Eskkar bowed as well. Both were rulers of a city, and supposedly of equal rank. But Naxos also knew who held the real power. Akkad, with its ability to call on all the other cities, far outnumbered Isin in numbers and industry. And so Isin had journeyed to Akkad, and not Akkad to Isin.
“Yes, Lord Naxos. Our thanks to you for coming to see us in secret.” Trella’s words would have soothed an angry lion.
She, like Eskkar, understood how touchy Naxos was. Even after nine years, he still resented the fact that Eskkar had once threatened to destroy his city.
As Naxos tried to sit, his sword caught on the seat. Glancing around, he noticed that Eskkar’s sword rested a few paces away, leaning against the white trunk of a nearby sycamore tree. Naxos realized that he was the only one armed. For a moment he struggled with the urge to keep his sword, but he yielded to his better instincts. Unbuckling the scabbard, he shoved the weapon under the table and took his seat, facing Eskkar across the table.
Kuara took the chair to the left of his King. Gemama faced Trella, with Jarud to his right. Yavtar sat at the end of the table, separating himself from the rulers of the three cities.
None of the men questioned Trella’s presence at a gathering of leaders. However valuable her husband’s fighting skills and leadership might be, the rulers of Isin and Sumer knew Trella’s keen wits had guided the City of Akkad for the last fifteen years. Only a fool would reject such a talent, and these men were no fools.
Eskkar waited until everyone had a cup of water or wine at hand. “I asked both Sumer and Isin here to warn you of a danger that threatens us all. An invasion is coming from the east, from the land of the Elamites.” A glance around the table showed that he had their attention. “I’ll let Trella tell you the story. She has gathered most of the information, and knows more about the Elamite threat than anyone.” He smiled. “Besides, that way I won’t forget anything.”
They had agreed before the meeting that Trella should bring the others up to date. Her reputation for reasonableness and honesty would make them more likely to swallow the bitter news. And the leaders of Isin and Sumer were well aware of the role she played in ruling the city of Akkad.
Eskkar would lead the discussion later, which would give Trella a better opportunity to study their guests’ faces and reactions.
“You all know of the land of the Elamites to the east,” Trella began. “Almost two years ago, we learned they were planning to invade the Land Between the Rivers, conquer our cities, and reduce us all to slaves.”
She told them everything, except how they had first learned of the approaching threat from Eskkar’s old companion, Bracca. Step by step Trella explained what her agents had learned, and told them of the preparations that Akkad had already begun. No one spoke, and the only other sound besides her voice was the sighing of the leaves in the trees.
The sun moved a hand’s breadth across the sky before Trella finished. While she delivered the news, Eskkar eyed his visitors. Neither Naxos nor Kuara let anything show on their faces. Jarud looked grave, and Gemama paled as the story unfolded. He broke the silence that followed the last of Trella’s words.
“Are you certain that they are coming against Sumer?”
“They are coming against all of us,” Eskkar said. “It would make no sense for them to invade these lands to attack and capture a single city. The Elamites want all the Land Between the Rivers. Sumer and Akkad will be their first targets, Sumer because of its position on the coast. The Elamites will use it to supply their forces. Then Isin and the others.”
“How sure are you of their numbers?” Kuara’s good hand had tightened on his cup, and he set it down carefully. “Forty to fifty thousand soldiers?”
“The Elamites have more than that number spread out across their empire, possibly another four or five thousand. But they dare not leave their lands unguarded. Most of their cities and villages have been brutally subjugated by King Shirudukh, and their people are ripe for a revolt against their masters.”
“How can they march such a large number of men from Elam to here?” Naxos shook his head. “There’s not enough food to feed them on the way.”
“That’s true. Trella and I have studied their forces as best we can. We believe that they will come at us in three separate armies. One army, probably ten to fifteen thousand, will journey along the coast, supplied by boats along the route, until it reaches Sumer. Once Sumer is taken, their ships will continue bringing supplies and men in, and start taking gold and important prisoners back to Elam.”
As Eskkar spoke, Trella unfolded one of the maps, and spread it out before her. Every head leaned forward. “A second force, and likely the bulk of their army, will come through the Zagros Mountains, through the Dellen pass, straight toward Akkad. Probably about twenty-five thousand men.”
Eskkar traced the path on the map with his finger. “The third force will also come through the mountains, but farther north, through the Jkarian pass. That army will be used to collect supplies along the way, and help resupply the main force, which will be attacking Akkad. The northern force will also prevent any of our own forces escaping in that direction. Probably they will continue west and cross the Tigris and come down the Euphrates, to seal off and capture the cities of Uruk, Lagash, and Nippur. Assuming, of course, that Akkad and Isin have fallen by then.”
“How do you know all this?” Naxos voice held a trace of anger. “When is this all happening?”
Eskkar shrugged. “I can’t be certain of these facts. But during the last two years, we have sent many spies into the Elamite lands. Also, our agents brought back an Elamite commander a year ago, a leader of five hundred accused of treason and sentenced to death. He was forced to watch the torture and murder of his wife and children. In return for a chance to strike a blow against those who killed his kin, he’s told us much about their tactics. With his help, and the latest reports from our spies, we think we’ve worked out Elam’s plan of attack. As for the rest,” Eskkar tapped the map, “it’s what I’d do if I had that many men, and wanted to invade and conquer this land in a single campaign.”
“If I may speak,” Trella said, “this effort is by far the largest the Elamites have undertaken. If it fails, their entire empire may collapse. They know this, which is why they have prepared for so many years. They need to ensure that the invasion succeeds. To accomplish that, they will bring as many soldiers as they can spare. Once they conquer our land, the gold and resources here will support their rule in Elam for many years.”
“And what else did your traitor tell you?” Naxos refilled his cup with wine, and only added a splash of water to it.
If Trella were offended by Naxos’s surly tone, she didn’t show it. “He advised us that his former masters are skilled in the capturing of walled cities. They will bring or construct ramps, ladders, and scaling tools. They also know how to dig beneath a city’s walls, until they collapse. He claimed they had taken over fifteen well defended cities in the Indus alone.”
“But there is no way to defeat such a vast army.” Gemama couldn’t keep the fear out of his voice. “Even if we collected every fighter from all our cities, we could only gather less than half their number.”
“That’s true, Lord Gemama,” Trella said. “And the forces we could raise would not be as well trained as these invaders. I fear that only Akkad and Isin can put soldiers as disciplined into the field.”
“When are they coming?” Kuara’s resigned voice did not reflect the anger of Naxos, his king.
“In the fall, after the harvest. They want the crops from our fields to live on while they conquer our cities.” Trella kept her voice calm. “And their three armies will march at the same time, so that we will have to face them all at once. In less than five months from now, they will be on their way through the Zagros Mountains.”