One month later,
Alexander IV was silent, trying to keep his nervousness from showing as his father perused the scrolls given to him by his son. He, his father, and some of his father's generals were taking part in a dinner meeting to discuss what the prince felt were the lessons of his 'eastern trek'. Some of the generals were also reading over scrolls while slaves refilled their plates of food.
The ruler of this new Macedonian empire only arrived the previous day. His army was received with cheers at the city gates all the way to the palace where the prince and his mother awaited him. Alexander IV wished to hear of his newest adventure but wanted more than anything to bring his ideas to his father's attention. Alexander the Great was now pouring over the findings of the prince's time in the eastern territories.
It was the first time the two had seen each other in almost a year.
"The need for a more robust supply system is something you repeat often," said Alexander the Great. "Garrisons between colonies to serve as the centerpieces for their own towns."
"Not without justification, father. It is not only to ensure that an army in the field can be more easily equipped but that traders and colonists need not have such an arduous journey between posts."
The way his father looked at him was slightly unnerving. The fact that his army was forced to retreat from the Indian frontier for lack of supply and exhaustion overtaking his soldiers was a very sore subject and for a moment the prince wondered if his ideas were going to get tossed out right then and there.
"My liege, a refined means of transport could be critical to responding to uprisings in time," said Seleucus. "Not to mention it could be a vital lifeline for our colonies in the east."
"Colonies that could grow to be so much more," the prince added. "Alexandria on the Indus can provide bountiful crops unfit for the soil of Macedonia but it could be a center of trade that our people can take pride in as well. If we wish to ensure the loyalty of the masses we must show them that our empire is indeed bountiful and that they can enjoy this bounty themselves. They need to be able to have a true role in making our dominion strong."
"Hence why you suggest that the slaves of treacherous noblemen be sent east to help colonize," said one of his father's generals.
"They must do so as freedmen," Alexander the IV replied. "They must have a personal stake. I have also spoken to aristocrats who feel that a move to the east would be beneficial for them." The prince shrugged. "I may have inferred that they will have less in the way of competition should they go to the Indus Valley or Asia Minor."
"Yes, I see that there have been ten minor families so far that have made the journey," Alexander the Great said looking at one of the scrolls. "Dammekos of Crete seems to be the most wealthy of those aristocrats who have moved east. They still need to understand that such opportunities come with responsibilities, my son."
"And refining the links within our empire can ensure they do so. A strong garrison can put an upstart nobleman to the sword if need be."
"Forgive me, my prince," said Krateros "but one of the messages you provided is...curious."
"How?"
"I have before me a message from the satrap of Bactra stating that some of the nobles who came to help colonize have married with local families of influence. Was this the result of a policy you laid down or..."
"I never gave any official pronouncements advocating for such a thing." The prince took a bite out of his hare, hoping that having food in his mouth would keep him from smirking.
Meanwhile,
A nobleman's house, Bactra
The servants attempted to carry out their duties to the best of their ability while tuning out the noise coming from the second floor bedroom. Rostam, a man of around twenty two, had been making good progress finding ways of ignoring the noise. His cohorts were a mixture of native inhabitants and servants brought over from Helos in Sparta. They stayed with Otonia's parents before her marriage and moved over to her husband's home.
All Rostam had to do was finish cleaning the kitchen and he'd be able to go to his quarters. He just needed to keep his composure. When he was about to put away some bowls, he heard a woman letting out a cry of ecstasy from the second floor bedroom. Misenus, a cleaner who originally travelled to Bactra with Otonia's family, pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Are Spartan women usually so loud when they're being...delighted?" Rostam asked. Misenus sighed.
"They are when their husbands seem to know what they're doing like the master of the house appears to."
Back at Alexander's palace,
"I...was not shy about approving of such things though." Some of his father's general burst out laughing.
"We've even had three births as a result of these marriages in Persepolis over the course of the last year," the prince added. "Greeks and Persians, father, like you and mother."
"Be careful, your highness," Krateros said. "While the nobility can be convinced to do their share of ensuring that goods and soldiers can be swiftly transported, they may not be so quick to adopt marriage with the aristocrats of the eastern territories. They may not protest if commoners from Macedon, Athens or Corinth intermarry with natives, but to expect it of the aristocracy can be interpreted as you...crafting useful bloodlines."
"I don't follow."
Krateros took another gulp of his wine.
"If the prince outright endorses intermarriage, there could be those who would argue that he is using pedigree as a means of ensuring that a sizable portion of the aristocracy back him. Upon the time his highness takes up his father's throne, a whole generation of nobles in the east would grow to manhood owing him their very existence. He would also find keeping them pacified a somewhat easier task."
"Your enemies could see the children born of such marriages as a very long term investment to your advantage," Alexander the Great said. "Especially since some of your supporters among the nobility are going east to avoid having to compete with more established families. I warn you my son, you should be careful when playing with pedigree."
His father's last words on the subject stuck in Alexander IV's mind as he sat in his bed. 'Playing with pedigree.' It sounded so odd. He didn't have any sort of long term plan in mind when he said he didn't see a problem with Greek nobility intermarrying with the wealthy families of the new territories. Those births weren't part of his design.
They still happened though. The children would grow up being the upper class of a vast empire that his father had forged, that the prince was adamant on shoring up as much as possible.
Perhaps an intermixed aristocracy could be of use to that end.