And then another idea took root deep in Aram-Kitchu’s thoughts. Perhaps Lady Trella had presented him with the opportunity to get rid of King Jedidia, and take the kingship for himself. With enough gold to buy men and influence, such boldness might succeed in the troubling times soon to come.
But gold, of course, would soon be in short supply, as every trader, merchant, and even the lowest farmer hastened to bury his valuables beneath the dirt of his fields.
Then suddenly Aram-Kitchu, once known as Bracca the Sumerian thief, knew exactly where he could obtain such a large sum of gold, probably as much as he needed. It shouldn’t be too difficult for Lady Trella to funnel some of Jedidia’s gold back into Bracca’s hands.
She and Eskkar would understand the advantages of having Bracca rule the Elamite Empire. With enough wealth, Bracca could buy the soldiers, mercenaries, and supporters needed to put himself on the throne. Jedidia was, after all, a common fighting man, with no friends or family to sustain him. Soon his unpopular policies would bring hatred down on his name.
Once again, Bracca felt glad he had warned his old traveling companion, Eskkar, about the coming invasion. Though Bracca had done so because of their strong bond of friendship, that good deed might now save his own life.
Bracca rose, and one by one, the others stood and headed for the door. As the youngest, Bracca trailed the others out of the chamber, but his thoughts remained elsewhere. He decided that with a plentiful supply of gold, some help from his new friends in Akkad, and a little luck, he, Bracca, would be the next king of Elam.
It would require time, perhaps half a year, but it could be done. He might even take back his true name once again. King Bracca of Elam and the Indus sounded much more imposing than King Aram-Kitchu, and much more impressive than King Eskkar of Akkad.
(Readers: if you have not yet read Battle for Empire, the fifth novel in the Eskkar Saga, you may want to visit my website, www.sambarone.com and click on the Battle for Empire tab, to read the prologue)
Epilogue
The Palace at Akkad, 3109 BC (26 years after the war with Elam). .
Trella studied her grandson, Escander, reclining on the couch near the window. Outside, the birds had settled into the trees and started their twilight songs to welcome the end of another pleasant day. Dusk settled over the Palace grounds, and those who dwelt within its walls waited for the servant’s call that would announce the evening’s meal.
Tonight, however, Queen Mother Trella and Escander would again dine in her private quarters. In fact, Trella and her grandson had taken all their meals in her chambers for the last three days. The matters they discussed were far too important to risk anyone overhearing, and neither wanted to waste even a moment when so much of importance remained unsaid.
But at last the long story that had taken Trella deep into the past had ended.
To anyone watching, Escander appeared to have fallen asleep. Yet Trella knew her grandson had heard every word, memorized every important name, and grasped the sometimes difficult concepts that she’d related. He was the one person in the Palace that she could engage as an equal. But like every excellent teacher, Trella always knew when to let her pupil gather his thoughts and reflect upon what he’d learned.
“Tell my son everything,” King Sargon had ordered. And so for three days, Trella and Escander started with their morning meal at her table, and continued on until dusk. Now, at the end of the third day, Trella had revealed the last of the secrets, some from as far back as thirty years.
Of those still alive, only a few recalled those days. Nevertheless, Trella had done much more than simply tell her grandson what had occurred long ago. Trella had explained the steps that led to every major decision, and showed how a ruler must think and consider, how to weigh the consequences of each choice, and evaluate every possibility.
A daunting task, but Escander had received much training as he grew to manhood, as had many of his brothers. Trella had insisted that the boy learn to memorize long passages, as well as dates and numbers. By the time Escander reached his twelfth season, he could count as well as any clerk. He had also impressed both his teachers and his grandmother with his nearly perfect memory.
Nevertheless, until now, neither King Sargon nor Trella had revealed to Escander, or to any of his siblings, the most important secret of all — the way of a ruler.
Even after all these years, Trella’s memory for dates, names, and places remained as sharp as in her youth. She had filled each part of the long story with so much detail that the history of Escander’s father and grandfather came alive, almost as real as if Escander had played a part in the doing and the saying.
“You must tell me everything, all your thoughts, all your plans, everything, Eskkar.” Almost forty-five years ago, Trella had pleaded with her new master for the information she needed to help him. Not just the important facts, but all his feelings, emotions, worries, even fears. In time, her husband had learned to trust her instincts, and so he divulged to her every detail and thought he could remember, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential.
“How else can I help you, Master, if you leave out all the little details?”
And now, Escander, the grandson Eskkar had never seen, benefitted from his grandfather’s wisdom and knowledge. Trella’s precise memory and keen mind served her well once more. All the thoughts and emotions of her husband Eskkar and their firstborn son Sargon now lay revealed to the next ruler of Akkad.
The story had ended, but Escander remained deep in thought. Finally he sat up and broke the silence. “I understand now why my father couldn’t tell me these things. To admit such thoughts would have been too painful for him.”
“Sargon has endured more than his share of suffering in his life,” Trella said. “But he has overcome his hardships and done much good for the Kingdom.”
“You think he means that I will rule after him?”
“Oh, yes. For more than a year, we’ve both known that you were the best choice, even more so than your older brother. In a way, his death in the north made certain that Akkad is ruled by the true heir of Eskkar. But we dared not tell anyone, either by words or deeds, of that decision. Otherwise you would have been an even greater target from your more ambitious and ruthless brothers. And sisters.”
“They will still seek to get me out of the way.”
Trella smiled. “Perhaps. But the difficulties that attend such plots are too numerous to count, and while there have been many conspiracies in Akkad’s history, none of them have succeeded. Also there is much that I can do, your father can do, to prevent any new ones from flourishing. Nevertheless, in time, you must also be firm in dealing with plots and intrigues.”
“When that day comes, I will do what is needed.”
The smile left her face at the quick response. “You will have to be ruthless and efficient. The power and strength of Akkad depends on having a strong and wise ruler. The people gave Eskkar the authority to rule over them, and they passed that onto Sargon. If one day some ambitious fool, hungry for power and gold, takes the throne, the Empire of Akkad will weaken and fail. Eskkar understood that power was merely a tool for securing the safety and stability of our city. Only when our people were safe could they be truly happy, and truly productive. And accept our rule over their lives.”
“I thought that commanding the soldiers would be the most difficult part of being a ruler.”
“No, Escander, it is far harder to lead a kingdom than an army. In that, I was able to help my husband, who also had to master that lesson. But leading soldiers is important, too. Always remember how Eskkar controlled his troops. He divided the power among his commanders, he moved leaders from one position to another, and he kept them loyal by rewarding and honoring them. He counted every member of the Hawk Clan as his brother, and even today, the Hawk Clan guards his family and his memory. Above all, Eskkar cared for the lives of his fighters, and avoided those leaders who sought glory and wealth at the expense of their men. Most of all, he promoted only those best qualified to lead, regardless of their wealth or station.”