DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you may recognize.
Just to lay down some basics:
Antiochis is Annabeth's Greek name. Annabeth will be her Roman name. Antiochis is pronounced, in English, Annie-ock-hiss, but the Greek pronunciation is Antie-OH-kiss.
Korinthos is the Greek spelling of Corinth.
Agapitos is a pet name in Greek.
Mikri Prinkipissa means 'little princess'
Kallisto is not the equivalent of Calypso, though they'll be similar later in the story
Tryphena is not Thalia's equivalent. Tryphena isn't a very important character.
Annabeth would like to go on record as saying that all of her problems are caused by Roman men and that if Greek women were the world's leaders the Earth would be rampaged by fires that created warmth and not by ones that destroy the homes of Korinthons. Sure, her greatest blessing was a Roman man and, if she had to say, she'd pin her mother leaving as her biggest heartbreak, but generally, she hated Romans and loved Greeks. She just wanted to get that statement out on the table before delving into the background of how she came up with such a bold statement. The story starts in her beloved Korinthos.
"Pappous! Aye, Pappous! Where do you want me to put this?" Annabeth lifted the amphora of olive oil up for her grandfather to see. He just waved his hand in response. Annabeth blew a lock of blonde hair out of her face.
"Yiayia! Where do you want me to put this?" Agan, Annabeth lifted the amphora, though this time it was in the opposite direction so her grandmother could see it. Nemerte raised her head from the fish she was salting.
"Nuah," she made the teeth sucking sound that only Greek mothers and grandmothers seemed to do and waved Annabeth over.
'Ah ah," Nemerte pointed in front of her. Annabeth set the amphora down and walked behind her grandmother.
"What are you doing, Yiayia?' She asked.
Again, Nemerte made a sucking sound, "What does it look like I'm doing, Antiochis? Use your head! I'm salting some damn fish!"
"No, Yiayia, you've rubbed so much salt on it it's peeling. Here, give that to me, I will salt it. Go entertain yourself with some painting."
Annabeth reached down to take the fish from her grandmother's hands. Nemerte dropped the fish and started to bat at Annabeth's hands, but she caught them and gave her grandmother a stern look, "Yiayia, you are too old. Let me help you. Go, I made you more paint last night. It's in the gynaikon. Use it before it dries up, we are running low on animal glue."
Nemerte made the sucking sound again but picked herself up off the floor and hobbled over to her easel.
Annabeth was tempted to make the lip-smacking sound when she realized her grandmother had forgotten to wash the fish and remove all the bleeding, but she knew if her Yiayia heard her she'd get an ass-whooping that would leave her sore for a week. She moved the fish to a pile that they would have to keep at home. Blood clots caused discoloration, and imperfect fish wouldn't sell at the market.
She grabbed another fish from the basket and cut off its head and began to gut it.
"Ucalegon! Agapitos! Come here!"
"Eh?" Annabeth's grandfather replied.
"I said come here, listen to me!"
"Eh?"
Annabeth sighed, "Pappous! Go to Yiayia!" She yelled at her grandfather, hoping he heard her. He seemed to because he got up to go to his wife.
He said nothing when he reached her but his eyes were wide.
"Ucalegon, what color should I use for this chiton? It's Antiochis."
Ucalegon looked back at Annabeth and smiled. "Our mikri prinkipissa? Royalty gets purpur! Use purpur, Nemerte!" He said it with the excitement of a child.
Annabeth and Nemerte laughed.
"Aye, agapitos," Nemerte put her colorful hands on her husband's cheeks. Ucalegon pulled her hands off his cheeks, "Ah, Nemer, look at this, now I am green!"
Nemerte laughed as Ucalegon went back to counting their shop's coins. Annabeth could hear him mumbling to himself as he did so. Annabeth finished salting her fish. Yiayia was humming quietly to herself as she painted. Annabeth walked over to her grandfather.
"How are we looking, Pappous?" Ucalegon just shook his head.
"Aye, agapitos, we will get through this month's taxes. But you will have to make your own calcei. I know it hurts your feet to go down to the diolkos, but we do not have the money to pay Pelegon full price, and we have already had to pay him the rest of the price of Yiayia's sandalias with grain."
Annabeth made the teeth sucking sound, "Nay, it's alright. Perhaps with me making my own calcei, they will be the right size for my feet. Pelegon always makes them too big. Besides, Yiayia's sandalias are more important. I think her back is beginning to hurt her too much for her to stand long periods."
Ucalegon looked sadly at his wife, "My poor Nemerte, I never imagined that one day she would slow down. Sometimes, when I wake up, her face has no wrinkles, and I can pretend she is still healthy."
Annabeth looked sadly between her grandparents.
"Pappous, she may not have long, especially without a physician, but she is so happy. She has you and me, and she had a granddaughter. She still says we are the greatest things in her life. She's happy, that's all she wants in life."
Ucalegon just sighed and shook his head, "Go, Antiochis. Your brother wanted you to help him down at the diolkos. Be careful, those sailors are downright idiots. Wear your calcei."
Annabeth made the teeth sucking sound, "They don't stay on my feet, Pappous. Perhaps I can get Lucas to help Malcolm," She mused.
"Antiochis, don't you go flirting with that man again! Stay away from him! I'm telling you, he has no charm! I don't trust him!" She heard her Yiayia's voice from across the room.
"Just because he has no charm doesn't mean he won't do what I ask him!" Annabeth yelled back at her grandmother.
"Nuah," the teeth sucking sound came again, "You're brother and I will speak of this when you two come back home." Nemerte sounded final.
Annabeth just shook her head and walked out the door with the command to stay safe The diolkos was only a ten to minute walk from her house.
Annabeth loved the isthmus' climate. It never got cold enough to be uncomfortable, and she loved the warm summer months. She knew, however, that Malcolm and Lucas were much less content with Korinthos' summer temperatures. They sweat buckets every day under the sun. She stopped at the well on her way down.
"Good morning, Tryphena," She greeted as she approached the well. The pretty young brunette raised her head and grinned at Annabeth.
"Hello, Antiochis," She said in turn.
"Anti!" Came a small voice from next to Tryphena.
"Harmonia! How are you, little one?" The little dark-haired girl came out from behind her mother to hug Annabeth.
"Ew," Harmonia wrinkled her nose, "you smell like dead fish."
Annabeth snorted, "Might be because my family owns a fish and seafood shop."
Tryphena laughed, "You best be glad you're so pretty. No man wants a wife as smart and sarcastic as you."
Annabeth barked out a humorless laugh. Tryphena was a good childhood friend of hers, but she, like the rest of Kornithos and Isthmia, didn't understand her will to be free of a restricting marriage.
"Then they are not the man I want to marry."
Tryphena just rolled her eyes. "Fine. Why are you here, I saw Malcolm down at the diolkos earlier today."
"Yes, I'm heading there now, I was just planning on picking up some water to bring to them."
"Them?"
"Lucas and Malcolm."
"Ah. Well then, you'll need a carrying pole. Here, let me help you," Tryphena stepped out from behind the well. Annabeth noticed how her stomach was bulging even more than the last time she had seen her, which was only two days ago.
"Phena, stop, I can do it myself. I've heard stress and strain is bad for the baby."
Tryphena snorted, "Tell that to this thing," she pointed to Harmonia, who was drawing shaped on the dried mud part of the well.
"Huh?" Harmonia looked up.
"Agapitos, why don't you help me fill these up with water so Mama doesn't hurt herself?" Annabeth asked.
"Okay," Harmonia agreed.
Annabeth filled a bucket up with water and placed it on the ground, "Okay, put the stick through this handle while I fill up the next bucket." Harmonia nodded her head and stuck her tongue out as she pushed the stick through the bucket's handle.
Annabeth set the next bucket on the ground, "Alright, push this through this handle." Harmonia obeyed. Annabeth stepped around the carrying pole and pushed her head and shoulders beneath it. She lifted herself up into a squat and then puckered her lips for a kiss from Harmonia, who placed her tiny hands on Annabeth's cheeks and placed a wet kiss on her lips. Annabeth laughed and stood up fully, giving the two girls a goodbye.
The water was accepted gratefully by the two boys. Luke ended up pouring the entire bucket over his head, while Malcolm simply drank his. Annabeth scolded Luke for wasting all the drinking water while he was working next to an oceanfront. She was hushed when a box of tomatoes was shoved into her hands. She spent the rest of the day loading and unloading ships.
"How's Yiayia?" Malcolm asked on their trek back up to the house.
Annabeth sighed, "As good as a 45-year-old woman can be. She doesn't pay attention to anything anymore. This morning she was salting fish and she forgot to wash the blood off and ended up rubbing too much salt, so the meat was beginning to peel. I hope you don't mind multi-colored fish for the next few days."
Malcolm nodded, "And Pappous?"
"I have never seen such a happy fifty-five-year-old-man. Still, I think he's been stressed about money. He told me this morning that I'd have to make my own calcei. I don't mind, but I think he feels bad."
Malcolm just nodded again, "I'd help you, but babies are expensive, and I think Kallisto is coming down with something. I hope she doesn't pass it to Hecuba. I've heard babies are much more prone to diseases."
It was Annabeth's turn to nod, "Does Kallisto need my help? Elders are time-consuming, but I don't need to watch them every second of the day like a baby."
Malcolm looked thoughtful, "I'll ask Kallisto. She won't want to put Hecuba down, but she'd rather her be healthy. Speaking of babies, when are you having one?"
"Theoi, Malcolm, Yiayia and Pappous tell me not to get married and have children anytime soon, and yet the rest of Korinthos tells me I should get married and have two children by yesterday. Plus, don't you think one newborn in the family is enough?"
Malcolm shrugged, "Kallisto is your age and married with a child. Does it not bother you that you are so far behind all your friends?"
"Does it not bother you that your wife is eleven years younger than you?" Annabeth shot back.
"Mitera and Pateras were twelve years apart. Tryphena and her husband are fourteen years apart. Frankly, I consider myself lucky to only be 26 and married to a 15-year-old. Most men are married to fourteen-year-olds when they are around thirty. Plus, Kallisto seems to dig me," Malcolm shot his sister a wink.
"Eww! Mal, that's nasty, I never wanted to know about you and Kallisto's intimate life!"
Malcolm gave her a blank stare, "We have a kid." He turned his head forwards and then to her again, this time with a concerned look on his face, "You do know how babies are made, right?"
"Yes, Malcolm, I do. I don't want to have this conversation with you."
"Ah, me neither," Lucas was walking behind them. Annabeth almost jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Well then it's a good thing this is a conversation between my sister and I and not you and I." Malcolm's voice was hard.
"I dunno, if everything goes according to plan then I'll be the one your sister is making babies with, eh, Anti?" Lucas gave Annabeth a suggestive look. She paid him no heed.
"Go home, Lucas." Again, Malcolm's voice was stone cold.
"I am, Frederickson," Lucas used Malcolm's father's name. Annabeth knew he'd done it just to get under her brother's skin, but by the look on his face, Lucas had succeeded.
"That's enough, boys. Luke, go home. And don't you ever use my father's name in vain. Come on, Mal, let's go home," Annabeth put a hand on her brother's back and guided him towards the two mud homes with a connected corridor. Lucas headed west to his home, which was set closer to the Gulf of Corinth. The Ucalegonson home was closer to the Saronic Gulf.
"Pappous, we're back!"
"Kalli, we're back!"
Both Fredrickson kids yelled at the same time when they stepped into the home.
Annabeth mock gasped, "Greeting your wife before greeting your elders! May Zeus smite you!"
Malcolm laughed, "That's just what you do when you're in love." He swept his wife into a kiss.
"This is why Antiochis was always my favorite," Nemerte said as she brushed past Malcolm to plant a kiss on her granddaughter's cheek.
"Nay, she was always your favorite because she was the cuter kid and ended up being the prettier of the two of us. How anyone could surpass me in the looks department is beyond me," Malcolm replied to his grandmother.
"And here I thought Anti was the prideful one," Kallisto told her husband. Malcolm laughed in reply. Hecuba, hearing her father's laughed, began to giggle and gargle.
"Hey, there's my sweet mikri prinkipissa!"Malcolm scooped his daughter into his arms.
"Aye, there are four women in this house and not a single one of them is cooking. Hurry up, I'm hungry," Ucalegon's voice grew louder as he walked closer to the cluster of people.
"Well, agapitos, Antiochis has been working in the sun all day, I've been salting fish and painting pottery, and Kallisto's been taking care of baby Hecuba. Maybe if you learned to cook for yourself dinner would be ready sooner," Nemerte replied.
Annabeth and Malcolm snickered.
"What do you want? We have fish, bread, fish, and bread, or bread and fish," Annabeth asked the family.
"Nay, don't be so pessimistic, Antiochis. I picked fruits earlier today. I have grapes, figs, and olives over at my house. Here, I had been planning on bringing them over to you soon. Let me go get them," Kallisto ran down the corridor that connected her home and her in-law's. She returned carrying a kakkabos overflowing with figs and grapes, plus another basket set on top of it covered in what looked to be mollusks.
"Here, I found some oysters, too. Eat them quickly before they go bad. There are pomegranates in there, too," Kallisto went to grab a pan or a clibanus, but Annabeth stopped her.
"Malcolm tells me he is afraid that you are coming down with something. There is no need for you to get the rest of us sick as well. Go, entertain the family."
Kallisto looked like she wanted to protest but decided against it.
She grabbed a chelys on her way into the living room.
"Hoson zês, phainou,
mêden holôs su lupou;
pros oligon esti to zên,
to telos ho chronos apaitei."
Ucalegon grabbed a kithora and began to sing along with Kallisto. Annabeth swayed her hips as she sprinkled various spices in the pan that held fish and olive oil. The best thing about Greek pulses was that they rarely needed large fires. Of course, cooking for three adults, two teenagers, and a baby usually required more than a large fire, but Annabeth had done this before. She knew how much oil to put in with a certain number of fish. Plus, adding more oregano and paprika made the fish taste hotter and more cooked.
She cut her bread into thick slices, placed strips of fish meat on them, and then drizzled a garum overtop of the bread and fish. She added parsley, grapes, and figs to the side, and then started to crack open the oysters. She mashed majority of them up so they were all in one bowl and then covered them with basil, thyme, fennel seed, garlic, and coriander. She spooned a portion onto each person's plate. She took the oysters she hadn't put into the bowl of spices and mashed them up in a smaller bowl. She only sprinkled fennel seed on this batch and then mashed up some coriander and placed that in the bowl, too.
"Aye!" she yelled, "Dinner!"
"Aye!"
"Aye!"
"Aye!"
"Aye!"
Kallisto and the adults all yelled as they piled onto the cushions. Annabeth set a plate in front of everyone. She sat a pile of cushions up in the corner for Hecuba to sit up and then placed the bowl of fennel seed and coriander covered oysters in front of her. Hecuba immediately pushed her hand into the goo and then balled her fist to grab some of the oysters. She stuffed her fist in her mouth and grinned at her aunt through her fist-filled mouth. Annabeth laughed and left to get a cloth to place under the baby.
"Oh, Antiochis, you didn't have to make her food, I'll just give her milk when I'm done," Kallisto noticed her sister-in-law by her daughter.
"Aye, she seems to like it anyway. Malcolm, by Zeus, you are going to Tartarus. Don't eat before you've given the gods an offering," Annabeth turned her attention to her brother.
Malcolm's eyes widened and he scampered over to the cooking fire and spanned nearly half his plate into it. He closed his eyes and mumbled a prayer before going back to sit on the cushion next to his wife. Annabeth went to the fire after everyone else had.
She prayed to Athena to keep her town safe from war and harm, and from the barbarians, she had heard were making their way down from Macedonia. She prayed to Hera and Artemis to let her retain control of her own maidenhood. She prayed to Apollo to heal whatever it was Malcolm was worried about affecting Kallisto, and for her Yiayia's health. She prayed to Hermes for trade to prosper in her family's fish shop. Perhaps it wasn't the most glamorous living, but it paid taxes.
When she sat back down she had perhaps a third of her plate left.
"You were over there for a while, Antiochis. Everything okay?" Malcolm asked through a mouthful of bread and fish.
Annabeth wrinkled her nose, "You're nasty. Swallow your food. Kalli, how could such a pretty girl like you marry such and insolent boor like my brother?"
"He's the only one who would take me for three goats and twenty-four chickens," she answered. Annabeth laughed.
"But really, Antiochis, is something bothering you?" Kallisto pushed. Annabeth would rather not stress her family about her maidenhood or bring up any of their other problems, so she simply said she was concerned about the barbarians to the North.
"Aye, nobody has called any of our soldiers up North, so the Macedonians must be handling them just fine," Ucalegon piped in.
"Either that or they've been defeated and they're all dead and that's why no one has called upon Korinthian soldiers," Nemerte replied without looking up from her food.
"Always my ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, aren't you, Nemer?" Ucalegon's voice held a sardonic feel. His wife shrugged in reply.
"I don't know, Pappous. I fear that there's a chance Yiayia is right. I've heard rumors that the barbarians are ruthless. I just hope the Macedonians hold off long enough for me to watch Hecuba grow up and, perhaps, for me to gain a son?" Malcolm peered at his wife.
Kallisto snorted. "I pushed that thing out less than half a year ago. Let my body rest."
"Don't call that sweet child a thing," Annabeth replied.
"Yeah, that's my little girl you're talking about, Kal-" fennel seed and coriander covered oysters hit Malcolm right below his eye before he could finish his sentence.
Annabeth laughed, "Nice shot, tiny!" Hecuba grinned at her aunt.
Malcolm mumbled something about all his girls ganging up on him.
After dinner, Malcolm, Kallisto, and Hecuba left to their own home.
Greek houses were really quite simple, especially those of poorer merchants and craftsmen. Women occupied the upstairs (if there was one) and the back part of the house, away from prying eyes. Men and women commonly slept and ate in separate rooms, even if they were married. Nemerte and Ucalegon didn't, and neither did Malcolm and Kallisto. Again, the houses of poor merchants were simple, with fewer rooms. Annabeth was the only one who had her own chamber, and even then it was small, closer to the size of a slave's quarter than anything. Still, she quite enjoyed her little space.
Their courtyard was situated between the two houses. Ucalegon had Malcolm's house built for him as a wedding gift, but both Malcolm and Kallisto (and Annabeth, though she'd never admit it) wanted a corridor connecting the two houses. The corridor was built at the back of the two houses, leaving room for a pretty courtyard sandwiched nicely in between the two structures. Annabeth and Kallisto spent as much time planting in the gardens as they could. It was like their sister bonding time. Now that Kallisto had Hecuba she brought the baby outside to sit alongside her mother and aunt while they worked. Those were some of the most peaceful times in Annabeth's life.
Furniture in bedrooms were minimal. Annabeth herself only had a bed and a trunk for her clothes. She had a cosmetics jar to keep her makeup and jewelry in, but even then it was set on the floor next to her trunk. She knew her Yiayia had a vanity to put her cosmetics and jewelry on, but then again, she was the mistress of the house.
Annabeth quietly moved around the house, washing dishes, placing pans back in the cupboards, situating the cushions so they didn't take up the entire floor, and sweeping.
She had just finished sweeping some dirt into the pile she was collecting when there was a knock on the door. Annabeth looked up, surprised. Since the sun was down there was no way for her to tell what time it was, but everyone else had gone to bed a while ago.
Women didn't open doors in the Greek society, so Annabeth stayed put. She wasn't permitted to enter her grandparent's bedroom, so the knocking would have to wake her grandfather up.
The knocking got louder. Surely it wasn't Malcolm, because he would have just entered the house through the corridor.
Again, the knocking got louder. Annabeth hoped it would wake her grandfather up because at this point she was bursting with curiosity. After another round of knocking came and her grandfather still wasn't coming from his room Annabeth left to get Malcolm. Perhaps she wasn't permitted in her grandparents' room, but she had no qualms about entering into her brother's chamber.
Despite the consistent knocking outside, Annabeth was surprised to see Malcolm up. Hecuba and Kallisto were awake, though that was probably because they were nursing.
"Who's at the door, Antiochis?" Malcolm demanded.
"That's what I was coming to ask you."
"Kallisto, come with me." Malcolm left to go to the house of Ucalegon. The girls followed.
Malcolm lead then to the door of his grandparents' rooms.
"Pappous! Yiayia! Wake up, there's someone at the door!"
Nemerte opened the door, "I know someone is at the door. It's you. Why did you wake me up so early?"
"Because there's someone at the door."
"I know, it's you. Why are you at my door?"
"No, Yiayia, there is someone at the front door. ANd it's night, so wake Pappous up and tell him to be alert."
"Go back to bed, Malcolm. They'll leave eventually."
"No, Yiayia, they've been knocking for almost ten minutes now," Annabeth stepped in. Nemerte seemed to realize the other girls were there.
"Nuah," she sucked her teeth, "I'll wake your Pappous up. Get out of my door, shoo." The door shut and then reopened, this time with both persons at the door.
"It's probably just some shepherd boys being bored, you can answer it yourself, Malcolm. There's no reason to wake an old man up," Ucalegon grumbled. Malcolm stayed silent.
Ucalegon took the board off the door and peered out, "Eh?"
"Open the door wider." The voice on the other side of the door was gruff.
Ucalegon opened the door only slightly wider.
"Dammit, open the door all the way," the man demanded.
"I- I can't, I have my granddaughters and wife here with me," Ucalegon's voice stuttered at the man's brashness.
"I don't care, open the door."
Ucalegon stuck his head out and Annabeth heard a gasp. Before her grandmother could stop her she raced to the door and peered over her grandfather's shoulder. Her eyes widened at what she saw and she had to bite her lip to keep herself from gasping out loud.
Lucas stood in the doorway, completely dressed and ready for the day, even though it was still dark out.
"Antiochis, tell your pappous to let me in," he demanded.
Annabeth looked at her grandfather and nodded at him. Ucalegon opened the door all the way so Luke could enter. He did so and immediately made himself at home on the cushions Annabeth had just finished arranging.
He leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees and put his head in his hands.
"I have done something that you will not like, my Antiochis," he said.
Annabeth said nothing put crept towards him, tightening her palla around her. When she was a few feet away from Lucas he jumped up and grabbed her hands.
"Come with me, we have to go," his voice was on the edge of frantic, "Come with me, my sweet. Take your family if you must, but pack quickly, we have to leave soon. They will be here soon."
"Luke, what's wrong? What happened? What did you do? Who is coming? What's going on?"
Luke smiled ruefully, "Antiochis, my dear, I've done this so we could have a better life. I don't want you rotting away, salting fish and caring for your old and senile guardians. I can give you everything you would ever need or desire back in The City. They will burn this good-for-nothing town and I'll take you back to the city with me, where we can spend the rest of our lives and grow old together with slaves waiting on us hand and foot. Come, my sweet, let's go before anything too, ah, gruesome occurs."
Annabeth's eyes widened, "Who? Who is coming?"
"Antiochis, come here, he is delusional. Don't listen to him, everything is fine. Lucas, you need to leave," Ucalegon said. Malcolm was nodding behind him and pulled his sister away.
"No, take him with you if you want him to live, Antiochis. They will never spare a lowly fish merchant," Luke spit the words out as if they left a bad taste in his mouth.
Annabeth was torn, her shoulders being held by her brother and her hands still wrapped in Luke's.
"Antiochis, if you are coming with me we have to leave now. They are about to dock."
"Who?" Annabeth cried, "Who is coming, Luke? Why won't you tell me?"
"Come with me!" He was shouting, though it sounded more frustrated than concerned.
"Lucas, leave us! You're scaring her!" Malcolm shouted. Hecuba began to cry.
Luke's eyes were aflame, "Fine! I'll leave! But, Antiochis, you will regret this. They will come, and they will kill your brother and grandfather, and rape your women. Even Nemerte, who is shriveled up like a prune and ugly, will not be spared. That baby you love so much will be beaten and left to be eaten alive by the ants. You and your beloved sister will be taken to The City and be sold as some od pervert's slaves, and you'll spend the rest of your lives warming his bed and dancing for his friends. This is your last chance, Antiochis. Come with me, I can keep you safe from what is to come."
Annabeth looked at him, horrified, "Luke! What is wrong with you? Why would you speak of such horrors in my lovely town?"
"So you are not coming with me?"
"No!"
"Fine, perhaps I will have to buy you at the market, then. Goodbye, my sweet." With that he left, slamming the frail door behind him.
Everyone stood there for a while without saying anything until Nemerte stepped forward towards Annabeth.
"Agapitos," she started, "Come, let's go to bed. Come on, darling." She helped her granddaughter to the back of the house, where her bedroom was. Annabeth paused and looked back at the family. Kallisto looked up at her husband and said something in a quiet voice that Annabeth couldn't catch. Malcolm nodded and Kallisto began to walk over to Annabeth.
"Would you like for me to stay the night with you? It's been a rough night already," Kallisto asked. Annabeth just nodded. Kallisto led her into her room and shut the door Kallisto took a cushion from the floor and set it in a basket. She moved the basket by the bed and gently placed Hecuba inside it. Annabeth took her palla off and spread it out over the thin blanket that covered her wood bed. Kallisto did the same. Annabeth crawled into the bed. Kallisto moved to hush the candle and then crawled into bed with Annabeth.
"Malcolm is sleeping outside in the living room," Kallisto told Annabeth. She nodded.
Annabeth stared at the ceiling while Kallisto adjusted her pillow.
Annabeth felt a pillow hit her face at an aggressive speed.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kallisto's voice was soft.
Annabeth shook her head. Kallisto stared at her sister-in-law's face, her body propped up on her elbows.
"Who do you think Lucas was talking about coming to Korinthos?" Annabeth asked.
"A mentally unstable man shows up at your door in the dead of night begging you to come with him to an unnamed city and threatens you and your family if you don't come with him and you're worried about your city?" Kallisto's voice held an element of disbelief, but Annabeth detected a small smile.
"He literally threatened to rape and sell you and leave your baby to be eaten alive, how are you not worried?"
Kallisto's face fell at the harsh imagery, "Please, don't talk like that. I think he was simply speaking the thoughts of a crazed man. I don't believe any of this will really happen."
"But it could, Kalli! He could be talking about the Barbarians from the North or even an army from another polis, and you know they'd destroy the city in a heartbeat."
"Maybe he was seeing things."
"Maybe. But, Kalli, if someone does come, how would he have known? Do you think he could be scheming with an enemy of Korinthos? I've been to the markets, Kalli. The merchants speak of how the other poleis are declining, and wish to overtake Korinthos for its beneficial location in the trade route that connects the Mediterranean. He may have been trying to tell us something."
Kallisto sighed, "Antiochis, why don't we go to bed. It's late, you're tired, and probably a little shaken. Your mind is simply running wild."
Annabeth nodded, agreeing with her sister's logical reasoning.
"You're right, I am tired. Luke probably had some bad fish or something."
Kallisto fell backward onto the bed and cuddled into her pillow. Annabeth snuggled up next to her, loving the warmth she gave off, even in the summer.
She fell asleep to the rise and fall of Kallisto's chest.
So, I was originally hesitant to post this, or even start it, because I've seen so many people start stories and never finish them, and I don't want this to happen to this story, but I have chapter 2 written already and I got so excited about this story I'm going to post it anyway. I'm generally trying to keep it as historically accurate as possible, but I'm not sure how I'm doing so far. Let me know what you think. Love you, mean it, make good choices.