The oil lamp on the bedside table flickered, its light dim, casting a long shadow on the Chief of Qarabuqa, who sat alone in the town's inn room. The lamp was made of ceramic and filled with a little fat-oil. Iltas could not use too much of it as he was rationing the item for possible consumption.
Iltas squinted his eyes a few times, carefully examining the parchment pages one by one. Initially, Iltas owned 10 Roman books. Every single manuscript was meticulously penned in Latin script, yet the text itself is written in Persian. The books are translated book made by Sassanids scribes.
Two books that he examines are mainly about strategy and politics. He actually held three but one about summary of philosophy is missing since three year ago. Possibly the book was stolen by Kure. Medicine book are held by Dilara.
Jelek, Tatabi and Udmurt want to be given book 1 each but they refused. Adam held three books and distributes it among the higher-rank members in the Ak Yays. Tughluq as his eldest child are given one as inheritance.
The last book was given to Yurumek, the leader of the Khor Lake Clan. Iltas spent hours trying to find the right reference to his current situation. The political book given to Yurumak might have that answer.
"I overestimated my own memories. That book is about the politics of the Caucasus. Even if i want to copy that, who could be the scriptoria. I can only write in Sogdia ..."
Knock!
"Husband who are you talking with? I'm afraid."
"Afraid by who, you can enter whenever you wish my wife."
"Why you sleep alone? This night should be Tiki turn. People will whispers if you keep ignoring her."
"She is not my wife yet. I could not believe that woman is once our enemy. How about you Dilara. Anything you want to say?"
Dilara suddenly sits on Iltas lap. Both of them are gazing at each other. Without a single words, she already know what her husband thinking. Dilara grabs one of the book.
"Just ask Alarga for help. Your Uncle from Father right? Then i'm sure they already want to help us since the beginning of this war."
"No i could not involve Kimek Horde in Kyrgyz affairs. The Inal Cuman Clan must have their own problem. What would other clans think of us, involving Kipchaks in our problem. I know they are family but i'm not that desperate.
"Listen Iltas, you want to become a Khagan. You must use all you have then. Don't do something with half-measure."
"The war will spread even further if Inal Cumans and their allies came. I only ever wanted to see the Gokturk prosper."
"Tatar themself did not even respect them anymore nor the campaign in Avar Khaganate bear any fruits. To be honest husband, I couldn't care less about the so called Gokturk Empire and squabbling Ashinas. What i want to see is you bringing peace to the Kyrgyz. A new future in the Yenisei. Many chieftains start to see you as one. Even the unruly ones like Tatabi and Udmurt."
"Shush don't badmouth our kinsmen."
Iltas could not convince his wife to fully support his true ideal. The night is getting late. The oil lamp is being putted off.
—
Dilara was still fast asleep at dawn. While the day was still dark, Iltas had already begun his light training outside the inn. He swings his sword repeatedly while perfecting his footworks. Moving as if he is evading the enemy attacks.
"Is this enough or i increase my training," Iltas murmured.
"I think already enough," Tiki immediately hug him.
"You already awake," Iltas ask.
"When is our feast ...," Tiki asks back.
"Next week for now you wa--," she hug fighter.
"I don't want to. What i want is now not tomorrow or next week," several clansmen greets them. They are happy to see the chieftain with the new chieftess.
Iltas looks back at the inn windows. How did Tiki already know he had slept there on the last night.
"Morning Tiki," Dilara already wear her veil.
"Oh what should i call you, aka (older sister) or ansi (milady). You could regard me as your sincil (little sister)," Tiki perform respectful gestures.
"Aka is fine, surprisingly the sincil are well knowledgeable in our manners," Dilara nods. She is not that impressed.
"Yes i already know my place," Tiki slightly angry.
"Good but there are still very much for you to learn. This is not Koryak; female roles are cooking, doing the chores and heal our wounded. Understand? Now follow me to our kitchen." Dilara end their conversation.
Tiki still did not want to admit defeat. She was confident that with her youth and beauty, she would eventually become the most loved woman in Iltas's heart. Meanwhile, Iltas looked baffled; he did not have any experience dealing with this situation.
Both of them will decide wifey matter in the kitchen. Who shall accompany their beloved, Iltas for today.
"Duh if only Tatabi still alive. I'm the only one who have two wives in the Qarabuqa ...," Iltas is lost at words.
"I have an idea husband. How about we play kumalak," Dilara wins.
"Sure is but prefer to mention it in the original words. Let's play manqalah," Iltas get the board game.
Iltas and Dilara faces each other. A heavy slab of aged pine wood carved with twelve small pits and two large treasuries at either end. To an untrained observer, it was a simple pastime of sowing and reaping. For them, it was means to pour their hearts.
"Hoho you moves first so you already have the advantage."
"Perhaps in this game, i'm the Queen."
"We'll see oh wife."
The rhythmic clack-clack-clack of polished colored pebbles can be heard. Not too loud or quiet either. The games sounds less like a parlor game and more like the steady, ominous march of an advancing army. Iltas leaned forward, his fingers hovering over his leftmost pit. He was down to his last few blue pebbles, his treasury looking pitifully barren compared to Dilara overflowing hoard.
"Hihi i win this round."
"My turn."
Both players start their moves in the board state. Iltas while start first are inclined to defend while Dilara commence her assault. Iltas boarding all his pebbles into a single, massive heap in his central pit, believing it made him untouchable.
Dilara smiles because she already know how to counter him. She scooped up the four red pebbles from her leftmost pit. One, two, three. She dropped them one by one into the consecutive spaces, her final pebble falling perfectly into her own empty pit.
"How?"
"Hehe so fun."
By the ancient rules of the game, because Dilara final pebble landed in an empty pit on his own side, she was entitled to seize every single pebbles in the opposing pit directly opposite it. Dilara reached across the wooden expanse and scooped up the massive handful of Iltas posession.
"The game is rigged, i thought everyone will always win if they start first."
"Want to play the third round husband?"
"Hoho no one afraid, bring it on!"
"That's my Iltas."
The husband and wife spent their time together playing manqalah. Whether they won or lost, neither of them cared anymore. Iltas and Dilara only wanted to play to pour out their feelings over the successive rounds.