Castlewarming Chapters 741-750
by Hercules Forum Collective
Chapter 741
by greenie
greensleeves sighed contentedly as she took in the peaceful serenity of her
surroundings. Beside her, a small, crystal clear stream bubbled happily
over vividly colored stones. In a nearby tree, abloom with soft pink
flowers, tiny blue birds sang a delicate tune. She watched in amazement as
purple butterflies fluttered through the air, leaving a trail of silver
hearts behind them as their velvety wings moved to a tinkling
sound of music.
"Does that sigh mean you are happy, greenie?" Anteros' deep voice broke
through the stillness of the late afternoon. He smiled at her as she turned
to look at him. They had just finished the impromptu picnic and he had
removed the leftovers with a wave of his hand. Now, they sat on the
softness of a thick amber colored fur under the shade of a tree, whose
long, flowering limbs slowly moved in the warm breeze.
"Yes," she replied, surprise lacing her voice. Here, in this beautiful
place, she could be calm and happy as she had never been in all her life.
Even with the love of Joxer, she had never felt so serene. Maybe it had
something to do with the fragrance of the white flowers on the limbs moving
around them. Their scent was like none she had ever known and the effect
they were having on her was unbelievable. She breathed deeply and relaxed
back onto her elbows, stretching her legs out in front of her.
"Good, because I have something special for us to share," he said as he
withdrew the jewel encrusted bottle from his leather vest. Even in the
semi-darkness of the shaded tree, the jewels glowed with a soft fire.
greenie gasped aloud at their beauty as he removed the glass stopper.
Leaning towards her, he held the bottle out to her. "Drink this, my love,
and you will be more relaxed than ever." His vividly blue eyes looked into
hers, gently coaxing her to do as he asked.
She hesitated for only a moment, her senses so dulled her amazon intuition
wasn't working very well at this time. She turned to him, drawing her legs
under her as she took the beautiful bottle in her hands. Tilting it up, she
drank deeply, the thickly sweet contents almost choking her. She coughed,
trying to clear her throat, as Anteros grasped the bottle. "Easy, greenie,
easy. You don't want to overdue it," he laughed. He
placed the bottle to his firm lips and drank some of the sweet liquid, even
though as a god it would have no effect on him. Quickly, he stoppered the
bottle and placed it aside.
greenie could feel the liquid flowing through her body, warming her. Her
skin glowed with a soft luminosity as she lay back onto the amber fur.
Never had she felt so relaxed and alive at the same time. Looking up into
Anteros' handsome face, she smiled as she reached up and traced his strong
jaw with her finger. He moved close as she continued her exploration,
caressing his full lower lip with her gentle touch. His cobalt blue eyes
glowed with a strange fire as he leaned down and closed the distance
between them. With a soft sigh of satisfaction, she felt the smooth
firmness of his sensual mouth touch hers. Gently, he kissed her, holding
her as if she were a delicate and precious flower, but greenie wanted more.
She moved close to him, pushing her fingers through his thick black hair.
Her mouth moved on his with all the fire she felt flowing through her. He
moaned at her uninhibited response and kissed her deeply. For a precious
few moments they were locked together, The God of Avenging Love and the
amazon whom he loved with all his godly being.
Then, suddenly, he broke away from her, moaning aloud as he pulled her
clinging arms away. "No! I can't do this to you. I love you too much."
Through the thick cloud of emotions fogging her brain, greenie heard his
words, but they didn't make any sense. If he loved her, then why was he
pulling away? Desperately, she tried to draw him back to her. "Anteros,
please. I want you to kiss me. It's okay."
"No, it's not. What you're feeling was induced by the power of the drink
you consumed. It's a special potion my father keeps for me at his palace. I
use it to avenge the mortals who give love freely and are rejected. The
object of their desire suffers greatly through the pangs of love they truly
think is real. I should never have given it to you. My only excuse is I
love you so I wanted you to feel the same. Please, forgive me,
greensleeves." His eyes filled with tears as he tried to make her
understand why he had done what he had.
She slowly sat up, shaking her head as she tried to clear her thoughts. So,
if what Anteros said was true, then she was under the power of a strong god
made potion. All she knew at this moment was she wanted to hold him close
to her and kiss that sensual mouth again. Drawing on all her amazon
strength, she fought these strange feelings and tried to talk coherently to
this most handsome God. "There's nothing to forgive. Mortals, and I suppose
Gods too, do strange things when they think they are in love. I hope this
will
wear off eventually," she remarked as she laughed softly. She had the
strangest desire to run her fingers through his soft black hair.
He looked at her with wonder in his eyes. That she could so easily forgive
him when he had deceived her so was absolutely amazing. This thought only
made it harder to push her away. He wanted to hold her and never let go. "I
don't know, greenie. I've only used that potion occasionally. And, once
vengeance was given, I never stuck around to see what the consequences
were, if you know what I mean?" he laughed as he held out his hand to help
her up from the fur. She smiled sweetly at him as she trustingly placed her
hand in his.
"Well, aren't I in a pretty pickle, then?" she chuckled as he drew her up
to stand beside him.
"Please, don't remind me," he groaned as he waved his hand to return them
to his castle. As they traveled through a blinding flash of light, greenie
giggled once again, not at all upset by the turn of events. What, in all
the Gods' name, was wrong with her? Had she truly lost herself in this
world of beauty and fantasy? As she held onto the strong god beside her,
she found she didn't really care. Being with him was all that mattered and
who was Joxer anyway?
The music rose to a mind numbing crescendo, the beat of the drums echoing
the wild racing of Joxer's heart. With a flurry of silken skirts, Nadiria
fell softly at his feet, her erotic dance coming to an end. Slowly, she
lifted her dark head and smiled up at him, her smoke colored eyes alive
with emotion. He smiled back at her and, taking her hand in his, lifted her
up to sit beside him on several of the silken cushions strewn about the
castle floor.
"So, Joxer, my dear one, what did you think of my dance?" she slyly asked,
her honeyed voice softly flowing through darkly red lips. For a moment, he
forgot what she had asked as he gazed upon her exotic beauty. Even though
he had only known her for a few days, he felt as if he had known her
forever. Strange, but hadn't he felt this way about someone else? The
memory tried to come to him, but, as always, was accompanied by a sharp
blinding pain between his eyes. Slowly, he rubbed his forehead to ease the
ache,
forcefully pushing the shadowy images away. Before Nadiria noticed his
actions, he, nonchalantly, brushed his fingers through his dark hair, as if
he had not a care in the world.
"Ah, Nadi, your dance was a thing of beauty. None of the others here can
match your graceful talent. Not one of them," he said as he caressed her
long, slender fingers. At his exuberant praise, she glowed with pride, her
fine ego demanding the attention she craved.
"I see you are enjoying yourself, Joxer, my friend," a big, jovial man
spoke loudly as he walked towards the couple. His brightly silver hair
glowed under the torchlight, accenting the sparkle in his light brown eyes.
"As always, Aristotle. Your hospitality is very much appreciated. Thank you
once again." Joxer had made the acquaintance of Aristotle earlier at King
Iphicles'. They had become steadfast friends and Ari had invited Joxer to
come stay awhile at his neighboring castle. Joxer gratefully accepted. It
was here he had met Nadiria. She was a dancer who traveled with a small
group of entertainers. At the moment they were gracing the nobility of
Corinth with their amazing talents. Thank the Gods he had come to be here
at this time and met this woman. She had become a very important part of
his lonely life.
"No, problem, my young friend. Now, if you're hungry, there's a splendid
feast laid out in the dining hall. My cooks have been working all day
preparing this. Let's not disappoint them, shall we?" He started towards
the dining room, motioning them to follow. With a laugh, they got up and
fell behind Ari's rotund figure. If anyone knew how to throw a party, this
jolly man did, no doubt about that.
As Nadiria linked her arm through his, Joxer, once again, felt that small
twinge. With an aggravated sigh, he angrily buried it. Whoever this person
was, they must not be very important or he wouldn't have forgotten them,
would he? This explanation seemed to satisfy his curiosity and with a sense
of relief he entered the dining room.
Bored. She was thoroughly and disgustingly bored with herself and her
surroundings. greensleeves trailed her fingers along the golden banister as
she slowly descended the white marble staircase. What was she supposed to
do with herself while her dear Anteros was away tending to his godly
business? Without him, she felt lost and all alone.
Leaving the stairs behind, she wandered through the grand hallway,
absentmindedly picking up a sweetmeat from the golden dish on the main
table. She nibbled on this delicate treat as she walked through the castle.
As she neared the back hallway, she saw a golden glow of light peeking
through the cracks of a nearby door. Her curiosity getting the best of her,
she reached out and took hold of the handle, turning it as she did so.
Frustration gripped her as she felt the resistance of the locked door. Now,
what was she going to do?
A sudden blaze of white light flashed beside her and with shocked eyes, she
saw the goddess Harmony materialize before her. In all her golden glory she
stood, a sense of calm confidence about her. Her honey colored eyes looked
down at greensleeves and she felt a renewed strength flow through her
veins. "Harmony?" she whispered softly, surprised and elated to see her
close friend once again.
"Yes, it's me, greenie. I've come to help you. Anteros has gone too far
this time." She waved her hand and the locked door slowly opened.
greensleeves looked up at her, confusion at Harmony's statement muddling
her thoughts. "But, why would I need your help? I'm perfectly happy as I
am."
"You only think you're happy. You don't realize what Anteros has done,"
Harmony said as she led greensleeves into the room the locked door had once
hidden. "It's time you found out."
greensleeves moved inside and caught her breath at what she saw. A golden
throne, whose pulsating glow was the light she had seen under the door,
graced the center of the room. Embellished with silver and purple hearts,
it was a seat fit for a god. But, it was the wall facing the throne that
captured her attention. It was filled with viewing screens and on each one
men and women were involved in different stages of courtship. So many
people, so many lives for an Avenging god to manipulate.
"What has this to do with Anteros and me?" greenie asked, more confused
than ever. "Anteros is the God of Avenging Love, so, of course, he must
keep up with the lives of the mortals."
"Yes," Harmony said and moved greenie closer until she stood before the
center viewing screen, "and one mortal life, in particular, my dear
friend."
The images on the screen blurred for a moment as greensleeves felt a surge
of emotion grip her, bringing a mist of tears to her eyes. She looked at
the dark haired man on the screen and a dull throbbing began pulsating
through her. Pressing her fingertips to her aching forehead, she tried to
block out what she was seeing as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut.
"No, greensleeves, you must look. Look and remember," Harmony softly
remarked as she pulled greenie's hands away from her face, her touch
suffusing greensleeves with her healing power.
With a groan of despair, greensleeves stared at the screen. Her heart
skipped a beat and her breathing became erratic as she fought the nausea
rising up through her. Oh, Gods, no! No, it couldn't be. That was her
beloved Joxer on the screen and what was he doing? Well, right at the
moment he was kissing a dark haired woman and thoroughly enjoying himself
it seemed. What in the Gods name had happened to him? Had he completely
lost his mind?
"Joxer!" greenie screamed. "That's my Joxer kissing another. Oh, By the
Gods, no, that won't do! I've got to get to him. Take me there, Harmony,
now, please." She turned to the Goddess of Peace, who was also her friend,
her green eyes pleading with her to understand.
"No, I don't think you're going anywhere. Not now, not ever," Anteros said
as he materialized before them, an angry frown marring the devastating
beauty of his handsome face. With fire in her golden eyes, Harmony turned
to face him.
"Mm-mm.." Joxer groaned as he drew back from Nadiria. "That was sweet, my
love, like dark honey on a warm day." He held her in his arms and looked
down into her smoky eyes, taking in the lushness of her wild beauty. "What
did I ever do to deserve you?"
"Let's just say the Gods smiled on you the day we met," Nadiria teased as
she reached out a hand to caress his cheek. Joxer leaned into the warmth of
her touch and breathed a soft sigh of contentment. Could he be more happy?
But, suddenly, he remembered the soft touch of another. A blinding vision
of long red gold hair and bright green eyes flashed through his mind, then
was replaced by excruciating pain. Oh, Gods, not again. Who was this person
who plagued him, whose memory caused him such pain? He groaned aloud and
released Nadiria as he clasped his aching head in his hands. He was paying
dearly for one moment of memory. The pain this time was almost more than he
could bear.
"Joxer!" Nadiria cried. She reached out to him, but he backed away as the
pain became more intense. "Joxer, what is it? Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine, Nadiria," Joxer replied as the pain slowly eased. "It's just a
little headache, that's all." He shook his head to clear it, determined not
to remember that person again.
"It seems like more than a small headache to me, Joxer. Maybe you should
see a healer."
"No, there's no need for that. See, I'm feeling better already." He smiled
down at her, trying to reassure her. Shakily, she smiled back at him,
grateful he was no longer in pain, but still not totally convinced.
"If you say so, my dear one, but if you have anymore headaches like that
one, I'm taking you to a healer myself." Her dark grey eyes stared into his
chocolate brown ones, brooking no opposition on his part concerning this
matter.
"Okay, okay," he replied as he took her hand in his, content to hold it
within the warmth of his palm. "Gods above, how did I ever do without you
before?"
"I don't know, I really don't know," Nadiria answered as she snuggled into
his arms, resting her dark head on his chest. And the way she felt about
this lovely man, she never wanted to know what living without him would be
like. She shuddered at the thought, then relaxed against him, happier than
she had ever been in her entire life.
"Don't you think you've done enough already?" Harmony exclaimed as she
stood facing Anteros. Usually so soft spoken, her anger consumed her,
filling her with the fire of her convictions.
"What have I done, dear cousin? Other than try to find happiness for
myself. Do you not think I, being a God of Love, should have a love of my
own to cherish?" he questioned, his voice a husky whisper. Pain filled his
blue eyes as he reached out to greenie, his godly heart aching for her.
With an unbearable compassion consuming her soul, she went to him, wrapping
her arms around his lean waist.
"No, greenie, you must fight what you're feeling," Harmony said as she saw
the amazon draw Anteros near to her, trying to comfort him. "It's only the
effects of the love elixir you consumed. Don't you see, that's why you have
such strong feelings for Anteros?"
"It's okay, Harmony, really it is," greenie replied. "I remember Joxer now
and I know he is my one true love, but I still have a soft place in my
heart for this tall, strong God. He has been nothing but kind and dear to
me these last few days in his castle. His love for me shines from his
expressive eyes and he makes me feel so special. How could I not love him?"
She looked up into his handsome face, as if trying to memorize the strong,
chiseled features.
"Anteros, please, listen to me. Release her. A love that is not given
freely is not a love at all." Harmony stood her ground, facing the couple,
determined to make her cousin see the error of his ways. Anteros looked at
her, her words cutting into him like a knife. He knew she was right. He had
know it all along, but his love for the amazon greensleeves was so strong
he had denied the truth. He could do it no longer. He had to do as Harmony
asked, he had to release the woman he loved.
Harmony saw the defeat in his eyes and knew she had won. Even so, it was a
sad victory. Her cousin would be lost without this mortal.
Anteros smiled at Harmony and she slowly backed away from them. Cupping
greensleeves' face in his hands, Anteros leaned forward. Softly, his firm
lips met hers. A warm pink glow moved from him to her as he breathed a
gentle sigh into her mouth. greensleeves felt the tingle of his healing
essence all the way down to her toes. The power of Anteros moved through
her, drawing the poison of the love potion from her body.
"W-what is going on?" greenie softly questioned as Anteros slowly pulled
away from her. "What just happened to me?"
"No time for questions, my friend," Harmony said as she moved greenie away
from Anteros. "I'll explain it to you on the way there. Right now, we have
one Joxer The Mighty who needs straightening out. And with the strength of
his spell, I don't think it's something you should rush."
greensleeves turned to Harmony, questions ready, then something caught her
attention out of the corner of her eye. It was the viewing screen and on it
Joxer held the dark haired woman lovingly in his arms. "Oh, I should say he
needs straightening out alright. And by the looks of it, not a moment too
soon," she angrily snapped as she turned back to Harmony, ready for her
return trip home. "I'll need my amazon clothes and, of course, we can't
forget Kalianna."
"No problem, my dear. Say good bye to Anteros and we will be on our way."
greensleeves turned to Anteros, who looked absolutely desolate. Something
strange tugged at her heart, some small feeling she could not forget. "Good
bye, Anteros. I shall remember how good you were to me. Remember me with
happiness and I know one day you will find your one true love."
Harmony waved her hand and they disappeared in a bright flash of light.
Anteros held out his hand, touching the air where she had been. No,
greenie, he thought, as he turned away, I have already found my one true
love. Found her and lost her. He threw back his dark head and as he
vanished in a blazing flash of light, his mournful cry shook the halls of
Mount Olympus, echoing through the hearts of all the mortals who had ever
suffered through the pains of love. It would not be a good day for the ones
who disdainfully cast aside love given by another. No, not a good day at
all.
The room into which Harmony and greenie materialized was empty, thank the
gods. As greensleeves looked around, she saw it was a small, but lavishly
appointed, anteroom. A narrow hallway led to another larger room. Voices
and laughter drifted down the hallway, alerting greenie to the presence of
others. Warily, she stood her ground, waiting for the strangers to discover
them.
Harmony laughed as she saw greensleeves take a warrior's stance, war staff
at the ready, armed for battle. "Whoa, greenie, no one will bother us here.
And, I hate to tell you this, but for now you must forget you are an
Amazon."
greensleeves looked at Harmony in amazement, questioning her friend's
wisdom. "But why would I want to do that? I am proud of what I am."
"Of course you are. But if you want to win Joxer's love once again, you
must fight the flame with a flame." She waved her hand and greenie's
warrior clothes were replaced by a most amazing costume. Strange, greenie
thought as she looked down upon it, it looked like the dress of a dancer.
Her breath caught in her throat at its flamboyant beauty. Soft, silken
veils of varying shades of royal blue, shimmering pink and soft lavender
blended together in an iridescent wash of color to form the softly draped
skirt. Her midriff was bare, except for the dark blue sapphire jewel that
graced her navel. The short top of the dress, made of the same iridescent
material, covered her chest, yet still revealed ample cleavage. Small
trinkets of delicate gold dangled from a gilded belt encircling her hips,
while the same tinkling trinkets played a soft tune from her wrists and
ankles as she moved around, trying to take in her wondrous transformation.
"W-what is this, Harmony?" she warily asked. "Just what do you have in
mind?" She looked up at the Goddess of Peace and saw a serene smile cross
her beautiful features.
"Leave it to me, my friend. We'll straighten Joxer out yet, you'll see."
She waved her hand once again and greenie's rich red gold hair became a
long tangle of white blonde curls. Her bright green eyes changed to a deep
sapphire blue.
greenie let out a gasp of surprise as she caught sight of herself in a
gilded mirror hanging on the opposite wall. She walked over to get a closer
look, her hand coming up to touch the mirror in wonder. "Oh, my gods,
Harmony, what have you done to me?"
"Don't worry, greensleeves, it is only temporary. I had to disguise you. If
you had come near Joxer as you were, you would have only given him blinding
headaches. This way you will have time to work on a plan. I have a scroll
of introduction for you from a well known dance troupe. Give this to the
castle owner," she said as she handed the golden scroll to greenie. "You
should have no problems joining the troupe here. I shall see to that. Now,
brace yourself, greenie, your adventure has just begun."
Adventure wasn't quite what she would have called it, she thought, as she
looked at the stranger staring back at her in the mirror. It was a good
thing she had danced all those nights around the campfire with her amazon
sisters or she would really be in trouble. Who was she trying to fool, she
laughed as she experimentally moved her hand in a dancer's move, hearing
the golden jewelry's music as she did so, a dancer she would never be. Ah,
well, to be with Joxer again she would do anything. With a determined glint
in eye, she vowed to do just that.
With slightly shaking fingers, greensleeves applied the dark kohl powder
around her eyes, emphasizing the strange blue color. She had already
pressed the silky opalescent white powder to the inner corners of her eyes.
She stared, amazed at the stranger in the mirror, her hands moving up to
touch the hip length white gold curls. Though this persona of herself was
becoming, she would be glad to see her own reflection looking back at her
when this was all over.
Surprisingly, Aristotle, the castle owner, had accepted her into the
dancer's group without any protests, even supplying her with her own
chamber and dressing room. greenie had to admit she liked this pleasant
man, who was kind to a fault and well respected among his castle servants.
Servants who were richly rewarded for jobs well done.
Suddenly, music could be heard as the troupe's band prepared for the
upcoming night's entertainment. At least there would be a practice session
before the main event, greenie had found out earlier. Thank the gods for
small favors, she smiled to herself as she added the last touch to her
outfit. She quickly drew a royal blue silk veil across her lower face and
attached it to her golden headpiece. One small gold trinket dangled from
the thin band of gold, centered above her blue eyes, eyes that were filled
with fear. Fear? What was wrong with her? She was an Amazon! Not some
wimpy, little creature who cringed at the slightest challenge. She had
faced things more horrible than this in her life. Now was not the time to
be afraid.
Squaring her shoulders, she snatched up several vibrantly colored scarves
from her dresser and then left her room behind. As she walked along the
small corridor leading to the main chambers, her anklets twinkled a merry
tune. With only a short way left to go, her heart almost stopped when she
saw Joxer ahead talking to the dark haired woman. He looked at greenie over
the woman's shoulder, his chocolate brown eyes searing straight into her
soul. Her sure steps faltered, then she quickly regained her composure and
nodded a greeting as she passed. He slowly smiled at her, a slight frown
between his eyes.
"Who is that?" Joxer questioned, trying to keep his voice down, but not
succeeding very well.
"Oh, *her*," Nadiria replied. "She's the new girl Aristotle hired. She
comes highly recommended, but I'll believe it when I see it. She doesn't
look like much to me."
"Careful, love, your claws are showing," Joxer teased, drawing Nadiria into
his arms.
greenie stopped at the end of the hallway and looked back at the embracing
couple. Anger surged through her and she had to draw upon all of her Amazon
willpower. It took everything inside her to fight the urge she had to knock
the woman out of Joxer's strong arms. Denying her true feelings, she turned
back around and faced the main chambers. The true test of her and Harmony's
plan had yet to be passed. And as she looked out onto the crowded main hall
she knew that time had come.
greenie moved among the dancers, thanking the gods for the practice session
she had endured earlier. One of the dancers, Katya, a tall, willowy
redhead, had gone over the dance moves they followed tonight, patiently
showing greensleeves the intricate steps. She had declared greenie a
natural, well pleased with her talent.
Well, she wouldn't go that far, greenie thought, as she slowly swayed her
hips to the music, but she did enjoy dancing. When she danced, she could
let herself go, giving her body over to the smooth rhythm of the drums. She
closed her eyes for a moment and twirled around, her silky skirts billowing
out, revealing part of her smooth, yet femininely muscular legs. She opened
her eyes, a soft smile upon her veiled face, as she stopped and gracefully
moved her hands, her bracelets twinkling a sweet rhythm. Looking up, she
felt the stare of someone. Sky blue eyes and coal black shoulder length
hair presented an all too familiar picture. The tall, athletic body with
its broad, muscular shoulders was just as strong as she remembered it.
Kalas! By the Gods, the last time she had seen him had been at the tavern
in Antianos. What in all New Greeceland was he doing here?
She slowly moved away from him, hoping he wouldn't recognize her disguised
as she was. But, he was not to be so easily thwarted. He rose from the soft
pillows he had been reclining on and followed her along the edge of the
crowd. He seemed more handsome than ever, dressed in a tight black leather
vest and pants, his muscles rippling as he stalked her like a lethal
panther.
The dance came to an end as the last strains of rhythmic music filtered
through the crowded room. greenie left the dance floor and headed directly
for her chambers. Strong fingers took hold of her wrist, stopping her
hurried flight. She turned to face the perpetrator, knowing who it would
be. Kalas smiled down at her, his classically handsome face, with its
chiseled cheekbones and strong jaw, the same as she remembered.
"Wait, my pretty. What's the hurry?" he huskily whispered, his deep voice
softly caressing. Zeus, greenie thought, it wasn't enough that she had to
win Joxer over, now she had to contend with this big bear of a man and,
beyond all costs, not let him know who she really was. So far, praise
Harmony, her disguise seemed to be working.
"No hurry, kind sir, I need to get back to my dressing room. I'd like to
change my clothes and get into something more comfortable."
He smiled a wolfish grin as he looked down at her flimsy costume. "What you
have on looks fine to me, but if you'd like to change and join me here I'd
be honored. What do you say, lovely lady?"
How could she say no to him? He had been a true friend to her in the past,
helping to save her from Rasheen, among other things. And besides, he was
Harmony's son. And without Harmony where would she be. She shuddered at the
thought.
"Yes, I'd like that very much," she replied with a smile. "Give me a few
minutes and I'll be right back." She turned to leave when a very familiar
voice shouted, "Kalas, you old warrior you, how'd you get here?" greenie
turned to see Joxer and Nadiria coming their way. Tartarus! Could things
get any worse. She highly doubted it.
"So. . . read any good scrolls lately?" Aquillea's voice broke the silence
of evening.
It was her horse the dark Amazon spoke to. The brunette gave Mischief a
little pat as she squinted warily at the bedroll she'd laid out for
herself. To her weary body, the blankets and fur seemed almost seductively
inviting, while in sharp contrast, her unsettled spirit found them almost
repellent. She was left alone now to face whatever dangers might lurk
outside in the shadows, not to mention any demons Morpheus might draw out
from the shadows within. It was going to be a very long, very lonely night.
Only a few hours after the pair had parted company with Iolaus, Aquillea
had given Jason 'the slip'. Not only was going after the escaped prisoners
a dangerous undertaking but, for Quilla, it was a complicated one as well.
If Niki were innocent, she doubted she could turn him over to the
Corinthian army for execution. The alternative, however, would be to help
her brother escape, an act of treason by King Iphicles' thinking, no doubt.
"This is not his problem," Aquillea pled her case to her four legged
confidant. "It's *not*, and it shouldn't be." The argument no longer
sounded as convincing as she had originally thought. "If this goes sour. .
. if we get caught. . . Well, I certainly couldn't drag Jason down with me.
. . And what if he'd tried to stop me, huh? There's no way I could fight
him. . . but I also couldn't just stand by and. . .
The noble steed whinnied just then, an interruption that, in the Amazon's
frazzled state, could only be construed as disapproval.
"I don't remember asking your opinion," Aquillea snapped. Then she sighed,
and with a quirky smile she reached up fondly to scratch beneath the
horse's forelock, adding, "If you thought I was making a mistake, you
really should have spoken up back then."
'Back then' the Amazon felt certain Fortune had decided to smile upon her.
She and Jason had been following the trail left by the soldiers who were,
in turn tracking the escapees as they made their way southeast, presumably
planning to vanish in the metropolis that was Athens. It was when Mischief
stubbornly decided to avail himself of a late morning snack that Aquillea
spied some evidence that the prisoners had doubled back and changed course.
They had almost succeeded in covering their tracks. From the standpoint of
the Corinthians, Jason included, the fugitives had succeeded.
The quarry was now headed south. It would be a long trip to Sparta, their
likely destination, but the rational Amazon could see the logic behind it.
Compared to Athens, Sparta not only had much poorer relations with Corinth,
but the 'skills' of a warlord's henchmen would be much more valuable there
as well. With a little misdirection of her own and some excellent
horsemanship, Aquillea was hot on the prisoners' trail. . . and completely
on her own.
Blood droplets here and there indicated that at least one member of the
party had been injured. It probably shouldn't have startled Aquillea when
Mischief narrowly avoided stepping on a body lying bent and still on the
ground beneath them. Nonetheless, her heart skipped a beat as she leapt
down to turn the man over and look at his face. Although, thankfully, it
was not her brother, the sight she beheld did nothing to calm her nerves.
The war prisoner had no doubt been hampered by wounds sustained during the
escape but he hadn't died of those wounds. It was obvious that one of his
'comrades' must have deemed him a liability. . . and executed him.
"One less for me to worry about, I suppose," the warrior woman muttered
softly then cringed at the callousness of her words. Worse still, she
really didn't have time to bury the fellow. The weak link in his party's
chain had been broken and the pace would step up accordingly. But criminal
or no, Aquillea found she could not just simply ride off and leave the man
lying there, so she pulled Iolaus' tent from a pack and wrapped the body up
in it, quickly and securely. Turning her eyes skyward she admonished,
"Please. . .
don't make me regret this."
And as Aquillea continued the hunt, the clouds slowly began to gather
mirroring the growing turbulence in her mind and heart, that she struggled
mightily to keep at bay, and from which, being alone, there was little
distraction.
The pursuit continued until the setting sun was completely obscured by
cloud cover. That was when Fortune smiled on the dark Amazon once again.
Aquillea grinned, recalling how she felt when she set eyes on the burned
out cottage and its attendant barn. Well, 'barn' was perhaps a tad
grandiose for the little structure, but it was solid despite years of
abandonment and would shelter both the woman and her horse quite
comfortably.
"Come to think of it," Aquillea addressed her 'companion' again. "You've
got some nerve lecturing to me when I wouldn't even be here now if it
wasn't for you. . . Well, you know what I mean," she added, then burst into
a fit of laughter as she collapsed onto the unfurled bedroll. It was a
nervous giggling more than anything else, born of the knowledge that she
had several hours ahead of her with even less distraction then she'd had
during the day. Sleep would leave the dark Amazon vulnerable on several
fronts, so she would have to call upon her warrior training to rest her
body without completely nodding off.
As she slid beneath the coverings, Aquillea's thoughts turned to Iolaus.
'He should be in base camp by now,' she thought sadly. It stabbed at the
woman's heart to think of her love, so many miles away. . . her dear
sister, Lyrical, and what might be happening to her. She rested her chin on
her clasped hands and struggled to fight back the tears.
"And what about my other sisters? And Niki. . . what about. . . "
The dark Amazon's train of thought was interrupted by a shimmering light in
the corner of the shelter which grew in intensity as it expanded.
Instinctively, she reached for her dagger as if the weapon might afford her
some protection. Aquillea had just enough time to wish aloud, "Please be
Hypnos."
Sadie returned to the rest of the party that had been with Eeyoraus. To
save herself the trouble of time bending she lightly sprinkled them with
fairy dust and watched each one drop with a snap of her fingers. She
adored having this power over humans and even the occasional unsuspecting
wizard. Of course when Murlock woke up he would be furious and she would be
his new target.
Murlock knew that every day his beloved morsel spent in the world would
drain away more of the powerful love he desperately wanted to harness. He
had know idea how foolish he actually was. The Amazon Love Goddess only
grew in her concern with every flaw of mankind she encountered. It was
becoming a calling in her spirit to pass her love along. Right now her
personal life was in such an uproar though , she wouldn't be a very good
testimony to that power.
"If only Murlock could really be turned ." she was thinking as she sat
alone by the campfire. Her friends were all asleep and she could feel the
peaceful dreams that Sadie had given Seth and Amoura back in the Fairy
Forest. She could feel there dreams! She had been a party to other dreams.
What if she could get into Murlock's dreams and at least find out what
caused him to be so cruelly selfish? The thoughts were swirling in her
head.
"I can do this!" she said aloud...causing a stir amongst her sleeping
comrades. "With Sadie's help I can hold this time for a little while
longer, examine Murlock's deepest feelings and be back before they even
miss me... I think. But is it a worthy cause. Oh, heck yeah! What a victory
that would be, to have the prince of darkness side with the light of love.
Cool." She was shivering with renewed ambition.
Meanwhile there were two men she had all but for gotten waiting in a field
wondering what had happened when she disappeared." I suppose they have
given up and left by now, but they aren't here. I would expect Aka to have
continued his search for the evil E! and Michael should be here...where is
he?"
So many thoughts and ideas were running through her mind at once. That
always happened when she couldn't sleep and her body's natural stimulants
kicked into overdrive.
"They sleep too. " A voice came out of the darkness. "Sadie didn't know
what to do with them. Couldn't have them running back to camp telling that
E! has disappeared before there eyes. Gods and Amazons trampling all over
my beautiful 'other world'. We've had enough of that. Did you know you and
the good wizard almost lay down on my sister! People just trample like
herds of cattle and Gods...yeesh! I just don't understand....'
"Sadie! I'm glad you're here but there is no time for your rantings. We
have work to do. You really should wake them up! They'll die of exposure
out there. But leave the others I have a plan."
"Wake them and do what with them, I ask you, big Amazon Lover God type
person? Just leave them on their own. No human should be aloud be be left
alone...I..." "Who are you talking to, Eeyoraus?" A soft voice whispered
from beyond the campfire light. Go to sleep. You'll need your rest."
"Just sorting things out in my mind..you know talking to myself. Sorry,
Lyri, didn't mean to wake you."
At the same time both Lyri and Sadie spoke, "So now I'm nobody? You talk to
yourself cuz this beautiful fairy queen is a figgin mint of your
'magination! How is a figgin mint gonna help E! big fat Amazon Goddess do
her stuff, HUH? UH! "
"Talking to yourself? What did happen to you while you were gone? Maybe I
should wake the healers. Are you sure you are OK?"
"Quite! I can't listen to you both at once!" the wild redhead bellowed in
frustration.
"You be loud at Sadie and I leave you on your stupid own! I loved your ma
but was more trouble than you was worth since you isn't a big fat ass no
more...well, not a big fat donkey, you isn't but..."
"OK, that's enough! I'm going to get Raincloud right now. You're
hallucinating!"
"I 'm not an hallucinating, you ugly human! I am Sadie QUEEN of the
fairies!"
Lyri fell backward from that half risen position she had barely achieved.
Still a bit weaker than she had thought, maybe she was the one who needed
Raincloud...and Alex. Before her she was imagining the most beautiful being
she ever saw. Soft, golden haired, fragile, she looked vaguely familiar,...
screaming in her face!
Eeyoraus grunted, hoping this chance meeting wouldn't slow things down too
badly. "OK, Lyrical, this is Sadie and she is real and she has a really bad
temper.
"Sadie, this is..."
"I know who she is! I see her lots with you. She is soooooooo ....
"You two look just alike! "Eeyoraus interrupted with shocked realization.
"...beautiful...what an amazingly beautiful human , I mean to say..."
