I walked up the steps and embraced her. There were no tears in her eyes, no emotion, just determination.
‘Make sure you kill that toad Mithridates,’ she hissed. ‘Remember Godarz.’
I kissed her on the lips. ‘I will endeavour to do what I should have done a long time ago.’
Unusually Dobbai was present. Now in her dotage she seldom rose until well after dawn but today was different. She grabbed my arm as I turned and made to descend the steps.
‘Have a care, son of Hatra. Do not underestimate Mithridates or Narses.’
This was getting tiresome.
‘I am always careful,’ I replied.
She released my arm, turned and waved her hand in the air. ‘I have warned you. I can do no more. Be gone and play the game of kings.’
I raised my eyes and walked down the steps and then vaulted into my saddle once more. I raised my hand at Gallia who nodded and then I wheeled Remus away and trotted from the Citadel. Behind me a company of cataphracts, a hundred riders, followed and after them came two hundred squires leading two hundred fully loaded camels. The commander of the company was a man named Surena, a native of the Ma’adan people who fell in beside me as we rode down the city’s main street and headed for the Palmyrene Gate. The dour figure of Vagharsh, a Parthian and Companion, rode immediately behind us carrying my flag — a red griffin on a white background, the whole banner edged with gold. This morning it was safely wrapped in its wax-coated sleeve for the air was damp.
In the early hours I liked to keep my own counsel. Unfortunately Surena did not and this morning he was unusually talkative. No doubt the prospect of slaughter filled him with great anticipation.
‘How long will it take before we encounter the enemy, lord?’
‘We will know when we see them,’ I replied.
‘Hopefully less than a week, then I can be back in Dura in a fortnight. I have promised to take Viper to Palmyra.’
Viper was one of Gallia’s Amazons, a woman who was lethal with a bow but who looked like a teenage girl. Surena was the exact opposite with his long black hair, square face, thin nose, broad shoulders and muscular arms. They had been married for over three years now.
‘You expect the forthcoming campaign to be a straightforward affair, Surena?’
He looked at me. ‘Of course, lord. All your campaigns end in victory.’
I laughed. Like most young men he only dreamed of glory and thought of victory. It never occurred to him that he might end up as a mangled corpse on the battlefield. But then we all comforted ourselves with the thought that we would be on the winning side and see our families again, Shamash willing.
‘If we take much plunder I was thinking of purchasing a house for Viper and me,’ continued Surena.
‘We do not go to plunder,’ I said sternly.
‘No, lord, of course not. But if any happens to fall into our laps, all the better.’
In battle Surena was calm, brave and resourceful, though apt to take risks. In barracks he was a good officer to his men. Like many officers in Dura’s army he was enrolled in the Sons of the Citadel scheme, an idea I had after I had first assumed power in the kingdom. The best tutors from Egypt, Parthia, China and even Rome had been hired to instruct the future leaders of the army. After spending the morning on the training field the best and the brightest in the army attended classes to learn about logistics, engineering, leadership, weapon making, the philosophy of war and languages. In this way they would know the ins and outs of what were called the military arts.
‘There are some nice properties near the Citadel,’ mused Surena, ‘a bit of loot would go towards securing one.’
The reports from his tutors had stated that Surena was an excellent student — intelligent, inquisitive and eager to learn. He could also be extremely irritating.
I turned in the saddle. ‘What do you think of Surena’s grand plan, Vagharsh?’
Vagharsh shot a glance at Surena. ‘I think he talks too much.’
We passed under the Palmyrene Gate and I drew my sword and raised it to salute the stone griffin sitting above the arch over the large twin gates. Surena did the same and so did all the men of his company. An insolent Greek sculptor named Demetrius who had also cast the Duran Legion’s golden griffin had carved it. Dobbai had told me that the city would never fall as long as the griffin guarded the city. I believed her words and so did every man in the army and every citizen who lived in the city. As we exited the city and wheeled right to link up with the road across the river I looked behind me and bowed my head to the griffin.
Outside the city the air was even colder and the river was shrouded in a thick mist. Though this was not atypical for the time of year I prayed that it was not an ill omen for the coming campaign. Legionaries marching six abreast were filing over both bridges when we arrived at the river where Domitus was standing talking to some of his officers. He raised his cane to me, dismissed them and walked over.
‘Glad you could join us, hope we didn’t disturb your sleep.’
‘Very amusing, Domitus. Where are Byrd and Malik?’
He grinned. ‘You know them two. They left while Somnus was stilling entertaining me.’
‘Is that a whore?’ suggested a grinning Surena.
Domitus pointed his cane at him. ‘Watch your mouth, puppy.’
I turned to Surena. ‘Somnus is the Roman god of sleep, for your information. Now kindly be quiet.’
‘Anyway,’ continued Domitus, ‘Byrd and Malik are across the river with their scouts just to make sure we don’t have any nasty surprises.’
I doubted that. Directly opposite the bridges was Hatran territory, patrolled and garrisoned by detachments of my father’s army.
Domitus continued. ‘Orodes and the rest of the horsemen are waiting until my boys are over, then they will cross. It will be a while yet, though.’
I looked at Surena. ‘You and I will ride over to the other side and see if we can catch up with Byrd and Malik. Bring a score of your men along. Vagharsh, you stay here with the rest and join Orodes when he crosses over.’
Vagharsh nodded. Surena ordered the first twenty men behind us to follow him as we walked our horses to the first bridge. The officers halted the legionaries marching onto the bridge to give us passage to the other side. And so, wrapped in our white cloaks for the chill and mist showed no signs of abating, we cantered over the bridge and into my father’s kingdom and headed south, riding parallel to the great column of marching soldiers.
Two hours after I had left the Citadel the mist finally began to clear from the river. Orodes had brought over the cavalry and now parties of horse archers were sent into the east to cover our left flank and ahead to act as a vanguard. I was not overly concerned about being surprised, as we were still in Hatran territory and south of that lay the Kingdom of Babylon. Still, with Dobbai’s warning ringing in my ears I was taking no chances. Soon the rays of sun had burnt off the last vestiges of the mist to reveal a cloudless sky. It would be a glorious spring day, ideal for marching, not too hot and with a slight northerly breeze. I had to confess that it felt good to be marching with the army again. At last I would settle things with Mithridates and Narses.
By noon most of the horsemen were walking to preserve their animals’ strength. The only horsemen still riding were on patrol. Malik and Byrd rode back to the army, their clothes covered in dust and their horses breathing heavily from a long ride. They both dismounted and joined our small group of myself, Orodes and Domitus. Domitus always walked despite being general of the army and despite my efforts to persuade him otherwise.