‘The guards have the symbol of Mithridates on their shields,’ I said. ‘He must be inside.’
‘All nicely tucked up in bed, no doubt,’ grinned Domitus. ‘What do you want to do?’
‘We can’t waste any more time wandering around looking for Narses. We go after Mithridates.’
A couple of minutes later we were moving very stealthily around the pavilion to access its rear. Guards were posted at regular intervals all the way round its edge, forcing us to take a wide detour into a corral holding sleeping camels. The pavilion was on our right now as we crawled through the animal enclosure, the beasts grunting in annoyance at our presence but otherwise letting us pass. I reached forward and put my palm into a pile of dung and dunked my knee in the same pile of filth as we left the animal pen and crawled to the rear of the pavilion.
Like all the great pavilions of Parthian kings this one was oval shaped. The main entrance opened into a reception area where guests and dignitaries assembled before being ushered into the dining area, usually a vast space housing couches, cushions and carpets. Next came the throne room, always separated from the dining area by curtains. Here on a dais the king presided on his throne. His commanders, advisers, courtiers and priests would gather around him. Finally, to the rear of the throne room, were the private chambers where the king slept, his concubines, friends and most trusted guards being quartered around him.
We grouped together as I stared at the rear entrance to the pavilion, which was also heavily guarded. How to get in? I wiped my nose on my sleeve and caked my face in camel dung. Damn! Of course, the camels.
‘Wait here,’ I hissed at the others then went back to where the camels were sleeping. The fence that surrounded the pen was a makeshift affair of wooden posts hammered into the ground with two horizontal poles slotted into holes in their sides. I pulled out the horizontals in between two posts to create a gap through which a camel could just about squeeze through. I grabbed the bridle of one of the mangy beasts and pulled him forward. He grunted, spat at me and then got to his feet. I led him through the gap in the fence towards where Domitus and the others were crouching. I pulled my spatha and prodded his rump with it whereupon he bellowed and raced forward towards the tent.
As the beast neared the tent he suddenly veered to the right to avoid crashing into it. Immediately several of the guards left their posts and chased after it.
‘Now,’ I shouted and ran across the ground to reach the unguarded side of the pavilion.
Royal pavilions are made from canvas, a durable and waterproof material that is also easy to cut. Domitus and I slashed at it with our swords to create an entry and then we threw ourselves inside into a space packed with musical instruments. I glimpsed a throne on a dais. Outside I could hear shouts and curses as the guards chased after the runaway camel. We moved along the canvas wall to a yellow curtain barring the entrance to the private apartments. I eased it aside slightly to spy behind it. Clutching my sword in one hand I gestured to the others to follow me. We did not have much time now, as the rip in the pavilion’s sidewall would soon be discovered.
I pushed the curtain aside and stepped into a small area that smelt of incense and roasted meat. Ahead were more curtains, these ones blue edged with gold.
At that moment the curtains parted and two male servants appeared dressed in red tunics and baggy blue leggings carrying silver wine jugs. They froze when they saw us — ten filthy, wild men with swords in their hands.
It was at times like this that I thanked Shamash for the wits of Lucius Domitus, for without thinking he raced forward and plunged his gladius into the chest of one of the servants, yanked it free and then slashed it across the throat of the other in a great scything movement that sprayed blood over the luxurious red carpets. He turned, fire in his eyes. ‘Move!’
We ran at the curtains, pushing aside the flimsy linen material to enter the private reception area of the king of kings. Oil lamps were hanging from four parallel lines of tent poles. We saw a large table in the centre and couches at the far end. I could hear moaning and shouts.
The two guards that had allowed the servants to pass through the curtains were the first to die as we burst in. We ran at the other guards who were standing by the poles, each one armed with a short spear with a great burnished blade at its tip. They held hide-covered shields painted white, the motif of an eagle clutching a snake decorating them. These were the élite palace guards of Ctesiphon and they knew how to handle their weapons.
There were a dozen of them in total and after the initial shock of our appearance, during which two more had died on our sword points, they came at us with shields held close to their bodies and spears levelled. One stood before me and jabbed his spear at me, attempting to skewer me on its point. He was as tall as me, broader but very light on his feet, pouncing to and fro and attacking me like a wildcat. He jabbed at me again, thrusting the spear point at my chest. I brought my sword arm up and across my body and then slashed it down, the metal cutting through the spear shaft and severing the head. He threw the broken shaft at me and attempted to draw his own sword. But I was too fast for him, thrusting my sword forward at his chest. His reflexes were also quick and he managed to stop the blow with his shield. In the instant when the point went into the hide and wood underneath I pulled my dagger from its sheath and rammed it hard into his face, the point going through his right eye socket. I withdraw it and yanked my sword free as he slumped to the floor. I ran forward as one of my men was impaled on an enemy spear in front of me. As he fell I ran his killer through with my sword.
I looked round and saw Thumelicus finishing off the last surviving guard with ease, dumfounding him with a series of lightning-fast sword attacks that finished with his gladius slicing deep into the man’s belly. I nodded to him and he returned the gesture. We had lost two dead but had at last found our prey.
I ran forward and ripped aside one of the two silk curtains barring the entrance to the bedroom of the king of kings, the ruler of the mighty Parthian Empire. And stopped dead in my tracks. Standing ahead, naked and sweating profusely, was Mithridates. I say standing but I could not properly tell since he was behind a naked slave girl down on all fours. He was holding her long hair tightly as he rammed his manhood hard into her from behind. He was obviously performing an unnatural act upon her young body as her face was contorted with pain and tears were running down her cheeks. Two young men, both oiled and naked, were kneeling either side of Mithridates, one of whom was licking his chest. All around naked couples were writhing in ecstasy on the plush carpets covering the floor and on the giant circular bed. And then the screaming started.
While I stared in disbelief at the orgy before my eye, Domitus raced forward tripping over one of the couples on the floor. Both young boys started to screech at this dirt-encrusted demon sprawling onto the floor beside them. Domitus sprang to his feet and slit both their throats without further ado. The room erupted in screams and wails as teenage boys and girls, all naked, ran around as though they were demented. Mithridates stopped his act of depravity and for a few seconds stared at me in disbelief, unable to comprehend that anyone, not least his greatest enemy, would dare to violate his inner sanctum.
Whistles blew behind us and I knew that the game was up. More soldiers were coming to save their king.
‘Kill the bastard,’ screamed Domitus.
Thumelicus hurled one of the dead guards’ spears at Mithridates, but he grabbed the long hair of one of the boy lovers next to him and thrust his young body in front of his. The spear blade went clean through the youth’s chest, killing him instantly. One of the girls, completely naked and completely hairless, sprang at Domitus like a demon from hell, scratching at his eyes and shrieking as she did so. He head-butted her and split her nose, causing her to collapse on the floor. Another of my men tried to spear Mithridates but he was again too quick and threw himself to the floor. The young girl he had been violating, still on her knees, looked up as the spear went through her mouth and out through the base of her skull.