Fortune's Favor

"Do they please you?" Kanat asked.

"Yes, they do. In fact, we would like to buy all of them."

"Wonderful!" she cried. "A man after my own heart. Why choose which beauty to bed when you can choose all. Would you like a private suite for your little orgy, or will the garden be enough?"

"I am afraid you misunderstand, good woman. We want to buy them from you, not merely for the night."

Kanat laughed, at a loss for words.

"Forgive me, Excellency, but they are not for sale like that."

"I implore you, madame. We are in need of gifts to give. You will be reimbursed by the governor, I assure you."

"These girls are my livelihood," Kanat argued, "If I sell them to you, what am I to tell the men who will show up here tonight looking to entertain themselves?"

"Tell them that we have conscripted the girls. I am afforded such power, though I would rather make a deal with you, madame. It is poor governance to anger the populace unnecessarily."

"Anger them by conscripting their girls, perhaps?" Kanat replied frostily.

"He did say unnecessarily," said Decius. "Madame, you may name your price. Take our silver, then buy passage on a boat to Chyrosia and refill your stock from their flesh markets. We would do so ourselves, but we are most pressed for time. We must act quickly to head off this rebellion before the whole province is engulfed in war."

Kanat frowned, running a hand over Namara's naked shoulders. She bit her lower lip and looked to the other girls, who returned her look with faces of confusion.

"What will you do with them?" she finally asked.

"They will be given to one of the rebels, to induce him to abandon his cause and honor his allegiance to the Empire once again." Marius replied. "They will be cared for."

Kanat wobbled her head from side to side, but Decius could see her mind changing.

"A quarter talent for each of them," the madame said at last, "And I will need reimbursement for the money I will lose in the time it will take to replace them."

"Perhaps another quarter talent then?" Decius suggested. The madame's eyes widened slightly and she nodded quickly. "Very well."

Decius turned to their clerk. "Go to the camp and retrieve one and three quarters of a silver talent. Bring ten guards and escort the girls back to camp. They are not to be touched."

The clerk nodded and departed, stealing a final look at the women in all their nude glory before he went out the door.

"I am sorry to disrupt your business like this, madame," said Marius, "But fate has found us in a most precarious position. We must act quickly and boldly to prevent catastrophe."

Kanat nodded, but was clearly thinking of the silver she was about to receive.

"If we were looking to please this man," asked Marius, cutting into her thoughts, "which of your girls should we lead off with?"

"Atalima," Kanat answered immediately, pointing to the oldest of the girls. "She has Nystra's own mouth, and can make a man come in a heartbeat or play with his cock all day. There is none in the province better at sucking cock."

Decius doubted that was true, for Jalit was a small town in the shadow of a great city, but he accepted her recommendation all the same.

"A pleasure doing business with you, but we must be off now."

"Do return some day, sorcerer," she said, "By the time you return from upriver, I will have more girls in from Chyrosia and be ready to host you for a night or three."

"Indeed, I am looking forward to it. Good day to you, madame."

Throughout the rest of the day, he and Marius mustered a total of twenty women from the brothels and returned to the camp to find that Bacarius had found a hundred horses to join them. Letters were dispatched to the governor's office in Chyrosia and, while Marius assuaged the fears of the assembled troops and ordered them to prepare to break camp in the morning, Decius and Bacarius plotted their march to Farun.

The main road followed the river closely, running through a string of towns along the riverbank before reaching a ferry at Opis, where they would cross to the north bank and make for Farun.

"We will be hidden from Battus' scouts until we reach Opis, but it will take at least a day to ferry our army across," Bacarius complained. "Once across the river, we will have to move fast."

"The ferry is our greatest vulnerability, and we will reach it before our enemy knows to threaten it. We will be well-positioned for the strike."

"But once we cross, we will be in Sharishid territory. We will be in greater danger of ambush from them than we were from Battus and Yamhadan. Perhaps we should send an emissary ahead to prepare our arrival?"

Decius shook his head. "Battus no doubt has spies in Sharishakun's court. We cannot afford to tip our hand early. I should think Sharishakun will be more impressed if we arrive suddenly on his doorstep than by an emissary. Besides, this whole province belongs to the emperor, and as his servants we go where we please."

"Having been involved in one ambush, I have no desire to be involved in another," Bacarius groused.

"I have read the signs clearly," Decius replied. "There will be no ambush if we stay to the plan. Move quickly, keep our enemies off balance, and strike hard. Victory will be ours."

"Fortune favors the bold," the praefect mused.

Chatter outside the tent drew away their attention and Marius entered, his arm around the waist of Sammu. It was only then that Decius noticed it was growing dark outside.

"Are we all agreed on a course of action?" Marius inquired. His hand wandered up Sammu's body and disappeared under her blouse. "The soldiers are elated that there will be no decimation and eager to begin the march."

"Our route is determined," Decius replied. "All that remains is to execute it."

"The river fleet will supply us until we reach the ferry at Opis, but we will need to secure passage through Sharishakun's lands to use it any further upriver."

"Without him, the whole plan fails," Marius replied, "so we can make no other choice. But what about the march from Farun to Haddul?"

"Once in Sharishakun's territory, we will be able to draw on him for supplies, and the river fleet will be able to sail upriver as far as Samal, where we will cross the Tigarin River and march on Haddul."

"We will be able to reach Farun in four days," Bacarius reported, "And Haddul five days after that."

"And then the battle," Marius mused aloud and Decius nodded. The acting legate seemed in the highest of spirits, a stark contrast to the glum man he had met in the morning. Once again, the presence of pretty girls and the prospect of victory has reignited a man's spirit, Decius thought to himself.

"Good work. Let us eat and then she and I," he pinched Sammu's bottom, provoking a delighted yelp, "will be off to bed."

The following morning, the legion pulled up camp and began the march. At the head of the army were the thousand horsemen of the Collegium Ala, long ago raised at the expense of the Collegium but now paid and commanded at the emperor's discretion. Their banner was a red bend sinister on gold, black eagles above and below, three silver horseshoes in the bend. Behind them rode the officers, camp surveyors, and pioneers, along with the Marius' personal effects. Marius, Decius, and Bacarius rode at the rear of this group, just ahead of the slave girls and the gift horses. The women were clothed in long robes to ward off the hot sun, though as Marius kept dropping back to mingle among them he twice induced a girl to give him a peek at her body. In the mid-morning, he convinced Namara to disrobe entirely, handing her clothes to an attendant before riding stark naked through the cavalrymen ahead before stopping and rejoining the greatly amused officers in their place.

Behind this assemblage marched the few remaining artillery crewmen, in their usual place in the marching order despite a lack of guns for them to man. Behind them marched the infantry, alternating between companies of pikes and muskets so that they might easily deploy from marching column into battle order if need be. Lastly came the legion's baggage train and camp followers, who encompassed cooks, launderers, artisans, peddlers, prostitutes, and slave-dealers. They were reduced in number greatly, few having survived the defeat at Yamhadan, but still dutifully followed the soldiers in search of employment.

The army made nineteen miles on the first day, a blistering pace for a proper army but one that Marius and Decius both agreed their small force could beat. They stopped for the night outside a small village along the riverbanks where Decius and Marius went over the maps again. After their conference, Marius retired to bed in the company of another slave girl, while Decius slept alone.

The next day, Decius found himself riding in the column as Marius abandoned playing with the slave girls and rode up alongside him.

"Tell me, sorcerer," the man said, "why are you risking so much for this?"

"I am merely doing my job," Decius replied, "I was appointed to advise the legionary legate, and so I am."

"You will be at significant risk in this battle, much more so than if we had stayed behind or retreated to Chyrosia. Why have you pushed for this bold stroke against the rebels?"

"As I said, fortune favors the bold."

"Indeed," Marius laughed. "You are an interesting man, Capricius. I think we could go far together."

"I hope so. You are well-positioned with friends at court. I foresee a governor's office in your future."

"That sounds delightful. I should hope it will be in a rich province, like this one. Other than the defeat, I have enjoyed my time here."

"It is a pleasant province indeed. I find the climate to my liking, though it is somewhat of a backwater."

"What about you? What do you aspire to do, sorcerer? How does this campaign serve your ends?"

"I expect it will bring much favor from the throne. It is always beneficial to be in the emperor's good graces."

"And what do you plan to do once you are in those good graces?" Marius pressed.

"There are many secrets to be uncovered. This world is older than the Empire, old though it may be. Countless places sit untouched since the Great Dark, and there was a whole world before that that is no more but persists still. But now we fight over gold, land, and laws and ignore the mysteries of the past and future."

"So, tomb-raiding? I have heard of many who go in search of ancient ruins and the treasures they contain. It seems a waste of your talents."

"A waste?" Decius inquired, "No, it is the best use of my talents. There is so much out there to be uncovered. I have been in the secret archives of the Collegium, where even the Regents have not trodden for many years. I have read hints of secrets that would change the world. I have seen things in the spice dreams that I can neither explain nor forget. And speaking of spice, all sorcerers need it, but where does it come from?"

"The alchemists of Leiyan, everyone knows that," Marius replied.

"But how do they make it? And what do they make it with? They speak of the spice mines, so they must need ores of some kind. Ships spend the better part of a year sailing to Leiyan in search of indigo spice. But what if we could make it here? We might break the Spicers' Guild's hold over us."

Marius frowned. "The Guild would never stand for that. Nor would the emperor. Sorcerers will never be allowed to rule themselves."

"There may be a day when it's no longer a matter of allowing it," Decius replied. Marius looked unhappy. "You did ask my aspirations," he laughed, and Marius could only laugh as well.

"I suppose I did. Though I fear that might put us on opposing sides, and I have much enjoyed working together."

"Fear not, Marius," Decius replied. "If I win, there will be a place for you. And I will bring along pretty girls for us both."

"Well, that would certainly take the sting out of defeat," Marius laughed.

They crossed the river at Opis after four days of hard marching. Their army overloaded the small ferry, and the crossing had to be carried out in small groups, with the horses proving the most difficult part. As soon as they reached the north bank, Decius felt the demeanor of the populace change. The people were suspicious and afraid. None came down to the roadside to watch them pass by, instead lurking in the shade of palm trees and on the far sides of fields, always ready to run if need be. They camped for the night in a barley field a mile from the ferry, where a few peddlers came to sell what they could to the soldiers.

The officers commandeered a local windmill for their quarters, Decius taking a spot in the uppermost level. He sat at the window, his sextant and star charts in hands as he read the auguries. Below, he could hear Marius and the girls at play. But Decius' attention was on higher matters. Running his finger over the star charts, he set his spyglass on the constellation known as the Bushel. It was a few days past its peak, and the luminance of the stars in it foretold a good harvest for the next year. But Decius was looking for other omens.

The signs he had seen before were unchanged, though Decius saw that their opportunity was slowly slipping away. Their pace was hard, but any slackening would see their chance fall from their grasp. He set aside his things and settled himself into a makeshift bed. Their march was exhausting, but there was no time to let up.

The morning came too early, its harsh rays creeping in over the windowsill while Decius still slept, undisturbed by the noise of the army breaking camp. Rubbing his eyes grumpily, Decius peered out from his perch. The soldiers had already eaten and were beginning to assemble into their marching formations. He cursed. Throwing his things into his pack, he hurried downstairs.

Marius and Bacarius were sitting at the hearth. Before them, Namara lay naked on the floor with a small banquet of dates, goat's cheese, and

"What do you think, sorcerer?" Marius asked, pointing to the girl at his feet. "I heard this is the fashion in Laraebos. The governor eats his meals off the backs of the most beautiful concubines he can find."

"I suppose it rules out eating soup," Decius replied, "Why was I not awakened?" Marius shrugged.

"You looked like you needed the sleep. Have something to eat and then it's time to move."

"The stars still portend well for us, but we must keep our pace quick."

Marius plucked a date from the girl's back and placed it in his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully for a moment, he stood up.

"You heard the augur then, let's get moving." Servants appeared to store the food and dress Namara for the road. Bacarius took a last drink of wine and then marched out the door.

"A moment, Decius," said Marius, catching the sorcerer's arm as he moved to follow. "These provincials are a bit suspicious of sorcerers like yourself. I would like you to accompany us to the conference with Sharishakun, but I fear that if you appear in your own capacity, it will put him off."

"This was my plan, you cannot mean to exclude me from it," Decius protested hotly.

"No, on the contrary. I want to present you as my Master of Horse. It is a position these men will respect. There is no beast more precious to these men than the horse. But it would not do for you to be Master of Horse without, well, mastering my horse. What do you say to becoming commander of what few cavalry I have?"

"You want me to lead a cavalry ala? I have no experience commanding men," Decius protested.

"Neither do any of the other officers I have here. Except that time we nearly lost the entire legion in an ambush."

"Well, I suppose I can't do much worse than they did."

"So, you will accept?"

"I will," replied Decius. "Who better to lead the Collegium Ala than a magus of the Collegium? Whatever the paths they have taken since their founding, they were ours once and will be once more."

"That's the spirit," Marius congratulated. He put an army around Decius' shoulder and led him out the door, where a man carrying the ala's standard waited.

"This is Dhamat, your ensign and second."

Dhamat was a tall, strong man or perhaps twenty, with olive skin and a shaven head. Aside from his tunic and marching boots, he wore gold rings in his ears and nose, while his hands were tattooed with elephant heads. He saluted and presented the ala's standard, a wide square of white taffeta painted with the colors. It was heavy, carried on a polished shaft of oak topped with a brass eagle.

"Read to serve, sir!" he barked with practiced precision.

"You will also want this," Marius said. He handed over a saber, sheathed in a scabbard of leather bound in brass. "All the good officers lead from the front," he said, leaning in close. "So you might need this."

"Thank you, I will keep it with me," Decius replied. "Your confidence honors me."

"There are few of us officers left in this battered old legion, but that leaves us all the more opportunity for glory. We should not squander it."

"We will not," Decius promised, "Fortune favors us."

It was late on the second day since they crossed the river when Sharishakun's envoys reached them. The men rode small black stallions, agile and swift horses of the western deserts, and wore robes of dark blue with white head wrappings. Their leader was a man of perhaps thirty, unarmored though carrying a gilded saber at his side. The scouts brought them all to Marius, Decius, and Bacarius in the middle of the column.

"Greetings, legate," he said, raising one hand in the province's traditional gesture. "I am Eriba Sharishakun, son of Arashalem. You are in my lands now."

"Aye," Marius answered, "We have come seeking an audience with your father. We know that Battus has done him wrong, deceiving him with false promises and inducing him to rebel against his rightful lord. We come to him to offer him a chance to make things right again, as it should be, in battle against traitors to the Empire."

"And for this you have brought an entire legion into my father's lands unannounced?"

"We must strike at the rebels quickly, and we could ill afford to lose time returning for the legion. Might we speak to your father and make our case in person before him?"

The younger Sharishakun looked over the marching column with suspicion. After briefly conferring with his escorts, he nodded.

"Follow me to our camp near Farun."

Sharishakun had made camp around a ground house on the outskirts of Farun. Thousands of horses, camels, and men roamed a vast camp on the house's grounds beneath the palms and along a stream. At the younger Sharishakun's insistence, the legion made camp a mile away, watched by horsemen in plate and mail, while the officers rode with him into the Sharishid camp.

Led and followed by lancers in armor, Marius, Decius, Bacarius, and the two junior tribunes rode down the central lane of the camp. Behind them came forty men of the Collegium Ala, attending to the twenty slave girls, the silver tribute, and the horses.

Marius stopped before the door to the house and dismounted. The house was made of stone and mudbrick, three stories tall with a lavish garden surrounding it. The windows were glass, and the paved square in front of the front door was decorated with a bubbling fountain. Two men in robes of rich blue looked down upon them from a second-floor balcony.

As the lancers formed up along the front steps, Marius and Decius briefly conferred.

"All seems to be going well so far," Marius said, "He is at least willing to talk."

"Keep him talking and we will get him to agree sooner or later."

"It's not much of a plan, but we will have to feel him out."

They turned and marched up the steps. A man in white admitted them to the main foyer, a wide hall tiled in many colors and decorated with potted plants in pale pink urns.