Eiren Chapter 6

We venture back to the house and separate. Likely the last time I will see Anastasia for a very long time and same for little Silas. I travel to Nikolaos's house and tell his mother and him everything but rescuing Silas. His mother accepts my temporary stay as in just a few short months I will be heading to the agoge.

"Are you okay Damon?" Nikolaos asks, his face showing softness a very rare occurrence.

"No but I will be since my father would've wanted me to live a strong life."

Nikolaos gives me a hug and I accept the embrace once he detaches his face remaining droopy.

"I'm sorry about your brother, it's sad he couldn't make it..."

I wonder if I can trust Nikolaos and tell the truth? No not yet he won't be able to keep secrets likely but once he ages I plan to tell him and Georgios as well.

"... I will do everything I could ever dream of accomplishing this life as a way to over come the sorrow I feel for the loss of time we could've spent together." This is the truth I want to make up for what could've been. He would've eventually entered the agoge and I could've fostered him to be a future supporter and good man.

"I understand." Nikolaos gives a slow nod as we both fall asleep. It takes much longer than usual for me as I have never had to see someone else's blood to that extent... it is horrifying.

3 months later

Today is the day to enter the agoge with Nikolaos and Georgios. Many look at me with disdain instead of respect due to the actions of my father and failure of my mother to bring a strong Spartan into the world. Even Nikolaos's mom shows disdain as she doesn't interact with me in any way whatsoever.

Nikolaos's caretaker does take good care of me through cooking and even tells me the status of Silas and Anastasia. Whenever she has the ability to contact them back in Laconia where they reside with other helots. Silas has turned healthy due to the parental care of Anastasia and she even found a proper suitor.

The loss of my Darius and Laurel hurts plenty as much of my stability broke on that night. A regular 6 year old would likely have been distraught and not know what to do. Yet I never saw them as normal parents more so as mentors. I cared deeply for Darius though as he would've made for a good man in any other circumstance.

"I will miss you Nikolaos and when you come back I expect a warrior." His mother gives him a hug as I stand at the side watching. A carriage then arrives with a few other boys our age one of them being Georgios. We hop in from the orders of the Spartan officer riding it and the three of us boys start smiling at each other.

"You boys ready to fail?" Nikolaos jokes making Georgios red in the face.

"What do you mean fail, I'll make twice the Spartan as you!" Georgios's response causes Nikolaos to laugh heartily.

"What do you think about that Damon?" Nikolaos playfully punches my shoulder.

"I think we should pay attention to our surroundings."

"Ugh you're more tactical than Lysander and I reckon more boring also!" Nikolaos makes his bold claim while crossing his arms.

"Shame he passed," Georgios adds with a low hanging head.

"Opposite of shame Georgios as he died a hero and brought Sparta power and more strength!" Nikolaos raises an arm with his fist closed.

The rest of the ride goes peacefully apart from Nikolaos putting Georgios in submission holds. "Alright paides time for you all to get off" the Spartan looks back at us showing no time for any hold up. We all jump out and I stretch out from what felt like a day long ride.

"I can't believe it! We are finally here to train and become Spartans!" Nikolaos yells out and all the children quickly nod in agreement.

I look out and see many other boys numbering over 100. All the boys giddy with excitement and even start playing with each other. A man stands in the middle of all of us in a red tunic, his face devoid of emotion. I decided it would be good to walk up to the man to make my presence known as he must be the paidonomos also known as principal meaning he controls the whole agoge.

"Are you the paidonomos, if so I am Damon it's a pleasure to meet you" he looks down on with no warmth and only gives a half hearted chuckle.

"SILENCE!" his yell loudly bringing all 100 plus of us boys into silence everyone into silence. "You all are now paides and you will all stay that way until your 14th year in our glorious State. Now choose your Eiren!" He points to 2 men appearing to just enter their 20th year in this world.

Eiren basically holds the same meaning as teacher and so the paidonomos must be allowing us the choice of who we want to learn from. One man has sparkly Spartan gear of a clear top quality making everyone ooo and ahhh at him while the other holds nothing special just a hard face and a full beard with it having a traditionally shaved upper lip.

I walk back to Nikolaos and Georgios with Georgios still stunned and Nikolaos having a confused expression.

"Which one do you reckon we should choose?" Nikolaos gives his question with a spit onto the ground.

"It shouldn't matter as we are only 3 out of 100 plus."

"What does that mean? Stop speaking like an Athenian queer Damon!" Nikolaos laughs and Georgios reclaims consciousness to respond to him.

"No, you just speak dumb!" Georgios sticks his tongue out to Nikolaos thus making Nikolaos give him a noogie.

We all then walk over and stand at a random line as the two men walk down counting our heads. The sparkly man and bearded man then stand next to the paidonomos.

"I have 91 boys, you?"

"64"

"That's down from last year and the year before last... Well you won Adonis, good job." The Paidonomos looks at the shiny Spartan with a sly smile and the losing Spartan accepts his defeat with gratitude by handing out a strong handshake.

"Well seems like I'll be your assistant this year Adonis." The large man sighs but gives out a handshake to the Sparkly Spartan.

"Shouldn't be that bad Leander" the sparkly Spartan named Adonis accepts the handshake and clearly it is overbearing as he noticeably grits his teeth, shrinking more against the towering man.

"I'm going to leave unless I'm needed. Since I need to see an important event for the other classes. Make sure to work these boys into proper Paides youth." The Paidonomos then walks away until he is unseeable by the eye.

"Paides, I am your Eiren and you will follow my every order and task and the same holds true from Mr.Leander! Our first task is to make beds!" Every boy's face turns upside down at the word bed and then Eiren Adonis continues. "We will now travel to the Evrotas river all by foot!"