see those.
The boat edged closer to the eastern shore, though he couldn’t make out anything, and had no idea what landmarks the boatmen recognized.
Though he’d lived near Akkad all his life, the river remained a mystery to him. Bantor flinched when the bottom grated on the sand, then thumped against a small wooden jetty protruding a few feet into the river. In the faint moonlight he could see another boat tied up there as well.
The boatmen swung onto the jetty and secured the boats fast. The men disembarked one at a time, taking care not to swamp the listing riverboats. Bantor climbed ashore last, breathing thanks to the gods that he, his men, and their weapons stood on solid earth again.
The soldiers moved inland, stringing their bows as they went. Noble Rebba’s farm, a combination of houses and corrals, lay a few hundred paces from the river. They stopped a good distance from the nearest house, crouching down behind an irrigation ditch. The farm, one of several that Noble Rebba owned, was a rich one, and he had both dogs and men to protect his herds and crops from petty thieves and robbers. It would be too dangerous to approach at night. Bantor decided to wait there until dawn.
He told the men to take what rest they could, but to keep their bows strung and at the ready for any confrontation.
When the sun’s first rays crossed the horizon, Bantor advanced toward the farmhouse. He had grown up on a farm, much smaller than this one, of course, but he remembered the ways of dogs and animals. So he headed first to the path that led to Akkad, then followed that toward the main house. A dog barked, joined at once by another, and Bantor saw two men step into the sunlight in front of the main house. They looked at him in surprise as he approached, and in a moment a third man appeared, carrying swords that he handed to the others.
Bantor knew he looked like a bandit in his ripped and tattered garment that showed the mud of the river. The dogs surrounded him, growl-ing and sniffing, but one of the men called them off, and Bantor walked right up to the door.
“Where is Noble Rebba, master of the house? I am Bantor, commander of the guard of Akkad.”
Rebba appeared at the door. An old man, already past his sixtieth season, he had long white hair that flowed past his shoulders. His wits remained sharp despite his years, however, and Rebba looked keenly at Bantor, then stepped closer, as if to make sure his tired eyes had seen correctly. “So, it is you. You look very well for a dead man.” He smiled at Bantor’s reaction. “Come in.”
Inside the main house, two frightened women and three small girls with big eyes huddled together. They stared at Bantor for a few moments before resuming their preparations for the morning meal. Bantor frowned at them, and Rebba interpreted the glance.
“Adana, take Miriani and the girls outside.”
With the women gone, Bantor examined the main room, hand on the hilt of his sword, then moved to the other rooms, looking inside to make sure they were empty. Satisfied, he went back to the doorway and checked that all of Rebba’s people had moved out of earshot before turning back to the old noble.
“Well, Rebba, can you tell me what is going on? On my way to Akkad yesterday, my men were attacked by a group of bandits. They were led by Ariamus. You remember that coward, I’m sure.”
“Bandits? Well, I wouldn’t call them bandits, exactly,” Rebba said with a grim laugh. “And Ariamus? He’s one of the new rulers of Akkad.”
Not too long ago, such words would have infuriated Bantor. But too many men had died in the siege, and death had brushed by him too many times to worry him now. “Is he? So who else rules in Akkad?”
Something in Bantor’s tone gave Rebba pause, until he remembered that this man had been away trailing the barbarians for more than a month.
“Who else but Korthac.”
Rebba noted the puzzled look. “Ah, yes, that’s right. Korthac arrived after you left for the south. He claims he’s a merchant, a trader, but he has the look of a soldier about him. He arrived about six weeks ago, just after Eskkar headed north. Korthac comes from the distant west, possibly even from the land of Egypt. He’s taken control of Akkad. It seems that Trella’s spies failed to uncover the plot.”
“And when did all this happen?” Right now Bantor had no interest in anyone’s spies.
“Two nights ago. Just after sunset, Ariamus rode up to the river gate from the south. Korthac had men waiting inside, near the gate, with weapons hidden in bundles. They killed the gatekeepers and captured the gate without anyone raising the alarm. Ariamus and more than a hundred men ran in uncontested. Joining with Korthac’s Egyptians, they attacked the barracks and caught many of the soldiers asleep. At the same time, they overpowered Trella’s guards and seized her house. By now, Korthac has at least a hundred and fifty bandits and thieves in his service, with more swearing allegiance to him every day. He’s paying well for men willing to follow orders, and killing anyone who disobeys his commands.”
“Only a hundred and fifty!” Bantor exclaimed. “There are more than three thousand people in Akkad. Surely they won’t submit to this Korthac and a few bandits.”
“Most of the soldiers are dead or captured, Bantor. A few may be in hiding. Anyone who speaks out or even raises his eyes is killed. Korthac holds Trella prisoner in her own house. Korthac’s house, now, I suppose.
I don’t know what happened to Gatus. My grandson brought word of all this last night, along with a midmorning summons for me. All the big farm holders are ordered to come into Akkad today, to meet with our new master, Korthac.”
“Will you still go?”
“Of course I must go. I was getting ready to leave when you arrived.
I want to get there early, to see Nicar first and find out what he thinks.
He’ll know more of what is happening.” Rebba looked closely at his visitor, who stood there looking blindsided at all these happenings. “Are you alone?”
The question brought Bantor back to the present. “No, I’m not alone.
I have sixteen men with me, and they’re all looking for vengeance. So go to the city, Rebba, and talk to Nicar, but don’t tell anyone we’re here. Not even Nicar. Not if you want to keep your family alive.” He fingered his sword. “Ariamus will die, and any that stand with him. I’ve sent word to Eskkar. He will be here in a few days. With his seventy men, we’ll brush aside this Korthac like a fly.”
“They say Eskkar’s dead, and his men butchered. Even if he’s alive, he’ll be outside the walls, the same walls that just held off thousands of barbarians.”
Bantor laughed, throwing his head back, but the sound had a trace of danger in it. “Eskkar’s not easy to kill. Besides, do you think the wall will stop him?” He smiled grimly at the old noble’s reaction. “Tell me, who would you rather have as your enemy? Eskkar, or this Korthac? Do you really think these bandits will stand up to Eskkar’s soldiers?”
“Didn’t these bandits kill most of your men?” Rebba countered.
“We were ambushed by sixty or seventy men, caught by surprise on tired horses. Even so, we killed more of them than we lost. We drove them away, Rebba. They ran from us, remember that.”
“That’s not how Ariamus described the battle.” Rebba sighed. “Anyway, many in Akkad have no love for Eskkar and Trella.” The noble paused, considering his words. “But many more will follow him, that’s true enough.
If he’s still alive.” He sat down on a stool. “Let me think a moment.”
Bantor bided his time, gripping his sword hilt and staring at the master farmer, as the moments passed.
“You have forced the choice on me, Bantor. I was going to Akkad to find out which way the wind blew. Now I must throw in my lot with you and Eskkar. Even if you didn’t hold my family hostage, Korthac would never trust me again, once he finds out you and your men came to me.
He’ll be looking for any excuse to confiscate land and property, to execute a few landowners as an example. So I can’t tell him you’re here.” He shook his head at his predicament, then stood. “I have to go. The sooner I know what’s going on, the better we’ll know what to do.”
Bantor didn’t like having to trust the old noble, but this Korthac had summoned Rebba, so he must go, before someone came out looking for him. No important landowner could ignore such a summons, and Korthac would certainly notice if Noble Rebba didn’t appear as ordered.
“Gather your family fi rst, Rebba, and talk to them. I’ll keep all of the women and children here in the house.
