19 Doubts

On the third night, in the evening, Chinua began to slowly open her eyes. Her chapped lips made it difficult for her to move her lips. When Batzorig taught her the value of rice, she didn't think the punishment was harsh enough, but now she understands Batzorig's teaching. Looking at the gloomy sky, she understood the value of rice.

If she closed her eyes and went to sleep, Chinua thought, she would be free from punishment tomorrow. Chinua couldn't remember if she had a dream, but the sound of thunder in the evening sky woke her up. Moments later, soft raindrops fell on her face. She lay on the ground with her mouth open to catch the raindrops.

Chinua lay in the rain, feeling her body being pulled into a sitting position. She looked to the right and said, "Khunbish..."

Khenbish sat next to Chinua, "Chinua, how are you feeling?"

Chinua said weakly, "I'm fine, why are you two here?"

Khenbish sat on Chinua's left and said, "Remember, we made a promise together."

Khunbish sat on Chinua's right and said, "We share our joys and sorrows with you."

Chinua chuckled, "That's good." She sighed. "I want to lie down." She rested her head on Kunbish's left shoulder. "I was just thinking..."

Khunbish asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Chinua said, "I was thinking, how to protect the battering rams, how to destroy the city walls without sending troops, how to make the archers stood fifty yards from the city walls, and how to minimize the loss of archers."

Khunbish stretched out his left hand and patted the back of Chinua's head lightly. "Chinua is a smart girl and she'll figure it out eventually," he said.

Chinua clutched Khunbish's arm tightly and said, "I killed someone at the market the other day. I also met someone who made me rethink the purpose of my existence."

Khenbish said, "That person must be a very gifted person to change Chinua's mind. I'd love to meet that person."

Chinua said, "What the man said to me made me realize that this land is too small for all ambitious kings and warlords to divide among them. His words also changed my mind."

Khunbish asked, "What did that man say?"

Chinua said, "The man say, those who suffer the most are ordinary citizens who fought no war. When King falls, another king rises. In the same land, a fallen king will become a slave, and a rising King will remain in power. It's all because of some greedy men who cherish his golden chair more than the lives of ordinary citizens." Chinua sat up straight in the rain. Then she rested her head against Khenbish's right shoulder. "My only mission since I was a child was to help my brother keep the title of crown prince and ensure that he becomes the future king of Hmagol. Recently, I have been thinking, what if my purpose is wrong?"

Khunbish looked at Chinua. He held Chinua's right hand and said, "Why does Chinua think that?"

Chinua said, "Do you know the real reason why the second brother punished me?"

Khenbish said, "No..."

Chinua said, "He didn't punish me because I let the Tangolian soldier go. He punished me because I spoke of his wrongdoing. I learned from a civilian that when the second brother recaptured the city of Nue-Li, he allowed His soldiers killed, raped, tortured, boiled and burned ordinary citizens and surrendered soldiers." Her lips trembled. It was not the cold of the rain that made Chinua's lips tremble, but the anger in her heart that made her lips tremble.

Khunbish said, "Why did you choose to believe that unknown civilian? He might be lying."

Chinua said, "When I talked about the city of Nue-Li, the tone of the second brother has confirmed this." She stretched out her arms and hugged Khenbish tightly. "In order not to let others have the title of the Great General of the North, he tried his best to impress father so father can give him that title." Her tears were mixed with the rain, and she sniffed. "A lot of people have to die for a stupid seal made of rock." She sobbed softly. "What if one day...elder brother becomes the greedy king who only cares about his golden chair... Then what should I do?"

Khenbish said, "The future is unknown, and no one can know for sure what will happen when Batukhan ascend the throne." He smiled. "Then Chinua must become a great warrior in the future and set an example for the rest of the Hmagol warrior."

"Whether it's today or in the future, whichever path Chinua chooses to take, we'll be by your side every step of the way," Khunbish said, patting Chinua on the back of the head. "Until we can no longer accompany you."

Early the next morning, when the soldiers untied Chinua's hand from the wooden post, Khunbish returned to the camp with Chinua and Khenbish. Khunbish and Khenbish help Chinua change into clean clothes and let her rest on the thin straw mat."

Timicin walked over to the tent and walked in. He sat on the ground not far from Chinua, and put Chinua's black cloth bag, a tray with a bowl of rice porridge and boiled medicine on the ground in front of Chinua. He looked at Khenbish and Khunbish and said, "Captain Haitao asked you two to train archery with the other men." He looked at the two worried men. "Don't worry, I'll stay here with Chinua."

Timicin sat there, watching Chinua sleeping peacefully with her eyes closed. He still saw the handprints and slowing lips on Chinua's face. He sat there for a long time until Chinua opened her eyes and looked left and right as if looking for something or someone.

Timicin said, "They left to train the others according to Captain Haitao's instructions."

Chinua tried to get up, but she couldn't sit up. Timicin walked quickly behind her and sat behind Chinua to support her. He reached for the bowl of rice porridge and fed it to Chinua. Then he picked up the bowl of medicine and fed it to Chinua. Chinua took a swig and swept it away with her right hand.

Chinua frowned, "It's too bitter."

Timicin chuckled and said, "Of course it is bitter. If you don't sleep for too long, the bitterness will be less."

Chinua smiled and said, "You are right." She continued to drink the medicine until the bowl was empty. Timicin quickly wiped her mouth with his sleeve. "Timicin, thank you."

Timicin pointed to the large bag in the corner of Chinua's tent and said, "General Batzorig asked me to bring that to you, he said it was yours."

Chinua said, "Thank you."

Timicin asked, "What's inside?"

"Some children's toys that I bought from vendors when I was in the village," Chinua said.

Timicin looked at Chinua and asked, "Who changed you?"

"I don't remember, but it was probably Khunbish and Khenbish," Chinua said.

Timicin's jaw dropped. "What...why did you allow them?" Are you ashamed?"

"They've been doing this since we were young. It's their job," Chinua said, looking at Timicin. "Why are you so worried about the two eunuchs?"

Timicin was silent for a while, then suddenly choked out, "Eunuch...Khunbish and Khenbish are eunuchs?"

Chinua looked at Timicin oddly, "Mmm..."

A trace of guilt flashed in Timicin's heart. He smiled shyly and said, "I didn't know they were...I thought...I mean I thought they and you know..." He felt awkward being in the tent with Chinua. "I'm going to training too... see you at dinner."

Chinua giggled at Timicin, then opened the bag with her toys. She took out all the toys and placed them by the pillow one by one. She picked up the toy ballista, which had a cup full of small arrows at the bottom. The ballista is easy to turn left and right, there is a turning handle next to the ballista. Chinua turned the handle slowly, a small wooden handle fell, erected an arrow, and placed the arrow into shooting position. Chinua pulled the trigger, and a small arrow was fired.

Chinua turned the toy ballista back and forth. She was stunned by these little toys. "This little toy is so fun," she murmured. She put it on the ground beside the pillow. "How much damage can you do, if you're a full-scale war machine?"

In the evening, the nine were sitting around the campfire for supper, and the seven noticed that Timicin was especially nice to Khunbish and Khenbish today which created doubts in their mind. Usually, he eats before the others, but this evening he grabbed two big servings for Khunbish and Khenbish.

Chaghatai said quietly, "Tonight, Timicin was very nice to Khunbish and Khenbish. Usually he hates them."

Muunokhoi said, "Maybe it's because Khunbish and Khenbish taught us how to shoot today."

Od said, "Or he was possessed by a ghost."

Och grabs Timicin and makes him sit next to him and Erden. Och said, "Hey, what's up with you today?"

Timicin said, "What?"

Erden said, "You're acting weird."

Timicin protests, "No, I'm not. This is how I behave every day."

Terbish said, "No, you aren't. We can see that you are not yourself. Tell us now."

Timicin said, "Well, you should be nice to them, too. From now on, each of you needs to respect them. Even if they're not exactly men like us."

Muunokhoi whispered, "What are you talking about?"

Timicin whispered, "They don't have their little brother anymore."

The men stared at Timicin, gasping in disbelief.