The Black Rose Page #4

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We understand that

small caravans...

too often disappear

in the wild country they pass through.

Small?

What are you talking about?

When you send presents

to the great Khan...

he demands nine times nine

of everything-

silks, jewels, women.

I had to find 81 of the most

beautiful women of this land.

And because it is

all for the Khan...

it will travel under the protection of the army

of the great General Bayan himself.

Bayan of the Hundred Eyes.

Does that sound

safe enough for you?

A caravan of nothing but gifts.

It's strange. L-

It isn't

strange at all.

You see, the Khan begins

his war against China-

Cathay, as you call it.

He will have the spoils of the oldest

and richest country in the world.

I will be his friend.

I will help him to, uh,

dispose of the wealth of ages.

I will be the richest

merchant in the world.

Well, young travelers,

are you prepared to, uh, pay well...

to travel in such company?

Well, we thought we might put ourselves

to hire as guards for such a caravan.

Christian guards.

It would invite attack.

Is that the best you can offer?

You've wasted my time.

I warned you. Search them!

If there is nothing of value, cut off

their hair to make a pillow for my feet.

I will have something

for my trouble.

I have already

made such a search.

There was only

this of value.

I kept it

for just such a moment.

It's not much profit,

but it is enough to save my honor.

- Throw them out.

- Oh, yes, sir.

This way.

What did you do that for?

Why did you lie to him?

Sometimes they call me

"the bird who feathers his nest"...

because they say that

I steal from everyone.

It is not true, of course.

But let us say that I'm in a position to take

a smaller profit than my kindly master.

I go with the caravan.

I'm in charge of it.

Perhaps I will take you.

It will cost me nothing

to provide you with equipment.

It will be his.

How much gold do you have?

There isn't much left...

and you're not exactly giving us

good reason to trust you with what there is.

Who is this Bayan general,

the one with all the eyes?

Oh, he's the greatest

soldier in the world.

The great Khan borrowed him

from Persia for his war against China.

He will conquer

the world one day.

And, uh,

where is he camped now?

Three days from here

with his army.

I wouldn't consider offering

your services to Bayan.

His men are trained

to love killing.

They would enjoy cutting

a Christian's throat.

I'm afraid you have no choice

but to... deal with me.

How much gold have you?

What kind of a country

is this?

- Good.

- How soon can we get started?

Two dawns from now.

You're lucky you found me.

These, by the reason

of the great kindness of my heart...

they're for you

for the journey.

This one they call her "the singer"

because she makes horrible noise all the time.

The other will bite you

whenever she cannot kick you.

You'll have to find a place

to sleep in your tent...

where it doesn't leak.

But I think it's

good enough for Christians.

The servant is good.

He will steal

everything for you.

- Mahmoud, sir.

- That's all.

Good day,

young sirs.

I'll toss you whether

you get sung to or bitten.

- Wet or dry?

- Wet.

It's dry.

Mahmoud, I don't know why

they didn't build me to fit a camel better...

or build a camel

to fit me better.

Well, I found out some of it

from our nest-feathering friend.

That mighty general is camped

right over that hill with his army.

We're camped here

so that wild crew of his...

doesn't get a look at

the women we brought with us.

We're not traveling today

because he's holding games...

some sort of tournament

on the plain.

And I also found out another thing-

why they call him Bayan of the Hundred Eyes.

- Thought maybe he had that many.

- No, they say he can see everything.

Tomorrow he'll know how

every man performs in the games.

- There'll be all kinds- horsemanship, archery, all-

- Archery?

- Oh, that interests you, huh?

- Yes, it's a little cold for fine work...

though the light

should be good.

- What are their bows like, do you think?

- Bone and steel.

- The finest in the world.

- Ah, wait till they hear Sarah talk.

But they won't,

my impulsive friend.

The last thing we want

to do is to attract attention...

so you leave Sarah

right where she is.

It wouldn't hurt

just to take her along.

- Well, you won't take her off your shoulder.

- She wouldn't make any trouble.

I'd feel surer about that

if her name wasn't Sarah.

That's an English banner.

Probably a crusader's

that he killed.

The infidel swine!

- What's that about?

- He's the camel driver...

who came too close to

the women's tent yesterday.

Child's play.

Child's play, hmm?

At that range,

I could toss an arrow in the mark.

Somebody ought to show them

what an English bow can do.

Tris!

Get over there and see if

you can find out what's happening.

He says that master

is to compete...

but if he does not make good,

the bow is to be broken over his head.

He means that if master fails,

they are to beat out his brains.

- Who is he?

- That, master, is Bayan of the Hundred Eyes.

- Does he know what'll happen to him if he fails?

- I do not think so.

Well, I guess you're right.

Look at him.

All he knows is

that he's out with Sarah.

What were they

talking about?

Oh, nothing. Nothing.

The bow, that's all.

Well, go ahead,

my friend.

- Remember the wind, Tris.

- Walt, I was weaned on remembering the wind.

Sarah herself would remember it

if I forgot.

Good enough.

Well, that's enough

of children's games.

Now give us

a little room to shoot.

Tris!

If we're gonna show them something,

let's show them something good.

Tris! Don't be a fool.

That's far enough.

No, a little further.

I want to make him refuse to try it.

Now, my heathen friend,

would you like to try first?

I thought as much.

Tris! Not even a miracle

can make that shot.

Well, if I miss this,

I'll have missed a hard one.

- You did it!

- Yes, but it was luck.

I moved too far back.

I don't know why.

I think it was Sarah

trying to show off.

- Well, if you'd have missed, we'd be very dead by now.

- What?

Yes. His orders,

Bayan himself.

Well, why didn't you tell me?

No, I'm glad you didn't.

Sarah.

Bayan wishes

to see you, master.

- Now?

- At once. Be very careful what you say.

You let me do the talking. This may be

the chance we've been waiting for.

- My lord-

- That shot of yours, how much luck was there?

- I want the truth.

- There was a certain amount of luck in it, my lord.

- How often can you make the same shot?

- Three out of five times.

The bow can be

handled quickly?

He's put three shafts in the air

before the first touches the ground.

I asked the bowman.

With accuracy?

I've seen him bring down

three ducks with four shafts.

It's light. Light and strong.

Comes from the wood or the way it's made?

From both, my lord.

From the yew, and from skill...

- in shaping the bow to take advantage of the grain.

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