Chapter 7: The Shadow of the Keshik
The tent was quiet, except for the sound of Uktai Khan sobbing. The Great Khan, who once looked like a giant, now looked like a broken toy. Ulfat held him in a tight hug, acting like the most loyal servant in the world. But while the Khan's face was buried in Ulfat's shoulder, Ulfat was looking at the dark corner of the tent with a terrifying smile.
Ulfat leaned in and whispered directly into the Khan's ear. His voice was soft, like a snake sliding through grass.
"Master, do not cry," Ulfat whispered. "You are not alone. But you must listen to me. Your best leaders are dead. Your army is small. There are traitors everywhere. You need someone to watch your back every second of the day. Make me your Keshik. Let me be your personal bodyguard. Your protection is the most important thing right now. If you stay alive, I will give you the ideas you need to control the entire empire again."
Uktai Khan pulled back and looked at Ulfat. His eyes were red and swollen. He looked at the young scholar and saw a lifeline.
"I have nobody else," the Khan said, his voice shaking. "My squad leaders are ash. My generals are gone. There is nobody else capable of holding such a rank. Yes, Ulfat. From this moment on, you are my Keshik. My life is in your hands."
At that exact moment, the tent flap opened. Wasabi Watayama stepped inside. He had heard the Khan crying and came to check on him. But when he entered, he froze. He saw the hug. More importantly, he saw Ulfat's face over the Khan's shoulder. He saw that wide, scary smile.
Wasabi's heart skipped a beat. Why is he smiling? Wasabi thought. The Khan is crying for his dead men, the world is falling apart, and Ulfat looks like he just won a game. What is my friend becoming?
The Khan stood up and wiped his face. He walked to the front of the tent and called for his remaining soldiers. "Listen to me!" the Khan shouted. "The 3rd Squad is gone, but the Mongol spirit is not dead! I announce a new rank today. Ulfat, the scholar, is now my personal Keshik. He speaks with my voice. He moves with my authority!"
The Cost of a Crown
The soldiers started to murmur. Usually, when a new Keshik is chosen, there is a massive ceremony. There is an archery competition, a giant feast, and a celebration that lasts all night.
One of the older guards stepped forward.
"My Khan, shall we prepare the Archery Competition? Shall we start the ceremony for the new Keshik?"
Ulfat stepped forward before the Khan could answer. He raised his hand, looking very serious.
"No need, my Master!" Ulfat said loudly. "We are in a time of war. If we throw a party now, we will use up our food and our gold. Those resources must be used for the soldiers and the weapons. We cannot waste a single coin on a ceremony while our enemies are watching us."
The Khan nodded his head quickly. "Ulfat is right. He is already thinking of the empire. No ceremony! We save our strength for the fight!"
Ulfat turned to the Khan and lowered his voice. "Master, please come with me to your private quarters. We really need to settle things. We need a plan to survive the next few days."
They walked to the Khan's private camp. Inside, it was filled with boxes of gold, silver, and expensive jewelry stolen from a hundred different cities. It was enough wealth to buy a whole country. Ulfat didn't care about the gold; he cared about the map on the table.
"Master," Ulfat began, pointing at the map. "We are now the enemies of the Ottoman Empire. They are the superpower of this world. They have more men, more horses, and more fire than we do right now. We cannot fight them alone. We need an ally."
The Khan looked confused. "An ally? Who would help us?"
"The Japanese Samurai," Ulfat said firmly.
The Khan slammed his fist on the table. "NEVER! I went to that island to crush them! I will not ask them for help!"
Ulfat remained calm. "I am not saying we ask for help. I am saying we make a deal. Give them back the land you were fighting for. Give them peace. In exchange, they must provide us with reinforcements and safe passage. If we do this, we can use the Samurai to fight the Ottomans."
Uktai Khan's face turned purple with rage. "That is MY land! I spilled Mongol blood for that soil! I will not give it away to anyone!"
Ulfat slowly laid out a larger map. He pointed to the Mongol camp and then to the Ottoman borders.
"Master, use your genius," Ulfat said, using the Khan's pride against him. "Half of our soldiers are dead. If we go back to war with the Samurai now, our camp here will be empty. The Ottomans are sitting in the hills, waiting for us to leave. As soon as we attack the Samurai, the Ottomans will march in here and crush our home. We will lose everything. But... if we make peace with the Samurai first, we can turn all our power toward the Ottomans. Once the Ottomans are defeated and dead, we can simply turn around and take the Samurai land back whenever we want."
The Khan stayed silent for a long time. He looked at the gold, then at the map, then at Ulfat. The logic was too strong to ignore.
"Fine," the Khan growled. "You are right. We must kill the bigger dog first. Go tomorrow. Tell the Samurai I want peace. But tell them I want a war with the Ottomans as quickly as possible. I want to see their cities burn!"
Ulfat bowed deeply, hiding his face. "He wants his death as soon as possible," Ulfat thought." I am happy to give it to him."
The Secret Thank You
As Ulfat walked out of the Khan's camp, the cool night air hit his face. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Wasabi.
Suddenly, Wasabi pulled Ulfat into a hug. It wasn't a fake hug like the one with the Khan. It was real.
"Thank you, Ulfat," Wasabi whispered. "I heard what you did. You convinced him to give up the land. You saved my people. Now I don't have to go back there and kill my own blood. You really are a genius."
Ulfat patted Wasabi on the back. His smile was gone now, replaced by a cold, focused look. "Don't thank me yet, Wasabi. The Samurai are proud men. They have been fighting us for a long time. They won't agree to a peace treaty so easily. They will think it is a trap."
Wasabi pulled away. "Then what do we do?"
"Tomorrow, you and I are going to the Samurai fortress alone," Ulfat said. "You are one of them. You have to help me convince them. If they say no, the Khan will lose his mind and kill everyone. We have to make them believe us."
The Journey Begins
The next morning, the sun was just starting to rise over the hills. The Mongol camp was quiet and full of tension. Ulfat and Wasabi stood by their horses, checking their saddles and their supplies.
Ulfat looked at the path leading toward the Japanese lines. He wasn't wearing the clothes of a slave anymore. He wore the high-quality leather of a Keshik. He had a bow on his back and a plan in his heart that no one not even Wasabi fully understood.
"Are you ready?" Ulfat asked, jumping onto his horse.
Wasabi nodded, his face serious. "Let's go save my home."
The two of them kicked their horses into a gallop, leaving the Mongol camp behind. They were heading into the heart of the enemy territory, carrying a message that would change the history of the world.
To Be Continued...