Like lightning itself, such an elegant move only a warrior born in the saddle could make. There was no way Sahej could block it, even if he could parry it, the sheer force itself would be enough to knock him off his horse.
Tahej's lance broke on the impact on Sahej's armour. The sound was like thunder echoing across the great dunes.
Sahej fell off and flew a few meters before he bounced on the ground. As he did, his horse kept running.
Down on the ground, he wept, punching it as he cursed at himself for never beating his brother Tahej.
"Little brother, you focus too much on where to put your lance, you forget to predict where I will thrust mine." Tahej said as he dismounted and tried to help Sahej up from the ground. "How do you expect to defeat someone, if you can't even do the fundamentals of lance war... Protecting your life!"
Tahej was everything Sahej wasn't, only being two years older, he was already an acknowledged Sash of the Blood Sand clan. Not only had he won several battles against rival clans but also successfully raided the coastal city of Merva, bringing home a great number of slaves. The news of Tahej's astonish endeavour had made waves across the world. It was the first time, since the fall of Achea, that the clans of the Great Sands had gathered an army of that size and attacked a trade city of the Oval Coast.
Sahej refused to take his brother's hand. He tried to push himself up, but the pain in the back from the fall was too great. He stared at his horse with angry eyes. It had slowly walked back towards them.
"You move your lance really well, but you were too predictable, I could see where you intended to aim long before it was time." Tahej said with great enthusiasm, trying to educate his brother in lance fighting.
Tahej looked different from Sahej. He had dark brown eyes where Sahej had light brown. He had long black hair where Sahej had short brown hair. He was slim and tall, where Sahej was shorter and more muscular. He had a charming smile and carefree look on his face, Sahej never smiled and was always grim.
Sahej got quiet for a second. He really hated to lose, he hated it! He started breathing slowly, calming himself down, focusing on his next attempt.
"As for your shield, you raised it way too early..." Sahej said as he accepted his brother's hand. "I had you fooled, just that I couldn't change my direction fast enough. Soon I will have you flying off your saddle!"
"That is my brother!" Tahej said as he reached down from his horse and lightly punched Sahej on the shoulder. "Always coming up with a plan!"
"One more time brother!" Sahej said as he climbed up his horse for yet another round. "I have you figured out! I will knock you down to the ground one more time and you will see!"
"You just told me what my weakness was..." Tahej said proudly with a smile "It is not wise to tell your opponent what your next move will be. Being unpredictable is the greatest virtue of battle. But I am afraid I must return home and attend to clan matters. I promise we will continue this tomorrow!"
Sahej and Tahej rode back towards their camp by the Sila-river, at the North-Western part of the Great sands. It was the beginning of spring, and the shamans were assembled to sacrifice to the hunting god, to bring yet another blessed year. As Tahej himself was Sash, he was the one to lead the ritual, and perform the sacrifice himself.
"What do you think?" Tahej said as he carefully slowed down his horse and tossed Sahej his poleaxe, his signature weapon. "Beautiful isn't it? I polished it with soft silver all night. I even carved in our family name for the shaman's blessings."
Sahej smiled and nodded, "Looks brand new." He said, further inspecting the inscriptions on the blade. Then he suddenly burst into laughter. "Sash Tahej Malej of the Blood Sand, trueborn son and heir of Mudaj, the poison eater. You must be joking! Sound signs on your weapon? It's too vain, even for you!"
Sahej tossed back the poleaxe. Tahej caught it and read the text out loud. "Maybe it was a bit too much..." He admitted. "But you didn't look on the other side, what do you think?" He pointed the blade of the poleaxe, in front of Sahej's face, while they were riding.
"Are you stupid? How do you think I can read it like this?" Sahej laughed at Tahej.
"It is all the names of the people I have defeated with this poleaxe." Tahej answered, radiating with pride. "Garmash, Jiddai fire-breather and Aprosh... I guess I should name it something."
"The Unnamer?" Sahej said with a semi-mocking tone.
Tahej shone up by his brother's comment. "Splendid!"
"As I said, you really are vain as a woman. It is embarrassing!" Sahej shouted as he pushed away Tahej's poleaxe.
Being young and inexperienced, many would have challenged Tahej for the position of Sash. If it were not because his beloved poleaxe was his natural weapon of choice. For the Great Sands, it's a very rare weapon. His father had gained it by trade with the Sydostrium's knightly orders. The same knightly orders that were known to ravage the borders to the Great Sands, to keep away any clans that might intrude. The clans did not have much experience of fighting such weapons. They were very rare down here, only known to be utilised by the armies of the great Western Empire. Tahej, on the other hand, knew well enough the strengths and weaknesses of the clan's typical weapon of choice. Due to this imbalance of weapons expertise, those who had dared to challenge him, swiftly got their skulls split in half, just a moment after the challenge began.
As they entered the camp, Sahej and Tahej were greeted by their fellow warriors of their clan. A couple of slaves ran towards them, taking care of their mounts. These were new slaves from their raid on Merva. They all took care of the Sash as he dismounted. Nobody cared for Sahej's horse.
They treat me as I wasn't Tahej's equal! Sahej's mind was raging. He took out his whip and struck it at the nearest slave. "Come on, please!" He shouted with a high-pitched voice. "Are you all brain dead? All of you run to take care of my brother's horse and none takes mine!?"
The group of slaves started to run around in disarray, three of them heading towards Sahej's horse.
Sahej remained firm in his saddle while he whipped his whip into the air. "And now three of you run towards my horse!! Just because I raised my voice?"
The group of slaves looked at each other in confusion.
Sahej shook his head. He grabbed his forehead with his palm as he would have a headache. "Your Sash is always having priority, above all! But that doesn't mean that you should neglect the rest of his family!"
Tahej jumped down from his horse. He gently grabbed one slave by the chin. She had frozen because of fear for Sahej. She looked no older than sixteen years old. He tried to look her in the eyes, but she refused. "Look at me!" He commanded.
But she didn't, for a good reason. Slaves had learned to never look a clansman in the eyes. If they did, the clansman could have taken it as an offence and killed them as they stood. There are many examples of this. Being a slave for one of the clans of the Great Sands was no simple task and their lives were worth less than an animal. Some slaves were so brutally abused and raped, that they rather killed their infant children before letting them suffer the same fate.
"You have nothing to be afraid of. I won't hurt you, just look at me." Tahej repeated.
The slave girl slowly raised her head, looked back into Tahej's eyes, scared and confused.
"You see little brother, you scare this beautiful being. No wonder why they run around like a pack of sheep."
"Typical!" Sahej chuckled. "If you keep up that behaviour towards them, they will get ideas. They will think they are our equals and then they will start making demands!"
Tahej smiled towards the girl. "I just believe it is such a waste. What's your name, girl?"
"Iella... Master." She replied with a shaken voice.
"Iella, what a lovely name." Tahej said, widening his smile. "I will make you my personal maid, nobody else can tell you what to do. Would you like that?"
Iella with her green eyes and long brown hair nodded. "Yes... Yes... Master!" She stuttered.
Sahej and Tahej enter their family's tent. Inside, their three sisters Sanesh, Jetesh and Alesh were sitting in a circle at the ground, painting themselves with goat's blood for the night's ceremony.
Sanesh was Sahej's twin sister, sharing the same serious eyes, light brown hair and olive coloured skin.
Jetesh was three years younger than Sanesh, and Alesh was two years younger than her. They all looked like younger versions of Sanesh.
Sanesh shouted angrily to Tahej as they approached them. "Can you just for once act like a Sash and make yourself ready for the night's ceremony. I have painted your sisters for hours and have to paint Doro as well."
Tahej and Sahej glared at each other, Sanesh had the worst temper, even worse than Sahej, and got easily stressed. Their mother had passed away during Alesh's birth. And just one year ago, they all lost their father, Sash Mudalj. As Mudalj had died, Tahej's ordered his sister to marry the head of the second strongest family of the clan, Doro Marga.
"Sister, Jetesh and Alesh can paint themselves." Tahej answered. "Go to your husband instead of nagging at us!" He bowed down to Alesh to inspect her face. "The moon markings here at the forehead seems a little bleak." Tahej teased Sanesh as he touched Alesh's face.
Sanesh flew up, waving her hands at Tahej "Sahej! Next time, aim the lance at your brother's stupid mouth!"
Tahej jumped back, laughing. "Come on, don't be so serious! It is just a stupid ritual, we always do that. It is not like all the animals on the plains will die if we don't praise the almighty sky father!"
Sanesh stared at Tahej, looking like she could bite his face off. "If father was here, he would have punished you for such remarks!"
Tahej backed off.
"I have spent hours making their paintings. You better get serious and do your own. Or the shamans might find a more proper Sash."
Sanesh walked away to fix her clothing for the evening.
As she did, Sahej jumped in front of her and grabbed her arm. "Show Tahej more respect!" He is the Sash of our family and the Blood sand clan."
Sanesh glared with angry eyes, right into his. "Let me go!" She demanded.
"Do not show disrespect in front of the clan!" Sahej demanded. He released her arm.
Sanesh said no words, she just stared at Sahej with murderous eyes.
Sahej didn't back off. He stared right back.
"We are family first Sahej..." Tahej tried to diffuse the situation. "No need for such formalities! Let our sisters speak their mind!"
"As long as she does not question you in front of the elders." Sahej said, his eyes still fixed on Sanesh's. "You understand that?"
Sanesh didn't answer. She shoved away Sahej from the exit and stepped out of the tent.
"Seriously brother, what is it with you today?" Tahej said as he put his hand on Sahej's shoulder.
"I suddenly realised that she was right." Sahej snapped at his older brother. "We need to get serious about this... If we want our family to survive. You better get Jetesh to paint you perfectly, or more might see you unfit to rule."
Tahej shook his head at his sister. "Well, you heard the man, you better make a Sash out of me, or the shamans will depose me."
The hot and dry evening had turned into a chilly spring night, it was ever so common in the Great sands. Tahej had heeded his sibling's wishes and took the part of the Sash seriously. Jetesh and Alesh painted him well.
Sahej stood patiently waiting at the altar of the sky father, smiling and nodding as he saw Tahej approaching, with the clan's elders and shamans at his back.
Finally, Tahej is listening to me! Sahej thought.
Once reaching the altar, the clan's shamans passed a long and slim silver dagger from one to another, then finally to Sahej, which gave it to Tahej. Then they started chanting and made their prayers to the sky father and the hunting god. It scared the horse, which was about to be sacrificed.
Sahej put his palm on the head of the horse, whispering to it to calm it down. As he did, Tahej slowly placed the silver dagger beneath the horse's throat. It struggled, trying to get loose, but it was chained up too well.
Sahej hated this wasteful ritual. They always sacrificed their best young breed. As the gods demanded, the greater the sacrifice, the greater their gift. The sky father wouldn't settle for anything less. At desperate times, even humans were to be sacrificed.
In one swift movement, Tahej sliced the horse's throat, making the blood pour out on the altar. The shamans, chanting now, sounded rather like shouts.
Tahej held up the head of the horse, opening the wound to make the blood flow out faster. It didn't take long until the entire altar was covered in blood.
The arch shaman Giltei, put down his staff, with a bear's head on it, and took a golden pot, filled it with the horse's blood, and prepared to pour it over Tahej. He indicated to Tahej to kneel, then looked up to the sky. He called out his prayers to the sky father, for the blessing of yet another great year of hunting. Then he emptied the pot of blood over Tahej.
The rest of the shamans encircled Tahej. They raised their hands towards the full moon, joining Giltei in his prayer to the sky father.
In one move, they all put a hand on Tahej, raising him off from the ground. With blood and fire, Giltei made markings of the five sacred spirits on Tahej's face. The animal spirit, the earth spirit, the wind spirit, the fire spirit and the water spirit.
As Giltei did, the shamans now called upon the hunting god, to accept the Sash of the clan, and to bless him and his people with yet another great year of hunting.
Sahej knew these words in and out. Every year during the first spring full moon, they did this. It was soon over. All that was left was for Tahej to cut the palm of his hand and make his blood drip over the altar.
Sahej peered at Jetesh, who was standing beside him. She caught his eyes and leaned towards him. "Look at him, he carries the role all too well, the elders thought he was a fool and not worthy." She whispered to him. "Now they tremble when they realise all the clan support Tahej. He better not waste it!"
Sahej kept silent before replying. "Shamans will enforce anyone who acts according to religion. But their support is not enough." He said before he was interrupted by Tahej's shouting.
"All mighty sky father!" Tahej raised his hand up in the air. He put the edge of the silver dagger in his palm. "Accept us and flood your lands with wild beasts to feed our young. Here, I grant you my source of life. Use it to begin the next circle of life as you will one day end it!" Gently, he cut his palm to make the blood drip out on the sky father's altar.
Once the ritual was over, it was tradition to feast in the sky father's honour. The rest of the clan had gathered around great bonfires, watching the shaman's entering trance.
Sanesh tucked Sahej's shoulder, "Who are they?" She asked as she pointed to a group of men dressed in silk. They were speaking to the elder Gardesha.
Gardesha was one of the most important elders of the clan. He had been working against Tahej's leadership since the first day.
"I have no clue..." Sahej answered his sister. "But I will surely make them leave!"
Sahej grabbed Tahej by his shoulder, a few meters away. He was entertaining a group of you women. He bowed as he made his excuse, while Sahej didn't care to say anything to them. They stepped away from the crowd and met up with Sanesh.
"Who are they?" Sanesh asked Tahej with anger in her voice. "People wear fine clothes to cover their foul hearts. How dare the elders invite outsiders without your approval!"
Sahej grabbed the hilt of his sword. He evaluated the outsiders, considering confronting them.
"Brother, calm down and think!" Tahej knew what Sahej thought. "We do not know the purpose of their visit. I will find out what they want."
Garesha slightly bowed down as they approached. "Forgive me Tahej... For accepting outsiders this particular night. However, I am afraid that they are bearers of grave news."
Garesha waited for a response.
Tahej said nothing. He indicated with his hand for Garesha to continue.
"This is Zalarj, Bablei and Dakej, from the Wey hooves clan."
The Wey hooves clan was a particularly disliked clan in the Great sands. They were usually located in the area between the border of the Sydostrium and the most Western of the coastal cities Hindin. They had stronger relations with the coastal trade cities than they had with the clans. They had even been in the coastal cities employ, fighting the desert clans in their favour. War between rival clans was not unusual. There were no hard feelings once peace had been made. However, that only applied because they all were one with the deserts, they were the same people. Siding with those not from the deserts of the Great Sands was an unforgivable act.
Zalarj covered his chest with his hand, showing his respect for the Sash. "Tahej, leader of the Blood Sand clan. Revered by the sky father himself!" He said, further bowing down.
Sanesh and Sahej exchanged an angry look. The visitors noted it.
"I do not take pleasure in disturbing you on this occasion." Zalarj continued. "But this matter cannot wait. We request an urgent meeting with you and your elders."
"I welcome you to us on this most sacred evening." Tahej said, trying to hide his content for them. "Come take a drink, be our guests. I am afraid, though, that I cannot grant you your request during this hour. My people expect me to be amongst them. A leader who does not respect our traditions is not a true leader in the eyes of the sky father. Please respect that, even if you no longer believe in our ways."
The three outsiders glared at each other. They got the insult. They then looked to Gardesha for support.
"Tahej is indeed a great Sash. Yet he is inexperienced and does not recognise moments of pragmatism." Gardesha said to them. He had a mocking tone, like he was speaking about a child. "Surely, we should be informed by this grave news. No matter who carries them?"
Tahej pretended to not be bothered by Garesha's words. He grabbed him by his shoulder. "Garesha's word is always wise, the young should always heed the elder's council." He acted politeness, almost at an ironic level. "For it is they who possess the wisdom of life, which the young yet have lived to see."
Gardesha didn't get the irony, instead, he looked content by Tahej's reply. "I appreciate you are still open to listening to my advice..."
"Just to get a quick conclusion. I shall hear you out." Tahej said. "I will trust that my brother Sahej is more than adequate to fill my shoes while I am absent."
"Thank you, great Sash!" Zalarj bowed deeply once again, so did the rest of his clansmen. "You will thank us for hearing us out later!"
Garesha looked towards Sahej with an amused face.
"Sahej, just act as you were me." Tahej blurted as he was trying to get away. "Garesha, you are the only elder we need, you haven't told anybody else, have you?"
Garesha just shook his head.
"Let's leave then! We can talk further in my tent!" Tahej said as he left Sahej alone with his sister.
"I sometimes wonder if that really is my brother. One minute he acts like a complete fool. The other minute he speaks like he was some kind of Emperor." Sahej with an amused face.
"Well, he is not like you, Sahej. Every minute of the day you are as hot headed as ever. Enjoy the moment of playing Sash, one day you might be one." Sanesh said in a mysterious voice.