Provocatrix

Chapter seven, everything goes wrong.

Warning: selfharm/suicide attempt.

Artemis stands up and kills the Persian who murdered his son.
"You bastards!! How could you just watch him die!? How could you just stand there and do nothing!?" He shouts at no one in particular. He walks up to Alkestis. "And you. I thought you loved him! I thought you'd protect him! You are not worth to be a Spartan! None of you are!!" Alkestis looks up at Artemis. "And what did you do?" She asks and waits for an answer. She doesnt' get one, just a stare. "Exactly." And with that, she walks away.
"Alkestis!" Leonidas tries to follow her, but she just shakes her head and walks into the forest.

~in da forest~

After walking for about ten minutes, Alkestis stops.
It's true what Artemis said, she didn't protect him. She didn't even try.
She was strong in front of the others, but now that she's alone, it all sinks in.
Tears make their way down her face. Her body is shaking. Sobs are heard throughout the area she is in.
"How could I not do anything!? How could I just stand there, and watch him die!? What kind of person am I!?"
She falls onto her knees. It's just too much. She sees the glistening of her knife.
The one she got from her father. He found it at the temple made for Hades. Of course all of them knew Hades was the god of the underworld, but Alkestis always had worshipped him. She understood his actions, she understood it all. Her father looked at the knife, it was beautifully decorated. It had carvings of kerberos and Hades on it. There were a lot of details about them on it, too. Like their history, and friendship. It was all so small written, you had to look very close to see everything. Her father took it home and gave it to Alkestis. She was in love with it.
"Thank you dad!! It's so beautiful! I promise I'll keep it with me forever!"

Alkestis sees her whole past in this knife.
"Father, you told me to use this knife when I needed it. I need it now, to end all of this. I can't live on with all this regret. I dissapointed everyone. I didn't help him. I.. I." She couldn't continue. The tears and sobs became worse.
"I'm sorry." Her voice cracks as she says this. "I'm so sorry. Nobody ever needed me anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't notice I was gone... Mother, father, I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I'll be seeing both of you soon."
She wrote down in the dirt: 'Αλκεστις, α γιρλ φορτ' νοτινγ' (Alkestis, a girl worth nothing)

She then holds the knife up. It glistened in the moonlight. The forest was so beautiful at night.
It all seemed so peaceful, like the war never even happened. Like he didn't die. Like it was all just a dream and she woke up now.

She knows it wasn't a dream. She knows the war will continue. She knows all of them will die.
So why not now? Why not end it right now, right here? What stopped her?
Nothing. The only thing that could stop her was Leonidas.
But he didn't need her. The only thing she did was disturb.

"Leonidas, I'm sorry." She whispers.
She knows he cares about her a lot. But she also knows he is the king. He cannot have a weak spot.
She is his weak spot. So it's better this way.

She brings the knife to her wrist. Her hand is shaking, but she ignores it.
"I am not afraid to die, I am not afraid to end this." She encourages herself.
She slices the knife through her skin. One single tear streams down her face.
This is it. She never thought she'd commit suicide. But seeing the circumstances, she would.

The blood drips down her hand. So much blood. A pool of it starts to appear on the grass.
Alkestis starts feeling dizzy, because of all the blood loss.
She grabs the knife with her bloodied hand, and reaches out to cut her other wrist.
But her hand shakes too badly, and she drops the knife.
"Damnit!" She curses under her breath. She tries to pick up the blade.

~at the camp~

"Leonidas, my old friend. I need to tell you something." Daxos says as he walks up to Leonidas.
"Can't it wait? I need to find Alkestis! What if she hurts herself!?" Leonidas says while pacing.
"Leonidas! It cannot wait! This is important!"
"Make it quick." He orders.
Daxos begins speaking. "Ephialtes told the Persians about the goat path! Tomorrow morning, they will attack from both sides, and all of us will die! We need to get out of here now!" He yells.
"We are not going. When this started, all of us knew we were walking into our deaths. We are Spartans, we do not give up. You can go, but I will stay and fight."
"Think about your sister! She will die with you!" Daxos tries. The Spartans are his friends, he wants them to live.

"Alkestis is going with you. And so is Dilios. Dilios!" Leonidas walks past Daxos and goes to find Dilios.
"What is it, sire?" Dilios says as he kneels down. "Stand up. I need a favor."
"Of course, sire. What is it?" "Tonight, you go with Daxos and his army. They decided to retreat. You go with them and tell our story to everyone in Sparta. Tell them how we fought until the last man. Take Alkestis with you. I want her to live, and to rule Sparta." Dilios nods. "And for the queen?" He asks.
Leonidas hands him his necklace. "No words. Just give her this." Dilios nods and takes it.
"Now I want you to find Alkestis and then say your goodbyes." He nods and walks away.

If anyone, Dilios would know where she is.
He walks straight into the forest. He knows she can't face Artemis right now, that she can't bear to see Astinos' body. That she doesn't want to talk about anything.
So she went into the forest, to be alone.

"Alkestis! Where are you?" Dilios walks around. He looks behind large rocks, to see if you sit against them.
But he sees you nowhere.
"Alkestis! Please say something!" He tries again.
He sits down on the ground in defeat. How could he ever find you? You probably already ran away.
He sits into something wet. "What? I thought it didn't rain anymore?" He wonders.
He looks down at the ground, and sees he wasn't sitting in just some wet grass.
It was blood. He was sitting in a pool of blood. He hurriedly stand up and looks at it.
He knows for sure Alkestis has been here. He looks around, and sees a trail.
He follows it cautiously. This could mean a few things.
Either you walked away, or Xerxes got you. Dilios had to find you, before it was too late.

He comes to a clearing with a pond.
And he sees a small figure sitting on a rock.
He hears sobs, and sees the figure is shaking.
"Alkestis?" He softly asks. "D-Dilios? What are you doing here?" She looks up.
Dilios walks up to her.
"What was that blood trail? Did somebody hurt you?" He asks concerned.
Alkestis just shrugs and shows him her wrist. "I didn't cut deep enough. It stopped bleeding." She says.
"Oh Alkestis. Why?" "Because I can't live like this. I can't live knowing I let Astinos die. I can't live with all this regret. Dilios, what can I do but kill myself?" She says as she looks at him. He sees the hurt in her eyes.
"Let us help you. We all care about you. You can't give up now. You need to fight for what you have, and what you lost."

They both stand up and walk back to the camp. "Why does Leonidas want me to leave?" She asks Dilios.
"He wants you to live, and rule Sparta." He explains.
"Well, I'm not going." She says and walks off to find her brother.
"Leo!" She yells. He turns around and opens his arms. Alkestis runs up to him and hugs him.
"I was worried about you, I thought you hurt yourself." He says in her hair.
"I did. It just didn't work..." she admits. She shows Leonidas her wrist.
"I'm glad it didn't work. I guess Hades doesn't want you yet." He says to cheer her up a bit.
"Guess not. But I am staying." "Why? You'll die here." "Well, if you didn't notice, I tried to die a few moments ago anyway. I'm not leaving my brother and my friends alone."
"Fine, but at least let me protect you."

All of them went to sleep. Except the ones who left.
Daxos hugged Alkestis and Leonidas goodbye, and left with his army.
Dilios talked to every single one of the Spartans, for they were all his friends.
He gave Leonidas a handshake and Alkestis a good long hug.
"Dilios, I hope your life goes well. Take this letter with you, and open it when you arrive in Sparta. Okay?" Alkestis asks. "What's in the letter?" He asks as he takes it. "You'll find out." And with that, Dilios leaves too.

Hundreds leave, a handfull stay.
And only one, looks back.