Love Across Time

In the arms of a goddess

-"stay with me... Your touch is the only way to keep Algea away..." He breathed out, and his body went limp, falling in my lap. I held him as close as possible, and the cat rubbed its head against us.

-"don't worry Anastasios, I'm here... He won't reach you or touch you..." I whispered in his ear, stroking his long black locks of hair. I leaned down, letting my lips kiss the top of his head. I felt his body relax in my arms, my fingertips drifted to his bare chest.
The two of us stayed like this together, and a few people walked by and glanced at us. I didn't care. As long as I was with Anastasios, I felt safe and at home. I then tightened the satchel with ropes, strapping it over my shoulder and hooked Anastasios' arm around my neck, my other arm wrapped around his waist and grasping his hip.

He walked alongside me, the cat following us, as I made my way to the agoge to get him to safety. I couldn't bear seeing him in such a state. I could see the agoge in the distance. A large building with columns surrounding it, and a large square-ish terrace where, from between the columns, I could see many men training vigorously, and a few boys being trained by the boy herder.
I glanced at the soldiers at the entrance, and back at Anastasios.

-"What do you think we should do?..." I whispered to him with a worried expression on my face. I felt his arm drifting from my neck to my waist, his hand pressing me against his side.

-"I can't let them see me. We should hide, before they find us together." He whispered to me, and lightly pushed me in the direction of a nearby house. We both walked together, my hand still grasping his hips to keep him close. Once we reached behind the house and away from any prying eyes, I slowly lowered myself and sat Anastasios down on the ground beside me, took off the satchel from my shoulder and set it on the ground beside us. I loosened the ropes around it to open it, and rummaged through the satchel, and pulled out a handful of grapes. I handed the grapes to him, and he plucked one of the berries, and ate it. He looked at me for a moment, and brushed the wet strands of hair stuck to my face because of the sweat.

-"you know, even in the hottest heat spells Apollo can cast on us, you still remain beautiful." He said to me lovingly, and ate another berry from the grape handful in my hand.
I smiled and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek, but the sound of heavy footsteps approaching us made me pull back. A group of two twin boys, who look to be in their early to mid teens, approach us and look at Anastasios with a smug look. The only distinct features they had were their eyes. One had blue eyes and black hair while the other had brown eyes and black hair. Otherwise, they looked nearly identical, if not for the scars.

-"Well well, look who's back after his whooping." The boy with the blue eyes spoke, and crossed his arms over his chest.

-"seems like our brother in arms was too weak to endure the pain of punishment because he was caught, and had to run to his lover for comfort." The boy with the brown eyes chuckled and glanced at both me and Anastasios, who glared at both of them.

-"Alexander, Andrew! She is not my lover! She is a companion of mine!" He shouted at them, his muscles tensing up as if he was ready to defend himself or get ready to fight.
Those names... They sound familiar. The two boys already had a relation to Anastasios, but the way they were looking at me was like someone plotting to do something mischievous to an older sibling.

-"oh I'm sure the general would love to hear about this. The boy with blue eyes arrogantly said before leaving with his twin.
Anastasios sneered and let out a frustrated sigh, took a piece of cheese from the satchel and ate it.

-"by the gods, as if this day can't get any worse... I swear, I hate them with a passion. They never sease to amaze me with how devious their souls are." He muttered angrily and leaned his head on my shoulder.
We sat together for a while, my fingertips caressing the rashes and cuts from the whipping he had endured earlier.

-"I need to get back to the agoge with my brothers. I might get worse punishment if they find out about us... Oh, and make sure to meet me at the planes near the gates." He mumbled and kissed the shell of my ear before he got up, and walked away from the house to the agoge.
My cheeks are flushed redder than Aphrodite's hair, and I got up, closed the satchel tightly with the ropes, swung it over my shoulder and ran through the market back to the elderly couple's house, and the cat followed me the whole way.
I swung open the door, and saw Katerina weaving a tapestry. She glanced at me and smiled fondly at me.

-"good day dear, how was everything? Demitrius is out hunting, so he won't be back until nightfall. You look like you just met the love of your life." She said with a motherly tone.
I smiled widely and put the satchel on the wooden counter, and shook my hands.
Katerina smiled, putting down the unfinished tapestry carefully to watch me while I am overwhelmed with thoughts.

-"I have to get ready, I need to go before sunset!" I said with excitement and rushed upstairs to the spare room I was sleeping in. I looked through the various Peplos in the closet, and picked a royal blue Dorian Peplos.
I took the large square of royal blue heavy wool fabric, wrapped it around me, tied the corners to my neck so it would stay in place to cover my chest, tied the waist with the same thin leather rope I used for my other green Peplos, and fastened it. I took the leather rope from the note from last night, and used it to tie my long curly hair in a low ponytail.

I looked outside my window and saw the sunset. The golden hour. I closed the door, making sure the cat was also inside, and was following me. I peeped my head out the window and saw Anastasios, wearing the same crimson chiton and himation as the one he wore when we first met, only this time it's a darker colour. He was also holding something behind his back, hidden by his himation. He tucked whatever he was holding in his belt on his back, and held out his arms, as if preparing to catch me.

I crawled out of the window and jumped down, and was swiftly caught in his strong muscular arms. The cat jumped too, landing on the ground on its paws.
Anastasios held me close, and put me back on the ground, smiling lovingly at me. I brushed my hair back, and adjusted my Peplos.

-"I see you came in prepared. Come, I must show you something." He said, holding my hand and rushed down the back alleys of Sparta. We both ran out of the city, not breaching the gates just yet, and through the forest. I could see the beautiful cracks of sunlight through the trees. And then we made it. To a beautiful place filled with almost every flower I could imagine.
Anastasios led me to the middle, where a deep red and gold wool blanket stood with a bowl of grapes. We both sat down, and watched the sunset. His hand wrapped around my waist and he gazed into my eyes, and spoke in the most sensual and romantic tone.

-"In the tapestry of my heart, you are the golden thread, weaving through every thought and desire. Your long, curly locks cascade like the flowing rivers of Helicon, each strand a delicate embrace of Aphrodite's grace. Your skin, fairer than the moon's reflection on the Aegean Sea, invites my fingertips to trace the constellations of your freckles, each one a testament to the beauty of the heavens. And oh, your eyes, like the misty peaks of Mount Olympus, smolder with the depth of the ocean, drawing me into a sea of longing and adoration. In your presence, I find myself lost in a labyrinth of wonder, enchanted by your every breath, for you, my dear, are a symphony of Greek mythology's most divine treasures."
He held my face in his hands, and when the moon rose, we both embraced in a very passionate kiss.
Our lips pressed tightly against each other with a passion, and our fingertips wildly touched each other's bodies. His hands stroked my hair and untied the rope from my hair, and so did I with his braid, my fingers combing his luscious obsidian black hair that rested on his shoulders, while his fingers weave through the curls of my long autumn red hair that draped on the floor.