Preparations!

" Bright days, Leonidas?" I asked. I reached up and brushed a piece of my golden locks out of my face as it was becoming annoying.

" Aye, Timaeus. Though I feel as if death is looming over us." Leonidas replied.

" Isn't it always?" I replied.

I knew very well, what it meant to be a Spartan as did Leonidas.

" Maybe so. But today feels differently than any other my friend." Leonidas replied. I could sense the unease radiating off of him. So, I knew he was being serious.

" What could-" i was going to ask when Artemis came running up to us.

" My king, Persians are at our front gates." Artemis spoke, he was winded, he must have run all the way here.

I looked to my king and nodded. I knew at that moment what he was thinking. And I suppose so did Artemis. We three had always been close. Ever since we fought our first battle together.

" Come. Let's give our guests a warm Spartan welcome." Leonidas spoke.

I smirked and finished the wine in my hand and along with my King and Artemis, we made our way to greet the Persians.

We walked not ran to the center of our great city. When we arrived, we were met by a dark one. His skin as black as coal, and jewelry adorning most of his face. But most importantly at his waist were the severed heads and crowns of former kings. An insult to all of Sparta, one he will pay for dearly if he doesn't watch himself. Beside him were his guards the Persian's, covered themselves from head to toe in garbs. The fools, that much clothing slows your movement and hinders your sight. Off to the side I could see my beautiful wife Hippolyta and Queen Gorgo speaking to one another. It wasn't odd to find the two women together. Our families have always been close.

The messenger steps down from his horse, as does the Persians and walks towards us.

" Before you speak Persian. Know that in Sparta everyone, even a king's messenger is held accountable for the words of his voice." Leonidas spoke. His words weren't a warning, so much so a very direct threat for this man to choose his words carefully unless, he wants to find out why we Spartans are the mightiest warriors to ever exist. " Now, what message do you bring?" Leonidas asked.

The dark man bowed his head and spoke. " Earth and water." he said.

Queen Gorgo, who now stood beside Leonidas smirked as did the king.

My wife was beside me as well and I could tell she wanted to laugh at this poor idiot.

" You walked all the way from Persia, for earth and water?" Leonidas asked.

" Do not be coy or stupid, Persian." Queen Gorgo spoke.

" You can afford neither in Sparta." Hippolyta spoke as well.

The two women were more than confident in making fun of the man. I always loved that about my wife. She was strong and bold and brave. Braver than most women. She was not afraid to speak her mind even amongst men.

This is something the Persians did not share.

" What makes these women think they can speak amongst men?" The dark one asked. I wanted to cut the man's head from his body right then and there for speaking down to my wife. But I held back. For now, anyway.

" Because only Spartan women give birth to real men." Queen Gorgo told the man defiantly.

" Let us walk..." Leonidas spoke. " To cool our tongues."

I nodded and began to follow, but not without giving my wife a look of pride.

Artemis, Stelios, Dinokeles, and myself as well as a few other Spartans followed behind King Leonidas as he and the Messenger from Xerxes spoke.

" If you value your lives over your complete Annihilation, listen carefully Leonidas." The man has already made one mistake. " Lord Xerxes conquerors and controls everything he sets his eyes upon. He leads an army so massive it shakes the ground with its march. So, Vast it drinks the rivers dry. All the god king Xerxes requires is this. A simple offering of Earth and Water." The messenger spoke.

We continued our walk through the streets of Sparta, and as we did, I felt the urge to skewer this man on my sword growing with each word he spoke.

" A token of submission to the will of Xerxes." At this declaration, Leonidas came to a stop. As did the rest of us Spartans. Submission. A word forbidden in Sparta unless it was used by our enemies as a means to surrender themselves. A word we do not take lightly when used against us as threat.

" Submission?" Leonidas asked. " Now that's a bit of a problem. See the word is the Athenians have already turned you down. And if those philosophers and uh, boy lovers have found that kind of nerve-" As Leonidas spoke, Theron, the worm for Gerousia, approached him.

" We must be diplomatic." Theron spoke.

" And of course, SPARTANS." Leonidas said to Theron threateningly. He then turned back to the Persian and spoke. " Have a reputation to uphold."

" Choose your next words carefully, Leonidas. They may be your last as king." the Persian threatened.

I could see it on all the faces of my brothers and sisters. We all wanted the same thing. To kill these, Malakas.

Leonidas turned towards us and stared at us. Not just those present but at all of Sparta, our sons and fathers. Our Mothers, Wives, and Daughters. All of us. He looks to me and Artemis, we nod, He looks to his Queen, as does she. The wind blowing past our faces. I knew what my King was thinking, we all did. And we were ready.

" Earth and Water." Leonidas mumbles. Leonidas reaches for his blade and pulls it out, thrusting it towards the messenger.

The Persians try to defend themselves, but before any of them can. We Spartans already have our blades on them.

The Persian in front of me stares at me, his eyes wide and full of fear. I give him nothing but a cold and deadly glare. They were dead. They just didn't know it yet.

" Madman. You're a madman!" The Persian declared.

" Earth and Water. Oh, you will find plenty of that down there." Leonidas spoke as he gestured to our dead well.

" No one. No man! Persian or Greek threatens a messenger." The dark one declared.

He obviously did not hear my king's threat from before. If he did, he would have known being a messenger will not save you here.

" You bring the severed heads and crowns of dead kings to my city steps! You insult my queen! You threaten my people with Slavery and Death! Oh, I've chosen my words carefully, Persian. Perhaps you should have done the same." Leonidas told the man.

" This is blasphemy! This is Madness!" The dark one spoke.

Leonidas turned away and stared at his wife. The silence filled the air with tension as both sides prepared for what was to come. Leonidas then turned back to the man and smirked.

" Madness? THIS! IS! SPARTA!" He kicked the man in his chest and knocked him into the well.

" WAAAAAAAAARHHHH!" I drove my blade into the Persians throat and drove him into the well. We Spartans killed and slaughtered the soldiers in our city without hesitation and threw their dead or dying bodies down into the well with the messenger. " AWHOO!" I raised my blade to sky and roared in victory.

" AWHOO! AWHOO! AWHOO!" A resounding battle cry erupted in the streets of Sparta.

" Persian dogs. Threaten my family and you die." I spoke.

" You were waiting for that weren't you Timaeus?" Artemis asked as he playfully smacked me on the back.

" You know me, Artemis. I wanted to gut that pig as soon as he set foot in Sparta." i told the man.

" Well, done you two." Leonidas spoke as he approached us.

" What are your orders, Leonidas?" Artemis asked.

" Prepare yourselves, my friends. I want you both to prepare for war. I will devise of a plan tonight and will meet you both tomorrow." Leonidas spoke.

" Yes, my king." I replied.

" I must tend to some things at home. I will meet you as soon as I am finished." I told Artemis.

" Of Course. Prepare yourself, Timaeus. By this time tomorrow we will be gearing for war." Artemis spoke. He and I shook arms, and then I departed. I found my Wife amongst the crowd and approached her.

" That was excellent, my love." She told me.

" I am glad you liked it, my love. Come, let us make for home. I wish to see the kids." I told Hippolyta.

She nodded and we walked back to our home in Sparta. In public it was seen as weakness to show love. But once we were safely inside our own home, I gladly took my wife into my arms and kissed her fiercely. When we broke for air, Hippolyta giggled.

" What has gotten into you?" Hippolyta asked

" War, my love. War has gotten into me. This time tomorrow, Artemis, Leonidas, and I will be planning to go to war against Xerxes. And until then I will spend every aching moment with my beautiful wife." I replied. I remember the first night we made love. She took my breath away.

" Father." I turned my head and saw, Jason. My son running towards me with his knife. He jumped at me and tried to cut me. I smiled and grabbed the boy's small arm and twisted it behind his back. He was only six years old and already showed promise. I was proud of him.

" Jason, my son. Your thrust is strong. but you are still off-balance. Control yourself boy." I told my son. I let his arm go and placed my hand on his shoulder strongly.

" Yes, father."

I felt a tug on my cape, I looked down and saw that my daughter had snuck up behind me. The gods know the girl is a quiet one. If this were a battle, she'd have taken my back.

" Diana, my little princess." I grabbed my daughter and lifted her up into my arms and kissed her on the forehead.

She smiled and hugged me tightly. her strength no less than her brothers.

" Okay, down now princess. Mom and dad have something important to talk about. You and your brother go wash up and prepare for dinner." I told the little girl.

" Yes, father." Diana replied. She hopped down from my arms and dragged her little brother out of the room.

" They're precious." I spoke.

" They are our children. Your children. Of course, they are." Hippolyta replied as she wrapped her strong arms around my stomach.

" My wife. My love. I will not lie to you. This is going to be a hard battle. Even for us. But I promise, by the end of it. Sparta and all of Greece will be free from Xerxes terror." I spoke.

" I believe you, my love. Come. Dinner will be finished soon. While the children are out, let us spend some alone time together." Hippolyta whispered in my ear.

I smiled and turned around. I wrapped my arms around Hippolyta's waist and kissed her softly on her neck, taking my time to suck on her beating pulse. I felt her wrap her arms around my neck and moan into my ear. I reached down and squeezed her soft ass.

" Take me, my love. I want you to take me right here." Hippolyta spoke. Her voice as enchanting as Circe. Her breath warm and pleasant.

I pushed Hippolyta up against the wall of our home and lifted her dress. I pulled my already erect, penis out and quickly drove it into her. Her vagina was tight, despite giving birth to two children, it was tight and warm. Being connected like this felt better than anything else this world could offer. I thrusted into her hard and fast, as she liked it. I could feel her nails digging into my back. her moans of pleasure in my ear only furthering my own beating heart.

" My, love. Yes!"

I felt her walls constrict around me. A torrent of fluid spilled onto my lap. The feeling was more than enough to force me over the edge. I ejaculated inside of her tight walls.

Breathless, we both collapsed to the ground. her arms and legs still wrapped tightly around me.

" My, love. That was amazing."

" You're always amazing my, love." I told Hippolyta.

I leaned back and kissed her gently on her lips and smiled. My family were the only ones who would see this side of me. The only ones who would know of it.

" Come love, the kids will be back any moment now." Hippolyta told me.

I nodded and we both hurried to fix ourselves. Once the kids returned, we had dinner. Once finished, I kissed my family goodbye and headed to meet Artemis to prepare ourselves for war.

" Where is Leonidas?" I asked as I shined my armor.

" He has gone to meet with the Oracle and the ephors to tell them of his plan." Artemis replied.

" What is his plan?" I asked.

" He wants to huddle them all together in the hot gates. Use the tight passage to take away their numbers advantage."

" A smart move, especially with the sheer number of Xerxes forces. It could work." I replied.

" I think the same. Let's just hope the Ephors agree with the idea." Artemis replied.

" The men are ready." I spoke. " And the equipment is all in good shape. I think we're ready. What do you think?" I asked Artemis.

He was just as skilled as I was. In all of Sparta only two men have ever provided me a challenge in battle. Leonidas and Artemis. So, his opinion carried weight with me.

" I think we can do it. But we shouldn't lose our composure and get arrogant." Artemis replied.

" Agreed."

He and I sat there sharpening our blades and spears and making sure our shields were strong. After a good while we returned home to rest for tomorrow, we March.