‘We received your letter,’ said Godarz as grooms took away our horses to be unsaddled and cooled down.
‘Trouble?’ asked Domitus.
‘Yes,’ I replied. ‘Council of war in ten minutes.’
‘There is something you need to attend to first, lord,’ said Godarz.
‘What?’
Godarz shifted nervously on his feet. ‘In the throne room. She insisted and no one dared contradict her.’
‘Her? What are you talking about?’ I was tired and in no mood for games.
I marched into the palace with Gallia following and then walked into the throne room. At the far end, in my seat on the dais, was seated an old woman. As I drew closer I recognised her. The ragged robes, lank hair, bony fingers and haggard face made me stop in my tracks as I stared in disbelief at Dobbai, the wizened old crone who had been the sorceress of Sinatruces and who now sat on my throne.
‘They say that I am old and ugly, but you two make me look positively radiant. You look like you have been to the underworld and back,’ she cackled, revealing a mouth of discoloured teeth. ‘Is the burden of kingship proving too burdensome, son of Hatra?’
‘No,’ I said irritably.
Dobbai ignored me and beckoned to Gallia. ‘Sit beside me, child.’
‘May I sit on my own throne?’ I asked.
‘Would you deprive an old woman of the chance for her to rest her weary body?’
Gallia embraced Dobbai and sat on her throne, leaving me standing like some sort of servant in front of her. Behind me, Rsan, Nergal, Godarz and Domitus filed into the room.
‘She arrived two days ago,’ said Godarz, ‘and was insistent that she see you.’
‘Ha,’ bellowed Dobbai. ‘They quaked with fear when they saw me, for they knew who I was.’
I ordered some water to be brought to us and after Gallia and I had slated our thirsts I had chairs brought in and placed around the dais. I was tired, and by the look of the black circles around Gallia’s eyes so was she, yet some strange force compelled me to hear what Dobbai had to say, though not before she had ordered a servant to fetch her some wine.
‘A hard ride, lord?’ asked Nergal.
‘Yes, we had to get back here as quickly as possible, for trouble stirs in the east.’
‘You only know the half of it,’ said Dobbai, gulping wine from a cup and then holding it out to be refilled. ‘The eastern half of the empire stirs, son of Hatra, and only you and your father stand between order and destruction.’
‘You speak in riddles,’ I said, for all I wanted to do was close my eyes and rest.
But Dobbai was not to be silenced. She rose from my chair and walked up and down on the dais.
‘You have prepared your defences well, and that is good for they will be sorely tested err long. There are those who would tear the empire asunder, while his people,’ she pointed at Domitus, ‘wait like hungry vultures to pick over the bones.’
This was too much for Domitus, whose bemusement at Dobbai’s words had turned to anger. ‘Are we to listen to an old hag whose brains have been addled by the desert sun?’
Dobbai scoffed at his words. ‘Addled am I? Well, Roman, if that be so, why is it that I know of a mighty army marching towards you and you are ignorant of such a fact?’
‘What army?’ I asked.
‘It gathers at Persepolis under the bird-god banner of Narses. Thousands of horsemen and foot soldiers, the warriors of Tiridates of Aria, Phriapatus of Carmania, Porus of Sakastan, Vologases of Drangiana, Cinnamus of Anauon and Monaeses of Yueh-Chih. I have seen them in dreams, and soon they will be marching west to destroy the kingdoms that side with that fool Phraates.’
‘Dreams?’ I said with disbelief. ‘Those kings were at the council meeting that elected Phraates.’
Dobbai sat down and looked at me, all the while tapping the fingers of her left hand on the chair. ‘You still have much to learn, son of Hatra. Narses has been plotting for months, perhaps years, to become King of Kings. He has gained the allegiance of other kings and now intends to take the crown by force. He has already captured Susiana without a fight, for Mithridates has Susa and Narses will already be on the march there. And in between stands poor, defenceless Elymais. Gotarzes will be crushed like an ant beneath a giant’s foot, and after him Narses will take Mesene, Babylon and Hatra.’
She leaned forward to fix me with her black eyes. ‘You have little time left, son of Hatra, so little time.’
I did not want to believe what she had revealed to me, but my instincts told me that her words were true.
‘I can believe that Mithridates would be party to such treachery,’ said Gallia. ‘He is a snake.’
‘And a dangerous one,’ added Dobbai. ‘If Phraates had any sense, which he doesn’t, he should have had his eldest son strangled at birth. I had the misfortune to see him grow up, for he visited his grandfather at Ctesiphon often. I have seen his malice and ambition grow with him. The loss of Dura served only to fuel his resentment and hatred further. It would have been easy for Mithridates to betray his father and brother; how much easier will it be for him to take revenge on you, then, son of Hatra.’
That night, despite my tiredness, I slept little as Dobbai’s words went through my mind. I rose before dawn, saddled Remus and then rode to the legion’s camp. The cohorts were already assembled on the parade ground in front of the camp and the roll call was being taken in front of Domitus and his officers. Most of the latter were men who had fought with Spartacus in Italy, former slaves who were now leaders of their own cohorts and centuries. Afterwards, sitting in Domitus’ command tent, I shared a breakfast of porridge with him.
‘Old habits die hard, I see,’ I said, pointing at the porridge.
‘Rome has conquered half the world feeding its soldiers this,’ he said, ‘reckon it’ll do for my boys.’
‘And how are your boys?’
‘You mean are they ready for battle.’
‘Yes,’ I replied.
‘Oh, they’re ready. Itching to prove themselves. If that old hag is right, then they won’t have long to wait.’
‘You may disapprove of her, Domitus, but I’m afraid to say that she is usually right. We will be marching soon. I will leave a cohort behind as a garrison, the other five thousand of your men will be marching.’
‘To where?’
I shrugged. ‘Across the Euphrates, then east to link up with my father’s army and whoever else will support us, there to await the command of Phraates.’
Domitus finished his porridge and then shoved his wooden plate aside. He placed his elbows on the table, rested his chin in his hands and looked at me. His face could have been carved by Demetrius from a block of granite, so hard were its features. I was glad Domitus was a friend and not an enemy.
‘You have something to say, Domitus?’
‘I am an outsider in these lands and that makes me look at things differently from those, such as yourself, who have grown up in these parts. When we were at the council meeting at Esfahan, I had a chance to see all the kings who rule the Parthian Empire.’
‘It was the first time I too had seen them all gathered in one place.’
‘The one they called Narses, he was bold and confident. I’ve seen many legates like him. They are bold because they have powerful supporters, usually rich and influential parents or sponsors. Same with that Narses. He obviously has great strength behind him and the ruthlessness to implement his ambitions.