How many years had it been since I had this feeling? The joy of guiding a race in its infancy, watching them grow along with the apprehension that filled me when they made mistakes. “ Your life will not be easy Temujin, but if you survive what comes next perhaps the boy can make a leader out of you yet,” I mumbled absently. The guilt still hadn’t left him, and he knew it wouldn’t unless he told them. But how could he bring himself to do it? “ So many mistakes………” Tomás said sighing to himself.
x------------------------------------x-------------------------------------x
Hotula Khan had once been the right hand of Yesugei when he ruled over the Borjigin. Yesugei had found the orphaned centaur during the winter migration close on three decades prior now, nudging at the body of frozen female adult centaur. He had taken the little foal into his care and ensured that he was taken care of amongst the tribe. All of the Borjigin had watched Hotula grow under Yesugei’s training and seen him worship the soon to be Khan as an idol. Who could have foreseen the jealousy that Hotula kept hidden, jealousy against the kin of Yesugei for the love he showered them. None of the Borjigin had foreseen that Hotula would fight for the position of Khan and banish the sons of Yesugei. The winters of the plains were frigid and to survive alone with no gers and little food was nigh impossible.
After learning that the Borjigin had returned, all the khans of the remaining tribes immediately met up at Karakorum to decide what stance they should take against the Borjigin. Under Yesugei the Borjigin had been an honorable people, however, none knew what Hotula would do on his return. As the debate on whether the Borjigin should be allowed to enter Karakorum raged on, me and my father worked to help the traders set up their stalls. At Karakorum unlike on the plains, even the wanderers were allowed to participate as equals in the Kurultai, bartering their goods for ewes, rams, and goats. Amidst all the noise and bustle of setting up the stalls, there came an abrupt silence followed by hushed whispers, as I tried to look at what was happening I head a sigh from my father and following his gaze I saw three young centaurs close to my age around whom the others had cleared a path. “Who are they father?”, I asked, practically dying from curiosity. “The sons of Yesugei, it would seem that a man of such caliber would not beget sons any less hardy than him. To survive the harsh winter for three years after being left with merely some food and bows, that is a feat worthy of Khans.”, my father mentioned, downcast at the memory of Yesugei no doubt.
My father had been a friend of Yesugei as a foal from what I understood. He trotted up to the three of them and greeted them in line with tradition, “I offer you the salt and shade of Karakorum travelers, you bring great honor to yourselves, blood of Yesugei.”. I was shocked at hearing that, while the first part was in line with tradition, to complement a wanderer was to give them great honor amongst centaur society. Even the three of them looked shocked that my father would say what he did, eventually, however, the centaur I presumed was the eldest replied formally, “thus is agreement made.”. Outside of that disturbance, nothing eventful happened for the rest of the day, I was given a ger now that I had reached adulthood not having to sleep in the same ger as my father. The next day, however, I awoke to much noise and bustle, and as I stepped out to figure out what was happening I heard a couple of wanderers I had showed around talking, “Have you heard? Temujin has challenged Woyela Khan for leadership of the Olkhunut Tribe.”. I was shocked, I had forgotten it at the time but it was common knowledge that Yesugei’s wife had been Woyela Khan’s niece and therefore the sons of Yesugei had the right to challenge Woyela Khan himself. Perhaps this was a sign, I thought to myself, should Temujin win I would go ahead and pledge my allegiance to him and follow him as a bondsman. The challenge was accepted, no Khan would dare to deny the challenge at Karakorum and deny tradition in the sacred land.
As with all challenges for leadership, the duel was held in the evening, the fighters not wearing any armor, the choice of weapon was the saber, bows left too much to chance in a duel to the death. The duel was to be held in a wooden ring about the size of a bullfight arena. Temujin was believed to hold the advantage because he was young and yet to enter his prime where Woyela was now well over 60 years, which was old for a Khan and considered to be well past the prime of a warrior. His body was no longer well maintained and he had already grown fat not having led his warriors on hunts for well over a decade now. The fight started with both centaurs charging at each other, should either of them balk it would be seen as a great disgrace no matter what. Woyela ended up being slower than Temujin and so it was Temujin that started to slash at Woyela with his saber, while Woyela was caught having to defend himself instead of seizing the initiative. It all seemed to be going Temujin’s after that with Woyela going increasingly desperate, until finally at the tail end of a mutual charge Woyela raised his forelegs and kicked at Temujin. The power in a horse’s legs is enough to cave in the human skull and though a centaurs body is hardier, its not that hardy either. The loud crack that followed after the kick caught Temujin the chest evened out the fight with Temujin now wary of Woyela who had already started smiling, seeming to take his victory for granted at that point. After a short slash and parry engagement, both centaurs went to opposite ends with determined faces and began what looked to be the last charge of the fight. Temujin was undoubtedly in the worse position having been injured seriously and so in his desperation he did something Woyela didn’t expect, he jumped. He jumped just as Woyela was looking to repeat his kick and in one downward slash ended the fight with Woyela bleeding from his head which had been split open. There was a long silence with all the spectators still unable to accept what had happened. A wanderer, albeit once a tribesman, had beaten a Khan in single combat. This was no small matter, in a matter of moments Temujin had cemented his legacy as a legend amongst the Tribes. A boy left with his younger brothers and ailing mother had survived the treacherous wilderness and returned to become the Khan of the Olkhunut. I knew right then and there that I had found my leader. Temujin was undoubtedly the right person to lead the Centaurs.
Patreon
