Vyakles, King of Sparta and his men some forty or so, among whom twenty two new fathers waited anxiously, sailing North on the Black Sea, they saw the island peninsula and the great walls and watchtowers of Themiscyra. The two trade ships pulled in just before dusk that Summer day. Admiral Vasha ordered the ships loaded with tribute to run aground on the white beaches of the Cove of Still Waters. Here the excited King of Sparta climbed down on the beach, where he had often dreamt of returning and at long last 'Gods be praised' he thought as a flutter came to his stomach with an uneasy feeling, similar to the nerves of a warrior before going into battle. Yet here Vyakles had come to retrieve a life, the life of his new son. The King was consumed with a nervous energy though, when he was met by the Queen's Commander Odessa atop her war horse unatirred in her armor for war, he felt more at ease as she smiled down dressed in a white flowing, nearly sheer, gauze-like garment, and her silken hair, a perfect cascade of chestnut, flowing in the breeze.
"Welcome, oh King of Sparta!" she shouted her strong voice carried across to the men on the ships who began the task of unloading all the goods from ship to shore before sunset. "My Queen, Thera, sends forth her deep wishes of Respect and Honor."
Now, as glad as the King was to hear this news, Vyakles was disturb the Queen herself had not come out to greet them. "How fairs Queen Thera? Is she ill and unable to come and bring these wishes of Respect and Honor to myself and my men, herself?"
Here Odessa smiled and laughed a little saying "Sire my Queen is capable of all things!" Odessa said giving the King a wink as she continued. "However, you and your men have been invited in. For Queen Thera wishes you to come inside and be treated to a lavish feast and an array of entertainment, the likes of which you have never seen. So is the wish of my Glorious Queen and her wish is my utmost honor to fulfill."
Vyakles gave a look of uncertainty as he said, in front of Vasha who too was confused "I am aware that no man has step foot inside these walls, is this not true?" the King asked in wonderment as a terrible feeling crept into his troubled heart.
"Yes, every word you say is true." Odessa said as all the bewildered men gathered there stared in wonder on the shore beside the water; which was lapping just behind them, smooth as silver, white as snow reflecting the setting sun off along the Western horizon, then she explained saying "As I say, Queen Thera can do all things. So she has amended our law which bans men from entering, she will allow you to stay with us for three days, and three days only. We as a people came to a consensus and agreed to the law's ratification, under one condition."
Admiral Vasha wondered what game his clever friend Thera was playing, as did the King who said in a voice as tense as wire "Pray tell , what condition might that be?"
"Our Nation requires you lay down your arms and leave them on your ships, outside of our walls. As a token of Peace and Love." Odessa paused to let this information sink in then she continued "Unless you would rather camp out here on the beach with the hermit crabs and sand fleas in the Summer sun and heat for the next three days. The choice is yours to make."
King Vyakles thought this over for but a moment then he withdrew his sword thrusting it deep into the sand, removing his breast plate and armor he told Odessa he would agree, for the welfare and benefit of Peace amongst the mothers of Themiscyra and the fathers of Sparta. Here Admiral Vasha ordered all his men disarm, all the weapons and armor were stored back on board. Then Odessa opened a small leather pouch and gave each man one of little golden rings of the Themiscyran people. All except Vasha, for he had already been given Queen Thera's ring. She instructed all the men to place the ring on the ring finger of their left hand, this was a sign to the gatekeepers that whomever wore the ring might pass. As Odessa ordered the gates to be opened the four Themiscyran officers were astonished to wittiness history in the making as the men came through. This was a moment they would tell their grand daughters about, the day a small group of men, the King of Sparta and his unarmed warriors were allowed inside the gates. However, the cruel Fates would intercede and within a few years there would be no Themiscyra of which to speak. For Thera herself was not about to give up her boy and so she had plotted and colluded with a few loyal, like minded mothers, this is why Queen Thera ordered for the men to come in unarmed. Now of course, she had led everyone to believe this would be for the good of the Nation and in ratifying the law she would make the men of Sparta concede. For, after all, it is only a lie if you can make someone believe, and why should her subjects feel misled, or disagree with the will of the Queen.
"Welcome, oh King of Sparta!" she shouted her strong voice carried across to the men on the ships who began the task of unloading all the goods from ship to shore before sunset. "My Queen, Thera, sends forth her deep wishes of Respect and Honor."
Now, as glad as the King was to hear this news, Vyakles was disturb the Queen herself had not come out to greet them. "How fairs Queen Thera? Is she ill and unable to come and bring these wishes of Respect and Honor to myself and my men, herself?"
Here Odessa smiled and laughed a little saying "Sire my Queen is capable of all things!" Odessa said giving the King a wink as she continued. "However, you and your men have been invited in. For Queen Thera wishes you to come inside and be treated to a lavish feast and an array of entertainment, the likes of which you have never seen. So is the wish of my Glorious Queen and her wish is my utmost honor to fulfill."
Vyakles gave a look of uncertainty as he said, in front of Vasha who too was confused "I am aware that no man has step foot inside these walls, is this not true?" the King asked in wonderment as a terrible feeling crept into his troubled heart.
"Yes, every word you say is true." Odessa said as all the bewildered men gathered there stared in wonder on the shore beside the water; which was lapping just behind them, smooth as silver, white as snow reflecting the setting sun off along the Western horizon, then she explained saying "As I say, Queen Thera can do all things. So she has amended our law which bans men from entering, she will allow you to stay with us for three days, and three days only. We as a people came to a consensus and agreed to the law's ratification, under one condition."
Admiral Vasha wondered what game his clever friend Thera was playing, as did the King who said in a voice as tense as wire "Pray tell , what condition might that be?"
"Our Nation requires you lay down your arms and leave them on your ships, outside of our walls. As a token of Peace and Love." Odessa paused to let this information sink in then she continued "Unless you would rather camp out here on the beach with the hermit crabs and sand fleas in the Summer sun and heat for the next three days. The choice is yours to make."
King Vyakles thought this over for but a moment then he withdrew his sword thrusting it deep into the sand, removing his breast plate and armor he told Odessa he would agree, for the welfare and benefit of Peace amongst the mothers of Themiscyra and the fathers of Sparta. Here Admiral Vasha ordered all his men disarm, all the weapons and armor were stored back on board. Then Odessa opened a small leather pouch and gave each man one of little golden rings of the Themiscyran people. All except Vasha, for he had already been given Queen Thera's ring. She instructed all the men to place the ring on the ring finger of their left hand, this was a sign to the gatekeepers that whomever wore the ring might pass. As Odessa ordered the gates to be opened the four Themiscyran officers were astonished to wittiness history in the making as the men came through. This was a moment they would tell their grand daughters about, the day a small group of men, the King of Sparta and his unarmed warriors were allowed inside the gates. However, the cruel Fates would intercede and within a few years there would be no Themiscyra of which to speak. For Thera herself was not about to give up her boy and so she had plotted and colluded with a few loyal, like minded mothers, this is why Queen Thera ordered for the men to come in unarmed. Now of course, she had led everyone to believe this would be for the good of the Nation and in ratifying the law she would make the men of Sparta concede. For, after all, it is only a lie if you can make someone believe, and why should her subjects feel misled, or disagree with the will of the Queen.
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