By the Sword

by Christian Kachel

  “My Queen, I have sworn an oath in the presence of your own cousin, Alexander, to protect the Argead line after his death...”

  “Yes, the man responsible for the murder of my father,” Adea quickly interrupted again. “I am not naïve enough to shun Alexander because of what he felt he had to do many years ago. The Fates have seen it fit to inexorably entwine our paths so that my only chance for survival is to embrace his blood and side with the faction who wishes to see it continue on the Macedonian throne. That is why I have summoned you here Vettias. Ponteus from Perdiccas’ battle staff informed me of your allegiance to the Argead cause and your army’s defiance of Alexander’s self-appointed successors. I need allies who can move freely outside these walls to coordinate the several factions that share your commitment to our cause and can overthrow these pretenders before Antipater arrives within the next few days. Are you such an ally?”

  “My Queen, I am at your disposal. Peithon and Arrhidaeus have served Macedon well but have not earned the honour, as you have through your birthright and marriage, to control the Argead Kings. Those that serve the Argead blood have already been working on your behalf to uncover the identities of a secretive organization intent on eradicating the Argead line from this world. We plan on striking a blow to this nefarious group tonight in preparation for you to make your plea of sovereignty over the Argead Kings tomorrow morning before the amenable ears of the Silver Shields and remaining Perdiccan supporters. Winning their support will ensure a majority of the main army follows in proclaiming you Protectorate to the Kings.”

  “Antipater wishes to take control of Alexander IV and my idiot husband with impunity at the conclusion of this summit. He will learn there is still a member of the royal Argead family willing to stand between him and lay claim to her heritage. Tell me the plans you have made ready and the role in which I am to play.”

  “My Queen, before this meeting I would be hesitant in making this recommendation, but having had the pleasure of witnessing your grace, determination, and intelligence, I feel making a petition directly to the army may be our best course.”

  “A woman to stand in front of a Macedonian army to address them? Such a thing is unheard of in our traditions.”

  “Such an action would add further weight to the importance of our cause. You share the blood of Alexander, you are married to his half-brother, you have the support of the Macedonian regulars, and you have the command presence of a man far older then you. You of all people in this world can stand in front of the army tomorrow and make this case.”

  “And if I fail?”

  “Then you are in only a slightly more disadvantageous position then you are now. Antipater will still be made your caretaker, except now your true intent would have been exposed. Would you be willing to risk that small inconvenience in return for the possibility of ridding yourself from the charge of men who do not have your best interest at heart? To be free to make decisions on your own?”

  “You serve your masters well Vettias and have made a compelling argument for bold action. I will choose my words this evening and deliver my argument tomorrow morning.”

  “I am your humble servant my Queen, however I have one last request. Several actions needed to be taken on your behalf will require the weight of the royal retinue, and I ask that I may be given a royal insignia, to be presented sparingly, when my low status or guise do not grant me access to important people or places. All care will be made to ensure your involvement remains unknown.”

  “Very well. My bodyguard will provide you with one as you depart. I trust you will be careful not to unnecessarily expose me in any plotting.”

  “You have my word. It will be used only as a last resort. And your faithful attendant, the one we met in the palace’s central gardens. Can you have her in the same place, at the same time, every day, from now until the completion of the summit? This will be our way of communicating.”

  “Agreed.”

  Vettias and the Queen discussed the next steps to be taken that evening and tomorrow morning. At the conclusion of the meeting, Queen Adea instructed her royal bodyguards to see us out through another set of little-used passages to ensure we would not be seen exiting her chambers. We departed the palace through a discreet side door and hurriedly made our way through the servants’ quarters in the direction of the Silver Shields’ encampment.

  Chapter 30

  “I need to change out of these rags before our next meeting,” Vettias announced.

  “And who are we to meet with?” I asked.

  “We will seek out this Hyllos and compel him to garner support amongst his trusted officers in preparation for the Queen’s speech tomorrow. We only have a short amount of time, however, since we will need to be off the streets when Davos conducts his purge of known operatives of Orontes.”

  Vettias darted behind a row of tents to discard his slave garb and don a more respectable tunic. As we walked through army bivouacs I observed familiar menial tasks and idle conversations conducted by the soldiers, which made me think of Stephanos and our lochos. I assumed he would be the most respected of them by now and longed to sit beside him at our campfire once again.

  Passing the last taxis bivouac of the regular army, I saw an imposing separate encampment of tents with thousands of polished shields glimmering in the fleeting dusk light. A large banner preceded this line of iron and bronze, proudly displaying the Silver Shields’ insignia accompanied by several attached ribbons identifying the many battles where they had been victorious. Unlike the disjointed encampment of the main army, The Silver Shields’ entrance was guarded by two older yet imposing soldiers.

  “You go up to them and claim you are couriering a message to Hyllos,” Vettias instructed while handing me the small parchment with Mara’s handwriting. This should get him moving and we’ll wait nearby to intercept him. I don’t want to use the royal insignia just yet.”

  I did as instructed, prompting one of the imposing brutes guarding the entrance to depart and deliver the message. Vettias and I sat near a tree under cover of darkness close to the encampment with a good view of anyone entering or leaving.

  “Do you think he’ll come?” I asked.

  “If his lust is how Mara describes he will. That hint of perfume should set him to purpose. The content of the letter is also innocuous- if it is read by someone before it reaches him, no portion of our intent can be gleaned.”

  “And the Queen, do you really think she will win over the army tomorrow? A girl in her late teens addressing a Macedonian Phalanx is unheard of.”

  “She’s not just any girl and will need no introduction with this crowd. Listen, our odds coming here were never high. General Eumenes knew this, which is why he sent me. Best scenario- Adea is successful tomorrow and takes a more prominent role in the affairs of the Kings ahead of Antipater’s arrival. We will then have an ally within the royal family who will designate Eumenes as Royal General of the Kings, perhaps even Regent. Worst scenario- she fails, Antipater arrives, declares Eumenes enemy of the Kings and takes the Argeads under his protection back to Macedon. The latter potentiality is more likely, in my honest assessment. Even if this were to transpire, at least we would have succeeded in sowing dissention between the royal family and Antipater- albeit at the expense of the Queen. But she is merely a means to the end- the eventual succession of Alexander IV, the legitimate son, is the overall goal. Either way, we will fight on. What are your thoughts?”

  “Well, your lack of faith does not give me great assurance. You know I will defer to your judgment on these matters. I haven’t progressed enough to have a proper command of the complicated situation you’ve thrust me into.”

  “Stop looking for compliments kid; you’re doing fine. What are your thoughts on our business last evening in my quarters?”

  “Your points were well taken; I was wrong to doubt the effectiveness of the tactics used. I fear my constitution is not strong enough to effectively carry out such a task myself, however, and I u
ndoubtedly could not withstand its torment should I ever find myself tied to a chair.”

  “Very few can remain quiet, which is the whole point- so don’t get caught. Ever. As for your temperament- it will come with time. As I said, it’s not something we do often and had you taken to it on your first exposure I would think you a monster from Hades. Now, these Silver Shield veterans are going to be difficult to manage. Their well-deserved egos must be stroked at all times. They also do not like fighting for those they deem unworthy- which pretty much includes all of Alexander’s generals. Perdiccas found this out the hard way. That is the vulnerability I am going to exploit- their unhappiness with the prospect of being subordinated to Antipater.” Vettias cut off the last syllable and stared at a silhouette hurriedly making his leave from the Silver Shields encampment. “That’s our man; stay back for a moment to avoid giving the impression we mean him harm.”

  “Pardon me sir, might I have a brief word with you; I know you’re in a hurry,” Vettias announced deferentially.

  “What is this? Remove yourself from my path!” Hyllos ordered.

  “Forgive me sir, it is the note you have just received that I wish to speak with you about.” The man drew his sword and closed with Vettias.

  “What treachery is this? Who are you? Speak or I’ll kill you where you stand!”

  “Sir, I have been sent on behalf of Queen Adea herself to speak with you about a sensitive matter. My royal insignia bears the truth of my words. All I ask is that we may speak in private for a short while. My apologies for the false correspondence- rest assured it was for your own safety, and that of the Queen’s. Mara is not at all to blame either and she is in no danger of being sold or moved anytime soon. Manipulating a man’s affections is no small transgression, which I hope conveys to you the importance of the message which I bear. Will you delay judgment of me until you have heard what I have to say?”

  “Follow me. I will lead us through our encampment in a manner which won’t draw any attention. Once in my tent, you will be free to speak openly.”

  “I thank you sir. With your permission I would like for my associate to accompany us. Come on out kid!” Vettias ordered in a hushed tone. The three of us walked around the encampment and entered a small path leading through the sea of erected tents. My heart rate increased as I walked among the storied soldiers of this famed unit who were milling about in much the same manner as the regular army, save for the air of superiority that was palpable throughout. These men had been with Alexander from the beginning and his father Philip II before that. They were much older than the average phalangite yet looked as though they could crush a normal man’s skull with their bare hands- every last one of them. They all made deferential salutes to Hyllos as we traversed down neatly drained alleys and thoroughfares between each row of tents. The most notable aspect of the encampment was the heavily polished silver shields displayed in front of each tent in perfect alignment. It spoke to their sense of pride and reminded all others that they were different, they were better.

  e arrived at the battle staff quarters and entered Hyllos’ private tent relatively unnoticed. It was spacious and allowed for others to sit inside with relative comfort. The dwelling was decorated with a luxurious Persian rug and fine artefacts from the Far East acquired over years of pillaging the Achaemenid Empire. Hyllos took his seat behind an ornate staff table while Vettias and I stood respectfully in front of him, awaiting his permission to speak. He was in his mid-fifties yet held a stature on par with any phalangite half his age. His face had a number of small nicks and scars, with leathery skin reddened from years of drinking and exposure. The Silver Shields’ attire he wore resembled more a Greek hoplite than a Macedonian phalangite, with bronze cuirass and greaves- allowing for the flexibility needed to perform the myriad of operations Alexander had demanded of them. His intimidating gaze forced me to look at his feet while Vettias did a notable job holding eye contact with this imposing man.

  “If you hadn’t been sent by the Queen herself you would already be dead. What message do you deliver?”

  “If my charge had been of lesser importance I wouldn’t dare involve the girl,” Vettias assured once again. “Queen Adea has sent me to offer the Silver Shields a way to serve the Argeads without the unpleasantness of subordinating your proud unit to so recent a sworn enemy as Antipater- a man who remained in Pella during the entire Asian campaign. You can help your cause immensely by influencing events before Antipater arrives. Queen Adea respects all the Silver Shields have accomplished on behalf of her cousin Alexander and of Macedon. She is prepared to give your leadership unrivalled authority within a hierarchy that grants her increased power over the Kings and names General Eumenes as Royal General of the Army. General Eumenes has always paid homage to the great deeds of the Silver Shields and would view your esteemed unit as an autonomous partner in defence of the Argeads. This is more than can be said for any arrangement involving Antigonus, Antipater, Ptolemy, and Seleucus- a man who has traded the princely life of toil as your former commander for the slavish acquisition of possessions under Antipater and Ptolemy’s yoke.”

  “You fawn over our storied history yet have such little faith in our ability to provide for our own interests- as if we are a helpless lamb being led to slaughter. General Arrhidaeus, our Deputy Commander, is the new Regent of the Kings and our Commander, Antigenes, is the slayer of Antipater’s enemy, Perdiccas. Why do we need the assistance of a young girl who’s barely bled for the first time?”

  “It is true your position is not without pieces to play, but this game is stacked against you. The Silver Shields have incurred the wrath and distrust of those who travel here to determine the fate of the world. Your loyalty to the Argeads poses a threat to Antipater’s future goals. In addition, while you may have struck an accord with Ptolemy in Egypt, your faction has fought and defeated two armies of Antipater. His first act will be to take the Regency from General Arrhideaus and any final agreement made by him will marginalize the Silver Shields and lead to your ultimate disbandment. All the Queen asks is for you to speak with as many officers within your ranks that you can trust to support her bid for power tomorrow. While the Queen cannot risk putting any pledge in writing, I am here to give you her word that the Silver Shields will retain and increase their position of prominence and act as official guard of the Argead Kings.”

  Hyllos sat calmly listening to Vettias’ convincing offer with his hand stroking his chin in a contemplative expression. Vettias had both paid homage to the reputation of the Silver Shields and offered a path forward that increased their respected position within the Macedonian Empire. It remained to be seen whether he could get over the egregious offense taken by involving Mara into the scheme however.

  “You serve the Queen well and her offer points to her firm grasp of the current situation, despite her age,” Hyllos responded with a hint of sarcasm denoting his belief that Vettias himself was the father of this strategy. “The Queen will need to succeed in her actions tomorrow before others will be comfortable supporting her openly. How will she get her message out?”

  “She will address the Macedonian Army tomorrow after morning sacrifices,” Vettias said in a confident tone. Making such a radical pronouncement to a man like Hyllos would not have succeeded if any hint of doubt could be detected. Hyllos’ eyes widened at the mere thought of such a sacrilege before he relaxed his expression and retook his contemplative pose. “In addition, her allies have identified a surreptitious group of operatives whose purpose is to abolish the Argead line of Kings and remove all supporters to it. The Queen’s agents mean to move against this cabal tonight in preparation for tomorrow.”

  “She’s certainly confident in her abilities. Such a drastic action will no doubt put her in a very vulnerable position if she fails- one that I would not have the Silver Shields follow in.”

  “A failure on her part will be hers alone. The Queen has left it to you to decide if she is successful in winning over the army. If, in your op
inion, her plea has failed to move a requisite number of the army to her side, you can remain silent and no one is the wiser of your motives. She only means to have you lay the groundwork ahead of time with like-minded officers so they will support her if she is successful.”

  “The Queen is wise to provide a way for us to support her that does not leave us vulnerable in the aftermath of a potential failure. Given the small amount of effort on our part and the potential gain to our objectives, you may discreetly tell her that the Silver Shields will make no promises but stand ready to support her if she is successful. I will make necessary arrangements this evening with officers I can trust. I am ordering you to clandestinely establish contact with me as soon as the Queen’s position is secure, is that understood? This should not be any trouble for you given the circumstances of this first encounter.”

  “I will seek you out sir at the earliest moment that it is safe to do so.”

  “Good; my squire will show you out.”

  Upon exiting the camp, Vettias decided to speak with Ox and make final preparations before returning to my quarters to await Davos’ return. By now he would have started his purge, so our meeting with Ox was to be short. We travelled through the main army’s encampment unimpeded until we reached the leadership’s bivouac. Vettias hung back while I spoke with the guards to summon Ox. He waved us through as we followed him into our familiar small tent. Ox arrived a few minutes later looking tired and dishevelled as he sat on a storage crate waiting to hear an update from Vettias.

  “Brother, we’ve been busy,” Vettias began. “After I set you to purpose, we will have done all we can to further our cause for tomorrow. Then, the fate of the Argeads will rest on the gentle shoulders of a teenage girl.”