The Argive Ch. 111-115

The Argive -- Chapters 111-115

*****

Chapter 111: Three Becomes Four

"So basically what you're telling me is that Nicomedes is really your father, Evander? And that he abandoned your family to come back to Messenia and that's why you wanted to link up with him? And now you're going to fight this battle against the Spartans while also having a relationship with not one but two gorgeous women at the same time? Did I miss anything?"

Praxis could only laugh. It was only minutes after he and Astara had just finished having sex for the first time in many months. In that time, Praxis had told her everything--the entire story of what had happened since their breakup period when Argos fell. And to say that Astara was a little shocked was an understatement.

She looked like she didn't know what to believe.

"What's the most fantastical thing I've told you?" asked Praxis. "Is it the two women part?"

"No, not really. I can see that," said Astara as she rubbed his thigh. "You're a very attractive man, and I can understand multiple women being interested in you. No, what gets me the most is just what you've seen. Going through the trials when you first got into Arcadia. Killing off those warrior-priests. And then taking over the King's Band, who were all very nice people by the way."

Praxis grunted. "That's because I killed all the bastards in the group. We only left the nice ones."

"But I guess what I want to know most is how are you still alive?" she continued. "After all you've faced, how are you still breathing?"

"There are some Spartans a short distance away who are going to try to change that," he warned. "So this might just be a temporary condition."

Astara shivered and clung to him tighter. "They'd better not. Or I'll do the worst thing possible to them."

"What's that?"

"I'll set Nico on them."

They both laughed at that, and Praxis couldn't help but marvel at how good it felt just to laugh with her again. It wasn't that long ago that Praxis thought he might never see her again, let alone rekindle any relationship with her. It reminded him of just how good they had it back in Corinth, when their fling was so fresh and so passionate.

"So there's something I've been meaning to ask you," said Astara, putting her arm under her head. "It's about the other women."

"I figured this conversation was coming sooner or later," replied Praxis. "What about them?"

"What I'm trying to figure out is how does it work? Your relationship with them, I mean? Do you all switch off every night?"

Praxis gave her a weird look. "Switch off?"

"You know, who gets to determine who sleeps with who? Is there a rotation? Do they split their days or maybe go one week on, one week off?"

Praxis started to chuckle. "You're looking too far into it. There aren't formal rules or anything like that. We just make it work, one step at a time."

Astara frowned. "But how will I be able to avoid stepping on anyone's toes?"

"I think a bigger question is whether or not we decide to accept you into the group."

Both Praxis and Astara turned their heads toward the newcomer, finding both Zenais and Lysandra near the door. Zenais was the one who'd spoken, and her hands were firmly planted on her hips. If she was joking, her body language didn't show it.

"Zenais, don't be so rude," chided Lysandra, swatting at the other woman. "Praxis is very fond of her."

"Have you two been eavesdropping the entire time?" asked Praxis, sitting upright while fixing his chiton. Astara was trying to do the same with her dress, even if there was now a wet spot in the back as evidence of their coupling.

"I wouldn't say eavesdropping," said Lysandra as she moved closer, taking a seat not far away. "Just trying to understand what was happening in here. That's all."

"Uh huh," replied a deadpan Praxis. "Some would call that eavesdropping."

Astara was more embarrassed than annoyed. Her face turned white as she looked at Lysandra. "Did you hear us... you know?"

"Cum?" asked Lysandra. "We sure did. You make lovely noises when you're about to orgasm. I think that was the part that Zenais liked best about the whole thing. Isn't that right, Zenais?"

For the first time that evening, Zenais' cool exterior melted into some embarrassment of her own. She came closer but said nothing as her cheeks turned red.

"I've known Zenais long enough to say that she did, in fact, enjoy it," continued Lysandra, beaming with a smile. "So now the only question is whether or not you fit in with the group?"

"That's a question that's not just about loving him," said Zenais, pointing at Praxis. "We all love him in some form or another. But we all have to get along for this to work. And as the newcomer, you have to make a special effort to get along with Lysandra and I."

"As long as that's something you want," added Praxis, taking Astara's hand. "I'm bonded to Lysandra and Zenais but there's room for you too in this. Do you want to be part of this relationship?"

Astara let out the tiniest smile. "I can't believe I'm about to say this but yes, yes, I really do. Even if that means sharing you, Praxis, I want to be with you."

"This means that you're not just in a relationship with Praxis," said Lysandra. "We're all in a relationship together, which means that we have to get along with you just like he does."

A confused look appeared on Astara's face. "Are you saying that you think we won't get along?"

"No, but we want to make sure that you're putting in the effort," answered Zenais. "And we hope you know what that means privately as well. When it comes to sex," she added, almost like an afterthought.

Astara lowered her eyes. "Do you mean you all have sex together?"

"Sometimes we do," replied Lysandra. "Sometimes we don't. But both Zenais and I have a tendency to enjoy playing with the same sex. Although Zenais tends to like it more than I do."

"That's an understatement," added Praxis, which caused Zenais to grin.

"What? I think women are just as beautiful as men," said Zenais, defending herself. "And sometimes, I just want to eat Lysandra while getting fucked from behind. Does that make me a bad person?"

Lysandra snorted. "No, it makes you perfect for this relationship." With those words, Lysandra turned to look back at Astara. "Do you see what you're getting into? Is it more than you bargained for?"

"Well, I've never been with a woman before," admitted Astara.

"You're really missing out," said Zenais glibly.

Astara turned redder than Praxis thought was naturally possible. "But that doesn't mean I wouldn't try it," she said. "It would just be a new experience for me."

"It was new to me once too," said Lysandra. "And no one here would ask you to do something you don't want to do. I just want to warn you about what might happen if you join us."

"But it goes both ways too?" asked Astara. "Like I would be the one being eaten sometimes instead of doing the eating?"

"Oh, you bet your cute little ass," replied Zenais, making everyone laugh.

"As you can probably tell, Zenais is the most insatiable of all of us," joked Praxis. "And she's thawing to your addition rather quickly."

"Does that surprise anyone?" teased Lysandra. "This is Zenais we're talking about."

Zenais managed to look offended for a brief moment until Lysandra reached over to touch her thigh. "We're joking with you. We love you."

Zenais brightened at that moment and she looked at Astara. What came out of her mouth next was probably the most serious statement of the night.

"And I love all of them," said Zenais. "That's why this relationship is so important to me. And why we're not just going to let anyone join. Now, we know that Praxis loves you, and neither Lysandra and I are opposed to you joining, but we just want to make sure you're ready? It's a big commitment to be with not just one person, but three. Is that something you're ready to commit to? Or is it something that you need more time to think about?"

Astara didn't disappoint them. She smiled as she looked at all three of them, her eyes ending on Praxis. "This is what I want. I came halfway across Greece to make this happen, and even though it's not exactly the way I pictured it, I can still see a future here. I can see happiness here. I'm in this, if you'll all have me."

"Well, I'm in too," said Zenais suddenly, shocking both Praxis and Lysandra. "What?" explained Zenais. "She says the right things."

Lysandra giggled. "I'm in too. Let's do this thing."

"Well, if all three of you are in, then who am I to turn it down?" joked Praxis. "Let's do this."

At that moment, everything just seemed to come together. The two other women hugged Astara, formally welcoming her into the group.

And on that night, three became four.

*****

"What do you mean there's a hidden pass? What kind of pass?"

Nikandros was suddenly very interested in the words of his scout, who had just entered his tent that evening. The king was busy snacking on olives as he prepared for the battle that would start in the morning, but hearing about a secret pass sounded like a surefire way to gain victory.

"It's an old road that has since fallen out of use," explained the scout. "Parts of it are rocky and washed out, which would make travel difficult, but it's definitely possible for a small and light force. And it goes up around the current Messenian position."

"How far around does it go?" asked Nikandros. "Does it take me to the city?"

"Not quite but it'll position our warriors between the city and the bulk of the Messenian army," replied the scout. "Not to mention, it seems lightly defended. We saw at most a hundred men near the pass. If we send a few hundred up, we'll fold that defending force and pounce on the Messenians from the rear. It'll be a bloodbath, my king."

"If it's as promising as you say, then why is Nicomedes only defending it with a hundred men?" asked Nikandros aloud. "That doesn't make much strategic sense."

"It would if you saw the ground, my king. It's not favorable to large groups moving along its length. It will even be hard going for our men, as parts of it can be very treacherous. Nicomedes is probably also counting on the fact that we won't know about it. He'll station a token force there, which in reality would do little more than delay us if we attack with numbers."

Nikandros turned toward his general, who was also standing in the tent. "You saw the pass. What is your opinion of it?"

"The scout speaks sense," replied the general. "This could be the moment we've been looking for, the moment when we humiliate the Messenians for their many offenses. It will be tough going for our men at first but we can send a force of five hundred up that pass and turn their flank. We have more than enough men to spare. Even without those five hundred, we will still outnumber Nicomedes almost two to one. From what I've seen, I say we do it."

Nikandros looked out into the night, rubbing his chin as he thought about the notion. He would enjoy any chance to humiliate Nicomedes before the end, and this secret pass might turn the battle quicker than it would otherwise.

But was it worth the risk? What if it wouldn't be that easy?

"Fine, assemble a force of seven hundred men," said Nikandros finally. "I want them to barrel through that secret pass and not stop until they reach the back of Nicomedes' army. If they run into any trouble, I want to know about it but if this works out the way you say it will, then you'll be richly rewarded with our victory.

The general couldn't help but smirk at that. "We will make it happen, my king. This will be the last night for Messenia and Nicomedes. Tomorrow, all will belong to Sparta!"

"Indeed, General," replied Nikandros. "Now get moving! We attack in the morning!"

Chapter 112: Gloomy Morning

The morning of the battle started off a gloomy one. Praxis stood outside the courtyard of the palace as the sun rose, but even with the light, there was still dense fog around much of the city. Praxis wondered if it was another sign--a portent of things to come.

He didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts though. Praxis and his father would soon be leaving for the battlefield, where Nikandros and his Spartans were waiting for them. As much as he wanted to fight this battle, Praxis couldn't help but think he might miss most of it, being stuck guarding the forgotten eastern pass. What would he do if not a single Spartan soldier made his way up that path?

And what if their position there meant denying his father a critical number of warriors needed to turn the tide of battle?

Again, Praxis had to force himself not to stew on it. Grabbing his armor, his sword, and his spear, he made his way outside the palace, where he found another soldier waiting for him.

Yet this one was much smaller than he expected.

"Nico, what are you doing?" asked Praxis, shaking his head at the young boy. "Where did you get that cuirass? Do I even want to know?"

Nico was dressed the part of a warrior but his helmet was a tad too big for his still childlike body. It was the same with his spear, which stood a good two feet over his head. Even the sword buckled at his side was dragging the ground, evidence of his lack of height.

"My father had it made for my birthday this past spring," said Nico, his gaze darkening. "I'm ready to go into action, Praxis. I want to fight today!"

"And I have no doubt your glare would be the last thing many Spartans see, but you're too young for this kind of fighting," said Praxis. "I can't let anything happen to you. Your sister would kill me, and I'm not trying to get on her bad side again."

At that moment, Nico took off his helmet and looked every bit his age.

"It's not fair, Praxis. I can fight," he argued. "Why can't I be there too?"

"Your day will come soon," promised Praxis. "Maybe too soon when you think about it. It's best to savor your youth while you have it. I'm sure there are plenty of men that wish they were young enough to avoid the fight that's coming today."

"But not me," grumbled Nico.

"I know. You will slay many men someday, but for now, you must stay with your sister," said Praxis. "In fact, I'm going to give you a very important task, okay? If anything should happen to us, I want you to make sure your sister and the other women get out of the city. Don't let them stay here when the Spartans arrive. Can you do that for me?"

It was a hard ask for Praxis, especially because it meant recognizing that defeat was a possibility. For Nico though, it meant being given a task where he could feel some importance, and for a young man that was tantamount to asking him to fight.

"I can do that, Praxis," vowed Nico. "In case anything happens, I'll lead them out of Messene! I'll take them north to Elis or... or somewhere else!"

Praxis ruffled the boy's hair. "Just keep them out of harm's way. If you do that for me, I'll be very grateful."

"You got it," said Nico, suddenly finding new life in him.

Nico seemed to take his new duties seriously, and he was already herding the women like a good sheep dog when the time came to say goodbye. Both Praxis and his father were fully dressed in their armor, as well as Zenais who would be fighting in the spear phalanx alongside Praxis, when Phaedra, Astara, and Lysandra came out to see them off.

"I just found out that I have a brother," said Phaedra, giving Praxis a big hug. "I'm not ready to lose you just yet. Good luck in this battle, and make sure that both of you come home safe."

"I'll do everything I can to give us a victory today," promised Praxis. "And I won't do anything foolish that would expose me to harm needlessly."

"It's not you that I'm worried about," said Phaedra. "It's our father."

Truthfully, Praxis agreed with her. Nicomedes was acting almost like the battle was a foregone conclusion. With their greater numbers, he expected the Spartans to win. They'd both caught him talking fatalistically about the battle, like there would be nothing to come after it.

Praxis worried that if anyone was going to do something stupid on the battlefield, it would be Nicomedes.

"I'll keep an eye on him when I can," said Praxis. "But for the most part, we'll be separated from each other. I won't be able to save him if he gets in trouble."

Phaedra nodded. "Just do what you can. But please make sure to come back alive, okay?"

She didn't give him a chance to answer before hugging him again. Praxis patted her back tenderly, and he hoped beyond hope that he wouldn't have to bring her back bad news today.

Once she slipped out of his arms, Astara came into them quickly. "Phaedra has a point, you know?"

"What point is that?"

Astara smiled at him. "I just got back to you now. I can't lose you in this battle, not after we've set things right. You need to come back home alive."

"I'll do everything in my power, I promise you."

"I know you will. You've always been the best warrior I've ever known. If anyone can get victory today, it's you." Astara leaned in to kiss him. "I know you'll be great."

Praxis poured all his emotions into that kiss, ecstatic that it was Astara on the other side. She was entirely right, and he wasn't about to make her sacrifice be in vain.

The last person to say goodbye was Lysandra. She didn't come to him with some kind of speech or request. No, her eyes were misty and she hugged him without any words for several moments.

"I love you," whispered Lysandra. "I don't want to live without you."

"With a little luck, you'll never have to," vowed Praxis.

Lysandra pulled back and smiled at him. She kissed him sweetly and let go, turning to join the other women. With all of them having said their piece, the three warriors turned away from Messene to join their comrades already in the field.

"It's not too late to turn back," said Praxis to Zenais as they walked. "You don't have to fight if you don't want to."

Zenais scoffed at him. "My place is out there, just like yours is. I've invested all this time in the spear phalanx. I deserve to see its first victory."

Even though Nicomedes didn't seem so sure of the phalanx, Zenais' words brought happiness to Praxis. There was no other place he wanted to be on that battlefield than putting that formation to the ultimate test. They would have to hold today no matter what.

There was simply no other option.

There was little conversation as they made their way forward to the battlefield, not that Praxis expected much. It was the quiet before the storm, a time when every man (and woman) made their peace with the possibility of dying that day. For Praxis, it was a rationalization that he'd had many times before and today was no different. He said a silent prayer to Athena, hoping that his vision from the other night wasn't a portent of disaster.

In all though, there was nothing else he could do but fight. Fight and win.

When they reached the fork in the road, between the eastern pass and the rest of the army, Nicomedes had a hard time looking Praxis in the eyes. The older man embraced him.

"Good luck today, my son," said Nicomedes. "I hope all these weeks of training will pay off for you. I know you have faith in Asterion's creation, even if I have little. Just remember to keep your wits about you when the fighting begins. And if you see no Spartans on your pass, redeploy your men to my flank. We'll sorely need you."

"Those men are going to make you very proud today," promised Praxis. "I believe in this formation. I hope to still make a believer out of you."

Nicomedes pulled back and finally looked Praxis in the eyes. There were tears in his.

"No matter what happens today, the highlight of my life has been to find you again," whispered Nicomedes. "Not as a child, but as the man you've become. There are many mistakes that I will never live down but standing here with my son by my side is the best thing any father could ask for."