I remember vividly the day Gregio, my brother, left us. I kicked and screamed profanities at the Spartan soldiers who had come to retrieve him. They glared at me and my brother stared at me in faint disgust. Of course, his Spartan pride was bigger than his raging ego.
My parents, after Gregio left, attempted to calm me down. I say attempted because I ended up pushing them away and running out of my house back around to a rocky scenery, where rocks were so sharp they threatened to slit my soles. Despite the pain, I kept running until I reached an ancient gate near the edge of a cliff which faced the ocean. It seemed like that ancient gate was the only piece of art in Sparta not dedicated to ugly military men or to leaders.
I leaned over the gate, and stared longingly at the crashing waves hitting the peaky rocks. I really had no reason to be this upset, in fact I should be happy that Gregio's joining the military. He sure is one heck of a fighter.
Despite my acknowledgement of that, I shut my eyes and sighed angrily. By Gods, I hated Sparta. How could I love a city who took my only brother away from me? Gregio used to be so kind, but just being in Sparta dulled him down to nothing more than a stoic violent child.
"Aria! Rough day?" a high pitched voice called out from somewhere to my left. I buried my face in my hands jokingly and grinned. I would know that voice anywhere. It was the voice of my best and perhaps only friend. I opened my eyes to see a short girl, shorter than me with a strange eccentric aura. This girl's name? Edonna Galakio. She tolerated my vulgarity and often laughed at it. She always defended me verbally, and even though she knew I was capable of doing it on my own, physically.
"Yeah," I said grimly, "They took Gregio away," Edonna stood beside me and copied my stance, arms on the gate and looking seaward. She put a warm hand on my shoulder and said,
"I remember when they took Cletheo and Darius, I couldn't move at all," she glanced at me and added with a happier tone, "of course, I can't even remember their faces,". I rolled my eyes again.
"How is that supposed to help me?" Edonna winced and apologized. After a long while of her twiddling with her thumbs and I, staring at the blinding sea, Edonna spoke up.
"I think I know what would cheer you up!"
"No, Edonna I am not-"
"To the Agora we go!" she squealed as she tugged on my arm violently.
