XV.
[
The past. Streets of Urgench.]
Delir: So... The plan was more or less a success.
Akhshunwar: Yes.
Delir: ... That was your cue to say something smart. Like, uh...
Akhshunwar: "It was more or less a success in that it was more of a lesser success than I'd hoped?"
Delir: Exactly! You made my head hurt, by the way.
Akhshunwar: I can't believe I was stupid enough to sit there and gloat.
Delir: Heh... They can recognize your face now.
Akhshunwar: Therefore, it's not safe for me to be around here.
Delir: Throw them off by hanging around the opposite end of the city?
Akhshunwar: Yep. I'll leave...
Delir and Akhshunwar: After we finish this meal!
[And what a meal it was. Though there wasn't enough food to impress a noble, most other civilians in Urgench would have considered themselves fortunate to have the amount of bread, meat, and water that Delir and Akhshunwar had spent much of their newly stolen money on. In hindsight, it probably would have been better for them to ration more of the acquired funds, but the temptation was too difficult for the two boys to resist.]
[After a lengthy hour of negotiations, Khingila was glad that he was leaving the palace of Khwarazm's king. Well, if you could call it a palace. To put it in perspective, Khwarazm was a minor state that held its population in check with a meagerly paid militia, its economy dependant on a slightly less meager wool market and fees imposed on passing traders. It reflected on the king's residence; his walls were bare of decorum, his throne looked little more like a commoner's chair made of stone, and his presently underpaid advisors had the air of corruption about them. On the one hand, this made the king as easy to negotiate with as the gate guards. On the other hand, Khingila could barely suffer the suffocating weakness pervading within the palace.]
Ankara: So everything went along smoothly?
Khingila: Yes. It's a good thing that only half of what we'd planned to give him was in the bag on your horse. So I've given him half of what we were supposed to give him, and then we're to arrange final payments to his treasurer tomorrow. Didn't I say it was a good idea to hide some of the coin under two layers of robes?
Ankara: We should've hid
all of it in the first place. You still had room.
Khingila: Now, now, it was your duty to watch the horses.
Ankara: You should've seen how that boy jeered at me! Lowered his pants--
Khingila: He looked like Kamvar.
Ankara: His face did, anyway. I have the pleasure of saying I've never seen Kamvar's a--
Khingila: But I know Kamvar never had any children, especially not with any women in this city. He simply didn't have the time for it. But why did I see someone that looks like him...?
Ankara: You're wondering if it's a divine omen? Well, if you factor that in, along with the worst heat we've ever endured over a desert journey and it's not even summer, and the fact that Shazahde and I oppose what you're doing--
Khingila: There's nothing wrong with what I'm doing. We've discussed this already.
Ankara: That's a lie, unless you think discussion is one side outlining what's wrong with a plan while the other side stubbornly shuts their ears to any contrary opinion.
Khingila: That's an exaggeration!
Ankara: An exaggeration? You're the one letting your anger over Kamvar's death drive you towards eliminating all of the Chionites!
Khingila: Are you defending them, Ankara!? Those Red Huns killed Kamvar!
Ankara: You think I don't know that? You think Shazahde doesn't know that? How about the rest of the Hephthalites? Do you think they're stupid enough not to realize who killed their previous lord? No! But they know you're the only chance we have at unification, you... with the lineage of all three hordes!
Khingila: Blood alone doesn't make one a leader.
Ankara: Of course, not to the hordes. But you have the prowess and the retainers to force all of the partisans to kneel before you, but you won't. Instead, you want to ally with weaklings like Khwarazm and attempt the total annihilation of one side, in a war that's going to hurt everyone and allow the Persians to pick us apart piece by piece.
Khingila: Enough! ... ... We'll discuss this later. First we should focus on finding the thief and his accomplice.
Ankara: ... Alright, as long as you understand I haven't given up on this.
Khingila: ... Did you see that?
Ankara: See what?
Khingila: I saw some children watching us behind that corner over there.
Ankara: So?
Khingila: When I spotted them, they decided to run off. That seems to indicate that they were spying on us, which further implies that there could be a whole alliance of homeless kids in this city, considering how many we saw when we entered.
Ankara: If you're right, every step we make is going to be watched...
???: Akhshunwar!
[A girl around ten years old, close to the same age as Akhshunwar, ran into the alleyway where he, Delir, and the rest of the pauperized children who were currently completing their feast. Akhshunwar had made the decision not to stuff himself, so he was able to walk up and greet the girl on arrival. Delir attempted to do the same, then groaned and collapsed back down on his stool.]
Akhshunwar: Mihrana...? What are you doing here?
[Mihrana was not an impoverished youth living out in the streets like Ahkshunwar. Her father was part of the Khwarazm militia, and she lived with him and her mother. The two had met when a starved Akhshunwar collapsed at the foot of her family's doorstep, and she assisted him without a second thought. They have since become friends. At the moment, she appeared to be somewhat anxious.]
Mihrana: I have something to tell you. It's really important, but I'll try to make it quick--
Boy:
Hey! There's trouble!
[Another kid ran into the alleyway, cutting off Mihrana mid-sentence, skidding to a halt before Akhshunwar and stopping to catch his breath.]
Akhshunwar: Give me a minute.
Boy: It can't wait!
Mihrana: But--
Boy: Those two people you stole from? They're running around the city looking for you...
Akhshunwar: I'd better go, then.
Mihrana: Wait! Akhshunwar, you have to listen--
Akhshunwar: I'm sorry! You'll have to wait with Delir! Tell me when I came back, okay!?
[Mihrana shouted at Akhshunwar's retreating back, but to no avail.]
Ankara: We've been searching the city for a while... We've questioned the merchants, the guards, even some of those runts... They said that the kid we saw was around here, but Khingila, we've been at this for
a while already.
Khingila: We should probably abandon this. I think I can handle negotiating giving the king only half the promised coin, since those kids've probably already spent most of it by now.
Ankara: I've got a better idea. We're gonna grab one of these street-dwellers and force those miniature pick-pockets out in the open. Forget the money, this is about pride now!
Khingila: Seems they've caught on to your plan.
[The sound of scurrying feet can be heard around them.]
Ankara: Urgh.
Khingila: ... Or maybe it worked better than we thought.
[There was Akhshunwar at the far side of the street, taunting them again.]
Akhshunwar: You think you can catch me, you stinking horse-riding bastards!?
[Bodily gestures from Akhshunwar indicated that he meant mounting horses in a more insidious sense.]
Khingila: Hahah, that's actually kind of funny...
Ankara:
Damned brat...!
[Akhshunwar made his exit west, and the two affronted foreigners (or one affronted foreigner and a rather amused one) gave chase. One disrupted caravan, two bumped civilians, and some damaged public property later, they had managed to corner the "damned brat" in a dead-end alley. Or so they thought, until Akhshunwar began to climb onto several boxes to get over the wall...]
Khingila: He's quite fast.
Ankara: Quit praising him!
[Akhshunwar threw an empty box at his pursuers. Khingila ducked under the projectile, which allowed it to hit Ankara in the chest. The latter collapsed, as Akhshunwar leapt over the wall...]
Akhshunwar: Whew.
???: Akhshunwar...!
[Akhshunwar blinked. It was Mihrana.]
Akhshunwar: Mihrana! Why didn't you stay with Delir?
Mihrana: Because I'm being
sold!
[She sobbed, and he blinked again... It took a moment for him to comprehend exactly what she'd said.]
Akhshunwar: ...
WHAT?!
Mihrana: Tomorrow, my father plans to sell me to a Persian diplomat. I wasn't supposed to know about it, but I overheard my parents discussing it, and... Well, I'm sorry if I interrupted you in the middle of something important, I just wanted to say goodbye--
[Akhshunwar took her hand in one of his own, and held the stolen coin bag out in the other.]
Akhshunwar: I refuse to let that happen.
Mihrana: Akhshunwar...?
[Before he could go on, there was the sound of a heavy object landing behind them. It was Khingila, who actually managed to land on both feet. Akhshunwar quickly told her to run, and meet back at her home. The two dispersed into what was the main street in which the bazaar was held. The crowd in the market made it impossible to chase after them.]
Khingila: ... Hm.
[A moment later, there was a loud '
WHUD!']
Ankara: Oh gods... My back...
[It was Ankara, who landed much less gracefully than his friend did.]
Ankara: Urgh... Did you... Get him?
Khingila: No.
Ankara: That is... Unfortunate... Help me up...?
Khingila: It's nothing to worry about.
Ankara: Ugh... How are we ever going to find him now?
Khingila: Easy. He was talking to a girl, just now. Telling by the fact that her clothes are nicer than most of the homeless ones we've seen, I think she has an established residence somewhere. Provide her description to one of the civilians, and we should be able to find
her, at least...
[Akhshunwar found Mihrana waiting in front of her home. They waved to each other as he approached.]
Akhshunwar: What's your father's asking price?
Mihrana: You... You don't want to buy me, do you?
Akhshunwar: I don't want you as a slave if that's what you mean.
[Mihrana blushed, while Akhshunwar looked a little embarassed at what he'd said. After an awkward silence, she told him how much the emissary from the southern Empire wanted for her.]
Akhshunwar: Should be easy enough to come by.
[He waved the coin bag around again, looking rather pleased with himself.]
Mihrana: But isn't that for
all of you?
[Akhshunwar froze. That was true... He'd managed to acquire this money with Delir's help, and it was meant for all of his destitute friends.]
Akhshunwar: I'll...
Mihrana: Akhshunwar, you don't have to do this...
Akhshunwar: No, I
definitely have to do this! I know... I'll go to Persia... Then I'll come back here.
Mihrana: ... Are you sure...?
Akhshunwar: Absolutely. You'll be with me to make sure of it.
[Without another word, Akhshunwar entered her house and, ripping some cloth from his dirty shirt, used it to wrap around a certain amount of coin. Placing it atop the part of the table where he remembered her father sat, he came back out, already planning how they'd leave Urgench... Only to find Mihrana being held hostage by the foreign warriors.]
Ankara: No sudden moves, boy!
Akhshunwar: Get your hands
off her!
[Ankara held her by the shoulders. Akhshunwar would've rushed at him, but Khingila stood in his way.]
Khingila: First you get your hands off what doesn't belong to you. Hand it over.
[Akhshunwar quickly threw the coin bag at Khingila. The Hephthal warrior caught it in his chest with an 'oof!', and as he expected it was much lighter than it was before, though he was surprised it hadn't all been spent.]
Khingila: Well, where's the rest?
Akhshunwar: Spent, obviously.
Khingila: I see...
[Behind Khingila came the sound of grinding steel. Ankara had unsheathed his sword.]
Ankara: Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill this girl right here and now, then.
Khingila and Akhshunwar:
Stop!
[The two had said this simultaneously, though from Khingila it of course sounded like a firm order. From Akhshunwar, it was a cry of desperation, and his voice had never sounded so desperate before.]
Akhshunwar: Please don't!
Khingila: What do you think you're doing? Bloodshed out in the open?
Ankara: Why not? I doubt this girl would be missed, except by him. It's proper retribution for the pilferer. After that, we can send his entire gang into the afterlife along with him. It'd be better punishment, and easier than chasing him around. We can say we're clearing out crime to make up for lost payment.
Akhshunwar: If you're out for blood, please... Kill me.
Mihrana: Akhshunwar,
no!
Khingila:
!
[Khingila found that Akhshunwar was on his hands and knees at this point.]
Akhshunwar: If you want me to stop running, then I will. I know I had help, but please spare him as well. Do with my life as you please.
Ankara: Heh! Meaning I can slay you here and now?
[Akhshunwar shook, and diverted the path of his vision to the floor so he couldn't look at any of them.]
Akhshunwar: If it will satisfy you.
Mihrana: Please, Akhshunwar! Stop this and run!
Ankara: Shut up, girl!
[Ankara threw her aside, and advanced upon the prostrate boy, sword still in hand. Soon he was right above him, and though Mihrana pounded her fists at him, she could not stop the warrior from bringing his weapon down... Something else did it for her, however. Akhshunwar looked up, to see that it was Khingila that kept Ankara from landing the fatal blow.]
Ankara: ...
Khingila: ...
Ankara: Do you understand now?
Khingila: ... I admit to shirking my true duties. Exacting complete vengeance was not what Kamvar would have wanted.
Ankara: ... Then it's time to leave this city?
Khingila: Yes.
[Both Mihrana and Akhshunwar were utterly baffled by this exchange of words.]
Khingila: Stand.
[Akhshunwar reluctantly did so.]
Khingila: What is it you plan to do with your life, boy? Surely you aren't going to be the accomplice for your friend's roguish activities forever?
Akhshunwar: ... I planned to head south into Persia, where there are more opportunities for someone as strong as myself.
Khingila: I see. Among the Hephthalites, we respect those who have great skill in combat. Though I wouldn't say you have that, you do show
potential, and you even managed to hold your own against one of my best. Take this.
[Khingila took up the depleted coing bag and replaced some of the lost mintage, handing it back to a still-bewildered Akhshunwar.]
Khingila: Accompany a caravan to Persia. We may meet in the battlefield again. Until then.
[Both he and Ankara turned to return to the inn whose stables held their horses. Once they'd had a night's rest, it would be time to head back out to the desert.]
Akhshunwar: ... Take me with you.
Mihrana: Huh!?
Ankara: What?? You can't be serious!
[Khingila turned back to him, and he and the boy stared at each other, as if one were measuring the other, and vice versa. After a while, the future king of Hephthal cracked a grin.]
[
The present. Burial site outlying from Pa-ti-yen.]
[Two years after Akhshunwar had joined him, Khingila defeated Uar and Chionite leaders in opposition, and brought both tribes under a Hephthalite hegemony, forming the beginning of a kingdom-- with himself as the first of a dynasty. From his time under Khingila, Akhshunwar had become less arrogant and more proficient in combat. More than two decades of training had cultivated Akhshunwar into one of Khingila's mightiest retainers.]
Akhshunwar: ... Do you hold anything against me?
[The year remains 490.]
[The funeral for Khingila I of the Hephtal Kingdom was not lengthy, but rather emotional. Akhshunwar had already released his grief during the time when Khingila was posthumously returned back to the Walled City, but others chose to show how much they cared for the king as he was being entombed. His wife, Shazahde, was one of them. Ankara, an old friend of Khingila's and now one of his longest-lived veteran generals, was another.]
[Following the precession, Shazahde, Ankara, and Akhshunwar remained. Shezahde knelt over Khingila's grave silently. The two men stood some ways away.]
Ankara: For what specifically? Wanting to punish me with death because I was routed by the Persian army? Of course not, considering it happened to you as well. If the army experiences setbacks, don't look to execute people immediately. Khingila understood striving for martial perfection, but he also understood that actually achieving it was something else altogether.
Akhshunwar: I understand that now. Those were the words of someone young, foolish, and eager to prove himself... I mean, back in the past. When we first met at Urgench.
Ankara: You mean since then? No, that was a long time ago. Khingila's right, we do respect people who prove their strength, so I've never had anything against you.
Akhshunwar: The reason he let me and Mihrana live... This Kamvar person. I remember hearing from some of the Elites that I bore physical similarities to him, despite being unrelated to him.
Ankara: That is true.
Akhshunwar: I also know he was Khingila's brother.
Ankara: Also true.
Akhshunwar: ... What happened to him? I know that he was involved in some political strife against the Red Huns, but not much more. That whole time, you must have reminded Khingila of something about him, and that's why he...
Ankara: I don't feel I'm the right person to discuss this. Someone else might be, though.
[The aged general motioned to the mourning Shazahde.]
Akhshunwar: I see...
[Ankara began to walk away from the grave.]
Akhshunwar: You're going to prepare for Qandahar?
Ankara: That was your order, wasn't it, Regent? Oh don't give me that look, it's the role Khingila more or less gave you and we Elites are going to recognize that.
Akhshunwar: I didn't mean you should leave immediately...
Ankara: But it would be a good idea, I think.
Akhshunwar: Should I mobilize, as well?
Ankara: Of course not. You've got the duties of a monarch. Take a few days to assess the country's situation before you return to the frontlines. Ask her if you're curious about Kamvar, as well. As for me, I'm lucky Khingila didn't saddle me with so many duties!
[He smirked, and then waved goodbye. Akhshunwar turned away from him as he left, and faced the sky.]
Akhshunwar: ... Am I truly ready for this?
[
Whew. Long entry. So far, my warscore is a noticeably worse than it should be because my Juan-Juan allies have lost battles, and that's something I'll bring up next time.]
