Far off to the north east of Mt. Parnon Odessa and her weary band of blood soaked marauders made their way to their campsite just to the west of Megara. Here she dismounted her black war horse letting Princess Sparta out of the burlap sack, where she found the little girl terrified, thirsty and dripping with sweat, her hands still bound, the gag remained in her mouth.
"Now." Odessa spoke, her eyes painted black, her long hair pulled back, dressed in full armor, looking ever so much like a demon sent from the depths of hell as she towered over Thera's child. "You have done well on this long, hard ride, but fear not little one, for you are but a child." Odessa smiled "My warriors are here to protect you and keep you safe. No harm shall come your way. We will give you food to eat and fresh water to drink while we rest here until tomorrow." Odessa explained as she untied the wet piece of cloth from Princess Sparta's mouth, letting her loose from the ties that bound her wrists, offering her a small cup of water, holding it up to her lips.
Princess Sparta spoke not a word as she drank down the cool refreshing liquid offered to her by her captor. Then with a wild, fearful look in her green eyes she spun around on her heels and quickly tired to run, but Odessa reached out, snatching her back, grabbing a fistful of her long red hair, pulling little Sparta hard, nearly knocking her off of her feet. "There is no point in running away, for there is no escape." Odessa said with a look as severe as the grave.
"LET ME GO!" the scared girl screamed "Why have you taken me from my family!? I want to go home!" Princess Sparta implored tears streaming down her cheeks.
"We will take you to your new home presently." Odessa spoke calmly then peered down at the royal child then asked "Has your mother ever spoken of Themiscyra?"
"No.., never." the frightened girl spoke truthfully, nor did Princess Sparta herself have any memories of her mother's former nation, for she had been taken away when she was just a babe.
"Ah..," Odessa sighed sipping some of the water, towering over her "well, that is a shame, for one day soon, my little Princess, you shall be our leader and rule over our warrior nation, as our one true Queen." Princess Sparta gave a look of confusion mixed with disdain as Odessa continued "You must know, and be told the truth." Odessa paused "You are the last, in a long line, of Royal Themiscyran Queens, who have ruled over our beloved country, unopposed, for over 700 years and countless generations." Odessa then bent down coming eye to eye with the defiant child. "Your mother, Thera, was our Queen, and above all this., she was my friend. However, your mother chose to abandon her nation and her people, most selfishly, abdicating her throne to me." again Odessa paused letting this information wash over Princess Sparta's mind. "Though, I, myself, am not of a Royal Pedigree and have descended from no Royal Blood Line. But you are the last remaining daughter of the Royal House of Themiscyra. So we have come to reclaim you, for the future benefit, and welfare and stability of our beloved nation. So you will rest here with us a while, then, soon, you will find yourself living in your mother's, former, palace; which shall serve as your new home."
"I would rather die than serve as your Queen!" Princess Sparta sneered a familiar look of hate in her eyes as she spat, like a pit-viper, into her captors face as the mass of warriors surrounding her only laughed.
Wiping away the warm, wet saliva from off her cheek Odessa ordered her guards "Take her away to the safety of my tent, feed and clothe her, for I have plans to make!"
Doing as they were told two of the warriors escorted Princess Sparta out of Odessa's presence as one of her troops approached her with news "My Queen! We have re-grouped, but three of our women were taken as captives during our raid, surely they have already been killed off by our Spartan enemy." this information caused Odessa a bit of distress as she placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head as the warrior said "That leaves ninety seven of us that made it out alive and are present and accounted for. We stand ready to serve you still, after our long and dangerous ride."
"May Zeus and Artemis be praised." Odessa said softly "We shall rest here all day and night until the dawn arises." she instructed them wiping her brow, shielding her eyes from the bright morning sun. "If Katarina has not returned with her troops to us, by then, we shall ride down to Argolis in their defense, and aid in their escape, should the Spartans have discovered their hiding place." Odessa informed her loyal warriors, dried blood streaking and staining their skin, caked in their long braids "Let us rest ourselves and our horses. Go now, we will wash away our enemies blood in the lake, then we shall eat and sleep and wait to see what tomorrow, and the Fates, shall bring."
So it was the tired women warriors of Themiscyra unburdened their war horses from their heavy saddles and bridles, before stripping themselves of their weapons and armor, cooling their weary bodies, as they swam naked in the cold fresh waters of the mountain lake beside their small encampment. Where they told each other stories of their victorious night time raid, boasting and bragging of the number of dead bodies, and trail of devastation, they left in their wake, never ever knowing the utter destruction that would soon be coming their way.
"Now." Odessa spoke, her eyes painted black, her long hair pulled back, dressed in full armor, looking ever so much like a demon sent from the depths of hell as she towered over Thera's child. "You have done well on this long, hard ride, but fear not little one, for you are but a child." Odessa smiled "My warriors are here to protect you and keep you safe. No harm shall come your way. We will give you food to eat and fresh water to drink while we rest here until tomorrow." Odessa explained as she untied the wet piece of cloth from Princess Sparta's mouth, letting her loose from the ties that bound her wrists, offering her a small cup of water, holding it up to her lips.
Princess Sparta spoke not a word as she drank down the cool refreshing liquid offered to her by her captor. Then with a wild, fearful look in her green eyes she spun around on her heels and quickly tired to run, but Odessa reached out, snatching her back, grabbing a fistful of her long red hair, pulling little Sparta hard, nearly knocking her off of her feet. "There is no point in running away, for there is no escape." Odessa said with a look as severe as the grave.
"LET ME GO!" the scared girl screamed "Why have you taken me from my family!? I want to go home!" Princess Sparta implored tears streaming down her cheeks.
"We will take you to your new home presently." Odessa spoke calmly then peered down at the royal child then asked "Has your mother ever spoken of Themiscyra?"
"No.., never." the frightened girl spoke truthfully, nor did Princess Sparta herself have any memories of her mother's former nation, for she had been taken away when she was just a babe.
"Ah..," Odessa sighed sipping some of the water, towering over her "well, that is a shame, for one day soon, my little Princess, you shall be our leader and rule over our warrior nation, as our one true Queen." Princess Sparta gave a look of confusion mixed with disdain as Odessa continued "You must know, and be told the truth." Odessa paused "You are the last, in a long line, of Royal Themiscyran Queens, who have ruled over our beloved country, unopposed, for over 700 years and countless generations." Odessa then bent down coming eye to eye with the defiant child. "Your mother, Thera, was our Queen, and above all this., she was my friend. However, your mother chose to abandon her nation and her people, most selfishly, abdicating her throne to me." again Odessa paused letting this information wash over Princess Sparta's mind. "Though, I, myself, am not of a Royal Pedigree and have descended from no Royal Blood Line. But you are the last remaining daughter of the Royal House of Themiscyra. So we have come to reclaim you, for the future benefit, and welfare and stability of our beloved nation. So you will rest here with us a while, then, soon, you will find yourself living in your mother's, former, palace; which shall serve as your new home."
"I would rather die than serve as your Queen!" Princess Sparta sneered a familiar look of hate in her eyes as she spat, like a pit-viper, into her captors face as the mass of warriors surrounding her only laughed.
Wiping away the warm, wet saliva from off her cheek Odessa ordered her guards "Take her away to the safety of my tent, feed and clothe her, for I have plans to make!"
Doing as they were told two of the warriors escorted Princess Sparta out of Odessa's presence as one of her troops approached her with news "My Queen! We have re-grouped, but three of our women were taken as captives during our raid, surely they have already been killed off by our Spartan enemy." this information caused Odessa a bit of distress as she placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head as the warrior said "That leaves ninety seven of us that made it out alive and are present and accounted for. We stand ready to serve you still, after our long and dangerous ride."
"May Zeus and Artemis be praised." Odessa said softly "We shall rest here all day and night until the dawn arises." she instructed them wiping her brow, shielding her eyes from the bright morning sun. "If Katarina has not returned with her troops to us, by then, we shall ride down to Argolis in their defense, and aid in their escape, should the Spartans have discovered their hiding place." Odessa informed her loyal warriors, dried blood streaking and staining their skin, caked in their long braids "Let us rest ourselves and our horses. Go now, we will wash away our enemies blood in the lake, then we shall eat and sleep and wait to see what tomorrow, and the Fates, shall bring."
So it was the tired women warriors of Themiscyra unburdened their war horses from their heavy saddles and bridles, before stripping themselves of their weapons and armor, cooling their weary bodies, as they swam naked in the cold fresh waters of the mountain lake beside their small encampment. Where they told each other stories of their victorious night time raid, boasting and bragging of the number of dead bodies, and trail of devastation, they left in their wake, never ever knowing the utter destruction that would soon be coming their way.
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