Stories Thread

[johnhughthom]

Polyxenidos Lykikos lay senseless in his bed, an opium pipe dangling between two bent fingers and six empty wine jugs scattered on the floor around two sleeping prostitutes, each garishly made up. The late afternoon sun gave the room a surreal air, the bright blue Ishtar Gates visible through the window reminded Heronius, Greek captain of Lykikos personal bodyguard, how far from home he was, the pathetic sight of his patron reinforced how he missed Corinth.

"Sir, a letter from the Basileus!" he announced in a loud voice, startling the prostitutes out of slumber but the only sign Lykikos was still alive was a flutter of his fingers, dropping the opium pipe to the floor. Heronius walked up to the prostitutes and kicked one in the side, "Get out of here" he ordered in his most authoritative voice, vaguely wondering if they were male or female as they stumbled out. Sitting on a chair beside Lykikos bed Heronius looked at the man who paid his wages, thinking the letter in his hand would change both their lives, for the better or worse he had no idea. He was well aware of the problems facing the empire and realised that if the Basileus thought men like Lykikos was the answer things were actually much worse than he thought. Perhaps Antiochos believed sacrificing the most incompetent men in the empire would appease the gods, in which case he would drag Lykikos to Seleukeia by the feet if necessary.

"Sir!" he shouted again and Lykikos began to stir. Heronius handed the letter over, fully aware Lykikos was illiterate. The Babylonian looked at the letter through bleary eyes then handed it back "I am too tired to read today," he claimed in his most arrogant voice "I spent last night putting together a business deal that will pay the wages for you and your men for the next 20 years. You read it to me, you haven't had to fight for the twelve years you have worked for my family, I may as well get some use out of you."
"Of course sir, the Basileus requests your presence in Seleukeia."
"Who?"
"The Basileus sir, Antiochus"
"You don't think he wants me to fight do you? I mean, it's about time. I suppose he will want me to run Babylon for him, such a great city is probably too much for him. Won't the people be overjoyed?"
"Yes, they truly will."

Heronius called the houseslaves up to clean the room and Lykikos, then went downstairs to ready the men for the short journey to Seleukeia, absently wondering how hard it would be to "accidently" kill Lykikos in the confusion of battle.