Page 132 of Eryx

“You will leave them in peace,” I said, stepping closer to him. “The king wished to be here, and so he is.”

I voiced no threats, but the warning was clear in my tone. I cared little for the king’s final wish, yet Axios needed this time alone with him. I would kill any man who dared interfere.

The advisors left then, their robes swishing behind them as they stormed in the other direction. As for me, I looked back at Axios and the king.

They spoke to each other, too quiet for me to hear. Agesipolis lifted a shaking hand and touched Axios’ jaw before dropping it to his chest. His eyes closed.

Axios smoothed his hand through the king’s hair, his chin trembling with suppressed cries.

The moment was not for me to see, and so I left the shrine. I should’ve been angry or hurt by their show of affection, but I felt nothing but sorrow for the loss of a great man. A leader.

Alone, I walked the beach.

A boat drifted in the distance, probably a fisherman. It reminded me of the dream Axios had had for us. Of how he’d wanted us to have a simple life in Aphytis, one of us a fisherman while the other did another trade. An impossible dream. I constantly disappointed him by crushing those dreams. Giving him a day with the other man who held part of his heart was the least I could do.

Hours passed before I returned to the soldiers’ quarters. My companions had just come from evening meal and were discussing the conflict with Olynthus. We still hadn’t received word concerning the force led under General Eudamidas. We knew not of their victory or failure. It was amidst these ramblings that Axios entered the room.

“He… he is gone,” Axios said, his shoulders stiff. “Arrangements are to be made for his transport back home.”

His fists were clenched at his sides and he swallowed repeatedly, as if forcing down his emotion. He was moments from breaking, both anger and sorrow building inside his chest. When he excused himself from the room, I jumped up to go after him.

Axios strode down the corridor a ways before stopping and punching the wall. Then he punched it again. I’d never seen him this way. I wrapped my arms around him from behind, kissing his nape.

That’s when he finally shattered.

Axios choked out a sob before turning and burying his face against my neck. As he cried, I kissed the side of his head and did my best to soothe him. Sixteen years by my side, and he still hated crying in front of me. I held him close and told him with actions that it was okay to grieve. That I was with him.

After a while, he slid down the wall and stared ahead at the open archway where the moon shone onto the patio. I joined him on the ground and rested my hand on his leg. He said nothing at first as he looked outside. His cheeks glistened with tears, and his eyes were a bit swollen.

“I apologize,” Axios said in a raspy tone. “It must not be easy to see me mourning him.”

“There is no need to apologize,” I responded. “You cared for him, and now he’s gone. Grief is not a thing we choose, and we cannot run from the pain of it.” I put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer to my side. He leaned his head against mine. “Remember the story of the sisterhood of nymphs who mourned their brother? They did not choose to grieve so heavily that they died. And yet, they did.”

Axios smiled as another tear slipped free. “If I die, do not allow Zeus to turn me into a star.”

“But you love the stars,” I said before kissing his temple.

“Well, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad. To live in the sky and have such beauty around me,” he said, grinning. “But only if you are there too.” The smile then slipped from his face as more tears welled in his eyes. “Do you think he is amongst the stars now?”

He stared at the sky through the archway. I observed the line of his nose and the soft parting of his lips.

“Yes,” I answered, resting my head on his shoulder. “And when the sun sets and the stars reappear each night, he will be with you once more.”

***

The following morning, news arrived from Olynthus. Because of the king’s wise strategy, the Olynthians were barricaded behind their city walls without supplies and with no aid from their allies. It was only a matter of time before the city fell. Some men said the supposed curse against Sparta had been lifted.

“Agis will never know of his accomplishment,” Axios spoke, as we gathered our provisions to begin the march home. Oursyssitionhad been assigned to escort the king’s body back to Sparta.

“I believe he knows,” I said, offering a tight smile. “And his soul is at peace.”

“You cannot know such a thing,” Axios responded.

I pressed my lips into a line, saying nothing further. We dressed in our armor and met the other men outside.

The king’s body had been submerged in honey and wrapped for burial, and Axios refused to look at him. The half of his heart that belonged to the king had withered away, leaving Axios grappling for something to fill the void. Anger seemed to be the answer.

Just as we were about to leave Aphytis, Pyrrhus approached.