The gentle Aegean breeze wafted through the high balcony looking out onto the training grounds of Sparta, ruffling the iron-streaked hair of Kleomenes. He leaned against the edge of the terrace, staring out into the horizon. The sun was dying a fiery death, but sounds of the Spartans' drilling still filled the air.
"The Greeks could rule the world," he said absently, more to himself than the beefy wrestler behind him. The muscleman barely suppressed a groan. By Zeus, there he goes again. "Alexander did," Kleomenes said, as if the wrestler has disagreed with him. "He took an army to the far Indus. There was nothing left to conquer; the world was his."
His voice dropped into a low growl. "But Alexander is dead. His empire is gone. And so we live in evil days." His voice grew heated. "The free men of Greece have turned on each other, instead of their proper enemies – those who envy all the Greeks have done."
Even the wrestler knew what he was referring to. A few years past, Sparta's ancient rival, Athens, had seceded from the Spartan-led Hellenic League after a dispute about traders' rights in Magna Graecia. Across the Adriatic, the brutes who call themselves Romans cast ravenous eyes towards Greece.
"Alexander must weep. If the dead weep. I would weep in his place," Kleomenes cried. In a low whisper, he added, "But I would also hope. The world turns. What was may come again – the Fates still spin webs of men's lives."
"So now, perhaps, the Gods wish Greeks to be great again. Perhaps a new Alexander will take up the sword. Bring order where there is chaos. Remake the world of men to a better plan."
Kleomenes sighed. "Perhaps…" He let the word hang in the evening air. It was a promise, a solemn vow.
A/N: As some of you might realise, this extremely short one-shot --a drabble, even-- was inspired by the opening cutscene for the Greek Cities campaign. This is not intended to be historically accurate, but faithful to the game i.e. the political situation in Greece at the start of the imperial campaign, 270 BC. If I ever get around to replaying a Greek Cities campaign on M/M, I might turn this into a long-ish fic, but for now, it's just a one-shot. Enjoy, and R & R.