‘Well, who are you?’ snapped Sphodrias.
‘Andicles, sir. I have despatches from the King.’
‘Never heard of you. Where’s Cleophon?’
‘He had a fall from his horse, broke his shoulder, sir. But he is determined to ride with the King this evening and be at his side during the battle.’
‘Ride? Battle? What are you talking about, man?’
‘My apologies, sir,’ said Parmenion, handing the general the leather cylinder. Sphodrias pulled out the scroll within and opened it. As he did so Parmenion glanced at the other officers, his eyes falling upon a young man dicing at a window table. His stomach turned . . . the man was Leonidas.
‘There’s nothing about numbers here,’ muttered Sphodrias. ‘How many of the enemy are there? Where are they camped? I can’t just march into Athenian territory and butcher the first men I see in armour.’
‘There are said to be 5,000 of them,’ said Parmenion swiftly. ‘Three thousand hoplites, the rest cavalry. It is rumoured that they are being paid with Persian gold.’
Sphodrias nodded. ‘You can always expect treachery from Athenians. But we’ll have to march all night to surprise them -1 don’t doubt they have scouts out. You will stay by my side while I brief my officers. They may have questions.’
‘With respect, sir,’ said Parmenion, struggling to keep his voice calm, ‘the King has ordered me to return at once with your plans, so that he can link with you on the Thriasian Plain.’
‘Very well. I’ll order my scribe to draft an answer.’
‘That will not be necessary, sir. If you are to march all night I will advise the King to meet you between Eleusis and Athens.’
Sphodrias nodded and returned his attention to the scroll. ‘Curious despatch. It starts by talking of supplies and ends with the invasion of Athens. Still, who am I to argue, eh?’
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Parmenion, saluting. His eyes flicked to Leonidas, who had stopped playing dice and was watching him intently. Parmenion bowed and swung back
to the door, marching out into the yard beyond; once there, he ran behind the house to the stables. The gelding had been brushed and combed and the lion-skin chabraque was laid carefully over a rail. Parmenion draped it over the beast’s back, smoothing out the folds before grasping the horse’s mane and vaulting to his back.
He could hear the sound of pounding feet and kicked the gelding into a run, galloping past the running figure of Leonidas.
‘Wait!’ shouted the man.
The gelding thundered out on to the main avenue, where Parmenion slowed him until they reached the main gates. Then he allowed the horse his head, riding at speed towards the mountains.
Glancing back, he saw two horsemen galloping from the city. The gelding was breathing hard as they topped a rise and Parmenion had no choice but to slow down. Even so he took the horse along narrow paths and treacherous trails where he guessed the riders would not follow.
He was wrong. As he made camp in a cave high upon a ridge he heard the sound of walking horses on the scree outside. He had a fire blazing, and there was no way to disguise his presence.
‘Come inside, there’s a warm fire,’ he called, keeping his voice cheerful and bright. Moments later two men entered the cave. One was tall, his beard dark and heavy, the other slender but well-muscled. Both wore swords and breastplates.
‘Leonidas wished to speak with you,’ said the bearded man. ‘What is your name, friend?’
‘Andicles. And yours?’ asked Parmenion, rising.
‘And what of your family?’ continued the man. ‘Where do you live?’
‘By what right do you question me, Sciritai?’ stormed Parmenion. ‘Since when do slaves badger their masters?’
The man’s face burned crimson. ‘I am a free man and a warrior and, Spartan or no, I’ll take no insults!’
‘Then offer none!’ snapped Parmenion. ‘I am a messenger of the King, and I answer to no man. Who is this Leonidas that he should send you to question me?’
The slender man moved closer. ‘By all the gods, Leonidas was right! It is you, Parmenion!’
Parmenion’s eyes narrowed as he recognized the man; it was Asiron, one of the boys who had taunted him at Lycurgus Barracks ten years before.