Belisarius in the east

Clibanarius

Banned
The first attempt at this (after some inevitable and much needed corrections, thanks for all the advice everyone) went over pretty well but I wasn't satisfied with it and felt it was too dry to be much fun.

Warning: This will be full of gory, brutal, graphic and appalling war violence along with a realistic portrayal of how people would be treated and treat others during those times as well as plenty some pretty harsh language.


531 AD

An ovenlike breeze drifted over the sandy ground and blew thick dust into the faces of the waiting roman troops. Quintus Pallus cursed with weary venom and adjusted his grip on his Contus.

Here and there frustated soldiers gave went to their feelings in graphic detail until silenced. Quintus smiled sympathetically behind his grimy face-mask but kept his feelings to himself, he felt a steady rage flickering in him at the miserable heat, the incessant breeze, the dust and those never to be sufficiently damned persians but he didn't have the energy to vent properly.

He adjusted his seat and winced as the itch didn't abate, no matter what you did the sand still got lodged in the cracks and crevasses of your clothing and skin and with armour on there wasn't a damn thing you could do about it.

Off to his right he could hear the sound of steel-on-steel and far off screams of horse and man as the General's men at the front clashed with the mail-clad Savarans of Khosrau I.

His horse's ears pricked as the sounds of the battle drew near and Quintus leaned down and patted Typhon's neck, the horse couldn't feel it through layer of bronze scales over his neck but he was sure the stupid beast appreciated the gesture.

He straightened as the Arab cavalry to their front suddenly tightened up, readied their weapons and passed the word that the persian cavalry was approaching. Quintus took a calming breath and checked his gear one last time.

And then he went back to waiting.

It wasn't long, while the arabs fought well they were lightly armed and weren't intended to go up against Khosrau's finest, which was why Belisarius had placed them to guard his left flank.

The persians had taken the bait and crashed through the arab lines, scattering them and charging on in wave of glittering mail as the sun shone down on their gore-smeared weapons and their magnificent stallions.

And before they could pull up and regain their cohesion the trap was sprung and the fifteen hundred Buecallari Belisarius had stationed behind the arabs tightened their reins, readied their weapons, raked back their spurs and charged.

Quintus heard Typhon bugle and saw the brute's ears perk at the chance of battle and then massive animal was running flat out, his ears flat against his armoured head, his nostrils flared and showing crimson and then two walls of steel slammed into each other with a crash like the ending of the world.

Steed and rider alike screamed as they crashed together, horses were thrown back on their haunches or crashed head-over-heels through the enemy lines from the shock of the impact, warm blood sprayed on armour and flesh, mangled entrails slithered from their screaming owner's bellies to fall over the stiffening corpses on the dusty ground and be trampled under the horses hooves. Weapons flashed through the swirling dust as steel-clad soldiers fought like something out myth in a merciless struggle to bring the other down.

The heat and the discomfort were forgotten as Quintus' heart hammered against his chest, he heard the blood roaring in his ears and it blotted out all sound except the piercing notes of the bugle.

He could feel his jaw stretch against his face-mask as he laughed and he could feel Typhon's powerful body shifting under his saddle as the battle-crazed stallion slammed his chest into the body of a persian's horse.

Quintus' Contus punched through a Savaran's armour and buried itself in the man's guts in a spray of bright red blood, the persian threw up his arms and vomited a shower of gore through the lips of his gleaming face-mask before he slumped over and Quintus' Contus snapped.

The splintered shaft still served a purpose and slammed another persian back against the cantle of his ornate saddle. Quintus threw it down, drew his Mace and bought it crashing down on the on persians helmet before he could recover and then he lost all track and the struggle became confused and blurred as he fought feverishly to hold his place in the line and for his life.
 
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I would just like to thank you all for all your critique, advice, suggestions and help. ;)


I like it. :D

But I always need a little more background info, in order to be intriqued by a TL. The name Belisarius gives a hint...But still don't reveal all the details....just give us an idea of where were going.
 
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Clibanarius

Banned
Yeah, it's Callincium, but I figured that at this point in time, from the POV of a roman cavalryman it would 'that hot dusty mess in Persia.' :D
 

Clibanarius

Banned
531 AD

As quickly as it began it was over, the Savaran's retreated and the Romans pulled up as the bugles rang out, grabbed fresh lances and reformed.

Quintus blinked stinging sweat out his eyes and looked over the field where fallen horses and men lay piled together on the blood-soaked earth, here and there a man would stir and cry out and a horse would squeal.

He sent up a quick prayer and tried to ignore their cries, he felt for the poor bastards but there wasn't anything he could for them except wait for the field-doctors to come running out with stretchers and light wagons, those that could still walk limped off the field and back to roman lines while the persians waited.

Belisarius had ordered them to spare any man that surrendered and not to kill the enemy, Quintus was grateful for that, while he liked a good fight when his blood was up he didn't bear the persians any ill will and the idea of killing someone who couldn't fight back didn't sit well with him.

He looked up to see the General ride up and remove his helm, judging the filth smeared on his harness and his mounts legs the General had seen his share of action too.

"You did a damn fine job men," his voice carried over their ranks, "and thanks to you we've won the day."

There was a pause and then the Buecallarii slammed their lances against their armoured legs as they chanted his name.

He looked a little uncomfortable at the praise and raised his hand and jerked his head at the dead persians.

"Have at 'em lads."

The Buecallarii waited until the General was out of the way and then broke ranks with a whoop and rode down to the piles of persian dead, dismounted and began searching the bodies for anything of value.

The General might be a hard man but he wasn't unreasonable and Quintus smiled as he turned a persian's corpse over and saw that man's gore-caked mail was completely intact, he doffed his helm and mopped sweat from his face and began removing the persian's armour and replacing his battered bronze scales with it, it had served him well but good mail couldn't be beat.

His horse lipped his ear affectionately and Quintus rubbed Typhon's ears.

He placed his gains in Typhon's saddlebags and began the thankless task of dragging the corpses out and laying them out properly before they got stiff.

"Now you just straighten out and your friends will come and bury you proper, there's a good lad."

Quintus looked up from the body he'd dragged away to see Valentinian talking to a cadaver as he tried to straighten the stiffening limbs.

"Val, what the hell are you doing?"

Val's mouth parted in a gap-toothed grin. "Just persuading Khos here to cooperate."

"Khos?"

"Well, sure, that's what we call 'em isn't it? Khos."

Quintus shrugged. "Fair enough, just stop talkin' to 'em, alright? It's . . . strange."

"But I like talkin' to dead people, it's like to talkin' to a person 'cept they don't interrupt, good listeners corpses."

Quintus stared at him. ". . . Val, don't talk to me anymore."

Val grinned again and started his mouth.

"No, no, shut it."

Val's grin got wider and he went back to talking to the corpse.

"He scares me." Quintus said to the corpse he was dragging and then swore.

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A few days later Quintus was busy polishing his dagger when Val pulled back the tent flap and jerked a thumb at the center of the camp.

"General wants to see the both of us."

Quintus nodded, sheated his dagger and followed Val to Belisarius' tent where the General his subordinates were standing around a table and looking at the maps with that expression Officers get when they've been given order that gives them a massive headache.

They saluted, the General returned it and nodded at a pair of chairs near his table.

"Please, have a seat."

They both gratefully sank into the chairs, Quintus looked curiously at the General, the man's hair was tousled and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Gentlemen, I've just gotten word from the Emperor."

Belisarius stifled a yawn and smiled to see that he had their attention.

"He's pleased with our success at Callincinium and after conferring with the Bishop has decided that this is a sign of God's favor on the Romans and that we are to continue."

He sighed. "In short Emperor Justinian wishes for us to conquer all of the Persian Empire."

There was a long pause and then:

"You're shitting me." Said Felix, Belisarius' cavalry commander, "ah, forgive me General."

Belisarius smiled slightly and let it pass. "Truth be told that was I thought when I read the message but we have our orders, the Emperor is hiring mercenaries, raising troops and supplies and procuring aid from our allies but that will take time to get here, the Emperor knows this so he's ordered us to consolidate our gains and hold tight until reinforcements arrive."

He turned to the two Buecallarii, Vonatorix, their commander, had recommended for the job he had in mind.

"You two would do well to keep this to yourselves, the reason you heard that much is because I need two men who know the lay of the land, can speak the language, pass for persians and know how to sneak around."

The heavier set of the two, Quintus if Belisarius remembered correctly nodded.

"What do you want us to do, Sir?"

Belisarius handed him a map and the Cataphract nodded and passed it to his companion, a Valentinian.

"I want you to penetrate into Persian territory and find out what their numbers are and what their supply situation is like and find out what their plans are."
 
Clibanarius

So Justinian fancies himself as Alexander rather than Augustus. This could get very bad. I could see Mepopotamia possibly being taken, although with all the fortifications there and the Persians in the mountains on the flanks. Or just possibly something like Heraclius's destructive raid into the Persian heartland towards the end of his war with Persia. However I can't see any lasting conquest by the empire. The religious differences and the two have been enemies so long.

However looking good and Quintus and his friend have some interesting times ahead. [Makes me think a little of the Eric Flint/David Drake series in which Belisarius becomes involved in a time war. There are a couple of 'Roman' characters in that who get up to all sorts of antics.;)]

Steve
 

Clibanarius

Banned
Clibanarius

So Justinian fancies himself as Alexander rather than Augustus. This could get very bad. I could see Mepopotamia possibly being taken, although with all the fortifications there and the Persians in the mountains on the flanks. Or just possibly something like Heraclius's destructive raid into the Persian heartland towards the end of his war with Persia. However I can't see any lasting conquest by the empire. The religious differences and the two have been enemies so long.

However looking good and Quintus and his friend have some interesting times ahead. [Makes me think a little of the Eric Flint/David Drake series in which Belisarius becomes involved in a time war. There are a couple of 'Roman' characters in that who get up to all sorts of antics.;)]

Steve

Thanks! And yeah, Belisarius and Co. aren't real happy with this idea. ;)
 
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