The prosperity of the port, however, meant that the senators of the Alliance were run off their feet.

As the City Administrator of Thurii, Kunogelata’s days were consumed by an endless stream of disputes and lawsuits. He was also responsible for selecting patrolmen and firefighters to maintain order and prevent fires in the explosive growth of the port district, all while grappling with the new administrative challenges posed by the swelling number of preparatory citizens within the city walls.

Cornelius, his counterpart in Amendolara, faced the very same problems, with a massive influx of outsiders pouring into the warehouse-and-inn district and the new market below his city.

Antonios, the Censor, kept a close watch on the shifting moral climate in both cities, ensuring citizens treated one another with friendship and investigating any reports of abuse against the elderly, women, children, freemen, or slaves.

Philesius, the Quartermaster, was wrestling with the monumental task of integrating the vast number of preparatory citizens into the army and turning them into competent soldiers in the shortest possible time.

Raphia, the Censor, was predictably overwhelmed. He had already appealed to the Senate more than once for additional scribes and archivists.

Mersis, the Quaestor, was a whirlwind of activity, rushing between collecting land taxes from the citizens and commercial taxes from the merchants. Though he had lost a noticeable amount of weight, the portly man had never been happier.

Marigi, the Commissioner of Commerce, was under immense pressure. He had to maintain the high quality of service at the market and port, preserve order in these two most crowded areas—especially the port, with its transient population—and simultaneously plan for the Alliance’s long-term trade development. With the reconstruction of Thurii nearing completion, the demand for certain goods would inevitably decline. How could he prevent a sharp downturn in foreign trade? Davos’s advice had been to rely on novel athletic competitions and entertainment to attract wealthy foreigners to spend their money in the city, at least until the Alliance could develop new, unique, high-quality goods of its own.

Burkos, the Agricultural Officer, though formerly a merchant, was also a large landowner with experience in cultivating grapes, olives, and wheat, making him equally familiar with agriculture. His duties included surveying, allocating, and leasing land, resolving disputes between neighboring landowners, and providing practical advice to farmers to help them increase their yields and profits.

Without a doubt, Alexis, the Aedile, was one of the busiest high officials. While the Reconstruction Committee was in overall charge of Thurii’s revival, with Heracleides presiding, the day-to-day implementation fell to him. He was responsible for procuring building materials, organizing manpower, and maintaining order on the sites. At the same time, he had to supervise Little Heracleides’s road and bridge projects and oversee the construction of the new market in Amendolara. He worked from dawn until dusk, so exhausted he often complained to Davos that he was going to resign, only to throw himself back into his work with renewed vigor the very next morning.

The senators holding public office were not the only ones in a frenzy of activity. At Davos’s suggestion, the other senators had formed several committees to assist in the administration of the Alliance. The most important of these were the Alliance Mediation Committee, a three-man body tasked with resolving major disputes that the law could not easily settle, and the Public Official Investigation Committee, a five-man body responsible for monitoring the performance of low- and mid-level officials, creating a record for future promotions, and investigating any public complaints against them. There was also a three-man Coinage Committee. Most Greek city-states minted their own currency to facilitate trade, commemorate great events, and proclaim their existence to the world. The Thurii-Amendolara Alliance was to be no exception; they were merely waiting for the reconstruction of Thurii to be completed before issuing their first coins. In addition, there were temporary bodies, like the Temple Construction Committee, headed by Praexinas. Most of these committee appointments, like the public offices, were for two-year, rotating terms.

October was traditionally the season for elections in the Greek world, but in the Thurii-Amendolara Alliance, it was instead a time for mass recruitment. Following the promulgation of the Alliance Public Office Act, every department was hiring, and applicants flocked to them. The officials in charge tested the candidates and then filtered them according to a strict set of criteria: priority was given to those who had served in multiple military campaigns, paid their taxes on time, obeyed the laws, and had either been decorated for valor or honorably wounded in battle. The first two requirements were mandatory. Those who had not served in the army and did not pay taxes were ineligible for public office.

While the senators were swamped with their duties and the citizens were in a fever of excitement over their new career opportunities, Davos received a rather peculiar guest at his residence in Thurii.

The man was middle-aged and powerfully built. Though dressed in Greek attire, he could not conceal the rugged, untamed aura of the mountains. Under the watchful eyes of the guards, he spoke in a strangely accented Greek. “Honored Archon of the Thurii-Amendolara Alliance, Avenogis of Laos sends his greetings. I am his brother, Alobamas.”

A jolt went through Davos, but his expression remained impassive. “Laos?” he asked slowly. “The Laos of the Lucanians?”

“Yes,” Alobamas replied, his gaze fixed on Davos. “Though Laos is currently part of the Lucanian confederacy, my brother and I are Greeks.”

Davos knew this, of course, but his face gave nothing away. He glanced at Axistes, who was standing beside him.

Axistes understood the cue and stepped forward. “To our knowledge, Avenogis is an important chieftain in Laos. Before the war between the Lucanians and Thurii, he was a staunch supporter of the conflict. He is one of the primary enemies of our Alliance. Whether he is a Greek or not is of little importance.”

Alobamas was taken aback that they were so well-informed. The appeal to kinship had failed, and he began to panic. “But we are truly Greeks! Laos was a colony founded by Sybaris. A century ago, when the Lucanians swept south, Sybaris had already been destroyed by Croton, and not a single city-state sent troops to aid us. We people of Laos had no choice! To preserve our people, we had to submit to the Lucanians. But we have never forgotten that the noble blood of the Hellenes flows in our veins! In our homes, we speak Greek and worship the great Apollo and Hera, hoping for the day we might rejoin the Greek world! For this, the Lucanians are wary of us. They oppress us and treat us as outsiders. To avoid their suspicion and our own destruction, we have sometimes been forced to act against our own wishes!”

He spoke with rising passion, his eyes locked on Davos with a look of reverence. “When we heard that you, Lord Archon, had annihilated a Lucanian tribal army with a much smaller force, my brother and I were overjoyed! And then, not long after, you again led your army to defeat the mighty Croton and became the master of Amendolara and Thurii, your territory now bordering our own. My brother admires your great military achievements, and he sincerely hopes for your help, so that we, the suffering descendants of Sybaris, and the city of Laos itself, may return to the embrace of the Hellenes!”

Davos was unmoved by the flattery. He gave a slight, noncommittal nod. “What help do you require from the Thurii-Amendolara Alliance?”

“My brother wishes to form an alliance with you,” Alobamas said excitedly. “He plans to retake Laos and then fight the Lucanians together with you!”

Just as I thought, Davos said to himself, his expression still a calm mask. “What kind of alliance?”

“The same kind that the Thurii-Amendolara Alliance has signed with Castellum—” Alobamas began, recalling the words Avenogis had coached him to say. “An alliance where you do not interfere in our internal affairs, but simply control… our foreign… foreign policy and have command… in war…”

It was clear Avenogis had done his research and had come prepared, which meant he took this visit very seriously. Having confirmed this, Davos’s demeanor remained placid. “I understand. Return to your inn and rest for now. I will give you my answer after I have consulted with the senators.”

“I hope you can give me an answer as soon as possible, Lord Archon!” Alobamas urged.

“And why is that?” Davos asked, feigning ignorance.

Alobamas was at a loss for words.

Axistes chimed in with a smile. “Is it because Nerulum has already chosen a new chieftain, and he is pressuring Avenogis to relocate his entire tribe to their city?”

Alobamas’s jaw dropped. These people know everything!

“Very well,” Davos said, finally offering a firm commitment. “I will give you an answer as soon as possible.”

After the anxious Alobamas had departed, Davos asked, “Axistes, what do you make of the Laosans’ request?”

“My lord, it is just as we analyzed. Avenogis is being forced to rebel. Given his current predicament, he would surely agree if we were to impose even stricter terms. To offer him an alliance similar to Castellum’s is far too generous!” Axistes said, feeling they were missing an opportunity.

Davos shook his head. “Though Avenogis will be dependent on us after he rebels against the Lucanians, if we impose terms that are too harsh, we will breed resentment in his heart. If some unforeseen event were to occur, he might be tempted to rebel against us as well. We have no foundation in the mountains to the west; we must rely on the full cooperation of Laos. And once Laos joins our alliance, we will have a port on the western coast of the peninsula, which will be an immense boon to our trade development. Therefore, we must take the long view and not haggle over every small advantage.”

Axistes felt a flush of shame at Davos’s words and nodded repeatedly.

“Of course,” Davos continued, a sharp glint in his eye, “that is not to say I have no demands. My demand is—Nerulum!”