Travel is not always safe. No matter the nation, no matter the age, travel can be dangerous. Such was the case of the journey to the Yellow River, the second largest in China. On the way to the camp of the Khan's host, Chuo and his companions encountered a group of bandits.
Chuo and his companions had taken a moment to rest and eat when the bandits arrived and what a group they were. There were three of them, one less than Chuo's group, a trio of brutish fellows without armour or even weapons. They had no horses and from the looks of them they seemed to be Han. Chuo knew the attire of his own people well-enough and these people were no Xianbei. When they arrived and the leader said: "Hand over your food, soldiers!"
Chuo looked to Fu, Qing and Run with a most incredulous countenance. Did these three bandits truly think themselves so mighty? Did they think themselves invulnerable they came with neither weapons nor armour? Surely, these three were the most foolish bandits not just in Tuoba Wei, but in all the world!
To say that the bandits turned out to be so formidable they had no need of weapons and armour would be untrue. Chuo and his companions merely killed the three and continued on their way.
Upon reaching the camp at the Yellow River, Chuo found a soldier, an individual a twelvemonth older than him, reporting to another soldier, one holding a scroll. The latter asked: "What is your appellation?"
"Mulan Badaling." The former answered. Chuo had heard of Mulan Hu, the war hero whom had fought alongside his father. No doubt this Badaling was one of his children, a daughter obviously, though Chuo had no doubt there would be a large amount of really unobservant individuals who would not realize that she was a girl. She was a blonde individual with blue eyes and white skin, not that different than some other Xianbei.
Nodding, the soldier with the scroll waved Mulan into the camp. Noticing Chuo and his companions, the soldier asked: "What are your appellations?"
"Tuyuhun Chuo."
"Tuyuhun Fu."
"Pu Qing."
"Baba Run."
Nodding, the soldier waved the four into the camp. Upon entering, Chuo could only stare in wonder as he sat upon his horse. He had never seen so many people in his life before. His parents had always kept him at arm's length, never allowed to accompany his elder siblings or his cousin anywhere, only to stay with them or in the village if they were going forth. He had been to a few towns in his life, but never a city, never anywhere like the old capital Shengle or the current capital Pingcheng. As far as Chuo was concerned, almost every Xianbei in Tuoba Wei was here in this camp.
Dismounting from his steed, the surviving son of General Tuyuhun wandered the camp with the reins of his horses in his hand. First walking over to a blacksmith pounding away at a sword he was working on, Chuo watched, wondering how many campaigns he had served in, wondering if the blacksmith knew his father General Tuyuhun or Mulan's father. Surely all military personnel must have known each other. Had this blacksmith made any swords for General Tuyuhun or Battalion Captain Mulan?
Continuing on his way through the camp, Chuo bumped into a tall, muscular soldier who was wearing neither his breastplates nor a tunic. Despite neither wearing his armour or his tunic, the man still had his sword hanging at his side. Seeing Chuo, a most disgruntled expression formed upon the man's countenance and he drew his sword. Drawing his own, Chuo swallowed nervously, wondering if this was how he was to expire, not fighting the Rouran, but against one of his fellow soldiers.
The timely arrival of Fu, Qing and Run caused the soldier to smile and nod. Sheathing his sword, he walked into a tent, his obviously, and so did Chuo continue in his exploration of the camp… Or at least, he would have.
Grabbing his cousin by the arm, Fu said: "Don't wander off, Chuo. I understand these are the most of our people you have ever seen and that this camp is the largest place you have ever been, but that does not mean you wander off like a foolish child!"
"Well, well, what have we here?" inquired a deep, arrogant voice. Chuo knew this voice he had heard it on the odd occasion that he had accompanied his parents away from their camp. The voice belonged to Tufa Huang.
Tufa Huang was two decades old, the same age that General Tuyuhun's elder son had been. He was a tall, black-eyed young man with arching eyebrows, white skin and golden hair. Like any adult male subject of the Tuoba Wei Khanate regardless of ethnicity, his hair was tied into a single braid, which would have then been rolled and placed on top of the head, which then would have had a cap placed over it. However, Chuo almost did not recognize Huang, for his right eye was now dead and milky blue in colouration and it was covered by a jagged, livid scar.
But would Chuo have recognized him even without these changes in appearance? He had only ever seen Huang from a distance or with his face partially obscured. How was he to know that Huang's countenance had not been like that for a while?
In astonishment, Fu asked: "Huang? What happened to your eye?"
"Your cousin is what happened!" exclaimed Huang. "I took his life, but not before he took my eye!"
Now there was an irony, Chuo thought. His sisters were off avenging their brother and yet here was the Tufa specifically responsible for his death.
While Fu, Qing and Run all drew their swords, Chuo stayed calm. Turning to his companions he said: "This can wait until the campaign is over, no matter how long that takes. Buri Khan needs every able-bodied Xianbei soldier to fight the Rouran!"
"What? And you qualify as able-bodied?" asked Huang with a cruel laugh. "From what I heard you were born sickly and before your time! It is a miracle you are even alive!"
"Huang, that is my cousin you are speaking to!" roared Fu. "Insult him again and I will kill you myself!"
"Soldiers! That is enough!" All eyes turned as out from a tent walked Xin Ping, Commander of the Host. Seeing him swords were sheathed and heads were bowed. He was an athletic fellow, looking more like one of the Han, but his blue eyes and reddish-brown hair prevented him from looking exactly like one. His family may have adopted names to sound more like the Han, but even then, something as simple as a name did not stop some Han from thinking of him as a barbarian. He was seven and fifty-twelvemonths of age and, in Chuo's opinion at least, looked good for his age, without a single bit of greying hair. Had Chuo met him before? Of course, he had! Ping was well known for visiting the clans of military personnel. The Commander had even been present for Chuo's birth. Upon seeing Chuo, Ping's eyes widened. "Chuo, wherefore are you here? Where is your father? Your brother? Your sisters? Are they all dead?"
"My brother alone lives no more, Commander." Answered Chuo solemnly. "My father was wounded in the attack that killed my brother and my sisters are even now seeking to avenge him, though it seems the one responsible is here rather than with his clan."
Ping looked over to Huang, smiling arrogantly with a cruel look in his good eye. "You killed him?"
"That I did, Commander." Answered Huang as he crossed his arms. "But I can assure you, his hurts were on his front."
Sighing, Ping uttered: "Despite what you have done, we will keep you here. We need every able-bodied Xianbei for the campaign against the Rouran. What you have done can wait for after." Looking to Chuo, he then said: "Come into my tent." Turning his gaze to the others, he uttered: "And the rest of you, behave yourselves! I will not be having any of the Khan's host at each other's throats!" Chuo did as he was instructed and saw that Ping had several other officials within. Growing nervous, he looked at them all and they stared back with critical eyes. "My fellow officials of the Khan's Host, this is General Tuyuhun's youngest child Chuo. It would seem our old comrade will not be joining us. He is wounded, his elder son is dead and his daughters are off avenging their brother's death, not knowing his killer is here in our camp."
"This Chuo is the same one that had been born sickly and before his time?" asked a woman.
"The same, Lieutenant Hege." Replied Ping.
"The one that is considered inferior to his siblings?" inquired a man.
"The same, Lieutenant Chili." Answered Ping. Taking a seat, he looked Chuo in the eye and said: "Chuo, your cousin Fu is quite enough. The Tuyuhun clan has someone representing them, are you certain you wish to be here?"
"My father can only allow four people to serve and I am here to prove myself equal to my siblings, sir." Stated Chuo.
"An admirable reason to serve." Commented Lieutenant Hege as she stroked her chin. "But surely, you know these are the Rouran we are fighting, the very same who have been raiding our northern borders since our khanate was founded."
"I know, ma'am." Replied Chuo.
"It is said Wuti Khan had the chieftains who would not lead their clans in raiding boiled alive." Stated Chili. "That is the leader of our enemy. Does that not frighten you?"
"Not as much as living my life in the shadows of my siblings, sir." Chuo answered. For a while all of the officials sat there, staring at him in silence. Chuo could only wonder what they were thinking for he could not read their faces. All of them so stoic, their countenances like those of statues. With how still they all were, they might as well have been statues. Swallowing nervously, Chuo inquired: "You were hoping for my parents or one of my siblings, were you not?"
"We were." Stated Ping, his countenance taking on a concerned expression. "Chuo, I respect your desire to prove yourself the equal of your siblings, but that desire could cause your death."
"You will get yourself and others killed." Uttered Lieutenant Hege, turning her gaze from Chuo. "I cannot imagine why this has happened. We need the General and his wife or one of their elder children not this… pup! Yes, pup! We need wolves! Not a pup!"
Standing to his feet, Lieutenant Chili stroked his prematurely grey beard and stared at his fellow officials. "You can be concerned all you wish, Commander Ping, and you may call him a pup, Lieutenant Hege, but I feel that he must be allowed to prove himself. Besides, the strength of the wolf is the pack—"
"And the strength of the pack is the wolf, Lieutenant Chili!" returned Lieutenant Hege. "One weak wolf could be a detriment to the pack! This boy who was born sickly and before his time could be a detriment to the host!"
"The host is many. I doubt he will be that much of a detriment."
"But he will be a detriment to the cavalry squadron he is assigned to! He must be sent back for the good of himself and that of others!"
"Enough!" exclaimed Ping, bringing a fist down. "Chuo, you are dismissed for now. When we have decided whether or not you shall stay, you will be sent for."
Bowing his head, Chuo exited the tent. Looking back and forth, he saw that none of his companions were in sight, nor was Huang. There was not even any sight of Mulan. He could see no one who he knew, even if just barely. He was alone with nothing to do but wander the camp.
And wander the camp he did, not knowing what was to become of him. Was he going to be sent to the camp that he called home or was he going to stay to fight for Buri Khan? Alas, he knew not.
Ever since the reign of Liwei Khan a member of the Tuyuhun clan had served in the campaigns of the Tuoba clan. True, there would be a Tuyuhun serving in the host, but Chuo wanted to be fighting the Rouran as well! All his life he had heard of the adventures his parents, grandparents and ancestors had serving in the campaigns of the Tuoba clan, hearing how they were equal part glory and equal part glory and he had dreamed of knowing both the glory and the horror ever since he had been small, if only just once. As he got older and found himself the inferior of his elder siblings rather than their equal, his reasoning of wanting to serve his khan changed and now it seemed he might not even be able to do that.
Throwing his arms around the neck of a nearby camel, Chuo let out a sigh. What was he to do then? His parents always kept him at arm's length so what would his life be? Being a guard back at the camp he called home? After his days serving in the Khan's host, his grandfather had become a shaman. Perhaps if he were not to be a guard of the camp, then perhaps he could be a shaman, or a storyteller.
Letting go of the camel, General Tuyuhun's surviving son looked the beast in the eye and wondered what secrets the creature had. Were they secrets that would be able to help him find his path in life if he were sent back home? If only he knew.