Deimos was sitting alone in the room. Phobos was taking stock of inventory with his father.
After the explanation yesterday he got to thinking.
What kind of ruler do I want to be.
Do I want to have all the power alone, or share with my family.
Do I want to be a conquer of a bringer of peace.
A lot of these concepts, he didn't understand yet.
But not knowing what something is does, not mean his character would grow in that direction.
After thinking for a while, he could not come up with a awnser.
All is memories are happy ones.
Except when he got punishment for his mischief.
He only knew he wanted his family to stay happy.
But at the same time, his Gargan DNA was urging him to conquer, and inovate.
These conflicting feelings made him uncomfortable.
"No" use thinking about it then he said in a childish voice.
He put on his toga and walked outside.
The toga's of children only covers the upper body, to protect from the strong winds.
Meaning at least for boys that they were nude underneath.
This normalisation of nudety in men would continue throughout their lives.
Only when they turned 20 were they considered men.
And could they make more decisions for themselves.
However they could cloth themselves more decently, at the age of 12 when they started to grow.
Deimos looked for his brother, but could not find him.
Instead he walked to Dillius and asked him, where he could find his brother and father.
"Dillius" called Deimos.
"Ah yes your highness how can I help you" said Dillius.
"I wanted to know where my father or brother were" said Deimos.
"I see" Dillius awnsers
They went to the wharf, to check the progress of the newly bould warships.
"Thank you Dillius, I will look for them" Thanked Deimos.
"Wait your highness it's a journey of at least four hours" Dillius said.
You need at least two guards.
Walking to the store house in the centre of the village.
Dillius asked the remaining 24 men who wanted to escort the young prince.
At the back, a unassuming men glanced at Deimos.
This was his chance.
He stood up and volunteered to escort the prince.
Claus together with another Spartan was escorting the prince.
Slowly they walked down the mountain path.
Deimos not aware of the danger lurking behind, was humming a local children's song.
Looking forward to seeing the sea, he had never seen it before.
Walking ahead he asked the other guard.
"speletos I heard the sea is a enormous lake holding poisonous water is this true"?
Asked Deimos.
"Haha" speletos laughed"yes I guess you can see it that way"
Satisfied with the awnser Deimos didn't ask more.
They kept walking until they came to a cliff, a small path meandering trough it.
Deimos thought nothing of it but Speletos went on guard.
While a dark grin formed on the face of Claus.
After walking a honderd meters, suddenly arrows were shot at the three Spartans.
Having no time to react Speletos after deflecting 4 arrows got hit in his shoulder.
While all arrows that hit Deimos did nothing.
It sounded like they were hitting a metal plate.
Deimos was scared he had never seen someone get injured, and he was never attacked like this.
While leotychidas send a lot of assassin's after him.
They all got killed or captured before they got to him.
Claus only got shot at once as a distraction.
After seeing that Speletos was injured, he quickly threw his spear and shield to the ground.
Reaching into his armour he took out a eerie yellow glowing dagger.
Deimos suddenly felt a threat to his life, just in time to shift out of the way.
Claus plunging the dagger down on Deimos back, intending to stab the heart.
Was surprised at the fast reaction of the boy.
Instead of the heart he hit the longs.
While still deadly not as much as the heart.
Deimos screamed in pain, being only three years old he never felt pain before.
He was too sturdy to hurt himself.
The dagger loged in his ribcase was stuck.
When Claus wanted to pull it out and stab again the knive broke.
He wound on Deimos closed itself, due to his fast regeneration and the nanobots.
But now a piece of the dagger we stuck in his longs.
And Deimos passed out because of the pain.
Claus ready to stab again with the broken knife suddenly felt something.
It was a weird unreal sensation, he felt warm but also cold.
Looking down he saw a speartip going trough his torso.
Speletos now looking like a pin cushion.
Was looking at him with bloodshot eyes.
But there was no light in them anymore.
He died stabbing him trough the back.
Looking down Claus coughed a mouthful of blood.
His longs filled with the crimson liquid.
He fell to his knees head and arms slumping down.
The assassin's looking down from above didn't know what to do.
The looked at their leader.
Master Serbian what now.
Master Serbian looked down, after contemplating.
We will take the child to the headquarters.
What we de with him afterwards is up to the tormentor.
"Yes sir" the ten other assassin's said.
Jumping down they picked up the boy and left.
Three hours later, Leonidas together with Phobos was making his way back to the helt farms.
On the way they had great fun.
Leonidas even gave Phobos the task to support Deimos, once Deimos became king of Sparta.
He did not want a power struggle in his Family, one Phobos would lose without doubt.
Walking trough the valley surrounded by two cliffs they suddenly smelled blood.
Leonidas putting Phobos behind him, carefully walked to the smell.
Once they came around the corner, they saw two body's.
One was of Claus, and the other was of Speletos.
Leonidas was flabbergasted why were two of his men here.
Walking closer he began looking for clues what happened here.
Phobos was emptying his stomage a small distance away.
From afar Leonidas did not see the scene clearly, but when he got close his face turned dark.
However it played out one of the two had to be a traitor.
A honourful death in combat is all good and well but dying like this is a disgrace.
Speletos was shot by arrows more than 14 times, while Claus was stabbed to death by Speletos.
While it looked like a clear cut case of Speletos betraying Claus the arrows in his back told him otherwise.
Walking up to the corpses, he saw something yellow in the hand of Claus.
What is this Leonidas said prying the copper blade out of his fingers.
There was another weird, thing the spear and shield of Claus lay on the ground.
Something that should never have happened.
Spartans should never abandon his weapons during battle.
Confirming his suspicions he lay their bodies against the cliff.
And took Phobos in his arms.
Leonidas had a bad feeling now.
Running at full speed the rest of the way he made it in 15 minutes what normally would take three hours.
That was more than 90 km/h.
Getting to the village he called for Dillius.
Dillius came running, hearing Leonidas in a bad mood.
Not seeing Deimos with his father he was surprised.
"Sir where is prince Deimos" asked Dilius
Hearing this, Leonidas eyes turned into needle points.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Leonidas.
"Well Claus and Speletos were escorting the young prince to the docks sinds he missed you" said Dillius.
"NOOO!!!" Shouted Leonidas.
"Give the order, bing back the two bodies of Claus and Speletos."
"Go trough their letters I want to know who betrayed me, with who he betrayed me, and for who he betrayed me."
Immediately start a search party for the prince, they could not have gone far.
Now go.
Dilius hearing this immediately got to work. Two Spartans were tasked with getting the bodies of their brothers.
While the rest moved for the search party.
Leonidas leading the Spartans and helloten for the search party, swore to himself.
Once I find who is behind this I will not let any one of your family live!!
He spewed with hatred.