‘Tell your father to send the horse now. You’re small and not
very strong, but you’re a clever fighter. You think before you do
things, and you want to win. There’s nothing more important in
a soldier. The general will be happy to have another good man in
his army. Go to him now and tell him what I said.’
The general looked up when he heard the news. He wasn’t
smiling. ‘Very well. You can come back, but don’t think that
you’ll be fighting. Polo and war are different. You’ll work in my
office and learn how to move fighting men and horses quickly
and to find food, weapons, and a safe place for them to sleep.
Remember that brave soldiers and fast horses are only half the
story. We only win wars when strong men are ready to fight in
the right place at the right time.’