Chapter 1: "Escape"

"I'm David," I muttered to myself, catching my breath as I darted through the labyrinth of alleyways. "Hi, I'm an orphan. I don't like people who are partial towards others based on relations and status."

My name is David Sena, and my story begins with me on the run from a group of soldiers. Why? Because I had pilfered a handful of silver coins from them. But can you really blame me? I'm an orphan; I have to make a living somehow.

As the soldiers closed in on me, one of them bellowed, "Stop right there, you thief!"

"If I wanted to stop, I wouldn't have stolen these," I retorted, my heart pounding in my chest. With that, I sprinted through narrower passages, leaving them in my wake.

I could hear their captain berating them in the distance. "You fools! You can't even catch a boy!"

I chuckled to myself, feeling a mix of relief and exhilaration as I made my way to meet my friend, Yudak. He and I had been like brothers since childhood; in fact, he was the only family I had left.

Yudak chuckled at our ongoing banter about our petty thievery as we made our way through the bustling streets.

"So, how much did you get?" he asked, a playful smirk dancing across his lips.

"Thirty silver coins," I replied, matching his smile with one of my own. "And you?"

"Forty," he boasted, his grin widening.

"Damn it, I lost again," I groaned, shaking my head in mock defeat.

"Well, let's go and eat something," Yudak suggested, his tone turning more serious as he noticed my hunger.

As we strolled through the crowd, our laughter faded when we stumbled upon a scene of injustice. A burly man was menacing an elderly gentleman, demanding the return of his money, while the surrounding onlookers did nothing but watch.

Without a second thought, I intervened, stepping in front of the bully just as he raised his fist to strike the old man. "Is this how you talk to elders?" I challenged, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

The bulky man sneered at me. "Who the hell are you, boy?"

"It doesn't matter who I am," I asserted, holding my ground. "What matters is why are you threatening this old man?"

The bully's expression twisted into a scowl as he sized me up, clearly unaccustomed to being challenged by someone younger and smaller than himself. "This old fool owes me money," he growled. "And if he doesn't pay up, he's going to regret it."

I glanced at the trembling figure of the elderly man, his eyes wide with fear. Without hesitation, I turned back to the bully. "Even if he owes you money, that doesn't give you the right to intimidate him like this," I countered, my voice firm with resolve.

Yudak stepped forward beside me, his presence a silent but reassuring show of support. The crowd around us murmured nervously, unsure of how the confrontation would unfold.

The bully hesitated, seemingly taken aback by our defiance. But then, with a menacing sneer, he barked, "You two better watch yourselves. This isn't over." With that, he shoved past us and disappeared into the crowd.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, relieved that the situation hadn't escalated further. Turning to the old man, I offered him a reassuring smile. "Are you alright?" I asked gently.

The old man, tears still glistening in his eyes, expressed his gratitude. "Thank you. Me and my entire family are grateful to you. I owe you a favor."

"It's okay, Gramps," I reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to owe me anything."

As the crowd dispersed, Yudak approached me with a knowing sigh. "You won't stop getting into trouble, will you?" he remarked with a weary smile.

"Hehehe, you know me so well, my dear friend," I replied, returning his smile.

Just then, the old man approached us once more. "Young men, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Darius," he said, his voice still shaky from the ordeal. "And what are your names?"

"David," I replied.

"Yudak," chimed in my buddy.

Darius then extended an invitation that took us both by surprise. "Please, I would like to invite you both to have dinner at my house."

Yudak and I exchanged a glance, silently deliberating for a moment before eventually agreeing to the unexpected invitation.

UAs the journey continued, my boredom got the best of me, and I began to playfully annoy Yudak.

"Are we there yet?" I asked, a mischievous glint in my eye.

"No," he replied, his patience wearing thin.

A few seconds passed before I couldn't resist asking again. "Are we there yet?"

"No!"

Once more, I started to ask, but before I could finish, Yudak cut me off with a resounding "NO! NOW SHUT UP!" His frustration was palpable.

"Aw, come on, I'm getting bored here," I protested, turning to Darius. "Are we there yet?"

"We will arrive soon," he assured me, his voice calm and patient.

Finally, as we reached his house, a voice rang out, calling Darius's name.

"DARIUS!"

We turned to see a young woman, around her mid-twenties, standing in the doorway.

"Honey, I'm home," Darius said with a smile, leaning in to kiss the girl.

"Honey?" Both Yudak and I exclaimed in shock, realizing that the girl we had assumed to be his daughter was, in fact, his wife.

Our jaws dropped to the ground as we processed the revelation. The woman smiled warmly at us, seemingly unfazed by our astonishment.

"Oh, we have guests today?" she remarked, her tone friendly.

"Yeah, I forgot to introduce you to them," Darius admitted with a sheepish grin. "This right here is David," he said, gesturing towards me, "and this here is Yudak."

"Nice to meet you both," she said graciously, extending a hand. "I'm Anne."

"Greetings," Yudak and I managed to stammer out in unison, still trying to wrap our heads around the situation.

"We should not let our guests wait outside, Darius. Let them in," Anne suggested, leading the way into their home.

Darius nodded in agreement. "Yes, please come inside," he said to us as we followed Anne into the house.

Inside, it was a cozy space, suitable for a family of four. Darius gestured for us to take a seat while he assured us that the food would be ready soon. In the meantime, we engaged in light conversation, getting to know each other better as we waited for the meal to be served.

After chatting about our long-standing friendship, Darius shared the story of how he met his love, Anne, and how they had become engaged at a young age. Yudak and I exchanged knowing glances, understanding the depth of their connection despite their early marriage.

When the food arrived, we eagerly dug in, savoring each bite of the delicious spread. I couldn't help but compliment Anne on her cooking. "It's delicious," I said with a smile.

Darius chuckled at my enthusiasm. "Well, I guess you liked the food, huh?" he remarked.

"Yeah, right, Yudak? Don't you think it's delicious?" I asked, nudging my friend playfully.

Yudak nodded in agreement, a polite smile on his face. "Yes, it's delicious," he replied.

Darius laughed. "Haha, yes, my wife's cooking is one of the best."

Anne waved off his praise with a grin. "Oh, Darius, you flatter me too much," she teased.

"But it's true, and I love your cooking," Darius insisted, his expression softening as he looked at his wife.

As they exchanged affectionate banter, Yudak and I exchanged a glance, feeling a bit awkward in the midst of their loving interaction.

Anyway, the dinner consisted of traditional Greek dishes such as moussaka, souvlaki, stuffed grape leaves (dolmades), and baklava for dessert.

After we finished eating, it was finally time for Yudak and me to leave. "See you next time, Darius," I said as we prepared to depart. But just as we were about to go, Darius stopped us and issued a warning: "Wait before you go. Stay cautious. Maximus won't remain silent after what you guys have done."

I reassured him, saying, "Don't worry, Darius. Me and Yudak can handle everything."

Yudak nodded in agreement, adding, "Yeah, chill, Darius. We've got your back. You just stay safe."

With that, we bid our farewells and ventured out into the night, prepared to face whatever challenges awaited us.