Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1278: The Queens' Request

"Alright, then it's settled. When the time comes, you will march on Persia with me!" Davos finally smiled. Looking at the former Minister of Commerce in the crowd, he asked, "Marigi, you'll soon be returning to your homeland. You must be thrilled, right?"

Marigi replied calmly, "Your Majesty, I have lived here for most of my life. I am already a Theonian. The reason I wish to follow you to Persia is that I am still quite familiar with the region, and I hope to offer you sound advice during the campaign."

"You don't mean a word of that," Epithenes teased from the side.

Marigi's words reminded Davos of something. He immediately asked, "Is Izam also among the group heading to Persia?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. He was the most eager to sign up," Philesius answered with a smile. "After all, he'll be returning to his homeland as well."

Alexis immediately caught Davos's meaning and chimed in, "He should be at home right now. Shall I have him summoned?"

"No rush, there will be plenty of time later." Davos looked at the men around him, suddenly moved. "It's been a long time since we old brothers gathered together! Don't rush back today. I'll send someone to fetch Matonis, Oliphus, Alpens, and the rest of the old mercenaries currently in Thurii. I'll throw a banquet in the Royal Palace so we can catch up properly. How about it?"

"Excellent!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Late at night, the banquet concluded, and Davos returned to his mansion on King's Hill.

When he reached the backyard, he was surprised to see the main hall blazing with candlelight. Stepping inside, he found his two queens, Christoya and Agnes, sitting in the spacious living room. Slightly drunk, he asked, "It's so late. Why... haven't you two gone to bed?"

"Your Majesty, we've been waiting for you," Christoya reproached him mildly.

"Waiting for me? Uh... is something the matter?" Davos let out a drunken hiccup.

Agnes immediately hurried over to help him to a seat, then brought him a cup of hot honey water she had prepared in advance. "We heard that you plan to personally lead the army against Persia," she said with concern. "Is that true?"

Davos took her hand and gently consoled her. "Neither of you needs to worry. Persia's national strength is clearly waning. We are more than capable of defeating them completely so they never threaten the kingdom again... Besides, this is a war between the two great powers of Daionia and Persia. Almost every legion in the kingdom is being mobilized. I wouldn't be able to rest easy if I didn't lead them myself!"

Davos lightly squeezed Agnes's hand and looked at Christoya, his tone softening even further. "Rest assured, this will be the last time I march to war. Once this campaign is over, I'll stay by your side. I won't ever make you worry again!"

"Your Majesty." Christoya was visibly moved, but her expression soon turned serious. "In the past, whenever you marched to war, Agnes and I could only wait at home. But since you're heading to Persia this time, we've discussed it, and we are going with you!"

"What?!" Davos sobered up a bit. He looked at Christoya, then down at Agnes beside him, and asked in disbelief, "You aren't joking, are you?"

"Your Majesty!" Christoya sat up straight, her tone resolute. "Agnes and I have been discussing this all day. We are making this request in complete earnest, and we hope you take it just as seriously!"

"Alright." Davos released Agnes's hand and sat up straight as well. He cleared his throat and declared firmly, "I refuse!"

Seeing Christoya scowl, Davos quickly explained, "I established the Theonian Military Law. It's only because the army has strictly adhered to it that we've won victory after victory and built the powerful kingdom we have today. Article Ninety-One of the Military Law explicitly states: 'Generals and soldiers are forbidden from bringing family members on campaigns, and they are forbidden from pillaging women. Violators shall be beheaded!' Do you want me to lose my head?

"Even if no one would dare carry out the sentence, I am the author of the Military Law and the supreme commander of the army. If I break the law myself, how can I expect the soldiers to obey it? Once I set such a terrible precedent, military discipline will completely collapse. How could our army ever win another battle?!"

Agnes was somewhat persuaded. She glanced at Christoya.

Christoya remained entirely unmoved. "The Military Law dictates that women cannot accompany the army on campaigns? Then aren't the nurses in the field hospitals of every legion women?"

Davos retorted without missing a beat, "They aren't women; they're soldiers. The men haven't viewed them as ordinary women for decades. They are an intrinsic part of the legions."

Christoya smiled brightly. "Speaking of which, I was the one who originally organized the field hospital nurses based on your suggestion. I served as the nurses' captain back then, and I could easily step back into the role—"

"Absolutely not!" Davos said resolutely. "You two are now queens of the Kingdom of Daunia, the mothers of the realm in the eyes of the people. This isn't like it was decades ago. If you were to take up positions in the field hospitals, it would only disrupt their operations and cripple their efficiency! More importantly, I wouldn't be able to guarantee your safety. If anything were to happen to either of you, how could I possibly focus on commanding the war?!"

"Your Majesty." Christoya's eyes suddenly welled with tears, her voice choking. "I followed you all the way from Persia to Magna Graecia, and I haven't returned to my homeland in decades. I recently heard from merchants trading in Asia Minor that ever since Persia declared our kingdom its enemy, they somehow discovered I was born in Miletus. My father had already been punished by the Persians for his involvement in Cyrus's rebellion... He passed away ten years ago. Yet this time, the Persians still unleashed a massacre on my father's family... Hundreds of people, even their neighbors... They were either slaughtered or dragged off as slaves..."

Crystal tears spilled down her fair, well-kept cheeks, but her voice took on a sharp edge. "Your Majesty, I swear in the name of Hades: I must go to Miletus this time! Every Persian who took part in slaughtering my family, and every accomplice in Miletus, must be punished! I will do everything in my power to find my surviving relatives, help them settle down again, and ensure they live prosperous lives. It is what I owe them!..."

Davos fell silent. In truth, he had learned of the massacre of Christoya's family five years ago through intelligence gathered by Aristiras. He had kept it a secret to spare his wife the heartbreak. He never expected that Christoya had already known, bearing the grief in silence all this time... While her father facing the King of Persia's wrath for Cyrus's rebellion could be said to have nothing to do with Daionia, the utter destruction of her family was undeniably Davos's fault. For Christoya to swear an oath by the gods proved just how unshakable her resolve was.

If Davos continued to refuse, it would undoubtedly drive a wedge into their decades of marriage, so he hesitated.

Agnes chimed in to smooth things over. "Your Majesty, how about this? My sister and I won't march with the main army to Persia, so as not to put you in a difficult position. Once the campaign is progressing smoothly, we can travel with the supply vessels instead..."

"That is still somewhat dangerous..." Faced with his wives' pleading, expectant gazes, Davos finally compromised. "Alright, I'll make the arrangements... However, Christoya, if you leave, who will manage your chamber of commerce? And Agnes, who will oversee the Temple of Hera?"

"Eunice is more than capable of handling things on her own now. When I leave, she will manage the chamber of commerce, of course."

"Cynthia will oversee the daily rituals at the Temple of Hera in my stead."

"What about little Chris and the others? Are you really willing to just leave them behind?" Davos asked, making one final, tentative attempt to dissuade them.

"I'm not their mother. What's there to miss?" Christoya replied, her tone resolute.

Seeing that both his wives were unyielding, Davos lowered his head and took a slow sip of the honey water. Then he said, "How about this... Once the western half of Asia Minor has been completely conquered, I'll have the Ministry of Military Affairs dispatch troops to escort you to Miletus. Once your affairs there are settled, you'll return home. Deal?"

"No!" Christoya immediately objected. "If you conquer Persia this time, Agnes and I are going to Babylon with you!"

Davos blinked in surprise. "Why would you go to Babylon?"

Agnes hemmed and hawed, but Christoya was perfectly blunt. "We've heard the King of Persia has countless women. We're worried you'll end up taking another wife, so we need to keep a close eye on you!"

Davos was dumbfounded. "What kind of nonsense is that? How could I possibly do something that violates the Military Law?! Besides, at my age, I don't have the energy for that kind of thing anyway!"

Christoya curled her lip. "Who knows? Word has it the King of Persia is getting on in years, yet he still married his own daughter. If Agnes and I follow you, we can prevent you from making any mistakes!"

Davos could only shake his head in utter helplessness.

...

The Persians in Asia Minor had already received word that Daionia had declared war on Persia, assembled the Greek expeditionary army, and was preparing to invade. However, they also noticed that the citizens of the various city-states on the Greek Mainland were preoccupied with an upcoming harvest and had yet to begin full military mobilization. As a result, they assumed the Greek expeditionary army's attack wouldn't arrive anytime soon. This miscalculation allowed the Daionian Tenth Legion to pull off a completely unopposed landing on the eastern shores of the Strait of Hellespont, right in the Persian region of Mysia.

Of course, even if Theopompus, the governor of Mysia, had been prepared, he lacked the forces to repel the Daionian Army's landing. At best, he could have only caused a bit of trouble for the Tenth Legion.