Part 2

The heart of the Turks' king listened to little; greed always led him into pain. After he turned back from that battlefield where Rostam had darkened the whole world for him, he galloped away until he reached Khallokh, his head sunk in shame before the royal line of kings. With a heart full of hurt, he entered his palace alongside his shrewd and clear-minded advisers, his guides Piran and Garsivaz, along with Qarakhan and Shideh and Garsivun. He laid out the whole tale for them and recalled everything that had passed. He said: from the day I set the crown of kingship on my head, both the sun and the shining moon served me. I held power over the great lords; no one could pull my reins aside. Since the days of Manuchehr's wars, Iran's hand had never reached into Turan. Now Iran launches raids to my very doorstep and reaches out for my life. Those once timid people have grown bold; the deer has come to the lion's pillow. If we settle this feud quickly, good; otherwise they will raise smoke from this land. It is fitting that now I send messengers out across every corner of this realm, to gather from the Turks and from China thousands upon thousands girded for battle. Let us bring an army around Iran and set up a battlefield on every side. All the wise counselors laid their sober judgment before their commander's words. They said: we must cross the Oxus and beat the royal war drums on that broad plain. We must set up a camp at Amuy and, day and night, never rest from the charge, for that is a place of war and bloodshed, of grappling with Giv and with Rostam. The proud, city-taking champions, all their vengeful blades tempered in poison. When Afrasiab heard these words, his face lit up with good fortune and he showed his joy. He blessed the champions and the counselors in the manner of the noble lords. He called his scribe before him and dictated a number of necessary matters. He chose envoys from the assembly to send to the emperor of China and the king of Khotan. He sent letters to every land, to every famous man and every chief. He summoned the army, for his mind was set on war; over Bizhan his heart had grown that bitter. Two weeks passed, and from China and Khotan, from every land the army gathered. The earth heaved like a boiling sea, so that no one could see the bright day. Every herd of loose horses he had, he drove them all into the city at once. The treasures too, which since the days of Tur father had kept secret from son, he began to open the mouths of the coffers, and day and night he gave out gold. When the whole army was fitted out, he had no more need of that wealth. From the warriors he picked fifty thousand, all battle-seekers fit for the task. To Shideh, his son, a fighter who stood tall among the battle-champions, he said: I hand you this proud army; make ready the road to Khwarazm. Be the guardian of that Khwarazm frontier, and stay girded for battle always. He ordered another fifty thousand of China's famed men to be chosen by Piran. He told him: march to the land of Iran; leave neither belongings nor the throne of the new commander behind. Seek no kind of peace at all; speak of nothing but war and vengeance. Anyone who tries to mix water and fire has done violence to them both. Two worthy, watchful men, two champions: one old and wise, the other young. They set out with Afrasiab's counsel, the old man calm, the young man swift. With golden helmets, maces, and blades, roaring like a thundering storm cloud.