In the years before the great Mughal Empire, the land was peaceful. Ulfat ul Baet was a young boy traveling with his parents in a large group of traders. They felt safe because the Empire was strong and protected the roads.
One night, they sat by a warm campfire. Ulfat's father was a smart man who loved books. His mother was kind and always wore a beautiful blue silk scarf that smelled like flowers.
"The Mongols are dangerous," his father said, "but they are like a storm. A storm can howl, but it cannot break a mountain. As long as we have our faith and stay together, we are safe."
Ulfat smiled. He tucked his mother's blue scarf into his pocket to keep it safe and went to sleep.
The Great Betrayal
In the middle of the night, Ulfat woke up to the sound of fire and screaming. He was scared. Through the smoke, he saw two people walking toward him.
They looked exactly like his Mom and Dad. They wore the same cloaks and walked the same way.
"Mom? Dad?" Ulfat whispered. "What is happening? Why is the camp on fire?"
The person who looked like his father reached out a hand. But when the light of the fire hit the person's face, Ulfat's heart stopped. It was not his father. It was a Mongol soldier with a scary, scarred face and a mean smile.
The Mongols knew they couldn't beat the Empire's guards in a fair fight, so they had dressed up like Ulfat's parents to get close and trick everyone.
The Dark Vow
"Take the boy," the Mongol leader shouted. "He will be a good slave."
The fake "mother" threw off the cloak. In her hand was a sharp sword. Behind her, Ulfat saw the truth. His real parents were lying on the ground, still and cold. The Mongols had killed them and stolen their clothes just to trap him.
Ulfat wanted to scream, but no sound came out.
The soldiers grabbed Ulfat by his hair and dragged him toward the horses. One of the men kicked his father's books into the mud.
"We will break this boy," the soldier laughed. "By the time we are done, he will forget his home, his God, and his name."
As the horses ran away into the dark, cold night, Ulfat reached into his pocket. His small hand squeezed the blue scarf. It was all he had left.
He didn't cry. He watched the fires of his home disappear.
You used my parents' faces to kill them, he thought. "One day, I will break your minds while you are still alive".