When the boy from Athens came to us, I thought he would be the first to break. My first look of him was a four year old boy, clinging to the skirts of my mother's best friend, his aunt. Had his uncle not been so respected, I am sure the adoption would have never taken place. Sparta does not take just anyone and only the strong survive. Or rather, we thrive. Strong women thrive as well as strong men. No where else in the world is a girl so respected, almost as much as a man. That is of course why, even though we were the same age, I felt superior to his frightened child. I had not cling to my mother's skirts since the time I could walk on my own. Even at four, my training had begun, my life a constant trial. This felt like one more trial. Bravely, I ran out of my home in curiosity, my mother following. Perhaps because I had a habit of causing chaos wherever I went. As I approached, the boy hide his head so that all I could see were his thin arms and his raven hair.
"Mama why is he hiding?", I questioned, my voice probably unkind and challenging. I was used to the boys hiding from me by now, the stories about how I had grappled a snake when I was only two, terrified them. To be honest, even at four I myself could not remember if they were true, but I allowed those rumors to continue. They added fuel to the fact that I could already best many of the boys my age at almost anything. Many adults oftened commented that I would have been the best in my class had I been born a boy.
"Hush Annabeth. The boy has only just arrived-", my mother started, but her friend raised a hand.
"It is fine. He is in Sparta now and he must become accustomed to our ways if he is to stay here." Then she turned and pried the boy's hands off her skirt firmly, but with the most gentle touch. "Perseus meet Annabeth. You cannot simply hide all day, you cannot live in fear. Fear is the enemy of our minds and potential." Slowly, the boy nodded and I saw that his eyes were green, the way the sea looked when there was life thriving beneath the waves.
"Hi." He put out his hand and I wondered if he really meant to shake my hand. If he wanted a welcome to Sparta, I knew the perfect way. I gripped his forearm and then used my body to lift him and throw him down behind me. He landed on the ground with a hard thud. I laughed, the movement done much better than last time. I let go of him, laughing so hard until I felt arms lock around my middle and push me to the ground. This boy had actually had the nerve to tackle me! He held himself up above me for a moment, an almost smile on his lips. "That was fun." I gave him a smile to, but moved my foot to push against his ribs and kick him off of me. He landed to the ground with another thud and I sprang to my feet.
"Yes that was fun.", I agreed before offering my hand to pick him up. Learning his lesson, the boy looked at my hand warily before ultimately deciding to trust me. It made me feel good for once to not have a boy scramble back after a smack down. I liked him instantly. "Welcome to Sparta. I hope you will stay with us here."
Perseus smiled at me, then at his aunt. "I like it here. I really do.", he said as I slugged him in the arm. "Ouch Annabeth!" He rubbed his shoulder, clearly offended.
"Spartans do not cry over pain so get used to it. This was just playing. Which I am hoping we can do again sometime." He smiled again, this one a little warmer.
"Next time Annabeth, we will really see how much of a Spartan I can be."
And we did. Perseus had strength to him, strength only a Spartan could really admire. And in the three short years before we both started school, the old Athenian boy, became a Spartan ready for military training, as well as my best friend. He did also manage to pin me to the ground once or twice, which earned him my respect. In three short years, Perseus became one of us as if he had always been here. Some days, it felt like he had been.