3- Leonidas

"Would you stop playing for a second and look at me? Yes! Like that, let your hair veil your face so I can see your eyes! Perfect! Oh don't give me that look, I shall release you to keep playing your music soon enough if you can be a good enough statue and stay still! Ah, yes, the sun does marvelous wonders on your skin, who knows, you might be godborn."

Leonidas had tuned his friend out there, his fingers gently plucking the strings, a smile on his face.

It was the only thing he could do perfectly without being clumsy or hurting someone else, something that should be considered a talent, if of course, men who were caught playing it were not ridiculed for their whole lives.

Not that he had ever played it for anyone except Loukas but the first day he had tried to and sing as well, Loukas let out a loud guffaw and told him that from the stories that Hermes had told him from his numerous travels, any man who could play any stringed instrument was never welcomed to parties, which was of course, equaled to the greatest sin on Earth in Loukas' eyes.

"You have a remarkable jaw, do I tell you? I only realize it whenever I come to draw you." Loukas said, his eyes still on the sketch infront of him.

As usual, Leonidas was quiet, as he always was when he had her in his hands, a sudden peace inside him.

This way, he did not have to worry about his Father, about being the worst possible heir of the Aetos family, did not have to worry about the fact that he could not use a sword to save his soul.

Then all of a sudden, the doors to the lounge room flew open, an older woman walking in a white chiton, a gold crown on her head and a gold bowl in her hand.

Her eyes were gold as well, her face sharp and precise.

As she stepped in, her eyes fell on Leonidas who had stopped playing, a small smile on his face as she shook her head, setting the bowl on a table and walking to him. "You are in so much trouble, young man."

She was adjusting his shirts collar, her eyes on the other parts of his body as she continued saying, "You did not come to the temple grounds to thank Zeus neither did you wait for your Father and I at breakfast, what has gotten into you?"

Leonidas said nothing, allowing her to fret over his clothes before she stopped, sighing as she looked at him. "I can't wait to watch you wed Leonidas. That way, my worries for you shall at least reduce."

Smiling, he said, "You can say happy birthday now, Mother."

Castilla Aetos smiled, reaching out to kiss her son on his forehead as he bent for her as she said "Happy birthday my love"

"I am finished with my masterpiece!"

Mother and child turned to the voice, Loukas breathing erratically as he raked a hand in his hair, laughing at his drawing before turning to them and going 'Oh! Mother!'

Calista made a face. "Makes sense now that I see you. Leonidas has been behaving quite impulsive, he never would play his harp when I tell him not to."

"Oh no, Mother." Loukas was standing and grinning as he walked to the woman. "Blame his age. He is having— What do they call it? Ah, yes, a phase." 

"A Loukas phase, I'm sure"

"If you want to call it that, who am I to judge?"

Loukas hugged her, making a show of squeezing her tightly as she let out a laugh before releasing her and said, "I have missed you"

Calista's eyes were twinkling when she said, "From the rumours I have heard, I would be entirely surprised if you missed me."

"Mother." Loukas gasped, "You know that rumours are nothing but lies."

"Not the ones I hear."

Leonidas watched his best friend and Mother banter and smiled, knowing that it would be a while before they remembered his existence.

And when they did, it was full of apologies. "Lord! I almost forgot you were there."

You did forget, Leonidas thought but did not say. "You both are inseparable when you begin."

"It is a hard thing to not want the gaze of such a beautiful woman —," Loukas paused to kiss her hand as Calista made a haughty face. "And not engage in a conversation to keep it only on mine"

"With all this sweet words you spew, one would imagine you married."

The ghastly look on Loukas face was a laugh Calista and Leonidas shared together before she said, "Marriage is not as bad as you think it is, Lou."

"Yes! If the women are like you!" Loukas said. "But you are one in a never-y!"

"No matter how you twist your answers," Calista said with a smile. "It still boils down to the fact that you will have to wed. I want my godchildren."

"Ah, I can make them without the whole bondage thing."

"It's not bondage." Leonidas' soft voice made them both look at him as he said, "At least, not the way my parents make it look."

"Yes, because he wouldn't dare cheat on her." Loukas said with a roll of his eyes. "Your Mother has ears everywhere. Have you not heard the rumours about Hera Familias? They are —."

"Thank you for your words, Loukas." Calista cut in sending him a glare as the male kept smiling.

Leonidas knew that she must have stopped him from saying something, bad, maybe, but he didn't mind, it was something they had done since his thirteenth birthday.

If anything is bad, keep it away from Leonidas, he is too soft to be traumatized.

They had no idea.

"Ah! I forgot!"

Calista hurried off to the bowl she had set aside earlier and took it to his face, smoke pouring out of it as she whipped it around him, muttering words as Leonidas coughed before she pressed something his mouth.

Meat, bull meat, if Leonidas' taste buds were right.

"I did the sacrifice for you to Zeus because I knew you would forget." She said with a shake of her head as she kept the bowl on the floor. "What would you do without me?"

Leonidas knew that he had no possible answer for that.

A knock came on the door and a guard stepped in, bowing immediately. "Mistress! My Lords! The king requests Lord Leonidas' presence."

"And what pray tell does my husband want with my son?" Calista asked.

"He has a visitor. A Stylani Laskaris I presume?"

Leonidas' eyes widened as he looked at his best friend and confidante who beared the same outraged look.

Run!

"Not so fast."

Calista Aetos had her thumb pinning both boys on their ears painfully as they winced while she said, "Kneel, and listen to me."

They obeyed immediately.

"Good." She stared at Loukas first. "You, for one, shall not anger, prank, disturb, make uncomfortable, sad, annoy, or even talk to the lady in question, do you understand?"

"But —."

"I was not giving you a chance to actually tell me your opinion." Calista cut in, sending him a glare.

The boy hurriedly nodded.

"And you," She turned to her son, her hard gaze softening. "You shall not be influenced by anything negative Loukas shall suggest and be the good boy I know you are, okay?"

"But she's a witch!"

That was Loukas.

"A witch that has managed to keep coming back to see your friend." She said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "You travel a lot, Loukas, she is the only one that keeps him company, Leonidas never seems to make friends no matter what we do."

"He doesn't want friends." Loukas added with a grumble and folded his hands. "He has me."

"He cannot as well marry you, can he?"

As Loukas opened his mouth to answer, Calista raised a hand. "No, don't speak, I might slap you." Then to Leonidas, "Can you just bear her for my sake son?"

She knew he would not say no, he was not the rebellious child and when he nodded, she smiled. "Good, now get up."

As they did, she kissed them both on the cheeks. "Now run along, you both have my blessings while I shall stay here and get the court singers here to entertain me."

Of course, how typical, she would stay here and avoid the female all together.

Lucky.

As Loukas and Leonidas walked down the hall, the former said, "She can't avoid the girl for long if she really wants you both to actually breed for her."

Leonidas smiled. "Stylani is not so bad. I never really even understand why you do not go well with her, you are good with women."

"Not women who are already used to the lies told by men." Loukas pointed out in q matter of fact tone. "She has heard all she needs to hear, nothing I say can move such a witch."

"Then why not be honest?"

"Honest? Who says women want to hear honesty? They want lies Leo! Lies! They want to hear they shine like the sun not that they wear fake boobies! I mean, I know I am a crook but I shall not make a woman sad! Never!"

Leonidas only chuckled in return.

As they reached the common room where guests in the castle stayed, he could hear his Father's voice through the halls, a fake laugh and the tap of his fingers on the table.

A habit of his when he wanted to be anywhere but wherever he was.

Him too?

Immediately they reached the room and Dimitris Aetos eyes landed on them, he was up instantly, a grateful look on his face. "Son! Nice for you to join us! Miss Laskaris was just telling me about the wonderful things she would do for you when you both are wed."

The female in question, was on her feet as well as she ran to Leonidas and wrapped her arms around him, tightly, making sure her bosom pressed on his chest. "Leon!"

Leonidas could smell her perfume and he wanted to escape from it, but his Father was already abandoning ship. "Where is Castilla?"

Loukas was faster than lightening to turn the opposite way. "Oh, My Lord! She's in the lounge room! Why don't I show you the—"

"No, no, no, stay with your friend so you can rescue—  I mean, keep him company, yes, I shall be away now."

And was gone.

When Stylani let him go, he managed a small smile. "Hello, Lani."

She was beautiful, an Aphrodite familia, and a personal favourite of the goddess herself.

With her milk skin, blue eyes, blond hair and exceptional figure that was trim in this dress was a thing men ogled after.

But Leonidas wasn't just a 'men'.

She was vain, proud and everything rude, except to him, of course.

The rumours were that she loved him very much which was why she acted so, and Leonidas had tried to love her but when he had seen her try to throw Kleopatra out of his window because she hissed at her, she was cancelled from his heart for life.

She pouted, her arm managing to snake around his, "You did not tell me it was your birthday on my last visit here."

Yes, because I was trying to make a fast escape.

"I forgot." Leonidas said, trying to get his hands away, but her grip was tight.

"I know!" She said with a giggle, "I mean, why wouldn't you tell me if you didn't forget? But I, as a good wife, found out myself and brought you a gift"

Oh, the gods.

Laughing nervously, Leonidas found himself saying and looking at his friend who was admiring a bottle of wine and ignoring them completely, "You shouldn't have."

"I couldn't resist." She said, batting her eyes lids at him.

Let go, please, you terrify me.

"Here it is!"

She let him go, but only for a moment before she placed a box in his hand and was wrapped around his arm again. "Open it."

Do I have a choice?

Slowly, he peeled the wrap open, noticing that Loukas was now paying attention slightly as he opened it and felt his heart drop.

"Oh, yes." The girl said with a lot of pride. "It is an Adonis knife, forged by the goddess Aphrodite herself to remember the loss of her lover. It is a knife made by her tears itself and is very rare."

Tears? Why, tears woman? Why does your sadistic side show every single time?

"Right." Leonidas said grimly "And I'm supposed to...?"

"Use it while hunting, of course." She completed with a 'duh' look on her face.

Leonidas thought he would throw up.

He stared at the knife, the handle made of smooth wood and the metal glistening and reflecting his image so perfectly that he could tell it was very sharp.

Such a lovely gift.

Then it hit him.

"Talking of hunting —,"

He managed to slip out of her grasp and before she could grab him with her claws, rushed to Loukas and pulled him to his side. "We have hunting to do"

"We do?" Loukas asked.

Leonidas sent him a glare. "Yes, we do"

Loukas stared at him for a while then said, "No, if I remember correctly, you swore never to cause the direct harm of an animal."

Leonidas was gritting his teeth now. "I changed my mind."

"Must it be now?" Stylani asked.

"Why, yes and thank the gods you brought me such a —," His eyes fell on the knife in his hand as he gulped and faced her with a fake smile. "Beautiful gift that I must use, thank you."

And not waiting for her to give a reply, he began to walk as fast as he could away from her.