Act V: The Prince's Expedition (Part 6)
six
The sheep, its blood drained, was skinned, placed on a fire pit, sprinkled with expensive seasonings, and roasted until it sizzled and smelled delicious.
"You've just promoted a slave to a personal bodyguard like that!" Yubi listened, mesmerized. "That's such a rare thing!"
“That’s true. I was young then, and I begged my father for a long time before I got my wish.” Batur told the story with a gentle smile, not even having time to taste the mutton on his plate. “Yakov was about my age, and the tallest of all the slaves, really strong and powerful. Besides feeling guilty towards him and thinking that he shouldn’t have been punished for me, I also thought, wouldn’t it be a waste to make him a boatman for the rest of his life, carrying goods for the rest of his life? That’s another reason.”
“No wonder he’s so skilled; he can ride a horse and use a sword!” Yubi said. “Back in Brasov, he single-handedly took down two spearmen, with me holding him back!”
“Now that he’s a knight, he certainly won’t be inferior to anyone else.” Batur smiled and took a sip of mare’s milk wine. “But what happened to you in Brasov? What conflict did you have with the city lord?”
Yubi's eyelids twitched, and he immediately shut up. "It's nothing, just a friendly spar with the local garrison." Schumer quickly tugged at Yubi's sleeve under the table. "The city lord asked him to check on how well his army is training."
"Really?" Batur narrowed his eyes slyly, staring at Schumacher. "Then tell me, how well are their troops trained?"
Schumer's eyes darted around anxiously. "I can't tell you that," he said, gripping Yubi's wrist tightly. "We won't reveal your information to anyone, and naturally, we won't reveal Lord von Brunel's information to you either."
“Ha, that makes sense!” Fortunately, Batur didn't pursue the matter further. He waved his hand with a smile—just as he had taught young Batur. A servant turned and left. “I've had some entertainment prepared; we'll watch and chat.” He popped a piece of mutton into his mouth. “Where are we?”
“You mentioned someone came to propose marriage.” Yubi breathed a sigh of relief and continued with great interest, “You refused, saying you wanted to marry a Latin-speaking princess from Constantinople. And then?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I was talking about.” Batur gazed into the distance, lost in thought. “Actually, the princess of Constantinople spoke Greek. But I was too young then and never knew that. When I grew older and personally sent someone to propose marriage, not speaking Greek became a problem again. The envoy traveled south along the Black Sea coast, asking every Roman noble family. Unfortunately, upon hearing that it was a marriage alliance with the Cumans on the steppes, most families politely declined. If my father’s tribe had had more horses, or if I had been healthier, things wouldn’t have come to this.” Batur sighed deeply. “Some even said that if I didn’t live to ascend the throne, my daughter would become a widow within a few years of marrying into the family.”
“…But you are still alive and well, and you have become Khan,” Yubi exclaimed.
“Who can predict what will happen tomorrow?” Batur said with a smile. He beckoned the brightly dressed performers who were waiting outside the tent to come in.
The performer was a Slav, blond and blue-eyed like Yakov, with a thick iron chain around her wrist. Yubi looked down the chain. In the darkness, something enormous was breathing violently. It entered the tent, letting the firelight illuminate its body.
Everyone was taken aback. It was a huge, adult grizzly bear, covered in wounds and emaciated. Chains, coiled around its fur, dug deep into its neck, scabs mingling with the pinkish new skin. The performer, weary and anxious, shouted at it in a language the Yubi couldn't understand. The bear was even more exhausted than its trainer, growling angrily in low growls and whimpering pitifully. Finally, it obediently lay down on the dirty ground, panting heavily. Its ribs were clearly visible, rising and falling beneath its fur. The man and the bear, bound by chains, bowed to the Khan.
"Have you ever seen a man wrestle with a bear?" Batur asked excitedly, swallowing a large gulp of wine. "I raised this bear from cubs."
Yubi's entire body was tense and rigid. Yakov sat beside him, still silent. But somehow, Yubi sensed that the terrifying, long-brewing cloud was about to unleash lightning and thunder, and the ensuing storm was about to wash everything away. He glanced at Yakov out of the corner of his eye and saw that the Blood Slave's fists were clenched white, his teeth were trembling, and his eyes were sinister. Yet he remained dormant, as if the restless storm was trapped within his body. His skin was like a tough shell, a solid prison, extinguishing the raging fire that was about to ignite.
“Look, this is what he does best, and it’s also his greatest strength.” Batur grinned, revealing his white teeth. “All Slavs have this strength: patience and the ability to lie low. Yakov is the best at it.”
"What happened?" Yubi asked anxiously. "How did Yakov get out of here?"
The man and the grizzly bear began to dance awkwardly and filthily. "Don't be impatient," Batur said slowly, drawing out his words.
"That was more than twenty years ago, when I was sixteen. Ships passed by the Dnieper River every day, and marriage envoys often disembarked at the Black Sea to explore my tribe on the steppe. I don't remember much about those families and surnames anymore; they were either after the cavalry or the wealth."
"Until one day, a magnificent ship arrived at the docks of Helsin, carrying a noble and beautiful Roman girl. She was elegant in demeanor and cold in her eyes, just like all arrogant Romans. But from the first moment I saw her, I knew I had fallen in love with her."
Love. Upon hearing this word, Yubi warily recalled the three stories by Schumeer. "And then?" he asked.
"She brought many servants with her. There were Egyptians, Carthaginians, and Saracens. She also brought many horses, one of which was pure white and tethered with gold and red silk. She rode on it, wearing a veil and a crown, and seemed to glow in the night. She came to my tribe with her people—it was like a goddess descending to earth, and I don't know how to describe the scene. I only felt that it was a blessing from heaven. That girl was like a rare and wonderful gift in the world, and also like a sharp dagger that pierced my heart."
“She came here to ask me how many cavalry and slaves I had, and how many cattle, sheep and horses I owned in my tribe.”
“Isn’t this the same as everyone else?” Yubi asked, frowning. “She’s after your wealth and soldiers.”
“To someone in love, everything is an opportunity. A goddess-like girl asked me this, she wanted something from me. I couldn’t ask for more.” Batur looked a little drunk, his cheeks flushed, making him seem much younger. “At that time, my father was seriously ill and didn’t have much time left. This meant that my deadline for choosing a wife was approaching. I had to seize this opportunity. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”
Yubi thought disdainfully that it sounded as if Batur was after this noblewoman's wealth and power. Was there really love? But he didn't dare say it aloud.
"At the time, I made a foolish decision under the pressure of love and reality." Batur lowered his head, as if in repentance. "I tried my best to please the girl. She wanted to see my cavalry, slaves, and horses, so I took her hunting. I gathered all my men together, forming a huge caravan, and charged into the forest in the dead of winter."
"That day, Yakov found a hibernating bear den. He rushed in alone, killed the mother bear, and took out two bear cubs, intending to deliver them to that noble Roman girl on my behalf. For this, he was seriously injured."
"Unfortunately, one of them was trampled to death by the mother bear; while the other is right in front of you."
Suddenly, the grizzly bear, which had been twirling in the center of the palace tent, raised its front paws and slammed them heavily onto the muddy ground, letting out a deafening roar. A foul stench instantly swept through the seats, causing everyone to shrink back in fright. Fortunately, the bear tamer pulled hard on the iron chains, whipped the bear, and shouted commands, finally calming the beast down with a whimper.
"Keep a close eye on it!" Batur shouted angrily, "or I'll skin it and you alive!"
The bear tamer whipped the bear even harder, as if venting his anger. Yubi heard Yakov seem to let out a barely audible chuckle, but upon closer inspection, his cold, sinister expression remained fixed on his stern face. The young vampire scrutinized him, suddenly realizing the story was riddled with holes.
"Yakov alone could kill such a large beast?" He turned his head and asked suspiciously. "You said he was badly injured, but he looks fine now."
Batur's face once again displayed that strange expression. It seemed to be a mixture of despair and hope, happiness and sorrow, making it impossible for Yubi to decipher his facial features. Yubi wondered, are all Tatars like this? Their features, too, are like masks, hiding their sincerity and earnestness deep within.
“Perhaps divine intervention prevented him from being seriously injured,” Batur said. “A year later, he recovered completely and left the dock. To this day, I still don’t understand why he abandoned me.”
Yubi was extremely puzzled. "That's all? Nothing else?" he pressed on. "Just because of that?"
“Of course there are others.” Batur raised his wine glass and covered his mouth behind it. “The Roman girl ultimately didn’t think much of me. She left on that magnificent ship, and I never saw her again. Later, I heard that she married into the Carnacchis family and became a prominent figure.”
Yubi felt a surge of annoyance. He had absolutely no interest in these tedious love stories, but Batur insisted on telling them to him. What did Yakov's affair have to do with the noblewoman from Rome? After all this rambling, tiresome tale, he still couldn't understand it. Marriage alliances, cavalry, large ships, Romans. What was the point of all this?
As if sensing his unease, Batur put down his glass and squinted at him. "Now that we've finished talking about my business, let's talk about yours," he asked. "Where are you headed? And why are you here?"
“We come from Transylvania and are on our way to Constantinople,” Schumacher was the only one willing to reply. He said humbly and cautiously, “We do not intend to interfere in your war, and we hope you will remember our past friendship and set aside any grudges…” He swallowed nervously as he spoke, “We only wish to pass through your territory to the Danube.”
"And what if I disagree?" Batur's expression suddenly changed, and he asked seriously, "You are siding with the Christians, training their army to slaughter my soldiers. Shouldn't I kill you?"
Schumer was stunned by this reaction. "...If you kill us, the Knights will send men to attack your tribe," he said quickly.
“But even if I don’t kill you, you’re still hideous heretics.”
“…If you send a message to Constantinople, you will receive the ransom!” Shumel dared not meet the Khan's gaze, preferring to stare at the howling grizzly bear on the muddy ground, his body stiff. “Write a letter, to…to the Noctennias family. There is a lady named Ambicea…”
"Is that so?" Batur put on a bright smile again. "The Noctennias family?"
“Yes, yes!” Schumer trembled. “I think she might be able to come up with a thousand Byzantines…”
Yubi's expression twisted in agony. He wondered, did the sheep's blood he'd just drunk with the Khan mean nothing? Anger and resentment made him want to slam his fist on the table and demand an explanation. However, a terrifying roar drowned out all the hypocritical words in the tent—the grizzly bear in the center of the tent suddenly twisted its neck, raised its forepaws, and stood upright, like an unusually clumsy and violent man, blocking out much of the light and casting shadows over the high Khan's throne. The bear tamer shouted, but the chains slipped from his grasp—the tormented grizzly bear broke free and charged towards Batur's position, only to be repelled by the rapidly gathering scimitar-wielding attendants. It roared again, turning to find a new target, and soon spotted one—Shumer was so frightened he fell to the ground, his knees giving way, a warm current seeping through his trousers. "Help!" But his mouth could still cry out, "Help me!"
A massive hand, as thick as a pillar, crashed down like a boulder. The exquisite wooden table before the three shattered like a paper toy. Fine pottery and enamelware clattered and broke, colorful fragments and pieces of fresh mutton falling into the mud. Yubi felt a large hand grab his robe by the collar and throw him backward. It was so sudden that his vision blurred and he was in a daze. He heard a dense, chaotic cacophony of gunfire and Turkic shouts—Yakov's voice was also yelling, but Yubi couldn't understand what he was saying.
He strained to see, and saw Yakov, chained and facing off against the massive, battered grizzly bear, pacing back and forth within the vast palace tent. The tent had become like a gladiatorial arena; Cuman soldiers, spears and swords in hand, swarmed past the man and bear like ants, none willing to approach. The bear's claws had been worn down and clipped, yet its madness and fury still gave it terrifying destructive power. The woolen felt around it was torn in several places, its long snout dripped saliva, its two black nostrils flared violently, and its broken teeth bared—but Yakov was even more frenzied. The Slav, as if releasing pent-up frustration, erupted, roaring at it with equal fury, his arm muscles bulging like stones, his heavy sleeves nearly bursting.
“What a valiant man.” Batur had somehow descended from the towering throne and come to Yubi’s side, showing no sign of being distraught by the scene. “Look at how he controls his anger and madness.”
Yubi didn't understand what he meant, and he stared blankly and in fear into the Tatar's dark eyes.
“I have carrier pigeons going to Constantinople,” the dark eyes smiled. “Let’s write there to Anbichia Edeva Noctennias. Shall we?”
Anbichia Ediva Noctennias. Yubi suddenly felt a jolt of electricity through his limbs. "How do you know my sister's middle name?" His red eyes gleamed. "I've never told anyone!"
“Oh, she’s your sister?” Batur looked up, his face displaying a triumphant smile, just like that eerie iron mask. “She has appeared in my dreams countless times, the noble Roman maiden on that great ship.”
He waved his hand and said something in Turkic. Upon hearing this, the soldiers were no longer herded around like livestock. The blades of their iron weapons converged in the same direction, forming a sharp circle that neatly narrowed the area. In just a short while, Yakov and the grizzly bear were driven back to the center of the palace tent, both like caged beasts.
“Give the chain back to the slave, Yakov,” Batur leaned closer. “We can handle this beast.”
A flame of icy blue burned in Yakov's eyes. "I should let this bear bite you to death," he finally uttered his first words since entering the tent.
“I know you resent me. We were both young and ignorant back then and made mistakes. But more than twenty years have passed, and people change.” Batur bowed to him sincerely. “Let’s put the past behind us, okay? Give me another chance. People always have to look forward.”
Yakov wanted to say something more, but his anger deflated like a punctured balloon, extinguishing the flames before they could spread—he saw his young master hiding behind a sharp blade, his fingers clutching the cuff of Batur's embroidered robe. Those red eyes stared at him and nodded.
The tattoos on his chest looked like a million antlions gnawing at his heart. Yakov loosened the chains. In an instant, dozens of spears pierced the grizzly bear's flesh, causing it to let out a piercing howl.
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