Forging kingdoms, p.25
Forging Kingdoms, page 25
Demetrios watched his father turn and weave away and shook his head. He just doesn’t see it; his ambition is blinding him.
Antigonos turned over his shoulder. ‘And on the way I’m going to stop off for a little chat with Kleopatra.’
‘If he kills her, it will get out that he was responsible and it will be just like when Alcetas killed Cynane,’ Demetrios said to Phila once the serious business of being reunited with his wife after several months had been accomplished.
‘Worse,’ Phila murmured, half asleep, ‘Cynane was, like Thessalonike, just a half-sister. Kleopatra shares Alexander’s blood. Your father would be risking a great deal killing her. Kassandros blamed the young Alexander’s death on him but nobody believed him really; but people might start to rethink that if he’s seen to have killed the sister as well. That becomes a pattern emerging.’
Demetrios swung his legs off the bed and got to his feet. ‘Well, I don’t know about patterns but I do know my father’s not thinking straight at the moment.’
Phila raised herself, supporting her weight on her elbows. ‘That’s what I was thinking. Why did he call you all the way back from Babylonia, leaving a job half done, so you can go and do something he was more than capable of doing himself, deal with Ptolemy, just so he can go and found his capital up in Hellespontine Phrygia before going back east to carry on what you were doing before he called you away? It’s nonsense.’
‘And it’s given Seleukos enough time to re-establish himself.’
‘Not if you deal with Ptolemy quickly.’
PTOLEMY.
THE BASTARD.
THERE WAS NO point in continuing the siege, Ptolemy could well see as he watched the dead being collected from beneath the smoke-swathed walls from the day’s failed assault upon Halicarnassus. His spies had brought him warning of Demetrios’ arrival at Rhosos and the embarkation of his army onto a fleet that would have them in Halicarnassus before the full moon and that orb was already almost a complete circle. Today’s attack had been his final attempt to take the town and now it was time for pragmatism.
‘Is everything prepared on Kos, Cleomones?’ Ptolemy asked his siege commander, shading his eyes and looking across to the island a couple of leagues out to sea to where he planned to withdraw, rather than getting caught between Demetrios and his own siege lines.
‘It is, my lord,’ Cleomones replied. ‘Timaeus reported the last of the supplies were ferried over this morning.’
‘Then we should begin the evacuation at dawn. Have all the transport ships brought to the beach as the sun rises and the men waiting there ready for them. I’ll make the crossing now.’
‘Very good, my lord.’ Cleomones did not dismiss.
‘Was there something else, Cleomones?’
‘Indeed, my lord, there is. Archias the Exile-Hunter wishes to see you when you have the time.’
Ptolemy’s mood brightened. ‘Good; let’s hope he’s come back with some good news. Tell him to join me on my ship.’
Cleomones sapped a salute and went about his orders.
Ptolemy turned and walked in the opposite direction in search of Thais, hoping that she had finished overseeing their packing; it was time to leave.
‘We got as much out of it as we could, short of taking Halicarnassus,’ Ptolemy said as he and Thais stood in the stern of the ship, watching the Exile-Hunter come aboard his great Five with his Thracian henchmen. ‘Demetrios has been forced to return west, giving Seleukos time to secure the east and then to retake Babylon, which, my dearest,’ he put an arm around Thais’ waist, ‘will be the catalyst that sends Antigonos back east with a good part of his army. And then we shall see.’
‘What will we see, dearest?’ Thais fluttered her eyelashes at him in the most vacant and naive fashion. ‘A big battle?’
Ptolemy slapped her buttocks; his hand stayed in place, stroking. ‘With luck the loser will be utterly defeated and the winner will be sufficiently weakened to have made the whole thing a very expensive exercise.’
‘And you want Seleukos to be the victor, obviously.’
‘I would prefer it to be Seleukos because I won’t need to fight him – at least not for a good while – but if it’s Antigonos, I’ll have to consider a very swift campaign against him whilst he’s still weak and before he benefits from the wealth and manpower of the east. But I’ll have right on my side.’
‘Because you will be married to Alexander’s sister.’
‘Was that jealousy I heard in your voice?’
Thais removed his hand from her backside. ‘No, Ptolemy, it’s exasperation. Although I understand you must prevent someone else having her, the more I think about it the more I realise that marrying Kleopatra is the wrong thing for you to do; but I’m going to let you find that out for yourself.’
‘That’s very kind of you.’
‘You’re welcome. Now let’s go and talk to your favourite playmate, shall we? Other than me, that is.’
‘He’s waiting for me on Kos?’ Ptolemy could not hide his surprise at Archias’ report.
‘Yes, he went to Pella to speak with Kassandros,’ Archias said, leaning with one arm on the rail as a slave filled his goblet with wine. ‘Whilst he did so I saw Cratesipolis in Corinth and then came back to Chalcis to await his return. Whatever Kassandros had offered was not enough, so I persuaded him to come and see you. I travelled with him and he ordered his ship to dock in Kos; there was nothing I could do. He insisted he would wait for you there. However, interestingly, I wasn’t the only passenger on his ship.’
‘Yes, you had your seven little friends with you.’
‘Ah, but there was another passenger; this one was female. She’d taken passage on a trader from Pydna as far as Chalcis, Ptolemaios’ main city, arriving just before we were going to leave. She begged him to bring her to Asia; he did, happy to help someone who was fleeing from Kassandros.’ Archias halted as if that was the end of the tale and took a sip of wine, savouring its fullness.
‘Go on.’
‘It’s very good,’ Archias said, raising his goblet to Ptolemy. ‘I take it that Lycortas isn’t accompanying you, otherwise I wouldn’t be treated to such a fine vintage.’
‘Never mind the wine, what about the woman?’
‘Oh, yes. Artonis disembarked at Ephesus, on her way to Kleopatra in Sardis.’
‘Artonis? I thought she was with Polyperchon and her nephew causing Kassandros a lot of inconvenience.’
Archias’ boyish face lit up with a delightful smile. ‘Kassandros bribed Polyperchon to kill Herakles and his mother: a hundred talents in gold and a position as military governor of the Peloponnese south of the isthmus – or something along those lines.’
‘He always loved a title, and the longer the better, the silly little man; it gave substance to his otherwise vacuous nature.’ Ptolemy glanced over his shoulder as a whistle blew and the triarchos approached, bellowing orders to get the huge galley under way, and then turned back to Archias. ‘What a shame for Herakles, though.’ Ptolemy’s face conveyed the exact opposite to that sentiment. ‘Did Artonis say anything about Andronicus?’
‘He saved her life and helped her to escape.’
‘But didn’t come with her?’
‘She said to tell you he would wait in Corinth for your orders once the army had returned to the Peloponnese.’
‘Good man.’ The two steersmen nodded with deference at Ptolemy as they slipped past to take their steering oars. ‘Come, let’s move; we’re disrupting a smooth naval manoeuvre,’ he said, taking Thais by the arm and moving away from the realm of the triarchos, allowing him to take his place between the steering oars. ‘And the redoubtable Cratesipolis? What did she have to say for herself?’
‘She’s open to negotiations as she can no longer trust her father-in-law.’
‘I look forward to making the good lady’s acquaintance.’
Archias grinned. ‘She certainly merits closer inspection.’
Ptolemy glanced down at Thais, who gave him an innocent smile. ‘Yes, well; I’m sure I’ll make a full assessment of her qualities.’
‘It would be very unlike you not to,’ Thais observed.
Ptolemy cleared his throat and turned back to Archias. ‘And what of Dioscurides and the missing fleet? Was there any sign?’
Archias shook his head as the ship edged away from the quay. ‘No; Chalcis had no more ships in it than you would expect Ptolemaios to have and I looked into Oropos and Eretria and a couple of other ports and found nothing out of the ordinary; but there are many more smaller ports I couldn’t investigate as I didn’t travel north of Chalcis.’
‘There’re plenty of places to hide a fleet in the north of Euboea.’ Ptolemy considered the thought and then dismissed the Exile-Hunter. ‘Thank you, Archias; your remuneration will be waiting for you in Kos. Once you’ve picked it up, I want you to make a quick trip to Rhodos; I’ll give you the details before you go as well as another fat fee.’
‘“It is wise to pay the worker well,”’ Archias quoted as he drained his goblet and, handing it to a waiting slave, made his way back across the deck to where his companions waited on the starboard rail..
‘I sometimes think I pay you far too much,’ Ptolemy observed as the Exile-Hunter left, before turning to Thais and rubbing his hands. ‘Andronicus seems to have managed to do what I charged him with.’
‘What, kill Herakles?’
‘No, have Herakles killed by Polyperchon on Kassandros’ orders thus putting the odium for spilling more of Alexander’s blood on the two of them and not on me. I told him to marginalise and mock Polyperchon relentlessly, knowing the nonentity’s misplaced pride in his soldiering would not stand for it and he would be ready to swop sides, if the right position were to be offered him. All Andronicus had to do once he’d achieved that was to make contact with Kassandros and suggest the plan to him. It seems to have worked, although I’m sorry about Barsine. I always liked her.’
‘She should have known better than to try to set her son up above us,’ Thais almost shouted against the rasping of scores of oars running out below as the great Five spread its wings.
‘Quite. And now Artonis has gone running back to Kleopatra; that will be interesting.’ Ptolemy slapped Thais’ behind once more. ‘Well, what started out as a terrible day, failing to take Halicarnassus, has just got much better with that news and it’ll get better still when we reach Kos.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, my dearest Thais, for waiting to see us on Kos is Ptolemaios and if anyone knows the whereabouts of Dioscurides and his missing fleet it will be his brother.’ He ran a finger up the crease between her buttocks and motioned with his head towards his grand pavilion rigged on the foredeck. ‘But we have a bit of time whilst we make the crossing which should not be wasted.’
The stroke-master’s flute sounded and with a massed grunt of human exertion the beast of the sea was under way.
*
It was a refreshed Ptolemy, having put the time with Thais in his pavilion to extremely good use, who stepped off the gangway onto the quay in the port of Kos; Thais followed, with a contented smile on her face, looking unsurprisingly dishevelled. But his good mood did not last beyond his meeting with the man he had charged with setting up the military camp on the island. ‘Where’s Ptolemaios, Timaeus? Why’s he not here to meet me?’
Timaeus grimaced as one does when the news about to be imparted is less than pleasing. ‘He’s waiting for you in the suite he made me give over to him.’ Timaeus swallowed. ‘He said to say he’s expecting you as soon as you arrive.’
Ptolemy did a double-take, unsure that he had heard correctly. ‘Say that again.’
Timaeus swallowed again. ‘He said to say he’s expecting you as soon as you arrive.’
‘Yes, I thought that was what you said.’
‘Yes, it was; I’m sorry, my lord.’
‘No, no, don’t be; I’m pleased you told me his exact words, it’s helped me to get the measure of him.’ Ptolemy strode by his local commander, with Thais speeding to keep up, his pace growing with his anger. ‘The arrogance of the man! Summoning me when he’s a guest in my own territory. What sort of way is that to open negotiations?’
‘It would be bad enough if he considered himself your equal,’ Thais said, her breath quick with the speed they were travelling, ‘but to try to set himself over you is outrageous. What are you going to do?’
‘Do? I’m going to do exactly as he says and see him immediately upon my arrival. I’m going to make him think I’m honoured that he should have deigned to visit me and how much I need his friendship. He won’t suspect a thing.’
‘Until you’ve got what you want and then he’ll—’
‘Meet Archias again? That’s always a possibility. They know each other well already.’
‘It’s good of you to come, ’ Ptolemaios said, getting up from his chair as Ptolemy was shown into the suite Antigonos’ nephew had appropriated.
At least he has the decency to stand when greeting me. ‘My dear Ptolemaios, it is an honour to welcome you to Kos.’ He clasped the proffered forearm with a hearty grip. ‘Let us hope we can be of good service to one another.’
‘I’m sure we can. Please, be seated.’ Ptolemaios indicated to a chair at an angle to the one he had been sitting in.
Bristling, but hiding it well, Ptolemy sat, affecting not to notice the slight difference in height. What does he think he’s going to achieve by all this?
‘So, I hear you’re withdrawing from Halicarnassus,’ Ptolemaios said in a tone that made it more of an accusation than a statement.
‘It’s not worth fighting Demetrios for; let him have it.’
Ptolemaios nodded in sympathy. ‘Yes, you’ve beaten him once, no need to push your luck.’
Ptolemy’s smile was warm. ‘Quite. So, tell me, Ptolemaios, what did Kassandros say that gave me the good fortune of having you here?’
‘Kassandros is an arrogant fool.’
And you’re not?
‘He seeks to make himself king of not only Macedon but of all Greece.’
‘And, therefore, over you?’
Ptolemaios inclined his head a fraction. ‘You see the problem in its entirety.’
‘Well, I can assure you that I have no ambition to become king of Greece.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it as I feel it’s a position that, should it come to the taking of crowns by the foremost generals of the empire, I should be entitled to.’
It was a struggle for Ptolemy to keep his expression neutral, but with a gallant effort he managed.
‘And it’s for that reason I’ve travelled to see you.’ Ptolemaios leaned forward, to add emphasis to his request. ‘I want you to support me in my claim when the time comes. I would like us to be allies and, as such, we would take Athens together and remove Kassandros’ creature, Demetrius of Phaleron.’
Ptolemy felt an eyebrow twitch but otherwise managed to retain control of his features. ‘And why do you need my help to take Athens? Surely you have sufficient troops and, between you and your brother, you certainly have sufficient ships.’
Ptolemaios’ facial control was not nearly as proficient as Ptolemy’s; he could not cover his surprise. ‘How did you know Dioscurides was with me?’
I didn’t until just now. You’re more foolish than I thought you were and far less clever than you think you are. ‘I made an assumption that I was pleased to hear you confirm; I assume it was a sign of your good faith.’
Confusion flashed across Ptolemaios’ face but he brought himself back under control. ‘Yes, it is. Obviously, I was going to share my brother’s whereabouts with you, should we come to an agreement, but then I thought it would help our mutual understanding if I were to vouchsafe that information.’
Ptolemy almost spluttered out a guffaw, but swallowed it and immediately felt a hiccup rise and get trapped in his throat; his chest jerked.
‘Are you all right?’ Ptolemaios asked.
‘I’m fine; the midday meal repeating on me, that’s all.’ He reached for his cup and drank slowly from it, holding his breath. ‘That’s better,’ he said as he felt the wind shift. ‘So, Ptolemaios, if you have Dioscurides’ fleet as well as your own and all your troops, what do you want from me?’
‘Other than your public support for my claim to the crown of Greece?’
Bearing in mind there has never been such a thing. ‘Yes, other than that; and I can assure you my support will be forthcoming and very enthusiastic.’
‘You will find me very grateful; but what I’d really ask of you is your military support when I move against Cratesipolis and Polyperchon on the isthmus and further south. I have enough men and ships to take Athens but when Polyperchon brings his army back, now that he has come to an accommodation with Kassandros, I will need—’
‘Men?’
‘Yes.’
Ptolemy thumped his chest and released the final pocket of trapped wind with a satisfying burp. ‘Men I can lend you, ships I can’t spare, but that should not be a problem as you have your brother’s.’
‘I do,’ Ptolemaios agreed.
‘So where is Dioscurides now?’
‘Skiathos; spread around the island.’
Clever; a few here and a few there and all able to see a beacon on the highest hill of the island to know when to muster in the port or wherever the designated assembly point is. And hardly anyone takes any notice of the island as they sail by as they’re far more concerned with navigating the narrow strait between it and Magnesia so they don’t become Poseidon’s playthings. ‘How many ships has he got?’
