"Our infantry division set out to meet the Macedonians on the field of battle at the southern gate. The Illyrians amassed their army to the north, in hopes of surrounding Phillip encircling his hosts thereby facilitating a crushing defeat.., however." a word most hated by messengers, he continued "Phillip, being crafty, split his forces in twain and creating 2 fighting forces moved quickly against us, their phalanx armed with shield and sarissa and the fire-raisers.., our soldiers fought bravely but when our allies, the Illyrians, saw all hope was lost for victory.., they made a hasty retreat and left our men to fend for themselves.., all was lost. Our soldiers, vastly outnumbered, fought all night under the light of the moon, it was a massacre. The Barbarian King showing no mercy and giving no quarter, he was heard to shout that our soldiers were not even fit to save and sell as slaves, a further insult."
"May Hades curse his name!" King Sunder remarked balling his fist tight clenching his teeth sitting on the edge of seat listening intently.
"Once the walls were breached Philip's army seized the gold and silver mines, the peasants were shipped off to the slave market and the city burned to the ground." the king's messenger bowed his head the worst of the story remaining untold.
"And our oligarchs? Our elite men? My Princes.., my sons and daughters?" he said with a deep heavy sigh. "How much in ransom does Phillip require to release my family to the freedom of my palace walls"
Here now the face of the exhausted young man grew a whiter shade of pale as he cast his gaze upon his toes the fiery brightness of joy in his eyes deeply diminished and he could not bare to look his beloved monarch in the face.
"What of my sons and daughters?" again the king's voice grew loud as thunder in anger not knowing the fates of his dear children.
"There shall be no demand for ransom to save them, my King.., for so it was, Phillip ordered all of the noble men and women to be brought out to the center of the city. There, they were all, men and women, stripped naked in the marketplace. Where all the peasants were forced to watch the horror, as their masters and mistresses were skinned alive, their skins taken and draped over the city walls like bloody scarlet banners raised in Phillips honor. The bodies were then hacked into little pieces, whereupon a huge bonfire the chunks of flesh were thrown to burn as a votive offering to Ares." here bitter tears were wept by the traumatized young man of 17 for never had he witnessed such horrors. " I was the only one allowed to live as a witness, so I might return here now and tell you of what has transpired.., and to bring you all a dire warning."
Here all gathered about the king shook in their souls, eyes wide, hearts racing, blood rushing pulsating in their ears. It seemed as if all this was just some terrible shared dream, so deep was the shock of the news of his story, time stood still. It took a moment before the king could react or register in his mind the words he had just heard.Then react he did as he wailed "This is madness! Brutal! Barbarian!" his anger was surpassed by bitter sadness and he moaned then began to weep openly in front of his noble lords, collapsing back into his throne covering his face with his hands. Bitterly he wept like a wounded animal his golden crown of laurel leaves slipping of his bald head whereupon it fell to the marble floor cracking in three pieces broken, broken as the kings mighty heart.
"Sire, you must call for more allies at once to assist in our defense, as Phillip plans to take our capital city! For his next spoil of war he has set his mind upon.., is the ancient shield of Thrax we keep here in the palace!" Thrax founder of Thrace, son of the God of War, Ares. His ancient shield a national treasure throughout all of Greece hanging presently on the wall behind the throne of King Sunder.
"Whom shall we call upon?" "Athens will take weeks to send forth her hosts!" "Thebes is in a treaty of friendship with Phillip!" "The Illyrains have shown themselves to be cowards on the field of battle!" "What are we to do?" " Our Army has been utterly crushed leaving 3000 here to defend us!" many shouts came up from his war councilors
"My Lord!" came a calm still voice in the midst of the turmoil "Perhaps it is time we reach out to the new King and Queen of Sparta, perhaps the bad blood between our two nations has had time to dry." he gave a sympathetic smile. "King Therakles and Queen Sparta, the children of Thera might be more sympathetic to our cause." Ambassador Veritan the aged Thracian said giving a slight bow of his head.
"Sparta? the king said in a whisper as tense as wire, tears in his eyes as he suddenly recalled with vivid memory the face of Thera of Themiscyra and the old pains in his heart struck out again like stabbing knives of burning fire
"May Hades curse his name!" King Sunder remarked balling his fist tight clenching his teeth sitting on the edge of seat listening intently.
"Once the walls were breached Philip's army seized the gold and silver mines, the peasants were shipped off to the slave market and the city burned to the ground." the king's messenger bowed his head the worst of the story remaining untold.
"And our oligarchs? Our elite men? My Princes.., my sons and daughters?" he said with a deep heavy sigh. "How much in ransom does Phillip require to release my family to the freedom of my palace walls"
Here now the face of the exhausted young man grew a whiter shade of pale as he cast his gaze upon his toes the fiery brightness of joy in his eyes deeply diminished and he could not bare to look his beloved monarch in the face.
"What of my sons and daughters?" again the king's voice grew loud as thunder in anger not knowing the fates of his dear children.
"There shall be no demand for ransom to save them, my King.., for so it was, Phillip ordered all of the noble men and women to be brought out to the center of the city. There, they were all, men and women, stripped naked in the marketplace. Where all the peasants were forced to watch the horror, as their masters and mistresses were skinned alive, their skins taken and draped over the city walls like bloody scarlet banners raised in Phillips honor. The bodies were then hacked into little pieces, whereupon a huge bonfire the chunks of flesh were thrown to burn as a votive offering to Ares." here bitter tears were wept by the traumatized young man of 17 for never had he witnessed such horrors. " I was the only one allowed to live as a witness, so I might return here now and tell you of what has transpired.., and to bring you all a dire warning."
Here all gathered about the king shook in their souls, eyes wide, hearts racing, blood rushing pulsating in their ears. It seemed as if all this was just some terrible shared dream, so deep was the shock of the news of his story, time stood still. It took a moment before the king could react or register in his mind the words he had just heard.Then react he did as he wailed "This is madness! Brutal! Barbarian!" his anger was surpassed by bitter sadness and he moaned then began to weep openly in front of his noble lords, collapsing back into his throne covering his face with his hands. Bitterly he wept like a wounded animal his golden crown of laurel leaves slipping of his bald head whereupon it fell to the marble floor cracking in three pieces broken, broken as the kings mighty heart.
"Sire, you must call for more allies at once to assist in our defense, as Phillip plans to take our capital city! For his next spoil of war he has set his mind upon.., is the ancient shield of Thrax we keep here in the palace!" Thrax founder of Thrace, son of the God of War, Ares. His ancient shield a national treasure throughout all of Greece hanging presently on the wall behind the throne of King Sunder.
"Whom shall we call upon?" "Athens will take weeks to send forth her hosts!" "Thebes is in a treaty of friendship with Phillip!" "The Illyrains have shown themselves to be cowards on the field of battle!" "What are we to do?" " Our Army has been utterly crushed leaving 3000 here to defend us!" many shouts came up from his war councilors
"My Lord!" came a calm still voice in the midst of the turmoil "Perhaps it is time we reach out to the new King and Queen of Sparta, perhaps the bad blood between our two nations has had time to dry." he gave a sympathetic smile. "King Therakles and Queen Sparta, the children of Thera might be more sympathetic to our cause." Ambassador Veritan the aged Thracian said giving a slight bow of his head.
"Sparta? the king said in a whisper as tense as wire, tears in his eyes as he suddenly recalled with vivid memory the face of Thera of Themiscyra and the old pains in his heart struck out again like stabbing knives of burning fire
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