Persephone: Leonidas' Domina

44- Leonidas

The swords clashed against one another, a determined look in his eyes as he let out a gruff sound, pushing the other male and making a sharp lunge before managing to deflect the sword and shoving his Caretaker to the ground, his sword at his right.

Heavy pants escaped Leonidas' lips as he pointed the tip of his sword at the man, his hair wet and sticky all over his face as he heard a voice say, "He is not the enemy, Leonidas."

He did not bother to turn at first, just kept staring at the male that was on the floor before throwing his sword to a side and giving him a hand.

His Caretaker took it gratefully, a small grateful word leaving his lips as he stood and dusted his clothes while Leonidas finally turned, meeting an Orion holding a tray with water, a jug and fruits on it.

He walked to the round table, taking a seat with Orion doing so as well, sliding the tray to Leonidas before crossing his legs and leaning on the back of his chair. "Good morning,"

Leonidas did not bother to reply. He took the glass of water quickly, letting out a relieved sigh when the coldness numbed the burn in his throat before he picked the apple and took a bite into it.

"I heard you have not been eating food recently," Orion said.

Leonidas showed him the apple. "What does this look like to you?"

"A fruit." Orion admonished, folding his arms. "You need the nutrition that food brings."

"I would put that in mind," Leonidas said, even though Orion knew he was dismissing him in the kindest possible way. "Fill me in on what is going on."

Orion sighed. "The raids are getting a bit less due to the fact that we have men situated around Castle Eliades preventing the Ares Familias from leaving."

"But?" Because Leonidas had gotten used to hearing such a word being used for the past months since the war had begun.

"Our men are dying like chickens and are terrified," Orion completed. "The Ares- They are like killing machines. Stopping them from their goal in their own territory is like complete suicide."

"Are they reducing in number?" Leonidas pressed.

"Well, yes but-"

"That is the important thing," Leonidas continued, "The raids are being slowed and they are reducing in number as well."

"But our loss is great," Orion replied. "The men and women are terrified."

"Do they want to return to their homes?"

"Leonidas-"

"I am not stopping them, Orion," Leonidas cut in, his head already beginning to hurt. "If they want to return to their homes, so be it, but they should know that if they leave that place, that ground where they are, the deaths would increase and they would be no homes awaiting them."

His words might have sounded harsh to anyone who would have heard but Leonidas was tired of their feeble complaints. He knew that they had never had to fight a day in their lives before now but neither had he, not that they even let him out of the Castle.