Back in country, Conan is getting chewed out by a superior. It seems one of the Turanian hereditary officers took a liking to Sariya and tried to make a move on her. Conan split his skull for him in return, and now a Turanian Sharif is calling for his head. However his Captain intercedes and decides to send him on a patrol to keep him out of the way for a while. He's only doing this because Conan is the Hero of Yaralet, and it would be unseemly to have such a man court-marshaled.
Its not an easy patrol though, its pretty deep into enemy territory, but they aren't supposed to run into anything. This doesn’t work out though as on their second day out they get ambushed by a force considerably larger than their own. Conan, being the ranking officer of the patrol sends a runner to Sikkander requesting more men, but upon the runners arrival is met by the same Sharif who was to be in charge of his court martial. The idea of more men is promptly over ruled and Conan and his troops are left to fend for themselves.
Though most of the other mercenary officers want to go and relieve the embattled patrol, the nobles balk. But after the fullness of Dark, Juma struggles into the camp carrying a wounded Conan. Stabbed by a poisoned spear. The leaches at the base say its impossible to know if he will survive, and only the gods know for sure.
In Turan, Yildiz listens to his court wizard read this patrol report to him, the information coming nearly instantaneously via a two way mirror. Juma's report to the captain says that were it not for Conan the whole force would have been routed. Yildiz slams his hand down on the arm of the chair, If only he had an entire army of Conans! Truly then he would be master of the world.
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