The Argive Ch. 066-070

"Think you can go again in a few minutes?" she asked hungrily, stroking his member once more.

"You would think I've been neglecting you with that kind of hunger," teased Praxis. "Were you really this horny?"

Lysandra giggled. "It was all I could think about that first night on the mountain, especially as we held each other naked. I've been waiting for the right moment to take advantage of it."

"Please take advantage of me all you want," replied Praxis. "I won't ever say no."

Lysandra grinned as she threw her leg over his body. In the process, a small drop of his cum fell from his pussy and landed against his pubic bone. "Oh, I fully intend to take advantage of you as much as I can."

They had sex twice more that evening before Demetrios and Rastus came back. By the time their privacy ended, they'd at least managed to get dressed (although it wasn't like everyone hadn't already seen them naked from earlier).

When Demetrios entered the house, he looked more distraught than he did that morning.

"What's wrong, Demetrios?" asked Praxis. "You look like you've heard terrible news."

"I haven't heard the most promising news," replied Demetrios. "Someone spotted the Spartan army on their way home from Corinth. The city has been razed and captured, and a new king has been installed. Corinth is once more firmly back in the Spartan camp."

Praxis swallowed heavily as he thought about Corinth and his friends in the city. "Any news about King Cypselus? What happened to him?"

"I don't know, Praxis, but I doubt it's very good news if there's already a new king," replied Demetrios, shaking his head.

That was true enough, and Praxis began to wonder if Cypselus might have gotten away. What about Agemon? Had he gotten away or perished in the fight?

What was the chance that both of his friends were now dead?

"From what it seems, the Spartans have near total control of the Peloponnese," said Demetrios. "Only Messenia and Elis exist outside Spartan control. These are dark days for Greece. I fear what would happen if both of those states fell."

"We would enter a new dark age," whispered Lysandra as she looked at Praxis. "And I'm scared of what would happen to us in the process."

"It won't happen if I have anything to say about it," vowed Praxis. "The Spartans are owed a reckoning. I intend to give it to them."

Chapter 68: Goodbye, Demetrios

The next morning, Praxis and Lysandra had a hard conversation about their future in the village, one where they had to be realistic about the situation in front of them. Both of them had time to express their thoughts, but it was Lysandra who summed it up nicely near the end of the conversation.

"So we're going to have to leave the village, at least for our own long-term safety," she said while sitting on the edge of the bed. "While Demetrios has been wonderful, we don't know what Medios could do to get even with us. There's also the fact that we still put them in jeopardy if the Spartan army ever comes back this way. So for their safety and ours, we need to leave."

"And there's really only one destination," added Praxis. "Messenia. Where we can find my father. And perhaps talk them into resisting the Spartans."

Lysandra let out a deep sigh. "Both of those tasks sound impossible. I'd almost rather face the trials again."

Praxis smiled. "Nothing's impossible as long as we stick together. We got through three trials, right? All we're doing now is starting another."

Lysandra shot him a dirty look. "And then can we go forget about the world and lay on the beach somewhere?"

Praxis started to laugh. "Sure, as long as we survive."

"Always so chipper, aren't you?"

Praxis tickled her sides which quickly made her give up. "I surrender! Is this how you treat the woman you love?"

"It's exactly how I treat the woman I love. Don't pretend you don't enjoy it."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You're impossible."

Despite the playfulness of the encounter, their hearts were still heavy when the time came to break the news to Demetrios and Rastus. They spent a few moments gathering their things before appearing in the other room. To his credit, Demetrios figured it out immediately.

"You're not staying," he said with a sad look.

"It's the best option we have," replied Lysandra. "For our safety and for yours, we need to go."

"Where will you go?" asked Demetrios. "Messenia?"

"Messenia seems like the best place," answered Praxis. "If my father is still alive, we'll find him there. And if Messenia is the only state strong enough to still challenge Spartan power, maybe it's the best springboard for freeing the Peloponnese."

"And it sure would be nice to see Argos again someday," added Lysandra wistfully.

"I don't blame you for your choices," said Demetrios. "But I will miss you. We both will, won't we, Rastus?"

Rastus said nothing to that. Instead, he bounded out of his chair and gave both of them a long hug.

"I think Rastus said it the best," added Demetrios, chuckling.

It took nearly fifteen minutes before all the goodbyes had been said. While Praxis and Lysandra weren't leaving with much, there was one item that Demetrios insisted they take.

"My spear," said Demetrios, pushing it into Praxis' hands. "You did well with it in your encounter with the wolf. Like I promised you, I want you to have it."

Praxis took it willingly, letting his fingers curl around the staff. "I learned a new way of fighting thanks to this spear. I'd be honored to carry it with me. Just a little reminder of our time spent with you."

Demetrios patted his shoulders like a doting grandparent. After many embraces and a few tears, it was time to get moving. They opened the door to the house and stepped outside, feeling the cool morning air.

"You'll want to find the closest road going west as soon as you can," advised Demetrios. "Go west until you come to the next mountain chain and then go south until you hit the road. Follow it directly to Messene but stay on it. Western Arcadia is full of bandits. Not that you can't handle it but I don't want to see any harm come to you if we can avoid it."

Praxis repeated the instructions and then nodded his head. "It was a pleasure, Demetrios. We'll see you again someday."

"Good luck to both of you," replied the old man. "And give my best to your father when you find him. Because I know you will."

With one last wave, Praxis and Lysandra set off. They moved to the south around the village, not wanting to chance another encounter with Medios. Once they reached the opposite side of the village, Praxis turned around and looked down on it.

"It's getting old constantly leaving the places we know," he said aloud. "One day, I hope to find a home that we never have to leave again."

Lysandra smiled sadly. "One day, we'll get there. But for now, we'll keep moving."

"To Messene?" asked Praxis.

"To Messene. Let's go before I change my mind."

Praxis chuckled and they set off with a course to the horizon.

*****

Cora couldn't stop laughing. "Agemon, you're a total brute! I can't believe you did that to the poor man!"

Just beside her, Agemon was howling with laughter as he recounted the tale. "I certainly did. He'd been stealing from me for months so he got what he deserved. Frankly, he's lucky it was only a bucket of goat shit and nothing more but I know he'll never forget what it smelled like!"

Cora doubled over and clutched her chest. "Goodness, that's too funny! I want to hear more of your stories!"

Agemon beamed with a grin. In the past week, the tension between him and Cora had thawed to a noticeable degree. Whereas Agemon used to stutter when talking to her, he now found that he really enjoyed his time with Cora, and he realized that she was the perfect confidante.

Cora didn't judge him for his thoughts or his previous actions. She was an incredible listener, even staying up most nights as he droned on about everything and anything. And she also shared the details about her own life as well.

It only made his crush on her grow. Instead of just a physical crush, driven by Cora's appearance, there was a deeper part to it now as well. She was just an incredible person, and he wanted her now more than ever.

The great thing about it was that Cora seemed to reflect his feelings as well. At least, as far as he could tell. There had been no repeats of that first night and the kiss but there had been many looks of longing, on her side as well as his. Agemon thought it was only a matter of time before they took the next step together.

"Oh, Agemon, you're a riot," said Cora finally, giving him a glance of her perfect smile. "You know, there's one thing I can't quite figure out about you."

"What's that, Cora?"

Her eyes rolled upward in thought. "How is it that a guy like you--big, strong, funny, and attentive--doesn't have a woman to call his own? I can't figure it out and it drives me nuts."

Agemon swallowed heavily. He didn't expect such a direct question from her and it brought back some of his nerves.

"It just never happened, I guess. I mean, there were women in the past but nothing that was too serious. Most of them didn't have the same opinion as you."

Cora's mouth fell open. "You mean they couldn't see what a gem you are?"

Agemon snorted. "I don't know that I would use the word gem. Most of them would use that word you said earlier. Brute."

It was like Cora took that offensively. She stiffened as her eyebrows drew in tight. "That's not right at all. You're a good man, Agemon. And I see a side of you that I don't think many others do."

"They had a point. I can be quick to anger and I didn't always show off my best side. Most of my prominent relationships and even friendships started off on the wrong foot. It's just what you get with me, I suppose."

Cora leaned against him. "Well for the record, I think those women had gotten it all wrong. I think you're a catch, even if you don't know it."

Agemon didn't know what to say to that, especially with the contact against his shoulder. More than anything, he wanted to put his arm around her and kiss her but what if she reacted badly to that? What if he was overstepping himself? Damnit, women were too complex! How come it wasn't easy like learning to swing a sword?

Thankfully for him, Cora kept talking. "I had a man once. Just once though. He wasn't anything like you though. In hindsight, I should have never given him the time of day but in the beginning, he was an attractive man to look at and I was happy just to have the attention. He was the kind of man that always knew the right thing to say. I realized only later on that there was nothing of substance to him."

"How did it end?" asked Agemon.

"Once he got what he wanted," she admitted. "I... slept with him. Big mistake. As soon as the deed was done, he wouldn't even look at me. It was like I was yesterday's news. The next time I saw him, he acted like he barely knew me. He was already onto the next girl and I learned a valuable lesson that day. Watch out for the ones that are too smooth. I've avoided them ever since."

Cora scooted closer to him. "Truthfully, that's why I like you so much, Agemon. If there's one thing you're not, it's smooth."

Agemon felt his face reddening at that remark. He became anxious again but he soon felt Cora's hand against his cheek.

"Don't be embarrassed by that. I don't mean that in a bad way," she whispered. "I like that you always seem nervous around me. Truthfully, I feel nervous around you. If you always had the right thing to say, I think I'd be more worried but I like that you feel nervous around me. It tells me that you're... genuine."

Agemon looked confused. "You didn't think I was being genuine with you?"

Cora shrugged. "I didn't know at first. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt but you're Agemon. There's no one in Corinth that doesn't know your name! I didn't know what kind of man you might be but now I'm beginning to see the kind of man you are."

Cora slid closer to him until she was practically in his lap. Agemon was nearly panting by the time she put her arms around his shoulders.

"And I'm really liking the man I see," she whispered before leaning in to kiss him.

This was no peck on the cheek like their earlier encounter. This kiss was full of heat--the kind of heat that took Agemon by surprise. That still didn't stop him from wrapping his arms around her, fulfilling a notion that he'd thought about many lonely nights.

Cora moaned in his mouth once she felt the warmth of his embrace.

"Oh, Agemon, I like you more each day," she whispered against his lips.

"I like you too, Cora. Sometimes too much, I think."

She smiled at him. "I want to do something with you that I haven't done in a long time. A very long time."

Cora wiggled her eyebrows at him, leaving no doubt about what she wanted to do. Agemon's body responded immediately as all his blood headed south.

"Are you sure?" he whispered. "I can understand if you might need more time."

She shook her head at him while maintaining that wonderful, coy smile. "I'm sure. I'm very sure."

That seemed to settle the matter and Cora wasted no time in pushing their beds together. Once that was accomplished, she stood in front of him and peeled off both straps of her dress one at a time before letting it fall to the floor.

Agemon had never seen a more beautiful sight than Cora's fully naked body. Her nipples were stiff in the night air, and she wasted no time in joining her body to his for warmth.

"Make love to me, Agemon," she whispered as her hand wrapped around his cock.

For the next twenty minutes, they made tender, passionate love for the very first time.

Despite Agemon being a refugee from his own land and not knowing when he might see his family or friends again, it was still the best night of his life.

Chapter 69: Zenais

From his vantage point on the downward side of the clearing, Praxis was facing off against his enemy. It was early evening, and already the sun was starting to set on the rocky terrain of the Arcadian highlands. Once again, Praxis was ready for battle.

It was the third day since they left Demetrios' village. They had followed the old healer's advice, traveling the countryside until they reached the next mountain chain before moving south to hit the main road to Messenia.

And still, even being on the road was no guarantee of safety. This part of Arcadia was remote and desolate. Only the hardiest people made this area of Greece their home and with them came the persistent threat of banditry.

So far, Praxis and Lysandra hadn't run into any foul characters but they still had a long way to go to get to Messene, the chief city of Messenia. And right now, Praxis was more consumed with catching their dinner.

That was because the "enemy" that he was staring down was nothing but a simple deer, oblivious to the fact that he was waiting a short distance away, his spear cocked in his arm and ready to throw. The creature grazed on the land without a care in the world, and Praxis knew if he could just keep the element of surprise, they would eat well tonight.

Praxis stalked forward quietly, keeping low to the ground but also keeping his eyes trained on the deer. He was now standing on a small crest with his rear facing toward Praxis. Praxis slowly poked his head up and waited for the deer to turn.

"Come on now. Turn, you bastard," he whispered quietly.

Finally, the gods heard his request. The deer walked a few steps ahead while turning his body, presenting an excellent broadside for him to take advantage of. It was now or never. Raising his spear, Praxis prepared to throw.

But before that could happen, the beast suddenly let out a scream and fell to its side. Praxis' eyes went wide as he watched it flop on the ground, a spear sticking out of itsother side. How in Hades did that happen? Who was on the other side of the ridge?

He didn't have to wait for his answer for very long. Praxis watched quietly as he saw the top of a head appear just below the crest, rising up a few inches with every step. Suddenly, he was looking into the face of a woman as she retrieved her spear from the now-dead deer.

Filled with anger over the stealing of his kill, Praxis rised up to his feet, catching the woman's attention.

"Hey! That was my kill," he yelled to her. "I was about to kill it."

To his surprise, the woman snorted and laughed at him.

"Be quicker next time then," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

Her response did little to calm his anger. Praxis found himself marching closer to her and once he closed the distance, he was able to see her features more clearly.

And he couldn't help but admit that she was a very attractive woman.

The first thing he noticed was the bountiful mane of blonde hair. It reached all the way down her back and nearly to her butt, and it was as thick as it was long. She had piercing, blue eyes--the kind that shined when presented with the backdrop of the sky. She had deep-pink lips and a dainty chin but there was nothing dainty about the way she speared that deer.

The rest of her was no less stunning either. She wasn't wearing a dress but a man's chiton which was noticeably tight across her breasts. It didn't do much for her modesty but she didn't seem like the kind of girl who would care. She had long legs and stood just a tad higher than Lysandra. Just a short distance away, Praxis could see the shield that she had stuck in the ground, as well as a sword that was belted to her waist.

She appeared every inch the backwards warrior, and she had a mouth that matched her prowess with her spear.

"You might as well stop staring," she said while yanking her spear from the deer. "I'm not interested in you."

Praxis gave her a look of indignity. "I wasn't staring at you."

"You were," she insisted. "You were just looking at my tits and then my legs. But I'm telling you again, I'm not interested."

Praxis shook his head. "I'm more interested in the fact that you stole my dinner. I've been stalking this deer for half an hour now."

She actually grinned at him. "Maybe you shouldn't have waited so long then. If your hunting skills weren't so inept, you might have had him much sooner."

"Inept?" growled Praxis. "Coming from the woman who stole it from me, that's rich."

She shrugged and grabbed the hind legs of the beast and prepared to drag him away. "Think whatever you want but I got him fair and square. He's mine tonight. If you try to stop me, I'll use my spear on you next. And as you can tell already, I have excellent aim."

Praxis was ready to tell her just what he thought about that when he heard a voice behind him. Lysandra had caught up and she was now looking at both him and the blonde woman while trying to discern what was going on.

"She stole our dinner," said Praxis. "She waited until the last moment and took him down. So we might be hungry tonight."

As soon as the blonde woman saw Lysandra, she actually stopped, letting the deer down. She put her hands on her hips.

"He's just salty because he was too slow," she said, grinning at Lysandra.

At that moment, Praxis watched as the blonde woman checked out Lysandra in the same manner that he'd just been checking out her. And it was clear by the look in her eyes, there was some attraction there.

Did the blonde only like women?

"It's fine if you caught it on your own," said Lysandra with a resigned shrug. "We'll just try our luck elsewhere."

The blonde started to shake her head. "Actually, we might be able to share. What's your name?"

"I'm called Lysandra and this is Praxis."

"Lysandra," repeated the blonde, saying it a couple times while ignoring Praxis. "That's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. It suits you well."