“He has conquered northward only to protect his out-lands from raiders. The lands he wishes to possess are westward and southward. What he wants of us—” Kaidu stopped a long five seconds, making the people reach for what he had to say, then repeated slowly. “What he
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wants is that we be his allies. The lands he would conquer are mostly open lands, without fixed towns, without forts of stone. They are lands much like our own, but without the iron winters, and they go on forever, to the ends of the Earth.”
Up till then, Kaidu had not raised his strong voice, which “traveled far without shouting. Now though he spoke more loudly. “What the emperor wants is that we be his allies. That we make war westward. That we spread consternation and confusion through the western lands, while his own armies, vast and powerful, conquer and subjugate. Then, in the conquered world, the Mongols, especially the Buriat, will have first choice of the orses and cattle and slave girls. And the Mongol women, especially Buriat women, will wear silk and silver.
“I say ‘Mongols’ because he would have the Buriat raise all the Mongols to our banner. He would have the Buriat raise and lead all the Mongols. To the west, the Kalmuls are lurkers and skulkers by preference, and seldom follow any leader, though everyone knows they are dangerous fighters, swift and tireless horsemen. And more than any people, they are ravenous for the animals and goods of others. If the Buriat, powerful in union, were to press the Kalmuls, if a united and powerful Buriat people pressed them, they would join us for the looting they can have as the emperor’s allies.
“While to the east, the Khalkhaz have fat herds and fat wives, and their leaders had rather watch their cattle graze and their colts race in the deep grass, than go to war outside their own pastures. Though they will fight like the bear to protect their possessions. And more than any Mongol people, the Khalkhaz worry about the emperor coming, for theirs are the richest pastures, their grass the tallest. They even raise grain and beets for their slaves to harvest!
“But their young men chafe at the lack of fighting. If the Buriat people were united, and proposed to the young men of the Khalkhaz that we go conquering westward together, most of their young men would shout
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‘yes!’ And if this meant that the emperor’s armies would go west instead of north, then their elders would not gainsay them.”
Achikh had sat quietly, deeply disturbed at what he heard. And more deeply disturbed at what he saw around him, for many men’s cheeks had darkened with excitement, and their eyes had taken the glint of a knife blade.
Then discussion began within the council, and there were questions from the crowd. Some, like Achikh, distrusted the emperor. Some did not want to leave their own steppes and mountains and herds. Especially the chiefs of the Red Spear clans resisted the proposal. The faces around Kaidu became more thoughtful, most of them, weighing, evaluating. And it seemed to Achikh that his brother might not get his way after all, though the voices raised for conquest, from whatever clan, still spoke
strongly.
As the four sat on the floor eating supper, Achikh asked Nils, in Anglic, what he’d thought of the council meeting. Nils answered that it was not unlike council meetings of the Northmen. “What did you think of it?” he countered.
Achikh didn’t answer at once. Baver wondered about Nils’s question. If he knew the thoughts of the people around him, why would he ask? Perhaps to get Achikh to formulate his thoughts? Or simply to see what he’d say?
“I think,” Achikh said at last, “that Kaidu spoke very skillfully. The things he said excited the people, many of them, made them want to do it in spite of doubts.” He paused. “I am glad that Burhan Rides-the-Bear spoke so skillfully against it. For to trust the emperor, I think, is to trust the tiger, trust the lightning. I have seen one emperor, and fought for him. I think this one would be no better. One who becomes emperor, and remains emperor, must be ambitious beyond reason and ruthless beyond feeling.”