Chapter 35 TALAQAN Ghazan had launched everything into the attack. His archers in two pincer waves strove to cut into Baidu’s flanks while five thousand heavy cavalrymen from the Khorasan tumen mounted two charges against the enemy’s front ranks. Rashid watched apprehensively from the hilltop. The last hour had been one of inactivity for him …
Tag: Mongol Persia
The Tiger and the Cauldron(27)
APOLOGY: To readers of my story, I want to apologise for the lengthy Chapter 25 posted a few days ago. I had meant to divide it into two smaller chapters but have only just realised that didn't happen. I shall try to be more careful in future Chapter 27 1295 CE THE SILK ROAD Fatima …
TheTiger and the Cauldron(24)
Part Two Chapter 24 - Spring 1294 CE Doquz had buried her terrors in the darkest corners of her mind and they were recalled only in her worst nightmares. Then she would awake, screaming and bathed from head to toe in perspiration. She had supposed her screams were always part of the dream and therefore …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(21)
Chapter 21 Eighteen of the enemy had fallen in the raid, fourteen dead and four mortally wounded. Of these, four were entirely due to Ali’s skill with the bow, while Sabbah’s group had despatched six. Hassan’s command had accounted for a further four, Khumar’s three and Doquz herself one. There were twelve prisoners, four of …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(20)
Chapter 20 ‘Taking this villa could be costly,’ said Sabbah. He prodded the parchment in front of him with his forefinger then circled the plan of the house that Shirazi had drawn for them. He frowned. ‘It has a southern aspect with the mountain slope behind. Do the main rooms look out over the plain?’ …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(19)
Chapter 19 MARAGHA ‘It’s intolerable, Master!’ Suleiman al-Urdi brought his fist down so hard that the topmost of a stack of books leapt from the table and landed on the floor. Shirazi regarded him impassively. Even learned mathematicians sometimes lost their tempers. ‘What would you have me do, Suleiman?’ he asked gently. Al-Urdi was determined …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(17)
Chapter 17 There were nineteen in the camp; four were women, Doquz herself, Fatima, and two others - Talitha and Mariam. However there were no divisions according to gender. Men and women alike shared duties - guarding the pass, preparing and cooking the food, and taking part in expeditions. The lower caves of the mountain, …
The Future in the Fire
from The Il-khan's Wife (In my novel The Il-khan's Wife, Gobras is a priest, patriarch of the followers of Zoroaster. Although old and blind, he often has dreams of future events . . . . ) *** 'The fire in the hearth was low and Gobras was dreaming. So often now, in the solitary silence …
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