Climene knew that she was far from being a Spartan woman. But hearing this from other women was always more difficult. That morning, when she had gone to the market, a group of women recognized her and came near her. She was already leaving with a basket of apples, she didn't go very far, when four women put themselves in the way, all of them very beautiful. One of them asked:

"You are the one with whom Stelios got married, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am", Climene answered a little hesitating, feeling that that conversation would not be friendly.

The woman that had made the question frowned and brought her hands to her hips, as if something intrigued her.

"How can it be that a Spartan man like himself has such a wife?"

It was Climene's turn to frown, holding the basket tighter with her hands.

"Look at you", she continued, "barely noticeable. You have an insignificant presence."

"What was Stelios thinking when he married you?", another woman pointed out.

"By Hera, what was he thinking?", the third woman said.

"How do you expect him to be satisfied with you?", said the fourth one.

The next thing that Climene remembered was passing hurriedly through them and going in the direction of her house. Although the tone of those women was more of incomprehension than of scorn, she felt humiliated as if she had been accused of something in front of the entire market. And the accusation was that of not being a wife worthy of a Spartan warrior.

She felt as if the Erinyes followed her through the way, remembering her that she was not a Spartan woman. Each nerve of her body seemed to be as if they wanted to jump from her skin. When she got home, she let go of the basket with apples on the table and had to sustain herself holding its edge to calm her breath and lighten the weight on her feet, which had walked too fast. But she couldn't go back to herself.

She heard steps coming from the door. It was Stelios, who had probably been dismissed from the barracks. She made herself breath normally and tried to look the calmest she could, but she didn't succeed. She remained with her back to him, so that he couldn't see her disturbed visage.

"Hello", she heard him say.

"H-Hello."

"Did you go to the market today?"

"Ah… yes, I did…", she heard her voice tremble. And sworn that she could almost see him frowning.

"You are nervous. What happened?"

"Ah... well...", she tried to think of something, but it would certainly sound like a lie. It was better if she told him now.

"I… ran into some women in the market that…", she started, trying to keep her voice firm. But she could still feel that it trembled.

"Hm", he said, with his chin on her shoulder.

"And… well…", he was so close that it disconcerted her.

"Yes", he said, indicating that she continued.

"They told me… that…", she would have continued, if she hadn't felt his nose on her shoulder. She felt his breath on her skin, stopping in the base of her neck. She reunited her strength and went on:

"That it was not possible that a man like you had married someone like me…", the last word came almost as a whisper when she felt him spread small kisses from her shoulder to very close to her ear. She had to find once again her voice and the strength in her knees:

"Someone that… is barely noticeable…"

"Hm-rmm", he purred very close to her ear. His nose was right behind her ear lobe. She could barely think that way.

"Someone… insignificant", not even herself felt the effect of her own words with him doing that. She swallowed a lump in her throat and didn't resist turning her face. She let a "Am…" escape her lips, as if she was looking for what to say, and with that Stelios took the chance and kissed her.

His kiss had almost a silencing effect. She was still for a few seconds with her mouth opened, as if she was under its spell. She couldn't think of what to say, as if that was what Stelios wanted. But recovering her senses, she managed to turn away her face, closing her eyes so that he couldn't distract her, and to speak almost in a whisper:

"You are not listening…"

"Oh, but I am", he answered, "it's just not being worth it."

She opened her eyes, in shock. Was he disregarding her? She turned upset to face him, and Stelios took her chin with an amused look in his eyes:

"Those women had better be really jealous."

Jealous?

"It's not possible, how could they be jealous of me? If everything they said was that…"

"Let me tell you a secret, you poor innocent girl", he interrupted, with a laughter playing on his lips. And coming closer so that he could speak in her ear, he whispered: "People pretend things."

She didn't like this sarcastic tone, getting away with her brow frowned. And she still didn't understand how those women would be jealous of her. Stelios had a playful smile, having fun with her doubt.

"They pretend to be not jealous because I married you and not one of them, the oh-so- perfect Spartan women."

Climene widened her eyes. Was that really true?

"Not that they are not pretty", he continued with the same smile, giving steps in her direction, "They are gorgeous", he continued closing his eyes. Climene pressed her lips together. "But I prefer you", he ended stopping centimeters away from her. And what did that sentence mean?

He smiled as if he knew that she was making herself that same question. His half-closed eyes, his hands grabbing the edge of the table making her incline her body a little backwards, his entire posture told that he knew very well what to say.

"Innocently beautiful", he said at last.

Climene raised her eyebrows, surprised. She probably deserves the "innocently" with her face now, but she doesn't mind it.

"I love this face of yours", he said widening his smile, surely he was having fun with her expression. Climene lowered her eyes giving a discreet smile. Stelios gave a muffled laugh, that girl never ceased to amuse him. He gave her a prolonged kiss on the cheek and went to the bedroom. Radiant, she touched her cheek, approving intimately the way he had said that she was beautiful. Now she understood why she should be envied…

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this, and just for you to know, Climene is insecure, so she will continue to have doubts... but fortunately Stelios gets to understand her! haha