The stories of the great ballads and dances of the past were all true and the young emperor saw it with his own two eyes. The massive principal hall of the Winter Palace had been filled up to the brim with tables, wine, and food of all sorts for the guests that had come from the far reaches of the Empire. The guests who dressed in all sorts of manners from colorful green silk dresses from the richest of nomads to the simple greyish and brown styles of those who didn't have the same wealth.  Many didn't know what to expect when the Emperor invited such a massive host of nomads to the city of Mel-Izar. 

Hundreds of servants had to be hired and the whole city was basically put entirely to work to prepare for the incoming horde of guests. Food was shipped from various ports in the empire and the entire city was even more active than before. Indeed, this showed that if it was the will of the emperor, many things could be achieved. Parcels outside of the city were set aside for camping nomads and an entire section of the outskirts of the city had been prepared to accommodate a festival of sorts for the commoners, while the leaders of the tribes feasted alongside the emperor in the winter palace.

The tribes arrived at the city of Mel-Izar in droves and waves, most of the time escorted by the cavalry of the Empire as it had been planned. Many of them clearly showed signs that they had been going through a long journey to get here. After all, many of the nomads had settled in various provinces of the empire but mostly on the eastern side and suffice to say that it was quite vast already. Many farmers complained due to the horses eating their plants or grass and scaring the sheep away. But the provincial governors often found their uses to such nomads, hiring them as bodyguards or to hunt other bandit tribes in the countryside. Due to this, it was quite easy to send invitations and organize the feast instead of having to make contact with each one of the tribes that had come. 

Also, one must not forget that it was an open invitation to any nomad tribe and of course, many of the traditional Khazar warrior clans also joined up. Many came with large retinues and many servants, the warrior clans of old had become quite rich after all. But not all of the warrior clans had come to the feast, for those who sided with the more modern faction of the house notables didn't see well the arrival of so many uncivilized nomads into their lands and while polite still saw the tribes as undesirables. 

Perhaps, their opinion would change after the swelling of the ranks of the army. A much-needed fact in these unknown times, where any single spark may set ablaze the kingdoms and empires of Europe. Truly, one can't ever truly be prepared for such things, except for the unity of the people. If there is unity then all can be overcome, this was one of the ideals of the forebearers of Sahin Marcar. But now, it wasn't time to reminisce it was time for the festivities to begin and for them to begin, there was a need to do an opening ceremony and what better way than with the ceremony of three crowns. The nomad tribes remember very well this ceremony, it is one where the leader of the tribe begins his rule or is seeking the approval of the rest of his tribe to engage in a future action.

For the Khazarians, it is now but a forgotten custom, but one that Sahin did well in remembering from his cousins to the east. Sevil and Yitzhak didn't know this about this at all, for it was planned in secrecy with Alp Tarkhan, who had returned from his travel to Stevata. This was truly a matter of honor, prestige, and legitimacy. The ceremony consisted of taking up a bow and only three arrows and hitting three targets each far away from each other and each representing, the crown of earth, sky, and water. The crowns of the three major gods of the Nomadic religions of the east. 

Succeeding or failing in this ceremonial act could have consequences for the development of the ceremony and when Sevil realized what Sahin was about to do, she felt the tension in the air as she prepared to watch her nephew take up a recurve bow. One that had been crafted to precision by the finest bowmaker in Mel-Izar and then three fires were lit up on the wall that Sahin was facing. The entire host of guests gazed upon the emperor, drink on their hands and eyes set upon the young emperor's stance. He first drew an arrow and then aimed. A few tense moments and he released the arrow and he closed his eyes, when he opened he had hit the target. The same happened with the other targets and the guests after a moment of silence began cheering, as the Emperor returned to his seat at the top of the dinner hall. Once this was done, the festivities began in earnest. 

A thousand stories would be told and made in the next days, all due to the magnanimity of the great emperor of Khazaria. And as such, in one stroke the Emperor had managed not only to unify his people but also to secure an army to protect the interests of the empire abroad. There was clearly still much more to do, but this step had been done well and it secured the Empire from within and also from without. Now, it was time to prepare for the next steps of the Emperor and his young career as a ruler, which seemed to only begin now.