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Chapter 5
Caleb tried to speak, but all that came out was a weak groan. Surrender? But-But- we can’t surrender! Asher was trying to stand, and eventually Akalia walked over and helped his to his feet. He stood behind her, glaring at Nika, which would have been a little more scary if he didn’t have blood running down his face and matting his dark hair from a large cut on his forehead. “Of course you do.” Nika responded, smirking. “But you put up a good fight, for a bunch of little kids.” Then he melted back into the shadows, leaving the kids to figure out whether or not he was being sarcastic. All three of them were bedraggled, but Akalia was in the best shape. She was bruised and looked as though she’d been put through a meat grinder, but didn’t have any broken bones or other large injuries. Caleb, on the other hand, had a broken nose, that was sending rivulets of blood down his face, and about half his face looked like one massive bruise. But strangely, he was the first one able to speak. “Well,” he choked out, spitting out a clod of blood, “Maybe you won’t get picked on so much anymore, huh, ‘shrimpy’?”
* * *
“So, are you still leaving tomorrow?” Caleb asked. The boys were sitting outside the barracks, wrapping up their injuries and watching the sun rise over the town far, far below them. The pinkish glow of sunrise was creeping up the eastern horizon, but the sky above them was still dark, a few lonely stars twinkling determinedly before the morning sun stole their light. Caleb had cleaned the blood from his own face and done his best to align the two halves of his bone, but his nose still looked rather crooked. He took a wet scrap of cloth and began wiping blood from his brother’s pale face, carefully avoiding the large lump on Asher’s forehead where he’d smashed his head on the rock. Both boys were hungry and injured and sleep-deprived, but this subject couldn’t wait until morning. Asher sighed, gazing down past the tree into the little sleeping town of Sparta. Asleep was probably the only time Sparta could ever be described as peaceful. Finally, finally, he shook his head. “No, I can’t. I have the best friends ever here, even if I don’t belong.” He shrugged. “I guess you don’t have to be a good fighter to be brave. We lost that fight, but at least we tried, and I think Nika will respect that.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”
“Well, then, we’ll just have to fight him again, won’t we, brother?” Asher’s face was pale and bloody, but his smile was bright, and his grey eyes, once so scared and miserable, shone like the morning stars above them. Caleb nodded solemnly, then grinned over at his twin. “Who are you and what have you done with Asher? You’d never have said that a month ago!”
Asher just shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe you’re sucking me into your ways. Maybe I’m getting better at being strong. Maybe I’m just turning into a real Spartan.” Caleb snorted. “Yeah, that will be the day. My brother? A real Spartan?” He laughed, blue eye twinkling. Asher just shrugged, looking down into the valley. But he wasn’t looking towards Sparta. He was looking over the mountains, to where Athens sat by the sea, in all its glory. “Maybe someday.” He said, almost to himself. Caleb nodded, knowing what he was dreaming of. “Someday, but not today. Not tomorrow.” He looked over at his brother, extending one hand, to press their palms together. He had everything he needed right here, in this world, but Asher was different. He’d been born into the wrong city-state, and maybe someday he’d go home. But for now, the two brothers would stick together and making it through training and maybe someday make their dreams come true. But for now, they were both happy to sit there together, as brothers, and watch the sun rise over Sparta.

Description
Chapter 5
Caleb tried to speak, but all that came out was a weak groan. Surrender? But-But- we can’t surrender! Asher was trying to stand, and eventually Akalia walked over and helped his to his feet. He stood behind her, glaring at Nika, which would have been a little more scary if he didn’t have blood running down his face and matting his dark hair from a large cut on his forehead. “Of course you do.” Nika responded, smirking. “But you put up a good fight, for a bunch of little kids.” Then he melted back into the shadows, leaving the kids to figure out whether or not he was being sarcastic. All three of them were bedraggled, but Akalia was in the best shape. She was bruised and looked as though she’d been put through a meat grinder, but didn’t have any broken bones or other large injuries. Caleb, on the other hand, had a broken nose, that was sending rivulets of blood down his face, and about half his face looked like one massive bruise. But strangely, he was the first one able to speak. “Well,” he choked out, spitting out a clod of blood, “Maybe you won’t get picked on so much anymore, huh, ‘shrimpy’?”
* * *
“So, are you still leaving tomorrow?” Caleb asked. The boys were sitting outside the barracks, wrapping up their injuries and watching the sun rise over the town far, far below them. The pinkish glow of sunrise was creeping up the eastern horizon, but the sky above them was still dark, a few lonely stars twinkling determinedly before the morning sun stole their light. Caleb had cleaned the blood from his own face and done his best to align the two halves of his bone, but his nose still looked rather crooked. He took a wet scrap of cloth and began wiping blood from his brother’s pale face, carefully avoiding the large lump on Asher’s forehead where he’d smashed his head on the rock. Both boys were hungry and injured and sleep-deprived, but this subject couldn’t wait until morning. Asher sighed, gazing down past the tree into the little sleeping town of Sparta. Asleep was probably the only time Sparta could ever be described as peaceful. Finally, finally, he shook his head. “No, I can’t. I have the best friends ever here, even if I don’t belong.” He shrugged. “I guess you don’t have to be a good fighter to be brave. We lost that fight, but at least we tried, and I think Nika will respect that.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”
“Well, then, we’ll just have to fight him again, won’t we, brother?” Asher’s face was pale and bloody, but his smile was bright, and his grey eyes, once so scared and miserable, shone like the morning stars above them. Caleb nodded solemnly, then grinned over at his twin. “Who are you and what have you done with Asher? You’d never have said that a month ago!”
Asher just shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe you’re sucking me into your ways. Maybe I’m getting better at being strong. Maybe I’m just turning into a real Spartan.” Caleb snorted. “Yeah, that will be the day. My brother? A real Spartan?” He laughed, blue eye twinkling. Asher just shrugged, looking down into the valley. But he wasn’t looking towards Sparta. He was looking over the mountains, to where Athens sat by the sea, in all its glory. “Maybe someday.” He said, almost to himself. Caleb nodded, knowing what he was dreaming of. “Someday, but not today. Not tomorrow.” He looked over at his brother, extending one hand, to press their palms together. He had everything he needed right here, in this world, but Asher was different. He’d been born into the wrong city-state, and maybe someday he’d go home. But for now, the two brothers would stick together and making it through training and maybe someday make their dreams come true. But for now, they were both happy to sit there together, as brothers, and watch the sun rise over Sparta.