Chapter 13 begins

     Quickly then the Queen and King of Sparta called their Chiefs to the War Council, the din of their concerned voices, loud shouts, echoing off of the thick stone walls of the noise filled chamber. For the news from the Athenian delegates was quite troubling. Queen Sparta, herself, glared down at them, flames of anger flickering in her eyes. From her royal throne, seated next to her brother, she spoke in a loud, clear voice quieting all the people in the large room gathered together there.

     "This new request.., is completely UNACCEPTABLE!" she hissed back at the emissaries who tried not to look directly in her eyes as an spoken rule.
     "The fact remains.., the city walls have fallen, Amphipolis is over run with the Macedonian Horde. The mountains overtaken, the mines and her slave population are now fully under the control of Phillip and his army." one of the elder statesmen spoke up.
     "It is too late to send forth our troops now." King Therakles replied.
     "We require additional troops, more than the 7,000 on offer, to re-take the city and seize back control of the gold and silver mines." the Athenian retorted.
     "Re-take the city, occupied by 30,000 well armed and well fed Macedonian soldiers? This sounds like a Thracian and Athenian problem now; which, ultimately, requires a Thracian and Athenian solution." the young King said re-stating his position.
    "The addition of 25,000 Spartan warriors shall tip the balance of power in our favor." another of the emissaries explained.
     "This was not our agreement!" Queen Sparta shouted her face growing red with frustration as her scribes seated next to her on the floor took down every word of the meeting. "And now you say our troops will engage in the land battle ALONE, whilst the Athenians sit safely aboard their ships, snug in the harbor, supplying our troops with food and water. All the while my men will fight and die for an Athenian Ally; which lies in the Kingdom of Thrace, Spartans hated Nation. No.., what your masters ask of, is in a word, INSANE!"
     "Did not Athens send forth her troops in support of your campaign against Thebes, Allies of the King  Macedon, did not our men give up their lives for your Spartan cause?" the elder statesman questioned the Queen.
     "First of all.., the destruction of Thebes was mutually beneficial to BOTH our nations. We sent a clear message and answer to Phillip! Whom, now, would not DARE to set even one of his horses hooves in the Peloponnese! Secondly.., Athens only sent forth a few thousand men; which is all that was required, no more,  no less! Thirdly!" Queen Sparta stood to her feet stepping down and standing in front of the aged Athenian dignitary saying "You over step the boundaries of your limited power. Who are you to question Royalty?"
     "Now, then..," King Therakles said in a calm tone hoping his sister would sit back down "let us say, hypothetically, if we supplied the land forces Athens requires, what does our Great Nation of Sparta profit?"
     "Half of the mines out put, for decades, will be delivered into your treasury." here, with this information, the Athenian diplomatic corp, gathered in the court of the Crimson King and Queen, were astonished to hear, as the response, much laughter filling the hall and the lungs of the Greeks.
     "No." King Therakles answered.
     "No?" the emissary asked.
     "No!" Queen Sparta shouted in his face her hot breath upon his cheek. Then she gave a look as serious as the grave saying "You look confused, or perhaps this is just a natural trait. Go, tell your masters the lives of our warriors are more precious than any amount of gold." here she retreated back to her seated position upon her throne as her brother spoke further on the matter.                                                                        
     "Alert your generals.., for they must commit 15,000 land troops combined with our 25,000 in a united offense against the Macedonians. If they do not agree to this pact, then Athens will be left on her own."
     "Verily I shall deliver your message, however, before I go, there is a bit of good news to report from the front lines." the Athenian, whom had traveled back and forth between nations many times, spoke up with a little wicked smile.
     "GOOD NEWS!? Why that is something we hardly ever hear from you!" Queen Sparta quipped to the amusement of herself and her war councilors. "Go on then, shed some light on the situation.