I don’t smile or anything. I just look around me, admiring the art that surrounded me now. 

“ Meet Anassa, She is Queen of this beautiful and mighty home,” Alexis says, showing me to a tall, lean woman with golden blonde hair braided down her back, she wore a belt of gold around her waist. Her eyes were dark brown, looking black in the sunlight. She was young, in her teens 

“Hello. Who might this be?” Her voice was smooth, calm, relaxed, quiet, and welcoming. 

“Zoe, Zoe Angelo,” I say in a matter of factly tone

“ She walked the entire way with no complaint, so did her friend here Aeschylus, but he seems trustworthy, we should save him from slavery and just kill him,” Alexis says.

“Kill me?” Aeschylus asks, fear boiled in the back of his throat.

“ no, if he is to prove his worth, we will train him but one slip up and he dies.”

“But-” Alexis starts

“ No buts, we begin training as soon as they are shown around.” Anassa smiles at us “ he seems to be a great deal of importance to Zoe anyway.” 

I stood in front of him protectively, I did not want him to die, he was my best friend. “ don’t touch him.”

Anassa nods and smiles “ he could be of use. Tell me, can you sew?”

Aeschylus nods his head and smiles. “ Any self-respecting person knows to sew.”

Anassa laughs “ you are to help your friend here sew clothes, any will do but this sparta wear.” She flicks her wrists and refers to our current clothes. I wear a simple white dress that is now torn and darkened with dirt marks. Aeschylus’s clothes were no better than mine. 

We nod our heads and follow Alexis to a room with a loom, wool, and metal.

“We will prepare armor for you, you just make an outfit for each of you.” She leaves and closes the door.

I could not help it, I hugged Aeschylus “ How are we even alive?”I asked, my voice strained, should I be crying from fear or joy?

He hugs me back “ I can’t say, we should be dead really.” His voice was calm and realistic. 

I let him go “ you used to design in sparta right?”

He nods “I will start on the sketch and you just get some sleep.” 

“I don't need to sl-” 

He interrupts me “ You need sleep.”

“Fine!” I sigh in defeat and sleep on a stack of hay in the back.