‘Gallia has told me that it’s nothing to get excited about, so you might as well join us.’
‘I’m glad that the general of my army retains a great respect for his king,’ I replied dryly.
Afterwards, when they had washed themselves clean and dried their bodies, we watered the horses and Rachel fetched water to clean Aaron’s wounds. He may have been a happy man but his back looked horrid. As he lay on his stomach on a blanket and Rachel dabbed his wounds with a damp cloth, Domitus shook his head.
‘They made a right mess of him. No doubt the whip was reinforced with bone and nails to give it a bit of spice.’
‘I know what it’s like to be flogged,’ I said, wincing at Aaron’s red raw back. ‘It is most painful.’
‘It felt as though my flesh was on fire,’ said Aaron, grimacing every time Rachel’s cloth touched his flesh.
Malik looked at the trees growing out of the cliff face above us, then licked his finger and held it aloft.
‘No wind; good. Time to call “the wolf”, I think.’
‘The wolf?’
He nodded. ‘These are Lord Vehrka’s lands. Vehrka means “wolf”. I should announce our presence.’
Malik took a small leather pouch from his saddlebag and then began to scour the area for dry wood. I also lent a hand and was joined by Byrd, Surena and Domitus. Malik told us to make a pyre away from the campsite, on the other side of the stream. We did so and then he told us to collect the dung that had been deposited by our horses and position it so that it was in the sun. I ordered Surena to carry out this task.
‘But, lord, I am the commander of your horse archers,’ he protested.
‘Alas, Surena, we outrank you all,’ I replied. ‘I am a king, Domitus is a general and Malik a prince. Byrd is a civilian and thus exempt from the chain of command. And you wouldn’t expect the women to undertake such an unpleasant task, would you?’
He mumbled and grumbled as he collected the manure in his hands and dumped it on a boulder that lay in the sun. Malik assured him it was absolutely necessary for the task in hand. As a horse usually produces around fifty pounds of manure daily, there was no shortage of it to dry in the sun. When he had finished he spent a long time in the rock pool washing his hands and using the point of his dagger to clean under his fingernails.
‘The Ma’adan use buffalo dung to keep away flies, do they not?’ I said as he sat by the edge of the pool examining his fingers.
‘They do, lord,’ he muttered. ‘But I thought I had left that life behind.’
‘Never forget your roots, Surena. If you know where you have come from then you know where you are going.’
He was far from convinced. ‘If you say so, lord.’
An hour later Malik judged the dung dry enough for his purpose and lit the great pyre that had been built. He tossed the dung on the flames and then opened his leather pouch and extracted a handful of powder.
‘Sulphur,’ he grinned at me, tossing it on the fire.
Soon a pillar of thick black smoke was extending upwards into the sky.
‘That will be seen miles away,’ said Domitus with alarm.
‘Exactly,’ replied Malik.
The fire burned down to ashes and the pillar of black smoke got thinner and thinner until it resembled a dark needle pointing towards the heavens and then disappeared altogether. Malik said that we should wait in this spot and so I sent Surena back up the canyon to keep watch. We had seen no sign of pursuit but if there were any Roman patrols out they would have seen the smoke and would be heading in our direction. But Malik dismissed my fears.
‘Believe me, Pacorus, if there are any enemy horsemen riding in this region they will have more to concern themselves with than us.’
So we unsaddled the horses and I shot a curious ibex that thought it was safe to peer at us from a rock ledge fifty feet above our position. He moaned when the arrow struck his belly and then tumbled from the ledge onto the rocks below. Domitus skinned and gutted it and had the meat roasting over a fire by the time I relieved Surena on watch. Three hours had passed before we heard the sound of horses and men coming from further down the wadi. Surena and I immediately strung arrows in our bowstrings and Domitus drew his gladius, but Malik laughed and said that we had nothing to fear.
Then men in black robes on horseback filled the canyon as at least a hundred Agraci warriors rode towards us. And above us on either side I saw other Agraci horsemen on top of the cliffs, black shapes silhouetted against an intense blue sky. Like Malik the warriors in front of us carried round black shields, though these men also carried long spears in addition to the swords at their hips. Their faces were covered by head cloths, which gave them the appearance of demons from the underworld. Rachel and Miriam shrank back from the black host before them, seeking sanctuary in each other’s arms.
A figure on a grey stallion at the head of the group urged his mount forward. It was a beautiful Agraci beast with a wide, flat forehead, broad nose, long, erect ears and a straight and slender neck. I assumed the man who rode on its back was Lord Vehrka judging by his horse’s rich decoration: a black, beaded halter decorated with silver discs and black tassels. His wool and cotton saddle was also decorated with black tassels. The man slid off his horse’s back and walked towards Malik, pulling aside his head cloth to reveal his face. I have to confess that he did not have the appearance of a wolf, being slim, of medium height and possessing a thin face with a large nose. He bowed to Malik.
‘Greetings, Prince Malik, welcome to my lands.’
‘It is good to see you, Lord Vehrka. I must request your hospitality.’
Vehrka bowed his head again. ‘It is freely given.’
‘One of our party is injured and we require additional horses for those who have none.’
After the introductions were complete Vehrka gave orders for his surgeon to attend Aaron. I watched as the man took a small jar from his bag and rubbed a blue paste onto Aaron’s wounds. The man had a very light touch because Aaron did not flinch as the ointment was applied to his broken skin.
‘What is that?’ I asked Vehrka.
‘Malachite, ground down to make a paste. It will heal his back and also keep the flies away. Wealthy Egyptian women use it to decorate their eyes but we use it for its medicinal properties. Looks like someone gave him a thrashing.’
‘He was lucky,’ I said. ‘A few more minutes and he would have been nailed to a cross.’
‘You took a great risk, lord, riding into enemy territory with so few warriors.’ He looked at Rachel and Miriam. ‘And two women?’
I laughed. ‘We picked them up on our return journey.’
‘Ah, they are your slaves.’
‘Not slaves,’ I corrected him. ‘Guests.’
‘And now, lord, you must allow me to entertain you in my camp as my guests.’
With Aaron’s wounds dressed and the two women given their own horses we rode east once more to Vehrka’s camp. That night we were treated to roasted goat and warm camel milk as we sat round a raging fire with the Agraci lord and his warriors. Vehrka asked me to sit beside him but said little during the early part of the evening. Malik sat across the fire from us, between Domitus and Byrd who seemed his usual distant self.
‘Prince Malik will marry my daughter,’ said Vehrka quite unexpectedly.
‘Really?’ I was shocked. I had no idea that Malik was even seeing a woman let alone thinking of marrying one.
‘Her name is Jamal, which means “beauty”, and even though a father will always say that his daughter is attractive in this case it is true. It will be a good match.’
‘I am pleased for you.’
‘One day Malik will be king and she will be his queen and they will rule the whole of Arabia. It is their destiny.’
‘Malik is a great warrior,’ I agreed.
‘Haytham says that you are a great warrior, lord. I have heard of your many victories. But it is unwise to travel without a great number of your warriors with you. I
shall therefore escort you back to Palmyra.’
With our new companions the rest of the journey through the desert was uneventful. It took twelve days to reach Palmyra, the pace slow due to the frequent halts we had to make to dress Aaron’s wounds and the fact that neither Rachel nor Miriam had ridden a horse before their escape from Judea. They conversed with Aaron but said very little to the rest of us, though Miriam especially was very polite to me as far as our inability to communicate allowed. She knew a few words and phrases of Latin on account of having had some conversations with the Romans in Jericho, and used them to speak with Domitus, who I think was pleased that he was no longer the poorest horseman among our group. As the days passed their conversations grew in length as they whiled away the hours in the saddle, the gaps filled in by Aaron who rode behind them beside Rachel. Domitus told me that Miriam’s husband had died of a plague that had ravaged Jericho and Judea several years ago and that she had struggled to keep a roof over her and her daughter’s heads, working in the fields and offering lodgings to travellers. She and Rachel slept in their small barn if they had house guests. She had frowned on Rachel seeing Aaron because she knew that he had joined the party of Alexander in the civil war. When the Romans came Aaron disappeared and unknown to her he had fled to Palmyra and then Dura. She had tears in her eyes when she told Domitus that she and her daughter would never be able to return to Judea.
‘We shall have to make them welcome at Dura, then,’ I told him. ‘Considering the great service that Aaron has rendered the kingdom it is the least we can do.’
We bade farewell to Vehrka and his warriors and rode into Haytham’s capital four days short of a month after we had left it for Judea. The king and Rasha were waiting for us at his tent, his young daughter delighted that I was paying her a visit.
‘Why are you dressed like one of my people?’ she asked as I slid off Remus’ back and embraced her.
‘I have been in disguise,’ I replied.
‘It was an adventure, then?’
I watched Domitus and Rachel assist a still very tender Aaron from his horse.
‘For some more than others. And you, what adventures have you been taking part in, little princess?’
She smiled excitedly and turned on her heels. ‘I will show you.’
She disappeared into the great goatskin tent of her father and re-emerged moments later carrying a recurve bow. It was a beautiful piece of work, with the arms and setback centre fashioned from layers of mulberry and maple with water buffalo horn plating on the inside. The handle and tips of the bow were stiffened with additional horn. The tips had been carved into horse’s heads and the wood and horn had been bound together by fish glue and tendon strings. The whole bow was covered in lacquer brought from China to keep it waterproof.
‘It was a present from Gallia,’ she said, holding it out to me.
I took it and admired the craftsmanship. It would have taken the armouries at least ten months to produce such a weapon, to prepare the tendons, woods and glue and then mate them all together. It was a fitting gift for a princess.
I passed it back to her. ‘A beautiful bow for a beautiful princess.’ Rasha took the bow, kissed me on the cheek and then blushed before taking it back inside.
‘Gallia spoils her, I fear,’ remarked Haytham.
‘We love her as if she were one of our own daughters, lord.’
‘So, tell me of your journey to the land of the Jews.’
We went inside as Aaron and the two women were shown to a guest tent where Aaron’s wounds could once again be treated. He seemed to have regained some of his strength and I no longer feared for his life.
‘What about your life, Pacorus,’ said Haytham, ‘or the lives of Gallia and your children, will you not fear for them when the Romans find out that the armouries at Dura have been furnishing their enemies with weapons?’
‘I have thought of that, lord, but the Romans are already my enemies so if I can keep them occupied in their own domains then hopefully they will not trouble Dura.’
‘It may be as you say. But know that Vehrka has already had several Roman incursions into his lands, mostly small patrols of horsemen. It will not be long before more will come, of that I am certain.’
‘And then?’
He smiled savagely. ‘And then I will lead the Agraci against them.’
‘And Dura will stand beside you,’ I announced grandly.
‘And your father and your allies will stand beside you?’
I was unsure whether Hatra would get embroiled in a war supporting the Agraci. ‘I hope so, lord.’
‘And the Jews, do you think they will throw off the Roman yoke?’
I thought of the ragged individuals we had met, the shattered fortress where we had encountered Alexander and Domitus’ comment about the lack of bridges across the Jordan. Then I thought of the two legions that were stationed in Syria and the others that the Romans could send as reinforcements.
‘I hope so, lord, I sincerely hope so,’ was all I could offer.
He pondered for a moment. ‘Hope will avail them not in a battle with the Roman army.’
He was right, of course, but I had seen some of the gold that Alexander possessed. With the right weapons, the right timing and the support of the people they might just be victorious. They might just be able to win their freedom.
When we returned to Dura Aaron and his future wife and mother-in-law were settled in a house near Rsan’s mansion in the city and he continued to make a rapid recovery. Rsan himself was extremely happy with the outcome of our expedition to Judea and had already drawn up a delivery schedule for Alexander’s weapons. Following discussions with the chief armourer he had informed me that it would over a year to fulfil Alexander’s requirements. Byrd had accompanied us back to Dura and had come to an agreement with Rsan with regard to the transportation of the weapons to the Jews. We would be using Byrd’s camels to carry them west to Palmyra, then directly south into the desert and through the volcanic mountains southwest of Damascus, before heading due west again to the mountains that lay to the east of the Salt Sea. Malik and Rasha had travelled back to Dura with us and Rsan had also come to an agreement with Malik whereby his Agraci warriors would provide an escort for each camel train. The cost of hiring Byrd’s camels and Malik’s warriors was to be borne by Alexander, meaning Dura would make a handsome profit on each shipment of weapons. After all the sums had been done Rsan was the happiest I had ever seen him. Aaron said that he would travel with the first shipment, which would be ready in two months’ time, by which time his wounds would be fully healed. The treasury would be full, Silaces’ men would be fully equipped and I could begin to plan a new campaign in the east.
‘The Jews are a beaten people,’ scoffed Dobbai as she stood beside me atop the Palmyrene Gate a week later.
‘You do not agree the Jews are beaten?’ Dobbai pressed me.
‘Mm?’
‘The Jews. I said that they are a beaten people.’
We were standing next to the stone griffin with its unceasing guard over my city and kingdom. Dobbai was leaning against it as a column of Dura’s horsemen approached the city following manoeuvres in the desert.
‘Perhaps with my help they may be a free people,’ I said.
‘You have shown imagination in reaching an agreement with this Alexander, but it will not help the Jews.’ She cast me a sideways glance. ‘Though it may aid you.’
The approaching column of horsemen wheeled away from the city two hundred yards from the Palmyrene Gate to return to their quarters south of Dura. A small group of horsemen had halted to take their salute and then they about-faced and rode to the city.
‘It has aided me,’ I said. ‘With the Jewish gold I can rearm the legions and Silaces’ men and deal with Mithridates once and for all.’
The horsemen entering the city were led by Surena, who spotted me standing above the gates and drew his sword to salute me. I raised my hand in recognition. He lived in the city wit
h Viper in accommodation befitting his rank as the commander of my horse archers. I smiled at him as he passed under us.
‘You like him, do you not?’
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘He has turned into a fine officer. He is brave, quick witted and has a brain in his head. I never thought I would find a replacement for Nergal, but Shamash has given me one.’
‘His destiny and yours do not follow the same path, son of Hatra,’ she said. ‘You must release him.’
I was confused. ‘He is not a slave to do my bidding. He serves me of his own free will.’
‘That may be, but while he does so he does not serve the empire.’
‘I do not understand.’
She waved her hand at me. ‘You will learn that later. By the way, when were you going to tell me that Claudia had spoken to you?’
‘How do you know that, has she spoken to you too?’
She raised an eyebrow at me. ‘I asked you a polite question, why do you answer so flippantly?’
I had tried to erase the memory of my experience at the Temple of Ishtar from my mind, notwithstanding that the prophecy of the temple gold had come to fruition, which in many ways made it worse.
‘I did not think it was of importance.’
‘Really?’ she said in surprise. ‘And yet you thought it important enough to venture to Judea on the word of a Jew who you have known barely a moment. Clearly you attach a great deal of credence to Claudia’s words, as you should. What else did she tell you?’
‘Nothing,’ I snapped.
‘Your disrespectful reply suggests otherwise.’
I said nothing but stared at the legionary camp in the distance. She shuffled away from me.
‘Have it your own way, son of Hatra. But disregard her words at your peril.’
But the words of Claudia were far from my mind as the weeks passed and the armouries operated at full capacity once the first payment of gold arrived at Dura. Aaron had travelled back to Palmyra and then south through the desert, this time with over a hundred Agraci horsemen acting as his escort, before meeting with Alexander twenty miles east of Machaerus. It had been previously agreed that Alexander would make the first payment before the first shipment of weapons as a sign of his good faith, and so Aaron brought back with him fifty large leather bags full of gold. Once it had been itemised and safely deposited in the treasury, camels were taken to the armouries and loaded with arms.
Parthian Vengeance (The Parthian Chronicles) Page 35