Sam Barone: Battle For Empire

Bracca moved to the table and slipped into the chair opposite his host. “Nice sword.” He gestured toward the weapon. “Mind if I try it?”

“Only if you want your hand cut off,” Eskkar said pleasantly. “There’s wine and ale, food if you’re hungry.”

“A cup of ale would be good,” Bracca said. He selected the ale pitcher, filled his cup halfway, then paused to examine the cup. “Nice carving on these, but I doubt if you picked them out yourself. You never had an eye for such things.”

He raised the cup up in a gesture of thanks. “Well, to an old friend, and to King Eskkar of Akkad. You’ve done very well indeed.” He took a few swallows, then sighed. “Good brew. Don’t get anything near as good in the east.”

Eskkar watched his old friend’s movements. Shorter than most men, and quick as a cat in the old days, Bracca still appeared to carry plenty of hard muscle on his frame, though the loose fitting tunic concealed most of his strength. Even so, the man’s arms looked as strong as ever. Many a dead man had underestimated Bracca’s toughness and quickness with sword or knife.

“You look fit and as ready for a fight as ever.” Bracca had observed the movement of Eskkar’s eyes. “Though it seems strange not to see that long sword sticking up from your shoulder. We surprised a lot of enemies in our wanderings. We were both quicker than we looked. I never understood how you could draw that blade so fast.”

The two companions had always presented an odd contrast. Bracca, short, dark, and quick, had provided the perfect compliment to Eskkar’s height, powerful frame, and long arms. And just as in the old days, the man seemed to read Eskkar’s thoughts. He would have to take care not to reveal too much. “So you’ve been to the Indus. Are you still working for Aram-Kitchu?”

“Ah, well, there’s a long story. Yes and no, I suppose. Aram-Kitchu is dead. Not long after we forded the Indus, he took a bandit’s arrow in the back and died soon after. Half the caravan died that day, too. Before he passed on, Aram asked me to continue the venture and return the wealth to his family. One thing led to another, and by the time I reached Sumer, almost a year had passed, and I had become Aram-Kitchu.”

Eskkar smiled, as much at Bracca’s story telling skills as at the story. “That seems convenient.”

Bracca laughed, the familiar quick burst that always came easily to the man. “Yes, I suppose it was. But as I was carrying a fat bag of gold, his widow accepted me into her household. Since she didn’t enjoy the prospect of finding a new husband, soon she and I were wed. We decided I should take on Aram-Kitchu’s name. It seemed easier that way to keep the trading ventures going.”

“So you became wealthy and respectable at the same time?”

“As respectable as Aram-Kitchu or any greedy trader could ever be. He’d also taken three wives in the land of the Indus, so now I’ve a good-sized family there, too. In fact, I own two large estates in that land, along with a few hundred slaves and servants.”

“I’m glad to hear you’ve plenty of gold.” Eskkar poured himself a small cup of ale and laced it with water. “I gave orders to double the guard on the coin storeroom as soon as I learned it was you.”

Bracca laughed again. “We did steal quite a few purses, didn’t we? Still, I’m glad to see you survived your wounds and found those coins. Enough of us died to earn them, as I recall. But all in the past, that. Now you’re the mighty King Eskkar, revered by his people and ruler of the greatest city in the west.”

“You missed a few good fights,” Eskkar said. “I could have used your help once or twice.”

“If I’d stayed, then I’d be the King of Akkad, and you’d be working for me training horse fighters.” Bracca smiled at the idea. “But as it is, I’ve come to save your worthless life once again.”

“Who wants to kill me this time?”

“Not you in particular. It’s just that the ruler of the Elamites wants to conquer Akkad and add it to his empire. He hungers for the caravans full of tribute he’ll expect delivered each year.”

“Elamites?” Eskkar frowned. “Who are the Elamites?”

Bracca shook his head in feigned disappointment. “You see what I mean? You don’t even know your peril. A vast army marches toward you, and you’ve never heard of them.”

“Enlighten me, then, friend Bracca.”

“The Elamites are a warrior race far to the east. For twenty years, they have fought and conquered every city and nation in the land of the Indus. Now their eye has turned toward the west. Already they are planning their first steps toward the Land Between the Rivers. In two years, perhaps a little more, they will be here, knocking at your gates.”

“Ah, then at least I can sleep well tonight.”

“Sleep lightly, my old friend. The Elamites are a dangerous enemy, and they have a long reach. They prefer to kill their enemies’ leaders well before their armies arrive. Well before they invade, they target those wise and strong enough to resist them. Poison, assassins, treachery, betrayal, the Elamites are masters of all of these. The weak and foolish they leave alive and in power. Until they’re ready to crush them.”

“And how is it, friend Bracca, that you know so much about these Elamites?”

“Oh, did I forget to mention that I am in their pay? Very well paid, I might add. I gather knowledge for them, especially from the Land Between the Rivers. The more they know about Akkad and its allies, the easier it will be to conquer the city. When the time comes, I’ll be one of those dispatching assassins to eliminate any who still stand in their way.”

“And that would be me?”

“Well, not only you.” Bracca took another sip from his cup. “In Akkad I suppose Trella would be their first target. Her reputation is well known. In Isin, it would be King Naxos. Of course, it might be easier to turn him against Akkad. The Elamites always try to sow distrust among those they are preparing to attack. A good tactic, that.”

He shrugged. “Their plans will be decided when they are ready to move against you.”

King Naxos of Isin ruled his city state with a strong hand, but every powerful man posed a potential threat to Akkad’s rule. Which was why Annok-sur kept so many spies in Isin.

“What of your own cities to the south, Bracca? Is Sumer and the rest of Sumeria to be spared this invasion?”

“Alas, no.” Bracca’s voice held a hint of sadness. “The southern cities must also be brought under Elamite rule. Only the entire wealth of the Land Between the Rivers would be enough to justify the war and satisfy King Shirudukh.”

Eskkar had never heard of this King Shirudukh. “And that would be bad for your trading ventures.” Eskkar grunted in disgust.

If any of this were true, he should probably kill Bracca tonight. Eskkar had only to raise his voice, and the four guards now waiting on the lower landing would burst into the room, swords in hand.

The idea tempted Eskkar. After all, many years had passed, and he owed the man nothing. A day or two in the torture pit would make Bracca reveal everything he knew. Besides, a spy was always a danger, and someone as clever as Bracca would make the best and most dangerous spy of all.

“So why are you telling me all this, Bracca? Especially since you’ll be one of those plotting against me.”

“Ah, I have my reasons.” Bracca leaned back in his chair and made himself more comfortable. “For one, you saved my life, and more than once. For another, I never felt good about leaving you here. I was certain you were going to die, but I suppose I should have stayed with you to the end. It’s what you and your foolish barbarian code of honor would have done, if our situations were reversed. But Aram-Kitchu was leaving, and I had only a moment to choose. It was five years before I learned you were alive. Still, if you had died like you were supposed to, my only regret would be leaving behind those five silver coins.”