Disclaimer: Don't own, didn't happen.

18 years ago

"Ahhhh!" Helen screamed in agony.

It was a hot day in Sparta, and King Menelaus watched as his young wife gave birth to their first child together. He had many other children, all girls, but he hoped this child was different. The beautiful Helen screamed and screamed as she pushed the little infant out of herself. Menelaus and al their other subjects waited for hours as the birthing continued. Finally, the baby was offically born.

"It's a girl!" a maid cried, carrying the blood soaked infant in a small blanket.

Helen held the child, wiping blood from its face. Helen smiled at the child, and kissed its forehead. She handed the child to Menelaus and he laughed. The Gods had done what they had said. He had a girl...who would be a boy at heart. The child had large, deep eyes that resembled Menelaus's, and skin that would eventually become a clean white. Menelaus studied the child carefully, seeing if it was mishapened or disfigured in anyway. It wasn't. The little infant was as perfect as a spartan could get.

"What shall we name her?" Helen asked.

Menelaus thought for a while, then decided, "Zyra...Zyra Andres..."

A servant turned to the crowd and announed, "Behold! The new princess of Sparta! Zyra Andres!"

The crowd clapped and the child was put into a small crib made of jewles and gold. Several improtant members of the group, the child's new various uncles, aunts, cousins, and sisters, came up and looked at the small child. Many of the women described her as cute and charming, and the men said she'd make a wonderful Spartan princess.

Indeed she would be... the king thought.

5 Years Later

"Never let your opponent get the best of you!"

5-year-old Zyra looked up at her father, King Menelaus, as she stood above her. Her father was a mighty king, with his broad shoulders and big structure, he could initidate even the strongest of soilders. Zyra was his youngest daughter at the time, and he had much to teach her before she started school. Zrya got up from the dirt ground and stood a few feet from him.

Menelaus had always wanted a boy, but he was refused one by the Gods. He had wanted a boy so badly, Zeus made a deal with him. If he married his daughter, she would give him a girl with the heart and soul of a boy. Menelaus agreed, and looked at much his child had grown. She had short, brown hair that still grew, and had eyes that were deeper than the sea and greener than emeralds. He knew she'd grow to be strong and beautiful, and if she were truly a boy, she'd make a glorious warrior.

"Now...Again!"

Zyra and her father clashed swords. He continued to come at the girl, but she found every way to resist. t one point she had lost her sword and was defensless. Menelaus raised his sword and threw it down, but with a quick turn by Zyra, it missed. He continued to miss untill she did a small flip and retreived her sword.

"Very good Zyra!" he said.

The young child came at him, nearly cutting his leg. Menelaus laughed with satisfaction as he dueled with his clever daughter. Off to the side, was his young wife Helen, and their other children, who all watched in amazement.

"Thrust left!" he ordered, she did as she was told, "Thrust right!".

Zyra cafeully listened to her father's directions as he teached her. He gave her such directions as to wear his sword would be heading next.

"Behind!" Zyra spun quickly, their swords colliding.

"Middle!" their swords met once more.

"Left!" she caught his before it could slam into her side.

"Now the...Below!" his sword missed her feet as she jumped quickly.

He stopped his directing, and let her guess. Most of them were right.

"During battle-" he said as their faught, "-Your enemy won't tell you where he's going to strike, so you must strike first-".They stopped with their swords connected, "-Always keep your guard...They will be many around you during battle...You must keep your senses sharp...You understand me girl?"

"Yes father," Zyra said.

Menelaus smiled as he put his sword down, and patted his daughter on the head. "Now, I have a solider waiting for you for your archery lessons...run along!"

Zrya dropped her sword and rushed out of the courtyard. Menelaus had no idea what his daughter would become, but he knew she was destined for something great.

3 Years later...

8-year-old Zyra pushed a young boy to the ground, and straddled her. Blood spurted from his nose as she slammed her fist into it. She began knocking the boy's head from side to side with each hit, blood splattering onto her growing chest that was covered with a thin cloth. Zyra stood once the boy was unconcious.

She had grown taller and was turning into a young woman. Her face was beaten from fighting with an eye shut closed and bloody, with dirt and blood smeared on her face. Her stomach growled for food, but lessons were not done yet. She had one more opponent, then they'd be allowed to venture outward from the barrack walls.

"Zyra!"

She looked to see one of the older boys walk her way. Zyra saw he had others with him, and Zyra stood her ground.

"If you can do that to him...Let's see what you could do with someone a bit older..." the boy challened.

The boy was a few inches taller, but Zyra's fist connected with the boy's face just fine. The boy fell the the dirt ground, but stood back up and tried to take a swing at Zyra. He missed by a few centimeters above Zyra's head, who head butted him stomach, sending him back to the ground.

The two began to get more furious, their knuckles bloody and dirt from fighting on the ground. It was untill the older boy was on the ground, nearly unconcious.

"Well done Zyra..." a teacher said, "Your father will be proud..."

Zyra just grinned at this news...

11 years later

18-year-old Zyra stood before her fitness judges, hands behind her back and her posture straight. King Menelaus and Queen Helen sat off to the side, enjoying grapes and wine, along with her 4 other sisters and their husbands. Callidora was the beautiful, blonde first-born, who had much liked by the male soliders who came to visit the palace, untill she was married to a general in the Spartan army. Adonia was the smart, intelligent brunette one who had recently married Ethos, a distant son of Zeus and God. Elene was the silly wonderous one who hadn't been married yet but is betrothed to a lieutenant named Alexios. Then there was little Desma, who Zyra cared for but envied most of all. The beautiful brunette was only 5-years-old, and she had the life Zyra had dreamed about. She was allowed to play freely, and was a normal girl.

"We were very impressed with your speed and cleverness," The Head Judge commented, "Which is why we honor you with your citizenship..."

Zyra bowed as everyone in the room clapped, "Thank you."

Zyra turned to her family, and as she hugged her mother and sisters, she wondered why she had always been treated so differently. Why was she commanded to archery lessons when her sisters just sat in the throne room and were treated with the company of soliders? Why was she sent to an all boy's school when her sisters attened lesons with only girls? She wanted to know why boys swooned over her sisters but only laughed and joked around with her. It angered her not knowing...

"You did wonderfully, my daughter," Menelaus congradulated.

"Thank you Father," she smiled proudly.

She knew she'd never know...

A/N: This was just a little glance into her childhood, but the real story comes up next!