Irene was surprised. Not by the sight of Kushan women on horseback, which was uncommon but by no means considered outlandish. But by the fact that all five of them had swords belted to their waists, had bows and quivers attached to their saddles, and held lances in their hands.
“We’re your new bodyguard,” announced the oldest proudly. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!”
“The king said it was suitable,” said the youngest. Very stiffly, as if she expected contradiction and argument.
The oldest, apparently fearing the same, rushed further words to the fore. “We checked with the oldsters. Every one of us—every one!—has Sarmatian ancestors.” A bit uncertainly: “Some ancestors, anyway. All Kushans do, after all.”
Irene grinned. “Splendid! I couldn’t have asked for a better bodyguard. I feel better already.”
The queen’s sarcastic wit had already become famous among her Kushan subjects. So, still uncertain, the young women stared at her anxiously.
Irene erased whatever trace of humor might have been on her face. “I’m quite serious,” she said serenely. “I’m sure you’ll do well enough, if I’m ever attacked. But what’s even more important is that you’ll guard me against the real enemy.”
The oldest girl laughed. “Boredom! Men never know what to talk about, on a march. Except their stupid wagers.”
At the mention of wagers, all the girls looked smug. Irene was quite certain that every one of them had just gained a significant increase in their wealth.
“Do any of you know how to read?” she asked.
Seeing the five girls shake their heads, Irene’s sarcasm returned in full force.
“Typical! Well, there’ll be none of that, my fine young ladies. If you expect to be my bodyguard, you’ll damned well learn how to read! I can teach you from saddleback—you watch and see if I can’t.”
Serene calm returned. “That way we’ll really have some fine conversations, in the weeks and months ahead. Not even women, when you get right down to it, are superhuman. Ha! I sometimes wonder what those stupid illiterate goddesses talked about, other than sewing and seduction.”
Chapter 14
CHARAX
Summer, 533 a.d.
Antonina surveyed the large crowd piled into the reception chamber of Emperor Khusrau’s palace. Whatever else changes, she thought ruefully, Persians will always insist on their pomp and ceremony.
The palace had once belonged to the imperial official in charge of overseeing Charax. After they seized the city, the Malwa had made the building their military headquarters. Then, once Belisarius had retaken the city, the palace had been returned to the Persians. But since Khusrau had decided to plant himself in Charax for the duration of the war, the building had assumed full imperial trappings. True, the Persians had not insisted on reconstructing the entire edifice. Not with the dynamic and practical Khusrau as their emperor. But they had patched up the war damage, repainted every surface, hauled every conceivable manner of statuary and decoration from the imperial capital of Ctesiphon. And, most of all—or so it seemed to Antonina, scanning the scene—packed it with every grandee in the far-flung Persian empire.
God, will you look at that crowd! Like sardines in an amphora.
She spotted Ousanas and a handful of Axumite officers in a nearby alcove off the main audience chamber. The Ethiopians had brought some of their beloved stools, and were ensconced upon them circling a small table piled high with goblets and wine jugs. The table was obviously Persian in design, and Antonina wondered idly how the Axumites had managed to obtain the thing. There was not a single table to be seen anywhere else in the jam-packed audience hall, or any of the other alcoves she could see.
Probably by threatening mayhem on the majordomo. She emitted a faint chuckle. Which also explains the relative population scarcity in that alcove. Even Persian grandees get nervous around testy Axumites.
The Axumites, like the Romans, were now allies of the Persian empire. But the Ethiopians had very little of the Roman patience with imperial protocol and the elaborate social finery which went with it. There had been any number of minor clashes between the Axumites and the Persians. None of those clashes had been violent, other than a handful of brawls in the dock area between sailors, but the Persian grandees generally avoided the company of Ethiopians except when it was absolutely necessary. An attitude which the Axumites reciprocated in full.