My father and his men left the next morning, which was overcast and drizzly and entirely appropriate for the mood the King of Hatra was in. I stood in the palace courtyard with Surena and Atrax and watched him go, his bodyguard wrapped in their white cloaks as the drizzle turned to light rain and then got heavier before turning into a downpour. He raised his hand to us and then rode through the palace gates and into the city.
‘Your father is angry with me, lord,’ said Surena, the water coursing off his nose as we stood getting soaked.
‘He will be less so when he realises that Hatra is safer with a friendly Gordyene on its border.’
‘The King of Media already thinks that,’ said Atrax, slapping Surena on the arm. ‘Now let us get out of this rain before we all catch our deaths.’
Atrax returned to Media the following morning in high spirits. Not only had it stopped raining and the sun was shining, his kingdom, severely ravaged during last year’s war, had a secure border with Gordyene. Atrax also cared little for legal niceties when it came to Mithridates, who had been responsible for a full-blown invasion of his kingdom. Before he left for Irbil he told Surena that he had made the right decision with regard to the demands of Mithridates and told him that he would always have an ally in Media. I also informed Surena that he had done well as we watched Silaces and some of his officers put some new recruits through their paces on the target ranges outside the city.
‘They are mostly boys or youths who have just become men,’ remarked Surena as a group of six horsemen rode by and released their arrows at targets of packed straw fixed to poles and mounted six feet off the ground.
‘Most of the men folk were either dead or had been taken as slaves,’ he continued. ‘Though a few took to the hills and lived as brigands. It was hard to persuade them to join us.’
‘But they did.’
‘Eventually, I sent them to the northern border to fight the Armenians. They are used to living in the mountains and after so long in the wild they are like half-savages themselves.’
He pointed at another six riders shooting at the targets. ‘These boys are the future of Gordyene.’
I had to admit that I was immensely proud of Surena and what he had done in Gordyene. He was more than capable of holding the kingdom.
‘Do not over-extend yourself when dealing with the Armenians,’ I told him. ‘Just keep them occupied so they cannot raid Hatran territory. That at least will improve my father’s humour.’
‘They will try to take Gordyene back, lord.’
‘I know, but you have given us time to deal with Mithridates before we settle things with the Armenians.’ I tapped him on the chest.
‘I will need you in the south when we march against Ctesiphon, Surena, and this time we will not be marching alone.’
‘And who will replace Mithridates, lord?’
The same question arose time and time again when the toppling of Mithridates was broached: who would replace him? With my father pledged to march against Mithridates the ruler of Hatra might be persuaded to take the high crown, but I doubted it.
‘I do not know, Surena, but I know that as long as Mithridates is on the throne the empire will have no peace.’
Peace. What is peace but the interval between wars? If, when, we defeated Mithridates and his lord high general then we would have to fight the Armenians to secure peace in the north, and perhaps the Romans to secure peace in the west. And after that? Perhaps there would be no after that, perhaps we would all be dead and our kingdoms ground into dust. But perhaps it would take only one battle to rid the world of Mithridates and Narses and everything else might fall into place. Just one battle and the empire would be united against its external enemies. And perhaps then the Armenians and Romans would be deterred from launching any further invasions. Just one more battle.
I looked into the sky heaped with grey clouds and heard the low rumble of thunder coming from the mountains and smiled. How many other kings through the ages had believed that just one more victory would be the answer to all their problems? The rain began to fall and the thunder got louder as the gods laughed.
Chapter 15
‘So the marsh boy has repaid the faith you placed in him?’
Dobbai was as usual sitting in her chair near the balustrade as I settled into another one a few paces from her. It was late now and so servants placed bronze oil lamps on the tables and balustrade so we could see each other’s faces, though I was mischievously tempted to order them to be taken away so that I would not have to look at Dobbai’s haggard old visage. They also placed stands around the balustrade that held incense sticks made from the dried flower heads of chrysanthemums and lit them. This was to keep away the swarms of mosquitoes from the river below that otherwise would have been attracted to the lamps and would have bitten us and given us the fevers that can lead to death. We also burnt oil made from the balanite tree to keep away these insects.
‘He has exceeded my expectations,’ I replied proudly.
Gallia flopped down in her chair beside me. ‘No doubt he is more arrogant than ever.’
Servants brought us wine and freshly made pastries from the kitchens while others placed silver boxes with holes in their sides around the edges of the terrace. We used these boxes all over the palace. They contained dead insects — cockroaches, flies and ants — that had been ground up. Though they had no smell these boxes acted as repellents to living insects and thus kept our home largely insect free.
‘Actually he has matured since he has been in Gordyene,’ I replied.
‘Good,’ said Dobbai, ‘he will need all his wits to fulfil the task the gods have set him.’
‘I would have thought he has done that already,’ I suggested.
Dobbai stopped sipping her wine and regarded me with contempt. ‘What has he done? Killed a few Armenians and taken possession of a hovel in the mountains.’
‘He has freed Gordyene and returned it to the empire,’ I said sternly.
She cackled. ‘If you are comparing your own feeble efforts in Gordyene with his, then I agree he has achieved some success. But he will achieve more. His star rises.’
‘How tedious,’ remarked Gallia.
‘Tedious or not,’ I added, ‘Surena’s victory in Gordyene has assisted us greatly.’
‘Us? Do not you mean you?’ said Dobbai.
‘Me?’
‘Of course, for you now rule Gordyene as well as Dura and have an army in each kingdom.’ She rose from her chair and walked to the balustrade to gaze at the marble-smooth waters of the Euphrates bathed in the pale glow of a full moon.
‘The recent strife in the empire has weakened all the kingdoms except Dura. The kingdoms in the west have seen their lands despoiled while those in the east have lost many sons during two years of bloodshed. Only Dura and Hatra remain unscathed.’
‘And Mesene,’ I added.
She looked at me and laughed. ‘Mesene is poor and stands only because of its Duran and Agraci allies. Above all Mithridates and Narses wanted you dead, son of Hatra.’
‘You say the most reassuring things,’ I quipped.
‘But they failed and now they are weaker and you are stronger.’
‘Will you take Gordyene for your own?’ asked Gallia.
‘He already has, child,’ said Dobbai before I could answer.
‘It does not belong to me,’ I said.
Dobbai threw up her hands. ‘Then who does it belong to, Mithridates?’
‘He sent a demand to Surena for him to hand it over,’ I replied. ‘Surena told him he would have to take it by force.’
‘Ha!’ Dobbai was delighted. ‘A most appropriate answer. The boy obviously has some steel in him. But you have not answered my question. What are you going to do about Gordyene?’
‘I will decide after the wedding.’
I was referring to the final wedding that we would be attending, that between Vata and Adeleh which would be taking place at Hatra in a month’s time.