Chapter Twenty-one: The warrior from the sands
Rome, many years later…
Emanuel didn’t understand how Wulfila kept all that strength despite his advanced age. All his attacks were stopped with unexpected agility from a man in his advanced sixties! And the assaults of the Saxons were really tremendous, if he didn’t had his armor and his shield the Caesar probably will be already to the otherworld.
In the end, the young prince found himself to eat the dust of the ground in the stadium of the Domus Augustana. The Purple Cross and the other soldiers usually used that part of the complex as training grounds; in certain occasion, the Emperor allowed some public ceremonies (generally a religious ceremony), where the population of Rome literally fight to obtain one of the seats. But that morning, the stadium was completely for the two of them.
Emanuel seemed really disappointed from the poor outcome: “I’m not cut to be a warrior. I’m really scarce…”
Wulfila helped him to stand up:“You didn’t go so bad. Your father was much worse the first time I trained him.”
“I don’t believe you. It’s impossible. My father…”
“It’s true. You can ask him if you don’t believe me. His sword slipped almost three times and wasn’t able to hold both the weapon and the shield, as he was really weak. After all, it was only a bookworm when he started.” Wulfila seemed delighted to remember the past training of Eraclius. Then, he continued seriously: “But he worked really hard and in the end became a excellent fighter.”
“He was pushed to the will to revenge his father, right?”
“I never asked but I guessed so. But in my opinion, your father wanted to be a warrior above all to protect his people and the persons he cares. Even at cost to be often engulfed in the middle of the battle.”
Emanuel noticed the Saxon wasn’t fully convinced to the actions of his father:“You don’t approve his behavior during a battle, right?”
“Sincerely? A dead ruler what help could give to his soldiers and his reign?”
“My father never fall in battle, because you and the others will protect him no matter what. Also, you will become annoyed if the Emperor decided to remain on the security of the back lines.”
Wulfila grumbled as simple reply. Emanuel then took the occasion to introduce another argument: “In your opinion, what are the best warriors you had occasion to know?”
“It’s not difficult: your grandfather, Constantine, Aristovigus, and Omar. And of course, your father.”
One of those names caught the Caesar’s attention: “Omar… Wasn’t that Arabian who joined my father and after the reunion of the Empire left to return in his homeland?”
“Yes, and was… Well, I guess he is still one of the best friend of your father…”
“Why you doubted over his friendship with my father?”
“Because…How could someone decided to leave one like your father so abruptly? He is Eraclius Magnus, the second Augustus, the blessed…”
Emanuel looked suddenly to another direction and raised his arm:“Ave, father.”
“What? Where…?”
“Excuse me, Wulfila, but I needed to stop you in some way. Do you know my father hated all that series of titles...” Then, the Caesar returned more serious: “Do you think Omar was disloyal to my father by leaving all of you after the reunification? Maybe, he simply thought that his mission in the Empire was done with the reunification, and felt the reason to return home…”
“This is no sense. Almost all the strict collaborators of your father grew out of the Empire, but in the end all of us accepted to continue to serve him and consider this country as our real homeland… If Omar decided to leave us, it was his guilt, after all. The Emperor shall not consider anymore who betrayed him…”
“It doesn’t seem to me. Some days ago I heard my father and Constantine talking about a letter Omar sent to them. They talked of him with admiration and also with a bit of preoccupation…”
Wulfila was surprised:“I didn’t know this. But your father is the Augustus, right? So if he decides to remain in contact with the Arabian, I will accept this decision.”
“However, do you want to tell me how you met each other?”
“Well…It was during the civil war, at Jerusalem…”
Jerusalem, start of 409
Wulfila didn’t understand the decision of Eraclius. Instead to continue his march towards north, the Emperor decided to stop for a while in Jerusalem. The invasion of Palestine was almost easy, with light losses and skirmishes of not noticeable valor. Jerusalem, still missing a valuable defensive complex since the last Hebrew revolt, surrendered to them without opposing resistance, fearing a bloodshed. The Patriarch of the city offered submission and mercy: he was spared, but forced to dismiss from his title. Many notables who joined with Phocas made the same end, and substituted with others loyal to Eraclius. The young Emperor however respected the rights of the local population and appointed local officers.
Then, he started to visit the churches of the city, in particular that of the Holy Sepulcher where the True Cross stood. He seemed however disappointed of the decline Jerusalem was living, even if it was the holiest city of both Judaism and Christianity. Eraclius then took some important decisions. In few days, he called all the most important notables of the region to discuss his projects; with general surprise, also the leaders and the rabbi of the now scarce Hebrew community were called.
After receiving the homage from the Ghassanides, who accepted his rule discharging Phocas, Eraclius told to the crowd the conditions of the Holy Land were inacceptable both for Christianity and for the Empire, and some reforms were needed to revitalize it. He then turned to the Hebrew leaders and informed him they could allow the return of their dispersed people in their homeland and to live freely their religion, revoking all the repressive laws enacted since Hadrian’s reign and promising protection from the persecutions of the Church; but he imposed some conditions. First, the Hebrews who lived ewerywhere in the Empire must accept the fact to be Imperial citizens, once and forever, and to accept the judgment of the Emperor (of course, after that of God); second, the ground where the Temple stood will be of exclusive Imperial property, so the Emperor will dispose of it in all ways he wanted; third, the practice of circumcision will be allowed again but only when the destined had the reasonable age to freely choice to want it or not. He proposed the ceremony of Bar Mitzvah as ideal moment for the rite. The Hebrews in the hall weren’t so extremely happy of the Imperial proposals, but for now accepted; at least, the current Emperor offered them the possibility to reorganize their shattered community all across the Empire.
But many wanted to know what Eraclius wanted to do of the ground of the Temple; the reply was simple. The Emperor wanted to build a new Temple in the middle on it (1), but consecrated to the Christian rites and where will be placed the True Cross, as symbol of the “third alliance” between God and humanity. When the Hebrews tried to protest, Eraclius promised they will have the possibility to build in the ground area their own Temple, on the southern side of it (2). The place select was quite large (even if not as large like the main Christian complex), because the Emperor decided it will be the only Hebrew religious site into the city walls (but allowed, if it will be insufficient for the Hebrew community, to build other synagogues out of them); also, Eraclius promised to return them the Menorah of the old Temple, currently in Constantinople, after the end of the civil war.
But the plans of renovations of Jerusalem will not will ended. To protect the city, Eraclius decided to improve the old city defenses, for the moment by using the stone of the far southern walls which protected quarters inhabited; but after the war, he will rebuild the ruins of the former Antonia fortress, to give protection to the ground in case of enemy invasion, a shelter for the population, and a proper court for the Imperial family when came to visit the Holy City. Lastly, Jerusalem will return to be the capital of the region, which will be recalled Judaea, a compromise which partially satisfied the Christians (Jesus was called Judean in the New Testament, after all) and the Hebrews (who preferred the term Israel). There were some protests from the magistrates of Caesarea, but Eraclius promised their city will remain the main port of the region and that the pilgrim routes towards the Holy City will be concentrate on it.
Wulfila then was convinced on the fact Eraclius was ready to move towards Syria, but the Emperor prevented him again; first, he wanted to consecrate the site where the new Temple will rise, as he believed “his birth (yes, he talked of the Temple as a living thing) will protect all of us from the future menaces”. The Saxon was exasperated and tried to talk with Aristovicus, but the prince only said: “If the Emperor says so, we must oblige.”. So, he spent the time by keeping the soldiers in exercise in the case the enemy approached them…
The day prior the official consecration of the new Temple
It was the first time in years that Jerusalem wasn’t so lively. All the taverns and the hostels in the city and the surroundings were full of visitors arrived to assist the ceremonies of foundation of the new Temple of Jerusalem and the new Synagogue. According to the news, the main site will be a quadrangular Roman basilica, as Eraclius preferred to not give it a shape of a cross (in fact the Temple will be a religious site for both Latin and Greek rite, so it must be more “neutral” as possible; also, the quadrangular shape will remember more the old Temple).
The nineteen year old Omar ibn Al-Khattab (3) didn’t understand why he remained still in Jerusalem. Maybe, for curiosity to see the young Emperor during the ceremony; but above all, because he didn’t know if was better to return in Arabia or to remain in the Empire. All his past life was completely shattered after coming in contact with the predication of Mohammed (4), who talked of his revelations about the only God. Allah. When his ruthless father discovered all, he was forced to escape from his tribe. But despite the fact the Prophet was so convincing in his predication, the young man personally had still doubts. For the first time since millennia, the sands of Arabia were in turmoil. In the city of Mecca, the religious disorders increased day by day; so, before taking a definitive side, he decided to visit Jerusalem, because if there was a place where God was more present than another, it was surely that city. Omar talked with Hebrews rabbi, Christians priests, and even with Zoroastrians adepts, but he didn’t found the answers he wanted.
He was now walking around the ruins of the ground, until he reached a quite large pool. According to the legend, it was the pool where Bathsheba was bathing when King David saw her for the first time. The place was so quiet that he sat under a palm tree to better reflect what to do. A crescent moon reflected its image on the water and Omar contemplated it.
Suddenly, Omar noticed in a black angle two figures who acted like they didn’t want to be discovered. He was quite curious and decided to follow them. He was really silent despite he was a big man; his injured leg, fruit of a past fight, helped him to move with caution. The Arabian arrived near the men just in time to see a third person coming. Luckily for Omar, they talked in Latin. Despite the fact the Arabians traded almost with the Greek-speaking part of the Empire, Omar wasn’t able to speak Greek properly. Latin was more congenial to him.
The third person, who seemed the leader of the group, spoke for first:“So, are you ready?”
“Yes, we will act today during the ceremony.”
“Good. Make sure the boy will fall under your arrows. If you succeed, the Emperor will be pleased and will covered you of gold.”
“Wait a moment, we just want to talk about our reward… We heard Eraclius is protected by a sort of divine protection as Emperor… They said if someone harmed him in some way he will be cursed for the eternity.”
They wanted to kill Eraclius! There are surely assassins under the order of Phocas.
“Eraclius is not an Emperor! He wasn’t recognized from the Senate of Constantinople, so he is an usurper! Anyway, I repeat Phocas will be really generous with you if you took him down. Here’s a first “ He gave them a bag full of Byzantes. “You will receive even more at task concluded.”
“We want also some lands possessions, and a rank promotion.”
“ I repeat, kill the boy and you will be rewarded from the Caesar in person. He will wait you at Damascus for the good news.”
And the man left the two assassins. Omar reflected immediately what to do. Inform the Emperor, it seemed the most reasonable solution; but that will not protect him from a future attack. The assassins must be stopped in some way: so, he decided to follow them. He didn’t understand in that moment entered into something more bigger of any possible expectation…
The morning of the celebration
The two assassins prepared their bows. They selected an abandoned building in the ground of the Temple, not controlled by the Imperial guards, and waited for the arrival of the procession. When it arrived, the Emperor was leading it. He wore a purple hood which covered most of his face. However, his moves, his dresses, the same purple mantle didn’t leave doubts over his identity. The two assassins were ready to strike when heard a voice behind them.
“In your place, I will give up.”
They looked behind and saw a huge Arabian, his arms crossed, and a grin of match. The assassin’s instinctive move was to shot towards him, but despite his size and the leg injured Omar was able to avoid both the arrows. “Fine, it seems you deserved a punition at this point.”
The assassins took their swords, one of them saying audaciously: “Hah! You were lucky to avoid the arrows at so near distance, but you are unharmed and alone, and we are two and armed, so…”
“So, maybe you should follow his advice.” Omar was surprised to be approached by two persons, with hoods on their heads and armed with swords too. The person who talked seemed really young, as he was more high of him at least of a head and half; but the other person was quite more tall of all the present.
The assassins didn’t seem to have lost their arrogance: “It seems the reinforcements were arrived… And this chum wanted to impose his authority, like he was the Emperor in person…”
“Maybe it’s because I am the Emperor.” His hood was removed, revealing Eraclius’s gray-white eyes. Wulfila removed too his cape.
“The Emperor Eraclius…So, the boy on the procession…” They all had the instinct to turn towards the “fake” Emperor. Alessia removed her cape, while Aristovicus gave order to a group of soldiers to move towards the building.
One of the two assassins was scared: “I knew it… He is protected by something of unnatural!”
“We have no choices, this is the opportunity to conclude our mission!” The other assassin then launched over Eraclius, only by being stopped from a punch in face from Omar. The violence of the punch made him lost the balance and felt from the building. The remained thug tried an assault too, only to be slaughtered by Wolfila.
Eraclius however wasn’t pleased of the brief fight. “I told you I don’t want to kill them if possible… I wanted the site preserved the most possible by bloodshed, to not contaminate it.”
“I’m sorry, Augustus… But my duty was that to protect you no matter what.”
The Emperor sighed. “Fine. This building isn’t incorporated in the area of the new Temple, but it is still in the ground sector. Later we will make an expiatory ceremony. By the way, I shall thank you for the help…” He turned toward the Arabian. “Even I don’t understand why and how you are involved in this matter. We knew there was an attempt to kill me and we tracked those two to caught them in the right moment, so I prepared a bait while I was busy with them…”
“I simply heard them this night when they talked of the plan with a third man… I decided to follow them because I can’t let them realize their project… even if I probably messed all, Augustus. I’m sorry.”
“Well, I guess we could talk of this later at dinner… what’s your name, whatever?”
“Omar. Omar ibn Al-Khattab, Augustus.”
“Fine, Omar ibn Al-Khattab. We will talk with more calm later. But now there is a foundation celebration to host.”
Few hours later
The foundation ceremony of the new Temple, aside with that of the Synagogue, was a success. The two sites will become the two most important of Jerusalem. But Eraclius promised to the new patriarch also the Holy Sepulcher will be enriched and enlarged.
Omar didn’t believe to seat in that moment in front of the Emperor of the Romans, aside with his two cousins, his bodyguard, his preceptor, his personal smith and his son, and his maid (or if he understood correctly, she was the maid of his older cousin, but she served him as well).
During the dinner, after the presentations of circumstance, Omar talked about the meeting of the three men near the pool of Bathsheba. The hirer was dissolved like in the air and the soldiers falied to find him. It was however clear the mandants were the usurper and his son. Procopius didn’t exempt himself to comment: ”Obvious, from the moment Phocas started to lose ground. He wanted to finish the work initiated with the assassination of our beloved previous Emperor…”
Aristovicus was quite vivacious than usual:”This is disgusting. When I become King of the Visigoths, I will never use these kind of tricks to rule.”
Simplicius caught the occasion to tease him:” The day you will become King, the Visigoths will be doomed by your scaring bloody eyes. At least nobody will try to context your rule.”
“Shut up, brat.”
Eraclius however remained silent. Alessia noticed there was something wrong: “Something worried you?”
And then the Emperor spoke:”I don’t share the opinion of Procopius. Constantine will never approve something of so vile. Not him. He is not involved in this matter.”
“But… Omar told us that the hirer told the assassins the Caesar will reward them in case of success.”
“He also told us the assassins had some doubts to fulfill the mission. I think the hirer throw the name of Constantine only to pressure them to accept. This is my sensation.”
Aristovicus felt the need to intervene. To Alessia seemed in his voice there was a pitch of jealousy, but probably she was wrong: “However, even if he is not involved, he remained still a traitor. He accepted to become Caesar and now is waiting us at Damascus.”
“I’m not sure he betrayed completely us. There are other reasons behind his decision. Constantine didn’t accepted to follow his father for lust of power.”
Aristovicus was quite irate now:“Open your eyes, Eraclius, what reasons could have Constantine to become Caesar if not to become Emperor one day?"
Alessia tried to express her opinion:“The loyalty towards his father. He couldn’t betray him.”
“This is a complete bu…”
Eraclius stopped his cousin:“I stick with Alessia. However, we need to identify the hirer to prosecute our investigation. Are you able to describe him, Omar?”
“Hmm… It was night, but the moon gave sufficient illumination to see his face. It was a tall man, I guess about fifty years old, with black hair and a pronounced nose… his blue eyes were like two piercing daggers, and had an pronunciation like that of your guard… To be really honest, his traits were similar to that of Wulfila. Not that I’m accusing him, of course, but it was only to give a general idea…” He didn’t had the time to finish his phrase, because Wulfila immediately stood up from his place and started to move in this direction. Omar thought he wanted to let him pay him for that he just say, but the Saxon passed him and moved towards the exit of the room.
Eraclius tried to stop him: “Wulfila, wait!” But the Saxon continued to talk. “This is an order!” The boy shouted to him. All were surprised, because Eraclius never used that kind of tone before. Wulfila stopped, only to reply: “I’m sorry, Augustus, but I can’t obey this time. I need to stop him before he continued to menace your life… That night at Saint Sophia… now I understand there was his mark behind.”
“And you are going to confront him by alone? You will never succeed. He had over a day of advantage, and you don’t know the geography of the region. Also, if he is travelling with Constantine, he will had at his disposal some of the most brave soldiers for protection… not counting an entire army at his disposal.”
“He can had all the Empire behind, but at this point I’m determinate to chase that snake from his nest and to crush him with my arms!”
“At cost to sacrifice your life?”
“Yes. He was behind the death of your father, so he must die too. Even if I will die in this attempt.”
“And I must accept to lose also you? I lose already my real father, my mother died too, you are like an uncle to me… How many people I love I must see die to rule this Empire?”
“Eraclius…”
“Listen, Wulfila. I…understood your thoughts. But he already left Jerusalem, so it will be useless pursue him right now. Now we must prepare our forces for our advance, I'm sure they are waiting us as Damascus. When we arrived in front of them, we will decide the best course of action. But I need your help."
Eraclius managed to approach Wulfila. But the Saxon seemed to awake from a sort of dream and ran towards an open window. From here, he jumped down, and then he reached the stables, took his horse, and then started to ride without encountering resistance.
The Emperor was approached to the others. They didn’t saw him so…enraged. Surely he was irate to not have convinced Wulfila. Alessia was the first to intervene, as always: “He was running after his brother, right?”
“Yes. But he was taken by his rage as usual and Rainulf will took the advantage to capture him… or worse.”
Procopius was shocked:“Rainulf? But…he escaped years ago from the camp where he was imprisoned, we guessed he returned in Saxony under false disguise, how it’s possible he is now here in Orient and organized an assassination attempt on your persona?”
“It was more simple than you think. He never escaped from that camp. According to my father, it was almost impossible he could kill the guards from his cell…”
Aristovicus understood before the old preceptor:“He was helped by someone. You think it was Phocas, right?”
Eraclius nodded. Then, he seemed to have taking some important decisions: “Anyway, we must prepare for the worse. Procopius, Bagha, inform my officers to prepare the soldiers. In just an hour we must leave Jerusalem.”
“From where?”
“Where the enemy waited us and Wulfila is going right now. To Damascus.”
“As you wish, Augustus.”
Then Eraclius turned to Omar:“Your reward is ready and you can leave when you want. However, Omar ibn Al-Khattab, you unintentionally deprived me of my best soldier. But I must also recognize your skills are impressive. If you want, I wish to hire you as my new bodyguard. But if you decide to go away, I will understand.”
Omar reflected for a moment. From the sands of Arabia and the skirmishes of petty tribes, he suddenly found involved in a vast conflict for the control of the Roman Empire, the greatest nation of the world, and the Emperor (because he was sure, Eraclius deserved his title, despite he was so young) asked him to help in this struggle. Maybe it was this Allah wanted to him?
So, he didn’t had hesitations that time. He bowed in front of Eraclius:“I’m under your orders, Augustus.”
Rome, many years later
Wulfila was putting away the weapons used for the training with Emanuel. The boy asked him to resume the fight, but Simplicius arrived to interrupted them. Seeing the state of the Caesar, the monk took the occasion to criticize him, that he was a barbarian without the proper respect for his lords, that Emanuel was still a child, that her mother will die another time… But Wulfila, instead to reply as usual, remained silent that time. In the end, the two princes left him to give the proper cure to the Caesar, not before Emanuel told him he will enjoy soon another training session with him. But Wulfila started to feel old for that kind of things. The talk with the Caesar left him in a confused state of agitation; so, in order to restore some peace in his mind, he went to his rooms and started to check the status of his arsenal. He was in the middle of the work when Eraclius came to visit him.
“Can I disturb you?”
“No, Augustus, but I was quite busy to control and clean my arsenal…”
“Then, in two we can finish first. So, later we could drink something together…”
“Do you know I don’t like wine…”
“Wine no, but beer yes. The new supplies from Germania just arrived few hours ago.”
“Really? Then I must had the first sip, as usual…” So the two sat together to polish a series of swords.
“By the way, I encountered Emanuel and Simplicius. As always, my cousin had a series of comments about you; but this time he didn't reported me your replies. This time you remained silent, there is something wrong?"
“No, Augustus. Simplicius could tell anything he wants, it’s still a kid. I simply don’t want to argue with him in front of Emanuel."
“You don’t notice exactly when he started to argue with you?”
“Well, he started since the civil war, after…” Wulfila had a sudden realization:“…After the events of Jerusalem and Damascus, right?”
“I sincerely started to believe you never arrived to the solution. You took almost twenty years to understand… But I guess you avoided the issue willfully since this moment.”
“He never forgive me for the mode I treated you in Jerusalem that day, when I decided to chase Rainulf, right?”
“It’s not that he hates you… It’s only that he believes you acted wrongly towards mine regards.”
“And you? You forgave me for my behavior?”
“If the Emperor of the Romans is currently spending his time by helping his Saxon bodyguard to put in order his weapons, do you think he is enraged with him?” Both were smiling. But Wulfila wasn't completely reassured.
Eraclius noticed that, so he continued:“You know I never be irate with you. But that day, I admit I didn’t take your insubordination very well. That was worse, I feared for your life. I was still a child, I just lost my father, and then I had the vision, and then the crowning, and the civil war… It was too much. But I had my friends still, and above all you. You were with me since my birth, and remained always together since that episode of Jerusalem… It was like I was going to lose another father, and for the first time I doubted of my capacities. If I wasn’t able to convince my second, how I could suppose to reign over millions of people?”
Wulfila never understood since now these kind of feelings tormented Eraclius in that period. But he always considered him like the son he never had; however, he grew in a community where the fathers are supposed to be harsh with their heirs to temper to the adversities of the life. Being kinder was a weakness. And now Wulfila cursed the mode how he was educated, because now he lived in a nation more civilized, where the human relationships were more refined, and Eraclius suffered too much and he was a idiot to not properly comprehend he needed more a fatherly figure respect to a bodyguard, and…
Suddenly, he heard Eraclius chuckled: “What’s going on?”
“Sorry, Wulfila… but you are really funny when you think too much. Your face contorts in a series of expressions they didn’t help me but laugh.”
Wulfila, visibly embarassed, decided to change matter:“By the way, I was talking with Emanuel about Omar. He told me you are still in contact with him.”
“It was a secret. How did he knew this?”
“He heard you talking with Constantine, days ago. Omar is going to create trouble?”
“Not yet. Anyway, you shall abandon your grudge with him. In the end, he was him who saved you that day at Damascus…”
“Yes, but after the mode he judged you when he left…”
“He only expressed his personal opinions, even if roughly. Also, Omar is alimented by a fire different than mine. The battles we shared together were a sort of preparation for his destiny. Soon, he and his Prophet will unite Arabia for the first time under a single banner. One day, we could be allies… or enemies.”
But Eraclius was now thinking of something worse:“However, I’m not worried about him right now. The Persians remained too quiet in these last decades.”
“I’m not sharing your preoccupations. They always failed to invade the Empire and since the reign of your father we are in peace with them. I’m sure they accepted the current status quo. Also, they will be a bunch of idiots if they try to match Eraclius Magnus, the second Augustus, the blessed…”
“Wulfila…”
“Oh…Sorry. But our two countries beneficiated of this long peace, why someone wanted to break it so suddenly?
“I hope so, Wulfila, I hope so…”
But this hope was destined to not endure. In fact, few moments later a really worried Constantine reached them, some dispatches in his hand. Eraclius read them and his expression became really sad. It wasn’t need a genius to understand something of really bad was going on. Wulfila however didn’t have the time to ask an explanation because Eraclius started to talk: “The Persians launched about a month ago a full scale attack from the source of the Euphrates to the gulf of Aelana (5). Our garrisons failed to pull away the assaults. Almost all of Syria felt, Satala was destroyed, the Ghassanides forced to submit to the invaders, and Jerusalem is under siege.”
Then, he made a deep breath: “So, we are in war again. And this time, it is the West’s turn to help the East…”
(1) In OTL Dome of the Rock, to be more clear.
(2) In OTL Al-Aqsa Mosque.
(3) I opted for the more advanced date about Omar’s birth, around 590 AD.
(4) The predication of Muhammad started a bit before than OTL to fit it better into the story.
(5) OTL Eilat.