“Fools, all of you! Do you think I will let that ignorant barbarian and his slut of a wife tell me what to do? Let them demand payment from my empire?”
Jedidia flung his words, along with a mouthful of spittle, at his council. He took two strides to stand in front of the most cunning of them, and the least trustworthy. “You, Aram-Kitchu, what do you say? Were you not once one of those filthy Sumerians?”
Aram-Kitchu bowed so low that his black beard touched the table.
“My King, I don’t know what to say. I was born in Sumeria, it’s true, but that land was conquered by the Akkadians, and I bear only hatred toward them. I’ve lived in Sushan for almost twenty years, and my loyalties are only to you, My King, and to Elam.”
Again Aram-Kitchu bowed his head, as if to reinforce his loyalty. “As to the barbarian Eskkar, I can only say what I’ve heard, what everyone has heard who has dealings with Akkad. That King Eskkar is a man of his word. That he has never broken a promise or a trust, even to the lowest of his soldiers or the least of his people.”
With a snarl of rage, Jedidia jerked his sword from its scabbard, and pressed the point against Aram-Kitchu’s stomach. “You dare to threaten me with Eskkar’s name? You are the one whose spies failed to warn us of the secret alliances between Isin and Sumer and Akkad. Your spies again failed to warn me about the Jkarian Pass, or that Eskkar would fight at the Dellen Pass. You are a traitor to Elam. I should put you to the torture before I add your head to the pile outside.”
Aram-Kitchu stared at the sword, but shook his head. “My life is yours to take, my King. But not once did my spies fail to bring good information. Even so, King Shirudukh relied on many sources besides myself. Nor did he heed my warnings about Akkad. I advised him several times that the Akkadians were not to be taken lightly.”
Jedidia hesitated. This Sumerian traitor had spoken the truth about that. The fool Shirudukh had laughed at the Akkadians, as if the mere sound of his name would frighten them into surrendering. Nevertheless, Jedidia still wanted to drive the sword into Aram-Kitchu’s belly, if only to hear the man’s screams as Jedidia twisted the blade into his guts.
“Then what do you suggest that I do, Aram-Kitchu?’ He pushed the blade harder against the man’s tunic, and a spot of red appeared beneath the blade’s tip.
Aram-Kitchu raised his eyes for the first time, and met Jedidia’s gaze. “My King, I cannot help you if I am dead. But you must decide how to deal with the Akkadians. If you want to face the Akkadians in battle, I’m sure you can destroy any army they send against us. Your soldiers still out number them many times over.”
With a horrifying scream, Jedidia raised his sword up and swung it down with all his might. But the blade smashed into the table, not Aram-Kitchu’s head, and clove right through the finely carved surface in a burst of splinters. The other advisors recoiled at the blow, raising their hands in fear and shrinking away from the King’s wrath.
The commander of Jedidia’s guards outside the chamber heard the commotion and pushed open the door. He took a brief look, to assure himself that the King remained safe, and ducked back outside.
“Damn you, Eskkar of Akkad! Damn. .” Jedidia choked on the words, his tongue unable to match his fury. The big vein in his forehead bulged and throbbed as if it would burst.
Of course he dared not raise another army to fight the Akkadians. The soldiers who managed to survive the invasion had limped home beaten men. That attitude had already spread throughout the Empire and the rest of Elam’s soldiers.
By now even the lowliest and most distant of his soldiers had heard about the unstoppable Eskkar of Akkad — the cunning King who had never lost a battle, the King who cannot be beaten no matter how greatly outnumbered, the King who slaughters his enemies by the thousands, and, most of all, the King who had never failed to make good on his word.
The first time an Akkadian soldier set foot on Elam’s soil, the Empire would erupt in revolt. Jedidia would be lucky if a handful of cities remained loyal. He’d never sleep again, without wondering if he would wake up with his head still on his shoulders. Any one of his men would gladly carry such a trophy to Eskkar for the inevitably large reward that would be offered.
Jedidia felt wetness on his chin, and wiped it hard with the back of his left hand. A smear of red marked his fingers. The taste of blood confirmed that he’d bitten his tongue.
If he couldn’t fight, what were his options? Jedidia felt a sinking feeling in his chest, the same one that had washed over him in the Jkarian Pass.
He glared at the four men cringing before him. “Well, what do you suggest, damn you? You are supposed to be my wise and exalted advisors. Give me your advice.”
No one answered. “What would you do, Aram-Kitchu?”
The wealthy merchant kept his head low. “My King, since I lack your courage, I would pay the sum demanded. Eskkar is probably not eager to go to war, but he needs an excuse to refrain. If he receives the gold, the barbarian will no doubt keep most of it for himself, but he will use the rest to assuage his allies and soldiers, and satisfy their desires for conquest. With so much wealth in his hand, he will not bother to invade. He would already have more gold than he could get in any invasion, and without the cost in men and supplies. In a few years, five at most, you can recover most of the gold from your own people.”
Jedidia knew that last statement was another lie. It would take at least eight or more years to recover such a huge sum. He would have to squeeze every coin out of every man in the Empire. Still Aram-Kitchu spoke the truth about one thing — in time the gold would be recovered. Life would be difficult, but at least Jedidia would keep his throne.
With an oath, he again swung his sword at what remained of the table, making the advisors shrink back in fright a second time. The smell of urine wafted in the air. At least one of the advisors had pissed himself.
“Raise the gold! I don’t care what you do or how you do it, but raise the twenty thousand coins. Squeeze it out of every city, every village, every farmer, shopkeeper, merchant, priest, temple, every whore and beggar in the Empire. Sell anyone who can’t pay into slavery, and put those who refuse to pay to the sword. My soldiers will give you whatever help you need. If you can’t raise the amount needed, I’ll confiscate everything of value you own, before I hang each one of you and every member of your family upside down in the marketplace.”
No one uttered a word. Death might be the punishment for the slightest objection.
Jedidia glanced at one of his guards. “Send the traitor Kedor back to his new friends, and tell him that Elam will pay the gold.” Sword still clutched in hand, Jedidia strode out of the room, followed by his guards, and leaving behind the stunned and shaken advisors.
The four men glanced around the empty chamber, as if to reassure themselves that they were alone and still alive. “By the gods, this will beggar all of us.” The words came in a whisper from Shesh-kala, who tugged at his white beard with a hand that still trembled.
“Yes, it will,” Aram-Kitchu agreed. He glanced down at his tunic.
A small circle of blood had seeped through the garment, where the King’s blade had pierced the skin. Aram-Kitchu had come that close to dying. Now for the privilege of staying alive, he’d have to give up most of his fortune, and spend the next few years groveling on his knees and working himself back into the new King’s favor. Even so, Aram-Kitchu would dread the King’s every summons, wondering when Jedidia would finally choose to put him to the torture before taking his head.
The King of Akkad’s message had been cunning indeed. The sum demanded was just enough to bring the Empire, already facing disaster from the enormous cost of the war, to the brink of ruin, but not so large as to be impossible. Yes, Aram-Kitchu detected the shrewdness of Lady Trella’s presence in the message. Eskkar could never have calculated the precise sum needed to beggar the Kingdom of Elam, or composed such a bold demand.