The Argive Ch. 126-130

"You are the king of Argos," whispered Lysandra as she raised up and fished out his erection. She moaned when she started to sink down on it, rolling her eyes back. Her body shuddered when their hips joined completely.

"See what I mean?" said Lysandra after a minute, when her eyes refocused. "You've made me cum already and we've barely just started."

"You already had an orgasm?"

Lysandra grinned. "Just from having your cock stretch me open. Like I said earlier, you're more of a man than anyone I've ever met. And I'm going to prove it."

Lysandra started to ride him, wiggling her hips against his at first until she started bouncing moments later. Her large tits started to ripple as their bodies moved together, but it wasn't much more than a minute later than Lysandra had another orgasm.

"Number two," she panted, pressing her body against his in wanton desire. "Two orgasms already. You're so incredible, my love."

By now, Praxis understood what she was doing. And he loved her for it. He grabbed her ass with his strong hands and helped to bounce her on his cock. Lysandra had a third orgasm and then a fourth before they all started to melt together. In seeing the effect he was having on her, his desire for her only grew.

It reached a point that Lysandra was barely able to form words. Her arms held onto his shoulders for dear life as he pounded into her body, all the while Lysandra mewled against his ear.

"Love you, love you, love, love, love," she whispered as her body was wracked with orgasms.

Despite the broken nature of her words, it was exactly what he needed to hear. With a loud groan, Praxis reached his orgasm moments later, pouring his seed into her body and causing Lysandra to lose what energy she had left. She collapsed against him as he filled her and time seemed to lose all sense of meaning.

When it was finally over, Lysandra opened her weary eyes to look at him.

"Do you see now?" she whispered. "You have nothing to be afraid of. You're more man than anyone I've ever met, and you've just proven it."

It went so much more beyond sex, and Praxis recognized it for what it was. She just used sex to prove her point.

"As long as I have you, I'll never have a reason to doubt myself again," said Praxis, a smile growing on his lips.

"Then I guess you'll have it for the rest of your life."

"Thank you," he whispered. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"That's what a queen is for, isn't it? To remind her king of his worth?"

Praxis grinned. "So it would seem."

Chapter 128: The Tide Turns

A short distance from Argos, Agemon was facing a situation of his own. His small band of fifty warriors was now arrayed within striking distance of Corinth. The city sat near the waters of the isthmus, beckoning to him like a dream that was just out of reach. Unlike Argos, Corinth wasn't garrisoned with any soldiers from the city. The entire defense was in the hands of the Spartans, and they weren't faced with any desertions to lower their morale.

They also seemed to have roughly similar numbers to Agemon's own force, their garrison also being trimmed for recent battles.

It made an attack a daunting proposition, as Agemon was hesitant to engage a force the same size as his own, and one that had the benefit of using the city's walls and gates in their defense. That was why Agemon had put off the attack twice, waiting for better conditions or at least for Cypselus to arrive.

Agemon had gotten word that the former Corinthian king was on his way west, having left his exile in Athens after receiving word of the League defeat days earlier. Agemon put a lot of faith in the fact that Cypselus would know what to do but the voice in the back of his mind told him that even with Cypselus' arrival, little would change.

Cypselus was only one man, and though he had a good portion of gold in his possession, he had no warriors. With every moment that passed, it was looking more and more like Agemon would have to call Praxis northward, using his superior numbers to overwhelm the Spartan garrison. However, it wasn't an outcome that neither man would want, because it would leave Argos open to attack from the Spartans in the south.

Agemon was still debating his options when word came from the east.

"Agemon!" said one of the scouts, out of breath from running. "There's a large host of men on their way here! An army that's several times the size of our own. A few hundred men at least!"

"Who do they fight for?" asked Agemon, his stomach already dropping. "Who are they?"

"They look like mercenaries, sir! They bear the sign of no city in particular and they move with the speed of battle-hardened warriors. I think that the Spartans have called for aid in protecting the city!"

"Horn of Hades!" swore Agemon.

It was a most unexpected development. The Spartans had never paid for mercenaries before, but it was hardly a surprise if they did. Internally, Agemon chastised himself for waiting outside the city for too long, giving them time to make the arrangements.

This was all his fault, and now the balance of power would have changed back in favor of the Spartans.

"I think we should retreat, sir," said the scout when Agemon didn't respond. "We cannot stand up to a force of this size with our current numbers."

"And we still have no idea where Cypselus is, damnit!" yelled Agemon. "Then we must remove ourselves to safety. We'll have to go south to Argos as much as I hate to say it."

Agemon was in the middle of giving the order when a runner showed up on the horizon. It wasn't a familiar man by the looks of him but what stopped Agemon from moving any further was the fact that he carried the sign of Corinth on his shield.

Did the Spartans in the city now wish to dictate the terms of Agemon's surrender?

Resolving not to go down without a fight, Agemon arranged to meet with the runner.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was expecting the worst, but his agreement to talk to this newcomer was when everything changed.

"Agemon of Corinth?" asked the runner once the two men met in the middle ground between the two forces.

"What do you want?" asked Agemon, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "My force won't be surrendering any time soon if that's why you're here. Your force means nothing to me. You might want to save yourself some time and tell your Spartan masters that we won't be going down so easily."

The runner managed to look confused. He looked at the mercenary army and then back at Agemon.

"I think you're a little mixed up, Agemon," said the runner. "This mercenary force doesn't answer to the Spartans, neither those in the city nor the Spartan kings."

Agemon's brow tightened. "Then who do you answer to?"

"That would be me!"

The voice came from just behind the runner, and Agemon squinted his eyes to see who the newcomer was. His body was shrouded by the light of the sun, giving him an otherworldly glow. The glow was most fitting when Agemon saw just who it was, and a smile started to grow on his face.

"Good to see you again, old friend," said Cypselus, moving to embrace Agemon. "I was hoping today would be the day that we crossed paths."

"Cypselus!" said Agemon, still in a state of disbelief. "You're here! And you have an army!"

Cypselus chuckled. "As it turns out, there are plenty of men in Athens who would volunteer to kill Spartans for a few extra coins. Those men were combined with a small mercenary outfit out of Megara to give me my current force. Quite impressive, isn't it?"

"But how are you paying them?" asked Agemon before his mind caught up to the answer. "The treasury?"

"I didn't want to crack it open at first," said Cypselus. "But Lyra convinced me it was worth it when we got your message. We've been waiting for the day when we could spend that money on something to help the city. I think today is the day we've been waiting for."

Agemon could barely contain his excitement. He embraced Cypselus once more, causing the older king to laugh with his whole chest.

"I see you've been busy," said Cypselus as he looked at the fifty warriors that Agemon had assembled. "And what are these rumors that I hear that Argos has fallen to your friend, Praxis?"

"A little bit more than a rumor it appears," said Agemon. "The tide is turning, my king. And the Spartans will answer for everything they've done. That's already started with Argos, and now it will have to continue here in Corinth."

"I couldn't agree more. It will be nice to be inside the city again. To walk her hallowed streets. We made a life in Athens that was simple but honest, fearing that we would never be able to step foot in Corinth again. But something was missing. I could feel it in my bones and in my heart. When word came that you were on your way, I knew this is what needed to be done. Anything to restore us to the city that we treasure."

"We could see that restoration at some point today," said Agemon. "How many men did you bring with you?"

"A little less than four hundred," said Cypselus. "If we don't take the city soon, I won't be able to keep paying them. They are dreadfully expensive so I hope that you don't mind us launching an assault sooner rather than later."

"Trust me, that's music to my ears," said Agemon with a laugh. "Let's prepare to attack the city."

With the men under Cypselus' command, the impasse between the attackers and the defenders was firmly broken. The attackers now outnumbered them by nine-to-one, and there was no force that would be able to withstand that kind of pressure on the attack.

Because of their numbers, it was decided to split the attacking forces into two halves. Cypselus would take the bulk of his mercenaries to the eastern gate, which ran alongside the isthmus and make the initial assault there. Agemon would take the southern route with his men and a few loaned from Cypselus.

The Spartans would be stretched too thin to offer any serious resistance, and Agemon was confident that they'd be able to achieve a breakthrough in both of the attacking points.

It was just after noon when the assault began. The core of Agemon's force consisted of the spear phalanx, reinforced by the irregular fighters on their left and right. The Spartans were content to hold their position, not offering to come out and fight, which required Agemon and his force to batter down the gate.

A downed tree trunk was eventually used to open up the gate, and that was when the Spartans came rushing out, offering up a mighty roar as they crashed into the phalanx. Quick work was made of the twenty-some Spartans, and Agemon downed two of them himself before they were chopped to bits.

No sooner than it began, it was over. All resistance at the gate ceased, allowing the force into Corinth.

Just like in Argos, the Corinthians streamed out of their houses to see the new conquerors. They were overjoyed to see Agemon at the head of the column, but they were positively ecstatic to see Cypselus, who was making his way from the eastern gate. When they met in the city's center, it was a celebration the likes of which the city had never seen before. Flowers were thrown at the conquering army, while the bodies of the dead Spartans were thrown outside the city, lest they defile the streets with their blood.

At one point, Agemon and Cypselus were both hoisted onto the shoulders of the people, and they were carried to the palace, where Cypselus wept when he gazed upon it once more.

"I never thought this day would come," said the restored king, wiping his eyes. "And now that I'm home, I never intend to leave again."

As Cypselus entered his palace, Agemon took stock of what was around them. Though they had a victory today, the war wasn't over. There was still much fighting that would need to take place, reminding Agemon that he would need to send a runner to update Praxis.

For now though, he could enjoy the moment. Nothing illustrated that more than when Cora found him some time later, once the city was declared safe.

"You really did it, Agemon," said the young woman, embracing her man. "You freed our city!"

"I had a little help," replied Agemon. "Thank the gods for Cypselus and his mercenaries."

"I'd rather thank the gods for you. I think you had more of a role to play here than you think."

Agemon looked down at her. "You really think so?"

Cora nodded and reached up on her toes to kiss him. "I do. And I hope that we never have to leave home again."

Agemon took a deep breath. He knew that eventually he would need to set up to defeat Nikandros but that could wait for now. Home was just beginning.

"That would be nice," said Agemon finally. "It is good to be home."

Chapter 129: An Anti-Spartan Alliance

It was two days after Praxis took over Argos that he received the news about Corinth. A runner came into the city completely out of breath, having sprinted most of the distance from Agemon's city. Praxis was in the middle of eating a light breakfast while the runner updated him on the outcome.

"So no Spartans got away?" asked Praxis. "They all perished?"

"As far as we know, sir," replied the runner. "We know the garrison was reduced before Nikandros set out for Messene, and it was never replenished. That left only fifty Spartans in the city and we recovered fifty bodies. As far as we know, we got all of them."

"That's excellent news," said Praxis, forming a fist with his hand in celebration. "I'm sure Agemon and Cypselus are ecstatic about recovering their home."

"They definitely are, sir. And Cypselus has passed a message to you as well. He would like to join with you in alliance against the Spartans. An anti-Spartan alliance to maintain the freedom of Corinth and Argos. If you're willing, sir, he will send his men south and join with you for the inevitable battle against King Nikandros."

Praxis could have leapt up and embraced the man right then. "That is most welcome news and please let Cypselus know that I accept his offer. We would be happy to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with our Corinthian friends. As soon as he has an army that is willing to fight, please have them join us in Argos. We will be expecting them."

"Very good, sir, I will pass the message along to them."

As the runner was fed before returning to Corinth, Praxis got an update on another situation that he was closely monitoring.

"She doesn't appear to be in the city, my king," said one of the palace staff, a man who Praxis had known for most of his life. "Your brother's wife is nowhere to be seen."

Ever since the city fell, Praxis had wondered what happened to Melitta, Xanthos' first wife. She was the only member of the remaining family that wasn't accounted for, and all reports indicate that she fled the city when the Spartans did. The only other member of the family left was Ariston, who was found in the palace when Praxis took it over. The young teenaged boy was indifferent to the death of his brother, mostly since the two never got along anyway.

"Keep looking for her," instructed Praxis. "It's one thing if she left for Sparta, but I want to know if she's still in the city. She has the potential to cause trouble for us."

"I will keep up the search, my king. If she's still in the city, we will find her."

With the servant slipping away, Praxis was able to continue his breakfast with his guest, who had been silent up until now. Phaedra was still taking in the whole experience, and half the time, Praxis couldn't tell if she was upset or just pensive about the journey since leaving Messene. This morning was no different.

"Talk to me," Praxis said to his sister. "What's on your mind this morning?"

She shrugged in the manner that teenage girls are wont to do. "Not much, I suppose. It's good news about Corinth though. Things are really coming together."

Praxis smiled at her. "You say that with the same tone as someone who just lost their favorite toy. What's on your mind seriously? You know you can tell me anything."

Phaedra plucked a berry and put it into her mouth, chewing slowly but methodically before she answered.

"I don't know to be honest," she said finally. "There's just so many things that are new to me."

"You mean Argos?" asked Praxis. "You don't like it here, do you?"

Her answer surprised him.

"No, I do like it here," said Phaedra. "I'm just surprised by how much I like it here."

"Really? That's quite a change of heart. Three days ago, you weren't impressed by your first sight of the city. What changed in that time?"

Phaedra shrugged. "It just... reminds me of home. Of Messene. Being here in this palace is making me remember what it used to be like in our own palace. It's not Messene and it never will be, but that's okay. It's full of life. The city is happy for what you've done for them. The people seem hopeful. It's just quite the change from the first impression that I received."

"In your defense, your first impression wasn't great," said Praxis. "The city was still under the grip of the Spartans. You received a bleak picture of what was really going on."

"True. But then you came here and turned the whole city on its head. I'm proud of you, Praxis. In the space of three days, you kicked the Spartans out of Argos and Corinth. That's something to be proud of."

Praxis chuckled. "Well, I think Agemon and Cypselus get credit for Corinth."

Phaedra shook her head. "Do they really? Because wasn't it your army that went with Agemon? You were still the mastermind behind this. We went from having no options to having a legitimate position in this conflict. We have a fighting chance, and the city sees that. I think it's that energy that reminds me of how good things can be. Half the time, I..."

Phaedra trailed off, looking down at her food. Her tone changed at the end, something Praxis couldn't help but notice.

"Half the time, what, Phaedra? What were you about to say?"

She raised her head and smiled. Tears were in her eyes.

"Half the time I expect our father to walk into the room. I know he's gone but things are going so well. It's almost like I can convince myself that he's not really dead. That he's just going to enter the room and everything will be all right."

Phaedra took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "Sorry, you probably think I'm a little crazy."

"No crazier than the rest of us," joked Praxis as he put his arm around her shoulder. "It's okay. I miss him too. And it's okay to be happy. It sounds to me like you're feeling guilty about liking it here in Argos, when his death is so fresh. You feel like you shouldn't be feeling happy because of it. Am I right?"

Phaedra nodded without saying a word.

"I understand what you're going through. I feel the same thing too, Phaedra. We can only take it one day at a time. I'm glad that you feel at home here though. Our father would be happy with that. I wanted to make sure you were taken care of when he was gone, and that would have been so much harder if you hated it here. It's okay to be happy here. It's what he would have wanted."

Phaedra took a deep breath. "He would be so proud of what you've done. About what you're still going to do. I feel it, Praxis. You're going to defeat the Spartans. I just know it."

Praxis was grateful for her confidence, even if he wasn't exactly on the same page. There was still much to do before any battles with Nikandros, and the outcome wasn't a foregone conclusion.

After breakfast with Phaedra, Praxis made his way to the old training grounds outside the city. It was the same spot where he used to train the Elites before the fall of the city, and it was also the place where he would train a brand new army to take on the Spartans.

His cadre of three hundred warriors was already here, led by Asterion and Mikon, but today they would be the trainers instead of the trained. Praxis had put out a call yesterday to any Argive willing to take arms to meet them on the grounds today in order to be trained in the way of the spear phalanx.