My Little Worm

One beautiful afternoon in the city of Athens a woman gave birth to the most fairest boy in the city—with golden blonde hair and Deep blue eyes that look as if they're reflecting the ocean it self, the mother was happy the father was overjoyed that he has a son, and then he was named Lykas, Lykas of Athens but unfortunately for him, he's not a prince or a Noble child—but a child of a farmer, not only a farmer but a poor one—at the age of five he had declared he hates his life.

One afternoon the sun was up high in the clouds and it was very hot, even the chickens started to smell like roasted turkey, Lykas five years old, only three feet tall, standing next to his mother in the kitchen, looking at her with his adorable blue eyes, then he spoke.

"Mamma, why am I born poor again." He asked.

But his mother only replied by saying."It because you're ungrateful, now hand me those carrots over there!"

Lykas rolled his eyes, with a dramatic huff he handed his mother the carrots.

"But seriously mamma, why am I not a prince? I have the looks and the attitude of one, that's what Papa said..."

"Lykas, my dear I know that this life is not what you asked for, but you have the love of both parents and food on your plate, and a roof over your head, isn't that enough my dear?"

His mother looked at him with a hurt expression which she tried to hide.

"Mamma... I— I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound ungrateful, from now on, I'll be grateful for what I have."

"Good, now go outside and play with the other kids."

Me? But Mamma I'm not made to play in the dirt that's barbarian behavior!"

His mother let's long sigh. "Fine, you can help me in the kitchen instead."

Evening came everyone ate dinner and little Lykas practically fell asleep on the table, His father stood up to take him to bed but his mother stopped him.

"Dear, you've been working a lot today, let me take him."

"But, love—"

"No buts, you need to rest, I'll take our little beautiful worm to sleep."

"Alright, love, this time make sure he's asleep or else he'll throw stones at the farm animals like last time."

His mother pick Lykas in her arms, his head resting gently on her shoulder.

"That was one time dear, and who could blame him, those animals dispise him for some unknown reason—but alright I'll make sure."

"Good." His father grunted before going to his shared bedroom.

The mother walked quickly and carefully making sure not to wake his adorable son, he then walked into his room, placed him gently on the bed, and tucked him snuggly.

When his mother made sure his comfortable she stood up, but Lykas eyes snapped open.

"Mamma... Where are you going?"

"To bed, sweetheart, why? Do you need something?"

"Can you sing me a lullaby, please mamma..."

He gave his mother those adorable puppy dog eyes, and she completely folded. "Alright, dear, which one do you want me to sing?"

"The one about the soldier."

"It's not a solider sweetheart, but a kind mortal who got blessed by gods for his kindness and bravery."

"Oh... Okay can you sing it for me?"

"Of course."

The mother began to sing, her voice calm and soothing, almost memorizing.

«Εὕδε, τέκνον φίλτατον,

ὑπὸ τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀστέρων·

ἡ Γῆ σε τρέφει πραέως,

ὁ δ' Οὐρανὸς σε φυλάσσει.

Πάλαι ποτὲ θνητὸς τις ἀνήρ,

μόχθῳ καὶ πόνῳ ζῶν,

καρδίαν δ' εἶχεν ἀγαθήν,

ψυχὴν καθαρὰν καὶ γενναίαν.

Οἱ δὲ θεοὶ ἰδόντες αὐτόν

ἐκ χρυσέου Οὐλύμπου,

οὐ πλοῦτον οὐδὲ κράτος εἶδον,

ἀλλὰ ψυχὴν ἀληθινήν.

Ἀθάνατον οὖν ἐποίησαν,

μετὰ θεῶν κατοικεῖν·

ἀστέρων φύλαξ γέγονεν,

αἰεί μνημονευόμενος.

Εὕδε νῦν, γλυκὺ τέκνον,

ἡ Ἠὼς ταχέως ἥξει·

καὶ θνητὸς γὰρ, εἰ ἄξιος,

θεὸς γενέσθαι δύναται.»

This was an old Athenian lullaby about a humble mortal whose kindness moved the gods, earning him a place among them as one of the divine.

By the time she reached the final verse, Lykas was fast asleep.

"Goodnight my little beautiful worm, May Olympus one day bless your gentle soul."

Then she stood up and left his room to go to her own.

The next morning came, the sun was bright annoyingly bright for little Lykas, after a few moments he eventually woke up and dragged himself downstairs, his mother was already making breakfast, he sat down next to his father.

"Good morning Papa, good morning mamma."

"Morning Sweetheart." Said the father.

"Morning my beautiful worm!" Said the mother, her voice cheerful too cheerful.

"Mamma, you're happier than usual... What are you planning?" Lykas said, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Darling, can't a woman just be happy?"

"Fine, but I hope whatever you're planning doesn't involve my hair getting wet, mud all over my face or farm animals."

"Darling, I'm not planning anything—but I do have a surprise for you."

"A surprise, oh Mamma you must tell me!"

"Not now dear." The father spoke.

"Not Now? But when."

"After you finished your breakfast sweetheart." The mother said her voice gentle.

"Okay..."

Moments pass and after finishing their breakfast the family went outside, the mother covering Lykas' eyes, then they stopped, when Lykas' mother opened his eyes, infront of them stands a puppy, a cute golden retriever that looks like it's already tired of Lykas' drama.

Lykas shrieks very loudly and managed to jump onto his father's back.

"Please! Get that mutt away from me!!"

"Lykas, get down from me this instant!!"

"NO!"

"Lykas, honey, it's just a little puppy..." The mother tried reasoning with him.

"But Mamma! It's filthy!"

"No dear, it's clean, your father bathed it before bringing it here—you know, he spent a lot of money for it."

Lykas finally climbed down from his father. "He bathed it? Are you sure? Because father does things halfway and gives up!"

"Lykas!" The mother hissed. "Don't say that about your father! I made sure he fully bathed it, now go and touch it."

"You want me to touch that?!" He shrieked raising a single eyebrow, giving both of his parents a side eye.

"Lykas, listen to your mother."

"Fine." Lykas stepped closer to the pup as if it might explode any minute, then he pets the pup's head with a single finger and stepped back quickly.

"There I touched it."

"Lykas, that's not touching it, you know what... fine if you don't want to touch it it's your choice." The mother said with a weary sigh.

"Can I go inside now? My sandals are getting muddy."

"Of course, my little beautiful worm."

Lykas skipped happily to the door but then he tripped over his feet and fell on his face, he just got up dusted away the dirt from his chiton and continued to skip happily inside. The mother and father watched him go.

"Lydia... You've spoiled him too much, he doesn't want to touch a pup imagine if he dealt with other farm animals when he's older." Said the father.

"I know, I know, I do spoil him, but can you blame me? He's so adorable..." Said the mother.

"And don't act innocent aswell, Lysander, you're the one who buys him anything he wants every time you go to the market." She continued.

"Fine, I'm guilty aswell—but he's my little prince, he deserves everything, I would even buy him all of Athens, if he wants it—as long as it makes him smile." The father said with an expression of pure adoration.

"If only we were rich, he wouldn't have had to work when he got older, he deserves more than this." The mother said with tears welled up in her eyes.

"My dear Lydia don't cry, you are the greatest mother, he deserves you." The father said firmly but affectionately, kissing her forehead.

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