by Max Overton
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Scythian Trilogy Book 3: Funeral in Babylon
By Max Overton
Writers Exchange E-Publishing
http://www.writers-exchange.com
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Scythian Trilogy Book 3: Funeral in Babylon
Copyright 2013, 2015 Max Overton
Writers Exchange E-Publishing
PO Box 372
ATHERTON QLD 4883
AUSTRALIA
Cover Art by Julie Napier www.julienapier.com
from an original concept by Ariana Overton
Published by Writers Exchange E-Publishing
http://www.writers-exchange.com
ISBN ebook: 978-1-922066-96-1
Print: 978-1-922066-97-8
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.
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Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Postscript
About The Author
Books By This Author
Other Historical Books By This Publisher
Back Cover
Return to Contents
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Prologue
The body of warriors rode casually, relaxed, as they moved along the broad dirt roads of northern Persia, heading south and west into the late afternoon sun sinking in a cloudless sky. Lengthening shadows stretched out behind them, rippling on the clouds of acrid dust churned by their horses' hooves. As the road wound slowly down from the mountain fastnesses of the borderlands toward the central plains of Persia, the land slowly took on a richer, more verdant aspect. The loose scree slopes and stunted vegetation gave way to austere pasture dotted with clumps of willow, poplar and alder; fresh new leaves burgeoning on spreading branches.
From time to time, even in these desolate hinterlands, the group passed men on foot or in rough-hewn carts drawn by resigned oxen. Peasants for the most part, dressed in ragged clothes, they gazed with stony-faced indifference at the armed horsemen confronting them. Few merchants found worthwhile opportunities in the northern mountains; those that passed that way kept a carefully neutral expression as they nodded a greeting. Without exception, the people of those parts deferred to the riders, recognising the tacit authority of armed men, pulling to the side of the road to let them pass.
Curious eyes followed them as the riders moved down from the mountain passes of the north into the rich fertile plains. Two men in particular watched from a stand of poplar trees atop a low hill several hundred paces from the road.
The smaller of the two men, slight of build and with a narrow pinched face twisted by virulent emotion, shaded his eyes against the setting sun.
"That is the Greek. The one in front," he snarled.
The other man glanced across at the speaker. His deep-set brown eyes stared without expression for a moment before turning back to the road. "You have good eyes," he replied. "At this distance and against the sun, all I can see is a body of riders."
"I tell you it is he," repeated the thin man. "I would know that man if it were darkest night." The man's body shook with rage and his right hand clutched convulsively at the sword in his belt. "I will kill him now. I will avenge my lord Areipithes."
The other man raised an eyebrow. "Avenge?" he queried. "I thought you said it was the Massegetae noble Parasades, who killed Areipithes. Doesn't he even now rule as king over your tribe?"
The thin man swung round, his sallow face twisted with anger. "The Greek is responsible, you fool! I told you.." His eyes met the taller man's stare and he took a step back, his face paling at the murder in the other's eyes. "Your...your pardon, Scorpion," he stammered. "I meant no offence."
The man called Scorpion stared at the thin man a moment longer then turned his hooded eyes away from the smaller man. "You would do well to remember you are no longer in Scythia, Scolices. In these parts, my name carries more weight than the name of any Scythian king, alive or dead."
Scolices scanned the distant road and the figures of the riders silhouetted against the setting sun. He loosened the collar of his felt jacket, feeling sweat trickle down his back. "Is it always this hot?" he whined. He fanned his face against the warm breeze from the south.
Scorpion grunted. "You think this is hot? Wait until summer. You will long for the high cool plains of Scythia."
"What will you do?" asked Scolices. "About them, I mean," he added, gesturing toward the road. "You promised my lord Areipithes."
"I shall keep my word," Scorpion flatly replied. "Even though your lord is dead, I will keep my promise, made in the name of a friendship we once had."
"Good!" snarled Scolices. "His ghost will welcome their deaths."
Scorpion turned toward his companion again, his face expressionless. "Why such hatred? I can understand wanting a man's death, but not this consuming hatred. What has he done to earn this?"
"He is a barbarian Greek," spat Scolices. "He..."
"A Macedonian," interrupted the other man. "Nikometros, son of Leonnatos. An officer in Alexander's army and quite cultured, I hear. Hardly a barbarian."
Scolices shot the taller man a venomous look. "He seduced both our chief and the priestess Tomyra. He weakened our people..."
Scorpion smiled. "Your chief made this Nikometros a blood-brother quite freely. There was no coercion involved. As for the priestess, well yes, a seduction took place. By all accounts they are lovers."
"She was a virgin priestess of the Massegetae. To tou
ch her is death. It is our law. She whored with the Greek and deserves death too."
"My spies tell me the Mother Goddess has not cast her off, despite her indiscretions," observed Scorpion. "Do you presume to tell the Goddess her business?"
"Of course not!" grunted Scolices. His hand flicked out, palm downward, in the sign of appeasement. "But sentence of death was pronounced on her and her barbarian lover."
"By a man now dead."
"He is still my king," said Scolices quietly. "I will follow his last command."
"The command of a man consumed by hate." Scorpion shook his head and turned back to scan the road sinking now into shadow as the sun dipped below the horizon. "I don't recommend hate as a way of life."
Scolices squinted into the growing darkness as the last of the riders vanished from view. "How will you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Kill them, of course."
Scorpion laughed. "I shan't kill them." He held up a hand as Scolices swung toward him, anger again twisting his features. "I'll cause it to be done by others."
"Why?" snarled Scolices. "You have the men. You outnumber him five times over. Do it now that I may wash my hands in his blood."
"This is Persia," observed Scorpion. "A land of law, even under Macedonian rule. If I were to kill travellers upon the Royal Road I would find myself hunted down and exterminated. I have seen other...seekers of profit...destroyed by their greed and arrogance. Even my position as a prince of traders and supplier of the Macedonian army would not save me. I won't risk that."
"Then how?"
"This Nikometros assumes he'll be able to pick up his life and his duties where he left them before he disappeared into the northern plains. Others, however, may suspect his motives and present purpose." Scorpion laughed again and strode over to his horse. He took the reins in his hand and swung the beast around before looking back at the smaller man. "A word or two in the proper ears and our purpose is accomplished."
Scorpion swung himself up onto the horse's back and guided it carefully down the slope through the evening shadows. With a muttered imprecation, Scolices hurried to his own mount and followed, leaving the warm wind from the south swaying the poplars.
Return to Contents
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Chapter One
The small villages along the Royal Road relied for their survival on a constant stream of travellers. Early spring brought merchants and farmers down from the snowy fastnesses of the mountains of northern Persia, carrying goods and produce to the markets in the south. Less often, bodies of armed men stayed at the villages, even in these troubled times. The wars of conquest, as Alexander crushed the Persian Empire, had largely passed by these northern lands. Macedonian officers, backed more by Alexander's reputation than force of arms, governed with a light hand for the most part, leaving local officials in place unless they proved untrustworthy.
The elder and headman of the village of Abyek, however, lived in almost constant fear. Smugglers and brigands infested the region and more than once Macedonian forces had investigated rumours that he, Algoas, knew more of such business than he admitted. When a party of armed men, led by a Macedonian officer, rode into Abyek on a cool spring afternoon, his first thought was flight. Hastily grabbing a small sack of gold, he hurried out the back door and into a rickety stable attached to the back of the house. With trembling hands he started to set the bridle on one of his mules.
A screech of anguish rattled the door of the stable. "Where are you going, husband? Will you leave me for the soldiers?"
Turning quickly, Algoas held up his hands. "Wife," he implored, "please be quiet. You will bring the soldiers down on us."
"You're leaving with all our gold. You'll leave me destitute. What will become of me?"
Algoas gave the thin-faced woman standing at the door a sour look. He forced a smile onto his worried face. "Molatta, my honey cake, I'm only taking our gold to a place of safety until the soldiers are gone. How can you think I would leave you?" He glanced beyond her to the shadows, glimpsing the rounded form of their young servant girl. A brief regret flitted across his face. "I'll be back in two or three days, as soon as the soldiers have left."
Molatta stamped her foot. "The soldiers aren't here for you, you fool," she snapped. "You're just using them as an excuse to rob me of my gold."
"Of course they're here for me, wife. Why else would soldiers...why do you say that?"
"Would soldiers on duty bring their women? You must think I'm a fool..."
"Women?" Algoas dropped the bridle and gripped his wife's arm. "What women?"
Molatta shrugged her bony shoulders and screwed up her face. "How should I know? One is richly dressed and she has a few others in attendance. A Macedonian officer leads them but the men are not Macedonians or locals."
"Where are they now?" asked Algoas.
"The officer and the lady went into the inn. His men remain outside."
Algoas sighed. He thrust the bag of gold into his wife's arms. "Put it back, my beloved. If they aren't looking for me then I must make sure they are well looked after." He pushed past Molatta into the house and hurried out the front door into the street.
Turning to his left he saw a number of townspeople milling around the entrance to the inn, gawking at the strangers. Shouldering his way through the crowd, Algoas bustled up to the door of the inn. A swarthy young man, sweating in layers of felt and leather, stopped him, barking unintelligibly in his face. Algoas grinned weakly and tried to push past.
The young man jabbered again then threw up his arms and turned in exasperation to a burly man behind him. "Speak to him, Timon. This fool does not seem to understand."
Timon nodded and stepped forward, blocking Algoas' way. "Easy, Tirses. Not everyone knows Scythian." He turned to the pale villager and switching to a mixture of Persian and Greek, addressed the man. "Who you?" He jabbed a finger at the man's chest.
Tirses chuckled. "Very subtle, Timon. Your command of the local language astounds me."
Timon glowered and flushed. "You could not do better," he rasped. "Who you?" he repeated, tapping the villager on the chest.
Algoas stepped back, flicking an alarmed look at the ring of strange faces. "I am Algoas," he stammered. "The elder of this village. I have come to welcome you to Abyek." He looked toward the inn door. "There is a lord and lady with you? I was told..." Algoas let his voice trail away.
Timon stared back at Algoas for a few moments through a great bush of eyebrow and beard. "Aye," he growled. Then, "Niko!" he shouted through the door, "Somebody to see you."
Metal gleamed in the doorway as a tall sun-bronzed man in cavalry armour emerged. He brushed back his long fair hair with one hand, his grey eyes appraising the scene in front of him. With a cool smile that came nowhere near his eyes, the man cocked his head at the villager standing with Timon and Tirses.
"I...I am Algoas, elder of Abyek. I welcome you, my lord...er..."
"Nikometros," said the tall man softly. "These are my men."
"Then you are indeed welcome, my lord Nikometros. Perhaps I can offer you such hospitality as our poor village can afford?" Algoas gestured toward the inn.
"It seems not," replied Nikometros. "All the rooms are full."
"Oh, I am sure that cannot be so," exclaimed Algoas. He bobbed his head and scurried into the darkness of the inn.
Timon raised an eyebrow at Nikometros then grinned as the sounds of a violent argument poured into the street. A few moments later, Algoas came out with a huge smile on his face.
"As I thought, my lord. A misunderstanding. Rooms will be made available to you at once. Perhaps while they are readied you will have some refreshment?"
Nikometros smiled. "Thank you. Perhaps some wine to wash the dust from our throats." He turned to the sweating Scythian. "Have the horses stabled then join us, Tirses." He looked back at the village elder and gestured. "Lead on, Algoas."
The interior of the inn was dim after the bright sunlit street. The air lay h
eavy and still, redolent with the odours of smoke and cooking. Several trestle tables sprawled in haphazard abandon through the room, each with a candle flickering and guttering, making its own small contribution to the soot-filled air. Stairs at the back of the room led up into darkness. Several men and two women stood in a huddle near the stairs arguing with a burly man who was ordering a string of servants. Bags were hastily thrown down and the burly man started ushering the group toward the door.
As the men passed Nikometros and Timon they flashed them a surly look, muttering imprecations. One of the women swore loudly and colourfully before being hurried out by her companions.
The burly man hurried over, nodded to Algoas and turned to Nikometros.
"My apologies, lord." He flashed a gap-toothed grin and bobbed his head deferentially. "A misunderstanding. Those misbegotten sons of whores..." he gestured toward the now-empty doorway, "...could not pay." He glanced toward Algoas and hurried onward. "Some wine, my lord? Not of the best, I'm afraid. It's been a bad year. Brigands are everywhere now that the Great King has fallen..." The inn-keeper's voice trailed off and he paled visibly in the darkness. "I...I'm sorry, my lord. I didn't mean..."
Nikometros nodded. "These are troubled times. The new Great King will restore order, I'm sure. Now, you spoke of wine?"
The innkeeper snapped his fingers and bellowed into the dim recesses of the inn. A young boy scampered out, bearing an earthenware jug and several wooden cups in a bag. He set the jug and cups on a table, his wide round eyes darting everywhere. The innkeeper cuffed the boy and sent him back to his work with a growl.
"If there's anything else, my lord, you have only to say. I'll see to your dinner." The innkeeper backed away.
Nikometros peered around the dim room. "Where are the ladies," he enquired, "and the old man?"
"They are upstairs, my lord, inspecting your rooms. They'll be ...ah, here they come, my lord." The innkeeper gestured toward the dark stairs then, grabbing Algoas by one arm, dragged him toward the kitchens.
Two figures appeared in the gloom, carrying guttering candles that accentuated the shadows rather than banishing them. A tall, dark-haired young woman in a flowing robe walked sedately toward Nikometros, threading her way through the tables. Behind her stalked a tall warrior in jacket and trousers, a sword belted at the waist and rich enamelled gold ornaments hanging around a slim neck. Only the lack of facial hair and the low swell of breasts betrayed the warrior's gender. An old, bent man, wisps of white hair clinging to an otherwise bald head tottered behind them. Thin arms crossed over his chest sheltered a black cat that inspected everyone in the room with yellow-eyed suspicion.