had to pay to reestablish himself. Trella had no sympathy for those who had refused to defend Akkad.
“And I doubt Korthac will cry as loud as Mantar did,” Trella said.
“I think it is important to learn as much about Korthac as possible.” She turned to Gatus. “How many men were in his caravan, how many slaves, how many animals? What kind of people did he bring with him? Find out where he is staying and talk to the innkeeper. Let us all see what we can find out, and we’ll meet here tomorrow at midmorning. We can speak about this before we see Korthac again. I will make sure Nicar is here as well. He sees much in men that we may miss.”
The Noble Nicar had led the city before the invasion, and had entrusted the city’s defense to Eskkar. Nicar had also given Eskkar a slave girl named Trella.
“What is it about Korthac that worries you, Lady Trella?” Corio sounded surprised at her concern. “He seemed polite enough.”
Trella shrugged. “Nothing worries me yet, Corio. But we can afford to be cautious. And isn’t it strange that a merchant would cross the great desert at such risk, before he was sure of what awaited him here? Was he unaware that the Alur Meriki were passing through these lands, killing anyone they encountered? Why didn’t he send an emissary ahead of him?”
Corio opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. In the last few months, he’d learned not to dismiss her thoughts.
“Think on it, Corio,” Trella went on. “And you, too, Gatus. Let us all learn what we can. Now if you will excuse me, my body calls to me once again.”
She walked into the front room, her two guards rising as she entered.
Her friend and companion Annok-sur waited for her as well, getting to her feet as Trella crossed the room. The two women stepped side by side into the square and began the walk back to Eskkar’s house. One guard walked ahead of them, the other behind. Both men kept their hands on their swords and their eyes moving about.
Only a few months ago Eskkar’s enemies attacked Trella in the street and nearly killed her. The men who tried to assassinate her had died under the torture. In a true barbarian rage, Eskkar had threatened to burn the city to the ground and kill every inhabitant if it happened again. No one doubted him. And so the guards remained wary and suspicious, exactly as Eskkar and Gatus instructed. They didn’t want to face Eskkar’s wrath or their own shame should another attempt on Trella’s life take place.
Annok-sur, as alert as any of the guards, stayed close beside Trella.
The wife of one of Eskkar’s subcommanders, Annok-sur had nearly twice Trella’s seasons. Her husband Bantor and a group of soldiers had departed Akkad a few days before Eskkar left for the north. By now Bantor’s force would have ranged far to the south of Akkad, carefully watching from afar the progress of the retreating barbarian migration, and making sure they did not double back for another attack on Akkad. The barbarians had been driven off, but they still had many warriors, and rumors of their presence, even as the distance grew, still frightened Akkad’s inhabitants.
“Something troubles you, Trella?”
“Yes, Annok-sur, but we will speak of it when we are home.”
Korthac returned to the modest inn he’d picked for himself and his men. Walking through the lanes, he ignored the open-mouthed stares of the villagers. Although the clothing he and his bodyguard wore came from these lands, their darker complexions, burnished even deeper by months in the sun, marked them as strangers and worse, foreigners.
Nevertheless, Korthac smiled pleasantly at anyone who caught his eye, offering greetings and friendly nods. He needed to gain acceptance from these simple folk. There would be plenty of time to teach them proper respect later on. Then they would kneel in the dirt when he passed, afraid to lift their eyes to his lest they lose their heads.
More than a month had passed since he left Magabad. He’d entered Akkad with only sixteen men, carefully chosen to make sure they looked more like servants and laborers than fighting men. The rest of his force remained far to the west, awaiting his summons while Ariamus roamed the countryside seeking men willing to fight for gold, even with foreigners at their side.
Fortune had smiled on Korthac when it delivered Ariamus to him.
Korthac couldn’t image a more perfect tool. Ariamus knew the city and the countryside, knew the people, and knew how to command the rabble that would soon sweep Korthac to power. The man’s desires for power and wealth made him easy to control. As long as Ariamus remained obedient and loyal, he would continue to be useful. Korthac remembered the astonishment in Ariamus’s eyes when he saw the bags of gemstones. The man’s greed would be the halter in Korthac’s firm hands.
Korthac had brought two bags of jewels with him, more than enough to establish himself in Akkad. In a few days or a week, he would grudgingly pay whatever trivial sum the Akkadians demanded of him. After that, he’d buy a house and set up a base of operations. He would bring more of his men into Akkad by ones and twos, increasing their number while he established an innocent trade in gemstones with the local merchants.
It would be lucrative business for the Akkadians, as Korthac planned to be less than astute in his dealings. That would win him many more friends even as he earned a reputation as a poor trader. And he’d bestow other gifts that would gain him more supporters.
At the same time, Ariamus would continue gathering men. In Korthac’s first few talks after saving Ariamus’s life, Korthac hadn’t been sure that his newly acquired servant and ally could deliver the numbers of fighting men he promised. But as he traveled closer toward Akkad, Korthac saw for himself the devastation in the countryside and numbers of masterless men wandering about. Many had flocked to join Ariamus and his men, and his newest subcommander promised to recruit even more. When Korthac had enough followers, one night’s fighting would see the city his.
Tomorrow his campaign would begin. He had already started learning who the important traders and merchants were, and soon he would begin buying their support with judicious and discreet bribes. Korthac didn’t be-grudge the gemstones that would be required; he’d make sure he got most of them back when he seized command of the city.
Akkad did impress him despite what he’d told Trella. The city bustled with excitement. Korthac saw new construction or rebuilding on every street, while freshly planted crops flourished in the surrounding fields.
The inhabitants looked healthy, content, and well fed, with little illness in evidence. Even the slaves looked remarkably satisfied with their lot. Egypt might have one or two cities larger, but none matched this place in energy.
No, Akkad would serve his needs perfectly. Perhaps someday he would raise an army large enough to return to Egypt and vanquish his enemies.
He put that thought out of his mind. It would take years to fully exploit Akkad, and right now he needed to concentrate on the task at hand.
He’d spoken to the innkeeper and several others already and learned that Eskkar had traveled north while sending other soldiers to the south.
Korthac could scarcely believe his luck. The foolish ruler had divided his forces and left the city in the care of his pregnant slave girl.
If Ariamus could raise men fast enough, Korthac would have more than enough followers to take control of Akkad. It might take only weeks instead of the months he had envisioned. While the fool Eskkar chased bandits all over the countryside, weakening his forces in the process, Korthac would husband and increase his own numbers.
Korthac reached his lodgings and passed inside. He nodded pleasantly to the innkeeper and sat down at a table. Except for the owner and his family, only Korthac and his men now stayed here. The other guests had been encouraged to seek accommodations elsewhere by the innkeeper, after a large gift from Korthac. The tiny inn normally couldn’t accommodate so many travelers, but his men could bear such a minor hardship as sleeping shoulder to shoulder on the dirt floor; after the brutal weeks journeying across the desert, the inn’s floor seemed almost luxurious.
Even though Korthac had selected these men with care, they still had difficulty acting as simple bodyguards instead of trained warriors. He only allowed them to carry knives, befitting their role, and kept their newly acquired swords in his room. He’d promised to kill the first man that quarreled with any of the local inhabitants. So far, they’d shown restraint, knowing their days of plunder and pillage would come soon enough.
