The Chieftains Arrive
The first chieftains to arrive were from the five tribes allied with Ain: the Kaling, the Huraiz, the Kaganagh, the Battuta and the Sina. Hayreddin greeted each of them as they arrived alongside the four Elders of Ain: Abrah, Koza, Kazo and Nebud.
The first to arrive was Asok, chieftain of the Kaling. He was a tall, wiry warrior with skin as dark as charred wood. His long dark hair was held back with a circlet made from what Hayreddin suspected to be the bones of his enemies, and necklaces made from the same material hung from his neck, adorned further with jade stones and iron ornaments. Asok wore armour made from leather that had clearly seen much battle and bore a spear made from Biwak bone. He was escorted by an entourage of warriors that looked remarkably similar to him.
The second chieftain to arrive was Sovah of the Huraiz. He was a short but powerfully built man. A thick, plaited beard covered his mouth and his eyes glinted like burning embers. His brown skin was weathered like a rock exposed to countless sandstorms. He wore black robes with a light armour of leather underneath it. A well-crafted war axe hung from his belt. His escort in contrast, wore their war gear of metal that looked so heavy that Hayreddin wondered how they had managed to cross the desert in them.
The third chieftain to arrive was Ibiz of the Batutta. He and his entourage arrived on lavishly decorated camels; a show of status as the richest tribe. Ibiz himself was clad in white robes woven with golden thread. The scabbard of his scimitar was gold-plated and had rubies embedded along its length. His long, greying beard was plaited and held together at the tip with a golden ring and he wore a circlet of gold around his balding head.
Arriving mere minutes after Ibiz was Umiz, the chieftain of the Sina tribe. As his tribe was also one of the wealthiest, he and his entourage were no less lavishly decorated, except they used more silver than gold. Umiz himself was dressed in scale steel armour plated with silver, and his spear too, bore ornate tribal markings in the same material.
The last to arrive was Horun, the chieftain of the Kaganagh tribe. Of all the chieftains that Hayreddin had met, Horun was the most intimidating of them all. The warrior-chieftain was a giant, only slightly shorter than Hayreddin, but with far greater muscle mass. His plain steel armour seemed barely able to contain his immense build. Horun was roughly the same age as Ravenna, but he was clearly still in peak condition. He wore no helm, revealing a weathered face, with dark eyes beneath bushy eyebrows. His mouth was surrounded by a thin moustace and a beard kept short. His greying hair flew freely like the mane of a wild beast.
Horun and his entourage arrived shortly after Ibiz and Umiz. Hayreddin and the Elders of Ain went to greet him. As they drew closer, Hayreddin noticed Horun's eyes studying the chieftains of the Batutta and Sina tribes intently. Horun's lips curled slightly, indicating his less-than-flattering opinion of them before he turned to Hayreddin and the Elders.
The mighty chieftain of the Kaganagh strode forward and embraced Elder Nebud.
"Elder Nebud," said Horun, his voice was surprising low in contrast to his huge body. It sounded like a hoarse rasp that barely reached above a whisper. "It is an honour to see you again, old friend."
"The honour is mine, old friend," answered Nebud with genuine warmth.
Horun stepped back and inclined his head to the other Elders. "Abrah, Koza and Kazo; it is good to see you again."
The three Elders bowed their heads to the chieftain. "Great chieftain, you honour us with your visit."
Horun turned to Hayreddin and his mouth widened into a grin, revealing teeth that glinted like steel in the evening sun.
"Young Hayreddin," he said, nodding. "I believe you owe me a duel."
Hayreddin smiled and bowed to the chieftain. "I would not dream of challenging a great warrior like yourself, chieftain."
The Kaganagh chieftain had been the hardest to negotiate with. Horun had been willing to listen; however, on some deep instinct as a warrior, he had somehow sensed Hayreddin's own formidable fighting prowess despite the young man having never raise a weapon in his presence. The negotiations for the truce and the chieftain's attendance to the Summit had taken a backseat as Horun had demanded a duel with Hayreddin. It had taken great patience, delicate words and a great number of days before both Hayreddin and Nebud had gotten the negotiations back on track.
However, Horun still insisted on duelling with Hayreddin once the Summit was over. It had become an unofficial condition for the chieftain's cooperation.
As for Hayreddin, he saw in Horun a great strength and fighting prowess that he could not match at present. As it was, he hedged as much as possible whenever the topic was brought up.
Horun grinned at Hayreddin before jerking his head towards where Ibiz and Umiz were already posturing. "The men of the Batutta and the Sina wear more jewellery than their own women. I hope you'll quarter my men and me as far away as possible from them; or else I can't promise I won't take their heads off."
"Come now, Horun," said Nebud with a conciliatory smile. "They flaunt their wealth just as you flaunt your martial prowess."
"We flaunt nothing," answered Horun. "The men of the Kaganagh are true warriors; people instinctively recognise us as such."
"In any case, I'd appreciate it if you avoid spilling their blood; or anyone else's for that matter," said Nebud. "That tends to spoil negotiations."
Horun grunted. "If you insist, but keep them away from us."
Hayreddin bowed. "If you'll follow me, chieftain..."
Though the five tribes whose chieftains had arrived have been allied with Ain for generations, the relationships between the tribes have always been far more complicated. The Kaganagh and the Huraiz had been at war with each other in ages past; but since the days of Horun and Sovah, the two chieftains had fought each other to a standstill numerous times and had eventually grew to respect each other, which paved the way to a truce between the two tribes. The Batutta and the Sina as the two wealthiest tribes have always competed with each other, but due to the open hostility of the Kaganagh, the Huraiz and the Kaling, the two have often cooperated for mutual benefit and protection, though they were far from friendly with each other. The Kaling, who dwelled in the mountains east of Ain near the sea have always been the most isolated of the tribes. The scarcity of resources in the mountains often led the Kaling to attack the other tribes; and it was those same mountains that prevented the other tribes from wiping them out in retaliation.
Even with his incredibly sharp mind, trying to fully understand the relationships between the tribes had been a little much for Hayreddin; and it was only the guidance of Ain's Elders that had helped smooth negotiations along.
As it was, Hayreddin knew enough to keep the tribes from attacking each other for the moment.
But if the negotiations went sour...
Hayreddin shuddered; the situation was already very volatile and the chieftains from the other seven tribes still haven't arrived.
XI XI XI
When the chieftains from the remaining seven tribes arrived; it was as though the whole city of Ain was on a war footing. Soldiers armed with bows manned the walls while cohorts of heavily armed infantry stood in honour guard formation, though their true purpose was to stand in preparation to separate the chieftains should the situation escalate.
Unlike the five chieftains allied to Ain, the remaining seven chieftains all arrived simultaneously in a rare show of unity.
Four of the seven tribes were smaller tribes incapable of challenging the any of the five on their own. However, three of them were large tribes; easily capable of challenging the five. They were the Taring, the Ber and the Maru. All three had great reputation for their martial prowess. When they had allied themselves with each other, the four smaller tribes immediately followed after and allied themselves to the three out of fear.
As such, it was the chieftains of the Taring, Ber and Maru who led the allied delegation.
The seven chieftains approached to where Hayreddin and Ain's Elders stood ready to greet them. Further behind watching them were the chieftains of the five tribes.
The chieftains of the four smaller tribes were formidable warriors and able leaders, but they were nowhere near the magnitude of the three chieftains that led them.
The chieftain of the Maru was Wara; a tall warrior clad in leather armour, over which he wore a black mantle. A black cowl hid most of his face, revealing only a mouth set in a grim line. But his eyes glinted from under the cowl; watchful and calculating. He was a mysterious man; known for his constant manoeuvring and manipulation of the situations within the other tribes.
The chieftain of the Ber was a warrior that rivalled Horun in size. His name was Berkhan; he wore a chainmail over his torso, revealing his huge powerful arms and it seemed as though the earth itself trembled beneath his every step. His face was a patchwork of scars, with one eye milky grey while the other blazed with the need for violence. His top-knot flowed like a war banner.
The third chieftain by contrast, looked remarkably ordinary. He wore robes similar to the Elders of Ain over a set of scale armour. He was tall and muscular, but in no way that particularly distinguished him from his warriors. His hair was cropped close to his skull and his beard and moustache were neatly trimmed. His face was unblemished save for a thin scar that ran down to one side of it. While his fellow chieftains radiated violence or mystery, his face revealed nothing but cautious openness. In contrast to his fellow chieftains, he looked rather pleasant, even peaceful.
But Hayreddin was not fooled; he knew that despite his seemingly peaceful appearance, the third chieftain; walking slightly ahead of the other two was probably the most powerful and dangerous of them.
He was Kazanah, the chieftain of the Taring; a warrior of such prowess that even Horun spoke his name with respect; and he was widely considered to be the greatest leader ever born among all the twelve tribes.
Kazanah and the other chieftains halted before Hayreddin and the Elders. He looked at each and every one of them in the face before speaking.
"Elders of Ain, young Hayreddin," he said in a pleasant voice. "It is good to see you all again."
Nebud bowed. "Great chieftains, it is an honour to play host to all of you in our pursuit of a lasting peace."
Berkhan snorted at the word 'peace' while Wara's lips curled a little. Kazanah simply smiled politely. "Lasting peace is indeed our goal; as long as your allies prove cooperative."
"I'm sure we can all come to an agreement," answered Nebud. "Now, you must be tired after a long journey. The Summit will begin day after tomorrow; in the meantime, please enjoy our hospitality. We have several spots around the oasis available; where would you and your allies like to be quartered?"
"You may quarter us together," answered Kazanah. "I give you my word that nothing...unpleasant will happen."
Nebud looked doubtful but nodded. "If you'll follow young Hayreddin then..."
XI XI XI
Hayreddin made sure that the seven allied tribes were quartered far away from the other five; Kazanah might keep his word, but Berkhan and the men from the Ber tribe looked as though they would take any excuse to begin a bloodbath, and Wara looked as though he could be trusted to stab one in the back at any given chance.
"If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask," said Hayreddin to the chieftains once their tents had been set up. The other chieftains simply nodded and walked away, but Kazanah did not move.
"Actually, there is," said Kazanah. He signalled one of his men who quickly brought out a jar and two cups.
Kazanah smiled at Hayreddin. "Would you join me for a drink?"
Hayreddin nodded, knowing it would be seen as an insult if he refused. "It would be an honour, great chieftain."
He followed Kazanah into his tent and the two sat on the floor. Kazanah himself poured out the drink and handed Hayreddin a cup. Hayreddin studied the contents, it was a murky brown liquid not unlike mud, but a sweet smell rose from it, caressing his nostrils.
"To your health, young Hayreddin," said Kazanah, raising his cup.
"To yours, great chieftain," replied Hayreddin, raising his.
The two gulped down the drink and Hayreddin found it pleasantly sweet and creamy. It clearly was not an alcoholic beverage and was unlike anything he had ever drunk before. A small smile appeared on his lips.
Kazanah saw it. "Good, yes? My tribe eschews wine; causes too much trouble and dulls one's wit. This is milu; you can drink it hot or cold. It does a good job of raising one's spirit for any task. The only shortcoming it has compared to wine would be that it doesn't dull out the ability to feel fear."
Hayreddin smiled and allowed Kazanah to pour him another cup. "I've never drank anything like this before, great chieftain."
"Good," said Kazanah, smiling widely. "Then let's have a few more cups."
After a few rounds, Hayreddin was feeling comfortably warm and his mood considerably lighter courtesy of the drink. He also found that the stress he hadn't realised he'd been carrying diminished for the moment.
Kazanah watched him intently. "This whole Summit thing, it is remarkable wouldn't you say? Several years ago any thought of the desert tribes meeting each other to talk peacefully would have been nothing but something a drunkard would dream of."
Hayreddin nodded. "I'm glad it has happened."
"But tell me, do you really believe that you can achieve any lasting peace?" asked Kazanah.
"That's why we're all here, great chieftain," answered Hayreddin.
"I know why we're all here, Hayreddin," said Kazanah. "What I'm asking is if you believe it to be possible."
Hayreddin hesitated. "I'm not sure why you are asking that, great chieftain."
Kazanah nodded. "Then let me enlighten you. The truth is, Berkhan and Wara both think this Summit is a waste of time. So do the other chieftains. Wara insisted that we use this opportunity to assassinate the chieftains of the other five tribes."
At Hayreddin's horrified look, Kazanah raised his hand. "I put a stop to it, of course, and it helps that Berkhan spits on such underhanded tactics. I am certain however, that the chieftains of the five tribes also feel that this Summit is futile. I am also certain that some of them are ready to employ assassination against us."
"I would not allow it," vowed Hayreddin.
"Of course you wouldn't, but the tribes don't have to explain their inner workings to you or the Elders of Ain," answered Kazanah. "In fact, I don't think even the Elders believe that a lasting peace is possible."
"But..."
"At worst, this whole thing will fall apart and total war will break out between the tribes; at best, a peace treaty would be agreed upon and will last a few years until someone breaks it; and then everything goes back to how it was. It's how things work out here."
Hayreddin gazed at the Taring chieftain silently for a long moment. "If that's true, then why have all of you come to this Summit? If you truly believe that, why not just stay away and prepare for war?"
Kazanah smiled. "Who knows? Maybe it was your words that convinced us."
"Don't you think it may be that despite everything, you all want a peaceful future?" asked Hayreddin. "A future where you no longer have to fight…a future without war?"
Kazanah laughed. It was a hard and cynical sound. "Young one, you are a naive idealist. For as long as men exist, so will war. The need for territory, resources and survival will ensure that it will always be so. A truly lasting peace is nothing more than a childish dream."
"Yet you allied yourselves with the Ber and the Maru."
Kazanah looked at Hayreddin questioningly. "An alliance of convenience of course."
"Great chieftain, if I may be so bold," began Hayreddin. "I've gathered information regarding your alliance; your tribe have been at war with both the Maru and the Ber for generations, yet somehow, you forged an alliance that has held for nearly ten years now. Where your alliance could have wiped out the other four tribes, you instead willingly included them into the fold when they offered. There has been peace between your seven tribes ever since; uneasy perhaps, but it is still peace. There has also been, on a small scale, some cooperation between all of you. In fact, things have been more peaceful with your seven tribes than with the five tribes allied to Ain."
Hayreddin hesitated. "Doesn't that show that you believe it is possible to work together with the other tribes…to live in peace with them?"
Kazanah's eyes were hard. "The peace and cooperation between our seven tribes is nothing more than a unified front to destroy or at least weaken the other five tribes. Once that goal has been achieved, I fully expect my so-called allies to turn on me and each other as soon as it suits them. I'm fully prepared for it and prepared to do the same...it's how things have always been for us...how it will always be."
Hayreddin stared at Kazanah and there was sadness on his face.
"Do you truly believe that?" he asked.
"It doesn't matter what I believe; it's the truth," answered Kazanah.
"That's not what I asked, chieftain," said Hayreddin. "Do you truly believe that there's no way to rise above this life of war and strife?"
Kazanah stared at Hayreddin silently for a long moment before turning away with a grunt.
"No, there isn't."
Hayreddin sighed sadly and rose. "I think you are not being truthful with me, chieftain, but I'll take my leave now. Rest well, great chieftain."
Kazanah inclined his head. "And you, young one."
Hayreddin bowed and turned to leave. Just before he exited the tent, Kazanah spoke again.
"This was an interesting conversation. I look forward to see how you'll convince the other chieftains."
Hayreddin bowed and left.