The morning breeze blowing through the training ground in Hosha City carries a faint aroma of freshly cut grass. Chinua crossed her arms over her chest and watched as the troops went through their new morning drill with Hibo and some Musian soldiers. Five days have passed since the battle with the Razaasia, and there seemed to be no sign that they would attack again, but what is certain is that Chinua and her troops must remain in Hosha City until Zuberi and the Musian reinforcements arrive.
Kianga walked up to Chinua and said, "If Hibo is teaching them, Your Highness could rest assured."
Chinua turned around and saw Kianga walking towards her with a smile.
"Oheneba," Chinua greeted Kianga with a smile. "How is your injury? Isn't Prince Mandla with you today?"
Kianga smiled and said, "His Royal Highness and the counselors are having a meeting this morning. As for my injury, it is much better." She walked forward and stood next to Chinua. She looked over to the training ground and saw Hibo and some Musian troops sharing their fighting skills with 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 while protecting Hosha City."
Chinua said, "I can tell from her fighting skills." She turned to look at 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. "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 turned to look at Chinua. "Would Your Highness like to have a friendly fight with Captain Hibo?"
Chinua chuckled. "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 smile.
Kianga said, "You are too generous. 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."
A female soldier called 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 and asked, "Who is this envoy?"
The female soldier said, "The envoy is waiting for Her Highness and asked to meet a soldier named Timicin."
Chinua burst out laughing.
Kianga smiled and said, "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 smiled. "Oheneba, that envoy is Minister Misheel, Timicin's father," she said. Turning back, her eyes searched the training ground for Timicin. After a few minutes, she found him and his group of friends training in a corner. "Hey! Timicin! Over here!" she waved.
Timicin looked up and found Chinua waving to him. "What do you want!" he yelled.
"I have urgent news for you!" Chinua yelled.
Erden said, "Urgent news? Is your father sick?" He turned to look at Timicin.
Och said, "Or maybe die."
Chaghatai hit Och on the forehead and said, "You idiot! Urgent news is not always the death of a family member. It can be other things too."
Muunokhoi said, "I think it may be because you are the only son. This battle made your parents realize that if you die in the battlefield, there will be no heir, and your family bloodline will be lost forever."
Terbish continued, "So, your parents decided to find you a bride."
Od added, "Then next year, we'll have a little Timicin running around."
From the corner of her eye, Hibo saw that the Magoli soldiers at the corner stopped their morning exercise, gathering instead in a small circle for a conversation.
"What are your people doing!" Her deep voice shouted to the six people who were practicing.
Hibo's powerful voice caused the six people to fall into silence.
Seeing that Hibo was walking towards them, Muunokhoi said, his voice shaking, "We... um... we... we're sharing ideas."
Hibo reached them and stood 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," Hibo said through gritted teeth.
"Two... two...two...hundreds," the seven men said with trembled lips.
Hibo looked at the men with a blank face. "Now!" she snapped, her voice still low and tight. "Two hundred. Start."
Timicin said, "Captain Hibo, Chinua is calling me. It seems there is urgent news to inform me."
Hibo turned around and found that Chinua and Kianga were not far from them. She turned to Timicin and said, "Your punishment still stands. You can go for now."
Timicin turned and smiled at his six friends, then quickly ran towards Chinua.
Hibo turned to look at the six Magoli soldiers and said, "Why haven't you started yet?"
The six Magoli dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups, and Hibo started counting.
Timicin reached the tent, pushed the curtain to the side and yelled happily, "Father!"
Timicin's loud voice frightened Misheel, causing his hand to tremble and the bowl to fall to the floor.
"Do you want me to be scared to death?" Misheel shouted angrily at Timicin.
He stood up quickly when he saw Chinua, Khunbish, and Khenbish walking into the tent with Timicin. "Your Highness," he said, bowing slightly.
Chinua sat down on the cushion and said, "Minister Misheel, I have told you many times not to address me as a royal when you are in my presence."
Misheel smiled and said, "Sorry, but I'm used to these terms and it's hard to change."
Chinua asked, "What brought you here?"
Misheel said, "His Majesty ordered me to send food and clothes to the Musians. At the same time, I also sent a message to Chinua." He put his hand into his left sleeve, took out the letter, and handed it to Chinua.
Chinua quickly opened the letter and read it. She handed the letter to Khunbish and said, "It seems that we have been invited back to attend the wedding of Princess Ankhtsetseg and Prince Geming."
She looked at Misheel confusedly, a slight furrow in her brow. A small 'huh' escaped her lips. "I thought the wedding had already taken place."
Misheel said, "After Chinua left, the court concluded that holding a wedding while Her Highness was leading troops to fight was a bad omen, 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."
Chinua said, "Khenbish, bring Captain Haitao here."
She turned to Misheel as Khenbish had left through the door. "According to the contents of the letter, father wants me to bring back the elite guards."
She looked at Misheel. "I can only bring my people back to the capital with me, but not Timicin."
Misheel was at a loss. "Can we make an exception this time?" he asked. "My wife misses Timicin very much."
Chinua sighed and said, "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 sitting around a small table with Khunbish, Timicin, and Misheel. He walked over and sat down.
"Khenbish said you were looking for me," Haitao said.
Chinua said, "I received a message from my father asking me to return with his elite guards. Also, I was called back to Ntsua-Ntu City to attend the royal wedding of Princess Ankhtsetseg and Prince Geming of Tangolia."
Haitao asked, "When will you leave?"
Chinua said, "Tomorrow morning. So, while I'm gone, you take charge and stay here until the Musian reinforcement arrives."
Haitao nodded.
Chinua said, "I will bring back the ashes of the fallen soldiers who lived in Ntsua-Ntu City. Later, I will have Khunbish bring you a list of those names whose family is there." She reached into her belt and took out a golden wolf tally and handed it to Haitao.
Haitao took the golden wolf tally from Chinua's hand, looked at Timicin then at Misheel. "Chinua, let Timicin go with you," Haitao said. "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 said.
Haitao said, "I'll tell the guards to get ready."
Chinua nodded to Haitao, who quickly left the tent.
Misheel smiled at Timicin and said, "Your captain didn't even ask you if you wanted to leave. Are you sure this captain is a good captain?"
Timicin said, "He is a great captain. 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, he is a smart man who understands the elderly father's thoughts and feelings," Chinua said. She picked up the water bowl on the table and took a sip.
Misheel smiled and said, "You have grown up. I am proud of you."
He stretched out his hand and gently patted Timicin on the right shoulder.
"Oh, by the way, 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 looked at Timicin's shocked face, his eyes wide and jaw dropped, with a smile.
Chinua tried to restrain herself but couldn't help but laugh, spraying water from her mouth into the air and onto Misheel's face.