H14

Meeting my new bride for the first time was interesting. For one thing, it seemed she was unused to long sea voyages from the unsteady way she disembarked the absolutely massive Quinquireme that had docked in Ambracia. She had actually needed her father to offer her a hand. She was quite beautiful, especially with how the girdle she wore did some interesting things to her bust. The whole effect, however, was ruined by her clear lack of sea legs belying discomfort.

"Pyrrhus! I present to you, your bride, my daughter Lanassa! In recognition for your heroic deeds!" Grinned Agathocles.

I took Lanassa's hand from Agathocles, steadying her myself before looking into her brown eyes and said, "My Lady, I welcome you to my home and hope that you make yourself comfortable. It will be your home too, soon enough." Not exactly suave, but I never was that smooth. I could feel the ghost of Pyrrhus cringe in the back of my mind at the earnest corniness of my statement.

"I shall be comfortable as soon as I can get good solid stone under my feet once more. Pray, direct me to your palace so that I might find my footing." She replied with an arched eyebrow.

"Of course, I do not mean to keep you waiting." I smiled back.

Before long, we were riding through Ambracia up to my palace. Agathocles noticed the stirrups on mine and the honor guard's horses and asked what they were for. I simply told him that I had done a lot to improve my Kingdom that he had not seen during the last trip he took here, brief as it was. He nodded, but I could tell from the look in his eye that he was thinking about what he was seeing. I knew that it was impossible for him to have missed the Spear of Ambraciain the harbor as he sealed in, or the other Dromons under construction not too far away. He was certainly cunning enough to realize the implications of new and improved ships and cavalry.

Eventually, once we were ensconced in the palace in one of the many antechambers, I had wine and snacks brought out. A selection of cured meats and cheeses were brought out, along with olives, salted anchovies, and flatbreads. It was my attempt at a sort of charcuterie board, though the cured meats were more kavourmas and pastorma than soppressata or salami and a few of the cheeses were from sheep. It still seemed to go over quite well, especially with the wine.

Arcathagus joined us as well, as did Pyrrhus' daughter, Olympias. Ptolemy, being a toddler, stayed with his nurses and did not join in the festivities. The whole point of the party was for the families to get to know one another on a personal level. I mostly chatted with Lanassa, being that we were the ones getting married at the end of the week. As it turned out, she had a bit of a rapier wit when it came to wordplay. I think she was amused by the game I'd taught her younger brother and somewhat intrigued that I had come up with it.

"I had heard many things about Pyrrhus, though clever was not one I had heard much. Not until recently. Mad, perhaps, for why make an enemy of all of Illyria? Brash too, for rushing into a quagmire of barbarian tribes. Yet here you stand, having not only subjugated these tribes but retrieved my brother against all odds. What am I to think of that?" She asked.

"That your intended has hidden depths?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"So too does Tartarus, and yet I would not wish to be trapped there." Scoffed Lanassa.

"You wound me, my lady. Your tongue is as sharp as a Xiphos." I said, clutching my chest in mock agony.

The ghost of a smile appeared on her lips at my poor acting, before she said, "I had heard you were quite the philanderer, keeping a barbarian mistress in the city."

"All in the past. I sent her away some time ago and have not taken another woman since. You are welcome to question my guards and servants if you will not take my word for it. From now until Charon takes us across the Styx, my affection will lie with you." I replied.

"A bold claim." Grinned Lanassa.

"If I were not bold, I would not be Pyrrhus." I replied.

"Indeed. Well, I am certainly relieved that my father did not marry me off to a coward. Or, it seems, to a dullard or madman. I think I can be content with that." She said.

"Equally glad am I that you seem to have Hermes own wit. I would accept no less of my queen." I grinned.

Mutual respect established, the topic shifted to less fraught matters. Things like what the markets were like, wh was who at court, and so on. By the time this small party was over, I could say Lanassa and I were at least on second date terms. That was sort of how I had structured the days leading up to the wedding, as an abridged courting period to allow my bride and I to become acquainted. We had to at least establish compatibility and mutual respect, or this would never work. All else would come with time. By the end of the week, we were finally ready to go through with the wedding.

It would be a grand affair. The temple of Hera, goddess of Marriage was festooned in banners for the ceremony, and nobles from as far away as Ptolemaic Egypt and Akragas attended. Astios and Epulon came in person, though the rest of my clients sent envoys rather than show up themselves. For some, like the City Fathers of Epdamnos and the Assembly of Nymphaion, this was because of their government structure. Artas of the Labatae sent an envoy, pleading of the need for him to stay in Lissos and organize rebuilding from the war. I could understand that. King Agron of the Penestae, though had cited the need to make sure the war between the 3 Monuniae over the ragged remnants of Bardyllis' Kingdom didn't spill over his border. As far as I was aware, that war wasn't even close to spilling over the border. I couldn't exactly gainsay the man, though, and he had sent his heir, Sirras to attend in his stead. I would just need to let that go, for now. As I pledged my commitment to Lanassa in the sight of gods and men, I couldn't help but wonder if the snub presaged more rocky times ahead.

Soon enough, however, my new wife drew my thoughts back to the present with a kiss. My clients, nobles, and courtiers all clapped and howled raucously at the sight and we transitioned from a solemn wedding ceremony in the Temple of Hera, to a lively reception feast. 7 courses were served, from charcuterie appetizer, through roast boar main course, and ending with a sort of proto-baklava dessert. Through it all, wine was poured and music played and everyone made merry.

Finally, my new wife and I retired to my chambers for our wedding night. That I was willing to go down on her seemed to surprise her, but she clearly enjoyed it. My last memories of that night occurred sometime after that when we fell asleep snuggled together in the bed. I would awake the next morning with a splitting headache, a new wife, and control over several Islands I had not owned before.

I only had a brief moment to reflect n how lucky I was before the hangover hit me full force and I was forced to use an empty wine amphora to throw up in. . .

XXXX

AN: Here we get to see Lanassa and Pyrrhus interact for the first time.

Lanassa was supposed to have been pretty politically savvy, so I've given her wit and a clever tongue.

Hopefully, that comes across when they were talking.

I know I sort of glossed over the wedding, but honestly? I'm not super great at romance.

As to the clients, the Penestae are already being troublesome.

What will come of that? Read on to find out. . .