Respect and Honor (A 300 fanfic)

Battle Cry

   Weeks went by and Stelios and his Spartans finally reached Athens. Resting in a near by village Stelios goes over their battle plan.

   "First we would send our men to surround the city and we hold them off until Leonidas arrives."

   Darkness falls and the night is filled with the grunts and screams from the Spartans who are training. While leading the exercises, Stelios notices something odd within their formations. He orders his men to stop and within a second after the order was shouted from their leader's mouth they did so without question. Stelios then walks down one of the rows of his army and stops in front of a soldier.

   Stelios examines the soldier carefully and sees he notices a small bump on the back of his earlobe. He then draws his sword and holds it up to the soldier's face.

   "So, Athenian, you think you can fool me?" Stelios asks. "You!" He yells to the four newest Spartans (Hector, Troy, Jorge and Pleistarchus) "Go to Athens and tell Thermistokles that this man's death is the first of many."

   "Is that it?" Pleistarchus asked.

   "No," Stelios said. "Bring the body as well. I want the scent of Athenian blood off my camp as soon as possible."

   Stelios slit the Athenian's throat and shouted an order to resume their training. The four Spartans left for Athens. As soon as they were at a distance far away from their fallen brothers Pleistarchus halted them to a stop.

   "Tell me right now and be completely honest, are you going to fight for Leonidas and Xerxes or for Greece?"

   Without hesitation the Spartans answered simultaneously. "Greece."

   "Ok, go to the fallen King's home back in Sparta. There you will meet Dilios."

   "And what will you do my lord?" Hector asked.

   "Go to Athens and warn them of their oncoming attack." Pleistarchus replied. "And if you bump into any trainees tell them what I told you."

   With that the Spartans parted ways. Within a days walk Pleistarchus arrived in Athens and was soon comprehended by Athenian guards. The guards bring Pleistarchus to face the council.

   "And what Spartan, has made you stupid enough to come here?" Asked an Elder.

   "To warn you of an oncoming attack." Pleistarchus answered.

   "We already know that." Laughed Thermistokles.

   "Do you know that the scout you sent has had his throat slit?"

   The room was then filled with the banter from the elders, councilman and their army's captains.

   "And again why are you here?"

   "I am Pleistarchus, son of the fallen King Leonidas and I come here to seek your help."

   "Help for what Spartan? You seem to forget you are dressed in Spartan attire and that your army is a day's march away ready to attack our city." Thermistokles argued.

   "That is where you are wrong." Pleistarchus said.  "I am here for you and only you. Stelios said that he isn't taking prisoners, that your elders, women and children would suffer the same fate."

   "We held off Leonidas and his forces before, why is this time any different?"

   "Because Stelios right now has 1000 Spartans, not Persian prisoners, with Leonidas on his way with 6000 more. He wants Athens to burn."

   "Let's just say we trust you, what do you suppose we do?" Thermistokles asked.

   "You actually trust this Spartan?" Yelled an Elder.

   "Not entirely, but I think it's fair that we listen to what he has to say. Go ahead Pleistarchus."

   Pleistarchus sighs, "Evacuate, send all your women, children and elders to neighboring cities and have every abled body here to fight." He sighed. "And if the Spartans do manage to overtake the city, which I believe they will, send your troops and people to Sparta."

   "That is suicide!" Yelled an Elder.

   "Do you have a better idea?" Thermistokles butted in.

   "No, but hiding in the fallen King's homeland is stupid to the highest degree!"

   "If I may," Pleistarchus asked politely. "An ally of mine has managed to keep himself and his army of 2000 hidden there for twelve years. He said himself, "What better place to hide than right in front of their nose?""

   The elders then conducted a vote.

   "All in favor for the rogue's Spartan's testimony say I, or veto." The elder said as they went down the line of patrons. They reached Thermistokles.

   "I." They all said.

   "Then it is settled, one last chance to speak your mind or forever hold your peace."

   Pleistarchus bowed to the elders. "Thank you for being fair in our time of need, even though we haven't done the same."

   The next day came and the shaking of the ground meant that the Spartans were near. Pleistarchus stood on top of the tallest Greek building in full Athenian attire to be a scout, and what he saw he was nothing short of terrifying.

   Even though it was an army of a measly 1000 men, and that the Athenians might be able to hold them off, he knew that this wasn't a battle easily won, for either side. Thermistokles joins him on the roof.

   "They will execute you if they find you wearing these clothes." Thermistokles said.

   "Maybe, but I won't go down without swinging."

   Hours later, the Spartans finally reached Athens' gates. Stelios himself walks to confront the councilmen to find that no one was there. He wanders the city streets to find that not a soul was in the city.

   "Spartans we've been duped!" He yells.

   Then the pulling of strings on bows was heard and a sea of arrows were shot in the sky.

   The Spartans hid under their shields, but were attacked from behind. The surprise attack did damage, killing 300 men. Stelios, now angry that he had failed, throws his spear, piercing the chest of an Athenian soldier. He then decapitates the soldier and beats several more with the severed head.

   Stelios was greeted by a punch to the face that sent him flying to the ground. Stelios turns around to see it was Pleistarchus. Heart broken, he looks at the Spartan to find him dressed in Athenian clothes. Not letting his emotions get in the way, he charges at the Spartan and easily disarms him due to his opponent's lack of experience.

   As the day slowly comes to an end the battle still rages on. Just as the Athenians think that victory is in their favor, King Leonidas arrives with his 1000 archers and unleashes hell upon his opponents. Thermistokles orders the retreat and the Spartans finally burn Athens to the ground. But while Thermistokles and what's left of his army are on their way to Sparta, Stelios was dragging Pleistarchus to Leonidas' tent.