Very bad idea. I have been thinking it over, and Maurice is correct. And Vasudeva and Valentinian and Anastasius. This is too much guesswork. There are only five of you. You should leave this off and rejoin your army. You can investigate that oasis later, with a much larger force.
Belisarius was a bit startled by the vehemence in Aide’s tone. The crystalline being from the future had been with him for years now, ever since it was brought to him by the monk, Michael of Macedonia. Over the course of that time, in fits and starts, Belisarius and Aide had worked out their relationship. Aide advised him, and guided him, and often educated him, on matters pertaining to history and broad human affairs. And the “jewel” was also an almost inexhaustible fount of information. But, from experience, Aide had learned not to outguess Belisarius when it came to problems of strategy and tactics. In that realm, the crystalline being had learned, Belisarius was supreme. Which was why it had come here from the future, after all. To save itself and its crystal race from slavery or outright destruction, Aide had come back to the past searching for the great Roman general who might thwart the attempt of the “new gods” to change all of human history.
But, though Belisarius was startled, he was not swayed. If anything, Aide’s echo of his companions’ protests simply heightened his resolve.
And so it was, as Belisarius and his little troop worked their way down the slopes of the Zagros mountains onto the plateau of Persia, that another voice was added to Valentinian’s muttering.
Stubborn Thracian oaf was the only one of those half-sensed thoughts which was not, technically, obscene.
Chapter 2
The trap was sprung when the Romans were less than three hundred yards from their destination. That was the only mistake the Rajputs made.
But they could hardly, in good conscience, be faulted for that error. Sanga had warned them of Belisarius’ quickness and sagacity. But Sanga knew nothing of Aide, and of the way in which Aide enhanced Belisarius’ hearing as well his eyesight. So his men sprang the trap at the moment when, logically, they had the Romans isolated from any retreat or shelter.
Belisarius heard the clattering of horses set into sudden motion before any of his comrades—before, even, the lurking enemy appeared out of the ravines in which they were hidden.
“It’s an ambush!” he hissed.
Valentinian reacted first. He began reining his horse around.
“No!” shouted Belisarius. He pointed, with both hands, to their side and rear. “They waited until they could cut us off from the mountains!”
He spurred his horse forward, now pointing ahead. “Our only chance is to fort up!”
His comrades, from long experience, did not argue the matter. They simply followed Belisarius’ galloping horse, as their commander charged forward.
Belisarius scanned the terrain ahead of him. The small “oasis” toward which they were heading was not much more than a grove of trees. Spindly fruit trees—apricots, mostly, with a handful of peaches.
Useless.
But, a moment later, his uncanny eyesight spotted what he was hoping for.
“There’s a building! In the grove!” Belisarius cast a quick glance over his left shoulder. He could see the enemy now.
Damnation! Rajputs.
Perhaps a dozen. A glance over his right shoulder. Same.
His quick mind flashed back over his experiences in India. The standard for a Rajput cavalry platoon is thirty. Which means—
He turned his head back around, scanning the grove ahead. In less than two seconds, he saw what he was expecting.
“There are Rajputs in the grove, too!” he shouted. “Probably half a dozen!”
Belisarius made no attempt to draw his bow. He was not a good enough archer to handle it at a full gallop. None of his companions were, except— Valentinian already had his bow out. In less time than Belisarius would have imagined possible, the cataphract had fired an arrow. The missile sped ahead of the galloping cluster of Romans and plunged into the trees. Instantly, a cry of pain went up. Almost as instantly, five Rajputs drove their horses out of the grove, pounding toward the oncoming Romans. Belisarius could see a sixth Rajput, but the man was sliding off his horse, clutching at an arrow in his shoulder.