Ben Kane: Clouds of War

Sapho didn’t seem to hear. With superhuman strength, he pushed Hanno out of the way. The tiny delay had given Bostar a chance to get up, however. Roaring with anger, he flung himself at Sapho, arms outstretched, and caught him around the middle. The pair went sprawling on to the dirt, each raining punches upon the other. Hanno looked on in dismay. From the corner of his eye, he could see Bostar’s two companions and Mutt doing the same. His inaction lasted only a moment. This had to be stopped. As much as anything, it was a terrible example for the men to see officers brawling.

‘Help me separate them,’ he ordered Mutt. ‘You grab Bostar. I’ll go for Sapho.’ Hanno leaped in and grabbed one of Sapho’s flailing arms. With that grip he was able to heave his brother back, managing at the same time to seize his other arm from underneath. Hanno bent his elbows, securing his purchase on Sapho’s upper body. Sapho spat and cursed, but was unable to break free. That didn’t stop him aiming another kick at Bostar, who was lying helpless underneath Mutt. There was a groan from Bostar as the blow landed, and Sapho chuckled. ‘How do you like that, you filth?’

Hanno wrenched Sapho back several steps. There was a yelp of pain.

‘Gods, my shoulders!’

‘Good.’ Tightening his grip, Hanno dragged him back another pace or two. Sapho began to speak, but Hanno had had enough. ‘Shut your trap!’ He peered over Sapho’s shoulder. ‘Mutt?’

‘Sir?’

‘Have you got Bostar under control?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Good. He’s to promise not to start fighting again. Then you can let him go. If he won’t, hold him down.’ Hanno moved his lips to Sapho’s ear. ‘This has to end. Do you hear me?’

‘I-’ Sapho began to growl.

‘No, Sapho, I won’t have it! You’re a grown man, and an officer, not a ten-year-old boy!’ There was no response, so Hanno squeezed with all his might, forcing Sapho’s arms upwards and back even further. Another hiss of pain from his brother. ‘Understand?’ demanded Hanno.

‘Fine. Yes,’ came the surly reply.

‘Bostar has agreed,’ said Mutt.

‘Release him.’ Hanno slackened his grip on Sapho, allowing him to step away. He moved to stand between his two brothers, still furious. Bostar was regarding him with surprise, and Sapho with smouldering anger. Hanno was so incensed that he didn’t care what either of them thought. ‘You’re both a disgrace to your rank and station! Senior officers, fighting like two drunks, and in front of common soldiers. Hannibal would have the pair of you flogged for this. I’ve a good mind to do the same myself.’ Their mouths opened in shock, but Hanno wasn’t finished. ‘Father might be gone, but that doesn’t mean he’s not looking down on you in disgust, the last of our family. He would have told you that our war is with the damn Romans, not each other. Isn’t it?’ He eyeballed them.

‘It is,’ mumbled Bostar after a moment.

‘Sapho?’

‘Yes, I suppose.’

‘Then start acting like a man, instead of a child!’

Sapho flushed, but did not answer back.

‘I want you both to take an oath that this quarrelling will end here and now,’ commanded Hanno.

His brothers looked unhappy. ‘And if I don’t agree?’ demanded Sapho.

‘As the gods are my witness, I will tell Hannibal,’ replied Hanno from between clenched teeth.

Bostar sighed. ‘I will swear.’

‘My little brother has all grown up,’ murmured Sapho.

‘What’s your answer to be?’ barked Hanno.

‘I will also swear,’ said Sapho mildly.

Hanno didn’t trust the look in Sapho’s eyes, but he had backed down. Hanno moved his fingers away from his sword hilt, where they had begun to stray. ‘Speak your oaths,’ he ordered.

One after the other, his brothers swore to all the Carthaginian gods that they would bury their feud forever. When they were done, both glanced at Hanno. They’re waiting to see if I am satisfied, he realised, shocked by the sea change in their relationship. A few moments before, he had been the youngest brother, lowest in the pecking order. Now he had acted as their father might have, and they had accepted it. ‘Fine.’ He glanced at Mutt. ‘We’ve wasted enough time here. Have the men form up again, ready to march.’

Mutt roared out a command. Sapho, Bostar and the two others quickly moved out of the way. Hanno began to feel proud of what he’d done. Whether the two would honour their promise remained to be seen, but the strength of their vow would prevent them from fighting, for the time being at least. He wondered if Sapho would seek revenge on him for the humiliation. If he does, I’ll be ready, he decided. As I have been for some time. ‘Forward march!’ he cried.

‘Hold!’ shouted a voice.

Thinking it was one of his brothers, Hanno continued to advance. Mutt and the rest followed.

‘HOLD, I SAY!’ repeated the voice.

Realising it was someone else altogether, Hanno ground to a halt.

A short distance away, a nondescript soldier threw back the hood of his cloak. He was one-eyed, broad-faced, bearded.

There was a universal gasp of amazement.

Hanno was first to react. ‘Attention!’ he cried, snapping upright. ‘Your general is here.’

His men stiffened to attention. His brothers and their companions did the same. Hannibal stalked over, his face a blank. Hanno began to feel nervous. It had always been their general’s habit to wander among his soldiers incognito, his purpose to assess their morale, their mood. Since Cannae, this practice appeared to have lapsed. Until now, thought Hanno. His certainty that he had acted in the correct manner wavered. Hannibal was liable to punish lapses of discipline severely. Gods, what will he do?

Neither Bostar nor Sapho could meet Hannibal’s eye as he spoke. ‘I’ve been aware of the animosity between you for a long while, but I had no idea that it was this bad.’

‘Sir, I-’ began Sapho.

‘Quiet!’ Hannibal’s voice cracked like a whip.

Sapho subsided.

‘Sapho, the wild but courageous one. Bostar, also brave as a lion, but more dutiful.’ Hannibal’s gaze moved to Hanno, who squirmed beneath it. ‘The cub, usually the one to do as he pleased. The one who needed disciplining the most, or so I thought.’ He paced to and fro, letting the brothers sweat.

‘Under normal circumstances, this incident would have passed me by,’ Hannibal said at last. ‘But I was here, and I saw it.’

Hanno’s eyes flickered to his brothers’ faces. He wasn’t alone in holding his breath.

‘It’s a poor sign when two of my phalanx commanders brawl with each other like a pair of drunks outside a whorehouse.’

Hanno stared at the ground, acutely aware that he would have to accept whatever punishment was meted out to them — and him.

‘It seems to me that the vow Hanno forced you to take should be enough to keep the peace.’

Relief — and a little disbelief — all round, although none of the brothers dared to relax.

‘If we were not at war, I would strip you both to the ranks, at the very least .’ He glared at Sapho and Bostar, who both looked ashamed. ‘However, we are at war, and in a foreign land. Officers of your calibre are impossible to replace.’ He raised a warning finger. ‘Yet the matter cannot go unaddressed. Therefore, despite your oath, I am going to separate you. Permanently.’

All three exchanged worried glances, and Hannibal laughed. It was not an altogether pleasant sound. ‘I’ve had word that my brother Hasdrubal in Iberia needs experienced officers. Despite the shortage in my own forces, I am going to send him a few men. Bostar, you will be one of them. You will have to go by sea, because it would take too long to travel by land. The voyage will be dangerous in the extreme — I expect you know that. Two of the last three ships sent from Iberia have been sunk or taken by the Romans. Gods willing, you will make it. Once there you will do all in your power to help Hasdrubal and our other generals defeat the enemy.’