Vespasian did but was in no mood for levity. ‘You seemed to know something about that stuff.’
‘I might have come across it in Rome,’ Magnus muttered evasively. ‘You wouldn’t want to know the details.’
‘I’m sure. Come on, we’ve still got work to do.’ He turned and slid back down the slope as the centurion and his eight lads returned from their inflammatory rampage. Behind them Fregallanus’ cohort had begun to cross the bridge. ‘That was good work, centurion; now follow me.’ He scrambled out of the other side of the trench and made his way as fast as possible back to the artillery; there were still a couple of dozen Naphtha pots piled next to the onager. ‘Get these onto the wagon,’ he ordered, pointing at Hormus’ vehicle, which remained where Magnus had abandoned it.
As Fregallanus’ men cleared the bridge and Mannius’ battle-weary cohort began tramping across, carrying their wounded, the wagon was loaded. Vespasian rested, watching the men whom he would have condemned to certain death make their way across to the relative safety of the northern bank of the Tigris, relieved that he did not have to bear the responsibility of their violent demise on his conscience. He offered up a prayer to the fire god of these lands in thanks for the inspiration that he had blessed him with and also for the gift of Naphtha.
There was no sign of the Parthians returning in force as the last century of Mannius’ cohort crossed the bridge with the wagon loaded with pots following close behind.
Mannius was waiting for Vespasian on the other side; he gave a tired salute. Vespasian returned it. ‘Well done, prefect. I thought you would all die.’
‘I know; we’ve all had to give those orders in our time and I sympathised with you; what else could you have done? Fortuna, however, had other ideas.’
Vespasian smiled faintly. ‘There’ve been a few gods at work here today and we shall thank them with the appropriate sacrifices once we unite with Radamistus’ army. But first I want as many of the abandoned wagons, dead animals and as much other detritus as possible piled onto the bridge; we’ll cover it with the rest of the Naphtha and make a fire that will burn for a day to slow Babak down while we head north. Let’s make the bastard angry enough to really want to catch us.’
CHAPTER XI
‘THE KING OF Armenia runs from no man no matter what my aunt Tryphaena expects me to do.’ Radamistus did not look at Vespasian as he made this pronouncement but, rather, stared straight ahead at a bust of himself posing as Hercules that was placed next to the tent’s entrance. Sitting bolt upright on a weighty throne, the one concession he made to Vespasian’s presence was a dismissive, languid wave of the royal right hand in his direction. He had, with ostentatious magnanimity, deigned to grant Vespasian an audience in his camp guarding the east–west bridge over the Kentrites while the Romans built their camp to protect the north–south bridge across the Tigris.
‘You are not the King of Armenia, Radamistus,’ Vespasian reminded him, keeping his voice in check despite his growing anger. ‘Not until Rome says you are. And if you want Rome to confirm you on the throne then you will do what Rome tells you to do, and Rome says that you will retreat inland.’
‘Does she? I’ve heard Rome say otherwise.’ Radamistus turned his eyes, dark as a wolf’s on a moonless night, on Vespasian and stroked his beard, twisting the pointed end as if in deep thought. ‘Why should I retreat from an army that has already been beaten once? I was prepared to make the strategic withdrawal that Tryphaena had advised in order to draw a stronger army inland where we could starve them to defeat; but now things have changed: I’ve already defeated the force they sent to hold the northern road; the rest of the Parthians can be stopped here. Rome has requested it; I heard her voice just as I’ve heard her say that I am king.’ The sickly sweet perfume with which his tightly plaited hair, like so many black rats’ tails, was liberally doused turned Vespasian’s stomach and he took a step back. Radamistus misread the move. ‘That’s right; you should fear the King.’
‘You are not king, Radamistus,’ Vespasian repeated.
‘I am! And I will not have some second son of a low-ranking family insult me by suggesting otherwise. Your insolence in refusing to bow your head to me was insupportable and if you carry on with your impudence I shall have that head removed.’
Vespasian wondered how Radamistus was so familiar with his background. ‘Don’t try to threaten me, Radamistus, especially with something that you know only too well is not within your power.’