33

Shulgi lay back in the comfortable bed, enjoying the feel of the soft cloth against his naked body. The chatter of birds floated through the window, as well as the fainter sounds of Sumer’s inhabitants bustling about their morning business. Dawn had risen some time ago, but no one would disturb the warrior king of Sumer in his bedchamber. All the city’s inhabitants envied their king his good fortune to have the voluptuous Queen Kushanna in his bed, no matter what they might think about her strict rule over their lives. Brother and sister had brought peace and a measure of prosperity to the city, and few even remembered their father, dead now for over a year. The rumors that Eridu had died at his son’s hand had faded from memory.

Three months had passed since Shulgi’s last return to Sumer. In all that time he’d seldom slept on anything softer than a blanket stretched over hard ground. In truth, he hadn’t spent more than a few months in the city since taking power. Instead, he’d ridden up and down the length of the desert, chasing the last of the Salibs, even those who fled deep into the west to escape. Their destruction had taken longer than he’d expected, but he felt more than satisfied with the result – an army of horsemen at his command. Before Shulgi reluctantly turned his horse’s head back toward Sumer, he’d conquered another six desert clans and covered more than half the distance to the fabled land of Egypt. With the elimination of the last of the Salibs, the mocking title of Boy King vanished as well.

Egypt would be his next conquest, after he’d crushed Akkad and forced its people into his new Sumerian Empire. Once he had the additional manpower from Akkad and the northern lands, he would have an army large enough to invade Egypt. But that effort would have to wait a few more years. When he finished conquering Akkad, Shulgi knew he would need at least another year or two to solidify his rule over the remnants of the Akkadian lands, as well as the other cities of Sumeria. After Shulgi eliminated their petty rulers and installed men loyal only to himself, he would reign supreme, the only king in the vast land between the rivers. First Akkad, then Egypt, then only the gods knew how far Shulgi could stretch his reach.

“What are your thoughts, my brother?” Shanna ran her fingertips down his arm and onto his stomach.

Shulgi’s thoughts of empire vanished at her touch, and his manhood stirred even before her hand closed around it. He’d taken her twice last night as soon as he returned to Sumer, and once again this morning. No matter how often he possessed her, it needed only a word, a look, the feel of her breast, to make him hunger for her body again. Shulgi wondered how she’d learned to arouse such passion in a man. Perhaps Kushanna, too, was a witch, like the queen of Akkad. He wondered if Eskkar felt the same lust for his wife. Not likely, he decided. Those who had seen both women voiced only disdain for Trella’s plain looks and simple attire.

“I was thinking how soft your lips are when they touch my body, Shanna.”

“Mmm, yes, such a beautiful body. So strong, and so fierce a rod. Since you’ve ridden to war, you’ve grown even more handsome. A true king.” She tightened her grip, and his erection sprang up, throbbing. Taking her time, she moved down the bed, settled herself comfortably, and let her breasts dangle against his thigh. She brushed her lips lightly against his staff, teasing him until he squirmed under her touch, the urge to penetrate her body growing ever more demanding.

“Take me in your mouth,” he commanded, unable to restrain himself. He used the same voice he would give orders to any soldier.

“Oh, yes, my lord. Whatever you command.” Still taking her time, she closed her mouth over the tip of his member, and used her tongue to force a moan of pleasure from his lips. Slowly she took the full length of his manhood into her mouth, her hair now scattered across his loins, until her lips touched his hard stomach.

“You are a witch.” No other woman had ever managed to take the full length of his aroused staff into her mouth.

She lifted her head and took a breath. “If I’m a witch, why do I do your bidding?” Before he could reply, she began stroking his staff, this time using her cheek against the tip.

Waves of pleasure rushed through him. He’d taken plenty of women while away from Sumer, but none of them compared to her. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Shulgi reached down and pulled her toward him.

With an easy movement, she knelt over him and guided his staff inside her body. Kushanna sighed in pleasure as she sank down on him. She clasped her hands behind her neck and leaned back. Without moving her hips, she used the powerful muscles deep inside her womb to squeeze his rod.

“Do you like that, my brother?”

“Oh, yes, Shanna,” he panted. “There is no one like you.”

“Then let me take you to the pleasure of the gods.” She began to move up and down, grinding her hips, thrusting herself harder and harder against him, keeping him deep inside her.

He felt the warmth of her body as he gazed upon her breasts, swaying above him. Faster and faster she rode his manhood, twisting and pushing against him, until with a cry he burst inside her. Even that did not satisfy her. She kept moving, squeezing him, until he protested and pushed her aside.

“Enough. Any more and I won’t be able to ride for days.”

She brushed the tangle of hair from her face and stretched out beside him, cradling his head against her breasts. “Tonight you will be strong again for me, I promise you.”

His arms encircled her as he lay there, scarcely able to move. Shulgi breathed in the warm musk of her body. His eyes closed, and he let himself relax. Within moments, the feel of her face against his shoulder lulled him back to sleep.

When he woke he found Shanna dressed and standing beside the bed. She wore a soft gown of pure white, and her slaves had combed her hair artfully to frame her features. A tray of fruit, bread, and ale rested on the table. She leaned over and kissed the sleep from his face.

“It’s time you woke up, my brother. Sumer’s noble merchants and traders will assemble here at midday, to hear of your latest conquests. And you don’t want your body to grow weak from too much time in bed.”

Shulgi smiled at that. The long days spent on the back of a horse had tightened every muscle, including, it seemed, his manhood. He’d never spent his seed so often, and with so much force before. For a moment Shulgi considered telling her to remove her dress. He shook the temptation from his mind and pushed himself into a sitting position.

She handed him the ale cup, and he drained its contents. Some day, he knew, Shanna might hand him a cup of poison with as much grace and concern. But not today. And not while there remained so many lands to conquer.

“Tell me of the desert.”

Her voice had lost its pleasure-slave tone. The cunning queen of his empire had returned. He tore a hunk of bread from the loaf. The sour-sweet taste seemed like nectar after the foul-smelling desert fare.

“The last of the Salibs are destroyed. Except for the lands Chief Kapturu claims, the desert is ours.”

“Then there will be no more slaves arriving in Sumer?”

For the last year, captive Salibs, mostly women and children had paraded through Sumer’s lanes, to be sold as slaves throughout Sumeria and even as far north as Akkad. Shulgi’s profits from those sales had nearly equaled the gold and gems taken from the desert-dwellers.

“Kapturu’s horsemen still range the desert fringes, and will continue to supply slaves, though the number will be fewer and the cost higher.”

“We need all the gold we can raise, Shulgi.”

He nodded. “I’ve brought another thousand gold pieces with me, plus three sacks of gemstones. Perhaps that will satisfy you for a time.”

She shook her head. “Another month, perhaps two. But more gold will be needed in the coming year. Unlike Trella in Akkad, we lack a steady supply of silver.”

The mine at Nuzi had flooded the northern lands with the precious metal. Silver coins with the mark of Akkad paid the wages of Eskkar’s soldiers.

“Have you exhausted all the gold from Sumeria’s mines? It seems you spend my spoils of war as fast as I win them.”

Kushanna saw the look of frustration on his face. All the established mines within Sumer’s reach had been confiscated months ago, and their ores used to pay his own soldiers. But the output had always been small, and Kushanna’s demands had exhausted most of them. Hundreds of slaves had died extracting what little remained. Nuzi was a recent find, and could be expected to produce large quantities of gold and silver for some time.

“Don’t chide me with such a frown, brother. My agents have been busy on your behalf. Your captured treasures have bought you support in every Sumerian city. Hundreds of voices throughout the land now clamor for war against Akkad. Your victories in the desert, along with the gold we’ve spread around, have won support for your cause. Larsa, Uruk, Isin, all the cities are raising troops of their own, eager to share in the spoils of Akkad conquest.”

“Just so they’re ready to follow my standard into battle.”

“That campaign, too, is already under way. With the Tanukhs under your command, Sumer will field the largest part of any combined army. Because of that, the rest of the cities already accept your leadership, willingly or not. They understand it’s best to direct their wrath against Akkad than each other. The heavy bribes we’ve paid to their merchants and traders help see to that.”

“Especially now that they know what happened to the Salibs.”

“It’s more than that, Shulgi. Sumer continues to grow. We’re now twice as large as Nippur, and the other cities are even smaller. Their rulers know they will fall under your sway sooner or later. The wise among them will seek to gain as much influence from you as possible. And as much gold and power as they can wrest from Akkad’s defeat.”

Kushanna had indeed done well. Shulgi had thought it might take another year or two before all of Sumeria acknowledged his leadership. Instead in less than a single year he had already accomplished far more than his father ever dreamed.

“Then it’s time to issue a call for more of their soldiers to join me in the desert. The sooner they learn how to fight under my command, the better.”

Hundreds from the other cities had already flocked to his standard, desperate men searching for loot, young men seeking glory, petty thieves and outcasts seeking escape from their crimes. Razrek had accepted them all, feeding them into his training camps. Already many had turned into competent fighters and even subcommanders.

“Yes, my brother, that can be done. I’ll dispatch messengers tomorrow.”

“Any news from Akkad?”

“Of course. I have a dozen agents living there, and reports come from every trader who visits. Eskkar continues to recruit men and train them in the north. He shuffles them around from training camp to training camp, trying to keep their numbers secret. But more than a few have deserted, thanks to your gold. We know all about his spearmen and cavalry. But no matter how hard the barbarian tries, he won’t be able to raise more than three or four thousand fighters, perhaps a little more.”

Shulgi already had more than that number in his own camps at the edge of the desert. With the hordes of Tanukh horse fighters, Eskkar of Akkad was greatly outnumbered.

Kushanna saw the look. “Don’t count your victory yet, brother. Eskkar is trying to make up for his smaller force with greater training. His force of infantry spearmen is reputed to be fierce, and his horsemen grow more proficient every day, thanks to those accursed steppe barbarians in the north.”

Shulgi knew the remnants of the Ur Nammu had been assisting the Akkadians. Kushanna had tried to reach out to them, offered them gold and trading opportunities, but the clan had rebuffed her overtures. The Ur Nammu would deal only with Akkad, despite her bribes and offers of friendship.

“My men are training each day as well, and we’ve fought a dozen battles with the Salibs.”

“All to the good, Shulgi. But don’t grow overconfident. You will need every man from every city in Sumeria. Crush the Akkadians with numbers. Eskkar and his men will not go down easily.”

“Agreed. But with an army that small, Eskkar knows he can only fight a defensive war. He expects us to invade his land and besiege his city. He hopes to wear us down until we abandon our attacks. I’ll do that if I have to, but I prefer to force him out from behind his walls. Make him fight on my terms.”

“You’ve a plan for that?”

“Yes, I’ve been working on it for months, with Razrek and Vanar and the others. We’ll bring Eskkar out of Akkad, then destroy him.”

Kushanna didn’t answer. Instead she picked up a date and split the skin, removing the pit. “Our father tried that.”

Shulgi took another mouthful of bread before answering. “Our father was a fool. He wanted to defeat Eskkar himself. The man means nothing to me. It’s his city I want. If Eskkar wants to keep it . . . well, then he’ll come to me, fight me on my terms.”

She waited a moment, until she realized he didn’t intend to offer any more information.

“Be aware that Trella continues to raise Akkad’s walls higher and higher.”

“She can raise them as high as the mountains for all I care.” He smiled at her and patted her hand. “And her spies? Have you found them all?”

“Most of them. And I’ve put many others to the torture.” A smile crossed her face at the memory. “Some have confessed spying for Trella. But I’m sure there are still a few within the city.”

Shulgi knew that Kushanna, even as a young girl, enjoyed watching men tortured. It was one of the few things that excited her.

“How do you know when they’re telling the truth?”

“It’s simple. If they use Trella’s name, I know they’re lying, saying anything to stop the pain. When I hear Annok-sur’s name on their lips, then I know we captured a spy.”

“Clever, my sister. I see I’m in good hands with you guarding my city.”

“There will always be more spies.”

“I know. Don’t worry about such things for now. Did you learn anything more about her brother?”

Kushanna accepted the change of subject. “Oh, yes, we found him working in the copper mine less than fifty miles from here. His name is Almaric, and he is Trella’s older brother. His wits were almost gone when Sohrab brought him here. But he’s recovering, and he may be of some use to us. At the very least we can exchange him for some gold. Or use him to distract Trella right before we strike. Much will depend on how much he recovers.”

“You’re sure you have the right slave?”

“Drusas remembers Trella, all right, and how he sold her to Nicar of Akkad. Apparently, Drusas felt himself bested in the exchange. She was still a virgin when Nicar took possession. Trella’s brother was sold to the Minga clan, who operated a silver mine about three days’ journey from Sumer. After a few years, he was sold again to a copper mine.”

Shulgi shrugged. “Let’s hope we can make use of him.”

“He will serve some purpose, of that I’m sure. Trella knows nothing of her brother’s fate. It might distract her at the right time.”

Shulgi considered that for a moment, then dismissed it from his thoughts. “And what of the Alur Meriki? Did you ever reach them?”

“Yes, it was difficult, but a meeting place was arranged. Who can we send to meet with them? It’s far too dangerous for you to go.”

“Well, Razrek claims he has dealt with them before. I’m sure he’s ready to visit the barbarians again.” He smiled. “By now he’s had enough of the desert. And what better way to prove your courage than to put your head in the lion’s mouth?”

“Then all that remains is to be patient, Shulgi. Assemble your forces, and train your men. When the time comes to strike, I’ll have all the supplies and food that will be needed.”

“I’m ready now, my sister. We could defeat Akkad today.”

“One more year. By then your army will have grown even stronger. At the end of next summer, as soon as our crops are in, you can strike.”

The harvest in Sumeria – if the gods acted as they normally did – would take place ten or twenty days before Akkad began to take its crops from the field. Sumeria’s warmer climate meant that her farmers would reap their harvest before the Akkadians. That would leave Eskkar’s men short of food at the start of the campaign. Still, a year seemed such a long time.

She guessed his thoughts. “It will come sooner than you think, my brother.”

“And what will my beautiful queen be doing in the coming year?”

“Helping you raise your mighty army. The other cities must prepare as well. They will each need to raise and arm thousands of men, and they will need to be trained as well. Our gold has already bought the support of their kings and ruling nobles. When you are ready, fighting men will march forth from Larsa and every other city, to follow your banner.”

“I will need to visit each of those cities, then, see to their training, meet with their rulers . . .”

“More than once, I’m sure, my brother. But when you ride into their strongholds at the head of your cavalry, strong and confident, all will accept your leadership.”

He nodded. Kushanna spoke the truth. Best to wait until victory was certain. “Then I will wait one more year. But starting tomorrow, we begin. I want every city in Sumeria to begin recruiting and training more men.”

“They will, my king. They will.”