The Tiger-Headed Horseman Page 13

  ‘You sound like you don't believe in the Ten Recommendations?’ said another man. The group turned to look for the original speaker's reaction; Lily presumed they all felt the same way.

  ‘Of course I do,’ said the original speaker. ‘Anything is better than the Khadist freedom movement. I would rather have rules and regulations than none. As for the youth of today, if I had my way they would all spend time in the Leggie learning all about discipline.’

  ‘Who is this Tengis?’ asked Lily. The group turned to look at her more carefully. She pulled the brim of her hat down further over her face and repeated the question in a pretend deep voice.

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked one of them. ‘How can you not know who Tengis is?’ Her question had made the group suspicious.

  ‘I know who Tengis is,’ said Lily. ‘I just wonder who Tengis really is; like inside. Who is the man? Where has he come from? That sort of thing.’

  ‘Oh,’ said the original speaker. ‘They say he was born and raised in Baatarulaan but when he was twelve he was spirited away from the city and schooled in the outside world.’

  ‘What, in another country?’ asked one of the group.

  ‘No,’ said the original speaker, ‘somewhere a whole one hundred miles from here. Can you imagine it; being a hundred miles away from Baatarulaan?’ Lily bit her tongue. She knew that she could travel almost that distance in a day if she really pushed Lucky hard. Her home was a good three days’ ride from here. ‘They say he learned how to think for himself; how to debate; he was taught the martial arts that have been forbidden under Khadism; as well as geography, history, literature and woodwork. It was while on a field trip that a voice is said to have spoken to him and taught him about the shimmering glimmering stuff as well as the Ten Recommendations. They even say that Tengis isn't really Tengis anymore. There are rumours that he is . . .’ He beckoned the others to move closer so that he could whisper. ‘They say that he is Chinggis Khaan himself!’ Lily was floored. She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

  ‘Do you think Chinggis Khaan is really here in Baatarulaan?’ asked Lily. She had pushed herself to the front of the group and was speaking directly with the original speaker. She couldn't accept that she would be able to find answers so easily or that she had a real opportunity to meet Chinggis. He heart exploded in a flurry of excitement. ‘Please, do you believe he is here?’ She grabbed the lapels of the original speaker's coat.

  ‘No I don't,’ said the original speaker. He took hold of Lily's hands and pushed her away from him. ‘How could he? He has been dead for almost eight hundred years. Tengis is just a shrewd politician who is going to save us from the tyranny of Khadism. What's it to you anyway? Why are you so keen? I haven't seen you here before; are you a Khadist spy or something?’ He made to grab Lily but she narrowly ducked away and was soon lost from him in the crowd which had been swelling further as Lily had been listening to the group.

  Wherever she turned, there were faces turned to one side of the square. She was too short to see over the heads in front of her. Standing on tiptoes, Lily could see nothing more than hundreds if not thousands of heads staring at a space that seemed unusually darkened. People jostled her out of the way as they sought to get closer to the front. She lost half of her disguise. It didn't matter; people weren't interested in her. The only thing that mattered was what was in the darkness ahead of them. Lily was confused. She could not imagine what was going on. The crowd was beginning to get out of control. People were pressing hard against one another in a bid for a prime position. Some shouted agitatedly at others who were being overly forceful. Lily felt the pulse of the throng quickening. Violence seemed only a heartbeat away.

  From deep within the darkness ahead of the swarming multitude came a noise. It was barely audible above the din of people but they soon quietened in heady anticipation. A steady drum beat quelled the restlessness of the masses. Nothing but a solid beat resonated around the square. Everybody stood stock-still facing the source of the sound. There was a crescendo as the beat sped up. Lily looked around, almost everyone was standing with their mouths gaping, eyes fixed in a glaze that was half panic, half sublimation. Startling white beams shone upwards in four huge columns of light. Enormous flags unfurled all around coloured blue, black and white. The crowd half closed their eyes but were so afraid to miss a thing that they readily risked blindness.

  Lily tried to see what was on the flags but the light was too strong. The beat intensified. Boom-boom-boom roared the deep drums; and then the drumming stopped dead as the lights became less intense save a solitary focus on the centre ahead. Rising from behind the plinth rose a man. As he ascended he kept his head facing downwards. His face was set in serious contemplation. His hands were stuck to his sides. He wore a black suit and matching cap with a blue armband. The moment he reached the height he hesitated and as the drums beat out a deafening final, one-off ‘boom’ he lifted his head to face his people.

  ‘I love you, Tengis!’ yelled a girl near to Lily moments before the crowd erupted in a volcano of molten emotion. Tengis theatrically lifted both his arms above his head to embrace the crowd. They responded in kind. Some screamed; others began to chant his name. Then came the drums again, now accompanied by trumpet blasts. The noise built and built until the noise was again deafening. Then it stopped. Tengis stepped forward and there was silence. He was about to speak. There was a universal hush.

  ‘I am Tengis Khaan,’ said the figure. ‘I represent the Chinggist movement and the Ten Recommendations. I bring you the sparkling metal and I offer you salvation!’ The figure lifted a large piece of shimmering metal above his head. The swarm chanted its approval. Women fainted, men screamed and children picked their pockets. The assembly acted as though under a spell. Tengis continued decanting further vitriolic verbiage. People cried his name and shouted whatever words he orchestrated them to.

  After what Lily had heard earlier she had dearly hoped to see Chinggis Khaan. The person presenting himself in front of her was not he. This was a bad man. Once upon a time her stomach had begun to move whenever she was close to Chinggis in mind, body or soul. Tonight she simply felt sick. This person might purport to be Chinggis but he wasn't. Whoever he was, she felt he had to be an imposter. She listened to his words and they were delicately laced with slivers of spitefulness. She knew that Chinggis would never speak of hatred.

  ‘In a good word there are three winters’ warmth,’ continued Tengis. ‘In one malicious word there is pain for six frosty months. Let us give the Khadists an eternity of frost.’ The figure said nothing of substance. People didn't seem to care. So long as the figure held aloft the glittering metal they would do whatever he wanted. Lily had to get away. She was being filled with a hatred that she knew would consume her absolutely if she didn't leave the rally that moment.

  As Lily fought her way through the crowd she glanced above them to the flags that caged the square. Taking in the carefully designed imagery, Lily almost tripped over. She was not certain but she thought she could see the roaring head of a tiger sitting on the back of a horse. She began breathing shallowly. Her palms became hot despite the freezing temperature. Suddenly she burst out of the crowd. Landing on the pavement, she sat looking up at the flags. Lily now had space and time to assess the flags. She had not been mistaken. Atop the body of someone she presumed to be Tengis was the head of a fierce tiger animatedly roaring to the sky. Unless Lily was mistaken, she knew that she had unearthed something important, something that related to Chinggis's words: the real words of Chinggis, not those she had just been forced to listen to. She raced back to Danyal's yard faster than she had ever run before.

  ‘People say they like change,’ said Danyal a little later as he poured her a cup of delicious coffee, ‘but they don't, not really. They just want to be told what to do and how to live their lives. They just want to belong to the group; they don't want to stick out from the crowd or be noticed. So long as whoever is telling them what to do lets them lead a li
fe that is in some way acceptable then the people will support them. They don't like people that are different; they certainly don't like anyone who doesn't belong to Baatarulaan, so you need to be extra careful. Imagine coming home dressed like that!’ Lily looked down at herself – she had lost all of her disguise and the traditional herder clothing beneath, worn to ward of the cold, was revealed for all to see. She knew that wearing a deel would make her utterly conspicuous.

  ‘I saw a tiger on a horse,’ said Lily. ‘Can you tell me anything about that?’

  ‘That man disgusts me!’ answered Danyal. ‘He has taken the insignia of Chinggis, the horse, as his own and had the gall to place himself atop our only true emperor. How can he even think of doing that? It is despicable. He clearly sees himself as the new emperor. He thinks he is working with or joined in some way to Chinggis and that together they will forge a new empire. An empire free from Khadism. Now that this shiny new stuff is around, everyone wants a piece of it. From what I can see it's nothing more than a piece of rock but the way that Tengis has been flashing it about it has become invaluable overnight. I don't trust that guy. As for his so-called Ten Recommendations – fluff and nonsense! That Tengis has no substance. He is nothing but a tailored marketing machine, too young, too big for his own boots, too powerful too soon with too little sense of realism. All he's done is ask questions about Khadism. One idiot can ask more questions than ten wise men can answer. How he's done what he's done I have no idea but he has won the support of everyone, especially the elite few. They're scared he will incite theft of their property. They may account for a fractional percentage of Baatarulaan inhabitants, but they hold almost all of the wealth and certainly all of the power. They truly are fat cats.’

  For the second time that day Lily checked herself. She wasn't certain but she felt as though the feline factoids that she had heard must surely relate in some way to the words she had received via Elder Chuluun. She made a note to check the scroll when she was alone that night.

  ‘What can we do about it?’ implored Lily. ‘What I saw tonight was dreadful, truly terrible. If Tengis manages to take over from the Khadists, why don't the people realise that all they'll be doing is swapping one corrupt regime for another? Why isn't anyone trying to do something positive?’

  ‘Well, we are . . .’ said Drudger before Danyal cut him off mid-sentence. Lily looked at them both perplexedly.

  ‘We have known one another a mere day,’ said Danyal, ‘I need to know that I can trust you, even though my heart tells me that I can.’

  ‘Of course you can!’ said Lily. ‘Anyway, you have more on me than I on you. You might be harbouring me but I'm the one that faces arrest simply for being a herder.’ Danyal and Drudger nodded to one another secretly agreeing upon something unseen and unheard.

  ‘There is a group that is making a stand against both Khadism and New Chinggism,’ said Danyal. He sat down on a stool opposite Lily wearing a serious face and looked deep into her eyes. ‘We are but a few but we have the backing of a secretive and powerful city magnate. We operate outside the boundaries of society, dwell beneath the surface of the city and have faith in matters some deem beyond the realms of reality. If you are introduced to our brethren, you can never leave them; no matter where you are, you will always be one of us. We will always be with you even when you do not see us. We are secretive to others but openly transparent among ourselves. We fight against tyranny and have been fighting against it for almost eight hundred years. My family were all members of the order, as were Drudger's. We both come from a long line of fighters. We might not look like much but we know more than anyone can possibly imagine and thankfully infinitely more than anyone ever suspects. Are you willing to learn more?’

  Lily nodded eagerly. Anyone that was against Tengis and the Khadists had to be good news; nothing could be worse.

  ‘Follow me,’ said Danyal.

  Lily dutifully followed Danya and Drudger downstairs, out into the yard and into the stable, where Lucky lay snoring. Quietly moving aside some hay they unearthed a trapdoor. Drudger opened the trapdoor and disappeared down inside. Danyal beckoned Lily to follow. She hesitated.

  ‘Where are we going?’ she asked. Leaving the Steppe had been difficult, growing accustomed to Baatarulaan had been demanding; being asked to go underground for the first time was almost too daunting a prospect.

  ‘Trust me,’ said Danyal. He reassuringly placed his hand on Lily's shoulder. She glanced across at Lucky who lay obliviously dreaming of the Steppe.

  ‘Where are we going?’ repeated Lily. She really did not feel comfortable about entering a secret underground tunnel with two men she had only known for a short while. Danyal smiled at her knowingly. He knew exactly where they were heading. He turned and faced her, a broad smile beaming across his face. It immediately relaxed Lily. Even before he spoke she felt comforted. She could tell that wherever they were going it was a good place filled with friends who would help them. He started to speak:

  ‘We're going to Millie's.’

  16

  The passageway was far longer and far darker than Lily had expected. She thought about her faithful horse Lucky who was sleeping somewhere far above her. He was the only link she had back to her life on the Steppe. Everything else in Baatarulaan was alien, particularly its politics and religions. Subjects she was unwittingly taking a crash course in. Drudger led the way carrying a flaming torch above his head. Danyal stayed near Lily to make sure she felt safe. The flickering light set spectral shadows dancing across the walls. It was damp and cold but at least the stench of Baatarulaan was locked firmly outside. Other than their footsteps the only sound was a million water droplets falling nonchalantly from the tunnel roof and splashing in an ordered, almost orchestral manner on to the muddy puddled passage below.

  ‘Not much further!’ shouted Drudger.

  He was right. There was a short ladder leading up the side of a wall where he stood. Climbing it, he knocked hard on a wooden hatch in the passageway ceiling. Lily had no idea who Millie was but she knew she was heading to meet her. She trusted Danyal and, despite his shady personality and dodgy dress sense, even Drudger seemed to be earnest. Presently they heard a knocking from above. Listening carefully to the pattern of sound Drudger responded with a series of knocks – some hard, others soft. The trapdoor was lifted and the murky passageway flooded with light from above.

  ‘Right ho?’ asked an invisible voice from above the trapdoor.

  ‘Left ho ho,’ replied Danyal. A hand was thrust from the light and Danyal took it. Lily felt uneasy. ‘We are with friends,’ said Danyal as he was pulled out of sight into the luminosity. Lily saw his hand reaching down towards her from beyond the trap-door. ‘Please, you have to trust me.’ Danyal pulled Lily into the light. Drudger followed closely behind and shut the darkness behind them.

  Lily peered around at her new surroundings as her eyes readjusted to the light. She was in a splendidly furnished home. The room into which they arrived appeared to be a hallway, though she wasn't certain – she had never been in a real hallway before. It did have a staircase, though. In front of her a particularly fanciful one swept widely upwards before splitting left and right towards the top to a mezzanine that overlooked the hall. An impressive front door that looked heavily fortified stood guard behind her. Around the walls were large tapestries that hung behind enormous urns containing plants, walking sticks and umbrellas. A heavily designed chandelier hung overhead. Lily guessed that it had to contain over a hundred candles.

  The arm that had helped pull them into the room belonged to a stocky broad man who wore a bushy beard and broad grin. The man wore a garishly coloured shirt, baggy shorts and sandals, even though it was freezing outside. He laughed a good deal and when he spoke had an accent Lily had never heard before.

  ‘All right but?’ asked the man in his strange brogue.

  ‘But what?’ replied Lily. The man laughed and ruffled her hair before shuffling off to stand beside the tallest boy Lily
had ever seen. He didn't have a beard but his hair was shaggy and unkempt. Both men shared a joke that seemed to be about Lily and laughed privately. Four others entered the room and clapped their arms around the tall boy and man with the odd accent. The tall boy proceeded to poke them in the stomach, using his height and superior strength to his advantage. All of the men and boys were young, strong and each had either a beard or a shaggy head of hair. The tall boy continued to annoy his compatriots. Lily felt that the tall boy was very childish. The man with the interesting twang scratched himself in a peculiar fashion. Although they looked quite unruly, there was something about these fellows that Lily found both fascinating and comforting. She sensed that they would look out for her if looking out for was ever required.

  ‘Lily,’ said Danyal, ‘please can I introduce you to the Hairy Hordes.’

  ‘Hello,’ said Lily. She thought their name was amusing and tried not to laugh as she looked at the furry rabble in front of her. ‘How do you do?’

  ‘At your service, ma'am,’ replied the Hairy Hordes as one. ‘It be a pleasure to be making your acquaintance, so it be.’

  ‘And I yours,’ said Lily. She had never heard six gruff people speaking in unison before. It sounded almost musical.

  The tall boy punched the man with the weird burr and they all immediately began play fighting. The rolled around on the floor punching, kicking and pulling at one another. In any other setting, Lily would have been frightened but their fighting was accompanied by raucous laughter. Lily looked to Danyal and Drudger, who both shrugged their shoulders and smiled.

  ‘Boys!’ echoed a woman's voice from upstairs. ‘Settle down and behave!’ The Hairy Hordes instantly stood quietly to attention. The voice was not cold but was strict; it wasn't a harsh voice but it conveyed strength. Lily craned her neck looking for its owner.