‘King Orodes, I think you will agree that the elevation of this young man to the office of king is unusual to say the least. That said, we live in unusual times and having just elected you to the high crown I will not contradict your first decision as king of kings.’
‘Nor I,’ agreed Aschek.
‘I have fought beside Surena,’ declared Atrax, ‘and know that he will make a worthy king.’ He had obviously changed his opinion regarding a mere squire attaining high command, though his wife was regarding Surena with open disdain.
‘That just leaves your opinion, Pacorus,’ said my father.
I turned to look at Viper who had regained her seat. I smiled at her and then stood.
‘Dura supports the election of Surena, one of its most valiant sons, to the throne of Gordyene, safe in the knowledge that he will be a great Parthian ruler.’
And so it was that Surena, formerly a stripling of the Ma’adan, became a Parthian king.
The following day Assur proclaimed Orodes king of kings in the Great Temple at Hatra and I began to think about the campaign to topple Mithridates. Soon he would know that his stepbrother had been proclaimed high king and would be forced to take action, and once again Narses would bring his armies west across the Tigris.
‘Except that he will not,’ declared my father as I sat with the other kings in the large study beside his throne room two days after Orodes was declared high king. Despite the heat outside the room was cool and well ventilated courtesy of the wind catchers on the roof of the palace. These towers ‘caught’ the desert wind in vents and then directed it down into the palace to keep the air flowing and thus the building cool. In the blistering heat of the summer light bamboo screens were placed over the vents and doused with water to cool the air passing into the rooms below. All the buildings in the royal quarter were equipped with these wind catchers, even the royal stables, to make living conditions more bearable.
The mood was relaxed as my father explained to all of us present the outline of his plan. As he spoke I realised that he had been thinking of this campaign for many months after it had become clear that Mithridates and Narses had declared war on him. Like the other kings my father was a man who above all believed in stability and continuity. I knew that my hatred for Mithridates and the strife that this had engendered had upset him deeply and had created a gulf between us that only now had been spanned. The kings of Hatra had always been fiercely loyal to the empire and the king of kings but now that loyalty had been thrown back into my father’s face. Unlike me he had not reacted instantly and marched his army against Ctesiphon. Rather, he had bided his time, gathered allies and prepared a carefully worked-out project. This plan he now laid before us. It was ambitious in scope and aim.
The main thrust would comprise the combined might of Dura, Hatra, Babylon, Media and Gordyene striking across the Tigris after having first taken Seleucia.
‘We will need your siege engines for that task, Pacorus.’
‘The walls of Seleucia will fall easily enough, father, have no fear.’
‘Then we will seize Ctesiphon,’ continued my father, ‘before marching southeast to capture Susa and then Persepolis. Before then I expect to engage Mithridates and Narses in battle and defeat them.
‘At the same time Musa and Khosrou will threaten to advance from the north with their combined armies against the kingdoms of Yueh-Chih, Aria, Anauon and Drangiana. The rulers of those kingdoms have for years provided Mithridates with support and soldiers for their ventures against us.’
I was confused. ‘Threaten to advance, father?’
He smiled and nodded at Khosrou.
‘They have supported Mithridates and Narses, as your father has said,’ agreed Khosrou, ‘but my spies have told me that they have no stomach for another great war. Musa and I may achieve by diplomacy what you will have to accomplish with arms.’
Aschek was far from convinced. ‘You really think they will stand aside and do nothing when Narses sends his summons to them.’
‘If they don’t then we will lay waste their lands,’ said Musa.
‘It is as my brother says,’ added Khosrou gravely.
My father turned to Nergal. ‘If he is agreeable I would like the King of Mesene to stand on the defensive during the first part of the campaign until we have taken Susa. With his army protecting the crossing of the Tigris near Umma, the enemy will not be able to send raiding parties across the river to strike at Mesene and southern Babylonia. Thereafter we would welcome the addition of his troops to our army.’
Nergal nodded. My father turned to Aschek.
‘My old friend, your kingdom has suffered the most during the deprivations of the enemy last year, and so to you I would like to entrust the safety of Hatra, Media and Gordyene. Vata will stay at Nisibus to secure my northern frontier and,’ he looked at Surena, ‘I assume troops will be left in Gordyene to secure that kingdom.’
Surena nodded solemnly.
‘But,’ continued my father, ‘I would feel more comfortable knowing that the army of Atropaiene also guards the north.’
This was a clever strategy. Unlike Atrax, Aschek was not a great warrior and had little appetite for campaigning beyond his realm. In addition, Atropaiene had been devastated the previous year and so it made sense to leave what was left of its army as a reserve upon which Aliyeh and Vata could call upon.
‘Who will you leave in Gordyene?’ I asked Surena.
‘Silaces, lord.’
I smiled at him. ‘You do not have to call me lord, Surena. You too are a king now.’
My father looked at Orodes. ‘It only remains for you, highness, to give your assent to this endeavour.’
‘I know that you do not undertake this venture likely, King Varaz,’ replied Orodes slowly and forcefully, ‘but I think it is a most excellent scheme and I fully endorse it.’
‘Soon you will be sitting in Ctesiphon, my friend,’ I said, ‘and after that you will be able to take Axsen on an inspection of Susa and the Kingdom of Susiana.’
I left Hatra in high spirits as we made our way back to Dura. At long last the final showdown with Narses and Mithridates would take place and I was very confident that it would have a favourable outcome. Not only had a strong alliance been forged but the empire also had a proper king of kings and not an upstart murderer. Our trip to Hatra had been leisurely and had been accompanied by Nergal and Orodes, but now they hastened back south to their respective kingdoms to prepare for the forthcoming campaign. Just one more battle and then we would have peace in the empire.
The journey back to Dura was uneventful though Dobbai was unusually quiet. On the third day after we had left Hatra I was riding behind her wagon as Claudia and Isabella threw pieces of biscuit at Remus in an attempt to make him throw me off his back.
‘He has had far worse things launched at him than a few pieces of biscuit,’ I told them.
‘Does Remus like being your horse?’ asked Claudia.
‘Of course,’ I answered, ‘because he travels far and wide and sees many new things.’
Isabella threw another piece of biscuit at his head and laughed.
‘When will he be going away again?’
‘Soon,’ I answered. ‘He will be travelling far into the east.’
Isabella smiled at me. ‘Why?’
‘Because I have important business there, but after it has finished I will return and Remus and I will be staying at Dura for a long time.’
Dobbai raised an eyebrow at me. ‘You are pleased with the way events have turned out, son of Hatra?’
‘Of course,’ I answered. ‘The final battle approaches, one that I intend to win.’
‘Are you disappointed that you are not king of kings?’
I shook my head. ‘No. I have never coveted that position. In any case Orodes is far more suitable than I could ever be.’