Trojan Slave (Book 1)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Two... Two children... Nothing was wrong...but there were two children... Two children...not one... It took Theod a few moments.

Eventually though, Theod's mind finally managed to catch up with what was being said. Without even realising what he was doing, he felt his hand connect with Alexios' chin, throwing him back into the sand, a moan coming from him as he struggled to right himself.

With only a glare from Theod, Alexios rubbed his chin and his face split into a grin. "I deserved that, so I will not retaliate." He managed to sit once more. "This time."

Theod grinned as well. "Two? Truly?"

Alexios grinned wider. "Aye, one boy and one girl." He gripped Theod's shoulder, as his head went down into his hands. "Theod, are you alright?"

Theod only shook his head, but for his mumbled, "Tell me more...please."

Alexios had never seen Theod like this. It was as if he had broken through a shell that had surrounded his friend and was finally seeing him truly for the first time. It was a sobering thought, the pain that Theod must have been living with over the past years with no knowledge of those he loved.

"What would you like to know?" He wanted an idea of where to start. It was becoming clear that even if he had the tiniest amount of information, Theod would inhale it as if it was the last meal he would ever eat.

Theod glanced over, looking more tired and worn than he had thought he would see in a man still young. "Anything. Everything. All you can remember." As if it was torn from him once more, he added, "Please."

Squeezing the shoulder he still held, Alexios leant a little closer. "Theod, I gladly give you the information. You know this. You should be so proud of yourself, and I find myself jealous of the family you will have upon your return home from this bloody war." They both looked out to sea at the crashing waves reflecting the sun as the water lapped closer, reaching out with white tipped fingers to try and reach them.

"Androcles is your boy. Your first born. From the story I heard, he made sure Elpis was exhausted before he finally decided to make an entrance into this world."

Theod glanced in his direction, his eyes wide and his skin taking on a paler tone. "Was Elpis in danger?"

Alexios thought of lying, of trying to make this thought better. But he knew Theod would see through such a thing. This was his family, and Alexios had already gone about this the wrong way, so he decided on the truth. "Yes." He tried to ignore the small tremors that seemed to flow through Theod's large muscular frame. "She was large for her time. She said a woman in the village had discussed possibly cutting the child from her if it was too large."

"No!" Theod looked as if he was about to lose his last meal.

"No, Theod. They did not have too. She was only that large because you had given her two children too grow, not one." A little colour came back into Theod's complexion. "Androcles came first in the middle of the night. Photine came next, as Elpis tells it, just as the sun came across the horizon." Both males smiled at the image that sprung to mind, both having seen the house and area in which it had taken place.

"What are they like?" There was such longing in his voice that the pain of it tore at a secret part of Alexios, a part where he kept all his memories of...before.

"Perfect. Loud and energetic; I do not think I saw them stay in one place for very long. Enthusiastic and argumentative. And the scariest people I have ever met in my life. When I met Photine, she was playing in the sun with a clay doll. Later she told me it was called Nike because that was the name of her father's ship, the ship that would bring him home. And if she looked after Nike, then Nike will help her bring you back safely." Alexios paused in order to narrow his thoughts for Theod.