The tide of victory

an instant, his hard eyes ranged right and left. 'We-I, for one-will see it done.'

For a moment, Antonina felt a rush of hope. She held her breath. But then, seeing Eon's little shake of the head, she felt herself almost trembling.

No! Not this!

'I am too weak,' whispered Eon. 'Too-not confused, no. But not able to think well enough. The thing is too difficult, too complex. And-'

Again, he broke off coughing. 'And, to be truthful, cannot think beyond my own love for Rukaiya and Wahsi. Only the sharpest mind can find the way forward in this fog. And only one whose impartiality and wisdom is accepted by all.'

Understanding, finally, the eyes of the all the regimental commanders moved to Antonina. An instant later, seeing their nods-nods of agreement; even relief-Antonina knew that protest was impossible.

She stared at Eon. There was nothing of majesty left in those dark eyes. Simply the pleading of a small boy, looking to his mother-once again, and for the last time-for salvation and hope.

She cleared her own throat. Then, to her surprise, managed to speak with a voice filled with nothing but serenity.

'I will do it, Eon. I will see to the safety of your wife and child, and the dynasty. I will ensure that your death was not in vain. There will be no Diadochi seizing power in Axum and Adulis. Your heritage will not be destroyed by ambitious generals and scheming advisers.'

Her eyes moved from the dying king to the regimental commanders. Serenity, cool serenity, hardened into diamond. 'You may be sure of it.'

'Sure of it,' echoed Ousanas. His great powerful arms were crossed over a chest no less powerful. He made no effort to shroud his own glare at the sarawit commanders with anything which even vaguely resembled serenity. Unless it be the serenity of a lion studying his prey.

'Sure of it,' repeated Ezana, his voice ringing as harshly as that of the aqabe tsentsen. Ezana did not even look at his fellow commanders. He kept his eyes fixed on those of his king. Eon, clearly enough, was about to lapse back into unconsciousness. Ezana almost rushed to speak the next words.

'The negusa nagast has appointed the Roman woman Antonina to oversee the transition of authority in Axum. I bear witness. Does any man challenge me?'

Silence. Ezana allowed the silence to stretch unbroken, second after second.

'Any man? Any commander of any sarwe?'

Silence. Stretching unbroken.

'So be it. It will be done.'

The negusa nagast seemed to nod, perhaps. Then his eyes closed and his labored breathing seemed to ease.

'The king needs rest,' pronounced Ousanas. 'The audience is over.'

* * *

When all had gone except Antonina and Ousanas, she leaned weakly against the wall of the cabin. Slow tears leaked down her cheeks.

Through blurred vision, she met the sorrowing eyes of Ousanas.

'I married him, Ousanas. Found him his wife and gave him his son. How can I-?'

Almost angrily, Ousanas pinched away his own tears with thumb and forefinger.

'I would not have wished it on you, Antonina,' he said softly. 'But Eon is right. The dynasty could shatter into pieces-will shatter, if there is not a strong mind and hand to lead us through. And no one but you can provide that mind and hand. All the rest of us-Ethiopian and Arab alike-are too close to the thing. The Ethiopians, fearful that Rukaiya's relatives will grow too mighty, will seek to humble the Arabs. And then, in the humbling, squabble among themselves over which regiment and which clan will be paramount. The Arabs, newly hopeful of a better place, will fear reduction to vassalage and begin to plot rebellion.'

'You are neither Arab nor Ethiopian,' retorted Antonina. 'You could-'

Ousanas' old grin almost seemed to make an appearance. 'Me? A savage from the lakes?'

'Stop it!' snapped Antonina. 'No one thinks that-has not for years-not even you! And you know it!'

Ousanas shook his head. 'No, not really. But it hardly matters, Antonina. If anything, my sophistication will make everyone all the more suspicious. What does that odd man really want? He reads philosophy, even!'

Now, the grin did appear, even if for only an instant. 'Would you trust someone who could parse sophisms with Alcibiades?'

Antonina shrugged wearily. 'You are not Alcibiades. Nor does anyone believe so.' She managed a semblance of a grin herself. 'Assuming that hardheaded and practical sarwen knew who Alcibiades was in the first place. But if the name is unfamiliar, the breed is not. I do not believe there is one man or woman in all of Axum or Arabia who believes that Ousanas is a scheming, duplicitous adventurer seeking only his own gain.'

Ousanas shrugged. 'That, no. I believe I am well enough trusted. But trust is not really the issue, Antonina. The problem is not one of treachery, to begin with. It is simply-confusion, uncertainty. In which fog every man begins to wonder about his own fate, and worry, and then-' He took a breath. 'And then begin scheming, and lying, and seeking their own gain. Pressing to their own advantage. Not from treason, simply from fear.'

Antonina tried to protest, but could not. Ousanas was right, and she knew it.

'Only you, Antonina, are far enough away from the thing. Have no ties at all to any part of Axum, except the ties of loyalty and wisdom. They might trust me, but they would never trust my judgement. Not in this. Whereas they will trust the judgement-the ruling-made by you. Just as they did before.'

She slumped. Ousanas came over and embraced her. Antonina's tears now trickled down his chest.

'I know,' he whispered. 'I understand. You will feel like a spider, weaving a web out of your own son's burial shroud.'

And now, all of it said, she began sobbing. Ousanas stroked her hair. 'Ah, woman, you were never a hunter. Many hours I spent, waiting in the thickets for my prey, whiling away the time in a study of spiderwebs. There is, in truth, nothing so beautiful in all the world. Gossamer delicate yet strong; and does it really matter how it came to be? All of creation, in the end, came from the humblest of substance. Yet is there, now, and it is glorious.'

* * *

The battle of Bharakuccha began early the next morning, when the Axumite galleys came into the harbor, followed by the handful of Roman warships. The Malwa defenders were waiting, alert. There was no surprise here. Except, perhaps, the lack of surprise itself. The Ethiopian fleet came forward, not like a lioness springing from ambush, but with an elephant's almost stately rush of fury.

Certain in its might, imponderable in its wrath, unheeding of all resistance. On the deck of each galley, the drummers pounded a rhythm of destruction. The sarwen at the oars kept time with their own chants of vengeance. The commanders in the bow, standing atop the brace of four-pounders, held their spears aloft and clashed the great blades with promise.

And, on the great flagship at the center of the fleet, the Malwa commanders peering through their telescopes could see the leader of the fleet. An emperor himself, of that they were instantly certain. Who else would come to a battle ensconced on a throne and garbed in royal finery? The sun gleaming off the iron blade of his pearl-encrusted, gold-sheathed spear was almost blinding.

The commanders, uncertainly, looked to their own leader. Venandakatra the Vile, Goptri of the Deccan, was on the ramparts of the harbor himself, glaring at the oncoming enemy fleet through his reptilian eyes. His thin- boned, flabby hand patted the great siege gun next to which he was standing.

'Fire on them as soon as they are in range,' he commanded. 'Soon enough, that fleet will be so much flotsam. The fools!'

The commanders glanced at each other. Then the most senior, almost wincing, cleared his throat and said: 'Goptri, I believe you should summon Lord Damodara. We will be needing his Rajputs, soon enough, and it will take them hours to return to the city. Even if you summon them immediately.'

Venandakatra almost spit. 'Rajputs? Rajputs?' He pointing a finger, quivering with outrage and indignation. 'That's just a fleet, you idiot! Of what use would Rajput cavalry be?' Again, he patted the cannon; almost slapped it. 'Sink them-that is enough!'

The senior commander hesitated. Incurring the Vile One's wrath was dangerous. But-