By the Sword

by Christian Kachel

  “I could live here,” I joked.

  “Not bad is it? Wait till we arrive in Triparadeisus. Maybe one day you’ll see Babylon.” During our lethargic conversation I noticed Vettias kept looking at the establishment’s working girls, as if evaluating which one to bed tonight.

  “More women?” I asked surprised.

  “If I call one over here just play along and mind your tongue,” were his instructions. “Hmm, what do you think of that one?” Vettias asked, looking at a beauty with foreign features.

  “I think she’s beautiful, but another woman? Right now?”

  “Not for what you think. In fact, if she passes her audition, I can change her life for the better.” This last statement was strange and cryptic, even for Vettias. He told me to play along, however, so I kept my mouth shut and awaited the night’s next lesson, or surprise. I now made a concerted effort to remove the sated grin from my face that I’m sure was a constant reminder to Vettias of just how unsophisticated I still was. Vettias mulled his decision for several more minutes, looking at the beauty with an inquisitive eye until finally getting her attention and calling her to our table.

  “Good evening, my lady.” Vettias greeted with his familiar charm, honed by years of replaying this very moment countless times.

  “Hello gentlemen. How may I be of service tonight?” she replied with forced warmth.

  “Well, probably not in the way you are assuming,” Vettias answered, which brought an expression of annoyance from our table guest as she immediately ceased regarding us as possible paying customers. Someone like her working in a city like this was no country whore willing to hang on Vettias’ every word. She had no doubt seen countless men of Vettias’ eloquence and prominence, perhaps many who could be deemed more impressive. As it looked like she was getting up to find more lucrative prospects, Vettias quickly halted her, holding several coins in his hand. “Of course I am willing to reimburse you for your time with us.” Her annoyance only half subsided as she changed attitudes and put on her artificial charm once again.

  “And what do you have in mind?”

  “I would like to make your acquaintance if you have the time. What is your name my lady?”

  “Mara.”

  “And from where do you hail? Your features are not from Cilicia.”

  “I am a Scythian, taken as a slave by the Greek conquests. My family was nomadic so I do not hail from any one place except far north of here.” Her hair was light brown, not quite blond and her skin was a dark honey from years of sun. She was from good stock with ample curves, green eyes, and above-average height. Up until The Fair Peach, I would have thought her the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. As I listened to the conversation unfold, I was impressed with the confident way she carried herself, despite being younger than me. Her bearing succeeded in causing me to divert my eyes every time she looked in my direction.

  “How long have you been here?” Vettias asked in a concerned voice.

  “Here? About two years,” She responded coldly. “Other places about one year.”

  “Yet none have succeeded in breaking your spirit; that much is quite evident.” Mara afforded Vettias the slightest of smiles. On this point she was certainly in agreement with Vettias’ assessment.

  “My nephew and I are merchants travelling to parts east and south on business. I am always looking for information on potential buyers and sellers of my wares and thus am willing to reward any who may help me in this regard. My nephew and I are not political animals; however, the change in tides also washes new clients ashore. By now you’ve no doubt heard of Lord Regent Perdiccas’ defeat and the new Regency of the Kings. Since there is a royal treasury in Tarsus, I wonder who has been recently washed up in this wave of change?” Mara looked a little puzzled by Vettias’ ambiguous question. “What I mean to ask is have there been new faces arriving in town on official business? Members of the new royal retinue? Surely powerful and important men like that would find their way to an upscale establishment such as this.”

  “There have been new men with authority as of late. They are frequent patrons. They are sitting in the far back corner.”

  “And have you known them since they’ve arrived?” Vettias asked.

  “The two on the left, yes, on separate occasions.”

  “And did they speak to you about their current positions?” Vettias continued, passing more coins into Mara’s hand.

  “One is the new administer of the treasury; he claimed his predecessor was appointed by Perdiccas and thus had him executed. The other did not speak much but was clearly an experienced lover.” Vettias casually looked in the direction of the men in question and glanced curiously at the quiet one with almost a look of recognition. Since I was facing their table I had a natural view and began inconspicuously studying their faces once identified to us as being of some importance. The quiet one held the same unassuming, confident attitude I had admired in Vettias. He had dark features with a noticeable mark on his face, just left of his nose. My attention in him waned as Vettias continued our conversation with Mara.

  “So is this really all you desire of me? I grow tired of these questions.”

  “Why so eager to run off to someone less inviting than I? Us sitting here affords you time away from lustful strangers uninterested in casual conversation.”

  “I am positioning myself to gain the favour of my owner, working hard and making money is the way to do that. Sitting around collecting a small handful of coins with pompous asses is not.”

  “And here I thought I was speaking to someone a little more worldly,” Vettias retorted. I had been around him long enough to know when he intentionally makes a provocative statement to catch his target off guard and momentarily glimpse into their true persona.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Mara fired back. It was apparent she didn’t suffer fools kindly, thus she considered Vettias’ charge of naiveté a direct insult.

  “Well, there’s nothing stopping you from killing your owner in his sleep and making your way north this very night, is there? But of course to do so without support would be a fool’s errand, since you would not survive such a difficult journey on your own through Greek territory for long. At least here you have reasonable accommodations and the off chance of meeting nice men like myself and my nephew here.”

  “Of course I know all this,” Mara sneered, but Vettias cut her off.

  “You’re also too smart to set your hopes on convincing some client who walks through the door to fall in love with you and take you far away from here. Maybe set you up in your own apartment, maybe even marriage. Yet you wish to become the favourite of your owner? Become his best earner? Perhaps pretend to enjoy the times he forces himself on you to gain his trust? Men like him don’t care about you and will squeeze as much value out of you before selling you to the next lecher who offers good money. An upscale brothel such as this must see pretty new faces in here all the time, and there are only so many rooms in this establishment. One day it will be your turn to make way for the next scared Scythian girl to begin her life of misery within these walls.”

  “How dare you talk to me like that!” Mara hissed, keeping her voice just low enough to not be heard by any other employees. “You think you can throw a few coins at me so I’ll sit here and be insulted? I’ll have the guards beat you from this place. Go down a few blocks to some rotted-out hole where you can rent a rotted-out whore who’ll be impressed with your empty flatteries. I’ll make enough money tonight to buy your nephew if I wanted to. And here you are claiming to be one of the nice ones. I’d rather spend my evening with some fat slob who pays the bill than an arrogant prick like you.” Mara turned to leave but Vettias firmly held her hand.

  “Forgive me for speaking so bluntly, but someone who clearly can deliver harsh truths should be able to hear them- especially from someone like myself who has summoned you to our table to make you an offer I know you’ll be interested in. I only mean to get your blood up so you rememb
er how upset you are with your current lot when considering what I have to say. My tact was admittedly rude but since we have only just met I misgauged the exuberant fire that exists behind your cold façade- a trait that makes my decision to speak with you all the wiser.” Mara sat back down and lowered her voice.

  “So are we going to talk plainly or are you going to keep speaking in eloquent circles like some emasculated eunuch in a Persian palace?”

  “Very good my dear, you seem to have an aptitude for understanding people. As I said earlier, our trade relies on the gathering of information, especially from powerful men. We are travelling to a place where there will be many powerful men with valuable secrets which I need to further my business interests. You are in no danger of leaving this place any time soon. Would you be willing to continue your loathed profession for a few more weeks under my care in order to gain full escape from slavery and help reaching your homeland?”

  “You Greeks and your homelands. My family and most of my clan were murdered. The rest sold into slavery. We don’t live in cities like you comfortable Greeks. Greeks ensured I will never have a homeland to return to. What have you imagined in that arrogant head of yours, I jump into your lap like some grateful dog because you’re going to take me to the wild northern regions of Scythia? The first tribe that comes across me will make me a slave in the same way I am here, except I won’t be wearing eastern silks. At least the majority of the clientele here bathes on a somewhat regular basis.” I could tell Mara’s unimpressed response took Vettias by surprise and he struggled to maintain control of his target and the conversation.

  “So you’d rather stay here?”

  “Just as you so pompously put it earlier, what prospects do I have on my own?”

  “What if I could guarantee your protection for as long as it’s required in return for your help over these next few weeks? After that time you will have my personal pledge of security and a respite from having to sell your body again. This is that chance that never comes. This is the scenario all young prostitutes dream of and all experienced ones won’t allow themselves to dream of anymore.”

  “You sure think me naïve to risk my life with so little information being provided to me! How do I know you’re not some slave trader looking to steal a pretty girl for cheap and sell me out to eastern pimps who won’t treat me half as good as here?”

  “You don’t,” Vettias answered frankly. “But I’m not here to swindle you or kidnap you against your will. I am simply going to provide you a time and place where my nephew and I will be waiting should you choose to join us. If not, we will continue on our journey without you.”

  “And where exactly would you be taking me?”

  “I am sorry my dear, I can’t tell you that until I know you’ve committed to joining us. If you appear at the agreed meeting place, all will be revealed to you. I thank you for your time and will let you get back to your work. I hope you have already laid a foundation of good will with your employer, you may need to use all of it to steal away at the appointed hour. Shall I tell you where we will be?” Vettias had done a good job recovering from his intentional provocations and made a good sell to the woman at the end using hurried assessments about her motivations and vulnerabilities.

  Mara was quiet as I watched her ponder the myriad of angles Vettias’ offer entailed and the number of schemes it would require from her end to be successful. In the end, the essence of Vettias’ offer was too enticing for a woman such as Mara, who thought herself above her current circumstances which she was not born into. She leaned closer to Vettias with a hushed tone “Alright, where will you be?”

  *

  The next morning I stood at the fountain where the red scarf beckoned me at dawn, only to find myself alone despite the location being closer to Vettias’ room. The rising sun cast long shadows down the small square creating dark abysses where alleys jutted out from the road. No one stirred at so early an hour and after a few minutes I spotted Vettias turning a corner, emerging from the shadows with our two mounts in tow.

  “No sign yet?” Vettias asked.

  “Nothing. Do you think she’ll show?”

  “She’d be a fool not to,” he opined as he let out a sigh and lounged against the fountain, closing his eyes. “She’ll also build up your confidence around beautiful women. You haven’t come across many in your life, and it showed these past couple days. They’ll be more of them in Triparadeisus so try not to look like a dirt farmer in their presence. Keep an eye out.”

  “Do you intend to guarantee her security if she helps us?”

  “If we survive the ordeal and make it back to Eumenes’ camp, she will never be told who sleeps with her again. There will be thousands of men she can wrap around her finger in the army,” Vettias answered with his eyes still closed. “Maybe it could be you.”

  “How long will we wait?” I asked, ignoring his last comment.

  “Until the streets begin to fill.”

  “That will be in the next half hour. If she arrives after we depart, she will be in serious danger.”

  “We can’t worry about that. If she manages to escape, any pursuers will no doubt think she fled north. If she is seen leaving with us to the south, our chances of getting to Triparadeisus without incident are lowered. She knows when and where she is to meet us. Her safety is subordinate to our charge of protecting the Argead line.”

  The sun continued creeping upwards when I saw a shadowy silhouette emerge from a dim alley like a bit of black matter had been released and instantly emitted colour once free of its dark grasp. It was Mara wearing a dingy grey shoal over her head and carrying a small leather pouch. She materialized out of the alley to see us standing at the prearranged location and quickly made her way towards us with a look of anxious determination. There would be no turning back for Mara now, and she had just put her life in the hands of strangers. I jostled Vettias out of a half-conscious state and the two of us mounted our horses. Vettias motioned for her to mount his horse and the three of us made a direct line towards the city’s southern gate, which was intentionally not far from our location.

  “Good morning my lady,” greeted Vettias. “Keep your shoal on until we clear the surrounding farms. We’ll procure you a horse then.”

  Chapter 24

  Our first few nights were spent avoiding towns or inns and making camp away from the road with low, shielded fires. Vettias made several mild efforts to engage Mara in conversation during these first couple days but did not find a willing participant. She kept to herself, ate little, and spoke even less. Her riding skills surpassed my own from years of hard nomadic life. The third day brought us out through the Cilician Gates mountain pass to the Pinarus River.

  “You know where we are boy? Do you know this hallowed ground your mount now walks?” Vettias asked condescendingly. His question made me realize I hadn’t known where I was since I left Sardis.

  “No,” I answered.

  “This is the Issus Plain. That is the Pinarus River. I was here over ten years ago with Alexander’s army. This battle cut off Darius from the sea and cleared the way for our march on Phoenicia and Egypt, laying the groundwork for the epic final battle at Gaugamela. I remember the weather being brisk and unseasonably cold for the region. Darius had already killed or mutilated our sick and wounded at the town of Issus and positioned himself in between our army and our supply train by the time our two forces met at this river. Parmenion commanded the left wing, Craterus the middle. Alexander led the Companion Cavalry on the right. Ptolemy, Perdiccas, and Coenus, all commanded regiments while Nicanor, son of Parmenion, commanded the Silver Shields.”

  “The phalanx did not play a decisive role in the initial fighting, thus I was able to observe the actions of Alexander as I describe them to you now. Darius began with a full cavalry charge against Parmenion’s left flank of allied cavalry. Our left held their ground while Alexander personally led the Silver Shields on foot to make a direct attack on the Persian infantry. He succeeded in
punching a hole through their line and mounted Bucephalus to lead the Companion Cavalry on our right flank straight at Darius and his entourage of bodyguards. It was at this time our phalanx joined with Darius’ Greek mercenaries in the centre of the line. They fought well and blunted the momentum gained from Alexander’s assault. Darius fled in the face of Alexander’s charge and was pursued mercilessly by our cavalry, with Alexander at its head. His audacious pursuit proved too ambitious, however, and the Persian’s Greek mercenaries proved too obstinate. Alexander’s departure enabled the remaining enemy to gain the upper hand and he was forced to break off his chase and come to our aid. The Companion Cavalry eventually returned and smashed into the rear of our Greek mercenary foes, causing their lines to collapse and flee in full route. Our cavalry bore down on them for the remaining hours of sunlight and mass carnage ensued.”

  Mara had remained quiet but listened attentively to Vettias’ narration. As the story progressed, her expression became increasingly disturbed, until Vettias’ proud retelling of the battle’s aftermath appeared to bring her to near tears. “You men and your glory!” she blurted out uncontrollably. “What does it accomplish? The conquered trade one tyrant for another. Families of your defeated ripped apart, violated, murdered or sold into slavery. Dying would have been better than my fate after Greek soldiers occupying Armenia invaded north into our native lands, burning our possessions, killing our men and boys, raping and enslaving our women and children.”