CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
A drum roll lifted across the dark plain, swelling in intensitylike angry, caged thunder. It rose to fill the valley with a forebodingvoice of death, then faded slowly to silence, gorged on its ownimmensity.
"That's the Imperial army's call to arms. Prince Jadar was right.Inayat Latif is attacking now, before dawn." Shirin was seated next toHawksworth in the dark _howdah_. She rose to peer over the three-foot-high steel rim, out into the blackness. Around them were the shapes ofthe _zenana _guard elephants, silently swinging their trunks beneaththeir armor. The _zenana _waited farther back on female baggageelephants, surrounded by hundreds of bullock carts piled with clothingand utensils. "Merciful Allah, he must have a thousand war drums."
"You saw the size of the Imperial army mustering at Fatehpur."Hawksworth rose to stand beside her, grasping the side of the rocking_howdah _and inhaling the cold morning air. "The queen had begunrecalling _mansabdars _and their troops from every province."
Suddenly a chorus of battle horns cut through the dark, followed by thedrums again, now a steady pulse that resounded off the wooded hills,swelling in power.
"That's the signal for the men and cavalry to deploy themselves inbattle array." Shirin pointed toward the sound. "The Imperial forcesare almost ready."
Below them fires smoldered in Jadar's abandoned camp, a thousand specksof winking light. Although the east was beginning to hint the firsttinges of light, the valley where the Imperial army had massed wasstill shrouded in black.
The drums suddenly ceased, mantling the valley in eerie, portentousquiet. Hawksworth felt for Shirin's hand and noticed it perspiring,even in the cold dawn air.
From the eastern edge of Jadar's abandoned camp points of cannon fireerupted, tongues of light that divulged the length and location of thecamp's defenses. A few moments later--less time than Hawksworth wouldhave wished--the sound reached them, dull pops, impotent and hollow. Thefiring lapsed increasingly sporadic, until the camp's weak perimeterdefense seemed to exhaust itself like the last melancholy thrusts of aspent lover.
The defense perimeter of the camp had betrayed itself, and in the tensesilence that ensued Hawksworth knew the Imperial guns were being set.
Suddenly a wall of flame illuminated the center of the plain below,sending rockets of fire plunging toward the empty camp.
"Jesus, they're launching fireworks with cannon. What are they?"
"I don't know. I've heard that cannon in India were once callednaphtha-throwers."
A second volley followed hard after the first. Although this time nofireworks were hurtled, the impact was even more deadly. Forty-poundImperial shot ripped wide trenches through the flaming tents of theprince's camp. In moments the _gulal bar_, where they had been standingonly hours before, was devastated, an inferno of shredded cloth andbillowing flame.
A harsh chant began to drift upward from the valley, swelling as voicesjoined in unison.
"Allah-o-Akbar! Allah-o-Akbar!" God is Great. It was the battle cry ofInayat Latifs Muslim infantry.
The plain below had grown tinged with light now, as dawn approached andthe fires from Jadar's camp spread. As Hawksworth watched, nervouslygripping the handle of his sword, a force of steel-armored warelephants advanced on the eastern perimeter of the camp, their polishedarmor plate glowing red in the firelight. Those in the vanguard boresteel-shrouded _howdahs_, through which a single heavy cannon protruded. . . probably a ten-pounder, Hawksworth told himself. The steel_howdahs_ on the next rows of elephants were almost three feet high andperforated to allow their archers to shoot without rising above theopen top. Sporadic cannon and matchlock fire from the few hundred menleft in the camp pelted the elephants but did nothing to impede theiradvance. Directly behind them the Imperial infantry swept in dense,martialed ranks.
Jadar knew exactly what he was doing when he picked this terrain forthe camp, Hawksworth told himself. He used it to set the terms for thebattle. There's no room to maneuver. When they discover the camp isabandoned, the elephants can't retreat and regroup without crushingtheir own infantry.
He slipped his arm around Shirin's waist and held her next to him. Theywatched as the Imperial war elephants crashed through the camp's outeredge, scarcely slowing at the ditch. When the elephants were at point-blank range, the specially loaded cannon along the perimeter openedfire, spraying a rain of steel barbs among them. Even from the hilltophe could hear the clang of steel as the barbs ricocheted off theirarmor.
"We'll soon know if Jadar's plan has a chance. Can he contain theelephants there, or will they obliterate the camp, then regroup, and .. ."
The first row of elephants suddenly reared chaotically, lashing outwith their armored trunks and dismounting some of the gunners. As barbscaught in their feet, they trumpeted in pain and started to millrandomly in angry confusion, crushing several of the men they hadthrown.
Just as Jadar predicted, the deadly carpet of barbs had temporarilydisrupted their advance. Their ranks were broken and their guns indisarray. Behind the elephants the infantry still marched unaware,until the confusion in the elephant ranks began to disrupt their frontlines. Gradually the order in the infantry ranks completelydisintegrated, as the men stopped to eye the milling war elephantsahead of them in growing fear and confusion. By a single cannon salvoJadar's men had robbed the attack of its momentum.
"Now's Jadar's moment." Hawksworth watched in growing admiration. "Willhe use it?"
As though in answer, a blare of trumpets from the hills on both sidesof the plain suddenly electrified the morning air. As they died away,the woods opened wide with a single chorus, deep and throaty andunforgiving.
RAM RAM. RAM RAM. RAM RAM.
It was the ancient Rajput war cry.
A blaze of fire from Jadar's camouflaged cannon shredded away the leafyblinds erected along the foot of the hills, sending a rain of forty-pound lead shot into the Imperial war elephants. Their disordered rankserupted in tangled steel and blood. Seconds later, a volley by Jadar'ssmall artillery ripped into the unsuspecting infantry massed behind theelephants, hurtling fragmented bodies and orphaned weapons spinningthrough the ranks. Finally came the fiery streaks of rockets, thinfoot-long iron tubes filled with gunpowder and set with a lighted fuse,many with a sword blade attached to the end, which cut in a deadly wavethrough the Imperial troops, slashing and exploding as they flew.
A dense roll of Jadar's war drums sounded from both hillsides, and thefirst wave of Rajput cavalry, still bellowing their war cry, chargeddown on the disrupted Imperial forces, discharging volleys of arrowswith mechanical precision. They wore steel-net cloaks and helmetguards, and their horses were armored with woven steel netting encasedin heavy quilting--with a wide frontlet over the chest, a neck-lengthcollar secured to the top of the bridle, and a body shroud over theirsides and hindquarters emblazoned with each man's family crest. Thestartled infantry turned to meet them, and in moments the air darkenedwith opposing arrows. From the hill above came the din of supportingmatchlock fire from Jadar's own infantry.
The Rajput cavalry plowed into the first rows of Imperial infantry withtheir long _nezah _lances held at arm's length high above their heads,thrusting downward as they rode. Veins fueled with opium, the Rajputshad forgotten all fear. They brushed aside Imperial spears and swordsand slaughtered with undisguised pleasure, as though each death endowedmore honor to their _dharma_. Hawksworth's stomach knotted as hewatched a thousand men fall in less than a minute.
While the Rajputs attacked, the prince's division of armored warelephants had emerged from their camouflage and begun advancing acrossthe western edge of the plain, isolating the ragged remainder of theImperial elephants from the battlefield. Although Jadar had far fewerwar elephants, they now were easily able to contain the shatteredImperial forces.
Hawksworth turned to watch as yet another wave of Jadar's cavalry boredown on the plain. These rode through the tangle of Imperial infantrywielding long curved swords, killing any the first wave had missed.
"I'm not sure I believe what I'm seeing." Hawksworth peered through thedust and smoke boiling across the plain below. "Jadar has alreadyseized the advantage. He's immobilized their war elephants, their majoradvantage, and he timed the counterattack perfectly."
"The battle has only just begun." Shirin took his hand for no reason atall and gripped it. "And their major advantage was not elephants, butnumbers. I fear for him. Look, there." She pointed toward the east,where the red sky now illuminated a vast sea of infantry, poised asreinforcements. "The prince's Rajputs cannot stop them all. PrinceJadar does not have the forces to meet them. I think he will bedefeated today, badly."
"And if he dies, do we die with him?"
"Perhaps not you. But they will surely kill me. And probably Mumtaz.Most certainly they have orders to kill his son."
On the field below Jadar's cavalry fought as though possessed. Rajputswith one, two, even three arrows in their back continued to sound theirwar cry and take head after bearded head, until they finally slumpedunconscious from the saddle. Riderless horses, many with their stomachsslashed open, could be seen running wildly through the Imperial ranks,unused arrows still rattling in their saddle quivers.
Waves of Jadar's infantry had begun pouring down from the hills,following the cavalry. The men wore heavy leather helmets and a skirtof woven steel. A hood of steel netting hung down from each man'shelmet, protecting his face and neck. They advanced firing volley aftervolley of arrows into the Imperial infantry. When they reached theplain, they drew their long curved swords and, waving them above theirheads, threw themselves into the forces of Inayat Latif. The fieldquickly became a vast arena of hand-to-hand combat, as inevitablyhappened when two Indian armies met, with Jadar's forces badlyoutnumbered.
Shirin watched the slaughter in silence for a time, as though tallyingthe dead and dying on both sides, and then she turned her face away.
"Allah preserve us. Prince Jadar's Rajputs have eaten so much affion Ithink they can fight even after they die, but their numbers are alreadyshrinking. How long can they protect the prince?"
"Where's he now?"
She turned back and peered through the dust on the field for a longmoment. Then she pointed. "He's on the field now. There, in the center.Do you see him?" She paused. "He's very courageous to take the field soearly. It will inspire his men, but it's a very bad omen."
Hawksworth squinted toward the east. He could barely make out a phalanxof elephants moving across the plains, into the middle of the fiercestfighting. Several of the elephants had clusters of two-pound swivelguns mounted on their backs, a few had rocket launchers, but mostcarried howdahs filled with Rajput archers. In the center moved a largeblack elephant, heavily armored and bearing a steel _howdah _decoratedwith ornate gilding. Standing erect in the howdah, beneath a hugeembroidered umbrella, was the figure of Prince Jadar, loosing arrows inrhythmic succession as the Imperial infantry closed around him.
"Why is it a bad sign?"
"It's unwise for the supreme commander of an army to expose himself soearly in the battle." Shirin was watching Jadar, transfixed. "If he'skilled, the battle will be over. All his troops will flee."
"Even his fearless Rajputs?"
"That's the way in India. If he's lost, what do they have left to fightfor? They will melt into the forest. In India a commander must alwaysbe visible to his men, standing above the armor of his howdah, sothey'll know for certain he's alive."
As the circle of elephants surrounding Jadar advanced through thefield, a triple line of his Rajput infantry moved into place aroundhim. He quickly became the focus of the battle, and the Imperialinfantry massed to encircle him, like the king in a game of chess. Hisprotective buffer of elephants was coming under increasingly heavyattack. The advantage of surprise enjoyed by his original offensive wasgone. Now he was clearly on the defensive.
"I think Jadar's starting to be in serious trouble. You were right. Idon't know how much longer his circle of elephants can protect him."
In the silence he slowly turned to Shirin and their eyes met. Nothingmore was said because no more words were needed. She reached out andtouched his lips and a lifetime seemed to flow between them. Then hedrew his sword and leaned over the edge of the howdah.
"Yes."
With a single stroke he severed the tether rope tying their elephant.Their startled mahout turned and stared in disbelief. When Hawksworthshouted at him to start, he hesitated for a moment, then flung hisbarbed iron _ankus _into their _howdah _and plunged for the grass.
Hawksworth grabbed the _ankus_, but before he could move, the elephantlifted its trunk into the morning air and emitted a long, defianttrumpet. Then he plunged past the tethered _zenana _elephants and brokeinto a gallop, eastward down the hill and directly toward the battle.
Hawksworth staggered backward and grasped the side of the swaying_howdah_.
"How . . . how did he know?"
"Prince Jadar didn't give us a baggage elephant. He gave us one of hispersonal war elephants. To protect you. He knows where he should benow."
In only minutes their elephant reached the edge of the plain and beganadvancing like a dreadnought through the swarm of Imperial infantry,headed directly for Jadar. Any luckless infantryman caught in his pathwould be seized in his trunk and flung viciously aside, or simplycrushed beneath his feet.
"But how could he know Jadar's threatened?"
"He knows. His whole life is to protect the prince."
A steel arrowhead sang off the side of the howdah. Then another thuddedinto one of the wooden beams supporting the armor. Hawksworth grabbedShirin and shoved her down, below the steel rim. She fell sprawling andturned to grab their bows. As Hawksworth took them and began to notchthe string on each one, he noticed for the first time that Jadar hadgiven them one of his combat _howdahs_, with firing holes all aroundthe sides.
War cries and sounds of steel on steel ranged around them as theyadvanced, but their elephant seemed oblivious, only beginning to slowwhen they approached the dense lines of Imperial infantry encirclingJadar.
Hawksworth found his bow ring and slipped it awkwardly over his rightthumb. Then he strung an arrow and took aim through one of the firingholes in the side of the howdah. The arrow sang off his thumb andglanced harmlessly against the steel net cloak of an Imperialinfantryman. The man looked up, then paused to aim an arrow at thehowdah. It was a lethal decision. Their elephant turned and seized himas he took aim, flinging him down and crushing him under its foot witha single motion. At once the Imperial infantry again started to clear apath in front of them.
"Jesus, I see why elephants are so feared on a battlefield."
"Yes, but they cannot fight the entire battle . . ." Shirin's voicetrailed off as she stared through a hole in the side of the _howdah_.Suddenly her eyes flooded with fear. "Oh, Allah! Merciful Allah! Look!"
A close-ranked formation of Imperial horsemen, perhaps fifty in number,was advancing toward them from the eastern perimeter of the plain. Theywore body armor of black steel and they ignored the infantry battlingaround them as they charged directly for the circle of Jadar'selephants.
"Who are they?"
"I think they're Latifs special Bundella guards. I've only heard aboutthem. His elephant must be near and he's ordered them to attack. Hemust realize the prince is vulnerable now. He hopes to kill PrinceJadar in a quick action and so end the battle." She stared over theside of the steel _howdah _again. "If they fail, then he will send hisregular Rajput cavalry."
"What's so special about Bundellas?"
"They're from the region of Bundelkhand, and their horses are said tobe specially trained against elephants. The native Bundellas . . ." Sheducked down and stared wildly around the howdah as an arrow grazed by."Where ... the matchlocks!"
Hawksworth quickly pulled up one of the muskets and checked the prime.He passed it to Shirin and took a second for himself. As he lookedagain over the top of the _howdah_, he saw the elephants guarding Jadarstart turning to face the approaching horsemen.
Their own elephant hadnow reached the defense lines and it immediately assumed its normalplace in the protective circle.
Many of the approaching Bundellas were already being cut down by thespears of the Rajput infantry, but over half managed to penetrate theouter defense perimeter and reach the circle of elephants. The horsemenimmediately began firing rockets into Jadar's elephants from longbamboo tubes they carried, intending to frighten them and disrupt theirranks.
As Hawksworth watched, three of Jadar's encircling war elephants shiedskittishly away from the fireworks, creating a momentary opening in theline. Before the opening could be secured, two of the Bundella cavalrydashed through the space. Once inside the defense perimeter, theyparted, one riding toward either side of Jadar's elephant. One of thehorsemen took careful aim with his bow and shot a barbed arrowconnected to a line deep into the steel-net armor of the mahout seatedon the neck of Jadar's elephant. The horseman quickly whipped thearrow's line around his saddle horn and reined his mount. The horseseemed to know exactly what was expected, as it instantly rearedbackward, unseating Jadar's mahout and toppling him into the dust.
As the mahout fell, his steel _ankus _clanged against Jadar's _howdah_,momentarily distracting the prince. When he whirled to look for hismahout, the other Bundella spurred his stallion alongside theelephant's rump, lifting a heavy spear above his head. But instead ofhurtling the spear toward Jadar he turned and plunged it deep into theground beside the elephant.
"Shirin, what's he doing? How can . . . ?"
The horseman twirled his long reins around the shaft in a quick motion,tethering the horse. Then he balanced himself atop the saddle,unsheathed his sword, and with an agile leap landed on the armored rumpof Jadar's elephant.
He secured his balance in less than a second, then grabbed the side ofJadar's gilded _howdah_. Hawksworth stared spellbound as a rain ofRajput arrows glanced harmlessly off his black steel body armor.
"Now!" Shirin's voice was almost a scream.
As though in a dream, Hawksworth leveled the long barrel of hismatchlock against the rim of the _howdah _and took aim. The stock feltalien and bulky in his grip, and its lacquer inlay smooth and cold. Hesaw Shirin thrust her own musket alongside his own, struggling to keepits heavy barrel balanced. As the horseman raised his sword to plungeit into Jadar's exposed back, Hawksworth squeezed the gun's inlaidtrigger.
The stock kicked into his face and a burst of black smoke momentarilyblinded him. Shirin's matchlock had discharged at the same moment, andhe looked down as she tumbled backward against the padded side of thehowdah, still grasping the gun's heavy stock.
Then he heard a cheer from the Rajputs and turned in time to see theBundella spin in a half circle. Hawksworth realized one musket ball hadcaught him directly in the face, the other in the groin. He vainlyreached to seize the side of Jadar's _howdah _to regain his balance,but his foot skidded and he slipped backward . . . into a forest ofRajput spears. The flash of a sword took his head. Jadar had never seenhim.
That settles one debt, you cocky bastard.
There were shouts from the other attackers still outside the defenseperimeter and two horsemen reined their mounts and charged towardHawksworth and Shirin. As they approached, the elephant began revolvingto meet them.
Hawksworth reached down and grabbed the last remaining musket and roseto fire.
As he looked up, he stopped in astonishment, for a second refusing tobelieve what he saw.
Both Bundelkhand horses were advancing on their hind legs, rearing andbounding toward them in high leaps. He watched transfixed as one of theBundellas discharged his bow past the neck of his horse, directly atthe _howdah_. The arrow missed Shirin's dust-covered hair by onlyinches.
Hawksworth lifted his matchlock and leveled it against the rim,wondering for an instant whether to aim for the man or the horse. Thenthe matchlock blazed and he watched the horseman buckle backward in thesaddle, toppling into a circle of waiting Rajput swords.
Suddenly the howdah shuddered, throwing him sprawling against the side.As he pulled himself up, he realized the other horse had secured itsfront feet against the side of their elephant. The Bundella was staringdirectly in his face, pulling an arrow from his saddle quiver.
The horseman's bow was already half drawn when Hawksworth heard thesing of a bowstring beside him. As he watched, the end of a shaftsuddenly appeared in the right
cheek of the Bundella, buried to the feathers. The horseman's own arrowslammed into the side of the _howdah_, and he reached to claw at hisface with his saddle hand, forfeiting his grip. As he slipped backwardoff the rearing horse, the Rajput infantrymen beheaded him in midair.
Hawksworth turned to see Shirin drop her bow onto the floor of the_howdah_. She slumped against the steel side, her eyes glazed withincredulity at what she had done.
They watched wordlessly as the perimeter of Jadar's elephants was againdrawn together and secured. As the other horsemen were driven back, acoherent defense barricade of concentric circles was graduallyestablished around the prince. The outer perimeter was a line of Rajputinfantry armed with long spears. Inside their line were Rajputswordsmen, who now had linked together the skirts of their long, steel-mesh cloaks to form a solid barrier. And inside these was the lastdefense line, the circle of armored war elephants.
As their own elephant instinctively rejoined the line protecting Jadar,Hawksworth reached to touch Shirin's hand. As he did, he noticed herthumb was bleeding and realized for the first time she had not beensupplied a bow ring.
"I think we can hold off the infantry with the elephants. But I don'tknow how long . . ." Her voice trailed off as he looked up at her face.She was leaning against the side of the _howdah_, pointing wordlesslytoward the east.
He turned to see a vast wave of the Imperial Rajput horsemen bearingdown on their position. They numbered in the thousands.
"God Almighty." He reached weakly for another arrow, trying to countthose remaining in the quiver and asking if he would live long enoughto shoot them all. "It's over."
Their battle cry lifted above the plain as the approaching cavalryneared the edge of the massed Imperial infantry engulfing Jadar. Theybegan advancing directly through the infantry, not slowing, headingstraight for Jadar.
Hawksworth notched an arrow and rose up in the _howdah_
to take aim. He drew back the string and picked the man in the lead forthe first arrow.
As he sighted the Rajput's bearded face down the shaft, he suddenlyfroze.
The Rajput had just driven the long point of his spear into an Imperialinfantryman.
Hawksworth lowered his bow in disbelief and stared as the approachingImperial cavalry began cutting down their own infantry, taking heads asthey rode toward Jadar, leaving a carpet of death in their bloody wake.
"Holy Jesus, what's happening? They're attacking their own troops! Arethey sotted with opium too?"
Suddenly their chant of "Ram Ram" was taken up by the Rajputssurrounding Jadar, and they turned on the Imperial infantry nearestthem with the ferocity of a wounded tiger.
"Today Allah took on the armor of a Rajput." Shirin slumped against theside of the howdah and dropped her bow. "I had prayed they would allone day join with the prince, but I never really believed it wouldhappen."
Jadar's circle of war elephants began to cut their way through theremaining infantry to join the Rajput forces, swivel guns blazing fromtheir backs. In what seemed only minutes his entourage merged with thevanguard of Rajput cavalry, and together they moved like a steelphalanx against the Imperial infantry reserves waiting in the east.
Hawksworth watched as the Imperial lines were cut, separating theinfantry fighting on the plain from their reserves. Next a corps ofRajput horsemen wielding long spears overran the Imperial gunemplacements, then grouped to assault the Imperial command post. Whenthe elephant bearing the banner of Inayat Latif started for higherground, discipline in the Imperial ranks evaporated.
By late afternoon the outcome was no longer in question. A
finalattempt by the Imperial forces to regroup disintegrated into a rout,with thousands of fleeing Imperial infantry falling before the swordsand spears of the Rajput cavalry. Only the merciful descent of darkenabled Inayat Latif and his Imperial commanders to escape death at thehands of pursuing Rajput archers.
As Hawksworth rode with Jadar's entourage through the dusty, smoke-shrouded battlefield, headed back for the camp, he felt he waswitnessing the gaping mouth of hell. The plain was littered with thebodies of almost forty thousand men and over ten thousand horses. Theproud war cries were forgotten. Through the dusky twilight came theplaintive moans of dying men and the shrill neighing of shatteredhorses. Rajputs moved among the bodies, plundering the dead enemy,searching for fallen comrades, dispatching with their long swords anylingering men or horses who could not be saved.
All because of Jadar, Hawksworth thought, and his stomach sickened. Nowwhat will happen? Jadar won the day in this valley, in the middle ofnowhere, but the Moghul is still in Agra, and tonight he still rulesIndia. And I think he'll still rule India, if only in name, till theday he dies. Jadar can't march against the Red Fort in Agra, not withthis ragtag army. Even his division of Rajput defectors couldn't stormthat fortress. I'm not sure God himself could take the Red Fort. Sowhat now, noble Prince Jadar? So far you've merely brought death tohalf the fighting men in India.
The torchbearers marching four abreast at the front of their elephantswere now approaching the remains of the camp. Through the flickeringlight emerged the vision of a burned-out ruin. Scorched furrows fromthe first Imperial cannonade trailed between, among, through the fewremaining tents. Small clusters of wounded men, some begging for waterand some for death, were being fed opium and their wounds wrapped withthe shreds of ripped-apart tents.
Jadar moved through the camp, acknowledging the triumphant cheers ofhis men. Ahead his servants were already erecting a new chintz wallaround the _gulal bar _and replacing the tents for the _zenana_.Hawksworth watched as carpets were unrolled from bullock carts andcarried inside the compound.
Jadar's elephant proceeded instinctively to the very entry of the_gulal bar_, where it kneeled for him to dismount. Around him Rajputspushed forward to cheer and _teslim_. As he stood acknowledging them,the other elephants also began to kneel. Jadar's servants rushedforward to help Hawksworth and Shirin alight.
"This was the most horrible day I've ever known." Her arms closedaround his neck as her feet touched ground, and she held him for a longmoment, tears staining her cheeks. "I've never before seen so muchkilling. I pray to Allah I never see it again."
Hawksworth returned her embrace, then looked at her sadly. "There'll bea lot more before Jadar sees Agra, if he ever does. This is just onebattle, not the war. I'm not sure we want to be here to find out how itends."
She looked back at him and smiled wistfully in silence. Then she turnedand performed the _teslim _to Jadar.
The prince was scarcely recognizable. His helmet had been torn bycountless arrows, or matchlock fire, and his haughty face and beardwere smeared with dust and smoke. The emerald bow ring was missing fromhis right thumb, which was now caked with blood. Beneath his armor thetorn leather of his right sleeve was stained blood-dark, where he hadripped out an arrow. As he lifted his arms to acknowledge the risingcheers, his eyes were shadowed and tired, but they betrayed no pain.
Hawksworth turned and examined Jadar's _howdah_. It was a forest ofarrows and broken spear shafts. Grooms from the stables had alreadybrought water and sugarcane for his elephant and begun extracting ironarrowheads from its legs and from a section of its right shoulder whereits armor had been shot away.
As he watched the scene, Hawksworth slowly became aware of a pathwaybeing cleared through the camp toward the east. Next, the cheers ofsome of Jadar's Rajputs began to swell through the smoky air. Throughthe encroaching dark, there slowly emerged the form of another elephantapproaching. In the torchlight he could tell it was regal in size andbore a gilded _howdah _shaded by a wide brocade umbrella. There were noarrows in the side of this _howdah_, nor was there more than a trace ofdust on the elephant's gilded and enameled armor. With its elaboratedecoration of swinging yak tails and tinkling bells, it seemed moresuited for a royal procession than for a battlefield.
Jadar watched impassively as the elephant neared the center of theclearing. While the Rajputs around him stood at attention, the elephantperformed a small bow, then began to kneel with practiced dignity.Several Rajputs rushed forward to help the rider alight.
The man's jeweled turban and rows of finger rings sparkled in thetorchlight. As he moved directly toward Jadar, Hawksworth suddenlyrecognized the walk and caught his breath.
It was Nadir Sharif.
The prime minister paused a few feet from Jadar and salaamed lightly.He did not _teslim_, nor did he speak. As he stood waiting, from out ofthe darkness of the _gulal bar _the figure of a woman emerged. She wasveiled, surrounded by her women, and accompanied by a line of eunuchswearing sheathed scimitars in their waist sash. She stopped andperformed the _teslim _to Jadar. Then she turned to Nadir Sharif.
He stared at her for a long moment, then said something in Persian.Without a word she lifted her veil and threw it back. Next she turnedand gestured to one of the servants standing behind her. The servantstepped forward with a bundle wrapped in a brocade satin blanket andcarried it directly to Nadir Sharif.
The prime minister stood for a moment as though unsure whether to takeit. Finally he reached out and lifted the blanket from the servant andcradled it against one arm. He stared down for a long moment, his eyesseeming to cloud, and then he pushed back part of the blanket toexamine its contents more closely. With a withered finger, he reachedin and stroked something inside the blanket. Then he looked up andsmiled and said something to Jadar in Persian. The prince laughed andstrolled to his side, taking the blanket in his own smoke-smeared handsand peering down into it with Nadir Sharif. They exchanged more wordsin Persian, laughed again, and then Nadir Sharif walked to the waitingwoman, whose dark eyes now brimmed with joy. He stood looking at herfor a long moment, then spoke to her in Persian and enfolded her in hisarms.
A cheer went up again from the onlookers, as they pushed forward towatch. Hawksworth turned to Shirin.
"Is that who I think it is?"
Shirin nodded, her eyes misting. "It's Mumtaz, the first wife of PrinceJadar and the only daughter of Nadir Sharif. He told Prince Jadar hedecided today he wanted to see his grandson, since he wanted to see theface of the child who would be Moghul himself one day. Then he toldMumtaz he will die in peace now, knowing that his blood will somedayflow in the veins of the Moghul of India." Shirin's voice started tochoke. "I can't tell you what this moment means. It's the beginning ofjust rule for India. Nadir Sharif knew that if Prince Jadar wasdefeated today, the child would be murdered by Janahara. By defectingwith his Rajputs, he saved Prince Jadar, and he saved his grandson."She paused again. "And he saved us too."
"When do you think he decided to do this?"
"I don't know. I still can't believe it's true."
Hawksworth stopped for a moment, then whirled and seized her arm."Jadar knew! By Jesus, he knew last night! The cavalry. He said thecavalry had to be held to the last. He knew they would turn on theImperial infantry if he began to lose._ He knew all along_."
Shirin examined him with a curious expression. "I wonder if Mumtazherself planned it. Perhaps she convinced Nadir Sharif to save hisgrandson." She paused. "This must have been the most closely guardedsecret in all of Agra. Nadir Sharif somehow kept even the queen fromknowing he would defect with the Rajputs or she would have surelykilled him." Shirin's voice trailed off as she pondered theimplications. "He's astonishing. Janahara has never entirely trustedhim, but somehow he must have convinced her to let him command theRajput cavalry. What did he do to make her finally trust him?"
Nadir Sharif embraced Mumtaz once more, then bowed lightly again toJadar and turned to leave. As his glance swept the torchlit crowd, henoticed Hawksworth. He s
topped for a second, as though not believingwhat he saw, then broke into a wide smile.
"By the beard of the Prophet! Can it be? My old guest?" He moved towardHawksworth, seeming not to notice Shirin. "May Allah preserve you,Ambassador, everyone at court thinks you've fled India. For your sake Ialmost wish you had. What in God's name are you doing here?"
"Someone tried to murder me at Fatehpur." Hawksworth turned and tookShirin's arm. "And Shirin. It seemed like a good time to switch sides."
"Someone actually tried to kill you? I do hope you're jesting with me."
"Not at all. If Vasant Rao and his men hadn't appeared in time to helpus, we'd both be dead now."
Nadir Sharifs eyes darkened and he looked away for a moment. "I musttell you that shocks even me." He turned back and smiled. "But I'mpleased to see you're still very much alive."
Hawksworth studied Nadir Sharif for a moment. "Do you have any idea whomight have ordered it?"
"This world of ours is fraught with evil, Ambassador." Nadir Sharifshook his head in resignation. "I sometimes marvel any of us surviveit." Then he looked back at Hawksworth and beamed. "But then I'vealways found you to be a man blessed with rare fortune, Ambassador. Ithink Allah must truly stand watch over you night and day. You seem tolive on coincidences. I was always amazed that just when His Majestyordered you out of Agra, the Portuguese decided to seize one of HisMajesty's personal cargo vessels and by that imprudent folly restoredyou to favor. Now I hear you were attacked in the Fatehpur camp by somescurrilous hirelings . . . at the very moment the prince's Rajputs justhappened to be nearby to protect you. I only wish I enjoyed a smallportion of your luck." He smiled. "But what will you be doing now? Willyou be joining with us or will you stay with the prince?"
"What do you mean?"
"I understand His Highness is striking camp tomorrow and marching westfor the Rajput city of Udaipur. The new _maharana _there, adistinguished if somewhat renegade Rajput prince named Karan Singh,apparently has offered his lake palace as a refuge for the prince."
"I don't seem to have much choice. I'm probably no more welcome in Agraright now than you are."
Nadir Sharif examined him quizzically for a moment. "I'm not sure Iunderstand exactly what you mean." Then he broke into laughter."Ambassador, surely you don't assume I had anything to do with thetragedy today. The honest truth is I used every means at my command todissuade the Rajput cavalry from their insidious treachery. Theyabsolutely refused to heed anything I said. In fact, I actually triedto forewarn Her Majesty something just like this might happen."
"What are you talking about!"
"Their betrayal was astonishing, and I must tell you frankly, entirelyunaccountable. I intend to prepare a complete report for Her Majesty.But this is merely a temporary setback for us, never fear." He turnedand bowed lightly to Shirin, acknowledging her for the first time. "Ireally must be leaving for the Imperial camp now. We've scheduled a warcouncil tonight to plan our next strategy." He smiled. "I feel I shouldcounsel you once again that you've chosen very unsavory company. PrinceJadar is a thorough disgrace to the empire." He bowed lightly once moreto Hawksworth, then to Shirin, and turned to remount his elephant."Good night, Ambassador. Perhaps someday soon we'll drink _sharbat_together again in Agra."
Even as he spoke, his elephant rose and began to move out. His lastwords were drowned by cheering Rajputs.
"He'll never get away with it." Hawksworth watched incredulously as theelephant began delicately picking its way through the shattered camp.
"Oh yes he will. You don't know Nadir Sharif as I do."
Hawksworth turned to stare in bewilderment at Jadar. The prince wasstanding next to Mumtaz, their faces expressionless. As Nadir Sharif'selephant disappeared into the dark, Mumtaz said something in Persianand gestured toward Shirin. She replied in the same language and theymoved together, embracing.
"Your face is still fresh as the dawn, though your _kohl _is the dustof war." Mumtaz's Persian was delicate and laced with poetic allusions.She kissed Shirin, then looked down and noticed her right hand. "Andwhat happened to your thumb?"
"I had no bow ring. You know we aren't supposed to shoot."
"Or do anything else except bear sons." Mumtaz flashed a mock frown inthe direction of Jadar. "If I would let him, His Highness would treatme like some stupid Arab wet nurse instead of a Persian." She embracedShirin again and kissed her once more. "I also know you learned to firea matchlock today."
"How did you find out?"
"Some of the Rajputs saw you shoot a Bundella horseman who had breachedtheir lines and reached His Highness' elephant. One of them told myeunuchs." Her voice dropped. "He said you saved His Highness' life. Iwant to thank you."
"It was my duty."
"No, it was your love. I'm sorry I dare not tell His Highness what youdid. He must never find out. He's already worried about too manyobligations. You saw what just happened tonight with father. I thinkhe's very troubled about what price he may be asked to pay someday forwhat happened today."
"I must tell you the English _feringhi _also shot the Bundella who hadmounted His Highness' elephant."
"Is he the one there?" Mumtaz nodded discreetly toward Hawksworth, whostood uncomprehending, his haggard face and jerkin smeared with smoke.Her voice had risen slightly and now her Persian was lilting again.
"He's the one."
Mumtaz scrutinized Hawksworth with a quick flick of her eyes, neverlooking up. "He's interesting. Truly as striking as I'd heard."
"I love him more than my life. I wish you could know him." Shirin'sPersian was equally as genteel as that of Mumtaz.
"But is he yet a worthy lover in your bed?" Mumtaz's smile was almosthidden. "I sent your message to father about the Hindu _devadasi_."
Shirin smiled and said nothing.
"Then you must bring him with us to Udaipur."
"If His Highness will have us there."
"/ will have you there." She laughed and looked again at Hawksworth."If you'll tell me sometime what it's like to share your pillow with a_feringhi_."
"Captain Hawksworth." Jadar's martial voice rose above the assembledcrowd of congratulating Rajputs. "Didn't I notice you on the fieldtoday? I thought I had assigned you to guard my _zenana_. Are you awarethe punishment for disobeying orders in an army in India is immediatebeheading? Of if you like, I can have you shot from a cannon, as issometimes done. Which would you prefer?"
"Your cannon were mostly overrun. I guess you'll have to behead me, ifyou can find anyone left with a sword sharp enough."
Jadar roared and pulled out his own sword. There was a deep nick in theblade.
"By tomorrow I'm sure we can find one. In the meantime I'll have toconfine you in the _gulal bar _to prevent your escape." He slipped thesword back into his belt. "Tell me, did you manage to hit anythingtoday with your matchlocks?"
"Possibly. There were so many in the Imperial infantry I may havesucceeded in hitting someone."
Jadar laughed again. "From the looks of her thumb, it would seem thewoman in your _howdah _did most of the shooting. I'm astounded you'dpermit her such liberty."
"She has a mind of her own."
"Like all Persians." Jadar reached and lowered Mumtaz's veil over herface. She let it hang for a moment, then shoved it back again. "Allahprotect us." He turned and stared a moment into the dark, toward thedirection Nadir Sharif had departed. "Yes, Allah protect us from allPersians and from all Persian ambition." Then he suddenly rememberedhimself and glanced back at Hawksworth. "So tonight we may eat lambtogether after all, if there's one still to be found. But not yet inParadise. For that you will have to wait a few days longer."
Hawksworth shifted uncomfortably. "What exactly do you mean?"
"Udaipur, Captain, tomorrow we strike camp and march for Udaipur. It'sa Rajput paradise." He turned and beckoned toward the Rajput commanderwho had ridden from Fatehpur with them. "It's time you met my friendMahdu Singh, brother of His Highness, Rana Karan Singh, the Maharana ofUdaipur. The _maharana _ha
s generously offered us his new guest palace,on his island of Jagmandir. It's on Pichola Lake, in the Rajput capitalof Udaipur. He was only just building the palace when I was therebefore, but I seem to remember it's designed in a very interesting newstyle." He glanced at Mumtaz. "I think Her Highness will approve." Thenhe continued. "Rajputana, Captain, is beautiful. What's more, itsmountains are impregnable. I led the only Moghul army ever to escapedefeat by the Rajputs who live in those mountains. But today I havemany loyal friends there." Mahdu Singh bowed lightly to Hawksworthwhile Jadar watched in satisfaction. "His Highness, the Maharana, maydecide to make a Rajput out of you and keep you there, if you seemworth the trouble. Who can tell?"
He turned and dismissed Mumtaz and her eunuchs with a wave. He watchedfondly as she disappeared into the _gulal bar_, then turned and joinedthe waiting Rajputs. Together they moved out through the camp,embracing and consoling.
"Did you hear what he said?" Hawksworth turned to Shirin, who stoodwaiting, a light smile erasing some of the fatigue in her face. "He'splanning to recruit another army of Rajputs. This war is onlybeginning. Good Christ, when will it end?"
"When he's Moghul. Nothing will stop him now." She took his hand, andtogether they pushed through the shattered gulal bar toward the remainsof their tent.
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