Truth and Sparta Read Free Page B

it.
    Her husband
would perform his husbandly duties on occasion, but it was not
often. Along with his family, he was also increasingly dismayed
with her failure to fall with child. He was growing increasingly
irritated with her and it had hurt her. She had prayed to Hera to
help her conceive, but her prayers had gone unanswered. Then her
husband had grown sick and died, and before long, she had been
suspected as the reason for it.
     
    Her father and
brother returned as she was helping her mother grind some barley
for their bread that evening.
    “ We are to start building the bridge this evening,” he said as
he put the oxen away in his closure.
    “ You were provided with wood then?” she asked.
    “ You are to stay away from the Spartan,” he father said quietly
as he lifted the gate into place. “Both of them.”
    “ Yes father,” she said. “I am sure you worry for nothing.
Besides, he will be gone soon.”
    “ Still, do not approach him.” He smiled in the way that always
reassured her and she nodded.
     
    She forgot
about the incident over the next few days as life carried on as
normal. She was on her way to see Della as she walked through the
village. Her mother had asked her to get some seeds from one of the
elderly women and Chara chose to simultaneously deliver a portion
of cheese from their goats which Della always seemed to enjoy.
    She stopped in
her tracks as she walked around the corner of the street and found
the Spartan turning and looked her away. He didn’t look friendly,
but he didn’t look over aggressive either.
    He was between
her and the way she needed to go to get to her friend’s house. What
was he doing there? Chara thought. Spartans never came to the
village, well that wasn’t true, they came to search for someone, or
to terrorise, but they came in numbers looking for dissidents or
troublemakers. They had burnt the village to the ground once, and
over the years they’d eliminated anyone with leadership qualities
amongst the ranks of the Helots. Young men were found murdered
somewhere in the fields, discarded and left for the birds to peck
at before anyone found them. But he was here alone—not that it
would really make a difference, he was more capable of destruction
than the whole village put together.
    She considered
turning and walking back the way she’d come, or alternatively, she
could walk past him, ignore his presence and continue as she
intended to. It angered her that she would cower and change her
plans just because a Spartan happened to be in her path. It wasn’t
like they were engaging in meaningful discussion—she was just
walking past.
    She mustered
her resolve and continued walking. The road was big enough that she
could comfortably walk past him. She felt a stab of uncertainty as
his eyes followed her again as she stepped closer, moving as far
away to the other side of the street as she could manage as she
approached him. He didn’t move to make way or to acknowledge her
passing.
    Chara felt his
presence intensely—he was so big and foreign. His skin was golden
from many hours of sun and it complemented his golden hair, his
arms were knotted with muscles and sinew, and his legs were more
muscular than anyone she’d seen. He wasn’t someone who was
naturally a big barrel of a man—his size was from constant training
and strengthening. There was nothing soft about him and that
included the features of his face, his strong jaw and high
cheekbones complementing the straight brow.
    “ What is your name?” he asked, his voice deep and commanding.
Chara faltered. She looked around to see if anyone was there to
help her. She felt a sense of panic, but also pride and defiance.
She hated that she was intimidated. He might be a soldier, but he
was just a man. He had no reason to harm her or to engage with her
for that matter. “Tell me,” he ordered.
    “ Chara,” she said not making eye contact with him.
    “ Chara,” her repeated. “A pretty name.”
    “ Thank