by Barry Sadler
Kishlik and Bada knew that if Ong Khan won, their brothers in the camp of Temujin would be put to the sword, if they were lucky. More than likely Ong Khan would have them torn apart one piece at a time with red-hot pincers for being traitors to the Kereit.
They made their decision and arranged that they would stand guard at the same hours, patrolling the perimeter of the Kereit camp. On that night when the restless sleep that comes before death rests heavy on men, they slipped away, riding for the camp of Temujin.
When they approached the camp, they cried out the alarm. The guard forced them to halt under the watchful eyes of a dozen bowmen. Exhausted, they asked to be taken before Temujin. The day was still three hours unborn.
To wake the master from a sleep for things of little import was something not to be undertaken lightly. Therefore the guards did the things all common soldiers do and looked for someone else to do it for them. They woke Casca from his slumbers.
It was with regret that Casca moved away from the side of Magaly, a dancing girl from Khotan. He had taken up with her two years past and was content with her services and care. As he tried to rise, she threw one shapely brown leg over his to keep him by her. She wanted the warmth of his body to fight the chill of the night. Cursing his foul luck, Casca rose, put on a robe, picked up his sword, the blade bared, and went to see who was raising such noise outside his yurt.
Bada and Kishlik threw themselves to their faces in front of him. "Master," cried Bada, "we have come from the camp of Ong Khan and must speak to Temujin Khan. Now, this instant."
Casca thought that a bit odd. Common cherigs, soldiers, did not demand to see the khan before the sun was even creeping over the rim of the world. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Casca cleared a piece of phlegm from his throat, spat it on the earth beside them, and said somewhat squeakily, "If you want to wake Temujin at this hour, it had better be important or you'll never see the sun rise. Tell me one reason why I should wake him."
Kishlik raised a face an inch from the earth, blowing dust through his open mouth and nostrils. "Lord, Jemuga rides here this night with Ong Khan!"
That did it! Telling them to rise, he walked through the gathering crowd of onlookers and warriors. As he did, he gave the command for all men to make ready to ride, their horses and weapons at the ready. More outriders were to join those guarding the perimeter. These and a dozen more orders he gave as he strode purposefully toward Temujin's baragah. The Kereits followed in his wake as he parted those in front of him. When he got to Temujin's baragah, Chagar was already there, with Subetei and Temuge, waiting to see what was going to happen.
Temujin had risen from his bed. News of trouble travels fast, even when no words are spoken. It has a feel of its own that seeps into the very air and dust. The excitement of men sensing battle woke Temujin from his slumbers.
Casca charged in past the guards, waving them away from Kishlik and Bada. As soon as they were inside, Temujin was already on his feet, and like Casca had done, he was with a bared sword in hand. Kishlik and Bada fell to their faces before him.
Temujin glanced at them, then asked of Casca, "What passes here this night, Old Young One?"
Casca pointed to the two men on the carpets of his tent. "These two have just ridden in. They say that Jemuga has returned and rides with Ong Khan, and that they are on their way to attack us this night. That means soon, for the sun will be up in a couple of hours."
Temujin moved to stand over the two Kereits. "And why would Kereits come to warn me of an attack by their own tribe?" He touched each lightly on the nape of the neck with the cold point of his sword. "Speak true. I will not ask again. I will either believe you or I will kill you. Speak!"
Not raising his eyes as he had done to Casca, Bada blurted out their reasons. "Lord, we are here to save our brothers. In truth, it is not for you that we have done this thing. But if Ong Khan wins, our brothers who serve you will be put to death. That is all. However, if you will accept us into your ranks, we will serve you fairly. Our brothers have told us you were a fair and good master to them."
Temujin smiled; the answer was a fair one. Pricking them with the tip of his sword, he demanded, "And how can I trust you when you betray Ong Khan, your master?"
Kishlik found his voice, barely controlling the stammer in it. "Lord, if you asked us to go against our brothers, who are all the family we have, then we would also be against you."
Moving back from them, Temujin thought for a moment. "I see. But you have said you have no other family in any of the tribes of the Kereit or any other. Is that true?"
"Yes, Lord," answered Kishlik. "Our brothers are all that we have. The plague took all the rest these four years past. Everyone in our village died, save us. For we were away when the vomiting, shitting, and death struck."
Temujin accepted that. "Good. Then you will serve me well, and I shall honor you for your courage in speaking the truth to me thus. From this day on you are of the family of Temujin and Noyans. I have no warriors from the Kereit with me at this time. You shall have to wait to greet your brothers."
Temujin interrogated them for a few moments as to the numbers and disposition of the army of Ong Khan, with questions especially about Jemuga, who he had thought he had lost for these many years past. It was good to know that he was still around and still hated. It gave Temujin a spice to life that was lost without him.
To Casca and his officers he ordered, "Break camp, but leave the wagons and tents. Form up the warriors to ride. Send messengers to Jochi, Belgutei, and Elchitei. Warn them and tell them to gather our tribes together for strength. Send the women and children away. Give them horses if they have none. They must not be here when Ong Khan arrives.
"Send them to my home village of the Qiyats. There they will be protected. Assign an escort of two hundred to ride with them. We shall leave an empty camp for Ong Khan. For now we cannot fight him here. With eight thousand against our three, we will have little chance. We must pick our place to fight, and I know of one.
"Ong Khan will come after us. It is I he needs to destroy. The women mean nothing to him at this time. He must come after me or he knows that I will soon go after him. Therefore, let us lead him on a merry chase till we reach the place where we shall destroy him."
In less than fifteen minutes the warriors were mounted, ready for combat. They took with them only food and water and weapons. The women and children took a little longer, but Temujin would not let the warriors ride till the women had started on their way. That took nearly an hour.
Kishlik and Bada were frantic, for they knew Ong Khan could ride over the horizon at any moment. This time luck was on their side, and the women and children were well away, heading back across the plains, leaving empty tents and yurts still standing by burning campfires.
As Casca ordered, they, like the warriors, took only food with them. All the rest would be left for the Kereits. Temujin hoped they would lose some hours picking through the tents and packs before they were able to take up the chase.
The flankers were out. Point and drag men in place, Temujin gave the order to march. They left the camp in good order. Not running, nothing frantic. Temujin knew that rumors and hasty action could give way to senseless panic, even before the enemy reached them. He led, taking point, setting a good but not hasty pace. He wanted his men alert and better rested than those of Ong Khan. And this time he would need every bit of advantage he could get. It was a long way to the gorges and springs of Baljuna.
According to his plan, Ong Khan came upon the camp at first light. He was surprised by the lack of security around the camp. Perhaps Temujin was getting careless. No matter. His horsemen lit fire arrows and fired freely into the camp. Fire was always good for spreading fear and confusion. His men attacked following the fire arrows, rising through empty rows of wagons, tents, and yurts, many of which were beginning to burn. One hasn't smelled shit until he has smelled the burning felt of the yurts, made from woven yak hair.
Cries of joy reach
ed Ong Khan, who waited at the edge of the camp with his bodyguard to see how the fight was progressing.
"They have run and left us the camp." His men dismounted and began to tear at the tents and yurts, diving inside to snatch at whatever they could reach – pots and pans, bottles and jugs, clothes and spoons. It had all been left behind.
Ong Khan raged. Temujin had escaped him, and these fools thought they had won a victory and were looting the camp. It took him two hours to regain control and have them get rid of the extra weight they had acquired. His scouts picked up two sets of tracks leading from the campsite. One was obviously those of warriors on horseback. The other showed the prints of women, and Ong Khan saw through that. The women they could take later. It was Temujin and his band that must be destroyed first.
"We do not rest until we have Temujin in our hands," he cried, leading the way into the desert and not yet knowing what fate he was going to encounter when he finally did come to grips with Temujin at the springs of Baljuna.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ong Khan was coming for them, and Jemuga was with him. Temujin whipped his men on. He had to pick the ground he would fight on. Ong Khan had too great a superiority in numbers, so he had to find a way to reduce the Kereit's advantage. "Turn disadvantage into an advantage," Casca had told him time and again. "Think, do not just react."
As they rode, Temujin called Temuge and Subetei to him. With Casca advising, he told them of his basic plan. These were not the lands of Ong Khan, he would not know the terrain, and from what he knew of Jemuga, he had never been in these parts, either. If he had been, he doubted that Ong Khan would listen much to him.
The old man was very stubborn and bull-headed and always thought he knew better and more than anyone else. Someday that attitude was going to kill him. It might do so this day. He, Temujin, would pick the killing ground and the time. Casca and the others listened closely. The pupil had learned his lessons well. He found nothing wrong with the plan, and he could think of nothing better.
Temuge and Subetei rode off to brief their Noyans on what was to be expected of them without giving them too many details, only that the master had a plan and they were to obey instantly all orders.
On either side of them, the mountains hovered dark against the brightness of the night sky. The shadows cared not about this petty event of mankind, for they were involved with the things of millennia.
To Kishlik and Bada Temujin gave the honor of commanding the rear guard. They had earned this sign of favor to be put in the most dangerous position. Their orders were to keep Ong Khan in sight, so his scouts would not lose contact. He would repay them for their loyalty ten thousandfold if he could survive the next few days.
The Old Young One was as always close to his right hand. Temujin still knew little about him. Sometimes he doubted if the man really existed or was just a part of some fantastic dream. The Old Young One could have been a great king if his feelings hadn't gotten in the way. He was a great general, and Temujin knew that his successes were due in large part to this big scarred nose from the legendary lands of Rome.
"Old Young One, I think now is the time. Do you agree?"
"Yes. If as you said the killing ground is no more than an eight- or nine-hour ride ahead, we will need all the time we can save to prepare. I'll ride on ahead and have things ready for when you arrive with the main party. If I send word back, be ready to pick a spot to fight a delaying action in the event that we need to buy a little more time."
"As you say, Old Young One."
Casca called out to Subetei to follow after him with his thousand troops, then gave the order to Chagar to break his yeser free of the main body and move to the front. With two thousand warriors, each taking with him an extra horse, they would have to ride hard and fast.
Chagar led the way as his thousand fell in behind him. Casca stayed near the front. There would be nothing to fear from the rear for the time being. Temujin and his main element would have to be encountered before anything could get to them.
Soon it would be getting dark. They had to reach the springs of Baljuna before midnight. Any longer than that and Ong Khan might not be in position. And if he attacked them in force before they were ready for him, all might well be lost. Hanging to his saddle and reins as best he could, he let his horse be swept along with the others. It did not matter if they rode their animals to the death.
Between dark canyons they thundered. The wild warriors of Chagar and Subetei were caught up in the spirit and movement. They rode like demons through the night, these small, wild warriors of the steppes, eyes wild as blood pounded in their temples.
Going upstream, they had to slow as the ground, covered with boulders and rock, grew ever rougher. The clear area bordering the stream and the forest was too narrow; no more than twenty or thirty men could ride abreast at any given time.
This was the type of ground Casca wanted. It would be somewhere along this stream, which fed into the River Kerulen, that things would be decided.
The forest grew dark. Trees standing in groups along rocky banks spread their branches out to whip and snag at them, tugging at their clothes and raking across unprotected faces. No one stopped. If a man fell he was left behind to face the wrath of Temujin when his party encountered them. No one fell.
The horses' nostrils flared wide and red with flecks of blood and foam, seeming as eager as their savage masters to run until they died. Chagar watched for this. They made haste, but at regular intervals he gave the order, and the Mongol warriors, while in full flight, would leap from one animal's back to the next, then lash their new beast on to greater efforts, giving the other a chance to rest from the weight of their bodies.
They reached the springs before midnight. A hundred and thirty-two horses died when they stopped, as if once they were no longer needed, they permitted their hearts to burst. These were butchered and would feed the two thousand this night.
Quickly Casca gave Chagar his orders, himself taking on a labor party to perform the task that would have to be accomplished before the horde of Ong Khan came upon them. The Mongols of Chagar's tribe and the Merkits of Subetei worked like madmen. Once they understood what was expected of them and what the results of this night's work could accomplish, they fell to with eager will. Their swords turned into axes, trees were felled and brush was gathered.
Like ants, the men scrambled over the sides of the gorge wall surrounding and lining the way to the springs of Baljuna. There was no rest for anyone, except for the short time it took for pieces of red, steaming horsemeat to be passed on to them.
Two hours before dawn, Casca had Chagar send a fast rider with spare mounts back to the main body of warriors. They would not have their work finished before first light. It was for Temujin to hold back Ong Khan. Casca moved down to the spring. Lying on his stomach, he lowered his face into the icy, cold waters and drank deeply, letting the cold revive his energy. What he wished done had taken too long.
Those five hours' work might well determine if Temujin was to fulfill the destiny he believed was awaiting him. Or, if Temujin did have a destiny, then would his work here this night make any difference? Was it all preordained? If that was so, then nothing he did would matter. Or would it?
The question was too deep for him; philosophy had never been one of his strong points. He would be true to himself and leave the mysteries of the universe to minds better suited to handling or dealing with ideas of abstract and unprovable values.
Slaking his thirst, he called to Subetei to gather his men. There was still work to do, but it was back the way they had come. He needed to put himself into the mind of Ong Khan.
With the coming of first light Casca had Subetei's men cut and mark trees at intervals along the way to the spring. Once he found what he was looking for, he had the Kereits dismount and the horses sent back to the spring to be put in the common herd. They would have no need of them this day.
The spot he picked was steep and narrow. Rocky ledges and cliffs pro
ved to be more than sufficient cover. Subetei and his Kereits clambered up the sides of the gorge. Casca made them push all the way to the top of the ridge before he let them rest, and then it was only for long enough to catch their breath. There was still work to be done before Temujin and the main body arrived.
As soon as they had caught their breath, he set them to work again, gathering logs and boulders and brush, but not from the side of the canyon walls that faced the trail leading to the springs of Baljuna. Here there must be no sign of their presence. He looked back the way they had come and wondered how Temujin was faring. If he failed to hold back Ong Khan for just another hour, their work wouldn't matter.
It was, he had found over the years so many times, just a matter of minutes or even seconds that determined victory or disaster. Time... always time dictated, and men lived or died by some invisible timekeeper who watched over the petty struggling of antlike humanity and laughed as he flipped a dinar to determine who he would let live or die this time.
Temujin, too, was concerned with time. The message from Casca was urgent. He wanted to buy all the time that he could for Casca and his party without wasting away his main force. At a place in the canyon where no more than a hundred men could ride abreast, he called a halt.
He would have no more than one or possibly two hours before Ong Khan and the Kereits came upon him. He needed that hour to rest his horses and the men he would keep with him. From his main body he separated two thousand. These would stay with him. To his brother, Chagatai, he ordered that he advance to the next blocking point, an hour's ride into the canyon, and prepare his men there.
From there Temuge was to take the rest of the force ten minutes' ride deeper into the canyon and await his arrival. He would conduct a fighting retreat until they reached Chagatai's position, where the fresher, unbloodied warriors under his command would take over the burden of the fight and Temujin would go until he reached Temuge.