Once More, This Time With Mongols

Well, this is interesting, she thought as she looked calculatingly upon the group of newcomers that accompanied her father into the camp, all atop the shaggy, sturdy ponies of characteristic of the plains. Seeing the young boy with the men, she immediately knew the reason for their visit.

The Ungirad survived by the beauty of their daughters.

It was an interesting place she had been born into—or rather, reborn into. It had been strange growing up and learning all she had to in order to survive in this life while a steady stream of vivid thoughts entered her mind, thoughts of somewhere else. She was now old enough to understand that those were the thoughts, the wisdom, the memories of the Kagome-that-was, made just as clear for the Kagome-that-is—Borte, she was called now.

Her mother called her away from the open tent flap she had been spying out of and returned to her chores, helping her mother prepare the meal for her family and her father's guests. She did not have long to wait to sate her curiosity, and by the time the meal was nearly done, her father had finished showing his guests around their camp and they returned just as she was setting out the kumis and vessels from which to drink it.

When they entered, her eyes were immediately drawn to the young boy, just a little older than her.

His father, Yesugei, introduced him as Temudgin.

She had always had this certain, indescribable thing that made her different from her father and mother, different from her whole tribe, and she had never known what it was, and she still didn't, but he had it too. And in that moment, she knew. In his eyes was recognition.

Hiei, whispered the Kagome-that-was.

Their fathers spoke over the meal. She ignored them. There was only one reason for a chief with a young son to visit another chief with a young daughter. Securing an alliance. Marriage.

She gazed at him from across the spread of food, talking to him with her eyes, a language they both still knew in this life. The idea of marriage she had come to accept. The idea of marriage to him she relished.

Looking at him, smirking at each other as their fathers came to an agreement, she held in her mind, her eyes, the same knowledge that he did.

Together, they would rule the world.

AN1: Though Genghis Khan (Temudjin's title when he grew up and made a name for himself) is known for being a ruthless conqueror, his relationship with his first wife, Borte, was very sweet. He often went to her for advice, trusting her as much as any advisor and when he left for war, if he didn't take her with him, she was given the responsibility of ruling the Mongol homeland as Grand Empress. Her children were the only ones to rule his empire after his death. I recommend watching The Mongol, if you're interested in the subject.

AN2 (to dark-wolf-howl): I wanted to reply to your reviews, but since you don't have the messaging feature enabled, I hope you see this. I'm glad you've been enjoying my collections of oneshots; I write what makes me happy, and I'm always happy to see that other's get some joy out of it as well. As for Along Came a Kitsune, I just don't see myself being motivated to finish a story for a pairing I don't much care for any more; I do think it's a decent piece of writing, so I put it up for adoption, but I don't think I'll be working on it beyond typing up an outline for someone else. If it's not picked up in a year or so, I may consider typing out a detailed summary with some scenes I had planned out and posting that for anyone who's interested. If nothing else, it's better than leaving it on hiatus.