Character Interview with Alexios and Galen

Recently my friend Deanna Wadsworth interviewed Alexios and Galen. Here is what they had to say:

Alexios:
So you turned 18 and have to take a mentor. Can you tell us who those candidates might be?

My father invited a few kings from the neighboring city-states.

King Andronikos of Maroneia is a merchant. He's all soft from easy living. All he can talk about is trade routes. Even though he spoke of training guards for his caravans, I don't think he does it. He doesn't seem very exciting.

King Theocritus of Abdara is a braggart who needs to leave other people's belongings alone! <Scowl>

King Philon of Doriscus is an old man who seems nice. He gave me some good advice.

King Lykos of Aenus is a sexy warrior. <Blush!> I mean... he is strong and you can tell he leads his own men into battle. I could learn to be a great general from him, conquer my own kingdom even! He also has a navy.

What happens after you choose a mentor?

Since my mentor will have to be a king, I will go to live in his house.

Why a king?

Because a mentor can't just be my equal. The only person here in Dicaea who has the social status to be my mentor is my father. So Father invited some kings to my coming-of-age celebration. He's trying to force me to take a bride as well. <Grimace>

I'll probably return with one of the kings to their polis when they leave here. Then I will start learning how to govern a kingdom. And hopefully learn war instead of trade.

You have grown quite fond of your slave Galen recently, can you tell us how that happened?

I'm not really sure how that happened. I mean he is my slave and we have been together since we were kids. I think for a while when I was younger, he may have been my only friend. He's just always been there for me.

I never really thought of him as anything other than a brother. I think I have always loved him, but I didn't know it. Do you know what I mean? He was there when no one else was. He was the one who picked me up and tended my wounds. How could I not love him? But I just thought that was how everyone felt about their companion.

But when I found out how my father and the other men had been using him, I got so angry. I didn't realize that it was jealousy until later when Theocritus couldn't keep his hands off Galen. It made me mad to see Galen treated that way, as if he was nothing more than someone to warm that vile narcissist's bed!

That's when I decided to protect him and keep him just for myself. I think that made him really happy and that made me feel good. It still took me a couple of days to figure out how I really felt about him.

I like seeing Galen happy. His smile makes him so beautiful. I just wish I had noticed earlier.

You've just taken Galen for your lover. What are you going to do about him when you leave with your mentor?

Why take him with me, of course! I'm not going to leave him here where others can have their way with him. He's mine!

Now if it wasn't confusing enough with all the men in your life, apparently you've caught the eye of one of the gods, Apollo. What is he after?

Does anyone ever know the mind of a god? All anyone can do is try not to catch their attention. It never bodes well when one of the immortals takes an interest in a man. They are either meting out punishment or are seeking to bed you.

I hope he loses interest in me soon.

Galen:
Now Galen, how did you come to be Prince Alexios' slave?

I've been his slave for just over ten years now. I was just a kid back then, only ten years old. I was the second oldest of five children with another on the way. My parent's just couldn't feed us all. My father was a potter and was teaching my older brother and me his trade. I wasn't very good at it.

My younger siblings were too young to bring much coin and my older brother was already helping my father. So they had to sell me to feed the others.

<Gasp!> Your own family?!

<Shrugs> It happens all the time. Poor families can't feed their children and have to make hard choices. At least, I had plenty to eat, warm clothes, and somewhere to sleep with the prince. I could have been sold to someone much worse. Or I and my family might have starved.

The prince bought you?

No, actually his father did. I think I was a birthday present for an unhappy little eight-year-old prince. I was really only expected to play with him and keep him out of trouble at first. I did have some other chores while he was with his tutors and such, but I spent my days mostly with him. I even learned reading, writing, and mathematics with him.

<Chuckle> He said that if he, a prince, had to suffer through it, so did his slave! He always was a handful.

How long have you known him? What can you tell us about him?

I've known him for half my life. <Indulgent Smile> At first, he was just another younger brother for me to take care of. He treated me so well that it was easy to love him as one.

He didn't have many friends. It's hard to have real friends when you're the prince. Everyone is either jealous or trying to use you. So he clung to me and somewhere along the way I quit just loving him like a brother.

It's pretty risky to fall in love with a prince, what were your concerns?

Well, I couldn't just throw myself at him like all the nobles' sons could. Even the female slaves could make eyes at him and do their best to draw his eye. All I could do was try to let him know how I felt about him with everything I did. And hope that he noticed.

It was so hard to see him naked every day and not be able to touch him. <Blush!> I can't believe he couldn't tell I was... <mumble> aroused.

I think I had finally given up on him. I mean, he had only ever been with girls. Hadn't even looked at any of the nobles' sons who courted him. But then he got into an argument with his father when that last king arrived and suddenly he's asking me if I know how to service him?

I was so ashamed! I didn't want him thinking of me like those other men had. I'm not just a vessel for them to slake their lust in! And I didn't want him thinking that I was a defiled slave good for nothing else. I was afraid he would cast me aside because I was no longer good enough to even be his slave.

<Pause to Stare Off into Space> But he was angry. Not at me! But at everyone who had ever touched me. <Eyes Wide with Wonder> He wanted me and didn't care what I had been forced to do. He was angry with his own father for my sake.

<Whispers> And then he said he loved me.

With King Lykos in the picture are you afraid of what that can mean for you and Alexios?

I may just be a slave and he is a king, but I won't just let him have Alexios!

I know that Alexios wants him to be his mentor. I'm no fool; I know how mentors are with their erômenos. But Alexios says he loves me and I will be the one who has his heart even if I have to share his body with the king. <Looks Around, Nervous but Defiant>