Chapter 10: Just friends
It's a sunny afternoon at the Spartan camp near Delion. The soldiers at the gate spot two horses galloping and getting closer. They ready their bows just in case.
They recognize a fellow Spartan and a mercenary with Spartan armour. Oh, and a lynx! Everyone in the camp was hoping and waiting for reinforcements and it seems these two are assigned to join them, but in every guard's mind there is the same thought, two more warriors aren't enough.
Brasidas faces the soldiers showing the king's orders so that both of them will be accepted to stay in the camp and asks for the commander, to whom Brasidas is going to be an advisor. The horses are taken to the stables area by a hoplite while Kass is Kassandra's shadow. Spartans don't like to fight alongside with mercenaries and most of them glare at Kassandra as she follows Brasidas.
Brasidas and Kassandra cross the camp to reach the Commander's tent. The guards outside allow access to Brasidas recognizing his rank is high, maybe equal to their Commander's, by his prestigious armour, but step in front of Kassandra to prevent her from entering. They gather easily that she is a misthios as there are no women soldiers nowhere in Greece.
Brasidas gets in bowing his head slightly as he says in a low voice. "Commander." He straightens up to greet him and freezes when he recognizes the man in front of him at the war table. It's Stentor. He has no time to inform him about the orders as Kassandra makes a scene with the guards.
Stentor rushes to the opening of his tent and sees red upon facing Kassandra. Brasidas follows right behind him cautiously to intervein at the right moment while she is busy arguing with the guards and hasn't noticed her stepbrother yet.
"Murderer! Capture this viper at once!" Stentor yells at the soldiers pointing at Kassandra while unsheathing his sword. He moves aggressively about to cut her head off.
Stentor cannot believe that she dares to come around Spartans again asserting that she is fighting for the city when she killed their General, his father. She is a twofaced snake with no honour and appears again in front of him all of a sudden pretending to be a warrior when she should be hiding afraid and ashamed of killing the Wolf of Sparta.
"You are the Commander here? Oh, fine, relax Stentor, I came to assist you." She claims taken aback a bit. The guards gaze at her waiting for further orders as they have grabbed her by her arms.
"We were both assigned here." Brasidas cuts in so that the hoplites won't hurt her and he motions to her to show the orders she holds as they slacken their grips.
"What?" Stentor yells wide eyed.
"King Archidamos sent me to fight for Sparta." She announces holding the papyrus high holding herself back not to reach for her spear or start a fight.
The guards set her free completely and step aside watching the scene.
"Someone must be kidding me. They sent me a single mercenary! Where are the troops?" Stentor frets enraged.
"We are your reinforcements from Sparta Commander, I'm sent as your advisor." Brasidas states formally attesting her claim.
"Why do the Gods keep punishing me?" Stentor groans spiking his sword to the ground with all his strength breathing heavily.
"Come on Stentor we did well last time." Kassandra reminds him with an unruffled voice in an attempt to calm him, but she only fuels his anger more.
"Commander! Not Stentor, irreverent smug!" Stentor barks. He does his best to compose himself. "Last time you killed my father. You plan on killing me after the battle this time?" He asks with cold venomous eyes.
"I didn't kill him and if I wanted you dead, you would have already been." She raises her shoulders and then rests her hands at either side of her waist.
She isn't afraid of him. She'd rather not argue with him, but it seems that it's inevitable. His accusation and insults piss her off.
"Liar…! Arrogant rubbish…" He fumes and takes a step forward raising his hands.
Brasidas puts a steady hand on Stentor's left shoulder. "Our true enemies right now are the Athenians." He declares with a smooth voice that somehow sounds soothing and at the same time has a demanding authority.
"I will think of an assignment to make yourself useful, but until I ask for you, I don't want to see your face again around my tent filthy mercenary." Her stepbrother hisses to Kassandra and she only nods and turns her back on him without any word.
Brasidas is ruffled with the outcome, although it isn't obvious; as usual his face is unreadable. The only sign of upset is a tight muscle at his jaw as he grits his teeth.
"So, come inside Commander, we have a war to win." Stentor's demanding tone is irritating, but it's justified.
Brasidas didn't like the way Stentor acted towards Kassandra, but he can apprehend that the man believes that she killed their father and he is angry about it.
The men have almost equal rank. Stentor is superior right now as he took the place of Nikolaos, although Brasidas should be by now one of the most distinguished officers. Either way they respect each other and have a calm discussion. Stentor fills Brasidas in and they agree that Kassandra has to take out the mercenaries and champions who have joined Athenian forces. There is no other way.
Brasidas feels anxious to sent her to face those individuals especially the famous champions, but he believes in her and is praying for her wellbeing even now before she is told to go. She is their only hope to eliminate the extra help and make it less advantaging than before to the Athenian side giving Sparta a chance.
Stentor can only gain from whatever outcome. If she succeeds, he may have an easier win. If she dies, he will be rid of her once and for all. He gathers all his strength to order for her presence to his tent, he hates the idea of seeing her face again. Brasidas offers to go and get her himself.
Brasidas searches the whole camp and asks around the soldiers about Kassandra. She is nowhere. At last, a soldier points towards the trees outside of the camp. Brasidas sighs and rushes there.
Kassandra is punching a tree with her bare hands. They are bleeding. He catches her arms entangling them with his own and uses all his strength to make her step away.
"What are you doing here and why?" He asks concerned and dissatisfied with her outburst.
"I may haven't jumped to slice his throat when he insulted me, but the only reason I restrained myself is because of my parents!" She seethes breathing heavily.
Brasidas chuckles slightly. "I know he is a little conceited, but don't get him wrong. He thinks he has a reason to hate you." He defends Stentor from his stepsister's rage.
"He's utterly cocky!" She snaps again trying to break free from his grip and she almost succeeds.
She is incredibly strong and her anger and sudden pressure was almost enough, but Brasidas is stronger than her.
Brasidas chuckles again. "He's mostly angry and hurt." He discloses lightly with his deep voice.
"That doesn't mean I am obliged not to react." She utters angrily and pushes him back in another outburst, but he manages well.
"Calm down, please. Kassandra, we have bigger issues now, do it for your mater." He sets her free giving her space and looks into her eyes calmly. "You are here to help Sparta win to get your house back." His soft voice calms her.
Even though his muscles hurt from the effort, no evidence of pain on his face or in his voice can be detected. He is well trained to endure pain and be patient.
"You are right. I'll try." She promises inhaling a deep breath and letting it out slowly to put her thoughts together.
He smiles at her. She raises a hand to smooth her hair and he sees blood. Her knuckles are badly cut, maybe even damaged.
"You're injured. Let me tend your wounds." He prompts closing the distance between them and reaching for her hands.
"It's not the time. Let's be done with this." She mutters in a flat voice and steps aside to bypass him. His concern was refreshing and she would have enjoyed the connection they have, if things were different. For now, she knows she has to focus on her mission.
Kassandra enters the tent with Brasidas behind her. Stentor glares at her with distaste.
"You don't even know how to respect! You walk ahead of a Commander and you didn't bow to me." He barks coldly.
"Stentor just-" She begins but she is cut off.
"Commander! I am your Commander!" He snarls launching his fist on the war table.
Brasidas fears that there is no way to prevent a fight between them. Kassandra is hot headed and her patience is wearing thin while Stentor keeps pushing her and has no intention to make a truce with her.
"Whatever, just tell me what I need to do." She sighs irritated not acknowledging his position yet trying to act well to her stepbrother.
"You'll regret your audacity soon. For now, go and do what a criminal like you knows best. Assassinate the Boeotian champions and other mercenaries like you that are paid to fight for Athens." He demands daringly.
Kassandra doesn't answer to him. She turns to Brasidas and asks for the names of those mercenaries. Brasidas gladly gets between them and prevents another offence from Stentor. Kassandra thanks Brasidas and leaves enraging Stentor, who slams his fist on the war table again cursing her.
Brasidas exits the tent right behind her to catch up with her. He calls her name and she turns around facing him. He looks into her eyes and tells her to be careful. He gabbles giving more information about the champions, advising her for her safety and requests her to come back to the camp frequently if possible or at least give a sign that she is well.
He doesn't want to let her go. He wishes he could go with her, wishes that they were not in the middle of a camp prey to the hundred pairs of eyes and he could tell her something more. Tell her that he would miss her. He hardly would do anything else.
She looks at him confused and laughs when he advises her. She has never seen him talk that much. She feels a warmth radiating from her body and instinctively leans in and hugs him causing him to silence. Her heart skips a beat and she recoils. She thanks him again and assures that she has done similar things too many times and has experience.
For a moment she regrets the hug, then she thinks of the time they will spend apart and decides that she's grateful she did it. His reaction was promising, the flush on his cheeks and the abrupt cease of his unusual chatter. She can tell that he cares for her. Even if for him it's only in friendly terms, then she may excuse the embrace as one between friends. They have hugged in the past, sort of; it isn't the first time they come so close anyway.
When she hugged him so unexpectedly Brasidas felt like his knees would give up. His heartbeat was loud and fast like it would burst out of his chest after that and he was praying she wouldn't notice. It gave him courage and hope. He doesn't care at all of what the other men will say for them ignoring completely the prying eyes, the important part for him is that they have a bond and she cares for him.
Xxx
Kassandra did a small research to the villages around the area for the mercenaries. Her plan is to begin with the mercenaries and then face the champions. Any misthios takes up jobs moving around and being on their own most of the time so their deaths won't be immediately noticed. She hopes to have the time she needs to find them all before they are aware of her presence or the Athenians decide to strike.
Six restless days have past and she is still on the move to the Northeastern place she has to go. On the way she found and killed two mercenaries. Kass has turned out to be excellent help out in the wild, not only with the hunting and alertness but also at the duels. Kassandra stargazes the night sky missing Brasidas and thinking of their last moments.
At the same time, Brasidas at the Spartan camp has gone to the training ground which is always deserted at night and looks up in the sky. The shining stars are beautiful, reminding him of Kassandra's eyes. He misses her greatly and worries a lot. The mocking comments of the rest of the men when they think he is sleeping or the barbs didn't make it any easy to take her off his mind.
He is indifferent to their opinion of him, but the look in their eyes always makes him think of her, not letting his mind loose for even a second. In addition, Stentor behaves harsher to him than before eyeing him suspiciously with an upturned stomach making it harder for him to focus on formulating a strategy.
He mulls how would he feel, if he really had a relationship with Kassandra and others were aware of it. He pries the possibility of being upset with the scandal and possible targeting and concludes to the point of valuing more any affair with Kassandra than everything else.
He recalls the embrace with Kassandra before her departure and smiles to the clear night sky cherishing the warm feeling. He hopes that the men will get bored of talking about him and Kassandra before she comes back to hear the vile gossips. She had better not hear so humiliating tales about them and get vexed.
A week later, in the afternoon, Kassandra returns to the Spartan camp. A soldier immediately notifies Brasidas to make fun of his reaction. Brasidas eyes light up, but he keeps his composure to not fuel the hearsays. He orders the soldier to bring her to the Commander's tent, to the soldier's disappointment, and he heads there to inform Stentor of her presence.
She informs them that she has killed seven mercenaries so far and Nesaia along with two warriors that were with her and tomorrow she will continue her hunt for the rest. Brasidas is pleased and happy although he keeps his face neutral, while Stentor frowns.
"It's been two weeks! Are you afraid of the champions? And why are you back without having the job finished? Can't you stay apart from carnal pleasure for a few days?" He accuses her watching between her and Brasidas with disgust.
Brasidas was prepared for the insult as he sensed it midsentence and only stared at Stentor with squinted eyes obviously displeased, but Kassandra was taken by surprise and shook her head as she batted her eyelids and opened her mouth to grimace puzzled glancing over to Brasidas for any hint.
"What on earth are you talking about?" Kassandra questions confused shifting her gaze to Stentor, furry starting to grow inside her.
"Everyone saw you two. There is no need to pretend to be surprised. I am well aware you are lovers." He sneered at his stepsister pointing his finger first at her and then to Brasidas.
"We are friends for months, idiot. We were just saying goodbye." Kassandra retorts angrily.
She doesn't want to cause more trouble to Brasidas than she already has. She hates herself for her stupidity and Stentor for pointing it out fearing it will drive her and Brasidas apart again.
"Watch your filthy mouth, mercenary." He barks with a wrinkled face and purses his lips to hold his tongue and not swear.
He isn't sure if he believes her, thinking that Brasidas doesn't look like a stupid man who can be seduced by a misthios and yet a friendship may be even worse.
"Stentor, please, let's overlook our disagreements for the moment. You and Kassandra have to cooperate. The men's lives outside depend on our moves and your decisions." Brasidas advises calmly despite his own true feelings.
For a while all three of them are silent, each consumed by their own thoughts. Then Stentor decided to back down agreeing to behave better. He requests to be left alone. He managed to hide it, but he feels like he is betraying his father. He really hates Kassandra and he is jealous of her. All his life he was trying to live up to his father's expectations.
Nikolaos wasn't pleased easily. After he adopted Stentor, he was strict and pushing his son to his limits. Nikolaos brought up Stentor portraying loyalty and military duty as the supreme values leaving no space for emotions and weaknesses. He used to say that their mother was Sparta, they were born to live and die for her.
Every time Stentor showed any feelings of sadness for being an orphan or when other kids mocked him, Nikolaos told him it was a training for him to be stronger. A good soldier should be tough and dedicated to his cause and brothers. Whenever young Stentor said he had never met his mother and cried for his deceased biological parents, Nikolaos reminded him that he was his father and Sparta his mother.
Nikolaos didn't forget his previous family, even though he insisted his son should erase his past from his mind. Kassandra's ghost was always overshadowing Stentor. Although Nikolaos didn't say her name, he was mentioning often about deeds of promising young warriors with great abilities. He expected more from his adopted son.
Stentor can't think of a moment that Nikolaos would smile proudly at him and praise him. His father loved him a lot and he loved him back but he always sensed that someone else was in his father's heart and Stentor couldn't help it, but be jealous. He was planning on proving his worth and making his father proud and she came and destroyed everything. She stole his chance taking his father's life.
He swears to the Gods to take vengeance for the death of his father right after the battle, if they both make it out alive. He is determined to put an end this time.
Kassandra and Brasidas sit down outside of Brasidas' small tent while Kass curls up beside them. He offers them food and water and for a while neither of them breaks the silence.
Brasidas fears that if he tells her right now about the gossiping, she may regret they are getting closer. Moreover, he was further discouraged when she said that they are friends repelling Stentor's accusations. He watches her eating, taping his fingers on his knee nervously.
Kassandra swallows and faces him determinately. She apologizes for causing him troubles when she embraced him and he cuts her off with his chuckle assuring her that he is fine and his military future won't be affected by such things.
Brasidas doesn't care for his own reputation as he is a man and the soldiers can't really damage his image with rumors of his personal life. Whereas Kassandra is a woman who isn't yet accepted as a citizen, her mother and the heavy family name are in danger of having their repute ruined.
Brasidas informs her hesitantly about the gossiping in the camp and his cheeks are painted red with shame. She laughs him off claiming that the reputation of a misthios isn't that high to be damaged more and she doesn't care about the opinion of others for her, secretly enjoying the situation as she witnessed him blush and being nervous.
He offers her to sleep in his tent tonight so she can rest properly and he will sleep outside at a fur. She thanks him and denies to pester him, but he insists reminding her that she did the same for him in his time of need. Before she goes to sleep, she squeezes his hand and smiles to him and his heart flutters faster.
Kassandra lies down on his furred bed and smiles to herself of being able to smell his scent so strong again and lets herself drift off with a feeling of safety and warmth.
Brasidas lies on his back gazing at the stars and enjoying in a way the fact that she is so close to him and she is well. He steals a glance at her sleeping figure now and then and keeps an eye out for any threat to her neglecting his drowsiness.
The next day Kassandra wakes up early while he still sleeps. She picks up her things as quietly as possible stealing a last glance at Brasidas when he opens his eyes. It takes just a few seconds for him to stand up and bid her farewell. She leaves and he picks up the fur going for a few minutes to his bed to smell her aroma on it, before he goes to the training ground.
Later that day Stentor calls for him to speak privately. The Commander demands to know everything about Brasidas and Kassandra, from the day they met until now and then he questions Brasidas further about his trust to Kassandra.
Brasidas answers to Stentor honestly, hiding only his feelings for her. Stentor rages up turning his back to the other man and starts pacing the floor. The fact that she wants to return to Sparta and she is sent here to prove her loyalty and his father's death is forgotten, sting to him. He turns to face Brasidas whom he knows was under Nikolaos' wing for years and they were close.
Stentor accuses Brasidas of betrayal to Sparta and their deceased General. "Why did you help her instead of dragging her to the Kings for murder? He was your General… your mentor!" The emotionally charged Commander asks Brasidas.
"Because I believe her Stentor. She told me she didn't kill The Wolf, he left on his own." Brasidas sighs and adds with a serious and steady voice as he looks Stentor in the eyes. "I would never betray Nikolaos."
"She has fooled you Brasidas! Tell me the truth you like her, don't you?" Stentor glares at him with a furrowed brow.
"I'm convinced she didn't do it." Brasidas replies ignoring the rest of the question unsure of how to handle it.
"I knew it." Stentor shakes his head disapprovingly. "If we are alive after the battle, I am going to duel with her to death. I expect you to stay out of it." Stentor reveals plainly gazing intensely.
"Stentor your father wouldn't want you to fight with your sister." Brasidas advises sadly.
"She is not my sister." He hisses. "My father would be proud I killed his assassin and eternal thorn. Don't get in my way, Brasidas." It's more than a demand, closer to a threat and Brasidas only sighs and lowers his gaze.
Brasidas isn't afraid to stand against Stentor to protect Kassandra, but he hopes to find a more diplomatic way to stop him. At the same time Stentor wonders how the other Commander fell for a criminal like Kassandra. She is a mercenary, a disgraced woman who killed a man they both loved and respected. He at least gives credit to Brasidas for restraining his desire and not having any interactions with her.
Xxx
Three days later Kassandra has gone far west and found another mercenary. She hunted him down and after she killed him, she searched him for drachmae or anything valuable. That's when she found suspicious correspondence on him. A familiar handwriting signed by the Sage catches her eye. She reads it and she is shocked.
It's a request, a contract. The mercenary was assigned to kill Brasidas of Sparta. She is overwhelmed with dread, there is a bounty on Brasidas' head. His life is in danger and she might be the one responsible for it. She decides she has to hurry so she can return to the camp and watch over him.
She fears that he is a target and he will die because of her like Phoibe. Maybe she needs to stay away from him. Phoibe was her friend, still a child and they didn't pity her to let her live. What if the cult learns that she loves Brasidas and he supports her at every chance? He already has upset the cult and both of the Kings.
She puts the paper in the inner side of her belt and runs to Phobos to move on. She determines to change her original plan and focus on the Champions and if there are any mercenaries on her way, she will handle them.
A day later she finds out Aristaios location and heads there. She rides all night; she is exhausted and so are her companions. She takes a break for a few hours and continues again. She is pushing to the limits, challenging herself to endure. Phobos can take no more and she dismounts to walk on her own. It's better than to stop.
By night they reach a hill where the champion is supposed to be. She leaves Phobos and Kass there to rest and moves forward with Ikaros flying above. She is out of breath when she comes near to the clearing. It took her longer than she thought. She is about to hide to the bushes for a moment to catch her breath and examine the area when she spots two men dueling.
The one of them is a Spartan, a familiar figure. She wonders how tired she is that her eyes trick her in such a way. A moment later she walks towards the fight confidently. As she gets closer, she is surer than ever that her sight is not mistaken.
The Spartan fighting with the stranger, who is probably the champion Aristaios, is Nikolaos. Her father is alive in front of her eyes. He pushes his opponent with his shield to make him lose his balance and spikes his spear to the champions chest. Before he falls Aristaios thrusts his xiphos to Nikolaos hand and slices his forearm.
Kassandra comes to stand next to her father disarming Aristaios and letting Nikolaos strike the final blow. He turns to look at her as he retrieves his spear from the dead champion. Kassandra stares at him waiting for him to speak up first.
"You would finish this champion in a second." Nikolaos declares gazing in his daughter's eyes praising her.
She is taken aback. She smiles slightly. "You are hurt." She points out both concerned and uneasy. She is hesitant of what to say and do.
"It's just a scratch." He utters dismissively still holding her gaze. He is relieved that she cares for him. It looks like she forgave him even though he didn't apologize.
"A bit more than that." She notes raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?" She asks.
"I failed to protect you Kassandra. All of you… I am trying to make up for that in any way that I can." He discloses with furrowed eyebrows.
"You are helping Sparta?" She questions confused.
When Nikolaos disappeared, she thought he left because he understood his mistake of being loyal to Sparta. Finding him here, doesn't makes any sense.
"I'm helping Stentor. I killed some mercenaries who would join Athens on the battlefield so that he may win." He explains and she lowers her head averting his eyes. He perceives her disappointment and adds. "I try to find cultists these past years, but I'm old now. I can't be compared to your success."
She glances at him searching his eyes. "Why?" She mutters with a voice full of hope.
"The cult destroyed our family. I let it happen. I'm responsible for our sufferance and I have to correct it." His voice is low. Nikolaos of Sparta is beaten by the years and the misfortune.
"You knew it then?" She asks fearing his answer, but craving to learn the truth at last.
"No. I was aware of a secret society, but nothing more. They were pressing the Agiads for years, Myrrine had told me that your grandfather opposed them." He pauses for a second. "I thought it was the Kings who considered Alexios a threat to the throne, he was the firstborn son. I chose to keep the rest of the family safe instead of going against their will risking all of your lives." He sighs.
"You could take us all away from Sparta, before that fateful night." She claims a bit angrily.
She had thought it many times. Her father could take his family and flee the city. They could go far away, in a small village, maybe even on an island. No one would search for them all over Greece, no one would know who they were.
"You are Agiads Kassandra, the Cryptia would hunt us down and kill us instantly. Sacrificing Alexios was the only way you and Myrrine would be safe." Nikolaos mutters bitterly sighing in between.
"And I destroyed your plan..." Kassandra chokes. "I am sorry, pater." Kassandra lowers her head.
She had never thought of it this way. Nikolaos wasn't the man she had pictured all these years. He had emotions, he loved his family and he had no choice. He tried to keep her and her mother safe. It was mostly her fault. The fact hits her hard roiling her brain.