Respect and Honor (A 300 fanfic)

A Flash to the Past

The day has come for the people of Iroas to go and fight for their new and native land. Before they left, the soldiers rubbed down all their exposed and vulnerable parts on their body with the Hades Fire solvent.

"Where are the others?" Bahadur asked as Thermistokles walked up to him.

"Pleistarchus and Dilios are just going over the escape plan with the elders." Thermistokles said. "It doesn't even look like they're covered in the solvent." He says, his tone excited.

"I know," Bahadur said in admiration as he watched the soldiers walk out the city gates. "You know it doesn't protect them against blades and arrows right?" He said sarcastically.

"I know." Thermistokles laughed. "I know."

"Now we have to hurry if we're going to make it to Athens in three weeks." Pleistarchus said from behind.

"I know." Thermistokles sighed as they walked in line with the other Iroans.. "I just hope we don't die on that battlefield."

The Iroans marched long and hard for three weeks and made it to Athens two days before battle. A messenger sent by Stelios requested that the three to meet at Leonidas' tent. When Pleistarchus and Thermistokles arrived Leonidas immediately noticed Dilios' absence.

"Where is Dilios?" Leonidas asked.

"Oh sorry, he couldn't make it." Pleistarchus said while looking at Stelios. "He didn't feel like lying under Stelios' blade right now."

Stelios gave a sarcastic smirk as he poured his two guests a glass of wine. The Iroans hesitantly took the glasses.

"Trust me, although poison is extermely painful, I would rather cut out your heart."

"I'll toast to that." Pleistarchus said raising his glass.

"To cutting hearts out." The four men said simutaniously.

Pleistarchus and Thermistakles leave after three drinks and walk back the three miles back to their camp. As they approach the village gates they see Dilios standing there waiting.

"Dilios, what is the matter?" Pleistarchus asked.

"A woman is here to see you my lord."

"A woman? Who is she?"

"She didn't tell me anything, so I put her in your tent with three soldiers guarding her."

"Alright, thank you, get some rest." He relieved Dilios and Thermistakles.

Pleistarchus takes his time walking to his tent as he thinks in his head who it could be. He finally reaches the tent and talks to the guards out front.

"Has she said anything?"

"No my lord, only said that she has to speak to you immediately."

"Thank you, you and your men could go."

The three guards then went to their own tents and went to sleep. Pleistarchus enters his tent to see a woman, back turned to him sitting in a chair. "You should take your sandals off." She said. "You will be more stealthy then."

"Who are you?" Pleistarchus asked. The girl turns around and Pleistarchus' jaw dropped. "Aegea?" He asks.

"Wow, I'm shocked to see that you remember me, after all it's been five years since we last saw each other."

"Of course I remember you, you're my true love."

"Bullshit." She said tears forming in her eyes. "You said you'll come to me as soon as you completed your training!"

"As you see I'm about to fight a war right now. I would have loved nothing more than to have you in my arms, but instead of a blessing from my father I got dragged into a war that wasn't mine to begin with."

"Then leave with me now." She said.

"I can't." Pleistarchus said, his tone disgusted. "I have to kill my father and the God-King."

A look of anger and understanding appeared on the girl's face. "I know." She said sympathetically. "I'll be in a village near by. After you win this war, come and find me."

Aegea left and Pleistarchus was left sitting in a chair alone in his tent. Pleistarchus leaves his tent and takes a walk up a near by hill. He gets there and sits at the top, looking over the city of ashes that was Athens, and all the lights the candles were giving out from the camps below, both Iroan and Spartan. He looks up at the stars as a flashback from his past clouds his mind.

(Flash Back)

"Pleistarchus, when will you return to Arcadia?" Aegea asked.

"I don't know my love, five years at the latest."

"Hurry back my love. Promise you'll come back to me as soon as your training is completed."

Pleistarchus kisses his beloved again and gave her a sincere smile. "Yes my love...I promise."

(End of Flahsback)

Pleistarchus leaves his tent and walks up a tall hill and sits at the top. He was looking at the stars and tracing the constellation Orion's Belt with his finger and sighed heavily.

"You know I heard you coming from a mile away." Pleistarchus said.

"Sorry my lord." Salino replied. "Why are you out here all by yourself?"

"Just doing some thinking." Pleistarchus replied.

"About what? I mean if you don't mind me asking."

"A woman stopped by in my tent today. Aegea her name is. Five years ago while on a mission to send a message to the king of Arcadia I met her. We fell in love and I made a promise to her that I would go back to her after my training was completed...but I went to Sparta to get my father's blessing, I get dragged into a war that wasn't even mine to begin with."

Salino sighed. "I know we might die on that battlefield, but you are a fine king and a better person, and I know that she'll love you. Whether you come back alive or not."

"Thank you Salino. Now get some rest."

Salino walked down the hill and into his tent. Pleistarchus stood ontop of the hill and looked over at the camps below. He heard the distant sounds of laugher and cheer, even in the midst of immenant death.