Sam Barone - Clash Of Empires

“Tell my son everything,” King Sargon had ordered. And so for three days, Trella and Escander started with their morning meal at her table, and continued on until dusk. Now, at the end of the third day, Trella had revealed the last of the secrets, some from as far back as thirty years.

Of those still alive, only a few recalled those days. Nevertheless, Trella had done much more than simply tell her grandson what had occurred long ago. Trella had explained the steps that led to every major decision, and showed how a ruler must think and consider, how to weigh the consequences of each choice, and evaluate every possibility.

A daunting task, but Escander had received much training as he grew to manhood, as had many of his brothers. Trella had insisted that the boy learn to memorize long passages, as well as dates and numbers. By the time Escander reached his twelfth season, he could count as well as any clerk. He had also impressed both his teachers and his grandmother with his nearly perfect memory.

Nevertheless, until now, neither King Sargon nor Trella had revealed to Escander, or to any of his siblings, the most important secret of all — the way of a ruler.

Even after all these years, Trella’s memory for dates, names, and places remained as sharp as in her youth. She had filled each part of the long story with so much detail that the history of Escander’s father and grandfather came alive, almost as real as if Escander had played a part in the doing and the saying.

“You must tell me everything, all your thoughts, all your plans, everything, Eskkar.” Almost forty-five years ago, Trella had pleaded with her new master for the information she needed to help him. Not just the important facts, but all his feelings, emotions, worries, even fears. In time, her husband had learned to trust her instincts, and so he divulged to her every detail and thought he could remember, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential.

“How else can I help you, Master, if you leave out all the little details?”

And now, Escander, the grandson Eskkar had never seen, benefitted from his grandfather’s wisdom and knowledge. Trella’s precise memory and keen mind served her well once more. All the thoughts and emotions of her husband Eskkar and their firstborn son Sargon now lay revealed to the next ruler of Akkad.

The story had ended, but Escander remained deep in thought. Finally he sat up and broke the silence. “I understand now why my father couldn’t tell me these things. To admit such thoughts would have been too painful for him.”

“Sargon has endured more than his share of suffering in his life,” Trella said. “But he has overcome his hardships and done much good for the Kingdom.”

“You think he means that I will rule after him?”

“Oh, yes. For more than a year, we’ve both known that you were the best choice, even more so than your older brother. In a way, his death in the north made certain that Akkad is ruled by the true heir of Eskkar. But we dared not tell anyone, either by words or deeds, of that decision. Otherwise you would have been an even greater target from your more ambitious and ruthless brothers. And sisters.”

“They will still seek to get me out of the way.”

Trella smiled. “Perhaps. But the difficulties that attend such plots are too numerous to count, and while there have been many conspiracies in Akkad’s history, none of them have succeeded. Also there is much that I can do, your father can do, to prevent any new ones from flourishing. Nevertheless, in time, you must also be firm in dealing with plots and intrigues.”

“When that day comes, I will do what is needed.”

The smile left her face at the quick response. “You will have to be ruthless and efficient. The power and strength of Akkad depends on having a strong and wise ruler. The people gave Eskkar the authority to rule over them, and they passed that onto Sargon. If one day some ambitious fool, hungry for power and gold, takes the throne, the Empire of Akkad will weaken and fail. Eskkar understood that power was merely a tool for securing the safety and stability of our city. Only when our people were safe could they be truly happy, and truly productive. And accept our rule over their lives.”

“I thought that commanding the soldiers would be the most difficult part of being a ruler.”

“No, Escander, it is far harder to lead a kingdom than an army. In that, I was able to help my husband, who also had to master that lesson. But leading soldiers is important, too. Always remember how Eskkar controlled his troops. He divided the power among his commanders, he moved leaders from one position to another, and he kept them loyal by rewarding and honoring them. He counted every member of the Hawk Clan as his brother, and even today, the Hawk Clan guards his family and his memory. Above all, Eskkar cared for the lives of his fighters, and avoided those leaders who sought glory and wealth at the expense of their men. Most of all, he promoted only those best qualified to lead, regardless of their wealth or station.”

“It seems there is much more for me to learn.”

“Escander, in the time that I have left, I can offer you no better gift than this — a chance to master all that I have learned over the course of many years. One of the first and most important lesson for you to grasp is the use of terror. As a kingdom and a city, we are generous and loyal to our friends. But anyone who seeks to disrupt our ways or attack our people must learn the penalty for such activities. Remember what your grandfather did to the city of Larsa. The destruction of that city and the scattering of its people helped keep the peace in the Land Between the Rivers for the next twenty years. Even today, that message is still understood — those who go to war against Akkad will pay a heavy price. Your father also knows these things. Under King Sargon’s rule, the Empire has grown in size, and yet each expansion has required even more effort to govern.”

“Like what Father did to the Carchemishi,” Escander said. “When I heard what he had done, it seemed overly harsh, even brutal.”

“Yes, your father and I spent most of a day discussing that raid, and what Akkad’s response would be. But after our soldiers ravaged their city, the Carchemishi changed their ways. Now all the peoples in those distant lands understand the simple lesson we intended. If they do not bother us, we will not bother them. The careful use of terror may save many thousands of lives and prevent costly wars. Induce sufficient fear in your enemies, and you may not have to fight them in battle. But do not avoid war when it is necessary. The longer it is postponed, the greater advantage it will be to the other side. Remember, too, the application of military force, if sufficiently sudden and violent, often paralyzes political will.”

“When the time comes, I hope you will help me as you do my father,” Escander said. “You know so much about our people, and how to bend them to your will.”

“If I am still here, I will offer you advice. But only if you ask,” Trella said. “It is no shame to ask for help, but the sign of a wise ruler. However, always remember to guard yourself against flattery. Let everyone know that you take no offence in hearing the truth, no matter how unpleasant. Eventually you will come to trust your own instincts. Until then, listen to your Aunt Zakita and Uncle Melkorak. She has much wisdom, and he has mastered the art of planning and fighting.”

Escander smiled. “I’ve heard all of Uncle Melkorak’s sayings.” Escander altered his voice to imitate his uncle’s. “Never attack without concentrating your forces, conduct every pursuit with audacity and lethality, appreciate the importance of an ambush, always plan a strategic deception. .”