LIAKÁDA, percy jackson

I. a pyrrhic victory prophesied is victory still

0001. | A PYRRHIC VICTORY
PROPHESIED IS VICTORY STILL

          Octavia dreamt of Sparta.

The sunlight was early in the day, barely on its rise when the seven sets of footsteps beat out from the pavement. The seven offspring of Queen Leda giggled among themselves as Pollux and Clytemnestra scouted their escape from the royal grounds. Their typical day would demand letter learning and play for Timandra and Phoebe. Philenoe would be torn between play and wanting to fight just like her older siblings. Castor and Pollux would have trained, unbeknownst to them that they would soon set off and gain honour on Jason's Argo as Argonauts themselves. Clytemnestra and Helen would be left to spend the day in the sun, feeling dry grass between the gaps in their sandals instead of the sand from the training grounds. Beyond their ladylike learnings, all girls in Sparta were required to fight. Helen's calluses marred her in a mirror image to Octavia's own hands. Sometimes, she could look down and see herself completely until blonde hair curled into her vision.

The coast was clear for the siblings, leaving their path free to escape to the hills where they would spend their day without worries or concerns. Little did they know that Tyndareus and Leda always knew what they were up to, but knowing that their children would one day be parted from each other, all in different cities, all married and travelling and ruling, they let them have these days in their own company.

It was so early in the day of their excited escape that Castor did not need to carry Timandra home to her bed, as Octavia knew he would by sundown. They were far too excited by their day out, and once they made it to the hills and the dried grass was less yellow as the trees grew thicker and shielded them from the sun, the seven collapsed in the grass, remembering the feel of the ground through their fine linens and silks.

"Ροή σε κοντινή απόσταση... Stream nearby..." Castor's deep voice rolled out lazily. Between Helen's two brothers, Castor was Clytemnestra's favourite and Pollux Helen's. Octavia had no preference, though she did enjoy Castor's catlike behaviour, stretching himself lethargically in any patch of sunshine he could find, with footsteps so quiet no one heard him until his shadow betrayed his presence. "Δώσε μου μια καντίνα. Θα μας φέρω λίγο νερό. Pass me a canteen. I'll get us some water."

Helen's head turned to Clytemnestra for an answer. She had brought nothing with her and was more preoccupied by how the grass poked her eye when she rolled her head to see her sister. It tickled and scratched her skin that had been freshly oiled from her bath that morning. In turn, Clytemnestra turned to Pollux for his.

He kicked her. "Τι με κοιτάς; What're you looking at me for?"

"Η καντίνα. The canteen." Clytemnestra shared an irate glance with Castor. "Τι το έκανες; What did you do with it?"