It was already late in the day. The feast was in its last hours when the Toluid line members began its organized departure from the feast ground's northern end.
Batu watched it from his position without turning his head. The movement was gradual, with the families departing, the senior household returning to the camp by its own timetable, nothing that announced itself.
Across the feast ground, at the Ogedeid section's arranged tables, Guyuk's men were still present and showing no sign of leaving. The contrast between the two camps' rhythms was its own kind of information.
Batu set his cup down and stood.
The unmarked riding coat was in the Jochid camp's supply section, the plain outer coat he had worn through the approach to Karakorum before the tumen arrived and the banner went up.
Suuqai had it ready when Batu arrived, which meant the man had spent enough time with him to know what he is thinking. He put it on over his camp clothes and tied it without ceremony.
