‘We shall have to make them welcome at Dura, then,’ I told him. ‘Considering the great service that Aaron has rendered the kingdom it is the least we can do.’
We bade farewell to Vehrka and his warriors and rode into Haytham’s capital four days short of a month after we had left it for Judea. The king and Rasha were waiting for us at his tent, his young daughter delighted that I was paying her a visit.
‘Why are you dressed like one of my people?’ she asked as I slid off Remus’ back and embraced her.
‘I have been in disguise,’ I replied.
‘It was an adventure, then?’
I watched Domitus and Rachel assist a still very tender Aaron from his horse.
‘For some more than others. And you, what adventures have you been taking part in, little princess?’
She smiled excitedly and turned on her heels. ‘I will show you.’
She disappeared into the great goatskin tent of her father and re-emerged moments later carrying a recurve bow. It was a beautiful piece of work, with the arms and setback centre fashioned from layers of mulberry and maple with water buffalo horn plating on the inside. The handle and tips of the bow were stiffened with additional horn. The tips had been carved into horse’s heads and the wood and horn had been bound together by fish glue and tendon strings. The whole bow was covered in lacquer brought from China to keep it waterproof.
‘It was a present from Gallia,’ she said, holding it out to me.
I took it and admired the craftsmanship. It would have taken the armouries at least ten months to produce such a weapon, to prepare the tendons, woods and glue and then mate them all together. It was a fitting gift for a princess.
I passed it back to her. ‘A beautiful bow for a beautiful princess.’ Rasha took the bow, kissed me on the cheek and then blushed before taking it back inside.
‘Gallia spoils her, I fear,’ remarked Haytham.
‘We love her as if she were one of our own daughters, lord.’
‘So, tell me of your journey to the land of the Jews.’
We went inside as Aaron and the two women were shown to a guest tent where Aaron’s wounds could once again be treated. He seemed to have regained some of his strength and I no longer feared for his life.
‘What about your life, Pacorus,’ said Haytham, ‘or the lives of Gallia and your children, will you not fear for them when the Romans find out that the armouries at Dura have been furnishing their enemies with weapons?’
‘I have thought of that, lord, but the Romans are already my enemies so if I can keep them occupied in their own domains then hopefully they will not trouble Dura.’
‘It may be as you say. But know that Vehrka has already had several Roman incursions into his lands, mostly small patrols of horsemen. It will not be long before more will come, of that I am certain.’
‘And then?’
He smiled savagely. ‘And then I will lead the Agraci against them.’
‘And Dura will stand beside you,’ I announced grandly.
‘And your father and your allies will stand beside you?’
I was unsure whether Hatra would get embroiled in a war supporting the Agraci. ‘I hope so, lord.’
‘And the Jews, do you think they will throw off the Roman yoke?’
I thought of the ragged individuals we had met, the shattered fortress where we had encountered Alexander and Domitus’ comment about the lack of bridges across the Jordan. Then I thought of the two legions that were stationed in Syria and the others that the Romans could send as reinforcements.
‘I hope so, lord, I sincerely hope so,’ was all I could offer.
He pondered for a moment. ‘Hope will avail them not in a battle with the Roman army.’
He was right, of course, but I had seen some of the gold that Alexander possessed. With the right weapons, the right timing and the support of the people they might just be victorious. They might just be able to win their freedom.
When we returned to Dura Aaron and his future wife and mother-in-law were settled in a house near Rsan’s mansion in the city and he continued to make a rapid recovery. Rsan himself was extremely happy with the outcome of our expedition to Judea and had already drawn up a delivery schedule for Alexander’s weapons. Following discussions with the chief armourer he had informed me that it would over a year to fulfil Alexander’s requirements. Byrd had accompanied us back to Dura and had come to an agreement with Rsan with regard to the transportation of the weapons to the Jews. We would be using Byrd’s camels to carry them west to Palmyra, then directly south into the desert and through the volcanic mountains southwest of Damascus, before heading due west again to the mountains that lay to the east of the Salt Sea. Malik and Rasha had travelled back to Dura with us and Rsan had also come to an agreement with Malik whereby his Agraci warriors would provide an escort for each camel train. The cost of hiring Byrd’s camels and Malik’s warriors was to be borne by Alexander, meaning Dura would make a handsome profit on each shipment of weapons. After all the sums had been done Rsan was the happiest I had ever seen him. Aaron said that he would travel with the first shipment, which would be ready in two months’ time, by which time his wounds would be fully healed. The treasury would be full, Silaces’ men would be fully equipped and I could begin to plan a new campaign in the east.
‘The Jews are a beaten people,’ scoffed Dobbai as she stood beside me atop the Palmyrene Gate a week later.
‘You do not agree the Jews are beaten?’ Dobbai pressed me.
‘Mm?’
‘The Jews. I said that they are a beaten people.’
We were standing next to the stone griffin with its unceasing guard over my city and kingdom. Dobbai was leaning against it as a column of Dura’s horsemen approached the city following manoeuvres in the desert.
‘Perhaps with my help they may be a free people,’ I said.
‘You have shown imagination in reaching an agreement with this Alexander, but it will not help the Jews.’ She cast me a sideways glance. ‘Though it may aid you.’
The approaching column of horsemen wheeled away from the city two hundred yards from the Palmyrene Gate to return to their quarters south of Dura. A small group of horsemen had halted to take their salute and then they about-faced and rode to the city.
‘It has aided me,’ I said. ‘With the Jewish gold I can rearm the legions and Silaces’ men and deal with Mithridates once and for all.’
The horsemen entering the city were led by Surena, who spotted me standing above the gates and drew his sword to salute me. I raised my hand in recognition. He lived in the city with Viper in accommodation befitting his rank as the commander of my horse archers. I smiled at him as he passed under us.
‘You like him, do you not?’
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘He has turned into a fine officer. He is brave, quick witted and has a brain in his head. I never thought I would find a replacement for Nergal, but Shamash has given me one.’
‘His destiny and yours do not follow the same path, son of Hatra,’ she said. ‘You must release him.’
I was confused. ‘He is not a slave to do my bidding. He serves me of his own free will.’
‘That may be, but while he does so he does not serve the empire.’
‘I do not understand.’
She waved her hand at me. ‘You will learn that later. By the way, when were you going to tell me that Claudia had spoken to you?’
‘How do you know that, has she spoken to you too?’
She raised an eyebrow at me. ‘I asked you a polite question, why do you answer so flippantly?’
I had tried to erase the memory of my experience at the Temple of Ishtar from my mind, notwithstanding that the prophecy of the temple gold had come to fruition, which in many ways made it worse.