By the Sword

by Christian Kachel

  “It sounds as though the army has done you a great service. Your mother is going to faint if you walk through her door, so let me go in first and tell her the good news. We will have a great feast tonight in your honour and you will tell us of all your adventures.”

  “Dinner will be at my expense tonight and I will not accept ‘no’ for an answer,” I replied as he departed into my apartment.

  “Alright, alright,” he responded with a smile. “Just stay here a moment.”

  Moments later I heard the expected shrieks coming from within my apartment- signalling it was time to enter. As I did so my mother darted at me and aggressively hugged me while crying.

  “My baby, my baby,” she whimpered repeatedly. I never enjoyed my mother’s frequent displays of affection growing up, but they paled in comparison to the emotional assault I found myself receiving. I did my best to return her love yet remain my new stoic self. I looked up during the barrage to see my sister Helena standing several feet away with tears in her eyes. She knew better than to interrupt our mother giving one of us affection- especially after so long a period had passed. Our eyes met and my eyes began tearing as well. She was so much older and more mature than when I departed, yet managed to look even more innocent than before. After allowing mother enough time to have me to herself, Helena joined our embrace and we remained in the threshold of our apartment that way for some time. Argos stood in the corner and allowed his brother’s family to enjoy this special moment without interruption.

  When my mother finally got hold of her senses, she declared a feast would be prepared tonight and ordered Argos to the market so she and Helena could sit and enjoy my presence. Argos complied and announced he would tell Leandros to return home. I tossed him a small coin purse and reminded him dinner would be my treat this evening. As we sat down, I was subjected to a flurry of questions delivered in rapid succession. Eventually I was able to communicate to them I was only here for the night- I was staying safe and I would return home as soon as possible. News of my imminent departure did not sit well with my family, but they were able to couch this disappointment for the time being.

  “Andrikos, we have wonderful news!” Mother announced. “Your sister is to be married to a successful merchant- someone who is kind of heart and has the resources to take care of her. It is because of your cousin Leandros that such a husband could be secured for our Helena. His status has been elevated since your uncle had him declared hero of Ilandra and his tales were recorded in the annals. He is now both a treasure to this family and to Ilandra. His good work has brought prosperity to our family and he is now in a position to ensure your safe return home.”

  This was all good news; however, I had mixed feelings about Helena’s coming marriage. I was not there to act as patriarch during her courtship and now she was to become the possession of another man. She no doubt heard over and over how lucky she was by our mother and she did appear pleased with her new situation, so I acted satisfied as well.

  “And Nearchus’ family, how do they fare?” My question was answered with an awkward silence for many moments.

  “Nearchus’ father Priskos continues to be a drunkard and squanders all of their money on taverns, dice, and women. Nearchus’ mother tells me her son Argaeus is spending too much time with those two friends of yours Patrochlus and Alexandros. Nearchus’ family owes a great debt to your cousin and uncle for treating them so well over the past year.” Her morose description of Nearchus’ family situation opened a pit in my stomach. How much resentment did his mother hold for me? His father? What were my own family’s thoughts about my culpability after a year of reflection? Thinking of these questions was too jarring so I decided to put them from my mind.

  Argos returned after an hour with an armful of dinner items accompanied by our family’s new benefactor, Leandros. He was well dressed in an impressive blue cloak with gold embroidering over a new white tunic. His sandals were constructed of fine leather that showed no sign of wear- pointing to his ownership of more than one pair. His hair was combed and displayed a healthy sheen- pointing to an improved diet. His limp was less noticeable- pointing to further healing or a more concerted effort to conceal it. All in all, he gave off the air of importance.

  “How’s our family’s newest hero?” he asked as we embraced. “I’m impressed your standing within the army is such that you have been granted a special pass. I could never get away with that. You’re not deserting, are you?”

  “Of course not!” I exclaimed. The very thought of something so grave was unthinkable. “I depart tomorrow morning. The army of General Eumenes makes camp outside of Sardis at this moment.”

  “Yes, yes. But you are all now outlaws, deemed so by Lord Regent Antipater and his General Antigonus.”

  “Yes, the situation is most grave,” Argos added. “Greek fighting Greek. It’s not right and makes a mockery of everything Alexander, and men like my son, fought for.”

  “Enough of this political gossip!” my mother interrupted. “I don’t want to hear another word of it. Especially not while Andrikos is here with us. Argos, give me what you have procured.”

  I noticed the items Argos purchased were all of fine quality and I doubted my small purse could have purchased such choice sundries. Argos noticed my examination and handed me back my purse. “No one expects you to pay for your own celebration.”

  “It’s not about tonight. This was to be a tangible contribution to the family. I lived here too long without fully contributing in the past and I am going to change that. In fact, while you are all here, I carry a meaningful contribution for this family- to include Nearchus’ family.” I produced my primary coin purse which contained what remained of my pay over the past year plus my recent bonus from General Eumenes. “It adds to a respectable sum and this is the proudest moment of my life to be able to present it here to you all who mean the most to me. You can’t conceive how frequently I’ve dreamt of this day. It will be a grave insult to neither allow me to pay for this evening’s feast nor to bestow the fruits of my past labour onto this family. Don’t worry, I have not made myself a beggar with this act of generosity. I still have enough to get by.”

  All present were amazed by the way I now presented myself. Argos and Leandros looked at each other with a proud nod. My mother’s eyes teared again as she could once more be proud of her son. Helena saw in me someone she could look up to again and Argos saw someone whose praises he would be proud to sing at the Ilandran market- not one but two ‘heroes’ to boast about. And there was no confusion that he would in fact make me a ‘hero’ in the eyes of any Ilandran that would listen.

  We all remained in the kitchen area to help with the cooking. I recounted my story with the army thus far but left out any mention of The King’s Hand for fear of Argos standing in the city square and heralding my involvement for all of Ilandra to hear. My mother performed her obligatory pantomime routine of concern while hanging on my every word. The stoic pride I saw in Argos during Leandros’ tales now crossed his face again at my story. Everything I had imagined all came to fruition that evening. We sat down for an incredible dinner of lamb just slaughtered that day, a stew made with fresh vegetables, ripe fruit, and excellent wine. We all stayed up well into the night before my mother and sister retired, leaving Argos, Leandros and I to finish off the last jug of wine.

  “I can’t tell you how proud of you we are,” said Argos. “The difference in you is stark. You left an irresponsible brat who was lucky to get out of this town alive. You’ve returned in just one year’s time a man. Your mother speaks the truth in that Leandros has achieved a position which will allow you to return to Ilandra unmolested by any who would bring up the past. Perhaps your successes will be recorded in the annals of Ilandra. I wish I could say the same for your idiot friends, however. After Ganymedes’ departure, there was a vacuum of power within Ilandra’s criminal underworld. Your two former acquaintances were too young and stupid to take it over, so several elements moved into the void. Th
ere has been a severe uptick in gang violence over the past year, which has settled into an uneasy truce of about four factions. Do not try and contact them while you remain in Ilandra this evening- is that understood? Your cousin and I spent the better part of the past year unsullying your good name and a new association between you and them would ruin all of that.”

  “Now, regarding Nearchus’ family upstairs. That swine Priskos continues to make his family suffer. Leandros and I have helped them along, but we’ve come to the decision that everyone would be better off without him. Arrangements are being made and he will not return from his next fishing expedition in Ephesus. As for his brother Argaeus, that boy needs a kick in the ass and Leandros and I will sit him down after his father’s accident and explain that he is now the patriarch of the family. If that doesn’t work, Leandros and I will beat some responsibility into him. So there you have it. Life continues without you here in the city of your birth, and we will all anxiously await your permanent return.”

  The three of us finished off the last of the wine, warmly embraced, and retired for the evening. I had a feeling of surrealism lying in my bed again after so long an absence. I truly was a different person now, and I felt disconnected with the boy who slept here for nineteen years. The liberal amount of wine ensured I fell to sleep effortlessly that evening and my family was all there to see me off early that morning. There were conflicting emotions between the joy of my surprise visit and the knowledge that my family would not see me again for some time. As I mounted my horse, no one had a dry eye. I departed Ilandra and began my journey back to my new life.

  Chapter 40

  Along my journey to Sardis, I had the sinking feeling I was riding back into a cauldron of fire with Antigonus’ vast army marching towards us at that very moment. I was to participate in the third great battle of Asia Minor between Alexander’s generals and each step of my mount brought me closer to it. Could our enemies survive another defeat by General Eumenes? There was the real possibility that if we won this next fight, our cause will have been vindicated and the Argead’s would take their rightful place on the throne. Did my oath oblige me to defend their interests forever? If their position was secured, could I not return home after my enlistment and begin to finally contribute to my family’s fortunes? I was hesitant to bring up the issue to Vettias because one should never ask questions he does not want to know the answer to. I began feeling a little guilty since I had only just taken the oath and was already thinking of being relieved of its charge.

  I arrived back at our encampment to find our situation had changed little in my absence. Vettias had instructed that I meet him the evening I returned in our regular space provided by Rhexenor. Since I returned at dusk I went straight to the meeting location to avoid being delayed by any lochos business. He was waiting for me, looking slightly annoyed, as I entered the tent and sincerely thanked him for his acquiescence in my short trip home.

  “Yeah, yeah. You’re back now and there’s a lot of work to do. Cleopatra has predictably rejected Eumenes’ offer of an alliance, so everything now relies on the coming battle with Antigonus. The decision has been made that, since we have been deemed outlaws and are no longer in control of any territory, we will pillage the coffers of all we come across on our march towards Antigonus. This way Eumenes can keep the money flowing to the army in order to keep the Macedonians on his side long enough to defeat our enemies and gain access to the royal treasuries again.”

  “We are to raid territory within the empire? Like brigands?” I asked, disheartened.

  “For now. These Macedonians need to be properly compensated, especially since we do not have control of any Argead within our retinue. It’s a dirty business but history is written by the victors and once we have defeated our enemies, little will be mentioned of this necessary unpleasantness. Besides, Antipater has done far worse in Greece itself during the Lamian Wars. If we can turn enough people against Antigonus by proving his inability to protect them from us, we may further our position significantly by the time battle is joined. Since we’ve remained in place for several days, the chances we have been infiltrated are high. You and I will meet every other day now until informed otherwise by me, understood?”

  “One last thing before I let you leave. As in every battle, there is a chance we may lose. Normally in these internecine conflicts, the victor will avoid routing the losing side and integrate the surviving Greeks into their army. If this occurs, I don’t want you playing hero. You get yourself out of there and wait in the nearest settlement from wherever the battle is to take place. I need you alive now and your life is worth that of the rest of your lochos to me, understood?”

  I nodded in agreement and departed to the quartermaster supply tent to redraw my bivouac equipment and armament. Lack of sleep and four days of hard riding had brought on exhaustion and I had entered an unconscious daze while pitching my tent when Stephanos approached me.

  “You don’t look good; I thought you said your task would not be anything interesting.”

  “It wasn’t,” I replied after his presence brought me back to reality and motioned for him to come closer. “I was granted a four-day pass to return to my home,” I divulged in a low tone. “You mustn’t say a word about it to anyone.”

  “You lucky dog. Did you see any old flames?”

  “If I had one in the first place I surely would have. This was strictly a visit to see my family and begin my long road of atonement with them. Four days hard ride has brought me to the point of exhaustion- so get down here and help me with this tent.” Stephanos smiled and assisted me in constructing my sleeping quarters. At its completion I bid my friend good evening and collapsed onto my bedroll.

  The army remained in Sardis for several more days before the order was given to depart the following morning. Our march along the Royal Road was brisk. We stopped at several cities along the way to commandeer their treasuries and the valuables of wealthy inhabitants so General Eumenes could continue paying the army and potentially sow discontent among the people of the empire Antigonus was nominally in control of. This tactic was unsettling to many, as we were stealing from those who we wished to rule. I used Vettias’ logic to rationalize our actions and it did have the effect of keeping the Macedonian regulars content for the time being. General Eumenes went so far as to write vouchers for those unlucky individuals who were coerced into making generous ‘donations’ to our cause. After the requisition of one city’s loot, we would send advance scouts out to the next several urban areas to ensure they could not hide their possessions. We meandered on and off the Royal Road for two months, filling our army’s coffers along the way.

  During this time, Vettias discovered Antipater and Antigonus’ tenuous alliance was fraying, with Cassander deserting our one-eyed adversary and returning to his father, who had by now arrived back in Macedon. Vettias assessed Orontes would have also followed his new benefactor back to Pella as well.

  Our old Perdiccan alliance was not faring much better. General Eumenes wrote numerous letters to the scattered remnants of Perdiccas’ court, most notably his brother Alcetas and Adea’s ally, Attalus, imploring them to join with us and make common cause against Antigonus. Both refused to serve under a non-Macedonian general and put their own self-serving designs ahead of the overall war effort.

  I continued to keep Vettias informed of disgruntled sentiment among the army as well. The more ardent of these subverters were quietly disappeared, which tempered my decision of divulging more names to Vettias in the future unless I was certain of the risk they posed. On one occasion I was summoned by Vettias to a nondescript tent one night away from our main encampment that was guarded by a contingent of General Eumenes’ bodyguards. It appeared Vettias’ internal operation was bearing fruit as I entered the dwelling to observe an unfortunate stranger on the receiving end of a discussion with Vettias and Davos. He had been worked over pretty hard already and looked to be in bad shape.

  “This pile of shit is a tough one t
o break,” Vettias stated in his usual content demeanour while performing such acts. His confidence belied a hint of exasperation, however, in the fact that he may not succeed in extracting what he wanted to know from the victim. “There’s a plot afoot within our ranks, and this son of a bitch knows about it. Don’t you!” Vettias yelled as he struck the man for what looked like the hundredth time and motioned to Davos, who was standing stoically to the side, holding a sharpened dagger. Vettias was noticeably frustrated and violently stabbed the man’s wrist through the bone and out the other side- getting the point stuck in the arm of the chair. The victim let out a quiet scream, muted by his gag, and began losing consciousness.

  “Shit, I hit his vein,” Vettias stated as he struggled to remove the dagger’s blade from the wooden arm of the chair. “Andrikos! Grab the iron from the fire outside. We need to cauterize this wound. He can’t bleed out yet. Damn it!”

  Vettias’ flustered state alarmed me and I worried our victim had a real chance of expiring prematurely. I clumsily ran out of the tent, grabbed the heated iron and handed it to Vettias, who untied the victim’s arm to cauterize both ends of the wound. This painful procedure evoked little reaction from the victim, which only increased Vettias’ flustered state. He began smacking the man and throwing water on him in an attempt to coax him back to consciousness. His breathing stopped and his head slumped lifelessly over his chest. Vettias had killed him through blood loss.