“So he fancies himself the next Alexander?”
“And he enjoys hearing people make the analogy. I think he is destined for epic victory or catastrophic defeat.”
“Excellent work, Andrikos. I think you were more successful than I was this evening.”
Vettias and I parted ways upon arriving at our encampment – he toward his tent and me to Mara’s quarters within the baggage train. I quickly walked to my family’s nondescript shelter, ensuring I was not followed, and found Mara working on an embroidery by candlelight while Talos slept soundly.
“Mara,” I whispered, ensuring not to wake the child.
She looked up, smiled and motioned me to enter. With her face half-lit by the flickering candle, she looked beautiful.
“How are things here?” I asked. “No one has taken an alerting interest in your presence have they – no one you recognize from the Silver Shields?”
“Nothing alarming. We feel safe here.”
“You have become distant since that evening. Is there something troubling you? Other than the obvious trauma that transpired? Are you displeased with me or your current situation?”
“Your genuine feelings toward Talos and I are a great comfort – and even now I feel fortunate to be here as opposed to that brothel in Tarsus. But this is no place for a child and is not a permanent solution for us. I have traveled over one thousand miles and I do not intend to be following army after army on violent rampages throughout the world; nor will I allow Talos to grow up in such a loveless environment. Of course I know we will have to endure this for the time being, but my worry stems from your seeming lack of a plan for us going forward. Vettias’ influence over you is such that I fear you will never leave his charge until one of you ends up dead. These concerns have manifested in my cold demeanor toward you.”
Her stated grievance took me aback in both its detail and significance. I always knew this problem hung over our circumstances but the events over the past weeks and months had blinded me to her acute reservations. I had not given the subject sufficient thought to allay her fears and my hesitation to respond now did not reassure the woman I loved. Her expression further dampened when she realized her concerns were founded.
“I … I have the permanent solution, I just do not have an answer as to how or when it will come about. I have no doubt you and Talos will live in peace and prosperity in a loving environment with my family in Ilandra, but recent events have delayed and changed the logistics of this solution. In fact, this is why I came to speak with you tonight. In the coming week, the army will begin its march back to the Middle Sea. It will be a long march but there will be no safer method of travel over such a long distance than as a protected member of the baggage train within the strongest army in the world. Once there, our options for our eventual trek to Ionia will increase.”
“Getting from this barren wasteland to the Middle Sea is definitely a step in the right direction. Why do you tell me this positive news with such reticence?”
“Along this journey, the army will be wintering in Ecbatana before making a stop in Babylon to consolidate the eastern satrapies. Vettias and I have been chosen to serve as an advanced envoy to the army in Babylon and will travel ahead of the main effort. I will not be able to accompany the two of you on the first leg of the journey.”
Mara’s briefly uplifted demeanor was quickly checked by my revelation that I would not be traveling with them to Babylon.
“We are to be apart for the entire winter? And when I arrive at Babylon, will you have been ordered to move further beyond still?”
“Mara you know my word to you is sacred. I swear to you we won’t stop moving west until we reach Ionia. I will do everything in my power to ensure I am with you at Babylon. Until that time, Rhexenor, Davos and Stephanos will make sure you are provided for.”
“You made a similar promise on the way to Triparadeisus. It took two years for us to arrive here back under your protection. Will I be waiting that long again?”
“No. You have my word I will do everything in my power to get you and Talos to Ionia in the shortest time possible. Can I sleep here tonight?”
My pleas were not sufficient to lift Mara’s spirits and she let out a sigh: “I know you’re doing your best and have little control over these events. Spend the night tonight and be safe on your journey tomorrow. But you must promise me you will be waiting for me in Babylon.”
“I swear it.”
CHAPTER 21
The next morning Vettias and I made final preparations before departing. I informed Stephanos of my departure and he vowed to work with Davos and Rhexenor to ensure Mara and Talos were looked after. I then bid my family farewell and accompanied Vettias to meet with Hiro in his quarters.
“Many thanks for your work on my behalf and for the cause,” Vettias began. “There are few of The King’s Hand left but we have positioned ourselves well within this army. The bulk of work to frame Peithon will be left to you while Andrikos and I are in Babylon. We have a new agent embedded within Antigonus’ quartermaster that will be of great assistance to you. His name is Davos. Seek him out at first opportunity and know that I personally vouch for his competence.”
“Very well. Leave the Peithon issue to me. I will ensure he is served on a platter to Antigonus before our arrival at Babylon and Antigonus will be informed of your pivotal role in uncovering the plot. Now listen, friend – you must tread very delicately while brokering this deal with Antigonus. I understand making Seleucus an enemy is to The Hand’s benefit but you must not let it appear that you were the impetus behind the schism. Antigonus is sending you as envoy to ensure peaceful entry to the city and amicable relations with the Babylonian Satrapy. If he arrives to find Seleucus inhospitable or at all suspicious upon his arrival, he will conclude you failed in your charge. All seeds of discontent must be sewn after Antigonus’ arrival and he must believe he came to the decision on his own. This shouldn’t be hard since Antigonus has no use for Seleucus and at best will keep him as a satrap subordinate to his position as Lord of Asia. At worst he’ll eventually have him killed or removed from his position. We’ll of course guide him to this inevitable course of action but he must believe you were successful in brokering the initial détente.”
“Agreed. I know Seleucus. He doesn’t know about The Hand and is no acolyte of Alexander – but he is a survivor. He’s made it this far and is currently satrap of the most powerful province in Asia. I will convince him it is in his best interest to outwardly welcome Antigonus’ approach regardless of his true feelings. Having these two in the same city is like introducing male lions into the same den to fight over a female. Their impending collision will be unavoidable and it’s our mission to ensure the shattered fragments fall in our favor. Very well Hiro, I bid you farewell. You have served the Argeads well and you are a credit to your country of Cardia, as was Eumenes.”
“Safe travels, brother. Until Babylon.”
“Until Babylon.”
The two embraced and we took our leave to the quartermaster section of Antigonus’ encampment. We came upon it to find a flurry of activity. Apparently, final preparations were being made to integrate the baggage trains and quartermaster corps between the armies. Rhexenor was ordering several subordinates in rapid succession when he spotted me and rushed over.
“Andrikos, Vettias. Are you here for me?”
“Of course, brother. Who else is as important as you here?”
“Not enough unfortunately,” Rhexenor replied in a fluster. “I haven’t stopped moving since the battle. Is your family secure Andrikos? I had to help Davos clean up your mess, you know. We had to fend off a lot of questions from some very intimidating men from the Silver Shields looking for their officer and his family.”
“I am indebted to you, brother. You were instrumental in saving the most important thing in my life and I won’t forget it. How goes the integration?”
“Daunting. As I said last week, The Silver Shields’ baggage train is
the most magnificent consolidation of wealth any of us has ever seen. We had to segregate it, guard it and eventually disperse it out as individuals and units are reassigned throughout the empire. Then there is the matter of integrating your army’s baggage into ours and consolidating quartermaster assets. We’ll get there. When we’re finished we will be managing the largest army in the history of Greece. Makes you wonder how those Persians kept hundreds of thousands under arms when fighting Alexander. Forgive me for concluding prematurely, but I must ask how I can help you so I may get on with the task at hand.”
“We need two horses and provisions,” Vettias instructed.
“Indebted to you. Anything else?”
“I must ask for your continued assistance in securing my family,” I added. “She must remain hidden from anyone within the Silver Shields or associated with their baggage. Do this for me, friend, and there is money to be paid,” I added while putting several coins in his hand from Captain Hyllos’ substantial purse. “Davos and Stephanos know where they reside and will also look after them on the way to Babylon.”
“I will take this initial payment as a ‘thank you’ for last week but will not accept one iota more. It is my pleasure to help.”
“Thank you, brother. Until Babylon.”
“Until Babylon.”
The two of us embraced before Rhexenor ran off to order our supplies be obtained.
“Your mind at ease now?” Vettias asked sarcastically.
“It won’t be an issue, if that is your meaning.”
“You know my meaning. I need your thoughts completely focused on the task at hand. You have done an admirable job in securing their journey and you will be reunited with them in Babylon.’
“Let us hope.”
A subordinate soon brought our mounts, laden with provisions, and I exited the perimeter of the camp with my mentor toward Babylon.
****
There was no direct route to the Mesopotamian capital, as the Zagros Mountains cut a generally north-south swath through the heart of Media and Persis, forcing us to first ride round the range north to Ecbatana – the summer royal retreat of the Achaemenid Kings. Antigonus had staged his Persian campaign against our army from Ecbatana and Alexander used it as a supply depot before departing on his Afghan campaign. It was an old, wealthy city, built by the Medes before it was absorbed into the Persian Empire.
It took us two weeks to arrive to the mountain sanctuary and the weather was quite cold, with snow beginning to settle on trees and buildings. The impressive walls, coupled with the surrounding mountains and vast stores of provisions, meant the city was almost immune from siege. The buildings themselves told the story of the city through their architecture. The base structures were of an old, simple stone construction in the ancient Medean style. They had been adorned in more recent times with extravagant Persian accents and now Greek influence had crept in to the airy retreat. Walking toward the city center I could see every manner of convenience and pleasure resided in this lush haven.
Vettias was given the seal of the Lord of Asia, giving us access to the treasury which still retained a moderate amount of wealth despite being emptied after the Summit of Triparadeisus. Armed with a heavy purse, Vettias and I procured lodging befitting a king after a long stretch of travel through barren territory and having to camp outside in the snow.
“Now this is living,” Vettias grunted while collapsing on a large, heavily-cushioned bed. King Darius knew how to spend a summer. I’m going to have a girl sent up. Get some rest and I’ll meet you down for dinner later.”
I took my leave of Vettias’ chamber and entered my quarters. It was smaller than Vettias’ but equally impressive. It was furnished in a lavish, yet simple, eastern style and did not resemble the imperial trappings of stern looking busts and intricately carved wood I had become accustomed to in the presence of wealth. The room was airy with large pillows, curved reclining couches and large windows which were boarded up for winter. I opened a door which let in a gust of freezing air to reveal a patio overlooking the venue’s manicured courtyard from the second story. Content in my surroundings, I sunk into my plush bed and fell asleep.
****
I rose groggy from a deep sleep and knocked on Vettias’ door. He answered wearing only a silk robe with his eyes half open.
“I’m hungry. Meet you downstairs in a few moments?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
Vettias made his way to the courtyard and the two of us strolled leisurely down the broad avenues lined with beautiful taverns, brothels, inns, temples and fountains. Each venue was more ornate than the last and we had the pleasant difficulty of only choosing one.
“I could live here,” I decided.
“A place such as this would be wasted on a celibate family man like yourself. Ecbatana is meant for men who enjoy life’s pleasures. I could live here – and maybe I will someday.”
Our banter and conversation was light and the revelry was heavy that evening and we stumbled to our palatial accommodations and slept late the following morning. I was sad to leave my new-found Olympus the following day and the two of us continued our journey southward toward Susa, another seasonal capital of the Achaemenid Dynasty. Because of our northerly route and the location of Babylon, we were unable to utilize the Royal Road and thus our progress was frustrated at times.
It took three more weeks of rough travel through arid wastelands to reach Susa. This route was infrequently traversed and, apart from the occasional passersby, the only others we came in contact with were organized caravans of camels hauling luxury eastern goods. We remained in the opulent city for several days after the arduous journey to indulge in its amenities and ensure our horses will well fed and rested. The remaining portion of our trek was several hundred miles through the lush deltas of the Tigris River valley. After three weeks of relaxed travel through agreeable terrain, the massive walls, towering palaces and ornate temples of Babylon were in view. Vettias and I entered the immense city through the grand Ishtar Gate without fanfare in order to avoid scrutiny. We would not announce our official presence to Seleucus’ court until we decided when we wanted our initial meeting to take place.
The streets of Babylon remained a sea of activity despite the recent turmoil taking place all around it. With the emergence of Antigonus as Lord of Asia, it was possible to envision a time of peace throughout the region. Vettias’ plans to kick the hornets’ nest once more and turn the other Successors against Antigonus threatened to undo this nascent calm, however.
“We spent a good amount of time here before and after the Afghan campaign,” Vettias noted. “I know a good lodging near the palace that will allow us extended stay. We’ll get established in the city before requesting an audience with Seleucus.”
I only half heard him as my mind was inundated with the visual excess one experiences when walking through Babylon’s processional thoroughfare. All the examples of Persian architecture and culture I had picked up in my travels throughout Asia came together in one overwhelming deluge. There were many buildings over two stories tall, with some being four or five, and the vibrant Babylonian colors of blue and gold were woven throughout. The city was pristinely landscaped with palm trees, hanging ivy, statues, fountains and the Euphrates River running throughout.
Towering above the immense urban sprawl were the ziggurats and the royal palace of Nebuchadnezzar. We moved off the orderly processional thoroughfare and into the chaotic side streets where merchants hawked every conceivable artifact and consumable sundry known to man. Pungent smells emanated from these vendors that took my olfactory senses in hundred directions at once. Our accommodations were within the shadow of the royal palace and of an opulence rivaling the inner chambers of Triparadeisus. Upon entry, a young attendant greeted us and Vettias demanded to see the proprietor. The boy disappeared and we sat on rich couches with gold and blue patterns sewn into the fabric.
“Malick is an old friend. His family is from Judea. Have you ever met a Jew? T
hey have a long history and are a direct link to the empires of old – just ask one of them, if you have several idle hours, they’d be happy to recite the story for you. More recently, they were brought here by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar several hundred years ago and later released by the Persian King Cyrus the Great. Malick’s family had managed to thrive during their forced exodus and remained in Babylon since. He’s lived his whole life among the elite Babylonian social strata and can obtain all manner of information and leverage useful for our purposes. He has a small but entrenched network of Jews throughout the city and I recognized his value early on. Hopefully he hasn’t forgot the many favors performed by me on his behalf to further his interests with the nascent Macedonian regime. Let that be a lesson for your understanding of controlling populations – when an occupying force enters a city, it is useful to leverage the oppressed minorities to assist in managing the territory. I pray he hasn’t squandered the social mobility I assisted in obtaining for him years ago.”
Malick soon arrived from a back room looking perturbed over the summons. His manicured silhouette soon emerged, adorned in fine eastern silks, jewelry and smelling of perfume. His bald façade was vibrant yet worn through hard living. As he recognized his old friend he smiled widely, extended his hand to pull Vettias off the couch, and embraced him like family.
“I knew I would see your ugly face again someday. How long has it been?”
“Several years. Too long old friend. I gave you odds of fifty-fifty some jealous aristocrat would have poisoned you by now.”
“Ha, those lily pagans line up every night to anoint my crotch. My position is stronger now than ever.”
“In no small part to my efforts I might add.”
“Yes, I seem to recall you cleaning out my cisterns from time to time. Thank you for your dedication to scrubbing my chamber pot.”
“Still here minding this dump? I noticed a few cockroaches and diseased whores scurrying out the back when I entered.”
World on Fire Page 17