the mythical Rainbow Dragon, and when my mother became the Great Khan's second wife, she wore the blue scale over her belly all during her pregnancy, to give the Great Khan a mage crafter and to keep me from being a threat to my older brother."

I scratched my head. "Why would it matter whether you're a mage or not?"

"It's an ancient law from a long time ago," Avitohol answered. "No mage can ever become a warrior, and only a warrior can be made Khan."

"But I saw Blood-mages among the Tartaros warriors."

"They're fighters," Avitohol replied, "but not warriors. We use them as outriders, which are like scouts, and they keep the wounded alive during battle."

"All mages are also crafters," Varsena added. "Many clan leaders keep a Blood-mage at their side as we are more educated than our normal warriors are."

"We get our education on the field of battle," Avitohol retorted, puffing out his chest. Varsena rolled his eyes as the young prince turned in my direction. "My mother's a Tartaros Steppe fighter of the Black Dragon clan, who live far to the north. Before I was born, she was part of the peace settlement between the Dragon clan and the White Boar, and she vowed that I'd be born a warrior, even if it meant conflict with my older brother."

"Khojin is a harridan," Varsena said, "but she has been a solid rock of support to our father ever since my mother died." He shrugged. "She has even begun being nice to me, though it has more to do with my not being a threat to Prince Runt here than anything else." Avitohol stuck his tongue out at his older brother, making us both smile, before Varsena turned his critical eye on me. "Greywolf, you look famished. Have you eaten anything today?"

"I had a mug of kaffe this morning with a crust of bread. Asena likes to hunt trolls when she's hungry; she says it sharpens her senses, though I've never noticed much difference."

"Does she really eat their hearts after she has killed them?" I nodded, making a face, and he laughed. "Remind me never to go hunting with you two. Karl, can you take care of him while I take care of his armor? I want to get this done before anyone else needs something."

"Is there any chance that I could take a quick dip in the river beforehand? I know I'm beginning to stink of sweat and dried troll blood, and I wouldn't mind washing it off."

Karl chuckles. "Only if you want to scandalize the tribe. However, there are several steam tents with wash-slaves who will help you get clean, so we can visit one of them after we've eaten. I wouldn't mind getting clean myself."

Okay, this is going to be another bog you've got to walk through with care. "Karl, I don't want to offend anyone, but I don't want a slave helping me with anything. I mean, I know keeping slaves is normal pretty much everywhere, but Asena raised me to hate making slaves out of people for any reason."

Avitohol gave me an odd look. "Why would she think like that? We never buy slaves, only capture them in raids, which means they always have a chance to fight back." He motioned outward with his hand. "These people didn't fight but instead gave themselves up, knowing it meant they'd become our slaves."

Karl added, "A wounded warrior who continues to resist, even after it's no longer possible, is often granted respect and left alone to live or die of his injuries as fate wills. As for the ones taken, it's not nearly as bad as slavery in the empires. A slave taken by a warrior for personal use becomes a part of the family, while one taken for the tribe has certain rights, and a chance to win their freedom, depending again upon fate."

"Everyone's encouraged to give tribe slaves a copper or two when they do a good job," Avitohol said. "I'll come with you and we'll make them happy with a bit of silver instead."

None of them are getting the point that freedom should never ever be bought and sold, but I'm not sure they ever will. "My prince, that would be grand."

He reached up and clapped me on the shoulder. "Just call me Avitohol. We'll save the 'my prince' for after I've figured out how I'm going to make you the first of my Bloodguard."

My mouth dropped in shock but he didn't notice, Avitohol still chattering away as he guided me towards the way out.