H26

We returned to Ambracia in Triumph. A parade atmosphere pervaded the air as I rode at the head of my army, marching in parade order down the main thoroughfare of Ambracia. Serried rows of steel spears and ranks of armored troops caught the sunlight even as the sound of trumpets and the tramp of feet echoed in the late summer afternoon. All around my forces were throngs of cheering citizenry throwing flower petals into the streets as my forces passed by on the way to my palace in the section of Ambracia covered by the inner wall. Epirus had triumphed on the field again and again, seizing lands and treasure, as well as placing a kinsman on the Throne of Macedon.

As the parade wrapped up at the courtyard in front of my Palace, I dismounted my horse, removed my helm, tucked it under my arm, and strode up the steps of the palace. Standing at the entryway to the Palace, Lanassa, my wife, held Ptolemy, my son, by the hand. Lanassa was a great beauty and sharp as a needle. Ptolemy was only four years old, but a curious and energetic boy. Next to them, Olympias, my daughter smiled at me. She was eight years old and a serious girl who enjoyed plays and poetry.

My beautiful wife with her dusky skin and ebon hair smiled beatifically at me as I mounted the steps. Ptolemy brightened up, chubby face grinning, he started bouncing on the balls of his feet as he saw I was home from the campaign in Macedon. Olympias couldn't hide her happiness that I had returned, even through her serious demeanor. It was good to finally be home after so long on campaign. I made my way up to my family with a smile on my face, embracing my wife in front of my generals, troops, and bodyguards and planting a long, wet, kiss on her. The men cheered as I did so.

As Lanassa and I broke apart, I grinned at her and asked, "Did you miss me?"

"I'll let you know after you're home for a few days." Smirked Lanassa.

Then I moved over to Olympias, peering into her olive green eyes, and folded her into a hug. "I missed you, my Little Olive." I said.

"I missed you too, Daddy." Murmured Olympias as she buried her face in the crook of my neck.

We broke apart and I knelt down to get on Ptolemy's eye level. "Were you a good boy for your nursemaids? You didn't cause too much trouble while I was away, did you?" I questioned.

"I was good, Dad, promise!" Enthused Ptolemy in the way that only small children really can.

"Good lad." I nodded, clapping my young son on the shoulder. Then I stood up, turning to address the men.

"You should all be proud of what we've accomplished this past campaign. Not only have we added vast swathes of territory to Epirus, not only have we taken the wealth of Amphipolis for our own, but we have restored to the throne of Macedon the Line of Alexandros Megas after decades of Usurpers! Your pay will be coming to you shortly, along with bonus Drachmae to reflect this achievement. You should receive it all within the next fortnight, as I wrangle the grain counters in the treasury into doing something useful." I began, the last part getting appreciative laughs. I held up a hand calling for silence and waited to continue.

"Now, I pray you return to your homes and families with heads held high. Together, we have accomplished great deeds, Epirus has prospered, and the proper way of things has been restored in Macedon. You did more than your duty, you did a job well done. Dismissed!" I finished.

"Three cheers for Pyrrhus King!" Someone called out. A chorus of cheers, followed by a second and then a third echoed into the air.

"Go on home to your families, men! I've kept you from them long enough for one season!" I grinned. The men fell out all joking and cheering at that, as they broke up into groups to head to different districts in Ambracia or different cities in Epirus together. I turned to my family with a grin on my face, ready to do my own catching up with loved ones.

"The men love you, Pyrrhus." Remarked Lanassa.

"Of course they do, I pay them well and bring them victory. They have done naught but sup at the victor's table for years, why shouldn't they love me?" I queried, puzzled.

"It is a much different attitude from Syracuse. My father has to remain on guard for plots there, if not by the nobles, then by the mercenaries he pays to keep them in line. If not by either of them, then by family. Even after two years as your wife, I'm never not struck by the differences between you two." She said.

"Agathocles rules by fear, I choose to go a different route. I choose to inspire my people, it is a more difficult road to tread, but less prone to revolt should plans not turn out as anticipated." I shrugged.

"Speaking of affairs in Magna Graecia, we have had another envoy from Rome while you were in Macedon." Informed my Wife.

"What did they want this time?" I asked.

"Apparently, the Samnites bribed the Paelignii and Marrucinii to defect from being Roman Socii with an offer of treasures from sacked Roman Settlements. The Romans are now fighting on three fronts and have asked for another hundred-sixty-thousand Drachmae loan. They are willing to offer terms of fifteen parts out of a hundred for interest this time." Responded Lanassa.

"Is that so? They must be getting desperate. So many lost armies and still so many fronts to fight on. What did you tell them?" I questioned.

"That I would have to take it up with you, of course. Their envoy was younger and more well-spoken than their last, otherwise, I would have refused. It's a fellow by the name of Manius Curius Dentatus. Dentatus gave me until the beginning of next month to respond or else he would be forced to seek loans from Carthage." Answered Lanassa.

"Send for Dentatus and tell him Pyrrhus agrees to the terms of the loan. We captured enough gold and silver from Amphipolis to service that loan and pay my forces their bonuses while still having enough remaining for the treasury to pad its expenses some." I nodded.

That would be another twenty-four thousand Drachmae a year in interest on loans. Which, if the war lasted just two more years, would net me a profit of one-hundred-twenty-eight-thousand Drachmae, or seven-hundred-sixty-eight-thousand Roman Denarii. It was a princely sum that Rome would struggle to pay with a war-torn territory. The more time it took them to pay back the loan, the more time I had to build to a confrontation with them.

I sent one of the servants to go fetch a treasury scribe to get the ball rolling on that and sorting out bonus payments to my forces. Then I scooped up Ptolemy into my arms. My son let out a boyish giggle as I hoisted him up onto my shoulders. For now, it was time to rest up and spend time with my family. I could focus on building up my new territories and my forces over the next few years and that would hopefully strengthen me enough to go toe to toe with Rome should they survive the current mess they had gotten themselves into.

Things were looking up for me. I was home, I had just won a great victory, I had my family, and the Kingdom was making money hand over fist. I even had the greatest threat to Epirus begging me for loans that would indebt them to me something fierce. Meanwhile, everyone else was having crises of some form or another, whether that be succession issues, revolts, or invasions. Epirus was looking pretty damn stable right now. I just had to keep doing what I was doing and stay the course.

I just hoped that nothing would happen that was unexpected enough to disrupt my plans. . .

XXXX

AN: Kept you waiting, huh? This short chapter was meant to tease a possible return to this story if people are interested.

If people are interested, there will be a bit of a time-skippy chapter as we go through multiple years, followed by a few interludes to show things happening elsewhere over that same period. Then we'll get into Pyrrhus' next big adventure which will be a few years down the line.

If you guys are interested, let me know. If not, I won't pick this back up, so.