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Legends Never Die: Forgotten Conversations (ch. 99)
🕑 Added 2024-10-16 15:05:02 +0000 UTCIt was strange to think, but under different circumstances, I believe Caliph Harun Al-Rashid and I could have been friends. If I had been a Muslim, or he a Norseman, I suspected that we would have gotten along quite well. Our interests overlapped more than I expected. He had been a shy conversationalist until we reached a topic that he was invested in.
I didn't know how to feel about it, in all honesty. I didn't really have any friends, at least none my age. Thorkel was a friend and a trusted companion, but he was also old enough to be my father if he’d had me a few years earlier in life. My Chosen… I trusted them of course -- I wouldn't have granted them my blessing if I hadn't. However, I wouldn't call us friends. I was their commander, their lord, and one day their King. There was a gulf between us that was not so easily closed.
The gulf between myself and Caliph Harun should have been greater, and yet…
“Darius the Third is too diminished by the exploits of Alexander the Great. He was King of Kings, risen up from obscurity with his bravery and talent for war proven several times over.” Harun stated, sitting across from me with his legs crossed as he held out a glass to be filled with a sweet juice.
“He fled. Repeatedly,” I replied, cocking an eyebrow at the point. “Tactically, each retreat was sound -- that I will admit. The tide of the war was turning, and there is no shame in conserving your strength when you are on the defensive. However, I will argue that the moment Darias the Third fled from Alexander the Great at the Battle of Issus was the moment he lost the war.”
Harun nodded, “You shall find no argument from me on that point. What made Alexander the Great… well, the Great, was his ability to see an opportunity. Outnumbered, yet he still outflanked Darius. A narrow gap in his line that Alexander charged head first into -- a foolish thing. I would have suspected a trap. Yet, there wasn't.”
“He should have fought,” I voiced with a shake of my head. “Even if it meant his defeat. Alexander's gambit relied on momentum more than anything else. Had Darius remained, even if he had perished, his army would have been able to recover by virtue of numbers alone.”
“Hm. He should have. Yet, he didn't, which is why Alexander the Great became a legend,” Harun agreed with a nod of his head. “And why Darius is only remembered for his defeat. Unjustly. The Battle of Issus broke his confidence and his support. But, in another time, I suspect that the Persians would have conquered Greece. Alexander was brilliant on the offensive, but I would say his defensive tactics were quite mediocre. He was no Leonidas, and the Macedonians were no Spartans.”
It was simply fun to talk to Harun. I was becoming increasingly convinced that I had read every text pertaining to Alexander the Great in the world, but there were few that I could speak of the man with. Astrid enjoyed reading of his tactics and exploits, but entertaining the thought of a possible defeat on an otherwise spotless record wasn't something she enjoyed.
It was vexing. Almost enough to make me wonder if I shouldn't have gone straight for the Abbasids when I first arrived instead of the Romans. Logically, I knew that I would have likely received the same welcome as I did in Constantinople, but I think I would have enjoyed working with Harun far more than I have Irene.
And had I joined their campaign, I likely could have looted the imperial library and university.
“A failing I share, I suspect,” I admitted. “I have no love for defensive battles. It is the offense that controls the momentum.” The only true defensive battle I had fought in was when I was trapped in Frankfurt, and it had been… less than ideal.
“Yes, I have noticed your preference for the offensive,” Harun remarked dryly. “As well as your love for ships.”
I offered an unrepentant shrug, “If it's any consolation, I'm fairly certain that Hadi's wife has had me pay back all of the loot I took.”
That got a grunt from Hadi and a ghost of a smile from Harun. “That does console me, yes.” Then that smile slipped, “We were unprepared for you. The Romans, in truth, are exactly what my father called them -- a dying old man. It is you that gave them a breath of new life. However, I don't believe you shall find a surprised foe in Abd al-Rahman.”
Abd al-Rahman was an interesting man. I always studied my enemies, and since Charlemagne delivered his ultimatum, I had learned what I could. He was a prince of the Umayyad Caliphate, exiled upon the rebellion that saw Harun's dynasty rise to prominence. He was clever, possessing the same quality that Alexander the Great had in his ability to spot any opportunity that could shift disastrous odds into his favor.
Through his mixed blood, he allied the Berbers in the area that had long resisted the rule of the Caliphate. He carefully navigated ancient feuds to make his cause the common cause between old enemies. His tactics weren't brilliant by any means, but he overcame long odds by acting decisively during the battle that had won him his Caliphate.
“He is an old enemy of my family by this point,” Harun continued. “One that has never forgiven us for the indignities and tragedies he suffered when he was forced into hiding. The death of his friends, his wife, and child… my family hounded him endlessly. Nowhere was safe for him in the Caliphate. And he has never forgotten for a moment that we are the ones that made him suffer so.”
I expected not. I wasn't any more inclined to forget about Horrik. “He revealed himself quite some time ago. Why was nothing done?”
“Something was. Iberia- the whole of Hispania, is far,” Harun admitted. “The lands beyond Egypt pay homage to us, but much of the Abbasid’s strength is concentrated around the Arabian Peninsula. It is quite costly to move an army to the far outreaches of the Caliphate, which is why there was exactly one attempt to oust him not long after his ascension.”
There was a grimace on his face, “However, the army was soundly defeated. The officers slain and the soldiers butchered. Their heads were sent to my grandfather on his pilgrimage to Mecca, and the sight struck such fear into him that he thanked Allah that there was a sea between us and them.” Harun trailed off with a sigh. “It was decided then that noninterference was the safer option.”
“Until now,” I continued for him and his heavy gaze met mine.
“Until now, yes,” he agreed, his voice grave. “Which is why you must convince me that you are Alexander the Great, and that Abd al-Rahman is Darius the Third. What you suggest is no small risk for me, nor my Caliphate. Even should we win, I expect that Hispania will find no peace for the length of my rule.” He continued, his gaze hardening ever so slightly. “This is a venture with many risks, more so for myself than for you.”
I understood that quite well. My own actions had weakened his dynasty's standing. Another failed invasion, so soon after the first? His vassals would sense weakness.
“It was impossible for him to miss the building military presence on his northern and southern borders. He has taken precautions -- fortifying cities and mountain passes in the north, while concentrating his fleets in the south. He knows that he cannot withstand the full might of your empires, so what he intends to do is hold off one of you until he defeats the other. That way he is fighting one enemy after another rather than two at once.”
In the end, for all of his political brilliance and decisive action on the field of battle, Abd al-Rahman was like Odysseus trying to pass between a monster and a whirlpool. He only had so many options available to him with the resources that he had. To that end, he’d chosen to focus on the North -- the mountain passages were an ideal location to ambush a larger army, and that was his one hope of defeating the Franks with enough strength left over that he could then focus on the Abbadids.
His fleets, on the other hand, were a way for him to project strength to the Abbasids. All together, they consisted of more than a thousand ships, even if the majority were fishing vessels filled with armed fishermen. But even so, such a force would be daunting to attack, especially as Abd al-Rahman would know that the invasion by the Abbasids carried far more risk for Harun than the Frankish invasion did Charlemagne. He was counting on Harun’s hesitation, that he would wait for more ideal circumstances before he moved, to buy him the time that he needed.
“However, my ships are faster than his,” I continued. “I can easily bypass his fleet and you have experienced first hand how adept I am at sieges. I intend to sack his cities along the coast one by one, forcing a reaction by the southern fleet. If the commander there is clever, he will do as you did and anticipate my next landing and move to intercept. The issue there is that he will have to leave behind his slower ships -- leaving them isolated for me to attack.”
Harun seemed… perplexed as he listened to me speak, “And if he is not clever?”
“Then he will divide his fleet in an attempt to garrison all of the remaining coastal cities to protect them from me. That would be ideal -- it would give me opportunity to attack the bulk of his forces, then clean up the remainder.” And to further sweeten matters, it would allow me to claim enough ships to complete one of the bonus objectives for one of my quests. I needed a thousand ships, and I couldn't build them so easily. Claiming them was better and this was a great opportunity to do so.
“From there, I will continue north along the coast,” I continued. “Abd al-Rahman will be forced into action then -- his southern border would be exposed, and with me at his flank… his defense of the north will splinter, and Charlemagne will seize upon that to launch his own invasion. Ideally, I would avoid actually dealing with the man, but should I be unlucky, I would be expected to aid him in battle against the Umayyads. After that, my part of the war shall be done.”
The loot that I had taken would be sent to the Balearic Islands to be transferred over to Norland. As would the ships that I took. Both would be used to construct an outpost there to maintain a presence, as well as fortify my position on the other islands. Construction projects, hiring mercenaries -- all of it setting the foundation for my departure and what I would leave behind.
There was a small lapse in our conversation as Harun mulled over the plan for a moment. Evidently, it met his standards and he offered a small jerk of a nod. “I am amenable to granting you the Balearic Islands. It is better that you have them than Charlemagne, I suspect,” Harun stated before his gaze flickered over to Jasmine. His expression tightened ever so slightly. “This alliance that you proposed… it has merit.”
The islands would be spread out, divided by sea, but that was as much of a strength as it was a weakness. Hoffer, if he ruled well, would be able to dominate the Mediterranean. More so if he continued to build up his strength and chose who would govern each island in his name wisely. Even if the Romans or Franks managed to lay claim to an island, an unlikely event as it would be difficult to miss the numbers of ships that would be necessary in such an invasion, Hoffer would be able to take it back as neither empire had the reach necessary to conquer all of the islands at once.
“There is, however, one issue. The marriage itself,” he uttered, holding my gaze. Jasmine stiffened, and I favored her with a glance.
I didn't love her, nor did she love me. Perhaps, one day, that could change. I hoped it did, just as it did for me and Astrid. I was fond of Jasmine. I found that I was coming to respect her talent for financial matters, and it was nice to speak of the histories of the world with her. But…
This match was one of politics. To secure an alliance that would benefit both of our peoples.
“It is against your customs to marry a woman to someone who is not of your faith,” I nodded, having anticipated this discussion. However, the fact that it was happening at all meant that everyone here was either willing to ignore the issue or had a way around it, else these talks would be rather pointless.
“The easiest way would be for you to convert, but I don't find that particularly likely,” Harun nodded.
“I couldn't even if I wished to. Too much of my support is tied to the belief that I am chosen by my gods, or descended from them. To renounce them would destroy everything that I have built,” I replied. The very thought was unthinkable to me in the first place. I'd much sooner part with my head than my faith.
To that, Harun nodded, accepting that for the truth that it was. “I understand. What would be your suggestion, then?”
“That we would be wed by both your traditions and mine -- we will be man and wife in the eyes of Allah, and in the eyes of my gods,” I said, glancing once more at Jasmine. She was rather quiet. Everything had already been discussed beforehand, so I knew that she was amenable to the idea. If she wasn't, then I wouldn't marry her in the first place, alliance or not.
She sat still, her expression impassive as she watched the conversation transpire. Her fate was being decided between the two of us on top of a monument of the ancient world. I couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not.
“That… would be the next best thing,” Harun acknowledged. “But that would complicate your succession, would it not? In the eyes of my people, your marriage to my sister would be your valid marriage.”
I nodded, “I would assume so, but the opinions of your people do not concern me.” I admitted rather bluntly, and that got a twitch from Jasmine's lips. “Our realms are far divided, and any meddling your people could hope to have in my succession would be limited. I doubt that we shall ever share a true border with one another, unless you intend to conquer the Franks. As such, the entire point is moot as, in my people's eyes, all my marriages are valid and all my children true born.”
Then I frowned, “As for the succession itself… my children with Jill and Morrigan are as deserving as my child with Astrid. So too would any children between Jasmine and I.”
“That,” Hadi spoke up, having simply watched the talks happen to this point, “Could be a dangerous road to tread.”
He wasn't wrong. It was my own bias that was guiding me there. I was the youngest of my father's children, and half of my siblings were born of Ada, a concubine. By law, I came ahead of them in inheritance, but growing up… there had never been a divide between my siblings over who their mother was. Haldur, in particular, had soured me on the entire thing by usurping Halfdan's place as the head of the family, as he was the eldest.
But I also knew myself. I loved all of my children -- those that I had now, and those that I would sire in the future. I could not bring myself to deem any one of them lesser because of who their mother was.
“I am aware,” I nodded. “But the one who shall succeed me as king will go to whichever of my children is most deserving. One who desires the crown and has the aptitude to keep it and rule well. It matters not if they are born of Astrid, Jill, Morrigan, or Jasmine. I care not if they are the oldest or youngest. My heir shall be who I believe deserves to be my heir.”
I had no plans of dying any time soon, but what would happen after I did was a question I had put considerable thought into, largely because of my Legacy boons. My Dynasty would accrue more Legacy points the more thrones my descendants sat on. However, there truly was no perfect succession.
Dividing up conquered territories so that all of my children received a kingdom? Charlemagne proved what could happen there -- kinslaying to reunite the greater kingdom. The eldest inherits everything? The eldest could be unfit and unworthy, or worse, he is targeted so a younger son could inherit instead. Choosing the greatest of my children, or grandchildren potentially, felt like it was the best method.
Yet even then, I need look no further than Rome to see how that could end. Love made fools of kings, and an unworthy heir could be favored over one that was deserving. To that end, I knew I needed safeguards, but I had yet to decide what they would be. Largely because the oldest of my children was only two years old.
Harun appeared thoughtful for a long moment, looking down at his glass before stealing a glance at Jasmine. I suspected that her thoughts were as unreadable to him as they were to me, because he looked away. There were a lot of things that he'd like to say, I knew. I had questions of my own. “The dual marriage is agreeable -- in the eyes of Allah, you will be married, and that matters to me more than the politics of the arrangement. As for the politics… there is much anger among my people, as they believe their princess has been…”
He didn't finish, but his gaze grew sharp. “Politically, it can be spun as you… making an honest woman out of her.” There was anger in his voice, which was contrasted by Jasmine letting out a near silent, yet amused, huff of her breath.
I understood the reasoning well enough. Fornication was frowned upon, but marriage always lessened the impact, even retroactively. “And the marriage itself?”
“It shall be a secret for the remainder of your time in the Mediterranean. It would complicate things significantly for us both if Irene learned that you are wed, and that we are allies.” Harun said with a small nod. I accepted that, as it was what I was hoping for. “There will be a second, public ceremony before your departure.”
“That is acceptable to me,” I said, offering a nod. There were still particulars to hammer out -- the bride price and the dowry in particular, but the agreement was made. “Is there a time you would wish the first ceremony to take place?”
To that, Harun offered a cutting smile, “After the invasion of Hispania.”
I couldn't quite swallow my laugh at that -- he was ensuring that I was committed to the course in exchange for him upholding his word. “Clever. That is acceptable to me as well.”
“Then let us make a toast -- to unlikely friends,” Harun said, holding his cup of juice up.
“To common enemies,” I agreed, meeting the toast.
And like that, the fate of the Mediterranean was irrevocably changed.
Comments
wretched Cat
I love this story so much, the battles, the intrigue! It sets my heart ablaze with joy.
