“I hope he thinks I am pretty enough for his son, prettier than all the girls you left behind in Akkad.”
“Of that, you need not have any fear.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her throat. “None of the soft and lazy women in Akkad can even come close to your beauty.”
He shivered as her hand traveled down his chest and moved between his thighs. Sargon heard a giggle of delight when she found him hard and ready.
“Let us forget about my father.” Sargon heard the hoarseness in his voice, as the desire rushed through him. He cupped her breast, and wondered if his father had ever felt such passion for a woman. His mother, of course, was far too cold and calculating to make a good bedmate.
Then all thoughts of his parents disappeared as he pulled Tashanella down onto the blanket. Laughing, she spread her legs wide for him, and the pleasure of the gods soon enveloped them both.
35
The sun had just passed midday when Eskkar halted the column of riders on the crest of the hill overlooking the Ur Nammu camp. From habit, he let his gaze roam over the landscape, scanning every part of the countryside from horizon to horizon. Much had changed since his last visit.
To his right, where the Ur Nammu tents had originally stood, Eskkar saw the blackened sod and trampled down earth of the abandoned campsite. Whatever Subutai’s people had left behind, the invaders had burned or taken with them before they pursued the fleeing clan. Now only debris littered the charred ground.
The new Ur Nammu campsite lay another half mile downstream. Eskkar could just make out the three streamers, yellow in color, that marked the clan’s three chiefs.
On his left, on the far side of the stream, stood the temporary camp of the Alur Meriki. There three red standards, attached to lances driven into the earth, waved in the light wind and marked the visitor’s tents.
He noticed something else. In place of the original tents of the Ur Nammu, destroyed by the invaders, now stood many of the captured Carchemishi tents. Eskkar shifted his gaze to the four herds of horses that filled almost all the space between the two camps, and extended far beyond them, away from the stream. Warriors from both camps patrolled the herds.
Hathor pulled his mount to a stop beside Eskkar. “I’ve never seen so many horses in one place.”
The Ur Nammu scout, who had met up with Eskkar and his men yesterday, claimed his clan had captured almost a thousand horses. Eskkar hadn’t believed him, but looking at the herds, he realized the man might have spoken the truth.
“A lot of horses.” Eskkar pointed toward the Alur Meriki camp. “The last two times these clans encountered each other, the ground ran red with blood.”
Hathor shaded his eyes as he stared at the fields below. “I see about two hundred warriors in the Alur Meriki camp. No matter what happens, we have more than enough cavalry to deal with them.”
The moment Subutai’s messengers brought word of the invasion, and the threat to both the Ur Nammu and Sargon, Eskkar had mobilized his forces in Akkad and prepared for war. It had taken but two days to collect five hundred riders and start the journey north, leaving his commanders and Trella to prepare the city for a possible siege. The day after Eskkar departed, Alexar started north, following Eskkar’s trail, with over a thousand infantrymen and archers.
Most of Eskkar’s worries about a possible conflict with the Carchemishi had vanished days ago, with the report of a great victory and news about the safety of his son, Sargon. Now the last doubts in Eskkar’s mind disappeared at the sight of the peaceful camp. The Ur Nammu and Alur Meriki had indeed joined together to defeat these invaders.
“They’re coming out to meet us,” Hathor said.
Eskkar turned his gaze back to the stream and field below. Three riders from the Ur Nammu camp had started toward them, their horses kicking clods of dirt into the air as they raced at top speed over the grassy earth. He recognized Fashod leading the way.
“Welcome, Eskkar of Akkad,” Fashod shouted, as he drew his horse to a halt. “Subutai sends his greetings. He says you should set up your camp over there.” Fashod pointed toward the southern end of the stream.
“It’s good to meet again, Fashod. You’ve won a great victory.”
Fashod laughed. “Well, we’re still arguing about who won the battle, but we’ve got all their horses and tents.” He waved his arm toward the camp. “Come, Subutai is eager to see you.”
“Tell Subutai that I will join him soon.”
Eskkar turned to Hathor. “We need to get the horses watered and set up camp. And I’ll want you with me when we meet the clan chiefs.”
Later, after settling down the Akkadian horsemen, Eskkar and Hathor washed the dust and grime from their faces. Then they strode through the Ur Nammu camp until they reached Subutai’s tent.
The Ur Nammu leaders awaited Eskkar’s arrival. He saw Fashod and Chinua standing on either side of Subutai, but no sign of Sargon. A few steps away stood Chief Bekka and two Alur Meriki warriors Eskkar didn’t recognize. Eskkar saw the Sarum’s copper medallion gleaming on Bekka’s chest.
Eskkar kept his face impassive during the introductions. He remembered Bekka, of course, but when Eskkar had ridden from the Alur Meriki camp, Urgo had been Sarum, and Bekka merely a young clan chief. He had sworn the oath of friendship along with Urgo, but what the Alur Meriki change of leadership meant for Akkad now needed to be redefined.
Greetings were exchanged, and Eskkar learned for the first time that Urgo had yielded command of the Alur Meriki to Bekka. One of Bekka’s companions was Chief Suijan. The other warrior was introduced as Den’rack, a leader of fifty.
“My respects to you, Chief Bekka, as leader of the Great Clan.” Eskkar bowed respectfully. Now was not the time to slight anyone’s honor. He also inclined his head to Bekka’s companions. “I have heard that the Alur Meriki and Ur Nammu have won a great victory and captured many horses. Though I never expected to see both clans fighting side by side.”
Bekka returned the bow, exactly as deep as Eskkar’s. “It is good to see you again, Eskkar of Akkad. As for our alliance with the Ur Nammu, your son Sargon is responsible for that.”
Eskkar’s face must have shown surprise, for Subutai laughed aloud, while the others smiled.
“Come and sit down.” Subutai motioned toward the ground before his tent. “There is much to tell you.”
The story took a long time to tell, while Eskkar and Hathor sat there too surprised, and occasionally even shocked, to say much of anything. Subutai spoke first, but then Fashod and Chinua took over the tale, relating the details of the first fight against the Carchemishi, the raid on their horses, and the flight of the clan to the heights of the bluff.
Then Den’rack picked up the narrative, describing his encounter with Sargon and Fashod, and their arrival at the Alur Meriki camp.
Eskkar’s eyes widened when he learned of Sargon’s challenge to Den’rack, who appeared fierce enough to fight anyone in the clan, let alone an untried youth.
Bekka continued the story, telling of the other challenges. He also described the meeting with the Council and explained his decision to join the fight alongside the Ur Nammu. Bekka related the details of the long ride, the final decision to press on through the night, and the arrival of the Alur Meriki just as dawn broke.
“The enemy had turned all their attention to the Ur Nammu,” Bekka finished up. “We caught them by surprise, used their own horses to break their ranks, then cut them apart.”
“And those Bekka’s warriors missed, we hunted down and killed,” Subutai said. “Sargon killed at least two, perhaps three in that fight, and he managed to find and keep alive a leader of the Carchemishi, a man named Kamanis. That’s one I think you will want to speak to yourself.”
Eskkar had a hundred questions, and the warriors took their turns explaining all the little details any fighting man would want to know. Every speaker gave praise to Sargon, his courage, and the way he had convinced the Alur Meriki Council to save the Ur Nammu. The sun had sunk almost to the horizon before Eskkar heard the complete story. He could not conceal the pride that he felt for his son’s actions.