by Serena Whynd
She glanced in the direction of the city, where the silhouette of the frightened Gondorian captain was still visible, dashing across the plains.
“Well, let’s hope some good will come of this. That guy will alert the entire region all the way to Yaraelen. We have to go on.”
“Should we not... finish... this one?” Jacqueline pointed at the wizard with the sword she had just picked up from the ground.
“No, it is better not to touch him. If he is even still alive, we don’t know how to finish him at all. Legends say that the Mages were almost impossible to kill. If feeling more pain wakes him up, there is probably nothing that would save us.” Shalmar was placing her sword her in its scabbard on her back. She glanced back at the wizard.
“In that case, I have nothing against us getting as far away from here as possible,” Jacqueline responded.
Shalmar looked at the young warrior. They exchanged a quick but meaningful stare. The way she said it, completely calm, with a small dose of humour, had a kind of relaxing effect on her. It was exactly what she needed right now. She admired the young girl’s mature attitude. She felt her heart tug. As if she confronted such events on a regular basis, Jacqueline showed no fear of the unknown. The older Amazon was now quite confident that she had been paired with the best young warrior that the school could provide, and that the young woman would undoubtedly be a great figure in the Order someday.
*** CHAPTER 10 ***
The narrow and rocky foothill of the Great Gondor mountains was just spacious enough for the warriors to travel at a faster pace. Unfortunately, they had lost the horse. Panic during the unusual event had chased him too far for them to catch him again. But it was uncertain whether they would have been able to advance quickly on horseback along this path. In certain parts, the old road had decomposed and was dangerous for unwary feet, especially when night fell. The desire for faster progress heightened the risk of injury in such conditions, but the two Amazons did not want to allow much time for the Gondorian army to prepare a new ambush in front of the capital.
Now that they were moving again, the women had time to think. After confronting the wizard, there was no room for any doubt that the golden statuette that had brought them on this adventure had a much more interesting history than they could have imagined. They were now convinced that the old stories about the existence of incredibly powerful wizards were true, and also that whatever had prevented them from appearing and using their powers on the Continent all these years had recently ceased to work.
“There is no doubt that the sacred Gondorian statuette has something to do with it. The Mage specifically asked for it,” Jacqueline thought out loud.
“I believe so. It cannot be a coincidence that after all this time, the return of the first Mage happened just two days after the Tarlaeth broke.”
“I must admit, after this event, I see more meaning and purpose in going to the Gondorian King for answers.” Jacqueline’s words were soft and thoughtful.
Shalmar was glad that her decision to bring the statuette to King Yarael Twenty-Seventh had been justified. The wizard’s powers were not to be taken lightly. The destructive rage and evil that he presented suggested that every second spent searching for a way to prevent him from unleashing his vindictiveness mattered.
It was a long night of rapid travel. Their progress brought them closer to their goal, and the warriors began to consider how they would get into Yaraelen and break into to the King’s chambers, which were surely heavily guarded. They both agreed that it made the most sense to take out some passengers at the entrance to the city and to try to disguise themselves in their clothes. A second option, which they both felt was a waste of valuable time, was to wait for the next nightfall and attempt to climb over the high, well-kept city wall.
Darkness, fatigue, haste and the mental effort required for planning all resulted in a significant drop in their concentration. On their way through the thick bushes, they broke into a clearing. Unexpectedly, they found themselves standing in front of a group of people clothed in dark robes.
The first and the weakest rays of morning sunlight revealed ten silhouettes. The figures were standing in the dark, dressed in robes with hoods over their heads; except their hands, no part of their body was visible. They stood one next to the other, forming a broad circle with their bodies, their arms outstretched. They murmured quietly in unison, and to Shalmar, the sound they made seemed more like a chant or a spell than a song.
The two Warriors instinctively pulled out their swords and prepared themselves for attack: these figures very well might be more wizards. Their number was frightening, and the two Amazons realized that, if they were indeed Mages, they stood no chance.
The figures soon noticed them and the Warriors’ relief set in as they watched the figures begin to retreat in fear, making no move to defend themselves. Some of them simply turned their heads, still covered with hoods, towards the newcomers.
“Oh, look. Our Amazon colleagues” said the voice of an older woman. She reached up and removed her hood, revealing a mane of long, gray hair and deep, wisdom-filled eyes.
The first face revealed, as did the others as they unhooded, evidence of who they were. They were all female, and the tattoos on their foreheads revealed them to be Gondorian priestesses. The words of the first priestess still rang in Shalmar’s ears. She had referred to the Amazons as colleagues. In their country, the Amazons also had the status of priestesses. But their ritual roles were minimal. Amazon religion did not require as much ritual ceremony as that of the Gondorians.
The two countries, despite being at war, shared very similar religious beliefs. In short, they both believed in All. They believed that everything that existed was, in fact, one supreme Deity. Every living thing and inanimate matter, that which existed and that which did not, had existed or had not and will exist or will not, was an essential part of All. To live in harmony with All was a prevailing philosophy. For the restlessness the war had brought, both countries blamed the opposing side. Due to this, neither side found the need to return the harmony to All.
Compared to that of the Amazons, Gondorian religious tradition included more frequent ceremonies and the need to pay regular tribute to All. The fear of introducing discord through the neglect of religion and religious rituals was much stronger in Gondor than in Gilsk. The kingdom of the Amazon Warriors was convinced that there were no reasons for such concerns. By establishing a unique system in which complete control was in the hands of women, they believed they had gained balance in the stability of All. Also, they felt that they could bring balance in All by achieving a balance between mind, body and soul. Gondor, though, was much better at remembering the time when wizards had attempted to achieve the greatest possible control over All, thus bringing a state of imbalance and significant discomfort to their people. The people of Gondor had decided to live in a state of higher connection with All to prevent this catastrophe from repeating itself.
Gondorians allowed women to be priestesses. The priestesses were said to have unique powers, but few had ever had the privilege of witnessing these powers. They had their own ranks and it immediately became clear to both Amazons that they had stumbled across a ritual ceremony.
The two Amazons looked at each other, and as if reading each other’s thoughts, decided to leave their swords in their sheaths. There was no danger in these Gondorian women of faith, who were known for their peacefulness. Quite the opposite of Gilsk philosophy, the Gondorians felt that any violence brought discomfort inside All. Acting violently could not possibly bring stability to the great balance.
“We apologize for disrupting your early morning ritual. That was not our intention.” Shalmar had decided on a peaceful approach. She believed that she could easily communicate with the priestesses.
“That is good to know”. The priestess who spoke seemed to be the head of the group. “Some of my sisters are too young to be able to master their fear yet. They have heard too many terrible stories
about the Amazons. I am somewhat older and remember that there is another side to your calling and your nature. They call me Shondar.” She nodded to the girls.
“I understand. And I am sure you are interested in why we are here,” continued Shalmar. Without waiting for an answer, she pulled out the two halves of the broken statuette from her jacket pocket, and spread them in her palms them for the priestesses to see. She knew that this act would have a powerful effect on the women.
One of the younger women shrieked. After this outburst, there were few moments of complete silence. Most of the women covered their lips, their eyes widened in disbelief. It was clear that they were utterly shocked by what they had seen.
“Is it…” a younger, dark-haired girl gathered the courage to speak, “... is it Tarlaeth? The real thing?”
Shondar cut her off. “What is this? What are you trying to do here?”
“It is the real one, I assure you. While breaking in half, it emitted a show of colour like no other. You would probably know something about that?”
“What kind of game is this? Is this some kind of new war tactic to confuse your opponents?”
Shalmar was surprised by this unexpected loss of nerves by a Gondorian priestess. The woman was apparently more aware than the rest what the statuette’s condition really meant.
“No, really, this is your holy…”
“You are lying! You are playing with us. It cannot be.” She rushed forward to Shalmar, now with tears in her eyes, growing increasingly hysterical. But Jacqueline, quite unexpectedly, stepped forward and slapped the woman on the cheek.
“Enough, woman!” yelled Jacqueline, and then added quietly, “the situation is obviously far too serious for us to lose control.”
Shalmar smiled, surprised and amused by her colleague’s approach. There was a moment of silence.
It worked. Holding her burning cheek, the priestess continued in a calmer voice.
“I do not know if this can be fixed! The Protector of the Continent is neutralized! Now, nothing prevents the Mages from re-entering the Continent and regaining their dark reign…”
“Maybe you’re wrong,” Shalmar said. “One of them is already here. He attacked us near Kjell. We managed to escape; we might even have killed him. But he wanted us to turn over the remains of Tarlaeth to him. He seems to be the only Mage on the Continent for the time being.”
“You mean that the others are afraid to come back before the sacred statuette is completely destroyed? Hmm…I do not know…”
The old woman went deeper into thought. It was tough for her to think clearly after the great surprise and sudden rush of panic she had just experienced.
“Maybe there is a way. King Yarael is the only one who could know. He is the guardian of Tarlaeth.”
Shalmar was very glad to hear this. Jacqueline also had to smile.
“I am happy to hear this. We are headed to stand before him.”
The old Gondorian priestess looked at the two standing before her.
“Mighty All, the arrogance of you Amazon women never seizes to amaze me! You plan to just walk right up to our ruler?”
“Well, something like that,” Shalmar said matter-of-factly. “It has been going fairly well for us. Minus the run in with flesh-eating beasts, the explosion, numerous soldiers and the funny little man who can fly.” Shalmar saw Jacqueline chuckle softly at her lighthearted summary of their travels.
“And now we have even found ourselves some comrades to aid us on the last and most difficult part of our journey.”
Once again there was silence, as the priestesses reflected, wondering whether they should, or could, help the enemy warriors. Some of them still believed this might be a deliberate trap, with an ultimate goal of assassinating the King. They remembered the savagery the Gilsk army had committed on their soil, especially in the conquest of their capital.
The leading priestess broke the silence. One would have never guessed that moments earlier, she had acted unwisely as she now stood in complete composure and confidence.
“I know, my sisters, what you are thinking.” She turned to the congregation, “You do not see a reason to trust an enemy. Yes, it also crossed my mind that it may be a betrayal. But only for a moment. I remember meetings with the Amazon members in the old days when we lived in peace with Gilsk. I got to know their positive, honourable side back then. The same side that today I find on the faces of these two warriors. And I can remember every detail of our holy Tarlaeth. Its appearance is special. I can say for sure that the object they have brought forth is the Tarlaeth. Something tells me that they should be trusted and that we should act quickly so that together we can save our world!”
The woman stressed the importance of her words, emphasized them by raising her hands theatrically, leaving a powerful effect at the end of an already impressive speech. The positive impact of her speech, which concluded by recommending that the others trust the two warriors, was already evident.
“Before we set forth, we must devise a plan,” Shondar stated, looking at Shalmar.
“We don’t have much time, Shondar. The Mage is here.” Shalmar and Jacqueline watched impatiently as Shondar paced for a moment.
“You two will be of no service to us as you are” she replied, noticing the women’s fatigue and exhaustion.
“We don’t have time for this. The Mage will be looking for us.”
“Ah, he is weakened.” Shondar looked up to the sky before continuing, “he will need time to realign with his energy. We will put a shield of protection up. It will be impossible for him to see through it. It will give us time to plan—and for you, rest and food. We will leave tomorrow morning.”
Shondar joined the circle of her sisters. They joined hands and raised their arms to the sky. Their words were of a language not known to either of the Amazons. They stood in fascination as they watched a deep purple flame rise from the earth and ignite in the air. It suddenly burst into tiny flickers of purple haze that faded away, and a solid shield of purple light appeared over the area they were located in. It was invisible to all eyes but those standing beneath it.
As the circle separated, Shondar signalled for the girls to follow. They walked into what seemed to be a wall of bushes. Shondar whispered a word, and a door magically appeared out of nowhere. Shalmar and Jacqueline exchanged a look that stated the obvious. There was more to these priestesses than most knew or understood. They followed the women inside, and the door disappeared behind them.
After hours of planning their trip to meet the King and enjoying the tremendous amount of delectable food provided to them, the Amazons found themselves in a bathhouse. Jacqueline looked at the steam coming from the water and smiled thankfully. Without hesitation, Shalmar had stripped down and submerged herself in the tub of hot water and herbs. She could feel her muscles scream from the exertion of the last few days. Taking a deep breath, Jacqueline let her clothes fall to the ground. Shalmar’s gaze took in the lean, firm body of the young brave warrior. She couldn’t help but allow her eyes to linger on this beautiful woman as she made her way into the bath. Shalmar could feel the desire stir within her in ways that she had not felt for a long time. Yes, she had had many. But they were nothing like the depth of emotion she was experiencing for Jacqueline. She knew, with great satisfaction, that she would bed this woman before daybreak.
If there was any nervousness on Jacqueline’s part as Shalmar fixed her eyes on her, it went unnoticed. Jacqueline slid into the tub slowly, almost deliberately, as she knew how closely Shalmar was studying her. She could sense the excitement in her stomach as she immersed herself in the hot water. Jacqueline finally let her gaze meet Shalmar’s. She could feel the intensity of her own hunger and could feel the passion between them without even having to touch. After a second, Jacqueline smiled knowingly. She began to wash her hair, and when lifting her gaze, she saw Shalmar admiring her still. She moved to sit beside the striking Amazon who she knew she would give herself to on this night. Leaning
her head back against the tub, she closed her eyes and allowed the water and herbs to ease her wounds.
No words passed between them. They spoke only with their souls. The energy they were evoking from each other was intense. A couple of young priestesses entered quietly and added more hot water to the tub.
“Will that be all?” one of them asked shyly, clearly aware of what she was witnessing.
“Yes, thank you,” Jacqueline responded, giving the girl a quick wink and finding humour in her awareness. The young girl nodded, smiling sheepishly, as she and her colleague removed themselves, closing the door firmly behind them.
After washing her hair and settling back in, Shalmar took a deep breath and closed her eyes once again. She was enjoying the energy passing between them and felt that she could not contain her composure much longer. Jacqueline watched her intently. She was finding it almost unbearable not to satisfy the ache for her dark-haired companion that was coursing through her. Taking a deep breath and pulling the energy up from her core, Jacqueline found herself doing something she had never done before.
Shalmar felt the shift in the water. She could feel Jacqueline’s presence in front of her. She felt the young warrior’s body move effortlessly to straddle her strong legs. Shalmar pulled Jacqueline into her gently, finding herself completely lost in her warm sapphire-blue eyes. Taking Jacqueline’s delicate face in her hands, Shalmar searched her gaze and felt the connection of lifetimes before. It was just as the prophet had spoken of in years gone by. Shalmar had been told by the wise old prophet of the hills that the return of her love from lifetimes before would again be.
Jacqueline found herself entirely willing to give in to the new and powerful emotion she was having. In every glance, every stare into the brilliance of Shalmar’s green eyes, she could feel herself merge with the love that felt so familiar to her. It was as if she had known her before. She couldn’t deny herself this pleasure any longer.