The Khan Ch. 09: A New Age

"I dreamed of her last night," Hakkon said. There was no need to say who he was talking about. He took the wine skin from Tsukku and drank. "She stood on the crest of a ridge. She was cast in shadows, silhouetted against the setting sun. I looked up at her. I started to climb, but the path was difficult. Overgrown with brush. I had to push my way through. I looked up again. I was closer now. I could see her in detail. She had the head of a minotaur."

"She changed."

"No. I said this was a dream. In that world she had always been one of us."

Tsukkku nodded.

He took another draw of wine, considered his words and spoke. "When I get to her - after much difficulty - she's standing beside a massive boulder. Flat on top. In the center there was a coppery stain of blood. As if a thousand sacrifices had been made on that alter." Then. "I suddenly knew I was dreaming. That it wasn't real. But I was very afraid. In that moment, I knew I was going to kill or be killed."

"Prophecy."

"I'm no seer."

"For a brief time, you were." And Tsukku genuinely believed those words.

Hakkon shook his head in denial, passed the wineskin back. "We are all asked to sacrifice. You can read whatever meaning you want in the images. It doesn't matter."

"Do you know anything else for certain?"

He paused. Then said, "When I die, my wife will be at my side."

Tsukku nodded. They sat under the stars drinking wine for a long time before Hakkon spoke again. When he did, it was to ask about politics. "Did you speak with Rantanen?"

"He agreed to pledge himself to you. But only if the human does not return."

Hakkon cursed.

"Not many of the chieftains are happy with your choice of wife. They see it as a betrayal."

"It's not."

"And they see you as having a divided loyalty."

"I don't."

"Nevertheless it's the mood of the council. But that's not what worries me the most." A pause. Then. "If Sudara returns triumphant, he'll be a hero."

"Vengeance does not make him a hero."

"Killing our enemies does," Tsukku said. "The council will be split, if you're lucky. If not, they might all herd to him."

Hakkon brooded. He hadn't wanted this. He had supported Guarinn's claim the Khanate. But now the chieftain was dead and it fell to him to lead their tribe. To fulfill Guarinn's dream of uniting all the tribes.

"We need to double down. Convince the chieftains I was the one to lead our people to Cloven Rock. I saved a dozen injured bulls. I built our new gathering hall with my own hands."

A young bull ran up interrupting their palaver.

Hakkon turned. "I see you Bozak."

Breathless. "They've returned."

Hakkon went to the village square. There was commotion. Most of the village gathered. A hero's welcome. He saw Sudara in the lead. The massive minotaur clapped his warriors on the back. They asked about the mission.

Hakkon only cared about one thing.

He saw her. He watched her walk down the worn trail into the village. His gaze lingered on her body. She had changed. Her long legs were dirty and hairy from life on the plains. Once slender arms had turned hard with use. Her body was calloused from adventures and the passage of time.

Then she looked up and saw him. She smiled. And the smile lit her face.

She walked up to him. He towered over her. She looked into his eyes.

"I see you are well," he said to her.

She shook her head but didn't elaborate. "Did you gain the support of the chief..."

He cut her off with a kiss. She was more delicate than he remembered. But of course, with this woman looks were deceiving.

She tensed, froze in fear or denial or some complicated emotion. And then she melted in his arms. She returned the kiss as passionately as ever.

A moment later they separated. "There will be time for politics later," he said. "For now, let us treasure this moment." His hand reached out slowly. He touched her arm, lingered on her scar. She looked away, suddenly self conscious. "You are injured."

"It was a difficult mission."

Hakkon took that arm in his hands and brought it to his lips and kissed the raised flesh. Then he kissed her wrist.

"Hyun?"

"Our daughter is well. She misses you."

Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Tell me about her."

"She stands now on her own two feet. And she speaks some few words."

The tears overflowed. Poured down her cheeks.

Hand in hand he led her to their new house. It was smaller than the lodge, but it was truly their own, not belonging to another.

They stood for some time in the living room as if unsure in the other's company. Then they went to the bedroom. They undressed.

Laying on the mat, they kissed. It was timid, neither fully committed. Something held them back. They separated. Jun'ai looked into Hakkon's eyes. She touched his face. She had imagined this so many times, so many variations on this scene, and now that it was here, she found she was shy. It was as if they were making love for the first time.

"I have to tell you something," Jun'ai said. Her words soft.

"You can tell me anything, my chrysanthemum."

She hesitated, as if not sure what it was she had to say. Then she began. "A lot happened to me on the plains. I was in battle. I witnessed things I never thought I would have to. I killed." She swallowed. Continued. "And I was not faithful to you."

"You were with Sudara."

"More than that. I fell in love with him."

Hakkon said nothing.

"But the strange thing was, before we completed our mission, I stopped loving him." She put a hand on his massive chest. "It was the memories of you that kept me going. It was the thought of coming home to you and Hyun that gave me a reason to survive."

Hakkon looked at her with dark unreadable eyes.

"What I'm trying to tell you is that I still love you. Even after being apart from you for so long. You are my soul mate."

A hand slipped between her legs and gently pushed them apart, a palm ran along the inside of her thigh.

Jun'ai's head rolled back.

His lips moved down. Her chest. The fullness of her breasts. When they reached her nipples, she gasped. Fingers traced a pattern on the inside of her thigh, they moved up toward her crotch. Jun'ai shuddered. Sudara had touched her many times, but never like this. He never made her feel this way.

The familiarity of his body returned. His hands. His chest. His lips. Time melted away. It was as if no time had passed at all since their last encounter.

Hakkon mounted her. It was incredible having her husband between her legs once more. He pushed into her. She was wet. It effortlessly slipped in.

Jun'ai reached down, rubbed her crotch in tandem with his thrusts. It was deep. It was pure sensation. Their slick bodies rubbed together in a blend of flesh. A thin sheen of sweat pooled between them. It was a whole-body experience.

The lovemaking was hurried. A frenzy of limbs and lust. In their passion, Jun'ai's head cracked against the floor board. Her hands gripped the edge of the rug. Hakkon fucked her with a steady rhythm she found forceful and satisfying.

Then he repositioned so that he straddled one of her legs. Hakkon kneeled, her other leg sticking straight up in the air. Her calf rested against his chiseled chest. His member rubbing against her inner thigh. A moment later, it was inside her again.

He held her leg. Kissed her foot. Her calf. His hand ran down her thigh.

After a few minutes, Jun'ai decided to take a more active role. She opened her eyes. Saw him above her.

She pushed against him. He knew what she wanted, went willingly. He rolled over, lay on his back. She straddled him. She worked his member between her fingers. He grunted. His head rolled back.

She raised herself up and lowered herself down on his manhood.

Faster she moved. Up and down over the length of him.

Then she lay down. She dropped down from her kneeling position to lay on top of him. She propped herself up on hands. Muscles held her suspended above Hakkon. She continued flexing her hips. Enjoying each variation, each subtle change.

He gripped her, held her fast, while she rode him.

She gasped. He grunted.

Then he exploded inside her.

She was furious, unrelenting. She wanted an orgasm. Hungered for it. Thrusts came faster now, faster than before. Faster and harder, rubbing her crotch against her husband. She loved the control she had.

At last, she too exploded with an orgasm. It came over her with such force that she was unprepared for it. Her arms, which had supported her weight, gave out. She crashed down on him. Face pillowed against his chest. She gasped. Her hips continued flexing, savoring each aftershock.

Jun'ai rolled off. Both breathing hard.

"Now I want to ask you something," Jun'ai said when she had caught her breath.

"Ask."

"Were you with anyone else?"

A slight pause. "Rasya."

"I see."

"She cared for our child while I worked and travelled and rebuilt. And she was there when I needed her the most. Emotionally and physically."

Then. "Do you love her?"

"Yes. But different. She is my friend. You are my wife."

And she knew that in his mind it was that simple. There was no contradiction. No problem. Just two sexual relationships. One of which was with his wife. And she loved him all the more for the beautiful simplicity of it.

*

Rasya returned later that day with Hyun in tow.

And so she saw her daughter again after two months. Hyun had grown in the way children do, and her expressions were that of a miniature adult. A smile of recognition opened her face. She reached out grubby hands.

Jun'ai scooped her into her arms and hugged her fiercely to her chest.

They spent awhile speaking of trivial matters that only a parent can appreciate. No one wants to hear people talk about the silly things their children do. But it's a trait of all parents everywhere.

Then the reunion segued to business.

"What have the chieftains decided?"

"Nothing." Hakkon shook his head. Vexed. "The council's split. Some support rebuilding here in Cloven Rock, others want to disband the council. Each chief rule directly over their tribe without interference."

"What?" Jun'ai was incredulous.

"If we're decentralized we won't be vulnerable."

"That's crazy. How much more decentralized can we get?"

Hakkon had nothing to say to that.

"How much support do you have?" She asked quietly.

"Not enough."

"How many?"

"Pledged. Three. Another is on the edge, has some reservations."

She didn't ask what those reservations were. She had been living here long enough. She had some idea. Instead she simply asked, "Who?"

"Rantanen."

"How can we change his mind?"

"He's old guard. Hesitant to have a single bull rule over all the tribes. But he disagrees with decentralizing."

"He supports the council."

Hakkon considered that. Then said, "He thinks the council is ineffective. It can't reach any kind of consensus. But a central location for the chiefs to meet promotes communication, which can head off problems."

Darkness fell over the valley. The evening air chilled. Rasya stoked the fire to life.

Hakkon put his arm around his wife. Held her close, warming her with his body.

Jun'ai leaned against him and watched Hyun toddle around the clearing. The tiny minotaur held on to stones, tree trunks, and such as she walked.

Then a question occurred to her that she had never thought to ask before. An obvious question. Why she only now thought of it was a sign of the stress she was under. "How did the last Khan come to power?"

"He was an elder at a time when many of the chieftains were young and new in their roles. They were looking for guidance and he provided."

"What do the chieftains lack now?"

"A common identity." The wheels were turning. He worked it through. What they needed was a common identity. What was a common identity he could provide? "We need a mead hall. A gathering place for the council. A place to hold the Great Games. Someplace all of us can look to for strength."

"You had one in Spring Wind."

"A small place. We need something bigger, more ceremonial."

"More human?" Jun'ai smirked.

Hakkon nodded.

"What was Guarinn's plan?"

"He played the rivalries between the chieftains. He kept them working against each other. Most of them simply disliked him the least."

"Except Sudara."

"Sudara hated Guarinn. Saw him as his greatest rival. And now I am his greatest threat." And then he knew how this was going to end. The Great Games. Combat with Sudara. And he knew his dream had been a prophecy after all.

*

The council gathered. Eleven men that represented the leadership of the Kharolis minotaurs. This was the first full gathering since the attack on Spring Wind.

They sat in a loose ring in a clearing at the center of the village. Some spoke of trivial matters. Some discussed trade. Some asked questions about the jackal attack and the repercussions. Sudara answered those. He was characteristically stoic, but clearly enjoyed the attention.

Hakkon sat on the council for the first time. The magnitude of his role hadn't dawned on him until that moment.

His chest tightened in anticipation of what he was about to do. The historical significance of this moment, regardless of how it resolved, was not lost on him. He stood, walked into the center of the clearing and faced the rest of the chieftains.

When he had all their attention he spoke. "For too long we have been divided. We have been without a leader. Without a common purpose. This has left us vulnerable to attack," he called out. "You speak of the attack on Spring Wind as if it were unexpected. But how could you not see a threat to our people when we stand divided?"

"We are not divided. The council is as strong as ever." Rantanen paused, smiled a cold smile. "Perhaps your mind has been clouded by outside influences."

That drew chuckles from a few.

Hakkon knew he had to tread carefully here. He couldn't rise to that bait.

"It was Guarinn's dream that one from the council should claim the mantle of Khan and unite the tribes. Only this way can we be strong. Only this way can we have unified purpose."

"Guarinn is dead." That from another of the chieftains.

"True. And I am his successor."

"And no doubt you feel that entitles you to the Khanate." Rantanen again. This time a cautious attack, one that gave Hakkon an opening.

"I have the support of Guarinn's allies and more." A bluff, but hopefully a convincing one. "And I have a vision. I see a great gathering hall for all our people. A place for trade, for council meetings, for the Great Games. A symbol of our culture."

"How is that different than Spring Wind?" A councilor asked and shrugged.

"That was a village. I see a castle."

That intrigued them.

"Strong words from a strong bull." Sudara spoke now. "But why do you believe it should be you to lead us? You who have only recently become chief of your own tribe? This I ask you."

"If not me, then who?"

There was silence. Exchanged glances.

It was in this silence that Sudara stood. "It was I who led the attack on the jackals. I beheaded their king. I claimed justice for our people, brought us the closure we needed. Our people value strength. And I have shown my valor."

Hakkon smiled briefly. Wiped it quickly away. Here was his opening. His one big chance. "Agreed," he said to a stunned audience. "Our people do value strength. So it should be strength that determines who leads us." He looked around the circle. "I challenge you Sudara to a Great Game. The greatest of them all. A fight to the death for the leadership of the tribes."

There. How could Sudara say no to that?

Jun'ai was tense. Breathlessly waiting to see how this played out. Her hand clenched tighter on Hyun's.

When the commotion of shocked conversation quieted, Sudara held his head high. He knew his own strength. His confidence supreme. "I accept your challenge, young chieftain." Then. "What does the council have to say?"

No one wanted to say anything just then. But at last it was Rantanen that spoke. "Then we vote. All in favor of this duel, raise a fist."

Hakkon and Sudara raised theirs. Then a couple more, then three more. And then Rantanen raised his. And the total was eight. A winning majority. More than enough to change the course of history.

*

They were in a hut. Alone. Standing toe to toe. Fingers on the other's arms. Abbreviated touches. Tension hot between them.

Hakkon smiled at his lost love. Now returned to him.

Adrenaline pumped through her. This was it. The final maneuvers had been made. The landscape was about to break. One way or another there would soon be a Khan.

Wordlessly she pulled him over to the bed. Then down. Her lips searching for his. Then a thrill as they touched. It was carnal. A release of tension and an embrace of new energy. Hakkon returned the kiss. Lustful hands explored her body. Caressed supple flesh. Eager and excited, wanting more, needing more.

Her head rolled back against the rug. Her flesh warm and inviting. Pale skin in the flickering firelight. Taking the initiative, Hakkon mounted his wife.

A moan. She lost herself in the embrace.

A heat filled her mid-section. It pulsed between them. As she rubbed hands over his body, all the familiar sensations returned. His coarse hair. The musky scent of testosterone. She felt this body was also a part of her. His flesh became her flesh. His strength, her strength. His gentleness, her gentleness.

Tightly Jun'ai clung to her lover.

Hakkon's lips found her nipples. Bit them. She cried out. His fingers entangled in her long hair drawing her head to his chest.

He pushed into her. Again she cried out. She wrapped her legs around Hakkon's waist, pulling him tighter. Pulling him deeper.

Their bodies blended. Jun'ai could feel every sensation he gave her. Every subtle change. Every discreet motion. They shared one mutual mounting orgasm.

Jun'ai could hear the soft sounds of his breathing. Little grunts of pleasure filled her ears. Their entwined bodies clung to one another, held on to each other with the desperation of someone drowning. Hakkon became her lifeline in this storm of ecstasy.

Finally, at last, it had to end. The mounting tension released itself in a lip biting orgasm that crashed over both lovers simultaneously.

Afterward, bodies slick with sweat, breathing hard, they held one another. She curled against his broad chest. His strong arms held her. His muzzle on the nape of her neck. His still throbbing cock between the soft cheeks of her butt.

A tiredness came over Jun'ai as she felt Hakkon's kisses on her back. And in that state she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

*

Dawn of a new age.

A clear crisp autumn morning and the minotaurs gathered. There were more than Jun'ai had ever seen in one place. There were hundreds. They formed a circle around the clearing a dozen deep. They stood among the buildings and the fields. Some children climbed to the thatched roofs of the huts. Outliers clustered on the slopes of the valley, watching from a distance.

Jun'ai stood in the front. Held Hyun's hand. She was bundled in furs despite minotaur tradition. This morning was cold.

One of the chieftains stepped into the ring and spoke to the gathered witnesses. A hush fell over the crowd. He said, "This combat has the blessing of the council. It will continue until death. Each may begin the fight with a weapon of choice. If and when a fighter loses a weapon, another will be provided. If the circle is breached involuntarily, the fighting is suspended. If the circle is breached knowingly, that combatant is in forfeit." He paused. Then. "The winner will have the complete support of the gathered chiefs and be declared Khan of our people."

Sudara stepped into the ring first. Brandished a sword. Swinging it back and forth, testing its weight and grip.