The Great Han

Forward:

This story was given to me as a challenge. Think of it as an alternate history to some degree. There are historical personages represented who interact with my invented characters. Feel free to ask which is which. There is plenty of graphic sex in this story, along with a lot of combat and violence. Just warning you now. Reviews and genuine critiques are welcome. Flames will be snickered at. Enjoy!

***

Chapter 2- Gan odud nud, gan nudarga- 'Eyes of Stars, Fists of Steel'

The aftermath of the battle had not been kind to the Sukh clan and their allies. In a show of force, Bolbator had let Kula execute four out of every five survivors, collecting a huge pile of heads. They saved every warhorse they could, since horses were valued more than highly than men. Their equipment was also gathered to be inspected for utility. Anything damanged beyond repair was heaped along with the endless bodies and became part of a small mountain, left for the scavengers. One day their bleached skulls would demarcate the boundaries of the Tengger lands, a warning to any who would raise a sword against them.

Fifty survivors remained, including Toragana, the daughter of Delger, khan of the Sukh clan. Boldbator had humiliated her by sparing her life, allowing her to outlive the warriors she had led to their doom. She trudged sullenly behind a pony now, her hands bound behind her back. The other survivors were strung out behind her in a line, being led back to the Tengger settlement to await their fate.

Boldbator looked at her impassively as she shuffled by. She did not return the gaze, staring dully ahead. Dirty and covered in bruises and cuts, she hardly seemed like the leader of a proud tribe. Of course, she wasn't really, she had seemingly been the Sukh clan's only choice after her father was slain. It made the lord of the Tengger wonder what manner of pathetic men composed their tribe if the

kurultai

elected her as khan.

The Tengger had lost seventy men to death in the battle, another two hundred and forty five wounded. These last were placed in charge of returning to the settlement to relay what had happened and guard the prisoners. Boldbator, meanwhile, was going to see to the Sukh and their allies once and for all. It was with some six hundred and fifty warriors on horseback that he now rode out, accompanied by his

keshig

and his brother, Kula, leading the heavy cavalry.

He was lost in thought as he rode, considering what opposition he might encounter now. He'd fought a hard battle and his men were doubtless flush with victory and eager but tired. If they rode constantly, they just might reach Sukh lands before dawn, attacking under the cover of darkness. But it would be close. He'd brought one prisoner with him, promising the man a very slow and agonnizing death if he did not guide them to the lands of the people who had murdered Boldbator's father. This man now rode nearby, guarded constantly by a warrior who was ready to put a knife or an arrow in his throat if he tried to escape.

The man had said fewer than fifty capable warriors remained to guard the settlement, since victory had been anticipated on account of their sudden onslaught and superior numbers. Outside of that, only women, children and the elderly would be found.

He could have been lying, certainly, but Boldbator was inclined to believe him. He had seen the abject terror in the man's eyes as Kula threatened to slice him open in a leisurely manner, much as he had done to the prisoner who had died moments before under the kiss of the younger brother's knife. It had lasted a long time, was very loud and very grisly, not for the faint of heart. And now, Boldbator believed this man. He had complied and he would grant the man a quick death once this was over.

He simply had to outrun the dawn.

***

Choniin amnaas garaad, bariin amand orokh- 'From the fangs of a wolf, into the jaws of a tiger'

The sun goddess delayed her ride across the Vault of Heaven that morning, the blanket of darkness keeping its grip on the land. The faintest hints of grey, threaded with purple and orange, were on the horizon when Boldbator and his force reached the Sukh lands, beginning a terrifying rampage that would not be forgotten by any who heard about it.

Boldbator broke his battleforce into groups of a hundred, each

zuun

heading in a different direction, the objective being to annihilate any resistance they came across, ending the Sukh threat once and for all. For himself, he took his

zuun

and headed straight for the main settlement of his enemy- it was large enough that the former

orkhan

, Delger, had arrogantly named it, Nomgor. Boldbator would see that the Sukh paid for their hubris.

He drew has keen

yataghan

as he spurred his horse forward. He looked back at the man guarding their unwilling guide, who immediately took the Sukh prisoner's head from his shoulders with a single swipe of his blade. The head tumbled into the dark while the body slumped, still lashed to its mount by the wrists and ankles. The war pony screeched in protest but continued galloping.

"Remember!" he called loudly to his followers. "Take the life of no man who does not stand higher than a cart! Bring the women and children, to the pit with the elderly! They should have brought wisdom to their dead khan!"

They called back their aknowledgement and a one man blew loudly on his war horn, causing confusion and panic in the settlement they now approached. It consisted of concentric rings of

gers

but had no other defences. His

zuun

shouted their warcries and he now espied people scattering about in terror within the confines of Nomgor.

He was the first in and struck down a man who tried to flee from the unexpected attackers. He continued riding through the tangle of

gers

, laughing fiercely as he hewed any who resisted. Few were armed, much less ready for the attack. Apparently they really had staked everything on the concerted attack against the Tengger people.

He leapt from his horse and began entering the tents, looking for further foes but mostly finding frightened occupants. He slew several men or elderly members of the clan with a cold, ruthless efficiency. He did not want the loyalty of his enemies, especially those who would not ride alongside their khan, and he had no intention of feeding the enfeebled, who were just a drain on his resources.

In one larger

ger

he found himself in a fight, attacked by a middle-aged man and a youth, both of whom rushed him with swords. He dodged the blow of the older man and opened his back with a slash along the length of his spine. The man cried out in agony and fell to the ground, twitching. Undeterred, the younger man turned about and lunged at Boldbator, shouting in fury. The Tengger warrior parried his wild strike easily and slammed his fist across the boy's jaw, sending him spinning to earth, unable to rise.

Boldbator now grinned wolfishly at the other inhabitants of the

ger

- two women and a girl-child. The older woman might have been in her forties while the younger was about Boldbator's age. The child was perhaps five. They all cried out in fright as he strode brazenly toward them, his smile almost demoniac in the light of the hearth.

The older woman charged at him, a knife in her hand, but he shoved her back roughly, sending her crashing through a series of wooden chests. He now approached the younger woman, who looked at him in terror. Something in her features...

"You are the sister of Toragana," he growled, certain of his guess now. "Know now that I have destroyed your army and she is my prisoner, chained and humiliated, fated to be my slave. If you wish to not share her doom, then go ahead and attack me with the knife you've got in the back of your belt..."

She wavered, clearly afraid, but her eyes shone with anger as well at the mention of her sister. The child cried loudly.

"Your father is dead by my hand," he said in a low but stern voice, daring her to deny the facts. "If you would see your mother die next and then to choke to death on your own blood, then draw your knife,

sadar

."

She clenched her teeth in frustration as she wrestled with her fear, but then it was too late- he was on her and used his ferocious strength to wrestle her to the ground. She screamed in fright, the child running away and seeking the safety of her grandmother nearby. She struggled wildly, but Boldbator was too powerful as he tore her clothing aside, revealing her naked body. He reached behind her and threw away the knife, removing her last defence.

"Scream all you like, slave," he growled as he pulled down his trousers and forced her legs apart. "Scream for the death of your clan, scream about how powerless you are, just like your sister. Your screams are an echo of your clan's folly. Your life as a Sukh ends tonight..."

She grunted and stiffened as he pushed his hard cock inside her, pinning her beneath him. He was always savagely aroused after battle and he needed to release his pent-up desires. To have found his foe's sister was almost poetic, since she would now be the recipient of his triumph.

He grinned at her as he held her down, fucking her hard. She struggled briefly but then went silent, cowed by the terrifying power of his body. His shaft slid in and out of her pussy, which was surprisingly pliant and slippery under the circumstances. She turned her face to the side, staring off into the darkness, refusing to meet his gaze. His hands pinned her wrists beside her head, her body lying on the light

del

she had been wearing.

She bit her lip as he increased the pace of his thrusts, coaxing her legs even further apart with his powerful thighs. He thumped his hips into her, his body warming as he felt his ardour building at this needed release. She shuddered and stifled a sigh as he pushed as far in as he could, groaning guturally as he came, pumping his essence deep inside her.

When he had finished cumming, he shoved her aside roughly while standing up, pulling up his sturdy breeches while staring down at her almost in contempt.

"You'll be coming with me as my slave, unless you compel me to kill you before then," he said gruffly. "The same holds true for your daughter. If you cause me trouble, you will watch as I bleed the life from her body. Now get up."

The young woman stood slowly, pulling her

del

back around her body, face flush with outrage and humiliation. He then walked over to the old woman and pulled her to her feet, the girl-child crying in fright. He pushed the child back to her mother.

"As for you,

nastai..."

he said, still holding the grandmother by her spindly wrist. The younger woman and her child screamed in horror as he pulled out a knife from his belt and dragged it across the grandmother's throat. She shuddered and collapsed silently, a pool of deep red blood spreading rapidly across the floor of the

ger.

"I have no room for useless baggage," he muttered as he grabbed his prisoner by her wrist and dragged her forcibly toward the exit of the domicile, followed by her child. The young man who had attacked him was trying to rise but went down when Boldbator kicked him in the ribs. The woman shrieked again when he stamped on the young man's neck, ending his attempts to get up.

Much of the settlement was now ablaze, his warriors having pillaged everything of value from the

gers

before lighting them on fire. Each man was placing his plunder in distinct piles, including women and children they were intending to take back as slaves. Each man would only bring what his horses could carry, anything extra would be brought back on the spare ponies and divided later.

Dawn was upon them and the extent of the devastation could be clearly seen- the settlement was littered with bodies, slain brutally by Boldbator's vengeful warriors. He threw the woman and her child to the ground and bound their wrists and feet, ensuring they'd stay put. He then went back to the

ger

and pillaged it of valuables that appealed to him before setting it on fire. The old woman, man and youth would go to Tengrii on pillars of black smoke.

He had been given a wide berth by his men, who did not sack the

gers

immediately surrounding the one he had disappeared into, leaving them for the Tengger khan. Only he had enough ponies to bring back such vast amounts of loot as they might find in any event. He inspected and plundered several before setting them to the torch, including four more women to take as slaves. He would leave no sign of this settlement's existence but ashen remains.

And yet something did not sit right with him. This might have been the Sukh's main settlement, but from what he could see, the loot they had taken was still spare in comparison to what they expected to find. The Sukh had been a comparatively wealthy tribe, if not militarily dominant. Where was this wealth, their treasury?

He drew his sword and held it aloft, catching the attention of his warriors. He then strode up to his first female hostage and dragged her to her feet, fixing her with a deadly look.

"Your name, woman. What is it?"

She said nothing, refusing to return his gaze.

He lowered his

yataghan's

blade and rested it against her daughter's shoulder. The child whimpered at the touch of the steel, still streaked with crimson.

"Your name, or your daughter dies and is left for the carrion birds." Boldbator growled.

She finally looked back at him, her eyes flashing now with defiance. "Solongo, daughter of Delger, younger sister of Toragana, khan of the Sukh."

Boldbator laughed loudly, joined by his men at her prideful announcement of her lineage and her older sister's vaunted post as the ruler of an annihilated clan. He shook her roughly for a moment in amusement before looking into her eyes again.

"Your clan's wealth is not here. You will tell me where it is or we will begin taking the lives of such kin as you have left before you. Last of all shall be your daughter if you defy me. Her bones will bleach in the sun and then freeze in the winter, a testament to your foolishness."

The woman named Solongo shuddered in fright and glared at him for several moments, compelling Boldbator to nod to one of his warriors. This was followed by the sound of a blade being drawn, several women crying out in terror and then a grunt as someone behind her was slain.

"C

huluun yast melkhii

," she said finally, turning red with fury at his cruelty and her defeat. "Ride north and east to the stone turtle ten thousand

ald

and dig beneath it. There is a chamber..."

Boldbator nodded. "Load up the horses and finish destroying this place. We will meet the other units at the Turtle. Send out word."

***

He watched as the hostages were bound and loaded onto carts that they found near the settlement, along with the heaviest plunder. Once they were marked and to be transported, he began riding to the north and east. It was not far to the location given by Solongo. He leapt off his mount and strode purposefully toward the huge, worn white rock. Bleached by the sun and eroded by merciless winds and icy snow, the form of a massive turtle was still somewhat discernible. Spades were unpacked and he led his warriors in digging all around the stone.

Nearly two hours had passed before one of the members of his

keshig

shouted and he approached to see what they'd found. Rough-hewn stone steps could be seen, doubtless leading to a chamber below. The men redoubled their efforts, encouraged by the veracity of the statement they'd recieved. The sun was nearly overhead, its rays fierce when an aperture was found, blocked by a heavy wooden door covered in glyphs.

"Uyghur writing," Kula snorted almost in disgust. "The Sukh had dealings with those soft monks?"

"It may well have procured most of the wealth we seek," Boldbator reminded his brother. "What would we have to look for, if it not for them?"

Kula grunted and continued digging until the stout wooden panel was cleared. It took both brothers several minutes of straining with all their might to move the barrier, because they could not readily secure it to a team of horses. Finally, the door gave way. Torches were lit and Kula remained above, guarding the entrance while Boldbator went below with Gerel and three of his

keshig

.

The rough-hewn passage he moved down was bolstered with stone and even stout wooden beams. He frowned at how much such materials would have cost and what awaited them that justified such expense. Dust fell from the ceiling and his men were nervous, since any true Mongol was happiest beneath the blue vault of eternal sky, not crawling in the earth like a worm.

They turned a corne and came to a stop in front of a chamber. The light from Boldbator's torch flickered and played over the room- glints of metal and the soft glow of silks and reflection of furs could be seen. Swallowing his astonishment, the khan strode boldly into the chamber, followed by his men, who whispered to one another in awe.

"Who knew such wealth existed in all the world?" breathed Tsereget, the youngest member of the

keshig

. He had not been old enough to ride with the clan when they'd raided beyond the wall, so he knew little of the vast riches of China, except what plunder he might have seen. But to witness such a hoard, unspoiled in one place, was enough to take even Boldbator's breath away.

Gold and silver bars and coins were held in chests. Dozens of bolts of brilliantly coloured silk lay in protective covers. Immaculate furs and hides of many animals were stored here, along with strongboxes of glittering gems. The lights of the torches gave it all a divine quality and he could

feel

the ardour of his warriors growing inside them, their desire to possess this incalculable wealth.

"Gerel, fetch my brother and make ready the carts," Boldbator announced forcefully, breaking them out of the spell this vast treasure was casting upon them. If we are to reward men for their valour, we must be swift in removing this booty, before word carries to other tribes who might claim it for their own. Go!"

Gerel snapped out of the stupor he had fallen into and nodded before rushing out, followed by his men. Minutes later, Kula stomped in, muttering. He was clearly unnerved by these close and unnatural environs.

"Brother, I have Gerel guarding the entrance and he said that I- by the fucking wolf!"

Boldbator nodded slowly, seeing his younger brother's astonishment. He could certainly identify, even if he hid it better. "This treasure is greater than we knew, Kula. It is not merely the accumulation of wealth by a clever family..."

He walked over to a small stone outcropping and picked up a skull that had been purposely set there- it was banded with dark iron, in which were inscribed both Chinese and Uyghur characters. The black eye sockets glinted malevolently.

"Brother, it is the skull of Targetai," Kula said in a voice barely more than a whisper. "The last man to try and unite the tribes."

Boldbator nodded. "This was no doubt his plunder from the last great raid over the wall, which garnered him such strong support. He hid it away but then foolishly drank himself to death before he could use it to secure his position as

ilKhan

. The Sukh must have found it and were planning to use it to bribe their way to power."

"They waited too long," Kula growled, looking around the glittering vault. "And now their hoard is yours, brother. What will you do with it, since you are now the wealthiest khan in the plains?"

"We must get it out of here and back to our lands." Boldbator said grimly. "We have warriors to reward and plans to make. Like it or not, wealth changes things, and if change comes, I would at least see it work to my advantage."