Legends Never Die: Forgotten Conversations (ch. 98)

It was strange to think, but under different circumstances, I think Caliph Harun Al-Rashid and I could have been friends. If I had been a Muslim, or he a norseman, and we met I suspected that we would have gotten along quite well. Our interests overlapped more than I expected. He was a shy conversationalist until it 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 had me at a younger age. My Chosen… I trusted them -- 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 be 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. Out numbered, yet he still outflanked Darius. A narrow gap in his line that Alexander charged in 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 him. I was increasingly convinced that I had read every text pertaining to Alexander the Great, but there were few that I could speak of the man with. Astrid enjoyed reading of his tactics and exploits, but entertaining a possible defeat to an otherwise spotless record wasn't something she enjoyed.

It was vexing. Almost enough to make me wonder if I shouldn't have instead gone straight for the Abbasids when I first arrived. Logically, I knew that I would have likely received the same welcome as I did in Rome, but I think I would have enjoyed working with Harun far more than I have Irene.

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 was 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 consultation, I'm fairly certain that Hadi's wife has had me repay 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 what my father called them -- a dying old man. It is you that gave them a breath of new life. However, I don't belive you shall find a surprised foe in Abd al-Rahman I.”

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 an exiled prince of the Umayyad Caliphate 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 an opportunity that shifted 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 won him his Caliphate.

“He is an old enemy of my family by this point,” Harun continued. “One that has never forgiven us first the indignities and tragedies he suffered when he was in hiding. The death of his friends, his wife and child… my family hounded him endlessly. No where 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 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 them.” Harun trailed off with a sigh. “It was decided then that non interference 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 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 is impossible for him to have missed the building military presence on his northern and southern borders. He has taken precautions -- fortifying the cities and mountain passes to the north, while concentrating his fleets in the south. What 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 between a rock and a very hard place. He only had so many options available to him with the resources that he had. To that end, he focused 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 possessed more than a thousand ships, even if the majority were fishing vessels filled with armed fishermen. But, 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 invasion by Charlemagne. He was counting on that hesitation, that waiting for the ideal circumstances, 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 them one by one along the coast, forcing a reaction by the southern fleet. If the commander 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 the 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.” in particular, 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 is exposed, and with myself at his flank… his defense of the North will splinter. Charlemagne will seize upon it 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 Umayyad’s. 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 fortifying 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 silence as Harun mulled over the plan for a minute. 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 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 purposed… 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 wisely on who would govern each island in his name. As 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 an invasion, Hoffer would be able to take it back as neither empire had the reach necessary to conquer all the islands at once.

“There is, however, one issue. The marriage itself,” he uttered, holding my gaze. Jasmine stiffened, and I favored her 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 her. 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 for politics. An alliance that would benefit both of our people.

“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 descendant 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 we'd by 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 decided between the two of us on top of a monument of the ancient world. I couldn't tell of 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 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 to 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. I was the youngest of my father's children, half of my siblings were sired on 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.

I also knew myself. I loved all of my children -- those that I had, and those that I would sire. I could not bring myself to deem one of them lesser because of who their mother was.

“I am aware,” I nodded. “But who shall succeeds me as king will go to which of my children who is most deserving. One who desires the crown and has the aptitude to keep it and rule. 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 it was a question I had put considerable thought into, largely because of my Legacy boons. My Dynasty would akrew more of the legacy points the more thrones my descendants sat on. However, there truly was no perfect succession.

Dividing up conquered territories so all of my children receive a kingdom? Charlemagne proved what could happen there -- kinslaying to reuniting the greater kingdom. The eldest inherits everything? The eldest could be unfit and unworthy, or worse, he is targeted for a younger son to inherit instead. Choosing the greatest of my children, or grandchildren potentially, felt like it was the best method.

Yet, I need to 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 could be. Largely because the oldest of my children was 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 in 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 done 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 in effect 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 particulars to hammer out -- the bride price and the dowery 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 -- ensuring that I was committed to the course in exchange for him for upholding his word. “Clever. That is acceptable to me too.”

“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 Mediterranean was irrevocably changed.