By the Sword

by Christian Kachel

  Before I could finish the words the attacker was on him. My exclamation succeeded in turning Vettias round to face the man, giving him a chance to blunt the initial strike with a quick sword parry. The two entered a mortal embrace, forming an amorphous silhouette of violence where I could not discern where Vettias began and his attacker ended- making it impossible to dispatch the villain with my sword. I raced to Vettias’ aid and grabbed his attacker’s sword hand so fiercely my fingernails ruptured his skin. The fiend let out a gargled scream as Vettias was able to free himself enough to head butt the man several times. The attacker still was set to murderous purpose, however, and I bit his wrist out of desperation- causing him to scream out and drop his weapon. I then jumped on his back like a parasite, wrapping my legs tightly around his waist and choking him with my arms. My added weight, coupled with his inability to breathe, caused the man to let go of Vettias and fall to the ground. His arms flailed wildly, trying to punch and pry me off him. His riotous thrashing came to a sudden end as Vettias buried a dagger into his heart- causing his body to become a lifeless mass on top of me. Vettias pulled the corpse off and extended a hand to pull me up. I declined, however, choosing to lie on the floor and pant for several minutes.

  Vettias allowed me to recover as he inspected the rest of the apartment for any other clues. “Davos is not here; we have to assume Orontes has him. I don’t recognize this man- one of Nikandros’ underlings to be sure. You have one more minute and then we’re leaving, understood?” He circled back over me and extended his hand to pull me up. The two of us exited the murderous scene at a brisk pace, heading towards the Silver Shield encampment.

  “We’re going to Hyllos. He’s the only one that can hide us now. We have to assume Ox is dead. If Orontes has made his move, then he must know Antipater is close at hand.”

  As we approached the encampment, with their recognizable polished shields all in a row in front of their tents, Vettias quickly scribbled on a parchment, sealed it, and handed it to me. “Instruct the guards to courier this letter to Hyllos immediately. Show them the royal insignia as proof of your urgency. Go, quickly.” I obeyed and continued on with Vettias to the prescribed meeting location where we took up seats and ordered a jug of wine to fit in with the rest of the patrons.

  “It will not be safe to enter the palace from now on,” I surmised, hoping to provoke Vettias to discuss our plans for Mara’s safety.

  “We’ll operate out of the Silver Shield encampment for as long we can and take our leave of this place if the situation becomes too dangerous.” His response did not inspire faith that Mara’s wellbeing was at the forefront of his concerns. I now was put in the position to force the issue.

  “And Mara? How will we get her out of here?”

  “With great difficulty, if at all. I made her a promise to do all that I could to help her and my ability to do so was severely hampered by the Queen’s actions and Orontes’ attack on our interests. Remember, all of our personal concerns are subordinate to our mission. We serve a purpose greater than ourselves and I am bound to the sacred oath of the King’s Hand.”

  My eagerness to reject any answer Vettias gave that did not have a plan to save Mara stirred rebellious thoughts regarding the fact that Mara and I had taken no such oath. What difference did it make whose family the new ruler came from if it meant a life of torment for her and a longing abandonment for me? I thought better than to voice these arguments lest I lose the support of the man whose approval I so closely relied upon.

  “I knew when I chose her she would prove a skilled practitioner in manipulation. I did not realize the biggest victim of her charms would be the one who aided in bringing her to our cause in the first place,” Vettias continued.

  “I don’t understand. Is it wrong to hold empathy for one that helps our cause? To hope for her escape from this place in accordance with our pledge to her?”

  “Your position does not come from such a place. It is something deeper. You have become infatuated with her and believe you now love her. Your time with her in the harem was my gift to you but you must realize she is no mere girl either. She is not a helpless victim idly waiting for some man to save her. She is looking out for her own interests, and rightfully so. It was her plan to seduce you to gain a reliable champion for her wellbeing should we become unable to safely free her of bondage. The same as she has done with Hyllos. Knowing this, I allowed you to receive the fruits of her seduction, not realizing they would work so well and you would campaign on her behalf to the Queen of Macedon herself. She clearly chose her champion well.”

  Was it possible Vettias spoke the truth about Mara? A pit opened in my stomach at the chance her loving words spoken to me at such a time of intimacy would prove false- a ploy to influence my actions on her behalf. My contemplative silence provoked Vettias to continue.

  “You do not have to wait long for my reasoning to ring true. If we risked all, and were successful in removing her from this place, she would leave us at the first opportunity she no longer needed our protection. That being said, I too wish her happiness and have every intention of keeping my word. Your outburst with the Queen, while foolish, may have provided her the path required for her escape and the man who travels at this very moment to meet us is the one who will be in the best position to secure it.”

  The thought of her permanently with the Queen’s entourage back in Macedon, made possible by the actions of another man, was unsettling. But there was truth in Vettias’ words and I would hold my tongue until her fate was known. I also decided that, no matter Mara’s true feelings for me, I would ensure she was safe. These difficult reflections were interrupted by the arrival of Hyllos- looking unhappy with the two of us. He looked around the venue and briskly sat at our table.

  “What took so long to make contact with me? The army dances on a dagger’s edge and is ready to erupt in overt mutiny.”

  “Forgive our latency sir, events had precluded us from doing so. I have two issues to discuss with you. One involves our wellbeing, the other involves the girl’s.” Hyllos made a facial expression indicating his anger that we were in any way aware of his dealings with Mara. “Agents of the Queen’s enemies struck out at her interests last evening and the boy and I are no longer safe. We are here to place ourselves at your mercy and request you provide security for us within the Silver Shield encampment, away from inquiring eyes, until the summit’s conclusion so we may continue working on behalf of the Queen’s interests.”

  “And the girl?” Hyllos asked, apparently unconcerned with our plight.

  “Yes, Mara. I rescued her from a life of sexual slavery and brought her here to further the cause of the Argeads with the promise I would do all I could to ensure her eventual release from bondage. I fear the actions of the Queen and her enemies have inhibited my ability to make good on our promise. The Queen has agreed to take her on in her retinue if we are unable to free her from the harem. My humble request is that you see this happen since the boy and I can no longer enter the palace safely.”

  “The girl is coming with me and will take up lodging within our baggage train.”

  “It appears you are in no need of our help with regards to Mara and I wish you the best with her. She will serve you well as she has done the Queen. I ask you to take into consideration when choosing whether to grant our first request that you would not have met such a fare beauty if not for the keen judgment of myself to bring her here in the first place. The Fates saw it fit for you to meet her and rescue her from a life of misery, but they used me as the catalyst. Will you consider that?”

  “There is a storage tent located in an area few have access to within our encampment. You two are not to leave it or speak to anyone for any reason, understood? I will bring you food and drink personally each day until we break camp- and then I do not want to see either of you again. Now follow me.”

  “You’re benevolence is thoroughly appreciated. Please lead the way.” Hyllos led us to an obscure side entrance through the
Silver Shields encampment to the storage tents within their quartermaster bivouacs. Hyllos spoke to a supply officer who ushered us into a twenty-by-forty foot pavilion and showed us to an area boxed in on all sides by two carts and several large crates stacked on top of one another.

  “You are to remain here. No one will have reason to come across you in this storage area. Food and drink will be brought to you. I am stationed directly outside if there is an issue. You are to see me first when you are to use the latrine ditch. Other than that, you are not to leave this tent.”

  “Very well, thank you,” Vettias replied. “I do have one question, however.”

  “Yes?”

  “Captain Hyllos has instructed us to depart upon the conclusion of the summit and we have every intention of doing so. Our mounts have become unavailable to us and we are in need of two new ones. We will of course reimburse you for their worth plus provide fair compensation for your effort in assisting us. Is that a transaction you are able to broker?”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” was his terse response as Vettias and I settled in to our new surroundings for what looked to be a long time.

  “It looks as though we were able to secure Mara’s relative freedom after all- albeit as the property of a powerful captain within the Silver Shields. It’s certainly an improvement from her current lot, however, don’t you think?”

  “Perhaps, until he grows tired of her and discards her like a piece of worn leather. She deserves better than that,” I replied dejectedly.

  “If your feelings truly do extend beyond lust for her, then you should take comfort in her new circumstances. Hyllos can provide her more than you can and appears to have legitimate feelings for her as well. This was the best outcome. You will soon rid her from your mind and refocus on the effort at hand. I don’t make this cold prediction out of antipathy; rather, I speak as a forty-four year old man who has had his share of love and loss. I can tell you the intense nausea feeling will pass and you will be able to push her from your thoughts over time. I stand by my assessment that her feelings communicated to you were intended to influence you to act on her behalf- not out of sincere compassion. She chose you probably because she knew these ploys would not work on me.”

  I did not respond to his latest rant. Mostly because I did not know what to say or feel other than I wished nothing more than to hold Mara in my arms again. The next twenty-four hours passed slowly as Vettias and I sat in our boxed-in area of the storage tent. A meagre amount of food was brought to us twice daily and we were allowed to utilize the latrine ditch as necessary. Our quartermaster caretaker decided to take our bribe and secured us two mounts that were tied close to our tent. On several occasions I studied the peculiar machinations of Vettias, whose inner personality had difficulty remaining dormant after being marginalized to irrelevance by recent events. He paced back and forth, frequently talking to himself under his breath. This brooding spectacle was interesting for about an hour until sleep came to me. I woke up several times that night to take stock of my surroundings and ensure Vettias was still in our assigned quarters. We slept-in late that morning, ate our provided meagre breakfast and continued to sit and wait.

  Father came to me during my morning bout of sleep and sat on a crate across from me. “She’s got you now doesn’t she?”

  “What am I to do?” I asked, exasperated. “Shall I sit back and watch the woman I love be taken from me by someone who cares not for her? He’ll eventually discard her for sure.”

  “All plausible assumptions. But, if your feelings are so strong for her you must do all you can to ensure she is looked after. The Silver Shield’s baggage train may be her best chance for now, but nothing says you can’t rescue her again shortly thereafter. I made the mistake of neglecting your mother and my children and I do not want to see you live with the same regret. I was not there for you to provide the guidance and advice all boys require from their fathers- but I am here now. If for nothing else, you saving Mara will allow me to know that while I did not do right by my own family, at least my existence spawned someone who was able to help another woman in need. That may just be enough to effect a positive situation for me in the afterlife.”

  “And now we have arrived at the crux of the matter. It is certainly true I have cherished this added time I have spent with you and would happily do it for the rest of your life with no expectation of contentment since I had lived irresponsibly. But I do ask you to consider the point that you have a chance to make my existence mean something greater than the continuous coveting of base pleasures and indolence.”

  I awoke after these words and lay in my makeshift cot for some time afterwards reflecting on what my father had told me. When the sun reached its highest point of the day, rustlings could begin to be heard within the Silver Shield encampment. Vettias and I looked out of an open seam of the tent to determine the cause of the sudden activity. Soldiers were making their way out of their bivouacs in the direction of the road running north and south. Seeing the confusion had occupied all soldiers around our tent, Vettias and I decided to make our way to the disturbance as well. After we walked out of the Silver Shield encampment, Vettias asked a soldier what was transpiring.

  “Antipater approaches at the head of a Macedonian army.”

  Vettias and I continued following the mass of people in order to gain a better vantage point. Dust could be seen being kicked up by the approaching monolith spanning many miles in the distance. Facing north along the road we could see a massive army snaking its way along the road towards Triparadeisus with Antipater and his bodyguards at its head. The army stretched many miles in the distance to the point where its end could not be determined. Vettias and I continued observing the army until it broke from the road and set up camp on the west side, opposite the palace compounds and encampments of the main army and the merchant tents. Several officers within the Seleucid group of onlookers began corralling the soldiers in order to restore order to the gaggle- sending them back to their units’ bivouacs. Vettias and I hurriedly returned to the Silver Shields encampment and snuck into our holding area before our caretaker returned.

  “She is going to have to be strong now. Damn her impatience and Orontes’ treachery. I should be by her side. The sycophants surrounding her now know nothing of strategy. You be ready to leave here within a moment’s notice, understand?” Vettias poked his head out of a seam in the tent and barked at our caretaker. “You there, tell Captain Hyllos I demand a meeting with him.” Vettias’ demeanour was uncharacteristically condescending to the man, as if he was attempting to find scraps of relevance through making our caretaker feel beneath us. Our caretaker was not one to be cowed by a stranger, even one as polished as Vettias. As a member of the Silver Shields, he had seen too much to bend to the whims of two nobodies such as ourselves. “You there!” Vettias shouted more forcefully. “What I have to tell Captain Hyllos is of great importance to him. Don’t be the reason he does not hear it in time to take necessary action.” Vettias’ rephrasing appeared to strike more of a chord with our caretaker, who slowly walked over to a squire and sent him on his way to summon the captain in question. After sending the boy on his way, he looked at Vettias with an expression that sarcastically asked if he had any more orders to command.

  “Even their quartermasters are arrogant pricks!” Vettias complained to me once he returned to our proscribed area of the storage tent. “Hyllos is our only ally capable of reaching the Queen at this time. I must inform him of the way in which to discreetly speak with her.” My time spent with Vettias in the storage tent offered a window into the man’s personality. He was not always the stoic, confident, decisive man I had known over the past months. He was susceptible to impatience, anxiety, and feelings of inferiority- all driven by his inability to control events around him that were crucial to the oath he had sworn. He continued pacing back and forth, replaying countless scenarios and angles in his mind and occasionally talking to himself. He seemed off-balance and unstable- an ominous sign g
iven the serious situation we found ourselves in. I could not be counted on to further our goals in such a hostile environment without the valuable insight his years of experience could provide.

  After several more minutes, Hyllos entered the tent, looking perturbed by his summons as usual and sat on a crate while the two of us stood at attention. “What is the meaning of this summons?” he asked in a pompous tone.

  “Sir, by now you are no doubt aware of Antipater’s arrival at the head of an army from Macedon,” Vettias began.

  “Everyone knows this,” Hyllos replied, annoyed.

  “As such, it cannot be lost on you that all we have discussed, the very reason the Silver Shields shouted out publicly for Queen Adea, is at risk if Antipater is able to successfully advance his agenda. The Queen is strong but she is young and, at times, reckless. She requires the kind of counsel only someone like yourself can provide. Your position in this army allots you the ability to make a formal request for an audience; however, I wish to inform you of another, more subtle way to speak with her that will shield you from prying eyes in this time of intrigue and mistrust.”

  “Alright, get on with it,” Hyllos commanded, still unimpressed. Vettias described to Hyllos that he should overtly enter the palace using his position to see Mara and then use the staircase into the central gardens where her attendant would be waiting for him. As Vettias spoke, a realization came over me that I was looking at the man who would be taking my love. Mara couldn’t possibly love us both, yet her detached description of Hyllos’ affections conjured an image of her talking about me in the same light. All this was compounded by the fact this man was so far my superior I could not contemplate a reality where I could possibly be allowed to walk away with such a beauty. I also thought about how inconsequential my plight was when compared to the enormity of events transpiring around us.