Parthian Dawn (71 page)

‘Fate has a way of interfering with the best-laid plans of men, Pacorus, but hopefully now we will have no more bother.’

‘No more armies will come to Dura,’ announced Dobbai, who insisted that I drink another cup of her milky elixir. In truth I had come to like it and I had to admit that the pain had largely disappeared from my left leg.

‘But Dura’s wrath will soon be known to all. What do the minds of men know about anything?’

No one understood what she was talking about so they ignored her as she held Claudia’s hand and the two of them ambled around the balcony.

‘Well,’ said Orodes, ‘perhaps we can all look forward to a period of peace.’

‘Not while Narses and Mithridates still live,’ growled Domitus, who today was dressed in a plain grey tunic, sandals and black leather belt.

‘The Roman’s right about that,’ added Dobbai, who was smiling at Claudia as my daughter clutched her hand and squealed with delight. ‘They will be most aggrieved that you are not dead, son of Hatra.’

‘Let us not talk about those two,’ I said. ‘Let us instead talk about rewarding those who have shown themselves to be courageous.’

I gestured to one of the guards standing by the entrance to the balcony, who disappeared and then came back with Surena by his side. My former squire looked very different from the rebellious youth I had first encountered in Mesene’s marshlands. He had grown in stature and maturity. Today he was dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt, beige leggings and brown leather boots. He wore a black leather belt from which hung his
spatha
. He bowed to Gallia and me and stood to attention before us. He still had that self-assured air that bordered on cockiness, but over the past months he had proved himself to be a brave and resourceful soldier.

‘Well, Surena,’ I said, ‘you are to be rewarded for your valour in the recent battle, not least for saving my life. So, to repay my debt, what would you ask of me?’

‘To be an officer in your cataphracts, lord.’

It was a reasonable request. He was well liked among the men and I believed that he would be able to win the respect of the hundred men in the company under him. He was young, it was true, but age should never be a barrier to talent.

‘What is your opinion, Nergal,’ I said, ‘do you think Surena would make a good officer?’

Nergal was sitting next to Praxima on a couch, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

‘He’s a little headstrong, sometimes has difficulties obeying orders, but I think some responsibility will do him good.’

‘So do I,’ I added. ‘Your request is granted. Well done.’

Surena beamed with delight. ‘Thank you, lord. I will not let you down.’

I waved him away but he still stood there, something obviously on his mind.

‘Is there anything else?’

For once Surena was hesitant. He looked at Gallia, who frowned at him. ‘I would like to ask the queen something.’

She regarded him coolly. ‘Spit it out, then.’

‘I would like to ask your permission to marry Viper.’

Domitus rolled his eyes and Praxima laughed. Godarz shook his head while Nergal nodded approvingly.

‘To ask for the hand of an Amazon is no small thing,’ replied Gallia.

‘I realise that, majesty.’ Surena was certainly trying his best to please her.

‘I wish to know what Viper has to say about this,’ said Gallia.

‘Is that really necessary?’ I asked, my question being met by a steely blue-eyed stare. ‘Very well, very well. Guard, go and fetch Viper.’

He bowed and left. I just hoped that the Amazons were not on the training fields otherwise we could be here for hours. Surena stood like a statue, staring ahead.

‘Sit down, Surena,’ I told him, ‘you are making me feel uncomfortable.’

He perched on the end of a chair. Now he looked like a sitting statue.

‘Good job he’s not as nervous as this in battle,’ remarked Domitus, ‘otherwise Pacorus would be having his bones picked clean by buzzards by now.’

Some ten minutes later Viper arrived, with short-cut hair and her shirt clinging to her girlish figure. It was hard to believe that she was one of my wife’s most accomplished killers. I had to admit that she had a certain beauty. Her skin was flawless and she had large brown eyes with a small nose and chin. Surena stood up when she entered and stood by her side, Viper smiling at him.

‘Viper,’ snapped Gallia. ‘You know that I love you and the Amazons like sisters.’

‘Yes, majesty,’ even Viper’s voice was like that of a young girl.

‘And you know that you will always have a home here, at Dura.’

Viper smiled at Gallia and nodded. I began to see why Surena was so attracted to her. She was certainly disarming.

‘Marriage is a union of equals,’ continued Gallia, ‘not the possession of a woman by a man. You must not feel that you are being coerced into anything.’

‘I would never…’ protested Surena.

‘Silence!’ barked Gallia.

‘We love each other, majesty, we truly do,’ said Viper.

Gallia sighed and then walked over to Viper and embraced her. ‘Then you have my blessing. May you both be happy.’

She waved them away. They both bowed and then left us, arms round each other and their laughter filling the air. Later, when we were alone, I asked Gallia why she had been so opposed to their union.

‘I was being selfish, I suppose. This will be the beginning.’

‘The beginning?’

‘Viper’s marriage will be like a small stone that starts a rockslide. Soon more of the Amazons will wish to marry.’ She suddenly looked sad. ‘I suppose that I wanted things to stand still, that is all. Time moves on relentlessly and I sometimes think … it doesn’t matter.’

I pulled her close. ‘Alas, my love, only the gods have the power to make time stand still. But you must admit that Surena and Viper are happy. And I think he will make a good husband.’

She kissed me on the cheek. ‘You are probably right.’

Another group of individuals who were also happy were the Roman engineers that we had captured the previous year. At first they had been confined to a large house in the west of the city that had belonged to one of Mithridates’ cronies during his brief reign in the city. They had been placed under guard and their siege engines had been placed in a secure warehouse on the other side of the city as a precaution against them being sabotaged by their former owners. At first the Romans were surly and uncooperative, but after a few weeks, when it became clear that they were not going to be abused or sold into slavery, their attitude slowly improved. Domitus and Godarz visited them frequently and gained their trust, and after a while they were permitted to leave their lodgings and venture into the city. During my time away in Gordyene they had frequently dined with Godarz in his house, talking about Rome and Italy no doubt, and gradually they came to accept their situation more readily. As the months passed their guards were reduced and then removed altogether and they were even allowed outside the city. During the recent siege they had worked their engines to destroy the Mesenian siege towers that had assaulted Dura. This had turned them into heroes in the city, and afterwards they had been deluged with invitations to banquets and had been sent many gifts from a grateful populace.

A week after all the kings had departed I went to see them. They now came and went as they chose, and because they were not part of the army their time was largely their own. The first thing I noticed when I walked down to their accommodation with Domitus was how they had all put on a few pounds in weight, more than a few pounds in some cases. Their leader was a man named Marcus Sutonius, the same individual I had spoken to directly after the defeat of Lucius Furius all those months ago. Then he had been lean and surly, today he was stockier and much more agreeable. The rest of his men gathered behind him as I spoke to them in the courtyard that fronted their living quarters. Their home was surrounded by a high wall with a large gate directly opposite the house’s main entrance, with its stables and store rooms along the walls either side of the courtyard. Its security had made it an ideal prison, but now the gate was open and there were no guards. I stood next to the fountain that was in the middle of the courtyard.

‘I wanted to thank you all for your help during the recent siege,’ I said.

‘Just doing our job, sir,’ replied Marcus. ‘Lucky you had that Eastern liquid. We just poured it in some clay pots, sealed them and tied rags doused in pitch round the tops, which we then lit. When they shattered it burned nicely. No wonder you keep it under lock and key.’

‘Indeed. Well, your actions helped to save the city and my daughter, so I have come to tell you that you are all free to leave Dura. I had desired that you aid me in another venture, but in all conscience I cannot hold you here any longer after what you have all done.’

Marcus turned and looked at his men, who all seemed remarkably underwhelmed that they were now free men. One or two looked almost distraught. Marcus cleared his throat.

‘Thank you for your kindness, sir, but the fact is that me and the lads, well, we wouldn’t mind staying around for a while longer if you have a use for us. Like you said.’

There were murmurs of agreement behind him and his men were nodding to each other. Clearly their pleasant confinement at Dura was more agreeable than service in the Roman army.

I looked at Domitus, whose face betrayed no emotion.

‘Well,’ I said, ‘your offer is gladly accepted. Your services will be indispensible for the coming campaign, so I thank you.’

‘Thank you, sir, we won’t let you down,’ replied Marcus.

Afterwards, as we were walking back to the Citadel, Domitus questioned me.

‘The first I’ve heard of any campaign.’

‘That’s because it is the first time that I have mentioned it.’

I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was unhappy. ‘If you are planning a war you should have told me and you should also have persuaded the kings to stay at Dura.’

‘We do not need them, Domitus. What I have in mind will not take long and Dura’s army will be more than sufficient.’

He was still far from happy. ‘May I ask the nature of this new campaign?’

I smiled. ‘All will be revealed at the meeting of the war council.’

Chapter 20

I
summoned the council that afternoon and it convened on the palace balcony five hours after midday. It had been nearly two months since we had defeated Chosroes outside the city wall and my leg had now healed fully, though I had a nasty scar where the wound had been, as had my arm. Fortunately I also had no limp, though Alcaeus informed me that I still might develop one in later life — something to look forward to in my old age!

The army had recovered its strength after the battle and once more trade had returned to normal, an endless stream of carts and camels filling the road to and from the East and Egypt. No word had come from Ctesiphon and my father had also heard nothing from the court of the King of Kings.

‘They are replenishing their stocks of malice,’ was Dobbai’s comment on the ominous silence.

I had hoped that Narses himself, now in possession of the command that I had held when I had the favour of Phraates, would lead an army against me so that I could destroy him once and for all.

‘Narses has been burned by you before,’ remarked Godarz. ‘I doubt he will try again in the near future, especially since now you have an alliance of other kings behind you.’

‘Exactly,’ I said, ‘and for that reason the time is ripe to strike while I have an opportunity to do so.’

Domitus, as was his wont, often fiddled with his dagger during these meetings. Now he stopped and looked at me. ‘Strike where?’

‘Uruk, of course.’

‘Is that wise, majesty?’ asked Rsan, no doubt already alarmed at the expense of yet another campaign.

‘Very wise, Rsan, and long overdue,’ I replied.

‘I see the reason why you were so keen to retain the engineers now,’ said Domitus.

I told them of my plan to strike southeast and assault the city of Uruk, the capital of Mesene and the stronghold of Chosroes.

‘He thinks he is safe behind his walls,’ I said, ‘but he has reckoned without my siege engines that our Roman allies have agreed to operate.’

‘You would storm the city?’ Nergal looked alarmed.

‘Of course,’ I replied. ‘I do not intend to just sit in front of his walls.’

‘To what end, son of Hatra?’ Even Dobbai was intrigued.

‘To the end of removing Chosroes and sending a message to his allies that Dura is not to be underestimated or insulted.’

‘I think they know that already,’ commented Godarz.

‘I would have a friend sitting on Mesene’s throne,’ I said.

I gave no further details but ordered Domitus to prepare his legions for the march south, which would commence in two weeks, and for Nergal to ready his horse archers. Orodes had been made commander of all the cataphracts, leaving me free to command the whole army, and I asked him to ensure that the heavy cavalry was fully armed and equipped after its exertions in the last battle. I told Godarz that we would be away from Dura for no longer than three months. I also sent word to Palmyra that I would like to see Byrd and Malik and they duly arrived three days later. They were informed of my plan and I asked Malik if he would like to accompany us; he agreed, of course, as did Byrd. Malik, because he liked being a warlord, and Byrd because he liked the company of his friend Malik. I was very pleased to have my old companions with me once more. I also asked Gallia and her Amazons to march with us.

‘What are you up to?’ she said suspiciously.

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘Usually you try to keep the Amazons and me for that matter, as far away from your army as possible, but now you wish us to march alongside you.’

‘Of course,’ I replied, ‘is it not natural for a husband to want his beloved wife by his side?’

She was far from convinced. ‘I know that something is afoot, Pacorus, so you might as well tell me.’

I placed two fingers on her lips.

‘All will be revealed, my love, all will be revealed.’