Heart Moments

Heart Moments - The Great Qhan

“Your humble servant great Qhan”, I said in as steady a voice as I could manage for I did not wish to appear foolish before the great Qhan and all the dignitaries from all the lands paying tribute to the Monqhul Yuan Empire. Even the rebellious Jomon from the Eastern Isles of the Sun and the victoriously independent Soong from the south had sent Ambassadors to the Great Qhan. There he sat on his gold and jade throne, in this palace that outshone anything, even in imperial Palermo or Constantinople.

 “Go” he said in all his power and finery, “go with my envoys to the South Land, the Dragon Land. Bring them the protection of your God as you have given protection to my servants, the Polos.”

I stopped breathing and then caught my breath before it flew away to heaven forever. I was about to stammer my unworthiness for such a journey when I remembered that, whether a favoured foreigner or not, such impudence could still lose me my head. I had been ordered thus and so it would be. The Polos may be able to talk to the Qhan as man to man, my Bishop may walk arm in arm with the Prime Minister, and our Justician Knights may train sword and shield with the generals; but I am too weak of spirit for such dealings with the all powerful.

“Go, and write down everything you observe, use your gift of tongues to record for me my envoys’ journey to this Dragon Land just as you have recorded for your Holy Mater, your journey to my Court!”

All I could do was to stare blankly at the ornate carpet upon which I knelt. Me, go off by myself into the unknown with envoys of Mater knows what intention. I am not a good luck charm and, as for the presence of our Lord and Lady in my life, never before had I felt such a fraud as I knelt there open mouthed staring blankly at the carpeted steps of the throne of the great Qublai Qhan.