Honey Wars Chapter 12

Nikolaos looks up slowly at the response and then right back down. Everyone cheers for the chance of our classmate Nikolaos to be wed into the royal family.

King Agesilaus from a modern age context is one of the longest-ruling Spartan king's ever and one of the most famed due to many written texts from his friend Xenophon. Known as a warrior king despite being physically limited yet that was about it as he diplomatically allowed Sparta to stagger out of its hegemony. 

He also was a passionate lover of Lysander who supported his reign likely to foster his own. Most importantly though being that he has two daughters both by the spread of ear being unmarried.

"Once this boy rests, I request him to be under my mentorship." The king then orders his army in formation and they begin marching on their way leaving us. Georgios and Nero assist Nikolaos as we all walk back. Many rely on others to help them along the way. Eventually, we make it back into our living quarters and our Eiren announces that it is a rare free day.

"Bomonike! Bomonike! Bomonike!" Our class yells in celebration after our Eiren exits with Nikolaos raising a faint thumbs up. Eventually, everyone settles in their own groups notably no one fights or even wrestles due to the physical stress dealt today.

"Nikolaos you're going to be wedded with the princess!" Nero can't hold back his excitement yet Georgios holds off from the notion.

"No Nero the king didn't say he is betrothed to her, he said he can compete for her hand in marriage.." Nero's face becomes relaxed at Georgios's words.

"Well, that's true... But still, the king himself is going to mentor him!" Nero returns to his excitement and Georgios nods in agreement.

"That is true, Nikolaos how do you feel about this?" Georgios questions patting his bed instead of his back.

"I don't know anything about the princess... But I do know everything I can about the king!"

"Nikolaos, there are two princesses." I inform him and his head turns over to me.

"Wait so I get two wives? Hah, you guys got to step up especially as you're in the presence of the great Bomonike!" Both Georgios and Nero make faces of annoyance.

"No, Nikolaos. You can expect the king to bethrow you to only one of them if I'm correct. The older one should be in her 15th year while the other is two years our junior."

"Huh well, I want the older one." Georgios then flicks Nikolaos on the head but Nikolaos doesn't move to get payback as he is completely immobile.

"Guys, let's go out and make sure we prevent any infection from the whips. Nikolaos you stay here and rest... Don't try anything." Nikolaos nods at my words and everyone else follows my lead as my own back cries in pain as everyone seemingly forgot that I stayed standing until the top 5. We then enter into the Greek forest that we have grown accustomed to.

"Group, remember Eiren Adonis?" I question and both nod their heads.

"Well one of the things he taught us was the use of honey for disinfection. I want us to find a beehive and take its honey."

"Alright, but I don't want to be stunned by them. I nominate someone else to do the part of taking the honey. I hope you all understand my hesitation of getting stunned." Nero makes Georgios roll his eyes at the statement.

"Nero there's no need to get stunned at all or at least in the way you're imagining. What we want to do is build a fire underneath the hive and that will drive most of them away. Then one of us will climb up and take out the honeycomb.

 Lastly, we squeeze the honey into a bowl, and voila la we have our honey." Everyone nods at my words with Nero already running to get a bowl from our quarters.

"I'll climb Damon since I'm the lightest. I should be able to get on the branch or something with ease."

"Smart Georgios." I give him a thumbs up and Nero returns with a large bucket. We then venture out trying to find a hive. Eventually, after 10 minutes of searching, we found a hive 20 feet up high on a tree branch.

"Georgios, can you climb that?" My question is received with a quick nod.

"I can't take a whip beating like you and Nikolaos but I know I can do something like this at a level none can match." He then starts climbing despite the fire not even existing yet.

"Woah there Georgios, we haven't even set the fire."

"Oh, you're right." He hops down and we begin placing wood inside an array of rocks. Then place dried leaves and other flammables inside. We all then begin using friction to start the fire and after half an hour of grueling work, the fire starts.

"Ugh finally, Eiren Adonis must be proud of our work hahaha." Nero laughs and Georgios widens his mouth.

"Eiren Adonis would've been too busy running away from Leander," Georgios tells us, making us all laugh as we remember the large man. Georgios not being one to waste time begins climbing with much struggle.

"You got it, Georgios?" Nero asks as many bees begin flying away from the hive.

"Yes! Just let me focus!" Georgios begins making way until he gets 15 feet high.

"Woah this is quite interesting..." He looks down and noticeably sweats from 15 feet away.

"Hey Georgios you can still come down, maybe we don't need the honey!" Nero's kind remark restores vigor into Georgios as he begins reassuming his first climbing journey.

"What now?" Georgios cups his hands for us to hear as he stays straddled on the branch with the hive.

"Go ahead and stick your hand in the hive. You can just throw the honeycomb pieces down to us and we will catch them!"

"Alright!" He yells out as I take off my cloak.

"Quick!" I tell Nero as I motion him to take the other end of my cloak as we stretch it out ready to catch the honeycomb. Georgios begins dropping the honeycomb ignoring any bees lurking near him. After a while, Georgios then begins coming down as we have caught all the honeycomb.

"Right on guys!" Nero high-fives the both of us once Georgios makes it down. We then start squeezing the honey out of the honeycomb into our bowl.

"So do we just throw this stuff away?" Nero asks, pointing to the honeycomb wax, I shake my head no and grab a piece. Then I eat it, enjoying its sweet flavor and the others join in.

"Woah this is so different from bread!" Georgios can't hold back a smile as Nero keeps his face down scarfing down the edible snack.

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"Hey, you got our honey!" We look over and see 3 older paides approaching, all appearing to be aged 13 except one.