Sons of Sparta - A Story of the Spartans, Book 3
(inspired by the story 'Spartan' parts 1 through 4)
by argouru
Note: All credit for the creation of the Spartans and Amazons, as well as the Spartan mythos belongs to the author 'CF', to whom I owe special thanks for his allowing me to write about these incredible people.
WARNING: Portions of this installment of the series includes a section regarding mental illness.
The following Friday morning, Marcus Samson awoke at three am to sharp pains in his stomach. Gasping, he reached down carefully to check and grunted as his hand came into contact with a delicate and painful substance... He sighed with regret. Normally, this would be a time of joy because this could only mean one thing, both he and his partner, who was also Spartan, were Emergent and they could have children. But there was a problem. His partner bond was very different from that of other Spartans. He reached out with his mind to feel for his partner and found the man talking on the phone.
"Yeah," Jason said as he stood there, frowning slightly from pain. "Look, I'm really sorry, but Emergence always hits without warning... Yeah, I'll have to be out about nine or ten days until they fall out... Well I personally don't feel ready to be a gestating father yet... I don't know. ...Mark and I haven't discussed it yet. Maybe he'll carry, but I don't know... Ok, thanks. Sorry I couldn't give you more warning than this... Okay, thanks... Later."
Jason sighed and hung up the phone. He hated having to keep his partner's identity secret by altering his name, but there was no way the world would understand. He felt a wave of invisible love and support wash over him from Marcus and walked back to the bedroom where his partner waited for him in bed. He climbed in carefully, trying hard not to wallow in despair. The partners pressed their foreheads together and shared their pain with each other, feeling the other's love and comfort as well as their pain.
This was the third time in their lives that the couple had become Emergent, but they knew that once again they would let the chance pass by untaken. They wanted to be dads very much, but it was impossible. They had no fear of any complications with the baby... It was that the world wouldn't understand. They'd never accept the child for one simple reason... Jason was Marcus' identical twin brother as well as his bonded life-partner.
Neither of them hated or resented their bond. Other then the fact that they had to keep the truth about their bond from everyone except family, both blood-related and extended, such as Uncles Walter and Dennis, as well as Aunts Tracy and Alice and cousin Sally and her fairly new partner Rachel, life wasn't too horrible. Jason would never give up Marcus for anything and Marcus felt the same towards Jason. It was only the rest of the world who would judge them harshly and that was why they remained childless by choice. The boy would never be able to have an open and happy life. He would be treated like a freak for being a child of incest, even if the boy was perfectly healthy. They were already twenty six and wanted desperately to have children, but couldn't.
Instead they held each other and cried at the cruelness of the world. I don't want to go without children Jason, Marcus thought, his mind wide open to his brother/partner, who could hear and feel everything that went through his mind. It also worked in reverse, allowing Marcus to experience everything that Jason did, thought and felt as well.
They had been like this since age eight, when Lord Apollo, sensing the strength of their bond to each other both as twin brothers and as bonded partners, had forged a mental link between them so that they could be together even when apart physically. Their bond was the strongest that Apollo had ever seen and was so strong that when they had even been apart physically for a few minutes, it became emotionally painful for them until they were together again. The link had given them telepathy which only worked with each other, but seemed unlimited by distance.
They rarely had to speak aloud except when around others and mainly only strangers. All of the family knew the truth about them, both blood relations and extended. The only family who didn't know the truth were the humans Giorgos and John, who were still new to the family.
Everyone else, even the rest of the temple staff, were ignorant to the truth that the twins were partner-bonded to each other. The mental link and being able to be open around their family was all that kept them going. They both knew that sometimes their birth father Sam worried for them, as well as blamed himself for the hardships they had to endure, which the pair both thought was silly. Dad Sam hadn't even known that he had been carrying twins, let alone that they would be an incestuous couple. But the bonding process knew no bounds and was always involuntary. Not only that, but ALL sets of Spartan twins would end up being an incestuously bonded couple. The bond itself ensured that their children would be free of any birth defects, so that concern was moot...
It was the attitude of American society which made it necessary for them to keep their partner bond a secret. The public would never accept brothers as partners. They knew that some human siblings were incestuous as well, but any such pairing was always seen as offensive to society. Because of that, they had never gotten themselves legally registered as partners and had avoided having children. Their offspring would be ostracized by the public and treated as freaks. Spartan children had it hard enough as it was, but their own sons would have it far worse.
Would it be right to put a child through that? Jason thought.
No... Not really, Marcus thought in return.
DAMMIT!!! Jason swore, making Marcus wince in pain at the loudness of Jason's thought, as well as the fury behind it. Jason immediately felt apologetic, so Marcus kissed him softly.
It's okay... I feel the same.
It's just not fair! I'm sick of hiding all the time! We shouldn't have to live like we're fugitives or something!
Marcus could only nod silently. He felt the same, but not as strongly. Jason was the passionate one of the pair, his emotions dictating his actions. Marcus, conversely, was the more mellow and reserved of the pair, always thinking everything through thoroughly before making a decision. The two complimented each other very well and even after twenty six years of life, then had never fought even once. Everyone around them, parents included, teased them about how repulsively sweat they were towards each other. The family was supportive of them and that support meant the world to the twins.
I'm tired of having to lie and putting off having sons too, Marcus thought.
They lay together and cuddled as much as they could, each thinking long and hard. Finally, Marcus realized what tomorrow was. What'll we do? he thought.
We'll go, Jason said firmly. It's not like everyone doesn't know.
That's not entirely true, you know. Henry and Steven's partners don't know the truth about us yet. It could be pretty shocking to them.
Well they'll just have to get used to it! Jason thought back firmly. I'm sick to death of walking on eggshells around everyone just because I happen to be bonded to my own twin brother! He sighed. Sorry... I guess my hormones are acting up again.
It's okay. I forgive you.
Maybe I should try meditating as much as you do. It's unfair of me to reap the benefits of all your hard work and keep riling you back up all the time.
It's okay, Jason. Your job is pretty stressful. I understand.
Jason felt his love for Marcus spark higher and they began to kiss, exploring each other's head and torso. Jason accidentally brushed Marcus' filaments, making them both reel in pain as they shared the agony from Marcus' protesting nerve endings. Sorry, sorry! Jason apologized. He felt his partner's silent forgiveness as they began to relax when the pain faded away. Shit! Why does this have to hurt so fucking much?!? I swear if I ever meet Hera I'll punch that bitch right in the face!
Marcus gasped at his brother's blasphemous thought, but let it go. He too wished that Emergence, gestation and birth weren't so painful for their kind like it was. They blamed Hera for this, even though it was Zeus who had made it painful, because he had only done so to appease Her. All Spartans suffered agony throughout the entire reproductive process because of Her. They prayed to Hera during services, thanking Her for Her mercy and expressing the wish of all Spartans that one day She would forgive them their impertinence of breaking the natural order of life by being men who could birth children. The twins always considered that part of services to be lip service, though and knew full well that the queen of all bitches would NEVER forgive them. If anyone knew how to hold a grudge, it was Hera. Spartans would suffer for all eternity because of Her petty spitefulness. They hated Her with a passion and always wished that just once they could skip that part of their prayers.
They'd asked Lord Apollo about this once. He sounded just as doubtful of Her granting forgiveness as they did, but asked them to always speak all of the prayers. They got the impression that even Apollo feared Hera. They had promised that they would continue to do so, but they always spoke that part in a bored fashion and full of resentment.
I feel all sweaty and gross, Marcus thought. Should we shower together?
Yeah, Jason replied. We'll each feel the other's pain, so we might as well get it out of the way all at once.
They rose and showered carefully, wincing as the water hit their filaments. As they showered, they thought more on their lives and made their decision. They only wondered what their future would be like, but they would face it together...
David Williams sighed, wondering what was taking the twins so long. His sons, son-in-laws and all their children were here now except for the last two. Growing nervous, he walked over to the phone in Sam and Daniel's kitchen and flipped through the list of numbers. Too damned many people on this list, he thought grumpily. I'm too old to remember everyone's number all the time... Ah! Here they are. At least I only need to call one of them, even if they're not together at the moment. He adjusted his glasses and dialed the number, shaking his head in wonder. It's damned strange having grandsons who act as broadcast towers for each other like that, but it does come in handy sometimes.
"Hello," Marcus answered.
"There you are, Boy. It's Granddad David. Are you two coming over for the monthly dinner?"
"Yeah," he said, grunting. "We're a bit behind but we'll be there in a few minutes."
"Well move your butts or the food will get cold!" David grumbled.
"I said we're coming!" Marcus snapped irritably through the phone. "Shit, Granddad David, just lay off already! Bye!"
David hung the phone, looking sour. He didn't have to bite my head off like that! The human sighed with disgust.
"Something wrong, Hun?" Matthew asked, walking in and kissing the side of David's head.
"Just Marcus acting all moody on me. Strange though, he's usually more well-mannered than that. I don't know what's gotten into that boy."
"Well he'll get over it. You're getting cranky in your old age," Matthew finished with a smile, then his expression fell slowly.
David sighed. He knew that Matthew was worried that David was getting on in years, but hated the way that Matthew always saw it as a bad thing. "Stop worrying about me!" he chided gently. "You know full well that I passed my physical last week with flying colors!" he said, then sobered as the human realized that he would be just as sad to live without his partner as Matthew would. "Don't worry, Matt. We still have a good number of years left to us. The men in my family are very long-lived. Who knows? Maybe I'll outlive you!"
Matthew sniffed. "Fine, be a jerk!" he teased, then leaned over for a shameless kiss before they went out to join the family.
Outside, Giorgos and John were getting to know Tracy, Alice, Sally and Rachel. Giorgos could tell that Sally was the child of Tracy and Alice, both Amazons. Sally had her birth mother's long curly blonde hair with blue eyes and her brunette mother Tracy's features. Rachel was a black woman with regal features and a lean look to her tall, thin body. Her skin was rather pale as both of her human parents had pale skin. Her dark brown eyes showed a warmth and kindness despite the no nonsense gleam to them. The broad smile with perfect teeth brightened her expression even more.
"So," Giorgos asked as he sat beside Steven while John and Henry listened in. "How is it that you have met?"
"Oh here we go," Fred groaned.
"Oh be quiet!" Sally teased him. "When you meet your partner, we'll listen to you rehash your first encounter to your heart's content. The censored version, mind you!" She added quickly, pointing an accusatory finger at him. Having known Fred all his life, Sally was well aware of the Spartan lad's shamelessness about sex. "We all know how perverted you can be."
"You're no fun!" the teenager teased. "I'm sure every raunchy little detail will be highly important."
"You're lucky I don't arrest you, young man, for delinquency!" Sally countered, looking at him sharply.
"I'm used to being in handcuffs," Fred countered loftily. "Please be gentle, Officer Mayweather!" he mock-begged.
"Feel free to use excessive force," Daniel told her dryly, glaring at his son. Fred stuck his tongue out at the older Spartan, making several people chuckle.
"Well," Rachel said, "I was visiting my niece who had fallen for a man who was, shall we say, somewhat questionable of character, so that I could try to talk some sense into her and help her to see that Tyrone wasn't the best man for her. Suddenly we hear screaming from next door and Jessica, my niece, said that the couple next door was always screamin' at each other over the least little thing. A few minutes later we see a police cruiser pull up and Sally got out with her patrol partner Adrian. When I saw her pass by the window, I felt a shock because I felt as though I recognized her from somewhere, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out where. Jessica saw me staring at Sally with an odd look on my face and asked me what was wrong. I asked her if the police had ever come by when I had visited before, but she said no. Well, the nagging feeling that I knew Sally somehow wouldn't go away, then I saw her wrestle the rowdy boyfriend into the back of the squad car single-handedly and felt my jaw drop in shock. The man was built like a brick wall and she met his struggles like an equal.
"I was impressed, then noticed her come back inside and got the strangest notion that I just had to meet her. Jessica gave me a knowing look then because she knew that I'm a lesbian and just kinda smirked at me in a self-satisfied manner while I went to the door to go talk to Sally. I was able to come up with a convincing enough excuse by asking if everything was alright. Sally turned to me and I know she did a double-take, cause she just stood there staring at me with a confused look on her face, then asked me if we'd met before. When I said I felt the same way, her face just lit up like the sun... Then she got all embarrassed and wouldn't look me in the eye anymore. Needless to say, I was shocked that such a strong and capable woman would suddenly act so bashful and asked her what was wrong. She said it was nothing and left soon after, looking like she was embarrassed and ashamed at the same time."
"To be honest," Sally added, "I thought I was imagining it. Then I realized that it was pretty embarrassing to think that she might like women as well and walked away. I spent the next three weeks kicking myself for not even asking her name. Then, half way into the fourth week after we first met, I got called out to the same location, I kept an eye out for Rachel, but there was no sign of her. Jessica came to the door while I was talking to the woman from the argument and she heard us make plans to move the woman to a safe house. Jessica knew she'd only have one chance to help us and invited Rachel over so she'd be there when I came to get the woman."
"Unfortunately," Rachel added. "I was stuck at work that day and couldn't get away, so Jessica got bold and asked Sally if she was a lesbian."
"I was so shocked by that," Sally said, flushing. "I don't know why I did it, but I said yes and Jessica pushed a slip of paper into my hand, said 'call her' and closed the door before I could say anything else. It had Rachel's name and phone number on it."
"I'd talked with Jessica," Rachel said, "trying to get every detail out of her in regards to that police woman I couldn't get out of my head, so she decided to play matchmaker. Next thing I knew, I get a call from Sally asking if I wanted to meet for coffee sometime and we met up the following weekend. One thing led to another and next thing I knew, we'd been dating for four months and started to toss around the idea of moving in together."
"So naturally, I didn't want any secrets between us and came out to her as an Amazon," Sally added.
"I was really shocked," Rachel said slowly, "because we had already been together intimately and since Amazons look outwardly just like humans, I had no clue until she told me. I told her I had to think about it and she looked hurt, but understanding. It took me about a day of serious thought before I realized I didn't know much about how Amazon reproduction worked, so I called her and asked her how it worked. The process sounded strange, but she invited me to meet her parents for dinner and the three of them calmly explained everything to me. By the end of the evening, I made up my mind to go through with it. That was eight months ago now and we've been very happy together," Rachel finished with a smile.
Sally kissed her lovingly with a big grin. Fred groaned. "Fuck! You act like you're Emergent or something," he teased and Sally shot him a dirty look which he ignored.
"So," Rachel said, turning to John. "How exactly di-"
"-Soon will you start working at the temple?" Sally interrupted rapidly, looking as though she was trying hard not to look embarrassed and guilty.
Rachel glanced sideways at her partner for a second, then turned back to John with a fixed smile. "What she said," the black woman added slowly.
John looked at Sally's face, seeing the strained smile there and feeling resentment. "I start Monday," he said in a flat tone.
"Oh," Daniel said in a nervous tone. "The salt's missing. Henr-"
"No, no... Let me," John said curtly. "I want some too. Hey Henry, come show me where it is... I can't remember," he finished coldly.
Henry rose slowly, as if heading for the gallows and followed the fuming human inside the house. Sally watched them go, biting her lip nervously. "Oh shit," she groaned. "I thought John knew that I was aware of what had happened to him."
"What's wrong?" Rachel asked. "Was it something I said?"
Sam sighed. "John's had a difficult time lately. It's rather personal and some people," he said, glaring after his eldest son, should know better than to go around telling everyone.
"Don't look at me," Sally said, looking embarrassed. "I knew it was something private so I tried to steer the conversation away from that once I realized what Rachel was about to ask."
"Well," the human woman said, looking apologetic, "I certainly didn't mean to stir anything up."
"It's alright, Rach you didn't know," Sally said sympathetically, patting her partner's arm consolingly...