The son of the Queen of Themiscyra and the King of Sparta felt his tiny heart race as he looked up from where he knelt in the hot sand in front of the tall, fierce, warrior with a terrible look of anger in his dark eyes, that were as black as a cold winters night. Slowly he rose and in a voice as small as a dove he spoke up saying "I am here."
Vyakles stared down at the tiny child and his son stared back at him with the the hair, high cheekbones and mouth of his mother, yet this boy's nose and eyes were just as his father, and the king felt his angered heart lift up in an elation he had never known. For the last he had seen of his son he was just a babe in Thera's arms, now he was nearly five, small in stature but looking very much as Vyakles did when he was a child. Those among the men gathered around the King, whom had known him when he was a boy growing up alongside them, all marveled at the likeness of the king on the face of the small child. The overwhelming sense of relief and happiness of the men, now finally having an heir to the Spartan Throne was undeniable even to the women of Themiscyra, whose mood was stern and stoic as they stood across from the king with arms crossed and furrowed brows, as still and silent as a tomb, looking as if they had themselves been carved out of stone.
"My son..?" Vyakles bent down a little to get a closer look into the eyes of the child he towered over. "What are you called?"
"My mother calls me Therakles." he said with all the confidence of a victorious little General, for his mother had taught him, trained him, not to be afraid of Death, so now he stood before a man, who, though he had the presence and stature of a God and was the crowned head of a mighty Nation, he was after all, just a man, and so Therakles spoke to him as such.
At hearing the name of his son, the name Thera had chosen for him did the king's heart good to hear. "Do you know who I am?" he glared down at the boy, careful not to reveal the overwhelming joy rising up in his heart, feeding his troubled and tormented soul.
"You are called Vyakles, the great King of Sparta, ruler of the fiercest Warrior Nation in all the World.., and you sir, are my father sire." here Therakles wiped away his sardonic expression with a little devilish smile, showing no worry or trepidation as he leaned closer to his father saying "My mother has told us much about you."
"Us?" came a quizzical look upon the face of his father.
"Why myself, and my sister, Sparta, your daughter, of course." here Therakles turned and pointed to the little copper-blond girl, a version of the beautiful Thera, in miniature, standing next to Amarra, whom the King remembered well. "Come, sister, present yourself to the King, make your presence known to our father."
Sparta gave a worried look up to Amarra and Kayla, whom were both like mothers to her, and they both whispered to her in a clear, unified voices saying "Be not afraid, oh brave child of a warrior Queen, go and kiss your father." Sparta took in a deep breath and remembered what her mother had taught her of how she was to behave when this day came, so she took in a breath of the salt scented air, she held her head high and walked carefully across the sand making her way through the men kneeling down, still, for the angered king. As she approached a gentle warm breeze lifted up her long curls spreading them across Sparta's face, then she neared the giant of a man, reached out grabbed his left hand, giving it a squeeze she said "Hello father, I am Sparta, it is very nice to meet you." With that the precious little girl gently, sweetly kissed the back of her fathers hand; which shocked him a little, for his mind had been so fully focused on finding his son, he had forgotten all about his daughter. Now as he looked down not knowing how to react Sparta stretched out her arms wanting him to pick her up and hold her close to him, but the king showed her no love that day. Although this hurt his heart to do so, the king stepped back and away from the dejected child. Vyakles felt the beads of sweat rolling out from under his helmet, the heat from the summer beating down on his body and the backs of the 15 men prostrated before him, so he called out in a loud voice with his daughter at his side "Spartans! Stand at attention!" Vasha and the rest of his men stood to their feet quickly wiping the sand off of their faces. They saw the King call out to the Captain of his hoplites "Take all the sons of Sparta, along with my daughter, aboard ship. Present them to the physician for a thorough examination! Make sure they are all healthy and strong.., free from any, disease. Then report back to me!"
"Yes my liege!" came the reply, but as the soldiers tried to collect the children the little boys all became terrified calling out to their mothers.
"Silence!" King Vyakles shouted at them, but his voice and strength of will did nothing to abate the bitter tears shed by the frightened children.
Here they ran over to the men they had all come to know on the island as their protectors clutching at them, tears streaming down their reddened cheeks, many of the men scooped them up in their strong arms trying to calm their fears. Sparta reached up for her father's hand, as Therakles stood at his father's right side, brother and sister waiting to see how the King would react. "Vasha!" Vyakles cried out "You and your men get on board with the children, I will return you all home soon! Now, as for these.., women.., you will all remain here on this island paradise you have created for yourself! My prayer to the gods is that you all remain here.., and live, FOREVER!"
Now these were most insulting words to any warrior class of people, whose only hope of glory is to die fighting on the field of battle in valiant service to their Nation, for this was their guarantee of peace in the after world, and here Vyakles wished these treacherous women, whom had betrayed his Nation, broken the treaties between them, he wished them no peace at all. Not here, not in the afterlife.
"Vyakles!" Vasha shouted "You can not abandon these women, you must return them to Sparta!"
"Hold your tongue Spartan! Before I slice it from out your mouth!" King Vyakles reached for the pommel of his sword, but did not unsheathe the sharpened blade. "Let it be known!" Vyakles shouted over at the women, setting his steely gaze upon Kayla and Amarra telling them "I, and my Warriors, do not acknowledge, nor do we recognize! Any of your former ranks or titles, for you are no longer warriors in the Themiscyran Army, but merely outlaws who shall be punished here in isolation forever!"
"Vyakles!" Kayla shouted in a tone louder and more angered than his "'T'is true! We are no longer Warriors, and we are living without our ranks, or titles, bestowed upon us in battle by the Themiscyran Nation.., but we women, here, ALL have one title that YOU, and the Nations of Man, SHALL, respect and acknowledge."
"What, pray, might that be?" King Vyakles scoffed.
"They are the Mother's of the Son's of Sparta!" Vyakles answered quickly and with great conviction "And, as such, they have certain rights, as well as certain protections, under our Great Laws of Lycurgus.., the first King of Sparta!"
"Of what Law do you speak?" Vyakles retorted, the furious anger in his eyes deepening to a darker shade of rage.
"All mothers of Spartan sons have 7 years to raise and nurture their offspring before being given away to the agogi for military service. No where within the law does it stipulate, nor does it mandate, where the child must be reared. These boys still have three more years, at least, to remain in the care of their mothers. That is the law! And no man, nor woman, nor queen, nor even a king is above the laws of Greece." Vasha gave a clever small smile with a slight bow of his head.
Here Vyakles laughed a little stepped over to Vasha and with a sardonic reply said "Ah, Vasha.., you would have made a fine politician!"
Now this was extremely insulting to the Admiral, but he laughed in bemusement along with the king saying. "Yes sire, but I make an even finer warrior."
Vyakles took in a deep breath as he looked down at the still faces of his children, he gazed at the little boys weeping in the arms of his prodigal soldiers, who now would be returned home, he shook his head but said "Yes.., you are absolutely correct in your statement, I respect the law above all else, and I in my great mercy I shall allow these.., women, to remain with their sons, HOWEVER! Once we have secured the boys in our military, I will banish you.., ladies.., from the Kingdom of Sparta forever!"
"And what of Queen Thera?" Amarra shouted out.
"She is no longer a Queen! She has betrayed my Nation, insulted my throne and my supremacy, abducted my warriors, taken my children! Thera must pay a terrible price to me! For today my vengeance requires her life!"
Vyakles stared down at the tiny child and his son stared back at him with the the hair, high cheekbones and mouth of his mother, yet this boy's nose and eyes were just as his father, and the king felt his angered heart lift up in an elation he had never known. For the last he had seen of his son he was just a babe in Thera's arms, now he was nearly five, small in stature but looking very much as Vyakles did when he was a child. Those among the men gathered around the King, whom had known him when he was a boy growing up alongside them, all marveled at the likeness of the king on the face of the small child. The overwhelming sense of relief and happiness of the men, now finally having an heir to the Spartan Throne was undeniable even to the women of Themiscyra, whose mood was stern and stoic as they stood across from the king with arms crossed and furrowed brows, as still and silent as a tomb, looking as if they had themselves been carved out of stone.
"My son..?" Vyakles bent down a little to get a closer look into the eyes of the child he towered over. "What are you called?"
"My mother calls me Therakles." he said with all the confidence of a victorious little General, for his mother had taught him, trained him, not to be afraid of Death, so now he stood before a man, who, though he had the presence and stature of a God and was the crowned head of a mighty Nation, he was after all, just a man, and so Therakles spoke to him as such.
At hearing the name of his son, the name Thera had chosen for him did the king's heart good to hear. "Do you know who I am?" he glared down at the boy, careful not to reveal the overwhelming joy rising up in his heart, feeding his troubled and tormented soul.
"You are called Vyakles, the great King of Sparta, ruler of the fiercest Warrior Nation in all the World.., and you sir, are my father sire." here Therakles wiped away his sardonic expression with a little devilish smile, showing no worry or trepidation as he leaned closer to his father saying "My mother has told us much about you."
"Us?" came a quizzical look upon the face of his father.
"Why myself, and my sister, Sparta, your daughter, of course." here Therakles turned and pointed to the little copper-blond girl, a version of the beautiful Thera, in miniature, standing next to Amarra, whom the King remembered well. "Come, sister, present yourself to the King, make your presence known to our father."
Sparta gave a worried look up to Amarra and Kayla, whom were both like mothers to her, and they both whispered to her in a clear, unified voices saying "Be not afraid, oh brave child of a warrior Queen, go and kiss your father." Sparta took in a deep breath and remembered what her mother had taught her of how she was to behave when this day came, so she took in a breath of the salt scented air, she held her head high and walked carefully across the sand making her way through the men kneeling down, still, for the angered king. As she approached a gentle warm breeze lifted up her long curls spreading them across Sparta's face, then she neared the giant of a man, reached out grabbed his left hand, giving it a squeeze she said "Hello father, I am Sparta, it is very nice to meet you." With that the precious little girl gently, sweetly kissed the back of her fathers hand; which shocked him a little, for his mind had been so fully focused on finding his son, he had forgotten all about his daughter. Now as he looked down not knowing how to react Sparta stretched out her arms wanting him to pick her up and hold her close to him, but the king showed her no love that day. Although this hurt his heart to do so, the king stepped back and away from the dejected child. Vyakles felt the beads of sweat rolling out from under his helmet, the heat from the summer beating down on his body and the backs of the 15 men prostrated before him, so he called out in a loud voice with his daughter at his side "Spartans! Stand at attention!" Vasha and the rest of his men stood to their feet quickly wiping the sand off of their faces. They saw the King call out to the Captain of his hoplites "Take all the sons of Sparta, along with my daughter, aboard ship. Present them to the physician for a thorough examination! Make sure they are all healthy and strong.., free from any, disease. Then report back to me!"
"Yes my liege!" came the reply, but as the soldiers tried to collect the children the little boys all became terrified calling out to their mothers.
"Silence!" King Vyakles shouted at them, but his voice and strength of will did nothing to abate the bitter tears shed by the frightened children.
Here they ran over to the men they had all come to know on the island as their protectors clutching at them, tears streaming down their reddened cheeks, many of the men scooped them up in their strong arms trying to calm their fears. Sparta reached up for her father's hand, as Therakles stood at his father's right side, brother and sister waiting to see how the King would react. "Vasha!" Vyakles cried out "You and your men get on board with the children, I will return you all home soon! Now, as for these.., women.., you will all remain here on this island paradise you have created for yourself! My prayer to the gods is that you all remain here.., and live, FOREVER!"
Now these were most insulting words to any warrior class of people, whose only hope of glory is to die fighting on the field of battle in valiant service to their Nation, for this was their guarantee of peace in the after world, and here Vyakles wished these treacherous women, whom had betrayed his Nation, broken the treaties between them, he wished them no peace at all. Not here, not in the afterlife.
"Vyakles!" Vasha shouted "You can not abandon these women, you must return them to Sparta!"
"Hold your tongue Spartan! Before I slice it from out your mouth!" King Vyakles reached for the pommel of his sword, but did not unsheathe the sharpened blade. "Let it be known!" Vyakles shouted over at the women, setting his steely gaze upon Kayla and Amarra telling them "I, and my Warriors, do not acknowledge, nor do we recognize! Any of your former ranks or titles, for you are no longer warriors in the Themiscyran Army, but merely outlaws who shall be punished here in isolation forever!"
"Vyakles!" Kayla shouted in a tone louder and more angered than his "'T'is true! We are no longer Warriors, and we are living without our ranks, or titles, bestowed upon us in battle by the Themiscyran Nation.., but we women, here, ALL have one title that YOU, and the Nations of Man, SHALL, respect and acknowledge."
"What, pray, might that be?" King Vyakles scoffed.
"They are the Mother's of the Son's of Sparta!" Vyakles answered quickly and with great conviction "And, as such, they have certain rights, as well as certain protections, under our Great Laws of Lycurgus.., the first King of Sparta!"
"Of what Law do you speak?" Vyakles retorted, the furious anger in his eyes deepening to a darker shade of rage.
"All mothers of Spartan sons have 7 years to raise and nurture their offspring before being given away to the agogi for military service. No where within the law does it stipulate, nor does it mandate, where the child must be reared. These boys still have three more years, at least, to remain in the care of their mothers. That is the law! And no man, nor woman, nor queen, nor even a king is above the laws of Greece." Vasha gave a clever small smile with a slight bow of his head.
Here Vyakles laughed a little stepped over to Vasha and with a sardonic reply said "Ah, Vasha.., you would have made a fine politician!"
Now this was extremely insulting to the Admiral, but he laughed in bemusement along with the king saying. "Yes sire, but I make an even finer warrior."
Vyakles took in a deep breath as he looked down at the still faces of his children, he gazed at the little boys weeping in the arms of his prodigal soldiers, who now would be returned home, he shook his head but said "Yes.., you are absolutely correct in your statement, I respect the law above all else, and I in my great mercy I shall allow these.., women, to remain with their sons, HOWEVER! Once we have secured the boys in our military, I will banish you.., ladies.., from the Kingdom of Sparta forever!"
"And what of Queen Thera?" Amarra shouted out.
"She is no longer a Queen! She has betrayed my Nation, insulted my throne and my supremacy, abducted my warriors, taken my children! Thera must pay a terrible price to me! For today my vengeance requires her life!"
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