The Tides Of War Pt. 06

"Then you must know that my Officers, Turin and Sultar fought the battle, not I Sir."

The Prince chuckled, "Yes, so I heard. You, on the other hand, were apparently distracted putting out burning fuses on Russian mortar bombs or standing in full view of a thousand rifle-firing Afghans while directing the fire of your mortar that destroyed the Russian one. Is that not so?"

David stuttered that the real fight had happened when he was absent.

Ashar Kahn smiled, "My Son, your modesty does you credit. From the tales I have heard from the men who were there, your courage inspired your men. Yours and Memsahib Susan's. She refused to let you die, she stayed by your side for over forty-eight hours. Such a women should be a wife, if a man had sense enough to know."

"I've asked Susan to marry me, but we have to find a priest and I have to get a ring," he protested.

The Prince and Ashar burst out laughing.

"It so happens that a Reverend Makpeiece will be visiting Kana in a week's time, at my invitation. I'm sure he could be prevailed upon to carry out a wedding. As for a ring, I'm sure this would fit," the Prince said, removing a heavy gold ring from his little finger.

"Thank you, Sir," David stammered, "But Susan should pick the ring."

"What makes you think she didn't?" a female voice said.

David twisted around in his seat. Susan was stood in the doorway. She came and sat on the arm of his chair, bending over to kiss the top of his head.

David flushed with embarrassment.

The Prince smiled at them, "So that takes care of the wedding ring, but what of the engagement ring?"

David looked confused, "I...I haven't had time to look for one," he stuttered.

"Of course you didn't. You were far too busy saving my kingdom," the Prince murmured, "See if she would like this one," he said, handing David a velvet bag.

Susan craned her neck to look as he opened the bag and then gasped, inside was a gold ring with a huge blue-white diamond.

He looked at her as he took it out, her eyes were wide and she nodded as he slipped it on her finger. She kissed him and then leapt up and kissed the Prince and Ashar on their cheeks.

The Prince took David to one side as Susan chattered to Ashar.

"My agents have reported the Afghans lost over 500 killed or wounded. It seems the tribal chiefs are not happy with each other, trading allegations of cowardice as the cause of their defeat. This has now triggered old animosities amongst them, resulting in open warfare. Russians have been killed in Kabul for not doing enough to supply and support them. So I think it is safe to say we should have no trouble from that corner for quite a while now."

"That's just as well, Sir. I need to order replacement mortars and shells, as well as more rockets when we get more magnesium."

The Prince smiled, "You also need to visit Susan's parents and seek their approval. So I think a visit back to England for the two of you is in order."

David looked in surprise at the Prince.

"A sea voyage would be ideal for starting a honeymoon, don't you think? But, before your wedding, I need first to honour the men who fought so bravely for this kingdom and its people. I should like you to draw up a list of those who need recognition. We will hold the ceremony at the city to let the citizens know what these brave warriors have done to save them."

The following day David brought up the Prince's instructions at Officers Call.

Turin and Sultar put forward several names of men who had committed various acts of bravery:

The two men who continued to fire their mortar even though their comrades lay dead or dying around them and they themselves were wounded.

The three Ghurkhas who had leapt from their rifle pit to fight hand to hand when a group of Afghans threatened overwhelm them.

The Havildar on the crest whose quick thinking in throwing down grenades into the Cleft halted the Afghan advance.

They also mentioned men who had died in defending their positions against overwhelming odds.

Turin said the Memsahib Doctor should be recognized, along with her assistants.

"They never slept for over three days in order to tend to the wounded. Without them we would have lost more men."

David added Turin and Sultar's name to the list. Then asked Subedar Major Para to write up a report on the events of the battle and dispatch it to the Palace. He knew the award ceremony was scheduled in four days.

He had missed the cremation of the Ghurkhas who had fallen, due to still being in hospital at the entrance of the Pass, but was informed the Prince and Ashar Kahn had been there.

He was slowly getting his strength back, but was under strict orders to report daily to the hospital to have his dressing changed by Susan.

She, along with an assistant, had remained at the Fort to treat the more seriously wounded. He had been upset when she insisted on sleeping in her own bedroom with her assistant,.

"Any exertion by you could open your wounds again and I need you fully healed for the wedding," she had said firmly, adding shyly, "And the honeymoon."

David couldn't help but notice the looks between Turin and the pretty assistant who assisted Susan in dressing his arm. He discovered her name was Shera.

Susan ate with him each evening, Hanga fussing around them.

"Have you decided who is giving you away yet?" He asked her as they relaxed after dinner one night.

She chuckled, "Ashar Kahn has agreed to it. He was so pleased when I asked him."

David laughed, "The Prince said he would have stripped me of my rank if I had not asked him to be my best man."

The day finally came when David, with Susan by his side, rode out of the Fort at the head of his riflemen. Turin came behind at the head of the survivors of the battle. Many, including Turin, still bandaged. Then came Sultar at the head of fifty of the Cobra troop. Behind them, Para and Hanga escorted the wagon carrying those unable to ride, with Shera acting as their nurse.

Crowds thronged the city streets cheering as the riflemen made their way to the Palace.

The men dismounted and, while grooms tended to their horses, set about cleaning themselves up from the dusty ride.

Peshawar directed David and Susan to a room where the Prince, resplendent in full Maharaja regalia, waited with Ashar Kahn and, David surmised, what could only be the Prince's children.

The eldest, who must have been Yasmin, rushed to Susan to hug her and admire the ring she wore.

The Prince chuckled, "Women and their baubles."

David smiled and started to bow his head when the Prince's voice cracked out, "I have forbidden you ever to bow to me again," he said sternly.

"My apologies, Sir," David replied, chastised.

The Prince smiled at him, "As I have already said, it is I who should bow to you."

He led David to a table and removed the sheet that covered it, "We do not practice the British method of awarding medals for valour. That is something we will change today."

The table contained a mass of gold medallions with a tiger's head on them and suspended from a Lovat green silk neckband. "Every man who fought there will get one today."

He pointed to a another row of decorations, "For extreme service to my country, we have commissioned these, the Khana Cross." They were simple gold crosses, each attached to a rifle made of silver, each again suspended from Lovat Green silk ribbons. Engraved in the centre of each cross was one word: Hero.

Not trusting his voice, David nodded as his eyes became misty. Just a bit of stray dust, he assured himself.

David stood on the rostrum behind the Prince, looking at the ranks of his men arrayed in front of them. Crowds thronged the open plaza.

The Prince began with a brief description of the battle, telling his people how these men, natives of another land, had crushed the Afghan invasion of their country; telling them how some had died and others been seriously wounded in defence of them. Afghans might well have been standing here today, ruling over the kingdome, if not for these men who had risked their lives to protect the citizens of Kana.

Then, one-by-one, the Ghurkhas came forward to receive their medallion, giving a sharp salute to the Prince as they did so, then bowing their heads as he slipped the neckbands over their heads.

Then came the award of the Khana Crosses. As they came forward, Subedar Major Para announced how each had earned it.

David smiled with pride as Susan and her assistants came forward to receive their crosses.

When the last recipients had received their award, the Prince held up his hand to still the roaring crowed.

"There is one last honour to be awarded, to a man who inspired these brave men by his actions in that battle. Who proved himself a true warrior and faithful friend of Kana by repeatedly putting his life at risk in defence of our country. This man, along with the men he leads, is not a citizen of Kana, and his homeland is far away. But as of today he is a citizen of Kana because I adopt him into my family."

The Prince turned to David and, removing the last Khana Cross, pinned it to his jacket and then kissed him on both cheeks.

The crowd and riflemen erupted in cheers while David stood dumbstruck.

Later, as David and Susan walked down to the stables after the ceremonies, she complained at receiving the award.

"It's ridiculous us getting the Khana Cross! We did nothing brave."

David held her around the waist, "Do you know what the Afghans would have done to you and the girls, if they had got past us at the cleft? At the very least,they would have raped you and the girls, hundreds lining up to take their turn."

Susan shuddered in his arms, "We needed to be close in order to help the wounded as soon as possible," she whispered.

"And that took courage darling."

They lapsed into silence watching Kahn and Sulkie in their shared paddock. He had his head over Sulkie's neck as if protecting her as she stood with her head against David's chest, clearly enjoying it as he scratched behind her ear. She was quite heavy with her foal now.

Ashar Kahn materialised out of the dark, "I thought I would find you here," he chuckled, "As you can see, father and mother are doing well. Have you decided on a name yet my Son?" he asked David.

David shook his head, "Not really. I thought Zana if it is a filly, but I don't know about a colt's name yet."

Ashar smiled, "She will foal while you are away, but I will hold back on naming it until you return. I came to find you because the British Officer, Major Keeling is asking to see you. He is with the Prince at the moment."

David was conducted to the presence of the Prince.

He found Keeling, Turin and Sultar smocking cheroots with the Prince out on the terrace.

Keeling rose and saluted David before extending his hand, "Your Officers have been telling me and the Prince of the battle and its aftermath, Colonel. It seems I was too late to warn you of the information we had received that the Afghans intended to make Khana the main point of their attack. The British Government are indebted to you and your men, and I shall be sure to inform them when I return to HQ."

David smiled, accepting a cheroot and glass of whisky from the Prince.

"I'm interested to know about your mortars and your illumination methods, Colonel," Keeling added.

"I'm sure my officers will be pleased to show you if you return to the Fort with them after the wedding," David murmured.

Keeling looked surprised until the Prince informed him of the coming marriage and invited him to attend.

Later, by the rail of the terrace, Keeling confided to David that Fitzroy and his son had left India and David's old Colonel had been promoted to Brigadier. It seemed that the major's sources had made him aware of the friction between the Afghans and the Russians since the battle.

"It will take some considerable time before that rift is healed. In the meantime the pressure is off the Khyber and Khana Passes."

David told him of his plans to return to England and visit Susan's parents.

"You will find the country gearing up for war. Kitchener is demanding the latest weapons before he will move on the Sudan. Concurrently, interested parties in England have their eyes fixed on the gold and diamond finds in Natal and are pushing the Boers into war.

"I served with some of the Boer commandos during the Zulu war and anyone who attacks them could be in for a very unpleasant surprise as we found out at Majuba Hill in 1881. Every man over fourteen is a crack shot and they fight as you do: From horseback as mounted infantry. They also have the money to buy the most modern weapons. They'll fight back and the army will be up against men who are defending their way of life, and not with spears this time."

"You sound like you sympathise with them Major," David murmured.

Keeling looked hard at David before continuing, "I'm a realist, and this Empire we have, was bought by the blood of soldiers. No one gave us the land. We took it, and often for no other reason than that we could. As long as the faces were brown or black, the public thought it was all a bloody good show. But if England wages war on South Africa and the Transvaal, the faces will be white; people who worship the same God as you or I fighting to preserve their way of life.

"The American Revolution may have been a century ago, but its lessons should still serve as warning to Whitehall: When a people fight for their own country they have a reason to die for it. The British soldier has only the next pay parade to fight for. So, to answer your question, am I sympathetic towards them, yes, I am. But I'm a professional soldier and, if I'm called to serve there, then I will try to kill them before they kill me."

David looked at Keeling with new respect, touched by his honesty.

The next day was taken up by preparations for the wedding. David was excluded from Susan's room, as a procession of giggling women entered and left.

The Grand Audience Chamber was chosen for the ceremony and Peshawar busy was instructing servants where to place flowers, tables and chairs.

David spent a few moments with the reverend before escaping to the stables to see his horses. Sulkie whinnied in excitement at seeing him and came trotting over, but Kahn walked, allowing her to be fondled first.

He gently rubbed her velvet nose, "I won't be here for your foaling darling," he whispered in her ear, "but I promise I'll be thinking of you." He kissed her nose, then staggered as Kahn pushed his head into his chest. David chuckled at the display of jealousy, "Okay, okay, you're loved too," he said stroking his forehead.

"They're magnificent animals," a voice said from behind him, David turned to see Major Keeling there.

"The way they act with you means they are yours, am I right?"

David chuckled, "Yes, the big boy is Kahn, and the girl he got into trouble is Sulkie."

"I don't suppose I could buy a horse from the Prince could I?" Keeling asked, "The one I arrived on is a remount, willing, but no bottom to her."

David looked over Keeling's shoulder, "Well this is the man you should ask. The Horse Master Ashar Kahn."

David introduced Major Keeling to Ashar and said he would like to buy a horse from the stable.

"Alas Major, all the horses in this stable belong to the Prince with the exception of David Sahib's. But I understand you have been of great service to both the Prince and David, so I think I can give you, as a friend, a horse."

He lead them down through the stables until they came to a stall where a horse stood in the dim light of a stall, watching them.

Ashar entered the stall and led out a grey stallion almost as big as Kahn, "His name is Fleet, and he's four-years-old with Arab blood lines. He used to belong to the Princess Yasmin, but he proved too strong for her."

Keeling's eyes gleamed at the sight of the horse, "He's magnificent," he said stroking its muzzle, "But you must let me pay for him, if I can," Keeling gasped.

Ashar chuckled, "No my friend, no payment is necessary. An animal like this needs to be ridden, not cooped up in a stall. He is yours."

Major Keeling's face betrayed the pleasure of his new acquisition.

He thanked Ashar, then turned to David, "What can I say? Thank you seems so inadequate David. Oh, I'm sorry, Sir, I mean Colonel, please forgive me."

David laughed, "David is fine. I think we can forget rank as friends."

Keeling smiled, "In that case, I'm Robert."

"Well Robert, I trust you will be at my wedding tomorrow?"

"I'm looking forward to it David. I was rather hoping to have seen your Fort and the Pass, but you'll be off on honeymoon."

"There's nothing to stop you. You could use my quarters to stay in, and my batman Hanga would look after you. It would give you the opportunity to see our training methods, as well as the rifles, mortars and rockets. I'll be away for at least two months, but my Officers can show you anything you like"

Robert accepted the offer, sure that HQ would sanction his stay.

David introduced him to his Officers later that night, informing them that Robert would be visiting the Fort to study their training and the Pass. His Officers assured Major Keeling that it would be a pleasure to introduce him to their unit and it's methods.

The Prince took David to one side during the evening to comment about the visit, asking him whether they should be concerned about what he might see and report.

"The more the British know of our capabilities, the less likely they are to force any issues concerning Kana," David replied.

The Prince chuckled, "A soldier and a diplomat. You are wise beyond your years, my son."

Chapter 29

The next day, David, now dressed in a white linen suit and with the Prince at his side, stood in front of a raised dais in the Grand Audience Chamber. He looked behind him at the seated men. In the front row sat his Officers, along with Robert, and behind them were the riflemen who had been lucky enough to win a seat in the drawing. On the other side of the aisle sat the Ghurkha families and residents who used the city hospital.

When he saw the Reverend suddenly look up and smile, David swung his head round.

The little Prince was slowly walking down the aisle strewing handfuls of rose petals from a basket to the floor. He was followed by Susan's assistants in light-blue silk saris. Behind them came Princess Yasmin in the same sari. And then came Susan in a white silk sari holding on to the arm of Ashar Kahn in his full robes of state.

David's heart leapt at the sight of her. She looked so beautiful as she smiled shyly at him.

The ceremony got under way, but to David it was a blur. He was conscious only of the girl at his side that had consented to be his wife.

Later, at the wedding breakfast, Ashar Kahn gave a speech about the honour of standing in for Susan's father. The Prince followed with his own story recounting how he had first met David.

And then it was David's turn. He couldn't remember afterwards what he had said, but knew he spoke from the heart.

Susan went to change ready for the journey and the Prince took the opportunity to hand David letters for the bank and hotel in London.

As they emerged from the Palace, his Officers and Havildars formed an arch with their kukris.

A carriage conveyed them to the waterfront where a sleek boat with six oarsmen awaited them. With their luggage already on board, they set off down river.

Susan had changed into trousers and a jacket with a cream coloured blouse underneath.

She lay back against the cushions that were piled at the back of the boat under the awning that protected them from the sun.