Infinite 01 - Infinite Sacrifice

Theodon on his horse, and I stop, hoping he’ll talk to me, but he keeps riding with his gaze fixed in front of him.
    I tell Ophira all about the helot, and she laughs. “Maybe I can do my part for Sparta too!”
    She does a provocative little dance right as the helot rides his horse up. I make a face at her, and she almost drops the chicken she just cooked. Shooing her back into the kitchen, I go out to meet him. I thought he was tall in the fields, but now I see he’s towering.
    “What’s your name?” I ask.
    “Demetrius,” he says with a nervous little bow of his head as he removes his dog-skin cap, releasing waves of dark brown hair.
    This is a mistake. How is somebody supposed to make something like this happen? I decide to give up on the idea and simply get through dinner.
    “My name is Alcina.”
    I gesture for him to come inside and notice he has to duck under the low doorways. Once he is seated at the table, I offer him a bowl of olives to start, and he removes a few with his well-washed hands. After I pour him some wine, he starts feeling more comfortable and looks up, exposing his beautiful, grey-blue eyes.
    Ophira tries to make conversation lighthearted after she’s set down the chicken, goat cheese, and vegetables and asks, “Does Nereus bless you with all his stories of sailing the high seas?”
    He relaxes at this. “He follows all of us around, and it has gotten so that we came up with a rooster call”—he demonstrates with gumption—“and we all run and hide.” We all laugh, and he keeps going, “And whenever we see he has someone trapped, another will pretend to need the captive’s help to release him, though it backfires since Nereus usually volunteers too.” As if suddenly remembering I’m not a helot, he swiftly says, “But he treats us very well.”
    Ophira switches the subject as she gets up to serve us both. “Do you live with family?”
    I tense at the question. If he speaks of a wife and children, I’ll have to say goodnight to him there.
    He shakes his head. “I stay with friends.” He looks up from his plate. “I’ve nothing to worry about when I leave for the army.”
    “Why are you going to take your chances on Sparta’s frontline?” I ask.
    He connects with my eyes. “There is nothing better to die for than the freedom of your future children.”
    With this answer, Ophira gives me a subtle nod of approval, and I say, “That is a good reason.”
    Ophira and I both think of Theodon.
    Just then, Theodon walks in and looks Demetrius up and down across the table. Demetrius seems confused, as if he’s wondering if I’m testing a couple of helots out for the job.
    “Demetrius this is Theodon. Theodon this is—” I try.
    “A helot. I get it.”
    Ophira gives him a full plate. He looks down and starts shoving the food in his mouth as fast as he can so he can leave the table.
    “Theodon is Ophira’s son,” I say as I place a bowl of grilled chestnuts and pomegranates before Demetrius.
    Demetrius looks relieved and takes a piece of pomegranate to his mouth. He asks Theodon, “Are you joining up also?”
    Theodon glances up with a dead stare at Demetrius. “For the Citizens’ Army or for her?”
    After an uncomfortable pause, a confused Demetrius clarifies, “The army.”
    Theodon glares at me. “I probably will.”
    “Do you live in Laconia?” Demetrius asks, his lips turning crimson from the rubied seeds.
    Theodon shoots back quickly, “Do you work for Nereus?”
    Demetrius nods, probably wondering why he’s asking, and Theodon drops his fork, grabs a handful of chestnuts right in front of Demetrius, and leaves the table.
    Silence clouds the room.
    “I should go now.” Demetrius stands with his hat in hands. “Alcina, can I talk with you outside?”
    We walk outside. The stars are out in glorious numbers. I hold my arms, unprepared for the early fall chill.
    He stands in front of me. “Nereus told me about what you need, and I’d be glad to help.”
    I’m surprised he’s so forward. He seemed so quiet at the table.
    “I need to think about it a little more, but thank you for offering your… service.”
    He nods, replaces his hat, and mounts Zale—handling her much better than Nereus could. He gallops away, and I wonder if I’ll actually see him again.
    ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
    The next morning, I wake to Ophira screaming for me. I run outside to see Theodon throwing all sorts of things into our cart with his horse