Marco Polo

It is good to see you, my friend.

I'm greatly encouraged by recent talks with His Holiness.

- He's most eager for your arrival. - My arrival?

Yes. He sees you as much more than a mere ambassador.

The barbarians.

Welcome.

Eight keshig dead.

And ten horses.

My son's horses?

No sign of Jingim or Ahmad.

How close to Karakorum?

Close enough.

Kaidu.

Who else?

To harm my sons...

An act of war.

We ride for Karakorum.

You believe they're still alive.

If Kaidu were to kill my sons,

he would have made a display of it.

Why?

Why do this?

Power games of men come hand-in-hand with an election.

- You're certain? - Certain what?

Certain this is not somehow...

our fault?

Our fault?

Are we somehow being punished for what we did?

Does my husband bear the brunt of God's anger

- for sins he doesn't even know? - You think life is that simple, child?

We will find them.

You're warm. Do you bleed?

- No. - Good.

Your female instinct, what does it tell you?

I don't have one.

Of course you do.

It just wants nurturing.

Get out, take some air. It will do you good.

Hello?

Hello?

What did you do?

Word from our scouts.

The Khan and his army are traveling to Karakorum.

His sons are missing.

What did you do?

What you told us to do. We sent a message.

You made war against my brothers?

- If I'd told you, you would've stopped me. - You're damn right.

- What else? - I killed their horses.

You killed them?

The Khan's sons aren't capable of walking half a day to a way station?

Then why, Orus, have they not arrived at a way station?

The Vice Regent's horse...

fell on his leg.

And you left them there.

I thought you'd left me.

Well, I said I was coming back.

You did?

Yes, you did.

If you'd left me, you could have saved yourself.

We stay together.

They're out there, Ahmad, looking for us.

And they will find us.

If I die...

will you forgive my offenses?

- Stop it. You're not dying. - I'm going to.

We're all going to.

When, where, and how, now they are the questions.

Covered in opium and sweat, maybe.

Good way to go.

But not in a place like this.

Although, it... it would be fitting.

A humble end for a humble beginning.

Just as when you were a boy...

your destiny is to be saved.

Fox, anyone?

Where is Batbayer?

He is... not here, Miss... Princess.

Look at me. Take a breath.

Speak plainly.

Where is he?

He's dead.

They found his body the other night. Near the river.

The whole of your army can be here within a week.

Unless Kaidu has a death wish, he will surrender Jingim and Ahmad.

The Goyo plant.

It grows heavily in this region.

More enemies have fallen to its poison than any sword.

Pick some for Kaidu.

Where are my sons?

They are not in the capital.

Search all you like.

Your other son will lead.

Go with him.

If my brothers were here, I'd know.

- Did you know they were attacked? - No.

So perhaps they could be here, and you might not know.

I saw Kaidu's reaction when he received word.

He had no idea Jingim and Ahmad were missing.

And if they were prisoners,

would we be foolish enough to keep them within the walls?

"We"?

Much has changed.

Has the Khan spoken of me?

He might have preferred you'd lost that wrestling match with Khutulun.

Do you?

This is a waste of time.

Yours.

- I didn't think bloodshed your aim. - It is not.

Or civil war.

Any more than it was for you...

when you sent back those eight heads.

Those heads didn't belong to your sons.

No.

You took those at your war against the wall.

Bow to your Khan.

I take blame for nothing.

Other than raising an idiot.

- He acted on his own? - Entirely.

But you sanctioned the raid?

I give you my word.

Should your sons not be returned to you, you may take mine to do with as you wish.

Now let's focus on what matters.

Ahmad was injured.

My best guess is they've sought shelter.

You mean your best hope.

You know the likelihood of surviving the steppe,

on foot, north of Khantai Gorge.

I do, very well, as do my trackers.

They are preparing to leave tonight.

- They will find them. - No.

We will find them.

Thank Tengri he has been devoured so quickly.

I wish there was a way to know when his soul arrived in heaven.

A bell. A breeze.

Some certain thing.

He rests in the Blue Sky now.

May I ask how you knew my husband?

Forgive me. I am Bolormaa.

I am Nergüi.

Do you work in the stables?

No.

But I pass them frequently.

I didn't know your husband well...

but you could tell he was kind.

By his eyes.

Even on the darkest of days.

You look familiar.

Maybe our paths have crossed.

They certainly have now.

And it would be wise to keep them that way.

- Another day soon, perhaps? - I would like that.

Thank you, Nergüi, for paying this respect to him.

They're not here.

You'd take the word of a round eye over blood?

Sad, isn't it?

But his words have proven true.

- Whereas yours... - Great Khan.

How you've grown greater and greater with each passing year.

And you, Cousin Shabkana...

more and more delicate.

Your skin brings to mind fine parchment,

or the rose petals I use to clean my ass.

Your words no longer cut me, Kublai. That is the great gift of age.

Nor yours me. The great, great gift of sovereignty.

You speak as you rule, like a bull-yak.

Your mother's blood has proven unyielding.

To be mothered by a yak or a nagging witch?

Which do you prefer?

Prepare the horses.

We ride tonight.

Tell us why you are here, Nayan.

- What ails him? - Leprosy.

As ambassador from the Mongol lands.

With respect and greetings from the Great Khan himself.

You've told him nothing of our agenda?

Amongst other matters,

your desire to secure a new crusade for recovery of the Holy Land.

- What ails him? - Satan's voices.

And do you believe it is our duty to reclaim the Holy Lands?

I do.

And do you believe it is our Christian duty to spread the gospel?

There is no greater duty.

To all peoples?

- Even the Saracens and the non-Christians? - Most importantly, the non-Christians.

Then you believe, as we do, that Kublai Khan must be eradicated.

- The Khan? - Yes, your nephew.

And trusted friend of the Church, of all religions.

It's precisely this inclusiveness we believe to be our greatest threat.

Kublai has pledged time and again to leave the Christians in peace.

So long as all are faithful to him and obey his laws.

They are free to practice whichever religion they choose.

And do you think the peoples of South China

feel their souls are free?

The Khan is your kin.

We understand your loyalty to him, but I abandoned my own blood.

This is the Christian sacrifice.

Kublai harbors no ill will towards our faith. His own mother...

Yes, his mother was a Christian, but he isn't.

His religion is power.