The Conqueror Page #5

forces would unite with us!

But for the promise

of Wang Khan"s alliance,

would we have been fools enough

to gather our tribes?

Your plan is but-

You will yet share

Temjin"s triumph!

[Animal Howling]

Eternal skies,

Yessugai my father,

hear me.

Summon the spirits of heaven

to my aid.

Send me men!

Men!

This day I have long awaited.

And now I am beset by

weaklings and traitors.

And victory is slipping

from my grasp.

Spirits of heaven,

Yessugai my father,

do not desert me

in this fateful hour.

Let not treachery prevail!

Lord?

Lord, an envoy

from Wang Khan.

Temjin.

I bring you ill tidings,

Temjin.

I doubt it not.

Secure in his city,

Wang Khan waits word...

of your destruction

at the Tartar"s hands.

You rode two days

to bring me such news?

To give you warning,

and a plan to thwart

the old man"s treachery.

And the plan?

Seize Urga!

And bleed my strength in

siege of Wang Khan"s city?

There will be no siege

and no battle.

I, myself,

will open the gates,

and taken by surprise,

the city will fall

like a ripe plum.

The time has come,

Temjin Khan,

if you would tread the path

of power and riches.

And the young Khan

will know how to reward

a humble servitor.

What of my brothers,

Jamuga and Kasar?

Wang holds them captive.

Strike camp.

We ride on Urga.

[Shouting]

We ride!

Sorgan.

Keep this Shaman

always in your sight.

If he leaves our ranks,

slay him.

Ho there. Stand!

Hold. The Shaman

of your Khan.

l"ve come with

the Mongol Chief for

audience with the Khan.

Open.

Our news awaits.

The gates.

Bow!

Come on!

[Sighs]

Ah, my Shaman!

What word bring you?

The spirits grow impatient

for your coming, O Khan.

[Screams]

You are avenged, Temjin Khan!

Temjin, beware the viper.

He anticipated

my vengeance, traitor.

Not I, Temjin, not I.

He spoke poisoned words

against you.

To confound him

for your advantage!

He wished me to abandon you

to Kumlek and-

And...

my brothers?

Kasar-

My... humble servitor!

[Groans]

[Shouting]

[Groans]

[Shouting]

Ho! Hear me!

[Shouting Continues]

[Crashes]

Hear me! Hear me!

Wang Khan is slain!

Urga is ours!

[Cheering]

[Crashes]

Lord, Wang"s generals

swear allegiance.

[Temjin]

Let all take heed.

I, Temjin,

Chief of all Mongols...

and henceforth ruler

over the possessions

of Wang Khan,

make known to all men present

and afar off:

Those who oppose me

shall be destroyed:

those who submit

shall be spared:

and those who

freely unite with me...

shall profit richly

for I march against the Tartars.

The Khan!

[Cheering]

[Water Dripping]

No torment moves him.

The man is iron!

I care not!

You will make him talk,

or every torment he has had

shall be your lot!

Make fire.

For three days now

your men have worked on him.

Is not your pleasure

satisfied, my Father?

He sickens me.

But he shall talk!

l"ll know the whereabouts

ofTemjin-

Then let me talk with him

as I have asked you.

I know the nature

of this man.

No torture will persuade him

like a woman"s gentleness.

My eagerness is no less

than your own to know

the whereabouts ofTemjin.

Do with him what you will,

but make him talk!

Captain!

Let him be brought

to my tent.

You have slept long.

Drink.

You have suffered much.

But you will spare me

further suffering if-

If it is in my power.

Let us speak low.

Three of my father"s guard

watch this tent.

The hand is gentler,

the koumiss sweeter,

but no more potent than

the water to make me speak.

I ask nothing

but to know he lives.

I am well rested.

Call your guards.

You cannot trust me,

yet I aided his escape.

And you will aid mine

if I tell you-

Nothing! Only that he lives.

Is he recovered?

Tell me, Mongol!

Guard!

Go! Go!

But you-

Fool.

For this betrayal, my father

would tear my heart out

with his own foul hand.

I chance this gladly

just to know Temjin lives.

To reach his arms,

l"d cast Kumlek to his fate...

and betray my people

into Mongol bondage.

Do you not understand,

Jamuga?

You said once you loved him

more than life.

I am consumed

with want of him.

I can take you to him.

Where is he?

No, no. Do not tell me.

I will find a way.

It must be soon.

A danger threatens

he must know of.

I was hastening to warn him

when your men captured me.

It must be tonight.

If he should die-

He will not die.

The peril is chiefly

to his enterprise.

His life is charmed,

for destiny has marked him.

Tell me ofTemjin.

I know of him only that on

a sudden, my hatred for him

could not withstand my love.

He has a quality of spirit

that commands love,

and makes men

greater than themselves.

Lacking this spirit,

I found fulfillment

in our brotherhood,

and strove to inspire him

to the greatness

he knew not yet was in him.

That was the purpose

of my life.

"Was,"Jamuga?

He has found greater

inspiration, Bortai.

We must go to him.

I must find a way!

Bortai!

Bortai!

Temjin!

Ah, my brother!

No, Temjin, no!

Die, traitor, die!

Temjin, beloved.

Ten men will guard you

with their lives.

I go to avenge my father.

[Shouts Commands]

[Shouting]

[Shouts]

Mongol dog!

Hyah!

Hyah!

He comes!

My heart is glad

that he lives to rejoice

in your triumph.

Open your heart to him,

Temjin.

His love and loyalty for you

are no less than my own.

Let there be brotherhood

between us as before, Jamuga.

Though your tongue

calls me brother,

your heart denies me,

Temjin,

for the worm of distrust

has entered into it.

The past shall be

forgotten, Jamuga.

The worm buries deep

but never dies.

Temjin would be uneasy by day,

and by night sleep fearfully.

Let"s hear no more of this.

I have made great conquests.

I shall need

your wisdom henceforth.

You have no need of me

henceforth, my brother,

for you have found

your destiny.

Far greater conquests

will be yours, Temjin,

and men will call you Genghis Khan,

the perfect warrior.

Jamuga of the silver tongue.

I have ill repaid your love,

my brother.

Ask now any favor of me,

and that I take my oath

to grant you.

Grant that I may die swiftly.

No!

Jamuga!

That is the favor I ask,

my brother.

I hold you to your oath.

As in the sacred ritual

of our ancestors, let my dying

be without bloodshed,

so that in

the eternal heavens...

my spirit may forever counsel

and protect the Great Khan.

So be it, my brother.

[Jamuga Narrating]

And the Great Khan

made such conquests...

as were undreamed of

by mortal men.

Tribes of the Gobi flocked

to his standard,

and the farthest reaches

of the desert trembled

under the hooves ofhis hordes.

At the feet ofhis Tartar woman,

he laid all the riches

of Cathay.

For 100 years,

the children of their loins

ruled half the world.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes