Herald of Steel



Faruq's question created a headache for Amenheraft.

Or rather it bought back his migraine as it reminded him of the previous episode that had occured discussing the same topic.

"I vote that it be Archpriest Manuk. Remember, he is the one who killed Agapois," Pasha Muazz was the first and loudest voice, impassionately making the case for his 'dear colleague' to the point of even distorting the truth-Manuk had not killed Agapois.

And to some listening, it would appear that Muazz and Manuk were the best of pals, the former looking after the latter.

But this cry of recommendation generalled eye rolls all across the room, even including in Amenheraft.

Because initially, it was Muazz who was the biggest critic of Mauk, vehemently protesting this priest's appointment in favor of his son.

'He is the criminal who lost Adhan. His incompetence was the thing that ruined so many families,' He had impassionately cried, blaming everything currently wrong at the priest.

And his cries had worked, as some of the powerful men in the faction then pressured Amenheraft to remove the archpriest's candidacy.

After that the fat noble manipulated Amenheraft into handing over the control of the army to his son instead of Faruq with the logic, "Zanzan is mine. And my son should be the one to get it back."

Furthermore, he poisonously added, "If Your Majesty lets Djose get Zanzan, he will surely get even more powerful!"

If the first sentence moved Amenheraft, then the second sentence convinced him.

Amenheraft was still skeptical about Djose's loyalty, and would far prefer to see Zanzan recover than see Kuleef prosper.

Hence, even when Djose contributed so much to the effort and Muazz so little, Amenheraft quashed any objections as he pushed aside Faruq for Maizdy.

And that was the end of it.

Or so he thought.

For he did not think Maizdy would die at such an inopportune point.

And because of this he was now in a bind.

Amenheraft had used up a lot of his political clouts to influence the previous position of army general, which meant that he had less to spend now.

And that likely meant that it would be very difficult to form a unified army with a single person in charge as there was unlikely to be an unanimous choice.

Unless of course, Amenheraft wanted to lead which would simplify a lot of the matter.

But it was an opinion neither he nor the nobles wanted to see come true.

Him because after two near-death experiences in the last three months, his appetite for on-battlefield presence had largely dried up.

Followed by his consideration that it would be too brazen to appear in the battlefield personally and that Ptolomy might use this to, if not break the treaty, at least use this as an excuse to hold back on the 'loans', something Amenheraft was in very much need of.

After all, the goal of the campaign was to destroy Alexander before the other side could react and then simply feign ignorance.

While on the other side of the coin, the nobles simply wanted to gain glory for themselves and felt that Amenheraft participation would rob them of that.

And hence the dilemma.

"Manuk is occupied praying for the nobles who died under his command. So he will not be available till Ramuh forgive him. Any others?" Amenheraft did not appear too enthusiastic about the suggestion, as he made up this excuse, before inquiring about alternate names.

Besides Muazz only recommended that name because he did not want Faruq to get the job.

"Perhaps it can be Lord Nibraz. He is the most experienced of the group," A small-stature noble recommended Jamider (Earl) Nibbar's father.

But the man was old-fashioned and also simply old.

So he was rejected as displayed by the nobles keeping quiet and not showing any enthusiasm.

Then came Matbar (Marquiss) Ulmer's son, followed by a few more recommendations, all of whom had some flaws in someone's eyes.

Be it age, experience, not good military record, not contributing enough, etc, etc.

It appeared everyone wanted to have a go.

But they also seemed to cleverly avoid the most obvious one.

A phenomenon that arose because outside the great contributors such as Djose and Nibraz and Ulmer, and the lowly nameless one, there was the third group of opportunists and uncommitted, who only wanted to fish for advantages but not put themselves at any disadvantage.

They committed the least or the worst of their troops to simply made up the numbers but had the largest voices.

Such as Pasha Muazz.

And they were the ones seen bickered over everything.

From big things like deciding who would be the army leader and which noble would get to direct which front of the army, to the smallest things, such as trying to shoe in this relative in that officer position, and that cousin of a friend in that leading position.

And this went on until Amenheraft was of the mind to very much clap their traps up.

But he was currently dependent on them, so he endured.

But one who did not endure was Faruq, who had reached the end of his patience with this game of cat and mouse and very simply loudly spoke out, "If I'm not made the general of the army, I will take my armies and ships and go home!"

"....." The murmurs, whispers, and chaos of the room came to a screeching halt at these words as all eyes gathered on the young man.

Faruq appeared like that kid in the playground who says that if he is not made the captain, he is gonna take his ball and go elsewhere.

"The army is not your's boy. It's your father's," Not only the nobles but even Amenheraft appeared offended by this threat which he expressed in this exasperated tone.

One because of the obvious rude comment.

And two, more importantly, because it was Djose who had pushed for this offensive.

Amenheraft had not even wanted this attack in the first place, saying it was too early, and urged the Pasha to wait till he got his first ransom in the name of loan from Ptolomy.

But Djose was too impatient, saying that it would take a few years and he could not wait that long.

Instead, he insisted that now would be the best time to strike using the same logic Alexander had used- 'It is so early and the other side is so weak, they won't dare to break the treaty.'

And when Amenheraft did not buy it, Djose bribed and coerced his retainers to pressure him into saying yes.

So now, after all the levies had been gathered, all the supplies stockpiled, all the plans made, and all the sacrifices made indirectly because of this, Djose's representative had the nerve to say he would fuck off if things were not done his way?

Where did he get the guts?

Where was there such an easy meal?

Hence the temperature in the room quickie rose a few degrees, as all the nobles cast very angry gazes on the impetuous young man.

But Faruq did not care.

He saw this battle as his ticket to glory and there was no way he was going to hand the position over to anyone other than Amenheraft himself.

He could get the position or die trying.

So in a brave, bravado-filled voice, Farqu brushed aside Amenheraft's threat, saying, "I will deal with my father." and adding, "Given what I've seen, I'm sure my father would be happy that he did not commit his creme of the crop soldiers in such a haphazard way."

Though the reality was that if Faruq really returned home, Djose would probably skin him alive.

Because few knew how much he loved Fatrak deep down and how much he hated Alexander.

But Faruq bluffed and then went on begin his address to the crowd to bolster the bluff, "Remember gentlemen, almost the entire cost of the campaign is being footed by us."

"We are the ones giving the ships, taking them out of their usual merchant role to serve as transport vehicles."

"We are the ones paying for all the supplies. We are employing entirely of our most feared cavalry."

"And all those men you have hired, it is Kuleef that will pay their wages and even their death remuneration."

"So, the least thing you could do was stop these scheming and bickering nonsense and hand the command to the most contributing!"

"....." There were many points the nobles could contend with Faruq.

But the fierceness of the tirade left many shocked, and even more angry.

'This is not how you talked to a noble.' They thought, wanting to then resume the quarrel.

But Amenheraft did not share the thought.

He knew Faruq by reputation even before meeting him, as he had won a few battles against some rebelling nobles during the rebellion.

And now the forceful speech impressed him.

'If groomed properly, he might be useful in suppressing the nobles,' Amenheraft thought of using this young general to cower the rapidly growing in ambition noble faction.

Hence he slapped the table with a loud *Bam* and decisively declared, "I have decided- There will be no one commander for this battle. Instead, all nobles below Jamider (Earl), will be subordinated to Faruq, while those equal to or above will control their own forces and take action in conjunction with others after consulting one another."

This was a neither-here nor-there solution that tried to get the best of both worlds but achieved none, but it was a compromise.

And that would have to do for now.