Captured Chapter 9

 Captured  Chapter 9

Written Virginia Leonard

Copyright 1998

 

 

            The small group had been pushed at a relentless pace.  As they had

 done so many times in the last few days, they walked while eating their

 midday meal.  Gabrielle, Rhoane and Xena were used to the exertion but it was

 beginning to take its toll on Brandy.  

            She had taken this all in stride, or so her companions thought.  On

 the surface, the former tavern maid looked calm but underneath she was a

 bubbling cauldron of emotions.  After the initial excitement and relief of

 being away from her father had worn off, the gravity of their quest settled

 down upon her shoulders and it was rapidly becoming more than she could

 carry.

            That, coupled with the conversations she had been having with

 Xmerson, was enough to crush her under its weight.  It was only the

 strength she gained from her beloved partner that kept her going and kept

 her holding her head up in determination.

             Rhoane reached out to catch her when Brandy tripped and nearly 

 fell.  “You OK?”

            Brandy nodded then shook her head and whispered, “No.  I can’t

 do this.”

            “It isn’t much far.....”   Rhoane was silenced as Xmerson came to a

 sudden halt. 

            The amazon felt the air around her begin to compress much like

 that of a sealed room being opened.  The pressure changed and a rip

 appeared in the thin veil that separated the two worlds.  Out stepped a

 creature, almost human in appearance but with enough subtle differences

 that Xmerson recognized it immediately.  Of course, the stench of death that

 surrounded it would have told anyone that they were about to tangle with a

 demon.

            It grinned, revealing a row of pure white but pointed teeth, each

 glistening with poison.  ?Ahhhh.....humaaansss.  We are hungry.  We will

 eat.  You will die.?

             Rhoane covered her mouth and nose with her hand and blinked back

 the tears brought up by the putrid smell.  She heard Brandy behind her

 heaving up the contents of her stomach but she did not dare take her eyes off

 the deadly creature.  “What is that thing?”

            It turned its face toward her and Rhoane who was nearly brought to her

 knees with fear.  Dread.

            “We arrrre the Mondhamma.  We are hungry.  You look

 taaaasssty.”

             Rhoane drew her sword.  “But not so easy to take...or chew I’ll

 wager.  Come on Mr. Major Ugly, let’s see what you’ve got.”

            Xmerson stepped between the two, the engravings on the handle of

 her double edged weapon glowing faintly.  “Who brought you here?” 

            The Mondhamma turned its attention towards Xmerson, an action

 for which  Rhoane was immediately grateful.  “We comessss and goesss as we

 pleasssse.”

            Xmerson twirled her weapon in her hand causing a reflection to

 bounce off the demon’s face.  “That’s a lie.  You had to be summoned.  Who

 called you here?”

            It stared at the woman for a moment, a look of amusement passing

 over its face then it shrugged.  “We care not for your human matters.  She

 calls herself the mother of the amazonsssss.”

            Xmerson’s eyes narrowed.

            Xena let the air hiss softly between her teeth.

            “Who?”  Gabrielle whispered.

            “Leahnthea,” Xmerson sneered.

            “Who?”  Gabrielle asked once again not recognizing the name.

            Before Gabrielle’s question could be answered, the Mondhamma

 lunged for Xmerson.  She easily stepped out of its way and brought her

 weapon down across its hamstring in a slice that would have brought a

 human to its knees but barely scratched the surface of the leathery skin.

            The Mondhamma stopped its forward motion and turned to face

 the source of his irritation.  He saw the weapon spinning in Xmerson’s hands

 and began to hear the high pitched whirring sound that the blades made as

 they sliced through the air.  Before long, the weapon was spinning at such a

 pace as to make it invisible.  

            He then recognized the weapon for what it was and decided to

 focus his attack on a less deadly member of the group.  A body lying

 hunched on the ground caught his attention and he took two quick steps

 towards it.  He reached for its arm but was thwarted as Rhoane’s booted foot

 connected with his elbow.  He threw back his head and roared in frustration,

 jerking his arm back, causing one of his claws to rake across Brandy’s cheek. 

            She screamed in pain and quickly covered the cut with her hands

 but not before the blood began to flow freely down her cheek and neck.  It

 felt like it was sizzling, melting the skin away and Brandy began to lose

 consciousness.  

            The images of her companions began to waver, melting and turning

 into hideous creatures which she was certain were about to grab and do

 horrible things to her.  She wanted to run but her legs would not work.  One

 of them, the closest one to her, reached out and touched her arm.  She

 screamed and tried to scoot away but could not make her limbs obey her and

 finally, she fell into darkness.

             Rhoane clenched her jaw and took her sword in both hands.  She

 stood and pressed an attack on the creature without regard to her own

 safety.  Blow after blow rained down on its body causing icor to ooze from

 the cuts and yet it barely stumbled.  The clearing was filled with the sounds

 of primal screams and had she not felt the strain on her throat she would not

 have believed them to be her own voice.

            Her sword bit the skin of the Mondhamma and with each strike, she

 was engulfed by a growing feeling of pleasure bordering on ecstasy.  Her

 eyes were focused only on her prey and though she could hear the voices,

 the berserker haze did not allow her to recognize them.

            Xena heard Xmerson groan.  “What?”

            “She can’t kill it.  He’ll let her go like this until she’s exhausted then

 take and devour her.  I’ll pull his attention then you grab her and get out of

 here.  Brandy has to get attention or the poison will kill her and if that

 happens...well, it just can’t happen.  Get them to the village as fast as you

 can.  Keep heading northeast and don’t worry, when you get close the

 guides will find you and lead you in.  Now go.” 

            Xena paused but only for a moment.  She heard the ancient amazon

 war cry and knew it was time to take Rhoane, to try and bring her out of her

 haze.  It was going to be a tricky move since the blade of her friend was

 flying in every direction at once.  Finally, she found an opening and moved

 up behind the curly haired woman, locking her arm around the sweaty throat

 and began to pull her back.

             Rhoane continued to fight and struggle against her assailant until

 finally, Xena’s voice began to break through the fog in her head and she

 recognized the images of her companions.  

            “We’ve got to get out of here,” Xena said.  

            “Someone has to stay and help Xmerson,”   Rhoane protested,

 watching the battle between the mysterious amazon and the demon.

            “No.  She told me specifically that we...the four of us...have to

 make it to the village by a certain time.”

            Xena and Rhoane stood there for only an instant watching Xmerson

 deal what should have been fatal blows to her opponent.  They were both

 startled into action by the ringing of Xmerson’s voice inside their heads.

            “GET BRANDY TO THE VILLAGE.....GO!!!!”

             

 

             Rhoane had no idea how long she had been running with her love

 thrown over her shoulder.  All she knew was that the life was draining out of

 Brandy and she had to find help or at least hope that help found her small

 group.

            When the masked women dropped from the trees to surround them,

 all she could do was drop to her knees and gently lay the barely breathing

 woman on the ground in front of her before nearly losing consciousness

 herself.  It they wanted to run her through with their swords, that was fine

 with her.  The burning in her legs and lungs was enough to make her want to

 die and the quick death at the hands of the amazons would be welcomed. 

 “Just slit my throat and be done with it.”

            What she felt instead, were the strong hands of several women

 lifting her to a litter then the gentle, rhythmic swaying as they began to run. 

 She managed to lift her head and saw that all four were being carried. 

 Satisfied that all were safe, she dropped her head and lapsed into a deep and

 undisturbed sleep.

 

                                    @@@

 

            Brandy woke to the bitter taste of hyssops being spooned down her

 throat.  She quickly jerked her head to the side and began to heave the

 contents of her stomach into a pot next to the bed.  Soothing hands touched

 her back and began to stroke her hair.

            “That’s it child...rid your system of the poison.”  A soft but aged

 voice sounded in her ears.

            She lay back against her soft pillow and tried to will her stomach to

 calm itself.  

            “Where am I?”  Her voice sounded foreign to her, raspy, no doubt

 from the day of purging her system.

            “In the village of your sisters,” came the reply from the crone as she

 lay a cool cloth across Brandy’s forehead.

            “I have no sisters,” Brandy groaned.

            The old woman chuckled.  “You have many sisters, my child. 

 They’ve been waiting a long time for your return.”

            “Enough, Marne, she needs her rest.”

            Brandy opened her eyes at the sound of a new voice and saw, in the

 doorway, a tall, well formed amazon dressed, obviously, in the

 accoutrements of an amazon queen.  Her long, raven black hair was held

 back by a braid running from her temples to the back of her head.  Woven

 into the braid was a thin metal band with tiny engravings that marked it as

 the queen’s crown.  She was dressed in the traditional garments of an

 amazon warrior with one addition, a soft, tightly woven silk cape that

 fastened at her throat with a gold clasp in the form of eagles claws.  It had

 been dyed a deep, rich forest green which complimented the hazel eyes set in

 the tanned face of a woman who spends a great deal of time in the sun.  

            Marne smiled at her queen and patted Brandy’s hand before

 standing and walking silently from the hut.  The queen watched Marne leave

 then moved to sit next to the cot.  She looked deeply into the young woman’s

eyes for what seemed to Brandy to be an eternity.  Brandy was certain that

something had brushed against her soul.

            “Your journey is just beginning, little one.”  

            Brandy was almost startled by the sound of the queen’s voice. 

 “Gods, I hope not,” Brandy mumbled as she closed her eyes.

            The woman laughed a soft, almost soothing laugh.  “It surely has not been

 easy getting you here.  You have been watched through the ages and have

 given those assigned to you fits.”

            Brandy opened her eyes and looked at the woman, noticing the

 pattern inlaid in her crown for the first time.  She reached for the medallion

 laying between her breasts and saw that the patterns were identical. 

 “How...Who...”

            The queen raised her hand and smiled.  “I am Innanna and queen of

 this tribe of amazons.  There is much yet to be learned but you must rest and

 regain your strength.  Time is crucial now.”

            “I don’t understand.”

            “You will.  When the time is right, everything will be as clear as a

 mountain stream to you.”  Innanna stood up to leave and placed her hand to

 Brandy’s forehead.  “Sleep.”

            Brandy was unconscious almost immediately.

 

                                    @@@

 

            Xena walked in the room and found Rhoane sitting, propped up on

 her cot drinking warm broth from an earthenware bowl.  “You look like

 yesterday’s slop.”

            “Love you too.”  The thief smiled and winked.

            Xena returned that smile with one just as warm and sat on the stool

 next to the cot.  She watched her friend down the last drops of the liquid

 then took the bowl and placed it on the table next to her.  “Looks like we

 made it.”

            “What in the name are tartarus are we doing here Xena?”

            “I don’t know everything but I’ve been wandering the camp and

 listening.  They’re preparing for some sort of huge celebration tomorrow

 night but are tight lipped when I ask about it.”

             Rhoane looked at her friend and raised one eyebrow.  “I thought you

 knew everything there was to know about amazons.”

            Xena leaned forward and rested her forearms on her knees.  “Not

 this bunch.  I don’t recognize any of them but judging from the symbols on

 their amulets, they’ve been around a while.  The symbols are parts of an

 ancient language that I thought had died many years back.  Anyway, they

 aren’t talking much to me.”

             Rhoane nodded.  “Same here.  All they do is smile and pour more

 soup down my throat.”

            Xena laughed.  “One would think you’d be appreciative of the

 attention.”

            The thief grinned.  “Before Brandy...yes but now?”  She shook her

 head.  She’s all I can think about and nobody will tell me where she is or

 how she’s doing.”

            “She’s in the queen’s hut and recovering, just like you are.”

             Rhoane stood up and began pulling her pants on then her boots.  “I

 can’t stay cooped up like this anymore.  I want to go for a walk.”

            As if on cue, an amazon warrior appeared in the doorway. 

 “Excellent idea.  Someone wants to see you.”

             Rhoane whirled around and instantly, a dagger appeared in each of

 her hands.  The amazon stepped back and laughed.  

            “Easy there...didn’t mean to startle you.”

             Rhoane almost growled but held her voice for a moment.  “Just a

 little jumpy.  Dodging demons will do that.”

            “I see.  Come with me and I’ll take you to Brandy.  She’s asking

 for you and the healer says it’s ok now that you see her.”

            Xena stood to follow and the amazon held up her hand.  “Sorry,

 only Rhoane.”  The warrior gave a slight hand signal that Xena instantly

 recognized.  She smiled and nodded.

            “I’ll see you later,” Xena said as she ducked out of the hut.

 

                                    @@@

             

             Rhoane must have lost all track of time.  She was confused when she

 stepped out into the darkening village.  According to her best recollection, it

 should have been early morning.  

            She followed her guide and looked around at the orderly and busy

 surroundings.  Each amazon had a task and each was performing it with a

 great deal of earnest enthusiasm and haste.  Xena was right, they were

 preparing for something big.

            She soon found herself at the entrance to another hut and was

 directed inside.  She stepped through the opening and heard the flap being

 closed over the doorway, giving the two women some privacy.   Rhoane

 walked slowly to the bed and sat down on the low chair next to it.  She

 picked up her sleeping lover’s hand and held it against her lips, her eyes

 taking in the peaceful and almost innocent look on the serving woman’s face.

            Brandy’s eye opened and she smiled up at the woman who held the

 key to her heart.  “Hi.”

            “Hi yourself.  You feel ok?”

            Brandy nodded.  “Just fine.  Apparently they got me in time to

 leech the poison from my body.  I’m going to be just fine.”

             Rhoane could not hold it back any longer.  Her eyes brimmed and the

 tears finally spilled over and down her cheeks.  She lay her head down on

 Brandy’s chest and felt arms go around her shaking shoulders.  

            Brandy held her while the storm of emotions wracking her body

 finally playing themselves out.  She gently stroked the dark curly hair and let

 her fingers brush against the side of Rhoane’s tear streaked face before taking

 that same face in her hands and lifting it to look down into the calming blue

 eyes.  “I’m going to be fine,” she whispered.

            “Don’t you ever do that to me again.  I don’t know what I would

 do if I lost you.”

            “Shh...I’m not about to go anywhere without you, silly thief.”

            Something flashed in Rhoane?s eye and she found her attention drawn

 to the medallion.  Her fingers touched it, lightly tracing the designs etched in

 it and once again, she heard the chorus of voices in her head.  A warmth

 flooded her body and she looked up into the eyes of her love.  She had to

 have this woman.  She needed this woman.  

            She felt herself being pulled up towards soft, waiting lips and she

 eagerly but tenderly pressed her own against them.  Something passed

 between the two women and each felt what the other was feeling.  A loop of

 emotions and sensations feeding each other.  They were pulled towards each

 other, spirits mixing and touching.  Where she touched Brandy, Rhoane felt it

 and vice versa.  She opened herself completely to Brandy and felt those same

 doors opening in the woman beneath her.  

            Brandy cried.  How could she not?  She was raw, vulnerable to this

 woman and the love that was pouring into her from  Rhoane.  She felt herself

 filled with the thief’s nimble fingers and all she could do was lay her head

 back and surrender.  She felt herself being pulled from her corporeal body

 and surrounded by a brilliant white light.  Images flooded her consciousness. 

 Images of her and Rhoane together for the first time.  Images of her mother

 and other women whose recognition teased at the edges of her memory.  She

 saw hundreds of women rising and moving towards her.  She saw and felt an

 energy enveloping her and in the middle of all of this, she saw an image of a

 woman looking back at her.  Tired.  She felt tired.  She saw the life draining

 from this woman and something in the eyes told Brandy that she was needed,

 her life was needed, her essence was needed or all those coming towards her

 would perish.  For a moment, it frightened Brandy and then she felt the

 touch, the strength, the love coming from her partner and she knew what she

 had to do.

            The energy that now filled her fed her passion and she focused back

 on Rhoane, taking her, touching her with a fire that she had never felt before. 

 Suddenly, she couldn’t touch her lover deep enough or strong enough.  Her

 kisses felt inadequate and she felt unable to make Rhoane understand just what

 she felt in her heart for the irascible thief.  Both women released their

 pleasure in voices that rang out through the universe, touching each and

 every soul out there.

            They made love until neither was able to move.  Both lost

 consciousness and were not certain how long they had been laying in each

 other’s arms before waking.  When they did finally look at each other, they

 could see in the other’s eyes that both knew what was about to happen.

            “I can’t,”  Rhoane whispered.

            Brandy said nothing, just continued to look at her beloved,

 memorizing every tiny detail.

            Neither woman flinched when Innanna walked in and announced in

 a soft but firm voice that it was time.

 

                                    @@@

 

 

            Xena and Gabrielle walked out through the village and watched as

 the final preparations were made.  The stone alter had been moved outside

 the temple and a round piece of convex shaped glass mounted on a tall pole

 had been set into the ground at a precise distance behind the altar.  Various

 bowls and ceremonial daggers had been arranged on the top with a mat of

 finely woven forest colored silks laid out on the ground in front of it.

            Xena stopped walking and looked out into the surrounding trees. 

 She reached over and laid her hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder giving it a slight

 reassuring squeeze.  “Something’s not right Gabrielle.”

            Gabrielle looked out into the forest as well then turned her attention

 to the myriad activities still going on around them.  “Seems fine to me.”

            Xena shook her head.  “No, something isn’t right.  I can’t put my

 finger on it.”  She paused, the noise of the village having died down for just

 a moment and then it became obvious.  “Gabrielle, there are no sounds

 coming from the trees around us.  None.”

            Gabrielle listened for a moment but her hearing was not as acute as

 the warrior’s and she still could not hear what her companion heard...or did

 not hear as the case may be.

            Xena took off at a brisk pace.  “Come on, we have to find

 Innanna.”

 

                                    @@@

 

            Leahntha whispered to Hersius and the warlord signaled to her

 soldiers to halt.  An order that was silently but gratefully welcomed.  The

 pace that had been set had already cost the leader fully half her army.  Those

 that had not dropped dead on the march were so exhausted that they would

 be of little use in a battle except as bodies to throw in the way of the

 amazons.  Expendable.  

            “We’re almost too late,” Leahntha hissed.

            “Any faster and we would have NO troops to fight this battle with.”

            Leahntha just looked at her lover before turning her attention back

 to the preparations in the village.  “The witch’s shields won’t hold much

 longer.  We’ll have to be ready to move quickly but at the precise moment. 

 Timing is everything now.”

            Hersius dismounted and her warriors quickly followed her lead. 

 “I’m not certain I fully understand what you have to do.”

            Leahntha’s eyes nearly glowed and a smile flickered at the corners

 of her lips.  “I have to steal a soul.”  She turned and looked for the witch. 

 “Will you be ready?”

            “You call your demons.  I’ll protect you as best I can but be

 warned.  This is foolhardy and I strongly counsel against it.  Those demons

 owe no one their allegiance, especially one who disturbs them for their own

 personal gain.  Listen to me Hersius.  What she intends to do will get you

 killed, surely as I stand here.”

            Leahntha glared at the crone.  “Everything comes with a price.  The

 greater the gain, the higher the risk and this is one I’m willing to take.  So is

 Hersius.”

            The warlord did not answer, instead she just looked from one

 woman to the other and then walked back to check on her troops.

            Leahntha watched her walk away then took the old witch by the

 throat.  “Just make certain everything is ready.  When I give the signal, you

 do what you’ve been told.  Is that clear?”

            The old woman reached up and with a strength that surprised

 Leahntha, she grabbed her wrist and easily took it away from her throat,

 nearly crushing it in her grasp.  “Nothing is EVER as it seems.  Is THAT

 clear?”  Her voice was low and strong, not the crackly voice that Leahntha

 had come to expect.

 

                                    @@@

 

            Alann watched the exchange between the hag and Leahntha.  She

 waited until the witch had disappeared into the darkening trees before

 approaching.  “Hersius is having second thoughts, but you know that.”

            Leahntha was startled by the sound of the lieutenant’s voice, having

 not heard her approach but her discipline kept her from showing it.  “I know

 that.  Doesn’t matter at this point.  What’s been set in motion can’t be

 stopped now.”  She turned and looked at Alann, letting her features soften. 

 She took slow, seductive steps towards her next victim.  “You are key to

 this now.”  Her delicate hands slid up over the soldier’s chest and clasped

 behind her neck pulling her lips closer.  “You know your job.”

            Alann nodded and let her hands slide around her leader’s lover.  “I

 know.  Hersius has no clue what’s about to happen to her.”  

            Their lips found each other and the lieutenant became lost in the

 spell of passion being woven by the ambitious and power drunk Leahntha.