Guardian of Heaven and Earth
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Kanbal
Part 1 - To Kanbal
Chapter 4 - Ihan's Letter
It took a long time to reach the Kashal’s camp. Chagum felt his anxiety building up with every step he took away from the road. The Kashal escorting him and Balsa kept going until they reached a rocky area. Chagum saw no signs of a camp anywhere.
A man emerged from between two rocks and brushed snow off his head. More followed and showed Balsa and Chagum into an underground cave. There were a few fires lit near places where the Kashal had drilled holes for ventilation. Most of the Kashal in the cave wore blankets and furs over their coats.
The Kashal carrying Balsa’s litter brought her into the cave and set her down near a fire. There was a short, middle-aged woman standing before the fire who bent over Balsa with an expression of concern.
“Leave her here for a while,” she said to Chagum. “I’ll let you know when I’ve finished treating her wounds.”
Chagum nodded and went farther into the cave, which was separated by rocky outcroppings that acted a little like walls between rooms. Some men were making a meal over another fire. Chagum saw Shihana standing near the meal fire with her arms folded; he waved and walked over to her.
“I forgot to thank you earlier,” he said. “You saved our lives. I’ll never thank you enough.”
Shihana smiled a little and shrugged.
“Maybe it’s an odd question,” Chagum said, looking at the Kashal gathered in groups around the fires and the ventilation holes, “but why is there a camp here? You’re pretty far north.”
“Prince Ihan ordered us to follow you,” she said. “We’re supposed to do whatever it takes to get you safely to the border. We found the guards who were supposed to be protecting you dead and assumed the worst until we managed to pick up your trail.”
Chagum’s expression darkened. “I was attacked by another assassin; those guards were cut down. If Balsa hadn’t been there, I would have died.”
Shihana nodded. “We found the assassin as well and put two and two together. As for this attempt, it was double-pronged. The assassins were planning to let you fall into the hands of the bandits at Usal gorge--and if that attempt failed, they’d be waiting for you here.
“There were no assassins mixed in with the bandits at the gorge, so we sneaked around them and made camp here, waiting for the enemy to show themselves.”
Chagum blinked. “That’s...impressive.”
Shihana shrugged. “I’d plan more or less the same way if I wanted to kill you.” Shihana already understood the basics of all of Talsh’s plans and strategies.
“You must have known we’d have to fight the bandits,” Chagum said. “Why didn’t we see you at the gorge?”
“Oh, we were there.” Her lips puckered in a slight smile. “Just in secret, hiding out near the cliffs. If it seemed like you were actually in trouble, we would have come out to help, but you had things well in hand, so we didn’t bother.”
Chagum suddenly remembered that Balsa had felt she was being watched on the night they’d fought the bandits at the gorge.
Shihana’s monkey was sitting on her shoulder. She patted his head fondly and said, “We found out that the Talsh assassins were ingratiating themselves with the border guards, using promises of wealth. We used the time it took for them to do that to make camp. The assassins attacked the moment you were out of sight of the guard towers. We were concealed near the road, but we assumed they’d wait slightly longer before springing their ambush. I’m sorry we were wrong.”
The woman treating Balsa’s wounds called out, “I’m done treating her. You can come sit with her if you like.”
Chagum glanced at Shihana--their conversation wasn’t over--but she waved him off. Chagum returned to the warm and somewhat isolated space in the cave where Balsa lay stretched out underneath a pile of furs and blankets. She turned toward Chagum when he approached. She was still pale from blood loss, but she was smiling.
“Balsa, are you all right?” Chagum asked.
She nodded firmly. “No need to worry. I’ll get a solid night of sleep and be good as new.” She looked at the woman who’d treated her injuries. “She’s a good herbalist. Not as good as Tanda, but I don’t know of anyone else who even comes close.”
The woman’s eyebrows lifted slightly in confusion. “You’re the oddest patient I’ve ever had--in a good way, though. When you were brought in, I didn’t think you’d survive, but you’re already conscious and eating. I’ve never seen anything like it--and I’ve treated a lot of injuries in my time.” She was middle-aged, though not old, and had an air of clear competence.
Chagum and Balsa looked at one another and laughed. “Balsa is used to being injured, so she has a friend who treats her injuries,” Chagum said by way of partial explanation. “For her to say that you’re only a worse healer and herbalist than he is a serious compliment.”
Chagum felt someone at his shoulder and turned to see Shihana. The doctor saw her as well; she gathered up her supplies and bloody rags, then stood up. There was a bit of bloody twine in with the rest of it that Balsa extended her hand toward.
“I need that,” she said.
The doctor nodded. “You said that before. Is it lucky? Anyway, I know you want it. I won’t throw it away; it’ll still be here when you wake up in the morning.” She left.
Shihana crouched down next to Chagum and gave Balsa a once-over. Chagum had heard about Balsa and Shihana’s terrible fight when they’d met before, but he’d been so grateful to the Kashal for their help that he’d completely forgotten about that before now. The air of tension between Balsa and Shihana was sharp enough to cut.
Something tapped Chagum in the shoulder. It was a metal tube with a lid; Shihana was holding it out to him. “This is a letter from Prince Ihan,” Shihana said. “He asked me to deliver it when we finally caught up to you.”
Chagum accepted the tube and popped the lid off of it. There was a letter written on parchment inside. Chagum unfurled the parchment and read:
In the name of the King of Rota, and possessing his full legal authority, I, Prince Ihan, swear that I will accept any proposed alliance with the King of Kanbal that is negotiated by Crown Prince Chagum of New Yogo.
Crown Prince Chagum has my full understanding and support. His land is being overrun by the Talsh empire. Rota and Kanbal uniting in alliance is the best way for both countries to avoid the same fate. We are the rulers and leading diplomats of the northern continent; it wouldn’t be fitting for us to give in to invaders without a fight.
I consider the King of Kanbal to be an honorable man who is more courageous than he believes. He will always make the right decision for his people.
Chagum’s heart beat faster as he read the letter. It was affixed with the royal seal of Rota embossed in red wax. “This letter is probably meant to help convince the King of Kanbal,” he said.
“Prince Ihan sincerely desires an alliance with Kanbal,” Shihana said. “But there is always a chance that Kanbal will ally itself with Talsh. We don’t know what Kanbal wants at this stage. I expect you will learn what the sentiment is toward Talsh when you reach Kanbal’s royal palace.”
Chagum nodded at Shihana. Rota was embroiled in civil war. It was possible that the King of Kanbal wouldn’t want to risk a military alliance with Rota when its current politics were so unstable.
I guess I understand why Prince Ihan wants me to be the messenger. If New Yogo and Rota are destroyed--by Talsh or other means--then Kanbal will be next.
Chagum hadn’t given up on saving his own people. Reading between the lines, he didn’t think that Prince Ihan had, either. Together, he, Prince Ihan and the King of Kanbal could save the northern continent. It wasn’t too late to save everyone.
“I understand,” Chagum said. “Prince Ihan doesn’t want Kanbal’s help to resolve the civil war, but to save the continent from being invaded from the outside. I’ll be sure to emphasize that when I meet with the King of Kanbal. The best form of alliance for both countries would be a military agreement to repel the Talsh.”
Shihana bowed from the waist. “You are as remarkable as Prince Ihan described, Crown Prince Chagum. The words in his letter are completely true. He believes that if anyone can succeed in making the northern content unite against the Talsh, it would be you.” Her eyes shone with emotion. “The northern continent is like a ship, attacked from all sides by the wind and waves. It will take all of us to save it from sinking.
“I believe that if Kanbal agrees to a military alliance, the King can send his forces to northern Rota to muster. The southern clan lords might stand down before the fighting starts when they are confronted with such superior might. But even if they don’t, preserving the continent’s independence is the most important goal.”
Chagum nodded at Shihana. “I’m willing to risk anything, including my life, to make sure that this alliance succeeds. In exchange, I want Prince Ihan’s help in saving my own nation as well.”
Shihana blinked. “I’m not authorized to make any promises like that on Prince Ihan’s behalf.”
Chagum shook his head a little. “I didn’t mean to imply that I require an answer now. Please tell Prince Ihan my request the next time you see him, then send me his reply. I am headed to the royal palace of Kanbal; I will likely be there, or nearby, for quite some time.”
Shihana’s eyes were as cold and sharp as ice. “We don’t know how your meeting with the King of Kanbal will go,” she said. “Until we do, we--”
“--I understand,” Chagum interrupted. “I almost forgot that you’re Kashal, and can send and receive information by way of animals, so we can be in relatively close contact at any time. I don’t want Rota to destroy itself in civil war any more than you do. I still think I can propose an alliance to the King of Kanbal that would keep Rota on roughly equal terms. That would be easier if the conflict in Rota is resolved quickly, or if the situation never breaks out into open war.
“All I’m asking for in return for brokering this alliance is for Prince Ihan to provide aid to my people in New Yogo. He’s a generous man who understands the value of his own people; I’m certain he’ll agree to my request.”
Shihana shook her head. “What goes on in New Yogo isn’t Prince Ihan’s problem; it’s yours.” She folded her arms, then added a perfunctory, “I apologize for my rudeness.” A pause. “But it’s still true.
“Consider your position,” Shihana said. “You are a diplomat for New Yogo, but you have no authority to govern your nation or to speak for it. All of that power belongs to your father. Any agreement or promise that Prince Ihan makes to you would not be enforced and would be, essentially, meaningless.”
Chagum opened his mouth to protest when he heard footsteps behind him.
“So are you going to tell him to kill his father?” Balsa asked. “If authority is what he needs, that’s where he’d get it.” She was staring, hard-eyed, at Shihana. “New Yogo is on the verge of destruction. Chagum is doing his best to save it. Turning aside from his current course by seizing power in New Yogo wouldn’t help save anyone.
“Besides,” Balsa said, “you’re not authorized to speak for your king or Prince Ihan, either. You just said as much yourself. Chagum asked you to deliver a message with a request. Why not let Prince Ihan choose how he wants to respond?”
Balsa and Shihana glared at one another for a long moment. Finally, Shihana stood up and said, “Fine. I’ll tell Prince Ihan your intentions and relay your request, Crown Prince Chagum. You’ll receive our reply via messenger before you leave Kanbal’s royal palace.” She bowed her head slightly, then frowned.
She seemed unwilling to go; she started at Balsa with an icy glare for more than a minute before turning on her heel and going deeper into the cave. The air of intimidating tension sparked between Shihana and Balsa as she left.
Chagum read over Prince Ihan’s message again, then glanced up at Balsa.
“I see that Shihana hasn’t outgrown threats,” she said with a bitter smile. "I’m sure she still wants to kill me, even after all this time. She hasn’t forgotten that I stood in her way when she wanted to use the god Talhamaya’s power to strengthen Prince Ihan’s position.”
Chagum frowned a little. “Talhamaya comes from Nayugu, right? You’ve talked a little about her before. I thought she was utterly terrifying.”
“She is,” Balsa said. “She’s some kind of spirit that loves the smell of blood. Numbers don’t mean anything to her. If all the Talsh troops landed and attacked right now, she might be capable of obliterating them all.” She paused. The look she gave Chagum was serious and intense. “Do you want it? That kind of power?”
Chagum considered her question for a long while. He nodded to himself. “In principle, yes. Anything capable of wiping out an army that large while keeping my people safe is something I’d want. But in practice, no. If I used that power even once and saw the violence, destruction and loss of life it caused--even on the enemy side--I would hate myself forever.”
Chagum remembered one of the guards that Prince Ihan had sent with him from his palace. The man had been so proud of his little daughter. He’d been laughing and smiling about her during the attack--but then he’d been cut down. Chagum’s shock in that moment was engraved on his memory forever.
And that was just one man. No war stopped with the killing of a single person. If he used a power like Talhamaya’s against his enemies, the war wouldn’t end. Talsh wouldn’t stop--and the war would become an endless cycle of bloodshed and killing. Chagum didn’t want that. He couldn’t daydream of powerful weapons to use against the Talsh. Even if a weapon like that fell into his hands, he couldn’t possibly use it to save New Yogo.
Securing an alliance between Rota and Kanbal was the first step. New Yogo could be incorporated into the alliance later. The collected nations of the northern continent could, with any luck at all, repel the first wave of Talsh forces. He had a plan, and he wouldn’t diverge from it without a very good reason.
Being decided on a course of action didn’t silence all his doubts. He’d missed the possible advantages in Kanbal and Rota becoming allies without New Yogo until Hugo had pointed it out. It was possible that there was a better way to save his nation that he hadn’t considered. He probably spent more time thinking about that than he should: lost in possibilities and contingencies.
He had chosen this path because he’d wanted to save as many innocent lives as possible, but so many people had already died protecting him--and more would die in the future, many more, because he wasn’t able to stop the Talsh from coming. Rota had its own troubles on top of Talsh. Any force that came to New Yogo’s aid would already be exhausted from travel and fighting.
And if the worst should happen--if Talsh conquered Rota and formed an alliance with Kanbal--then New Yogo would be beset by enemies on all sides. He had to meet with his father face-to-face before anything that terrible could happen.
Chagum covered his face with his hands. He couldn’t control his turbulent thoughts. What was he supposed to do next? “If I kill my father,” he whispered with tears streaming down his cheeks, “New Yogo’s people will never agree to follow me.”
Balsa pulled Chagum into a gentle hug. She settled her arms around him and squeezed. He pressed his face into her shoulder and wept.
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