Eric Flint: Much Fall Of Blood

Bortai looked startled. "It's not a good idea. Well, we do it sometimes with horses, and dogs. But new bloodlines strengthen the animals… And humans just shouldn't."

"We become a little more human with sharing of the blood. Still, we only have one chance to breed. There were many of us, once. But we are few now. We are the only two left here."

"Explain?"

So the wyvern did.

Both women were left silenced and discomforted.

Finally Dana asked: "Isn't there another way?"

"Not that I know of. But I don't know everything… yet," said the Wyvern.

Three days later the knights came limping back, accompanied by the surviving Szekelers, and the mounted infantry. The wagons and the rest of the infantry were heading back into Valahia by a less steep route to the north.

The Mongol followed five days later, full of victory and loot, after a sweep that had taken the Golden Horde as far as the Bug river. They reported seeing ships flying the winged lion at anchor off Odessa.

Erik had come through the entire encounter with no worse than dented armor. And yet he was a troubled man. He finally went to talk to Manfred about it. "Am I fickle?" he asked.

Manfred smothered a snort. He didn't even try to pretend that he didn't know what Erik was talking about. "About as fickle as a whale-fish is small, Erik. Go and propose to her."

"I'm not exactly sure how to do this among the Mongols."

Manfred slapped him on the back. "I'll find out for you. Leave it to me. I have contacts."

Erik closed his eyes. "I shudder to think."

"Trust me," said Manfred. "The Great Khan himself speaks to me."

"You can't get Bortai to translate!"

"No. I'll take young David."

"That is worse! I mean… look what he got me into last time."

"He got her to notice and like you," said Manfred cheerfully. "What you may not know, and I do, is that she's a very popular woman. Had scores of suitors."

"I would think every man in the lands of the Golden Horde has tried. She's exceptional," said Erik, earnestly.

"Well, personally I'd advise you to run, and to run now," said Manfred, grinning. "She's got a tongue on her that could skin an ox."

"Good. I prefer them without skin," said a sibilant voice.

They both had their swords out. "Wyvern," said Erik, with relief. "Back there. What are you doing here, beast? Go back to Prince Vlad. Or his sister."

"Learning about human courtship. Dana sent me to find out just what you were doing."

Manfred snorted. "Everyone knows your business, Erik. Let me go and find David. Relax. Von Stael has quite reformed him."

Erik groaned. "Only with Von Stael, Manfred." He looked at the wyvern. It was not a very large creature, but he'd seen just how deadly it could be. "Are you going to go away too?"

"No," said the creature. "I thought I'd stay here and tell you a Mongol tale."

Erik was about to protest. "It is Bortai's favorite. Actually, it is the Golden Horde's favorite story. It's their founding myth you might say." The wyvern preened. "I am a creature of myth. It's important to understand them I think."

"There is sometimes a grain of truth in them… somewhere," admitted Erik, curious.

"Oh yes. Somewhere. Most of the story is usually wrong," said Wyvern.

"But they tell you how people think. Tell you about the culture."

"And pass the time between meals," said the Wyvern.

"Are you going to tell me this story or aren't you?" asked Erik sitting down. It beat pacing and waiting for Manfred.

"The story of Princess Khutulun and Ulaghchi."

"So they were real characters? Ulaghchi was the Great Khan. In what the Golden Horde feel was their golden age."

"Indeed. It is a song-poem. It goes like this…"

Erik listened. It was indeed a compelling story.

And when it was done, the wyvern faded away, blending its opalescent scales with the background and disappearing like a morning mist.

Erik shook himself. It had been a magical experience… well, it had been. He was aware that he'd heard snatches of the song before. It was obviously popular. And certainly held some clues as to how some people got married… Back then.

"Daydreaming?" said Manfred, grinning and smelling of wine. "You have to go and see the her brother, Erik. David will take you."

Erik had never attempted to find out where Bortai lived. It was, however, exactly as he imagined: a simple, neat ger, with simple poor possessions. Every single person in the entire encampment, however, seemed to be between him and his destination. Grinning at him. There were even some of the Great Khan's Khesig hanging about, throwing bones near the ger. They were not the most soundproof structures on earth, Erik reflected as Kildai, playing host, gave him Kumiss.

Erik did not last very long at the politeness. "Kildai," he swallowed. The boy was fourteen, and the impudent David, who hadn't gone away, perhaps a year older. "I want to marry your dau… sister."

David sniggered. But Kildai nodded seriously. "You realize that she does not have a very big bride portion," he said.

"I would take her if she had nothing at all," said Erik. "It's not important to me, if she'll have me."

Kildai looked thoughtful. "That doesn't seem a very provident thing to do. I do expect you to look after her. She would not be content to dine on vegetables like a Vlachs slave. Will you be able to feed her? And you do know that she snores? Especially when she drinks too much."

Bortai had been sitting talking to Dana, when the Wyvern arrived as silently as only it could. "He is talking to your brother."

Both of them stood up headed towards the great ger. "Not in there," said the Wyvern. "In some little store tent at the far side of the camp. My brother is listening to them."

Bortai arrived there, scattering people, curious, sniggering people trying to listen in. Just in time to hear her brother, prompted by his little friend no doubt, tell Erik that she snored.

"This has gone on long enough," she said angrily, bursting in. "Stop it. He's a good man…"

Kildai laughed. So by the sounds of it did half the audience outside.

"They are playing a practical joke on you, Erik. It is my fault."

He smiled at her. "I snore too."

Kildai stood up. He was still smiling. "All right, sister."

He faced Erik. "As her brother, you have my permission to pay court to her. But…" he held up a hand, looking much older than his years, "You will also need the permission of the Great Khan of the Golden Horde. And he is different person to me."

"But…!" protested Bortai.

"No buts," said Kildai, firmly. "Erik is not of the clan, not of the people. You are a very important person to me, to the clan. He must go and ask." He looked every inch a Khan, and she was proud of him, even if he was playing games with her. There was an element of payback there, she had to admit. Some of it was… fair. "I will see you in the ger of the Great Khan. You may want to ask your Khan Manfred to come and stand as your friend," he said to Erik.

Erik nodded. "Bortai…"

"Go," said Kildai, sternly above her protest.

Erik went back to Manfred's ger.

"We can't have you going like that," said Manfred looking at him. "I've a spare cotte. And Falkenberg. Come and trim his hair."

It took quite a while before Erik was considered ready. Manfred seemed to be in no hurry about it.

They walked together up the hill toward the great felt tent. People cheered. Manfred waved a lordly hand. Erik just walked.

The ger was a huge structure, needing whole trees for support. It was full. But people moved aside to let them pass.

Erik and Manfred came at last to the Great Khan's dias, and his chair. There, standing next to it, was Bortai. Looking as if she would either burst into tears, rip someone's ears off, or turn and run. Her face was very pale.