49 To be worthy enough

"Wow, they sure are magnificent. And huge. Very huge."

"Well, that is the normal impression this graceful animals give everybody, my Shahanshah, may he be immortal. Have you never seen one before?"

"I did not, Rostam. I spent most of my childhood either in jail or on throne. And I plan to continue with it for several decades at least."

Rostam suddenly felt like pitying the young king. But he didn't do it. Instead, he yet again began observing the magnificent war-elephants, as they slowly yet steadily marched through the main street of the city. The street was large enough for them to easily go through, as tens of them marched through the city in a column. The Empire of all Iranians woke up from it's deep slumber as the war beast rose up and started fully preparing for war. Now, fully united and ready to fight off the foe that was threatening not only their country and religion, but also their sense of nationality. The war elephants were brought all the way from the lands along the Indus river, trained specifically for this task.

"Rostam, I feel like I am going to ask very stupid question, but how do they even fight? Do they crush enemies under their feet? Or do they swing their trunk around, dealing damage? Or do they perhaps use their tusks? I'm afraid I can but also can't fully imagine how they would do in a battle."

Smile formed on Rostam's face when he heard that. It reminded him of what a child the Emperor still is.

"My Shahanshah, the elephant's main role is to scare the enemy horses with their smell and sounds they produce. Not only horses, of course. Elephants instil terror and fear in everyone who faces them. It is a tactic used for centuries at least. When they get in a fight, brute strength becomes their main tactic, mainly against helpless infantry. Of course, they stomp on them, sometimes even use their trunk to throw them away, but I don't think their tusks could be used in combat, at least not by them. Anyway, there is also this. Do you see them?" he pointed at people sitting in a large saddle on the top of one of the elephants. "They not only control the elephant, but also fight from the saddle. Mainly by ranged weapons, of course, such as javelins and bows, perhaps even with slingshot. I even heard of nations using very long spears from the top of the elephants, but I don't think that that would be much effective."

Yazdegerd listened in awe, and then observed the elephants even closely. He saw the people on top of the elephants were partially naked, with a shade darker skin than the usual Persian citizen. But they seemed to know what they were doing, as they were maneuvering the elephants around the city with ease.

"They're not Iranian, are they?" Yazdegerd asked suddenly. "The riders, I mean."

Rostam looked above on the riders, then back on Yazdegerd.

"No, my Shahanshah. They are from Hindustan, a region near Indus. They are the ones that tamed the elephants, so they know them the best. Our people aren't very familiar with these animals, so we leave it to natives."

Yazdegerd looked like he was deep in thought, thinking about something unknown to Rostam. Then he raised his head and turned around.

"Well then, let's go. We have a lot to take care about."

"As you wish, my Shahanshah."

They walked away from the main street through a smaller one, accompanied by few members of pushtigban. As they walked through, Yazdegerd took the cloth that was part of his formal crown and hid his face with it. As they walked through the street, people that had the luck to see their Shahanshah in flesh knelt and kissed the ground in front of him. He kept going. At the end of the street, where there was an intersection, a chariot with several horses were waiting. As they came closer, charioteer opened the door, for his Shahanshah and Empire's spahbed. Both Yazdegerd and Rostam entered, with Rostam raising his hand, as if to give thanks. The members of pushtigban that accompanied them mounted the horses around the chariot. Charioteer took control of the horses pulling the chariot, and slowly began to move. The mounted pushtigban members followed them in a close circle. They rode for a while, in silence, until Rostam started talking.

"My Shahanshah, I think your twelfth birthday is coming up, isn't it? Do you plan anything?"

Yazdegerd looked on Rostam in shock. He never thought that THAT Rostam would remember his birthday. He felt a bit happy about it. But if he was honest, he didn't think about it at all.

"I don't, my dear spahbed. I didn't even realize my birthday is so close." said Yazdegerd, as he removed the cloth hiding his face, since he didn't even notice he still has it on.

"My Shahanshah, don't you think you should enjoy yourself a bit more? All the hard work you did through these last years paid off. Your Empire is in great shape, at least much greater than it was under the rule of your aunt. I think you should get a day or two off, perhaps even throw a birthday party of sorts."

Rostam himself wasn't sure why exactly was he recommending this. Maybe he wanted his Shahanshah to enjoy birthday parties as children his age and status do.

"Please, don't drag my deceased aunt into this. She didn't even have a chance to do anything before she was murdered. And, to address your question, no, I don't think I should enjoy myself a bit more. At least not until the Arab threat is driven away. Until then, I have no room for even thinking about throwing some 'birthday parties.'"

"So you plan something after defeating the Arabs, my Shahanshah?"

"I wouldn't say I plan to, but I have thought doing something."

"Can you be a bit more precise, my Shahanshah?"

"Of course. I have been thinking that I should meet with by soon-to-be Banbishnan Banbishn, my Queen of Queens. But only after defeating the Arabs, for I need to know I am worthy enough."

Rostam looked perplexed from what his Shahanshah said. Not only how he took this matter seriously, but him not thinking he is "worthy enough?"

"My Shahanshah, I think you already are more than "worthy enough" to marry the youngest Roman princess."

"Right now, I am but a child ruling one of the most powerful empires in our world. Everyone can rule a powerful empire for a few years, but not everyone can last for decades. The battle with Arabs will decide that."

Rostam looked at him, still perplexed. As he thought, in a lot of things, he still didn't understand his Shahanshah very well.