Chapter 51

I took the winter to settle things in Athens. The Purge of the Athenian Boule had to be wrapped up by Spring and the Rump Boule packed with members of the Stoic Faction or those I appointed directly. It was far from a leisurely winter, but the very fact that my Army was in the City helped ensure no snags were hit when our agents went to purge a member of the Boule. That the Proscriptions that hit the Boule were targeted entirely at the Epicurean Faction and their allies seemed to help calm things somewhat.

The average Athenian Commoner had very little to do with all but the most basic of Boule Politics, and the Metics had no franchise in the City whatsoever. The Commoners and Metics made up the vast majority of the non-slave population of Athens, and when they saw that the Proscriptions weren't hitting them and that there would still be a Boule to participate in afterward, discontent largely died off. Certainly, some nobles tried to rabble rouse and stir up Commoners, but they always found themselves on the next list of Proscriptions I sent out and that tended to break the back of any would-be rebels.

By the time spring neared, I had managed to purge all but a small handful of the Epicureans, including Lachares and Telecles. They had just hid too well and likely fled when I opened the gates back up in February so trade could resume. I didn't know where they fled to, but I was certain they would turn up eventually. I'd just have to deal with them when the time came that they cropped back up to make a nuisance of themselves. I did manage to hit them with the second part of the Proscriptions, though.

See, proscriptions of the Epicurean Faction were not just a good way to rid myself of potential enemies in Athens. They also allowed me to seize property belonging to those on the lists of Proscriptions. The fact that the vast majority of the people on the list happened to not just be Epicurean Politicians but also immensely rich helped me greatly. Oh, certainly, I kept some wealth back for myself in order to recoup some of the costs of the War, but I also redistributed businesses, land, and wealth to my allies. Diotomos and the other Athenian Stoics, for example, who were helping to legitimize my overlordship, each found themselves handsomely rewarded, as did several of my officers and generals.

Honestly, the amount of wealth that the Epicureans had been hoarding was insane to me. If they'd bothered thinking of anyone other than themselves for two minutes, they would have realized that it was enough wealth to buy new armies to throw at my forces several times over. Instead, it seemed that it had just sat there like some sort of dragon's hoard, not being used for anything constructive. The wealth would be better used in my and my allies' hands. Speaking of which, I used some of it to pay artisans and laborers to repair the walls of Athens and for the replanting of the fields that had been trodden over by marching armies, this time using my Seed Drills and Heavy Plows.

The goal was to reduce Athenian dependence on imported grain. I wasn't fooling myself, of course, I knew that eliminating the need for Imported Grain was never going to happen. Athens simply had too many mouths to feed and not enough fertile land for that, even with my innovations helping cultivate more marginal lands. Still, reducing that dependence would help stabilize the food situation in Athens, which was precarious at the best of times. With the new Boule rubber stamping my decrees, the hope was that the people would be fed and the damage from the siege patched up, while my political enemies would be purged, enough to make the threat of rebellion fade.

It would prove to be a wise move, as the City would not erupt into chaos and revolt as soon as I and my army were no longer around. . .

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By the time my army left Athens in late March, we'd gotten a decent head start on that. By Early April, we had returned to Epirus and I released my forces for them to finish the yearly cycle of planting and harvesting, though it would be a late harvest. As I marched into Ambracia at the head of my remaining troops, however, it seemed the citizenry had turned out to watch their king return victorious over Athens. The streets were crowded with people watching our victorious army return. As we rode at the head of the marching army, Ptolemy couldn't help but look around with a smile on his face.

"The people have turned out to see us, Father." He grinned.

"This is what it's all for, Son. The love of your people and family. It's what all the warfare, all the trade, all the innovation, everything is for." I nodded as I waved to the crowd.

"The cheering, and so many people! I can't remember the last time the streets were this crowded." Mused Ptolemy.

"Soak it all in lad, smile, and wave." I advised, playing to the crowd.

Ptolemy nodded and did the same. For a long stretch of time, that was what we did. I strove to look every inch the conquering hero returning home victorious and Ptolemy tried to match my energy. He wasn't there yet, but he'd get it eventually, I was sure. As we turned off the main street and toward the Palace Square, where I could address my remaining men before dismissing them to their homes. I turned my horse as the men filled the Palace Square, lined up in ranks as their officers shouted them into Parade formation.

"Men! You should all be proud of what you have accomplished these last months! Athens Vanquished! A feat that was no easy task, yet you, my Steel Right Hand, have accomplished it! And in just three months of Campaign plus four of Occupation, to boot! Who else living but you could have done such a thing! By Zeus, should you be proud! I am! I am proud of what we accomplished together!" I spoke out as soon as my men were in place.

Cheers went up and I soaked them in, waiting for a few moments as the thunder of stamping feet and cheering soldiers rang out. Then, after a few moments had passed, I held up a single hand to motion for the men to stop cheering. Once the cheering had died down, I continued.

"Now, I know you are all eager to return to your families, and I would not keep you a moment longer than necessary. I am no Tyrant to do that, after all. However, you should know that when your pay for the campaign arrives, you will all find extra Drachmae in your allotment, commensurate with your rank!" I continued.

This caused another round of shouts and cheers with men stamping their feet and clanging the steel-shod butts of spears against the flagstones of the Palace Square. I could hardly blame them. After all, everyone likes bonus pay. As soon as the cheering died down, however, I affected a scowl on my face as I looked the ranks of troops up and down like a drill sergeant seeing something that displeased him.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Don't you have homes to get to? Dismissed and know that you all have my utmost admiration!" I shouted, breaking out into a smile at the end.

As the officers called for the men to fall out by file, Ptolemy and I turned our horses around to head for the gates of the Palace, dismounting at the Royal stables and making our way to the Palace Entrance. I returned to my Palace to find my wife and daughter waiting for me at the top of the Palace Steps, my son at my side. Eurydice was grinning ear to ear and holding her Ginger Gremlin of a Cat, Timoleon, while Lanassa gazed down at me with a warm smile.

Honestly, Lanassa looked as beautiful as the day we had met, though there was something different about her compared to when I had seen her last. That being her swollen belly. I beamed up at her from the foot of the steps to my Palace. I moved to greet Lanassa with an embrace, gently so as not to hurt the baby. Meanwhile, Ptolemy busied himself wrangling his little sister. Eurydice could be quite the terror even in the best of times, after all.

"Wife! When did that happen?" I questioned, ecstatic.

"Apparently, the Gods saw fit to bless us sometime in the two weeks before you left on Campaign, Husband. The Physic says it will be a boy and he is due sometime in the next two months." Answered Lanassa.

"Praise the Gods! Victory over Athens and a Son as well!" I grinned.

"We have to discuss names. I was hoping we could name him Agathocles." Opined Lanassa.

"After your father? Of course, I'm sure the Old Man would be proud." I agreed.

Then I leaned in and gave Lanassa a deep kiss. She kissed me back, fiercely, though I wasn't sure if she'd missed me or if that was just the pregnancy hormones. Probably a little of both. Either way, we didn't break apart until Ptolemy coughed loudly into his fist, reminding us that we had an audience. I turned to my Son and Daughter to see Eurydice had a look on her face as she watched Lanassa and I.

"Mommy, Daddy, don't be gross!" Insisted Eurydice.

"I missed you too, my Little Tempest." I chuckled.

"Come on, let's head inside." Sighed Ptolemy.

That night, I had my first meal with my whole family in seven months. Family time was important and I had missed this time with them. That night, I tucked Eurydice into bed, telling her a story about Harlambos the Potter and the Golden Fleece. Of course, we didn't finish it in one night, which was what made it the perfect bedtime story. I also had to rearrange much of the story to fit in with how things were now, as opposed to almost two thousand years in the future. The Philosopher's Stone, for example, wasn't a concept, so I substituted it for the Golden Fleece, which served as something of a similar item in the context we were in. As another example, Goblins became Satyrs, and Gringotts Bank became a treasure vault that Dionysos was allowing various Sorcerers and Heroes to use. All in all, it was a good exercise in storytelling on the fly, after which, I spent the night with my Wife.

"You know we have to think of a name if it's a Girl, too." Pointed out Lanassa.

"You think the Physic was wrong?" I queried.

"It's wise to be prepared in either case, is it not?" Asked Lanassa.

"Phthia." I spoke up.

"Your mother's name?" Questioned Lanassa.

"If it's a boy, we're naming him after your father. Why not my mother's name for a girl?" I questioned.

"Fair. Phthia it is then." Agreed Lanassa.

"Did I ever tell you how Lucky I am that you're my wife?" I asked.

"Several times, but it's good you know that." Smirked Lanssa.

In response, I leaned over and kissed my wife. This time, it was a far less involved kiss. We were both tired, after all. It had been a long day for both of us, but not a bad one, I think. Not for me, at any rate. As we broke apart, my wife smiled softly at me.

"Good night, Husband." She offered.

"Good night, Wife." I responded.

Then we rolled over and went to sleep. As my head hit the pillow, the last thing I recalled thinking before sleep took me was how good it felt to be home. Unfortunately, when I woke up tomorrow, I would be right back to work, but it was nice to simply have an evening to spend with family to recharge my batteries.

It was unfortunate, but that was simply just how it was to be king. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here is the next chapter. We get to see a bit more of how Pyrrhus handles Athens after the victory along with his return to Ambracia after the successful campaign against Athens. There's even some family time in there to boot, along with the revelation that Pyrrhus is going to have a fourth child, most likely a son. IOTL Pyrrhus would have two sons and two daughters, though his second daughter would have been with his third wife. ITTL things are different, not just that Pyrrhus is still with Lanassa ITTL, but also the placement of Sons and Daughters.

At any rate, the next chapter will be more ruling as we see a bit of time-skippy stuff before the Delegation arrives from Ptolemy Keraunos. After that, we'll get the delegation from Dardania and diplomacy with Alexander the Fifth of Macedon over Dardanian Debts.

Stay tuned. . .