The Palace: Grand Salon

[Polynikes]

((OOC: Co-written by Polynikes and Queen Gorgo.))

IC:





Polynikes shook his head smiling a bit as he watched Hebe jumping inside a window whose curtains had been removed for some cool breeze to enter the great Palace. He knew well she would be punished if she was caught, but who could stop her? Who dwelt in the world that could tam her unwillingly conquered heart and mind?

He sighed in relief when she opened the door for him to go inside, no one has spotted her and for that he was thankful. He looked at her a bit seriously, not trying to punish nor reproach this to her, but she knew that Spartan life was rigorously strict, he only imagined what could had happened if she had been spotted.

He entered without a word, if not they would indeed know what had just happened. He sighed and just whispered as he approached her “Why…” he looked from left to right before he continued saying, “…why is it that patience does not abide in you?” It was no reproach, but he truly cared for her.


“…I never tried to feel… This vibration…
…I never tried to reach… Your Eden…”

A soft breeze surrounded them and suddenly a person approached them who they knew well, it was the Queen of Sparta. She smiled to them both and then said “Polynikes, I am glad Hebe invited you to dine, it is always a pleasure having you among us. I am sorry the guards took long to open the doors, Stelios was giving them orders concerning the visit of the Athenian monarchs.”

Gorgo smiled at Hebe like she would smile to a sister. After all, she had always believed Hebe to be a sister for her, in all its dimensions. She always looked at Hebe thinking of her own self in many ways, especially when she saw how free and spirited she was, perhaps she was a little rough around the edges, but she was a wonderful woman. She was sure there were a lot of men who loved her already… She then looked at Polynikes and wondered about the future of them both.

Polynikes smiled at the Queen and bowed his head in respect and then smiled noticing the sisterly bond that united them, he had never seen two women like them both. But now he was feeling a bit out of the room being with two women of the same family. He chuckled and then said “It is always a pleasure to dine with you all. I feel as if you were my own family.”

[Hebe Anemone]

((co-written by Stelios and Hebe))

Stelios walked silently through the hall reaching their sight, he was serious, perhaps too much for his normal state and mood. His steps heavily marked the floor making noise, he was not very pleased, that could be sensed miles away. He shot his stare at Hebe's, he was not pleased with her. His eyes were firmly fixed at hers, he did not wink nor move them from her sight. Hebe just prayed that he had not seen her enter through the window...but it seemed that he had caught her.

Stelios was glad to see Polynikess and turned to face him with a smile. ''It was about time that you showed up'', he laughed and added ''I was starting to think that you weren't pleased with my company, please, Gorgo lead him to the Salon, I shall be there with you in some minutes''.

Before Hebe could leave he grabbed her wrist and his quizzical brow's expression returned to his face, his voice this time was colder and less welcoming, ''Not you, I must have a word before we all dine together''. He gave one last look at his wife, he knew she got the hints about his reaction and knew she would do the right thing, obey him leading his friend to the salon.
As both of the left he turned to face his sister, still grabbing her hand, his eyes were a bit reddish, he was tired of working all day and yet receiving unpleasant surprises.

Hebe felt his stare freeze her body, she could not move and even though he was pressing her wrist hard she showed not signs of feeling any pain. She could see by the way he looked at her that he was tired, she knew she always broke the rules but unwittingly, she never did this on purpose.

Stelios took a deep breath and pulled his sister near, now they were really face to face feeling each one's breath, she could even hear his heart beat and how fast it was beating. He opened his mouth and she feared the worse to come out from his lips, she would have to hear some very unpleasant things...
''When will you behave as what you are! a true spartan, not a child who climbs trees and enters through the windows instead of waiting to be welcomed to a house? Don't you see you behave as....not even a child behaves like you! When have you seen family enter as thieves! Why can't you practice patience?...'' He passed some saliva and wet his mouth for his words were dry, he felt so annoyed and angry, he did not tolerate this attitude on his pupils and definitely that meant that he would not tolerate it from his family either.

''I spend night and day watching children bleed, fight to be better, fight to be truly Spartans, to deserve that name and honor and what do I find...my sister, who is meant to set the example, acting like an idiot!'', every time he spoke he pressed her wrist more and more, he was so upset at the same time.

Hebe could not think of anything to say, he was right...perhaps she did not deserve to be named Spartan or even to belong to this royal family. Even though she had been taught how to control her emotions this time it was very complicated. Her brother shouting at her and being so close to each other feeling his anger,,,the worse was that all he said was true and truth hurts. Blinking her tears away she could not stand to look at him in the eyes anymore, she would explode if she did, all this madness...at the same time she felt so impotent but wanting to say also what she felt...that would only lead things to worse...

She closed her eyes for awhile, her heart was aching in her so badly but she had to pretend that she did not feel anything. His strong hand closing up in her wrist started to really bother her and with a sudden impulse she pulled her hand strongly releasing it from his grasp. It was reddish from all the pain. 'What have I done...' she muttered bewildered, she had unleashed her strength to free herself from her brother's domain, now things were certainly more dark. Her eyes met his, he seemed more upset and disrespected.

Stelios took two steps back wards, his face was stern and concerned at the same time, he felt as if an arrow had been shot straight to his heart...''You will not speak during the entire meal...have I made myself clear?'', he said strongly and determined. ''Now, you will go inside and act natural...I don't want to be dishonored by your behaviour...again..''

Stelios turned and walked off, he entered to the Salon and smiled at both of them, the servants had already brought all their food and Gorgo and Polynikes had been waiting for them.
''Why haven't you started?'', he asked confused...

Hebe did not wish to eat anymore,his last phrase had trespassed her heart. She would not be able to act as if nothing had happened after all he had told her. She would have preferred a physical punishment...words hurt more and her heart ached so much at that moment. She walked slowly drowning inside her tears, she was not able to cry nor weep in public and this time she was willing not to fail her brother anymore...things had to change. She entered the room where all the food was apparently served and sat facing Polynikess aside of Gorgo. Stelios sat in the middle.

She could not look elsewhere but at her lap, facing anyone would make her truly explode but this time into tears. She changed her bracelet from hand to cover her reddish wrist.

[Queen Gorgo]

((OOC: Co-written by Gorgo and Polynikes))

IC:


Gorgo did as her beloved husband commanded, though she feared that what he would tell Hebe would not be pleasant. She looked at Hebe for a second before turning to face Polynikes as she said, “Please, do follow me.”

Polynikes nodded, but he had guessed the King had seen Hebe enter the Palace through the window. He would like to help her, but it was not his place. He also was not allowed to be tender, especially in front of the King, Lord of Sparta.

They entered the ‘Grand Salon’ and were neatly served by slaves as they came and went bringing food of many delicious sorts. Still Gorgo always waited for her beloved husband before she ever started to eat. Polynikes, on the other hand drank some wine, since he needed refreshments, but suddenly a strong voice made both of them close their eyes.

Hebe was being called off, Gorgo only prayed Artemis that she would give Hebe strength not to despair over this. Both were worried about Hebe, both appreciated her and knew she never meant harm whenever she broke the rules, but Stelios made a point when he spoke to Gorgo on the matter… Hebe had to take the rules more seriously and change such dishonourable attitude.

Once both entered Gorgo did her best to smile at Stelios but Polynikes began eating when the Lord seemed worried about them not eating. Gorgo then stated simply “You know, my love, I always wait for you.” She then smiled at him and drank some wine before she began to eat.

It was a silent meal, but little could Polynikes think of anything to say in order to deviate the conversation from what had just happened. Gorgo, on the other hand, seemed to easily find a new topic, she turned to look at Stelios and asked him, “when are you planning to do the three-days training with the younger boys?”

[Hebe Anemone]

((co-written by Stelios and Hebe))

Stelios sipped his wine and tasted the cool liquid wich was quite refreshing and began to eat the salad first, as always. He was silent, his eyes did not corss Hebe's stare as he looked around the table from Gorgo to Polynikes and the other way around. His mind was interruped by his wife. She had always been good at changing matters and that was another reason why he was thankful, he did not easily forgave and also he wasn't good at changing subjects.

''I will start their tutorings tomorrow during the afternoon, I could not begin earlier, I would have prefered it that way but it seems that gods enjoy challenging me...it teases me'', he added as he swallowed some fresh letuce. He looked then at Polynikes who was eating very fast, he appeared to be a little nervous, Stelios could easily tell and he began to wonder why....

''Now tell, Polynikes, what you reckon about this boy, Alexandros'', a dificult topic for Polynikes surely, Stelios needed to know what he thought in order to help him train that child.

Stelios tried hard not think about anything but about their recent conversation, it was hard ignoring one of his sisters, he loved them much but sometimes convivence was harder. He had been very strict to her and some remorse began to swim through his heart but he was not going to apologize, he could never...he had a lot of pride as it was obvious for any man. He had suffered during his time and now it was her turn to learn and suffering was included in that task

Hebe felt so stupid and angry at the same time, she was not allowed to speak...then there was no reason for her prescence there, she could not aport anything then she'd rather leave. She was not very hungry, she had lost all her appetite so she just drank a bit of juice. She looked about the room, her cheeks were reddish as she looked at them whilst they spòke to one another. She grabbed and apple, she only wanted to leave and eat her apple on the way, she needed to abscond and think...meditate...perhaps get lost in the woods.

The servants brought more food, the second dish apparently. Then the desert which was placed at the end of the table, it seemed to be a fruit tart, Hebe's favourite, but at that time nothing seemed to cheer her up. So lost inside her own thoughts that she began to loose track of time, motion...she could not even hear their voices as the spoke. She was living inside her own world, daydreaming only....

Dreaming about a world where everything was perfect, where she comitted no mistakes and things ran fluently just as planned...peace and love were the keys to succeed, for the excellence of exel.

Stelios sipped once again his wine waiting for his friends reply. He had seen that the desert was already placed on the table. Spartans normally were not used to eat much, since very little age they had been taught to eat a certain amount that starved them in order for them to work harder and value food as such....obviously stealing was penalized roughtly because of this belief.

He looked at his wife and smiled, he knew she had asked the servants to do it for a special occasion but why today? how did she know that Polynkines would dine with them?...all the misteries a woman hides, he thought.

[Queen Gorgo]

((OOC: Co-written by Polynikes and Queen Gorgo))


Gorgo smiled to her husband as he drank and then began eating some food. Polynikes seemed much relieved by Gorgo changing the subject and tried not to appear too obvious when eating so he drank some wine and took some time before he ate again.

It was good that the Queen had changed the subject since everything was too tense, but still he felt impotent to what just happened, had he stopped Hebe from jumping this would not have happened in the first place. He looked at Stelios as he spoke and thought about what they would soon do. It seemed as if they never had days off… But he could never complain, that was what they always did and in order to protect Sparta from invasions since they were common at those times.

When Gorgo turned to look at her husband and placed a hand on his she smiled and said, “worry not, for I am sure this will not be in vain… it never has.” She turned to look at Polynikes as Stelios addressed him and hoped for the best. But Polynikes, who was drinking some wine, was caught defenceless and id not expect any question of the sort. He struggled with spitting the wine and swallowing it. He swallowed hard but could not stop some coughs form escaping his throat as he looked at Stelios and then tried not to show how much he disliked the boy.

He tried not to sound cold nor hateful as he spoke, “I believe he hates war, training and blood. But he loves arts, brotherhood and non-violence.” He still could hardly believe there could be a Spartan who did not like ‘training’ nor ‘war’ in order to fight those that could invade, it did not mean Spartans were blood-thirsty, they simply needed training to defend Sparta and their culture.

Polynikes could clearly see how much Hebe suffered, she had not even eaten a bit of her favourite dish, what is more, she seemed rather anxious to leave the salon. He sighed and then kept on eating, he really did not like her suffering, but it seemed things happened for them to overcome them.

Hebe was King Stelios’ sister; she had to suffer much more for that. But Polynikes knew she had become friends with the Queen and that would be a good way to overcome all pain and master it; but also to have a confident and someone to guide her.

Gorgo would look at Hebe form time to time, not wishing to make her feel uncomfortable. She looked at her husband, even though no traces showed him being sad or suffering, she knew in her heart that his own noble heart was bleeding. Gorgo was sad, sometimes the Spartan code was too strict…

[Hebe Anemone]

((co-written by stelios and hebe))

Hebe's inner chamber was her own mind, where she kept all her feelings coped inside for no one to see them, she never liked to show her emotions to others except for odd occasions and even though now when she tried to appear natural she could not pretend easily. She sipped a bit of wine as her brother spoke aloud as if nothing had happened. Her eyes met her brother's but quickly she met with a more softer look, Gorgo.

In her she found peace and love, something she had never met in anyone else's eyes, something she had missed when younger but now thankful of having. Gorgo was the peace maker of the royal family as far as it concerned to her, Sophia lived more in her world of literature, she was the female sample of Alexandros.

She smiled weakly at the Queen, she knew well she understood how she felt and if she looked at her from time to time it was to make her feel protected from her own blood. She then saw how Polynikes struggled, that poor boy, Alexandros, was simply misunderstood by the spartan clique. He was not an usual child but he was special, she thought, though probably the rest of the males would see him as a disease. There is nothing wrong about enjoying to practice the heart more than the physical strenght...she wished she could say this but she was not allowed to speak.

She looked at one of the servants who brought some fruit, as the servant left she wished that someone could yell her silence..., for her sadness to be cried out for her...for the invisible hands that kept them tightened to dissappear...those voices that did not let her rest...to be free and fly like a bird...

Stelios looked and laughed at Ploynikes "I can see you cherish being with that boy..", he mocked his last words jokingly laughing heartedly forgetting about the previous arguments with his sister, Polynikes trying to pretend something he couldn't was the best painting to observe, his geests... "Do not worry, My friend, we will find a way to make his little head work properly, four hands are stronger than just two", he said eating some more salad.

He looked at Gorgo and asked her gently to give him some more bread. "We must, also, get all the preparations ready for the celebration of the Olympics games, we must decide on the decorations and all those sort of things which implies women directly", by this he meant that he wished his wife to take care of the whole preparatives, including Hebe, she had always wanted to be a contestant at the Herea Games. He looked at Hebe who remained silent to his orders and said nothing.

"Will you participate once again, Polynikes?", Stelios had competed the previous years aside of his best comrade, but this time he did not know if he wished to be part of them.

[Polynikes]

((OOC: Co-written by Queen Gorgo and Polynikes...))

IC:


Polynikes looked for a moment from Hebe to Gorgo, he was quite puzzled of how well they knew each other and how much they seemed to transmit one another without the need of words or even facial expressions. Surely Hebe had been harmed by one of those she loved the most, but she was so good in hiding, Polynikes had never seen such a thing on any other woman. But surely he had not like her jumping from a window.

He knew Hebe disliked the way he would talk about Alexandros, but clearly any Spartan man would agree with him, at least most of them. On the other hand Gorgo shared Hebe’s views and ideas about Alexandros and always seemed worried about him even though she had never been a mother.
Gorgo could clearly see that Hebe’s mind was troubled, and that she needed someone or something to take away everything she felt at the moment, as if in any moment she could simply blow up and this would only make things worse for her. Gorgo struggled with any excuse she could have to allow Hebe some privacy…but she could not find the right words yet.

Polynikes tried not to look offended as Stelios laughed at him, though he really did not mind. He preferred that effect than causing him to get furious at him. He merely nodded to his last words and hoped indeed that Alexandros could be transformed into what he did not like, apparently.

Gorgo kindly gave the bread to her husband and then blushed at his comments. It had not been long since they had wedded, and even though she was considered a strong and wise woman, she still was young. Still she would do as much as she could in order to please her husband and answered promptly, “it will be done as soon as possible, my husband.”

Polynikes stretched a bit, since the food had been most welcomed and then nodded, “Aye, of course, though I was recently told Lady Hebe would also participate?” He inquired Stelios about it and was quite impressed with the idea, reminding Hebe that he had eventually heard her comment on their way to Sparta.

[Hebe Anemone]

((co-written by Stelios and Hebe))

Hebe smiled weakly at Polynike's comment, he had actually listened to her when she had told him about her desires to participate on the feminine competitions, she didn't think he had listened or payed any attention. She sighted almost soundless, he was full of surprises.

She looked at her brother waiting to see his reaction at this question, she only hoped he did not destroy one of her only desires by not allowing her to do so though he could not forbid her from being a contestant, she had the same right as any other female her age.

Stelios looked at his sister, his eyes were less cold, his eyes penetrated inside of hers wishing to tam her eagerness to experience all what was at her reach, he feared for her...her intuitive and rash actions could lead her to a bad path but he could not tell her which path to take...he could not make decisionsfor her. He looked at his friend and replied

"Women who compete, as you know well, are meant to be alone, they can't marry and are only used to procreate....they are never meant to be possessed by the heart of any many or woman..."
Lesbianism was very encouraged by Spartans, not that the king encouraged anything, he simply respected but knew that Hebe chose men rather than women to practice those sexual activities...

"If she is willing not to marry then she may compete...though I would only advice her to think well before making any decision, she has got time till then...two more weeks."

He smiled at his wife, he was glad she had chosen to be of those who married instead of being an Olympic idol. Hebe in the other hand had also forgotten about that tiny detail and that somehow placed a very hard interrogate to her desires...did she really wish, or better said, would she be able to not marry? but then again being alone doesn't differ much from marriage, Gorgo spent a lot of time alone and never complained...she admired her capacity to support such sadness...specially knowing how much she loved her brother.