Chapter 9 begins

     In the weeks that followed Queen Sparta, true to her word, did bring forth many young, eligible women of royal and noble blood from the lands of Elis, Arkadia, Argolid, Messenia, Achaia, Lokris, Attica, Athens, Scythia, Dardina and Illyria. All of whom sought out the hand of King Therakles in marriage, many came baring more than just their pledge in troth. For each was more beautiful than the next and all were in close competition with one another for the affection of the King of Sparta, however of these women he only found sport and this left his sister Queen Sparta quite vexed. So it was her brother refused to commit to any of the princesses gathered their for his sake as well as their own. He would complain to Queen Sparta when she pressed him on the issue of his lack of interest stating "This one is too loud, this one is too plain, this one drinks too much, this one had an odor, or he would proclaim the last one had an unpleasing hair color, the next he did not like her smile, the other was too wanton, openly flirting with his guards, or too whorish, or too prudish, or too needy and always wanting constant praise and affirmations. King Therakles complained about two sisters whom he had seduced the first to his bedchamber then, having seen her out at dawn came back to his bed to find her place had been filled by her younger sister even while the blankets were still warm. Now of all this and the more lurid tales of the courtships only made her stomach turn, for it would appear to her and all her loyal countrymen that Queen Sparta was failing at the task of finding a suitable mate to bare a legitimate male heir to the the throne of Laconia. Deep in distress she relied on the hope of her last chance at a match with the arrival of Princess Gianna from Rome.

     It was at the end of the third week, when many suits had been put forth unto King Therakles in the courtship of marriage, unsuccessfully, so he did bid all the young and lovely ladies to return to their homes and he was truly glad to be rid of them, for the duties of Ruler of a Nation are vast, varied and plenty. So it was he set himself back on track to focus on matters of both State and Religious, for twas his duty and birthright. Whereupon dawn, the following day, Queen Sparta, having finished her morning military exercises at the garrison, sought out her brother for a further explanation of his rampant dissatisfaction with the women she had hand selected for his matrimony. So she found him at the Temple of Hera, wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage, where he had newly sacrificed a pure white lamb whose blood now stained its wool and the altar as her brother wiped the blade of his sacrificial knife on the back of the dead animal, here she called out to him. "Brother Therakles. My King, your Worship! My Liege!" she beckoned to him with her hand and a sweet smile "Come, will you stop a moment for a few words with me?"
     "Sister, dearest most beloved Queen, pray what words do require of me?" he asked with a gleam in his eyes.
     "Pray the truth of the matter. Will you not be open and honest with me, pray tell me the true reason you have thusly rejected each of these women.., whom have shown you nothing but love and affection, what is the real reason?'
     Here he paused placing the knife back in the small sheath at his side as he sighed "Dearest sweetheart, whom I so adore and worship, I, myself, am most humbled by your love and faithful guidance in this matter, for your attempts are most gracious to trouble yourself with the procurement of a bride, a mother to my heir.., yet it is true each one have certain charms and delights of the flesh..,"
     "However..?" Queen Sparta spoke that most hated word.
     "However.., when I gazed into the future at Delphi, as I have told you, I saw the face of my wife, the mother of my children, and I have seen her face a thousand times every night in my dreams when I am fast asleep. Of all the maidens brought forth, of her face I did not see." he said with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
     "There remains one woman I have yet to bring forth, for she is traveling across the sea and soon she will come and then we shall see." Queen Sparta said giving her brother a warm hug. Here this tender scene was interrupted when a messenger came post haste from the palace with news of great importance.
     "My King! My Queen!" came the breathless call.
     "What news do you bring forth so early this warm morning? Pray tell, catch your breath and speak!" Queen Sparta entreated the red faced boy.
     "The Emperor Gaius Cyrillus of Rome awaits the pleasure of your company aboard his ship moored at the mouth of the River Eurotas.Where Princess Gianna anxiously desires to meet with King Therakles and Queen Sparta to discuss the matter of marriage and the hopes of the establishment of a Universal Peace Treaty."
     "Excellent news!" Queen Sparta exclaimed her eyes clear and bright her face exuding a light of delight as she smiled "Come my brother let us away to the palace and don our robes of gold and splendor arrayed in our gleaming crowns for we shall present ourselves to our Imperial neighbor to the west, for we shall soon meet with the Emperor of Rome and see if his noble daughter is the woman of your foreseen destiny. Let us go together and see, for ourselves, my Great and Glorious King!