As Thera listened in anguish and horror while Vyakles told her all, at the very same time, half an ocean away, Queen Odessa sat upon her throne in the Great Hall of the Royal Palace of Themiscyra in the middle of a large island peninsula on the north shore of the Black Sea. It had been a long, cruel and brutal summer with hot southern winds blowing in hard from the Persian Deserts, harvest would soon be approaching, but sadly many of the crops and orchards had withered in the drought and blistering heat. Such was the luck of Odessa who had many difficulties, bloody battles, with few victories, leaving her and her people in their walled fortress, surround by nations of enemies and kings who would wish to overtake Odessa's vast territories, vanquish her from the throne and rule over the women of Themiscyra once and for all. As many men have longed to do for centuries, but it was not until Odessa's, sudden, unexpected rule; which all deemed in the region as illegal and spurious, when vast armies from Thrace and Lydia had risen up against her weakened nation; which she and her mighty warriors would defend at all cost, though their were many who did not survive some of the battles lost, whose blood was shed where there bodies were buried, where now vast fields of flowers grow. Yet still they defended their walls and the massive fortified structures were never breached, but it was also through cunning military strategy and blood and bravery that Themiscyra was not soundly defeated, the nation was still whole, battered and bruised, but not broken or beaten. All this death and strife left a deep well of bitterness in the new queen's heart for the pain caused by her once sacred friend, Thera. Though secretly Odessa knew the real reason for her anger was simply that Thera did not take her away with her, she felt completely and utterly abandoned and betrayed by Thera and the women who escaped along with the former Queen. Gaining a royal throne and the power of a crown was, to Odessa, not worth losing her friend and the pleasantry of life they all once knew. Odessa would do anything to go back in time to the simple life she knew before of breeding and war, she would choke the river Styx with thousands of bodies of the damned and she would make the world scared, she would do this all, only if she could just have back her friend the True Queen and just be the Queen's Commander again.
"Odessa..?" Cheveria said sitting behind the long table strewn with old documents and broken treaties. "Are you even listening to me?" the old war councilor asked with a concerned look.
"Yes mother, I am listening.., go on." Odessa said holding the royal crown as she stared at the finely crafted golden object, she thought it interesting that the jeweler who lovingly made it did so, shaping and arranging the petals of the flowers so they looked like the shapes of stars. This proved far more interesting to Odessa than another round of bad news from outside the walls of her nation.
"Word has been received by the king of Macedon." Cheveria paused seeing her daughters eyes sharpen like a hawk.
"Do NOT speak his name!" Odessa said standing up, slamming the crown on top of the table, sending parchments to be scattered upon the floor. The scribes in attendance hurried to scoop them up as the Queen paced back and forth.
"Now my child, you should not have so much hatred for the father of your son." Cheveria spoke in kind, soft, gentle words only mothers know how to speak.
"Oh mother. I do not hate Phillip..," Odessa paused and gave a smile, one might very well find on the face of a lunatic, as she continued "I LOATHE and DESPISE him!"
"You are a Queen now, and have been so for three seasons, Odessa you must learn to be more diplomatic."
"I was raised for WAR! Not DIPLOMACY!" the Queen said her voice rising with the redness in her cheeks. The look in her old mother's grey eyes let Odessa know she had best calm herself down, or she would have a lashing from her mother's tongue to answer to. Taking in a deep, long calming breath Odessa said "Very well.., pray tell me, what terrible news do you have from the father of my son?"
Cheveria picked up the document handing it over to one of the scribes in attendance, who stood at attention and read the following: "A letter from Phillip, the King of Macedonia.. It is hereby proclaimed that all trading will now, until this time forward, cease and end between Macedon and Themiscyra. King Phillip, in his great wisdom, has chosen to ally himself with the King of Thrace and the King of Dardina. He has agreed to sign any, and all, trade embargo's against the Themiscyran Nation and her people. King Phillip also hereby bans any, and all, breeding campaigns between our two nations, in the Great Plain, the Western Region and the Themedon Region. King Phillip recommends you send any of the daughters of the Macedonian men back to their fathers in times of hardship or famine, the King further states that he feels the children should not suffer during this difficult time. He further implores you to allow anymore women to leave the Nation of Themiscyra to return to their former breeding partners. The King has also ordered his army and generals to stand down, should any military skirmish arise between Themiscyra and any, and all, warring nations." a short pause came "There is one more item, my Queen.., the King sends a token of his gratefulness to you, for providing him with a male heir to the Royal Throne of Macedonia and wishes you to know the boy is well, strong, exceptionally intelligent, a healthy bright-eyed boy. The King states the object was molded out of clay by your son, for the benefit of his mother's happiness and love." here the young scribe knelt at the side of the throne and handed over a small figure of a horse, painted white, that fit in the palm of her hand.
There was a tense moment of silence as Odessa stared down at the tiny object in her hand and she herself wanted nothing more to do than burst into tears for, even though she knew she was trained not to miss her male offspring, right now she would have slaughtered a thousand men just to see him. Odessa opened her mouth to speak but it took a moment before she could talk over the hard lump in her throat and the pain in her heart she said softly, at first, "Please, every one, out, leave." but her voice was so weak they did not clearly hear her so she shouted in a loud clear voice "Out! Now! ALL OF YOU! Go! Leave me and my shattered heart in peace!" Odessa leapt up from her throne with eyes all a fire with rage and humiliation. The three scribes, her ambassadors, along with her mother, she chased all of them out. Now, alone, she returned to her unwanted throne and sat with all the weight of a collapsing world on her shoulders.
Staring at the special gift from her beloved son, the one she abandoned to be cared for by his father, as was the custom of her people for generations, Odessa's mind sank into a deep chasm of thought and contemplation. In the lives of this ancient tribe of warrior women, as it was now in Themiscyra, all of their world was trembling on it's foundation. For when Thera forsook her nation, in her quest for freedom and liberty, it was her people, her warriors, the daughters of Themiscyra who suffered greatly for they all paid the high price for Thera's abdication. All the nations, far and wide, save only for the Scythians, refused to sign any treaties with them, nor would they even allow Odessa to send her emissaries and diplomats to entreat the kings and queens of the regions, for Odessa was what they all called the 'Spurious Queen of Themiscyra', leaving her alone on a throne, unable to trade, or continue any more breeding campaigns, failing crops, with life becoming harder and harder to sustain for the thousands who remained.
So it was, in Odessa's mind, as if Themiscyra, a once mighty nation, had been buried as if it were dead, and long forgotten, with the women warriors all suffering great losses in the many fearsome battles waged in Thera's absence. So they all cried to heaven, the warrior priestess sacrificing tigers in the temples to Artemis and Apollo, bathing themselves in the holy warm blood just to try to make themselves worthy of divine favor and blessings from Hera, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades. And these acts of blood sacrifice filled many of the women's hearts with guilt, shame, self hatred and rage. For the departure of their true Queen left the whole of the nation broken by the force of some unforeseen blow which racked their heads with heartache and sorrow.
So, in her absence, the years had passed and the name of Thera was hardly ever spoken, or mentioned of to the children of Themiscyra, so it came to pass that the young daughters talked about Thera as if she were merely a figure out of legend and myths. This left Odessa always on edge and vexed and she could often be found with her blue eyes all ablaze, and they shone like sapphires with her bitter tears. For she was filled with a great longing for Thera, her friend, to return and rule over Themiscyra again. For Odessa was filled with humiliation and degradation, even though she was legally made Queen by Thera's own hand and sworn documentation, Odessa had no royal blood, none whatsoever within her, so she was treated like a usurper of Thera's throne. There were also whispers and rumors that Odessa had murdered Thera, and until such a time as Thera's was revealed to be alive those whispers and rumors would persist like the hot Sirocco Winds .This left Odessa in a word, DEVASTATED. So it was Odessa's sadness was ultimately felt by the daughters of Themiscyra, so much so, they would leave her side in the palace to go pick early spring violets with their cold wet fingers, leaving trails with bare feet in the fields of grass covered in dew. The little girls would kneel at her throne and all looked forward to the sight of Odessa's radiant face and happy eyes when she smelled the little bunches of fragrant flowers and thinking of this now Odessa wept, for she never realized violets could mean so much.
Even this beautiful memory of spring enraged Odessa's heart further still, for it hit hard to her heart, in truth, that nevertheless, Odessa, sitting upon the ancient throne, felt SHE WAS an intruder, and she knew now she did not belong. Odessa did not like admitting to this sort of feeling, for she knew all the weight of her depression, frustration and humiliation belonged upon the head of her friend Thera's and not her own. So her heart hardened further still against Thera and Odessa wished now, more than ever, for Thera to wear her own self-loathing, misery, shame and scorn, like a painful, piercing crown of thorns. However, deep in her hard heart, Odessa knew Thera would NEVER return to rule over them and the future of the once fierce warrior nation was in great jeopardy of dying out forever.
"Odessa..?" Cheveria said sitting behind the long table strewn with old documents and broken treaties. "Are you even listening to me?" the old war councilor asked with a concerned look.
"Yes mother, I am listening.., go on." Odessa said holding the royal crown as she stared at the finely crafted golden object, she thought it interesting that the jeweler who lovingly made it did so, shaping and arranging the petals of the flowers so they looked like the shapes of stars. This proved far more interesting to Odessa than another round of bad news from outside the walls of her nation.
"Word has been received by the king of Macedon." Cheveria paused seeing her daughters eyes sharpen like a hawk.
"Do NOT speak his name!" Odessa said standing up, slamming the crown on top of the table, sending parchments to be scattered upon the floor. The scribes in attendance hurried to scoop them up as the Queen paced back and forth.
"Now my child, you should not have so much hatred for the father of your son." Cheveria spoke in kind, soft, gentle words only mothers know how to speak.
"Oh mother. I do not hate Phillip..," Odessa paused and gave a smile, one might very well find on the face of a lunatic, as she continued "I LOATHE and DESPISE him!"
"You are a Queen now, and have been so for three seasons, Odessa you must learn to be more diplomatic."
"I was raised for WAR! Not DIPLOMACY!" the Queen said her voice rising with the redness in her cheeks. The look in her old mother's grey eyes let Odessa know she had best calm herself down, or she would have a lashing from her mother's tongue to answer to. Taking in a deep, long calming breath Odessa said "Very well.., pray tell me, what terrible news do you have from the father of my son?"
Cheveria picked up the document handing it over to one of the scribes in attendance, who stood at attention and read the following: "A letter from Phillip, the King of Macedonia.. It is hereby proclaimed that all trading will now, until this time forward, cease and end between Macedon and Themiscyra. King Phillip, in his great wisdom, has chosen to ally himself with the King of Thrace and the King of Dardina. He has agreed to sign any, and all, trade embargo's against the Themiscyran Nation and her people. King Phillip also hereby bans any, and all, breeding campaigns between our two nations, in the Great Plain, the Western Region and the Themedon Region. King Phillip recommends you send any of the daughters of the Macedonian men back to their fathers in times of hardship or famine, the King further states that he feels the children should not suffer during this difficult time. He further implores you to allow anymore women to leave the Nation of Themiscyra to return to their former breeding partners. The King has also ordered his army and generals to stand down, should any military skirmish arise between Themiscyra and any, and all, warring nations." a short pause came "There is one more item, my Queen.., the King sends a token of his gratefulness to you, for providing him with a male heir to the Royal Throne of Macedonia and wishes you to know the boy is well, strong, exceptionally intelligent, a healthy bright-eyed boy. The King states the object was molded out of clay by your son, for the benefit of his mother's happiness and love." here the young scribe knelt at the side of the throne and handed over a small figure of a horse, painted white, that fit in the palm of her hand.
There was a tense moment of silence as Odessa stared down at the tiny object in her hand and she herself wanted nothing more to do than burst into tears for, even though she knew she was trained not to miss her male offspring, right now she would have slaughtered a thousand men just to see him. Odessa opened her mouth to speak but it took a moment before she could talk over the hard lump in her throat and the pain in her heart she said softly, at first, "Please, every one, out, leave." but her voice was so weak they did not clearly hear her so she shouted in a loud clear voice "Out! Now! ALL OF YOU! Go! Leave me and my shattered heart in peace!" Odessa leapt up from her throne with eyes all a fire with rage and humiliation. The three scribes, her ambassadors, along with her mother, she chased all of them out. Now, alone, she returned to her unwanted throne and sat with all the weight of a collapsing world on her shoulders.
Staring at the special gift from her beloved son, the one she abandoned to be cared for by his father, as was the custom of her people for generations, Odessa's mind sank into a deep chasm of thought and contemplation. In the lives of this ancient tribe of warrior women, as it was now in Themiscyra, all of their world was trembling on it's foundation. For when Thera forsook her nation, in her quest for freedom and liberty, it was her people, her warriors, the daughters of Themiscyra who suffered greatly for they all paid the high price for Thera's abdication. All the nations, far and wide, save only for the Scythians, refused to sign any treaties with them, nor would they even allow Odessa to send her emissaries and diplomats to entreat the kings and queens of the regions, for Odessa was what they all called the 'Spurious Queen of Themiscyra', leaving her alone on a throne, unable to trade, or continue any more breeding campaigns, failing crops, with life becoming harder and harder to sustain for the thousands who remained.
So it was, in Odessa's mind, as if Themiscyra, a once mighty nation, had been buried as if it were dead, and long forgotten, with the women warriors all suffering great losses in the many fearsome battles waged in Thera's absence. So they all cried to heaven, the warrior priestess sacrificing tigers in the temples to Artemis and Apollo, bathing themselves in the holy warm blood just to try to make themselves worthy of divine favor and blessings from Hera, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades. And these acts of blood sacrifice filled many of the women's hearts with guilt, shame, self hatred and rage. For the departure of their true Queen left the whole of the nation broken by the force of some unforeseen blow which racked their heads with heartache and sorrow.
So, in her absence, the years had passed and the name of Thera was hardly ever spoken, or mentioned of to the children of Themiscyra, so it came to pass that the young daughters talked about Thera as if she were merely a figure out of legend and myths. This left Odessa always on edge and vexed and she could often be found with her blue eyes all ablaze, and they shone like sapphires with her bitter tears. For she was filled with a great longing for Thera, her friend, to return and rule over Themiscyra again. For Odessa was filled with humiliation and degradation, even though she was legally made Queen by Thera's own hand and sworn documentation, Odessa had no royal blood, none whatsoever within her, so she was treated like a usurper of Thera's throne. There were also whispers and rumors that Odessa had murdered Thera, and until such a time as Thera's was revealed to be alive those whispers and rumors would persist like the hot Sirocco Winds .This left Odessa in a word, DEVASTATED. So it was Odessa's sadness was ultimately felt by the daughters of Themiscyra, so much so, they would leave her side in the palace to go pick early spring violets with their cold wet fingers, leaving trails with bare feet in the fields of grass covered in dew. The little girls would kneel at her throne and all looked forward to the sight of Odessa's radiant face and happy eyes when she smelled the little bunches of fragrant flowers and thinking of this now Odessa wept, for she never realized violets could mean so much.
Even this beautiful memory of spring enraged Odessa's heart further still, for it hit hard to her heart, in truth, that nevertheless, Odessa, sitting upon the ancient throne, felt SHE WAS an intruder, and she knew now she did not belong. Odessa did not like admitting to this sort of feeling, for she knew all the weight of her depression, frustration and humiliation belonged upon the head of her friend Thera's and not her own. So her heart hardened further still against Thera and Odessa wished now, more than ever, for Thera to wear her own self-loathing, misery, shame and scorn, like a painful, piercing crown of thorns. However, deep in her hard heart, Odessa knew Thera would NEVER return to rule over them and the future of the once fierce warrior nation was in great jeopardy of dying out forever.
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