Companions (The Parthian Chronicles) (24 page)

‘Be a member of a trade caravan,’ said Gallia before I could answer.

Dobbai pointed at her. ‘Exactly, child, the secret is to blend in, become one of the crowd.’

‘You are suggesting that we masquerade as followers of Artemis?’ I suggested.

‘How will that get you close to your friend?’ said Samahe. ‘No, King Pacorus. If you go to Ephesus only your brains and your sword will save you, not the worship of a foreign goddess. Just as you have embraced Roman ways at Dura so you must do the same at Ephesus.’

There followed another sleepless night as I lay beside Gallia staring at the ceiling, trying to fathom the meaning of Samahe’s words. Was she suggesting I impersonate a Roman officer? But how would that help my plan? What was my plan, aside from taking ship to Ephesus? My head was aching so I rose and drank a cup of tepid water. It was warm. The net curtain at the open balcony doors was absolutely still with no wind to disturb it. I lay back down and closed my eyes as thoughts swirled in my mind. Eventually I slipped into an uneasy sleep and dreamt of a great battle between Parthians and Romans. I saw a figure on a horse, cloak billowing behind him as he charged into the dense Roman ranks, spear in his right hand. The enemy fled before him and I followed. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at me. He had a helmet on that covered most of his face so I could not identify him. But at the same time I knew of him. I remembered a friend telling me of him, a friend now dead. He was the Thracian horseman and I had my answer.

The next morning I told Gallia of the vision and she wrapped her arms around me. There were tears in her eyes as I told her my plan to free Burebista from slavery.

‘Please tell me that this is some kind of joke, though I fail to see the humour in any of it.’ Godarz was not amused.

Rsan squirmed uncomfortably in his chair and Domitus stopped toying with his dagger and let it fall to the floor as I finished talking. I had convened a special meeting of the council but had ordered that there be no scribes present to record proceedings and kept the door shut. Fortunately it was still early morning so the temperature in the room was still bearable, though there were beads of sweat on Rsan’s forehead.

‘It is a sensible plan,’ said Dobbai.

Godarz slammed a fist on the table, causing Rsan to jump.

‘Sensible? Then my ears must have deceived me as I thought I just heard that Pacorus was intending to travel to Ephesus. In addition, his wife intends to go with him and all to rescue a person that she had little time for, if my memory serves me right.’

‘He is a Companion, Godarz,’ stated Gallia firmly.

Godarz held his shaven head in his hands. ‘In case you had not noticed, majesties, you have a kingdom to rule, a kingdom that is currently under threat of invasion.’

‘Mithridates will not march against Dura, governor,’ Dobbai assured him.

‘It is folly, Pacorus,’ said Orodes, ‘sheer folly.’

‘No, lord prince,’ fumed Godarz, ‘it is idiocy.’

‘It is no different from every time I have led the army from Dura,’ I said. ‘In every campaign there is the possibility that I will not come back. That is the nature of war.’

‘Except that you are not going to war,’ stated Domitus. ‘You are embarking on a fool’s errand that will probably get you killed.’

He picked up his dagger and looked at Gallia. ‘Why would you risk your life and perhaps make your daughter an orphan for a man you detested?’

‘It is the will of the gods,’ was Gallia’s reply.

Godarz pointed at Dobbai. ‘I blame you for this. Ever since your arrival at Dura you have filled the king’s head with nonsense and now we see the result. If you really cared for Pacorus you would tell him that he should forget this ridiculous idea.’

Dobbai sneered at him. ‘It is not my place to issue orders to the king.’

Domitus guffawed. ‘Really? You are usually very eager to voice your opinions in these meetings.’

‘It is my decision and mine alone,’ I said. ‘I will not stand by while Burebista is enslaved by the Romans, forced to fight for his life in the arena.’

‘If you fail, Pacorus,’ said Domitus, ‘there is no way that we will be able to assist you. You will be on your own.’

‘I know that,’ I replied.

Godarz threw up his arms. ‘I have never heard such lunacy. Let us suppose for a moment, just suppose, that you do embark on this absurd mission. When Mithridates and Narses learn that the King of Dura is no longer in his kingdom; indeed, has gone overseas, they will invade your realm.’

I nodded. ‘Which is why our leaving must remain a secret. I estimate that we will be away no longer than two or three months, during which time we will officially be visiting my parents at Hatra.’

‘And what if your parents desire to visit you here, at Dura?’ asked Orodes.

‘Then you will inform them that we have travelled to Uruk to visit Nergal and Praxima,’ I answered. ‘In addition, I do not want any knowledge of the visit to Ephesus to leave this room. Servants and guards may appear to be statues but they are notorious gossips.’

‘Very wise, son of Hatra,’ agreed Dobbai. ‘Though you two will not be the only ones going to Ephesus.’

‘You intend to take a bodyguard?’ queries Orodes. ‘In which case I insist that I accompany you both.’

Dobbai shook her head. ‘It is not your destiny to accompany the son of Hatra, valiant prince, on this occasion.’

‘I should go,’ said Domitus.

‘An excellent idea, Roman,’ agreed Dobbai. ‘It is, after all, a nest of your people that the son of Hatra is visiting.’

She looked at me. ‘Take the Greek physician, too.’

‘Alcaeus?’

‘Yes. He is a Greek and will prove useful if you suffer injuries in the arena.’

Godarz looked most alarmed. ‘Arena?’

Dobbai cackled. ‘Of course you will not know. The son of Hatra has decided to become what the slave general was before he incited the lowborn to rise up. A gladiator.’

Godarz stormed out of the meeting as Domitus fell about laughing and Orodes looked mortified. I said nothing about the vision of Spartacus I had had in a dream but remained convinced that I was supposed to enter the arena.

‘Why else would the revelation that Burebista still lives be disclosed to me at this time?’ I asked Dobbai and Samahe that evening as we relaxed on the palace terrace. ‘I followed Spartacus once. Why not a second time, and in the arena where he made his reputation?’

‘It is ambitious, I agree,’ said Dobbai.

‘And would please the gods, I have no doubt,’ added Samahe.

‘Spartacus revealed himself to Pacorus in a dream,’ said Gallia. ‘It cannot be a coincidence.’

‘As you stated, Samahe,’ I said, ‘all things are linked. In a city filled with gladiators who will notice one more? And masquerading as one will give me access to Burebista.’

‘And then, son of Hatra?’

‘And then we will formulate a plan to get him and us out of Ephesus,’ I said.

Godarz purposely avoided me over the succeeding days, Rsan explaining that his friend was upset and angry that I would not change my mind. I told him that his temper would subside before I left. I knew that Godarz considered Gallia to be like a daughter and she viewed him as a father figure, and as such the thought of her being placed in danger caused him substantial grief. But she visited him in his mansion and told him that she was in danger every time she rode to war with the Amazons. She left him on good terms but Godarz’s stubbornness resulted in him keeping his distance from me. I prayed his anger would dissipate before we left.

‘You waste your time on such frivolities,’ Dobbai told me the next day as she and Samahe stood before me in the throne room. ‘You are a king and he is your governor. It is not his place to dispute your decisions, only obey.’

‘He is a Companion,’ I told her, ‘and is entitled to speak his mind.’

On her advice I dismissed all the guards and had the doors to the chamber closed so that only four of us remained, Gallia sitting beside me on her throne. I had suggested that we could speak in private on the terrace but Dobbai told me that the servants had a habit of listening at the door, either that or decided to clean the bedroom closest to the terrace, the balcony of which was next to the latter, separated by a thin wall.

‘Servants are notorious gossips, I learnt that at Ctesiphon,’ she told me.

‘The servants at Ctesiphon are all slaves,’ said Gallia, ‘not free men and women as they are in this palace.’

Dobbai looked at her kindly. ‘Just because you pay them instead of flogging them does not mean they refrain from indulging in idle chatter. If you wish to mask your journey to Ephesus you must be more careful.’

‘You are right,’ I agreed. ‘Still, it should be relatively easy for the four of us to leave the city under the pretence that we are visiting Hatra.’

Dobbai looked at Samahe, the latter pursing her lips.

‘Unfortunately it cannot be just the four of you.’

‘There must be seven,’ insisted Dobbai.

‘Why?’ asked Gallia.

‘Because, child,’ answered Samahe, ‘that number is auspicious and is beloved of the gods. There are seven moving objects in the sky: the sun, moon and five planets. They are called “wandering stars” and act as the messengers of the gods.’

‘It is particularly significant to the Goddess Inanna,’ added Dobbai, ‘and since the queen has decided that she will be accompanying you, son of Hatra, you both need to enlist the goddesses’ support.’

‘I thought Inanna is the Queen of Heaven,’ said Gallia.

‘She is also the Goddess of Warfare,’ replied Samahe, ‘and like you, majesty, is equally fond of making war as She is of making love.’

Gallia blushed at this but I smiled.

‘I believe that the Babylonians knew Inanna as Ishtar,’ I said.

Samahe smiled and Dobbai seemed surprised.

‘Very good, son of Hatra, perhaps we will make a thinker out of you yet. When Inanna descended into hell she was forced to pass through seven gates, at each of which She was required to remove one of Her garments, until She stood before Her sister Erishkigal, the Queen of the Underworld. Naked and defenceless, Inanna was struck dead by seven plagues. Resurrected, upon her return from hell She passed through the seven gates once more, this time putting on one of Her garments that She had left at each gate. So you see that the number seven holds a very personal meaning to the goddess.’

‘It is no coincidence that Her symbol is the seven-pointed star,’ added Samahe.

‘The goddess also has power over rains and storms,’ said Dobbai, ‘so you would do well to enlist Her aid to prevent you being drowned in heavy seas before you reach Ephesus.’

I was convinced. ‘And who shall be the other members of our party.’

Dobbai shrugged. ‘How should we know? It is for you to choose them, son of Hatra. My only advice would be to take the marsh boy.’

Gallia was appalled. ‘Surena?’

‘He is tedious,’ agreed Dobbai, ‘but it is no coincidence that your husband met him when he did. His star rises and his arrogance may be of use.’

‘That is all the help we can give you,’ said Samahe, ‘but I have written to one of our sisterhood who will aid you during your journey. I will explain more when your departure approaches.’

‘And in the meantime,’ said Dobbai sternly, ‘be careful what you say at all times. And if you do decide to take Surena make sure the young idiot does not blab his mouth off.’

Gallia smiled cruelly. ‘You have no need to worry about that.’

Life went on at Dura as usual: the caravans arrived at the city carrying silk and other precious commodities to satisfy rich Egyptians and the army trained and recruited. Messages arrived from Uruk that the eastern and southern borders of Mesene were quiet. My father sent me a terse note congratulating me on the relief of Uruk, though he urged me not to provoke either Mithridates or Narses. I received a similar missive from Vardan at Babylon, though his language was much more polite and diplomatic. I paid visits to newly arrived caravans and talked with their chiefs, asking them what they had seen and heard on their travels to Dura. They told me that the roads were full of caravans and travellers but no armies. I already knew that because any hint of conflict and the roads emptied as if by magic. What I was more interested in was any plans and schemes they might have heard of. But they all reported that they had heard nothing. It all amounted to a quiet Parthia, for which I gave thanks to Shamash.

Gallia kept pestering me as to who else, aside from Surena, Alcaeus and Domitus, would be accompanying us to Ephesus. I told her I had no idea and asked her for suggestions. She shrugged and said that as it had been my idea in the first place I should be the one to select those who would go. Two more to complete our band of seven. I had not yet asked Surena but I knew he would not refuse. Our lucky escape from Roman horsemen in Hyrcania had convinced him that he was invincible, and such faith would serve him well at Ephesus. I considered asking Viper but dismissed the idea. If she came Surena’s mind would be focused on her rather than more important things. In the end it was Domitus who provided the answer, though it was not his intention.

I received an invitation to his command tent on the following afternoon. In the morning I had taken part in a joint training exercise with a thousand of Hatra’s horse archers that had been sent to Babylon following my relief of Uruk. My father had been worried that the attack on Mesene was the prelude to a general offensive that would be launched by Mithridates and Narses and had wanted to stiffen Babylon’s defences. Hatra, meanwhile, mobilised its entire army but then stood it down when it became apparent that Mithridates was content to remain idle at Ctesiphon. So when the horse archers returned to Hatran territory the commander sent his compliments to me when his force camped for the night just across the Euphrates. I sent a message back inviting him to take part in a joint exercise the next morning. The sight of three thousand horse archers and five hundred cataphracts thundering across the desert was most impressive. Afterwards I invited the Hatran commander and his officers to dine in the palace that night.