As queen Gabrielle and her war party came closer to their destination, the young woman thought of Xena and Tarren. She had seen the fallen forms of Argonians along the trail so she knew that the Warrior Princess had made it this far. However where she was and whether little Tarren was now with her was still unknown to the worried bard. She glanced at the line of Amazons riding silently behind her and sighed. “ I hope you know what you’re doing Gabrielle,” she mumbled, as her fingers ran from the edge of her trusty staff to the grip of an unfamiliar queen’ sword strapped to the side of her saddle.
The young queen touched the weapon tentatively as if afraid it carried some great disease. Yet when her fingers tightened around the hilt she felt nothing but the steady and even weight of a tool she might need in battle. Her hand fell away from the staff and she removed the sword from its sheath. “Maybe it’s time I face the fact that a queen carries a sword into battle…not a staff.”
Gabrielle’s muscles tensed as she thought about the Argonians and how their ruthless interference in her life had caused death and despair and taken away the people she loved the most in the world. As her thoughts darkened her grip on the hilt grew tighter until without even noticing, the young queen of the Amazons was holding the majestic weapon in a two fisted grip over her head. “Amazons ahead,” she yelled with such fervor that her words alone sent the group into a faster gallop toward their destination.
The queen
stood and faced the Amazons that had formed as a group before her. “I have had enough. I am an Amazon.
I would rather die a warrior’s death than live like this even for another
moment,” she announced to the small crowd of familiar faces and those few that she
knew still sat in the darkness on the other side.
There was
the soft rumble in the crowd.
“What
would you have us do my queen?” Solari asked jumping to her feet ready to take any
action ordered.
The reply
was fast and without question. “Fight!”
Again there
was a rumbling in the group only this time louder.
“How?
What is this plan of yours and this child’s,” the Amazon of the east asked
pointing to the little girl leaning weakly against the wall. “What do we fight
with?”
Ephiny let
out a long breath and took a step toward the young Amazon as she addressed the entire
group. “Are we so dependant on our weapons that we can no longer use our
brains?” She looked at the faces of her warriors. “The first Amazons of long ago
would have made use of anything at their disposal whether it was a rock or a twig. Everything can be used. It is all in how we match our brains with our
bodies and our skills.”
The child
coughed and the once stiff queen moved quickly back to the little girl and nestled the
youngster close to her heart as she ran her hand up and down the young one’s back to
soothe the pain of the illness and loneliness of a mother’s absence. “We must
work together as one people. There can be no separation in this. It is all or nothing. If you are with me speak,” she yelled
ignoring the odd stares of foreign faces that surely wondered how a queen would expend so
much energy on one child.
Ephiny silenced her own band with the wave of her hand knowing they would surely follow
their queen.
There was a long silence and then the familiar young Amazon from
the eastern tribe stepped forward. “I am
Dawn. Tyrell was my best friend and I will
avenge her at any cost. I am an Amazon and I will gladly fight beside you and, if I must,
I will die like an Amazon on my feet and in battle.”
Ephiny nodded and reached up to offer her free arm to the young woman. “We will give these Argonians a fight they
will not forget Dawn of the east. We will
honor all that have died.” She paused for a
moment as she thought of Shalia. “We
will honor them more if we honor those that still
live first.” She glanced at the child in her arms. “Do you understand?”
Dawn nodded
in understanding. “Yes Queen Ephiny. We
will honor all,” she replied, lowering her head respectively to her new leader.
Soon many unfamiliar faces stepped forward to introduce themselves to the queen and offer
their allegiance in this still undisclosed plan of battle.
The time for merely talking amongst them selves was over. It was now time to see if the Amazons of many
tribes could truly bond together as one people again.
Ephiny held
her head high as she watched the tribes of the Amazon people join together as one nation
to fight an old and still common enemy.
Tarren
grinned as she ran her small but weak hand up to touch her friend’s face. “I’ll fight with ya Aunt Eph. If ya want me,” she said with a cough,
realizing that her size and sickness made her of no real use.
The queen smiled at the red-faced child and closed her eyes. She could feel the shivers
that ran through the small figure’s body and knew that the sickness was getting
worse. “Are you kidding Junior? I couldn’t do this without you. Why you’re my secret weapon…just like your Momma.”
The little girl coughed again and grabbed onto the queen’s arm for protection. “Just like my Momma. “ She smiled and reached her hand
down to the side of her boot yanking out her chucks.
“You can use my chucks Aunt Eph….” She paused as she glanced at her
most prized possession in the world, the first part of her mother she had ever known.
“But ya gotta give them to Momma when you’re all done. They’re really hers and she let’s me
keep them cause she loves me ya know.” There
was a sniffle and a tear ran down the little girl’s face as she stared at the metal
weapons.
Ephiny held the odd wands in her hands and nodded. “No you’ll give them to your Momma yourself,” she replied, wanting to
reassure the child that she would be reunited with her warrior mother very soon.
Tarren
grinned and wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. “Ok but you gotta clean them. That’s the rule. Whoever uses them last cleans them,” she said
quietly.
“Fair
enough.” Ephiny stared at the wands. She
had seen Xena using these odd and intricate weapons with great expertise as the Warrior
Princess had demonstrated a maneuver for her child in a drill on a private field one
morning on the trail a week earlier.
Tarren had
done a fair imitation after only having been shown the movement once demonstrating that
she truly was the daughter of the Warrior Princess.
Ephiny took
a deep breath as she remembered how Xena had playfully tossed the small child in the air
telling her how proud she was of her. The
queen had stared for only a few moments and then had chosen to walk away leaving the
parent and child to their private time.
Ephiny
closed her eyes and thought of her young son as she caressed the cool metal of the
child’s weapon. She looked into the blue glazed eyes of her young charge. “Ya
know Junior, with these weapons of yours we might just have a chance of getting out of
here in one piece.”
Tarren
smiled at the words and then as if caught by a blinding light froze. Her vision turned inward and she could see the
figure of her mother riding atop Argo heading down a dark trail.
“Momma…Momma’s coming.” The
youngster started flailing arms and legs in an attempt to touch that which she could only
see in her mind.
Ephiny did
what she could to hold the child but was forced to lower her to the muddy floor just to
restrain the dazed youngster. “Tarren
it’s me…It’s Ephiny…Look at me youngster,” she ordered, pulling
the little girl’s chin in her direction.
The small
child stalled in her flurry of anxious movement to lock eyes on the queen. She ran her
face along the edge of the mud. “Momma…Momma’s
comin Aunt Eph…I can see her. She’s
real close and she’s on Argo and she’s coming for me Aunt Eph…My
Momma’s comin for me,” she cried.
Ephiny
closed her eyes and ran her hand down the child’s cheek. “Of course she is Junior. I told you she would,” she replied, forcing a
large lump down her throat.
Tarren ran
her small fingers across the muddy floor and then wiped her hot cheeks with the dark muck. “Mommy says mud’s good to cool off stuff
as long as ya take your clothes off first.” She rolled around a bit trying to remove
her tunic.
The queen grabbed the little one firmly by the hands.
“Tarren no you can’t do that,” she said sternly.
Still the
little girl struggled to fight with all her little might.
Ignoring the
eyes of the crowd that were now watching the queen, Ephiny mustered all the parental
authority she could. “Tarren I said no and I mean it.
Stop doing that now. You have to leave
your clothes on so do as I say right now!”
Recognizing
the familiar tone as that of her mother’s, the small child immediately ceased in her
efforts and fell back against her friend allowing her tears to fall freely.
“But…but…Aunt Eph I’m real hot and Momma say the mud is cool and
I’m hot and I want my Momma.”
Ephiny took
a deep breath and lifted the little girl back into her arms seating herself on a large
boulder beside the fire. “I know
youngster and I’m sorry.” She wiped off some of the mud with the tips of her
fingers. She tried to soften her tone the way she had seen Xena do for Tarren. “And I
know mud is good for a fever sometimes but
it’s too cold in here too cover you in wet mud. We need to keep you as dry and warm
as we can until Xena comes. Ok?”
The child sniffled but nodded. “OK Aunt Eph if you say so. You’re the boss until Momma comes.” Tarren shrugged. “Wanna play Warrior Princess Aunt Eph?” She coughed again deeper and longer than before as she stared down at the cooling mud. “I’m a Warrior Princess in training ya know.”
The queen
frowned as she placed the youngster’s make shift blankets over the small shivering
form. “You sure are kid…you’re just
like you’re Momma.” Ephiny
stared at the mud on her own hands and smiled as she remembered how the youngster had
played Warrior Princess with Eponon back at the village.
She kissed the little girl on the cheek. “Tarren
you just rest while I get our plan into action,” she said with a wide grin.
The youngster smiled at the unexpected show of affection.
“Aunt Eph can I have some candy?” she asked reaching around the floor
lost in a feverish thought that she was on her pallet in the royal hut and the bag of
confections was still neatly hidden under the mattress.
Ephiny grabbed the little girl’s hand and squeezed it tight. “Junior, as soon as we get back to the
village I’ll get you all the candy you can
eat.”
The
youngster smiled broadly and brought her attention back to the queen wondering if her
regal friend knew just how much confection she had just promised.
Ephiny
rubbed the youngster’s head affectionately and looked to her warriors.
“Solari…Gruella…Get anything you can find that will hold water and fill it
up. It’s time to get to work.”
Without asking what this great plan involved each just bowed and jumped into action
without question.
The eastern
Amazon, Dawn, stepped closer to the regal Amazon holding the child. “Queen Ephiny may
I ask just what your plan is for our escape?”
The queen looked at the sick little girl in her arms and then at the Amazon of the east.
She tightened her hold on the youngster’s weapons and smiled. “Yes Dawn. We are going to play a little game called Warrior Princess.”
Tarren
grinned hoping she would be allowed to play the game too.
Xena studied
the trees and the trails looking for the best path to lead her into the open field that
lay just ahead. The openings to the caves were nearly in plain sight. She could see them from the thicket she had
positioned herself in to get a look at the outlay of the terrain. Everywhere she looked
the trees above had been bent and tied to block out the beauty of the hot sun. Surely the entire field would have the same
protection. She reached for her chakrum and
smiled. “Looks like I’m gonna be doing some pruning all the way down,” she
purred, ready to cut the ropes and let the light pour in.
There was no
reason to hide her approach when she knew that she had been watched from the moment she
took to the trail. However, if she caused
enough of a threat and a commotion then perhaps the Argonians would come to her and take
their attention away from their captives long enough for Ephiny to make an escape. The
warrior knew that her Amazon friend would not just sit idly by for too long.
Suddenly
Xena grabbed her temples and dropped her weapon as she felt a piercing yell filling her
mind. “Momma we need you.” It was repeated again.
“Momma we need you.”
Xena steadied herself and regained control of her breathing. “Tarren.” She closed her eyes and remembered the cave-in at Goden and how with the old mystic’s help the warrior mother had been able to send a message to her child with her thoughts. “Tarren baby, I’m coming. Please hold on. I’m coming,” she said, hoping with all her heart the words had the power to make it to her little girl’s mind.
With a deep
breath the warrior threw her weapon cutting all the bindings on the branches above. Holding her hand straight in the air she caught
her returning chakrum. “I hear you Tarren. I
feel you and I’m coming for you.” With
a new faith in her daughter’s well being and a strange sense of guidance, the mother
sprinted back to the tethered horse on the trail. Once
in the saddle she kicked Argo into a full gallop. “I’m
coming,” she whispered knowing there was now no force in creation that could keep her
from her child.
Ephiny
glanced at her surroundings and smiled. All
was going just as planned so far.
“Whatever
happens now…we are all Amazons standing together,” she said to the empty air. “Artemis is with us all.”
There was
silence.
The queen
took a deep breath and knelt beside Tarren. “It’s almost time
youngster…This is not going to be easy and I may have to do a lot of…bad stuff…to get you out but I want you to
know that no matter what it takes I will get you to safety. Ok partner?”
The
child’s eyelids were drooping so low her blue eyes were barely visible. “You
wanna be my partner like Momma is Aunt Eph?” she asked in such a low voice the queen
had to move closer to hear her.
Ephiny ran
her hands through the youngster’s hair and nodded. “If you don’t
mind…just until she comes.”
Tarren was now lost in a stream of faded memories and a delirium of fever. “Ok but I
don’t have any good ideas for escaping just yet.
I’m still thinkin on it,” she replied, letting her head drop lazily to
one side.
Knowing the
child had been made well aware of the plan that already existed and had already forgotten
it concerned the Amazon queen. “Tarren we have a plan.
You helped already. Do you remember
your part?” she asked nervously.
“Uh
huh.” The little girl swallowed and blinked her eyes and the queen could see how weak
the youngster had become. “Aunt Eph?” The words were low and pleading.
Ephiny held
the small hand in her own as she caressed the child’s face gently. “Yeah
Junior.”
“Can
you do me favor?” the youngster asked as a tear made its way from the corner of her
eye down her cheek.
The Amazon
queen wiped the stream of liquid away with a single finger. “Sure kid. What do you
need?”
Tarren
opened her eyes as wide as she could and bit her lip as she stared at her friend.
“Can you tell Momma and Gabby I love em?”
All the
darkness and gloom that surrounded the queen seemed to drop away as she was reminded of a
little girl’s dedication to her family.
Ephiny lowered her eyes a bit and took a deep breath. “You can tell them yourself as
soon as we get out of here,” she replied, knowing the little girl was growing weak
very fast. The cold and damp air of the cell
and lack of medicine was making something very bad much worse.
The youngster lifted her small hand and touched the queen’s face. “I will but
will you tell them too. I wanna make sure they know. Will ya tell them for me…and
tell Momma I’m real glad she’s my Mommy…and I love…her lots and I
wish….” The broken words were halted by a spill of tears from a child aching to
be held by a warrior mother.
Ephiny
closed her eyes. “Sure I’ll tell them all that stuff but only because you’ll probably be sleeping a
lot after we get you back to a nice warm bed.”
Tarren smiled at the thought of the large pallet with the crackling fire in the royal hut
she shared with her family. “And will you do something else for me Aunt Eph?”
The time was
coming close for action but the queen would not deny this little wonder anything if she
could. “What’s that youngster?” she asked.
Tarren bit her lip and lowered her eyes not sure if she was being disrespectful to an
elder with her next request. ”Can ya not yell at Eponon so much? I know she acts real big and tough and everything but she gets real sad when she thinks you’re mad at her. I like her lots.
She’s fun to play with and I don’t want her to be sad.”
The queen gave a sad little laugh and lowered herself closer to the little girl’s
ear. “You have my word that Eponon will
be very happy…I’ll try real hard not
yell at her. Ok?”
The small child smiled weakly at the response. “Thanks.”
“You’re
welcome,” the queen replied staring at the small child in absolute amazement.
Tarren took a deep breath and the queen noted the steady wheeze now in the
youngster’s lungs. “Aunt Eph?”
The Amazon
ran her hands up and down the child’s weapons that had been placed in her care.
“Yeah kid?”
The words
were soft and filled with innocence but came straight from the little girl’s heart.
“I love ya.”
Ephiny
cleared her throat in an attempt to hold back the rush of unfamiliar emotions pushing
forth. “I love you too Tarren…Now…Uh…Let’s stop all this mushy
stuff and kick some butt. Ok?”
The child
tried to smile but instead coughed so hard that Ephiny had to hold her until the fit
passed. The little girl took long hard breaths but still smiled at her friend. “Uh huh. Partners?”
The queen
tasseled the little girl’s hair. “You better believe it.” She smiled.
“You know I’ve never been partners with a real
Warrior Princess in training before. I
must say that I’m excited,” she said wanting the little one to feel important in
the ongoing plan that was about to unfold.
Tarren
grinned as widely as she could. “Really?”
“Yeah
really.” Ephiny stood against the backdrop of the dark cavern. She glanced at the small form lying on the ground
beside her. “Are you ready Junior?”
she asked noting how weak and pale the little girl looked even in the dimness of the
shadows from the firelight.
The child
coughed and waved her hand. “Uh
huh…Momma’s coming Aunt Eph. I told her to hurry cause we need her help. She said she’s on her way. ” She again
let her head drop lazily to one side. “Momma’s
coming…I can see her Aunt Eph. I can
feel her.” The words were now just a mere whisper not even to be heard.
Ephiny closed her eyes and refocused her thoughts on the task at hand. Tarren was ill, very ill, and if the youngster was
to have even a fighting chance at survival, the warrior queen knew she had to get the
child to a healer quickly. “I know she
is Junior. You just keep calling her and Xena
will find you,” she whispered, wondering if the little girl could truly communicate
with her thoughts or it was just he wishful fever dreams of a very sick little girl.
“Ok
Aunt Eph…let’s kick butt.” The child coughed again but focused her thoughts
on the sight of her mother and in her mind screamed out all the agony and fear which were
now consuming this small child’s mind and body.
Xena’s
movement came to a fast halt when she suddenly felt a searing pain in her head causing her
to place both hands at the side of her temples in an attempt to grasp the power of what
was breaking through her thoughts. She nearly fell from her horse as he felt a rhythm of
pain shoot through her body. The mother regained her control but in that one flash of
lucidity could sense the life force slipping from her young daughter’s grasp. “Tarren no!”
Penela stood her ground before the Amazons of every tribe that rode angrily into the now empty compound.
“What
is this all about Penela?” the angry queen of the north growled, seeing that their
was not even a single Amazon none the less an alliance of them. “Is this some kind of
trick?”
The old
queen looked at the large group of angry faces surrounding her and smiled sorry that she
herself ever been that foolish. She waved her hand and pointed to the dead bodies of the
Argonians lying in the center of the compound. “No this is about being an Amazon. Now is your chance to decide whether you are one
or ever really wish to be one.”
Queen and
regents looked to their warriors and then to the dead bodies of the strange creatures.
Penela took
a step forward. “Are you Amazons or not?” she screamed as she waited to be
joined in battle or struck down by her own people as a traitor.
Ephiny took
a deep breath and swung the chucks freely at her side.
“Hey guard.” She watched as the shadow of a large head passed the small
opening at the top of the door. “That means you ...ugly bastard,” she taunted.
A figure came to the steel door and Ephiny could see his dark features through the shadows of the small metal bars. “Shut up woman.”
The queen had gotten his attention. “That’s right you
leather skinned son of a bachae. I’m
talking to you,” she said casually twirling the weapon beside her and spewing out as
many profanities as she could think of.
Tarren coughed and allowed a weak smile hoping she could remember some of her
friend’s words for future reference. Some
were not yet on her mother’s forbidden list so those were each safe to make one
appearance without fear of retribution.
The guard
growled at his prisoner’s disobedience. “What
do you want woman?” he asked with obvious
disgust for her gender.
Ephiny took
a step closer. “I just wanted to say
goodbye. As you can see all of my friends
have left and I’m going to be leaving soon myself, but I wanted to at least give you a proper farewell,” she said motioning to
the darkness around her.
The guard laughed at the thought. “You
called me here to waste my time Amazon. For that you shall not eat today,” he warned.
“Sure I
will. I’ll be eating the skin from your bones…after
I leave that is.” Ephiny grinned at the confused Argonian. “Well why don’t you just take a look
around for yourself gruesome. You’ll see
that all my friends are gone.” She motioned
to Tarren. “This child and I are all that remain here…look.” She waved her
hand around the dark cell knowing the guard’s adapted vision would allow him to see
through the darkness as she did the daylight.
The guard
cocked his head and looked inside to see that sure enough the cavern was empty. He could see no one but the Amazon queen and the
sickly child in his filtered light. “It can’t be,” he said with a growl. “Where did they go? How did they get out?” he yelled showing the
whites of his pointed fangs.
The trap had
been set.
“Sorry
but Artemis…whoops I’m not supposed to say.” Ephiny steadied herself as she
heard the tumblers in the lock moving. He was
coming in.
Tarren
closed her eyes and again thought of her mother feeling the grip of the cold around her
slipping away and the pain of the cough in her chest fading with view of everything else
around her.
The door
swung open and the large guard entered cautiously waving his blade in every direction,
expecting an attack. But the Amazons were
nowhere in sight. “Ok woman where did they go? How did they escape?” he repeated through
clenched teeth.
Ephiny grinned and gave an evil little laugh. “Now you didn’t think a piece of low
blooded, stale smelling, centaur shit like you could hold the pride of the Amazon nation. You’re people could not defeat us in the time
of Reea and they will not dare hold us
now,” she said feeling her own muscles tighten.
He growled and swung his blade in her direction.
Ephiny
twirled the wands and with a quick snap of her wrist blocked the blade.
Realizing
the agile queen now posed a threat the guard took a step back. “Ok woman. If you will not talk to me then you will speak to
Barlon.” He made a sound resembling an
eerie whistle and soon four more armed guards had entered the cell.
Ephiny stepped back until she was pressed against
the wall feigning fear at their approach.
The guard
smiled and motioned his men forward. “Oh so now you are afraid. Well it will do you
no good,” he growled. “Cease her and kill that child. Her coughing has been
getting on my nerves all day.”
That was the
one thing Ephiny needed to hear to kick her greatest skills as a warrior into action.
The four
Argonians closed in on the Amazon.
Ephiny
looked at the sick child and grinned. “It’s
your call Junior,” she whispered.
The child
smiled weakly but mustering all her followed through on the one task the queen had
assigned the Warrior Princess in training. “Mud
fight!”
Soon the
floors turned into a sea of dark hands and from the walls stepped down Amazon warriors
caked in the dark wet dirt of camouflage known to a small child as only mud.
Soon there
were the howls of Amazon warrior’s making their attack.
Ephiny moved
in with the chucks and disarmed the surprised guard giving her the most precious gift of
all, a sword. Soon the muddy Amazons stood
victorious and had in their possession five such weapons and an open door.
The queen
placed the chucks in her waist belt and motioned her warrior’s to take the point as
she reached down for the little girl she had come to love. “Time to go Junior.”
She knelt down beside the coughing child and lifted her gently into her arms. “Hey that was some fight. Wasn’t it
Junior?” she asked, noting that the little girl had barely spoken a word or coughed.
There was no response.
“Tarren?”
Ephiny touched the youngster’s burning forehead and felt her insides crumble. “By Artemis no.” She grabbed a piece of
leather from one of the fallen guards and strapped the child tightly to her back. “You just hang onto Aunt Eph Junior. Don’t you give out on me now…Not with
your momma on the way.”
The one word with the power to offer strength had been spoken.
There was a
low cough and a faint whisper. “Momma? My Momma’s comin.”
The queen
sighed with relief knowing there was still some spark of life in the small child. “That’s right and she’s gonna be
pretty pissed off when she sees the mess we made, so don’t you go leaving me to
explain everything all by myself,” she said choking on her words.
Tarren tried to smile but instead a louder cough just emerged. “It’s Ok Aunt Eph. I love ya.” She
closed her eyes and tried to send a message with her thoughts. “Mommy...Don’t be
sad. I love ya lots always.”
There was no
laughter. There were no smiles. Instead only the tears of a small child fighting
with all her strength to hold on until her hero, her mother, the Warrior Princess arrived
to save the day.
Ephiny
reached behind her and grabbed the child’s hand.
She swallowed an all too familiar lump in her throat. “Don’t you worry kid…We are getting
the hell out of here right now and I promise you
that your Momma will be waiting for you.”
Somehow Ephiny was now sure that Xena was lurking somewhere outside the caves and the queen knew she had to get her band of half starved warriors out of the dark cell and too the warmth of daylight.
Ephiny
secured the youngster tightly to her back and motioned the last of her warriors forward
and with Gruella and Solari at her side she herself took up the rear.
As she
moved, the queen could hear the cries of her people as those warriors still unarmed tried
valiantly to fight in vain against a heavy sword blade.
She moved to one side of the dark and narrow corridor knowing that before she could
offer her own life to her people and Artemis she had to find safety for Tarren. With one final breath she pushed forward giving
the order that would forever be remembered and repeated by all as the time the Amazon
people were one again. “Amazons attack!”
There was
the hoops and hollers of Amazon warriors running gallantly into a fight and then the cries
and screams of the countless who fell to the ground in an attempt to pave the way for
their sisters
Ephiny ran
her hands along the wet walls of the dark corridor. It
was so dark and lonely that she could almost feel a certain pity for anyone or thing
confined to live in such a lifeless place. She tapped Tarren on the leg and heard a slight
grumble that let the mighty queen know that her young friend was still amongst the living.
The great
queen pushed forward until the sound of the battle ahead was mixed with the sight of a
very pale light from the outside world breaking through the entrance of an above ground
covering of some kind. It had been carefully covered over with brush and branches and
packed from underneath with mud but a beam of pale light made it’s way through.
“So that’s how they disappear so fast. They must have these covered holes all
over the woods,” she mumbled, pulling away at the wet moss and dirt until she had
cleared an exit to the fresh air above.
The queen
heard Solari yelling up ahead that they were nearing the entrance to the cave. Ephiny fought every warrior instinct in her body
that screamed to her to take a sword and join the battle but instead yelled. “Take to the open fields. I’m going up here.”
Before
climbing to the surface the queen noticed how the light fell on the fallen bodies of an
Argonian and an Amazon just a few paces away. Each body had a sword protruding from the
chest. Ephiny leaned down and pulled the
fatal blade from Gruella’s body. She
touched the instructor’s shoulder and closed her eyes.
“You fought well warrior. Join Artemis now,” she whispered, as she closed
her warrior’s eyes.
With a heavy breath Ephiny scurried up the hole until she was standing in the center of a
large grassy field just outside the caves. The
battle below could still be heard. The cries
of her friends and fellow Amazons were nearing closer to the outside world. The Amazons
were pushing their way to the cave entrance and freedom.
Ephiny
looked overhead at the bent trees that masked the strong light and frowned.
“Damn!” They would have to fight
without the benefit of the sun to warm them or to hinder their enemy.
The queen
ran to the edge of the field and placed Tarren under a tree as far from the battle as she
could allow the child to be.
Ephiny knelt
beside the little one for a moment and ran a tender hand over the burning far head. She knew the little girl was weak and running out
of time. “Hang in there just a bit
longer kid.”
The little girl’s eye’s popped open and she smiled. “Aunt Eph…Aren’t ya gonna go kick
some butt?”
The queen closed her eyes and nodded as she looked into the distance to the dwindling band
of Amazons that had pushed their way into the world of the light and living. “Yeah Junior.
I’m gonna do just that, so you stay here.”
Tarren nodded. “I’ll be
Ok…Don’t worry about me.”
Ephiny swallowed hard at the youngster’s brave words.
“You really are just like your
Momma.”
Tarren grinned and then coughed as she watched the queen sprint off toward the battle
sword held high above her head ready to take on as many attackers as she could possibly
reach.
The little
girl felt a chill run up and down her spine and again her vision turned inward to a bright
and clear place.
The
youngster smiled broadly and reached out her arms as she saw the image of her mother
riding fast and hard on Argo’s back.
Tarren could
feel the pain and love emanating from her mother and reached up to embrace the warrior. “Momma I’m here.”
The warrior
mother of the youngster’s thoughts could not hear the child’s cries but the
Argonians did.
Tarren
pulled herself to her feet and concentrated on the vision of what she believed was her
approaching mother. Stumbling and falling but
moving with as much speed as her little legs could must the youngster raced into the
forest sure her mother was only a few paces away. “Momma. Momma I’m here.”
Hearing the
little girl’s plea, Ephiny turned from her fight to see the child disappear into the
woods pursued by two Argonians. “Tarren
No!” she yelled but it was too late. The child was gone, and the queen was surrounded
by a dozen blades all wanting to share in the taste of her blood.
Each raised
their blade in the air wanting to be the first to strike but their actions were stopped by
one lone figure moving through the insurrection.
It was Barlon. He pushed passed his men and faced
the queen who held her blade straight in front of her willing to die with at least one
Argonian on her sword.
“So you
and your Amazons wish to die like your ancestors. So
be it. However you woman shall die by my hand.” He motioned
toward the other Amazons still caught in a useless fight against too many swords. “Take the living back to the cage, “ he
ordered one of his nearby men. He glared at Ephiny. “I will deal with this one…personally.”
The
remaining Amazons immediately formed a protective circle around their queen. “We fight and die as Amazons right My
Queen?” Solari asked with her chin held
high.
A familiar
young Amazon of the eastern tribes agreed. “Yes my Queen. We live or die as one people.”
Ephiny nodded proudly at each of her comrades. “As you say my friends…as
Amazons.” She twirled her blade in front of her and grinned. “It will be my pleasure to watch the life
drain from your eyes pig,” she growled at Barlon, determined to take him if no one
else.
Barlon’s
breath became fast and his long fang like teeth appeared. “Kill them all,” he
yelled.
However before the Argonians could move forward there was the sound of a familiar battle cry and then the sight of a tall leather clad warrior racing toward the battle seated on a great war-horse. She tossed a circular weapon to the trees above slicing all the bindings that held the branches as a mask over the field and bringing forth the bright rays of the sun.
Ephiny
turned and watched as the great Warrior Princess moved, as if caught in slow motion,
swinging her sword high in the air above her and knocking Argonians one after the other to
the ground. “Xena!”
The mere
mention of the name seemed to bring a new strength to the Amazons and soon the fighting
had begun again with a new fervor, a new force and a new friend.
Barlon
raised his blade in the air to strike at Ephiny but before the sword could hit it’s
mark a leather whip cracked in the air pulling it from his hand.
Ephiny
turned and with lighting speed drove her own blade in to the evil ruler before he could
regain his weapon or use his power as leader to call to the clouds for help.
Barlon held
his bloody wound only for a moment and then smiled. “Death…finally….”
His eyes rolled upward and his body slid to the ground just as the warhorse with the
whip-wielding warrior came to a sudden halt beside Ephiny.
The queen
rushed to meet her friend. “Xena thank you I…”
”Eph where’s Tarren?” the mother asked nervously scanning the grounds for
her child.
The queen swallowed hard and pointed to the woods. “She ran that way calling your
name.” She paused and lowered her eyes. “She
knew you’d come for her Xena.”
Xena yanked
on the reigns and looked at the still unbalanced battle raging before her. The Amazons
were still vastly outnumbered.
Ephiny
motioned her friend away. “Go find your
daughter warrior. We’ll take care of this matter…Hurry the kid is very
sick.”
Xena nodded
to her friend. “I’ll try and get back.” With a quick kick of her heels the
warrior rode away from the fight to find her child before it was too late.
Ephiny took
a deep breath and looked at her small band of warriors fighting against what she counted
as more than 100 Argonians. The open sky had
offered some protection but the Argonians were still worthy opponents.
The queen
tightened her hold on her blade and readied herself to enter the fray knowing her life
would be given up quickly in the name of her people.
However before she could take another step the sound of a hundred hoof prints
coming from two directions filled the air.
Sheloppa pulled her sword from a bloody victim tilted her head to one side and smiled as
she watched Amazons on horseback break through the trees straight onto the open field in a
full charge led by a small blond holding a borrowed sword straight in the air. “Amazons attack!”
Hearing the
familiar voice ordering in a now commanding tone, Ephiny turned to see Gabrielle leading
an entire tribe into battle. “By Artemis now I’ve lived to see it all.” Ephiny smiled and ran into the center of the
battle knowing the odds had changed just a bit in their favor and the war that never was
100 years before was about to happen now.
Meanwhile….
Tarren raced
through the woods until she reached an empty trail. Using
all the strength that was in her small fever racked body the child stood looking down the
path sure she would see her mother’s image riding on the great war horse just as the
youngster had seen in her thoughts. However the trail was empty and the small child was
alone…or was she.
“Momma!”
Tarren continued to call but there was no response so little girl bit her lip and dropped
to her knees in tears as she now whispered her cries.
“Momma…I’m
here. Come get me please. Where are ya
Momma?” The little one stared at the vacant land around her as she felt her limbs
crumble and the tears flow from her eyes. “Mommy!” The word rung through the trees like an echo lost
in time but the child could not see her mother. However
two approaching Argonians saw Tarren and held their swords high ready to take the life of
the warrior’s child.
Tarren fell
back against the dirt. She had no weapon and
no strength to even run. The youngster
struggled to get to her feet and meet these two attackers standing just as any good
Warrior Princess in training would do.
The
youngster bit her lip and tried to stifle a heavy cough as she watched the men approach. She closed her eyes and looked to the sky. “Love ya lots Momma,” she whispered,
knowing it might be the last time she ever got to speak those words.
The two
Argonians moved without hesitation swords held high eager to for any life they could take
in this battle, even if it was only one of a small and very sick child.
The first
Argonian smiled and was about to drop his blade when his actions were quickly halted by
the movement of a spinning disk cutting through the jugulars of both attackers sending
them quickly to their god.
Little
Tarren turned around and saw her mother racing down the path on the large horse her cape
blowing in the air high above. “Momma!”
The child
reached out her arms but there was just no strength left in her body so she just crumbled
to the ground in a small heap still calling out her mother’s name hoping it was not
another vision.
“Tarren!”
Xena jumped from Argos back and raced to her youngster’s side lifting the little girl
into her arms. “Tarren…Tarren baby
it’s me…It’s Momma. I’m
here. Everything is Ok now.” The warrior wiped tears from her own eyes as she cradled
the weak child. “Momma’s here and I’m gonna take care of you…I
promise.”
The small child reached up a weak hand and ran it across her mother’s now tear
stained face. “I knew you’d come
Mommy. I knew you would…cause ya love me
right?”
Xena held
the little as close to her heart as she could as she removed her cape and placed it snugly
around the little one’s shivering form. “Oh
yeah I love you lots and lots…baby,” the mother replied, knowing the youngster
was very sick and time was short if she was to save her child.
As the
warrior mother considered the best path back to the village there was a the sudden crunch
of twigs from the ground behind and the warrior knew that there were now at least five
Argonians with swords drawn waiting behind her. She
placed the youngster gently on the ground. “Hold on baby, Momma had some more work to
do before we go.” Without effort the warrior vaulted in the air landing right between
would be assassins and her child sword drawn taking down one attacker after another as she
moved.
Tarren
blinked her eyes trying to watch the skirmish but there was a blinding light and then a
soft glow that blocked her vision of the battle. “Momma,” she whispered as a
lone figure stepped from the light and knelt by her side.
The little
girl’s eyes grew wide and she drew back just a bit at the site that was now before
her. “Shalia?” The words were filled with shock and happiness at the sight of
her friend.
The figure
knelt beside the child and cradled her in her still luminous arms.
Tarren
opened her eyes wide trying to focus determined to be sure that what she was seeing was
real. She could still hear the sounds of swords clashing but the glowing face of the
figure before her blocked any sight of the horror.
While the
face of this person was familiar the wardrobe was not.
This Amazon wore a headdress with many feathers and armbands of solid silver with
odd etchings like that of the bracelet Shalia had given Tarren as a gift. Around her neck
the figure wore a thin chain with a heavy solid gold key dangling from it.
The
youngster reached up to touch her friend. “Shalia I thought you were gone.”
The Amazon
nodded. “Yes Tarren I am…Shalia for
you and I have told you that one must not always
believe what one sees with the eyes. You
must believe with your heart,” she said touching the little girl’s chest.
The little one smiled and then tilted her head to listen closer to the sound of her mother
fighting the five Argonian warriors just paces away.
“Momma’s kickin butt,” the child, stated matter of factly.
“Yes
child and she is doing very well as a Warrior Princess should but you need her now so
perhaps it would be best if we helped her just this once.” The figure raised her hand
in the air and soon the warrior stood alone in her battle, all the Argonians having
disappeared with the wave of this strange Amazon’s hand.
Xena glanced
around her at the now empty space where her opponents had stood just moments before. She sheathed her blade and quickly her thoughts
returned to that of her young daughter but when she turned to where she had left the child
the warrior was staring at the familiar face of a young Amazon. “You…Shalia? I saw you fall.”
Tarren
coughed and reached up a hand toward her approaching mother. “Momma, Shalia’s back. We didn’t lose her,” she cried, using
all the effort she had to stand and reach her mother.
Xena raced
to the child’s side and dropped beside her. “Tarren
calm down. It’s Ok…I can see Shalia…Just relax baby….” The
concern in the mother’s voice outweighed the mystery of just how the young Amazon
came to be with the living once again.
”But Momma…I knew you’d come. You
always come for me,” the little girl whispered in the mix of a loud cough as she
grappled to hold onto her mother’s armor. “Love ya Mommy.” With those words spoken the youngster went
limp in her mother’s arms.
Xena’s
eyes filled with fear and her voice became frantic. “Tarren…Tarren.”
She nestled the little girl closer to her and dropped an ear to the little girl’s
chest grateful that there was till a heartbeat. “Thank
the Gods,” she whispered.
The quiet
figure of the young Amazon patted the child’s warm head. “She is quite sick. Under her pillow in the cottage you will find an
old vile. Pour two drops into water and give
it to her to drink. I do not know if it will
help …enough…but it will remove the fever.” She paused. “That vile
contains 100 years of testing herbs for medicines. Use
it wisely and perhaps you can duplicate it Xena.”
”Thank you.” Xena stared at the form before her as she cradled her youngster in
a maternal fashion stroking the little girl’s head. “Who are you?” she
asked noting the difference in the stature and dress of the form before her.
The Amazon
sighed and closed her eyes as she studied the ill child now held protectively in her
mother’s arms. “I am queen Reea.”
“From
the Amazon legend?” the warrior asked as if wanting to be sure she had the identity
correct.
The expressions on the strange figure became sullen and her eyes lowered a bit.
”Legend? Well I never really thought of
my life or people as a legend…more of a curse.”
The warrior
had no time for philosophical discussions. “How…What are you doing here?”
The mystical
queen caressed the gold key around her neck. “I have walked these lands in search of
a pure heart for 100 summers Xena and never have I found one that could be trusted with
the key to the Chest of Visions. All the
Amazons were filled with such hate and blood lust after the war of long ago that the
generations that grew from it forgot about the meaning of compassion and
understanding.”
“That
does not explain why you are here or how you were Shalia,”
the mother said moving her now sleeping child protectively to one side.
Reea looked from mother to child as if she were trying to find the spot where the two
joined and became one. “Artemis granted me a wish.
She allowed me to take the form on young Shalia and walk amongst my people in hopes
of learning more about them…or guiding one
leader toward the right path.”
“Ephiny?”
the warrior said now realizing that her regal friend was not only a descendant of this
strange figure but also had been raising her.
Reea lowered her eyes knowing that the queen was feeling the pain of Shalia’s loss.
“Yes…but for so long her heart was filled with such anger and venom. It is only recently that I saw the change begin. Unfortunately I could not stay long enough to know
if she would be the one to make the difference
and now….”
The warrior
lifted her child into her arms and stood. Time was too short to talk any longer. “So you chose Tarren?” she asked with
confusion.
Reea chuckled a bit and touched the youngster hand caressing the small fingers with the
side of her thumb. “No my friend…She is just
a baby and her heart while pure is wild and without discipline.”
Reea placed a gentle hand on the warrior’s shoulder and Xena felt a strange sensation
pass through her body. “However the two of you combined as one heart are as pure and strong as one soul can
ever hope to be.” She removed the gold
key from around her neck and draped it over the joined hands of mother and daughter. “I will trust your combined heart to do the right thing.”
Xena stared at the key now in her grasp at then Reea.
“But we are not Amazons.”
Reea smiled a bit. “In your heart Xena…you know you are my friend.”
Xena nodded
and slid the key around the sleeping child’s neck. “Shalia…I mean
Reea…thank you for…everything.”
The figures
stared innocently at her friends as her form started to once again glow and fade out of
existence. “No Xena Warrior
Princess… Thank you. Now I can go
home.” There was a look of peace and contentment in the fading expression.
“Please tell Tarren that Shalia went to see
her mother. I think that the baby will
understand…Good luck my friends.”
Xena nodded
as she watched the face of two important warriors with the same face disappear.
The mother
cradled the youngster in her arms. “Come
on baby I have to get you back to the village and that medicine,” she whispered,
knowing how ill the child was.
Gabrielle
kicked at the dark figures as they charged her mount.
Using only the pommel of the sword she swung the weapon from left to right clearing
a path between she and Ephiny. When she was
sure the Amazon was close enough Gabrielle dropped from the saddle and ran to her
friend’s side. “Eph are you Ok?” she asked as she pushed away an attacking
Argonian with the flat side of her blade.
“I’m
fine.” Ephiny ran the edge of her own weapon across the throat of an attacker and
then faced her friend. “I don’t
know what you are doing here but I sure am glad to see you.” She looked at the sword
in her friend’s hand. “ Gabrielle either use that thing the right way or throw it to the ground before you get
your self killed,” she warned.
Gabrielle
shook her head as she drove the dull but heavy pommel into and approaching Argonian’s
eyes. “I’m doing just fine thanks.” She
looked around the field. “Where are Xena
and Tarren?”
The Amazon
Queen’s face went blank. She motioned to the woods on the far side of the clearing. “Tarren is real sick Gabrielle. She ran off into the woods and Xena went after
her.”
Feeling her
place was now with her family the bard mounted her horse and quickly headed in the
direction that Ephiny had pointed out leaving the great battle to rage on without her.
In the
distance Xena could hear the fighting of her Amazon friends. “What is the greater good?” she asked,
caressing her child’s hot brow.
The warrior
mother walked with the little girl cradled limply in her arms. “Ok baby we have to
get you back to the village and get you all better,” she whispered running her hands
over the child’s sweaty skin.
The decision
had been made.
Hearing the
sound of a pair footsteps behind her made the warrior mother turn quickly ready to drop to
the ground and shield her young daughter as she tossed her already handy chakrum to the
throat of the approaching man. “Don’t make me waste a precious minute now,”
she growled, as she turned ready to toss her famed weapon through the air.
However as
the warrior faced the hideous expression of an Argonian warrior his sword held ready to
strike, Xena noted that his muscles of the man were already drooping in lifeless fashion
and protruding through his midsection was the point of a heavy blade.
As the mad
crumbled tot the ground the warrior lowered her chakrum and came face to face with the
unbelievable. “Gabrielle?” she questioned seeing her once gentle friend release
her grip on the handle of the heavy and fatal blade.
The bard
looked from the body of the man she had just killed to the face on her best friend’s
face. “Xena…I…He….”
The Warrior Princess swallowed hard and reached out an affectionate arm that the bard
gratefully accepted. The young woman stared
at her warrior friend and then the child in the mother’s arms.
“Tarren?”
she asked noting the child’s unhealthy appearance.
The mother
tightened her hold on the child and placed a loving kiss on the little girl’s
forehead. “I have to hurry back to the village.”
Gabrielle
stepped over the dead Argonian and pulled on the reigns of her mount before climbing in
the saddle. “Then what are we waiting for?” she asked pushing away her feelings
and concentrating on what was most important, Tarren.
The Warrior
Princess held tightly to her little girl as she too mounted. “Let’s go then,” she whispered,
pointing her horse in the opposite direction followed closely by the queen turned bard.
Xena closed
her eyes and allowed a tear to fall. She
dropped her sword to the ground so she could better hold her little girl in her arms. Slowly she turned away from the familiar sounds of
battle knowing full well that the Amazons would be triumphant without her help
Below…
Ephiny smiled broadly as she heard the thundering sounds of hundreds of horses entering the field of battle. She turned to see an old but very wise queen leading the pride of every Amazon tribe in a charge onto the field.
Now everywhere one looked all that was seen was Amazons of every tribe mixed in battle against one enemy.
Just as the Argonians were about to meet their final demise there was a burst of light in the sky above and Artemis appeared before Ephiny.
The queen bowed. “My goddess.”
Artemis smiled and touched the Amazon on the shoulder. “Rise Ephiny. The battle is over and all is as it should have always been. There is no longer need to raise your sword today. Your people are whole again.”
Artemis raised her hand in the air and all the Argonians both living and dead and any trace of their existence disappeared leaving only a field filled with one nation of cheering Amazons and a very confused queen.
TBC…
That’s right part 11 is finally
done and I am working on part 12. Don’t forget to feed my pet EGO. He has been eyeing part 12 kind of closely. J fantimbard@aol.com