"Of course, Lord. I await your command." He slapped his sword hand to his breast in salute. Shapur nodded, playing at his beard with his fingers as was the habit of the Persian when deep in thought. A thin smile played at the corner of Shapur's eyes.
"When last we talked you told of a ruse used by a Chinese general a century or two ago while engaged in battle with the Hephalites. The memories of those savages are not long and I would see if the same plan could be used again."
Casca swallowed. "You mean the three thousand who..?"
"Exactly!" Shapur smiled openly, showing strong white teeth. "When you return to your residence an escort will be waiting for you. He shall take you to join your army, which I dispatched a month ago to the frontiers of Sogdiana to serve asbait. From intelligence reports we know that the Hephalites are on the move to join us in battle. They know that if they can eliminate my army there it will free the entire countryside for their looting and pillaging for some weeks' time. But if you succeed and destroy them that will secure my frontiers in the north and east for at least a couple of years. I could then turn my attention to other pressing matters without being bothered excessively by large raiding parties."
Shapur paused for a moment, his eyes reflecting honesty.
"Serve me well in this matter, Casca, and you shall find that I know how to reward as well as to punish."
Shapur motioned with his hand down, shoving the fingers forward toward the exit. "You may leave!"
Casca bowed his way out of the royal chambers and returned to his dwelling to find that his gear had already been packed by the escort, his servants dismissed, and the house closed. All that he would require on his journey was methodically placed in packs on the back of the horses.
Casca grumbled to himself. "Shapur doesn't let any grass grow under the feet of anyone who works for him, that's for damned sure."
His escort was composed of ten men from a light cavalry detachment, expert archers all of them. During the journey they rode like the demons of Shaitan were on their tails, stopping only once each night for an hour's rest, changing mounts in relays six or seven times a day. By utilizing these means they'd covered over one hundred miles per day andon the evening of the third day had arrived at the valley of Bazhari, where his Persian host awaited Casca's arrival. They had not arrived too soon as far as he was concerned.
Passing sentries and checkpoints of security, they were admitted into the main camp, where Casca was guided to a large pavilion that was to serve as his headquarters. Word of his arrival had already reached his regimental commanders and they stood in two ranks, one to either side of the tent, at rigid attention.
Casca entered, stomping the dust from his boots and pounding his chest to rid it of the day's dirt. Sand clouds flew from him at every thump of his fist. He eyed the commanders. All had the look of tough men. Only two were under thirty years of age and even they had visible scars to show they were not novices to battle. But Casca could see in their eyes the retention of doubt about this foreigner who'd come to command them. That they would obey him, he had no doubt; Shapur's discipline was much too rigidly enforced for them to consider doing otherwise. Yes, they would obey. But they wouldn't like it worth a damn.
A field desk and chair were in position at the rear of the tent. Casca marched straight to them and seated himself after acknowledging the reluctant bowing of his subordinate commanders. Pouring a drink of water from a carafe, he washed the dust of the trail from his throat before speaking.
"Which one of you is the superior officer?"
A Persian with a slight Greek cast to his features stepped forward and bowed, his scaled armor rippling in the light of the oil lamps. His helmet wastucked under one arm, his hand to the hilt of a long straight sword. The gray in his hair and his hard dark eyes were enough to gain him notice in a grouping of soldiers.
"I am Indemeer, Commander of theCataphracti." Casca was familiar with this unit-Heavy Cavalry, whose horses as well as their riders were covered with heavy armor. The charge of theCataphracti was hard to resist. The lances they used in battle were so heavy that the riders tied a rope near the center of it, attaching the other end to the necks of their steeds. Utilizing the strength of the animal to bear the weight of the lance, they would tuck the butt of the weapon into a leather socket at their hip, guiding the point of the lance with one hand while guiding the horse's movements with the other. Their helmets were of one piece that reached below the chin with only slits for eye-holes in them. They were a fearsome offensive force when used properly, and next to the Immortals, the most favored of the Persian Hosts.
Casca acknowledged the ranking commander. "Welcome, Indemeer. I trust you're ready to give me a situation report?"
Indemeer nodded confidently. "But of course, Commander." Casca took another drink of water. "Then proceed! The rest of you be at ease and make yourself comfortable. If any of you have individual information to report, wait until after the general briefing, then we'll get down to any specifics pertaining to your troops." He indicated for Indemeer to begin his report.
The Persian snapped his fingers and one of his junior officers came forth, handing the old warriortwo scrolls. He unrolled them and placed them side by side on the field table, pointing to the one facing Casca's left. It was, as Casca could readily see, a map of the immediate region. On it Indemeer had lined the disposition of the Persian forces in red and the Huns in black. Speaking softly, but with tones that came from years of command and self-assurance, Indemeer began his report.
"The savages are approaching from the north and east at a good rate of march. We have scouts out keeping up with them and each day their reports are sent to us in relays so that by now we should have their movements reported twice a day. At their current rate of march they should reach this point in two days' time." Indemeer indicated a large plain in the form of a valley. Casca stopped him with a nod of his head.
"Is the valley you're pointing at the one we're in now?"
Indemeer shook his head. "No! That one is one day's march from our present location."
Casca told him to continue.
"The savages number sixty thousand, who, as I am sure you know, are all mounted horsemen, each one of them an archer and most carrying light lances for close combat."
Casca responded to the light sarcasm in Indemeer's voice. "Yes, I know the Huns well and have probably had as much experience with them as anyone here. Now, get on to something I don't know!"
Indemeer accepted the rebuke. He'd just been testing to see if this stranger was able to handle command and assert the authority designated tohim by Shapur. Before he could continue Casca asked him for the disposition and numbers of their own forces. Indemeer indicated the red lines depicting each of the encampments around them.
"We have twenty thousand warriors, of which five thousand are my own Heavy Chargers by order of the King, as sign of his favor." Again the touch of sarcasm, Casca choosing this time to ignore it. Indemeer continued. "The balance of our forces are comprised of ten thousand light cavalry, all expert archers, and five thousand infantry."
Casca scanned the map carefully, noting the terrain differences. "Have you thought of a place to engage the Huns?"
The officer pointed to a plain outside the valley two days distant. "Here is where we will meet the enemy, with the valley to our backs. We shall place our infantry in the center at the entrance to the valley and position our cavalry on each flank inside. When the Huns charge, our center will fall back, luring them inside, at which point our two strong flanks will charge down from the high ground where they've been concealed up to this time."