Peter Darman - Parthian Vengeance

I held Gallia’s hand as we walked to the governor’s mansion. The odd citizen still abroad bowed to us as we passed. Dura had no curfew except in an emergency, though the city gates were shut two hours before midnight every evening and were not opened again until dawn the next morning. There was no danger of an Agraci attack against us, but Dura had always been a frontier city and its inhabitants slept sounder knowing that they were in a secure stronghold.

We arrived at the mansion within minutes, the guards either side of the gates snapping to attention as we walked past them into the courtyard. More guards flanked the stone path that ran from the gates to the foot of the steps leading to the mansion’s entrance. We walked across the courtyard as Godarz and Nadira descended the steps to greet us. Nadira was wearing a yellow, figure-hugging dress with a diadem in her hair.

‘Remember,’ said Gallia in a whisper, smiling at our hosts, ‘when you speak to Nadira, her eyes are in her head and not her chest!’

Godarz may have been the city governor but he always dressed modestly. It was the same tonight. The years spent as a slave in Italy had left their mark on him. In truth though, he had never been badly treated yet he had still been a slave. Tonight he was dressed in a simple long-sleeved beige shirt, white leggings and sandals. Though Parthian men wore their hair long, Godarz had had his hair shorn in Italy and had never let it grow back. As he and his new love bowed their heads to us he appeared truly happy, wearing the look of a man who had finally found contentment after years of loneliness.

‘Welcome,’ said Godarz, ‘you are both most welcome.’

‘We are glad to be here,’ I replied.

Gallia smiled politely at Nadira and then embraced Godarz. She linked her arm in Nadira’s and they walked up the steps together into the mansion. I embraced Godarz and slapped him on the back.

‘Nadira is a beautiful woman. I am pleased for you, my old friend.’

His eyes were moist as he stepped back to face me.

‘I never thought that I could be this happy, Pacorus. The gods have truly blessed me.’

We followed our women up the steps, Polemo bowing his head to us as we passed him at the top.

‘You deserve to be happy, Godarz. We are truly happy for you.’

Godarz looked at Gallia and Nadira disappearing into the reception hall. ‘Even Gallia?’

‘Of course. Her nose has been put out of joint that is all. You know how it is with women, they get jealous.’

The meal was a most excellent feast. Though the mansion had a banqueting hall we ate in a smaller room just off the reception hall so as not to be dwarfed by our surroundings. I sat next to Gallia across from Godarz and Nadira. Servants brought us yoghurt, Parthian beans, fennel cooked with pine nuts and spices, roasted lamb, goat and chicken, steamed rice, crusty rice with cinnamon and pistachios, and meat balls. Other servants served us wine and water. As the wine flowed Gallia’s suspicion of Nadira lessened somewhat. The latter was charm itself, engaging my wife in conversation and appearing interested in everything she said, especially the Amazons. Gallia was delighted to talk about her female warriors, which made Godarz overjoyed. I had been dreading any friction between my wife and Nadira, but Godarz’s woman was adept at conversation and charm. She hardly spoke to me, knowing that the attitude of Gallia was the key to the success of the evening, and truth be told it was turning into a highly enjoyable occasion. I relaxed in my high-backed wooden chair and smiled at Godarz. He nodded and then stared lovingly at his gorgeous woman. He was truly blessed.

I drained my silver drinking vessel, a rhyton , and held it up to be refilled. Fashioned into the shape of a ram’s head it was a beautiful piece, highly polished and delicately crafted. I turned the drinking vessel in my hand as a servant walked towards me with a jug of wine. I saw the reflection of a figure behind me in the polished surface of the rhyton and instinctively moved to my right. As I turned to see who it was, a sword blade directed at my head suddenly splintered the back of my chair. I instinctively rolled out of it and kicked it away as Polemo wrenched his blade free. I jumped to my feet and drew my own sword, then advanced to meet my would-be assassin.

‘Godarz,’ I shouted, ‘get the women out of here. Sound the alarm.’

Polemo smiled. ‘I have a message for you, slave king.’

He attacked me with powerful slashing blows directed against my head. I parried them with some difficulty and then tried to thrust my spatha into his chest. But he sprang back and avoided my sword point with ease.

Polemo grinned once more. ‘King Mithridates sends his greetings.’

Then he came at me once more and again tried to behead me with his blade. His strength and speed forced me back. I caught his last slashing blow with my own blade, grabbed his sword hand with my left hand and head-butted his nose. He grimaced and staggered back, his nose broken.

I glanced behind me and saw with horror Gallia grappling with Nadira, who had a dagger in her hand and was trying to stab my wife.

Godarz was standing, transfixed by what was happening in front of him.

‘Godarz!’ I screamed. ‘Kill her, kill her now!’

I turned and saw the figure of Polemo charge at me once more. A servant ran at him but Polemo saw him, swung his blade to his left and sliced open the man’s belly. A piercing scream came from the servant as he collapsed to the ground. Polemo raced over to the door that lead to the kitchen corridor and slammed it shut.

‘Godarz,’ I shouted again. ‘In the name of Shamash do something!’

Godarz looked at me and then at Nadira and Gallia grappling with each other. He came to his senses and raced over to grab Nadira, who slapped Gallia round the face, pushed her to the ground and then swung round. Godarz was not stabbed by her dagger but rather ran on to its blade. Nadira grabbed his shoulder with her left hand and then stabbed him twice more before turning back to face Gallia. Another servant ran into the room from the hall.

‘Sound the alarm,’ I screamed, but Polemo was too quick and split the back of the man’s head with his sword as he tried to run from the room. I ran at Polemo, my spatha grasped with both hands, and hacked at his head. He parried my blows but blood was now pouring from his shattered nose and he had difficulty in maintaining his defence. He tried to bar the door with a small table that had been positioned against the wall beside it, but another servant burst into the room and interrupted him. The servant looked at me and then died as Polemo nearly severed his head with a great swing of his sword. I screamed and ran at Polemo again, slashing at his neck and then whipping my blade back to thrust the point into his left shoulder. He groaned and winced in pain but still advanced and directed more blows against me. His strength was failing, though, and the sword strikes were becoming slower and easier to parry.

I looked behind me and saw Godarz lying on the floor. Gallia had sprung to her feet, grabbed a knife from the table and was facing Nadira.

‘Come on, bitch!’ she screamed.

Nadira glanced at me and then at Polemo, who was now bleeding from both the nose and shoulder. She spat at Gallia and ran over to Polemo.

‘Come, we must go.’

Polemo raised his sword at me and then they fled from the room. Gallia ran to Godarz and cradled his head in her arms. Another servant rushed into the room and stared in horror at the scene that greeted his eyes.

‘Sound the alarm,’ I shouted. ‘Go quickly!’

His mouth was open in terror and he shook his head like a demented man as he fled. I knelt beside Godarz. Tears were running down Gallia’s cheeks as she held him. I looked at the blood oozing from the wound in his belly and knew he was dying. I heard the alarm bell ringing in the courtyard and shortly after a dozen guards raced into the room.