Archon of Athena Academy

Ice Princess of Thebes

That day Aglaia and Yelan even came and had lunch with all of us, giving me the opportunity to properly introduce them to everybody as well as announce the status of our relationship.  Everything in my life seemed to be going well, with all the pieces I needed and was looking for, falling into place.  But there was this nagging feeling that something was awry, almost as if I was being watched.  Tuesday after lunch, when I was seeing my girls off to their afternoon classes, it happened.  I was cornered and confronted by the Ice Princess of Thebes.

Often appearing as a reliable and elegant figure, Princess Argia of Thebes was a young woman of tall stature and fair complexion, with a slender frame and large breasts.  She had waist-length silver-white hair tied with a French braid behind her head and light purple-colored eyes.

She wore an elegant outfit prominently featuring black and gold trim, including a black gold-trimmed blazer, a white sleeveless blouse, black tie secured at the collar by a purple broach, a black belt around her high waist, a gold-trimmed black mini-skirt, white thigh-high socks with gold belt straps, and knee-high black boots.

The Cold-Blooded Ice Princess, with her imposing stature, elegance and innate nobility, often came off as appearing as a distant and indifferent person who was both "cold" in demeanor and actions.  She was also known as a formidable leader who is stern, strategic and decisive, as well as righteous and fiercely protective.  Behind her dynamic and powerful presence was hidden an independent and ambitious personality that was highly intelligent, confident, and cunning, with a natural talent for analysis and intuition, often seeing through situations more clearly than others. She was also pretty single minded in her goal to elevate Thebes.

“What exactly is Athens and Sparta playing at?  Let’s not forget about Thrace while we are at it.  If things weren’t bad enough, all the Princesses of Athens are your Lovers!?  What the Hades are you planning, Pericles!”  Clearly working herself up into a tizzy, Argia was progressively getting louder and louder.

Reaching out I grabbed both of Argia’s hands in mine and started gently caressing the back of them with my thumbs, saying “Calm down Lady Argia, It’s okay.  Clearly there has been some sort of misunderstanding and we just need to sit down and talk about it.  After school today let me treat you to some sweats at a pastry, dessert and coffee shop I know and we’ll sit down and calmly talk about all of this in detail, okay?” and then I brought her hands up to my lips and kissed the fingers of her hands before dropping them back down.

Through-out this whole discussion, Argia had her eyes locked on my hands holding hers, with a completely disturbed and perturbed look on her face, her cheeks gradually becoming redder and redder.  When I kissed her hands, a look of shock briefly crossed her face and it was almost like steam was leaking out of her ears.  “Uhm, Uhm, Aah, I Ga-ga-guess I can da-da-do that…” Argia stammered in reply.

“Alright, then, I’ll meet you at the front gate after the last bell.”

With that Argia pretty much wrenched her hands out of mine and fled to her afternoon classes.

That afternoon, I managed to catch Deinomache and Pallene between their afternoon classes and let them know that I wouldn’t be able to walk them home today, because I had to talk to Princess Argia of Thebes after Academy hours.  With that base covered, I found myself waiting at the front gates at last bell for what hopefully wasn’t a distraught Thebe’s Princess.  When Argia appeared among the droves of people leaving for the day, I escorted her to our family’s general store and bakery in the Agora and we seated ourselves at a table for two at the front window.

When the bakery store attendant brought out cups and a pitcher of water, I ordered a couple coffees and, looking at the menu, suggested “I think I’m going to go with Baklava, which is a dessert with layers of filo, chopped nuts, and a sweet syrup.  I’ll get a couple pieces so you can try some too, but for you, why don’t you get Galaktoboureko, which is a dessert with custard filling encased in filo pastry.” To which Argia assented.

The Baklava when it came out was cut into a diamond shape made with very thin layers of light flaky phyllo dough brushed with butter and layered with a mixture of chopped pistachio, walnut, and almond nuts.  The sweet baked pastry had then been drenched in a sweet syrup flavored with honey and spiced with a hint of lemon and cinnamon.

Argia gave me a taste too of the Galaktoboureko when it came out, which is a traditional dessert consisting of a creamy, rich custard filling made with semolina, milk, eggs, sugar, and a hint of vanilla and orange zest, and baked between layers of crisp, buttery phyllo dough, then drenched in a sweet syrup flavored with honey.

Having enjoyed our desserts, and contentedly sipping our coffee, I broached the main topic of why we were here “Argia, what was it that had you so upset today?”

Argia’s happy, contented expression changed from one of a girl who was out on a date to a more serious business-like countenance.  “Tell me Pericles, what is your relationship with the Student Council President Aglaia, I thought you were in a relationship with Princess Deinomache?”

Regarding Argia thoughtfully, I replied “Well, Aglaia is my Mistress with the intent that she’ll be my work wife who will help me by my side in the family business after we graduate from the Academy.  I also intend to register our marriage here in Athens, that is if her father comes through with a dowry.  Deinomache is my childhood friend who I love dearly, and I would have willingly married her if she wasn’t also my cousin.  So, her legal status will have to stay that of a concubine, and between those two I should be able to raise a suitable heir to the Alcmaeonid line.”

With frustration, Argia Harumphed, “If you are going to take the two Athenian Princesses as your women, you might as well just proclaim yourself the King of Athens.  With those two as your women, you would have more power than the previous tyrant Peisistratus!”

Looking up in thought for a second, and then looking back at Argia, I waved my hand back and forth in front of my face signaling denial, “No, no, what a pain in the ass that would be.  I have no desire to become King of Athens.  I would rather leave managing this place to my father and the other Archons, along with the other citizens.  Once a population grows to a certain point, it becomes too hard to manage it without a bureaucracy beholden to the people.  Way too much trouble.”

With consternation, Argia continued “So, why are you traipsing around with Helen of Sparta and Pallene of Thrace?  It’s almost like you are dating them.  I even caught you kissing them a couple times.  Does Aglaia know?”

With a wry expression, I said “Of course she knows about all my other women, and is fine with it.  Pallene is my fiancé through an arranged marriage agreement between my father and the King of Thrace, and Helen is also my fiancé, and the woman that will be my political wife that is going to marry me when she graduates from the Academy.  Her brother offered her to me in exchange for the opportunity to get to marry my little sister Taygete, not that Helen wasn’t completely on board with his scheme.”

Getting frantic again, Argia almost screamed “What!  Athens has joined hands with Sparta!  Are you planning to become King of Greece?!  And on top of that, you are forming an alliance with Thrace!  Are you planning on teaming up together and conquering Thebes?! Haah, Haah, Haah…” as she started to hyperventilate.

Looking at Argia concernedly, I tried to comfort her “Settle down Argia, you’re going to pass out at this rate.  Nobody has any plans to conquer Thebes, at least not now, at any rate.  I guess if you guys decide to stubbornly obstruct our plans in the future, we would be forced to subjugate you guys, but I think the people of Thebes are smarter than that.

“Argia, what I am really trying to do is unify Greece into an actual viable Kingdom through mutual protection alliances and mutually beneficial commerce.  What we are now is a collection of warring and bickering city states, and political entities of all sizes where all the leaders declare themselves the king of their little dung heap they consider themselves the leaders of.  Not only do the Greek people need to organize themselves into a clear hierarchy based on region, population, and military power, we need to unite as a country for the protection of the people’s rights and promote their welfare, ensuring security and stability, as well as provide opportunities for self-sufficiency and development.  The world is full of Greater Powers that could easily overrun our trivial and insignificant Greek city states, taking our lands and women, while killing or enslaving the rest.

“Once we Greeks get our act together and form a proper country, we’ll start talking with the surrounding Kingdoms in order to form mutual protection alliances and establish mutually beneficial trade with them too, but that’s way into the future.

“As far as worrying about Sparta, Athens and Thrace ganging up on Thebes, why don’t you just marry me along with the other girls?  With all of you as my wives, if there is a problem, I’m sure we can just talk it out and find an agreeable solution.”

Looking down at the ground in a look of despair, Argia muttered “The man isn’t trying to become King of Greece, he’s aiming at Emperor of the Mediterranean…”  Then slapping her face with both hands and shaking her head back and forth before looking back up at me replying “I was going to suggest you marry me instead of them, but I can see your perspective.  I’ll marry you if you treat Thebes equally with respect.”

Worried that things had somehow taken the wrong turn here, I quickly responded “Hey now, I would have treated Thebes with the same respect as any other Greek city state.  This is all about me marrying you, and I want you to do it not because it’s an arranged or political marriage.  I want you to be happy spending your life with me, and know that you are loved and cherished as my woman as we raise a family together.  I propose that you become my fiancé for the school year and we’ll treat each other like husband and wife.  Meanwhile, we’ll date, spend time together, and we’ll take care of each other’s physical and emotional needs.  If by the end of the year you can’t see yourself as living your life as my wife, then we’ll part ways as friends and I’ll wish you well.  What do you think?”

Having listened to my appeal and alternatingly looking out the window and back at me, she replied “You are a greedy Son-of-a-Bitch aren’t you...?  I’m willing to see how it goes…”

Sitting up straight in my chair, I proudly proclaimed “Damn Straight!  How could I not make some absolutely gorgeous and sexy, amazingly smart, ambitious, and perceptive woman my wife.  You’ll make a tremendous political wife alongside Aglaia and Helen, who I believe is your cousin, right?”

Blushing and clearly embarrassed, she replied “She is, sheesh…”

With that, I had the bakery attendant sell me four Koulouris wrapped in bakery paper, asking Argia to put them in her handbag, and signed the check with a 20% tip and the instruction to give the note to Peitho upstairs for payment before I led Argia holding hands to my favorite nearby hotel. 

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