-Castor POV-
I was furious. It all started when Pollux got a letter from our mother, asking her to bring Alkaios Astrea to Sparta. I knew every city-state wanted to grow stronger.
What I couldn't accept was Mother's order. She told Pollux to seduce Alkaios. Her words seemed to burn into my mind. When I read the letter, rage blinded me. I could accept Alkaios' strength, his loyalty to Sparta, and the advantage he brought us. I could even handle the stories about his skill in battle and his charm. But the idea of him marrying Pollux, my sister, was too much. It felt like a betrayal, not just politically, but personally. It broke the trust in our family — a cruel move from the woman who should have been our support. The consequences could be huge, maybe even disastrous.
I never thought Pollux, my closest friend, would stay unmarried. I dreaded it, knowing it meant we would be apart, and that sense of loss stayed with me every day. It felt like our bond, built on shared laughter and secrets, would break forever. What I couldn't accept was the idea of Pollux marrying someone with no family name. The thought of her, from our noble house, tied to someone with no history or standing, felt like an insult. It broke the silent promise I thought we had—a future where Pollux would always be by my side.
Pollux deserved the best, not someone without a family name. In Hellas, lineage and strength meant everything. I could admit Alkaios was strong—no one doubted that. I knew I couldn't defeat the Stymphalian birds like he did.
I believed Pollux and I could beat anyone—we were Zeus's children, after all. Only Heracles could match us, which made sense since he was also Zeus's child. But even I knew we couldn't defeat the Stymphalian birds at just eight years old. That was impossible. Those birds were huge, with metal beaks, sharp feathers, and bronze claws. They filled the marsh, loud and hungry. We were just kids with powerful weapons from our father, but we were inexperienced.
Pollux and I were trained to fight men, not monsters. Our lessons with swords and javelins didn't prepare us for that. The odds were impossible, and even with my pride and divine blood, I knew it.
I could respect Alkaios's strength, even if it hurt my pride. His skill in battle was something I couldn't deny, no matter how stubborn I was. Still, it bothered me, because strength alone didn't outweigh tradition.
I could never accept Pollux choosing to marry a commoner. The idea made me feel sick and shocked. Our noble family, built on honor and sacrifice, was now at risk because of this match. It felt like our pure bloodline was being mixed with someone who didn't belong to our class.
To me, this was more than just a marriage. It felt like a betrayal of everything our family believed in. The traditions from our ancestors and the expectations of our heritage seemed to fall apart because of Mother's orders.
Inside, I struggled with mixed feelings: loyalty to my family, wanting to keep our traditions, and the pain of watching Pollux choose a different path. I felt restless, caught between accepting it and fighting back, between pride and sadness.
If Mother wanted to secure Alkaios's family line, Helen seemed like the obvious choice. Everyone wanted her. But Mother and Lord Ares chose Pollux instead.
Even now, the thought made me furious. I felt a burning anger inside me, ready to explode. I was angry with Mother for her coldness and her manipulative plans that always left Pollux and me exposed. Anger towards Lord Ares arose from his harshness and deeds. My anger came from feeling helpless and from failing to protect Pollux. I hated my weakness. I was angry at Father for doing nothing, for not stepping in when Pollux needed him. He just watched as everything fell apart. But most of all, I was angry that Pollux had no choice. They decided her future. The unfairness of it all hurt me deeply, a pain that would never go away.
After I dragged Jason back to training—he tried to skip it again—I saw him. I knew little about Alkaios, but one thing from Mother's letter stood out: Alkaios's hair was the color of fire. My anger finally burst. I grabbed my discus and charged.
"YOU," I shouted at Alkaios, my anger finally breaking free for everyone to see. I threw my discus as hard as I could, pouring all my rage into that one motion. The metal vibrated in my hand before I let go. I watched as my discus flew at Alkaios, spinning through the air toward his throat. The sun flashed on its surface as it cut through the air.
I knew something was off when the teacher didn't step in, even though he could have. As my discus got closer to Alkaios, it suddenly changed direction, as if my father had stepped in, and missed its target. I didn't know what had caused it, which left me confused and frustrated.
That didn't stop me from walking up to Alkaios. If I couldn't hurt him with my discus, I'd use my fists. But before I could do anything, someone unexpected stepped in to save him.
"Pollux, why are you defending him?" I asked, hurt that she would protect the person who was ruining our lives.
"Brother, control yourself. Your behavior is unbecoming of a prince," Pollux scolded me. Her words made me feel small. The idea of Pollux being upset with me hurt more than I wanted to admit.
"Pollux, you know why I'm upset!" I said. Didn't she see? If she married Alkaios, we'd be apart.
"Brother, that may be, but you shame yourself in front of Chiron." Pollux retorted, and I froze as I sensed Chiron's presence.
"Castor, explain yourself!" Chiron's words made me freeze, terrified. The way he spoke hinted at brutal training. Demigod or not, I wouldn't move for days.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but why are you so angry with me, Castor?" I heard the future dead man ask. Alkaios's words angered me; how could he not understand what he'd done?
"Do you understand what you've done?" I demanded, pushing past Pollux and grabbing Alkaios by the tunic. "Because of you, she can't decide her own fate!"
I could see the confusion wash over Alkaios's features. Didn't he know?
"Castor, I don't understand what's happening. Can you explain the problem?" Alkaios asked, and my anger dissolved at his words.
"Didn't you ask Lady Astraea for help in marrying Pollux?" I asked completely bewildered. Alkaios looked just as confused. Had he not asked Lady Astraea either?
"Ask Lady Astraea for what?" Alkaios asked, and I was completely shocked. Who does that? Everyone I knew in Sparta would have done anything to marry into royalty. Yet here was Alkaios, defying everything I knew.
"Why? You could have asked Lady Astraea or even Lord Ares for all you've done," I could not help but ask, letting go of Alkaios.
"Castor, I would never take away Pollux's choice. I don't even know her," Alkaios replied kindly.
I couldn't take my eyes off Alkaios. I'd met no one like him before. Kindness wasn't exactly common in Sparta, though it wasn't unheard of either. How could I possibly hate him? If Alkaios was arrogant, cruel, or had some other flaw, I'd have a reason to dislike him.
It's frustrating that I can't hate Alkaios. Maybe being related to him wouldn't be so bad. Turning away, I saw the pride in Chiron's eyes. Warmth spread through me. Chiron always said my death would be because of my rage and protectiveness of Pollux. I couldn't argue with him; I knew it was true. I knew how I got when Pollux was involved. Chiron had called it my fatal flaw and tried to help me overcome it. Seeing the pride in his eyes felt like a step forward in changing my fate.
Then I saw Pollux's face. Her massive blush, a deep crimson that spread across her cheeks and down her neck, and her looking away from Alkaios, a nervous fidgeting with the hem of her tunic. It was a look of either guilt or infatuation, and either possibility ignited a fresh wave of rage within me. Forget it, I can hate Alkaios. The very sight of them together, even if unspoken, was enough to churn my stomach and poison my thoughts. He, with his charming smile and silver tongue, and she, with her innocent beauty, were a perfect pairing, and the thought of it was unbearable.
I could hear Chiron sigh. Sorry, teacher, I will work on it.
————————————————————————————————————————————
-Alkaios POV-
Well, I can't say Castor wasn't passionate. I don't know why Castor believed I asked Astraea for Pollux's hand in marriage. Not to say Pollux wasn't a catch, but right now I wanted to be strong enough to protect what I love first. Without strength in this era, I wouldn't be able to protect anything.
Chiron did not find Castor's actions amusing, and now Castor was cleaning the mess Heracles and I made.
The mere thought of Heracles made my hands twitch, a grin spreading across my face. Sparring with him was the highlight of my life. The thrill of our clashes sent my heart racing. I instinctively touched my jaw, still feeling the phantom ache there. Luckily, Chiron had experience replacing teeth with the healing magic he'd learned from Apollo. As Chiron himself put it, "Broken teeth are one of the most common injuries on this mountain."
While I was grateful, his words sent a chill down my spine. I glanced at Chiron, wondering just how many times he himself had knocked out his student's teeth.
"Chiron, what did you think of the spar?" I asked. I had a general idea of what I needed to improve, but it would be foolish not to get the expert's opinion.
"Alkaios, I have to admit, your duel with Heracles was quite impressive. I can tell you're well-trained with a sword." I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. "However, I also see you're used to overpowering weaker opponents, and, most importantly, you seem to depend on your blessings," Chiron said.
I stopped walking at Chiron's words. I knew the secret of my Divine Protections would not stay secret forever. It was quite obvious from my protection from arrows; I was not a demigod, so the ability in the eyes of everyone had to come from somewhere. I was confident no one would know my connection to Od Laguna, but they would see the effects of my blessings.
"When did you realize?" I asked, curious, wondering when he'd figured it out.
"Some of my arrows missed you, Alkaios. Even though I wasn't trying to hurt you, I knew I wouldn't miss a target like you. Especially not such an easy one. You must have had some kind of blessing protecting you from them. Then, when you sparred with Heracles, and your speed and strength let you match his blows, I knew for certain." Chiton paused, and I nodded, agreeing with him.
"Alkaios, I must request that you refrain from using your gift during training," Chiron stated. "Alkaios, if you become overly reliant on your blessing, I fear you will die if someone takes it from you."
I didn't argue with Chiron because he was right. I secretly feared that losing the Sword Saint's power would leave me with nothing. That's why I didn't ask for more blessings when I fought Heracles. I needed to face him with the strength I already possessed.
It might have been pride, but I had to understand my own capabilities. Nearly taking down Heracles showed me I could build strength with what I possessed. Still, I got hit, so I still needed to improve.
"I understand Chiron I give you my word." I said to him with determination. A smile came onto Chiron's face at my words.
"My thanks, Alkaios," Chiron said. "Now, let's find you somewhere to rest for a bit." I followed Chiron, and a thought suddenly struck me.
"Chiron, do you think Heracles will be upset about his weapon?" I asked, even though it was just a sparring match. I couldn't help but feel bad that I'd destroyed his weapon.
"I don't believe so," Chiron said with a smile. "Heracles received that club from me, but it was only for training. I daresay destroying his weapon will only motivate him."
The sun dipped towards the horizon, splashing the sky with vibrant orange and purple. The air, which had been heavy with the day's warmth, cooled, carrying the sweet smell of freshly mown grass and the evening's promise. My earlier achievements, the tasks I'd diligently completed, now felt like a firm base beneath me. Relief flooded through me, and a genuine sense of accomplishment settled in. As the day ended, casting long shadows across the lawn, a quiet anticipation stirred within me. I was excited to see whatever tomorrow held.
The future felt wide open, a beautiful mix of chance, excitement, and maybe even a touch of wonder. For a moment, the world's worries faded, leaving me feeling hopeful to see what came next.
//Next Day//
Zeus has to be the most shameless man I ever met. I wanted to talk to Heracles about yesterday and his weapon, but Zeus clearly didn't like his favorite son losing because of a broken weapon. Why else would Heracles suddenly have Marmyadose? There's no way I could not have recognized it after Caster Artoria used it.
Looking into the sky, I could have sworn I heard an eagle mocking me. Its sharp cry pierced through the quiet air, echoing as if nature itself was playing a trick on me. The majestic bird soared effortlessly among the clouds, its wings outstretched against the bright blue canvas above. It was as if Zeus, the King of the Gods, was watching over me with a mischievous grin, reminding me of the power and mystery that lies beyond human control. Well played, Zeus. Well played.
Chapter 11: Heroes of Tomorrow, Part 2 End
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Author's Note: Thanks for waiting for the chapter. This a short chapter that end of the first arc of the story. So we heading to Arc 2. I'm not sure about the pacing at the end. I hope you everyone likes the Castor portion, tried to get his mentality down.
The Weapon in Artoria's hand is Marmyadose. For those that don't know it was originally Heracles.