Rsan and Aaron did not attend the lesson on sword making and when I returned to the palace I found them both waiting for me in the throne room where Gallia was dealing with a complaint from the head of the city’s guild of prostitutes concerning soldiers of the army demanding free services in return for keeping order in Dura’s brothels.
The great number of trade caravans that passed through Dura on their way to Palmyra were staffed by thousands of young men who were guards, camel drivers and merchants, all with money in their pouches and lust in their loins. Every city along the Silk Road attracted whores, both male and female, to service the carnal needs of the men of the caravans, and Aaron had hit upon the idea of establishing licensed brothels within the city to service these needs. The amount of tax paid was related to the number of prostitutes employed in each brothel, and in return for their taxes the prostitutes were given protection from the city authorities. The number of brothels grew in proportion to the increase in Dura’s prosperity and soon the establishments had formed themselves into a guild and elected a woman to represent them.
Samhat was at least fifty years old now and her once beautiful face showed signs of years of hard usage at the hands of drunken, lecherous men. But her hair was still immaculate and she wore rich robes and gold jewellery on her fingers and in her hair. The throne room was filled with the aroma of her intoxicating perfume.
Gallia did not approve of prostitutes, mainly because Praxima had been forced by the Romans to be one but also because she thought it demeaned women and made them the slaves of men. Anything that even hinted of slavery was bound to raise my wife’s hackles. That said, Samhat was a strong and forceful woman who could hold her own in any argument and after their first few meetings their relationship had stabilised into one of mutual respect, if not admiration. Gallia liked Samhat’s honesty and plain speaking while the city’s head whore liked the fact that my wife was forthright and a warrior.
Now Samhat stood before Gallia, her voice echoing around the chamber.
‘All the city brothels pay their taxes on time, lady, I can show you their records if you so desire.’ She pointed at Aaron. ‘And the royal treasury benefits handsomely from my girls opening their legs.’
Rsan looked mortified and Aaron shifted uneasily on his feet.
‘And in return,’ continued Samhat, ‘we expect the city authorities to maintain order and protect my girls.’
Gallia looked at the squirming Rsan and Aaron and then at Samhat.
‘The soldiers who patrol the streets do not protect your girls?’ she asked.
‘Only if they lie on their backs and spread their legs in payment,’ replied an indignant Samhat. ‘They are therefore paying twice. It is outrageous, lady.’
I smiled to Gallia as we walked towards the door at the far end of the chamber.
‘Domitus,’ she called. ‘May we have a moment of your time?’
Domitus, his tunic soaked with sweat, stopped and smiled politely at Gallia.
‘Of course.’
I followed him as he stood near Samhat who regarded him coolly.
‘This is Samhat,’ said Gallia, ‘head of the city’s guild of prostitutes. It would appear some of your men have been abusing their position.’
Domitus looked at Samhat disapprovingly. ‘I find that hard to believe. My soldiers are the most disciplined in the world.’
I nodded at Samhat who was not in the least intimidated by our sudden appearance in the throne room.
‘Oh they are disciplined all right,’ she continued, ‘the way they extort my girls to lift their robes for them after they have thrown out the troublemakers from one of our establishments was obviously thoroughly pre-planned and expertly executed.’
Gallia smiled but Domitus was far from amused. Hot and irritable, the last thing he wanted was to be berated by an aged whore.
‘Report the incident to the camp prefect in the headquarters building in the Citadel. He will have the offenders flogged.’
‘Flogging is no good,’ insisted Samhat.
Domitus’ nostrils flared at her insolence. ‘What would you suggest, that I have them executed?’
‘They stuck their manhoods in my girls, a service that other men pay for, so they should also be charged,’ replied Samhat. ‘We all have to make a living.’
‘That seems reasonable,’ added Gallia.
Domitus smiled at Samhat through gritted teeth. ‘Very well, report to the prefect and tell him that those responsible are to reimburse you from their wages.’
A delighted Samhat bowed to Gallia, then to me, ignored the others and sauntered from the chamber, her expensive jewellery jangling as she did so.
‘It is her who should be flogged,’ mumbled Domitus.
‘Aaron and Rsan have been waiting for you, Pacorus,’ said Gallia.
‘It is about the purchase of these new swords, majesty,’ said Rsan.
‘A thousand gold bars is a very high price, majesty,’ added Aaron.
‘If they help to give the army victory then the price is worth paying,’ I replied. ‘Besides, nothing is decided as yet. The decision is Arsam’s to make.’
Aaron began to protest once more. ‘But, majesty…’
‘Enough!’ I shouted. ‘I have told you of my decision. Raise the matter again at the weekly council meeting if you must, but I will hear no more on the issue now.’
They both meekly bowed their heads and retreated from the hall. As they departed Dobbai entered from the door at the far end and made her way to my throne.
‘Marvellous,’ I said to myself.
She sat herself down next to Gallia. ‘The demonstration went well in the armoury, son of Hatra?’
‘Arsam has some more work to do before the sword is finished, but yes, so far it appears to be going well.’
‘It is a good job that our enemies are not armed with such weapons,’ remarked Domitus.
‘The metal is confined to only a few areas east of the Indus and is therefore rare and expensive, Roman,’ she replied.
‘As my governor and treasurer keep informing me,’ I added.
‘And as I told them, son of Hatra, what use is a treasury full of gold when the enemy are battering down the gates of your city. And as Orodes has decided not to fight the Armenians you have the time to equip your horsemen with the black swords before you fight them, for fight them you must.’
‘You disapprove of Orodes being high king?’ I asked.
‘I did not say that. I was eager for him to sit on Ctesiphon’s throne for I knew he would bring unity to the empire, which he is doing. He has others to think about butchering his enemies, chief among them being you, son of Hatra.’
‘Pacorus thinks Orodes has made a mistake making peace with the Armenians,’ said Gallia.
‘Events decided that peace would break out,’ insisted Dobbai, ‘not Orodes or the Armenians. The death of Tigranes was responsible for the cessation of hostilities, and the gods decided that would happen, not men.’
‘Were you responsible for his death?’ Domitus asked her, wiping his sweaty brow with a cloth.
She looked at him as though he was deranged. ‘How could I be responsible for his death? He was a great king who lived an immense distance from here and I am a frail old woman.’
But Domitus continued to press his point. ‘I heard that a wolf was heard howling the night he died.’
Dobbai spread her arms. ‘That is what wolves do, in addition to pissing over everything and scavenging. Next you will be telling me that I turned into a wolf with wings and flew to Tigranes’ palace.’
Domitus feigned indifference. ‘It is nothing to me.’
But like me he must have been thinking of that night when she had performed the ritual with the clay dogs that had disappeared by the morning. It was uncanny that just at the moment when the Romans had been poised to invade the empire and link up with a victorious Tigranes, with a prostrate Hatra at their mercy, they had marched south to Egypt and Tigranes had died suddenly.