fantastical. Especially tales about the Malwa. Gods that walk the earth, magic weapons-” She stopped, stared at Belisarius.
“Magic weapons, indeed,” grunted Belisarius. “We’ve had no luck duplicating them.”
Irene looked at the general’s wife.
“Belisarius is being too pessimistic,” said Antonina. “We’ve only just gotten started in that work. It’s only been a few months since we first encountered the jewel ourselves. It’s taken that long to get established on the estate which Cassian gave us. John of Rhodes has been in residence now for only three months, and the workshop has barely been set up.” She shook her head firmly. “So, under the circumstances, I think it’s much too early to make any clear assessment of our success in duplicating the Malwa weapons.”
“Has the jewel been of any help?” asked Sittas.
Belisarius shook his head. “No, not in that regard. I can sense that it’s trying, but-it is very difficult for the thing to communicate with me, except through visions. And those aren’t very useful when it comes to weaponry.” Strangely, he grinned. “As a rule, I should say. However-we must have a joust soon, Sittas!”
His enormous friend sneered. “Why? I’ll just knock you on your ass like I always do. Shrimp.”
Belisarius grinned evilly. “You’re in for a surprise, large one. The jewel has succeeded in giving me one simple new device. Simple, but I guarantee it will revolutionize the cavalry.”
Sittas looked skeptical. “What is it? A magic lance?”
“Oh, nothing that elaborate. Just a simple little gadget called stirrups.” He grinned again, very evilly. “By all means. A joust-and soon!”
Belisarius turned back to Irene. “Where does the Malwa conquest of south India stand now?”
Irene frowned. “I really don’t know. As of my last report, which was three months ago, the Malwa had just begun their siege of the Andhra capital.” She paused, estimating time factors. “Given that the report itself probably took months to get here, I would assume the siege began approximately a year ago. Apparently, it’s expected to be a long siege. The Andhra capital is reported to be well fortified. It’s located at a place called-” She hesitated, looked away, again trying to bring up the information.
“It is located at a place called Amavarati,” said Belisarius. The general continued, seeming for all the world, like a man possessed by a vision. “In a short while the palace will fall to the Malwa. Within the palace is a young princess named Shakuntala. She will be the only survivor of the dynasty. She will be captured and taken north to the palace of a high Malwa official, destined to be his concubine. A man will be lying in the reeds outside, wounded. His name is Raghunath Rao. When he recovers from his wounds, he will go north himself, tracking the princess and her captors. He will find her at the palace, but will be unable to rescue her in time. Before he can do so, the owner of the palace will return from some mission he was sent on by the Malwa emperor. He will die then, as will the princess.”
Belisarius clenched his teeth, remembering another man’s hatred.
“The Vile One, that official is called. Venandakatra. Venandakatra the Vile.”
Irene shot to her feet. “Venandakatra?” she demanded. “You are sure of that name?”
Belisarius stared at her. “Quite sure. It is a name burned into my memory. Why?”
“He’s here! In Constantinople!”
When the uproar which followed Irene’s announcement subsided, Belisarius resumed his seat.
“So that’s the mysterious mission Venandakatra was sent on,” murmured Belisarius.
“This doesn’t make sense,” complained Sittas. “I’ve met the fellow myself, by the way. At one of the endless receptions at the Great Palace. A greasy sort, he struck me. But I spent no time with him. He presented himself as simply a modest envoy seeking to expand trading opportunities with Rome.” Sittas waved his hand airily. “Not my interest, that sort of thing.”
Irene snorted. “Just the money that comes from it.”
Sittas grinned. “Well, yes. I believe my family does have a small interest in the Indian trade.”
“They control at least a fourth of it,” retorted Irene. “If not more. Your family are no slouches themselves when it comes to keeping secrets.”
Again, the airy wave of the hand. “Yes, yes, no doubt. But I leave that business to my innumerable cousins. The point I was trying to make, before I was so rudely interrupted, is that this Venandakatra sounds like far too powerful an official to be sent on such a paltry mission. Are you sure we’re talking about the same man? The name Venandakatra, after all, might be quite common in India.”
Belisarius shook his head and began to speak. Irene interrupted him.
“Stick to your trade, Sittas. The whole thing makes perfect sense, if we assume that the jewel’s visions of the future are accurate. Which”-a glance at Belisarius-“they obviously are. Venandakatra doesn’t give a fig for trade. That’s just a story to explain his presence. He’s actually here to scout the territory, so to speak, and to lay the groundwork for the future attack on Rome.”
She stopped, concentrated, continued:
“His cover, however, makes him vulnerable. He doesn’t have a large retinue with him. He couldn’t, not posing as a simple trading envoy. It wouldn’t be difficult at all to have him assassinated.”
“No.”
Irene looked at Belisarius, startled.
“Why in the world not? I didn’t get the impression you were any too fond of the man.”
Belisarius tightened his jaws. “You cannot begin to imagine how much I despise him. But it’s not for us to cut his throat.”
He rose and began pacing, working off nervous energy. He reached a hand into his cloak, pulled out a sheathed dagger, stared down at it. Slowly, he drew the dagger from its sheath.
“I carry this with me always, now. It’s been like a compulsion. Or a charm.”
He straightened up. “But I think it’s time to return the dagger to its rightful owner. I must go to India and find Raghunath Rao.”
Antonina was pale, her hand at her throat.
“You can’t be serious,” stated Sittas forcefully. “You’re needed here, Belisarius! Not gallivanting around India. Good Lord! Irene’s right, you know-India’s immense, and you don’t know anything about the place. Even if this man’s still alive, how will you find him?”
Belisarius smiled his crooked smile.
“So long as Venandakatra is alive, I will know where to find Rao. Lurking nearby, like a panther waiting to strike, if he can see even the slightest opening. I will go to India, and I will find that man, and I will give him back his dagger and, somehow, I will give him his opening.”
He turned to Irene. “ That’s why Venandakatra can’t be assassinated. It is essential that we forge an alliance with Raghunath Rao. And through him, with the surviving heir of the Satavahana dynasty. To do so, we must find him-and to find him, we need Venandakatra alive.”
Antonina cleared her throat. “But, husband, such a trip-”
“Will take at least a year,” finished Belisarius. “I know, love. But it must be done.”
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” said Irene firmly. She paused for a moment, allowing her statement to register on Antonina and Sittas. The two were obviously surprised to hear the spymaster side with Belisarius in what seemed to them a half-baked, impulsive scheme. Once Irene saw that she had their full attention, she continued.
“Like Sittas, I do not understand why Belisarius thinks this man Rao is so important. Or this Princess Shakuntala. Although-” She stared at the general, gauging. “I will gladly accept his judgment. So should you, Sittas. Didn’t you once tell me Belisarius is the most brilliant Roman general since Scipio Africanus? I suspect that same general is working on some grand strategy.”
Irene spread her hands in a gesture of finality. “But it doesn’t matter, because Belisarius should go to India in any event. For one thing, we must obtain the best possible information concerning India. Especially its military capacity, and its new weapons. Who better to do that than Rome’s best general?”
Sittas began to speak. Irene drove him down.
“Nonsense, yourself! You said he was needed here. For what? The Persian defeat will keep the Medes licking their wounds for at least a year. Several years, I estimate. So there won’t be any danger from that quarter for a time.”
She drove over his protest again. “And even if the Persians do start making trouble before Belisarius gets
