Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

“Mother, this girdle is too important; I can't accept it!” Cynthia hurried handed the girdle back to Cheiristoya as she realised its importance.

“Take it; I don't need it anymore. Instead, this would bless you, my daughter!” Cheiristoya smiled. Now she was the queen of Theonia, with countless riches at her disposal, a husband loved by all, and wise and understanding children. Moreover, this will allow her to cut ties with that past completely.

Cheiristoya handed the girdle to Cynthia, then pointed to the long wedding dress and beautiful gown on the bed and said, “These gifts are from your father. He had bought the best fabrics from Persia and had the best weavers in the kingdom sew it for you…”

Cynthia's eyes turned red as she looked at them. She hugged Cheiristoya tightly and said, “Mother, I…I…” she wanted to speak thousands of words, but all of them could not leave her throat.

Cheiristoya stroked her face and said softly, “Silly child, your father and I have always treated you as our own. These things can only express our feelings slightly. Your father couldn't come to see you off…because the wedding tradition dictates that adult men are not allowed to enter your bedroom. Hence your father entrusted me to say that he hopes you wouldn't rely on your status to treat the people arrogantly after you marry into Patroclus' family. Rather, you must do your best as the lady of the house, take care of the housework, and be filial to your in-laws…”

Cynthia nodded her head every time Cheiristoya said something to her. Then the two talked for a while before Cheiristoya left the room.

Cynthia wiped away her tears and looked at the wedding dress that was lying on the bed.

Then, the door opened, and a small head peeks out from the small crack, “Sister.”

“Come in!” Cynthia waved to her.

Then Eunice rushed in Aviya.

“Sister, you’d be bored staying in your room alone. Let us accompany you.”

“Thank you, Eunice. You are so thoughtful!”

“Sister Cynthia. Now that you will marry, will you still see us often?”

“Of course. As long as you don't sleep late, I will come back to see you often, Aviya.”

“Un…I won't sleep late anymore.”

“Sister, you must also come to see me often too!”

“As soon as you stop bullying your classmates, I'll come back to see you.”

“How could I bully my classmates?!”

“Sister Cynthia, what's this?” Aviya, with her sharp eyes, curiously asked when she saw the girdle that Cynthia placed beside her.

“That's…” Cynthia couldn't think how to answer.

Eunice suddenly shouted, “I know! I know! That's the girdle of the beautiful Aphrodite! Every time mom and dad slept together, she would quietly put it on. I asked mother about it, but she said I was too young and could only wear it once I grew up.”

“Where do you put it on?” Aviya became more curious.

“Stupid!” Eunice, acting as if she knows-it-all, patter her breasts and says to Aviya, “It's naturally worn inside the dress to protect this part. Do you see the bulge on sister's chest? I also have a little here, but you don't have it yet. But once you grow up, you will have it too, and then you can use this girdle…”

Hearing her two sisters talking about topics unsuitable for children, Cynthia blushed slightly and found it amusing. She then said, “Eunice, Aviya, I will now wear my wedding dress. Would you two help me dress up?”

“Alright!” The two shouted excitedly.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door gently.

“Who is it?!” Eunice shouted first.

The man outside the door didn't think anyone else would be in the room. After a while, he said carefully, “It's me, Croto.”

“Ah!” Eunice cried suddenly.

“Ah!” Aviya copied her sister.

“Brother, you can't come in! Mom said men can't enter the room!”

“That's for grown men.” Cynthia lightly knocked Eunice on the head, punishing her for deliberately making a fuss. She had nothing to hide about her younger brother Croto, who she had grown up taking care of. After tucking the girdle under the quilt, she said, “Come in, Croto.”

Crotokatax then walked into the room, looking rushed. When he saw Cynthia sitting by the red bed and looking at him with a smile, Croto felt like he had chugged five liquor bottles, as he couldn't tell what he was feeling. After coughing twice to clear his throat, he said with a dry voice, “Elder sister…tonight would be your…wedding, but because I have to accompany father in the palace to entertain the statesmen who would come to the banquet…I cannot participate in your wedding's procession…so this is the…wedding gift I prepared…”

After Crotokatax said those, he took out the gift clasped under his armpit. Suddenly, Eunice snatched it, held it with both hands and said, “Wow, what a beautiful helmet!”

Indeed, this silver and white legion-style helmet was crafted finely and added a lot of ornaments, making it look beautiful and practical. And only the plume at the top of the helmet wasn't inserted, which is obviously for the owner to do himself.

“So this helmet is for sister's husband. From what father told me, he is an outstanding soldier,” said Eunice as she handed the helmet to Cynthia.

“Croto, thank you!” Cynthia happily accepted the gift and told him, “I'm leaving. You have to take good care of our parents! And…look after these little guys!”

“Don't worry.” Crotokatax forced a smile. As soon as he answered that, Eunice complained, “I'm almost grown up; you don't need anyone to look after me!”

Cynthia's smile didn't change as she knocked on Eunice's head again.

Seeing Eunice deliberately covering her head and making exaggerated cries of pain, Crotokatax smiled, “I hope Clus could protect you like this helmet and…loves you forever!”

Those words, however, brought tears to Cyntia's eyes. A bride would always be uneasy, excited and sensitive before her wedding. Cynthia suddenly stood up, walked towards Croto, and hugged him tightly.

Crotokatax hesitated for a moment, then hugged her gently. After listening to her cry, he sincerely said in the end, “I wish you happiness, Cynthia!”

. . . . . . . . . . . .

The slave girl then came to Cheiristoya and whispered a few words, relieving Cheiristoya.

After the slave left, Cheiristoya said to Agnes, sitting opposite her, “Croto took a helmet and went to Cynthia's room and left soon. The slave said Croto was calm and nothing special happened…”

“Sister, didn't I say nothing would happen? Little Cro is so sensible and has self-control. You don't have to worry too much; he will completely overcome this matter after a while!” Agnes comforted her. Although Crotokatax's biological mother was Cheiristoya, Crotokatax was closer to Agnes when he was young. Hence he was more willing to confide some things to Agnes, including his likes of Cynthia, which Agnes first noticed.

Cheiristoya sighed, “I hope so. What do you think about finding a marriage partner when Croto comes of age?”

“Sister, for little Cro, I am afraid you aren't the one to decide this,” Agnes warned. She had a deep understanding of it as she was sent to Thurii by her father without her knowledge back then. Fortunately, Artemis protected her.

“You're right. I am just worrying too much.” Cheiristoya patted her forehead. After all, Croto's marriage involves the stability and interests of the kingdom, so even the Senate would intervene in the matter.

“Sister, there is one thing I need your help…” Agnes said thoughtfully.

“Tell me.” Cheiristoya was curious. Besides caring for the children and Davos, Agnes has no desire for anything else, so it is rare to see her acting like that.

“For the past two years, I've been in charge of the main Temple of Hera. And I started to feel that my energy wasn't as good as before. Now that Cynthia would get married, I want her to come to the Temple of Hera to help me and take over as the chief priestess in the future…”

“Sister, you can't just decide who would take over as the chief priestess of the Temple of Hera without discussing it with our husband first!” Cheiristoya reminded her.

That startled Agnes for a moment that she stopped talking.

Then Cheiristoya covered her face with her left hand and sighed, “We are indeed getting old…”

. . . . . . . . . . . .

With the company of her two sisters, time had passed quickly, and it was already dark. Cynthia then ate two bowls of seafood oatmeal porridge to fill her stomach.

Suddenly, Cheiristoya came in and took the two little kids.

And with the help of the female slaves, Cynthia put on her wedding makeup and became nervous again as she knew that the wedding was soon coming.

Fortunately, many Theonian citizen families had abandoned the marriage tradition of the Greek city-states and allowed the girls to meet their future husbands in advance before marriage. And since Cynthia had been in love with Patroclus for many years, she didn't have to worry about whether her husband was ugly.

At this time, she could vaguely hear the noise outside the building. Then a female slave that was close to her ran inside and excitedly said, “The young master is here! He is here!”

Thus Cynthia hurriedly put on her wedding dress. But while waiting, she felt that the time was passing too slow.

Soon, she heard the door push. Then she could hear a familiar voice, “Cynthia, I'm coming!”

Cynthia immediately stood up and stretched out her hand.

Then a smell of myrrh lingered in her nose as a well-dressed Patroclus approached her, took her by the hand, and led her downstairs.