Diplomatic Tensions (Under Editing)

Koulibaly I

Special thanks to@ATellingMind,@DarkEmeraldGem & @twined for their critiques and feedback. I'm really grateful for the help they gave me in order to improve my writing :).

Koulibaly I

At the port of Tianjin, the Askiyan fleet was greeted by a large Xi welcoming party. Hundreds of Xi soldiers stood at attention, the well polished steel  plates of their lamellar armour shining brightly in the afternoon sun. Four columns, each consisting of one hundred men in close order formation, stood at the area just behind the pier. Each column carried a massive banner, roughly the same size as the ones borne by Prince Bakar's ships. Upon these banners was the sigil of the Zhou family, the golden head of a roaring tiger on a jade green field.

The four Askiyan vessels pulled in to dock and immediately, men poured in and out of the ships. Workers unpacked crates and barrels, filled with the various goods that were brought for trade. Soldiers that formed the Prince's royal guard marched of and stood in formation, awaiting orders. A few soldiers from the cavalry units that would escort Prince Bakar to the Xi ruler's palace had a hard time unloading their horses and getting them under control. Seeing as the animals were kept locked up for over a month while they were at sea.

One young member of the Askiyan guard struggled to keep the horse he was leading under control, as it reared high into the air. The poor boy fell flat on his bottom, and gazed at the creature with a look of pure fear in his eyes. Koulibaly quickly intervened, grabbing the animal's reins from the side and bringing it down under his control.

"As a member of the royal cavalry unit I expect you to keep your horse under control Diawara" Koulibaly chided as he directed a stern glare at the boy.

"I...I-m s-s-sorry sir!" he exclaimed, melting under one of his commanding officer's famous 'Koulibaly glares' as the troops of the imperial guard had dubbed them.

"On your feet soldier!" Koulibaly shouted.  "How long do you plan to sit there while I hold your horse ?"

Diawara, who was still seated on the ground, scrambled to his feet before Koulibaly handed him the reins for the black mare. Who by now had calmed down.

"S-Sir" the young soldier stuttered out as he stood at attention, still gripping the reins firmly in one hand.

"Go join your unit."

"Y-Yes Sir !" The boy began to move off.

"Diawara."

He stooped in his tracks.

"Make sure this doesn't happen again."

"Y-Y-Yes s-sir!!" He blurted out, quickly moving off. So as not to incur anymore of his captain's wrath.

Koulibaly shook his head. How the hell did a boy as green as him end up on this mission ? He asked himself.

"Don't you think that you were a bit too hard on the kid ?" an all to familiar voice asked from behind him.

"He's a soldier of the Askiyan royal guard, the most elite soldiers that the country has to offer. If I can't trust him to simply keep a horse under control, what on earth makes you think that I can trust him to protect Prince Bakar ?" Koulibaly shot back indignantly.

"Harsh." Karim Mensah said as his long time friend turned around to face him.

"I have to be. As captain of the royal guard, it's my job to make sure my soldiers are always ready and alert. One heedless moment on our part could cost the prince his life." Koulibaly replied, narrowing his gaze into a glare.