As he watched the warriors pulling on the oars he was rythmically rocked along with the force of their strokes, the craft nearly raising off the water itself like a fish that flies.

His face shown with a huge grin. To think of this crew of potent warriorswithout pride would have been impossible. This handful of scarred men and women had, on their own might, without allies, raised the Cilliciani banner over 4 other tribes! and the last had been the most stubborn but ruthless opponents.

Shazir "Heart of the Flame", Archon of the Cilliciani had had confidence in the tribes Wisdom of Sea and Blood, Tigrania. He also had been certain that the cowardly Adana tribe would be conquered from an assault from the sea. He and his Wisdoms of the Tribe had not been able to dislodge that Barbarian village by attacks from land before. The Adanai had merely jumped in some corracles and fled to the sea before the mighty Cilliciani warriors. As the Cilliciani warriors had tried to draw them into direct battle they had been laid low by sling stones and spears...but those were defeats that had taught a lesson to the Leaders of the Tribe.

*********
A plan was made. The Cillicians had worked with boats until they had designed and practiced from a longboat. A warship with sail and oars.
The plan was to test their naval combat plan by assaulting the Zypern and Polis barbarians. It had worked almost too easily! With new skills, confidence and new troops, young guardians...warriors now forced to fight as hostage and guarantees of the good discipline of their tribes.
The Cillicians had surprised ALL these island barbarians who had thought the sea was barrier enough to protect them.

Now they had the way to surprise the twice victorious Adanai. And this was done with Tigrania's undeniable precision! They had shown quietly from a fog near the barbarians village where none of the common briar vine fences lay. A surprise to be sure ....but the Adanai knew this was there last chance ...when they saw there corracles on fire from The Flame Darts. These darts were another idea from the canny Shazir , burning stones tossed from the brazier onboard the Cillician ship with slings into the corracles which had saved the cowardly barbarians before. This was also only possible because of the metals taken from the Polis mines. It meant the Cillicians could bring their flame to any battle , even on water....maybe even snow!
----
During the desperate battle that folowed, all was chaos. The Mighty Warrior and High Lord, Beranos was a demon among sheep! His path was marked with the screams of wounded and dying Adana warriors. It seemed not a single one of his precise attacks could be stopped! NONE! He took some cuts from his foes as they realized they had to fight with multiple warriors against him....and even the Archon of the Cilliciani fell, Shazir was dragged from the battle by a young Tiglatpilesar I , who eneded up unconcious himself by sacrificing his own defence to manage the Archon's withdrawal. Even so, he was able to wound those who saw a chance of victory if they could just claim Shazir for a prize.
Tiglatpilesar was no half hearted Guardian, but a a Cilliciani High Lord himself! His courage was Not unnoticed.
----
Seeing all this Tigrania ran to her husbands side and stood back to back with him against the remaining Adana barbarians. His wounds were finally beginning to slow his movements though. As they danced their duet of death among a crowd of Adana young Tiglatpilesar was downed but only AFTER he had safely withdrawn with Shazir's head still on his own shoulders. The remaining 5 barbarians encircled and then rushed the lovers......She Wolf General and the Precise and Deadly Hawk like Hero. In the final steps two were brought down...but a 3rd managed to deal a stunning blow that laid Beranos, the Hawk, down in a crumpled heap in the wet sand of the beach which so enraged the She Wolf that her hands and weapons simply sripped the 3rd barbarians head from his shoulders!

The final cuts were nearly pathetic, as the last two cowards tried to attack but were so demoralized that Tigrania almost let them cut her on purpose for she walked with a white hot rage in her body at what had been done to her Love. They were so afraid from seeing their partner beheaded that they were both unwilling to risk being close enough to strike any blow that might have seriously hurt Tigrania. Like two frightened but committed roosters they pecked at her......and like the Wolf she was......
She simply chewed them apart with her weapon and stood, alone at last . She wiped her blade on the last barbarians tunic and returned to begin care for her husband and the other wounded.
Like any great Commander should.

The Cillicians were the victors! A now unmatched tribe with a fierce reputation in their region.

A NATION!

As the families gathered a great mystery was being considered.

How best the Cillician people could help the Cappadocian people to share in a stronger nation and a stronger bond.

The majority of Cillicians had never gone more than two days travel from the Capital Lands. Many knew little or nothing of Cappadocia. Some DID know of the Cappadocian queen and Oracle, Priestess Nyx who had visited with their Kings son.
Their King...as many began to say Shazir Heart of the Flame was, had been almost a different man when she and the boy were in Killikia. And even an acolyte named Zoroaster had been among them back then.
Now though, the King had been away with the mightiest of Cillicias fighters and had conquered more land for the new Nation, there were more children now....so much better than a tribe.

Now they wanted to help the Oracle and her people become a strong friend to the North of Cillicia.
Only a few would be chosen to go. It was part of the Faith in Shazir for his wife. That they did not NEED as many warriors....yet they all wanted more experience against the Barbarians. So he ordered a feast and a small test of the warriors. Their mock battles among each other suggested the groupings of each to Shazir.
When such strong thoughts occurred Shazir knew he must begin them.

And so, after a week of dueling Shazir hand picked several to go with Tigrania and himself to aide the Allies and Brothers and Sisters North of New Cillicia.

I hope somebody here will talk or sing for us on our journey? What about you Wisdom of Sea & Blood, Tigrania? What do you see for this journey to share strength with the Cappadocians?

As he looked at the deceptively soft figure of Beranos wife and Shazir's first mentor to the ways of the Cillician Archon. This was a woman who was held highly in the Kings Councils, but also as an admired and fierce Warrior. Only she could have tamed the Juggernaut, Beranos!

As the storms raged in the nearby hills outside of the single stone shelter in this land, the Archon and the Oracle were resting near a fire with her heavily covered with furs as she slept. Their first-born, their son Aether, sleeping in another room with his nurse and one of the Cillician Archons personal Guards. His second guard stood watch in the damp night weather outside.

The Oracle, Priestess Nyx heavy with child.
The Archon Shazir Heart of the Flame heavy with worry.
He did not sleep.
Instead he sat and sripted two clay tablets. The weather in the newly acquired Cappadocien province did not make papyrus usable here.

Outside, thunder could be heard. Earlier in that night Shazir had watched the lightening while it was still far away. A strong storm but not over this residence, nor near the Warriors encamped nearby with their General, Tigrania. She was as fierce as ever and eager to finish the aide to the Cappadocians so she could rejoin her husband Beranos. Shazir was writing to that goal.

First, about the Hellenes......

QUOTE:
Most priceless Zeri,
Wisdom of the Hearts and Hearths of Cillicia,

May the Sea Breezes fill your sail and the Moonlight nights bring only rest. You are sorely missed while you are away.

This scroll I have indexed above is where I would like our polite and positive diplomacy categorized.
Positivewith ANY Nation.
If you had another choice of your own already for your upcoming work, please feel free to use it, since the libraries of our people are within your tasks and I do only advise.

This request is so we don’t have several seperate locations for diplomatic storage in the histories.
The librarians are not very many yet so I am certain you see the reason for my suggestion.

If we have a hostile diplomacy action it will occur in another Category of the Scrolls and Histories.

Do you recall what it is I have asked you to relate to the Hellenes? What we must also learn from them?
I am confident you do, but I would be a poor leader if I did not check my preparations before they were needed.

My wife and Cappadocian Queen is pregnant with our second child!
Regrettably, I must follow that joy with words of ill omen and concern.
This time her bearing of our child does not go so well. She has been unable to perform her duties and has stepped aside from her throne, raising her Vizier Ulin to that High Seat.
I wish you to make yourself known to him. I do not know if he has selected a Court official for diplomatic matters yet. In fact I am certain he has not.

As always, may the Wisdom of yourself and the Yazatas be like a fountain to water those you meet.
May the Daevas find not a scratch in the armor of the minds of you or those you meet by which to confound and confuse your works.

Your Trusting Archon,
Shazir Heart of the Flame.

Closing the clay tablet and setting it near the fire to bake and harden, Shazir began his second.

This One was a more diplomatic matter to be presented to the newly appointed Cappadocian Archon, Ulin.
The woman who slept near Shazir had always trusted him and so when her condition no longer allowed her to rule effectively she had kept her tasks as High Priestess and granted Ulin the Rulership over the mundane affairs in Cappadocia.
This tablet would be delivered personally by Shazir's Military Councilor in person to Ulin. The Cillician Wisdom of Blood and Sea, Tigrania. She and the warriors she lead who were camped outside would go to Ulin at the Capital of Cappadocia and continue the conquests with their brothers and sisters of the Cappadocian tribe.

(Tablet too be found in this link: Civilized Cillician Accords )

The conquests of the armies combined from Cappadocia and Cillicia became easier with each battle.
The Cappadocians even became as profficient as the Cillicians...nearly.

On the last conquest of the campaigning seeasons the agreed startegy had been for the Cappadocians to lead the assault while the Cillicians maintained themselves as a ready "shock troop" to turn the battle. The Cillicians watched eagerly to see what their Allies had learned. Hoping they had learned well enough to finish off the barbarians, also wishing they could find targets for their own weapons!

As it turned out, the barbarians in Ulus were so afraid of the united armies that they broke and routed under the first Cappadocian charge. Cillician Commander Tigrania and her husband Beranos were able to congratulate each other and the Cappadocian Archon, Ulin, on the improvements the Cappadocians had learned fighting beside the Cillicians.

With Joy in their hearts they all returned to Cappadocias Capitol and feasted well. Slaking their thirst for drink and their hunger on more than the batttlefield rations!

While the Cillician Armies marched home in great spirits they boasted to each other of the individual valor on the battlefields. Truth was known to each of them as they had all been in the same battles but it still did not stop the laughter at the stories each told.

On the way home to their own warm beds and families each had a joy in their heart for the unity they shared. A fellowship that can only be found with those who share blood and death with each other. The bond formed by united tragedy and triumph.

Deciding to stop to see their Archon Shazir at the summer palace they grew suddenly a little more sombre.
The queen was dying and was no longer even aware of anything else except the voice of her husband and her children.

Their King and Archon, Shazir Heart of the Flame did not allow them to be troubled by it though. He feasted his Great Warriors and bid them return home. Their own families ...must be reunited and share in their joy for life....he had said. He also told them he would be coming to the Capital soon as well. She who was his heart would not last the next moon rise.

Her Goddess had told him.....in a dream.
A dream he felt was most cold and matter-of-fact but not cruel. Deities had different concept of life as Shazir tried to understand. Coming back to the same question.....What was their reality? )

And true to the words He found his warriors safe at home when he arrived with his bereaved family before the New Moon.

A diplomatic party was greeted by Shazir.
One from far away Carthaginia. They spoke only briefly. Their Melek apparently soon to arrive behind them.

The next day, Shazir gathered his Warriors.

What has been the way of life while we have been gone? What have your families told you all?
Is their any word from the delegation sent to the Hellenes?
Any other famines or fortunes or bandits in our lands?

Any new births?

With this question Shazir looked down at his own son, Charon. Aether was again...making sure the Mommy Light was lit.
Have we any new warriors worthy of being Cillicians?

Shazir sat and looked at all the Cillician High Lords and Chancellors. Waiting for their answers with hope, but only a little joy in his own heart.

The response to the call for warriors has been a good one.

Many have come and tested. Some failed. But not all.

Shazir is wondering how he can make all these warriors feel like a good part of the Cilician Corsairs.

Some weeks later he has an answer.
An Answer that comes from Dacia. The Dacians wish to see who is the mightiest warrior nation.
Already they grow great and feel strong.

Shazir recognizes this is a perfect way to prove his warriors and to make them a closer people.

He sends word across Cilicia and calls the warriors.
They are told of the games.

People! We are unmatched in fighting skill! Haven't we proven that?!
But there are other fighters in this world who still will not open their eyes and see.
They have asked us to put Our Armies and Our Generals into a battle. One that will not be to conquer, but to prove who is the Best.
I ask you all to sail with me and help theses people to see the Truth. The Truth of our Warriors. Our religion. Our hearts!

After the speech he allowed the people to gather and left some home to defend the land.
Then they sailed West. Toward the lands from where the ships of Carthage and Rome and the Hellenes came from. A good journey for the mighty Triremes of the Corsairs.

It is many moons and seasons since the corsairs were lead west and now they return home.

The Corsairs were traveling well together , even in the new lands.

The weapons had been tied so they could make better time. This also allowed them better chance to speak with local peoples.

The Cilicians march with good hope and discipline toward a port and ships to the South and East of where the tornament battles were fought.

Soon they will enter lands protected by the Hellenes. This is welcome news to Shazir. He remembers the Golden King of the Hellenes, Dogun. Some memories old and some very new. The man could drink and fight well. So did his warriors....though NONE could stand long before the strength and skill of Beranos! Hero of Tibiscum and pride of Cilicia! Even the Hellenes had not been ready for this Cilician hero who fought like the spirit of battle itself. Somehow made now of flesh and blood.

With good spirits and confidence Shazir writes to the Hellene lands before him.
He moves confidently toward them in peace and friendship.

The curious Hellenes of this region are very fun to watch as they meet the Cilician Corsairs.
Even Shazir two sons are curious to see what is a Hellene child life.

The two peoples exchange small tokens and gifts while Shazir takes time to meet the Lord of the province and his harbormaster.

Ships are easy to find but Shazir must look for a good full day to find one similar to those his own people build.
He arranged for a free trip home if his own warriors worked and showed the Hellene crew how Cilicians sailed. The captain of the ship insisted that his own men would be allowed to watch as they pleased.
Of course the difficult part was that the Captain wanted to keep his own command. It was his life and blood that was built into the ship after all.

Finally an agreement was made.
Tigrania and Beranos would listen to the captain but the orders were only to be given to Cilicians by them.
Not the Hellene captain to the Cilician corsairs.
These two leaders would also be certain the Captain would understand what was done more.
Shazir was more curious of course about the sea charts and the navigation.
He was able to get Tiglatpilesar alloweance for copying the sea charts
...but it was agreed only the one from Rodopen port to the coast of Kilikia.

Knowing how to get somewhere was more important a treasure to him, than what his corsairs would do when they arrived.

Shazir knew that his corsairs would already know what to do. They were very good at learning and training for the combat on and off the ship!

**************

The Hellene villagers and the Cilician Corsairs feasted each other that night and made a great sharing of music and tales.

The camp of Cilicians was full of good emotion that night as the idea of the sea beneath the sails and the smell of salt air was remembered by all the corsairs. A very long time since they had actually felt it.
Shazir smiled when he thought how some of the newer warriors might feel about such travel on ship and waves.

With the sunrise the Cilician warriors would be closer as the morning tide took them toward home.

The scribes who had kept the Cillician histories brought a parchment for the King of the Cillicians to read.
These paper were shared by the Greeks and the Egyptians with the Cillician merchants.

Shazir still preffered the good strong durability of the clay tablets and the stone carvers.

QUOTE:
The return to the friendly Hellenes had not been as peaceful as had been hoped.

The Great King of Hellenes, Dogun, had celebrated and treated the Cillicians well.
However he had mentioned a word of sorrow to Shazir.
A grief at the loss of lives and property to the seas around the Roman coasts.
This had raised suspicions but no great worry in Shazir.

Seeing that his own people were skilled at sea, Shazir took the news as a sign that he had come exactly when he was needed. He agreed to sail those dangerous waters and put an end to any threat. Sea serpent beast or man with heart of a serpent, it would not matter.
Together the Hellenes and Cillicians would sail as brothers.

Along the way the Romans had raised concern.
As the sight of such a flotilla prepared for combat rode the waves off the Roman coastlines messages began to arrive. Messages welcomed by Shazir.
This was his first introduction to these people. A people other leaders had named as great.
His opinion of their manners was that they were well minded. However they relied heavily on word and reading and less on action. Not a bad thing of itself. It could make great officers of them because they learned.

The messages though did little to increase confidence of their protection on the waves.
A kingdom with so much sea-coast should surely have become better at defending both land and wave.
Still, no guarantee of the merchants safety came from Rome. A pity.
The Hellenes would surely continue to lose ships and men and profits.

Shazir continued hunting and now included writing letters to the Carthaginians and Sicilians who traveled these waters. Only the Carthaginians responded.

After coming across a pirate and running him to his port the Cillicians and Hellenes were joined by a fleet of Carthaginian warriors. Together they rid the lands of the vermin in Castagniccia and in Corsica.
Among the dead were found many trappings of the Roman warriors, but each man who wore them spat and denied the ancestry written plain upon his face.

Having been told of the civil war that the Romans had endured, Shazir understood that these men and women did not act under the senate command. They were outcasts who had fallen from power to become nothing more than armed thieves. Sea brigands. Nothing more than pirates although better trained than the ones on Crete had been. Shazir was of the opinion that the outcasts were traitors and should have been given no place to rest. Had they actually joined a better cause and kept their honor.....maybe.

This problem began with Rome in Shazir's mind. Began there and was permitted to exist by their negligence.
So, wether they directed it, Shazir was going to bring a small refund of the blood cost they had created.
A blood debt owed to Hellenes and Carthaginians, and at least half price to be paid by Rome.
He notified the Roman High officials of this debt and told them to expect it to be collected within a month.
A warning with honor.
A lesson plan to an intelligent people who would not learn if they did not understand the reason the lesson must be taught.

As he handed the parchment across to Tigrania, He looked to Jarucha of Carthage and to Dogun of the Hellenes.
These two had already lost good people to this cause...... he could not call himself friend to them if he was not willing to risk the same.

As the planning slowed Shazir excused himself to go check on his two sons.

I must get this all writ in the stone and in the tablets of the archives before I die. Although I do not think that it will be on these Roman shores.
Cillicia will endure and so should the words of their voyages across this world.

Two loves I have lost, I must keep the parts that remain for me.
So my sons, if they rule or not, can be proud of their people and their heritage!