Aidoneus

The Spartans Move

They marched for days. It was the end of summer and the crisp air made the days refreshing but the nights frigid. It mattered naught in the end to the Spartans. They craved war and that alone would drive them forward through anything. As they marched Kore's thoughts wandered. She considered how her mother had meant eternal spring for the mortals when she was alive. What did Kore bring them...death? Destruction? 

The plan was to take a legion of the army and have them proceed ahead into a valley, part of the main road. When Sisyphus' army attacked, the Spartans would pretend to be outnumbered and retreat back into a open plain where the remaining legions, hidden along the boarder, would flank and surround them. It was risky, but their best option. Based on their scouts Sisyphus was still a day away from the valley. They made camp that night knowing it would likely be the last sleep some of them would get in the moral world. 

Rumors about Kore's disappearance abounded. Her Father had said he had sent her with Hermes to ask the oracle's of Delphi for their blessing. But she could tell that her brothers were looking at her differently. Like they knew. Maybe they did. The real pain that bore into her heart was Hades. She had been foolish to get close to him, to let him get close to her. Women, after all, were just pawns in the King's lives. Still, the hurt she felt by his attempt to keep her was profound. The first few days she expected him to come after her. To say something. Do something. But he never did. Her feelings were mixed about that. She thought he truly understood her. Her duty and obligation to these mortals. She thought he valued this by the care he took in judging and maintaining the underworld for them. How mistaken and gullible she had been. 

After they set camp most of her brothers went to bed early. Kore offered to stay up as watch. She couldn't sleep so she wandered around the camp. Watching over her brothers. Trying to feel useful. She found the night peaceful. The darkness like a blanket she could hide in. At the same time she felt lost. If they survived, what would be her place in the world? The only thing she knew for sure was that she would do everything she could to protect the Spartans. Her own life meant little to her now. It was only a matter of time before Zeus or one of the other immortals came for her. At least she could protect her family in one last battle before the sword hanging above her own neck dropped.

She was consumed by her thoughts when she felt a presence. An immortal. She whirled around drawing her sword and found the tip of her blade against Thanatos' throat. "Whoa, hello to you too" he held his hands up in surrender. "Why are you here" she snarled out. "I just brought some shades to the underworld and Charon told me you left. He asked me to make sure you got back to the Spartans alright". She relaxed and lowered her sword but didn't sheath it. "You're not here to kill or capture me?" she narrowed her eyes at him. "Ha- like I would or could" he smiled. She put her sword away and motioned for him to follow her away from her sleeping brothers. The last thing she needed was them waking and mistaking Thanatos for a threat. "So...everything ok? Charon didn't tell me much but it was storming pretty badly in the underworld" he sat on a rock next to an outlook fire. She sighed, she was not in the mood for a deep personal conversation. Especially to an immortal.  

"I didn't know the underworld has weather" she replied trying to deflect from talking about Hades. "It does" Thanatos spoke with annoyance in his voice, "it's tied to Hades. His more...extreme moods are reflected in the weather". So much for avoiding talk about the King of the Underworld. She sat next to him on another rock but kept her gaze on the fire. The flickering flame soothing. "How unfortunate for the Underworld inhabitants" she added with dry sarcasm. She could feel Thanatos' gaze on her, "I don't know what happened but I am sure he deserved it. I haven't always been his biggest fan, but admittedly, he's gotten a raw deal in life and probably doesn't have the best...social graces". She barked out a laugh, "social graces! He tried to keep me in the underworld rather than return me to my people. He said their lives did not matter next to mine." Anger flooded her once again as she retold the events. Thanatos' eyes widened and he sat back, "Ouch...yeah that was an ass thing to say".