The early morning breeze sweeping across Hosha City's training ground carried the fresh scent of cut grass. Chinua, arms crossed, observed her troops. They moved with newfound precision through their morning drills, guided by Hibo and a contingent of Musian soldiers. Five days had passed since the brutal battle with the Razaasia, and while there were no immediate signs of another attack, Chinua and her forces knew their stay in Hosha City was extended until Zuberi and Musian reinforcements arrived.
Kianga approached, a warm smile gracing her lips. "If Hibo is teaching them, Your Highness could rest assured," she said, her voice gentle.
Chinua turned, returning Kianga's smile. "Oheneba," she greeted. "How is your injury? Isn't Prince Mandla with you today?"
Kianga's smile softened. "His Royal Highness and the counselors are in a meeting this morning. As for my injury, it's much better." She moved to stand beside Chinua, her gaze falling upon the training ground where Hibo and the Musian troops demonstrated their fighting skills to the Magoli soldiers. "Captain Hibo is a great teacher. The soldiers who stood with her on the training ground were her best, but sadly many died protecting Hosha City."
"I can tell from her fighting skills," Chinua replied, then turned to Kianga. "You are also a great warrior. I heard from the soldiers that you jumped off the city wall alone, fought against the Razaasia, and stopped them from pushing the battering ram towards the city gate."
Kianga laughed, a genuine, mirthful sound. "It was a bold move, but at the time, it was the only thing I could think of doing: to hold off their advance and kill as many Razaasia soldiers as I could before they threw me to the ground. Perhaps, I had accepted my fate that day, but the Father above must have had other plans for me, so they sent you to help me." She met Chinua's gaze. "Would Your Highness like to have a friendly fight with Captain Hibo?"
Chinua chuckled, shaking her head. "Please don't embarrass me in front of my own soldiers. In a one-on-one battle with Captain Hibo, I will definitely lose," she said with a playful smile.
"You are too generous," Kianga countered, her voice firm. "On the contrary, it is quite the opposite. If Captain Hibo and Your Highness fight one on one, Captain Hibo will most likely lose. I can be sure of this because I know a great warrior when I see one."
Suddenly, a female soldier's voice cut through the air from behind Chinua and Kianga. "Oheneba!" she shouted. "King Batukhan of Hmagol sent an envoy with food and clothes to help Hosha City!"
Chinua turned, her brow furrowed slightly. "Who is this envoy?" she asked.
"The envoy is waiting for Her Highness and asked to meet a soldier named Timicin," the soldier replied.
Chinua burst out laughing, a joyous, uninhibited sound.
Kianga smiled, observing Chinua with amusement. "This is the first time I have seen the feminine side of Your Highness. To be honest, if I hadn't heard my husband say that you are an armored woman, I would have thought you were an armored man."
Chinua's laughter subsided into a soft smile. "Oheneba, that envoy is Minister Misheel, Timicin's father," she explained. Her eyes scanned the training ground, searching for Timicin. After a few moments, she spotted him and his friends training in a far corner. "Hey! Timicin! Over here!" she waved, calling out to him.
Timicin looked up, spotting Chinua's waving hand. "What do you want!" he yelled back.
"I have urgent news for you!" Chinua shouted, her voice carrying across the field.
"Urgent news? Is your father sick?" Erden asked Timicin, turning to him with concern.
"Or maybe he died," Och blurted out.
Chaghatai, exasperated, hit Och on the forehead. "You idiot! Urgent news is not always the death of a family member. It can be other things too!"
"I think it may be because you are the only son," Muunokhoi chimed in, a mischievous glint in his eye. "This battle made your parents realize that if you die on the battlefield, there will be no heir, and your family bloodline will be lost forever."
Terbish continued the playful teasing, "So, your parents decided to find you a bride."
"Then next year," Od added with a grin, "we'll have a little Timicin running around!"
From the corner of her eye, Hibo noticed the Magoli soldiers in the corner had stopped their morning exercises, instead gathering in a small, animated circle.
"What are your people doing!" Her deep, booming voice cut through the air, directed at the seven men.
Hibo's powerful voice caused the group to fall into immediate, stunned silence.
Seeing Hibo stride purposefully towards them, Muunokhoi stammered, his voice trembling, "We... um... we... we're sharing ideas."
Hibo reached them, stopping face to face with Muunokhoi and the others. "Well, maybe the seven of you would like to share your thoughts while doing two hundred push-ups," she said through gritted teeth, her voice dangerously low.
"Two... two... two... hundreds," the seven men stammered, their lips trembling.
Hibo's face remained impassive. "Now!" she snapped, her voice still tight with suppressed anger. "Two hundred. Start."
"Captain Hibo," Timicin interjected, "Chinua is calling me. It seems there is urgent news to inform me."
Hibo turned, spotting Chinua and Kianga not far from them. She turned back to Timicin. "Your punishment still stands. You can go for now."
Timicin, a triumphant smile on his face, quickly ran towards Chinua, leaving his six friends to their fate.
Hibo's gaze fell back on the remaining six Magoli soldiers. "Why haven't you started yet?" she demanded.
The six men instantly dropped to the ground and began their push-ups, Hibo's stern voice counting each repetition.
Timicin burst into the tent, pushing the curtain aside with a flourish and yelling, "Father!"
His loud voice startled Misheel, causing his hand to tremble and the bowl he was holding to clatter to the floor.
"Do you want me to be scared to death?" Misheel shouted, his anger momentarily eclipsing his relief.
He quickly rose as he saw Chinua, Khunbish, and Khenbish enter the tent with Timicin. "Your Highness," he said, bowing slightly.
Chinua sat down on a cushion, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Minister Misheel, I have told you many times not to address me as a royal when you are in my presence."
Misheel offered a sheepish smile. "Sorry, but I'm used to these terms, and it's hard to change."
"What brought you here?" Chinua asked, getting straight to the point.
"His Majesty ordered me to send food and clothes to the Musians," Misheel explained. "At the same time, I also sent a message to Chinua." He reached into his left sleeve, pulled out a letter, and handed it to Chinua.
Chinua quickly opened and read the letter. She then handed it to Khunbish. "It seems that we have been invited back to attend the wedding of Princess Ankhtsetseg and Prince Geming," she said. She looked at Misheel, a slight furrow in her brow, a small "huh" escaping her lips. "I thought the wedding had already taken place."
"After Chinua left, the court concluded that holding a wedding while Her Highness was leading troops to fight was a bad omen," Misheel explained. "And Prince Geming also agreed to postpone the wedding. The fifteenth of this month is considered a good day, so His Majesty decided to hold the wedding then."
"Khenbish, bring Captain Haitao here," Chinua instructed.
As Khenbish left, Chinua turned back to Misheel. "According to the contents of the letter, father wants me to bring back the elite guards." She looked at him directly. "I can only bring my people back to the capital with me, but not Timicin."
Misheel's face fell, a look of dismay crossing his features. "Can we make an exception this time?" he pleaded. "My wife misses Timicin very much."
Chinua sighed, a hint of regret in her eyes. "There is nothing I can do, as Timicin is Captain Haitao's soldier. Only if he allows him to take leave can Timicin go home with you."
"Chinua," Haitao's voice called from the entrance.
Haitao entered the tent, finding Chinua, Khunbish, Timicin, and Misheel gathered around a small table. He walked over and sat down.
"Khenbish said you were looking for me," Haitao stated.
"I received a message from my father asking me to return with his elite guards," Chinua explained. "Also, I was called back to Ntsua-Ntu City to attend the royal wedding of Princess Ankhtsetseg and Prince Geming of Tangolia."
"When will you leave?" Haitao asked.
"Tomorrow morning," Chinua replied. "So, while I'm gone, you take charge and stay here until the Musian reinforcement arrives."
Haitao nodded in understanding.
"I will bring back the ashes of the fallen soldiers who lived in Ntsua-Ntu City," Chinua continued. "Later, I will have Khunbish bring you a list of those names whose family is there." She reached into her belt, taking out a golden wolf tally, and handed it to Haitao.
Haitao took the golden wolf tally from Chinua's hand, his gaze shifting from Timicin to Misheel. "Chinua, let Timicin go with you," Haitao said, a thoughtful expression on his face. "If the Razaasia want to attack, they would have come already. I believe that with such heavy losses, they will not attack us during this time."
"Okay," Chinua agreed.
"I'll tell the guards to get ready," Haitao said, rising swiftly and leaving the tent.
Misheel smiled at Timicin, a playful glint in his eye. "Your captain didn't even ask you if you wanted to leave. Are you sure this captain is a good captain?"
"He is a great captain," Timicin insisted. "He understood you came in person because you wanted to check if I was doing well. He sent me with Chinua because he felt sorry for you when he noticed that you had more and more gray hair since we last met."
"Let's put it this way," Chinua said, picking up a water bowl from the table and taking a sip. "He is a smart man who understands the elderly father's thoughts and feelings."
Misheel's smile widened. "You have grown up. I am proud of you." He stretched out his hand, gently patting Timicin on the right shoulder.
"Oh, by the way," Misheel continued, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "When we return, we have selected a hundred young ladies who are very suitable to be your brides. You must meet them one by one and select a bride or two or three if you wish before you can return to the Eastern Military Camp." He watched with immense satisfaction as Timicin's jaw dropped, his eyes wide with shock.
Chinua tried to restrain herself, but a burst of laughter escaped her, spraying water from her mouth into the air and onto Misheel's face.