The journey to the North was long and freezing. Ulfat was tied to a horse for weeks. His hands were sore, and his body was weak, but his mind was busy. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the "Stolen Faces" of the Mongols who killed his parents. The memory was like a fire that kept him warm in the cold wind.
When they arrived at the Mongol camp, Ulfat saw a world he didn't understand. The smell was terrible—it smelled like smoke and old blood.
He watched the soldiers eating. They sat around fires, tearing into raw meat that was still dripping with blood. They laughed while they ate. Ulfat felt sick to his stomach. In his home, his mother always made sure their food was clean and "Halal." Here, the soldiers lived like wild animals. He turned his eyes away, disgusted by their ways.
The Pillow of Death
A mean soldier grabbed Ulfat by his hair and threw him into the mud.
"Get up, slave!" the soldier yelled. He kicked Ulfat toward the heavy iron cages they used as a jail.
As Ulfat walked, he saw something that made him shiver. The Mongol warriors were so used to war that they didn't care about death. He saw men sleeping in the dirt, using the dead bodies of their enemies as pillows. To them, a dead body was just a piece of wood.
Ulfat squeezed the blue scarf hidden in his shirt. Don't be afraid, he told himself. Don't let them see you cry.
The Khan's Choice
Just as Ulfat reached the jail door, a loud, deep voice stopped everyone.
"Wait."
All the soldiers immediately dropped to their knees. They put their heads in the dirt. A tall, scary man walked out of a huge gold tent. This was Uktai Khan, the leader of the Mongols. His eyes were yellow and sharp, like a hawk looking for a mouse.
The Khan walked over to Ulfat. He used a knife to lift Ulfat's chin so he could see the boy's face. Usually, slaves look at the ground because they are scared. But Ulfat did not look down. He stared right into the Khan's eyes. He let the Khan see all the anger and hate he was feeling.
The whole camp went quiet. The soldiers thought the Khan would kill Ulfat for being so bold.
Instead, Uktai Khan started to laugh. It was a dry, scary laugh.
"Look at this boy," the Khan said to his men. "Other slaves have eyes full of tears. But this one? His eyes are full of iron. He doesn't want to beg for his life. He wants to take mine."
The Khan stepped closer. "I have many soldiers, but I have very few who have a heart this strong. That anger is a gift. I don't want this boy in a cage. I want to train that fire."
He looked at the guards. "Take him to my tents. Wash him. From now on, he is not a slave. He is my ward—my student. I will see if he can grow into a leader. Maybe one day, he will be the one to rule after I am gone."
Ulfat didn't say thank you. He didn't bow. As the guards led him away, he realized his plan was working. The Khan thought he was raising a son. He didn't know he was letting his greatest enemy into his home.