Motherheart Dragon Priest

Chapter 2a - The Quest of the Qhan

Motherheart  Priest — Chapter 2a

And lo the wise men of the east came

many times to seek counsel with our Lord

Gospel of Jaqub

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Throne Room,  Qhanbaliq (Xanadu) – Yuan Empire, Cathay 1274

“Come hither Maximilian Hart”, the Prime Minister called from the dais below the Jade Throne. I was in the Great Hall of the mighty and powerful Qublai Qhan in his magnificent capital of Qhanbaliq. Keeping my head bowed as was the custom, I crawled forward to the foot of the steps leading up to the first platform of the dais in the most magnificent throne room I had ever seen since leaving most Holy Jerusalem some four years ago.

“Your humble servant great Qhan”, I said in as steady a voice as I could manage for I did not wish to appear foolish before the great Qhan and all the dignitaries from all the lands paying tribute to the Monqhul Yuan Empire. Even the rebellious Jomon from the Eastern Isles of the Sun and the victoriously independent Soong from the south had sent Ambassadors to the Great Qhan. There he sat on his gold and jade throne, in this palace that outshone anything, even in imperial Palermo or Constantinople.

 “Go” he said in all his power and finery, “go with my envoys to the South Land, the Dragon Land. Bring them the protection of your God as you have given protection to my servants, the Polos.”

I stopped breathing and then caught my breath before it flew away to heaven forever. I was about to stammer my unworthiness for such a journey when I remembered that, whether a favoured foreigner or not, such impudence could still lose me my head. I had been ordered thus and so it would be.

The Polos may be able to talk to the Qhan as man to man, my Bishop may walk arm in arm with the Prime Minister, and our Justician Knights may train sword and shield with the generals; but I am too weak of spirit for such dealings with the all powerful.

“Go, and write down everything you observe, use your gift of tongues to record for me my envoys’ journey to this Dragon Land just as you have recorded for your Holy Mater, your journey to my Court!”

All I could do was to stare blankly at the ornate carpet upon which I knelt. Me, go off by myself into the unknown with envoys of Mater knows what intention. I am not a good luck charm and, as for the presence of our Lord and Lady in my life, never before had I felt such a fraud as I knelt there open mouthed staring blankly at the carpeted steps of the throne of the great Qublai Qhan.

“Well Priest?”

“I, I, I, am h, h, honoured that you deem me fit for such an important journey Great Qhan. I, I, I,...”

Thunderous laughter filled the Hall. “It is as you said Marco”, roared the Qhan as he stood. “His gift with the pen is not matched by profligacy of his words. It is good, he will not cause any problems this way. Our recent peace with our Jomon cousins to the east, and with our Soong sister to the south”, he said nodding to the Jomon and Soong Ambassadors, “must be prosecuted”.

"I want to open trade with the Kingdoms of the Spice Islands and with the Katithans!” The Qhan made his way down the steps of the dais to stand over me. “I do not wish to wage war anymore, but to trade and converse as our priests have advised.” The great Qhan nodded to me kneeling at his feet “Good, it is done,” and he bid me stand.