There her brother stood fully vexed, eyes wide, nostrils flared with a deep furrowed brow which he wore upon his forehead like a frown as he stated "You can not just up and leave the city without notifying me of your intent!"
"What for? I cleared this private time with the Minister of Protocol and have made my whereabouts know to Captain Brittas, I am here in the company of my guards, as you have seen. Perhaps I am at fault.., for I had not taken into consideration that you believe the Queen must seek the King's permission to travel a short distance from our homeland."
"It is not my permission that is required, I am only concerned with your safety and well being." her brother retorted.
Here Queen Sparta's guards, out of sight of the King, overhearing clearly, felt slighted and insulted, for the safety, security and protection of their Queen was their skilled profession, of which they were highly trained. Sparta herself felt the insult to her men and she responded thusly saying "Surely you do not suggest my men are incompetent or lacking in their duties or loyalty?"
"No, no..," he sighed not able to express himself more clearly.
"Then, pray tell me brother, why are you so troubled, perhaps you would prefer that we were joined at the hip so I would never leave your side." his sister laughed, yet her brother was, sorely, not amused and the scowl on his face was further proof. "Tut, tut, surely you understand I speak only in jest." Sparta smiled trying to lighten up the mood. "For what true reason have you come to find me? Or have you ridden, all these long hours in the saddle, out here just to admonish me from riding, all these long hours in the saddle, out here?"
"I am preparing a ship for you and I to travel on pilgrimage to Delphi, to seek guidance from the Oracle and her Ephors. For I am excited and desirous to know what the future holds. WE shall make a six week journey together, to seek favor from Apollo at his temple. In hopes of good omens." he paused seeing no excitement in his sisters bright green eyes as she stood hands on hips in frustration, so he asked plainly "Or could it be.., you no longer have any interest in the mysteries of life, and our future together?"
So it was, Religion was a sore subject between the two, and without hesitation his sister said in a judgemental tone "Oh you, and your sacred mystics, many of whom practice curious, dark arts, who pour over those books of mystery of whom you hang on every word they impart, seeking signs through blood sacrifice and burnt offerings. You busy yourself, night and day, focused solely on divining the future. Whereas my concern lies with the might of military victories here and now. You choose to console yourself, your grief, with your priests and ephors.., that is your choice, I choose to decide to console myself with my vast Army and War." she looked into his dark eyes stroking his newly grown beard, telling him "You live to worship, I live to fight." she gently smiled whispering "You have become obsessed with the Cult of Apollo and Artemis.., or can it be the beautiful young acolytes of the temple you find to your Holy delight?"
"Oh, dearest sister, do not put my soul to torture, let us be of one heart and mind." he took her hand in his, her long copper colored hair blowing gently across her shoulders.
"You rely too much on the intervention of the gods, my brother. I ask.., do not our citizens, each single one of them, man and woman, are they not able to show themselves as the rightful ruler, and owner, of their person, and do so, moreover, with exceptional grace and versatility? So, it is true, amongst our people, that so worship, and believe in the gods and goddesses, as we have all been taught.., then pray tell me, to whom do the gods themselves believe?"
Her brother Therakles smiled sweetly with this reply."Why my dearest, darling, sweetheart, they believe in you." then he kissed the back of her hand.
To which she continued on her discourse "Go on your journey, yet I will stay a little while, for you must go and satisfy the thirst you have for knowledge of the future, I can not concern myself with this mystery which compels you thusly. While I prefer to live in the time and events of now. I prefer to observe the sacredness of the present moment, my thoughts do not turn to the contemplation of signs and omens. Strange it is, you focus your thoughts upon divination, kneeling at the silver shrines of even the littlest goddess, spilling blood upon golden altars." Sparta sighed, for her worship was at the unadorned altar in the temple dedicated to the Unknown God, he was a Mystery Deity to the Greeks, unnamed, yet powerful, Over Lord of the Fates and Destiny. Without a huge following, save for a tiny cult loyal to his worship, and caretakers of his temples. So it was to him, that Sparta surrendered her prayers and cares and concerns for the future, trusting in his divine decision. All left in the hands of the God that she knew not, yet worshiped faithfully, so that she might live her life free of worry and regrets for the future and the past.
Yet her dearest, learned brother, preferred for her to worship alongside him in the temples of his choosing, for the gods he worshiped were far more illustrious and glamorous, dwelling in their opulent golden temples; which Sparta saw as nothing more than earthly palaces for the gods and goddesses, and less as a pure, simple place to worship. So therein lie a great division between them, unspoken of until this very warm spring morning. For Sparta was made to suffer, for many years, her brothers jealousy and constant involvement in her life, both spiritual and physical, yet she could not abide by her brother dictating to her the manner of worship, and to which god she should bow, or not bow down, before. So she defended her rights as a faithful servant to all the gods. "I beseech you to open up your ears and hear me, listen and learn, oh brother, for I shall not be afraid to speak openly the truth, for I can no longer hold my peace on this matter, for you so antagonize me with my constant failings" Queen Sparta paused sending up a silent prayer to the Unknown God, that he would allow her to select the best words to convey her oppression and displeasure her brother had created within her spirit, his negativity infecting her like a virus. Yet she did not wish for her speech to be ill effective with any verbal or mental abuse, for she loved her brother and would take a knife to the heart to save him. So she bade her token God to speak through her and loosen her tongue in such a manner as to edify and not to offend.
"What for? I cleared this private time with the Minister of Protocol and have made my whereabouts know to Captain Brittas, I am here in the company of my guards, as you have seen. Perhaps I am at fault.., for I had not taken into consideration that you believe the Queen must seek the King's permission to travel a short distance from our homeland."
"It is not my permission that is required, I am only concerned with your safety and well being." her brother retorted.
Here Queen Sparta's guards, out of sight of the King, overhearing clearly, felt slighted and insulted, for the safety, security and protection of their Queen was their skilled profession, of which they were highly trained. Sparta herself felt the insult to her men and she responded thusly saying "Surely you do not suggest my men are incompetent or lacking in their duties or loyalty?"
"No, no..," he sighed not able to express himself more clearly.
"Then, pray tell me brother, why are you so troubled, perhaps you would prefer that we were joined at the hip so I would never leave your side." his sister laughed, yet her brother was, sorely, not amused and the scowl on his face was further proof. "Tut, tut, surely you understand I speak only in jest." Sparta smiled trying to lighten up the mood. "For what true reason have you come to find me? Or have you ridden, all these long hours in the saddle, out here just to admonish me from riding, all these long hours in the saddle, out here?"
"I am preparing a ship for you and I to travel on pilgrimage to Delphi, to seek guidance from the Oracle and her Ephors. For I am excited and desirous to know what the future holds. WE shall make a six week journey together, to seek favor from Apollo at his temple. In hopes of good omens." he paused seeing no excitement in his sisters bright green eyes as she stood hands on hips in frustration, so he asked plainly "Or could it be.., you no longer have any interest in the mysteries of life, and our future together?"
So it was, Religion was a sore subject between the two, and without hesitation his sister said in a judgemental tone "Oh you, and your sacred mystics, many of whom practice curious, dark arts, who pour over those books of mystery of whom you hang on every word they impart, seeking signs through blood sacrifice and burnt offerings. You busy yourself, night and day, focused solely on divining the future. Whereas my concern lies with the might of military victories here and now. You choose to console yourself, your grief, with your priests and ephors.., that is your choice, I choose to decide to console myself with my vast Army and War." she looked into his dark eyes stroking his newly grown beard, telling him "You live to worship, I live to fight." she gently smiled whispering "You have become obsessed with the Cult of Apollo and Artemis.., or can it be the beautiful young acolytes of the temple you find to your Holy delight?"
"Oh, dearest sister, do not put my soul to torture, let us be of one heart and mind." he took her hand in his, her long copper colored hair blowing gently across her shoulders.
"You rely too much on the intervention of the gods, my brother. I ask.., do not our citizens, each single one of them, man and woman, are they not able to show themselves as the rightful ruler, and owner, of their person, and do so, moreover, with exceptional grace and versatility? So, it is true, amongst our people, that so worship, and believe in the gods and goddesses, as we have all been taught.., then pray tell me, to whom do the gods themselves believe?"
Her brother Therakles smiled sweetly with this reply."Why my dearest, darling, sweetheart, they believe in you." then he kissed the back of her hand.
To which she continued on her discourse "Go on your journey, yet I will stay a little while, for you must go and satisfy the thirst you have for knowledge of the future, I can not concern myself with this mystery which compels you thusly. While I prefer to live in the time and events of now. I prefer to observe the sacredness of the present moment, my thoughts do not turn to the contemplation of signs and omens. Strange it is, you focus your thoughts upon divination, kneeling at the silver shrines of even the littlest goddess, spilling blood upon golden altars." Sparta sighed, for her worship was at the unadorned altar in the temple dedicated to the Unknown God, he was a Mystery Deity to the Greeks, unnamed, yet powerful, Over Lord of the Fates and Destiny. Without a huge following, save for a tiny cult loyal to his worship, and caretakers of his temples. So it was to him, that Sparta surrendered her prayers and cares and concerns for the future, trusting in his divine decision. All left in the hands of the God that she knew not, yet worshiped faithfully, so that she might live her life free of worry and regrets for the future and the past.
Yet her dearest, learned brother, preferred for her to worship alongside him in the temples of his choosing, for the gods he worshiped were far more illustrious and glamorous, dwelling in their opulent golden temples; which Sparta saw as nothing more than earthly palaces for the gods and goddesses, and less as a pure, simple place to worship. So therein lie a great division between them, unspoken of until this very warm spring morning. For Sparta was made to suffer, for many years, her brothers jealousy and constant involvement in her life, both spiritual and physical, yet she could not abide by her brother dictating to her the manner of worship, and to which god she should bow, or not bow down, before. So she defended her rights as a faithful servant to all the gods. "I beseech you to open up your ears and hear me, listen and learn, oh brother, for I shall not be afraid to speak openly the truth, for I can no longer hold my peace on this matter, for you so antagonize me with my constant failings" Queen Sparta paused sending up a silent prayer to the Unknown God, that he would allow her to select the best words to convey her oppression and displeasure her brother had created within her spirit, his negativity infecting her like a virus. Yet she did not wish for her speech to be ill effective with any verbal or mental abuse, for she loved her brother and would take a knife to the heart to save him. So she bade her token God to speak through her and loosen her tongue in such a manner as to edify and not to offend.
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