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 3- The Price Of A Soul

"Zagas uur khilen bish, degee khardag; khün ayuul ügüi bish khardag, zövkhön ashig."

"The fish sees the bait, not the hook; a man sees not the danger, only the profit."

Boldbator scowled at the accumulated wealth that lay spread before him inside the

ger

that had been built for the purpose- heaps of it, certainly more than any man could hope to use in the course of one lifetime. Gold, silver, gems, furs, silks, weapons, ivory, statues and works of art. The walls were lined with chests and trunks almost up to his torso and moved in toward the center, leaving little more than a path and a small circular space to turn around in.

And he felt the tug of greed in his heart. This could all be his.

But therein lay the trap and he knew it- to try to keep it to himself would incite war, a war he could ultimately not win. No matter how many times the Tengger clan fought off its foes, others would replace them more quickly than his own losses.

No, this treasure was a tool. With it he could perhaps form an army, a confederation of the clans and tribes of the Steppe such as had never been seen before, and then they could attempt the impossible- to move against the lands beyond the

Ikh tsagaan kherem

, the mighty wall that the soft food-growers in the south had erected to protect themselves from the predations of his forefathers.

He would ride against China, against the Song Dynasty. The riches that awaited them there would make what he currently gazed at seem a mere pittance. Gold, silver and gems beyond count, the finest silks and spices, all the women a man could ever hope to embrace and take for his own...

The treasure of Targetai was only a spark, and with it he would set the brightest fire the world had ever seen.

He grunted and turned to look at his concubine, who sat demurely near the door, silent and staring off into nothingness. So delicate and dainty, a marked contrast to his other three wives. They and his mother may have hated her, but to Boldbator she was infinitely fascinating and incredibly useful. Educated and subtle, Mai always gave him sound advice, since a single misstep on her part meant death. Any Mongol would happily kill her.

"What say you, woman?" he asked, looking to hear what she thought. "Do you and those soft Uyghur scribes think I can possibly conquer your people with this treasure?"

Mai bowed low, using the time showing him reverence to carefully word her answer. Boldbator was not to be trifled with. Ever. He may have had a sense of humour, at least by Mongol standards, but his fury was fatal. She did everything she could to never make him angry. At least not at her.

"The army you could raise, husband, would certainly not be one any enemy could ignore or trifle with," she began. "But I am going to be completely honest with you, I do not think it is enough to conquer the Song. The Son of Heaven's armies are so vast, my Khan..."

He scowled. "Not enough to inspire my men to ride to the South Seas you have told me about, hm?" he mused. "I could reward them along the way with what we take as plunder."

"Yes, but you would still not have enough men, lord, not initially. We've determined that even this hoard is not enough to unite all the tribes to your cause, but only a part of them. If you use the treasure of Targetai to conquer or pacify the whole Steppe, you will have nothing left to begin your invasion south of the

Chángchéng

."

"And if I simply take this smaller army south, who is left to defend my people from the tribes not united under my banner?" he concluded.

"Precisely, my Khan," she said humbly, bowing again. "The problem is, simply, how the people of the Steppe live and operate. The leader must reward his followers, to show that their fealty and duty are not misplaced."

"What is the matter with that?" Boldbator growled.

"Nothing, in and of itself, except that it limits your ability to raise the army you need, husband." Mai said, making sure he understood she was not impugning his race. "In order to move against my people, your tribes would need to be united and willing to move against the Song out of a sense of duty to you, and the promise of plunder when you succeed. The vast armies of the Middle Kingdom obey the Son of Heaven unquestioningly because he is a god. You are a great man, but still a mortal man. My people may fear the tribes beyond the

Chángchéng

, but one does not gainsay the commands of a god."

Boldbator said nothing but merely listened intently. Mai considered her words and continued.

"They will grind down your brave army with inexhaustible numbers, husband. This is predicated on your vanquishing of the Jurchen armies of the Jin monarch Wanyan Liang, not to mention fighting your way past the Khitans. Only then can you make your way towards the prize you seek, the capital of Li'nan."

She raised her eyes to look at him directly, making her earnest thoughts known. "To be drawn into a grueling fight will undo you, my lord. The tribes will demand you account for the carnage caused, whereas Emperor Gaozong can command the deaths of tens of thousands with the wave of a hand and no one would question it."

"This emperor, Gaozong," Boldbator said, ruminating. "What kind of man is he?"

A smile played across his concubine's lips. The directness of Mongols remained a refreshing change for her, even now. "It is still odd, to me, my husband, to hear anyone refer to the Son of Heaven as merely 'a man'."

"He is no god, he is but a man," the khan said firmly. "That so many millions willingly accept this absurd claim is just another reason we hold them in contempt. The gods rule the Heavens, their dominion over this world needs no representative. When I stand in his royal palace, his legions will see he is but a man as I take his head and then his gold and women."

Mai trembled under her clothing, both terrified and aroused by her savage husband's statement. She had never doubted the divinity of the Son of Heaven before. But to hear Boldbator talk about the emperor in such a brutal fashion, she was unwillingly forced to examine that belief. Boldbator, her barbarian warlord husband, was very real, an unmatched warrior of great strength and cunning. His word was law, as long as he could keep the faith of his steppe warriors.

Mai remembered seeing Gaozong once during her childhood. Her father, a celebrated diplomat, had been admitted into the Divine Presence, and brought his daughter along. Mai watched as the emperor sat on the raised dais, inside a small tent that obscured him to all except those who were privileged to be kneeling directly to his front. At one point, the Son of Heaven had descended from the dais and Mai had struggled to not stare in wide-eyed wonder at the slender figure- swathed in broad-shouldered golden yellow robes and wearing a beaded cap, seemingly float by, surrounded by a flock of retainers.

It was then that she'd felt a gentle, dainty hand on her shoulder and she turned to see one of the Imperial Concubines, Lady Wu, smiling warmly down at her. The beautiful woman nodded her head, indicating she should Mai should follow her. It was then that her tutelage as a courtesan began, under Lady Wu's tender care. She became the concubine's lover, but learned so much while in the capital. She only saw the Son of Heaven rarely in the following years, usually when her father visited the capital, along with her mother.

Mai squirmed subtly as she remembered those years, given not only to strenuous lessons about poetry and courtly life, but also the abundant lovemaking, teaching her the necessary arts of a woman of quality in the Song Dynasty. Lady Wu always showed her special favour, pillowing with the young girl many times a week. Mai even demonstrated her skills to her mother, who seemed most pleased by her daughter's efforts.

"Galena!" Boldbator said gruffly, snapping her out of her reverie. "Do I bore you with my presence, woman?"

"No, my khan," she said reverently, bowing low. "I was merely considering the task that now lay before you, and was concluding that no man less than you could ever consider its undertaking."

"Pretty words," he almost sneered, not caring much for Chinese flattery, even from his treasured concubine. "You are not so mysterious to me that I cannot discern your mood. You were remembering your youth in the capital, Li'nan. You have told me of your training there, fucking the emperor's consorts and his other women. I know the look in your eyes."

She blushed, both in embarrassment at being caught and also at her husband's indelicate reference to the Lady Wu, whom Mai had loved so wholly and above all others. She knew better than to be angry, since Boldbator would sense it, so she settled for discomfiture at her mendacity being so easily seen through. She bowed again.

"Forgive me, my lord," she implored, bowing again. "My thoughts did indeed drift to those bygone days and memories of her pillowing lessons did indeed capture my attention. My thoughts had not started that way, but-"

"Perhaps she taught you something of pleasing men?" he growled, cutting her off. "If you have offered all the advice you can for now about how I might destroy your beloved emperor, then maybe your mouth has other uses?"

Mai rose with a quiet and solemn dignity, wearing the silk robes he kept her in, reminding everyone (including her) of how she was different from the rest. The scarlet robe rustled around her as she walked forward, calming herself for what was about to happen. She did not fear for her safety, not so directly, but Boldbator was so powerful and vigorous as a lover, his member so huge, that every pillowing session was a physical ordeal for her. She was so tiny compared to him and it took all of her exquisite mental training to remind herself that his cock would not

literally

tear her apart, no matter how much it felt like it was doing so.

She came to a stop in front of the dais, her hands clasped in front of herself and bowed at the waist, awaiting her husband's pleasure. Even though she had her eyes closed in deference, she sensed his nod and gracefully removed her robes, letting them fall away to reveal her naked body. Her skin was practically alabaster in colour, compared to that of the swarthy steppe horsemen who surrounded her. Her luscious, raven locks spilled down her back and nearly to her waist as she undid the pin that held it in place. Though it was a prized possession, a reminder of her civilized days, she now tossed it aside with a practiced carelessness, signifying to her mighty husband that she was no threat to him.

Boldbator grunted and tilted his head toward the

kang

that dominated one section of his domicile. She felt a secret relief that he was feeling relatively gentle tonight, since he could very easily had taken her on the worn

shal

, the wooden slats that made up the floor. Many nights she had whimpered as she struggled to remove slivers from her back and her behind after he'd fucked her in the middle of the

ger

.

Mai walked over to the fur and silk-covered wooden platform, heated from beneath by a controlled, smouldering fire that kept it warm, even in the most brutal winters. Though she would never allow herself to truly accept or become accustomed to the cloying, heavy smell of burning of yak chips, she was thankful for the warmth. Boldbator only kept her alive because she was so completely different from his other wives. She was never squander that advantage. She crawled onto the bed and knelt patiently, her hands in her lap, but her arms pressing inward subtly to enhance her pale breasts, a sure mark of her uniqueness that he so enjoyed.

Boldbator stood and strode toward the bed, his gaze focused on his dainty, alien concubine- everything about her was unlike his other wives, barring that they were all women. Her pale, almost ethereal skin; the surprisingly large breasts on her tiny frame, crowned with dusky nipples; her blue-black and luxurious hair, long enough to reach her pert behind when she wore it down; her slender, toned legs, those of a dancer and conditioned for lovemaking, rather than a life in the saddle or steppe labour.

Seeing her husband's gaze trail down her body, she moved her hands aside and with a singular grace, parted her legs, sliding them along the purple, silken sheet she knelt on and exposing her smooth, hairless womanhood to him while she grasped her ankles. She had been thinking exciting thoughts, to make sure she was wet when he saw her. It would not do to be dry, since Boldbator could be somewhat rough in bringing about arousal.

She saw the glint in his eye, the hint of a wolfish grin on his bronzed face as he stared at her pussy. She kept it immaculately smooth at all times, making sure that she was supremely differentiated from her sister-wives and even her mother-in-law. True, Sarantuya had begun to mimic her in trying to be hairless, although it suited her not and she complained that it itched. Khorijin remained unshaved, seeing such smoothness as unbefitting a Mongol warrior. Her wiry thatch caused their sex and fucking to be somewhat arduous on occasion.

Turkina, her mother-in-law, had occasionally exerted her dominance over Mai, often as a show of regal contempt, to remind the Chinese whore that she was nothing more than a sex slave in her eyes, to be disposed of quickly and like a mangy dog the second Boldbator lost interest in her. Though she lacked the sheer strength of Khorijin, she made sure that Mai was humiliatingly submissive when she fucked her. It took all of the Song girl's training to accept this sexual barbarism with grace, frustrating the matron but never enraging her beyond reason. She too, would one day see Mai's utility and consider her indispensable.

Boldbator stopped at the foot of the bed, not moving onto it. Mai crawled forward obediently, understanding this was her serving and servicing him. It was not going to be lovemaking. Her answers and not satisfied him, through no fault of her own, and he now was asserting his Mongol authority. She moved slowly enough that he could watch her body, but not enough to look like she was delaying. Her smile was sly and playful, a look that both Sarantuya and Khorijin were, at best, mediocre at.

She knelt know in front of him while he stood at the foot of the

kang

. Bolbator still towered over her, even though she was a good half-foot taller farther off the ground than she'd normally be by standing. Most Mongols she found to be broad and squat, perfectly formed for endless riding. Kula, her husband's brother, was the very essence of this concept. Boldbator, however, was not only tall, but proportionate in his build, reminding her of many men of the South. On top of that, he was powerfully built, with bulging muscles and sinews as strong as the ropes of a siege catapult. Despite his musculature, he was immensely fast. She had seen him swipe the head of an enemy from their shoulders with his

yataghan

before the man was aware he was in peril.

She had begun grooming him in subtle ways, making sure that he looked somehow different, better than his fellow Mongols. She cleaned him regularly and oiled his thick hair, so that it was wavy as it hung from his head. She suggested he not wear a beard, at least, not yet, like most of his kin, because it gave him the aura of youth and his singular genius stood out further.

He even allowed her to shave his body of hair, although she pleaded this as a personal boon, saying that seeing his plentiful scars and battle wounds aroused her. She had yet, however, to convince her to let her shave the boar-bristle hairs around his cock, so there were times she had to fight back the maddening itch and pain of him fucking her.

She undid his light

del

and pulled it off his shoulders, revealing his broad, powerful chest. She sucked in her breath lightly at the sight of it, for it did arouse her. Next, she untied the breeches and they fell away, pooling at his feet. His cock was soft but even now swelling, telling her of his need. She looked now up into his eyes as she turned around and lay on her back, her head off the edge of the

kang

and dangling over the side. She reached up and took hold of his thick shaft, bringing the head to her mouth. She closed her eyes as she kissed it reverently, swirling her tongue around it while her tiny hand stroked along its length. She could feel the already substantial girth getting larger in her grip, secretly thrilled that she could bring such a man as Tengger Boldbator, a terrifying engine of war, to a state of overwhelming desire.

Mai slipped the pulsing head between her lips and began moving gently up and down, the wetness of her mouth beginning to glisten on his cock. Boldbator watched her body intently, seeing it move subtly, almost squirming as she serviced him. He understood that this was somewhat an act on her part, because she needed above all else to remain appealing to him as no other could. But he also understood women well enough to know when they were in need- he could see her smooth pussy, the lips beginning to part slightly as her arousal grew, her pink clit peeking out from its hood.

Boldbator used a hand to grasp one of her breasts, squeezing it in response to her mouth's expert ministrations. Mai moaned under his grip, shivering in delight. She never ceased to be amazed, aroused and terrified by the power of her husband's body. It was like nothing she'd ever known or anyone she could even conceive of. Even the vaunted

Huben

, the Imperial Tiger Escort of the Son of Heaven, his personal bodyguards, paled in comparison to his sheer physical might. They may have had commensurate skills with weapons and unarmed combat, maybe equal to or beyond Boldbator's, but she doubted their raw strength matched his. To her knowledge, only Kula rivalled it.

Mai bobbed back and forth a little more quickly now, relaxing her muscles and taking his length all the way down her throat, so that his public hairs were brushing her dainty nostrils. She held her breath, knowing it was the only way to keep from gasping and ruining this moment he'd commanded of her. Her tongue swirled around the shaft expertly, her thumb squeezing the throbbing vein on the underside of his cock as she stroked him. He was beginning to get hard now, the rigidity making it difficult to keep him in her mouth from this position. He might actually choke her.

Keeping her hand on his cock, she pulled herself from beneath him and gently tugged him onto the bed. Boldbator allowed himself to be eased onto the

kang

and then lay on his back, so that Mai could continue servicing him. She knelt between his legs and took hold again before bringing her mouth down on him. In one slow motion, she took his manhood all the way inside, right to the root. She hummed around the throbbing cock, teasing him with her wicked mouth. She felt the warrior shudder and then her body being forcefully pulled around so that her pert behind and pliant pussy were swaying over his face invitingly. She was too small to readily suck on his cock

and

allow him to lick her, but the khan already knew this and clearly felt the need to remind her that she was not the only one who could please a lover with their mouth.