World on Fire

by Christian Kachel

  “Pardon me, my lady, this man claims to carry a message from Captain Hyllos.” As she turned around her eyes grew wide with stunned recognition and quickly returned to normalcy lest she alert the servant to our prior acquaintance. My eyes grew even larger as she turned around holding an infant.

  “Thank you Protus, that will be all,” was her curt response. I observed a whirlwind of emotions churn while she attempted to maintain a stoic façade, I just didn’t know which one would come to the fore. As the servant departed she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the corner of the tent. “What are you doing here?” She asked in a stern yet hushed tone. “You’ll get us both killed!”

  There was so much I wanted to tell her all at once, so much I wanted to ask. I thought it best to allay her immediate concern however. “Captain Hyllos and I call each other enemies no longer. Our armies have united in common cause. Mara, I’ve thought of nothing but this moment for the past year and only hope it brings you a small semblance of the joy it does me. You mustn’t think Vettias and I chose to leave you to an unknown fate in Triparadeisus. We were aware of Hyllos’ intent to take you as his own and thought that to be the best outcome for you given the circumstances. Please tell me we made the right decision and you have indeed been treated well and do not regret leaving Tarsus with us on that fateful day of our first meeting.”

  Believing the earnestness of my words, her eyes relaxed and she hugged me. “It was not I who required saving from Triparadeisus if I recall correctly.”

  “Yes, Hyllos told us of your actions on our behalf and we owe our lives to you.”

  “Call it even then. You did save me from my torment in Tarsus and to answer your question, yes, I am far better off for it,” she replied while holding the infant up to me. “This Andrikos, is Talos. I believe with all of my heart that he is your son.” The initial shock of her words rendered me speechless for several moments. Tears rolled down my cheek as I hugged her and the baby. “As much as it pains me to hurry this long-awaited reunion to its conclusion, you cannot stay here any longer lest you make Hyllos a mortal enemy once more.”

  “Yes, of course. I have devised a secure way of communicating in the short term which will yield a more permanent solution later. Can you make a visit to the infirmary three days hence at three hours past sunrise? You will feign feminine pains lingering from your pregnancy. Look for a man named Philotheos to treat you. He will provide you more information.”

  “I cannot get involved with you and Vettias playing these games that serve me no purpose. I agreed to do it in return for your help in Tarsus, but I have more than repaid that debt by now. Talos is my primary concern now.”

  “You have certainly repaid any debt you believe you owed to Vettias and me, but I implore you to meet this one time. All will be explained to you then and you can choose at that time what is in your best interest. Please Mara, if we are to have any future, you must set up this line of communication. I pledge now more than ever to only do anything that is in your interest – and now in the interest of Talos as well.”

  “All right, I will be there. But now you must go or all will be compromised.”

  CHAPTER 13

  I informed Vettias of our reunion upon returning to our camp with Digger. He congratulated me on the happy news of Talos despite probably believing the boy’s existence to be a hindrance to my usefulness to him in the future. I had also told Stephanos the good news and he was genuinely delighted. His new role as first officer of a lochos was keeping him busy as new recruits swelled the ranks and required rigorous drilling in order to be contributing members of the phalanx. He suggested a night of women and drink in the near future to celebrate but I declined the offer on grounds of honoring my new son and his mother. I suggested we share a jug of wine in my tent, to which he agreed, having to begrudgingly let go his favorite partner in debauchery.

  My father was waiting for me that evening, walking among the Army bivouacs with a proud smile on his face.

  “A grandson! I told you to follow your heart with that girl, and now you are a father. And me a grandfather. Andrikos, your vow to Mara will now be forever solidified in that child and you have the chance to be the father I never was to you. You’ve given my life more meaning than it deserved and for that I will be forever grateful to you. Take comfort in that you have sworn two oaths and have remained faithful to both.”

  ****

  Three days had passed since my reunion with Mara and Vettias now readied to play his part. I called on him in his quarters prior to his departure and he anticipated the meaning of my visit. “Don’t worry kid, I will set her to purpose. Everything has changed for her now. She is a mother and that child takes precedence over all other interests, including her own – and certainly ours. I’ll convince her that helping us is the best thing she can do for Talos now.”

  “And will that be true or just another manipulation to serve our purposes?”

  “Both. The last thing she will want now is to fall into the hands of Antigonus’ army and be taken by another who values the pleasures she can provide over the welfare of her and her son. As long as Hyllos believes the boy to be his, she is better off here than anywhere else. I’ll seek you out when I return. Try and relax in the meantime.”

  Vettias and Philotheos spent the majority of the day in the Silver Shields’ encampment and I anxiously awaited their return, impatiently making several trips to Vettias’ quarters and our surgeon’s tent. On my final failed pass through I sat in my tent and pondered the enormity of Mara’s news and what it would mean for me going forward. I had taken an oath to serve the interests of the Argeads and, thus far, news of Talos would not bar me from doing so. However, if forced to make a choice in the future between the two, I would have to choose my family. This was what provoked Vettias’ ire when he learned of my feelings for Mara and why he was less then enthused about the news of my son. Two more hours passed before Vettias appeared at my tent to inform me of his return. I scurried to my feet in eager anticipation of his news from Mara.

  “Easy, easy, lover boy. I’ll save you the suspense. Our girl is on board for now and will start feeding us information on our fickle allies. She appears to be in good spirits and Philotheos checked out your son who looks to be in good health. I am going to use Philotheos as our primary conduit to minimize my presence and she will meet with him once per week. In the meantime, you are not to do anything stupid like try and get your dick wet with her any time soon. If Hyllos gets wind of any impropriety on your part, or hers, he’ll be well within his right to kill you both without hesitation. She has been treated well, although he took another girl during most of her pregnancy. Now that she is back to her old form he visits her bed once more. I explained her arrangement with Hyllos is not permanent since he already has a wife in addition to two courtesans, and her best chance to keep Talos safe is to be with you.”

  Vettias’ news made it easier to comply with his instructions to refrain from seeing her. I decided I would regularly pass cryptic notes to her through Philotheos and encourage her to do the same. I thanked Vettias for his prompt report and he departed.

  ****

  Our army remained in place as final preparations were made for Alexander’s golden throne, and our ranks were replenished to sufficient numbers. After two more weeks, the members of the morning staff meeting arrived to find a magnificent structure awaiting us. The tent was made of the finest white and purple fabrics and even boasted marble Doric columns at its entranceway. Inside, an extravagant golden throne sat at the head of a large oak table holding the royal diadem and scepter. Powerful incense burned as we took our places on two rows of bronze benches running parallel to the oak table on either side. Alexander’s tent had its intended effect on the Silver Shields – for even cracks of pride and satisfaction broke through their stoic façades. A great sense of unity fell upon the staff meeting as we all believed we were conducting business on behalf of Alexander while in his presence. At the meeting’s conclusion, General Eumenes
announced we would begin our journey to south Phoenicia the following morning in an attempt to build a navy and send money and supplies to Lord Regent Polyperchon in Macedon.

  ****

  Our march closely mirrored the route Vettias and I took the previous year on our way to Triparadeisus. So much had changed for me and the fortunes of the men that now stood as the last best hope for the Argead blood. Our nascent army had grown from a band of outlaws occupying Fortress Nora, to a lethal force of ten thousand heavy phalanx, two thousand Cappadocian cavalry, and three thousand Silver Shields. We continued further south past Triparadeisus and meandered west toward the Phoenician coastline until reaching the port of Sidon, a city renowned for its shipwrights and triremes, where we were to remain to assemble our navy.

  During this time, Mara performed her role skillfully and provided regular information to Philotheos who settled into his new role of surreptitious interlocutor quite well. Most importantly, she communicated the tenuous nature of the Silver Shields’ loyalty toward the ‘foreigner’ Eumenes. For now, it appeared his lack of Macedonian heritage was his greatest asset in that it was generally accepted by all that Eumenes could never make a legitimate claim to the throne and therefore was no threat to their General, Antigenes, who harbored larger designs of his own. They could exploit General Eumenes’ newly won royal legitimacy to further their own ends in a way not possible if serving under Antigonus. It was clear their standing was a threat to Antigonus’ goals so they were willing to serve under Eumenes for now. Vettias and I informed our leader of all Mara had uncovered and he used this knowledge of the Silver Shields’ psyche to his advantage.

  Alexander’s tent also traveled with us to Phoenicia. Since we were continuously moving, our meetings were held after the day’s march when the massive structure was erected each evening and then disassembled and made ready for transport each morning. Its importance in holding together our two factions could not be overstated. Our time in Sidon also marked the third year since I left Ilandra and was thrust into a world I could only dream of as a boy.

  During one such staff meeting in Alexander’s tent, ominous news was brought from Greece. Lord Regent Polyperchon had suffered a crushing defeat at Megalopolis in his struggle against Cassander after amassing impressive gains in the Greek peninsula the previous weeks. Worse yet, Polyperchon’s contingent of elephants had been annihilated. It was now more imperative than ever to finish building our navy and supply our ally with much-needed capital so he might continue the campaign in Europe. It was also during this time that Mara began providing information that pointed to the infiltration of the Silver Shields’ camp by agents of Ptolemy.

  Ptolemy had thrown in his lot with Cassander and Antigonus and our army was encroaching on his holdings in Phoenicia. He now intended to dislodge the Silver Shields from their foreign leader. Ptolemy certainly had reason to believe this ploy would work since he successfully convinced General Antigenes to murder Lord Regent Perdiccas and surrender the Royal Army to his control in Egypt.

  Mara’s information also pointed to another problem. We had no operatives within the Silver Shields’ camp and no ability to operate freely within their bivouacs ourselves to interdict identified saboteurs. It was proving impossible to find anyone willing to waver from their unflinching loyalty to the venerable unit, either through Vettias’ efforts during his sporadic visits to the infirmary or my stints in their quartermaster corps. Bolder action was needed, lest agents of our enemies sever the already fragile bond between our two factions.

  Mara continued to provide information on those attempting to exacerbate our fragile alliance and those who were receptive to the idea. To my consternation, Vettias began pushing her harder to uncover more. She began employing the services of her personal servant, Protus, to perform ever more brazen acts to support her intelligence-gathering efforts. The man actually had a proclivity for the work and accompanied Mara to the surgeon’s tent on two occasions to receive specialized training from Vettias who covered his face in the servant’s presence.

  Finally, a breakthrough occurred with news that a meeting between officers of the Silver Shields and a secret delegation from Antigonus’ army was to take place two nights hence. Vettias and I were still unsuccessful in countering these plots through agents of our own and Mara had warned that more officers were defecting to the side of our enemies every day, with General Teutamus slanting toward our enemies and Antigenes holding firm in his support of Eumenes.

  The time and location of the subversion was brought to General Eumenes and the three of us devised a plan of action. Given our limited options, Eumenes decided to personally appear at the meeting and confront his rivals. Vettias, Hiro and I would accompany him in his audacious scheme, along with several armed bodyguards. Our aggressive diplomatic mission departed on the night of the conspiracy and quickly made our way to the guarded entrance of the Silver Shields’ camp. The four guards were completely startled by the sudden presence of their joint commander and put up little resistance to our entry.

  “S-sir, I-I, w-we were not expecting a visit from you this evening,” the senior guard stuttered. “P-please allow me to announce your presence to General Antigenes.”

  “You will do nothing of the sort. I am Commanding General of this army and it is my prerogative to go where I please. Make way before I have you arrested for insubordination!”

  “Y-yes sir,” the guard struggled to reply while making way to grant our angered party’s access. The secret meeting was to be held in the headquarters bivouac and Eumenes stormed toward its location like a fiery bolt shot from a siege engine. We arrived at the headquarters tent to find it filled to capacity with the entire officer corps of the Silver Shields, as well as several unfamiliar faces who were clearly outside partisans. Our bodyguards pushed aside the two guards protecting the entrance and General Eumenes burst into the assembly.

  “Forgive my tardiness gentlemen; I was only alerted to our meeting moments ago!” A stunned hush fell upon all gathered.

  “General Eumenes, this is a closed meeting to the officers of the Silver Shields,” General Teutamus interjected, breaking the silence.

  “Yes Teutamus, and what might we be discussing so late in the evening? Certainly this special envoy will desire an audience with this army’s Commander in Chief?” Eumenes replied antagonistically while pointing to the foreign delegation seated together in front of the officers assembled. “And what news do they bring? News from Ptolemy in Egypt? Cassander in Europe? Perhaps correspondence from the outlaw Antigonus who marches toward this very army as we speak? An army, I might add, that fights in the name of the Argead Kings as expressed in this official document I hold in my hand, signed in the hand of King Philip III himself!”

  Eumenes had by now made his way to the front of the assembly holding his precious Declaration of The Kings, and turned toward the foreign contingent who sat statuesque, none daring to move or say a word to further enrage our leader. The confidence in his demeanor and the sting in his rebuke were so complete that even the Silver Shields’ leadership dare not interrupt his tirade despite some being ten and twenty years his senior.

  “I have shown the document which I hold out in the open, signed and sealed by the very Kings we here claim to defend. And what do my silent envoys bring to read before this audience of distinguished officers?” Eumenes asked rhetorically as he approached one of the partisans and violently ripped a rolled-up scroll from his hands. “Please, allow me to read aloud to all present.” Eumenes then opened the document and turned toward the congress of officers:

  ‘To Generals Antigenes and Teutamus, Commanders of the invincible Silver Shields. I, General Antigonus, commander of the largest standing army in the world, bid you tidings of friendship and amity. Let not events out of our control make enemies of one another, for we are all born of Macedon and yearn for our country’s continued glory in the wake of the death of Alexander. For it was through treachery that Antipater’s Regency was usurped by the fiend Polyp
erchon and his foreign conspirator, Eumenes the Cardian.

  The triumphs of the Silver Shields are known throughout the whole world and you have served Macedon admirably. Pledge your allegiance to me and you will be rewarded with vast sums of silver and the apportionment of many satrapies. This extension of friendship is not open ended however; for if you have not abandoned your impostor general before our two armies shall meet, I will regard the Silver Shields as a rebel force and mortal enemy of Macedon that must be destroyed. Do not sully your hard-earned reputation by throwing your lot behind an impostor not of our country.’

  None dared speak at the conclusion of Eumenes’ recitation of Antigonus’ letter. He then used the intelligence provided him by Mara to make his case. “Well, there you have it gentlemen. Antigonus has presented a stark choice that I command be decided before the conclusion of this assembly. Will you choose the sixty-year-old Macedonian who did not accompany you and Alexander to Asia and who has so brazenly challenged the legitimacy of The Kings? A man who attempts intimidation of such a storied force while at the same time speaking of amity? Or will you choose the man standing before you, Eumenes of Cardia, General of Asia as declared by King Philip III? Macedonian blood does not flow through my veins and I have no designs on ascending the Macedonian throne. Is it not better to serve under a Commander with such benevolent intent as to make the empire safe for the rightful heirs to Alexander’s throne? Or do you wish to serve a master who schemes to usurp the throne for himself and eliminate any threat to his regime once he has attained power? Do you believe he has forgotten your brief declaration for Queen Adea in Triparadeisus?”

  Eumenes’ argument clearly held the day but the room remained silent and unwilling to openly commit either way. Sensing more needed to be done, Eumenes became bolder and turned to General Antigenes who had been sitting quietly up until this point. “General Antigenes. You have earned your position of command through impressive ability and skilled leadership. I have been proud to call you ally in the few months we have worked together and feel I have done nothing to cause anyone to question my competence or capacity to defeat our combined enemies. I now call on you to choose the man the Silver Shields will follow, here and now in the presence of these honorable officers and cowardly envoys assembled.”