“It’s me, Jamuka. I wish to speak with my sworn brother Temujin.

”
“Come up!” the Great Khan replied.
His pace was slow at first, but once he caught sight of Temujin’s commanding
figure at the top he started to run as if to embrace him. But Temujin drew his
sword from his belt and called, “You consider me your sworn brother, still?”
Jamuka sighed and sat down cross­legged on the grass. “Brother,” he said,
“you are already a tribal chief. Why do you insist on uniting the Mongols?”
“What is your opinion?” Temujin replied.
“The clan chiefs all say our ancestors have lived this way for hundreds of
years. Why does Temujin want to change our traditions? The heavens will not
allow it!”
“Do you remember the story of our ancestor Lady Alan Qo’a? Her five sons
could not live in peace, so she invited them to come and dine with her. She gave
them each an arrow and asked them to break it. This they did with ease. Then
she tied together another five arrows and asked them to break them. Each son
tried, but none was able to do it. Do you remember what she said to them?”
“If each of you stands alone, you will be broken as easily as an arrow,”
Jamuka said quietly. “But if united, no­one and nothing can break you.”
“And then what happened?”
“They joined together and conquered the steppe for future generations. They
were the founders of our tribes.”
“Exactly that! We too are heroes fit to stand beside Lady Alan Qoa’s sons, so
why fight among ourselves? Why not unite and destroy the Jin?”
“But the Jin command a powerful army, their lands are scattered with gold
and they live among mountains of rice. How can the Mongols defeat them?”
“So you prefer to live under their yoke?” Temujin snorted.
“We are not oppressed by them. Their Emperor made you Queller of Northern
Uprisings!”
“I trusted them at first, that is true. But then I came to understand their greed.
Every year they demand more. First they were satisfied with sheep and cows,
then they wanted horses and now they want our men. What do we care for their
war with the Song? Even if we help the Jin conquer the south, the land will
belong to them alone. We lose soldiers, and for what? Are we going to feed our
cattle on the sand on the other side of these mountains? If we fight, we fight the
Jin!”
“But Ong Khan and Senggum don’t want to betray them.”
“Betray them? Ha! What about you?”
“Brother, I beg you, don’t let your anger cloud your thoughts. Let Tusakha go.
I guarantee personally that Senggum will release you.”
“Senggum? I don’t trust him and now I don’t trust you.”