Love/Sex Warning/Disclaimer: This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it.

If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story.

Violence Warning/Disclaimer:

NOTE: All works remain the © copyright of the original author. These may not be republished without the author's consent.

Any polite comments you would like the author to read send to J.A. Bard Short and to the point would be nice. Venting at the author is not advisable since the Muses protect their own. 8-)

Part 3

Breaking Up

"All right everyone. Let's get going to the hall for our performance." Lily announced to the women. Everyone remained in the last room not wanting to be alone least they disappear.

Menigines was not present at the performance though Katy was. Clorinda was also absent, which Agnes and Eleanor found worrisome.

After the performance Lily left Berik, Kynthia and Gari to pack up the equipment in the last two trunks and she escorted the others back to their rooms.

The three had finished their careful packing of costumes and masks and were tiredly on their way back. The atmosphere in the castle had suddenly became oppressive to the women.

"Oh, Heavenly Muses!" Kynthia slapped her thigh in disgust. She held up the ornament to one of the costumes in her other hand. "We got to go back. I forgot this."

"You can't just carry it with you? You'd look kinda cute wearing it." Gari teased as she touched the gaudy glassed eye that the oracle in one of the previous performances finds in her seer's dish.

They turned back and followed Kynthia as she shook her head. "I must have picked it up when we were rearranging the masks in the trunk."

The women silently entered the area where the trunk was waiting for Menigines staff to carry down to the stables for them.

Berik put a hand up quickly to keep the others silent and gestured toward the place where the trunks were. They were still in the shadows of the room since the torches were extinguished when they had left. The only light was from the pale gray daylight that was seeping through the high loopholes that allowed air to move around the room. It was a cold draft but it aired out the room that had been packed, as usual, with a lot of bodies…some belonged to those that didn't wash often.

The women waited until they heard the faint drop of trunk lid and the soft movement of cloth as someone moved away.

The women moved cautiously toward the only two trunks left. Berik opened one of the chests and tried to make out what was disturbed. Kynthia opened the other.

Berik had a quick intake of breath. Her hand pulled out the dull green stone of the outer lips of the Sacred Yoni.

Kynthia put her hand over her mouth to prevent her from saying anything.

"Goddess!" Gari breathed. "Some ones coming!"

Berik quickly put the Yon back into the trunk but she made sure it was buried deep.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" A gruff voice asked the women.

Kynthia turned around and stifled a scream. The man was a huge muscle bound shape coming out of the flickering light of a torch held by someone behind him. The smaller shadow behind him was another muscled man with the same scowl on his face.

"We, ahhh, forgot to put something in the trunk." Gari got out.

Kynthia obligingly held up the eye for the two suspicious men to see.

"They are our trunks." Berik returned defensively.

"Well, put it in and move out of our way. We've got work to do." The tall man swept his arm out as if to move them away.

Kynthia quickly lifted the lid of one of the trunks and tossed the glass eye in. She then locked the trunk, which normally they didn't do and stepped back.

"We're done. Let's go." She told the others. She had no intention on leaving them to carry out the Sacred Yon without knowing exactly where it was going. She didn't have to ask what Berik was going to do for the set look in her eyes was plain enough.

"Well Gari?" Kynthia asked as they slowly walked back up the hall to give the carriers a chance to start down the passageway.

Gari looked at the two women and the determined look in their eyes. "Well, the Named did say we have to travel in three or more, and to locate the Jewel, so…whatda ya have planned?"

"Follow the trunk." Berik whispered.

The other two women nodded.

Lily was pacing the floor by mid afternoon. Berik, Kynthia and Gari had not returned and there was no word from Aleka. The weather had cleared outside though looking a typical winter day, gloomy.

Lily looked in the direction of Iaia. She looked pale since Aleka had left and now she wasn't even reading to take her mind off her worries.

Restlessly she paced to the boarded loophole and unlatched it to see what the weather was like outside. The view looked out over the wall of the castle, up the snow covered slope that led to the forest that rose behind the castle wall. Lily took a deep breath of the cold air trying to relieve some of the stress that was weighting her down. The first breath froze in her lungs and for a moment she felt her lungs stop breathing. When the muscle began to move again she took another deep breath relishing the clean cold outdoor smell. She could feel the warmth from the room on either side of her leaving for the colder cleaner air outside. The heavy atmosphere in the room seemed to leave as well. Wistfully she imagined Aleka's calming presence, giving direction to the group to pack up quickly and depart. Lily sighed at the wistful thought.

Idly she let her eyes follow a thin thread that led into the forest. Peering closer she could see three figures moving along the broken path in the snow. What was familiar about them?

"By Artemis' bow!" She grabbed the corners of the loophole frame in dismay.

"What?" Agnes who was on the other side of the room talking to Erica and Eleanor turned quickly toward her friend.

A noise from one of the adjoining rooms, loud enough for everyone to hear, distracted Lily and the others. Quickly Lily moved toward the door which swung back with men holding very sharp swords pouring through in single file and at the same time their front door of the room came open with more men and their pointed swords filing in. They all had their swords drawn and pointing at the women who had risen and stood together, herded into a small circle.

Dunties with another who was dressed in dark clothing, giving the women a shuddered reminder of their last meeting with darkly dressed people, stepped through the ring of soldiers.

"Where is your playwright?" The dark cloaked figure demanded.

Everyone remained silent. The figure stepped forward and quickly slapped Agnes across the face. The impact, both unexpected and powerful, sent Agnes staggering back into a surprised Candra's arms, who stumbled into the steadying arms of Lily.

"I will ask again…where is the one who calls herself Iaia?" He asked loudly and harshly.

The others didn't dare look around but Catherine at the back of the women who were encircled noticed that Eleanor and Erica were also missing.

"Then be brave for now..it won't last too long. Take them to their new rooms, with the usual amenities given to Menigines' special guests." He sneered.

Dunties nodded to his soldiers.

Lily was roughly grabbed and separated from the three priestesses that had been trapped in the room with her. She was hoping the other three had ducked out through the secret passage behind the wall.

Iaia's senses had picked up the sound of unusual activity around her. She could hear a lot of feet moving outside of their room and swords being drawn out of their scabbards. Eleanor and Erica were near her when she started to shake with anticipation of something she could not see. Agnes had moved to ask what was wrong when everything seemed to happen at once. Erica's quick reflexes and thinking instead of reacting to Lily, pushed Iaia behind the curtain that separated the bathing room from the sitting room. With Eleanor close by the three escaped behind the panel that would take them out of the room. Eleanor had Iaia's elbow as she pushed her behind Erica feeling the trembling arm her hand was wrapped around.

Iaia was nearly hyperventilating with fear as Erica led and Eleanor pulled her along frantically looking for a way out of the castle. Iaia suddenly grabbed Eleanor's hand pulling at it.

"I hear people up ahead." She whispered hoarsely.

"Hades!" Erica whispered under her breath. She carefully felt along a wall looking for the lever that would let them in the room they were behind.

"Where does this lead to?" Eleanor asked as she also felt around also.

"I have no idea." The wall suddenly opened and dumped the three unceremoniously into Clorinda's bath area.

Iaia looked up into Clorinda and her maids surprised faces. The bathing room was empty except for the two women. Calmly Clorinda pulled the towel to cover herself and gestured to her maid. The maid hurriedly moved to the three women who were getting slowly to their feet.

"You must hurry and hide." She pushed the wall back into place and pulled Iaia, the closest one to her, after her. She opened a panel that was behind the bedpost and showed them the small space behind it. "You must squeeze in there. Hurry!"

Squeeze was right.

The room Aleka was led to was darkened. She felt the air all around her alive and knew she would not be able to protect herself if she should try to defend herself. She let the dart that entered her space find its mark.

She didn't know how much time had passed when an awareness of a pounding in her head started to waken her. She was in a tiny room and it was cold. The rough wooden floor…wooden?

Aleka didn't move as she let her consciousness make more progress toward alertness. It was slow in coming due to the pain in her head and behind her eyes.

She was in a covered wagon. It wasn't moving…yet. She tried to move her limbs to work out the knots of…being tied into a very uncomfortable position. Relaxed limbs could be pulled into positions that would be uncomfortable when not relaxed. Aleka was tightly bound hand and foot with a gag over her mouth and not much room to move around in if she should want to. She could hear horses stomping their feet to keep warm and impatient to get moving.

"Alright. We've been cleared. Let's get going." A voice spoke softly. "Marcus, make sure we don't have anyone we don't know in this caravan."

Aleka didn't hear a reply. With her hearing it was hard to determine how far away the person who was giving the orders was.

"What are we going to do with her?" A voice asked.

"Are you afraid of a goddess, Agie?"

"You're a freakin' fool, Dunnar. You don't go around messing with the Fates and you don't go messin' with Athena. She takes things real personal like that brother of hers."

"They all take it personal. We'll let the gods fight amongst themselves for territory while we pick up the spoils. Bacchus wanted us to stir things up and we did. Just like a hornets nest!"

There was silence for a moment. "If things get too hot, we'll dump her in the river. Nobody will know and its over. Keep her drugged. I don't want her knowing whose responsible so she can't complain to Hades. Never know when he's going to listen to people that pass over to him, and she's an eye catcher."

"Hmm. How bout some time with her before we dump her?"

"You not getting enough in Labdu, Agie, that you gotta have your way with someone unconscious and tied up? Because that's the only way you are going to have her."

"Hey. I don't see why you have to keep her tied up. She's drugged real good and she ain't an Amazon. Which is too bad cause I sure would like to have another one of those." The voice sounded wistful.

"Bacchus said she was to stay drugged and tied. Now let's get outa here."

Aleka was storing what she was overhearing for future use. Bacchus. Her last encounter was memorable especially when she thought of Gabrielle's ….Gaia's wrath, woman! And you're complaining about me…Shut up! Xena moaned at Aleka's jibe. She had a terrible headache and it wasn't going to be taken care of anytime soon. She couldn't even apply pressure points to herself.

Labducus and Bacchus. The slave trader and the enslaver. What a pair.

Camila found Alala brushing, of all horses, Argo. By the looks of the others, she had been going down the line of stalls. She wasn't surprised. It was how Alala settled her mind, taking comfort in the horses or her winged friends.

Brona entered after Grace looking around and taking in the cart which was partially packed with their trunks and the horse's feed that they had traded for the big dark stallion.

While Camila went to talk with Alala, Brona motioned Grace to go with her on an inspection tour. Brona wanted to familiarize herself with who was in the stable, just as Aleka had trained them. They were in hostile territory and until Menigines declared open war against them, they could gather as much information as they could.

After inspecting the area and insuring they were alone, Brona and Grace sat near one of the vacant stalls that looked out into the open courtyard that had a view of the kitchen and the rooms above. Some of the windows had been unshuttered, which looked to be the rooms they were occupying. They aired the rooms regularly to get the stale hemp smell out and closed in winter smell out when they were not in them.

The two were in conversation with Brona periodically looking around as a guard would. She grabbed Grace's arm when she saw a small troop of armed soldiers mustering in the courtyard then quickly move into the castle. Both watched expecting the worse.

They heard the soft alarm whistle the Amazons used when on the road coming from inside the stables. Brona moved further back into the stables to where they left Alala and Camila, listening for any disturbance. The usual stable residents, horses, dogs and cats undisturbed. In some of the stalls their horses were kept, were empty. Both women hurried faster toward the far side of the stable where they could see Alala carrying the horses tack into one of the stalls. With the assistance of the stable master, Camila and Alala were saddling their horses and moving them into a secured area where mounted soldiers would usually gather out of the weather and view of the castle.

"Get the horses ready!" Alala directed to the two as she tightened a cinch on Argo who was snorting and tossing her head. "Argo, hold still!" She admonished the mare as she moved to put a warmed bit in her mouth.

"Let me, she knows me." Camila suggested, as she moved behind the red head laying a comforting hand on Alala back.

Brona and Grace tackled the cart together. Grace pulled the horse already dressed in her harness into place. Brona made sure the supplies were secured. She noticed additional stuff was added.

"Clorinda's. She'll be coming with us. Quickly now. Ain't got much time." The stable master told them as he moved by with the big brown stallion he had traded them for.

No one talked least unwanted attention was brought their way or a conversation be overheard for the unintended ear.

Irritated soldiers converged on the well muscled twosome as they carried the two trunks stacked on each other.

"Whadaya got there?" One of the soldiers demanded.

"Whatda think it is? Trunks. Now get the outofthe frekin way." The larger man grunted as he continued moving forward.

"The blasted trunks ere 'eavy." The smaller one added.

"I said hold it and open em up!" One of the soldiers demanded.

Berik and the other two women were trailing the two men and were behind one of the turns to the hallway. They were close enough to hear the exchange. Berik was wondering why the two groups of men were testing each other out. And why were their trunks being challenged by the soldiers. They were well marked with signs and symbols showing they were filled with drama supplies. And why were the two servers not just telling the soldiers off?"

Gari tapped her arm. She pointed in the air two times and made a sign for outsiders. Ahhh. They were feeling each other out because neither group knew if the other was a legitimate resident of the castle! It didn't matter, whomever took the trunks would be who they followed.

"Why?" The deeper voice of the two carriers challenged. "I don't see any orders from Captain Dunties telling us to. You intend on stealing from Menigines' guests?"

"Maybe he saw something in one of the women's trunks that he likes to wear himself." The lighter voice sassed back.

"You smart mouthin me, porter?" The offended soldier spat. His comrades moved from one foot to another. Berik could almost feel them looking around.

During the exchange the two sides must have realized neither group belonged legitimately to the castle as residents.

"Well, well…" The deeper voiced porter grinned. He let the trunks slide slowly to the ground. "Mercenaries? Soldiers of Labdu? What are ya, hmmm?" Relieved of his burden the tall muscled porter flexed his impressive set of shoulder muscles. His companion followed suit smiling at the sudden shift of action.

"Well, cousin," the smaller one murmured with amusement, "looks like we get to have some real fun after all."

The women could hear swords coming out of scabbards but halted when the echo of hurried footsteps was heard over their arming themselves. The sudden change in intention and movement had the three women pressing against the dark wall hoping they could not be seen. Luckily the mercenaries hurried down another hallway away from their intended prey.

"Looks like they ain't suppose to be wandering these halls, hey cousin?"

"Hmm. Seems like it."

Another voice added to the two mens. "Where the Hades have you two been?"

"We were having a meetin with some interestin vermin from outside of the castle." The deeper voice informed their new member.

"Well if that don't beat the Python." The voice returned. "Labducus has a lot of his people here. I recognized a few in the kitchen, at guard duty and dressed as soldiers. They're either part of that traders group or some mercenaries Labducus talked Menigines into hiring to patrol his borders."

"Mount Olympus! What's going on?"

"Lady Clorinda thinks Labducus is trying to take over Menigines lands without having to go to battle. He's got some type of hold on him."

"With all the Bacchus type of behavior around here, I can make a good guess!" The larger man grumbled.

The smaller man mumbled. "Come on let's get these trunks to their destination. They're heavy."

"Well, that explains why we're moving these out of the castle." The deeper voice returned softly.

The three women crept after the trio catching little of what they said. Their conversation turned to less serious content as they entered the busier area of the castle. The three women trailing them had to duck into what they were hoping were empty rooms when they heard anyone approaching them. Gari finally pointed to the wall to indicate using the supposed secret passageways behind the wall instead of the well-traveled passageway, where they could be easily recognized.

The women hoped their quarry were headed toward the stable compound and moved quickly through the dark weaving though skinny passageways not meant for fast travel. The women managed to find themselves near the exit just across from the kitchen before the porters arrived.

There was a woman from the kitchen who appeared to be keeping her eyes on the back way. When the porter and the owner of the third voice arrived, a woman dressed in travelware, she dusted her hands on her apron quickly and approached them.

Whatever she had to say to the three, they quickly turned from the exit and hurried down another passageway that took them back into the castle. The woman returned to her duties in the kitchen.

"Where the Hades are they going now?" Berik whispered.

"It looks like to the backside of the castle. That's where that passage leads." Gari informed the two women softly.

"Let's get back in the secret passages. I feel exposed out here." Kynthia told the other two.

"Gari, didn't you and Lily take a trip the other day back here?" Berik asked as she pulled out one of the small oil lamps in a wall niche. This time they were going to use some light. The flint and a cache of lamps were in the wall niche telling them that it was a busy entrance to the rest of the backways behind closed rooms.

"Yea. We have to move fast though. There is a place where they could either go outside of the castle or remain in the castle."

The women missed the three at the end of the hall but not by much. By Gari's guess they were headed outside of the castle walls.

Gari led them quickly through the thin passageway trying to protect the flame of the lamp and see far enough ahead of her not to run into the dead end she was anticipating.

"Slow down." She whispered to those behind her, then slackened her own pace. She didn't want them running into her. What a comedy of errors that would be, she thought.

Gari came to a stop where she uncovered the flame and it flickered a reflection off the wall that was before them. Dropping to her knees, Gari waved the pale lamp light into a dark hole in the ground. The weak light showed stairs leading down into the darkness.

"This will take us out of the castle." She whispered. "It goes pretty far down. It uses a natural underground tunnel that ends up on the other side of the castle walls. They only post guards at night here." She paused. "You know, we're not dressed for the great outdoors." Then she ducked her head and started down the stairs, knowing the two women behind her were not going to turn back regardless of dress. They had warm clothing on like Aleka had suggested, since castles tended to be drafty and cold, but not fur coats that would be needed for the cold weather outside.

The women waited impatiently in the cold behind a natural outcropping of snow covered boulders that had once rolled down an active streambed. By the looks of the tunnel they had been in, there had been an underground water table that the castle was partially resting on. It would explain why Dunties said they had an uninterrupted water supply and were able to tap into the mineral pool, that they hadn't visited. Remembering Lily's discription of what their first night's visit had revealed that went on in the pool made them all grateful they weren't invited to take a dip.

The women kept their hands over their nose and mouth to prevent their vapored breath from being too noticeable by anyone looking. They resisted the impulse to talk over what they were experiencing for fear that it would be noticed either in their breaths or by the sound of their voices that someone may pick up.

They had spotted two men standing not too far away with a pair of horses, each harnessed to a sled that was made for hauling supplies over snow. They also noticed that the two figures were warmly dressed.

Gari kept her hands securely tucked under her arms for warmth.

The three people they had been trailing finally appeared. The trunks were quickly secured on their respective sleds and the drivers started immediately up the slope. The women were able to get a good view of the horses that were pulling the sleds. They were big and had wide chests enabling them easily to clear a path in the snow that was up to their fetlocks. Gari shook her head, even Aleka would be dwarfed by those horses.

Why both trunks, the three collectively worried in silence? Did they hide the other piece of the Yoni in the other trunk?

The three they had originally been trailing had disappeared back into the castle. The three women waited until the horses and their drivers disappeared into the cover of the forest.

"Well, when we catch up with them, we can draw for their coats, or if that's too much trouble, use some of the costumes in the trunks. But…"

Kynthia grabbed Berik's arm hushing her.

A group of five fur covered figures left the cover of the castle wall and hurried after the pair of sleds, stepping in the conveniently cleared trail.

The women looked at each other. Berik let a big grin crease her face as she and Gari shared the same thoughts. Five against two or three. Good odds if the smaller number is made up of Amazons. And with the incentive of warm clothing, it was something they couldn't pass up. They waited a few moments until they also disappeared into the forest cover and they were sure no one else was going to be following.

"We'll use their trail until we get into the cover of the trees." Berik told Kynthia. Then you're in our territory! She thought grimly about the two groups they were following.

The women moved quickly to ward off the cold and to get closer to their reward…warm coats. Berik decided that anyone that was stealing their trunks deserved to loose the coat off their backs.

After the guards had searched Clorinda's room for the fifth time within a candle mark she told the soldiers she was leaving. She had her maid and various servants prepare her things while she sat on her bed studying a scroll.

Iaia who could see over Clorinda's shoulder through a crack in the wooden bedframe they were crowded in could see it was upside down. She hissed a warning to Clorinda who casually turned it right side up as a soldier approached her requesting her to get up so he could check her bed.

"Does it look like I have a lumpy bed for hiding something?" She asked testy. "If you gave me a hint at what you think I am hiding in here I may be able to direct you to it."

The soldier looked a bit sheepish. "Ahhh, I'm sorry Lady Clorinda, but its Sharker's orders."

"That buzzard? Since when does he give orders and when did Menigines let him back in?"

The young soldier sighed. No one liked Sharker. When Clorinda and Jordra ruled the city he had been warned that if he continued to cheat customers in the villages he sold wares in, he would be arrested. Now he was back but as an Ambassador from Labducus' city. Menigines wouldn't listen to castle gossip that he was trouble and let him have a room in the castle.

"I don't know Lady Clorinda. It's like we woke up this morning and all of a sudden he's giving Dunties orders saying they're from Menigines. And no one can get a hold of Menigines. The Captain is tight lipped and says to follow the orders."

"Okay." She sighed heavily and made to get off her bed.

"It's alright Lady Clorinda." He held up his hand and glanced around to see if anyone was going to notice and tell on him. But the others were in the bathing room inspecting its contents, no doubt. Like they had never seen a woman's bathing area, he thought disgustedly.

"Say, I see you're reading. That's really great." He lowered his voice looking the shy kid he was. "My girlfriend's mother is teaching me. Linda doesn't have the patience but her mother, well, she's the one that's got the smarts."

"Corporal Landis, that is good. It's the one thing Jordra was adamant about, not educating everyone. He thought it would subvert his rule." She sighed. Jordra was easy to manipulate but not on subjects he felt were a threat to his rule. He shouldn't have had so many wives and off-spring. She couldn't give him children so he had used that as an excuse for the first addition of a wife. By the tenth wife, he had stopped giving her excuses. Strange that he kept returning to her when she was not pretty or especially gifted in the wedding bed. However, she was good at listening and making suggestions that seemed like they were his ideas. That helped keep her in as number one wife on the throne though not in the bedroom, which was fine with her. He was a lousy lover. She then thought of Menigines Stable Master whom she had met the day she was leaving the castle. His gentleness with her horses, her favorites, and his respect for her…she sighed again and didn't move until the door to her chamber closed with a firm bang.

"Linette."

"Yes, Lady Clorinda?" She moved to her side.

"How are our preparations going?"

"We are waiting for Lew to get back."

"We need to move the women. Sharker knows about the space behind the bed."

"Hmm. We can move them to the stables but it will have to be from outside of the castle. Let me get some of their winter wear. They'll casually look like one some of the soldiers."

"Good. Quickly."

The women heard the panel that was keeping their hiding space closed release. The soft light from the one torch and fresh air was a relief to the cramped women.

"Come on out. Get your limbs stretched. The next visit won't be a pleasant one and you mustn't be here for it. Sharker will be in a lather."

One by one the three wiggled out then slowly worked the stiffness out of their limbs and get circulation back into them. A soft tap in a prearranged pattern sounded on the door.

"Enter." Clorinda's soft voice called.

Two huge men dressed in warm clothing came in with Linette.

"We got things ready. Here are some warm cloths. We need to leave now. Labducus' troops have started to make their own search of the rooms. No one knows where Menigines is."

The three women dressed in the coats that were big for them. Iaia looked like a child in her parent's coat. It would be to their advantage. The troops were looking for grown-women.

"Take them. I'll wait for Shaker. I want to see what that pathetic excuse for a human being is up to. No Linette, you go too. Have you packed all my things? Good. Now leave. I will meet you at the stables. Don't worry about me. I helped design this place. Menigines thinks it's his castle but it was our design he used. Good thing he values a good design when he sees one." She chuckled more to herself. "Go, go." She chided her servants kindly. She knew exactly how to handle Shaker. She knew his fear.

Chapter 4

On Different Roads

The women were smuggled out of the castle where there were some guards that were loyal to Clorinda.

"We must be going quickly. We can catch up with Lady Clorinda at the old barn." One of the men told the tall muscular servant. He nodded and waved the others onto the horses that were breathing vapor and moving restlessly in the chill and probably from the excitement that was in the air. Three familiar horses were among the group.

"What about the others in our group?" Iaia asked worriedly as she nervously eyed Agro who was looking too restless for her pensive mood.

"It's been arranged." The guard told her. "Lady Clorinda will get them out." The guard turned to her. "There are some who are still loyal to her."

Before Iaia could ask any more questions the group had mounted quickly and moved toward the road that already showed wear. The gray slush of the road contrasted sharply with the snow-white sides that bordered their escape route. It appeared that a large group had already passed that way.

For the first candlemark they rode into the gray light that was quickly moving into early winter darkness.

Iaia's thoughts were on Aleka as she felt something was going amiss with the group's connection. She wanted to ask the guard about Aleka specifically but suddenly felt a wave of fear grip her. "We…" her face paled. "we've got…" She could feel the drumming of horses coming from both sides of them.

Eleanor pulled her horse quickly to Iaia's side as Erica moved to her other side to prevent her from falling. "We need to take cover." Erica told their rescuers.

"Nowhere around here that we won't be seen." The leader then kicked his mount into a faster pace. "Let's move."

"Both ways." Iaia shook her head frantically. "Got to get off this road." She breathed with difficulty.

Erica didn't wait for their rescuers to argue but kicked her horse into a hop and jump off the road into snow bank that came up to his belly. Eleanor was going to pull the reins of Iaia's mount but Argo had her own mind made up and ploughed her way forward quickly. Iaia was holding onto the saddle feeling sick.

The leader cursed under his breath and made a quick decision to let them go. He would try to hold up whatever the young playwright had felt was ahead. He motioned his riders to form a spread out formation. No one said they had a seer on amongst them! He muttered to himself.

Alala led the horses out a back way that was used for moving military troops for defense of the castle. It was guarded by someone Eryalios, the stable master knew well. Lady Clorinda was waiting looking glum.

The old man nodded toward the woman who managed a smile. However her eyes told the others that all was not well.

"They have the Jewel." She told the old man in an undertone.

"By Athena! How did they get it?"

"My mistake. I should have moved faster. It seems Bacchus has sensed it and sent Labducus and his cronies after it. I have no idea what they intend on doing with it. If they bring it into his castle it will undo the work of Bacchus."

"Maybe they want to destroy it."

"You can't destroy the Jewel. It is linked to all things that are creative. It will protect itself as it always has." Clorinda sighed. "We will get it back."

"You're speaking of the Sacred Yoni?" Grace asked leaning forward.

The two turned to her surprised.

"It was in our care, at one time." Grace mentioned. "We had lost it."

The eyebrows of Clorinda rose as a look of disbelief covered her face.

"Well, we didn't see it. Two of our members carried it. We didn't know about it until…well, just recently."

Brona placed a hand over her mouth and shushed her. "Are you crazy?" she whispered.

Brona turned to the two who were looking at the pair with closed faces. "This is not a good place to discuss this and…I suggest if we're going to get out of here, we do it now."

"What about the others?" Camila objected.

"We need to be safe to think about what to do next." Brona objected.

Alala nodded slowly. She looked up as one of her friends came sailing into view. "There is a place on the other side of this mountain that is safe. We can go there and plan."

Brona turned to her to say something but thought better getting a slight shake of Camila's head. She merely nodded then looked at the Clorinda and Eryalios. "Our friends safety is first." She informed them.

Eryalios looked at Clorinda for a moment. "Aie, Captain Dunties said he would take care of the one's Labducus's soldiers have imprisoned." He turned to one of Clorinda's guards then watched with widened eyes as a brown shape quickly decended on them.

The hawk made a landing on Alala's extended arm. He took a deep breath. "By Athena, that's a mighty fine spread of wing feathers she has there."

Alala calmly rewarded the Hawk something she held between her fingers. She ignored the others as she stroked the head that was tilted toward her and cooed in a language that the others recognized as a mother to her child.

"There is a caravan moving toward another city going South. They have one of our people in a cage." She lifted her eyes toward Camila. The women heard the 'our' and were pleased that Alala had decided to stay with them.

Clorinda looked at one of the guards. "Gregore?"

"Yes, Lady Clorinda."

"I thought we had everyone?"

"No. The manager, Aleka was moved away from our spies. Shaker had taken personal responsibility for her capture. We have someone trailing the group."

Clorinda looked at the women. "We will find a safe place and as you have mentioned, we need to assess what is happening before we make our plans. In that time, I would like to hear about your involvement with the Sacred Jewel."

Lily awoke with a pounding headache. The guards had roughed her up and were intending on coming back later, so they said, to have more fun with her.

She could feel her anger raising as she remembered her treatment and the stink of the men that fondled her. They had not raped her yet. Why? What were they waiting for? Like I can hardly wait.

She heard the turn of a key in the lock and tried to move her head at an angle to get a glimpse of her jailer. Her eyes were swollen and she was not able to lift her head very high.

She felt familiar arms wrap around her and she was frightened for a moment that the drugs were making her think she was being handled by someone else. She struggled.

"Lily!" Agnes's voice hissed. "Hold still."

Her wrists were finally released and she felt herself drop into unfamiliar arms. She tried to struggle again but her head was too unclear to know if she was awake or dreaming.

"There's a guard waiting with your horses and cart about half a candlemark from the castle. You'll have to ride double with us until then." Dunties told Agnes in a soft voice.

Agnes nodded and followed Menigines' Captain of the Guard out of the dark prison.

Catherine and Candra were waiting nervously at the top of the stairs. "There's mercenaries everywhere!" Catherine whispered to Agnes. She grimaced at Lily's bloodied face. "They don't like Amazons I heard."

Dunties grunted as he maneuvered the tall unconscious Amazon around a corner and stepped into a corridor that led to the outside of the castle.

As Dunties had told them a group of riders and horses were waiting for them outside the castle. Menigines and his wife were amongst the party.

Agnes halted for a moment. Menigines merely looked at her then motioned for his men to depart. Dunties quickly held the unconscious woman up to one of the men already saddled up.

The three were given hands up onto other soldier's mounts. No explanation or where they were going. Katy, Menigienes wife was riding alongside of him.

Agnes wondered if they were walking into something of greater danger. Their parting was done under overcast skies. They spent a night in the dungeons and it was not one of memories of this journey she wanted to remember. Agnes looked back and thought she saw someone on the castle rampant watching their departure. Wherever they were being taken, Agnes was not going to leave without Lily and the other two.

Menigines and his group set up camp in an abandoned barn. The four women were left in a corner of the barn, with no way out while Menigines and his soldiers talked around a warm campfire built in the center of the barn. Agnes had no herbs or salve except the cold snow from outside to apply to Lily's face and bruises on the rest of her body. She came partially conscious but Agnes encouraged her to rest. Agnes wasn't sure just what they were going to do, but she could feel the power of the Named and their quest was weakened; yet the energy was still there. They needed to find out just what Menigines was intending on doing with them and hope Lily could stand on her own feet by then.

The wind was blowing outside and the fire, though not close to them, gave off enough heat to take some of the chill from the inside of the barn. Agnes was hoping they didn't build the fire too high or they would be losing their protection for some of the wood thrown on the fire sent up sparks.

Agnes laid with her head back against the rough barn wall listening to Lily's even breathing. It was a good sign. She had put a new pack of ice over her eyes and mouth and was idly letting her mind wander, as she usually did at the end of the day, going over her deeds and rededicating her life to do better the next day. However her mind was on their predicament. None of Menigines people came over except to give them meager rations and one cup in which to share tea. They were being isolated. Why were they rescued? What could Menigines use them for? The bet was more than likely off with Labducus, in fact the friendship with his neighbor was probably no longer. Where were they going? And where were the others? Agnes turned a worried eye to Lily.

Denities and Menigines had left the barn and Agnes could hear men's deep voices in the night air. What they were saying she didn't know. But by the look in the other women's faces, they also were feeling uneasy.

"Lily?" Agnes called softly to the tall Amazon. "Lily?" She called again gently touching her cheek that had a gash across it.

The touch brought pain to Lily and wakefullness. Agnes could feel it in the muscles that her hand was resting on. "Lily, its Agnes. We've got to think of a way to get out of here and we won't be able to carry you. Do you think you can…"

Lily's hand weakly came up and tapped the closest part of Agnes that was near her, her knee. Agnes leaned closer to her and began to describe the barn hoping Lily could figure something out.

Lily tapped Agnes's knee and gave a small gesture above them. Agnes casually looked up. Just empty rafters. The second partial floor, used for storing hay had long ago been tore down, probably for firewood.

Agnes jumped when another large collection of wood that was tossed on the fire sent sparks everywhere.

"Do you think they're doing that purposely?" Candra asked suspiciously.

"If not, then they are real stupid." Catherine muttered under her breath.

"You mean, they want to burn the barn down?" Candra asked surprised.

"Seems like it."

"How many soldiers are in here?" Lily asked in a hoarse voice.

The three women tried not to make it obvious they were looking.

"Only five. Two are near the fire and the other three near the only exit."

"In barns there are always false bottoms for hiding or escape. Can you see where there may be one?"

"It's kinda obvious, right near the fire." Candra reported.

Lily hadn't opened her eyes since they were swollen she didn't think she would be seeing much anyway, to say nothing of the pain from the light when she did open them.

"Hmm. One thing I learned about people who are obvious about hiding places, is that they got something to hide. There's gotta be another one that's less obvious."

"Great. How…" Catherine moved her heel a little more and noticed that her boot heel was catching in the barn floor.

"Athena be praised!" Agnes whispered. "That's it! But, how are we going to disappear down it with those guys watching?"

"We'll have to wait until they make a move or fall asleep. Until then, we set up one person to keep an eye out and the rest of us try to sleep. Might as well keep them off guard by giving the appearance we sort of trust them."

Agnes got up and approached one of the guards. "I need some more ice." She told the guy in a quiet voice. The others spread out as if she were the enemy and kept an eye on the others that were looking as if they were sleeping.

"Yokie, go get some snow."

"Hey, why me?"

"Cause you're the grunt." The other returned.

"I signed up the same time as you did." He protested. "You want someone to get snow, you get it yourself!"

Agnes rolled her eyes dramatically. "Soldiers. I will get the snow." She had the one-cup they had been given and started to head out the door when one of the men jumped forward and grabbed the cup out of her hand. "I'll get it." He glared at the other two.

Agnes remained near the fire trying to hear what was going on outside when the door was opened but only wide enough for the soldier to exit. The cup was returned with piled with snow quickly. Agnes returned back to the others who appeared to be sleeping. Agnes noted Dunties came back in to look over the group then left when Agnes merely sat next to Lily applying the ice to her face and putting some of the moisture between her lips.

Lily tried not to move but the pressure hurt. "Lily are you going to be able to move?" She whispered.

"Hmmm."

"Well, I'm going to make it look like I'm going to sleep too. Maybe that's all they're waiting for. Kill us in our sleep. They look the type."

Agnes leaned against the wall next to Lily closing her eyes. She was so tired if she weren't so afraid for their lives she probably would fall asleep.

She heard more wood being added to the fire, but gently, as if someone didn't want them to hear it. Were they going to burn them out? And why not just kill them outright? Agnes must have dozed for she felt a frantic tug on her arm.

"The fire's spreading!" Candra whispered urgently between coughs.

Agnes's eyes were open quickly. The heat was hot and her dreams were of being in a warm island under the sun. The smoke was thick and by the slump of Catherine's shoulders and the lack of movement from Lily the smoke was affecting them.

"Hades!" Agnes muttered. She had been lying flat on the barn's dirt floor where there was a flow of fresh air so the smoke had not affected her. Her eyes smarted from the smoke as she and Candra put their faces close to the ground and felt for the edge of the floor door they had discovered earlier.

"The door's too heavy." Panted Candra who tired to lift it. Both women struggled with it and were unable to get it open.

"There's got to be something keeping it down." Agnes frantically cleared the old dirt that had gathered on the barn floor. It turned out that Lily's body was on door. The two rolled her off then once again tried to lift the floor board. It was heavy and they were able to lift it but neither could see

Candra grabbed a burning stick near her and pulled the semi-conscious body of Lily with Agnes assisting down the dark hole. Next they pulled the lighter Catherine down. Agnes paused long enough to pull the door back down as it caught on fire.

"Hades. We got to get outta here fast!" Agnes muttered as she dragged Lily's body down the dirt tunnel with Candra leading with Catherine's unconscious body slung over her shoulders. This was where Agnes wished Lily wasn't so tall.

They paused to rest a few times. The women were afraid that either someone would follow them into the tunnel or that they would end up exiting to Dunties and his pals.

Catherine thankfully revived before they came to the end of the tunnel and was able to help carry Lily after a while. The tunnel was long and the flaming stick was now just a glowing tip that barely showed the holder where she was placing her feet.

Agnes was leading the group and was the first to catch the unmistakable smell of fresh air along with the chill it carried. By then they all didn't care about the cold air, just as long as it was fresh. They had been stumbling along in the dark by the time they reached their exit.

Agnes ran into the cover over their exit, dried up vines, getting her face caught up in the wet branches. It was too dark outside for them to have seen what their noses were telling them, that the outside was near. Agnes leaned against the damp and cold dirt wall and tried to peer out. Absentmindedly brushing off the dirt from her face. She couldn't see anything in the darkness

She leaned back into the dark passageway and pulled the first arm she touched. "Can you see anything?" She whispered in the ear she pressed her lips against. It was dark outside and she remembered Aleka had told them voices carried easily in the night.

It was Catherine who wearily changed places with her. "There's a fire." She whispered back.

Lily was weak but standing next to Candra. "We can always sneak up on them." She hoarsely joked.

"We're not Amazons, friend." Agnes touched her shoulder affectionately.

"Well, how do we move this stuff without anyone seeing it? Candra asked as she touched their covered exit gently.

"Hopefully, we'll be away by daylight."

"We can't be running around in this weather at night." Lily objected. "I'd rather risk someone coming up the tunnel then freezing."

"I think one of us should check out the fire." Catherine suggested. "I'm hungry and cold to say nothing of being very tired."

"They'll see your prints…" Lily tiredly objected. Her face and body were hurting so much she didn't think she would be able to sleep, but she was tired, hungry and cold too. They weren't in a position to take chances, she thought.

"I'll go." Catherine told the others. "It's like we use to do when we were kids. Climb up then over then down." She had been patting the outside of the cave with her hand, trying to get an idea of what they were taking refuge in. It appeared to be the side of a mountain.

Alala and Brona took the second watch from their group while the others slept. Four guards from Clorina's group and two from theirs made up the detail. The owl made it easy for all of them as she made her night search for dinner she kept an eye out for anything else that moved. It was her sharp eyes that spotted a familiar figure moving slowly in the cold snow along the hillside near their campfire.

"Brona! Wake the others!" Alala's voice was low but held so much emotion Brona thought she was about to cry.

Strange coming from the tall red headed woman, Brona thought. What was getting her upset? "What's wrong?" She asked frightened.

"Chia spotted one of the priestesses headed this way."

"By Artemis' bow!" She hurried off sliding in some of the snow that had turned to slush from their pacing back and forth.

"Camila. Grace!" Brona whispered in an excited tone. Groggy heads lifted in the shadows of the firelight. The guards from the outer perimeter joined Brona at the fire.

Clorinda looked out from her warm fur cloak. "What's going on?" She asked in a hoarse voice, heavy with sleep.

"We spotted one of the priestess'. Alala went with her friend to get her!"

Grace rose tiredly from her warm bedding, pulling her cloak around her and started to prepare some water. One. Where were the others? Her heart was heavy as she moved to pull out some food to warm. Her thoughts went back over Clorinda's guard that had found them and told them that Menigines had gone back on his word and would not deliver his prisoners without Clorinda giving over the Jewel. Grace's heart sank even further down as she realized too many people knew about the Jewel and that already some of their group may have died. She saw that in Clorinda's guard's face.

Who did the owl see? Kynthia, Eleanor, Catherine, Agnes or Candra? Since the group was separated the connection between them was fading. She didn't realize how strong it was until the intensity of the connection lessened. In place she was feeling remorse and a great sadness that made it difficult to worry about her individual survival. By the looks of the other women, they were feeling it too.

"Agnes!" Catherine whispered in the dark.

"Athena's grieves, Cat. Be quiet!" A soft voice called from her right.

"It's Alala's owl! She's right here."

She turned to face the sound of brush moving. The other three women joined her. Agnes and Candra were supporting Lily. By her groans the grip the two women had on her was around painful areas.

The owl hooted a few times near them causing the women to jump, then a dark familiar figure came out of the night.

"Alala! By Athena's mantle! Are we glad to see you." Candra breathed as she gladly relinquished her share of Lily's weight to the stronger Alala.

"Come on. We have hot tea and some food by the fire. We'll talk there."

Eryalios and the nervous guards were waiting with Brona just outside of their camp. Eryalios took Lily's partially conscious body from the two women and easily carried her back to his bedding.

While the four women ate and got some refreshment, Grace took care of Lily. Lily had only remained awake for a few sips of tea then let herself sink into a heavy sleep.

Candra brought the others up to date on what had happened to them and of Menigines soldier's setting the barn they were herded in on fire.

"He's back to his old self." Eryalios muttered sadly. "He use to herd villagers into buildings then set them on fire. He would do that when he thought they were hiding something from him."

"You use to ride with him, Eryalios. Did you do that too?" Camilia asked sadly.

"No. I was one of the lucky ones that didn't have to witness that. My duties kept me with the horses and the supplies. He didn't want to risk my getting killed."

"Your skills with animals, Eryalios, saved you from that type of life." Clorida told him softly.

Eryalios looked toward Clorinda. Even in the firelight the women could tell he cared for her. "Aye, by the blessin's of Diana. I have a gift for the animals."

Clorinda took his cold hands. "I could tell the first day I saw you."

The others smiled and busied themselves getting ready for sleep. One of Clorinda guard's had pulled some extra furs from their cart and helped set up extra places for the women.

Alala returned to her post as did Brona. "Alala?" Brona whispered as they prepared to separate for their parameter check.

"Yea."

"I'm glad you decided to continue with us. And not just because of your friends."

Alala stopped her progress into the dark and turned to face the dark figure four strides from her. She was quiet a moment as she let the feeling of elation she had felt at the news from Chica move over her again.

"So am I, Brona." And then she moved off wondering why it was so nice to be part of this strange group. Usually she made friends with the creatures more readily than with others of her own kind. She had always kept a polite distance from people. She didn't like the politics or games that seemed to be necessary in a relationship with her own kind. She sighed as she moved further into the night. Actually, all creatures played games in their relationships, she just didn't feel as hurt when they went wrong as she did with people. She smiled grimly to herself as she let the truth sound in her mind. Do I want to risk that hurt again? She silently laughed at herself. Chica, the owl was looking down at her from a branch not far from where she was. I think I like these women, Chica. She felt a big smile light up her face as the picture of Camila came to mind. To think she was one of the young workers in the temple that handled the birds and horses and she hadn't even noticed her. But she usually was alone, even when she sat with others to eat. Since her misadventure in love and displeasing Athena she was well known in the Athens temple. She was lucky her fate wasn't like Medusa. Athena must have been in a better mood when she meted out her punishment.

Aleka could hear the uneven footsteps of her jailers. She had managed to spit out the drugged food they had given her without their noticing. They were stupid soldiers. She had been waiting for them. She made sure they couldn't pass up the idea of taking her before they got rid of her. It didn't take much effort on her part. She had been listening to their drunken taunts tossed back and forth between those sitting around the fire trying to keep warm and the ones pacing on guard too close to the camp parameter to really be effective as guards. It was cold and they were using the wine as an excuse to stay warm. They wouldn't have lasted long in her army.

The cage jolted and rolled a bit followed by curses in hushed whispers. Aleka rolled her eyes. This was going to be like taking honey from a beehive, she thought with humor. Ya just have to know how to do it without getting' stung.

It took a few moments for the key to turn for the men were having problems getting the key into the lock. It was the third man, after dropping the key many times, who managed to fit the key into the lock.

Aleka closed her mind to the stink of the bodies that pulled her close as they dragged her relaxed body out of the wagon. She and her captors fell to the ground. She hit a rock and she could feel her arm numbing from the blow. She resisted the need to rub some life back into it. She needed to remain relaxed and limp as if she were unconscious.

The men didn't bother with conversation as they all tried to paw her and pull her toward them. She felt like a toy doll being fought over. Finally one person had a firm grip on her ropes and pulled her behind him, more steady on his feet than the others. She was dumped behind him as he punched a few overly eager fellow soldiers who didn't get the message that he was going to be first.

She needed her feet untied. She was sure they would regardless of the warning their leader gave them.

Grunts and pantings later she felt a frustrated body over her as she kept her body unresponsive. She could hear a knife being pulled out of its sheathe. This was it.

The others must have been watching for as soon as her legs were free she didn't have a chance to get blood back into them when the other men attacked the man that was on top of her who had untied her legs.

Aphrodite! She thought disgustedly.

Finally someone fell onto her pulling her legs apart. Aleka managed to surprise him with a knee between his. He slumped with a low groan on top of her. She was hoping his fellows in the dark thought he was busy. Her hands were tied around her waist and she was able to pull his knife out from his wait band and use it on her bindings.

A hand finally pulled the partially conscious man off her.

"Your turn?" She asked softly to the dark form above her. She was already moving out of the way not daring to use her legs yet. Her limbs still were stiff.

Yells from the remaining men as they all tried to reach her rolling form on their unsteady legs, brought others from the camp.

Aleka rolled under the cage and startled the horse that was still harnessed to it. The cage moved back and forth as the horse moved restlessly and Aleka crawled to the tether that was preventing the horse from taking off. She sliced the tether then grabbed the harness to pull herself on the horses back. While the horse danced around from the noise and the drunken soldiers attempted to find her in the dark, she cut the remaining harness from the horse kicking him into a run though the awakening camp.

As the horse moved out of the camp she let him move unhindered into the night. She slid off his back not far from the camp she was escaping. She needed warm clothing and it was back at the camp. The horse continued his journey into the night alone while she rested against a tree getting some mobility to her legs and arms and clearness to her thinking. As she leaned her head against the tree she found her connection to it giving her warmth and comfort.

Where are the others? What's happened? She thought worriedly. She was hoping it was the same day she was taken prisoner.

She returned to the disorganized camp and waited in the cold snow for a chance to nab someone's cloak. It wasn't difficult. Once more she headed away from the camp keeping the moon to her left. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew she needed to find shelter to collect her thoughts.

Suddenly she stopped. She cocked her head to one side and listened. There it was. A wolf's call. She changed her direction and headed to where she thought it was coming from. She was leaving tracks in the snow and right now she didn't care. She needed to see her guide if for no other reason than comfort that she wasn't alone.

She felt the presence rather than saw her. Her feet were crunching in the snow from the large boots she had taken off the unfortunate soldier.

Child, you are making enough noise to waken the sleeping. Can you not walk quieter? " The old voice chided her.

Aleka felt relief.

Come. We have much to prepare you for. Her guide instructed.

Aleka could barely make out the shadowed form that moved further into the darkness with it's waving tail looking like a dark plume. More careful, Aleka placed the big clumsy boots softer in the snow.

The horses moved in uneven hops, ploughing in some places as Agro had taken the lead making her way off the road. The terrain took a sudden downward slant and the women lost sight of the road they had left their rescuers on. Argo seemed to be the only one that knew where they were headed.

It was dark before Argo halted with a half conscious Iaia who was dozing in the saddle.

"Diana's blessings! Argo found a nice shelter. You old war horse!" Erica patted the tired horse on the withers and helped pull Iaia down. She didn't do horse travel well.

They led the horses into a partially sheltered overhang made up of dead fallen trees and debris. Erica and Eleanor pulled off the saddle bags tossing them in a corner where there was an old fire ring of stones.

Iaia found a stack of dried wood in one of the corners by stumbling on them in the dark. She mechanically started to stack a neat pile ready for a fire.

"Looks like this place is a regular hide away." Erica murmured to the others as she rummaged in the saddle bags.

"Hey. Someone thought of everything. We've got some food for the horses."

"Probably Alala. She was talking to Camila the other day about each person should carry three days worth of supplies in case any of us should get separated."

"Spoken like a true warrior." Iaia chuckled. She took the small pot Erica handed her filled with snow to rest on a rock near the fire.

"Can we risk cooking something?" Eleanor asked as she thought about the aroma of cooking food and what it would do to her stomach and whoever else might get a whiff of it.

"Yea." Erica noted the air outside of their shelter had dropped noticeably into the colder measures. She doubted anyone would be moving around however, she needed to go back and cover their tracks.

While the two women prepared a warm meal Erica left to do what she was skilled at, cover trails and leave false ones. It certainly took her back to her more youthful times in Meldrona.

The next morning the three women reluctantly plotted their next move out of their warm shelter.

"We need to find the others." Eleanor started.

"We need to find Aleka." Iaia told them firmly.

Erica sighed. Both were right. "We don't know where anyone is…" She turned to look at Argo suddenly realizing that the mare would be the best guide to the Named.

Eleanor followed her eyes and nodded silently to Erica. "We'll find the Named."

Iaia wasn't watching them for she was more focused on what she was feeling inside. Confusion. She took a deep breath and tried to imagine where she would be. Is she still in the castle? No. She left before us. She felt that with certainty. Where would…who would take her? Labducus? Then she remembered the Jewel. She pursed her lips. The scroll said that the Spirit of the Jewel moves events and people, so…maybe we're all suppose to be going to Labdu. What better city to change than Labdu?

"Iaia?" Eleanor asked again.

"Hmmm?" Iaia looked up still in thought.

"We're going to let Argo lead the way. She seems to know more of where to go than us, and hopefully she'll lead us…to the others." She finished uncomfortably. She didn't want to mention the Named then she would have to explain why Argo would be attracted to her.

"Oh." She looked at the mare whose eyes were looking intently out of their covered shelter at something only she could see. "Right."

Erica looked up and followed the mare's gaze. "There's something out there." She whispered softly.

She waved the two women back further into the shelter. "Wait here." She warned them.

Eleanor pulled out a bow and notched it waiting. Iaia pulled out a stick from the pile they hadn't burned and tested it for balance.

Erica soon was seen leading a large draft horse that was looking tired. It had a sled harnessed behind him. Eleanor and Iaia quickly ran to the horse's side. Erica relinquished her hold on the bridle and ran back over the trail with the intention of covering as much as she could.

Eleanor stroked the huge beast's neck while Iaia dipped into her pouch of food. "This is going to make a big dent in our rations for the horses." She murmured to Eleanor.

"Hmm. Hey. That's one of our trunks on the sled." Eleanor moved to the back and unlatched the lid. A lock that had been on it was hanging broken open. It looks like someone has riffed through this stuff."

Iaia looked into the chest. "Hey, that coat looks like it would fit me a lot better than this." She shrugged out of the warm one but oversized and exchanged it for the fur linned one that they used for one of the characters.

"Want the mask too?" Eleanor teased.

"Ahhh. No. I think that would be a bit much."

They heard the soft sound of irregular crunching of snow. They watched as Erica slowly made her way back to their shelter covering tracks and where she could not, making confusing marks to not give away how many were in their company.

"Well?" She asked nodding toward the large horse that was contently munching on the oats that Iaia had poured into a canvas cloth.

"Did you get a look at what he was pulling." Eleanor asked.

"Yea." Erica smiled at Iaia. "I see you found something more your size."

"It's too much to be pulling the sled and our luggage. We'll find a place to store it and the sled." She glanced at their new addition. "She's somebody's prize mare."

"Yea. Camila would love to meet her." Eleanor smiled in appreciation at the large creature's beauty.

"We'll take her with us and maybe someone will know who she belongs to."

"If she was carrying our luggage, she's had to have been with the others."

"Yea." The three also knew that if she was alone, something had to have happened to the other for her to have strayed from the group.

"Come on. Let's get going. We need to find a place to stash this trunk, but not too far from here."

The women were back on the main road after finding a place to store their luggage and the sled. The large horse patiently followed behind Argo, who led the way. She seemed to know where she was going for she found the road quickly. Argo's pace was a fast walk, her head swung side to side and ears swiveled around as if looking for something. Her nostrils flared now and again as if testing the air. The larger horse behind her with her long legs moved at a slower pace with her large head slowly moving around and ears perked forward.

By the condition of the road they were following, the road had been busy before them. Was it their comrades?

Chapter 5

Berik silently watched as the one rider on the sled again fought off his attacker. He had killed two in the first skirmish, parting company from his partner. The three women were torn between which group to follow but Beirk had silently decided, noting that the unlocked trunk was the one that had the Yon in it. For some reason Kynthia wanted to follow the other but Gari put a restraining hand on her arm and held her still as they waited to follow the sled that angled off in another direction.

Berik had enough of waiting and dropped on the unsuspecting attacker with Gari and Kynthia dropping in front of the tired horse.

"Wait!" Kynthia shouted at the tired driver that turned to take a swipe at Gari who had a hold on the horses bridle.

"You have our trunk." Kynthia informed him. For a moment the tired soldier regarded Kynthia then Gari. Berik neatly finished off the mercenariy taking his warm cloak and weapons.

"Where are you headed with our stuff?" Berik asked putting the blade to the soldiers chest.

"Berik, put the sword away." Kynthia admonished her.

Berik lowered it but only at the groin level of her victim. "To Lady Clornida." He eyed the sword point wryly. "There's an old abandoned farm that we're to meet up with her. You be the Troupe from Sappho's Island, ay?"

"Just like it says on the trunk." Berik replied, still not trusting the driver.

"Well then. The rest of your group should be there."

"Oh?"

"Lady Clornida made arrangements for your troupe to escape from Menigines little plot." He smilded a this piece of news. "She isn't fond of Menigines and his friend Labducus, nor of the two sisters."

"Let's go then." Gari told Berik. "We have what we came for." She added in a softer tone.

"What about the other trunk?"

The man on the sled smiled. "These horses are a pair. They'll find each other."

"Hopefully with our other trunk." Kynthia murmured. She still felt a pull to follow the other horse.

The four were tired and cold when their driver found a small sheltered place to spend the night. The winter days were not long. All they had to share was their guide's small supply of food stuff and one cup that was filled with melted snow and passed around. But hot water was better than cold snow.

"Hades!" Gari whispered from her look out post. The others quickly moved out of their warm cloaks, some taken from their trunk of costumes.

"By Hades rocks of desolution." The driver, Malruk, exclaimed. "That's about where the old barn to the farm is.

"Looks like we need a new destination." Berik observed softly.

The driver continued cursing under his breath while the three women looked into the night, not knowing where to go next.

"We'll sleep on it." Kynthia told the others seriously. "Dreams have been guiding us on this journey and…we will keep faith that the goddess will continue guiding us in that way."

Berik worried about what she knew was in the chest and where the driver was going to go with it. Technically the belongings were theirs and they did outnumber the driver. But Aleka's warning also worried her. It was just one part of the whole. To be in its presence meant their lives were in danger.

Kynthia looked at Gari who nodded in agreement. Then stared at Berik's back as she continued to look out into the darkness where the sky was lit up with a flickering light. It was a big fire.

Gari found Berik pacing the outer parameter of their camp looking wound up. She traded places with her hoping the woman could find peacefulness between the warm fur she had left.

The driver joined her just before dawn to get a report from Gari. He took care of his toilet and then attended to the huge shadow whose warm breath was creating big vapor clouds in the early morning light. After the blaze from the previous night they weren't going to risk lighting one of their own. None of them wanted to attack any unwanted attention to their group. Malruk had no argument to the decision.

Gari was curious what he was going to say about their morning discussion on where they should be going now. Gari was thinking that Barik and Kynthia would want to locate the other part of the Yon. She wondered how much Malruk knew of what he was transporting and if he knew how much danger he was in by not carrying it's other part. Or was the other part in the trunk and…No. If it wa,s Kynthia wouldn't be so figety. When did she start…? Gari tried to remember when she noticed Kynthia's uncharacteristic jumpy reactions. Actually, it was Barik who was acting real nervous until…Lady Clorinda's arrival. She was keeping her bedmates away with her tossing and turning. That's what had brought up the subject of the Jewel between her and Kynthia, who was…acting like…well…not acting like herself. Hmm. Kynthia didn't start acting jumpy until...Athena's underware! When the horses separated! By why was Berik jumpy if her part was in the trunk?

Gari looked back at Berik whose profile she could see surrounded by vapor from her breath. Berik was looking out into space with no translatable expression on her face. Gari took a deep breath of the cold air and decided to ask a question.

"Hey!" she called softly. Berik's shoulders lifted as she took a deep breath and held the cold air in her lungs. She lifted her cold hands to her mouth and blew the air in her cupped palms.

"Hmm." She responded not looking her way. Berik instead looked around them as if expecting to see something.

"Do you think the Jewel is in the trunk?"

Berik looked at her startled. "Why do you ask?" She finally got out.

"Welllll…I just thought that if it was, you wouldn't be so…I don't know…distant."

"Oh." Berik laughed softly and looked down for a moment at her cold feet. "I've been thinking." She watched her toes move in her boots as she tried to move them to keep them warm.

Gari came closer so she wouldn't have to talk above a whisper. "What about?"

"Us…our quest." She sighed.

Gari watched through her own white puffs of air at the vapor from Berik's long drawn out breath disappear then reappear like small puffs of smoke as her normal breathing resumed. She waited patiently for Berik to collect her thoughts.

"I…I wasn't really into this thing." She glanced at Gari embarrassed. "Not in the beginning. Then, it was only because I was bored and wanted to do something."

Gari nodded. She knew why Berik had willingly joined and it wasn't just from boredom, but she kept her silence.

"The dreams and all, they were…interesting, but I…I really didn't find it believable. Sometimes the gods play games with us because of their own boredom and I thought maybe that's what some of this was all about." She looked back out into the gray dawning of the day.

"What made you change your mind?" Gari finally asked.

Berik sighed. "The Named." She poked her foot at a piece of wood partially covered in snow. She lifted her eyes toward Gari. "I dreamt of her that night in the cavern after she was Named by the goddess." Berik turned her face away hurriedly, but not fast enough for Gari to have missed the sudden watering of her eyes.

After a moment she continued. "She told me in my dream that I had to finish my original quest because peoples lives depended on it." Berik peered at Gari from under her dark lashes. "Me…a rescuer of people." She whispered unbelieving. "I was a drunk." She laughed a little. "I may still be a drunk." She wrapped her arms around herself and continued. "My village was just about ready to throw me out so I left and just wandered. It was scary out there in the big world to face sober so I pretty much stayed drunk. Good excuse. I'd work for drinking money." She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't remember much." She took another breath, more like a cleansing breath of air into a once toxic body. "Somehow, I ended up working as a guard to a group of priestesses heading for Lesbos for a festival." Berik looked back out as the day was lighting up the white snow that blanketed most of the surrounding area.

Gari shifted her weight. Berik turned her head to regard her for a moment. "I didn't really feel a responsibility until Clorinda brought the Jewel into the castle." Berik's look became intense. "It was like a fire burning my body without hurting. I remembered everything!" She whispered hoarsely. "Everything that I said and did while the Jewel was in my possession." Berik shook her head and rolled it around to loosen the tightness. "I may have to separate from you and Kynthia. I need to follow the one that is here. Kynthia will have to leave soon to follow the one she had been entrusted to follow." Berik looked at Gari closely. "You must help her find it. I know she's going crazy because it was here and now it's not." Berik shook her head. "I don't know how to explain it but it's like an itch in my stomach that won't quit."

"Do you think it was in the other trunk?"

"Yea. Too bad we didn't have time to search it."

Gari nodded. She looked at back at the campfire where Kynthia was talking with Malruk. She looked up to catch Gari's worried look. Kynthia smiled and gestured for her.

Gari touched Berik's arm and walked over to the warm fire Malruk had made. No smoke but great heat for a small flame. Gari put her cold hands over the flames.

"Malruk said Churpie," she nodded her head toward the large beast who was rubbing his forehead against a nearby tree trunk. "has been acting like Torsie, the other horse, is close by." The look Kynthia gave the two, a quiet knowing look, told them she was at peace with distance of the Nee, the missing other half of the Jewel.

"Close by, huh?"

"Jess give em 'is head and 'ell find 'er." Malruk nodded.

"Let's just hope it's not going to be in unfriendly company." Gari remarked as she busied herself with preparing to break camp.

The others took the hint and started to clean up and get ready to move out.

Chapter 6

The big mare stopped in her tracks and turned her head to glance behind her. Argo snorted and stopped also.

"Diana's curse! What's going on here?" Erica snorted disgustedly. It seemed the horses were running the show now and Erica wasn't a Camila or Alala who could understand other creatures.

"Whatever it is, it's not going to hurt us." Eleanor told her soothingly.

They all focused on the road behind them waiting to see what the two horses were announcing.

"Goddess!" Erica yelped when a large gray shape came slowly ambling into sight. "Hey!" She kicked her horse into a trot when she spotted a familiar figure walking behind the large horse.

"I told ya. Ya got ta have faith in…" Maluk started in the low rumble his voice gave off.

"Right, right." Berik and the other two women didn't wait to hear him finish but ran up to their missing companions.

Kynthia's heart felt a genuine relief and for some reason felt a blanket of calm settle over her. Is the other part of the Jewel here? Her eyes noted that the large mate to their guide was not pulling her sled anymore. She turned her eyes to looking over the saddlebags on the horses wondering if one of the women had found it. She was going to have to pull Eleanor aside and find out. She didn't think talking about it openly to Maluk was wise.

The women passed around relieved hugs while Maluk talked tenderly to the missing mare and pulled out a bag that was on the sled with the trunk.

Eleanor laughed at the mares eager snorts at being fed. "As if she hasn't eaten already." The other horses were also pushing forward to get a share of the unscheduled treat.

Maluk obligingly held a hand full of the oats for each horse while he listened to the women decide where they were going to go next.

"Maluk says we were going to join up with Clorinda and her guards."

He nodded as he stroked one of the bristled muzzles that was looking for more food on his person.

"We need to find the rest of our group. The last we saw were soldier's from the castle surrounding Lily and the others. Aleka hadn't returned yet."

"We can't go back to the castle it full of mercenaries." Berik nodded.

"Lady Clorinda had said she would have others with her. Maybe that's the rest of your people." Maluk offered.

"Where would she be now?" Berik asked, more to locate the other piece of the Jewel. She glanced at Kynthia and noted she kept glancing at the packs on the horses. Well, at least some of them had rides. Her eyes flickered to the large mare and didn't even want to think about riding on the big horses broad back.

"If she survived the fire…" he thought a moment. "she'll probably head to a small safe camp we have about a few candlemarks from here. It's where we usually stop on our travels so it will have stores of supplies."

"She travels?" Iaia asked surprised.

"Oh, yes. Since Jakra, her late husband no longer has control over her. He didn't believe women should leave their homes except to do the shopping or work in the fields or shops. He had a thing about women knowing more than him." Maluk looked amused. "He became quite befuddled when in the presence of a beautiful woman. His way of handling it was to have women hide themselves from view and not talk or be near him."

"You mean any pretty face and he would lose his train of thought?" Eleanor laughed.

"Oh, more than that. He would want to wed them. Being the King he had the power to take any woman he wanted. Only…" Maluk continued in a stage whisper, "he physically could not keep up with his desires."

"Wait, wait. What you're saying is that this guy had no self discipline?"

Maluk's eyebrows rose. "He was the King. He did not need any…his virility was important to the land and to the harvests."

The women looked at each other. "That's taking Demeter's Harvest and Spring Festival to the extreme." Gari muttered.

"So, because he feared the power women had over him, he chose to…banish them from his view and forbid them to be educated?" Iaia asked unbelievingly.

"Right. Since the King decreed it in his castle, it was also to be in his realm. Women had to keep themselves covered from anyone's view and were to only learn what he decreed a women's place.

"Where have I heard that before?" Erica muttered disgustedly.

"So how did Clorinda become so…influential with Jakra? Iaia asked curious.

"It was her influence on him that caused all these laws to be passed." Maluk informed them as they continued their walk toward the safe camp.

"I don't get it? She influenced him to pass these laws against her…"

"No, no. His fear of her…womanly charms…and because in spite of his rules she still was his chief advisor. Clorinda is very smart and knew how to get him to do things. But he got back at her by passing these laws against her sex. Jakra was a clever King in that he knew how to surround himself with capable advisors, but one happened to be a woman whom he felt had too much power over him. He couldn't get rid of her so he controlled her as best as he could."

"Why did he keep collecting wives?"

"Lady Clorinda was not able to bear children." Maluk told them quietly. "That was the excuse at first. After that it was because he caught sight of a pretty face or he heard about a pretty girl. He collected wives like some people collect buttons or stones."

"How could he afford them all?"

"He made sure they all were productive. They all had to provide toward the castle economy. Lady Clorinda is a very good cook, it's also a great place to gather castle gossip." Maluk grinned.

"Why did you stay with her after the Kind died?" Iaia asked before any of the others thought to.

"She gave me a job in the kitchen's when my family was starving. She remembers her family."

Kynthia looked at him closely. "You don't look like her." She observed.

"I'm a cousin by marriage."

Argo pulled the reins from Iaia's hands and started to dance sideways. "What the…Agro settle down." Iaia tried to regrab the reins but her hands were cold and they didn't open enough to get a grip on the cold leather or the reins.

The ground under them began to tremble and the other horses started to nervously pick up their feet.

"We got to get off this road." The women spoke together.

The troop of soldier's dressed in warm coats that didn't identify whose allegiance they were to descended on them quickly. The soldiers already had their weapons out, as if expecting them and surrounded them in a tight circle on the slushy road.

A struggle broke out with the Amazons taking a defensive position around the horses and the other women who were trying to keep the horses under control. In the maneuverings for advantage Berik was cut off from the others and driven back by two of the soldiers. Her concern was to not get too far from the trunk so she kept an eye on it while battling with her attackers who seemed to be more intent in taking the women as prisoners.

Berik returned the compliment by not killing the two but rendering them unconscious and hoping that bit of kindness would not come back to haunt her. The trunk had been knocked off the sled and was sitting on its side opened. Glancing quickly around she noted the others were scattered about losing the battle to not get captured. Berik ran to the trunk and found what she was looking for. Tucking it in her coat she ran into the countryside, away from the fight. She angled her run to the tracks she could see made from horses just recently. She was hoping it was from Iaia and the two priestesses.

Berik found herself surrounded by three wet horses and three relieved riders as she stumbled into the forest cover.

"Hades! You nearly scared the life out of me!" She exclaimed.

"What happened to the others?" Kynthia asked tiredly.

"I think they were captured. It looks like they want to take us alive."

"Not very comforting considering they are probably from Labdu, the slave traders city." Eleanor remarked.

"Let's keep moving." Eleanor urged them. She removed a foot from her stirrup for Beirk to join her.

Agro's snort alerted the women to the movement that was around them. Out of the shadows of the forest moved a group of soldiers that had nets with them incase the women tried to run.

Part 5

Dealing with the Enemy

The march to the City of Labdu was silent among the women with only the chains they had been fitted with rattling and the stomp of their feet and the horses on the wet road breaking the silence. The soldiers offered no conversation and had little to say between themselves. Two candlemarks after their capture Iaia and her group met up with the others who were being transported in a cage. The four women were ordered to join the others. It was crowded but after marching in the cold mud it was welcomed. The large horses and their very unhappy handler were amongst the captured. The trunk, Berik noticed, was back on the sled. She tried not to pat her pocket that held the Jewel. She was going to have to find another hiding place.

The castle of Labdu was different from Menigines' winter castle in that it had only one entrance and it was busy. Caravans were passing each other as some were leaving and others arriving. Winter didn't seem to slow business here. Iaia was dismayed to see covered cages on wheels moving in and out of the castle. A sinking feeling hit her stomach as they rolled under the arched gate.

"We'll get out of here." Erica whispered to no one in particular. "They only got some of us."

They all studied the walls and the soldier's walking the battlements, then those that were moving around gate area as if waiting to assemble for their shift. Erica mentally made a note of the time.

The women were all herded into a holding area that normally was used for displaying slaves to their potential buyers. Iaia wasn't sure if it was the energy in the area or the stench that was making her sick to her stomach. She could hear the sounds of sobs coming from over the wall as she wrapped her arms around herself and tried to think of what she could do. Their chains were removed and exchanged for leather neck colars that held a metal ring on the back. Kynthia sat next to her shivering. She had no coat. Iaia looked around and noted some of the women had lost their warm coats.

The gate swung back and a armored guard peered inside their compound.

"You!" The burly guard pointed at Iaia but made no attempt to enter the compound. "Get over here!" He ordered. Apparently he expected to be obeyed.

Iaia stood up and looked back at the cold Kynthia. She removed her coat and put it around Kynthia's shoulders. "You may be needing this more than I." She told her softly.

Iaia glanced around at the others as she made her way out of the waiting area.

Two guards were waiting for her, impatiently. They weren't dressed for the outside weather. One gestured to the door she was to move toward, neither leading the way. "Labducus wants to see you." The other guard offered when Iaia hesitated.

The archway into the dark confines of the castle didn't look inviting. She could also smell the odors coming from the castle which got stronger as they neared the entrance way.

Wanting to get the meeting over with, Iaia picked up her pace following the gestures of the guards as to what hallway to take in the maze that they passed. The smell in the castle was heavy with smoke and people that didn't air out their living quarters much. It was also cold with no fresh air moving through the halls. Though the air outside was colder it was at least fresh.

They finally turned down what appeared to be a main corridor. More lit torches lined this corridor revealing elaborately woven wall hangings from foreign lands and a haze that hung in the air. The haze wasn't just from the burning torches. Iaia and her guards cut a path through the haze.

They approached a curved archway into a room that had a heavy ornate table with chairs surrounding it. The two guards outside the room didn't seem to even give them a glance as Iaia was ushered into the room.

Iaia took a quick glance around noting it was a long room with slots for rolled up scrolls lining the walls on the side she entered and the other side was opened up to a larger room that could be a throne room if he was a king. The ornately carved long table had quills and scrolls partially unrolled and some opened up scattered about its top. Two people were in the room standing near a candle for closer inspection of a scroll held by an elder, by the looks of his robes.

The younger of the two, a tall red headed man sporting a beard whose long ends were braided and beaded looked up at the three as they entered.

"Ahh. The playwright. Thank you Ratius." The red head nodded to the older man and remained in the corner until everyone but Iaia left.

"Iaia, you call yourself. Am I right?"

The hairs on the back of Iaia's neck rose. She didn't need to see the colors whirling around his head and shoulders to know this was a very dangerous man. Iaia nodded remembering somewhere that it was good tactically to let the let the other person talk first.

"I am so sorry your stay with Lord Menigines was…stressful."

Iaia waited.

"I understand you wrote a play for my friend?" His eyebrows rose.

"Yes." She replied.

"Hmm. We have this wager…" Labducus left the sentence unfinished looking at Iaia as if she were to finish the sentence.

"You have this wager…" Iaia encouraged in exaggerated patience.

"I'm sure you have heard about it. If not then I will have to punish the person I had paid to get that piece of information to you."

"Is that the one where you wagered your soul and Bacchus took you up on the wager?" She smiled brightly.

Labducus was still for a moment with no bit of emotion crossing his face. He sat casually on the lip of the table still watching Iaia's face closely.

Score one for me, Iaia thought. It pays to listen to the kitchen help! She could see the colors swirling around his head showing what his face was not showing.

He finally rose from his slumped seat on the edge of the table and walked to the edge of the railing that separated the scroll room from the larger hall it opened into.

"If you write me a drama, on my choice of subject, for my library..." he turned to face her. "I will let your friends go."

"Dead or alive? Healthy or ill? Free or slaves?" Iaia asked not believing. If he had lost his soul to Bacchus, then there would be no bargaining except in words that were empty of fulfillment. He also had failed to mention letting her go.

Labducus let a small smile curl the corner of his lips. However the smile never reached his eyes which were almost black. He let his eyes wander over the many scrolls that filled the small slots lining one wall before answering. "That depends on you." He told her softly.

"I don't think so. I can sit here and bargain that they be treated like guests and leave with their freedom and health intact and with supplies and warm clothing to finish their journey into Paeonia but you and I know it would only be words." While Iaia was saying this she was trying to rack her mind for what would bind Bacchus to a bargain.

Labducus was silent as he kept his eyes on the wall filled with scrolls.

"You have a lot of scrolls. What are they about?" Iaia asked curiously.

"Everything and nothing." Labducus spoke softly.

Iaia studied him for a moment watching the colors around his head noticeably change in colors and intensity as his emotions that didn't reach his facial expression told her of what was going on inside him.

"I've learned in my travels…" Iaia started, "that usually the journey is of more interest then my destination. And…that after reaching each destination…there are uncountable more destinations to chose from."

Labducus nodded thoughtfully letting his eyes flicker over the wall linned with scrolls. "I once believed that…now…I'm weary of travel." he took a deep breath. "What is you decision?" He changed the subject.

"What is your guaranty that the bargain we make is honored by all involved in our capture?" Iaia asked. Then she leaned forward and softly whispered, "I think the Muses, Athena, Artemis and Sappho's friends would not let our abduction and mistreatment go unchallenged."

"I think you over estimate your value amongst the goddesses, though Sappho's friends…" he waved his hand as if it were nothing. "Many of them are my customers."

"Maybe not for long." Iaia returned.

"Money has a way of changing alliances. Offer them a good deal on something they want…" He left the rest unsaid.

"You have a day to decide. Meanwhile, my guards will take you on a tour of my castle. It may inspire you to a quicker decision." He walked to the door and gestured to an unseen figure.

A formidable figure dressed in military leathers but without the armor stepped forward. Iaia cocked her head and for a moment the image of her dark haired warrior's bowed head in front of a campfire in the early evening hours, working on the repair and cleaning of her leathers came to her. Here before her, she recognized another soldier that took care of his equipment and therefore, was dangerous. She looked into the dark brown eyes of the tall soldier and found herself being appraised and no doubt being set to memory. The energy about him was dark red almost brown with some oranges and dark greens showing. She was going to be as uncomfortable standing next to him as she was with Labducus. Both men had a decidedly unpleasant feel to them.

The cell couldn't be called a cell in the real sense. It was a small room equipped with a desk, writing material, a lamp and next to it a lumpy looking pallet. A bucket for waste was in one corner. The only light, aside from the small oil lamp on the desk came through a very thin window above the desk. Her guard was kind enough to lite the lamp before he left and allowed a young boy to deliver a bucket of water with a cup. When they left only the flickering of the small lamp was Iaia's company.

The stifling smells from the enclosure were enough that Iaia decided to weather the cold for some fresh air, and struggled to open the shutter over the window.

"Aeolus' winds would be a good thing for right now." She mumbled as she rested her head against the wall where a breeze from the outside air chilled her face.

She closed her eyes and thought about the tour of the various slave holding areas, the dungeon which was half full with no one she recognized, and the entertainment area, tht Labducus ordered her to go on to probably get her sick, for that's exactly what it did. If there was anything normal she didn't see it. The people that were being sold as slaves were trained for the various services that Labducus thought they would look good doing. The dungeon was occupied with those that didn't learn fast enough or refused to be slaves. Apparently Labducus didn't waste bodies and had other uses for those that were in the dungeon. Her tour included the room that was dedicated for Bacchus celebrations and rituals.

The moment Iaia approached the room set aside for entertainment, she felt her insides shake with revulsion. If she had anything in her stomach she was sure it would have further dirtied the stone floor that was littered with bodies, pillows, clothing, and cups filled and half filled as some of the revelers were fulfilling their desires with partners that were in various stages of consciousness. There were children, young men and women and a few old women being used by Labducus' guests. Her presence wasn't noticed by anyone. Everyone seemed to be in their own haze.

Iaia finally sat on the pallet and put her head in her hands. She didn't know for how long she let the tears fall. Wiping her wet face she leaned back on the pallet and pulled the covers over her. The room was surprisingly warm though the window remained open. Iaia put her hand tentatively on the wall near the pallet. It was warm. Probably someone's fireplace. Lucky me, she sniffed. She closed her eyes and fell into an exhausted sleep.

"You're not listening to me." A patient and familiar voice told her.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" A distracted Gabrielle raised her head to look into the familiar sky blue eyes of the raven haired warrior. Her heart and breath caught as the familiar feelings for this person swept over her. The warmth and love that filled her brought tears to her eyes and constricted her throat as she waited for the feelings to pass.

"All right. Let me start again. Now listen closely, Gabrielle." The voice gentled as a strong hand was placed on Gabrielle's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

The blue eyes didn't shift from Gabrielle's face as the strong hands once more moved through an intricate pattern of moving shells around that hid a small stone.

"Now, which one?" She asked again when she stilled her hands.

Gabrielle hadn't been watching the shells as they were moved around. She found she couldn't take her eyes off of the blue ones that were open to her gaze.

"Which one would you choose?" She asked the tall warrior softly.

"None." Was her answer.

"Then why play the game?" Gabrielle blinked suddenly forcing her attention back to the shell game.

"I don't unless I have to. You are the one who asked me about the game. I am merely demonstrating it."

"Well, when you have to play it then?"

"Then…I supply my own shells, stone…and…" The women leaned close to Gabrielle and whispered in her ear. "distractions.

A giggle worked its way up and Gabrielle put a hand over her mouth to stifle it. The breath of the tall women tickled her ear as she thought, that was so typical. Gabrielle closed her eyes and savored the shared moment.

When she opened her eyes she was back in the castle with her back against the warm wall. It was dark with only blackness around her. She knew it was the castle by the smell. Tiredly Iaia got up and wrapping the covers around her felt her way to the open window. There was a strong breeze but it wasn't blowing into her window. The wind was coming from another direction. She could hear flags snapping in the wind. She sniffed the air and thought she there was the hint of rain in the air. She sighed. It'll make the roads muddier but at least the snow will melt.

Iaia sat on the edge of the pallet and rolled back onto it pressing her back up against the warm wall. She closed her eyes again and went to sleep thinking about her friends and hoping she could come up with a solution to their dilemma. She doubted Labducus would release her companions. They were witnesses to his disrespect to the Muses and Athena, whose protection they were traveling under…not to mention Gaia's. Gaia. A smile appeared on her lips as she slipped deeper into sleep.

Iaia was running up a green slope that was dotted with flowers. She had a bouquet of some flowers she had picked in one hand and in the other she had her father's hand . He had taken her out to the spring meadow to watch the sun light up the mountain tops that were to the west of her village.

Iaia turned to look at her beloved guardian and in his place was a silver wolf with golden eyes that turned luminescent as the sun's rays glittered in them. Iaia blinked at the change, aware of her small child's hands clutching the coarse coat.

The figure changed again to an old woman who was leaning on her staff. The figure gestured to Iaia to sit on the grass next to her. For the rest of the dream Iaia listened to stories the old woman had to tell, fascinated by the stories and the colors whirling around her head and shoulders as the drama in the stories unfolded.

Iaia nearly jumped out of her skin on hearing a metal bar being pulled across metal, waking her from a deep sleep.

The door was opened and a child came in with a trencher of food. Behind him was a guard with a steaming cup of something. Iaia didn't recognize the aroma.

"Morning." Iaia mumbled through dry lips.

Neither said anything and the child didn't lift her or his eyes toward Iaia at all. The guard cuffed the child out of the room once the trencher was set on the table.

The door was closed with a bang and the metal bar once more scraped back into place.

"Great. I'm going to have to talk to myself for company." She sighed resignedly. She moved to the bucket and did her morning ritual.

Iaia looked over the food wondering if there was anything that would harm her. As if that was her chief worry. Unfortunately her growling stomach won over her caution and she ate everything, bread, warm cereal and the cut fruit on the side. She returned to the edge of her pallet sipping the warm beverage and reviewing her options.

So, what do I know? Labducus approached me with a deal. Why? We're at his mercy, in his castle, with probably no one knowing where we are…and he still offers me a choice. Why? Why? What advantage do we have that I can't see?

Iaia rubbed her forehead. A depression threatened to move over her as she realized she was back to having someone dictate to her what she was to use her skills for. The despair that the young artist had experienced after having been informed that she was not only being married off to the older suitor she detested but was to paint what he saw fit for sale moved over her like a suffocating blanket. Her beloved father had not asked her but assumed what he was doing was best for her.

Iaia closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her as she felt the deadness creep into her heart. Everything was black around her and there was no where to go. A tear squeezed out from one of the tightly shut lids and wet the dirty stone floor.

What is this! Iaia straightened and let the new sensation take over her. It felt like her heart was touched by a tender loving hand, which massaged it like one would a tight shoulder. She wondered as a smile curved her lips and she imaged a pair of blue concerned eyes smiling at her. The warmth from her heart moved out to other parts of her body and she squeezed her arms around herself as a bubbly feeling threatened to burst out of her in the form of laughter.

"Yea, I'll write your drama Labducus, but it's going to be one Hades of a lesson for your audience." She whispered gleefully.

She rose from the pallet and checked out the writing supplies. Nodding to herself she sat down and wrote out what her conditions for the writing of the drama would be. Oh, yea. He will have his storyteller, but he didn't say for how long…now did he?" She was humming to herself as she rolled the short scroll up to hand to the guard on his next visit. Meanwhile, she wanted to start her writing. The sooner it was finished, the sooner they would all be outa here. She had no doubt he would accept the conditions. She figured the one most crucial point neither men had mentioned in the deal was that it had to be voluntary…Bacchus wanted to hurt the goddesses by showing them that their followers willingly went over to him. Wait until he sees what this drama will be giving to his followers!

From what Agnes had told her, when the players become involved in the telling of the drama, they were channels of the sacred energy from the Muses that moved into their audience. The audience would forget who they were during the telling of the drama and relive the life of the characters and be blessed with wisdom from the message that was being imparted. Like the priestesses from Demeter's temple renacting the fertilization of the living after winter in the form of orgies. Iaia looked up from her scratching of the pen across the parchment and thought about the older priestess in their age-old practice. She shook her head and decided that type of participation wasn't something she wanted to do. Storytelling, that was her thing. Take an audience and capture them in the moments her words and gestures wove and bring to them…

I am a storyteller! The excitement she felt sent shivers up and down her. Iaia pondered this. I'm more excited about being a storyteller than a painter. She thought about it for a moment. Hmm. One paints with mixtures taken from various plants and types of dirt and the other uses words to paint from various types of…I guess dirt from peoples lives as well as…Iaia shook her head. Her thoughts were going everywhere. She needed to concentrate on her story.

It was the story of Medusa disguised under another name, to protect the innocent and guilty. That thought brought a smile to her lips as she continued to scratch the pen head across the scroll.

A guard had entered and distractedly Iaia had given him the scroll and gone back to her writing. She wasn't conscious of the trencher and warm soup that was placed on her pallet nor of the fresh cold air that breezed through the window she kept open. Every now and then she sniffed the air to think but was back quickly to putting it down on parchment.

Tiredly Iaia paused and rolled her tired head around on her shoulders to loosen the muscles up. Putting her quill down she turned to look at the small room that she had forgotten she was in. Her stomach grumbled and she smiled at the reminder.

She heard the bolt being drawn back and she looked up from the bread she was thoughtfully chewing on.

"Labducus wants to know how the writing is going?"

"Fine. I will need material for the masks and my players. They need to make the masks they will be using."

The guard nodded. "I will tell him."

Iaia smiled. Labducus' didn't know what he was getting himself into. Challenge the Muses will he? Insult Athena, whom everyone knows is our protector on this journey, heh? You just don't know what you and your buddy Bacchus have gotten into. Laughing to herself she finished her small meal, by her standards, and went back to the desk to continue her writing.

"By winged harpies!" Erica exhaled as Eleanor quietly read the directions the guard had handed her. They had been imprisoned in a small area that was neither uncomfortable nor comfortable. By their guess it was one of the rooms Labducus had groups of slaves stay until they were sold or readied to be sent to a city to be sold.

"She wants us to play this?" Berik asked furious. "If we play a Bacchie drama, we become one of his!"

Eleanor read the parchment again. She knew there had to be something more here. A slow smile appeared on her face as she picked out phrases that brought to mind one of their earlier dramas.

"Hold it." She said softly to her angry friends that were all angry about the request.

"Did you read what the story is about?"

"Yea, some priestess that succumbs to Bacchus on a temple…"

"What is she up to?" Whispered Kynthia worried. Kynthia clutched the flower bud of the Yoni that she had discovered in the pocket of the cloak Iaia had given her. She could feel an energy pulsing from the bud as if it were alive. She had intended on telling the others of her discovery but was waiting for the opportunity. She didn't trust the walls and there always seemed to be a guard near making sure they did not talk for long between each other. Maybe their jailer feared they would plot an escape.

Kynthia and Eleanor were experienced in the making of masks and performing in the sacred dramas, after all, that was why they were on Lesbos for the Festival of the Muses in the first place. Eleanor looked over the characters that Iaia had created and nodded to herself as she thought of who would be what player.

"Okay." She nodded to Erica and Berik. "You know that each player must create their own mask, right?"

The two Amazons nodded.

"Well…this is how we go about preparing for the creation of the mask." She started. "I will give you each a character, she has it so that there are two main characters, one goddess and one chorus." She paused. "Kynthia, you are the goddess, Berik you are the chorus and …"

"Wait a minute!" Erica objected. "You expect me to…you expect me to be this Tages fellow?"

Eleanor beamed at her. "Very good!" She leaned toward her lover. "I was afraid you may have thought I wanted you to be Metheia."

"I'm not going to roll around in mindless passion wantonly ravaging you in front of an audience that is probably going to be more involved with their own rutting in the benches!"

"There you go. They'll be too busy with their own business to see what…"

"That's not the point!" Erica paced the small area agitated. Since they received word that Iaia had given them directions on the drama, their spy had left and left them to their discussions in privacy. Or, so it seemed. "My passion for you, which you have pointed out at Menigines's castle, is from Aphrodite not some physical release with no commitment or honoring of the sacredness of our…"

"Hey, hey. Come here." Eleanor pulled her upset lover toward her. "Listen to me." She took the shaking hands into hers and pulled them into her lap. "That's the difference between Bacchie drama and that born from the spirit of the Muses. This drama that Iaia has written will carry the spirit of the Muses, if we keep that in our minds while we are creating the masks and while we act the parts. The Bacchie will not enter us unless we become mindless in our taking of another. We cannot be bitten because we are under the protection of too many goddesses. Only through our action can it happen and…it will not happen."

She looked up at Berik. "The role of the chorus is the group conscious. You are to be the spirit of the sacredness of love as opposed to the lust without this sacred passion. Before you set to create your mask, you must think, dream and become this spirit." She turned to Kynthia. "I gave to you the goddess. She punishes not because of the desecration of her temple but how it was done. Her punishment is not eternal for it only needs the one who betrayed her to understand what she had in effect done."

She turned to Berik. "You have been given a difficult role for you are…what betrays love…and I am the betrayer of…loyalty." She watched Berik for a moment before looking down at her hands. "It seems the Bard has been given a difficult writing task…and a difficult task to assign the roles to." Eleanor turned to the others.

"I believe and trust that the spirit of the Muses is directing her. And because I do, I believe that we shall not be dragged down into the desecration of our oath to Gaia and our oaths to those we serve now."

"You…I have seen how the spirit of the character moves you…" Erica told her in a trembling voice. "How can you be so sure…?"

"Because I have faith in what you and I have. That it is not based on just a physical need or wanting." Eleanor waited. "Don't you believe that?"

Erica took a deep breath. "I…don't know. After being in Menigines castle and feeling the…" Erica shook her head. "I just don't know where my feelings for you are coming at this time."

"So…you are frightened."

Erica nodded.

Eleanor looked at the other two. Their faces said the same about their roles. To be one with the spirit of the Muses meant that they had to take on the power that was not theirs and to channel it to their audience. Could they, in their fear of the Bacchie type energy in this castle, overcome the fear enough to put the right energy into their mask, the symbol of their transformation?

"It is time for us to prepare ourselves." Eleanor told them.

Chapter 7

Xena/Aleka sat in the hot hut letting the visions and feelings that came with them sink into their being then was pushed out as unwanted toxins in sweat that coated the body. An unclear form of an old woman, naked as they, threw water upon the hot stones, letting some of the water hit their sweltering forms as a fresh blanket of heat followed.

Xena looked at the shadowed form of Aleka in the shelter and found memories of her life coming readily to her. Aleka had the same experience, where every time she looked at the powerfully built woman across from her she experienced episodes out of her life that were as powerful as the figure. It was incredible who she became in another life, she thought bemused. A warrior in both lives but living with different philosophies.

"It is time." The old quavering voice of their guide told them.

They began their crawl out of the small shelter with Xena reaching the small opening first. Aleka's form melted into hers as she exited. Xena felt Aleka's amusement at the familiarity of the merging of selves as she experienced the same. When they had separated during the purifying ceremony they had both experienced a sense of loss as both had become accustomed to each others presence and mental thoughts.

Small piles of colored dirt were just outside the hut and a circle was already drawn in a red chalk with one side of the circle open. Aleka/Xena knew what it was for and calmly stepped into the center and sat down with her legs bent and her wrists dangling over her knees. The old women started a design around the seated figure humming a tune and occasionally howling and yapping as if to make a statement.

Aleka closed her eyes and focused on a wolf's image. The She wolf. She felt the heart beat…the scent of the land around her…the texture of the winter earth under her paws…the outside breeze ruffled her thick winter coat. She lifted her muzzle to the air and growled low in her throat as the smell of another predator species came to her.

The breeze that was stiff, chilly to some, was alive with smells and carried many messages the She wolf easily interpreted. She was sniffing for familiar scents. The muddy road the two legged's used was vacant at the moment. It had been recently filled with a small group of trader's pulling their wagons laden with their treasures. They came from the two legged's city that was filled with too many of it's own to be comfortable.

The silver wolf felt the change in the breeze as her sensitive whiskers quivered from the change in direction. With the change came the smell of Amazons and…priestesses and…others. The She wolf moved from behind the tree she was behind to another to get a better view of the group that was not moving along the road.

What could have been mistaken for a snarl was a grin, as the silver wolf recognized who was in the party. They were looking for a place to set up a cold camp. The She wolf knew exactly where a safe place was. Should she show them? Why not?

"Diana's bow! Will ya look at that thing!" Lily exclaimed when she spotted the gray wolf sitting just out of shooting range in the forest.

"Wait! Don't do anything!" Agnes prodded her mount closer to the edge of the trees to get a better look. She remembered Iaia's description of the She wolf that had helped her in her visit to the dream world.

"It's the great She wolf." Camila whispered reverently. "She really lives!"

"Hmmm?" Agnes asked trying to make out the size in the shaded area it sat. Yes, it was sitting. Is She laughing at us?

"The great She wolf from Gaia's times. It was the initiator of the shaman into another realm of teaching." Alala explained in a low voice.

"Can you talk to her?" Lily asked in a voice that didn't hide her impatience. She was cold, tired, in pain, and wished the journey would take a break from stress for a day or two.

Alala had pulled her mount alongside of Lily and Agnes. "Right." She shook her head in disbelief at Lily. "The She wolf decides who she will talk to and when."

The wolf seemed to have reached her limit in patience for she rose to her feet and sauntered further into the cover of the forest.

"I think she wants us to follow her." Agnes guessed and before anyone could argue she kicked her horse into a fast pace into the forest after the silver wolf.

"An omen, do you think?" Clorinda asked as the others followed.

Her guards became attentive to their surroundings as they nervously looked about and overhead as the trees closed over their heads.

Lily cursed softly under her breath as she followed closely behind Agnes.

"I always wondered if the tales of the She wolf were true." Camila smiled across to Alala who was riding next to her. Alala absently stroked the feathers of the disturbed owl that was resting on her perch from Alala's saddle.

As they entered the forest cover she looked up into the gray sky looking for her gray falcon. It was making lazy spirals high above them, almost out of sight. It had not seen the shape of the wolf.

Occasionally the large gray wolf would look back to make sure Agnes and the others were following.

The silver wolf waited by the entrance to the cave patiently while the rest of the group caught up. There were seven of Clorinda's guards, eight from the circle of friends and the silver wolf. They would be able to fit in the cave and still not disturb the figure in the center of the sacred circle.

The two legged's needed light which when a torch was lit and Agnes and Lily entered first, following the She wolf, the sudden light made the silver wolf turn her head away.

The fire in the center of the cave floor had gone out, but the warmth was still radiating from the stone walls.

"It's the Named!" Agnes was so happy she wanted to cry and by the sounds from around her the others of the circle of friends were also.

Agnes looked at Clorinda, "We need to not disturb her or the circle she is in."

Clorinda nodded. "We are familiar with rituals and…" she nodded toward the wolf, "their spirit forms." She nodded to her guards who gave a nod of agreement with their mistress.

"What are we going to do now?" Alala asked.

"We wait." Agnes told them all. "Our dreams are our source of information. If the Named does not come out of her circle tonight or tomorrow, then the message we get in our dreams should point us in the direction we need to take."

"All right. Let's get some food and then rest." Lily nodded to the women. Brona and I will go out with some of your men to see if we can scare up some fresh meat." She told Clorinda.

Clorinda nodded and let her captain pick the men.

"We have enough dried foods to make a nice soup." Catherine added. Just the thought of a nice warm meal made her stomach growl and from the sounds echoing hers, it was a unanimous thought.

Continued in Part 4.