The entire population of Kiev was on the walls following the tragedy unfolding in our camp. They called us asking for compassion for the dying men and offering all the treasures they possessed. Still, they were short of surrendering the city. But, we wanted it all and more. Subutai ordered to bring over the women we caught in the villages surrounding Kiev. We raped them right there in front of the entire city. After we were done ravaging them, we let the Tatars have their way with the women, and that was terrifying even for us, Mongols. Many women were savagely raped and tortured while calling the names of their loved ones hiding in the city. Some had children in the camp and men in the human mount. The Tatars kept everything on display, spreading the horror around and terrifying all witnesses. They brutally cut the women’s breasts off and then, opened the bellies, while they were still alive, spilling the guts and the blood on the pile of human bodies beneath the platform. The revolting stench from the human mount was increasing by the minute. It was really repulsive, but that was the strategy. Clouds of black and green flies surrounded the platform, the camp, and the city buzzing so loudly that no one could turn the eyes away from the tragedy of the scene. Billions of flies could sound very loud, louder than the screams of people being tortured to death.
Cries and the scream of the wounded and dying Russians mixed with the savage yells of the delight of the Tatars drunk on blood, the killing frenzy. And then, came the children. The fair-haired and blue-eyed Russian children… There were dozens of them. Tatars had never been civilized, and after they accepted the Koran as the living word of God and Islam as the main religion of the group, they became wilder than any wild beast. They became the worst beasts of all, and even we were scared at times. They frightened us and many of our associates and most of all, the Khazars. It was too horrific for the Jews, too forbidden, too illogical, too unnatural. Yet, it was necessary to win the war. Most of Khazars left the scene when it started. They did not contradict my orders in any form but did not take part in it also. They just went as far from the mount as was possible. It was not for them, and it was not for me either. Many of my people did not like what was going on, but we had to do it, and we knew it. That was necessary. Maybe it was overdone somewhat, but the result counts more than anything. I tried to save the lives of my people by scaring, terrifying the enemy, and we succeeded quite often. And, that worked only in one way — the terror. And, dread was everywhere. No matter where you looked, you were frightened to the point of scream. We were terrified, but that was us. I did not like it, none of it but I knew, my grandfather had done it before. He always tried to shock the enemy into submission before any of our people had to die. The enemy should perish and not us, never us. It paid back more often than not, and we were the winners. So, I could not stop the Tatars or the Kalmycks, but I was not proud of it. Actually, I was getting sick of it and fast.
Finally, I got tired of everything I saw. It was a very stressful day for a very stressful week. We were so close to the victory but not there yet. Maybe one more push and we are there. I could not watch it any longer. Watch what? The Tatars were too wild and too wile for my taste. Cousins… In short, it was too violent for me, and I needed a rest. I needed to rest from my enemies and my friends alike. I needed to rest from the Tatars. One thing is how you act in the battle, and another is in the time and the place of peace. True, the wives and the children of my enemies were also my enemies, but I don’t like torturing them. It is not right. I see no reason for that. They were just women and children. Old people… To horrify the enemy… They are frightened already. They are petrified. To terrify them even more? They were broken down. What else could we do? Kill… And, we killed.
We hardly needed to fight them now, but some became more agitated, angry, mad, and will contest us to death. That’s the negative side of the process. We know that and have to deal with it. I think that rape, slavery, and a quick death were acceptable but not the torture. What’s the point? You torture people only when you need the information. Why would you torment a child? Or, a peasant woman? What do they know that you need so badly? They never knew anything, and often, they were damn. What did we gain then? That was wrong, so, I do not watch it. Yet, it works like a magnet. You cannot take the eyes off.
Could you turn away from the ugliness? Real ugliness… Exactly. The Khazars just walk away. Somehow, they turn away. They never participate or even watch anything like that, but they fight well and very smart. Well, I should not interfere with my soldiers. Not for something like that. They are good soldiers, and that is the reward they want. If that’s what they want, I’ll give it to them. My life was stressful enough already, and I did not need any confrontations with the Tatars, Kalmyks, Kyrgyz, Buryats, or anyone else in my camp. Yet, I have to watch the Muslims much closer though. That’s all. It was time to rest a little and not to think of unpleasant things. A few of my commanders, relatives, Subutai and I left pretending that we had some things to do and some orders to give. We did not want anyone to know that it was revolting even to us. We wanted to wait until the Tatars were done with what they did best, and the platform cleaned so we could come back and continue to enjoy the feast. I took a new Russian slave girl and went to my tent. It was her first time with me, and probably, she would fight resisting the violation. That always makes me harder. I liked it. Fight, girl. You are so beautiful. Kick harder. I will not cut your breasts off, and I will not kill you. I do not do things like that. I am not a Tatar nor a Kalmyk. I am more civilized. I just want to make love to you in an exceptional way I reserve for the slave girls. Don’t be afraid and come here. Let’s be friends. If I like you, it could be good for you in the end. My personal slaves live somewhat better than others. Sometimes they were even better off than people of the lesser tribes. Those people would love to be my slaves, but I do not need them for that. They are from the steppes or the neighboring settlements. What could I experience from them? What could they tell me? What do they know I don’t? No, that is not exciting at all. They should be free if we did not conquer them, and why would we conquer them. There is nothing they have that we want. We are of the same race and, in many ways, we are the same. They are our cousins and see things our way anyway.
A few hours later, when we were rested and ready to continue enjoying the good weather, good fortune and the feast, one of the guards, called Subutai to the city gates. It was not really unusual, but it was this day. Kiev was in shock, and nothing should be happening there if not the surrender. They had nothing left. The guard claimed that the Grand Duchess of Kiev wanted to see Subutai. That was interesting and quite unusual so, I decided to join him. No one ever wanted to see Subutai if not for a favor to ask. He was not a good-looking man nor a pleasant one. One could not have an intelligent conversation with him if it did not involve war, killing, or horses. So, it should be a favor she wanted. I liked Subutai because I knew him ever since I was a toddler and he always was good to me. When my father died, he became like a father to me. More, he was a friend. He told me everything I know and helped me to grow into what I am now. He did so much for me. Well, he was my father in a way. It was not by blood but in real life, and I loved him for that. Interesting, but Subutai did not court women but raped them instead. Well, he rarely raped the Mongolian women. One could get killed for that even by the woman. But, the others and the slaves had no chance. He always took what he wanted at the time, although if he regretted it later. No, he never regretted anything. Why would he? That was his character for all I know and we, Mongols, should either accept it or fight. So, I took Subutai as he was, and that was right. Subutai sired many children, but almost all of them were bustards, and he lost the count of them. It was somewhat sad, but then, he could claim the own clan. He never did, though. That was funny. What a wild horde it would be. He was a part of the most prominent tribe in the nation already. His children belonged to our clan and were welcomed everywhere. Thus, the Grand Duchess did not just want his company, she wanted something from him, and I wanted to know what it was and how he would handle that. It could be quite entertaining on a dreary day and the day was getting more boring by the minute. It was exhilarating last night, but we saw it all already.