“Sail to the east!”
The lookout, positioned on board the proud craft that had once belonged to Kedor, waved his arm toward a faint smudge of white far out to sea. The winds and waves must have pushed the ship far from shore before it could turn its bow toward the beach. Daro watched as it turned toward land, and he saw the vessel lose the favor of the wind.
The craft’s sail came down, and the crew of the boat struggled at their oars, driving the craft through the waves toward the camp.
He glanced up at the sun. It had just moved past its highest point in the sky, so Kedor had spoken the truth about that, at least.
Kedor, his tunic washed in the morning surf and spotless once again, looked every bit the wealthy ship owner. His three rings, stolen by his captors, had been returned to him, and the red gemstone on his right hand flashed in the bright sunlight. He even carried a sword on his waist, though the blade had been broken off close to the hilt, leaving only a dull stub inside the scabbard.
“Remember,” Daro said, “act as if you are in charge of the camp, and I am merely your faithful bodyguard. Make sure they come all the way in. If they suspect anything is amiss. .”
“I understand, Daro.” Kedor smiled grimly. “You don’t need to threaten me any further.”
Nevertheless, Daro made sure that two of his archers stood close by, ready to take up their bows.
Side by side, Daro and his captive stood on the beach, two men enjoying the fresh sea air as they watched the ship pulling its way toward them.
“The men will be tired when they land,” Daro commented.
“Yes, the last pull is the hardest. You don’t want your boat to lose its way and get swamped trying to make land.” Kedor raised his hand to shade his eyes from the brilliant sun reflecting off the blue water. “Your men will be expected to help beach the boat. Still, you’re in luck. Many times several boats sail together, for safety. This captain must have pressed on ahead.”
The boat drew closer. Now it caught the swell of the waves washing ashore and speeded up, as the onrushing tide made the crew’s job less taxing.
Suddenly the boat loomed up. Daro shouted to his men, and they dropped their burdens and leisurely waded into the surf, waiting to assist the vessel’s crew. He heard the captain’s booming voice as he ordered the oars in. The ship flung itself through the last of the waves, bottom hissing against the sand.
It stopped with a lurch, tilting slightly to the right, but by then the Akkadians had reached its side, and before it could float off again, they dug their feet into the swirling sand and heaved the vessel farther onto the sand, grounding it.
A man wearing a large hat with a wide brim to deflect the fierce sun strode along the length of the ship, staring at the men on the beach.
Daro turned to Kedor. “Tell the captain to surrender, or I’ll put his crew to the sword.”
Kedor repeated the commands, and Daro saw the look of shock on the captain’s face. Twenty archers rose up from the nearest hulk, bows drawn and shafts aimed at the rowers. At the same time, the men who helped beach the craft swarmed up its sides. Only a few had swords, but the rest carried knives, and they far outnumbered the stupefied crew.
In moments, the Akkadians had the crew of fifteen off the ship and under guard. Daro and Kedor confronted the shocked captain, who had already lost his fine hat and whatever jewels he might have been wearing. Daro’s men could strip a body, alive or dead, of all its valuables in the briefest of moments.
“What’s your cargo?”
“What is this? Who are you?”
Dargo grabbed the man by the throat and jabbed the tip of his knife into the man’s stomach. “Answer my question, or I’ll spill your guts on the sand, and let you watch yourself die.”
The man’s knees turned to water, and the words spilled from his mouth.
Soon Daro nodded in satisfaction. A food ship, destined to resupply the men attacking Sumer. A good catch.
“Sail, ho! Another ship to the east!”
“You did well, Kedor.” Daro could afford to be generous. “Now let’s see what the next one brings us.”
The second boat, a little smaller, was taken as easily as the first. This one, with a crew of twelve, also carried food for the soldiers, and a good supply of grain for the horses. Daro had no use for the grain and most of the food, so he decided to give his archers some practice at sea.
Just before the tide turned, they loaded the second ship that had arrived with all the unneeded supplies, and launched it back into the surf. Kedor’s old ship — the men had already renamed it the Akkad — followed, and soon the two craft were more than half a mile off the shore.
As Daro watched from one of the beached vessels, the crew of the smaller boat broke open the hull. The ship began to sink, and the crew swam over to the Akkad. In moments, the stricken ship slipped under the waves, taking with it the supplies that would soon be needed by the Elamites.
The Akkad remained offshore, rowing back and forth, as the men familiarized themselves with their prize and the way it handled.
Just before dusk, another ship was sighted. Daro signaled the Akkad to return, and soon welcomed its laughing crew back in the camp. The third vessel, rowing hard to reach the camp before nightfall, proved to be the catch of the day. Larger than the others, it contained a good supply of weapons — swords, spears, as well as bows and sheaves of arrows.
Daro rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. He had three ships ready to fight, plenty of food and now a vast supply of arrows. At the first hint of danger, he could put to sea and be out of reach of the Elamite army.
Even Kedor appeared impressed. “You’ve done well, Commander Daro. I thought you might catch one or two ships’ crews by surprise, but not three. What do you intend to do with the crews? You’ll soon have too many to guard.”
“In the morning, I’ll send them on their way toward Sumer. Whether they find any safety in that direction is up to them. As long as they don’t try and go east. I don’t want them warning approaching ships. If you like, Kedor, you can go with them.”
The former captain considered his choices. “I believe I would prefer to stay with you. Sooner or later, I’d like to get my ship back, and if I leave, it’s unlikely I’ll ever see her again. I’m sure I can help you deal with the Elamites. Even when you’re captured or killed, I should still be able to convince the Elamites that I was forced to work for you.”
Daro nodded. “And when Eskkar drives these Elamites back to their own lands, you could find yourself enjoying a pleasant welcome in Akkad and a suitable reward. The King will need men who know the Elamites’ ways.”
“Then until the gods bring either of those happy days upon us, I will continue to help you. But please, make sure your men still consider me a prisoner.”
“Indeed I will, Kedor. But I think Ishtar and Marduk, the gods of Akkad, will bring you good fortune.” Daro laughed. “And meanwhile, we’ll starve the Elamite army as much as we can.”
“You think they will not capture Sumer? The soldiers talked as if taking the city would be as easy as plucking a ripe berry from a bush.”
“Well, I think they’ll find that Sumer is much better prepared for a siege than their spies reported. King Naxos and his five thousand riders will give the Elamites more than they can handle. By now, that battle may have already begun.”
Daro clapped his hand on Kedor’s shoulder. “Come, we should celebrate our new alliance with some wine.”
“Thanks be to the gods,” Kedor said. “I was beginning to think that none of Akkad’s leaders had a taste for fine spirits.”