The Conqueror and the Rose

Chapter V - Journey to India

The next morning, there was much haste as the servants rushed in and out of the rooms. Bundles of luggage, wrapped in ornamented cloth, were loaded onto horse-drawn carts. Roxana looked at these proceedings from her window, then quickly closed the maroon curtains. Hurriedly, she donned on her travelling attire and her warm outdoors fur coat. She descended the staircase and stepped outside, where cold, crisp air met her.

This very morning, she was leaving Bactria. Her home. She had asked Alexander to give her more time, but he had strictly refused. They were going to conquer another land - India, and he had said that they needed to go now.

"Roxana, my daughter." Roxana swivelled around and saw that it was her father, Oxyartes. He was looking at her with warmth shining in his eyes. Was her father proud of her now that she was the wife of the greatest commander? Her stepmother was also there, looking stoic and expressionlessly at her, a sharp contrast to how she usually acted around her father. Samia stood behind her, crying. Her brothers were obviously too busy to bid her goodbye.

"I see that you are ready," This came from Alexander. He was in his usual general attire and was bringing a horse forward by its reigns. "This is my horse, Bucephalus. I have had him since my childhood."

Roxana nodded. She drew near to the horse and stroked its mane. She laid her cheek against its muzzle. 

"But where is my horse?" Roxana asked.

"We shall ride together," Alexander stated. He motioned to her, indicating that she should mount Bucephalus now.

"No. I want my own horse," Roxana stated, looking straight at Alexander.

"Roxana - " Her father began, but Alexander nodded. Soon a horse was brought out for her, a graceful white creature. Yet before Roxana could mount it, Alexander came up behind her and whispered against her ear.

"I would make you ride with me, but for the sake of the audience I'll let it slide," he said. Quickly, Roxana climbed atop the brown horse and looked back at her father, who looked quite displeased and was looking at her as if to warn her not to do anything foolish. Samia was still crying, but she waved her hand at her vigourously. Roxana dismounted just to hug her tightly.

"Promise me that you will be strong," she whispered. Then she climbed back onto her horse and waved. 

"Goodbye!" She called out to her family. And then they started out. Roxana did not know what to feel. She had had a dull sixteen years in Sogdia, but this was her home. She had a dull ache for Samia, but most of her feelings were blank, not knowing what lay ahead of her. She lifted her chin a little higher and straightened her back as they moved forwards. 

***

They were marching towards the Punjab. Roxana looked around her in awe. The land of India was very different from the mountains of Bactria. Here the air was more damp, and pungent, and filled with the occasional noises of animals behind the bushes. As they neared the murky river, she could even see monkeys swinging on the branches that hung from the trees on the banks. She gave a small laugh in delight. Little did she know that Alexander was also smiling behind her, to the shock of his generals. He put up his hand.

"Disembark!" He shouted, and the men began get off their horses. Through the river, Roxana saw a few ships coming in. Once they docked, Alexander's men scrambled to unload them, bringing in wood and supplies for a building project of some sort. Many tents were pitched around the area where they could spend the nights.

"Are you planning to build a whole fleet right here on the Hydaspes River?" Ptolemy asked. It had grown very dark, except for the fires they had lighted. They crackled and glowed like scattered embers in the expansive blackness. They were stationed at Alexander's pavilion, inside the large chamber meant for the council of war.