Truth and Sparta

by Camille Oster

Pleistoanax gauged her then gave a short nod with annoyance. “The bride must do some bargaining, it appears.” The crowd laughed and Chara faced a very annoyed Nicias.

  “We will have words in private,” Chara said. Pleistoanax narrowed his eyes, but didn’t argue.

  Chara started to walk toward the entrance of the hall where the alcove was and Nicias grudgingly followed. Chara stood and waited in the alcove for Nicias to join her. She could hear King Pleistoanax talking to the crowd and them laughing in return—no doubt at her expense.

  “What is it that you must tell me?” he said with his hands on his hips. Chara could see that he was on guard and it may well be that she would end up marrying someone else because of this, but she wanted her marriage to be authentic without secrets. If that killed the prospects of it with him, then that was just a risk she had to take.

  “When I was with child,” she started feeling Nicias eyes studying her, “the child didn’t die.”

  She heard Nicias exhale in anger. “Not some small lie—this is rather significant. To what end will you go to keep things from me?”

  “How can you blame me? You know exactly what you would have done if she would have been there when you came. And you did come,” she accused.

  “It was my duty.”

  “As was mine to protect my daughter.” They were both staring at each other. “So I took her away—away from you and your stupid policies. My daughter will not suffer because you have pig headed and skewed views on the world. You might believe she has no value, but that does not make it so. You might have more training and more strength with a preference for bullying people, but that does not make you better than her.” She hadn’t meant for this to all come out like this, but she had been holding onto this anger for so very long.

  “It gave me no pleasure,” he said.

  “And it gave me no choice,” she responded. “You will not hurt my children, I don’t care who you are.”

  His stance softened a bit. “So this is the reason you went to Attica.”

  She stood for a while before nodding. “I went to find a place for her and myself. I didn’t quite intend for all this to happen, it just did.”

  “You were going to leave?”

  “Of course, my daughter is there—where else would I be?”

  “Then why did you come back?”

  “For my father and Doros, but then Doros was killed and I swore I wouldn’t let that happen to someone else’s brother.”

  “So you declared war on Sparta.”

  “No, I just wanted to get people to safety.”

  “And you used me as a cover. You might as well tell me all of it.”

  “No,” she said looking straight at him, “I didn’t. In actuality, I would have been more effective if I had stayed away from the village entirely.”

  “Then why did you dally with me?” He was watching her intently now.

  “Because I wanted to,” she said quietly looking down at her hands. “I didn’t set out to purposefully deceive you—I just wanted to be with you.” She looked up at him. “I was hoping you would come, I did ask.”

  “To Attica?” he said with incredulity. “You know I cannot leave here—this is where I belong.”

  “You told me. I should have left, but I didn’t want to leave people behind and I didn’t want to leave you. I still had hope that I could change your mind.”

  There was silence for a moment before he reached out and pulled her into his arms. “You should have left,” he said, “it was foolish of you to stay.”

  She nodded into his chest sighing in the embrace, an embrace she hadn’t been sure she would ever feel again. She was exactly where she wanted to be. She’d been strong for so long, she just wanted to not have to be for a moment, to rely on his strength.

  “It is only by merest chance that they didn’t end up killing you.”

  “The gods answered my prayers,” she said looking up at him.

  “You know I will be ridiculed for this,” he said. She bit her lips as she waited for him to continue. “But as you were prepared to risk all, even death, I suppose a bit of ridicule is not going to kill me.”

  “I didn’t want to enter this marriage with any more lies. I want us to have a complete understanding between us.”

  “Are you sure there is nothing else?”

  Chara searched her mind, there were so many things she’d done, but she couldn’t think of anything she done that he would particularly object to, so she shook her head.

  He leaned down and kissed her and she rose onto her toes to meet him. She let the comfort of the kiss wash over her, feeling the underlying heat as her body responded to the familiar and unnerving sensation, she had to smile.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  “I am so happy,” she confessed.

  “Yes well, look dower, this is a punishment remember.”

  She nodded trying to suppress the happiness she felt from shining through every part of her. They’d reached an understanding and she felt there was nothing in the way between them now.

  They returned to stand before the King who gave them a querying look. “Are we ready to proceed?”

  Nicias nodded and Chara felt the last piece of nervousness leave her. She had to fight a smile and looked down on the ground.

  “So Nicias, do you claim this girl as a bride?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “Then let it be known,” the King said and clapped his hand loudly. “Have her prepared.”

  There was raucous cheer amongst the crowd as three women came forward. Chara didn’t know where they came from, she hadn’t seen them previously. She gave Nicias a look of concern as they took her arms and gently urged her away. Nicias gave her a look of assurance. Chara didn’t feel assured, she didn’t want to leave his side, but she wasn’t about to be cowardly so she let the women lead her away.

  “Now, let’s retreat to the mess and rediscover wine and song this evening,” the King said.

  The women took her out of the Assembly building and onto a house. These were Spartan women; Chara had never spoken to one before. She had no idea who they were and they didn’t bother to introduce themselves. Chara wondered if they were resentful as her being a bride to a Spartan man, but they made no indication either way.

  “We will cut your hair now,” one of them said with a smile. Chara only nodded, she didn’t know what else to say. The women brought out a pair of shears and proceeded to cut her hair very short, much shorter that Chara’d ever kept her hair. In actuality it felt like they were cutting her hair off completely.

  “I know it is severe,” one of them said reassuringly, “but this is how it’s done.”

  When they were finished, they took her tunic off and replaced it with a new linen one.

  “Eat first,” one of them said. “Then he will come to you after dark.”

  They left Chara as a Helot servant brought in a tray of food. Chara smiled at the girl thinking how wrong it was that she was being served by one of her own people, but then she was a Spartan now in the eyes of the state—an identity she wasn’t sure she could ever fully embrace. It wasn’t as difficult to bear if she saw it as a sacrifice for having Nicias.

  Chapter 34

  Nicias arrived later in the evening once the moon had risen. Chara hadn’t lit a fire, she didn’t know if she was supposed to.

  “There you are,” Nicias said as he came into the room. He joined her where she was sitting on the bed.

  “They cut my hair, it looks awful.” She’d seen the reflection of it in a polished brass and knew it truly did look awful.

  “You look beautiful.”

  “That’s because you are seeing it in the dark—wait until morning.”

  “You look like a bride and that makes you beautiful.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Did they ridicule you?” she asked remembering his words from earlier.

  “Not directly, but they will never forget.”

  Chara felt
awful. “You didn’t have to do this,” she said.

  “I think I did. I would have forever wondered what would have happened if I didn’t.” He brought his hand up and ran his thumb gently down her cheek—a familiar touch. “I knew this would never be the wrong decision, but not claiming you would likely have been the decision I would have regretted my whole life.”

  “Your father is not happy.”

  “No, but then he spent many years with a woman he loved, so it is easy for him to hold such perspectives. Not as easy for me.”

  “Will he disown you?” she asked with concerned. She didn’t want any more of her issues affecting him.

  “Yes, but it doesn’t matter materially. I am now to receive my estate—King Pleistoanax has seen to it.”

  “The one up north?”

  “Yes. We leave for it in the morning.”

  Chara leaned into an embrace and sighed as his arms came around her. She was happy that he was received the estate he’d wanted for as long as she’d known him, and also for the fact that they would be leaving Sparta the following day. She knew she would feel more comfortable in the countryside than she ever would here. It also meant that they would be alone which was something she’d wanted for a long time. The only thing that still kept her from complete happiness was the absence of her baby.

  “And what of Elphia?”

  Nicias considered her for a while.

  “I suppose there is no reason she can’t come back. She is my child now.”

  Chara gave a squeal of delight. “Perfect,” she said. “It is all so perfect.” Nicias smiled at her obvious joyous reaction.

  “What is she like?”

  “She is beautiful,” Chara said barely able to contain her excitement. “She has your brow.” Chara ran her fingers lightly along his brow, realizing exactly how much she loved him. “I thought I’d lost you,” she said letting the gravity of how that felt wash over her. She’d told herself that she didn’t care and that it didn’t matter, but now when things had turned out so well, she knew she would have felt the loss forever.

  Nicias was looking down in her lap and she studied his face. His hand was running along the skin of her thigh sending hot waves of sensation running up her body. She still couldn’t believe he was hers. After all that had happened, she’d been given a fate she was extremely happy with. The gods had definitely acted in her favor and she would have to thank them tomorrow and every day after—only their interference would explain how things had turned out so well.

  Nicias looked up and she felt his eyes connect with hers. He was so incredibly beautiful, this man who was her husband and the father of her child. She couldn’t keep herself from smiling and more so when he drew her to him until she legs came around his waist. She wondered for a moment if she deserved such complete happiness, but the thoughts fled out of her mind when he kissed her—a slow exploring kiss. They hadn’t actually been apart for long, but these last few days had taken them on an extreme journey that felt much longer than the time that had actually passed.

  He broke the kiss, but didn’t pull away entirely. Chara felt his breath on her lips. “No more lies,” he said and Chara nodded. She fully intended to comply. She never wanted to lie and deceive again, it wasn’t something she’d enjoyed the first time around, but it had been necessary. And considering how everything turned out, she didn’t truly have any regrets now, because it was her actions that had brought them here—had overcome insurmountable obstacles to get them to a position where they were man and wife.

  He kissed her again and she welcomed him, eagerly pressing her body along his. She revelled in the feel of every part of him, wishing away the clothes that stood between them. He seemed to hear her thoughts and pulled her tunic over her head, revealing her body to the air and his gaze. The light in the room wasn’t bright, but there was enough of it for them to see.

  He ran his hand along her neck and down her shoulders, the trail of his hand leaving goose bumps along her skin, his hand continued along her arm and then the side of her chest. He reached her breast and cupped it as Chara felt the warmth of his hand embrace her, sending heat to her stomach, making her moisten in readiness for him.

  He laid her back on the bed and replaced the gentle kneading of his hand with his mouth, her body drawing her nipple painfully tight as his tongue teased the small nub. His teasing was making her core throb for him to come inside her, but he would not be rushed. He teased her until she arched up into his mouth hunting for more sensation. His hand run along her thigh which she parted in welcome as his hand trailed toward her center. His fingers played along her wet folds until his thumb pressed down on that very sensitive point that made her cry out. Two of his fingers moved into her and her body convulsed around them.

  “Whatever your actions, my wife, your body does not lie to me,” he said and looked into her eyes. She leaned up into a kiss, wanting him near, gently worrying his lower lips with her teeth. His fingers worked in and out of her and the sensations built into a crescendo without her having any influence over it. She wanted to wait until he was inside her properly, but his fingers inside her showed no mercy. She arched into the assault as the waves of pure pleasure washed over her.

  “As much as I could watch you forever, this is torture,” he said and withdrew his fingers. He sat back and pulled off his tunic, revealing the magnificent body that Chara could stare at for hours. He joined her on the bed, positioning himself between her thighs which she parted for him. They both moaned as he pushed inside her and Chara revelled again at the feeling of complete fullness as he joined with her.

  Her body was sensitive from the pleasure he had already caused in her, and this this fullness gave her a feeling of utter completeness. He pulled out of her and Chara watched as his body strained with control as he slowly pushed back in, sensation flooding her again, robbing her of breath and any sanity she felt. She was left with nothing in her existence than the feel of him inside her and the friction of his movement. His strokes drove her to heights she hadn’t believed possible, the next always taking her a bit higher until she body couldn’t keep up and the sensations overtook her, each stroke sending new waves of unrelenting pleasure, his strokes coming fast and hard.

  He released into her, shuddering with the power of it and Chara’s body felt new heightened sensations until he collapsed down onto her, letting her feel the glorious weight of him.

  “I will do this to you every day,” he said through his shuddering breath.

  “Then I have truly been blessed,” Chara whispered and kissed his warm and moist shoulder. They laid there for a while, and she hoped he’d stay just as they were because she didn’t want him to leave her body.

  “I love you,” she said.

  Nicias couldn’t help but tense at her words. He pulled away, out of her and looked back at the face of the woman that was his wife. Her face was so honest, but his mind was protesting. He generally did believe her, but such sentiments were difficult because they held such power.

  “Please don’t lie to me in such things,” he said guardedly.

  “And I am not,” she responded, taking his challenge fully.

  “I want to believe you more than anything in the world,” he said and he did, but if he chose to believe her, he would give her power to ruin him. All of his training had taught him the perils of letting someone hold such power—it was the key to a man’s defeat whether it be enemy or friend. Irrespective of the weakness of sentiment, he wanted her to love him—he knew now it was what he’d wanted all along.

  She sat up bringing her hand to his shoulder. “I will prove it to you every day.”

  “Don’t lie to me again.”

  “I promise.”

  He did believe her—he had to trust her. He understood the drivers behind everything she’d done and he did trust her and her motives. He knew he was a lucky man, his wife loved him and she was a woman to be reckoned with.

  He got up from the bed. “I can’t stay tonight, although
I want to more than anything. Tomorrow and every day after, we will be together, but not tonight. Sleep well, we leave early in the morning.” He pulled his tunic on and then looked back at her. “Don’t look so delectable, it is hard enough to leave.”

  He should have left right then, but he had to go back for one more kiss.

  Epilogue

  Nicias and Chara started their journey to his estate the next day. Domesticity was something Nicias had to get used to as he hadn’t lived anywhere but in barracks since the age of seven. He struggled with it at first, but learned to settle into the routines of a country estate—having a wife he loved and respected had some obvious and compelling rewards.

  Elphia joined them before long along with Chara’s parents who returned from Attica to be closer to their daughter. Nicias was weary of the little creature that stumbled around their house at first—and the feeling was mutual—but then for a long time, Nicias was more often than not seen with a little girl on his shoulders.

  They all worked hard to rehabilitate the fields of the estate that had been abandoned many years earlier and managed to get them producing well. Chara’s parents chose a cottage at the edge of the estate and they joined Chara and Nicias for meals on occasion and celebrations, but they never felt comfortable in the Spartan house.

  Chara was indeed blessed with sons as peace was gain with Athens and Nicias would spend large stretches of time at home. People did not forget his notorious wife, but he didn’t mind the curiosity in others of how he was managing domestic life with the rebel. Everyone eventually grudgingly admitted that she had qualities that his sons would be lucky to inherit. King Pleistoanax would sometimes ask of her and on rare occasions he would refer to her as his adoptive daughter when some of the single men would wonder why they couldn’t also take a Helot girl for as bride. Nicias never told Chara of this because he knew she would feel uncomfortable with the term.

  Chara didn’t lie to Nicias exactly, but they did agree that there were things he didn’t want to know—like when a pregnant girl would turn up looking to save her baby. She could never turn her back on someone in need and Nicias knew better than trying to stop her, even though it was illegal to ferry people out of Sparta. The Athenians were no longer officially welcoming, but they turned a blind eye when a bewildered looking girl turned up in their region. Della still managed to settle anyone who came across. Few returned from Attica—unlike Chara’s parents—as the relations with the Spartans were slow to change. They didn’t go back on their word of ceasing the Crypteia though.