Episode 117. princess (3)
“Long live the friendship of Troy and Mycenae!”
“Long live the allies of the west!!”
The citizens who met the wedding of Aeneas and Creusa must have felt the joy of the festival.
After that, when Ino and I got married, we must have enjoyed the feast day that came back.
And now, for the third time, it is the royal wedding that has returned.
The decorations worn at Ino and I’s wedding were not removed or moved. To some extent, when the city seemed to have returned to rest, the royal family members were busy running for this new event again.
“excuse me! A bird made of wood flies in the sky!”
“Over there, high jump winners are sprayed with iron from Antandros!!”
The result was today’s wedding.
When I asked if the citizens would accept the Achaean princess, alluding to Hercules, Priam replied with a wink in his eyes.
– “The majority of our citizens are traders. What’s left of hating customers so much?”
…Hagisa, if everyone had been united in their hatred of all the Achaeans, Dolon would have already taken control of this city. It almost seemed like that, though.
Not only did Hercules represent all of the Achaeans, but if you think about it, Hercules’ grandson Eurypylus also participated in the war as an ally of Troy.
Moreover, when Odysseus visited last time, did not the smugglers under him welcome the Trojans and bring a thick money bag to this city?
Then, after burying all kinds of favors, history, and interests, what is left of this wedding in the end?
“For the splendid bride Iphigenia and the beautiful groom Deiphobus! Raise the glasses!!”
“For the bride and groom!!”
“For a new friendship and the prosperity of Troy!”
it’s just a festival
Standing in the main character’s position, experiencing the whole process once again from the perspective of a participant gives me a new feeling.
Deiphobus and Iphigenia awkwardly greet guests at the table of honor at a banquet,
Every time I see Iphigenia cut off her hair and offer it to the temple of Artemis, it reminds me of us from just a few months ago, and Ino and I looked at each other and giggled secretly.
Of course, not all of that was the same as before.
“Didn’t Tenes, the son of Cyknos, come this time?”
“···yes. Neither the leaders of Lesbos nor the king of Larissa were present.”
Of course.
This wedding ceremony is a ceremony to solidify the alliance between Agamemnon and Priam, and furthermore, the current leader of Achaia and the future leader of Asia Minor.
In other words, the presence or absence of this event reveals the attitude of each country toward the marriage alliance.
And the attitude toward the future supremacy of Troy.
Therefore, if you take a list of those who have gathered here now, you will not find the names of some of those who attended my wedding.
Those who chose Hattusha instead of us, or those who are concerned about being absorbed and integrated by us as a small country around us.
First of all, those who are close to Troia and look down on our expansion of power, Lesbos, Tenedos, and Larissa, etc.
Among them, the islands of Lesvos and Tenedos, which are ruled by Tenes, are the best islands to seize control of the sea off the coast of Antandros and Troia, respectively.
These are areas that must be treated as friendly as possible to defend Troy’s territory in naval battles…
‘Shall I send you a little present? If that’s not the case, even if it’s an armed demonstration through Cheolsoaedae once…’
“Paris? You are here.”
“Ah, Hippocon of Thrace. nice to meet you.”
“Could you come over here for a moment?”
“of course.”
Of course, that wasn’t the only difference at Deiphobos’ wedding.
“Now, this is a Thracian gift to Paris. It was obtained from the nomads of the north.”
“How many horses… how many in total?”
“There will be about 100 of them in total. I counted up to about 80 and couldn’t find it, but the stable keeper told me so.”
If the number of attendees has decreased, the gifts they send and the level of devotion have changed instead.
Just look at the Thracian envoy here.
Even if the king of Lessus never returned, he sent his most trusted adviser and kinsman, Hippocon, and the size of the gift… well, needless to say.
Even by simple calculation, 100 horses equals 50 chariots with 2 horses each. And if there were 50 tanks, they would be able to face 1000 infantrymen.
“···thank you. I will accept it as a token of friendship between the two countries.”
“Don’t worry. There is another gift to the Trojan royal family, which only reveals the friendship between the lord of Antandros and the king of the Thracians.”
“…”
“Don’t be shy. The king only asked me to reconsider the proposal I made earlier.”
…That word is more burdensome.
As for the previous proposal, isn’t it about the unification of Thrace?
I returned to the banquet hall after picking up an appropriate greeting, avoiding Hippocon’s polite gaze.
I was not alone in falling victim to this political push and pull. You can tell that just by looking over there in the banquet hall, by the window.
“Oh Inone? Try on a jade bracelet. They say it makes your eyes clearer.”
“Emerald is the color that goes well with jade. Here, if you try on new earrings, oh, they look good on you!”
“Ah… wait, this is heavy…?”
Aristocratic women from each city are hanging around Ino with all sorts of accessories. Ino isn’t even the main character of this banquet.
Ino, who hung four or five necklaces like a Christmas tree, looked back at me with a teary face.
It is a request for salvation.
In the end, I too held my breath and stood up to free Ino from the pack of wolves…
“Paris, motion detected.”
“ah.”
Oops.
I can’t do it now.
“Paris? Where···?”
At the whisper of the attendant, I turn my head and leave the banquet hall again. It seems like Ino’s anxious gaze is following behind her back.
I couldn’t help it.
It was urgent.
***
Troy was a city that fell and was rebuilt many times.
Thus, the walls of some mansions were at the bottom a century and a half ago, the middle were 70 years old, and the top was restored after the invasion of Hercules.
To wish for regularity and orderly atmosphere in such a city would be unreasonable.
In addition, the population of this city has reached 30,000.
A house where 30,000 live, a workplace where 30,000 work, a restaurant where 30,000 eat, a market where 30,000 do business, and a square where 30,000 laugh and talk.
How twisted and twisted must the road connecting the house, work, restaurant, market, and square be?
The lattice-shaped road built 130 years ago lost its original straightness due to radial roads restored 50 years ago, alleys that have been expanded since then like earthworms, and patched up like rags.
The city of Troia was so complicated. It was easy to get lost unless you were a long-time visitor.
“Damn, is this right?”
“Right. Well, let’s start with a silver coin here. The boys who often spend the night with the priests of Hephaestus… are said to be staying right here. Please go in.”
“…For making a lot of money, you live in a f*cking hole.”
There were so many secrets.
From nob le mt l. co m
Like worms infesting brown apples or stale meat, secrets grew everywhere and could be picked and eaten anywhere.
“for a moment.”
“Why? Is this right?”
Of course, it’s difficult for outsiders to discern which of these intricate city secrets are useful and which are not.
“Is this right? Is it a dead end?”
“therefore.”
– Phishuk.
A short arrow that flew silently.
That was what the man faced when he looked at his abdomen. These days, it was used for the ‘crossbow’, which is popular for hunting in this city.
Feeling his mind clouded, he uttered a curse in the Peloponnesian dialect. Closing his eyes, the assassin closed his mouth to completely silence the noise.
the man is dead
“…Has it been dealt with?”
“Yes, Paris.”
A high-ranking person came.
The assassin rummaged through the body of the man who had just died, identified a useless piece of wood or a ciphertext between bandages, wrote it down, and handed it to Paris.
“It was difficult to decipher or anything because it was different from what we use in our region. The dialects from all over Achaia are mixed with strange northern words. It was difficult to induce him to bring these materials all the way here.”
“Even if you don’t say so, I will pay for your hard work.”
Paris glanced through the documents in her hand for a moment before handing them over to the attendant next to her.
“I memorized everything. burn it.”
“All right.”
This time… the second time.
If Agamemnon had sent Iphigenia, it would be natural for a web to stretch out from her and those around her.
Aiming at chaotic times like the wedding period is as natural as a hot fire.
Of course, Iphigenia, who looked immature, would only know about this, and the practical work would be the responsibility of various servants who came under her.
Paris frowns as she recalls the contents of the secret letters she just burned.
As far as gathering information from inside Troia, that’s fine.
Didn’t the royal family of Troy also do it to neighboring countries? Even now, Faris has Dolon planted in Hattusha.
However, it was forbidden to spread rumors, exploit the weaknesses of high-ranking officials, or attempt to manipulate public opinion.
that crosses the line
However, this is also just an initial trial and error. It’s just an attempt to find out each other’s threshold value.
After a few conflicts like this, you will probably draw your own line among the people who stick around Iphigenia.
Then, the trivial happenings in which a few of the lower ends die like this will gradually decrease, and peace will come between the Mycenaeans and the Trojans…
‘…How can I believe that.’
How can you fully trust Agamemnon?
Paris was still thinking.
If Agamemnon cannot be fully trusted, Iphigenia is nothing more than a cancer cell growing inside the heart. At least it had to be extracted from within.
But how?
The sound of taking Iphigenia out of Troia means that Deiphobus will also be taken out of Troy as well.
And the sound of letting Deiphobos go outside the capital is one of two things. Either punish Deiphobos for some mortal sin and banish him, or let him build his own city as he so longed for.
But the city must not be near Troy. So it means little in terms of removing the Mycenaean dark touch from the royal capital.
The city of Deiphobus…
“I have to stay away. As far as possible over the sea.”
“what did you say?”
“It is nothing. Leave this body as it is. If possible, let your Mycenaean companion discover it first. I hope the other side will accept our polite expression of opinion.”
From here, Paris felt something, a new answer opened in her head.
Far beyond the sea…
A land that does not require a large amount of resources from the homeland of Troy, as it must always prepare for a war with Hattusha, but a land far enough away.
It would be nice if Deiphobos could enlist the help of other local factions when settling, if you want to be far away and not spending resources.
then?
Faris scooped water from a nearby well, washed his bloody soles, and changed his sandals. After making sure not a single drop of blood was splattered on the clothes he was wearing under his camouflage coat, he tidied up his hair and walked slowly back to the palace.
And, back to the banquet hall.
Ino is still in trouble. She was on the brink of exhaustion, so the attendants barely sat her down in an armchair while her older sisters wiped the sweat from their foreheads to help them recover.
And Priam, Hector, and Anchises are also busy here and there.
In that situation, Paris walks toward the seat of honor at this banquet.
“Paris? What are you doing?”
“Deiphobos, can you step aside for a moment?”
As much as his respected brother said, Deiphobos followed it. Coincidentally, this is the place where Paris encountered Deiphobos after coming to escape from exhaustion during her own wedding banquet.
There, Deiphobos carefully watched the back of Paris’ head as he walked ahead, and was startled to see the serious expression on his face when he turned around.
“Brother, it’s your wedding. I’m embarrassed to say this because I’m just married, but it’s also the moment you become an adult.”
“Thank you for thinking.”
“hahahaha, we haven’t even talked about gifts yet, so why are we even thanking you already?”
“Sun…water?”
Deiphobos tilts his head with a slightly puzzled face.
It’s just a gift, he said, as if he had secretly summoned him here because of shiny gold or other gifts.
So Paris said with a laugh.
“Your dream.”
With that one word, Deiphobos’ complexion changed completely.
“What do you think of making it happen in Thracian land?”
This was the new answer that flashed through Paris’ mind.
Whether it was the unification of Thrace that Rhesus so longed for, the treatment of the troublesome Mycenaeans, or Deiphobos’ wish.
I will deal with it at once.