“Take your people and go. We do not want you and, as you can see, there is going to be no wedding. Take your ambassador and go. Tell your uncle to expect us soon. There is no peace, there is war. You, Khazars, owe us and a lot. We are coming to collect that.” He was smiling now, but it was not a welcoming smile of goodwill. That was a smile of a hyena just before it strikes and tears you apart. He looked like a hyena. That was a smile of an open enemy that knew that he had an upper arm. That was the open declaration of war, and we had to carry it to our people. We were free for now, but I had a bad feeling.
We hurried to the caravan stationed just a mile or so away and moved out swiftly. The Bashkirs did not let all of us go. They kept many slaves and most women. They also killed a few soldiers and the noblemen. I was not scared, but my people were. It did not look good. Nothing looked good. The Bashkirs could change their minds and fast, and we could not do anything about it. We were in their capital, and there was so many of them and just a few of us. We could not defend ourselves even if we tried. Two days later, we were here, and you saw what happened. Was it planned as well? It looked that way. They could’ve planned that all along. Why would they let me go? I am expensive. Now, they could claim that the bandits attacked us. They could’ve even asked for ransom. Yes, the uncle looked like a hyena, and he was one. If not for you, we would not survive. Was that another war, only a big one?”
“I liked the Princess right away, from the first time I had laid the eyes on her. She was so beautiful, gentle, so feminine. I may add exotic but in a good way. She was so simple yet, different. Our women were different, the product of the steppes. She was also so bright and educated, and we could talk of nothing and the important things for hours, well into the night. She was so well versed. She knew so much and was interested almost in everything. But, she hated war.
Not that she did not know or understood war, she just hated it to the full depth of her heart. I hate wars as well, but what can do. Too often, it is a necessity. And, those eyes… I don’t think I could describe the depth of these eyes. They were bottomless, and I could see the eternity full of passion there. One of the Khazars, when I mentioned that, said that they called it the “Jewish Eyes.” I liked that. It sounded so true, so descriptive. On many occasions, I found myself drowning in that depth of the exotic beauty and ancient wisdom. And, she was all that. She was everything I always wanted in a woman and could not find anywhere, not in the lands I’ve been. Yes, I was in love and so, was she. How could that be in any other way? I was not going to the Karakorum anyway and going back to the Golden Horde could wait for a while. I was not planning for any new campaigns this year, and the management of our domain was done quite well by my brothers and the cousins. All of them were loyal and the real family. The Golden Horde was getting ready for a new push, and I was not needed for now. Things were just fine, and I could afford to take a break for a few months. I needed it, and there was nothing wrong with that. Even a Khan could use a break. So, I was going to escort the Princess and to visit the Khazar Kingdom. It would be good politically anyway. Just a friendly visit from a good neighbor but it could warn the Bashkirs to stay away. Still, it was not a political visit but a friendly one. Also, I was not going to allow the Bashkirs to attack them, not while I was there. It had to stop, and I was going to see to that. After all, I was the Khan of the Golden Horde and had more soldiers by now than any other Horde. I had more soldiers that the Bashkirs ever had, and my soldiers were better and by much. The Kyrgyz would come to me as soon as they see what side I am on. My army could turn in any direction if I wanted. Maybe we could avoid that war altogether, but our involvement had to be obvious for that. Did I have any other reason for visiting the Khazars? Hm…, maybe. We’ll see, we’ll see. In the worst case, I could always send a Tumen or two to Bashkortostan, and that would be it. Let them feel what the Khazars feel. The Khazars were more important to us, while the Bashkirs needed a lesson, but I needed an excuse for that one. So, with great pleasure, we went to Bukhara where the Princess lived, and I planned to visit Samarkand and a few more cities along the way. I heard it was beautiful this time of the year. It was the time of the fruit. I was really looking forward to the trip and the company.”
“The reception was much more than we expected. It was not just the expected bowing to the visitor who was much stronger than you are. It was not even the respect of the partner that tolerates you when you were too close for comfort. Anyone would bow to us when we knock on your door. It was a big welcome of a friend or even a relative who really loves you. Nothing there looked artificial or even superficial. They wanted you there, and they welcomed you there. Yet, the bad news traveled fast and much quicker than that, in Central Asia. They knew already what happened with the wedding and the Bashkir Prince. They knew it all, and the troops were gathering on the border in anticipation of the Bashkirs and their collaborators coming in force. They did not believe it was avoidable. After all, the Bashkirs killed the emissary, and that was too much to ignore. That was a huge offense that had to be repaid in blood. There would be war, and nothing could be done to avoid it. Thus, if you could not avoid the worst tragedy of war, fight it, and fight to win. They asked us for help, and Subutai gave an order to move one Tumen towards Bashkiria, threatening them from both sides. We did it in the open so, the Bashkirs would not mistake our intentions for anything else. They should know that we chose the side. We wanted to punish the Bashkirs, and we always did what we wanted. That worked for us the best. I informed our Khan of my moves and ordered some soldiers stationed close by to move to Khazaria. The Bashkirs and the Kyrgyz will notice it soon enough. That should be a very clear message.
Shortly, I asked for the hand of the Princess, and she became my wife. I was so happy. I was sure she was the one I was looking for. She became not just my first wife; she became the favorite wife and the loved one. My first wife accepted it without a fight and kept overseeing the house. She was the best person for that and the most trusted at that. She was a good friend if nothing else. Now, when my Khazar wife is dead, I can say openly that I loved her so much and her death was the biggest tragedy I ever experienced. We were together for five years and had four sons. They were Jews by birth and the religion that would become the strongest foundation for the new Mongolian nation that was based on our culture and the Jewish wisdom. If you mix the Mongols and the Jews, would that come out, right? Yes, if you mix it right, it would come out right. Why would not it? We were the two greatest nations in the world. The Jewish Mongolian Nation… So far, it did. It was working just right. Somehow it was a pure unity of two souls and two bodies. Was it God’s design?
Look at my children; look at the other children. I converted to Judaism five years ago, and many of my court did the same thing. Many married the Khazar women, and many of the Khazar men married our women. We were becoming a new nation of the Jews and fast. I liked it, my court liked it, the Golden Horde liked it, and the visitors from other Hordes loved it so much. It was spreading like a disease but a good one that made you better, stronger, smarter. That was a happy time, and we all prospered. It was good for me, my family, and the empire. It was a good all-around and for all. It was the time of peace and prosperity, where we tried to build instead of destroying. We did not fight any big wars but raided some areas just to calm the agitated citizens down. Once in a while, it was necessary. Not everyone believed in the peaceful coexistence as we did. So, we had to enforce the rules even if we did not really want it. I was planning a new campaign in Europe but not before my wife would come back from Khazaria. For now, we were just building up the strength growing more affluent and more comfortable in our domain.”