to the river trade. Isin will be the first to benefit from Larsa’s destruction.”
“Some of Razrek’s men will resist giving up their horses.”
Those words told Eskkar that Naxos had made his decision. Eskkar shrugged. “Make them. Most of the fighting men in Isin are loyal to you. How you convince the others is your problem. Put a sword to Mattaki’s throat if need be. From what I’ve heard of him, he’s not likely to sacrifice himself for Razrek or even Shulgi, for that matter.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your word? That after I make my city defenseless, you won’t still breach the river?”
“Because I give you my word, on my honor as a warrior. That might not be enough for Shulgi or Razrek, but it should be enough for you. A steppe warrior has honor, or he has nothing. Even a Sumerian bandit like you should know that.”
Eskkar knew that Naxos had started his rise to power by raiding villages up and down the Euphrates. When he took power in Isin, the first thing he did to restore order was drive off all the other bandits, including many of his former companions.
Naxos stared at him. By now they stood only a few paces apart. He swallowed both his anger and his pride. “All right, I’ll do it. But if the river is breached, I’ll hunt you down and kill you if it’s the last thing I do.”
“I’ll send men for the horses and bowstrings. Make sure no one shoots any arrows at them from the wall. And if I see one rider on a horse leave Isin, one boat go upriver or down, I’ll loose the last bit of riverbank myself. Even one rider, Naxos. Remember that.”
“You’re a fool, Eskkar, to let yourself be trapped like this, between Shulgi’s army and Isin. The man’s no fool, and he knows how to move his men.”
“Perhaps. But better to fight him here than outside Akkad. Even if I lose, my city will hold out. Another army will be raised against him. This is a war Shulgi can’t win. He was foolish to even start it, even more foolish than his father.”
“But you can still end up dead, Eskkar.”
“Perhaps. If not, you can come visit me in Akkad one day. I think Trella would enjoy your company. If I’m victorious, I’ll send word to you in a few months. I think you’ll find Akkad a better friend to Isin than Sumer ever was or will be. Think about that for the next few days.”
Eskkar jerked the halter loose from the bush. “Meanwhile, stay in Isin until the battle is over. After that, you’d better send men out to fill in the ditch. The river might be stronger than Alcinor thinks.”
He swung up onto the horse, and cantered away, without looking back, satisfied that he had rendered helpless one of his enemies and struck terror to an entire city. Sardos would have blurted the threat at the top of his lungs to everyone he met. All this accomplished, and all without losing a man. Trella would be pleased.
Day 11
T he next day, Hathor crossed the Euphrates ten miles south of Isin just after midday. He and his men rode north at an easy pace. Both men and animals were tired after two days of hard riding since leaving Uruk, and he wanted to conserve their strength. No patrols or force from Isin appeared to challenge his presence, but he kept a wary eye on his flanks until his men had moved north of the city and he saw Eskkar’s camp. Cheers broke out from the soldiers when they saw Hathor’s riders approaching.
He sent a messenger on ahead, and found Eskkar and Gatus waiting for him when he rode up.
“Welcome, Hathor.” Eskkar smiled for the first time all day. “Your wild ride through Sumeria will be talked about for many years.”
“We had plenty of luck in the desert and at Uruk. We might have been here sooner, but we had to rest the horses after taking the city. And they’re weary again.”
“We’ve boatloads of grain waiting for them,” Gatus said. “But you’d better hurry. We’re moving north soon.”
Hathor gave the orders to Klexor and Muta, then swung down from his horse. “Where’s Shulgi?”
“Not far, now. Half a day’s march, maybe less. His scouts are already nearby, keeping an eye on us. They’ve been watching us all day.”
“And Isin?”
“Their horses are scattered, and the gates remain closed. Naxos wouldn’t even open them for Shulgi’s messengers. They had to shout their messages to those on the wall. I’m sure Shulgi won’t be pleased when he learns about it.”
Hathor laughed at the idea. “Any problems?”
“Just Yavtar. He and his ships should have been here this morning. Shulgi may have found a way to block the river.”
“What was he carrying?”
“Food, mostly. And the bronze stones for the slingers. We already have most of the weapons.”
“And you’ve picked the battleground?”
“Yes. It’s not ideal, but it will have to do. There’s not enough food for another day’s march. Shulgi’s probably as short of supplies as we are. He hasn’t been able to move much of what he stored at Kanesh. Yavtar’s boats have been raiding his ships. So our battle will be tomorrow, and only the victor will get a decent meal.”
“Then I can get a good night’s rest.” Hathor stretched. “My ass is sore from twelve days of hard riding.”
Eskkar smiled in sympathy. “I’ve ridden hard many a time in my life, but never for so long.”
“Well, next time you can lead the cavalry, and I’ll stroll along with the infantry.”
“Agreed. But now listen to Gatus. We need to get moving once again.”
T he Akkadian army, foot soldiers and horsemen broke camp before the sun touched the horizon. They didn’t have far to go, a mere three miles, but Eskkar wanted to secure the battle site before Shulgi’s forces reached it. The Sumerians had shifted a bit north as they drew near Isin, to make sure they stood between Eskkar and any escape route back to the north and Akkad. They needn’t have bothered. Eskkar had no intention of trying to escape, even if he could somehow manage it. Without food and surrounded by enemies, he had to fight.
Gatus left fifty men behind, including three on horseback to keep watch on Isin, and the rest ready with shovels to open the riverbank at the first sign of treachery from Naxos.
The army moved north, traveling at a steady pace even as dusk settled over the land. They reached the location Eskkar had scouted yesterday just as the last of the day’s light faded from the sky. As the Akkadians settled in to make camp for the night, they saw the first of Shulgi’s fires glowing in the north. The Sumerians had finally caught up with Eskkar’s forces, and now they camped less than three miles away. The time for battle had nearly arrived. One way or the other, tomorrow would decide which city ruled in the land between the rivers.
55
Day 11
Shulgi and Razrek sat side by side on the ground, hunched over the map spread before them. Vanar and the other commanders craned over their shoulders to get a better view. A fire crackled and hissed nearby, shedding its flickering light over the Sumerian leaders.
“He’ll attack tonight, probably just before dawn.” Shulgi tapped the map with his dagger. “That’s why he’s marched north, to get closer to our camp. Otherwise he would have stayed where he was, and tried to fortify his position.”
“Why would he attack at night? He can’t use his cavalry very well, and his archers will be shooting blindly.”
“The barbarian always seems to do what we least expect,” Shulgi said. “Move the men into battle order and have them sleep in shifts in their positions.”
“Our men and horses are tired and hungry. They’ll be even more weary if they’re up half the night.”
“And if Eskkar attacks while we’re sleeping, how weary will they be then? The men can sleep tomorrow, after we’ve driven the last of the Akkadians into the river and watched them drown.”
Razrek hesitated, then shrugged in resignation. Shulgi had been right about Eskkar’s movements, and even about Uruk, and Razrek didn’t have any good reason to challenge the king’s orders. Especially since word of Uruk’s
