Chapter 6: Eiren Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Eiren Chapter 6

We venture back to the house and separate. Likely the last time I will see Anastasia for a very long time and same for little Silas. I travel to Nikolaos's house and tell his mother and him everything but rescuing Silas. His mother accepts my temporary stay as in just a few short months I will be heading to the agoge.

"Are you okay Damon?" Nikolaos asks, his face showing softness a very rare occurrence.

"No but I will be since my father would've wanted me to live a strong life."

Nikolaos gives me a hug and I accept the embrace once he detaches his face remaining droopy.

"I'm sorry about your brother, it's sad he couldn't make it..."

I wonder if I can trust Nikolaos and tell the truth? No not yet he won't be able to keep secrets likely but once he ages I plan to tell him and Georgios as well.

"... I will do everything I could ever dream of accomplishing this life as a way to over come the sorrow I feel for the loss of time we could've spent together." This is the truth I want to make up for what could've been. He would've eventually entered the agoge and I could've fostered him to be a future supporter and good man.

"I understand." Nikolaos gives a slow nod as we both fall asleep. It takes much longer than usual for me as I have never had to see someone else's blood to that extent... it is horrifying.

3 months later

Today is the day to enter the agoge with Nikolaos and Georgios. Many look at me with disdain instead of respect due to the actions of my father and failure of my mother to bring a strong Spartan into the world. Even Nikolaos's mom shows disdain as she doesn't interact with me in any way whatsoever.

Nikolaos's caretaker does take good care of me through cooking and even tells me the status of Silas and Anastasia. Whenever she has the ability to contact them back in Laconia where they reside with other helots. Silas has turned healthy due to the parental care of Anastasia and she even found a proper suitor.

The loss of my Darius and Laurel hurts plenty as much of my stability broke on that night. A regular 6 year old would likely have been distraught and not know what to do. Yet I never saw them as normal parents more so as mentors. I cared deeply for Darius though as he would've made for a good man in any other circumstance.

"I will miss you Nikolaos and when you come back I expect a warrior." His mother gives him a hug as I stand at the side watching. A carriage then arrives with a few other boys our age one of them being Georgios. We hop in from the orders of the Spartan officer riding it and the three of us boys start smiling at each other.

I walk back to Nikolaos and Georgios with Georgios still stunned and Nikolaos having a confused expression.

"Which one do you reckon we should choose?" Nikolaos gives his question with a spit onto the ground.

"It shouldn't matter as we are only 3 out of 100 plus."

"What does that mean? Stop speaking like an Athenian queer Damon!" Nikolaos laughs and Georgios reclaims consciousness to respond to him.

"No, you just speak dumb!" Georgios sticks his tongue out to Nikolaos thus making Nikolaos give him a noogie.

We all then walk over and stand at a random line as the two men walk down counting our heads. The sparkly man and bearded man then stand next to the paidonomos.

"I have 91 boys, you?"

"64"

"That's down from last year and the year before last... Well you won Adonis, good job." The Paidonomos looks at the shiny Spartan with a sly smile and the losing Spartan accepts his defeat with gratitude by handing out a strong handshake.

"Well seems like I'll be your assistant this year Adonis." The large man sighs but gives out a handshake to the Sparkly Spartan.

"Shouldn't be that bad Leander" the sparkly Spartan named Adonis accepts the handshake and clearly it is overbearing as he noticeably grits his teeth, shrinking more against the towering man.

"I'm going to leave unless I'm needed. Since I need to see an important event for the other classes. Make sure to work these boys into proper Paides youth." The Paidonomos then walks away until he is unseeable by the eye.

"Paides, I am your Eiren and you will follow my every order and task and the same holds true from Mr.Leander! Our first task is to make beds!" Every boy's face turns upside down at the word bed and then Eiren Adonis continues. "We will now travel to the Evrotas river all by foot!"