54

Day 10

Eskkar and his commanders crested a low hill at mid-morning and caught their first glimpse of Isin, less than two miles away. The Akkadian army had approached the city from the north, and as soon as they reached the Euphrates, Yavtar’s boats had joined them.

Like Akkad, Isin nestled in a gentle curve of the river. And, like Akkad, it had three gates. Eskkar had visited this city several years ago, but it was good to match what he remembered against the actual sight. Isin boasted a good anchorage, and he could see a dozen river boats crowded against each other. High walls ringed the city, and a fresh scar in the earth showed that the surrounding ditch had only recently been dug out, expanded and deepened.

“Won’t be easy to get in there,” Gatus said, his eyes scanning the possible field of battle. “Not with the reinforcements they got yesterday.”

Over a thousand horsemen had ridden past Eskkar’s infantry yesterday just after midday. The Sumerians hadn’t bothered to avoid Akkadian scrutiny, and Eskkar frowned when he saw that these men were not the rabble Tanukhs or regular Sumerian cavalry. Shulgi had no doubt sent men to Isin who could be expected to stand and fight.

“It’s not likely Trella’s spies will be able to help us this time.” Eskkar’s eyes told him there would be no easy way into Isin. “They’ll keep a better watch over the walls after what happened at Larsa.”

“Too bad there was no time to dig the tunnel.”

One of the many plans discussed at the war table was the digging of a tunnel under the city’s walls. But such a task proved too daunting for the few men inside Isin working for Trella.

The last report Eskkar had received from Akkad’s spies within Isin was that King Naxos had retained four to five hundred fighting men within the city. With the reinforcements sent by Shulgi, at least fifteen hundred fighting men would be preparing to defend the city.

“I never believed they could dig a tunnel without getting caught,” Eskkar said. “If Shulgi hadn’t sent those horsemen, we could have taken the city, despite the losses. But now, we’d lose too many men, and even then might not break through the defense.”

“Let’s hope that Corio’s plan works.”

The master builder who had erected Akkad’s walls had dispatched his son, Alcinor, to each of the six Sumerian cities last year, ostensibly on trading missions. His “bodyguards” for that journey were veteran soldiers who focused their attention on the forces defending the cities and to the quality and quantity of men and weapons. Alcinor, who already equaled or possibly surpassed his father’s skill as a master builder, had returned with much good information on the Sumerian cities, their strengths and weaknesses, and how and where they could best be attacked. Isin, however, had one feature that made it unique. Taking advantage of that, Alcinor and his father had come up with a dubious plan for taking the city.

In many ways, Isin appeared the strongest of the six cities. Its walls, while not as high or as thick as Akkad’s, stood tall enough to require the construction of ramps for scaling. No easy approaches would provide any cover. Even if it could be taken by direct assault, Eskkar didn’t dare risk losing half his army. King Shulgi would finish them off with ease after that.

“We’ll have to give Corio’s scheme a try. If it fails, we’ll look like bigger fools.” Eskkar took a deep breath and let it out. “Best to get started on the preparations.”

“I don’t think King Naxos will scare too easily.”

The name of the king of Isin always awoke memories in Eskkar. His long travails toward the kingship of Akkad had begun when he had slain a man named Naxos, who had received orders to kill Eskkar from one of the ruling nobles. Trella’s insight had provided Eskkar with enough warning, and Naxos had died with Eskkar’s sword in his belly, a slow and painful death. The death of Naxos precipitated Eskkar’s decision to stay and fight against the barbarians.

Now another man named Naxos ruled in Isin. Unlike merchants such as Eridu or Naran who bought their way into power, Naxos was a true warrior and he had won his kingship by fighting for it. The lands around Isin were some of the most fertile in Sumeria, and never failed to produce good harvests. Palm trees provided shade and numerous streams bordered with willows made irrigating the crops even easier than at Akkad. The people of Isin had grown prosperous in the warmth of the Sumerian sun.

The bountiful land with its warm climate had not made them soft or lazy. Eskkar knew that it was not only the hard lands that bred strong and ferocious fighters. All Isin’s neighbors coveted the land that Isin claimed, and Naxos had built a strong fighting force to keep the other cities at bay. The city’s inhabitants knew that their land and families remained safe only because of the weight of their soldiers’ swords. Some of the strongest and best-trained forces that Shulgi would array against the Akkadians would have come from the levies that Isin provided.

Though Eskkar had never mentioned it to anyone except Trella, ten years ago he had briefly fought with the forces of Isin against an invasion from Nippur. His respect for the fighting skills that Naxos possessed was based on that experience. But Eskkar had never crossed paths with Naxos, who had also risen from nothing to assume control of the city. What he had fought so hard to take, Naxos would not relinquish without a hard struggle.

The city’s sentries had spotted Eskkar and his company. The north rampart now thronged with soldiers, and even at this distance Eskkar could see them waving bows and spears in defiance.

Eskkar ignored them. “Let’s get busy, Gatus. We only have two days, possibly three before Shulgi arrives with his army.” He turned his horse aside, and rode back to the camp, Gatus and the others following.

By the time Eskkar reached the river, the last of the seven boats was being unloaded. Grain for the horses, bread and fruit for the men made up the bulk of the cargo, in addition to another three thousand fire-arrows, a hundred torches and twenty jugs of the oil that burns. But Alcinor’s plan required something else, and two of the boats had carried nothing but shovels, six hundred in all.

The men unloading that odd cargo stared at the digging tools with quizzical looks, already spreading rumors about tunneling their way into Isin. Eskkar smiled at the sight. His men would soon have plenty of experience handling a shovel.

“Good morning, Lord Eskkar.”

He turned to find Alcinor standing there. “You came? I thought that your father was sending another to join me.”

Tall and earnest-looking, the young man shook his head. “He wanted to, but I insisted on coming. This is too important to delegate to someone else. It was my idea, and I wanted to be sure it was carried out properly.”

Corio would not have relished the idea of risking the life of his eldest and ablest son by sending him into a battle. In Eskkar’s eyes, Alcinor had already proved his valor by challenging his father’s decision and risking his life by coming downriver to join the Akkadian forces.

“Then you can take charge of the men. Just tell Grond what you need, and he will inform the commanders. But we must make haste, Alcinor. Your plan seems to be more of a dream now that we’re here than it did in Akkad.”

“It’s no dream, Lord Eskkar. It will work.”

Eskkar still had his doubts, but he gave Alcinor an encouraging smile. “Then your name will surpass your father’s. But I think you’d better start now, and work through the night. We may not have much time.”

Gatus established a camp strong enough to stop any of Razrek’s horsemen from attacking, even if reinforced by soldiers from within Isin. Protected by the river at their backs, the men took their positions facing outward, while the horsemen and archers patrolled the outskirts of the encampment, to make sure no spies from Isin drew close. Eskkar wanted no word of what his men were doing to find its way into Isin. The low hills blocked sight of the camp and its activity from Isin’s walls.

Under Alcinor’s direction, Grond soon had a thousand men stretched out along the river, the shovels distributed among them. Some would dig, others would shift the loosened sand and dirt. Anything that could be used to dig or carry was pressed into service. The sacks used for ballast in the riverboats were utilized. Filled with dirt, they were hauled away, to be emptied and returned to carry another load. Eventually most of them fell apart from the heavy loads, which forced the soldiers to work even harder. Eskkar knew there would be little sleep for any of his men tonight, and plenty of hard labor.

The soldiers complained, of course, loudly and often. They’d marched all day, and had hoped for at least a night of rest. Gatus ignored their comments. “What would you rather do,” he shouted again and again, “dig or fight?”

Before long, they were shouting back at him. “Fight! We’d rather fight than dig!”

But Gatus had an answer for that, too. “You’ll all be fighting soon enough. Keep digging!”

Day 11

Eskkar watched the work progress until almost midnight. Finally, after Grond’s repeated suggestions, Eskkar took the hint and decided to get some rest. When he woke, the sun was well above the horizon, but he felt as rested as if he’d slept all night.

With a handful of bread, he mounted and rode toward the river. The progress in the ditch surprised him. Working in shifts, the soldiers-turned-diggers had moved an enormous quantity of earth. Grond, who had slept only briefly through the night, professed both Alcinor and himself well satisfied with the men’s labors. Nevertheless, the work continued. There was still much more dirt to be moved. Now as impressed as any of his men, Eskkar decided that this whole scheme might just possibly work.

At midday, Eskkar studied the three men standing before him. Simple farmers, they’d been unlucky enough to be taken prisoner during the march to Isin. All of them showed fear, either on their faces or by their trembling limbs. Eskkar selected the one who trembled the least, and whose eyes showed a hint of steady wits. He moved to stand directly before the man.

“What’s your name?”

“Harno, noble one.”

“Look at me when you speak, Harno. Unlike your Sumerian rulers, I like to see a man’s face when he talks to me, not the top of his head.” Eskkar towered over the man, who appeared to have about thirty seasons. “Do as I say, and you won’t be harmed. I want you to take a message to King Naxos. Tell him I wish to meet him. Tell him to bring his master builder with him, but no others. I will meet him alone, save for my clerk. We’ll meet in the open, halfway between the hills and the walls. Tell him to come at once, if he wishes to save his city. Can you remember all that, Harno?”

“Yes, lord. But if he does not come . . .”

“You will be safe inside Isin’s walls – at least for a little while.”

“My brother.” Harno gestured toward one of the other captives. “What will happen to him?”

“Ah, your brother. Well, his life will depend on how well you convince Naxos to meet me. Make sure your king knows that there is only this one chance to save his city. Remind him that I gave the same offer to King Naran of Larsa before I destroyed that city. If Naxos fails to meet me, you’ll find your brother floating in the river, without his head. And make sure Naxos brings his master builder with him. That’s as important as the king coming himself.”

“Yes, noble one. I’ll give him the message.”

Eskkar made Harno repeat the message three more times, until he felt certain the man could remember everything Eskkar had said, at least until he reached Isin’s walls. Then he and Grond escorted the man to the edge of the camp.

“Harno, there is something else. I want you to give this to King Naxos as a gift.” Eskkar turned to Grond, who unwrapped a bundle he carried. A lustrous sword, with a carved hilt embedded with jewels, glinted in the sun. “This was the sword of the King of Larsa. He doesn’t need it any more, so I’m giving it to Naxos as a gift. Give it to none but the king. He’ll know what it means.”

Grond rewrapped the sword and handed the weapon to the messenger, whose unsteady hands nearly dropped it. “The sword should convince the guards to take you to the king. Make sure no one takes it away from you. No matter who demands you speak to them, tell your message only to King Naxos. Remember that. Others will try to learn what words you carry. Do not heed them. And call out as you approach the walls, that you bear a message from Eskkar of Akkad for King Naxos. Go!”

Harno, holding the bundle awkwardly with both hands, had to be pushed on his way.

Eskkar and Grond watched the man stumble his way down the hill and break into an unsteady trot toward the city walls.

“Do you think Naxos will come?”

Eskkar shrugged. “Perhaps. He’s a warrior, so he’ll understand what the sword means. I don’t think he’ll be afraid. But he might suspect a trap. If he doesn’t come, he should at least send someone else out to talk to us. Let’s hope some eager subcommander doesn’t force the message from Harno’s lips and twist its meaning. We’ll see soon enough, either way.”

They remained on the crest of the hill until Harno reached the city’s gate. For a long moment, nothing happened, then one portal of the gate opened a trifle, and Harno disappeared inside the city.

“Well, at least they let him in. I was half expecting they’d riddle him with arrows.”

“Bring my horse, Grond. And tell Alcinor it’s time.”

Eskkar and Alcinor rode down the hill and moved out of bowshot from the crest. They stopped a little less than half a mile from the city’s walls, just out of range of any bows. Eskkar dismounted, tied his horse to a scraggly bush, and sat on a small boulder to wait. The land – part of a grain field – lay empty after the recent harvest. Only a flat expanse of short grass remained. That should make it clear to Naxos that there would be no attempt to capture him.

The sun crawled across the sky, and started its descent. When the rock grew too hard to sit, Eskkar slid to the earth and stretched out his long legs on the ground, with his back to the boulder, and closed his eyes. Alcinor, too nervous to remain in one place, paced back and forth, his eyes wide as he stared at the city, unable to control his excitement.

“Your messenger has been gone a long time, Lord Eskkar. More than enough time for them to hear your message and act on it.”

“He’s a king, Alcinor. He can’t appear to run when someone calls. Besides, the longer he takes, the closer your men get.”

Nevertheless, sun had traveled a good distance across the sky. At last Eskkar decided that Naxos wasn’t coming. He stood and stretched. Just then the gate opened, and twelve men rode out. They rode leisurely toward Eskkar’s position.

He loosened the sword in its scabbard and moved toward his horse. If the men kept coming, he and Alcinor would ride back up the hill. Mitrac and fifty archers waited there, in case they were needed.

But ten of the men halted halfway, while two continued to ride. Eskkar checked the fastening that tethered his mount, then studied the men approaching. One was old and thick-waisted. Even at this distance, Eskkar could see the man’s wispy gray hair floating around a mostly bald pate. Isin’s master builder rode awkwardly on an old brown horse that looked more suited to pulling a plow than to carrying a man.

Naxos rode a rangy red stallion bigger than Eskkar’s. Tall and broad, Naxos wore a bronze helmet and breastplate. Thick legs kept the horse under firm control, and a sword hung from his left hip. He stopped about fifty paces from Eskkar and looked around, taking his time and checking for any possible ambush. Naxos’s nose, like Eskkar’s, had encountered something solid in his youth. Then Naxos turned his gaze to Alcinor for a few moments, before giving his attention to Eskkar.

Eskkar said nothing. Anything he could say now, any words or assurances, would mean little to Naxos. The sword had brought Isin’s king out from behind his walls, but the man still needed to make up his own mind, and Eskkar knew there was no need to rush him.

Naxos made his decision. He said something to his companion, tapped his horse’s flank, and stepped his horse closer, his master builder following with obvious reluctance. When Naxos halted again, he was only ten paces away.

“You’re Eskkar.”

It wasn’t a question, just a statement.

“I am. You’re as men have described you, Naxos of Isin.”

“What do you have to say?”

“In a moment. Is this your master builder?”

Naxos snorted in disgust. “One of them. The other was too frightened to come. He fell to his knees and couldn’t stop shaking. He thought you would cut out his heart and eat it before his eyes.”

Eskkar grunted. He’d seen such stupidity before. He turned to Alcinor. “Take Isin’s master builder . . . what is your name?”

The man had to lick his lips and clear his throat before he could get the words out. “Sardos, King Eskkar.” He gave a fearful glance not to Eskkar, but to his king, to see if Naxos approved of the use of Eskkar’s title.

“Well, Sardos of Isin, I want you to go with Alcinor here to the top of the hill. There’s something you need to see. Nothing will happen to you. And when you get there, make sure there are no soldiers lurking about. King Naxos will want to know that.”

Sardos turned to Naxos, licking his lips in fear. “Lord, do I have to go . . . ?”

“Get going, you fool, or I will cut your heart out myself. Do you think he’s lured me out of Isin just to take your fool head?”

Alcinor, who appeared almost as nervous as Sardos, gingerly mounted his horse and started trotting up the hill. Naxos slapped the rump of Sardos’s horse, to send him along.

Naxos watched as the two rode slowly up the hill, then turned his gaze to Eskkar. “You know, I’m tempted to kill you right here.” He let his left hand drop to the scabbard of his sword. The weapon would slide easily when held that way. “Shulgi thinks that killing you would end the war in one stroke.”

Eskkar met Naxos’s gaze. “Don’t you want to hear what I have to say?”

“Your death scream would tell me all I need to know.”

“Bigger and better men than you have tried to take my head.” Eskkar kept his voice calm, with no trace of emotion, as all barbarians did when they faced their foe before battle. “But if you think you’re good enough . . . think how happy Shulgi would be. I’m sure he would give you a suitable reward. Or perhaps he would be even more satisfied if I killed you. I’m sure I can deal with your successor just as well.”

Naxos tightened his lips at the taunt. Eskkar could see the man considering his chances. He was on horseback, facing a man on foot. It should be easy enough to ride him down, one quick slash of his blade, but . . . Naxos took his hand off the hilt of his sword.

“Damn you, Eskkar, and damn Shulgi even more! I’ll not do his dirty work for him, at least not yet. What is that old fool doing up there?”

That last was directed toward the top of the hill. Eskkar turned to stare upwards. Alcinor and Sardos had reached the crest, and now the two were exchanging words. Alcinor pointed to the north, moving his hands for emphasis. In a moment Sardos’s high-pitched voice floated down the hill, but not his words. Both men continued talking, and the discussion went on and on. Every few moments, Sardos gestured impatiently. Even Eskkar grew tired of watching them.

“Alcinor is showing your man . . . Sardos? . . . how we’re going to destroy Isin. I thought it best to have it explained to a builder who can understand such things. The idea is hard to grasp. I didn’t believe it possible myself, but Alcinor and my other builders kept assuring me it would work.”

Naxos stared up the hill, unimpressed by Eskkar’s comment. The conversation between the two builders ceased, but Sardos continued to keep his gaze fixed to the north. Finally, he dragged his horse’s head around, and started coming cautiously back down the hill, Alcinor following.

“Well, here they come.” Eskkar’s eyes followed the two as they approached. One good look at Sardos’s face and wide eyes told Eskkar what he needed to know. “After you’ve heard what they say, you might want to see for yourself.”

Sardos managed to pull his horse to a stop facing his king, his back to Eskkar. Apparently, the man no longer feared that the Akkadian would murder him. “Lord Naxos, the Akkadians have dug a channel from the river to just beyond this hill. It’s almost completed. They’re preparing to flood the city.”

“Flood the city? What kind of fool are you? The city’s a half a mile away, more even.”

Sardos shook his head. “The ditch is nearly complete. Once they break through the last few paces of earth to breach the riverbank, the force of the water will widen the opening and deepen the channel. Since the river runs higher here than at Isin, the breach will continue to widen. The whole river . . . the course of the river will change. It will flood the basin. Isin will be surrounded by the river.”

Naxos’s brow furrowed in anger, and his words came more rapidly than before. “So? So let the water come. It won’t reach the top of the walls.”

Eskkar laughed, and both men turned toward him. “Ah, I’m not laughing at you, Naxos. That’s what I said, when I first heard it explained.” He moved toward his horse. “But as Akkad’s builders explained to me, the water will quickly wash away the loose soil surrounding the city’s walls. Then the base of the walls will begin to weaken. The bricks are mostly mud, after all, and as soon as they get too wet, they’ll simply start to crumble under the weight from above. Once the foundation is loosened, the walls will come down, and the city will be under water. How high will it get, Alcinor?”

“About the height of a man, Lord Eskkar. Maybe a little higher.”

“And how long will this take?”

“Once we open the breach, it will take less than half a day to surround Isin with water, perhaps sooner. Another half day should see the walls crumble and start to collapse. No longer than that, I think.”

Naxos glanced at Eskkar, then fixed his gaze on Sardos. “Is this true? So help me, if they’re trying to trick you, I’ll cut your balls off and make you eat them myself!”

“Lord . . .” Sardos had to lick his lips again. “I think it will happen as Alcinor and King Eskkar say. Go see for yourself what they have done.”

“Come, Naxos.” Eskkar unfastened his horse. “Use your own eyes. Then we’ll talk about how you can save your city.”

“Damn you all!” Naxos didn’t bother to wait for Eskkar. He kicked his horse and galloped up the hill alone.

Taking his time, Eskkar followed him. When he reached the crest, Naxos was still staring in amazement.

Since they had made camp yesterday, Gatus, Grond and Alexar had over three thousand men working in shifts, digging out a channel that already stretched more than a quarter mile. The soldiers still labored, moving dirt, widening the channel. The site impressed Eskkar almost as much as it did Naxos. Neither had ever seen so many men working together on such a task. After one look, even someone untrained in the force of the river could imagine what would happen when the riverbank collapsed, and likely Naxos knew more about the flow of water than most of those living in his city. Isin, like Akkad, depended on the river to survive, and Naxos would understand the river’s strength.

When the riverbank was breached, the water would flow through the channel, widening it on the downriver side, as more and more of the bank was washed away. The unchecked water, pushed by hundreds of miles of river behind it, would flow out over the plain and engulf Isin, not in a fury of rushing water, but in a slow but powerful force that would make what remained of the city an island.

Alcinor and Sardos had rejoined them. Alcinor pointed out how the water would move, while Sardos explained the effects. Eskkar soon saw that both were wasting their words. A merchant might buy his way into a kingship with gold, but a fighting man needed to know how to think on his feet to accomplish the same goal.

“Come, Naxos. I think you’ve seen enough. Let’s ride back down the hill, before your men waiting out there decide to do something foolish. Then we’ll talk.”

Without waiting for a reply, Eskkar turned his horse around and started down. “You can return to camp, Alcinor. Make sure everything is ready.”

Eskkar stopped at the same boulder, dismounted and fastened his horse. “Send Sardos back to your men. I don’t think we need our master builders anymore.”

Naxos jerked his head. “Get back to the city. Start making preparations to hold back the water. Put every man and woman in Isin to work on it.” He swung down from his horse and tied it to the same bush as Eskkar’s.

“All right, damn you, now let’s talk. Then I’ll decide whether or not to kill you.”

“Why did you join forces with Shulgi?”

The question caught Naxos by surprise. “Why not? He had plenty of gold, and too many of my men were eager to fight. It’s always the fools who know nothing about battle that want to rush out and fight the most.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“He didn’t ask me. Like his father, I suppose he didn’t want to share the glory of destroying Akkad. Besides, he trusts his own commanders, and he has a few good ones.”

“His war has already cost Sumeria two of its cities. First Larsa, and now Uruk.”

“Uruk! How did you . . . ?”

“My cavalry slipped away from Shulgi, crossed over the desert, and took Uruk by surprise from the west. I just received word before I sent the messenger to you. My horsemen will be here by sundown. Then I’ll be ready to face Shulgi.”

“He’ll smash your forces, horsemen or not. He outnumbers you five, maybe six to one.”

“Perhaps. But if I win, I’ll move south to take Sumer, then return here to finish you. Isin will be isolated. I’ll cut your supply lines and starve you out, if I have to. Or I’ll just drown you and your city. There are other places where the river can be breached, and you won’t be able to guard them all. You’ll have to come out and fight, to stop me from unleashing the river, and this time you’ll be outnumbered four or five to one.”

Eskkar paused for a moment to let that sink in. “Unless you’re willing to consider another way.”

Naxos frowned again. “What other way?”

“Stay out of the battle. Don’t try to join forces with Shulgi, or attack my rear. If you do that, you can save your city.”

“And if Shulgi defeats you?”

“Then you can say you were trapped by my threats against Isin, forced to remain behind your walls. I don’t think Shulgi knows about Uruk, not yet. If Shulgi wins, then your troubles are over. If Akkad wins, then you and Isin will be the most important city in Sumeria.”

“Sumer always profits more from the river trade than we do.”

“Not after I tear it down. Or better yet, if I directed that all goods coming downriver from Akkad and the north go not to Sumer, but cross over to Isin. That would make your city the center of river trading in Sumeria. With all the merchants and goods passing through your gates, King Naxos of Isin would soon make the decisions for Sumeria, not Shulgi.”

Naxos considered that for a moment. “As long as Shulgi lives, Sumeria will do his bidding. The boy’s young, but he’s no fool. Even now, his sister rules in Sumer in his name, of course. She is promised to me as a prize after the victory over Akkad.”

“She’s a cunning bitch who will probably poison you in your sleep on your wedding night. Since she and Shulgi took power, I’ve learned much about her. Kushanna belongs to Shulgi, apparently by choice, for many years. He might give her up for a few months, to lull you into relaxing your guard, but not longer. By telling you this, I’ve probably saved your life. Besides, your marriage wedding bed will likely be empty. With any luck, she’s already dead by now. I have spies in Sumer prepared to strike her down.”

Eskkar doubted that was true, but Naxos had no way of knowing if she were alive or dead.

“How . . . never mind her. And all I have to do to save my city and reap these new trade routes is stay inside Isin?”

“I know many of Razrek’s men are with you. Is he inside with you, too?”

“No. He sent Mattaki, one of his commanders. Most of the men he brought are from Isin.”

“Good. Without Razrek, his men will be easier to deal with. Still, they’ll want to leave Isin, to attack my rear. Since I can’t trust them, I want all their horses and yours, too, driven out of the city. My men will scatter them, so that it will take days before they can be recaptured. I want all your spears and shields carried outside the gate and burned. And I want five thousand bowstrings handed over. If you meet those terms, you can keep your city dry.”

“Why the bowstrings? I don’t have five thousand anyway.”

“Every archer has at least two or three, and I’m sure you have another thousand or two stored somewhere within Isin. Without them, and without spears and shields, and with no horses, I won’t have to worry about your men attacking my rear anytime soon.”

“I need those weapons to defend Isin.”

“Shields and spears won’t help you on the walls, Naxos, nor will the horses. Not once the water begins to rise.”

Naxos considered that for a moment. “Shulgi won’t be happy if I do as you say.”

“You did what was needed to save your city. Besides, if he wins, he’ll be willing to overlook your actions. With Larsa and Uruk gone, he’ll need Isin even more.”

“Is Larsa really destroyed?”

“Everything except the walls was torn down and burned. The inhabitants, those that survived, were stripped naked and driven from the city. I turned Naran over to those he tortured over the years. Everything of value went north to Akkad, by riverboat. There will be no more raids north from Larsa. It will be five, maybe ten years before anyone even thinks about rebuilding anywhere near the place. By then, it will be an insignificant village, unimportant to the river trade. Isin will be the first to benefit from Larsa’s destruction.”

“Some of Razrek’s men will resist giving up their horses.”

Those words told Eskkar that Naxos had made his decision. Eskkar shrugged. “Make them. Most of the fighting men in Isin are loyal to you. How you convince the others is your problem. Put a sword to Mattaki’s throat if need be. From what I’ve heard of him, he’s not likely to sacrifice himself for Razrek or even Shulgi, for that matter.”

“How do I know you’ll keep your word? That after I make my city defenseless, you won’t still breach the river?”

“Because I give you my word, on my honor as a warrior. That might not be enough for Shulgi or Razrek, but it should be enough for you. A steppe warrior has honor, or he has nothing. Even a Sumerian bandit like you should know that.”

Eskkar knew that Naxos had started his rise to power by raiding villages up and down the Euphrates. When he took power in Isin, the first thing he did to restore order was drive off all the other bandits, including many of his former companions.

Naxos stared at him. By now they stood only a few paces apart. He swallowed both his anger and his pride. “All right, I’ll do it. But if the river is breached, I’ll hunt you down and kill you if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I’ll send men for the horses and bowstrings. Make sure no one shoots any arrows at them from the wall. And if I see one rider on a horse leave Isin, one boat go upriver or down, I’ll loose the last bit of riverbank myself. Even one rider, Naxos. Remember that.”

“You’re a fool, Eskkar, to let yourself be trapped like this, between Shulgi’s army and Isin. The man’s no fool, and he knows how to move his men.”

“Perhaps. But better to fight him here than outside Akkad. Even if I lose, my city will hold out. Another army will be raised against him. This is a war Shulgi can’t win. He was foolish to even start it, even more foolish than his father.”

“But you can still end up dead, Eskkar.”

“Perhaps. If not, you can come visit me in Akkad one day. I think Trella would enjoy your company. If I’m victorious, I’ll send word to you in a few months. I think you’ll find Akkad a better friend to Isin than Sumer ever was or will be. Think about that for the next few days.”

Eskkar jerked the halter loose from the bush. “Meanwhile, stay in Isin until the battle is over. After that, you’d better send men out to fill in the ditch. The river might be stronger than Alcinor thinks.”

He swung up onto the horse, and cantered away, without looking back, satisfied that he had rendered helpless one of his enemies and struck terror to an entire city. Sardos would have blurted the threat at the top of his lungs to everyone he met. All this accomplished, and all without losing a man. Trella would be pleased.

Day 11

The next day, Hathor crossed the Euphrates ten miles south of Isin just after midday. He and his men rode north at an easy pace. Both men and animals were tired after two days of hard riding since leaving Uruk, and he wanted to conserve their strength. No patrols or force from Isin appeared to challenge his presence, but he kept a wary eye on his flanks until his men had moved north of the city and he saw Eskkar’s camp. Cheers broke out from the soldiers when they saw Hathor’s riders approaching.

He sent a messenger on ahead, and found Eskkar and Gatus waiting for him when he rode up.

“Welcome, Hathor.” Eskkar smiled for the first time all day. “Your wild ride through Sumeria will be talked about for many years.”

“We had plenty of luck in the desert and at Uruk. We might have been here sooner, but we had to rest the horses after taking the city. And they’re weary again.”

“We’ve boatloads of grain waiting for them,” Gatus said. “But you’d better hurry. We’re moving north soon.”

Hathor gave the orders to Klexor and Muta, then swung down from his horse. “Where’s Shulgi?”

“Not far, now. Half a day’s march, maybe less. His scouts are already nearby, keeping an eye on us. They’ve been watching us all day.”

“And Isin?”

“Their horses are scattered, and the gates remain closed. Naxos wouldn’t even open them for Shulgi’s messengers. They had to shout their messages to those on the wall. I’m sure Shulgi won’t be pleased when he learns about it.”

Hathor laughed at the idea. “Any problems?”

“Just Yavtar. He and his ships should have been here this morning. Shulgi may have found a way to block the river.”

“What was he carrying?”

“Food, mostly. And the bronze stones for the slingers. We already have most of the weapons.”

“And you’ve picked the battleground?”

“Yes. It’s not ideal, but it will have to do. There’s not enough food for another day’s march. Shulgi’s probably as short of supplies as we are. He hasn’t been able to move much of what he stored at Kanesh. Yavtar’s boats have been raiding his ships. So our battle will be tomorrow, and only the victor will get a decent meal.”

“Then I can get a good night’s rest.” Hathor stretched. “My ass is sore from twelve days of hard riding.”

Eskkar smiled in sympathy. “I’ve ridden hard many a time in my life, but never for so long.”

“Well, next time you can lead the cavalry, and I’ll stroll along with the infantry.”

“Agreed. But now listen to Gatus. We need to get moving once again.”

The Akkadian army, foot soldiers and horsemen broke camp before the sun touched the horizon. They didn’t have far to go, a mere three miles, but Eskkar wanted to secure the battle site before Shulgi’s forces reached it. The Sumerians had shifted a bit north as they drew near Isin, to make sure they stood between Eskkar and any escape route back to the north and Akkad. They needn’t have bothered. Eskkar had no intention of trying to escape, even if he could somehow manage it. Without food and surrounded by enemies, he had to fight.

Gatus left fifty men behind, including three on horseback to keep watch on Isin, and the rest ready with shovels to open the riverbank at the first sign of treachery from Naxos.

The army moved north, traveling at a steady pace even as dusk settled over the land. They reached the location Eskkar had scouted yesterday just as the last of the day’s light faded from the sky. As the Akkadians settled in to make camp for the night, they saw the first of Shulgi’s fires glowing in the north. The Sumerians had finally caught up with Eskkar’s forces, and now they camped less than three miles away. The time for battle had nearly arrived. One way or the other, tomorrow would decide which city ruled in the land between the rivers.