Forthwith the War Council gathered in the great hall of the palace where Queen Sparta and King Therakles listened intently to all the information imparted to them as the roar of the flames of the fire crackled with life where, in the warm glow, the newly crowned monarchs waited with baited breath as the wise and aged War Councilor Vasha spoke "We have received word from our Generals, their are heavy losses on both sides, however the remaining Macedonians, who were not cut down, have fled the field of battle northward back to their tyrant King Phillip, whom had already abandoned the city well before the fighting commenced." he paused staring over at the twins he had known their entire lives, and well too his heart was full of grief for the loss of Vyakles , his friend, mentor and king, however he had a job to do. So he spoke once more, his deep voice filling the room. "As for those dogs of Thebes, they have all retreated back through the western gate. Our army has now surround the city and sealed off the seven gates. We have ordered our eastern herds of sheep and cattle to be drawn closer to our troops encampment, for all shall be entrenched for 40 days."
"Only forty days War Councilor Vasha?" King Therakles said as both he and his sister, Queen Sparta looked at each other in unison and disbelief.
"Surely we shall require a longer period than that." she added.
"Were it Spring or Summer, yes, but this is the dead of winter and with no fresh supply of food or wine, their water source frozen, forty days should be the required amount of time to starve out the population and reduce the city to a heap of burning rubble and ash."
Starvation, Queen Sparta thought for she had not eaten in hours, but this thought along with the rumbling in her belly was sated as she witnessed trays of dried figs, and dates, fresh baked wheat berry bread, warm honey and butter, hard boiled eggs, baked goat cheese with roasted almonds, hot cider mulled with spices being brought out as refreshments for the thirty people gathered together there for the urgent meeting. "Tell us more." Queen Sparta beseeching War Councilor Vasha as she helped herself to the delicious fare brought forth by the servants of the kitchens of the royal palace.
"There is one matter I must bring to your attention." Vasha spoke his black eyes appearing to grow dimmer.
"Do tell." King Therakles said as he too helped himself to the sweet figs.
"We have been sent a message from inside the city.., from the Queen of Thebes." War Councilor La Quint spoke up with the information he had received.
"A message from the Queen?" the twins both said in unison in astonishment.
"She entreats you to permit the women and children to be allowed to travel to Thrace where they have been offered refuge and exile." War Councilor La Quint explained "Pray, how are we to deal with the wives and children of our enemy?"
Now all who were gathered before the newly crowned King and Queen were amazed to see Sparta leap to her feet with fire in her eyes as she did speak, telling them in a loud clear voice of determination. "Relay to Queen Ashlin, that we will allow the women and children to come forth from the city.., only under one condition." she paused for dramatic effect as her brother sat there wondering and waiting. "They shall be taken by our troops and sold into slavery to the Persians and Assyrians"
"Sold into slavery..," King Therakles wondered thinking what a fortune in gold could be procured by the sale; which meant newer better weapons for the army and new ships for the naval fleet.
"I do not believe that corpulent, old queen will take too kindly to this offer!" Queen Sparta laughed. Then a wave of anger came quickly across her face as the rage of hate burned bright from her eyes singeing her words with righteous indignation. "No, there shall be no escape from the pain of starvation and death for those citizens of Thebes, whom have allied themselves with those barbarians from the north! NO! Thebes, and her people, will be utterly destroyed, for we shall burn their empire down!" Queen Sparta's voice rising in a crescendo of anger and fury. "King Vyakles sent us out on this, his last, mission to destroy Thebes and her people, annihilate them wholly, completely."
Here King Therakles stood next to his sister declaring to the War Council "Our rule shall begin with this order, call up three thousand troops, dispatch them post haste to replace those front line fighters, so they may be recalled for seven days, for the benefit of our brave warriors who have defeated our enemies this day. Bringing a great joy to our hearts on this, so mournful a day." King Therakles smiled well pleased with the outcome of the long battle. "We shall take care to send out lashings of beer, but our warriors shall take no wine until the city is destroyed. Also we shall allow the hetairai to be sent out in seven days time for the entertainment of our lonely soldiers, this shall be permitted for three days, and three days only"
"Yes Sire, we shall send out word and make it so." War Councilor Vasha replied eyeing the young monarch, who sat himself back down upon his throne, happy to see Therakles taking on his new role as the king with due diligence and with much seriousness.
"And the Gameon festival, the marriage ceremonies?" War Councilor Zaron inquired.
"Ah yes..," King Therakles paused remembering they had all been delayed by battle. "We shall have to proceed with the festival during the ides of February when our fighting men shall thus return."
"King Therakles, the festival has never been postponed." he replied fearful this would be of great offense to Zeus and Hera.
"Well, War Councilor Zaron, our army has never been forced to wage war in the middle of winter either, but we all must adapted to the change." King Therakles retorted displeased by the tone of impudence in the old man's words.
"Now..," Queen Sparta spoke sitting herself down next to her brother with a somber expression saying "I do not have to remind anyone here, gentlemen, these are the hours of our grief and sadness, and therefore we must part company, for now, as the duties of our father's funeral weigh heavy on hearts and minds for this is the time of our great and tragic loss. You here, who have lived the story of our short lives with us, who knew our mother and father, who brought us up into this world, teaching us, guiding us, as if we were of your own flesh and blood, we are blessed among all the people, for the gods and goddesses have seen fit to bestow upon our Royal Person the friendship and love you yourselves have bestowed upon us, lo these many years. Thanks be to you all gathered for the sake of our sacred and ancient city, blessed are you who give us wise council. For the love of the departed, our brave and noble King Vyakles, our own father, flesh of his flesh blood of his blood, whom have the veil of mourning draped across our backs, heavy with grief in our hearts. Heretofore we must go now, before the citizens of this honorable nation, whom have loved and worshiped our father, for their spirits are wrought with anguish, as our own hearts, where Sadness and Despair have found a warm home to curl up together." all the men and women gathered together there stood before King Therakles and Queen Sparta and those who did know them all their lives, and all those who did know the twins mother and father, were struck by the likeness of the former King Vyakles and Queen Thera. Many stared long and hard for they, themselves, could not believe their eyes, for the two monarchs were the living, vivid image of their parents. This served as sign unto the War Councilors, and the servants of the Palace, that better days lay ahead of the ancient city and her people, but today was a day of somber reflection, for death had come and stolen away the life of their beloved king. So it was the people began lining the streets once more gathering first at the Temple of Hades where the body of King Vyakles was clothed in his armor upon the altar, shield in hand sword at his side, where gifts of votive offerings were piled high, treasure to be sealed up with him in his tomb forever, gold, silver, wine, food. Here the people watched and waited for the arrival of Queen Sparta and King Therakles, anticipating the eulogy as the women gathered weeping over the sight of the lifeless body of him whom they all held in the highest regard.
"Only forty days War Councilor Vasha?" King Therakles said as both he and his sister, Queen Sparta looked at each other in unison and disbelief.
"Surely we shall require a longer period than that." she added.
"Were it Spring or Summer, yes, but this is the dead of winter and with no fresh supply of food or wine, their water source frozen, forty days should be the required amount of time to starve out the population and reduce the city to a heap of burning rubble and ash."
Starvation, Queen Sparta thought for she had not eaten in hours, but this thought along with the rumbling in her belly was sated as she witnessed trays of dried figs, and dates, fresh baked wheat berry bread, warm honey and butter, hard boiled eggs, baked goat cheese with roasted almonds, hot cider mulled with spices being brought out as refreshments for the thirty people gathered together there for the urgent meeting. "Tell us more." Queen Sparta beseeching War Councilor Vasha as she helped herself to the delicious fare brought forth by the servants of the kitchens of the royal palace.
"There is one matter I must bring to your attention." Vasha spoke his black eyes appearing to grow dimmer.
"Do tell." King Therakles said as he too helped himself to the sweet figs.
"We have been sent a message from inside the city.., from the Queen of Thebes." War Councilor La Quint spoke up with the information he had received.
"A message from the Queen?" the twins both said in unison in astonishment.
"She entreats you to permit the women and children to be allowed to travel to Thrace where they have been offered refuge and exile." War Councilor La Quint explained "Pray, how are we to deal with the wives and children of our enemy?"
Now all who were gathered before the newly crowned King and Queen were amazed to see Sparta leap to her feet with fire in her eyes as she did speak, telling them in a loud clear voice of determination. "Relay to Queen Ashlin, that we will allow the women and children to come forth from the city.., only under one condition." she paused for dramatic effect as her brother sat there wondering and waiting. "They shall be taken by our troops and sold into slavery to the Persians and Assyrians"
"Sold into slavery..," King Therakles wondered thinking what a fortune in gold could be procured by the sale; which meant newer better weapons for the army and new ships for the naval fleet.
"I do not believe that corpulent, old queen will take too kindly to this offer!" Queen Sparta laughed. Then a wave of anger came quickly across her face as the rage of hate burned bright from her eyes singeing her words with righteous indignation. "No, there shall be no escape from the pain of starvation and death for those citizens of Thebes, whom have allied themselves with those barbarians from the north! NO! Thebes, and her people, will be utterly destroyed, for we shall burn their empire down!" Queen Sparta's voice rising in a crescendo of anger and fury. "King Vyakles sent us out on this, his last, mission to destroy Thebes and her people, annihilate them wholly, completely."
Here King Therakles stood next to his sister declaring to the War Council "Our rule shall begin with this order, call up three thousand troops, dispatch them post haste to replace those front line fighters, so they may be recalled for seven days, for the benefit of our brave warriors who have defeated our enemies this day. Bringing a great joy to our hearts on this, so mournful a day." King Therakles smiled well pleased with the outcome of the long battle. "We shall take care to send out lashings of beer, but our warriors shall take no wine until the city is destroyed. Also we shall allow the hetairai to be sent out in seven days time for the entertainment of our lonely soldiers, this shall be permitted for three days, and three days only"
"Yes Sire, we shall send out word and make it so." War Councilor Vasha replied eyeing the young monarch, who sat himself back down upon his throne, happy to see Therakles taking on his new role as the king with due diligence and with much seriousness.
"And the Gameon festival, the marriage ceremonies?" War Councilor Zaron inquired.
"Ah yes..," King Therakles paused remembering they had all been delayed by battle. "We shall have to proceed with the festival during the ides of February when our fighting men shall thus return."
"King Therakles, the festival has never been postponed." he replied fearful this would be of great offense to Zeus and Hera.
"Well, War Councilor Zaron, our army has never been forced to wage war in the middle of winter either, but we all must adapted to the change." King Therakles retorted displeased by the tone of impudence in the old man's words.
"Now..," Queen Sparta spoke sitting herself down next to her brother with a somber expression saying "I do not have to remind anyone here, gentlemen, these are the hours of our grief and sadness, and therefore we must part company, for now, as the duties of our father's funeral weigh heavy on hearts and minds for this is the time of our great and tragic loss. You here, who have lived the story of our short lives with us, who knew our mother and father, who brought us up into this world, teaching us, guiding us, as if we were of your own flesh and blood, we are blessed among all the people, for the gods and goddesses have seen fit to bestow upon our Royal Person the friendship and love you yourselves have bestowed upon us, lo these many years. Thanks be to you all gathered for the sake of our sacred and ancient city, blessed are you who give us wise council. For the love of the departed, our brave and noble King Vyakles, our own father, flesh of his flesh blood of his blood, whom have the veil of mourning draped across our backs, heavy with grief in our hearts. Heretofore we must go now, before the citizens of this honorable nation, whom have loved and worshiped our father, for their spirits are wrought with anguish, as our own hearts, where Sadness and Despair have found a warm home to curl up together." all the men and women gathered together there stood before King Therakles and Queen Sparta and those who did know them all their lives, and all those who did know the twins mother and father, were struck by the likeness of the former King Vyakles and Queen Thera. Many stared long and hard for they, themselves, could not believe their eyes, for the two monarchs were the living, vivid image of their parents. This served as sign unto the War Councilors, and the servants of the Palace, that better days lay ahead of the ancient city and her people, but today was a day of somber reflection, for death had come and stolen away the life of their beloved king. So it was the people began lining the streets once more gathering first at the Temple of Hades where the body of King Vyakles was clothed in his armor upon the altar, shield in hand sword at his side, where gifts of votive offerings were piled high, treasure to be sealed up with him in his tomb forever, gold, silver, wine, food. Here the people watched and waited for the arrival of Queen Sparta and King Therakles, anticipating the eulogy as the women gathered weeping over the sight of the lifeless body of him whom they all held in the highest regard.
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