Captured Chapter 10

Captured Chapter 10

 Written by Virginia Leonard

 Copyright 1999

 

            Xena pushed past the sentries and with Gabrielle in tow, burst into the

inner chamber of the Queen’s deceptively large hut.  “Innanna...” 

            The flurry of activity came to an immediate halt and it felt as if everyone

in the room took a deep breath and held it.

            “I’m sorry, my Queen.  I tried to stop he.....”

            Innanna raised her hand and with one graceful gesture, silenced the

entire hut.  “It is alright.  Xena does not always obey protocol but

usually has a good reason for why she does what she does.  You are

excused.”

            The sentry nodded once and turned on her heal to retake her place just

outside the Queen’s doorway.

            Innanna waited while her attendant put the final touches on her

ceremonial robes before turning back to face Xena.  “What has you so

distraught?”

            “I have a bad feeling about tonight.  I think you need to postpone

whatever it is you’re planning.”

            The queen stared at the warrior for a moment.  “Impossible.  The timing

of this is absolute.  Even one second one way or the other and all will

fail.  Xmerson has told us everything and we are as prepared as we can

be.  Every amazon that I can spare will be roaming the forest all around

us but you must understand that I need the majority of my amazons here

and close.  I must have their energy.” 

            “Their energy won’t do you any good if something happens and this

ceremony turns into a slaughter.”  Xena began to pace.  Her brief foray

into the forest had revealed nothing, no signs of anything passing, no

signs of anyone concealed out there.  And yet, every instinct she had

screamed a warning to her.  She had felt an energy building since they

arrived but she had attributed that to the activities of the amazons.  This

feeling was new.  It was ominous and it made every tactical nerve in

the warrior’s body burn.

            Innanna paused then looked from the warrior to the bard and back. 

The queen’s voice dropped to a near whisper.  “Xena, we have been planning

for this day for centuries.  We are not going to let anything stop us now.

We are taking every precaution we can.  You and Gabrielle have a place

in this so you must now go get ready.  We are running out of time.”

            “Innanna, let me take some warriors out into the forest and see what we

can find.”

            “No.  What goes on within the village tonight is far more important than

what may go on outside of it.  You, Gabrielle, Rhoane and Brandy must

be in place and ready at the proper time.  Now, before I lose my patience

with you, go get ready.”

            Xena wheeled around mumbling about the thickness of some rulers’

skulls and walked back to the hut she shared with the bard.  She

checked and rechecked her weapons then picked up one of the identical

necklaces that had been left for both her and Gabrielle to wear.  She

carefully slipped it over her head then turned and looked at her partner.

As the medallion begin to warm against her chest, she was struck by the

beauty and the love she felt for this woman.

            The warrior walked over to Gabrielle and touched her face and lips

With light, gentle fingers.  Her blue eyes were drinking in the details of the

bard’s face as if she were seeing her love for the last time then she leaned

over and kissed the soft lips, lingering against them for a moment.  “Be

careful tonight.  Don’t let me lose you,” she whispered.

            Gabrielle smiled, always taken by how soft and tender the warrior was

with her.  “I will.  You be careful yourself.”

            Xena looked down at the matching medallion lying against Gabrielle’s

chest and she felt compelled to touch it.  She also heard the chorus of

voices and looked up into Gabrielle’s face startled.  She had not been

prepared for that.  “Let’s go,” was all she could manage to say.

 

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Brandy and Rhoane knelt on a soft rug in front of the altar.  Facing each

other, they soon became aware of only themselves and the priestess

standing between them and the stone chantry.

            The entire village had formed a circle around the two women.  Some

faced inward and some face outward in an alternating pattern.  The

queen, Xmerson and two other high priestesses knelt several paces from

Brandy and Rhoane while Xena knelt behind her longtime friend and

Gabrielle knelt behind their new found one.

            The priestess turned from the altar and raised a bowl, etched with the

same designs at the medallions, above her head and began to invoke a

prayer to their goddess.  At the same time, the amazons began a soft

chant, their words creating a shield, an unseen barrier around them.

            Brandy felt the bowl touch her lips before she was aware of what was

happening and then the words from the priestess rang in her ears.  “Take from

this bowl, a sip of life, a sip of death, a sip of beginning and ending.”

            She saw it placed against her lover’s lips and heard the same words.

Images began to flood her mind once again.  She saw amazons rising

everywhere, coming to her as if called and the image of the one tired

one .  The woman with a longing in her eyes, a longing for final peace,

rest.

            “My time is ended, little one.  Yours is beginning.  These amazons are

yours and you are their mother, their conscience, their guide.”

            Brandy heard and felt the words that her vision was speaking.  She was

compelled and afraid all at once.  “I’m not ready.  I can’t do this, what

you’re asking.  I will fail.  This will fail.”

            “No, you will do fine.  You have the wisdom and the courage.  You are

the one I’ve waited for.  Come to me.”  The woman held open her arms

as a mother would for her child and Brandy tried to move towards her

but felt stuck, as if locked in a block of mud or ice.  And then, the voice

of the priestess filled her mind again and the vision was gone.  Tears

streaked her face.

 

“Love holds us to this earth and love must send us away.  A gift.  Love

must give the mother to the mother, freely, unselfishly,”  the priestess

continued.  She placed the bowl back upon the altar then picked up the

sharp, Amazonian dagger with its handle covered in the same runes as

the medallions.  She also raised this to her goddess.  “What binds us,

also sets us free.  Bless this union, Mother, for from it comes the

strength of all your children.  Take from your children that strength and

give back to these two, a circle, a cycle, never ending, never beginning,

always there.”

            Both Brandy and Rhoane knew instinctively what to do and each

held out their right hands simultaneously.  Their eyes never left each other

and they never felt the sting of the blade as it opened a small slice on their

palms.  Their blood flowed bright red.  They felt the priestess press their

palms together and a length of soft cord wrapped around their wrists.

 

They heard the chorus of women’s voices raised in a triumphant, joyous

sound and only one word could be understood.  “Mother,” was repeated

over and over. 

 

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Leahnthea stood in a small opening and watched the proceedings of the

ritual.  She trusted that the witch’s shields would keep her from view

until the right moment.  She waited for the moon to begin its arc over

the amazon village and just at the precise moment, she would reach out

and take a soul, a soul that would bind the amazons to her.  The smile

that touched her lips was cold and fiery at once.  This was her destiny

and nothing would come between her and what was owed her.

            “Is everything in place?”

            The witched nodded and spoke barely above a whisper.  Maintaining

The shields around so many people was exhausting her.  Once the shields

were dropped, she would be helpless to fend off any attacks against

herself let alone her leader Hersius.  “Yes.  I can’t hold this much longer

woman.”

            “Shut up.  You won’t have to.”  Leahnthea looked up into the night sky

and saw the moon moving closer to the necessary position.  “Where’s

Hersius?”

            “Right here,” came the reply as the warrior walked up behind the two

women. 

            Leahnthea turned to give her a glancing look then refocused her

attention on the altar.  “You know what to do.”

            Hersius took a deep breath.  “This is suicide.  There are too many places

where things could go wrong.  When it’s over, it’s quite possible that I

won’t have a warrior left standing Leahnthea.?

            “When this is over, there will be no need for your warriors.  They are

inconsequential to me.  You and I will be rulers of the most powerful

force to eventually walk the face of the earth.  Aren’t a few deaths

worth that prize?”

            Hersius looked away from her lover and let her eyes rest on the tired

and drawn features of the witch.  Her witch.  Her friend and counselor.

She swallowed and looked down into the amazon village.  “I hope so,

for your sake and mine.”

            The moon moved closer and suddenly, the silence of the forest was

shattered by a shrill, almost hysterical, “NOW!”  The witch lowered the

shields and the resulting backflow of power caught her and rendered her

unconscious. 

            Hersius had no time to see to her safety.  She began barking orders to

her warriors and they advanced towards the waiting and unsuspecting

amazons.  They rushed the circle of amazons and were met and repelled

by the shields formed around the circle. 

            Leahnthea cursed silently then closed her eyes and began the chant of

summoning.  The warriors continued to try and force their way past the

shields, suddenly, in their midst, doorways began to open and out of

them would lumber demons, reaching for the closest human flesh,

tearing it apart.  They were indiscriminate in their attack.  They only did

as they were directed and that was to somehow get to the women

kneeling in front of the stone fixture.

            Hersius lost the contents of her stomach.  What was happening to her

warriors was wanton and unconscionable destruction and yet she was

driven towards her final goal just as surely as those demons.  The prize

had somehow become greater than reason and she had to have that

prize.

 

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Xmerson felt the portals opening before she heard the onrush of the

warriors.  She looked up and caught the eye of her queen who released

Xmerson to act.  She stood then raced towards the circle of amazons and

began shouting for them to concentrate on the shields.  They had to hold

no matter what.  She watched demons and warriors advance.  There

was no way to know if the shields would hold against a demonic attack

until it happened and she feared that in finding out, it would be too late

to form any other defense against it. 

            She waited and rationalized then took a breath and stepped to the

other side of the shields knowing that she would not be able to return

to their safety.  Her weapon was drawn and whirring in an instant and she

moved towards the nearest demon to begin her work.

            Xena looked up just as Xmerson was moving towards the circle

and she started to rise but was stopped by Innanna.  “Your place is here. 

You and Gabrielle are to protect these two women at all cost.  Their survival

is crucial.”

            The words of her goddess echoed in Xena’s mind.  Would she be

Willing to sacrifice her own life for a greater good?  Who could answer that

question?  Certainly not anyone until met head-on with the moment that

such a decision should be made.  Xena turned her back, not so that she

would not have to face her friend, but so that she could perhaps face the

future.

 

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            Hersius hurried her warriors to follow in the path of destruction and

carnage that the demons were leaving behind.  Their task was to take

out as many amazons as they could thereby tipping the balance of

success towards Leahnthea’s direction. 

            All the warlord knew was that her lover’s attention would be focused

on the altar and the women kneeling in front of it.  Beyond that, she had no

idea what Leahnthea’s next move would be. 

            She yelled until she was hoarse and her voice was barely above a

whisper.  She paused in her assault long enough to watch the demons

reach and begin to claw at the invisible shield protecting the amazons.

She also heard the whirring of the ancient weapon and watched as the

minor demons went down and vanished in a cloud of sulfuric smoke as

the blades bit through their hard, scaly hides. 

            Hersius turned from the battle and went in search of her partner to this

madness.  She saw the woman standing at the top of the hill and began

running towards her, oblivious to what was happening around her.

Suddenly, Hersius had a thousand questions.

 

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Rhoane and Brandy knelt unaware of the chaos surrounding them.  The

only sounds filling their ears was the calming chorus of voices each had

heard several times before.  They were somehow aware of the

movement of the moon, neither having to look up to see that it marched

steadily towards its destination.

            Rhoane’s heart was in pieces, tears flowed freely from her eyes and she

began to doubt her part in all of this.  It was a dream, she told herself,

one from which she could not awaken.  This was not really happening.

It could not be possible. 

            Brandy looked deeply into Rhoane’s eyes and channeled all the love she

could to her, even pulling from her surroundings trying to keep her thief

strong.  She could tell it was not working and tears welled in her eyes.

            The moon moved the final inch and its light was reflected in the

crystal mounted on the pole behind the altar.  Suddenly, the night was filled

with blinding white light and the air was filled with the howls of the

demons as the light burned their flesh. 

            In their frenzy, they managed to rip a hole in the shield and began to

climb through, enraged by the pain they felt, thrashing at anything

standing near including each other.

            Xena had lost sight of Xmerson and was now trying to focus her

attention on protecting the woman behind her.  She watched the demons

approaching, she watched the amazons going down in numbers to great

to count. 

 

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            Leahnthea reached down and grabbed the witch.  “Focus old woman.

Focus on that crystal.”  Leahnthea began to chant just as the light

exploded in the clearing below.  Hers was a chant of binding.  It was a

soul she needed and that soul was about to be released. 

            Her energy was being supplemented by the energy that the witch was

pulling, unknowingly, from the clear stone.  The witch crumpled and in

order not to lose her contact, the sorceress had to kneel next to her. 

            Hersius reached the two women and stood listening.  Finally, she

recognized the words Leahnthea was using and it pushed the warlord

over the edge.  This was enough.  Taking control of a tribe of amazons

was one thing.  Stealing the soul of another human was something all

together different and she would not stand for it.  She raised her sword

and in one stroke, would end some of this madness.

 

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The demons advanced as did some of the warriors following in their

path.  They were nearly to the altar and Xena began to fight as best she

could.  Her sword cut at the bodies near her and her chakrum flew

almost constantly but she was being driven back.  She could hear the

priestess behind her trying frantically to finish what had been started.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Gabrielle, a blur of motion trying to

keep the attackers away from the two kneeling women.  Her staff took

one warrior out only to be quickly replace by another.

            They were losing.  Xena knew it.  Gabrielle was beginning to accept it. 

 

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            Rhoane’s vision was, once again, filled with the image of the tired and

worn woman.  She smiled but it was a smile filled with pain and anguish. 

Her children were dying.  “Help me dear thief.  Only you can set this

right.  Send her to me for it is time.”

            “I can’t.  I’m not ready.”  Tears flows and stung her cheeks.  She felt

the cold, carved handle pressed in her hand and her fingers closed

around it.

            “Then what you know now will cease.  All that has been will never be.

All that you’ve known will be forgotten.”

            Rhoane looked around and suddenly was aware of what was happening.

She saw Xena fighting and heard the familiar yell then saw her go down

in a tangle of bodies and weapons.  She looked back at Brandy.

            “I love you.”

            Brandy nodded.  “I know that.”  She reached with her free hand and

touched the face of the woman that had captured her heart and whose

heart she had taken in return.  “I will always love you, my thief, but this

must be.  It’s time.”

            Rhoane looked down at the dagger then back up and into the eyes before

her.  She tightened the grip then quickly plunged the blade deep into the

chest of her love and into the heart.  And she whispered, “Go in peace

my love.”  Then she let out an agonized primal scream.

            The crystal flared even brighter then shattered in thousands of tiny

shards and pieces.  The force of the stone’s destruction blew the

combatants from their feet as if to clear the way to the remaining

demons and the clear projectiles embedded in and destroyed the

creatures.

 

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            Leahnthea felt the death and subsequent release of Brandy’s soul.  She

released the spell of summoning and was guiding it towards her target

when she heard a cry behind her and turned just in time to see the light

reflected from Hersius sword.

            The sorceress’ death was swift and painless.

            “NOOO!!”  Alann’s voice rang out behind the warlord.

            Hersius spun around and was met with the solid thump of an arrow

being embedded in her chest.  She looked at her lieutenant wanting to

know why but not getting any answers before her world faded and she

slipped towards tartarus.

 

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            Rhoane felt the warm blood of her love running down her hand and arm.

She looked down and watched as it marked her skin in the same pattern

as the medallions.  Then she was thrown to the ground by the force of

the explosion and she lost consciousness. 

            In her dreams, she saw the older woman and Brandy standing side by

side.  For a moment, as they stood there, Rhoane felt herself being

infused with an enormous amount of love and strength and then, as the images

faded, her mind was left dark.

 

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            Xena woke up the next morning and rolled over to look around the hut

she was sharing with Gabrielle and Rhoane.  After the evening’s

destruction, in tact huts were few and far between.  She saw the empty

cot where her friend had slept and she became worried.  The warrior

kissed her partner on the cheek then went outside.

            Rhoane was standing in the charred area where the altar had stood not too

many hours earlier.  Xena paused for a moment then walked slowly

towards the thief.

            Rhoane heard the snap of a twig and felt Xena?s presence.  There was a

strength radiating out from her friend and she found it comforting.  She

bent down and picked up a small shard of the shattered crystal.  The

sunlight reflected the rainbow of colors in her hand and she found

herself being drawn into the beauty of the utter destruction.  “It

happened didn’t it?”  

            Xena stood beside her and looked out over the clearing and through the

surrounding trees.  For the most part, the tribe had cleared the carnage

and was steadily throwing bodies on the pyres.  “Indeed.”

            “I begged the gods to let it be a dream when I woke up this morning.” 

            She paused then began to sway slightly.  Xena reached out and caught

the woman, holding her tightly as the reality of events finally settled

heavily on Rhoane’s mind.  The warrior held and rocked her until the

storm of emotions passed.

            “I killed her Xena.”

            “You did what you were destined to do child.”  Innanna approached on

quiet, respectful feet.  “All of these actions had been set in motion long

before any of us were born.  There is no way you could have changed

anything you did.  You sent our mother home and now our nation will

grow and become strong.  All ready, amazons from all the lands are

being driven, by some force they do not understand, to come here.

Leahnthea thought to steal Brandy’s soul and in doing so, would

become the spiritual --if you will--leader of the amazons, able to control

their actions.”

            “Is Brandy a goddess?”

            The Queen looked at Rhoane and smiled.  “Come, we have much to

discuss.”

 

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