VOICES: – We agree! – Genghis is the ruler of the Universe! – Genghis is the ruler of the Universe! Jamukha, Hasar and Belgutei move away from the crowd. HASAR: The Persian word ‘Genghis’ in Kipchak sounds like ‘Shenghis’. BELGUTEI: From this moment, our other life begins. When ‘Genghis’ was still Temujin we could go up to our older brother and without asking drink as much kumis as we could from his wineskin. Now, they probably won’t let us anywhere near him. JAMUKHA: It has always been like this, brother. ‘If you want to get away from your friend, put him on a horse,’ says the commoner’s proverb. HASAR: Jamukha, it might just be me, but it seems that your mood hasn’t risen from the fact that our Temujin has become Genghis Khan. JAMUKHA: Don’t worry about it. Tomorrow we will meet in the Khan’s palace during the military council. (Emphasising every word) Only then will I speak my most heart-breaking words. BORTE: (To Hoelun) Look, look at Jamukha. His face is frozen, angry, pale even. No single shred of joy; he is up to something. The shouting in the distance does not subside. – Genghis Khan! Genghis Khan! – Ruler of the Universe! Great Kagan Genghis! The Khan’s palace belonging to Kagan Genghis. On a high throne with gold embroidery sits not the noble Temujin, but Genghis Khan, full of anger and energy. The war council is in full swing. GENGHIS KHAN: ‘You united the Mongols, made them a whole people.’ With such exclamations you have chosen me as Khan. The Naimans and Tatars, gathering all their forces under one fist, are preparing for war against us. In the battle that broke out three months ago, after being defeated, they swore an oath they would be allies, and I, believing your assurances it was necessary to ‘stop the bloody war,’ ceased military operations halfway through. I admit my decision was wrong. It is not in vain that there is a saying, ‘he who takes pity on the enemy himself will perish’. From now on, the commanders, centurions and thousanders who spared the enemy will be considered internal saboteurs, and we will condemn them to death. I will take over the management of all military units and operations. HASAR: Almighty Khan, the army of the Naimans and Tatars numbers forty-thousand people. What if we wait until the number of our
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