Gull extended his hand and accepted our offer. Davos proceeded to inform him of the exact day and time our foursome would arrive at the docks. “We’ll be arriving in the evening. And when we board, we sail, so make sure she is ready for an evening departure.”
Gull nodded and we took our leave. We laid low the rest of the week and met with Sotirus on the prescribed day to ensure he wasn’t having second thoughts. He was a simple man who didn’t comprehend the web of intrigue he agreed to be a part of. It was to our benefit he didn’t think too much of our seemingly innocuous request and we purposely kept our conversations light with him. As long as we plied him with wine and covered the cost of dinner, he seemed content to entertain his two new strange friends. With our means of entry to the fortress and escape from Amphipolis secured, our plan was ready to be executed on the next delivery of provisions.
CHAPTER 38
Dawn broke on the day of our plot and I descended to my lodging’s galley to find Davos finishing a bowl of porridge. I silently took a seat beside him and nodded in greeting. He returned my salutation and we both sat quietly as I ate my portion. When I finished, we settled with the proprietor, transferred contingency ownership of our horses to him in the event we were successful, collected our things and made our way to the docks. We stowed our belongings with Gull and departed for the meeting location with Sotirus.
We were two hours ahead of schedule and waited across from the small storefront for our wagon to arrive. It began to drizzle which turned the small dirt road into a wet slick. Sotirus arrived at the prescribed hour and stopped the supply-laden cart in front of the designated storefront. Davos entered the building after Sotirus to make payment while I remained across the street waiting for an opportune moment to get under the wagon. Davos emerged first and walked back toward me. Sotirus then exited with a purchased item and returned to the wagon. His partner then entered the storefront and Sotirus signaled it was time. Davos and I sprinted toward the rear of the wagon and went head-first into the undercarriage where Sotirus had fastened several wooden slats that allowed us to lay horizontally above the road.
After several minutes, we heard Sotirus’ partner return and the mule was coaxed forward. It took about a half-hour to reach the summit of the acropolis before coming to a stop at the castle entrance. I heard Zenon’s voice as the gate was opened and our wagon lurched forward to enter the fortress grounds while maneuvering to the back galley entrance. The cart came to a halt and strange accents speaking a strange language could now be heard around us. I could see dark-skinned bare feet, dirty from the wet mud, moving back and forth as they quickly unloaded the wagon’s contents. I noticed Zenon’s uniform sandals standing directly next to the cart. I turned my head to avoid breathing on his bare leg as he offloaded the Argeads’ personal items.
The activity tapered off until no voices could be heard near the wagon. After another minute, Sotirus gave us the signal and we dropped to the ground and rolled out from under the wagon. We frantically looked around to gain our bearing. Sotirus was standing alone and pointed to a small alley next to the galley entrance. Davos and I sprinted to the corridor and hid in the shadow engulfing it, behind a small stone wall. Zenon exited the galley with Sotirus’ partner and ordered the wagon to depart. We watched as Sotirus and Zenon passed through the fortress gate and closed it behind them.
“We’ll stay here until nightfall,” Davos whispered. “If anyone comes upon us, we must kill them quickly and quietly.”
I nodded as we settled in behind the stone wall for several hours until dark. The castle grounds were eerily silent as none exited the bastion and no noises could be heard emanating from within. As dusk fell on the acropolis, Davos and I bided our time for another two hours before slowly creeping to the galley door. It was locked by an old latch that Davos quickly disabled with Vettias’ lock disassembly kit.
We entered the galley and stood motionless to take in the surroundings and acclimatise ourselves to the environment. The galley was dark and it took several moments for our eyes to adjust. It was a cold, stone room, devoid of any signs of frequent use. We skulked through the servant pantries into the empty and dank main entrance hall. I couldn’t believe such a dreary keep was the home to the widow and son of our God-King.
There were two Indian sentries standing at the reinforced doors of the main entrance hall. Since our mission required stealth, we bypassed the hall and found a servant’s staircase previously identified to us by Zenon. On the second floor, another two Indians stood at the entrance to a spiral staircase leading to the royal suites within the fortress tower. They could not be bypassed without confrontation, so Davos and I snuck into favorable positions and each hurled a throwing knife into their hearts. As the projectiles slammed through their bare chests, we quietly rushed them to open their throats while smothering their mouths. We cradled their lifeless bodies as they sank to the floor, then hoisted the corpses over our shoulders and brought them with us up the tower’s spiral stairs.
At the top of the staircase was a strong oak door that was locked from the outside. We quietly unlatched it and entered the Royal apartments. We carefully dropped the two corpses and found ourselves in a foyer leading to three closed doors. Davos moved to the closest and gave a specific knock that he had outlined in his message to Rhoxane. We waited for a minute but heard nothing stir from within. We moved to the second and gave the arranged knock. After several moments we heard movement on the other side. Davos and I looked at each other as I clasped the hilt of my sword. The door slowly opened inward and we found ourselves standing face-to-face with Rhoxane of Bactria, widow of Alexander the Great.
Davos and I instinctively dropped to a knee and bowed our heads. Davos spoke first, “My lady, I am Davos of Philippi. I had a message delivered to you several weeks ago. This is Andrikos of Ilandra. We have taken a solemn oath, administered by men who served directly with your late husband, to protect the Argead family and ensure their rightful place on the Macedonian throne. We have come to rescue you and your son from your sequester and bring you under the protection of General Antigonus, Lord of Asia. All has been arranged for our escape this evening. May we enter your chamber for a moment?”
Rhoxane remained silent as she examined the two strangers at her chamber door. She looked past us to see the two dead Indians. “Move those two into the dark corner over there. I don’t want my son seeing them. Come in.”
Her quarters were more comfortable than the cold stone interior of the castle. As we entered, Rhoxane called out: “It’s alright Alexander. You can come out.” From a closet, in a dim corner of the room, emerged Alexander IV, the King of the Macedonian Empire.
“Who is it, mommy?”
“These are men who knew your father, darling. I want you to sit in your room for a moment while I talk to them, please.”
“Yes, mother.” He wore a white silk sleeping robe, with his golden-brown hair resting on his shoulders. He was relatively slight in stature compared to other eight-year-old boys and had paler skin than I remembered in Pella. Rhoxane motioned for us to sit on a couch while she hugged her son and saw him off to his quarters. She wore a green silk robe and her thick, black hair was let down. Her natural beauty was striking despite standing in a dimly lit room with no make-up. She locked her chamber door and took a seat on a plush chair opposite us.
“You Greeks and your devotion to my husband. Alexander’s grandmother, Olympias, was all too willing to believe your delusions of salvaging what he had conquered. Polyperchon sent us a message during the siege of Pydna and when she went down to the docks to meet him, Cassander was waiting. She was taken shortly thereafter and murdered while Alexander and I languish in this prison. And now you two come here in the dark of night, thinking you will rescue us from our incarceration and sit my eight-year-old old son on his father’s golden throne?”
Rhoxane had a noticeable eastern accent, yet spoke impeccable Athenian Greek with an aristocratic flourish. Her cynicism took Davos aback but he coll
ected himself and pushed on to make his case.
“My lady, this is likely your only chance to flee your capture and save the life of your son. Trust me when I tell you there are armies ready to fight on his behalf; and there is group of men, bound by a sacred oath, who are willing to die to ensure your safety. I implore you to take this chance. Come with us to Asia and sit at the head of General Antigonus’ army. It is young Alexander’s destiny to inherit his father’s Empire and he has lost valuable time locked away in this dungeon. Once you are in the safety of General Antigonus you will be surrounded by men who served with and loved your husband. You and your son will never feel in danger again.”
“You were right to message me last month. Since then, I’ve thought long and hard on its authenticity, whether I would open the door or alert the guards if and when I heard a knock at my chamber. Had it not been for my son, you two would be standing in front of a locked door with a troop of castle guards at your back. But this internment has been terrible for him – there is no joy in this place and he is losing his innocence with each new day held captive here. He has led a life no child deserves and if there is a chance to bring him happiness, I am willing to take it.”
“I thank you, my lady. Now, are you aware of the guard rotations at night? Do you know of a preferred time to make our escape this evening?”
“The Indians work three shifts per day. The evening shift should have just started about an hour ago. Now is the best time to depart. Allow me a quarter-hour to get our things together.”
“Certainly. There is one other issue to keep in mind, however. If we are thwarted or otherwise caught in any way between now and our journey to Asia, it is imperative you assume the role of victim and accuse us of kidnapping the both of you.”
Rhoxane nodded her understanding, got up and entered Alexander’s room to collect a number of his items into a sack. She then packed some of her personal belongings and the four of us made ready to depart. Alexander had a worried and scared expression, so I knelt down to console him.
“Your father was a great man and we serve him faithfully still. The safety of you and your mother is our paramount concern. I swear no harm will come to you. We’re here to rescue you and your mother from this place and bring you to others who fight on behalf of your father. You will soon lead these men and we will serve you faithfully as well. Do you understand?”
Alexander hesitantly nodded his head.
“All right, son. Stay close to your mother. Follow us.”
Our party stepped quietly down the spiral staircase of the tower and utilized the servant stairs leading to the back of the entrance hall. The two Indians standing watch in the main foyer were focusing their attention forward – allowing us to sneak back to the galley. As we entered the dark, narrow space, I saw an object moving at the far end of the galley near the rear exit. When we came closer, I could make out the white loincloth of an Indian sentry and immediately threw a knife at him. The blade slammed into his shoulder and the man let out a wince of pain. Davos and I both sprinted toward him and stabbed him multiple times while smothering his mouth. I quickly ushered Rhoxane and Alexander into a back pantry while Davos and I dragged the body in after them.
The four of us waited in the pantry for several terrifying minutes with the corpse as Davos and I peered out into the galley to ensure no one heard the Indian’s muted expletives. Alexander stared down at the dead Indian with a look of sad curiosity. Rhoxane was right, this was no life for a young boy and I was resolved now more than ever to ensure we brought him to a better environment. When Davos and I were satisfied no other sentry would enter the galley, we hid the corpse as best we could and led the Argeads out the galley door where we found ourselves in the fortress grounds under the dark, still night.
Davos instructed Rhoxane to remain with Alexander in the corridor behind the galley entrance while we used the stairs on the inside of the wall to climb atop the fortifications and look down on the two Macedonian sentries posted at the gate. Davos produced Vettias’ collapsible bow and loosed an arrow through the neck of one of the sentries. Davos’ victim let out a gurgled scream onto the empty acropolis as his napping partner lept to his feet and looked in every direction, except above him, to spot the mystery assailant. Davos loosed another arrow through the second sentry’s chest, followed by two more in rapid succession, dropping him to the ground. We made our way down the interior stairs and quietly unlocked the gate from the inside. I stabbed both sentries to hasten their deaths and dragged their corpses into the fortress grounds, dropping them in an obscure alcove on the side of the bastion. I then signaled to Rhoxane to come with Alexander and the four of us made our escape while closing the fortress gate behind us.
We jogged down the short path from the acropolis to the city proper and navigated several side streets until we arrived at the docks. Thankfully, Gull was obediently waiting on the deck of his ship with his crew assembled. Davos and I calmly helped Rhoxane and Alexander onto the vessel and paid Gull the two hundred and fifty drachmas promised him at the outset. The crew cast off the bulkhead and the ship slowly made its way out of port down the Strymon River under the pale moonlight.
Gull showed Rhoxane and Alexander their berth where they made ready to sleep the rest of the evening. I watched as she lovingly made up the bed for her son, tucked him in and laid next to him while he held her closely. This image was both heartening and sad in that she was all the boy had and I feared his time spent sequestered in Amphipolis was stunting his maturity. I bid them goodnight and joined Davos on the bow of the ship which gently bobbed up and down in the overcast night’s sky.
“Glaucias is going to erupt tomorrow when our little operation is discovered,” I stated, looking out onto the dark horizon.
“Cassander will keep the incident quiet for now. He will mobilize all land forces under his command in eastern Macedon to find us, however. He won’t want this information known until he has either recovered the Argeads or can confirm who has them. He’ll also send word to Lysimachus who’s bound to deploy his naval forces as well. We’re not out of this yet.”
“And what if we are intercepted by the navy?” I asked.
“You and I are swimming to shore. Rhoxane will claim she was kidnapped – she appears capable of selling that ruse. Gull will be taken captive for questioning; the crew will most likely be killed and the ship burned. No doubt the Argeads will be brought back to Amphipolis under heavy garrison in addition to the company of savages. The only chance to rescue them at that point is for Antigonus to defeat his enemies and take control of Macedon.”
We stood at the bow for another hour, silently watching the faint lights of Amphipolis grow dimmer and dimmer behind us before we took up our berths for the evening.
CHAPTER 39
We sailed through the night and I woke the next morning to find Rhoxane and Alexander on deck, looking out over the vast Aegean Sea. Alexander was running from one end of the ship to the other, pulling on ropes, jumping on rails – acting just like an eight-year-old boy. Rhoxane stood at the bow, watching her son enjoy his youth, no doubt contemplating what the future held for the both of them. I stood next to her, quietly waiting for her to acknowledge me.
“Do you and your companion really intend to take us to a place where he’ll be better off? Does Antigonus revere his father the way you two do?”
“Anywhere you are not under the control of Cassander is better than your previous lot. As for your second question, the answer is no. The Lord of Asia cares little about anyone but his own legacy; but as events have unfolded, our organization now serves within his staff and will ensure you are well looked after while influencing the general to honor the oaths he swore to your husband. It is the best chance Alexander will have to inherit his father’s throne.”
“And is assuming the throne even in his interest anymore? What is more important to your group of sworn defenders? Is it his life – or that he occupies the throne?”
“Ultimately, his life, my
lady. But the son of Alexander could never lead a normal life. He alone can end the wars of succession between his remaining generals. He alone can bring peace to this world. This is the hope not only of a devout protector of the Argead House but of a father and husband who wants to return home and raise his son in peace.”
“And what happens when our enemies find this ship, discover that we are stowed away on it?”
“I will be straightforward with you, my lady. You will tell them you and your son were kidnapped and the perpetrators have already fled. Davos and I will have taken our leave before they ever board.”
“And what will happen to us? Thrown back into that cold dungeon, only this time under more security – ensuring my son never sees the light of day again?”
“If it comes to that, know the armies of general Antigonus are making strides to defeat Cassander, and when they are successful, you and Alexander will be freed. Unfortunately that is all we can promise, my lady.”
I remained with Alexander’s widow in the bright morning sun, looking out onto the deck of the ship, watching the king of the known world playing with all manner of maritime objects and attacking the crew with a small plank he was using as a pretend sword. Davos soon emerged from his berth and joined us on the bow as well. Several vessels passed us that first morning, each putting the three of us on edge. At noon, we pulled into a small fishing village so the crew could rest after their eighteen-hour stretch at sea. Davos was content that we had traveled far enough from Amphipolis to dock and agreed to the crew disembarking. The four of us remained on board for fear of being remembered by a local townsman who might later be questioned by Cassander’s forces.
The crew fell asleep by dusk and I sat with Alexander on the stern of the ship with two of the crew’s fishing poles to try and provide some adult male attention that he had been deprived of over the past years in captivity. After showing him how to bait and weigh down the hook, we cast our lines into the glassy water.
World on Fire Page 31
