Chapter 11: Meeting

Unexpectedly, the Persian envoy did not mention the surrender of the Greek mercenaries, but proposed a truce between the two armies. The Greek mercenaries who are already in a tight spot is of course tremendously welcome it. After some negotiations, the two sides reached a truce agreement, the Persians on the other hand, had to provide rations for the Greeks, this is a good news for the mercenaries, because their food stocks are at an end, and they were prepared to burn and pillage villages along the way.

Although there was a truce agreement, Clearchus did not lower his guard, the Persian envoy led the way ahead, while Clearchus ordered the whole army to march in 3 column and 4 row battle formation. Along the way, there were trenches three or four meters wide and filled with waste water, the soldiers had to cut down trees to build wooden bridges. On the contrary, Davos, who is currently in the supply unit at the rearguard, have it easy.

“Oh, that’s Clearchus!” With the direction Olivos was pointing, Davos saw a tall, middle-aged man with bare upper body, a bronzed-colored muscle and several conspicuous scars, he is carrying a newly cut tree together with the soldiers. When he got to the ditch, he jumped down without hesitation, he didn’t mind getting splash by mud all over his body and immediately began repairing the just broken wooden bridge.

“Yeah, this is Clearchus! And where is our Meno?!” Matonis sighed while uttering a meaningful word.

Despite the contradiction between Meno and Clearchus, the troops led by them also fought because of the conflict. But the soldiers were not fools, they can see what their leader is doing, who is worth trusting? who is strong? It is clear in their heart. There are more than a dozen mercenary leaders, why does Clearchus always dominates?! It isn’t without a reason.

This is the way to command the army! Davos has been watching the performance of Clearchus and telling it to himself from the bottom of his heart.

At dusk, the Greeks arrived at their destination. The village the Persian envoy prepared for the Greek mercenaries to settle, not only did they provide comfortable accommodation, but also abundant food; fruit wine, drinks, bread, dates… 

All the soldiers couldn’t help but cheer.

For a time, Davos wondered: ‘Are the Persians actually afraid of the Greek’s Hoplite and really want a truce?’

Just after he and his companions tasted the food and decided that there was no problem, when he was ready to eat and drink, Antonios came: “Davos, Meno wants to see you!”

“Now?!” Davos swallowed.

“Now!” Antonios nodded.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious! Meno just heard that Davos had solved several problem for us and out of curiosity, he wanted to see him and maybe get rewarded!” Antonios guaranteed after seeing the concern of everyone.

Antonios took Davos to a large house in the middle of the village and said to the guard at the entrance: “Davos who Meno wants to see is here.”

The guard looked at Davos curiously and said, “Meno currently has something important to do, please wait.”

After a while, there was no movement inside. Davos still spoke calmly to Antonios. Antonios was in a hurry: “What matter that was not completed yet, I’ll go and urge them!” After that, he went inside and got stopped by the guards: “Antonios, do you want me to get scolded!”

Antonios stared at him and the guard finally gave in: “I’m afraid of you, I’ll go and take a look again.” Then he turned around and run into the house.

In a few moments, he came out: “Go in, Meno is waiting.” He said, but he did not dare to glance at Antonios.

Davos was about to enter, when Antonios held his shoulder and said: “Meno sometimes has a bad temper. If he says anything to you, don’t argue with him and just listen.”

Davos smiled and said: “Don’t worry, I am not a kid.”

Antonios nodded. The conversation deepened his understanding of Davos, this young man is far more stable than his peers.

Watching Davos enter the house, Antonios recalled: ‘No, if he isn’t a kid, then who is a kid? Meno?’

He laughed helplessly, and it seemed that this young man isn’t easy to provoke. He turned to look at the guard and said: “Botarkhos, you deliberately made us stay here.”

“Oh, Antonios, you should know. Besides Meno, who will do such boring thing.”

“Humph!”

“Is that young man the one you are calling Hades’ ‘Favored’?! I think he seems to understand what’s going on, he just laugh at me…”

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Davos certainly knows what’s going on: He had seen it a lot in his previous life, they show their authority with force and the more they adopt this method, the more they have no confidence in their control. Is Meno such a person?

Davos smiled and walked through the small courtyard and entered the main house.

“Leader Meno, the soldier Davos you ordered to come is here!”

“Come in.” A sharp, crisp voice came from the room.

Davos walk inside, there was a man sitting in the middle of the living room and still wearing his shiny cuirass, but it didn’t seem to increase his majestic, because if he shaved off his beard, he would definitely be a beauty.

Davos couldn’t help but recall some of the bad rumors about Meno, such as the ambiguous story between him and Ariaeus, the adjutant of Cyrus the Younger. He suddenly got a little nervous:  ‘this person shouldn’t be eyeing me…’ 

Meno is also looking at Davos: A strong body, tall, average appearance, but also a slightly younger face without a beard, but he radiates an unusual temperament by just standing there.

“Hmm… I heard that you are ‘God’s Favored’, so I want to ask, are the Persian sincere on their truce between us? Or do they have other ideas?” Meno seemed to ask carelessly.

“Sorry, leader. I don’t know!” Davos answered without thinking.

Davos’s direct answer left Meno somewhat stunned, at last, he showed a slight smile: “So tell me, can we go home safely this time?”

“I don’t know.” Davos still frankly answered .

“Bastard!” Meno was furious and pushed the chair: “Didn’t you tell the whole camp that you got the god’s oracle! Didn’t you tell the others that you know everything! Now you aren’t talking! You swindler!”

Davos twitched: “Leader Meno, I’m lucky to be able to survive the battle, but I’ve never claimed to be favored by god. This point, my teammate can prove it. I don’t care what the others think and say, it is their business. As for what oracle, I have never said anything about it. Sometimes I just talk to my teammates about what might happen next, it’s just that I was fortunate on what I had said, nothing more. Whether we can go home safely or not is a matter of concern for the leaders, we soldiers just want to get some comfort and encouragement by talking and chatting after the fight.”

After listening to this, Meno’s first reaction was that this guy’s eloquence was good and for a moment, he couldn’t grasp the chance to retaliate, and he calmly looked straight into Meno’s eyes, so that Meno felt his courage.

Menon was a little agitated and after a while, he just waved and said: “I will investigate what you had said. In short, don’t speculate about the Persians, which will affect the morale of the soldiers.”

Davos immediately bowed his head and obediently said: “Yes!”

Meno felt better, he reached for a drachma and said, “In any case, this time you came up with an idea to help our troops, this is my – the mercenary leader Meno’s reward for you. You must remember, next time you have any good ideas, come straight to me, I will give you a reward!”

Davos pretended to take it with delight: “Thank you, leader!”

Meno waved and let him leave, he watched as he walk out of the house. Meno stared blankly, Meno and Davos were in an employment relationship, Meno didn’t have the right over his life and death, only the right to dismiss. If he dismiss a knowledgeable soldier and goes to the other camps and ends up getting an important position, Meno would be the only one that suffered losses. Meno just wanted to knock Davos down once, so that his influence in the camp won’t expand and keep him in control. But from this meeting, it seems not so easy…