The banging ceased abruptly and I hauled myself to my feet. I had a mighty hangover, my head hurt, my stomach was delicate and my mouth felt parched.
‘Queen Axsen is asking for you, majesties,’ said the male voice.
I walked over to the door and was about to open it when Gallia called to me.
‘Are you going to put some clothes on or are you intent on frightening the guards?’
I realised that I was naked and so picked up my shirt and then pulled on my leggings as Gallia wrapped a robe round herself.
‘Tell the queen we will be with her shortly,’ I called to the guard.
Ten minutes later, feeling the worse for wear, we walked into the throne room to find Nergal, Praxima and Phriapatius already in attendance.
‘I am sorry for disturbing your sleep,’ said a smiling Axsen, ‘but I thought you would like to hear the latest news from the north.’
My heart sank. The Armenians must have taken advantage of our disappearance from Hatra to launch an attack against the city. I looked forlornly at Gallia. Surely the city had not fallen?
Axsen stood with a letter in her hand. ‘The gods have sent another miracle. Tigranes is dead.’
Gallia smiled and then threw her arms round me. Nergal offered me his hand and I took it before Praxima kissed me on my unshaven cheek.
‘Dead?’ I asked. ‘How?’
She sat back down on her throne and held up the letter.
‘This arrived earlier from Hatra. Word reached the city two days ago that the Armenian king had died peacefully in his bed at Nisibus.’
I was most surprised. ‘The last time I saw him he was fit and healthy, despite his great age.’
Axsen nodded. ‘Orodes states that all the reports he has heard confirm that Tigranes was in rude health and after an evening meal retired to his bedchamber as normal. Rumour is that a wolf was heard howling very near to the palace in the city and that despite soldiers carrying out searches in and around the building no animal could be found, but its howling was heard by all and sundry throughout the night.
‘In the morning servants went to rouse the king but found him dead in his bed. Most strange.’
I looked at Gallia who cast me a knowing glance — the magic of Dobbai continued to work it would appear.
‘What does this mean?’ asked Phriapatius.
‘It means, lord,’ I said, ‘that Parthia is in a far better position that it was a week ago. Mithridates and his rebellion have been crushed and now Tigranes is dead. His son Artavasdes will become the King of Armenia, but he does not have the talents of his father.’
‘The gods smile on the empire,’ said Phriapatius with satisfaction.
‘They might still piss on it,’ pondered Nergal, looking at the surprised faces of Axsen, Gallia and Praxima, ‘begging your pardon, ladies. But the Armenians still have an army of one hundred thousand men and Crassus is still on his way.’
‘Nergal is right,’ I agreed, ‘but at least we have more time in which to plan our next course of action.’
After I had washed and eaten breakfast Axsen convened a council of war on the spacious veranda in the palace’s north wing.
Against a backdrop of stunning views of the Tigris and the surrounding terrain the queen asked for my advice in my capacity of lord high general. It felt more like a gathering of friends for a picnic than a council of war. Apart from Phriapatius I had known the others present for years so the meeting had a very relaxed air about it. Nergal sat with his feet on a stool while Gallia and Praxima were seated either side of Axsen.
‘I will take my army back to Dura,’ I announced first. ‘Despite Tigranes’ death the Armenians remain the main threat before Crassus arrives.’
‘We will be coming with you,’ said Nergal, prompting Praxima to smile at me. ‘If Hatra falls then there will be nothing to stop the Armenians and Romans marching south into Babylon and then Mesene.’
‘I will stay with my army if you wish, Pacorus,’ offered Phriapatius, prompting Axsen to smile at him.
It was a generous offer and thirty thousand troops would certainly strengthen a weakened Babylon. However, thirty thousand men and thirty thousand horses, to say nothing of the thousands of camels that attended the king’s army, would place an enormous strain on the already overburdened resources of the kingdom. Such a large number of men and beasts would quickly empty the granaries of Seleucia and nearby Kish and Jem det Nasr.
‘I was thinking rather, lord,’ I said to him, ‘that you would consider being deputy lord high general to keep the east of the empire secure, and to garrison the cities of Persepolis and Sigal on behalf of King Orodes.’
Persepolis was the capital of the Kingdom of Persis, formerly ruled by Narses, while Sigal was the capital of neighbouring Sakastan, formerly ruled by King Porus but subsequently absorbed by Narses. Now those two cities were garrisoned by troops taken from Babylonia and Susiana. It made sense for them to be replaced with loyal troops so that they could be sent back to their respective kingdoms, especially Babylon, which had recently lost its garrison at Seleucia.
Phriapatius was surprised. ‘A most generous offer, King Pacorus,’ he looked at Nergal, ‘but there may be those who would object to such an appointment. It was not long ago that we were at war and now you wish me to keep watch over the lands east of the Tigris.’
‘I know that you were an unwilling participant in the alliance of Narses and Mithridates,’ I said, ‘but I leave it to King Nergal to have the final say in the matter. It was, after all, his kingdom your army marched into during the recent civil war.’
Everyone shifted uncomfortably in his or her chairs but Nergal bore no grudges. The fact was that he had confined the Carmanian Army into a narrow corridor and had forced it to retreat back across the Tigris before it could do any major damage to his kingdom, and Phriapatius to his credit had kept his men under tight control and had not allowed them to rape or plunder.
‘Mesene has lost sons and so has Carmania,’ said Nergal. ‘Parthia will not benefit from our continued enmity.’
‘Well said,’ commented Axsen.
‘There is an old saying, lord,’ I said to Phriapatius. ‘Actions speak louder than words. Of all the eastern kings only you have offered aid; only you have marched your army hundreds of miles to stand by our side. Not only that, you handed over Mithridates and in so doing helped to finally put an end to the civil war that had bled the empire white. All these things you have done and asked no reward in return. The truth is that we are in your debt, lord king, and to bestow this position on you is the least I can do.’
Phriapatius seemed very pleased by my words and accepted my proposal while Axsen was most content that her soldiers would be returning to garrison Seleucia, the walls of which would have to be rebuilt.
‘What is left of the royal treasury at Ctesiphon can pay for that,’ said Axsen. ‘If we have time to do so before the Romans and Armenians arrive.’
‘It is my task to ensure that they do not, majesty,’ I said.
After the meeting I was cornered by Phriapatius as the others were leaving.
‘A word, Pacorus.’
‘Problems, lord?’
‘It is my youngest son, Peroz.’
‘A fine young man,’ I said, ‘you must be very proud of him.’
‘He wishes to serve under you.’
‘I am flattered, lord, that he should think so highly of me.’
Phriapatius nodded. ‘So you would not object if he accompanied you north to Hatra?’
I was surprised to say the least by his request. ‘We go to fight, lord. That being the case I cannot guarantee the safety of your son. It would sit heavily with me if he was killed in my service.’
Phriapatius took my elbow. ‘Walk with me.’
We followed the others from the north wing of the palace towards the large open courtyard.
‘Peroz has talked incessantly of Pacorus of Dura ever since he heard about you defeating the elephants of King Porus. He is brave if a little headstrong and yearns to prove himself in battle. Phanes, my eldest son, is the heir to my throne and the star of Carmania, but Peroz grows restless in his shadow. Alas there is little love between them and I fear that soon their mutual animosity may erupt into open hostility. Peroz is popular among the people and there are many who would rally to his side if, after I have left this world, hostilities break out. It would suit me and my kingdom if they could be kept apart.’