The Argive Ch. 121-125

Agemon's statement caused grins to break out amongst the remaining men. Praxis even stood up to embrace his Corinthian friend, patting him heartily on the back.

"This could be the moment we've been waiting for," said Praxis quietly. "The moment we free our cities and end Spartan domination."

Agemon gulped heavily as a look of seriousness took hold on his face. "I really hope you're right, Praxis. It might be our only shot but I'm damned sure going to take it."

It took about another twenty minutes to discuss the logistics of the move before a runner took off to the east, searching for the road to Athens. It was decided that in the morning, the army would split into two unequal halves. Most of the men would be going with Praxis to Argos to remove the Spartan garrison who was still stationed there. Agemon and a small cadre would link up with Cypselus, and they would do what they can to free Corinth. If they needed help from Praxis, help would be provided once Argos had fallen.

It was an audacious plan but a sound one, especially considering the fact that the Spartans would have pulled men out of both cities to fight against Nicomedes. Praxis hoped to find Argos and Corinth ripe for the taking.

As he made his way over to the wagon where his women usually gathered, Praxis found that he wasn't the only one with a lot on his mind that night. Astara was sitting on a small cliff that overlooked the battlefield. Her feet were dangling off the edge and her hand was firmly planted under her chin. Knowing the promise that he made to her before the battle, Praxis climbed up to sit next to her.

As soon as he sat down, Astara put her head against his shoulder.

"You killed him," she said, without a hint of remorse or emotion.

Praxis didn't need to ask who she was referring to.

"I killed him personally," he replied. "He didn't go down easy but... he still went down."

Astara turned to look at him. "I'm glad he's dead. He deserved it for everything he did. I know he's still technically your family but I'm happy that you killed him."

Praxis shook his head. "Xanthos was never my family. Just because his father married my mother doesn't make him important to my life. The only true family is related by blood. One day I knew it would come down to him or me. I just never expected that day to come so soon."

"My mother was happy," said Astara. "Maybe happy isn't the best word to describe it. She was glad to see that justice was done, although killing Xanthos won't bring my father back. It was still a step in the right direction. Delia was happy too. I think Nico will get over it as well. He's still upset he wasn't old enough to do it himself."

Praxis grinned. "He's going to be the scourge of the battlefield someday. I just know it."

Astara rested her head against his shoulder again. "Thank you, Praxis."

"For what?"

"For killing him. For avenging my father. I know you didn't get off to the best start with him but I thank the gods that you did what you did. It means the world to me."

Praxis swallowed the lump in his throat. "I never want to see you hurt, Astara. You don't deserve what that monster did to you."

Her eyes glistened with tears when she looked at him again. "I hope that maybe one day I can feel like I truly deserve you."

"Trust me, you already do."

Praxis grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. Astara moaned against his lips, surrendering herself to his touch. It couldn't have been a more tender moment, nor one when so many wrongs had been so fully righted.

After a few minutes of silence, Astara spoke up once more. "I'm going to assume now that we're going back to Argos? There's really nothing left to prevent us from going back, is there?"

"Not that I can think of," said Praxis. "The time is ripe. It's time for us to go home."

She nodded firmly. She kissed his cheek before she stood up to walk away. Before she got more than a few steps, she stopped and turned.

"There is one thing you said that I don't agree with, Praxis."

"Hmm? What's that?"

Astara smiled. "About family. It's not just about a blood relation, you know? There's also the family that you choose. It's a lot like us. I choose you to be my family. I think that's just as important too, don't you?"

It was a statement that brought a grin to his lips. "You're entirely right, Astara. You're entirely right."

Chapter 125: Back to Argos

The next morning, the army crossed over the border between Arcadia and the Argolis.

The border itself wasn't very well-marked, being only a simple stone that was engraved with the names of both territories on the side of the road, but the moment was profound for Praxis as he looked once more on the fertile lands belonging to his home city.

At one point in time, he thought he would never come back again. When Xanthos took over and the army disintegrated, Praxis thought he might be a vagabond for life, destined to see any land but the one where he was raised.

There was always a certain mystique to Argos as well--the dual notion of belonging andnot belonging at the same time. When he left the first time, he knew he was still the "foreigner" but not why or who. Now that he was back, he had a full understanding of his Messenian heritage and why he was different.

And even with that knowledge, he still wanted to go home. His blood might have been Messenian but his heart was in Argos, and he knew he wouldn't be fully happy until his city was freed.

"What are you thinking about, Praxis?"

He turned toward the sound of the voice, finding Lysandra a short distance away. In the last few days, he felt like he connected with Lysandra the least, but it wasn't out of any sense of malice.

Both Astara and Zenais needed him in a way that captured his attention when it wasn't focused on the army. That left little time for Lysandra.

If she felt slighted in any way, she didn't show it. She wrapped her arms around his lower torso and hugged him as they stared east across the fertile fields.

"I was just thinking that I didn't expect to see it so soon," said Praxis, using his hand to gesture. "The Argolis I mean. I expected Xanthos to rule for many years and even if I did see Argos again, it wouldn't be until I was much older. We've been gone for several long months and yet here we are again."

"And in better circumstances than the first time we crossed the border," noted Lysandra quietly. "I was so worried about you that night. I knew you were wounded but you just kept pushing yourself, trying to get as far away from the city as possible. When you collapsed outside of Demetrios' place, I thought I lost you for good."

"It takes a little more than that to kill me apparently," joked Praxis. "But at least Xanthos can't say the same."

"So much killing," said Lysandra, shaking her head in disgust. "So many Argives lost their lives yesterday. I know they were fighting for Xanthos but too many have died in this war already. I'm tired of war, Praxis."

"Unfortunately, it seems that war is not tired of us yet," he replied. "There is still much fighting that needs to be done. Argos, Corinth, and even Nikandros. A great many more will die before this is all over."

Lysandra didn't say anything but the expression on her face spoke volumes. She knew what needed to be done, even if it was distasteful to her. In a way, she was the one most prepared to accept that compromise of all the women. Astara had no business in war and fighting was something that was an abstract idea to her. Zenais embraced her warrior ethos and saw killing as necessary to earning glory on the battlefield.

Lysandra rode the middle ground. While she was trained in how to fight, it was a necessary evil for her, only done as a matter of last resort. It wasn't a surprise now to see that she'd had her fill of blood and was eager for the war to be over.

"When this is all over, I hope that we don't have to go to war for some time," she said resolutely. "I'll be happy once the death and misery are finally over."

"We might not be that far away from that outcome," said Praxis. "Nikandros will come north once we take Argos and Corinth. And if we can defeat him, we'll have that chance of peace. We just need to stay alive until we can make that happen."

"Good," replied Lysandra. "Because I don't want to get kicked out of Argos again. Once was enough for a lifetime."

"Agreed," said Praxis with a chuckle. "And with a little luck, it'll never happen again."

Lysandra nodded and hugged him tighter. "I'm just thankful that we've lived to see this day again. If I had the chance to go home with anyone, I wanted it to be you."

She pressed up to kiss him, and Praxis held her in his arms, letting the old familiarity and comfort of her caress warm him. Lysandra was always like that, even when he felt like he'd been neglecting her, she came to him without a single word of complaint. In a way, it was a reminder of how stable his relationship with her really was. Astara and Zenais might have been intricate parts of his life but Lysandra was the bedrock.

He truly didn't know what he'd do without her, and he wasted no time in telling her at that moment.

Lysandra giggled, a welcome change in tone. "You'll never have to know what it's like without me. You're stuck with me for the rest of your life."

"I never thought we'd be in this position when I first met you," teased Praxis. "I thought you might just be my girl for one night and that's it."

She grinned at him. "Funny how the gods interfere in our lives like that, no?"

"Funny indeed."

*****

A few hours after they crossed the border, it was time for the army to split. Agemon and a small cadre of about fifty warriors would be diverting north, aiming to link up with Cypselus so they could take back Corinth. Praxis suspected that fifty might not be enough to push out the Spartan garrison but Agemon was adamant about their chances.

"The city hates them," claimed Agemon. "And news will have traveled quickly. Once they hear about Krantor's death and our victory, they will rush to throw out the Spartans. Cypselus will be the backup plan. They won't resist their real king."

"I hope that you're right," said Praxis. "But with a little luck, you'll be in firm possession of the city within a few days."

"What about you?" asked Agemon, gesturing toward the city, which was just visible in the distance. "Think you'll be able to take the city with no problem?"

"With no problem is a tall order," joked Praxis. "But I'm betting we will find the Spartan garrison in a similar position as their brethren in Corinth. Although, I still hope that a few of them decide to fight. I wouldn't mind a little vengeance after how they pushed me out the first time."

Agemon started to laugh. "A little vengeance will go a long way. Especially with Spartans."

The two men embraced each other.

"Take care of yourself," said Agemon. "And I'll send you a runner every day to keep you up to speed on the events in Corinth."

"We will do the same," promised Praxis. "Good luck to you, Agemon. I hope you take back your city."

"Likewise, my friend."

The two men parted ways at that moment, and Praxis watched as Agemon took his fifty warriors and changed course, moving toward the northerly road to Corinth. It was the same road that he had once taken in exile, as well as the same place where he'd met Astara.

And now it had another role to play in their destiny.

Once Agemon's force had left, Praxis joined the rest of his army in moving east. They traveled through the well-maintained lands of central Argolis. Or rather, theywere well-maintained at one time. A good portion of the farmland here had seen better days, and many of the fields were fallow or missing men to farm them (or both).

Several of the farms had been taken over by bandits, showing a clear decay in the societal order.

"I've never seen this many rogues so close to the city," Praxis said to Phaedra after they cleared out another farmstead. "It wasn't unusual to find them when my stepfather ruled but it looks like they've exploded since Xanthos became king."

Phaedra, who wasn't expecting to find such a lawless land, didn't seem too enthusiastic to be here. "Why are there so many of them though? Did Xanthos not do anything about them while he was king?"

"Knowing Xanthos, probably not. He wasn't the type to see the kingship as something that came with duty. It was a privilege to him. It was a gift given to him courtesy of the Spartans. If I had to guess, he was just happy to stay in the city while the countryside went to Hades around him."

"I was hoping it would look nicer though," said Phaedra, rubbing her arms. "It's certainly not what I expected of Argos."

It wasn't hard to see why she said that. All of the bandits, coupled with the overcast weather, had the bad effect of making the Argolis look like a dreary and dangerous land. It wasn't the home that Praxis knew but it didn't surprise him that it was the first impression that Phaedra had.

"Wait until you see the Argos that I know," said Praxis, a smile growing on his face as he remembered the city. "When you see the morning mist when you reach the base of the Aspida Hill, or you see the sun catching the roof tiles of the temple of Apollo. Or maybe when you see its people, the real Argives going about their day laughing, talking, fighting, or working. There are great people here, Phaedra, even if it doesn't look that way. The city has just been neglected but it won't always be like this."

Phaedra smiled at him. "You really love it here, don't you? Even after everything you've done and everywhere you've been, this is still the best place for you?"

Praxis found himself nodding. "It really is. Argos is my home."

"Even though they still call you foreigner?"

For a brief moment, he'd forgotten that he told her about that, but even with the reminder, it didn't change a thing.

"Even still," confirmed Praxis.

"You don't take offense to it I've noticed?"

Praxis shook his head. "No, I don't. It has become like a term of endearment to me and the people of the city. It also helps that I know about my father now. My roots aren't a complete mystery like they were before I left the city the first time. I don't mind being the foreigner as long as they see me for who I really am."

"If things work out well here, you might not just be the king of Messenia tomorrow," noted Phaedra. "You might also take Xanthos' place. You'll be the leader of two cities."

Praxis nodded. "The thought occurred to me as well. And if that's what the Argives want, then I'd be happy to be their king. I only want to do well by them, to get them the freedom that was robbed of them."

Phaedra nudged him with her shoulder. "You're going to be a good king, Praxis. And I'm really glad you're my brother."

He smiled at her. "I'm glad to have you too."

"Maybe when this is over, you'll show me the Argos that you know?" she asked. "Not the bleak picture of the city that I see now, but the one that made you fall in love with it? Will you show me that version of Argos?"

Praxis beamed with pride. "Phaedra, I'd be honored."