During our march to Kayseri the landscape changed from one of verdant valleys and forested hillsides to bare, rock-strewn steppes littered with tall rock cones, needles and outcrops in a rainbow of colours. But at least the somewhat barren landscape provided good visibility and reduced the chances of any enemy force creeping up on us unawares. But to ensure we enjoyed an uneventful march, Talib and his scouts were despatched to reconnoitre our route and provide an outer screen for our flanks. Nearer the army were patrols of horse archers organised by Sporaces, Herneus and Hovik. The latter shared my misgivings about besieging Kayseri but his sense of duty and honour forbade him from saying anything to his new king. He looked like an impoverished mercenary in his tatty red tunic, old scale-armour cuirass and battered helmet. The hair beneath his headgear was thinning and streaked with grey, but for all his shortcomings when it came to apparel, he had a keen military mind, the product of over forty years’ service in the army of Gordyene. It comforted me to know he would be a steadying and guiding influence on the young Castus. He would need it, for like a hyena sniffing blood, when Armenia and Pontus discovered Spartacus was dead, they would surely test his resolve when it came to maintaining Gordyene’s borders. And I doubted Artaxias would now pay the exorbitant amount of gold extorted from him by Spartacus.

  Of the Cappadocians we saw none. We came across abandoned villages with stone huts and straw roofs, and Talib reported cave dwellings among the rock formations. However, they too were deserted, their inhabitants having fled before us.

  It took ten days to reach Kayseri, the enemy conspicuous by his absence. Another ten would see us safely back in Parthian territory and I argued again with Castus and Diana about the sense of laying siege to the city. But they, and also Gallia, were adamant that King Archelaus should pay for his support of Pontus and Galatia, and by inference the rebel Atrax. To their voices was added that of Malik, who was aggrieved he and his warriors had taken no part in the raid on Corum. And so we entered the fertile oasis surrounding the large city of Kayseri and prepared to seize Archelaus’ capital.

  Kayseri was huge: a sprawling city, surrounded by a stone wall, on the northern slopes of a mountain called Argaeus. The mountain itself was massive, a dormant volcano that towered over the city, its peak covered in snow, its lower slopes wreathed in forests. All around the city the land was green and fertile, watered by underground springs, mountain streams and the nearby River Halys. The abundance of water produced a bounty of crops. There were vast areas of vine and fruit orchards, fields growing barley, wheat and flax, and expansive meadows where cattle and sheep grazed. Or they would have done had they not been evacuated before our arrival, along with the inhabitants of the outlying villages and farms, presumably into the city.

  Kayseri itself projected power and strength, its long circuit wall constructed of black stone with towers at regular intervals. Each tower comprised two storeys, with arrow slits on the second storey and an open fighting platform on the roof. The sun reflected off whetted spear points held by soldiers on sections of the walls and on the fighting platforms, though I did not see a mass of troops lining the walls. Either side of all the gates into the city were towers, which like the others allowed flanking shots to be taken at attackers trying to scale the walls. As the army established a camp a mile from Kayseri, I rode in the company of Kewab, Chrestus, Lucius and a score of horse archers to take a closer look at the city Castus wanted to storm, being careful not to stray too close and tempt an archer or slinger to try his luck.

  ‘Well-trimmed and fitted stone,’ observed Kewab, examining the wall. ‘I would advise ramps.’

  ‘My thoughts exactly,’ agreed Lucius. ‘Aristotle stated a circuit wall ought to be an ornament as well as a defence, and these walls certainly fulfil both functions.’

  ‘I would estimate the wall to be around twenty-five feet in height,’ said Kewab, ‘and ten feet thick.’

  Chrestus was far from happy.

  ‘Ramps take time. How many do you propose, Lucius?’

  ‘At least two,’ replied my quartermaster general, ‘each one capable of accommodating two centuries side-by-side, plus archers, with a wooden wall on both edges to give cover from enemy missile troops.’

  Chrestus shook his head. ‘Madness, utter madness.’

  ‘The King of Gordyene wants this city,’ I said.

  ‘The King of Gordyene should be put in his place,’ said Chrestus bluntly.

  ‘Allow me to provide a summary of coalition warfare, Chrestus,’ I replied. ‘The King of Gordyene is supported by Hatra concerning attacking this city, and the Queen of Dura fully supports the Queen of Hatra in believing King Castus should have his day in the sun. So you see, far from the King of Gordyene being put in his place, it is the King of Dura who has been out-flanked.’

  Chrestus looked at the city, at the tree-covered lower slopes of the volcano and then at the verdant terrain behind us.

  ‘If I was King Archelaus, I would not have surrendered the area around the city so lightly. I would have at least tried to interrupt the construction of our camp. But the enemy merely sits behind his walls.’

  ‘The Cappadocians lost many men at Corum,’ said Lucius, ‘perhaps the army of Archelaus is a mere shadow of what it was.’

  ‘Perhaps,’ mused Chrestus. ‘But the longer we stay here the more vulnerable we become.’

  ‘General Chrestus is right, majesty,’ said Kewab. ‘Each siege ramp will require around twenty-five thousand tons of stones and soil, the felling of hundreds of trees to provide horizontal and vertical beams to provide bulwarks, as well as the labour of a thousand men fully committed for up to four weeks.’

  ‘Four weeks sitting on our arses over two hundred miles from friendly territory is madness, utter madness,’ grumbled Chrestus.

  ‘You are right,’ I agreed, turning Horns, ‘work begins on the siege ramps in the morning.’

  The garrison did nothing as we established siege lines around the city – small, fortified, self-contained camps manned by horse and foot soldiers – and watched as thousands of men went to work felling trees to provide timber to make beams to strengthen the siege ramps. The ramps themselves, which would enable two assaults to be made against the northern wall of the city, were started well away from the wall. Lucius organised dozens of work parties to fill baskets of freshly dug earth to create them. Under the direction of his engineers, hundreds of men emptied these baskets every hour to build up the ramps, each of which would be over a hundred paces in length.

  From the beginning those working on the ramps were protected from enemy missiles, at the front of the ramps by large convex wicker shields over the height of a man and covered with rawhide to act as a defence against fire. Behind them were light wooden structures with open ends and wicker sides and roofs, likewise covered by rawhide to make them fire resistant. Each structure had four vertical wooden posts in each corner for support, and when arranged in a line, they formed tunnels that allowed soldiers to haul their baskets of earth under cover.

  Engineers arranged wooden beams to be laid horizontally at regular intervals in the ramps to act as a framework for each structure, along with vertical beams along the sides for additional support. But the ramps took shape slowly, work ceasing when the sun went down for fear of enemy night-time sallies. But no attacks came from the city, and indeed very few arrows or slingshots were directed at the multitude working on the siege ramps, leading me to believe there were few troops inside Kayseri. But the thought of assaulting a city filled largely with civilians filled me with dread, and so I gladly accepted the offer to talk with a representative of King Archelaus, a herald being lowered down the outside of the city wall on a rope ladder a week after we had arrived outside Kayseri.

  Sieges are dull affairs, save for the bloodletting at the end of them. Endless days filled with digging trenches, building ramps, chopping wood, collecting supplies, patrolling and leading horses to water and grazing. Cleanliness and preventing the outbreak of pestilence become of paramount importance, so the siting and digging of latrine trenches, cleaning up animal dung and ensuring troops attend to their personal hygiene become the obsession of officers, medics and veterinaries. As we settled down to isolate Kayseri and prepare for its storm, men such as Sophus and Lucius Varsas became influential figures, for the fate of the army rested in their hands. On a day-to-day basis, there was very little to do aside from menial chores, and I began to envy the patrols of horse archers who at least had a change of scenery during their duties. I therefore jumped at the chance to speak to a representative of King Archelaus.

  ‘Not the king, majesty, the queen mother.’

  Klietas poured wine into a silver chalice for our guest, a bald, plump, slightly effeminate courtier I assumed, judging by his rich purple silk tunic, red shoes and yellow silk leggings. Klietas poured me some wine and also Gallia, who entered the tent in full war gear, having taken the Amazons on a patrol to alleviate her boredom. At first the messenger, thinking she was an ordinary soldier reporting to his king, did not acknowledge her appearance. But he rose in haste when she removed her helmet to reveal the blonde hair and blue eyes of the Queen of Dura.

  ‘Forgive me, majesty,’ he said in Greek, bowing his head, ‘I bring greetings from Glaphyra, mother of King Archelaus.’

  ‘This is Levon,’ I told her, ‘an emissary from the city.’

  Gallia took the wine and eyed him wearily. She noted his rich attire, delicate hands and fawning demeanour, which he emphasised by the fixed smile on his plump, blemish-free face.

  ‘It is an honour to meet the Queen of Dura, whose fame is known throughout the civilised world.’

  Gallia rolled her eyes, tossed her helmet to Klietas and removed her mail shirt.

  ‘Your mistress rules Kayseri?’ she asked, flopping down in a chair, her cheeks flushed for it was another very hot day and the tent was dry and airless.

  ‘In the place of her son, yes, majesty,’ he replied.

  ‘Sit, Levon,’ I told him, ‘it is too hot to stand on ceremony. I assume you have a message from your mistress?’

  He bowed his head to me, still smiling.

  ‘She is desirous to meet with you, majesty, to find a solution to the current predicament.’

  ‘There are two other kings who need to be consulted first,’ I told him.

  His smile disappeared. ‘My mistress believes that a face-to-face meeting between you and her, majesty, would be more productive than including King Gafarn and King Castus.’

  I glanced at Gallia, who looked surprised. So this Glaphyra had learned of the death of Spartacus.

  ‘The meeting would be informal,’ emphasised Levon, ‘more a discussion between like-minded individuals than an occasion of high diplomacy.’

  ‘Where?’ I asked, intrigued.

  ‘There is an apricot orchard two miles from the city’s western entrance, majesty. My mistress will be there tomorrow two hours after dawn, at a cottage with stone walls painted white with a red-tiled roof.’

  ‘Her leaving the city will draw the attention of our soldiers,’ I told him.

  ‘My mistress will not be leaving the city via the gates, majesty,’ he replied.

  I was now more intrigued than ever. Was this a woman or a sorceress who could become invisible to pass through our lines unseen?

  ‘Until tomorrow, then, Levon,’ I said.

  He rose, bowed to me and then Gallia and took his leave, halting at the tent entrance.

  ‘My mistress has heard you are a man of honour, majesty.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Levon,’ I assured him, ‘I promise not to harm or try to seize your mistress.’

  He was delighted. ‘The rumours are indeed true, majesty. Until tomorrow.’

  I had him escorted back to the wall, just in case a bored legionary or archer decided to brighten up their day by killing an enemy eunuch.

  ‘Eunuch?’ chuckled Gallia.

  ‘Perhaps I am being unkind.’

  ‘Probably not. He was wearing perfume, did you notice?’

  ‘I did. Made a pleasant surprise from sweat, leather and horses.’

  ‘It might be a trap,’ she cautioned. ‘If she can move in and out of the city by way of a concealed passageway, so can soldiers. You should take an escort.’

  ‘Klietas,’ I called.

  He came running from the bedroom area.

  ‘Highborn?’

  ‘You like apricots?’

  ‘Yes, highborn.’

  ‘I’ll take you with me. There, I have my escort.’

  Gallia, however, insisted I was accompanied by a score of Amazons, who were waiting for Klietas and me when we walked from our tent the next morning. It was another warm, sunny day, a few white puffy clouds in the sky, which would disappear by midday. Parties of legionaries and Immortals were filing out of camp to continue work on the siege ramps, as well as replace the garrisons in the smaller fortified camps that ringed Kayseri. Gafarn kept Diana company in their tent. She had withdrawn into a state of melancholy and shunned all company, mine especially. Castus and his brother, bored by the logistics of siegecraft, rode off with a large escort of King’s Guard and Vipers every morning on hunting expeditions. Malik and Kalet surprised us all when they announced they and their men would take part in the construction of the siege ramps, after Kalet had lectured the Agraci king on his men, and women, being stronger and fitter than the Agraci on account of them having to build their own mud-brick strongholds in the desert, whereas the Agraci lived in tents that required little manual effort to erect. And so a competition began to decide whose followers could dig and haul more earth, which delighted Lucius and speeded up the work on the ramps. A little.

  Klietas was delighted to see Haya among the score of Amazons, the pregnant Minu their commander. He gave her a broad grin and clutched his claw necklace, and she in turn gave him a smile. Perhaps he was breaking down her wall of resistance. Good, they would make a well-matched couple. Gallia kissed me on the cheek.

  ‘Ensure the king comes to no harm,’ she called to Minu.

  ‘Yes, majesty,’ replied the Amazon.

  I hauled myself into Horns’ saddle and nudged him forward. In front of us loomed the impressive feature of Mount Argaeus, on its lower slopes the sprawling city of Kayseri. We had not trotted a hundred yards when Sophus walked into the main avenue leading to the camp’s southern entrance. He had a lean frame anyway but he seemed to have lost weight, giving him a gaunt appearance. He bowed his head to me.

  ‘Are you fasting, Sophus?’ I joked.

  He raised a disapproving eyebrow.

  ‘I have a query, majesty.’

  ‘The king is on an important mission,’ snapped Minu.

  ‘Then I will not delay him any more than necessary,’ the Greek shot back.

  ‘What is your query, Sophus?’ I asked.

  He pointed at the city. ‘Is Cappadocia going to be absorbed into the Parthian Empire?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘But you intend to capture the city.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And presumably give it up afterwards?’

  I nodded.

  He stroked his thick beard.

  ‘We, or should I say you, lay siege to a city, storm it, butcher its population, plunder the ruins, and afterwards march back to Parthia.’

  ‘Is that your query, Sophus?’ I asked wearily.

  ‘Oh, no, majesty. My query relates to the care of the wounded civilians in Kayseri. If we assume that when the soldiery breaks into the city and they do not manage to slaughter everyone, do you wish me to administer medical aid to the wounded survivors? Or let them die a slow death?’

  I leaned forward.

  ‘You are impertinent, Sophus.’

  ‘And you are an unhappy man, majesty.’

  I was taken aback. ‘How so?’

  ‘You are not a butcher devoid of morals. The King of Dura does not sack cities for the mere pleasure of it. It would be a great pity if your reputation were to be irrevocably damaged at Kayseri, to say nothing of the self-reproach that would torture you afterwards. You are, above all, a moral man, majesty.’

  He stepped aside. ‘I have said my piece.’

  ‘I respect your honesty, Sophus, and it may interest you to know that I now journey to prevent the slaughter you have predicted.’

  He looked surprised. ‘I will pray that you succeed, majesty.’

  ‘Pray to whom?’

  ‘Dike, the Greek Goddess of Justice, majesty.’

  I tapped Horns’ flanks with my knees to prompt him to move, raising my hand to Sophus.

  ‘Let us hope she hears your prayers.’

  The designated place for the meeting with the mother of King Archelaus was an old apricot orchard, the trees having been planted in a grid formation, in rows from north-to-south to maximise the number of hours daily each tree was exposed to the sun. The orchard was deserted, the ground showing signs of iron-shod hooves where our horsemen had ridden through the area. When we spotted the whitewashed cottage on the edge of the orchard, I ordered Minu to remain with her women while I rode on with Klietas. I could see no signs of life and wondered if Glaphyra had been forced to remain in the city. When we arrived at the cottage, however, I saw two horses tethered near a water trough, both with red saddlecloths and bridles decorated with silver discs. And then Levon came from the cottage, smiling and bowing his head.

  ‘Welcome, King Pacorus. My mistress awaits you inside.’

  Glaphyra was beautiful, a woman who despite her middle age had retained her slim figure and a fair skin free from blemishes. She smiled when I entered the hut, the interior filled with the pleasing aroma of her cedar perfume. She was standing behind a simple wooden chair, though Levon had placed a cushion on its seat. She spread her arms.

  ‘Alas, King Pacorus, all I can offer is a chair and a cushion, a far cry from what a lord of war like you is used to.’

  I removed my helmet, bowed my head to her and walked to the other chair, arranged opposite hers. She noticed my limp.

  ‘You are wounded, King Pacorus?’

  I eased myself into the chair; she did the same.