The Grecian Seven

Chapter 1

"Theodilus! Adonis! Get up! You march in three hours, and it will take us at least an hour to drive to Marathon. Hurry before your tiganites and petimezopita that I made get cold!" Liliana Lynix yelled up the stairs to her twin fourteen year old sons.

Liliana waited for a moment listening for the distinct thump of her sons falling out of their beds. THUMP. THUMP. Satisfied that her sons were awake and moving, she started walking towards the informal dining room. As she reached the dining room, she saw that her husband was waiting at the table with his subscription of Olympian Times open.

"Are they awake, my love?" Alexander Clyprix asked, not looking up from his newspaper.

"Yes, dear. Do you never hear your children as they fall out of their beds each morning?" Lilliana replied curiously as she sat down.

"Never; but I believe you."

Just as Alexander placed the newspaper off to the side of his plate, two young boys, come running into the room.

"What have I told you two about running?" Lilliana scolded the two boys.

"Uh, don't?" the boy who sat on the right side of the table said.

"Adonis, speak formally and cordially. We have standards in this family. You know this. Now Theodilus, where is your little sister?" Alexander asked as he raised his coffee cup.

"Father, it is to the best of my knowledge that Elips is within her room sleeping. Shall I go wake her? " Theodilus asked with a straight face.

"Adonis, take note of your brother, he acts correctly. See to it you follow his example. And Theodilus, it would be best for you to wake her now," Alexander said while staring his sons down.

Adonis just glared at his younger twin who nodded and left the room. He was the eldest son. He was suppose to be father's favorite. He was the heir, after all. He should get the attention of his father and mother before and longer than his younger siblings. Grumbling about entitlement, Adonis shifted his attention to his cooling breakfast.

•

Theodilus walked slowly out of the informal dining room and through the courtyard, past the kitchen, and up the ladder leading to the second floor of their house. Finally reaching the third door to the left, he knocked softly.

"El? Are you awake? Can I come in?" Theodilus whispered through the wooden double doors.

Slowly Theodilus pushed open the doors and approached the little bundle of sheets, where, buried within his little sister slept.

Gently shaking Elips's shoulder, Theodilus whispered to her, "El, come on. Wake up. Dad is not in a good mood, and Don and I are leaving for the Academy soon. I want to at least be able to say goodbye to my favorite little sister."

"I'm your only sister," Elips muttered as she slowly sat up and blinked sleep away.

"Yes, but you are still my favorite," Theodilus said smiling while ruffling her short black hair.

"Stop it! You're making it worse!" Elips playfully whined while trying to duck and smack his hand away with her tiny hands.

•

The family of five were doing a last double check of everything before they headed out to Marathon.

"Enough kalamos to last you until Rural Dionysia?" Liliana asked the boys.

"Yes." They replied.

"Plenty ink? Parchment? Your Drachma bags?"

"Yes, mother. We have everything. You need not worry. Besides, if we did forget anything we would send you a message by runner," Theodilus said reassuringly.