Sargon had a good grasp of several languages, and he knew these men understood his words. “You will be separated, and I will question each of you. At least one of you will have a chance to live, as I intend to send a message to King Shirudukh. But anyone that hesitates, or if one of your answers does not match what the other two say, that man will go to the torture.”
Sargon gestured toward Garal, standing a few paces away. “The Ur Nammu prefer to let their women torture prisoners, but these warriors know the ways of pain. A pole sharpened at one end will be buried in the earth, and anyone who displeases me will sit on it. The pain will be intense, and it will take you at least a day before you die. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Lord.” The oldest of the three, and only one not injured, bowed his head. “I will answer your questions.”
“Then I will see.” Sargon turned to Garal, and explained what he wanted.
The Elamites were dragged across the open space, until each was at least fifty paces away from one another. A warrior stood behind each of them, a club or stick in his hand, to ensure that answers would be both forthcoming and rapid.
Sargon started with the oldest. The man’s name, where he came from, why he went to war, how many men were with him, those easy questions established the pace. When he asked about Modran, the prisoner hesitated the slightest moment. Sargon nodded to the guard standing behind the man. The warrior, using both hands, swung his thick stick, likely part of a tent pole, across the Elamite’s back.
The blow knocked the man forward, wrenching a cry of pain from his lips. At first Sargon thought the guard had broken the captive’s back. With a grunt, the guard pulled the stunned soldier by his hair back onto his knees.
“There won’t be a next time,” Sargon remarked. “If I think you’re lying, or trying to hide information, you go on the stake. Once your companions hear your screams, they’ll be only too glad to tell me what I want to know.”
The interrogation took the rest of the afternoon. But before the sun began its descent, Sargon had all the information the prisoners possessed.
Bekka returned, and the clan chiefs gathered around. “The entrance to the Pass is secured,” Bekka said. “I ordered twenty riders into the Pass, to go in about three miles, and watch for anyone coming in either direction. If they see only a few riders heading for Zanbil, they’ll let them pass. If it’s a large force, they’ll return as fast as they can ride, to warn us. I’ve also stationed another twenty right at the entrance. They’ll stop anyone who tries to enter.”
Suijan spoke next. “I’ve ringed the village with riders. They’ll remain concealed, at least half a mile away, so that anyone trying to come to this place from the south won’t see them. No one will get in or out without our knowing it.”
Bekka turned to Subutai.
“There were sixty-four men and sixteen women in the village,” Subutai said. “We killed them all, except for the three Sargon wanted to question and nine women. None of our men were killed or wounded. The village is full of supplies, including grain and bread. There are ninety head of cattle in the pen, so we have more than enough to feed our men for five or six days. We captured thirty horses. I’ve everything under guard, until you decide how to dispose of them.”
Loot taken in battle belong to the clan leader. He determined how to distribute or destroy the material.
Bekka grunted. “We’ll eat our fill. Sargon can choose what to do with the rest.”
Eyes went to Sargon. “The three prisoners have told me what they know. Lord Modran’s army entered the Pass three days ago, around midday, with somewhere between twenty-eight thousand and thirty-thousand men. At least nine thousand were mounted, but the army travels slowly. Once in the Pass, with its steep hills, they’ll be unlikely to make more than fifteen or twenty miles a day.”
“Even so, by now they have probably encountered Eskkar’s forces. If they sent their cavalry on ahead, they would have found the Akkadians even sooner,” Bekka said. “That might cause Modran to pick up the pace.”
“Perhaps, but the prisoners said most of the horsemen were at the back of the column,” Sargon answered. “Still, even a few scouts might have encountered my father’s men by now.”
Armies comprised of foot soldiers and cavalry usually marched in two separate columns. In the narrow confines of the Dellen Pass, the soldiers would have led the way, so as to not be constantly stepping and slipping on horse dung.
“Well, that doesn’t concern us for now,” Bekka said. “Our task is to close the Pass and keep any supplies or men from entering. And that’s what we’re going to do, for as long as we can.”
Chapter 30
The morning after the battle in the Dellen Pass, Eskkar woke well before the dawn, as did his men. When the sun appeared in the sky, every Akkadian stood ready to repel a new assault. But dawn came and went, and even by midmorning, Eskkar observed no signs of another attack in the making. The Elamites, he decided, must be licking their wounds while they prepared for their next attempt.
Also, with so many men crammed into the narrow confines of the Dellen Pass, even moving a single troop from one position to another obviously required both coordination and time. No doubt Lord Modran wanted to be sure of his men and his plan before the next attack.
Whatever the reason, by midday Eskkar decided that the Elamites would not come against him today. The gods could have sent him no greater gift. Eskkar fed and rested his men, inspected their weapons, and made sure every man remembered his position. Only Shappa’s fighters kept busy, using the extra time to chisel and carve more steps and handholds into the cliffs. They widened some ledges as well, to take even more advantage of the cliff walls.
Supplies continued to arrive from Akkad, the exhausted porters dumping their loads as fast as they could. Most appeared too afraid for more than a single glance down the slope at the invaders. After receiving their payment token from the scribes, they turned around and headed for home.
Trella’s supply men had prepared enough food and weapons for fifteen days, though no one expected that Modran could stay and fight for so long, even if he were resupplied from Zanbil. But as Trella reminded Eskkar and his commanders, better to have too much on hand than too little.
During the war with Sumer, Eskkar had learned one lesson well. Victories could be won by the side that best maintained its supply lines, and ensured regular deliveries of food, water, and weapons. Trella’s efforts, even though she remained behind in Akkad, might do as much to win this battle against Modran as the sword arms of Eskkar’s men.
Alexar and Drakis kept a careful watch on the Elamites throughout the day, lest they suddenly launch a surprise attack. The long day faded into dusk, and a new worry emerged. While none of the Akkadians expected a night attack, the possibility existed. Which meant the men would sleep in their formations, weapons at the ready.
After dark, slingers would slip out into the empty space between the two armies, to keep watch on the Elamites. During the day, Eskkar had found time to grab some sleep, knowing that the night would be a long one, and that a major attack might come with the dawn.
The night passed slowly, with many alerts and challenges issued. Men imagined they heard the enemy on the move, or claimed they saw movement in the Pass. But Eskkar trusted Shappa’s sentries, skilled in moving through the darkness, to provide plenty of warning.
The first glow from the morning sun again found Eskkar fully accoutered and staring down the slope toward the Elamite position.