Angst

Abraham and Wagdimandua

Camp of the Chaldean Levy: West Bank Tigris, Sinjar ford, 27th Funfly 122

Abraham ib’n Suren, Sheikh of Qabal Hamid, Ruler of the Rising Desert, Commander of the Chaldean Levies, younger brother of Mustasha The Great and uncle of the new Chaldean ruler Suren Jr, sat in his tent and looked out over the largest Chaldean horse-levy ever raised: 30,000, of which 25,000 were gathered here. His gaze took in the quiltwork of nobles’ tents, each surrounded by a ring of dung-burning campfires round which their retainers of the common levy had began to stir. The camp reached all the way to the just-visible River Tigris where on the far bank of the Sinjar ford Macalix’ army lay and behind which the sun would soon rise.

Map of Mesopotamia



They had fought hard for the last three months. In Funfly harassing the Galatian army coming from the west as well as the refugees from Arbil - and later Tikrit - who had sacked and fired both cities. And, having been evicted and thrown out of their homes, who could blame them? It had started in the month of Ete at Arbil, while Abraham's levy lay at Persepolis and at first Abraham had agreed a one-month truce with the Arbil Galatians under Wagwelix, fresh from the sack of their erstwhile home city and wanting to move back undisturbed with their plunder to Galatia proper. The truce was much to the displeasure of Nyforer, who now ruled the lands previously held by Macalix and sought the punishment of the evicted Galatian refugees for their looting.

But Abraham had given his word and the truce held until, moving north upriver past Tikrit Bridge, news came to him of the sacking and firing of Tikrit. He deemed the truce broken so he had begun harassing, not learning until too late that the sack of Tikrit was done not by Wagwelix but by Wagdimandua’s Tikrit refugees. At the same time, late in Dujuly, Abraham’s scouts reported that the Galatian army of Macalix, Ate and Weelix, some 45,000 strong had appeared unheralded before the small walled Mesopotamian town of Aziz.

Abraham only learned later that the Galatian army was under strict orders not to loot, as Macalix had come only to escort his people home. Both refugee groups - Wagwelix and Wagdimandua – suffered grievous losses at the hands of Abraham’s levy and Wagdimandua and her entire group surrendered to him. Her refugees were camped at the ford south of Mosul while Wagdimandua was here in Abraham's camp as a hostage but treated well. And they obviously liked each other...

Chaldean losses had also been significant - such were the numbers involved - at least 3,000 in Ete to which must be added this month of Dujuly's losses, as they harassed Macalix’ army from Aziz to the Sinjar ford, where at the crossing the Galatians suffered badly, Wegwelix' migrants losing many heavily-loaded wains.

All through the month of Dujuly Abraham had been in contact with Nyforer’s local commander at Haka-Hakkari and its two bridges and tried to broker the peaceful return of the Galatians. But Nyforer was set on revenge and it seemed he had the support of Emperor Angustus bringing large forces back from the Dardenelles to crush Macalix.

It all contrasted starkly with the two-month long looting by Chaldea’s Hunnish neighbours of the rich lands of Abraham’s brother-in-law, Prince Antigonus Gonades, a systematic rapine that, to Abraham’s disgust, Angustus and Nyforer had defended! The bile rose in Abraham’s throat at the thought of how he had to swallow his anger and calm the raging fury of the nobles of his levy at this insulting violation of Chaldean honour while he was expected to mercilessly punish the evicted Galatians for their looting.

It seemed that the Chaldeans and Galatians had much in common and no reason to fight. Both were seen as barbarians. The Galatians were contempuously called “Flatheads” by the ruling “civilised” races. By contrast, Abraham and Wagdimandua understood each other and got on surprisingly well. He had toyed with the idea of an alliance – even settling the Tikrit refugees in lands held by Chaldea, perhaps sealed by the marriage of Abraham and Wagdimandua. There might be found room for them – just – if they wanted to stay, but certainly not also for the refugees from Arbil or Sinjar – still less for all three. The formidable Galatian foot warriors would make good allies, complementing well the Chaldean horse. But all that would have to wait until after the campaign season.

He sighed, shading his eyes with his hand from the growing eastern light as he tried to pierce the pre-dawn mists hanging over the city of Sinjar beyond the river. The Galatian army of Macalix, Ate and Weelix, together with Wagwelix, were a formidable army, half as many again as his levy of skirmishers. And Sinjar, where the army lay, was the home of the third major concentration of East Bank Tigris Galatian settlers.

There had been angry exchanges of messages by courier between himself and Macalix. Macalix’ last message hinting at open conflict. Ominously, Abraham’s last three messages despatched across the ford had gone unanswered and the silence lay heavy on his mind. In his last message to Macalix he had unilaterally declared a truce, giving himelf as a hostage to fortune by letting Macalix know that he was moving south to allow Macalix to return home over the ford at Besh and to return Wagdimandua to her people and set them free - free to either go to Galatia or stay with the Chaldeans.

But now, as dawn approached, he doubted. What devilry was Macalix planning? Abraham knew what he would do in Macalix’ position, as Abraham’s levy was awkwardly placed. There were more looting refugees in Kublai’s lands – Sarmatians and Italians – last reported nearing Tikrit that Abraham had to deal with. Yet closer downstream was Mosul a sizable city on the east bank of the Tigris which Abraham would have to pass. Mosul was a convenient place from which to launch an attack across the Tigris as it had a good bridge and no fewer than 4 fords, albeit deep, two upstream and two downstream of the city, with, in addition, the two fords closest to Mosul being defended by strong east bank forts.

Mosul had been quiet so far, but if Abraham turned south and Macalix, having crossed the Sinjar ford to the west bank sent the migrants under escort west while with the main army followed Abraham's levy with hostile intent - instead of continuing to the Besh ford - and at the same time sent his fastest light cavalry to force-march to Mosul Bridge and cross it to lie across Abraham's path southwards - his levy could be trapped between Macalix and the Galatian light cavalry – with catastrophic consequences.

And what if Wagdimandua had received some secret message from across the ford and was planning to add her own personal revenge? Were Abraham’s plans for an alliance fading with the morning river mists?

Abraham didn’t believe in coincidences, nor in taking unnecessary risks. So he had strengthened his pickets and patrols, and appointed one of his most trusted retainers as his personal bodyguard. He watched and waited, and finalised his orders for the coming month of Aufield. He would go south and risk a trap, relying on the greater mobility of his horse-levy to get out of trouble. But what the morrow held he knew not.

Zeus

Wagnimandua
Camp of the Chaldean Levy

West Bank Tigris, Sinjar ford, 27th Funfly 122

When the girl brought the water Wagnimandua woke in the half light of early dawn and stretched, luxuriating in the soft caress of the slik coverlet on her skin.

As she glanced through the almost closed entry to her tent she realised with a slight start that Abraham was sitting in the doorway of his tent, seemingly deep in thought, gazing over the valley.

How had she, the daughter of a line of chiefs, got here? She remembered the great migration set in motion by Mithradates ? she met him once when she was a girl accompanying her father to the Imperial court, and he had answered her na?ve questions kindly. Her marriage and the untimely death of her husband during their first winter ? he had always been a sickly lad, she should have heeded her mother?s words. Her brief fight to take his place in the Council and her rapid acceptance as a member then as their leader ? because she was worth it!

But now: that fool Wagwelix. Brave, able, loyal, honourable, and an uncouth stupid interfering fool, he and his agitating acolytes had roused that Galatians, even some of her own people despite her protests, and led them to disaster: so many needlessly dead. And that perverted Deputy Grand Whatsit (what is his name?) and his filthy guards; perhaps she should have swallowed her pride and stuck to her original intention to seek to preserve peace in Tikrit?s lands: yes, she had been wrong to seek cheap vengeance. She should have awaited Brahma?s return; a bit of an impetuous fool at times with his dreams of Iran rising again to glory. But he was fair, she would have had justice ? against the guards even if not against the DGW. And her people would have had peace, not death. Regrets don?t mend broken pots, as her old gran used to say.

But now what of the future? She looked again at kind courteous Abraham: she knew not his age but thought him older than his looks: despite this she wondered ? but no, such dreams were impossible. She knew only too well that she could not tolerate the life of a Chaldean lady, protected, pampered, cosseted, but above all, enclosed, unfree. The idea of a young widow ruling a clan would, indeed did, strike Abraham as an alien, even barbarian, concept. Why was it that only amongst the barbarians were women able to realise their worth, their potential.

She thought of her village north-east of Tikrit, a village which people had started to call Mandus. Mandus where the line of small sweet springs watered the land: the locals said that when the springs dried up it would presage the end of the world. Further east was the desert but Mandus was a place of calm and beauty, where so many came to visit: even Emir Brahma came to visit the village, but also to visit her, to discuss politics and philosophy, to recite his dreadful poetry. They must go back, there was nowhere else, not even amongst the bleak hills of Galatia itself. She would humble herself before Brahma: he would like that, but not unkindly. Yes she could persuade him that they should be allowed to return, he would see that it added to his power. They could bring him some of Arbil?s land: El Tanmud wouldn?t like it but that would add to Brahma?s pleasure. Yes, she was sure that she could persuade him, but she must tell Abraham of her plans: even though he had freed her and her people she must seek his permission: she owed him that and indeed much more.

But Brahma might well insist that she marry his son; could she live with that? Certainly not in his harem with his two wives and his other women. A partnership of equals? Not with that pompous dullard. She shivered, she had seen him looking at her. But if Brahma insisted then it must be so: it would be her penance, payment for that moment of angry pride.
Abraham had gone: in her reverie she had not seen him go. And with a twitch of conscience she realised that the girl, a slave in all but name, was kneeling by the water-pitcher staring at her, rapt; wrapped in her own thoughts. Wagnimandua stood and smiled at the girl: at least she no longer asked if she should shave the lady. Barbarians don?t shave!

Angst

Camp of the Chaldean Levy
West Bank Tigris, Tikrit Bridge: late Aufield 122
When, in early Dujuly, Abraham had moved his levy down the west bank from the Sinjar Ford with scouts well out, the Galatian treachery he had feared never materialised. Macalix did indeed re-cross the Tigris into Mesopotamia but he continued west towards the Besh Ford. It was to be the first move that was to end with the Battle of Besh the following month, with great loss of life on both sides.

Wagdimandu had wisely remained with her people and their herds and wagons, immobilised for lack of transport south of the Mosul Bridge on the west bank of the Tigris by one of the fords below the city of Mosul where she had surrendered to Abraham in Ete on his levy?s march northwards to intercept Macalix? army that had been then pushing east.

Now Abraham?s levy had arrived from the Sinjar Ford back at Wagdimandua?s camp. So for the rest of Dujuly and much of Aufield, Abraham and Wagdimandua had time to get to know each other, to see each other work with their own levies and evaluate each other as leaders and military commanders; and - as they clearly liked each other well - to weigh each other up as potential marriage partners in what would be the first ever senior marriage alliance linking the Chaldean and Galatian peoples.

She had stayed by Abraham?s side and tended her people?s needs. She clearly saw Abraham as her ally and perhaps something more. Abraham for his part admired this iron lady and had learned much about her from his scouts and spies. She led her warriors of the Tikrit Galatian levy in person on campaign and fought at their head like any Chaldean lord: so different from Chaldean women who never rode into battle nor wielded sword or spear, nor drew bow.

And now, even while she placed herself and her people under Abraham?s personal protection a game was being played between them that was both political and personal. Wagdimandua had astutely tried to get other Galatian migrants to stay and join her as settlers on Chaldean land, and for a while there was loose talk of three times her own numbers coming under her rule as Abraham?s satrap ? perhaps as many as 40,000 - giving her great power.

But Abraham knew that there were no unsettled lands in Chaldea for such numbers. So he reluctantly had to make it clear to Wagdimandua that his offer could only extend to the Tikrit Galatians and not to those from Arbil under Wagwelix nor even those of Mosul.

Abraham would have welcomed the settlers ? if space could have been found. The Chaldeans were excellent irregular horse-skirmishers but lacked good foot warriors. The Galatians, by contrast, were renowned and much feared irregular infantry, especially for their impetuous charge. So, should the need arise, the Galatian levy would make a valuable contribution to any army the Chaldeans could field.

Wagdimandua had expressed some concern as to how Chaldeans would view a woman as both a political and military leader. But Abraham hastened to dispel her doubts and express his view that the Chaldeans would in no way interfere in how the Galatians chose to live and fight. Wagdimandua was clearly relieved to learn this, and had quickly implied, though in the usual indirect diplomatic language, that she would welcome Abraham as overlord of her people.

As it turned out, Nyforer wanted the Galatian settlers to return to their villages around Tikrit. His feud was with Macalix alone and not with his Galatian subjects. Returning to their homes would be no barrier to either of them to marry. Indeed, Abraham?s proposal came with added relief as it forestalled any possibility that on her return she would be approached by the Tikrit city leader, Brahma, to marry his son, for whom she had no liking. And having incurred Brahma?s wrath earlier that year she had no wish to return to a permanently tense situation.

It remained for Abraham to take the initiative and ask for her hand in marriage. She gave it, and the wedding was fixed for the first week in the month of Printemps 123.