Daughter of Xanadu - Dori Jones Yang [38]
My heart rose. Did he mean as a warrior?
“The Khan has entrusted me with the task of pacifying the West. His attention now is on the South, on the conquest of China. Once that is completed, I plan to convince him to send several divisions to the West. Working with our fellow Mongols in Russia and Persia, it should be an easy romp to conquer the rest of the Western lands.”
My heart clenched. “Including Christendom?”
“Yes. Suren and Temur are learning other languages from that part of the world. I am watching all of you, to see whether you might prove useful to me.”
My thoughts tumbled on top of each other. Perhaps there was hope after all. In spite of his judgment that I was an ignorant child, my uncle thought I could play a role of some sort in the army. He was not talking about making me a soldier, but to travel with the army! With Suren! It seemed too good to be true.
Yet how could I take part in the conquest of Christendom, and join a military horde thundering toward Venezia? Now that I knew Marco, I had begun to question my long-held beliefs.
“I would be honored,” I said, bowing my head slightly, to show humility and obedience. What could I do to win his favor?
“Continue with your work. Learn the foreigner’s language. Hide your opinions and feelings. Get him to trust you. If he becomes suspicious, he will stop talking to you.” I nodded and he continued. “Act friendly, but do not take his side or help him. Probe for that crucial piece of information, the chink in their armor.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Above all, never mention anything about plans to invade his homeland. The Great Khan has not made any final decision.”
“I will do as you say,” I replied. I left his chambers full of hope and confusion.
Marco was charming and witty, a good friend if not more. He had all but declared his love for me. I knew he was only partly teasing. One word from me, and it could be more than jest. Somehow, he had managed to declare his heart without making me feel awkward or threatened. My feelings for him were jumbled, but I was flattered.
Now my own heart’s desire seemed within reach. Chimkin might be willing to intervene with the Khan and let me join the army. Yet at what price? I had dreamed of galloping off with the army. But Marco’s words had put doubts in my mind. How would I feel riding off to the West to conquer Marco’s homeland? All his talk of peace kept repeating in my head.
What an impossible situation! I had always been loyal to my Khan and my people, but now that loyalty required me to make an enemy of a man who was gradually becoming my friend.
The next time I went to Marco’s ger, a few days later, he was not alone. Standing with him were two older men, also Latins.
Marco looked uneasy. “Princess Emmajin. Let me introduce you to my father, Niccolo Polo, and my uncle, Maffeo Polo.”
I nodded at them. “Welcome to Xanadu. You are feeling better now?”
“Yes, thank you.” His father, thin and intense, angular and sharp, had hawkish eyes of dark gray, not green like Marco’s. Beneath his neatly trimmed beard, his thin lips tensed in a straight line.
Uncle Maffeo, tall and big-bellied, with pure white hair and beard, coughed so deeply he had trouble stammering out his greeting. “A pleasure to meet you.”
Although he was a large, imposing man, I immediately felt sympathy for him. “The journey from Khanbalik was not too hard, I hope?” I said.
“We want come earlier. We send apologies to Khan,” responded Marco’s father. “We stay rest of summer here.” His Mongolian was choppier than Marco’s, and his accent much thicker. His manner—distant, formal, dry—contrasted with Marco’s charm.
I nodded, sensing that the rest of my summer would be much more constrained. My days of lighthearted fun with Marco had ended. The Khan had assigned me to get to know all three Latins. Perhaps these older men knew more important information about their homeland than Marco did.
Uncle Maffeo began coughing again. Marco tapped his back with care and affection while I stood awkwardly.
Marco’s father ignored the coughing and continued,