David Gemmell - Lion of Macedon

It was late afternoon before Nestus and his companions rode up to the house where Parmenion was sitting with Xenophon in the shadow cast by the sloping, tiled roof. The Athenian rose, gestured for Parmenion to remain where he was and walked out to meet the riders.

There were six men with Nestus but Xenophon knew only two of them: Leonidas and Hermias.

'Welcome to my home,' said Xenophon.

'We seek the man Parmenion,' stated Nestus, lifting his leg and jumping to the ground. He was a tall young man, broad-shouldered and lean-hipped — not unhandsome, though his beauty was marred by a hook of a nose.

Xenophon approached him. 'Have the ephors granted permission for this duel?'

'They have,' said Nestus. Reaching into his tunic, he produced a scroll and handed it to Xenophon.

The Athenian opened it and read swiftly.

'Will honour be satisfied with anything but blood?' he asked, handing back the warrant.

'No. You know what he did. What choice do I have?'

'As a gentleman, none at all,' said Xenophon softly. 'But — and I speak not in his defence, nor even with his permission — he did not know of your involvement with the lady.'

'She is no lady, she is a whore — made a whore by your half-breed house guest.'

Xenophon nodded. 'Then blood it must be. However, let us act like gentlemen. You have ridden a long way and you, and your friends, must be thirsty. My home is your home; I will have servants fetch refreshments.'

'That will not be necessary, Athenian,' snapped Nestus. 'Just send Parmenion to me. I will kill him and we will be on our way.'

Xenophon moved closer to the young man. 'While I appreciate your anger,' he whispered, 'it ill becomes a gentleman to act with such rudeness.'

Nestus looked into the pale blue eyes and saw the fury there. 'You are correct, sir. My anger spoke — and it should not be directed at you. I thank you for your courtesy, and I am sure my friends would be glad of refreshment. For myself, with your permission, I will wait in your gardens until the time for the battle.'

Xenophon bowed. 'I will send cool water to you — unless you would prefer wine?'

'Water will suffice.' Nestus stalked off into the gardens. The other men dismounted and followed Xenophon into the house. No one looked at Parmenion, who sat silently with his eyes on Nestus seated alone on a bench by the stream.

After a few minutes Parmenion heard someone approaching from behind and looked up, expecting to see Xenophon.

'You nursed your hate well,' said Leonidas, 'and the arrow you sent found its mark.'

Parmenion stood and faced his old enemy. 'I do not hate you, Leonidas, nor your family. I love Derae. What I did was wrong and I am ashamed of my actions. But I mean to marry her.'

For a moment Leonidas said nothing, his expression unreadable. 'I love my sister,' he said, 'even though she is wilful. But you are my enemy, Parmenion, and will remain so until the day of your death — which I pray will be today. You cannot stand against Nestus.'

'Why must this go on?' Parmenion asked. 'How can you carry this hatred when I will be wed to your sister?'

Leonidas reddened, and Parmenion saw not just anger but anguish in his eyes. 'It would be unfair to speak of it now, before you fight. If you survive, then I will tell you.'

'Tell me, and to Hades with fairness!'

Leonidas took a step forward, seizing the front of Parmenion's tunic. 'Derae will soon be dead -

can you understand that? My father had her named as Cassandra's victim and even now she is on board a ship bound for Troy. When they get close to the shore, she will be hurled over the side.

That is what you brought her to, half-breed! You killed her!'

The words cut into Parmenion like knives, and he reeled back from the blazing anger in Leonidas'

eyes. Cassandra's victim! Every year a young, unmarried woman was sent from Sparta as a sacrifice to the gods, to drown off the coast of Troy. It was a penance for the murder of the priestess Cassandra after the Trojan War hundreds of years before. All major cities of Greece were obliged to send victims.

The girls were taken by ship to within a mile of the coastline of Asia, then their hands were tied behind their backs and they were thrown from the deck. There was no hope for Derae; even if she got her hands free and managed to swim to the shore, the local villagers would pursue and kill her. That was part of the ritual.

'Well, what have you to say?' hissed Leonidas, but Parmenion did not reply. He walked out into the sunshine and drew his sword, hefting it for weight. He could not answer his enemy: all feelings had vanished from him. He felt curiously light-headed and free of torment. They had taken from him the only light in his life, and he would not live in darkness again. Better for Nestus to kill him.

Xenophon approached him after a while and called Nestus to the flat ground before the house. 'I have sent for the surgeon. I think it advisable to wait until he arrives before this battle commences.'

'Doctors cannot help dead men,' Nestus observed.

'Very true, but it is likely that the victor will also receive wounds. I would not want a second man to bleed to death.'

'I do not wish to wait,' declared Nestus. 'Soon the sun will be down. Let us begin.'

'I agree,' said Parmenion. Xenophon looked at him closely.

'Very well, you both have swords, and the required number of witnesses are present. I suggest you salute one another, and then begin.'

Nestus drew his blade and glared at Parmenion. 'There will be no salute to you, mix-blood.'

'As you wish,' Parmenion answered calmly. 'But before we fight, I want you to know that I love Derae — even as you must.'

'Love? What would you know of it? I shall remember her with great fondness — and I shall especially remember the moment when I told her father, in her presence, the price he would have to pay for my shame. She did not look pretty then, half-breed, not as she fell to her knees begging her father not to let her die.'

'You asked for her death?'

'I demanded her death — as I demanded yours.'

'Well,' said Parmenion, feeling the heat of rising fury but holding it in check, 'you had your way with her. Now let us see if you can fight as well as you can hate.'

Nestus suddenly lunged. The Sword of Leonidas flashed up, iron clashing on iron as Parmenion parried the thrust. Nestus slashed a backhand cut, but Parmenion blocked it.

The watchers spread out around the fighters. Xenophon had walked back to the shade of the roof, where he sat hunched forward with his chin on his hands, watching every move. Nestus, he saw, had the strength, but Parmenion was more swift. Their swords rang together and for several minutes they circled, testing one another's skill, then Parmenion's blade slashed down to open a shallow cut at the top of Nestus' right shoulder. Blood sprayed out, staining the young man's blue tunic.

Xenophon rose and rejoined the watching group, who were cheering Nestus on and shouting advice.

Nestus launched an attack, sending a stabbing lunge towards Parmenion's throat, but Parmenion sidestepped and lanced his blade into his opponent's side, the sword ripping the skin and glancing from his ribs. Grunting with pain, Nestus backed away. Blood was now flowing from two wounds and the watching men fell silent. Parmenion feinted a cut to the head but dropped the blade down, hammering it into his opponent's left side. A rib snapped under the impact and Nestus screamed in pain, only partly parrying a second lunge which opened the wound further. Blood now drenched his blue tunic and was coursing down his leg.

'Enough!' yelled Xenophon. 'Stand back from each other!'

Both men ignored him. Stepping in close, Parmenion blocked a feeble thrust and plunged his sword into Nestus' belly. With a terrible cry Nestus dropped his blade and fell to his knees.