Wraiths by Peter Darman

Author:Peter Darman [Darman, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, War & Military
ISBN: 9781090653666
Google: I0ODwwEACAAJ
Amazon: B07PJVLKSC
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: 2019-03-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Gaius Arrianus took charge of events the following day, meeting with the defeated kings in Melitene and proposing he should be the one to organise a parley with King Castus, assuring them his letter to the governor of Syria would bring reinforcements to Cappadocia. But to buy time and delay the inevitable Parthian assault on Melitene, a parley with the enemy was the only logical course of action. Archelaus, his mood no brighter than it had been the day before, gave his consent before retiring to the Temple of Ares in the town to implore the Greek God of War to protect his town and kingdom. Artaxias, eager to return to Armenia as quickly as possible, readily agreed to the Roman’s suggestion, while Amyntas, the worse for wear after being plied with alcohol by Titus Tullus the night before, merely grunted he was not finished with the Parthians yet.

A courier was sent to the camp of King Castus with a request from the Roman ambassador to the court of King Polemon requesting a meeting with King Castus and to enquire as to the health and wellbeing of King Polemon and Prince Zenon. The ambassador was surprised to receive a missive back from Castus after less than two hours with a demand for a meeting that very day, at a place five miles south of Melitene, ‘on account of the area to the east of the town being contaminated with a great number of the recently fallen of Cappadocia, Galatia and Pontus’. Gaius had no need to request the precise details about the location for the meeting, as the letter from Castus was delivered by a company of Vipers, commanded by Narin, who waited to escort the ambassador and whoever accompanied him to the venue, ‘your safety being my utmost concern, as the area around Melitene is infested with Parthian soldiers’.

Titus Tullus threw the letter on the table.

‘It is an insult. Arrogant little bastard, sending a bunch of women to be your escort.’

Gaius, dressed in a white leather cuirass adorned with gold eagles, smiled at his compatriot.

‘Our escort, general. Surely you would not send me out alone among our enemies?’

Tullus’ forehead creased. ‘You are not proposing we ignore the insult?’

‘Did you take a walk on the town walls this morning, general?’

Tullus nodded. ‘I did.’

‘And did you see the Parthian army arrayed before those walls?’

‘No.’

‘Exactly,’ said Gaius. ‘I will tolerate the odd insult if it buys us time, general, time to persuade King Castus to return home, and time to ensure events turn to Rome’s advantage.’

‘And time to allow the legions from Syria to reach us.’

Gaius gave him a quizzical look. ‘What legions?’

‘The legions that are hopefully already on the march as we speak,’ said Tullus, his voice laced with concern.

Gaius waved a hand at him. ‘The legion based in Syria is for the defence of that province, and the evocati legions raised last year proved a ruinous expense. I do not need legions to convince King Castus to leave Cappadocia, general.

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