Vyakles stood there shocked and in silence, his maddening thoughts a whirlwind of emotion he could not find which words to speak, nor could he believe the stunning, naked woman standing in front of him, as if in a dream, was truly the long, hard sought after Queen who was now, at long last, in his presence. Thera was looking even stronger and more ravishing than the king remembered. Vyakles was taken aback by the look of extreme anxiety etched upon Thera's lovely face. Then she turned her backside to him as she went over to the Themiscyran women imploring them "Do not do this my ladies! Do not give yourself up today to Hades for my sake! You must return to Sparta and raise your children." the Queen spoke in a painful pleading voice full of grief, tears welling up in her emerald eyes and Vyakles realized he had never heard Thera cry.
However, Kayla looked up at the warrior Queen and, on behalf of Amarra, Jessa, Ia, Katara, Johanna, La Scoffa, Iona and Scotia, she replied in a proud voice "No." she paused before she continued, for Kayla, nor any Themiscyran woman had ever disobeyed the command of a Queen of the Royal House of Themiscyra "We have lived here on this island, where you, yourself, have brought us to, and by your wisdom and grace we have all learned what it is to live free, to have our liberty, confined by no walls, nor military rule. So.., we here, kneeling in the sand, naked as we were at the time of births, will use our Freedom of Choice and we WILL give up our lives to accompany you in to the afterlife."
Amarra gazed up into her Queen's caring eyes and replied with the fierce desire of a hungry tiger saying "This is our message and answer, this is the path we chose."
At this moment Thera knew for certain her warriors were determined to give up their ghosts to follow her into the Underworld. The last Queen of Themiscrya knew there was nothing she could do to stop them, nor could she steer them off this course of ultimate self destruction, so Thera had to be clever and weld her intellect and logic against the king, her last weapon to change the mind of Vyakles. Thera looked down into the face of each of her glorious, brave warriors as she closed her eyes and when Thera opened them again there came a deep and peaceful abiding serenity to her expression, she smiled sweetly, speaking softly telling them in her parting words "Very well." here the courageous Queen went over to each of the women calling them by their name, gently stroking their cheeks and touching their hair, each given a light kiss upon the forehead as she said "I will welcome you all here now, to share in my death. And you men! You Greeks! Remember what you witness here today! That these fine, warriors gave up their lives by freedom of choice, in service to their Queen! We will gladly sacrifice our lives if but as a votive offering to the Glory of a King! Tell this story to our children and tell them we will love them FOREVER!" Thera shouted out clearly so her voice could be heard above the roar of the surf crashing against the shore "So now, my ladies! We have lived our lives through Unity, Loyalty, Respect and Honor!" here the women gave up a battle cheer "And now we die as every women should.., Happy, Unafraid, and FREE!" Thera gave a strong confidant gaze upon her ladies whom she was so proud of this day, then said "I will go first and wait for you all there, beside the River Styx and we shall go and dine with Hades, this night, TOGETHER!"
Vyakles and his men were astonished at the great joy and elation Thera had stirred up in the women and neither the king nor his soldiers had ever seen any people so excited to die. Here Thera turned and faced the man she had betrayed with a strange look of humiliation, sadness mixed with stunned relief. She looked into his dark eyes bowed her head in supplication and knelt down before him directly in front of the line of women. Her eyes were brighter, and greener than Vyakles remembered, her hair longer, more golden than before, her body seemed leaner, stronger, if that was possible, and after endless, sleepless nights tossing and turning in his bed thinking, dreaming of her face, here and now she seemed even more lovelier than he had remembered, even the anger and rage spewing from his heart and mind could not see anything but her radiant form. For Thera was not like any woman he had ever known or laid eyes upon, and though he came from Sparta where he lived among women of legendary beauty and strength, they could not even begin to compare to the women of Themiscyra. This is when the thought occurred to him that perhaps these were not ordinary women, perhaps these brave, radiant creatures were the descendants of the gods, or were in truth the offspring of Aphrodite, for the beauty and bravery of these women was unmatched in anything these Greeks had ever seen or read of in myths and legends. For one brief moment the thought came to Vyakles that, perhaps, to kill these women wold be to bring great offense to the gods, and being a Spartan, Vyakles was very religious and very superstitious, now as for Thera she quietly stared up at the king waiting for him to speak first, out of respect. Vyakles gazed into her eyes his expression of fury as dark and deep as a grave and he did not know what to say. "Thera!" was all that came.
"Yes, it is I.., and I have come to kneel before you.., oh, Great King! To lay down my life and die" she said in clear, calm words and when she spoke the sweet sound of her voice did a world of good for the king's heart to hear."I have come to face you and take the punishment you deem necessary to quell your hatred and rage for me, but I have not come here to ask, nor will I beg you for your forgiveness!" Vyakles gave her look as sharp as his blade."It is only because I am fully aware that I DO NOT deserve it!" her Thera paused to let her words pour out over the buds of the mind of Vyakles, whom was disappointed by her statement, for he had longed dreamed of seeing the former Queen beg for his forgiveness in front of his men before he killed her, but Thera betrayed him still and would not allow him to have even this little satisfaction. "No, but I must let you know that from the bottom of my heart and soul I am so sorry for what I have done, I regret any, and all pain, grief, humiliation and strife I have caused between you, and your people, your Nation and your wife." now Vyakles did not appreciate the mention of his deceased wife, Queen Keeva, but Vyakles stood there with both eyes trained on Thera and one hand resting on the pommel of his sharpened sword at his side as he listened, the indignation in his eyes blazing like fire.
However, Kayla looked up at the warrior Queen and, on behalf of Amarra, Jessa, Ia, Katara, Johanna, La Scoffa, Iona and Scotia, she replied in a proud voice "No." she paused before she continued, for Kayla, nor any Themiscyran woman had ever disobeyed the command of a Queen of the Royal House of Themiscyra "We have lived here on this island, where you, yourself, have brought us to, and by your wisdom and grace we have all learned what it is to live free, to have our liberty, confined by no walls, nor military rule. So.., we here, kneeling in the sand, naked as we were at the time of births, will use our Freedom of Choice and we WILL give up our lives to accompany you in to the afterlife."
Amarra gazed up into her Queen's caring eyes and replied with the fierce desire of a hungry tiger saying "This is our message and answer, this is the path we chose."
At this moment Thera knew for certain her warriors were determined to give up their ghosts to follow her into the Underworld. The last Queen of Themiscrya knew there was nothing she could do to stop them, nor could she steer them off this course of ultimate self destruction, so Thera had to be clever and weld her intellect and logic against the king, her last weapon to change the mind of Vyakles. Thera looked down into the face of each of her glorious, brave warriors as she closed her eyes and when Thera opened them again there came a deep and peaceful abiding serenity to her expression, she smiled sweetly, speaking softly telling them in her parting words "Very well." here the courageous Queen went over to each of the women calling them by their name, gently stroking their cheeks and touching their hair, each given a light kiss upon the forehead as she said "I will welcome you all here now, to share in my death. And you men! You Greeks! Remember what you witness here today! That these fine, warriors gave up their lives by freedom of choice, in service to their Queen! We will gladly sacrifice our lives if but as a votive offering to the Glory of a King! Tell this story to our children and tell them we will love them FOREVER!" Thera shouted out clearly so her voice could be heard above the roar of the surf crashing against the shore "So now, my ladies! We have lived our lives through Unity, Loyalty, Respect and Honor!" here the women gave up a battle cheer "And now we die as every women should.., Happy, Unafraid, and FREE!" Thera gave a strong confidant gaze upon her ladies whom she was so proud of this day, then said "I will go first and wait for you all there, beside the River Styx and we shall go and dine with Hades, this night, TOGETHER!"
Vyakles and his men were astonished at the great joy and elation Thera had stirred up in the women and neither the king nor his soldiers had ever seen any people so excited to die. Here Thera turned and faced the man she had betrayed with a strange look of humiliation, sadness mixed with stunned relief. She looked into his dark eyes bowed her head in supplication and knelt down before him directly in front of the line of women. Her eyes were brighter, and greener than Vyakles remembered, her hair longer, more golden than before, her body seemed leaner, stronger, if that was possible, and after endless, sleepless nights tossing and turning in his bed thinking, dreaming of her face, here and now she seemed even more lovelier than he had remembered, even the anger and rage spewing from his heart and mind could not see anything but her radiant form. For Thera was not like any woman he had ever known or laid eyes upon, and though he came from Sparta where he lived among women of legendary beauty and strength, they could not even begin to compare to the women of Themiscyra. This is when the thought occurred to him that perhaps these were not ordinary women, perhaps these brave, radiant creatures were the descendants of the gods, or were in truth the offspring of Aphrodite, for the beauty and bravery of these women was unmatched in anything these Greeks had ever seen or read of in myths and legends. For one brief moment the thought came to Vyakles that, perhaps, to kill these women wold be to bring great offense to the gods, and being a Spartan, Vyakles was very religious and very superstitious, now as for Thera she quietly stared up at the king waiting for him to speak first, out of respect. Vyakles gazed into her eyes his expression of fury as dark and deep as a grave and he did not know what to say. "Thera!" was all that came.
"Yes, it is I.., and I have come to kneel before you.., oh, Great King! To lay down my life and die" she said in clear, calm words and when she spoke the sweet sound of her voice did a world of good for the king's heart to hear."I have come to face you and take the punishment you deem necessary to quell your hatred and rage for me, but I have not come here to ask, nor will I beg you for your forgiveness!" Vyakles gave her look as sharp as his blade."It is only because I am fully aware that I DO NOT deserve it!" her Thera paused to let her words pour out over the buds of the mind of Vyakles, whom was disappointed by her statement, for he had longed dreamed of seeing the former Queen beg for his forgiveness in front of his men before he killed her, but Thera betrayed him still and would not allow him to have even this little satisfaction. "No, but I must let you know that from the bottom of my heart and soul I am so sorry for what I have done, I regret any, and all pain, grief, humiliation and strife I have caused between you, and your people, your Nation and your wife." now Vyakles did not appreciate the mention of his deceased wife, Queen Keeva, but Vyakles stood there with both eyes trained on Thera and one hand resting on the pommel of his sharpened sword at his side as he listened, the indignation in his eyes blazing like fire.
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