The Woman Ruler of the Altan Clan

Chapter 8 A Thousand Questions

"No! Stop that...Noooo!" With a roar from his soul being torn apart by the pain, Shanum gasped awake. All over his body was wet with sweat, his breathing roaring, he snorted. For a while, Shanum felt his body and mind paralyzed.

Frightened..shok..sadness.pilot press his chest and almost strangled him. Both of his friends were by his side. Diva held her hand while occasionally rubbing her shoulder. "You're dreaming of Sha again?" Farah asked as she looked at him concerned, her face looking sad. "You want a story?" ask the soft Diva.

"I-I'm fucked up. I'm confused, because in this dream I-I..." He explained as he stammered, his eyes looking teary. "I felt all that pain, disappointment and fear. It hurt a lot, and I couldn't stop it..."

Shanum held back the sobbing that nearly burst out again. She remembered the woman, a hair that was so black that it looked blue, like her own hair. Eyes whose edges are sticking out and are shiny black in color.

The woman was there, she was standing behind the woman like a shadow. "Why can I feel her feelings? Why?" Shanum rubbed his face, he looked raved. "Sha, shh.hey, if you can't afford to tell it it's okay. We understand Sha," said Diva.

"Awhile, I'll get you some water first." Farah rushed to the round table in the corner of the room, picking up one of the bottled mineral waters there. He gave it to Shanum. He drank the water until the toilet, his very dry throat felt fresh afterwards. His breathing began to settle down, seeming to calm down.

Farah and Diva were still looking at him curiously, waiting for his oral continuation. Shanum's gaze looked bright, his body was in the room, but his spirit seemed not to be there.

"*I was suddenly standing in the middle of a room, the room was very spacious. There was a throne there, and on it sat a middle-aged man with the appearance of a higher-up. Her clothes looked ancient, with a long black robe with golden tendrils. On the left and right side are neatly lined tables, containing people sitting behind the table. In front of me was a woman standing in the middle of the room as well.

I feel something, what is this? Fear, who has this feeling, am I? Then I saw the people in front of us whispering, then there was a knock. The voices suddenly disappeared, the room became quiet. The man who looked like a senior then looked towards us, he looked an arrogant smile*.

"*Colorize, the elders have decided, you must not reconnect with Khan. Khan is the future leader of the Clan, and you're not worth it. This time the Council will let you go, and let you and your family live in peace, on the condition that you and your family stay away from the Khan. Otherwise, you and your family will be sentenced to prison forever, and I will make sure.

"Do you understand Sintai?" The man looked at her sharply, his voice sounding loud. Sarni raised her head then nodded her head. The man seemed satisfied to see it.

"Take him out of this room," the man ordered to a man beside him. The man who received the order then spoke to someone else*.

This woman in front of me was named Sarnai. He suddenly looked back, looking agitated, his face as pale as a corpse, his gaze empty. I felt turmoil in his feelings, pain, anger, injustice, everything overlapping *tindih.

I could feel what he was feeling, and it shocked me. Does he realize my existence? But there was no reaction that he knew I was there.

Then the room faded away, I blinked my eyes, and saw Sarting running around, then he hid in one corner of the building. I don't know what makes it so, and why I keep following him, every time he runs I run, he walks slowly I come along too.

I was always behind him, looking like his shadow. Right now Coloring was looking stealthily towards the streets before him. After he felt it was safe he started running again, and came to the front of a round white tent. I was shocked, this sighting in front of me-is a Ger, a traditional Mongolian tent. Like I saw in that old town.

Then I saw Sintai being confronted by a man. This man-my eyes were wide in shock, my mouth was gawking, I saw Khan Adrian standing before me. I squinted my eyes, right. His face looked younger. Her hair was also long and tied up. I looked at his handsome face, yeah-it's really him, I can't be wrong. Oh my God, is this a joke, please tell me! because I don't think this is funny.

"Khan's..." Sinta said her name in a soft voice. Even his name was the same, Sarni called him Khan. I looked at his whole face, I was really curious. How could he be in my dreams? "How's Nai doing, why does your face look so shocked? It was like seeing a ghost when I met me."

He asked Sintai with a smile. "We'd better not talk here." Sintai began to move towards the path, going somewhere, followed by Khan next to him.

Sarni kept her head down while walking, she did not seem to turn her head in the slightest towards Khan. As they walked down the path, I noticed some curious and guessing gazes from the people who passed by them. But they both kept walking in silence.

When he arrived at a quiet place, invisible to a single person, Sintai stopped - then he looked into the face of Khan Adrian. He just stared, still not making any sound. My position can now be next to Sintai.

Thank goodness I am now free to move anywhere I want. I could see their faces up close, and could hear what they were talking about. "Nai, I want to apologize, I just found out that you were called elders. Why don't you come and say it?" ask Khan.

Sintai did not reply, he stepped towards the riverbank near this place and looked along its flow. "Nai, why are you quiet. Say anything?" Khan moved closer to her, then suddenly grabbed her into an embrace. The stain was petrified, he remained motionless in the slightest, his body seemed to tremble. Then he took off Khan's embrace. "Then..." Khan still asked as he frowned.

Maybe he was confused, what happened to Sintai. "What did the council say, tell me?" Sarni shook her head," I don't need to tell you." "Why not necessary? What's the reason, were you threatened, Nai?" Khan then tried to wipe his cheek, Sintai flinched, and he brushed it away*."

"*The reason is not important Khan." "Whatchu mean? Why is it not important?" khan asked confusedly.

"For me now it's no longer important Khan. Please don't ask again." Khan Adrian looks increasingly confused, ambiguous answer that Sarnatkan throw makes him nervous. Something made him anxious, as he was currently unable to read the woman's mind intent precisely.

"So what do you want now, Nai?" Khan challenged him furiously. The fire in the man's eyes made Sarni feel fear - not the flames of anger, but rather something that looked as disappointment. And despair also because since then he did not explain to the man.

Sinta tried to stare at the man with an unreadable, flat, emotionless look. Although actually inside him was caged by a sense of grief that stifled his chest. The man has everything, wealth, power, self-esteem, influence. That man rules the world. The man once gave her happiness.

Khan squinted his eyes. "Don't" Khan ordered, his voice soft and threatening. "Don't insult me further by lying." Khan clenched his hands. "I'm not lying, I'm telling the truth." Sarni looked at Khan's eyes with courage.

"Why?" khan lirih. "We are very different khan-like the heavens and the earth. I am the earth and you are the sky. We will never be together" replied Sintai.

"Who said? What does the council say?" Khan tried to go back to fishing for Sintai to admit it. "No Khan, no need for the council to say it was clearly visible in plain sight." Coloring still covers it.

"Ah-That is a petty mind, there is no boundary of heaven and earth if both of them want each other. We've been through this long enough. Does that mean nothing to you, Nai?" ask Khan. Sarnai shook his head.

Khan closed his eyes, then laughed. "Nai, please tell me that your head was just joking. You're not serious, are you?" ask Khan. "No, I'm serious" replied Sintai firmly.

Khan's eyes were usually warmed by love when looking at him, this time looking hard and sharp. His jaw muscles almost popped out of anger. Khan's nose is flushed. "You said love to me. Is that also fake?" sniff the man.

Colored laughing. "Love alone won't be enough Khan. I'm just a commoner. Accept it." Coloring seemed to grit her teeth."That's enough for me, Nai. The others mean nothing. We're gonna do this together. I will do everything, even take my title off, if it can get you back to me" Khan shouted.

Coloring grazes to hold back tears that pool and almost spill. He felt Khan had tortured him all out with those words.

Just as Sintai felt that he could not love the man any more than he felt now, Khan had done something that made him fall in love even more deeply. Khan was willing to give up what he was born with, his title.

Stupefied, he stared at Khan, too familiar with every line, dent, and sharp corner of his face. He will miss that face later on. "Khan, I have a request" he said softly.

"No. You have no intention of giving me what I want. Why should I do something for you?" Sintai smiled wryly at Khan's words. He knew Khan cared about him. The man wouldn't have looked for it if it wasn't.

Behind Khan's outrage and rude rejection, Sintai somehow knew that the man would do this for her. That's why he had to sacrifice. He's leaving the man. He will protect the man, he will not let Khan destroy his life for his sake.

"Look! I don't care at all! Even though the whole world is against us. You are mine, forever to be my wife." Khan said again loudly. He clenched his mouth tightly, and looked at Sintai sharply. Sintai felt the rope had wrapped around his neck, and the trapdoor had opened.

"No way," whispered Sintai. Then he laughed stiffly, "It's stupid of you*, Khan. I turned out to succeed. Yes, you are my most successful victim of fraud. You probably intend to defy clan rule, and marry me. But for what it's all about, it's pointless. Since you'll be alone, I won't be willing. And I never loved you, Khan. It's a lie, I just want to be able to prove to the people that I, Sintai, a commoner woman was able to conquer the glorious Khan."

"Don't, Nai." Khan looked shocked, his face pale. He seemed to be unable to accept Sintai's words. I heard it was sad, Oh my God, it was hard for Sintai, and it hurt so much for Khan.

"Don't what? Don't be honest with you? From the beginning you were my prey. All the sweet words that came out of my lips were poison. Do you really think I want to stay with you, do whatever you want, for as long as you want? No Khan, I'm getting bored now, and the game is over. I don't need you anymore. I'm gonna start looking for another man, who could be my victim."

"*You're lying. I don't believe your words." Khan looked at Sintai with squeaking eyes and tensed jaws, he stared at him sharply. "Whatever it is, those are the most honest words I've ever said to you." Coloring tried to answer without hesitation. "Well, if that's what you want." Khan threw away his sight. He seemed to want to go all the way from Sintai. His forehead looked wrinkled, his lips thinned, and his eyes without twinkling, looked crumpled dim.

I felt something pulsing in his heart. I felt the warm liquid slowly move down my cheeks. Bringing an immeasurable pain to him. My feelings are overflowing, I want to hold the man in my arms*.

"*Khan, there's one more request" Sintai said. Khan stopped then turned around, and Sarni's heart was almost crushed seeing the flat expression on the man's face. "Don't look for me anymore" said Sinta quietly with an unreadable face. Khan nodded at a glance before stepping back, leaving the place. A quiet place with the sound of river water rustling heard.

With the man gone, Sintai felt himself lost, the tears he had been holding back were now trying to break free. But if he cried now, for all the things he had lost, he was afraid that he would not be able to stop. Khan would never know how big his gift was to Sintai, never would have known what he suffered after lying and telling him to go*.

*Right now, Sarnai hates herself for falling in love with the man, for giving the man the power to break his heart. And he also knew that he had broken the man's heart. But he had to do it, the distance was too wide to cross. All this for the best, all this for Khan's sake. He wants Khan to stick with all the titles that come with it. He had to ascend the throne, he was born for it, to lead his clan. To take his people in a better direction.

Love him, with all your heart and soul. He will love her until her last breath, even if she is born again. "I'm sorry, Khan." Colour fall on the ground. His palm held his face, and he could no longer hold back the tears. I also sat on the ground, beside him, crying over his loss*.

Then I was somewhere else, I looked back at the dream when the woman who turned out to be Sintai was being bound and tormented by a sadistic woman. Her beautiful face was broken by a knife. I began to understand the meaning of this dream. The pieces began to form a whole story.

Shanum has finished telling. Diva and Farah looked dumbfounded. Their faces seemed to be in disbelief. The diva was even wiping away the tears with her finger. "So Sha, what are you gonna do now?" ask Farah. Shanum got up from the bed, he stepped towards the window. Staring at the beautiful morning scenery in Astrakhan.

"I don't know, Farah. What should I do after this. Because I also do not know yet, what my role in the life of Sintai and Khan Adrian. Why should I be there? Many unanswered questions." Shanum then turned his head, looking at his two best friends.

"You believe my story, don't you? Don't think I'm losing my sanity?" "If we consider all this to be madness, what we are now here for, in a place far from home, with you" said Farah.

"Yes Sha, we want you to find the veil behind your dream" Diva said. Shanum smiled, he was happy to have these two friends before him. Let it be, for the next he puts in the destiny that will lead him.