Many of the men, and even some of the women, were lifted into the air, and impaled upon the sharp stakes. Their cries lasted for much of the day, a slow and agonizing death.
Others were tied to posts driven into the sand. The palace women from our camp were given daggers, and let loose upon the victims. The shield maidens were also allowed to freely indulge in atrocities, to their joy. The Lady ordered many of the aristocrats and royal princes to be led forth. They were stripped by the shield maidens. Some of them were singled out to be impaled. Others were tied to stakes, and eviscerated.
The screams of the victims were horrible. The vultures circled overhead, eager for the feast waiting for them. I took a spear from one of the legionnaires and went to the stakes reserved for the victims. One of them held the body of a woman. She had been mutilated, but was still alive. She had been left by the shield maidens to die slowly.
I plunged my spear into her neck.
I turned from the carnage. I found our cavalry encampment, and mounted a saddle animal. I rode to the sea, and raced down the coast, till I could no longer hear the cries. I considered not returning to the Queen. However, I knew that I could never escape her.
At our tent, after the day's work was over, I washed the blood from my hands, as best I could, and donned a tunic of purest white. I then went to the side of the Lady. I kissed the hand of the Queen. I praised the fine robes she had donned for the evening meal. She had used an exotic perfume. She placed her hand on my chest, tracing the outline of my form.
The Queen gave me a goblet of red wine. She looked at me.
“You have a gentle heart, Warrior.” she said. “I shall make you Viceroy of my realm, nevertheless. I shall give you warning, however. You may have cause to regret any mercy you show.” She continued. “Remember, your warriors will pay with blood, if you are weak.”
“Lady, I will lead warriors who live by the code of honor. We will face our enemy as warriors are required by the rules of honor,” I replied carefully. Cruelty is more the child of evil, than of wisdom.
In a few days, many of the surviving captives were sold to slavers. They had come to the city once news of its fall was heard. A great auction was held. The prices were low, because of the numbers of men and women. One by one the captives were brought forth, and bids taken.
The women were sold first. Those young and pretty were sold for the brothels, or as concubines. I sat at the side of the Queen. The Lady, on her chair, watched as the women were led forward, one by one. Their robes were torn from them.
Bids were taken on each of the women. Some of them tried to hide themselves with their hands. Others ignored the stares of the crowd of buyers, to maintain a little dignity. A young girl was brought forward. She was tall, and very lovely. Her robes were taken from her, and she was chained to a stake, her arms high above her head. Tears filled her eyes.
One of the slavers called for bids. He turned her head with his whip.
“My Queen, may I have the girl?” I asked. The Queen smiled, and waved her forward. The head slaver freed her of her chains.
“She is very fair, Warrior. She is part of your share of the loot. She is yours by right of conquest. We will call her to our tent tonight, and she will share our bed.”
The slave woman gazed at me, and smiled. I gestured her to my side. I gave her a wine skin. She murmured her thanks. I learned her name was Parsa. She would become my concubine in the city of Astarte, and serve me with loyalty over the years to come. The auction continued, with the royal coffers filling with gold. At a line of posts near the auction block, the slaves were branded. They were marked with the first three letters of the name of the slaver. Some of the men paid the auctioneers a silver coin, to use the women before purchase.
We rode back to the royal tents pitched outside the city walls. We turned my slave woman over to some of the palace women. She seemed pleased to be in the service of the Queen and not bound for the brothels of the south.
* * *
The city was searched house by house for gold. A few of the captives won their freedom by helping us find hidden troves of silver and gold.
The Queen was present when we forced open the palace treasure room. Inside, we found chests full of gold coin, and much other treasure. We also found a device, fitted with a screen of glass. The Lady smashed it to the floor.
“This was a gift from one of my race. From this passed their orders to the vipers.” That night, the Queen ordered the woman at the auction brought to our tent, along with three other captives of great beauty.
The Queen summoned her palace women, and commanded music from their flutes. As the music played, the captive women were stripped by the palace women. They had expected this fate, as they had been singled out from the other women.
“Come Warrior. The victory is yours. You must claim the fruit of your victory.” She noticed my expression.
“They are lovely, and see you as a brave hero, fair of face and most comely. They hope to rise in our service. Do not pity them. They do not want that, but to be treated as women are by a hero.”
“Treat them as does a hero?” I whispered. The women were very lovely, with long black hair. I needed little persuasion. In the next few days the city was secured. We made ready to return to the City of the Myst. We left a garrison in the stronghold and gathered the spoils of our victory. We made ready to march. Our captives were mounted on saddle animals, also taken as plunder.
Our line of march was long. It was burdened by carts brimming with loot, and by the number of captives. We passed by a few hamlets and towns. They were deserted, the people unsure of their safety.
We halted the first night on the banks of a stream. The saddle animals were watered, and our tents erected. The Royal Guard of shield maidens took position around the tent of the Queen.
The captive women had no place to flee to for aid. They were unlikely to seek to escape. We marched to the mountains, passing through the plain. We ascended the pass leading to the city of Astarte. We halted in front of the city gate.
The Queen called out a command. Some of the captive women were pulled forward. The most beautiful of them had been chosen. They were stripped of their robes. Their hands were bound, and tied to ropes fixed to our lead chariots.
The procession into the city was in form a triumph. Trumpets blared forth. The chariots drove forward, followed by the naked women captured at the city, all tied by ropes fixed to the chariots. Some of the women sobbed at their shame, as we moved forward. Others remained impassive, seeking to preserve some dignity.
We marched through the nearly deserted streets, lined by a few of the palace women, and the shield maidens we had left in the city as a garrison. The women tossed flowers in front of our chariots as we rode forward.
“Remember, you are not a god, not yet,” said the Divine Lady. We reached the palace, and stepped down from the chariot. After we reached the entrance, the Lady sent the captives to the slave pens below the palace.
We entered the main hall, and the Lady ascended to the throne. Her warriors marched in, followed by the palace ladies. The warriors saluted the Queen with their swords.
The palace ladies began a hymn of praise.
Glory, glory to the Lady of the Snows. Immortal,
Victorious Queen, Empress of Stars,
Scatter your enemies. Drive them before you.
Destroyer of Worlds, Goddess of Love…
I saw that another convex chair had been placed by the side of the throne. “Come Warrior,” called the Lady. “Sit beside me. You are now my consort, and the Conqueror.” Since that day I have come to be called by all the people the Conqueror.
The Lady took her place and I sat beside her. The Queen called for a blast from the trumpets. The warriors assembled before us raised their swords in salute. The hall was filled with the sound of the clash of arms. I rose, and returned the salute.
A cheer arose.
“Long live the Queen.”
“All honor to the Pri
nce Consort.”
Thus began my service as Prince Consort, and Viceroy. In time, I would visit many worlds that owed her fealty to demand tribute. Each city of her empire must need pay tribute to the Lady. Rare gems, gold and objects of art were offered. Women were also sent to serve the Lady. The women were of every hue, many with exotic features.
The Queen ruled many worlds held by men. Other worlds were the home of strange races, alien to us. For these worlds, the Queen commanded the beings not to venture off their home worlds. Apart from this, little was demanded. With most of them, little commerce or communication was possible.
* * *
Thus ends this account of your just treatment of the vipers of the coast. If all is right in your divine eyes, let this account be added to the Annals, most dread ruler, Astarte the Queen, may you rule forever and ever.
So ordered, The Prince Consort.
* * * *
Myths of Astarte Five
* * *
The Divine Astarte was the ruler of many worlds of the multiverse, of space, time and planes of reality. She was one of the last of her ancient race, a race of beings who had gained power like unto the gods. Her rivals were always at war with her, and her consort.
Imperial Annals, XXI, p. 688.
* *.*
High Queen, I make this report as commanded, of our raid upon the lost city of the Gazen. So ordered, by the Prince Consort.
* * *
“Tomorrow we shall strike!" said the Queen.
“We are ready, My Liege!” I answered.
“My treacherous brother and his cohorts are driving the people away from the hills. He drives them from the river valleys into the waste lands. I will not wait for him here in my city. I will not allow him to destroy the hill tribes. I will lead my regiments out. We shall raid his forces.”
Astarte took me to a hall filled with arms. Row of spears and shields lined the walls of the arsenal. There were tables that bore many swords, daggers and helmets. There were also coats of bronze mail.
I selected a coat of mail, a heavy sword, and other arms and harness. I selected a helmet of a strange alloy, very light and strong. I also selected a coat of mail. Two of the attendants of the Queen helped me to garb myself with the armor. When I was well caparisoned for war, the Queen led me to the courtyard. The courtyard was filled with the shield maidens of Astarte. Chariots were being readied, with troops climbing aboard.
As I watched the formation of the chariot regiment, Astarte walked through the doorway of the palace. She walked to the top of the staircase, stopped, and raised the spear she was bearing.
The charioteers stood at attention as she approached. They gave a cheer when she raised her spear, and clashed their weapons against their shields.
“Astarte!”
“Astarte!”
The Queen looked at me. “We go to wars today, Champion Mine!” A chariot gleaming in gold and emeralds drove up to the base of the stairs. The Lady walked down the stairs. I followed her. The Lady walked to the rear of the chariot. I went to her side, and lifted her onto the platform of the chariot. I leapt up beside her. The charioteer turned to us.
“All honor to you Lady. All is ready.”
“Forward, my regiment!” Astarte raised her spear. The chariot of the Queen raced forward through the gate of the courtyard. The chariots of the regiment followed us. We followed the grand way, leading to the gates of the city. We passed through the open gate of the wall of the city. We followed the road leading into the wasteland for more than an hour. We approached a line of hills to the north.
We headed toward the line of hills at a slower pace. The chariot passed between two of the rocky hills. When we reached the other side of the hill, I could see a wide ravine leading down into a green valley, with a stream running through.
The regiment descended into the ravine, and followed a trail winding along the side of the river. As we rode forward, horns sounded from the sides of the valley. We could see signs of movement in the trees to our sides. Once I caught sight of a great beast, moving rapidly on two legs through the trees.
“Gazen!” said the Queen.
We followed the trail till we came onto a plain with scattered patches of brush and trees. In the distance I could see a number of low stone buildings, with a low circuit wall. We halted until the squadrons deployed into a line facing the structures.
The Queen raised her spear, and the line raced forward. We rode across the sandy plain, slowing as we neared the buildings. Our chariot came to a halt. The wings of our line continued forward, halting on the flanks of the complex.
The circuit wall of the city was perhaps six feet tall, and made of stones fitted together without mortar. We had stopped opposite a wide gap in the wall. A cobbled path led to the buildings inside the wall. Astarte gestured with her spear, and we rode up to the gap. We were followed by two other chariots. I turned to the Queen.
“My Lady, you should remain with the main body. I shall go forward.”
“No, I will come with you,” she commanded.
We had entered a large courtyard, and faced another wall, and gateway. The courtyard was vacant, except for piles of stone tumbled from the rough-hewn walls. One of our chariots rode forward to the gap in the wall ahead. At the command of the Queen, one of the shield maidens leapt onto the ground, and walked toward the gaping entrance.
She drew her sword, and advanced into the room beyond. We heard a shout from the woman, and a series of howls. A dark form appeared in the door.
“Gazen!” The Queen hissed.
Our charioteer raised a horn at her side, and blew a long blast. We raced forward, followed by the other chariots. The creature in the gap ran forward. It was followed by others of its kind. The creature howled in pain, and halted. A bolt from a crossbow had struck the creature, and was buried deep in its middle.
Astarte drew her bow, and loosed another arrow. I threw a javelin from a rack at the side of the chariot. There were more howls of pain. A mound of bodies was forming in the front of the entry gateway.
One of the creatures reached the side of our chariot. I grasped a war axe from the rack, and struck the creature, nearly cleaving its skull in two. The warriors in the chariots continued to shoot arrows and cast javelins.
Chariots from the force we had left behind pulled forward, and appeared at our side. Arrows began to pour into the creatures rushing through the gap and into the field. Astarte screamed an order. A body of shield maidens from the chariots began to form a line. The warriors were armed with pikes and war axes. I leapt down, and joined them.
The line began to advance towards the door, pushing the creatures back. The creatures fell before the rain of arrows, almost blocking the door.
The creatures still pushed through the gateway, but in fewer numbers. I stepped forward, striking down one of the animals with my axe. Another of the beasts rushed at me. It raised its arm, to tear at me with its claws. I hacked at its arm with my axe.
The forearm of the Gazen flew from the stump of the upper arm. Blood gushed out, as the creature howled. The creature sprung at me, in spite of its wound. I struck the creature once more, and it toppled to the side.
I moved forward, advancing towards the gap. I was followed by the warriors to my rear. The creatures gave way under the rain of arrows. I climbed over the jumble of bodies piled in the door way, and leapt into the room beyond.
The body of the warrior lay inside, covered in blood. I swung my axe at one of the gazen that rushed at me. One of the warriors jabbed at it with a pike. The animal fell to the side.
We pushed forward, forcing the gazen back with our pikes. Two of the warriors grasped the body of the fallen warrior, dragging her body back through the gap and into the field beyond.
We followed the two women, jabbing at the gazen as we backed out the door into the field outside. Once we were outside the gap, we were able to hold the gazen at the front of the gap. The creatures fell under the arrows, filling the gap with their bo
dies as they fell.
The attack slowed. I returned to the chariot, and Astarte. We could hear cries from outside the courtyard, from the plain outside the building.
“We must withdraw!” I yelled.
“Wheel!” The Queen screamed out. I returned to the line of warriors. The chariots wheeled, and advanced to the gateway of the courtyard. A line of pike men in our rear backed slowly to cover the rear of the chariots.
As we pulled back the gazen filled the courtyard. Their numbers were fewer, and they continued to fall to the bolts and arrows still coming from the chariots. The chariots drove through the gateway into the plain outside the city.
Apis, the Baboon God: Three Histories of the Dark Empire (The High Strangeness Erotica series Book 14) Page 6