by J J Moriarty
“Marrea”, Hyzou said.
He lifted his daughter up and kissed her brow gently with his lips.
“Aliya”, Hyzou said.
He repeated this with the other. Then he passed the both of them over to Safia. She reached over and took them into her chest. The physician had finally finished sewing up Safia’s wound.
“You need rest, Safia”, the physician said. “Otherwise you should do fine.”
“Thank you”, Safia said.
“Thank you”, Hyzou said.
The physician bowed.
“Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness”, the physician said.
She left them alone.
They stayed together for hours. Safia fell in and out of sleep, along with Marrea and Aliya who slept almost straight through until something made them feel uncomfortable.
“How are you Hyzou?” Safia said.
Hyzou had thought she was asleep. He got up.
“Happy”, Hyzou said.
“Me too”, Safia said.
“Are you tired?” Hyzou said.
Safia nodded.
“I hope it doesn’t fester”, Safia said.
“Me too”, Hyzou said.
There was sound and movement outside Safia’s tent. A Servant appeared at the flap into the tent.
“Your Majesty, may we have a word?” He asked.
Hyzou frowned.
“I’m occupied”, Hyzou said.
“This is important, sir”, the Servant said.
Hyzou sighed. He kissed Safia’s brow. It was still wet with salty sweat.
“I’ll only be a minute”, Hyzou said.
“Go”, Safia said.
Hyzou left the tent. He was annoyed, but he saw then that a crowd had gathered outside the tent. Vorska was there.
“Archaier. What happened?” Hyzou asked. “Why was I pulled from my wife and children?”
Vorska grimaced.
“I’ve some bad news”, Vorska said.
“What is it?” Hyzou asked.
“News just came through. Five hours ago, Phatmose’ defensive line broke. Kyrios Nerikare has seized Aheb, he’s just a straight march away from Piquea”, Vorska said.
“No. He was holding it for so long”, Hyzou said.
“Casualties were extensive”, Vorska said.
Hyzou sighed.
“You know, sir, we could flee”, Vorska said.
“What?” Hyzou said.
“Piquea is just days from falling. The Pharaoh may be happy to sue for peace”, Vorska said.
“We can’t abandon them”, Hyzou said.
“We’re doomed. We’re returning to a besieged city. It’s just a matter of time before Lamybla conquers the city”, Vorska said.
“We can’t”, Hyzou said.
“Please, sir, we’ll all die, we’ll all be killed. And for nothing, we can’t win if Aheb has fallen. We’ve lost most of our armies”, Vorska said.
Hyzou thought about Safia inside the tent, and the two defenceless babies inside with her.
What kind of father brings his children towards their certain death? Hyzou thought.
Hyzou shook his head.
How many fathers are there in Piquea? Hyzou thought.
“We’ll continue as we planned. In five days, we will reach Piquea”, Hyzou said.
“Sir”, Vorska said.
“I’ve given my order. Now see to it my will is obeyed. We must do our duty”, Hyzou said.
CHAPTER NINE
“It’s peaceful. It’s far too peaceful”, Hyzou said.
“Scouts still say that nothing has happened”, Tsy said.
The riding was really taking its toll on Hyzou. He felt ill, and stinging cramps ran up his legs and back every day.
“Go and make sure we’re still in a shape”, Hyzou said.
Tsy nodded and pulled his horse away from Hyzou, doubling back to the army that travelled behind him. Hyzou looked upwards, at Piquea and the hill it stood upon. They had arrived, and there wasn’t a Lamyblan soldier in sight.
Hyzou glanced over his shoulder. Saw Safia dozing in her sling. Her face was flushed, the result of a light fever.
They kept riding. Piquea was coming closer by the hour. Hyzou was on a high alert, afraid of something, anything, on the horizon. If Hyzou were Kyrios Nerikare, he would have begun racing to Piquea the moment Aheb fell. He’d want to try and take it as quickly as he could.
By evening they reached Piquea and the city was notably not besieged.
On the lowest level, at the entrance, thousands were waiting them. Hyzou understood. They were afraid, very afraid. They thought Hyzou would abandon them.
They reached up and tried to touch the Servants as they entered. Hyzou reached over and clasped some of the hands of the well-wishers. The place was quiet, very quiet.
We’re back from a momentous victory. Hyzou thought.
And the despondency was understandable. Fear did that.
At the stairs up to the second level, Phatmose and Gardem were standing. Their faces were grim and drawn, their mouths shaped into thin smiles.
Hyzou rode over to them.
“Hail, Your Majesty”, Phatmose shouted.
“Go to the Palace. I’m calling together the war council for a meeting”, Hyzou said.
Phatmose and Gardem both bowed.
“Inform the others”, Hyzou said.
They bowed again and said that they would. Hyzou buried his heels into the side of his stallion and set off up the levels. The city was busy, life goes on no matter how the war is poised. For many, such as merchants, an enemy army being forty miles away may as well be four thousand. They sold to whoever they sold to, and wars and politics were of little concern to them. Hyzou rode past their stalls. He rode past the Priests and their Temples. He rode past the urchins and the beggars. And he rode past the men preparing for war.
Finally, he reached the sixth level. The Palace. They were waiting for him, the serving staff and Gemenfkon. To his left there stood Cressa, and in her arms was a toddler. The child bobbed about in the arms of his wet nurse, playing with her face, grabbing at it.
Hyzou dismounted. Ignoring everyone else, Hyzou went right to Cressa. Hetep looked frightened of Hyzou, and he shied away from him.
“Sorry, Your Majesty, he’s just not used to the attention”, Cressa said.
“Uh”, Hetep said.
“Look Hetep”, Cressa said, in a high-pitched voice. “It’s your papa.”
Cressa reached out and touched Hyzou.
“Uh”, Hetep said.
Then the baby reached out himself and touched Hyzou’s shoulder.
Hyzou smiled. Hetep smiled right back at him.
“Aren’t you the cutest”, Hyzou said.
“Uh”, Hetep said.
“Where is he?” Safia said.
Hyzou turned around, and was surprised to see her walking, striding over to them.
“Where’s my son?” Safia said.
She reached Cressa, and without a word, Cressa handed the child over. Hetep began to bawl.
“Shhhhhhh”, Safia said. “I’m here, Hetep, and I’m going nowhere.”
Hetep kept on bawling.
“Shhhhhh”, Safia said.
She bounced Hetep in her arms. Then she began to sing. The song was in CaSuan, and Hyzou couldn’t understand a word of it. The voice seemed to distract Hetep however, as he stopped crying and stared at his mother. Still singing, Safia began to walk towards the Palace.
“Give the twins to Cressa”, Safia said over her shoulder.
Another Servant stepped forward from behind Hyzou, carrying the twin girls.
“Oh, wow. Who are these two?” Cressa said.
“Marrea and Aliya”, Hyzou said.
“They’re beautiful”, Cressa said.
“Come, Cressa, we must ready their room”, Safia said.
“Right away Your Royal Highness”, Cressa said.
She had one child in each arm.
“Aren’
t you two of the most beautiful princesses Sira Su has ever seen?” Cressa said.
Safia and Cressa walked off together.
“Your Highness, I’ve arranged…” Gemenfkon began.
“The war council is meeting first”, Hyzou said.
“Oh. Very well then. Are you hungry?” Gemenfkon asked.
“Not now, no”, Hyzou said. “Later I should be though. And I’ll need a bath.”
“Of course, sir. I’ll see right to it”, Gemenfkon said.
Gemenfkon bowed and left Hyzou. Hyzou walked through the main entrance into the Palace’s Courtroom.
This is where it all began. Hyzou thought.
This whole war had begun in this very room, when Hyzou had taken his sword to the Supreme Commander and all his staff. Hyzou wondered, as we walked around the empty room, just how history would see him. Whether anyone would understand why he did what he did. Safia understood, but no one else did, really. He was no puppeteer, just an angry soldier with a sword.
And he was so very tired.
They began to trickle in. Tsy was first, quickly followed by Gardem and Phatmose. Then came Vorska and Yan. Finally, there was the Servant who would represent Sparrow. Just as Hyzou was beginning, Safia walked into the room. She was on crutches and seemed exhausted.
“Your Royal Highness”, Gardem said.
“Sit, everyone”, Safia said. “We need to prepare.”
They all sat.
“I have word from the north”, Sparrow’s aide said.
“We can wait until after we’ve created a plan to deal with the Kyrios’ imminent attack”, Hyzou said.
“It’s about Kyrios Nerikare”, Sparrow’s aide said.
“Oh?” Hyzou said. “Continue then.”
“There won’t be an imminent attack. Spies have told Uqing that the Pharaoh ordered Kyrios Nerikare to stop once he reached Aheb. He’s waiting there”, the aide said.
“He’s waiting there? Why? He has us near death, one more rapid blow and he could conquer us all”, Hyzou said.
“As far as can be told, the Pharaoh doesn’t have enough information to know that one more blow could crush us. He’s worried that we have large numbers ready to defend Piquea and that this may be a trap. He wants to wait until he can gather both his and Kyrios Nerikare’s armies together and then drive on to take the city”, the aide said.
“Gather both forces?” Hyzou said. “But that’ll take time.”
“It will, sir, and he won’t be able to complete it before spring and the rains are here”, the aide said.
“The rains will slow him down. He won’t be able to march an army through the monsoon”, Hyzou said.
“No, sir, he won’t”, Yan said.
Hyzou tapped the table before him.
“What then?” Hyzou said. “Could it be possible that we won’t be attacked until summer?”
“I think so, sir”, Tsy said.
“A miracle. Through his idiocy, the Pharaoh has granted us a stay of execution. Time to prepare for his invasion”, Hyzou said.
“But Hyzou, will it make a difference? He still has the advantage”, Safia said.
“Phatmose, how many men do we have left?” Hyzou asked.
“Nine thousand”, Phatmose said. “How many Servants do we have?”
Tsy’s face curdled.
“We’ve lost a lot. Over two thousand of them fled, they ran away during our ride to return to Piquea. Cowards. Deserters”, Tsy said.
“So how many?” Phatmose said.
“Eight or nine thousand too”, Tsy said.
“Twenty thousand men against two hundred thousand”, Safia said.
“Some of those are Servants”, Hyzou said.
“That’s not enough”, Safia said.
“Forgive me, Your Royal Highness”, Phatmose said. “But if we are defending a siege ten to one is a feasible number to hold the city.”
A siege. Has it come to this? Hyzou thought.
“What were Kyrios Nerikare’s men like? The ones that broke through your line”, Hyzou said.
“All the infantrymen were very heavily armoured in bronze, they were screened very well by peltasts too”, Phatmose said.
They’ll have to adapt their army entirely if they want to break us in a siege. There’s no need for peltasts when a giant wall is in the way. Hyzou thought.
Then it struck him.
A new idea, as if fully formed from his years of training.
He breathed deeply and tried to consider everything he could about this idea. What it meant, and how it was to be implemented. The others on the council began to talk to one another, trying to decide smaller things. Hyzou ignored them all.
Finally, when he had thought it through, he spoke. Meekly said, it was little more than a murmur.
“We won’t be staying behind the walls”, Hyzou said.
“What?” Phatmose asked, breaking away from his argument.
“We won’t be staying behind the walls”, Hyzou said.
“I don’t understand”, Phatmose said.
“We’ll be marching out and meeting the Lamyblans in the field. This summer, we’ll be meeting them in the field”, Hyzou said.
“That’s madness”, Tsy said.
“Phatmose, you know your history of Piquea, don’t you?” Hyzou said.
Phatmose nodded.
“Did you know that the city was initially a southern watchtower? A defensive settlement belonging to Lamybla?” Hyzou said.
“I did, sir”, Phatmose said.
“The Khemmis, the lands between Aheb and Piquea, it was named that because it was the southernmost point of the Ancient Kheme Empire, wasn’t it?” Hyzou said.
“It was”, Phatmose said.
“You’ve been in the Khemmis before. Often, right?” Hyzou said.
“More times than I can count. I don’t understand what you’re asking…” Phatmose began.
“Just fifteen miles south of Aheb, the Khemmis is narrow, isn’t it? The only way from Aheb to Piquea is through that narrow pass, correct?” Hyzou said.
“I wouldn’t call it a narrow pass. It’s wide, maybe twenty miles in width”, Phatmose said.
“That’s narrow enough to be held”, Hyzou said.
“All due respect, sir, but it’s not”, Phatmose said.
“Why not?” Hyzou said.
“We only have eighteen thousand men. If we try and hold the Khemmis in that way, to avoid being flanked, we’ll have to have every man covering eight yards on his own. We won’t be able to use our phalanxes, and the Pharaoh will crush us. He’ll drive right through us”, Phatmose said.
“He won’t”, Hyzou said. “You’ll see.”
“Sir, meeting the Pharaoh in the field is asking for defeat. We cannot win a confrontation with the numbers we have”, Tsy said.
“I thought so too, but then I remembered an important part of my training. Training Sparrow gave me. The Servant's greatest weakness is a ranged weapon”, Hyzou said. “Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, sir”, Tsy said.
“We’ll need two things. Two things to defeat the Pharaoh’s invasion back. I want every clay pot in the city broken up and ground into dust. I want that dust sowed into the soil in the Khemmis, all along that narrow pass. I want that land to be stuffed with clay”, Hyzou said.
“I can do that”, Yan said.
“There’s more”, Hyzou said.
“What is it?” Yan asked.
“The Lamyblans have cut off our access to our stone quarries to the north. So where’s the nearest aside from the ones in the north?” Hyzou asked.
“Across the river”, Gardem said.
“Ferry stone across. Begin as soon as possible. Any stone in Piquea that isn’t vital to security must be ground down too. I want a million stones the size of my fist”, Hyzou said.
They all looked at him like he was insane, even Safia. Despite that, Yan bowed.
“I’ll see to it that it’s done”, Yan said.
“Phatmose, prepare our phalanxes”, Hyzou said.
“I will, sir”, Phatmose said.
Hyzou stood.
“Don’t you understand? This will see us win”, Hyzou said. “It’s our chance at victory.”
They all still looked at him like he had just claimed he knew how to fly.
“I’m sorry, I’m clearly not explaining this very well. How about this, we all get some rest, and we can discuss our battle plans tomorrow. I’ve been in the field for months, and I can’t wait to sleep well in my own bed”, Hyzou said. “Tomorrow I’ll explain all.”
They all arose.
“This council is adjourned, to be reconvened tomorrow”, Hyzou said.
CHAPTER TEN
“Come on, let’s go”, Safia said.
His hand was in hers.
“What is this?” Hyzou asked. “There’s nothing in this part of the Palace but… Oh, no. Safia why are we going to see Kyria Iset?”
“She has something to say to you”, Safia said.
“And you do too?” Hyzou asked.
Safia stayed silent. The only noise was the low click of her crutch hitting off the stone ground.
“What’s going on?” Hyzou asked.
Safia grunted. She led Hyzou through the guarded door into Kyria Iset’s chambers. There, at an ornate table, Kyria Iset sat.
“Your Majesty”, Kyria Iset said.
“My Kyria”, Hyzou said.
He helped Safia sit down, then sat himself.
“I came to her this morning”, Safia said.
Hyzou looked at Iset.
“This morning? When you took Hetep for a walk?” Hyzou asked.
Safia nodded.
“Your son is beautiful, Emperor”, Kyria Iset said.
“You introduced him to her?” Hyzou said.
“I did. She’s related to him, isn’t she?” Safia said.
“I am”, Kyria Iset said. “And what’s more, I have a son just a little older than Hetep. I haven’t seen him in so long.”
“I’m sorry”, Hyzou said.
“And now he doesn’t have a father either”, Kyria Iset said.
Hyzou reached out and grabbed Kyria Iset’s hand.
“By all accounts he was brave in his death”, Hyzou said.
“We were empathising, on what it’s like to go months without seeing our sons”, Kyria Iset said. “It seems your war is separating a lot of mothers from their children.”