Page 17 of Axios
The noise of the arena exploded behind me with the echo of cracking whips and shouts of encouragement as the next group began their game. And for the first time that day, I felt nothing.
Chapter Five
392 BC- Two years later
Years had come to pass, but my friendship with Eryx had withstood the time. We had helped each other through the hardships that were bestowed upon us, making each other stronger both physically and mentally.
Being a Spartan was not just about being strong. We also had to be cunning and resourceful. Where I’d been weak in many areas in past years, I had improved. My pain endurance had increased, and so had my resolve. Eryx had been by my side every day of the last four years, providing me with support and friendship.
We were no longer small boys and had just entered our fourteenth year of living. It was also the year in which confusing emotions began to stir within me whenever I looked at him.
The sun had darkened his skin, giving him a beautiful golden glow that contrasted perfectly with the golden locks of his hair and the vibrancy of his stunning green eyes. Years of harsh training had caused muscles to form in place of his once smaller frame, providing him with a type of body in which the poets wrote tales about.
Muscles had shaped on my body as well, but not nearly as impressive as his.
An ephor, which was a magistrate and overseer of the boys, came to inspect all of us that day. Mostly, it was to see how each of us progressed in our training. The examinations occurred every ten days, and we were to be nude when they took place. We were used to being naked by then and very rarely wore clothing.
Poor fitness was discouraged and mocked. Not only amongst the Spartan men but the women as well.
It was Eryx’s turn to be examined, and I watched as the ephor touched his bare skin, lifting his muscled arm and lightly tracing his fingers down Eryx’s bicep all the way across his broad shoulders and down to his back.
For a youth of fourteen, Eryx had an impressive build, and the ephor praised his body, nodding his head in satisfaction as he examined his well-defined muscles.
When the older man began to run his hand across Eryx’s backside, a flare of anger arose within me. I was not pleased for anyone but me to touch him.
Biting my tongue, I tasted blood as I attempted to control the unexpected surge of violence that arose at the sight of another man enjoying the touch of the boy who meant so much to me.
The anger was confusing. He was my truest friend, but I had no claim over him. The ephor was fulfilling his responsibilities. Nothing more. And even if itwerein a sexual manner, it was not my place to judge.
Once his examination was finished, Eryx turned around and locked gazes with me, a serious expression visible on his beautiful face. As he walked by on his way to stand with the other boys who were finished with inspection, his hand lightly traced my bare thigh as the corner of his flawless lips turned up into a smile.
After he passed, I approached the magistrate for my own examination. When I looked at my friend again from across the room, his eyes shifted from my gaze and slowly trailed down my body as if in admiration.
Warmth spread through me, and I quickly looked away.
After the inspection, Eryx and I walked outside. The day was warm, but not smoldering. When the wind blew and caressed my face, it carried with it a crispness that signaled the approaching change of season.
No training would occur that day in preparation for the syssition that evening.Syssitiawere reserved for men twenty and older once they’d reached adulthood. It was an assigned dining group and was made up of fifteen other adult males. Once accepted into a syssition, the soldier ate and slept with that group until he was of age thirty. His group became his family and was meant to form bonds of loyalty and solidarity.
We were not being accepted into one as of yet. The invitation to attend was only for education purposes.
“Are you eager for the dining mess?” Eryx asked as we moved at a dawdling pace down the narrow path.
By the slight bounce in his step when he spoke of it, I saw his excitement. Any opportunity that arose for us to further our training pleased him. I tried to latch onto his joy and allow it to overtake me as it did him, but I could not.
Not much brought me happiness in life… apart from him.
“I do not feel one way or the other over it,” I answered honestly, not favoring the idea of speaking a lie to him when it concerned serious matters. “It will be just another evening to me.”
“Yes, but,” he stopped and turned to me, grazing his hand down my forearm, “there will be merriment, food, and wine. And I’m sure the men will speak of their time in battle—tales of scars, triumphs, and experiences as soldiers. It will be excellent.”
I stared into his green eyes and had to smile at the delight shining through them.
“If you say so, it must be,” I responded and continued on our leisurely walk.
No destination was in mind. We had plenty of daylight left to do as we wished before we had to be ready for the syssition.
“You know what else I say?” he asked, and his voice took on a lighter tone, one that spoke of mischievousness and gave rise to the playful side of him that no one but me ever saw. “If we race to our spot by the stream, I will win.”
