Hope of Earth (60 page)

“Would you prefer to have me on a bed? I serve completely at your convenience.”

“I am a married man. I prefer to be only with my wife, in that manner.”

“Your wife is surely fortunate.” She finished washing him, and allowed him to emerge from the bath. His erection had not diminished, but she took no further note of it as she used towels to dry him. He had either passed a test—or failed it.

The robe was quite warm and comfortable. Sahara tied his belt and brushed out his hair, making him presentable. Just in time, for now the khan arrived.

The woman disappeared. Ned, uncertain what to do, followed his best judgment. “Lord, may I help you with your clothing?”

“Don’t bother. The staff already knows you are to be my companion, not a servant. Only in public will you stand ready to carry my coat.”

“I hope I can live up to your expectation.”

The khan led the way through a bewildering maze of interconnecting carpeted corridors and tents until they came to another pavilion. “Now we shall eat.” Without seeming signal, servitors arrived with steaming platters. The khan indicated the table where they were being set. “You will sit always at the foot. In public you will sample my food first, but in private don’t bother. I have many guards against poisoning.”

“As you wish, Lord.”

“The title—only in public. Likewise speech: You need not wait to be spoken to. If there are things you feel I should know, mention them, and I will decline if I wish.”

Ned experimented. “This seems like unusual favor for a stranger whose presence is imposed by the whim of a willful girl.”

Toqtamish laughed. “I think I like you already. I tell you privately: I was close to Wildflower’s mother, who did me many favors, and I was sorely grieved by her death. Her daughter favors her, as I remember her as we both emerged from childhood, and I can deny her nothing within reason. Both seem to have had good judgment in people.”

“My family felt that Wildflower was a good match for me. They are surely correct.”

“Ah—so it was an arranged liaison.”

“To a degree.”

“You have reservations?”

Ned hesitated, and caught a sharp look from the khan. “I dislike the notion of marrying for social or political advantage, but I seem to be guilty of it. I am here because of it.”

“But my cousin surely loves you.”

“She is fifteen. Love comes readily to that age.”

“This interests me. A lovely young princess throws herself at you, and you hesitate?”

“I hesitate to use her for commercial purpose. I respect her too much for that.”

“I have one chief wife, a dozen secondary wives, and I have lost count of the number of concubines. All of them came to me for political or commercial advantage. I have no problem with it, so long as they are beautiful, accommodating, and loyal.”

“You are the khan.”

Toqtamish nodded. “A fair answer. Why did you not take Sahara?”

Ned had seen no dialogue between the woman and the khan, yet clearly the khan knew what had happened. “I am married.”

“She knows that. She would be discreet.”

“I would die before I would be false to my wife.”

“You could have Sahara as a second wife.”

Ned felt a chill. This was potentially considerable mischief. “Is this your desire?”

“Is it yours?”

This remained treacherous ground. “I mean no affront to your hospitality or to the charms of Sahara, who tempted me sorely. But a Christian takes only one wife.”

“You are no longer a Christian.”

Ned had lost track of that, in the welter of new impressions. “True. Though as yet I know too little of my new faith.”

“Sahara will instruct you. She is well versed in scripture and protocol. By Moslem law and custom, you are not yet married to Wildflower.”

“By Christian law and custom I was married to her, and my loyalty to her remains. I would not hurt her for anything.”

“Neither would I. That is one reason you are here, instead of without your head.” The khan made a gesture, indicating that the matter was of little consequence. “But you must marry her by Moslem custom, if you are to have royal favor.”

“I am prepared to do that. Once I have mastered the requirements.”

“She made a sacrifice, indulging your Christian ritual. She knew she was agreeing to prostitute herself. But for you, she was willing.”

“She is no prostitute!”

“I speak figuratively. She is a princess. But Mongol passions run strong.” Toqtamish shrugged. “Speak to me of strategy.”

Ned did not question this abrupt change. He plunged in. “You have recently won your kingdom, because of the help of Timur. If you could organize and fight as he does, you could greatly magnify your domain.”

The khan’s interest quickened. “How so?”

“To your west is the khanate of Kipchak, the Golden Horde, whose domain is greater than yours. You can make it yours, if you act expediently, thus reunifying the territory of your forebears.”

“I am not so great a fool as to tackle a superior army. The territory would be unified at my expense, and my head would top a pyramid of heads of my family and supporters.” He smiled grimly. “I have had some experience against superior armies, as you know.”

“The key term is expediency,” Ned clarified. “There is a time to wait, and a time to act. I believe that you have an opportunity now that will be lost if you delay. The Golden Horde is struggling to quell the revolt of its Russian vassals. Khan Mamai has his hands full at the moment.”

“Mamai is a Mongol and a kinsman.”

“So were the chiefs you vanquished in order to assume your present position.”

“I see you do understand politics. But Mamai is more competent than those who governed the White Horde.”

“He can defeat the Russians. He can defeat the White Horde. He can not defeat Timur. He can not defeat any combination of those forces. If you move against him now, coordinating with the Russians, you can prevail. But you must be careful. You must make certain that Timur approves your effort. You must never cross Timur.”

“Because he is my benefactor.”

“Yes. And because he is matchless in the field.”

“I see we understand each other. Even so, the resources of the Golden Horde are greater than mine.”

“Yes. You must not meet it directly in battle, yet. You must have patience, and wear it down, while the Russians continue to distract it. You must have military forces that are responsive in the manner of Timur’s forces. You must practice the art of strategic retreat, though it may look like cowardice.”

“I am no coward!”

“Neither was Genghis Khan. He was master of strategic retreat. When his enemies thought they had prevailed, and lost their formation, he turned and destroyed them. He did not care what they thought at the time; he made them fools.”

“I like the way you think. We will speak more of this at another hour.” Toqtamish snapped his fingers, and in a moment an extremely comely young woman appeared, evidently a concubine.

“I should depart,” Ned said.

The khan didn’t answer. A hand touched Ned’s elbow, making him jump. It was Sahara.

He followed her back to the bath, and beyond it to a separate chamber. “This will be yours for the duration. Take your ease, but if this bell rings, report immediately to the khan’s chamber.” She gave him a sharp glance. “Immediately.”

“I understand.” He had seen how quickly others had responded. If he was in dishabille, he would have to repair it as he could on the run.

“And for anything you require, I will serve. Do you prefer me with you, or in my own chamber?”

“Where is your chamber?”

She indicated a smaller one opening onto his from the east. Mongol women were always on the east, and the men on the west. “I will always be at your service, in any way you desire.”

He was getting on top of this situation. “You understand, Sahara, that though I find you desirable, I do not wish to use you in any way other than ordinary. I am married.”

“I understand.”

“Then retire to your own chamber. But if you feel there is something of which I should be advised—”

“Of course.” She hesitated. “May I comment?”

“Yes.”

“I think Wildflower is marrying well.” Then she turned and entered her chamber.

Ned found himself quite pleased by her flattery. It meant that she appreciated his forbearance. She had to accommodate him in any way he wished, but understood his stance. Perhaps she had a man of her own, for whom she preferred to reserve her favors, if given a choice.

But in a moment she emerged. “It is time for the ablution.”

“The what?”

“We Moslems pray to Allah five times a day.”

Now he made the connection. “Of course.”

She showed him the ritual posture, wherein each person of the true faith bowed in the direction of Mecca, the Moslem holy city, getting down on knees and hands, touching the head to the ground. He had seen it done, but it was different actually doing it. But the physical forms were the simplest to follow; it was the intellectual forms he considered to be the challenge.

Thereafter there were many conferences, and the khan seemed to be increasingly influenced by what Ned had to say. He formulated careful plans for a sustained campaign against the Golden Horde, but did not announce them. Now was the time for quiet preparations, the training of good officers and good troops, and the acquisition of accurate information on the disposition of the enemy.

Betweentimes, Sahara acquainted him with the intellectual aspects of the Moslem faith and practice. She took him to elders of the faith, who explained the nuances and showed him the sacred texts. Ned found himself enjoying this. He loved to learn, and there was much to learn here. Much of the Moslem faith was similar to the Christian faith, for both derived from the foundation of Judaism. But while the Christians believed Jesus Christ to be the Savior, the Moslems believed him to be merely another prophet, while Mohammed was the true prophet. Thus Ned did not have to renounce his faith, merely amend it.

Then came the day for Ned’s Moslem wedding. It was to be a royal ceremony, with full honors. Ned hesitated to demur, though he would have preferred something less conspicuous. He just wanted to get back together with Wildflower, for he felt most comfortable with her.

The bell sounded. Ned hastened, half-dressed, to attend the khan. The man was lying comfortably amidst the fair nude torsos of several concubines, but seemed to take no note of them. “Something I thought you should know,” he said without preamble. “Wildflower offered her life on your behalf.”

“But she had no need to—”

“Ah, but she did. I had forbidden her to marry you. She disobeyed me, then came to pay the penalty.”

“But she indicated to us that you had acceded!”

The khan nodded. “She truly loves you, Ned. When I intimated that I might have you killed, she intimated that she would die the hour after you did. She is a Mongol; she was not bluffing. So I made the best of it, and gave you the chance to prove yourself. You have done so. But you owe it to her. Remember that.”

“I shall.” Indeed, Ned was shaken. He had had no idea that Wildflower had done such a thing.

The khan waved him away, then slapped the bare bottom closest to his hand. The woman stirred, more than ready to do his business.

Sahara was waiting to complete his dressing. “You look dismayed. He told you?”

“Yes. I never suspected.”

“My instruction was to ascertain whether you were potent. I don’t see how there could have been any doubt.”

She had misunderstood, but this was also relevant. “The khan thought I might be impotent?” Had Wildflower told?

“I think he just wanted to be sure. Some men are not partial to women. It would be extremely awkward to have such a man marry into the family.”

“I thought he wanted to wean me away from my wife.”

She shrugged. “That too, perhaps. But I think he was not disappointed when I failed.”

“Did you really try?”

“There was no need, once I had fulfilled my mission.”

That explained why she had let him be, after he had turned her down. Her instructions had been limited. He was relieved; he wasn’t sure how long he could have held out, had she persisted. “And you would have married me, as a second wife, had I been inclined?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Have you no life, no wishes of your own, apart from the will of the khan?”

“No.”

“What, none?”

She smiled wistfully. “I hope that some day he marries me to a noble who will value me as you value your wife, and who will be as true to me as you are to her. To love and be loved, as it is with you. But Allah’s will be done.”

Suddenly he felt affection for her. She was a human being, rather than a mere body. And perhaps she could be of real use to him. “Sahara, may I confide in you?

“You may do what you like with me, as always.”

“No. Not by order of the khan. This must be by your own choice.”

She looked alarmed. “Please do not say anything treasonable. I would have to report it, and we both would suffer.”

“No, nothing like that. I have a personal question you might help me with. But I ask for your confidence, in the manner of a friend, if you feel any friendship for me.”