~ Digging Up the Amazons ~
by Red Hope

Disclaimer

Violence: I will try to make this as violent free for my readers as possible.

Sex/Subtext: No doubt, nothing but the best. Sex though… well we all will find out huh? Sex just happens sometimes eh? *laugh*

Copyright: And as we all know Universal and MCA always own Janice and Melinda as jealous as I am. There’s a "but" though. But I own the story line along with characters, Doctor Nathan Johnson, Starling, Emily, Cliona, Maired, Masika, and Ashley. They are mine and are very attached to me. *Laugh*

Note: To understand most of this story correctly you would have needed to read certain ones of my stories all the way back from Series One. This is a branching from the Janice and Mel stories from my first series. But that won’t mean you can’t understand what’s happening. I try to keep it clear as possible.

Comments? Questions? Advice? Email me at redhope@redhope.net

Started: June 29 2000 on Thursday

Series Five: The Rebirth Story: One

Section 1

~*Part 1*~

Janice flopped down in the small couch and brushed back some of her wet bangs from out of her eyes. She gave a long sigh and thought about her past few weeks. So much had happen to she and Melinda. It was enough to make her head spin.

"Congratulations Doctor Covington." Doctor Johnson held his hand out.

The small archeologist smiled warmly and took her dean’s hand with a hard grip. "Thank you but it wasn’t all my doing."

The dean smiled and vigorously shook the archeologist’s hand. "Yes, I am sure Miss Pappas had a big hand in it." He carefully released the small hand.

"Yes, a lot." Janice put her arms over her chest. "Couldn’t have done it without her."

The man still had his beaming smile. "Yes and I need to find Miss Pappas."

"I’m sure she’s around here." Janice took a long breath to relax her body after her long presentation. "Thank you for coming too Doctor Johnson."

"I wouldn’t have missed it for the world Doctor." Johnson’s right hand found his pant’s pocket. "I’ve been patiently waiting your over due lecture on this Xena."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "Yes, took long enough."

"Well… well worth the wait. Now please excuse me while I look for Miss Pappas."

"Of course." Janice watched the dean stroll away to mingle with the other doctors and people whom came for Janice and Melinda’s lecture. She continued to stand there in the crowd of people in the lecture auditorium

The presentation was long but proved worth wild. Both soulmates were able to convince their audience of the truth of Xena and Gabrielle with the help of their facts and artifacts. Early in the morning Janice had been a ball of nervousness thinking it wouldn’t fly. She was up all night checking over her notes over and over and over until Melinda came down the stairs and took her away. Mel wasn’t able to sleep without Janice nor was she about to let her small partner stay up all night.

The lecture by the end was a success and the room was filled with the audience currently milling over the protected artifacts. Janice and Melinda decided to split up and mingle with the people whom came, especially with certain powerful archeologists and deans from local universities. Some how word had gotten around about their lecture and only increased the size of the spectators. This also only increased the archeologist’s nervousness.

But two things did help settle her. One was Melinda’s presence and help. The second thing was her soulmate’s words, "Janice, none of those people in duh audience will have any idea what yo are talking about, they can’t be sure. So it iz jus’ you and I that know everything ‘bout Xena and Gabrielle. We could lie ‘bout everything and they would believe us." How right Mel was, nobody knew anything about Xena and Gabrielle like they did. It was their territory.

After the Xena lecture Janice and Mel went directly home to rest and that was around late evening. To their surprise Starling called from Florida. Starling reported that things were settling in Florida about the rumors of Amazons and that the trip was becoming more of a vacation instead of a mission. Janice decided to act like a Queen and reprimanded her regent for not taking the mission serious. By the end of it Starling was stunned and Janice was falling over laughing at her joke. Starling didn’t know her Queen could joke or tease.

Now though, it was January fifth…. Nineteen forty-three. The soulmates rung in the New Year together in Columbia followed by the lecture two days later. The women then decided to head north to an apartment Mel bought as a get away. So now they vacationed in a small luxurious apartment in New York City. They were expecting Starling and Emily Leukos to join them this night. Starling had demanded the visit saying she had important things to go over with she and Mel. Janice had agreed. The archeologist suddenly was pulled from her thoughts as two warm hands came to her lap.

"Yo are thinking uh lot."

Janice smiled lovingly up to her partner. "Sorry."

"Notten tuh be sorry ‘bout." Melinda bent down to her knees with her arms crossing on the other woman’s lap. She lowered her chin down to her arms. "What were yo thinking ‘bout?"

The small woman still held her smile and reached forward to brush back her translator’s midnight hair. "Just about the lecture."

"It went well." Mel’s right thumb rubbed up and down against Janice’s white pants.

"Thank god too." The archeologist gave a grin and relaxed back into her chair. "You think we should go out to dinner tonight?"

The aristocrat shrugged her shoulders. "I reckon it depends on Starling and Emily considering they’ve been traveling all duh way from Florida."

"True." The small woman sighed faintly.

Mel slowly raised an eyebrow. "You’re itching tuh do something. I can tell Janice."

The small woman chuckled in response. "Yesss." She shook her head. "I feel a little… bored in New York. Don’t get me wrong, the city is great and old memories. I just…"

"Miss duh dirt huh?"

"Mel!" The archeologist faintly narrowed her eyes but her lips couldn’t hold back the grin. But she lost the playfulness. "I just miss digging."

The translator’s head moved in acknowledgment. "I know… so do I." Her eyes lifted to Janice. "Don’t fancy duh part ‘bout proving tuh people ‘bout my discoveries."

"Yeah." The archeologist nodded. "It’s a bunch of crock standing there in lectures trying to prove to people the truth." Her right hand came down to try and straightened out an imaginary wrinkle in her pants. "It’s just especially when it’s right there before their eyes. They can never take it for what it is, frustrating."

The aristocrat huffed. "Tuh say duh least." She squeezed her partner’s legs. "But we got them all dis time."

Janice gave an evil grin. "Hook, line, and sinker. They’re eating out of our hands for information about Xena and Gabrielle."

A snicker came from Mel. "We’re jus’ to good."

Janice laughed and bent forward close to her partner. "We’re to good? Or are you to good for them?"

"Mmm, no it’z yo love." The aristocrat’s right hand came up so that her fingertips glided across Janice’s soft red lips.

Emerald eyes slowly shut and her right hand came up to grasp Mel’s hand on her lips. She laced her fingers with Melinda’s.

The tall woman slightly turned her head as she studied the archeologist, she loved studying Janice. Leaning forward she gently took the smaller woman’s lips.

"Mmm." Janice felt awkward sitting and kissing in this position. So she kept kissing her soulmate but stood up with Mel.

The aristocrat wrapped her arms around the archeologist. She then pulled back from the long gentle kiss with warm eyes.

Janice gradually opened her eyes and stared up into her partner’s eyes. "Mel?"

The southerner’s face contained a warm smile now. She lowered her head back down to make this kiss more loving but hiding the passion. When she lifted her head up she had a bit of a lopsided grin. "You know Janice, az soon az we get… involved Starling and Emily will be here."

The archeologist huffed and narrowed her eyes. "The Hell with them."

"Janice…" Mel gave a small snickered and continued. "Your Amazons."

Green eyes fell to the carpet floor. "Don’t remind me."

The tall woman inwardly sighed and lifted her friend’s chin. "I’m one of yo Amazons."

Janice’s lips were a devilishly grin. "Then… let me have you."

The translator’s face was faintly turning red but she lowered her head. "Tuhnight." A knock was heard and she sighed. Her eyes drifted to the door then back to Janice. "I promise."

The archeologist growled with sparkling eyes. "Better."

Melinda quietly laughed and released her soulmate. "Definitely." She came over to the door and opened it with a smile.

Starling lowered her head two seconds but gazed back up. "Mel."

The aristocrat chuckled in response.

"It’s good to see you." Stepping forward the regent hugged the tall woman.

The translator smiled and hugged back tightly. "Safe travel?" Was what she asked when Starling pulled away.

"Yes it was." The regent stepped into the apartment after the southerner backed out of the way. Her amber eyes shifted over to the small woman standing with a huge smile. "Well Doctor Covington, how are you?" A small grin.

Janice laughed and quickly stepped forward to take her Amazon into a hug. "Just been waiting for you."

"Ah, I feel quite honored." The regent quietly laughed after releasing her friend.

"So where’s Emily?"

Starling glanced to the door but back to her Queen. "She’s coming. She’s bringing up the luggage."

"You can’t bring yo own luggage up yonder Starling?"

The Amazon laughed and glimpsed up to Melinda. "No, that’s one of the benefits about being the regent."

Janice quickly snickered. "Thank god I am Queen then."

"Yes, you get even more benefits Queen Janice."

The archeologist wrinkled her nose not liking the taste of the title. "That has a bad ring."

The regent gave a small wink. "You’ll like it soon…. Trust me."

Janice laughed lightly and quickly picked up on the sound of somebody coming down the hall beating and banging articles. "That must be Emily." She peaked out the door and down the hall to see Emily almost dragging luggage down the hall. With a sigh, she stepped out of the apartment and power walked down to Emily to help her. "Doctor Leukos, glad you could make it." Janice reached down to grab a suitcase.

The good doctor smiled warmly. "I’m glad I made it." She saw her friend take some of the luggage. "Don’t worry, I got it Janice."

Hard emerald eyes lifted up to Emily. "Don’t start treating me like a Queen… because I am not."

The doctor was frozen in place for a moment. "Sorry my…" She stopped herself especially when she saw Janice raise an eyebrow daring her to call her Queen. Emily gave a small chuckle to ease the tension. "Sorry Janice."

The archeologist’s face rapidly went into a warm smile. "Thank you." She lifted the suitcase and found it heavy. "Jesus, is this Starling’s?"

"Yes."

"Christ. What she pack, all of Greece in here?" The small woman carried the suitcase down the hall to the open door of her apartment.

"I think so myself." Emily quietly laughed.

Janice shook her head. "My first act as Queen. Starling is not be allowed to travel with heavy luggage."

"I heard that!" The regent poked her head out the door and glared down to her Queen. "There’s important stuff in there."

"Like what?" The archeologist arched an eyebrow in question as she came to the door with Emily. "Your collection of rocks?"

"Oh that’s rich Janice." Starling rolled her eyes. "I didn’t know you were a comedian as well as an archeologist."

Janice quickly tried to swat her friend but missed.

Starling jumped back only to bump into a taller woman. She looked up to blue eyes.

Melinda grinned down to the regent. "She can be rather funny at times Starling."

"I’d… I’d believe you Mel." The Amazon sheepishly smiled and stepped off to her left out of the way of the luggage carriers.

The aristocrat turned her attention to her soulmate. "Here." She took the suitcase from Janice and easily lifted it. "Follow me Emily."

The doctor nodded and followed behind the southerner into the main part of the apartment. She quickly found it huge. "I thought you said this was a "little old" apartment Mel?"

"It iz."

Emily laughed as she became memorized by the size. "I fancy your idea of little."

Melinda laughed now and kept going through the little old apartment to the guests’ wing.

Janice grinned and gazed over to Starling as they stood in the living room. Turning to the door she quietly closed it.

Starling shook her head from the earlier display. "I don’t understand how she did it."

"Did what?" The small woman turned to her regent.

"Lift the suitcase like it was a feather." The Amazon laughed with astonishment.

A smirk was over Janice’s lips. "It’s the bloodline."

The regent shook her head with her grin. "Right on."

The archeologist masked her lips with a grin. "Come on." She patted her Amazon’s back and started walking into the main part of the blue carpeted living room. "Sit down."

Starling nodded and shifted to sit on the huge couch. She gazed over to Janice whom sat in a leather chair.

"So I bet you and Emily are both tired from the trip eh?"

"Yes a little." Starling sighed and crossed her legs. She then straightened her skirt out. "It was a long drive."

"I know." Janice folded her hands into her lap. "Mel and I were tired just from Columbia to here."

The regent furrowed her eyebrows. "You both drove? I’d thought you would have flown."

"Nah." The archeologist shook her head. "To expensive and we wanted a car here for transportation."

"Well…" Starling suddenly had an evil smile. "I could have helped you and Mel get some real low rates on flying."

"Really?" Janice was intrigued. "How?"

"I have… connections Janice. Connections everywhere."

The archeologist’s head moved up and down and she relaxed in her chair. "Are they feathery connections?"

The regent closed her eyes and laughed a few times, her eyes opened slowly. "Yes, very feathery."

Janice quietly laughed. "Then that means I have the connections too."

"Oh yes you do." Starling grinned. "Just ask me for the names." She took a deep breath. "Remember Janice, the Amazons are everywhere with different jobs and talents. We’re diverse."

"I’m coming to find this out." Janice smiled warmly. She lifted her head to the left to see Emily and her soulmate enter in and sit down. Her emerald eyes rested on Mel. "Starling and I were just discussing the fact that she could have gotten us low airline tickets."

"Really?" The aristocrat gazed over to the regent. "Well low rates don’t matter wid how much money iz in my little old piggy bank."

The three other women all laughed at Melinda’s words. How true were her words? Melinda was the national bank herself. Much of her money was into stock, good stock that constantly brought in loads of money. And this is why America was in debt.

"Very true Mel." Starling settled down with a smile. "Well…" She glanced over to Emily sitting beside her. "We better cut to the chase about why we came crashing to your apartment." She seemed to almost be asking Leukos.

The doctor nodded in agreement and gazed to the soulmates sitting near each other.

Starling sighed faintly and focused her attention to Janice and Melinda. "We need to start thinking about the Amazons."

Janice nodded and posed a question. "And what do you have in mind?"

"That we bring back the Amazons."

A very long deep breath came from Janice as she considered the idea. "I agree but Starling… it is practically impossible."

"Why?" The regent bent forward. "It will not be impossible Janice." She paused. "Not now with you as our Queen. You’re the chosen and are the only one that can bring the Amazons back." She shook her head in sadness. "If it is not you that brings us back then we will die out. It has to be you Janice."

"Why Starling?" The archeologist furrowed her eyebrows. "What power could I possible hold?"

Emily decided to answer that. "Janice… it was believed that Gabrielle would come back one day to save the Amazons from the darkness again. She promised us she would one day and everybody knows it is you. All I have to do is look into your eyes and I see the promise of hope in them. Please don’t think the Amazons are an impossible feat." Emily paused. "Don’t give up on us when you have yet to try. Have yet to see what Amazons can do, we need your help. What is there to lose? Either you try and we come back or die or you don’t do anything and we die out." She shook her head with her sad eyes. "Give it a chance."

Janice shut her eyes slowly. "What I can not understand is what is the purpose of the Amazons today." She opened her eyes once more.

"The purpose?" Starling gave a confused look.

"Yes." Melinda decided to explain her partner. "What Janice iz saying iz duh Amazons were once uh tribe of women warriors fighting together. They can not do dat tuhday. So what would be duh purpose of duh Amazons tuhday?"

"Oh god." The regent shook her head in upset. "Then neither of you understand what Amazon means?" She sighed and leaned forward a little more. "Amazons were brought together not just as women warriors by no means. Yes maybe at first granted but not forever. During the Amazons’ days and especially under Gabrielle’s reign Amazon meant equality and family, not about whom is the best female warrior. The height of the Nation was under Gabrielle’s reign when she brought us all together and forever changed the word Amazon. An Amazon became highly respected during Gabrielle’s time. To be an Amazon was a high honor." She paused while her voice came out with passion. "The Amazons were family, a family of sisters and mothers. We all protected each other and helped each other, which in turn gave women a good name. No Amazon in the Nation was more powerful then the other one no matter their rank. It was the most amazing thing to see in that day. The Amazons purpose during their time was love for each other, something very rare."

Neither soulmate said anything instantly, they both absorbed the information.

The archeologist slowly turned her head to her partner.

Melinda glanced over to Janice, studying her friend’s green eyes.

Bring the Amazons back? It repeated over and over in the soulmates’ heads. Bring back the Amazons, bring back the Amazons… bring back. Amazons… women… the forties… World War II… impossible? or easy? grueling? exciting? powerful? full circle? yes full circle. Full circle is the key.

Janice turned her attention to Starling once again. "Any suggestions from my regent on how to bring back the Amazons?" Her lips spread into a grin, as did Melinda’s.

Starling’s face lit up with a huge smile. "Oh, lots of them."

Covington laughed and suddenly became excited. "Let’s hear them."

The regent sat back in her seat with a grin. "First I figured we need to take a role call more then anything."

"Well yo said there iz around five hundred Amazons… right?" Mel crossed her right leg over her left.

"Not… exactly Mel." Starling took a deep breath. "I was a little off on that figure."

Janice instantly leaned forward with an arched eyebrow. "What’s the new figure Starling?"

"Not much difference really Janice."

"Starling, what’s the real number of Amazons?" The archeologist’s eyes were narrowing.

"Well… it’s not bad." Starling rubbed her throat lightly. "Nine hundred."

"Nine hundred!" The Queen’s eyes were wide.

"Give or take twenty Amazons Janice."

"Give or take twenty Amazons? Starling, that’s a nation there."

"Exactly." The regent crossed her arms over her chest and gave a smirk.

The archeologist blinked, truth slapped her. "Hell." She fell back into her chair.

The aristocrat gazed over to her partner in semi-shock, she was having a hard time believing that too. But her attention went to Starling. "How can you be sure Starling?"

"It’s just a guess really Mel. I could be totally wrong and there might be two hundred Amazons. We can not be sure till we do a role call."

Janice slightly shook her head. "So basically you’re saying we don’t have a listing of all the Amazons?"

"No." The regent sighed sadly. "But there might be a way to get one." Her face quickly brightened up. "Hold on." She turned her head to Emily. "Go get our Amazon books."

Leukos nodded and stood up to stroll to the guests’ wing.

Starling sighed. "Have either of you looked through your Amazon books?"

"Naw not really." Melinda glanced to her soulmate and back to Starling. "We’ve both been tuh busy."

The Amazon’s head moved up and down. "Okay, let me explain something to you both." She took a deep breath. "When Gabrielle took over all the Amazons and the Nations she created a new one and literally brought the nations together in Greece. She set up a new government, system, rituals, laws, and perspective. Overall they all stayed the same but Gabrielle enhanced them or changed small aspects of each to improve them. One thing she did do was prepare for the far future." Starling stopped when she saw Emily come back in with two old leather bound books.

The doctor handed her regent the books and sat down to her spot again at the end of the sofa.

"Thanks Emily." Starling looked at the two books and recognized her own. She reached forward to pulled the glass table closer. Carefully she settled the two old books down. "Gabrielle first of all setup clans in her Nation, each Amazon’s name became that clan."

Janice furrowed her eyebrows. "So you’re saying that everybody in my line that was an Amazon is part of Clan Gabrielle?"

"Yes exactly." Starling gave a small grin. "So your mother was part of Clan Gabrielle and your grandmother then your great grandmother." Her amber eyes drifted to Melinda. "And Mel’s Amazon line would be called Clan Xena."

Melinda had a small confused looked. "Why did Gabrielle do dis? I am sure there iz uh reason why."

"Oh there is, Gabrielle had a very good reason." Starling gave a small grin and started her long explanation. "Gabrielle wanted to keep rank and order in her Nation, she wanted to make sure that later in the future she knew who was her regent, second in command, princess and so on. Basically she didn’t want to redo her system when she came back."

Janice quickly cut in to finish the explanation. "So each clan was named after her Amazon during her Nation so she could decipher who was her officers in the future. Gabrielle believed when she came back so would her original Amazons." She quietly laughed. "So imaginary she was… and smart."

Starling gave a small smirk. "She was." She carefully now opened here leather bound book to the first page. "Now if you both come here, I’ll show you the rank." She lopsidedly grinned to her two friends.

Both soulmates quickly moved to sit on either side of Starling.

"Now I can’t be sure who is who." Starling read down the list on the first page, it was worn but the ink was still dark. "I can’t be sure since it’s in Greek."

Melinda scanned down the list. "Well dat’s Clan Gabrielle az Queen." The translator kept translating the list. "Next iz Clan Xena az… consort?" She glanced up to the regent for a conformation.

Starling nodded. "That’s right, Gabrielle’s consort."

Emily grinned and decided to do the definition. "A consort at that time is equal to a wife." The doctor leaned towards the group. "But a consort holds a lot more meaning compared to uh common wife."

Everybody quietly chuckled and went back to the list.

Melinda took a deep breath. "Next on duh list iz Clan… Ephiny." She lifted her eyes to Starling. "Why iz it in bold like dat?"

Starling gave a small grin. "That’s because this is my book. I am Clan Ephiny. If either of you look in your books your clan would be bolded out." Her eyes lowered to the list again. "Now I know who the modern day princess is today but I can’t figure out the clan and I’ve never asked Cliona her clan name."

Janice glimpsed down to translate. "Clan Amarice as Amazon Princess." Her eyes lifted to Mel for acknowledgment.

The aristocrat nodded lightly. "I’ll jus’ read down duh list." She took a long breath. "Clan Solari as second in command, Clan Teresa as third in command, Clan Epinion as weapons and fighting master, Clan Masika is the head priestess, Clan Maired is the head priestess, and Clan Logos was the head chef."

"Wait." Janice started to laugh. "Clan Logos is the head chef?" She started to laugh. "Oh my god."

Melinda devilishly grinned over to her partner. "Looks like Gabrielle wasn’t planning to go hungry."

The archeologist shook her head with a chuckle. "She’s real smart. That’s the most important officer I think."

"Hey!" Starling narrowed her eyes slightly to her Queen. "You’re not going to have a regent soon if you keep those comments up."

Janice slightly snickered. "Well, I can’t rule on an empty belly. We need to find out who is Clan Logos right away."

The regent’s tongue ran across the back of her molars. "Watch it Queen."

Covington quietly laughed and looked back to the list. "So do we know who the modern day people are of each of these clans?"

"Yes." Starling took a long breath. "I know most of them."

"Who don’t you know?" The Queen gazed over to the regent.

"Let’s see…" Starling studied the list and ran down it. "I don’t know Clan Teresa, Clan Masika, and Clan Maired…. Oh and Clan Logos." She smirked to Janice.

The archeologist shot a grin to her friend and responded. "So three main people."

"Hold on, Starling you don’t know who Clan Teresa is?"

Starling gazed over at Leukos. "No, do you?"

Emily quietly laughed. "Yes, it’s Ashley."

"Ashley?" Starling’s eyes widen. "You mean our Ashely Teris that’s best friends with Cliona?"

"Yes." Emily was nodding. "I thought you knew?"

The regent shook her head. "No… she never told me." Her amber eyes narrowed a little. "Nobody’s told me… till now."

"Thank god I told you." A hidden grin took Emily’s lips.

The regent quietly laughed. "You’re lucky." She took a deep breath. "Well looks like that leaves us with two clans to figure out."

Janice crossed her arms against her chest and sat back. "Think we can figure out my head council member and priestess?"

Very slowly Starling lifted her eyes to her Queen. She used ‘my’ head council member and priestess. That only made her smile to Janice. "Yes, definitely… my Queen."

The archeologist narrowed her eyes. "Don’t start that… regent."

Starling laughed and sat back in her seat.

Janice turned her head to her quiet soulmate. "Dinner?"

Melinda quietly laughed and grinned. "What yo fancying for?"

The small woman’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "I can come up with something… I think."

~*~*~*~

The archeologist rested back into her set and crossed her legs at the ankles. She had her head low looking at the front cover of her Amazon book, her small hand gently grazed across the embossed cover. On the cover was the symbol of the Amazon bird and at the bottom in Greek was written ‘Clan Gabrielle’ with ‘Amazon Queen’ written below it and even below that was written ‘The Chosen.’ Janice carefully ran the tips of her fingers over the embossment of ‘The Chosen.’ Her heart skipped a beat.

"And you miss?"

Janice quickly looked up to the waitress. "A scotch would be great."

The waitress nodded and closed up her note pad to stroll away with her drink orders.

Melinda sat beside her soulmate in the booth. She shifted her right hand onto the smaller woman’s leg, she squeezed.

The archeologist gazed up to Mel and smiled.

"Going tuh open dat?" Her eyes moved to Janice’s Amazon book then back to her.

A little chuckle came from Janice and she lifted the leather book to the table. However she gave her attention to Starling sitting across from her. "You mentioned that we could get a listing of all the Amazons. What about that?"

The regent took a long breath and relaxed back into her seat. She sat beside Emily in the booth seat. "Well, it’s a bit... complicated."

"Oh god." Janice sighed and lifted her right hand to brush back some of her hair behind her ear. "How is it complicated?"

"Wellll… the list won’t be quite up to date… if there even is a list."

"What you mean ‘if there even is a list?’" The small woman leaned against the table closer to the Amazon. "Starling, either there’s a list or there isn’t. Is there or not?"

The regent sighed unhappily and shifted her eyes to Emily.

The doctor nodded and focused her sights on Janice. "You see Janice, there’s a story handed down saying that within the ancient Amazon Nation there is a hidden tomb."

Janice huffed and fell back into the booth. "Another story, god."

The southerner’s lips had a grin at her partner’s words. She went serious. "Emily, what’s in duh tomb?"

Emily smiled to Melinda. "It is not sure what but that the tomb will contain everything to help support the Amazons in their quest to be brought back."

"And why hasn’t anybody tried to find this tomb?" Janice looked between Starling and Leukos.

Starling crossed her arms in her lap. "Because no Amazon but the chosen may step into the tomb first. Otherwise the Amazons would be doomed to hell… or rather Hades."

The archeologist let her breath out in frustration. Out of the corner of her eye she saw their waitress coming with the drinks.

The tall waitress carefully placed the drinks down and pulled out her note pad again. "Ready to order?"

"Yes, I reckon we are." The aristocrat smiled warmly up to the waitress. "I reckon I’ll have duh turkey pot pie."

The waitress’s head bobbed up and down while she wrote the order, her eyes went to Janice in question. The waitress took her order along with the other two Amazons’ orders. After collecting the menus, the waitress left.

The Queen looked over to her regent. "Do we know where this tomb is in the Amazon Nation?"

"We’re not quite sure Janice but it lies just outside where the old village once was." Starling stopped for a moment and continued on. "We were expecting you to figure that part out… since you’re the archeologist."

Janice quietly laughed and rested back into her seat. "Ssso, sounds like I’ll get my wish after all." Her emerald eyes raised up to her partner.

That small chuckled came from the translator. "Looks like we both will."

Emily Leukos had a confused look. "What is that?"

The archeologist grinned over to her Amazon. "To dig in the dirt."

Everybody around the table laughed together. The rest of the dinner went on in the restaurant and the group of women created their plans. Near the end of the late dinner the women had the plans pretty well settled.

"You reckon they’ll all won’t mind staying wid us?"

"Not at all." Starling shook her head at the southerner. "Cliona and Ashley will stay with us. They wouldn’t miss it for the world to see the opening of the Amazon tomb." She took a long breath. "Hopefully we’ll be able to find Clan Masika and Clan Maired."

The Queen’s head moved in agreement. "Definitely. I’d like to have them there with us when we discover the tomb. Then I’ll be able to sit down with my officers and we can figure out the plans for the Amazons."

The regent smiled warmly. "I agree." She took a long breath.

Janice sat back into her booth with her full stomach. "Okay, so lets run over the plans one more time. First we get a hold of Cliona and Ashley and have them fly here to New York." Her eyes rested on the Amazon book. "Then we’ll fly to Columbia so Mel and I can pick up our tools and an artifact."

"What artifact do you need Janice?"

The archeologist grinned at Emily. "I have Gabrielle’s diary. I’d like to have it for reference."

"Have you translated it all?"

"No." Janice shook her head at Starling. "Mel and I are in the process of it." Her eyes unfocused. "After Columbia we pick up whoever Clan Masika and Clan Maired are."

"Dat’s if we find out who they are Janice."

"Right." Covington nodded at her soulmate’s words. "Fourth thing is to fly to Greece and go directly to the Amazon Nation together."

"Then we do a little digging." Starling gave a small smirk.

"Definitely." Janice’s lips were in a grin. "Hopefully we’ll find that legendary tomb of Gabrielle’s and get the Amazons back on a roll again."

The regent took a very deep content breath. "It will be grand."

Emily nodded in agreement. "It will be." She gazed over to Janice and the aristocrat. "We’ve been waiting centuries for the chosen to return."

The tall southerner gave an evil grin. "Don’t start talken like dat Emily. You’re libel tuh scare Janice and I off."

The women chuckled around the table.

~*~*~*~

Following that wonderful dinner, the women migrated back to Melinda and Janice’s apartment in New York City. As soon as they arrived, Starling was in the guests’ wing and out again leaping to the phone in the living room. The other Amazons all sat down on the huge sofa while listening to Starling making the phone call.

"Yesss." Starling gave a sigh as she shifted the phone a little in her hands. "I am not kidding Cliona." A quiet chuckle escaped her lips. "Yes, that even means I am lower in rank now." A grin spread across the regent’s lips. "I agree, took long enough."

The archeologist turned her head to Mel. "I don’t even have to ask what that was about."

The translator soon had a grin. "I know."

"Yes, first we head to Columbia to pick up some supplies." The regent sighed and shook her head. "No I am dead serious." Starling’s right hand went to her hips. "Cliona, would you like to talk to the Queen yourself?" She shook her head and glanced over to Janice. She removed the phone and held it towards the archeologist. "Your… princess wishes to speak to you."

Very slowly Janice stood up, took a step towards her regent, and received the phone. She glanced over to Starling as she lifted the receiver.

Starling gave a huge smirk.

Janice sighed and focused on Cliona on the phone. "Cliona?"

"So I heard Doctor Covington, you’re the Queen now?"

The archeologist smirked as she replied to Cliona on the phone. "No, I’ve always been the Queen, I’m just proclaiming it now. Isss that okay with you Cliona?"

Cliona laughed lightly over the phone. "Of course my Queen, took long enough." Her voice was now serious. "I hear you would like for Ashley and I to fly over to New York?"

"Yes, if that’s possible." Janice paused for a moment putting her thoughts together right. "We have a mission Cliona."

"So I’ve heard. I wouldn’t miss it for the world Janice." A sigh from Cliona over the phone. "When would you like us there?"

"As soon as possible Cliona." Janice shifted her weight to her other foot. "By the way, do you happen to know whom Clan Masika or Clan Maired are?"

There was a small silence over the phone briefly but Cliona responded. "Not that I know of but… I think Ashley might know whom Clan Maired is, hold on for a sec."

The archeologist heard the Amazon lower the phone and call off to somebody. She could hear somebody in the far background answer Cliona back.

Cliona lifted the phone once more. "Ashley says Clan Maired is one of her good friends. Her name is Constance O’ Henry and lives in London."

Janice sighed sadly. "Christ, England is the worst place to go right now."

The princess snickered and replied. "Not compared to Germany."

"True." The Queen stopped speaking and thought for seconds, considering the options. "We better pick up this Constance O’ Henry."

"Alright. Ashley and I will fly to New York to pick you four up." The Amazons paused. "I think Ashley and I will be able to find out if we can fly into the London airport. We use to have a friend their working at the airport."

"Amazon?"

"Yes. Well she’s more Ashley’s friend then mine but she’s real nice." Cliona took a long breath. "Is there anything else Janice?"

"Nope." Janice’s eyes studied the rug floor. "That covers it. Thanks Cliona."

"You owe me Covington."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "No, I’m the Queen. Now get over here fast. Bye Cliona."

"Bye Janice." Cliona carefully hung the phone up.

Janice did the same and turned to her friends. "They’re on their way." A smile took her lips. "Clan Maired is an English by the name of Constance O’ Henry."

"English?" Melinda shook her head. "We’re gonna have uh hard time getten into England wid duh war."

"I know." Janice’s eyes shifted between Starling, her soulmate, and Emily. "But Cliona thinks there is an Amazon working in the London airport and will let us land there. We’ll see."

Starling smiled warmly. "Cliona seemed to think her and Ashley would be in the New York airport tomorrow afternoon."

Emily spoke up now. "Are we going to leave right away?" Her eyes settled on Janice.

Starling also was staring at her Queen in question.

Covington gazed over to her soulmate for agreement.

The southerner spoke the decision. "We’ll leave az soon az Cliona and Ashley comes."

Emily and the regent both moved their heads in understanding.

"Well…" A light smile from Janice. "I think we all better go to bed. It’s getting late."

The regent’s head moved up and down. "Agreed." She took a long breath. "I’m beat after the trip." Her eyes moved to Emily.

Leukos nodded and stood up. "Especially since I did all the driving."

Starling snickered quietly. "I told you before Emily. The benefits about being the regent."

A chuckle came from the doctor. "I’m noticing." She shifted pass Janice to the doorway that would go through a dinning hall and into another doorway that lead to the guests’ wing. "Goodnight Janice and Mel. Thanks y’all for dinner."

The aristocrat smiled to her friend. "Goodnight Emily and it wuz our pleasure."

Leukos nodded and went through the doorway.

The regent took a long breath. "Well, it looks like it’s begun."

Both soulmates nodded in agreement.

Emerald eyes shifted up to Starling. "Finally."

That word made Starling grin. "Definitely." The grin slipped. "Well, I’m headed to bed. Goodnight you two and thank you for the lovely dinner. It was great."

Janice smiled and nodded. "Goodnight Starling. Thanks for coming."

"Of course." She ambled over to the doorway.

"Sleep well Starling."

"I will Mel, you too." The Amazon disappeared towards the guests’ wing.

Janice crossed her arms over her chest while turning to her soulmate, an evil grin took control.

Sky eyes gradually lifted up to the smaller woman. "Come here."

The archeologist immediately shifted to crawl on Mel.

The translator carefully laid back while her partner crawled on top of her body. "How yo feelen?"

Janice nuzzled her friend’s neck. "Tired."

"I am too." Melinda had her arms tightly wrapped around the other female. She twined her legs with the short ones. Raising her head, she placed a gentle kiss to Janice’s head and lowered her head back to the sofa’s armrest

"Was a nice dinner."

"Yeah, itz good tuh see Emily and Starling."

Janice nodded and her eyes began to close. "Mel?"

"Mmm?"

"You ready to go back to Greece?" The archeologist lifted her head up to peer down into unfocused sapphires.

The southerner took in a mass of air while considering. "I reckon so." Her eyes focused onto the smaller form. "I need tuh sometime."

"You sure?" Janice was serious and with eyes locked. "I don’t want to go to Greece if you’re not ready. To Hell with the plan when it comes to you."

The tall woman faintly smiled but lost it. "I’m ready." Her right hand came up to brush back some of Janice’s hair. "I’m uh big girl now."

Janice let a light laugh go. "I know." She bent forward to take her soulmate’s lips in a gentle kiss. After she did her lips came to Mel’s forehead, placing a kiss there. Pulling away, her eyes locked with Mel again. "I love you Mel."

"Oh I know." The southerner pulled down Janice’s head and passionately kissed her while her body warmed.

~*Part 2*~

Starling sat up in the bed rapidly, she heard it again. It was a scream that echoed through the entire apartment if not the building. She knew it not to be a scream of pleasure but a scream of terror. Looking to her right she saw Emily getting up.

"What was that?"

"Mel screaming." The regent was out of the bed.

"Starling-"

"You coming Emily?" Starling was at the door opening it. "Something isn’t right."

The doctor sighed and leaped out of the bed to follow behind.

The regent jogged through the guests’ wing to the other wing where she knew Janice and Melinda’s room was. She didn’t both to knock and busted into the room. "Janice… Mel?" She was given no response at first but a faint sobbing filled the air. "Mel? Janice?" Her eyes began to adjust to the darkness of the room.

"Hey." It was Janice’s voice in the dark room.

"What’s going on?" The Amazon was able to see now. Melinda was wrapped up in Janice’s arms, sobbing.

"Mel just had a bad dream."

Emily came up behind the regent now. "What happened?"

Starling turned her head to the Amazon. "It’s okay, Mel had a bad dream." She gazed back to the Queen in the room. "Is there anything we can do?" Her amber eyes took in the sight of Mel curled up in her soulmate’s arms crying as if she were a child scared by a monster.

"No, we’re fine. Thanks Starling and Emily." Janice’s emerald eyes slowly lifted up to her Amazons. She sadly smiled. "Thanks for coming by, get some sleep."

"Yeah." Starling took a step back to close the door slowly. "Goodnight." The door slipped shut.

Janice kept her eyes pinned to the door till she heard the door handle become released. Lowered her head down, she studied her soulmate. "Mel?"

The southerner buried her head more into her partner’s chest.

Lowering her head more, the small woman placed a gentle kiss to Mel’s head. "Come on, lay down." Slowly she reclined back onto the bed.

The translator went with Janice and curled up into her arms and twined her legs with Janice’s. Still a few tears escaped.

The archeologist held her friend tightly while she cried. When she heard the sobs settle, she spoke only in a whisper. "Hope?"

Melinda nodded faintly and lifted her head up. "Not even in my dreams I can escape duh past."

"There is no escaping the past Mel, you know that." Leaning towards the taller woman, Janice pressed her lips against Mel’s forehead. "What was the dream about?"

Cobalt eyes shut and the aristocrat spoke from memory in an usher. "Hope raping me again then killing you." Her eyes opened again. "I’ve never been filled wid such uh rage and sadness."

"I know." The archeologist held her partner with concern. "It was a dream, nothing more Mel."

The southerner furrowed her eyebrows. "But it holds truth Janice."

"It does." Janice faintly shrugged her shoulders. "Yet it was a dream and you didn’t go through that." Moving her right hand towards Mel, she brushed back midnight hair. "I wouldn’t let it happen to you."

The tall woman took the smaller hand and intertwined their fingers. "I know." She took a long breath. "I never did thank yo for coming after me."

Janice’s facial expression was a confused one. "Why wouldn’t I Mel?" A squeeze to the southerner’s hand. "I wasn’t about to let Hope have you let alone kidnap you to Greece."

Melinda smiled warmly and she curled back up into her soulmate’s arms. "Janice?" Her eyes slipped shut.

"Yeah?" The archeologist held her partner tightly while closing her eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too Mel."

The soulmates soon found themselves in separate dreams again.

~*~*~*~

The archeologist stared down at her brown boots hitting the gray pavement. Slowly her green eyes lifted to the sight of the silver DC-3 plane resting inside of the hanger. Carefully Janice hefted the dark brown bag on her right shoulder. Her stomach filled with a thrill. Her gaze went up to her soulmate to her right.

Melinda turned her head down to her partner, she grinned. She knew what Janice was feeling since she was as well.

Both soulmates lifted their eyes to the plane again.

As soon as the group entered, Ashley came racing out of the DC-3 to the steps and down the steps. Her expression was that of ecstaticness. "Janice!" Without warning she engulfed her Queen with a huge hug.

The archeologist was surprised and smiled. She hugged her Amazon back tightly.

Ashley pulled back with her warm smile. "I’m so glad you took the caste."

Janice quietly laughed and reached up with her right hand to adjust her hat. "Well, Starling didn’t leave me with much choice."

There was a large huff from the regent. "Watch it Queen."

A snicker came from the Queen.

"Well, now that we’re all here. I think we should get going." Cliona put her hands on her hips. She’d left Ashley with the plane while she went to pick up Janice, Mel, Starling, and Emily in the city. Now they’d made it to the airport.

Starling turned her attention to Janice in question.

Everybody else did the same, seeming to wait for orders.

The archeologist’s shoulders dropped at this. "Jesus Christ, will y’all get on the plane." She cringed at one word she used.

The Amazons laughed together and quickly went about boarding the plane with their luggage. Now it was only the soulmates standing together in the hanger.

The southerner grinned devilishly. "Love, you’ve been around me to long."

The small woman’s tongue ran across the back of her molars. "I know." She had a smug look.

Mel laughed quietly and bent down to kiss her soulmate lovingly. "Soon I’ll have you usen other words then jus’ y’all."

"Mmm, I’m counting on it." Janice returned the kiss while putting her hands around her partner’s waist.

"Will you two hurry it up!" It was Starling’s voice.

Janice sighed sadly and dropped her head against her friend’s chest. "I’ve gotta put that regent in her place."

The translator snickered but called back up to the regent. "We’re coming… y’all." A grin slipped across her lips.

The archeologist squeezed her soulmate for the jibe. "Funny."

Melinda laughed and lowered her head down on the smaller woman’s. "Ready tuh lose our privacy for uh few weeks?"

"Nope." Sea green eyes lifted up. "But what choice do we have?"

"Tuh say no." Melinda grinned. "You are duh Queen."

"Very true." Janice slipped out of her friend’s arms and started walking towards the steps. "But I could go for some digging."

"Yo jus’ wanna play in duh dirt." The southerner started to climb the steps.

"Mel!" The archeologist suddenly stopped walking on the steps because of the joke.

The tall woman hadn’t caught the rapid stop and rammed into her soulmate. She only grinned and slipped her arms around Janice’s waist. "Yesss?"

"You like playing in the dirt as much as I do."

"Mmm but only wid you Janice."

Janice’s lips took on a smirk. "Good."

Melinda raised her right hand up to tilt Janice’s head back. Lowering her lips down she sealed them with Janice’s.

Starling peaked her head out of the door of the plane to gaze down the steps. She saw the soulmates kissing. "Will you two move it. You can’t even get up the steps. We’re gonna fly without you."

The southerner pulled back from the kiss with a low growl. Her dark eyes lifted to see the regent gone, her eyes narrowed. "Damn regent."

Janice’s eyes widen at hearing her partner cuss. "Oh boy, Starling is on your hit list."

"Got dat right." Mel winked down to her archeologist. "Let’s go."

Covington nodded and continued her climb to the plane. She entered in and there stood Cliona talking to Ashley.

"Now you did tell the Columbia airport that we’ll need to fuel up?"

Ashley quickly nodded. "Yes, they said no problem."

"Great." Cliona put her arms against her chest. "And you spoke to somebody about the London airport?"

Ashley shook her head faintly. "I tried to get a hold of my friend there. But she was busy at the moment."

"Ssso we’ll do it when we get to Columbia." Janice crossed her arms against her chest. She felt Melinda’s hands come to her shoulders.

Ashley moved her head in agreement. "That’s the only other choice we have."

"Good." Cliona gave a smile. "Let’s get this plane flying." She pilot uncrossed her arms.

Ashley laughed. "I’ll be back." The third in command turned towards the door and brushed passed her Queen and went down the steps in a rush.

The princess quietly laughed at her copilot. She turned to her Queen. "Starling and Emily are in the back. Welcome back aboard the Amazon Plane." She gave a smirk.

The soulmates laughed together.

"Thanks Cliona." Janice stepped passed her princess and headed down the main isle to the back of the plane.

"Thank you Cliona." Mel smiled and followed her partner.

The princess grinned and reached up to brush back her red hair behind her ear. "They’ve already changed since last time." A quietly laugh and Cliona headed to the cockpit.

Janice came to the back of the plane where all the seats were. She spotted Starling and Emily taking two seats on each side. "Well you two look… comfortable."

The regent smirked up to her Queen. "Of course. Amazons are always comfortable."

The archeologist rolled her eyes and turned to Mel, she held her hand out.

The southerner nodded and forked over her bag. She sat down in a seat closes to the window behind Emily’s row.

Janice soon came back after ridding herself of the two bags. She sat down in the seat next to her soulmate. Simply the archeologist removed her hat to place it into her lap.

They all heard Ashley come rushing back up into the plane. The third in command gazed down the isle to her Amazon friends. "We’re headed out of here. It’ll probably be a two hour flight or so."

All four women nodded.

Janice however spoke up. "Thanks Ashley."

The third in command nodded with a smile. She turned away and headed directly into the cockpit with Cliona.

~*~*~*~

They’d been flying for half an hour now and it was a comfortable flight. Emily and Starling both went to sleep, plane rides made them tired.

Janice on the other hand was sitting back reading her Amazon book. The first five pages were in Greek and written in Gabrielle’s handwriting. Then the following five pages were still in Gabrielle’s hand writing yet it was in English, old English of the British. This had quickly confused the archeologist. She lifted her right hand to run through her bangs.

Melinda casually opened her eyes to glimpse over at her partner. "What’s wrong?"

The archeologist shook her head. "Gabrielle wrote the first few pages in Greek and then another five in old English."

"Dat’s odd." The southerner leaned to her right to study the page Janice was on. The page to the left was in Greek and the page to the right was in English.

"It is." Janice flipped to the next page to see it all in English. Carefully she turned the pages till she noticed a different handwriting. "Then this is whoever’s handwriting that was next in line after Gabrielle."

The translator furrowed her eyebrows. "It makes yo wonder how Gabrielle and Xena had a child since they were both females."

Janice chuckled. "I was wondering the same thing myself."

"Maybe we’ll find out." Mel began to read what Gabrielle’s daughter wrote. "Looks like duh Amazons were still around during Gabrielle’s daughter’s time."

"Yeah." Janice turned the pages slowly and scanned what was written. It was mostly dates with a brief summary of what important advent happened that day. "Look here." She pointed to one spot.

The aristocrat read aloud where her soulmate pointed. "Tuhday, duh Amazons went into duh shadows. It wuz decided between myself and my regent dat duh Amazons can not survive in dis time till my mother, Gabrielle, and her soulmate, Xena, can return someday." She furrowed her eyebrows and gazed at Janice. "They really believed dat Gabrielle would come back."

"Yeah." Janice’s fingertips glided down the worn paper, feeling the impressions in the paper. "I wonder if she has…"

Sapphire eyes studied her soulmate and Mel’s words came out in a whisper. "Has she?"

Janice didn’t gaze up to her partner but studied one line in her Amazon book. …the Amazons can not survive in this time till my mother, Gabrielle, and her soulmate, Xena, can return someday. She read that line three times, her eyes focused mostly on the can return someday. "Maybe… just maybe." A sad smile took over her lips.

That same smile was caught on Melinda’s lips. "Only if you want her tuh." She slipped an arm around Janice’s back and the other around her waist. "Come here."

Covington nodded and closed the book, it went back to its home inside of Janice’s leather jacket. She moved to let her head rest down in the other woman’s lap. She let her legs hang off her chair’s armrest. With ease her eyes shut.

Melinda smiled and kept her arms around Janice, her hands resting on the small woman’s stomach. Her eyes closed as well. And found herself asleep like Janice.

~*~*~*~

The translator gradually opened the door to her white mansion, it was rather cool inside despite the warmness of the day in Columbia. She stepped in to flick a switch and turn on the over head chandolear.

Janice came in second. "Home sweet home."

The southerner quietly laughed and came in. "Notten like home."

"A big one at that." Starling came in with Emily, Cliona, and Ashley directly behind.

The archeologist glanced over to her regent. "Jealous."

"I am." Starling devilishly grinned. "Living in that shack of a home in the Amazon Forest get’s tiring."

All the Amazons quietly laughed.

Janice went serious and peeked up to Mel. "How about you make that call. I’ll go get the stuff."

Melinda nodded. "Sounds good tuh me."

The archeologist nodded and glanced over to Ashley. "Ash, come help me." She went to the main stairwell and went up them.

The third in command nodded. "Right behind you." She followed.

Mel went to her right into the huge living room.

Cliona, Starling, and Emily came in afterwards and sat down, waiting.

The southerner however went over to Janice’s desk to where the phone rested. She lifted it to hear the phone pick up on the phone line and connect with the operator. "Yes can you ring up Doctor Johnson at duh South Carolina University?" She listened with a nod. "Yes, thank you."

Janice came into she and Mel’s room. She gazed side long to Ashley. "Go over to that closet." She ambled over to the dresser. "You’ll see a whip and my gun in a halter."

The third in command was at the closet but was hesitant, her hand caught in midair at hearing what she was to find. "A gun and whip?" Her voice was filled with concern while she opened the door.

"Yes." Janice opened the top drawer and pulled out a box of bullets for her gun. She slipped the box into her jacket’s pocket. Reaching back in she extracted three leather bound books.

Ashley saw the whip hanging inside with a gun in a halter. She pulled them both out and closed the door. Turning around she saw her Queen coming up to her. She furrowed her eyebrows at the three books. "What are those?"

The archeologist, with her freehand, took the whip first. "Two of the books are Mel’s and I’s notes on Xena and Gabrielle. The other one is Gabrielle’s diary." She received her old revolver next and walked over to the bed.

"Why you need the weapons?" Ashley came up behind her Queen.

"Safety." Janice turned away from the bed after depositing her stuff there. She strolled back to the closet and grasped a small worn leather pack on a shelf. Bringing it down, she came to the bed again. Placing the three books in carefully then the whip on top. Janice pulled out her box of bullets and placed them in the bag as well.

Ashley stood a bit amazed. "Nice… revolver though."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "Thanks." She took the revolver from its halter and opened the bullet chamber. It was loaded and she shut the chamber and spun it. The air filled with a clicking and she tucked the gun into the inside of her jacket. The halter however went into the bag and the pack was closed up. Janice hefted it onto her right shoulder and smiled to her Amazon. "Ready?"

"Yup." The third in command also added a nod.

The Queen walked over to the door and went downstairs and to the living room.

Melinda smiled as she responded to Doctor Johnson over the phone. "Yes sir, itz an emergency." She listened to the dean’s response. "Yes, Emily Leukos will be coming wid us. We probably ain’t gonna return til’ uh week or so." A small sighed while her right hand leaned onto the desk. "New York wuz wonderful what little time we had." The southerner’s eyes lowered the floor. "Naw, itz jus’ Janice, Emily and myself going tuh Greece. We heard… from an old friend of ours dat there may be more evidence on Xena and Gabrielle. But we can not be sure til’ we look over duh artifacts." She paused. "Well I hope you don’t mind Doctor Leukos coming wid us. We could really use her expertise in ancient Greek history."

Janice studied her partner, listening to her.

Ashley on the other hand went to sit beside Cliona on the sofa.

"Yes, we’ll call you az soon az we come back Doctor Johnson. Thank you have uh good afternoon." The southerner smiled to herself. "Yes we will be careful. Goodbye." She hung the phone up and turned around to everybody. "Well, we’re set."

Janice grinned and crossed her arms against her chest. "And Doctor Johnson doesn’t mind us taking some supplies from the University’s warehouse?"

"Naw, he insisted actually." Melinda grinned.

"Perfect." The Queen smiled and turned to her Amazons. "Here’s the plan. We need to go over to the Unversity’s warehouse they own. In there they keep a large supply of archeological tools we’ll need for the dig. We’ll pick that stuff up and drive back to the airport to fly out of here. Sound good?"

The four Amazons nodded and quickly stood up.

Starling moved away from the couch closer to Covington. "Let’s get this show on a roll."

Janice laughed and turned around to head to the door. She opened it and went outside of the mansion.

Melinda was the last out and she came up to her soulmate’s side whom waited for her outside. "Duh truck?"

"Yeah." The small woman gazed up to her partner. "Hope it runs."

The translator laughed with a grin. "It should, itz uh Ford truck."

Janice quietly laughed. "True." She started walking towards the garage, on the other side was an old green truck. She went inside to find the keys in the visor where she always left them.

Mel came in on the passenger side.

The Amazons all climbed in to the back of the truck and sat down.

Cliona sighed. "This is great. We get stuck out here."

The regent smirked to the princess. "That’s the benefits about being the Queen."

The princess quietly laughed. "True." She drummed her fingers on the truck’s bed. "But Mel isn’t a Queen."

"No." Emily gave a smug looked to Cliona. "She’s jus’ the Queen’s consort."

Cliona turned her head to the doctor. "Not officially."

Ashley quiet laughed at her copilot. "Mel is Clan Xena. That’s official enough."

The princess snickered and rested back as the truck drove off the mansion’s lane. "To official."

~*~*~*~

Janice bent down to one knee and read the box. It read Contents, ten picks. With a grin Janice stood up with a crowbar and wrenched open the box’s top. Inside were new picks. She turned to her Amazons. "Get these in the truck."

The Amazons all nodded and went about carrying the picks into the truck.

Melinda crossed her arms against her chest as she stood in the cool dark warehouse. "We have everything but duh tentz."

The archeologist nodded. "How many you think we’ll need?"

"I reckon three."

Janice considered that. "One for the artifacts, a second to hold our supplies… the third?" She gazed up to her soulmate for an answer.

The southerner had an evil smile. "For whatever."

That evil smile now was with the smaller woman. "Ohhh, I see." She tapped the crowbar against the box near her. "Let’s find those tents eh?"

"Definitely." Melinda began to walk down one of the many isles in the warehouse. She read over the boxes contents trying to find the one that held the tents.

Janice did the same and grinned when she saw it. She came up to the box and rammed her crowbar between the top and side. She tried jerking it open with little success. "Jesus. They nailed this shut good."

The translator grinned and wrapped her hands around Janice’s on the crowbar.

The archeologist raised an eyebrow up to her soulmate.

Mel gave a small smirk. "One… tuh… three."

Both soulmate’s gave a hard jerk and the top screeched with the nails and came off freely.

Janice removed the crowbar and lifted the lid off, pushing it to the ground.

The air filled with the fine scent of canvas.

"How many are in ‘ere?" The tall woman peered in.

"Five I think." Janice reached in to feel the metal stakes and then the canvas. Lifting her head up she saw Starling coming. "We found the tents."

The regent nodded and came up to her Queen. "How many we need?"

"Three." Janice reached back in and pulled out a hand full of stakes. She counted out a dozen metal stakes. "Don’t forget the poles."

The regent put her hands on her hips as the other three Amazons came up behind. "We have a few brains here."

The archeologist grinned. "I didn’t say you didn’t. Just want to make sure you don’t forget."

Starling laughed and pushed her Queen out of the way so she could get to the box. "Excuse us my Queen."

Janice laughed and stepped back. She peered up to her soulmate. "Let’s go back to the truck while my… subjects take care of the tents."

Starling replied to that quickly as she bent forward into the box. "Very funny Covington!"

Melinda snickered and started walking out of the warehouse with her partner.

"Why don’t you go into the truck. I need to stay here and lock up the warehouse when they’re done."

The southerner nodded and held out her hands. "I’ll start duh truck up."

Janice nodded and pulled out the truck’s keys, she handed them over. She then leaned against the warehouse’s main door. "Thanks."

Mel winked. "No problem." She walked along the gravel parking lot to the old green truck. She hopped in to start the truck.

Covington looked through the door to see her Amazons coming out with the pieces of the tent. "Hurry up."

Cliona quickly answered to that. "You’re one annoying Queen!" She readjusted the canvas in her arms.

Janice laughed with a grin. "Couldn’t help it." But her grin went to a smile. "Anything we’re missing?"

"Yeah." Emily glanced back to the warehouse doors as she carried the poles. "We need that last canvas for the tent. That’s it."

Janice nodded. "Alright I got it. Hop into the truck you guys."

Everybody nodded and went to the back of the truck placing the tent fragments in carefully followed by themselves climbing in.

The archeologist dropped the tent canvas to the ground and closed the door and locked up the chains over the door. Picking up the tent and carried it to the back of her truck.

Ashley reached forward to help lift the brown canvas into the truck’s bed. She rested it down and glanced back to her Queen.

Covington smiled. "Take these." She held out the stakes.

The third in command nodded and took the stakes.

The Queen stepped back. "Thanks for getting everything in here."

The four Amazons nodded with smiles. The regent spoke up. "We didn’t have much choice my Queen."

"Right." Janice rolled her eyes. "With you Starling, I’m lucky to get you to hear my order let alone follow through with it."

Starling laughed and smirked to her Queen. "I do not know what you speak of my Queen."

"Whatever regent." The archeologist chuckled and started walking to the driver’s side. "We’re out of here." She hopped into the truck and started her up.

The green Ford truck rolled out onto the streets of Columbia and made its way to the local airport. Once there the Amazon group hopped out onto the airstrip near the DC-3 plane. The plane attendants from the Columbia airport had just finished up fueling the plane. The group after they were out of the truck went about loading the plane with the supplies well except for Ashley. Ashley however went inside of the terminal to call her friend in London about landing there.

By the time the Amazons had the plane loaded with the archeological tools, the third in command returned with good news. Ashley’s Amazon friend told them it was safe for them to land and that she could get permission for them to land. Ashley was left excited and thanking her friend for the help. The Amazon had only laughed and told her to fly safely. That’s when the third in command hung the phone up and raced back to her friends to tell the good news. So now the DC-3 plane was rolling down the northeastern strip, picking up speed.

Janice shut her eyes as she felt the plane lift up off the ground. She hated this part and landing.

Mel grinned and reached over to hold her partner’s hand, she squeezed.

The archeologist’s eyes opened carefully and she took a deep breath to calm. "I hate this."

"I know." The southerner grinned. "But duh landing iz safer."

"How you figure?" The small woman grinned up to her soulmate.

"Cause you can still crash and walk away."

The archeologist laughed and sat back in her seat comfortable. "True. Any landing you can walk away is a good one."

"Yup." Melinda smiled and leaned towards her partner, she kissed the small woman deeply.

Janice smiled into the kiss and placed her right hand to Melinda’s cheek.

Within five hours or so the plane would land in London. Soon the group of Amazons would discover who Clan Maired is and hopefully pick her up to continue on their quest. Their quest to finding the Amazon history.

Section 2

~*Part 3*~

Melinda went up the wood steps behind her soulmate, directly behind her were the Amazons. Her blue eyes lifted to Janice’s leather jacket back.

The archeologist stepped onto the porch and heard her partner come to her side. Janice glanced to Mel with questioning eyes.

The southerner turned her head to Janice, she gave a confident smile.

Janice Covington took a deep breath and lifted her right hand in a fist. She knocked on the white door.

There was no response at first but the sound of the door being opened came soon.

The archeologist had a serious look at seeing the door open.

Gradually a medium height, dark brown haired woman appeared in the doorway from behind the door. She spoke with warning eyes. "Who are you?"

The archeologist quickly caught sight of the gold bird necklace around the woman’s neck, she grinned inside of herself. Her eyes however locked with the other woman. "This is…" She held her hand out to Mel. "Melinda Pappas, Clan Xena consort to Gabrielle." She paused with a fine smile crossing her lips and her hand falling down. "I on the other hand am Doctor Janice Covington… Clan Gabrielle." She had a very confident smile on her lips at seeing this woman’s shocked expression but she continued. "Amazon Queen and the Chosen." She had a small smirk. "And I presume you are Clan Maired… Amazon Priestess?"

The woman blinked. "I… I am." A warm smile masked across her lips as she kept her eyes locked with Janice’s. She studied this archeologist whom was presumed a tomb robber after her father and nothing like her mother. No, she was nothing like her father only like her mother. Her mother whom was of Amazon blood and Gabrielle’s line. "My name is Constance O’ Henry. How can I help you my Queen?" The priestess bowed her head and smiled back up. "For it took you long enough."

Melinda snickered.

The archeologist although sighed with a shake of her head. "So I’ve been told." She gave a smile. "May we come in?" She took a step to the side. "All of us." She held her right hand out to her other Amazons at the bottom of the steps on the ground.

Constance gazed down to see the four Amazons all piled down at the bottom of the steps. "Yes of course." She stepped back as all the women came into her small home, directly into the comfortable living room. "Please all sit down." She watched as everybody mingled around to sit in different spots. Constance quietly closed the door and came to join the other Amazons, she sat. "What brings you here my Queen?"

Janice rested her eyes on the priestess. "Just Janice, none of the Queen stuff." She took a deep breath. "First let me introduce you to the others." She gazed over to Starling. "This is Starling, Clan Ephiny as regent."

The priestess studied the regent and nodded with a smile. "Yes of course, Starling Miller from California. You’re the best regent yet, must be the bloodline."

Starling quietly laughed. "I suppose, I try."

The archeologist grinned and gazed over to Cliona next. "This is Cliona Smith from Clan Amarice the Amazon Princess."

Constance smiled to the princess. "I recall."

"Now next is my third in command." Janice smiled to Ashley. "Ashley Teris of Clan Teresa."

The priestess smiled to Ashley. "Ah, I’ve never knew the third in command."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "I’ve heard my third in command is rather… reluctant to divulge her identity."

The third in command was shy, so she blushed and lowered her eyes.

The Queen grinned and looked over to Emily. "Next is Doctor Emily Leukos who I’ve recently decided is my body guard since we’ve met."

The good doctor laughed and crossed her legs. "I am not quite sure about that Janice. Maybe more of a shadow."

"None the less a good friend I can see." Constance smiled and furrowed her eyebrows to Leukos. "What clan?"

Emily smiled warmly. "Clan Aster."

"Oh, yes a rather southern Amazon if I remember right."

Emily had confused sorts of look. "Yesss… how’d you know?"

Constance relaxed back into her seat with a small smirk. "I am Artemis’s priestess."

All the women had a good chuckle at the explanation.

Constance went to seriousness and gazed at the Queen. "So what brings the Chosen to my doorstep? For I never receive visits from the Queen herself let alone with her officers."

The archeologist smiled and reached up to remove her hat, she rested it in her lap. "We’re on a small mission."

"Really?" The priestess sat up a little. "I am intrigued. Tell me more."

Janice smirked. "I figured you would be." She laced her hands together to rest on top of her hat. "I’m collecting my officers right now and we are all going to have a party together."

Constance laughed and uncrossed her legs. "And what might this party be about? The Amazons haven’t held a festival in centuries."

The Queen nodded. "We’ll fix that." Her eyes sparkled. "But right now we’re going to find the Amazon history. I’ve been told of the tomb that rests outside the old Amazon village and that it contains knowledge of wealth to the Amazons."

"Yes it does." The priestess smiled. "And finally it will be brought back outside again. What may I do to help?"

"We would like for you to come with us Constance. Help us discover the tomb and prepare for the future."

Constance’s head moved up and down as she thought over Janice’s words. "When?"

"Now." The small woman took a long breath. "The sooner the better of course." She gave a smile. "Ssso, care to join in on the hunt for the Amazon past?"

"Definitely." The priestess laughed with happiness. "But may I make a recommendation?"

"Yes." Janice added in a nod.

Constance took a deep breath. "I highly recommend that we take Clan Masika with us. She would be… rather upset if we did not bring her with us. For her clan is the oldest in the Nation."

Starling quickly jumped in. "Do you know whom Clan Masika is?"

"Oh my yes." The priestess laughed. "To much." She stood suddenly. "Give me a moment, let me ring her up and have her come over. She won’t believe this." The Amazon disappeared into another room to use her phone.

"This is perfect." Cliona sighed with a shake of her head. "It will be a wild bunch in that forest."

Everybody chuckled at the princess.

Mel evilly grinned to the princess. "Wait till we meet up wid Sylvia and Hellanes."

Cliona Smith quickly gazed over to the southerner with worried eyes. "Are they as bad as the stories say?"

"Hey!" Starling narrowed her eyes to the princess. "Those are my friends." A small grin.

The princess quietly laughed. "That makes it all the more concerning Starling."

The Amazons all laughed at once.

The regent sighed with a shake of her head. "Now we have two comedians in this group. Great."

Janice snickered at her friend’s words. "Yes well…" Her eyes went to Cliona. "You have to watch out for Sylvia she’s more wild then Hellanes. Hellanes is… reserved."

"Good." Cliona snorted and rest back into her seat. She was certainly of Clan Amarice. To us, Cliona looked exactly as Amarice except older and with straight red hair. But the same arrogant attitude outside and inside with a warm heart.

Constance now reappeared with a warm smile. "Clan Masika is on her way." She sat once more.

Melinda gave a grin to the priestess. "And Clan Masika iz?"

The priestess chuckled lightly and rested her arms on the armrests. "Her name is Radclyffe Hale, she’s the best Head Council Member ever."

The southerner faintly nodded. "From what I recall, Masika wuz… uh little unpleasant."

Constance nodded with a sigh. "That’s Radclyffe, she is never quite nice." She grinned. "A bit… stubborn, hot headed, and persisting. But none the less, she’s a very loyal Amazon with a smart head on her shoulders."

"Dat iz one thing dat sticks in my mind." The translator crossed her legs nicely.

"And how do you know this Mel?" The priestess had an interested look.

The aristocrat had a hidden smug look. "Well… I do my homework Constance."

Constance O’ Henry laughed and shook her head. "And what do you know of my clan?"

Janice took that one. "Well, that priestess Maired was the head priestess well in touch with Artemis. And she highly favored Xena and Gabrielle, practically bonded the soulmates."

"Well Janice…" Constance had an appreciative smile. "You did do your homework as well, except for one minor detail."

"And what’s that?"

The priestess’s smile shifted into warmth. "Maired never bonded Xena and Gabrielle."

The archeologist’s head was bobbing.

"No she didn’t." Melinda saw Constance’s attention go to her as well as the other women. "They bonded themselves and were blessed by Artemis."

"Yes." Constance grinned to Mel and winked. "Maired just delivered the messages Artemis had." A knock came to the door and in response Constance stood. She ambled over to the door and opened it.

On the porch stood an older woman in her latter forties or so. She smiled warmly to the priestess. "It’s good to see you Constance."

The Amazon laughed warmly. "Glad you could make it Radclyffe. Please come in, I have some friends I’d like you to meet."

Radclyffe nodded and stepped inside of the white living room. Her eyes shifted over to the area where six women all sat gazing up to her. "And whom are these… visitors of yours Constance?" Her hands went to her hips. "Quite a few."

Constance grinned up to her friend. "Don’t be to quick to judge Radclyffe. Come sit down and I’ll introduce."

The council member sighed and ambled across the wood floor to stand in front of a seat beside Constance’s.

The priestess stood beside Radclyffe Hale and held her hand out towards Emily Leukos first. "This is Doctor Emily Leukos." Her eyes lifted to Hale. "Clan Aster."

The council member’s brown eyes looked over the other Amazon, accepting her. She noticed the golden bird necklace.

Emily smiled warmly. "It’s great to meet you Radclyffe."

The older Amazon nodded with a faint smile. "Like wise." Her eyes shifted over to Ashley. "And this young one?" She saw this youngest Amazon blush faintly. "Honey, I do pray you do not blush so much over the smallest of compliments."

Ashley lowered her eyes and quietly laughed.

Constance smiled to the third in command. "This is Ashley Teris our third in command and she’s of Clan Teresa."

"Ah yes." The head council member put her arms against her chest. "I was wondering if we still had a third in command these days. Glad I finally know." A small grin was over her lips despite her hard tone of voice.

"Now next in line is our princess." Constance turned her body slightly to the left to Cliona. "Cliona Smith in Clan Amarice."

"Wonderful to meet you Princess Cliona."

Cliona returned the smile. "Yes, it’s great to meet the head council member. Another Amazon to add to me list."

Radclyffe laughed lightly. "Yes there’s a great span of us." Her eyes moved to Starling, looking over her.

"Starling Miller our regent."

The old Amazon nodded. "Yes yes, Clan Ephiny if I am not mistaken." She grinned to the regent. "Exactly as I pictured you Starling."

"And you the same." The regent grinned back up. "Please to meet the oldest clan."

"Isn’t it?" Hale took a deep breath. "You will not meet any other clan older then I. I pride myself on such a thing."

"I would myself if I could say duh same." Melinda was studying the oldest Amazon. She’d felt like she’d definitely met this Amazon before. In her past life maybe.

Clan Masika narrowed her eyes faintly at the southerner. "You must be Clan Xena, for the stories lay true to your form." She shifted her hands to her hips. "And you’re name is dear?"

"That is Miss Melinda Pappas from South Carolina."

Radclyffe nodded at Constance’s response and continued to stare at Mel, seeming to try and read her. "Thy Pappas related to Doctor Mel Pappas?"

"Duh same." The aristocrat didn’t like this head council member by much. She felt her defenses sparking to life. She knew then she’d be butting heads with Radclyffe Hale for the next few weeks. Great jus’ great. Mel sighed at her inner thoughts.

Hale huffed at Mel and turned to a small blond. Her eyes definitely narrowed to slits at this unruly looking woman. "And this is?" Her tone held seeming disgust.

Constance was about to answer but stopped as she saw the Queen rise up from her seat.

Starling had her hands on the chair’s arms getting ready to stand and place Radclyffe in her place for the hidden insult on the Queen. But she’d stopped when Janice stood up rapidly.

Janice Covington had her hat in her right hand leaning against her outside thigh. Her back was straight while her eyes gleamed. "I am Doctor Janice Covington."

"Oh yes, the archeologist after the Xena scrolls." Radclyffe had a huge smug look. "So what brings you knocking to the Amazons’ doors Doctor Covington? You have little to do with us."

"Actually…" Janice had her smugness over her features. "I have everything to do with my Amazons." Her arms were against her chest with her fedora. "It’s nice to meet you Radclyffe Hale… I am Clan Gabrielle."

Immediately eyes widen and the old Amazon’s back stiffened up. "You can’t be."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "Believe it Radclyffe." She reached between her shirt to extract her bird necklace that contained the emerald eyes.

The head council member carefully reached forward to hold the gold bird and she studied the emeralds with wide eyes. "My god." Her hands gently released the necklace and she locked eyes with the Queen. "I beg my pardon my Queen. But… I had no idea."

"Trust me, nobody did let alone me." Janice smirked and slowly sat back down.

"Please sit Radclyffe." Constance sat herself.

"Yes of course." Hale slowly sat down and kept her eyes pinned on the Amazon Queen. Her head quickly turned to O’ Henry. "Why was I not ever informed about whom the Queen was?"

"I can answer that." It was the regent. "Only certain people knew and that was Cliona, Sylvia, Hellanes, Ashley, and myself." She paused trying to phrase her next words right. "Nobody else knew for safety reasons and the fact that telling you or Constance would have been a feat in itself. We didn’t even knew who you two were till now."

Radclyffe moved her head in understanding. "Quite understandable." Her attention shifted to Janice. "And what brings you over here to England in the middle of World War II? It must be quite important."

The Queen lifted up her right foot to rest on her left knee. "Rather important." She smiled to the old Amazon. "As I’ve invited Constance I invite you. Us six are headed to Greece to the old Amazon territory. We plan on digging up that old story about a tomb in the ground outside of the old village."

Radclyffe didn’t change her composure and said nothing. She just tried to understand the purpose of such a mission. She took a long breath and crossed one leg over the other, she studied the new Queen. Her lips pressed against her right fingers with her elbow on the armchair. "Very interesting my Queen."

Covington sighed. "Janice please." She shifted in her seat. "I would like for you to come with us Radclyffe. And I do believe you’d like to be there to see the opening of the tomb."

"I would." The head council member was serious with a low voice. "And what is the purpose of this mission?" She sat up straight in her seat. "We can not go gallivanting in our ancestors’ cherished lands to dig holes for possible false legends." She shook her head. "I will not disrespect my past ancestors."

Janice nodded a few times. "I agree. That’s why I would like for you to come and help us decided if this legend is false." She took a long breath. "We also need a wise person to be there."

"Ah yes." Radclyffe gave a knowing smile. "I suppose my vast knowledge in the Amazon history would serve its… purpose."

"Look Radclyffe…" Melinda straightened up. "Either you may join us or you may not. You ain’t gotta tuh but we would love yo help. But it doesn’t mean we ain’t able tuh find out ‘bout Amazon history through duh artifacts we hold."

"You may be able to do just that Melinda." Radclyffe grinned. "However you may not be able to find the stories behind each artifact like an old Amazon such as me can."

The southerner smirked to the council member. "Actually Radclyffe, Janice and myself do hold duh stories. Gabrielle’s scrolls and her personal diary, dat’s all we need."

Hale huffed and looked away from the translator. She gazed back to Covington. "You have a rather… tough partner Janice."

The Queen gave a smug look. "I know." Her eyes shifted over to Melinda.

The tall woman winked to her soulmate.

A swift grin to Janice’s lips and she looked back to the Masika Clan with a serious look. "So what will it by Radclyffe? Stay in London or join us in finding Amazon history?"

Radclyffe took a very low breath and considered. Her head turned to Constance. "Are you going?"

"Definitely." The priestess smiled. "I would like to know more of the Amazons. The legends and traditions handed down through the generations are nothing compared to what they saw the tomb contains."

Radclyffe looked away and to Janice. "Well then…" She had a small smile but hard eyes still. "I do believe I’d like to make sure the ancient lands do not get torn up. And if this so called tomb is found I’d like to know Amazon history myself."

"Perfect." The archeologist smiled warmly and lifted her hat over her head. "Let’s get to Greece now."

At once each last Amazon stood in unison, a mission to complete.

Starling looked over to Constance. "Mind if I use your phone? I need to call up my friend in Thessaloniki."

"Yes of course Starling." The priestess stepped around her seat. "Follow me."

The regent nodded and followed.

~*~*~*~

The translator lifted her right hand to the bridge of her nose rubbing there. She took a deep breath while closing her eyes.

Janice sighed and lifted her eyes from the Amazon book. "That’s a lot of information."

"It iz." Mel opened her eyes and dropped her hands from her face. "If yo look here Janice." She pointed to small spot in the Clan Gabrielle Amazon book. "It says dat in duh spring Gabrielle had all duh Nations come tugether in Greece."

"What I’d like to know is how Gabrielle became the Queen of all the Nations."

The southerner sat back in her seat and thought for a moment. "My guess iz she battled duh other Queens."

The archeologist furrowed her eyebrows up to her soulmate. "How you figure?"

The aristocrat grinned and lowered her eyes to the worn book again. "Right here." She took a deep breath as she read the line. "Soon after duh challenges Xena and myself confront duh former Queens about duh coming spring’s plans. Dis brought ‘bout duh Queen’s departure from duh village tuh… Well anyway…" Melinda gazed to her partner. "Dat’s my evidence tuh back up my hypothesis."

The small woman chuckled. "Good evidence Mel." She had a respective smile in Mel’s direction. "Now I remember one of the many reasons why I love you."

"Oh?" The southerner’s eyes twinkled. "One huh? What’s duh rest?"

"Mmm. I could be here all night telling you them."

"I can imagine." Mel set her expression into a professional one.

Janice laughed and smiled up to her friend. "Besides… I’d rather show you." She brought her hand under her southerner’s chin, her thumb running across the ruby red lips.

"Mmm, my lips aren’t jus’ good for translaten Janice, you know?"

The archeologist laughed and leaned up to kiss her partner soundly. She felt Mel’s large hand slip behind her head.

Slowly the tall woman pulled back from the kiss, her head leaning against Janice’s. Her eyes drifted to across the isle to see Starling Miller asleep, her head resting against Emily’s shoulder. Cobalt eyes came back to Janice. "You know, they’re bound tuh wake up."

"Mmm yeah." The small woman nuzzled her soulmate’s neck. "We should get some sleep."

"Yesss." Melinda straightened up. "We’ll be in Greece ‘bout four hours."

The archeologist nodded and smiled to her other half. "Glad this flight is long."

"Me tuh." The belle smiled warmly also. "Let’s get some sleep."

"Yeah." The archeologist stood up from the airplane’s seat, her right hand resting on the seat in front of her.

The other woman knew what Janice’s desire was from her. So she shifted to let her back lean against the side of the plane and her legs spread across the seats. "Come here."

Janice smiled warmly and crawled into her soulmate’s arms, her back sinking into Mel’s warm body. She reached up to her hat and took it off, her head dropped back into her partner’s shoulder. Her fedora was soon over her head, slightly tilted to block out and light.

Pappas quietly laughed at her best friend. She lifted the hat a little a placed and kissed Janice’s head and lowered it back down. She snuggled her head against the smaller woman’s and shut her eyes. "I love you Janice."

The archeologist grinned under the hut. "I love you too Mel."

The pair soon slipped into their dreams after those words.

~*Part 4*~

The plane came to a sudden bounce and the archeologist almost went out of her soulmate’s arms. She would have if it wasn’t for Mel’s arms tightening in instinct. "What the hell?" Her hat came off and she looked across to the opposite window.

Starling lifted her head up off Emily’s shoulder and gazed out her window. She saw the blur of black. "We must be landing." She heard the screeching of the wheels and the brake on the wings fling up. "Yup." She watched the blur of the airport go by as the plane slowed.

The southerner’s eyes gradually opened and she smiled at seeing the airport out the window.

Janice glanced sideling to her partner. "We’re back."

Constance stood took a deep breath. "That was a lovely flight. My compliments to the pilots."

"We’re not out of yet Constance." Radclyffe turned her head to her friend. "We still have yet to stop."

The archeologist sighed. "Don’t jinx us now Radclyffe."

Hale grinned over to her Queen. "As you wish… my Queen."

The Queen sighed and shook her head. She then looked sidelong to her soulmate and asked in a whisper, "Sleep well?"

"Yes." Mel’s thumbs began to run against Janice’s hands. "You?"

"Definitely." Janice squeezed the large hands. Now she felt the plane come to a slow roll and was being maneuvered through the airstrips to its docking bay. She began to sit up but felt Mel’s arms tighten around her waist suddenly.

"Not yet."

The archeologist quietly laughed and settled back into the tall woman’s body. She stared out Starling’s window watching the airstrips go by with a few other landing planes here and there. She felt the plane come to a rolling stop and the props turn off. The props still spun but slowed.

Ashley came out of the cockpit and down the isle to her friends. "Well ladies, welcome home to Greece." She grinned. "I do hope you’re ride was rather enjoyable ‘cause Cliona and I are beat."

Emily Leukos smiled up to the third in command. "It was grand."

"Great." Ashley grinned for two seconds but lost it. "We’re docking now and we’ll be able to leave." She took a deep breath. "And I don’t know what’s the plan after that."

The regent took her cue. "An Amazon that lives here in Thessaloniki by the name of Rosie Riveter, she’s from Clan Zahra. Will be here waiting for us with a truck to unload our stuff in so we can head to the forest."

Janice raised an eyebrow at her regent. "Is she joining us?"

"No." Miller shook her head to the archeologist. "But I invited her and she said she’s to busy with work to be able to leave along with her child."

The Queen nodded. "Understandable."

Ashley took a deep breath, she was feeling exhausted. "I’ll let Cliona know what’s going on." She turned around in the isle and slowly made her way back into the cockpit.

"We’re gonna have tuh give them some time tuh sleep."

The Queen nodded at her partner’s suggestion. "Definitely." She held back a yawn. "All of us after the time change."

Starling huffed tiredly. "Tell me about it." She stood up. "It’s about four in the morning for us."

"Well more like ten o’clock for Radclyffe and I." Constance had a small smug look towards the regent.

Clan Ephiny rolled her eyes and gazed down at Emily. "How you feel?"

The doctor looked up with tired brown eyes. "Ready for bed."

The plane filled with low chuckles and once they ended Cliona and Ashley reappeared from the cockpit.

"Alright, let’s get off this plane. I’m cramped. How about the rest of you?" The princess put her hands on her hips.

The Amazons all stood together.

The pilot laughed and gazed at the third in command. "Let’s get the door and see if they have the stairs ready."

The copilot nodded and strolled over to the door she jerked the handle down and pushed the door open with a hard budge. When the door swung open the plane filter with the sun’s bright light. Ashley groaned and let her eyes adjust. She peered down to the ground and saw two men with the set of steps. Next to them, she noticed, was a woman in her mid-thirties with a huge smile.

The woman smiled. "Hello! I take it Starling Miller is on board."

"Yes!" The third in command smiled. "Are you Rosie Riveter?" She watched the two men wheel the stairs to the door of the DC-3. She bent down to hook the steps to the plane.

"Yes I am." Rosie Riveter smiled warmly. "I have a truck waiting for you all."

"Wonderful." Ashley rose back up after connecting the steps. "We’ll all be down in a moment." She noticed a large truck parked behind Rosie Riveter. Turning around she came back more into the plane, she spotted Starling coming up the isle. "She’s here."

Amber eyes lifted to the copilot. "Rosie? Great."

"And the truck is here too."

The regent quietly laughed. "Even better."

~*~*~*~

The archeologist’s head swayed from the turn of the truck. Sleepy green eyes opened and she watched cars pass by on the dirt road, it was a main road out of Thessaloniki. Slowly lifting her eyes up she caught Mel gazing down at her.

Melinda smiled warmly. "Get some sleep." She reached with her left hand to take Janice’s smaller hand.

Janice grinned at seeing Mel’s black bangs following in the wind. She unlocked their hands and slipped her right arm through Mel’s and locked their hands again. Her head rested down against the southerner’s shoulder.

The translator grinned to herself and dropped her head down on Janice’s.

Constance chuckled at the pair and gazed at Radclyffe. "Good pair." She’d whispered that over the roar of the traveling truck.

The head council member grunted, her eyes pinned on the soulmates. "Hopefully." Her arms went against her chest and she dropped her head forward. Her eyes easily shut.

The priestess sighed and studied the soulmates for a few moments. With a sigh she dropped her head back against the truck’s side. Her right hand came down to fall on canvas. Constance tried to sleep and ignore the occasional jouncing of the truck.

Then the truck jerked on the dirt road causing Ashley to lift her head up in wonderment. She remembered then that she was in Greece in a truck headed to the ancient Amazon Nation. Her half-open eyes lifted up to Cliona.

The princess opened her eyes at feeling her copilot’s on her. She smiled warmly to the third in command. Stretching her legs out, Cliona rested them on the handles of wood picks. "Go to sleep Ash."

The third in command nodded. "Trying, not to comfortable."

The pilot sighed and reached over with her right hand to her friend’s shoulder. "Come here." She pulled Ashley down.

The young Amazon followed the command and rested her head in the princess’s lap and curled her body up. Closing her eyes again she soon fell asleep.

Cliona smiled and shut her eyes, her right arm draped over the third in command’s waist.

This only left us with the good doctor and Starling Miller whom were inside of the truck.

Emily Leukos was one of the Amazons wide awake.

"Can’t sleep?" Starling glanced over to her friend and back to the road as she drove.

"No." The doctor shook her head and smiled over to the regent. "I’m to excited."

The regent laughed and reached to lift up her cup of hot coffee. "Same here."

"Naw, that’s cuz of the coffee you’re drinking Starling."

Miller chuckled after drinking some of the coffee, she placed it back down, her hand going back to the wheel. She shifted her body a little in the seat feeling her body shaky from the lack of sleep. "You may have to drive in a while."

Leukos laughed. "I am always driving for you."

A snicker came from Starling. "True." She glimpsed to Emily then back to the road. "Well, do you remember how to get to the forest?"

"A little." The doctor took a long breath. "I assume we’re going around the mountains?"

"Yesss." The regent nodded and slowed the truck as a fork came in the road. She turned to the right road and sped back up. "It’s pretty straight shot."

Leukos nodded. "Well if you get tired then let me know."

"Thanks." Starling flashed a smile for a second but concentrated on her driving again. A small grin took her lips. "Just follow the feather dirt road."

The doctor laughed and smiled to herself. Emily stretched her legs out next and propped her right elbow on the open window’s sill. "So I guess Sylvia and Hellanes will be surprised." She felt the breeze caress her arm on the window.

"Yeah." The regent smirked while gazing out the window. "They’ll never believe the sight of this truck. Eight women all come rolling into the old village… and Amazons at that."

Leukos laughed and shook her head faintly. "True. I’m sure this will be the most Amazons in the old village since it separated."

"Probably right." Starling grinned and took a deep breath. "I hope this all works."

"It will." Emily smiled to her regent and stared back out of the window.

~*~*~*~

The truck rolled off the dirt road and off to the side with a gentle stop. The driver’s door swung open and Starling almost went tumbling to the ground. She straightened up with a groan. "Oh god, that was to much driving." She shut her eyes.

Janice opened her eyes and lifted her head. Turning her head to the left she saw her regent out of the truck stretching. "Break?"

Golden sand eyes open. "Yeah." Starling smiled up to her Queen. "Four hours of straight driving, I’m beat."

The archeologist nodded and felt Mel’s arm readjust against her own.

The southerner smiled over to the regent. "I can drive duh rest of duh way Starling."

The regent quickly glanced up to the aristocrat. "You remember how to get there?"

"Definitely." Melinda gave a small grin. "Good memory." A wink and she glanced down to her soulmate. "Fancy riding inside?"

"Yeah sure." The small woman smiled up to her partner and began to stand. "Let’s walk around first."

The belle nodded in agreement and stood with her friend.

The other four Amazons in the back of the truck all realized what was going, awake once they shook off their sleepiness. And carefully all six women in the back of the truck stepped through the minefield of archeological tools and made it to the ground safely.

Emily silently closed the passenger’s door and walked around to the back of the truck to the others. "Nice ride so far?"

All the Amazons turned to the good doctor with a groan and faint glare.

Leukos smirked to friends. "No? Well the ride has been fun in the truck."

Everybody but Starling and Emily shook their heads.

Cliona turned to the doctor. "Come join us in the back."

The doctor laughed with a smile. "I will be."

The princess grinned with her right hand coming to Emily’s shoulder. "Good." A squeeze, a release, and Cliona began to walk around.

Janice peered up to her best friend. "You know what I just remembered?"

"Mmm?" Mel glanced down.

"We haven’t eaten since we left England." Her stomach agreed with a rumble. "See…"

The translator laughed with a smile and took Janice’s hand. "Let’s see if we can find some fruit."

"Sounds good to me." Janice put her hat on and walked with her partner into the surrounding forest.

Ashley looked up to Cliona. "Where they going?"

The princess shrugged her shoulders and rested her right hand on the truck. "For a stroll." She grinned to the third in command.

The copilot laughed "Didn’t think archeologists took strolls."

Janice bent down in front of a berry bush and lifted her hands to hold the red berries, she studied them. "Hey Mel, think these are safe to eat?"

The aristocrat came up behind her soulmate and bent down to one knee as well. She studied the fruit. "Ain’t sure, let’s see…" Her right came up and she plucked a berry off. Crushing the small berry between her thumb and forefinger she lifted the red residue to her face and smelled it.

The berries held a very fine scent of bitterness and tart and the berry’s juice was a deep crimson red.

"Don’t eat it." Mel’s eyes narrowed and she reached down to the ground to lift a green leaf. "It’z probably poisonous."

Janice raised an eyebrow. "But I saw a bird eating these a minute ago."

"Yess uh bird not uh human." The southerner wiped away the berry remains on the green leaf, the leaf going to the ground again. "Birds some how can eat poisonous berries widout being affected. They’re stomach can break down duh food widout duh poison taking affect. One of their survivals skills." She smiled to her archeologist.

Emerald eyes shifted back to the berries, staring at them. "Makes sense." Her eyes shifted to the tall woman again. "Where’d you learn that?"

"Girl scouts," was Mel’s answer while standing up.

Janice’s eyes widen at the thought of a very young Melinda in a girl scouts group. "You’re kidding?" She stood up to face her translator. "You in girl scouts?"

The southerner grinned with her reply. "Maybe." She scanned the forest.

The archeologist started to chuckle. "I can just imagine that now." A huge amused look was over her face.

Melinda sighed with a shake of her head. Her eyes lifted up again and searched the woods for a food source. "Come on." Her eyes became pinned on a tree and she started heading to the tree.

Covington followed behind and spotted the tree, it held apples. "Greek apples, now I’m excited."

The aristocrat laughed and slowed to walk beside her partner. "Didn’t reckon there wuz uh difference between uh Greek apple and an American one."

"I think so." The Amazon shot a grin up to her friend. "The Greek one’s are juicer, taste better."

Mel laughed with a smile and reached the tree, she went about pulling them off. Janice on the other hand collected the apples. The others would die for some and they both knew that.

~*~*~*~

Janice lifted the red apple up and took a bite out of it. Munching on it, she lowered the apple back down and stared out of the window.

The aristocrat shifted in her seat and lowered her left hand from the stirring wheel. With her free hand she brushed back her bangs. Then reaching back she grasped the pin in her hair and pulled it out, her black pearl hair came falling down to form her facial features. Taking the pin she tucked it into her white shirt’s small pocket.

The archeologist gazed over to her other half to see her hair down. She grinned. "It always makes you look different."

Sea blue eyes shifted over to Janice. "Oh?" Her eyes picked up a hidden twinkle. It makes me feel different too. But Mel never voiced this thought aloud.

The small woman studied Mel before answering in a low almost seeming concerned voice. "Yes."

Melinda smiled warmly and gazed back out of the window, trying to worry about her driving. She took a deep breath. "Are duh others asleep?"

"Not sure." Janice reached up to take her hat off. "Hold on." She ducked her head out of the window with her left knee resting on the seat. Her emerald eyes focused to the back of the truck where all her Amazons were with the archeological tools and luggage. She grinned to see Starling and Emily asleep together. Cliona was sleeping in Ashley’s lap this time and Radclyffe seemed to give up and was sleeping on Constance’s shoulder. Janice studied the women longer with her right hand coming up to brush her hair back but it didn’t help as her hair blew past her face again. With a content sigh she ducked back into the cab of the truck. "They’re all asleep again."

The translator moved her head in understanding. "Reckoned dat." She took a deep breath. "Do you reckon how long it wuz tuh duh Amazon forest?"

Janice sat back in her seat with her hat on her head again. "I think we have… two more hours." She lifted her apple to bite from. They’d collected fifteen apples and there were three left.

"Good." Melinda smiled to her partner. "’Cause I hate driving."

The archeologist laughed and smiled. "Don’t I know." Her expression went concerned and she peered over to the other woman. "Want me to drive?"

"Naw." The belle smiled warmly and met her soulmate’s gaze for a moment. "I’m fine, thanks."

Covington smiled and nodded. "Let me know if you do want to stop." She took a deep breath and finished up her apple. Tossing the apple remains out the window her stomach felt semi-content for now. "Well at least we’ll make it to the Amazon forest by dinner."

Pappas laughed with a smile playing her lips. "True." With a sigh she concentrated on the road ahead, they’d been traveling this particular road for five hours now. It was the feather road with no doubt.

~*~*~*~

Sylvia took a deep breath and propped her boots up onto the table. She gazed across the room to see Hellanes starting the fire. "What you planning?"

The weapons master shrugged and turned around. "Chicken nothing much." This was an Amazon whom knew how to cook well and nobody would have ever guessed. She smiled at her Amazon friend and ambled across the wood floor to sit at the table to let the fire warm. "That wasn’t bad practicing today."

Sylvia Carter gave a huge grin. "Thanks Nes." She sighed with sadness. "You know I really miss Starling around here."

"Despite her barking orders?" Hellanes Kallen reached back to unclip her Amazon sword from her back, it settled onto the table.

"That’s the part I really miss." Sylvia chuckled with a grin and rested her laced hand over her bare stomach.

The weapons master chuckled. "Yeah same here." She ran her hand through her curly dark brown hair. "I’m sure she’s having a ball with Janice and Mel."

"Starling, Janice, and Mel having parties?" Sylvia looked skeptical at her friend. "I hardly believe that." A smug looked to the second in command’s lips.

Hellanes laughed. "True, you’re the only one that knows a good time."

"Yess." Sylvia smirked and closed her eyes.

Both Amazons were left behind by Starling to look over the ancient Amazon territory. And now it was early evening and in the large hut the two Amazons rested in their Amazon garb. They’d been practicing with their swords for most of the day while looking over the ancient lands. Looking in hopes that Starling would soon arrive, they’d missed their regent.

Sylvia took a lung filling breath and ever so slowly released it, her body extremely relaxed. Her eyebrows yet furrowed and she began to open her eyes. "You hear that?"

Hellanes gazed over to her friend. "Nnno." She paused trying to listen. "What is it?"

The second in command’s boots hit the floor and she stood. "It’s a car." She stood up listening again.

The weapons master listened carefully and this time she heard the low rumbling. "It is." She rapidly stood up with her sword, clipping it on. "Starling?" She turned her head to Sylvia in question.

"Let’s find out." Carter moved to the hut’s door and swung it open to glance over to the grass cover dirt road. She could hear the vehicle clearly now but had yet to see it.

Hellanes came up to the second in command’s side looking to the road. "Somebody is coming."

"Yess." Sylvia still scanned the forest and then she saw a brown truck come rolling along the road. "It can’t be already."

The weapons master grinned and looked through the window to see Melinda Pappas and Janice Covington inside. "By god, there’s the archeologist and translator." She laughed.

Sylvia grinned and shook her head. "Where’s Starling?"

Starling Miller’s eyes gradually open and she recognized the area, a bright smile took her lips. "We’re here… we’re here." She frantically stood up.

Emily Leukos woke up and slowly stood up beside her regent.

The regent shifted to rest her hands on the roof of the truck and smiled ahead at seeing her friends. The light breeze blew back her curly hair.

The doctor saw Sylvia and Hellanes. "There they are."

"Yup." That bright smile was still on Starling’s lips. She waved ahead to her friends.

Sylvia laughed and waved back to her regent.

Hellanes leaned a little to Carter. "You know Starling is waving more to you then me."

The second in command rolled her eyes. "Whatever Nes."

The weapons master quietly laughed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don’t go into denial Sylvia, it doesn’t suit you."

Then both Hellanes and Sylvia noticed it. All the women in the back of the truck, their mouths dropped.

Melinda came drove right up near the hut and turned the truck off. She smirked to the second in command and weapons master. "Evening ladies."

Sylvia laughed and took a step closer to the truck. "Where’s the party at?"

The southerner laughed and grinned. "Thought you two could use some company."

"Company? Two’s company, three’s a crowd, and ten is a party." Sylvia grinned with devilishness.

The translator chuckled and opened the door to step out.

The second in command turned her head to the right to see Starling coming up quickly to her. She smiled lovingly to the regent.

Starling Miller grinned and pulled her second in command into a tight hug. "It’s good to see you."

Sylvia smiled and pressed her face into the other woman’s shoulder. "I missed you Starling." She hadn’t known why she said that, it wasn’t her thing to express her emotions. But she just did to this regent and well… she really didn’t mind it.

Clan Ephiny smiled and pulled back. "Missed your crack jokes too Sylvia."

"Not as much as I missed your coarse attitude."

Starling laughed at Clan Solari and turned to the weapons master. "Nes."

The weapons master smiled and pulled her regent in for a hug. "Glad you made it back Star."

"Same here." The regent patted Kallen’s back and pulled back from the hug.

Emily, Cliona, Ashley, Constance, and Radclyffe came up together near the group.

Janice and Mel on the other hand stood next to the driver’s door watching the reunion of friends.

The second in command turned to Janice. "So, do we have a Queen?"

"Definitely." The archeologist grinned. "A Queen and another Amazon."

Sylvia glanced to Mel. "That’s wonderful. Congratulations to you both." She went in for a hug from both her friends.

Hellanes was next in line with the congratulations and hugs to the archeologist and southerner.

Emily slipped up next to the second in command. "Sylvia?"

Carter turned around to see the good doctor. "Emily Leukos, damn good to see you too." She pulled the other Amazon in for a hug. "Good thing you came too." She smiled warmly.

Emily chuckled and released the brown haired Amazon. "Of course."

The second in command smiled and glanced over to Hellanes as she finished talk to Janice and Mel. "Guess who else is here Nes?"

The weapons master turned around to see Emily. "Emily." Her lips spread into a smile. "It’s wonderful to see you again." She gave a hug to Leukos now.

Sylvia then glanced behind Starling to see the four remaining women unknown to her. "Who are they?" She glimpsed to Starling for an answer.

"That’s for the Queen to tell you."

And that’s exactly what happened, the Queen shifted through and had Sylvia and Hellanes to her left side. "These are Amazons Hellanes and Sylvia." Janice smiled to her four Amazons, her eyes rested on Cliona. "That is Cliona Smith from Clan Amarice… Amazon Princess."

Sylvia and Hellanes nodded and looked to the next woman who was smiling warmly.

"Next is Constance O’ Henry in Clan Maired, she’s our Amazon Priestess."

Constance nodded. "Nice to meet you both."

Sylvia smiled and shifted her eyes to the next woman that was rather young. "And this little sprite?"

The archeologist grinned and winked to Ashley. "Ashley Teris of Clan Teresa, the third in command. And last…" Janice’s emerald eyes rested on Radclyffe. "Clan Maired as our head council member… Radclyffe Hale."

Hellanes furrowed her eyebrows at Radclyffe. "You’re the oldest clan if I am not mistaken."

"I am." Radclyffe gave an assertive smile.

The archeologist then turned to Sylvia and Hellanes a little. "And ladies, this is Sylvia Carter of Clan Solari, your second in command." Her eyes drifted to Hellanes. "Then our weapons and fighting master Hellanes Kallen of Clan Epinion." Covington took a deep breath. "Now that we’re all family let’s get this truck unloaded."

Hellanes glanced over to her Queen. "Mind if I skip out on that? I’d like to get dinner going, especially since there’s so many of us."

The archeologist turned her head to the weapons master. "Dinner really? Oh please go do that."

Melinda chuckled from behind and gazed over to Kallen. "Good idea Hellanes, you’ll get in good wid duh Queen."

Hellanes Kallen laughed and turned around to stroll into the hut.

The rest of the group went through the process of unloading the large truck of it’s supplies.

~*~*~*~

"So that’s why you all came huh?" Sylvia nodded a few times. "I could go for some digging."

Janice grinned. "Agreed." She crossed her legs at the ankle. She lifted her head again to gaze around at her friends along the long wood table. "We’ll start tomorrow."

Emily furrowed her eyebrows as she pushed her plate more onto the table. "Do we know where to start the digging?"

Janice shook her head. "No." Her eyes lifted to her soulmate beside her. "Mel and I will have to figure that out." Her attention went to Leukos again. "I think we can figure it out."

"Well then, you won’t mind if I tag along." A pure statement from Radclyffe who had her eyes pinned on Covington.

The small Queen sighed. "Not at all Radclyffe, suit yourself."

"I will." Hale gave a hard smile.

She’s always going to be that rough. The Queen sighed at the thought.

"How long will the dig take?" Starling gazed at the archeologist.

Janice shrugged her shoulders at the regent. "Could be between a week to a month. Depends on how long we find the tomb, how far we dig, weather, anything really." A small grinned masked her lips. "Can vary greatly."

Cliona huffed. "Great, be stuck here in the middle of no where for a long time."

Everybody around the table chuckled at the princess.

"You’ll just have to make the best of it Cliona." Starling grinned to the princess.

Cliona Smith had a huge grin. "Oh I will." Her eyes shifted down to Sylvia. "I think Sylv can help me out."

The second in command laughed and rested back in her chair. "I can do that Cliona."

"Good."

Ashley glanced up to her best friend, Cliona. "Hey, you’re not leaving me out."

The princess chuckled and smiled to her copilot. "Nope not my partner."

"Ah yes, we’ll show you a good time too Sprite." Sylvia smirked down to Ashley.

The third in command groaned at her nickname. Her eyes lifted up to Smith. "Just don’t even think of using that nickname."

Cliona snickered and smiled. "No worries."

Constance took a deep breath and stood up after seeing how late it was through the window. It’d been over two hours since the sunset. "Ladies, I think I am going to go to bed. Long travels."

Radclyffe stood as well. "I’ll join you." She was Constance’s roommate.

The priestess nodded with a smile. "Goodnight all."

Janice took a deep breath, she felt exhausted as well and wanted to sleep but said nothing.

Hellanes glanced down to Starling. "You did take care of the problem in Florida right?"

The regent nodded. "Yeah, Emily and I both did."

The weapons master nodded. "That’s good. I know it was getting bad."

"We were able to fix it quickly." Starling smiled and took a deep breath.

The archeologist closed her eyes but slowly opened them again. "Yesss, it became vacation of sorts huh?"

Starling Miller snickered at her Queen. "It was till I told the Queen."

Janice chuckled but slumped down into her seat.

The translator looked over to her partner, seeing her tired. She sighed with a hidden smile towards her soulmate. She gradually stood. "Well I think I’ll head to bed." Her eyes lowered to Janice. "Coming?" A small twinkle entered her eyes.

Covington became lost in sapphire eyes, a smile swept across her lips. "Definitely." She stood up and stepped in front of Melinda. "Night everybody."

The Amazons called back to their Queen.

Melinda and her soulmate walked through the hall down towards their room. It was equivalent to a tavern from back in the day.

Janice spotted their room and opened it fast and stomped in.

The southerner closed the door behind quietly with a slow pace. She turned back around to her partner. "Tired huh?"

The small woman nodded. "Tired isn’t even the word for it." She grinned for a second but lost it over her sleepiness. With a sighed she shifted to the bed and sat down, she was about to remove her boots but instead stared at her brown bag resting on a chair.

The translator sighed and came up to her Queen, she bent down to one knee. "Here." She began to untie the boots.

"Mel, I can-" Janice was cut off.

"Let me take care of yo for once." Crystal eyes gleamed up to Janice. "Humor me."

The archeologist smiled warmly. "Thanks." And soon her boots were gone.

The southerner shifted over to a chair and propped her foot up one at a time to untie them. Once her last one was off, small arms encircled her waist.

Covington slowly turned her partner around with a grin. Reaching up she began to slowly unbutton Melinda’s white shirt. She let her fingertips brush against her soulmate’s chest in the lightest of touches.

The aristocrat’s reaction was to close her eyes and happily endure the feather touches.

A grin was on Janice’s face as she pulled the shirt’s tail out and let her hands press against the smooth stomach of Mel. Her small hands glided up the southerner’s stomach, past her breasts and to her warm chest. She then slid her hands to the tall woman’s shoulders to remove the lightly weight shirt.

The tall woman slipped her right hand under Janice’s chin and lifted her head. Ducking down Melinda caught her partner’s warm lips.

After the kiss Janice took a deep breath and leaned into her soulmate.

The belle wrapped her arms around her friend as they both calmed. For they both were to tired to take each other. Not that they couldn’t… well they did want to rise early tomorrow morning so they may find the location of the tomb.

But minutes passed while they relaxed in their arms and Janice broke them apart. She finished changing, as did Mel. Within seconds the pair were crawling into bed and their arms. And the sandman was visiting them both.

~*Part 5*~

The sun soon rose with the soulmates, the pair having left for the morning. Neither decided to get breakfast considering it would be a loud process and would wake the other Amazons. So they slipped out of the hut after dressing and in Janice’s hand she cared her Amazon book.

Yet before the two soulmates could take steps away from the hut they heard the door open.

"I still plan to suit myself." Radclyffe came up to the Queen’s side. "I care about where this dig is happening in the ancient lands."

"I understand." Janice nodded and glanced up to Mel. "Ready to find this site?"

"Yup." The southerner smile.

The small group started walking through the area where the old village laid so long ago. Of course there was nothing left maybe under the ground there may be. But this was not to be tampered with, Janice knew this as much as Mel did. They were archeologists together but they were also preservers. There were certain things in the world that should never be discovered or revealed for that is where part of the people rest. The very thing that kept life breathing into the land.

The women went into the surrounding forest gazing around for anything that looked out of place. However they did not.

Radclyffe sighed. "I hope you both find something... intriguing soon."

The translator sighed at hearing the hidden jibe. She stopped walking and turned to Janice. "May I see yo book?"

"Sure." Janice gave her partner the book carefully.

The aristocrat opened the leather book carefully. "I remember something dat I read on duh plane ride."

The archeologist shifted closer, gazing into her book. Her right hand came up to tip her hat back.

Mel slowly flipped through the first page, skimming the Greek. Turning the page she skimmed the left page and stopped halfway. "Here it iz."

"Which part?" Covington was studying the page.

The southerner took a deep breath and began to read. "On dis day duh tomb wuz created and filled wid duh every essence of Amazon. Dis tomb will remain sealed til’ one-day duh rising sun may shine over duh Amazon again."

The head council member furrowed her eyebrows. "So?" She shook her head at Mel. "It’s just a bunch of rhyme child."

"Dat’s exactly it Radclyffe." The tall woman grinned to the Amazon. "You see, Gabrielle wrote dis az directions to duh tomb."

The old Amazon opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by Janice.

"No she’s exactly right Radclyffe." The archeologist turned her head to Clan Masika. "Gabrielle is giving us directions to the tomb. She never writes in riddles and rhymes unless she’s trying to tell us something. She is a bard…" She furrowed her eyebrows at what she said aloud. "Was."

The translator took a deep breath. "So we need tuh go tuh duh eastern side of duh forest."

Radclyffe stared at the pair for a moment. "Why eastern portion?"

The tall woman sighed. "Because dat’s where duh sun rises. Dat’s duh direction duh sun rises over the Amazon."

The archeologist grinned and started walking in the opposite direction. "Well east is that way." She looked straight ahead into the rising sun that was cutting through the trees.

They all walked together to the opposite side and into that side of the forest.

"Now what?" Hale’s hands went to her hips as she studied the soulmates.

Janice sighed and looked around. "There has to be more to this."

"There iz." Melinda looked around. "I can feel it." Her eyes then spotted something rather odd. "Janice?" The tall woman started walking towards a tree.

Doctor Covington followed Mel and caught what she’d found. "What is that?" She came up to the tree and lifted her hand to the tree’s trunk. Her small fingertips grazed across a golden metal that was imbedded into the tree.

"I ain’t sure."

Radclyffe came up and stared at the piece of gold metal inside of the trunk. "That is rather different."

"Mel, this is on the eastern side of this tree."

Blue eyes suddenly took on realization. "Then dat means when duh sun peaks over duh trees it’ll reflect off of dis." Mel gazed towards the sun to see it peaking over the treetops.

All three women turned towards the rising sun and watched as the sun’s light crept up the tree’s trunk. Closer and closer it came to the circular gold metal. Then finally the light hit the gold and reflected off in a gold beam to the ground.

They all moved together around the gold circle on the ground. Janice and Mel both knelt down cautious not to get in the way of the light’s beam.

Mel reached forward to the spot on the ground because she saw something reflecting in the ground. With her right hand she tore some of the grass away.

The archeologist helped along, tearing the grass away.

There now was a stone that held two gems inside of it. A sapphire and emerald were locked inside of a square marble stone that was buried in the ground.

Janice lifted her eyes to her partner. "Bingo."

As soon as she said that, the gold beam of light faded out to leave the emerald to sparkle and sapphire to twinkle on their own.

Janice stood up gradually with a smile.

The belle sighed and glanced over to the head council member. "Satisfied?"

Radclyffe gave a small chuckled and nodded. "I am."

~*~*~*~

That following afternoon all the Amazons got together around the marker in the eastern portion of the forest. The three tents were setup and one was filled with their tools they would use. Another tent was setup with a few tables to place artifacts on later and for Janice to write on and keeps notes of their progress. The third tent however was just pitched for anything.

By that afternoon they all began the dig. First starting to dig around the marker and pulling it from the ground that they kept in the artifact tent. The site itself soon became a wide but short trench and centered where the marker once was. Into the late afternoon everybody was becoming tired from the nonstop digging, even a bit tense. But one Amazon came up with an idea to ease the tension between them all.

"Have any of you played a game called Umbrella?" Ashley had stopped digging and leaned against her shovel.

A few others stopped and gazed at the third in command.

"No Sprite. What is it?" Sylvia lifted her pick and went at the ground to loosen it.

Ashley grinned. "It’s a good game for a big group of people."

"Well dat would be us Ash." Melinda grinned down to the third in command.

"That’s what I figured." Ashley Teris went back to shoveling. "Is everybody interested in playing it? Can be fun."

Most of the Amazons chuckled at Teris and responded with yes’s, except for one and that was Radclyffe.

Janice glanced over to the head council member. "Care to join in the fun?"

"No thank you. I’d rather watch." Hale pushed her shovel deep into the ground and threw the dirt over the trench.

The Queen shrugged and looked back down to her third in command at the opposite end of the trench. "Okay, so how you play Ashley?" She stopped working to break and listen to the game’s instructions.

The other Amazons did the same and leaned against their tools to listen.

Ashley smiled to her friends. "Okay, I’ll lead the game since I know how it works." A deep grin took her lips. "I’ll say a thing and each of you one at a time will say one thing back in response."

"Now Sprite, what’s the point?" Sylvia crossed her arms over her chest. "There’s gotta be a goal."

"There is hold on." The third in command quietly laughed and continued. "Now the point of the game is for you all to understand the point of the game."

All the Amazons just stared at Ashley with confused looks.

Teris laughed and shook her head. "Look, I’ll start it with Cliona and say a thing that I am thinking and Cliona would respond with what she thinks I’m thinking about. Then I’ll tell her if she is right or wrong then next would be Sylvia who response with a thing trying to guess as well what I am thinking and I’ll tell her right or wrong. And we’ll keep going down the trench till it gets back to me. I’ll say another thing and go down the trench. We’ll keep doing this over and over till everybody… understands the point of the game." She smiled with glee. "Alright?"

Janice grinned and shook her head. "Alright, start it Ash." She turned back to the trench and went back to work.

"Okay." Ashley went to work again, she took a deep breath, and spoke. "Cloud."

"What?" Cliona looked to her partner. "What you mean cloud?"

Ashley grinned. "Cloud, that’s it. Now guess what I’m thinking about."

The pilot huffed and rammed her pick hard into the dirt. "Alright… sky."

The third in command shook her head. "Nope." She gazed down to Sylvia. "Sylv?"

The second in command thought for a moment. "Sun."

"Not right." The copilot glanced to Hellanes. "Nes?"

"Umm… white?"

"Nope." Ashley grinned. "Constance?"

"Umm… bird?" Constance glanced down the young Amazon in question.

"Nope." Ashley shook her head. "Emily?"

The doctor took a deep breath and gave her shovel a hard push. "Let’s see… weather."

"No." The copilot looked to the next person. "Mel?"

"Hmmm." The southerner stopped digging for a moment coming up with something. "Rain?"

Ashley smirked. "Nope." She settled her eyes on Janice. "My Queen?"

The archeologist took a deep breath and responded. "Blue?"

"Close but no." The third in command looked to Starling. "Regent?"

Starling sighed because no clues were given to help her. "Cloudy."

"Ohh so close Starling but no." Ashley snickered to herself since she was the only one understanding.

"Give us another clue Sprite."

The third in command nodded at Carter’s words. "Okay… feather."

"Hold on right there." Cliona turned to her copilot. "I said bird earlier."

"Yeah you said bird… not feather."

The princess groaned and went back to her pick. "Alright whatever. Um… Amazon."

"Nope."

"How about Starling?" Sylvia grinned, knowing it was a type of bird.

"Nope." Ashley watched the second in command huff and keep working.

Hellanes took a deep breath. "Air?"

Ashley shook her head. "No."

Next came Constance. "Wings?"

"No although close." Ashley now just hear a bunch of guess going right down the trench.

"Fowl?"

"Nope."

"Duck?"

"No."

"Oh Hell." Janice straightened up after hearing all the wrong answers. "I don’t know Ash. Quill?"

"Oh god, so close Janice but no."

The archeologist growled and went digging again. "Your turn Starling."

The regent sighed and came up with a response. "Feather?"

"You’re right Starling."

Miller quickly straightened up. "You’re kidding?"

"No, you’re right." Ashley grinned.

"What?" Janice glared down to her third in command. "How’d she get it?"

The copilot shrugged her shoulders. "She just figured out how I am thinking."

The archeologist looked to Starling. "How’d you…?"

The regent shrugged her shoulders and went to work again. "I don’t know, lucky guess."

Constance looked to the third in command. "Give us a hint to this game Ash."

"Okay… I’ll advice to you all that you listen carefully." She turned her head to her partner while digging. "Let’s see… grass."

"Green?"

"Wrong."

"Garden?"

:Wrong also."

"Blade?"

"Nope."

Constance didn’t reply quickly. "Lawn?"

"Nope, Emily?

"Yard."

"Not yard either."

Mel stood up with her pick and grinned down to Ashley. "Mmm my guess is grass."

"Yup." Ashley looked to the southerner and saw the grin. Mel knows. She chuckled and went back to work. "Janice?"

"Wait wait." The archeologist looked to her soulmate. "Do you understand this?"

The tall woman shrugged her shoulders and continued with her pick.

"You do!" The small woman put her left hand to her hip. "Mel, give."

The translator had a hidden grin when she turned her head to her partner. "Jus’ pay attention Janice."

The Queen ran her tongue across her molars and gazed back to Ashley. "Alright… turf."

"Nope."

Starling gazed to Ashley. "Green?"

"No." The copilot took a long breath of fresh air. "Air."

Cliona’s shoulders dropped. "This is crazy." With a sigh she said, "Lips."

"No."

"Oxygen."

"Wrong."

"Nose."

"No way."

"Space?"

"Wrong too."

"Atmosphere?"

"Definitely not."

Mel took a deep breath. "My guess is… air?"

"Yup, you got it Mel."

The archeologist growled low and gave her answer. "Lungs?"

"Oh no."

"Wind?"

"Nope Starling." Ashley smiled to herself. "Um… tree."

"Bark?"

"Nope."

"Leaf?"

"No, wrong."

"Wood?"

"No, Constance?" The copilot heard Sylvia growl low, which made her grin.

"Tree?"

"Right Constance."

"Really?" The priestess blinked at the third in command.

Cliona raised an eyebrow at the priestess. "Don’t tell me you got it too?"

O’ Henry shook her head. "No." She laughed uncomfortably.

Ashley looked down to Emily. "Ems?"

Leukos arched an eyebrow at the nickname but non the less answered. "I think… trunk."

"No. Mel?"

"Limb?"

"Nope."

Janice shook her head. "Don’t even ask me."

Ashley chuckled. "Come on Janice, try."

The archeologist huffed and tipped her hat. "Shit I don’t know."

Ashley laughed and responded. "Not shit."

"I didn’t…" The Queen gave up and went back to digging while she mumbled, "I hate this game."

Melinda glanced over to her soulmate with a grin. "Come here."

With a sigh the small woman walked over to her partner. "Yeah?"

The southerner bent down close to her friend’s ear and whispered something.

"Starling?"

The regent shrugged her shoulder. "Branch."

"Oh no."

"Wait, what you telling her Mel?" Sylvia glanced down the trench to the soulmates. "That’s not fair."

The translator straightened back up and winked to her soulmate. "Alright?" She went back to her spot and glimpsed down to the second in command. "I don’t reckon you don’t really want tuh know what I said tuh Janice." A very evil smile took her lips.

Sylvia’s eyes widen. "You’re right, I don’t." She went back to work.

Ashley’s new thing came with a grin. "Next one is… Mel."

"Huh?" Cliona shook her head. "How’d this become about Mel? She special or something?"

The copilot laughed and grinned. "No, it just has to do with Mel."

"Fine… Melinda."

"Wrong."

"Pappas."

"Not at all."

"Aristocrat?"

"Nope."

"Southerner."

"Nope."

"American?"

"Wrong."

"Mel?"

"You got it Mel." Ashley grinned to her southern friend.

Janice sighed as it came her turn. "Belle?"

"Wrong too Janice. Starling?"

The regent shrugged her shoulders. "I don’t know… Mel?"

"You go it too Starling."

Starling shook her head. "If you say so."

The head council member suddenly interrupted. "How long can this game go on for Ashley?"

The third in command sighed. "It can take between five minutes to five days. Depends on the players and how quick at learning they are."

Radclyffe chuckled. "Ah, I think this will be for five days."

"Hey!" Cliona put her hands on her hips as she glanced down to the oldest Amazon. "No witticism when you’re not playing." A faint grin was on her lips.

Hale laughed and she went back to digging while listening to the continuing game.

The copilot took a deep breath as she thought of the next thing. "Archeologist."

Janice ran her tongue across the back of her molar. This is getting personal. With a sigh Janice remembered her partner’s words. Okay, Janice you can do this. Just listen to what they say.

Cliona gave her response. "Archeology."

"Nope."

"Janice."

"Wrong."

"Covington."

"Wrong too."

"Queen?"

"Oh no."

"Dirt."

"Nope."

"Hey!" Janice glared down to Emily Leukos. "Are you trying to say something by that?"

The doctor chuckled and replied. "Not at all my Queen."

With a huff, the archeologist went silent.

"Mel?" Ashley gazed down to the tall woman.

The southerner looked very serious however her eyes twinkled. "Archeologist?"

"Right. Janice?"

The Queen considered all that the other’s said and what her partner said. Slowly a huge grin spread across her lips. "Archeologist?"

"Yup, you’re right."

Janice suddenly smirked as the point of the game came to her. "I know."

The regent turned her head to Covington. "How’d you figure it out?"

"Simple." The small woman smirked to her regent. "I paid attention."

Starling huffed and looked to Ashley. "Smartass?"

"Nope." Ashley laughed at the regent’s joke.

Janice turned to her regent and lifted her pick. "Don’t start anything Amazon."

"Oh?" Starling rammed her shovel hard into the trench’s side. She turned to her Queen, hands till on the handle. "Are you going to punish your regent?" She smirked.

The archeologist narrowed her eyes with a grin and was about to retort but was stopped. For she found a pile of dirt thrown at her. Janice stood there nodding as the dirt fell off her body but a small mountain of it was on the top of her hat. She stared at the laughing regent who held the shovel.

Starling Miller was rolling with laughter after throwing the dirt at her Queen. But suddenly she stopped as a mound of dirt smack in her face. Opening her eyes she looked to Janice to see Mel standing tall behind the archeologist.

The southerner smirked as she held the shovel up in her hands. "Don’t mess wid my partner."

"That’s it!" Starling rammed her shovel into the dirt again. "This is war!" She flung the dirt at the archeologist and translator.

Suddenly in the trench there was flying dirt going every which way by all the women. World War II broke out in the trench itself.

Radclyffe was the only exception whom climbed out of the trench in a rush. She stood off to the side watching the younger Amazons and grinning.

The dirt fight went on for a good five minutes. Everybody picking partners and fighting against each other.

"Stop!" Janice’s voice echoed through and all the Amazons stopped throwing the dirt. "Jesus, thank you." She looked down the trench and took a deep breath. "Let’s act a little more mature… kids." Without warning a thing of dirt smacked into Janice’s hat, knocking it off and to the ground behind the archeologist. The Queen nodded a few times. "I don’t want to know who did that because I will be having you lick this dirt up." She smirked down to the Amazons.

All the Amazons chuckled and there was Cliona who was snickering evilly. But she went serious while trying to wipe away her guilty look . She felt Hellanes jab her lightly and the princess tried hard to hold back her laughter.

The archeologist took a deep breath. "Seriously, we need to be careful and not ruin this trench." Turning her head to the west direction, she noticed the sinking sun. "Besides, it’s time for dinner soon."

The Amazons laughed together and gradually climbed out of the trench with their tools.

Janice though turned around to Starling, her right hand resting against the trench’s wall. When she did turn around she spotted the regent wearing her fedora.

Starling smirked.

"Jesus, give me that." The archeologist reached forward and took her hat quickly and put it back on. "Thanks."

"No problem." Starling crossed her arms against her chest.

"Oh by the way Starling." The small woman’s hands pulled a lump of dirt from the trench wall. "I owe you this." Quickly her right hand came forward to rub the dirt into Starling’s face.

"Janice." It was a growl from the regent as she reached up to wipe away the dirt. "I’ll…" She stopped after seeing blue eyes pierce through her. "I’ll… I’ll… well we’re even."

The archeologist had a smug look. "Good." She knew what happened and was thanking Mel for the help. Turning to her soulmate she grinned. "Let’s get out of here."

"Agreed." The tall woman climbed out of the trench.

The Queen did the same after tossing her pick up.

Starling quickly followed and shook her head to fling dirt out of her curly locks.

"Well…" Janice turned to her soulmate. "We were really playing in the dirt that time."

Melinda laughed and let a smile take over. "Tuh say duh least." Lifting her right hand it came to rest at Janice’s mid back. "Come on."

The partner’s started heading to the tent that held the archeological tools. Starling followed behind. All the women disposed of their tools there and then took tarps. The tarps were carefully placed over the trench for protection. Soon after that, time found the Amazons all in the hut preparing a dinner.

It had been a good day of digging. A good day all the Amazons to create strong bonds between each other. Such strong bonds would mean a powerful future.

Section 3

~*Part 6*~

The southerner gradually slid out of her soulmate’s arms and out of the bed. She’d silently dressed and ambled over to the door, she gazed back to her partner. Melinda studied her soulmate for minutes, almost memorizing the way she looked. With a deep breath she opened the door and went outside into the hut’s hall. Into the main part of the hut she went and to the door, Mel headed outside.

Janice’s emerald eyes opened sleepily, she didn’t find her partner in her arms. She only felt the bed warm where Mel once had been. With a deep sigh the archeologist rolled out of bed and began to change into her clothes. Eventually she was dressed and migrated to the door, without a noise she opened it and went to the main part of the large hut. No translator. Only other place Janice could think of was outside. So following her instincts she left the hut and went to the eastern side of the hut. And there as she came around the corner she found her soulmate standing alone in the beginnings of the rising sun. Peacefully Janice made her way up to her partner’s side without gazing up to her. "Morning."

The tall woman didn’t turn her attention to her soulmate. "Mornen."

"How’d you sleep?"

The belle lifted her arms over her chest. "Restlessly."

"Same here." The archeologist sighed unhappily.

Melinda stared at the sun’s light streaming through the eastern trees. With love in her eyes she turned her head to Janice. "Come here." Her arms moved away from her chest.

Covington smiled warmly and shifted to stand in front of her translator. She felt the strong arms wrap around her and draw her in. Her back warmed quickly to Melinda’s warm body.

Both the soulmates stared in the direction of the tomb’s site. They watched the sun’s rays begin to creep across the forest floor, closer and closer to the site.

"Janice?"

"Yeah Mel?"

The translator took a deep breath. "Something iz happening."

"I know." The archeologist’s hands shifted to rest against the taller woman’s.

"Az we get more and more tuh duh tomb duh more and more… I change."

Janice studied the sun’s light touching the edge of the trench. "I know." A deep breath. "The closer we get to the tomb the closer I become somebody else."

The eastern light crept down the trench’s side.

Melinda tightened her arms in fear of losing her soulmate. "We ain’t walking out of dis forest duh same."

"No." The archeologist saw the dawning light come up the opposite side of the trench, finally warming the tomb’s site. "We’re going to become ourselves."

Silence soon loomed in the air. There was pure silence other then the faint breathing of the soulmates. They only stared at the eastern-lit tomb site.

~*~*~*~

The soulmates from that morning were back inside of the hut, sitting around the huge table with the rest of the Amazons. The entire group decided to have a late morning making a huge breakfast. They sat around chatting up a storm and laughing some of the food off. It was pleasant way to start their second day together in the Amazon Nation.

"So the plans are today to keep digging?"

Janice nodded at Emily. "Yeah, we should find something today."

"I would think so."

The Queen turned her head to her head council member. "We will Radclyffe."

"Quite." The old Amazon had a stern look.

The archeologist took a deep breath, she needed to lighten the Amazon up. "You know…" She turned her attention the rest of the Amazons. "I think I’ll create a new… rule." A huge smirk came over her lips.

The Amazons glanced around to each other in wonderment.

Janice grinned and turned her eyes directly to Radclyffe. "The new rule is, if Radclyffe is ever… uptight then all of us are to call her Rad so she knows." Now her words went directly to the fuming head council member. "I think it’s about time you loosen up… Rad."

Hale was about to voice her opinion about this new rule but was cut off by the regent.

"May I suggest something my Queen?"

Emerald eyes fell on Starling. "Yes."

The regent had a huge smug look. "I suggest that when Radclyffe is being calm and enjoying things then we call her Rad… in relation to radical. But if she’s being uptight and not funny then we call her…" Amber eyes gleamed with mischief. "Raddy."

"How dare you!" Radclyffe stood and narrowed her eyes at the regent. "Do not insult me."

Starling now stood up in a roar of noise. "Me? Excuse me, but was it not you a few days ago insulting our Queen and Clan Xena?" She narrowed her eyes now while pointing her finger at the older Amazon. "What comes around goes around."

"I will no stand here and-"

"Will both of you be quiet." The archeologist stood, her breathing was heavy with anger. "Both of you sit down." With her cold eyes she saw her regent and council member sit with anger eyes. Slowly Janice turned her head to Radclyffe. "I apologize…"

Radclyffe nodded and opened her mouth to talk but stopped because the Queen spoke.

"Because I agree with Starling."

Hale narrowed her eyes and sat back into her seat. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"Maybe because I am a Queen and Starling is as much as one."

Radclyffe laughed low. "Hardly."

Janice’s lips took on an evil grin, she placed her hands on the edge of the table. She leaned towards Radclyffe. Everybody’s eyes were on the archeologist. "I am the Queen Radclyffe, you know that and you feel that." She straightened up with her arms against her chest. "And I am the chosen." She held her right hand out towards Starling. "And as you said, Starling is a great regent. She kept the Amazons together till I came along. Do not take that away from her."

The head council member nodded. "Very well."

"Thank you." The Queen took a deep breath. "And I like Starling’s idea." She glanced around at all her Amazons. "I would like for all of us to get along, we are family." Her eyes rested on the oldest Amazon. "And Radclyffe that includes you, especially you." She went very serious. "You are the oldest clan with prestige, start living up to it."

"But I-"

"Goddamn it you do not Radclyffe." Janice shook her head. "We will address you with these nicknames not out of spite or a joke. But to call on you about your attitude." She let a smile take her lips. "We’re all working together Radclyffe, we’re family. Join us for once."

The head council member bowed her head faintly. "As you wish… my Queen."

"Good." The archeologist sat in her seat with a sad sigh. How did she just do that? Act like a leader? She had no idea where it came from but it was too natural. Taking a long breath she slowly released it. "Now then, the dig."

Everybody quietly laughed.

"So you think we’ll really hit something?" Cliona grinned. "I’m sick of the dirt."

The archeologist lifted an eyebrow. "Really? Not from what I’ve noticed."

Hellanes quickly glanced over to the princess with a smirk.

The princess gave an innocent look. "I do not know what you speak of my Queen."

"Right." Janice smirked. "But watch your back Cliona."

The pilot still had her innocent look. "And I thought we were all family here."

The Amazons snickered around the table.

"Mmm we are." Janice crossed her arms over her chest. "And I like to play tricks on my family members as much as the next one likes to."

The princess chuckled and gave a smile. "Only for a good laugh."

Emily took a deep breath and stood. "Well, I think I may go start digging."

Melinda grinned to the doctor. "Can’t wait huh?"

"Naw." Emily shook her head. "It’s to exciting." She grinned and went out the hut’s door.

"Wow." Starling blinked. "I’d never thought I’d see somebody beat Doctor Covington to a dig site."

"Starling!" The archeologist grabbed a bit of scrambled egg from her plate and threw it at her regent.

Miller’s eyes widen and she ducked out of the way. "Well, I am going to go join Emily. See you all there." She leaped from her seat and raced out the door.

Melinda chuckled and gradually stood. "See y’all out there."

The archeologist also stood and took her partner’s hands. "Don’t be to long." She received chuckles back. Slowly stepping around the table, the small woman went to the door with her translator.

The southerner held her soulmate’s hand tightly as they went outside and to the dig site.

~*~*~*~

Dirt, dirt, and more dirt. That’s all the Amazons were looking at that late morning and early afternoon. It was getting rather boring. Well except for Janice, she was always excited about dirt. But eventually the dirt was so boring for all the Amazons they decided to try Ashley’s game again. So here was a group of ten women in a vast forest they called home and they were playing a game of Umbrella in the dirt. It was a sight to be had.

"Cat."

"No." Ashley grinned. "Mel’s turn."

"I reckon mouse."

"Yup." The copilot chuckled and gazed down to the archeologist.

"Hmmm." Janice had the largest smug look ever. "Let me think Ash."

"Oh god, come on Janice, it isn’t that hard." Suddenly Ashley received seven glares. Seven because Radclyffe had joined in. "Okay… maybe it’s a little hard." She saw everybody go back to digging.

"Well…" The archeologist pretended to think and took a deep breath, her shovel going hard into the ground. "How about… mouse?"

"Right." The third in command called down to the regent. "Star?"

Clan Ephiny was grumbling as she shoveled away. "Hell if I know Ash." She gazed over to her Queen then to the third in command. "Mouse?"

"Yup."

"Wait one damn moment!" Cliona slammed her pick into the ground. She put her hands on her hips and looked to her partner. "Now Mel, Janice, and Starling all said the same damn thing. How’d they get it right?"

The pilot grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "They just did, they understand the game."

The princess arched an eyebrow with a smug look. "Right." She dropped her pick. "There’s a trick to this game Ash that you neglect to tell us."

"Well… no not really. I promise Cliona."

"Sprite, I have to agree with Cliona." Sylvia grinned. "Mind telling us before we work it out of you."

"Yeah." Hellanes straightened up and cracked her knuckles. "I suggest you do."

"Wait wait!" Ashley put up her hands. "What is this, make Ash short then she already is?"

The three Amazons laughed together.

Janice sighed and shook her head at her Amazons. "Hey you three! If you touch Ash you’ll be digging holes out in the woods all night for punishment."

Starling snickered. "And that goes double for you Cliona!"

Cliona chuckled and sighed. "Fine. I’ll get this game." She went back to work.

Hellanes and Sylvia did the same.

With a sigh the third in command gazed down to Radclyffe. "Rad?"

The head council member took a deep breath. "Mouse?"

"You got it Rad."

"What!" After roaring that out, Cliona gazed at her copilot. "How’d… how’d she get it too?!"

"Like I said she understands it."

"Ashley." Cliona laughed in a grin. "What’s the point of this game?"

"I forget." The third in command sheepishly grinned.

The princess opened her mouth but stopped.

The air around filled with a loud ping.

Everybody’s heads turned to Melinda.

"Wait." Janice turned her head to her soulmate. "Do that again?" She grinned.

The southerner snickered and tapped her pick down at the same spot. There, the sounds of pings.

"Sweet!" The archeologist knelt down to her knees to the where the ping came from. "Mel, get my hand tools."

The translator nodded and laid her pick down, climbed over the trench, and went to the tool tent.

Janice started to pull away the dirt with her fingertips.

The Amazons began to come closer gazing down at what Melinda discovered, their hearts raced. This is it!

Melinda came jumping back down into the trench in frenzy, her heart pounded too. Kneeling down with the small tools she handed them to her soulmate.

The archeologist took them with shaky hands, carefully she began to pull away the dirt.

The translator did the same, pulling away the dirt with her hands.

Soon there before the women developed a square golden door in the ground with a handle.

Janice pulled out her small brush from her tool kit and began to dust away the dirt from the hatch and it revealed the Amazon bird in the hatch. The bird’s eyes were deep rich emeralds that sparkled up to the Amazons with power.

That’s when each Amazon realized whom Janice was, it made them smile with depth to their souls.

Lifting her eyes, Janice smiled. "Who’s excited?"

Each Amazon stared into powerful sparkling emerald eyes. They only could nod. For their eyes left Janice’s and went to the bird’s. Janice and the bird’s eyes were the exact same, it was power filling.

The archeologist began to stand. "Let’s get this opened."

Melinda stood, dusting her pants off with a smile.

The Queen took a deep breath. "Who want’s to open it?"

"No." Radclyffe took a step forward. "It can not be anybody but the two chosen." She stared down at the golden hatch. "If it is anybody else the Amazon will be destroyed." Her eyes lifted to Melinda and Janice. "Please."

The soulmates saw the truth of it in the head council member’s eyes.

Janice nodded and turned to Starling and Cliona. "Go get some lamps from the tent. We’ll need them."

"Right." Starling quickly scrambled out of the trench.

The princess followed behind.

Covington lifted her eyes to her soulmate, they held worry in them.

The belle smiled reassuringly and stepped closer. Leaning down she placed a soft kiss to the small woman’s lips. Then she shifted her lips close to Janice’s right ear. "I’m scared too."

Janice closed her eyes for a moment and took a shaky breath. "Mel, there’s no going back from this. We’ll never be the same again."

The tall woman placed her hands on her other half’s sides. "I know. But, it’z our destiny." She lifted her head back with a warm smile. "I won’t leave you."

"And I can’t leave you Mel." Janice took a deep breath with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too." Melinda heard Starling and Cliona return and she stepped back.

"Got them." Starling held a lot of lit lamps, as did Cliona.

"Perfect." Janice stepped forward and went to the front of the door hatch.

The southerner followed and stood beside her soulmate while the Amazons took steps back.

Both the soulmate’s eyes rested on the golden hatch. Together they took deep breaths, reached down. Each grasped the handle with one hand. They took a second deep breath and pulled with strength. At first the door didn’t give but slowly a scraping was heard. The door fought to stay closed but awoke and saw who pulled, it compiled and began to open for the two women. The door flung open.

Suddenly Janice and Melinda tightly shut their eyes. An energy flew out of the tomb and sunk into the soulmates with a gust of wind. It wasn’t painful but so powerful it made them groan.

Taking deep breaths, the two women opened their eyes again and stared into a black hole. They couldn’t explain what that was but something just invaded their bodies. It wasn’t evil for it left them feeling warm and in understanding.

Janice shook herself mentally and gazed up to Starling. "Lamp."

The regent handed over a lit lamp.

The archeologist took it, kneeled down, and began to lean forward down into the tomb’s hole. She saw stairs right there and lifting her eyes she found something meeting her gaze. "Holy shit!" Jumping back, Janice fell to her butt with the lamp. She breathed heavily.

Melinda took the lamp and ducked in herself and saw what Janice had seen. "Oh my!" Taking a shaky breath, she reached forward with her free hand and pulled the item free. Straightening back up she revealed the item to the light of the world. "Ohhh my."

The Amazons stared at a golden mask in the southerner’s hand. In the forehead was a twinkling sapphire.

Covington smiled at it and leaned back into the tomb and found another gold object gleaming at her, she grasped it and took it. Sitting back up, she found it to be a golden mask as well but with an emerald in the forehead. She stared into the eyes of the mask, her breathing heavy. That same feeling from earlier came rushing back. In a daze she closed her eyes and took control of her spirit again. Her eyes opened with a grin. "Well the Amazons certainly have an emerald and sapphire fetish."

The tension broke and the women laughed together.

"Well? What we waiting for? A holy light? Let’s go in." Cliona stepped up with her lit lamps. "I’ve been digging in this dirt to long to be standing around here."

Janice grinned and held her hand up. "Lamp."

The princess handed one.

The Queen gazed over to her partner. "Ready to go in?"

"Definitely." Melinda lowered her mask.

Janice nodded, stood up, and took the first step onto the limestone step, it was bright yellow from the sun shining on it. She began to walk down the steps carefully with her lamp and the golden mask tucked under her right arm.

The translator followed and went down, ducking her head as she made her way down the limestone steps. Her own mask under her right arm. Once she came to the even floor of the tomb she moved to Janice’s side.

The archeologist was stuck in place with her lamp raised up. "Oh… my… god." She stared directly at a wall that had an uncountable amount of holes that held scroll after scroll after scroll.

"Dat’s uh lot of reading." Melinda grinned to her soulmate.

"Ha." Janice shook her head. "Mel, what does that say at the top?"

The southerner also noticed that one singular scroll in it’s own row with an inscription above it in bold Greek letters. She held her lamp up near that direction. "It says… The Amazon Destiny." Her eyes lowered to her partner. "I reckon we found what we are looken for." Slowly the southerner began to turn around and face the other wall, her mouth dropped.

The archeologist nodded in shock. "Yeah." She peered up to Mel. "Do you realize how many years it will take us to translate this?"

"We may not have tuh."

Janice furrowed her eyebrows and turned around, it jumped at her in a sense. "Holy shit!" Her eyes bugged as they stared at another wall with nothing but scroll after scroll after scroll in small slots. Lifting her eyes she now understood what Mel meant. There at the top was written The Amazon Destiny in pure English. "Is… is… is this…"

"In English?" The southerner nodded a few times. "I reckon so." She turned around and walked over to the other wall and pulled out a scroll. It was all in ancient Greek.

The archeologist stepped up to the other wall and randomly pulled out a scroll, unrolled it and peered down. It was all in English. "Oh my god." She shook her head. "Everything is in either Greek or English." She laughed in shock. "I can not believe it." She whirled around to Mel. "Why English?"

"Because Gabrielle taught her Amazons English as well."

Covington turned her head to the steps to see Radclyffe standing there with a serious face. "Really?"

"Yes." The head council member settled to the floor and heard the other Amazons coming down. She stepped up to the Queen with her own lamp. "Near the end of her reign English was becoming fairly popular. Well only in England at the time, but none the less, Gabrielle saw this."

"How’d she teach all her Amazons English then?" Mel rolled up the Greek scroll and slipped it into its home again.

Radclyffe turned her head to the translator. "She hired numerous people from England to teach her Amazons." She paused at seeing Starling, Cliona, and Sylvia join her side. "The English teachers lived with the Amazons for a number of years, teaching all the Amazons English." She took a deep breath. "Once everybody learned it, Gabrielle made it a law that any Amazon anywhere must know English." She grinned. "She did this because she wanted to make sure in the future there was not a communication gap between her Amazons."

"So you’re saying every Amazon, no matter where in the world, knows English?" Janice arched an eyebrow with her question.

"Yes." The old Amazon moved her head up and down. "It is a huge law and tradition, very important."

"That’s incredible." The regent shook her head with a smile. "I never know that… though it makes sense."

Sylvia snickered while standing beside her friend in the tomb. "Now you know why I know English." Sylvia is Greek.

Miller grinned to her second in command. "Yes… you and Hellanes both." She shifted her eyes over to her Queen. "So what are all these scrolls… do we know?"

Melinda strolled over to the English side of the tomb, lifting her lamp high she noticed each row was labeled across. "It’s everything ‘bout duh Amazons."

The ten women gazed up and read all the categories at the top of the rows. There was a row of Amazon history, government, traditions, law, medicines, fighting techniques, and history of the world.

The regent took a step to the wall and knelt down, she noticed two scrolls at the bottom alone. "What’s this one?" She carefully pulled out a worn scroll. Standing up again she felt Janice took her lamp. Carefully the Amazon unrolled the scroll and widened her eyes. "Oh wow." She shook her head. "It’s a map of the Amazon Nation."

Janice smiled at the map. "It’s huge."

"It’s impressive you mean?" Starling’s lips took on a grinned and lowered her eyes to the map again

Radclyffe grinned and gazed over the map. "After Gabrielle took over the other Nations she expanded the size of her original Nation’s lands." She kept studying the map. "It went from the Nestus River to the western Amazon Mountains, and south to the Aegean Sea."

"That’s a big strip of land." Cliona chuckled with everybody else.

"Look here." Janice pointed on the map. "Looks like they also owned Amphipolis."

"No they didn’t." Melinda gazed down at the map. "They probably had uh treaty wid Amphipolis."

That made perfect sense so they all nodded.

"Look at this Mel." Janice pointed to on area. "There was a post there." She lifted her eyes to her soulmate. "The post was on the outskirts of Poteidaia."

The tall woman’s eyes lifted with sadness to her partner.

The archeologist smiled sadly and glanced back down to the map. "Now, what are all these colors?"

"Looks to be how the land was broken up." Starling lowered her eyes to the lower left hand to see a legend. "Here it is, anything in green is land used for farming, brown is land for mining, red is for hunting, orange is for... fishing, and navy blue is made for trade." She shook her head. "This is just amazing."

Cliona grinned as she noticed something herself. "Looks like the Nation was broken up into nine province so to speak. Provinces or sectors. They’re all named as well. Certain ones cover certain aspects such as trade or fishing… farming."

Janice chuckled with a shake of her head. "Gabrielle planned everything out."

Constance was noticing the nine sections as well. "If I remember correctly, it was the nine lieutenants that ran the nine sectors."

The archeologist quickly looked up to the priestess. "Lieutenants? I have lieutenants as well?"

"Yes I believe you do." The priestess eyes went to Clan Masika. "But Rad could tell you better."

The older Amazon nodded. "Yes, the original Queens from each of the Nations Gabrielle made lieutenants after the challenges. She then broke the huge chunk of land into these nine sectors and made the Queens as governors of the sectors."

"That would make sense." Janice nodded a few times.

Sylvia shifted to the English wall and kneeled down to pull out that second scroll at the bottom. "I wonder what this one is."

Starling turned to her and took the second in command’s lamp.

Sylvia began to unroll the scroll and stopped halfway. "Holy mother of God." She shook her head with a surprised filled laugh.

The archeologist and translator glanced down to the scroll and grinned.

"Looks like the listing of Amazons." Starling grinned. "Bingo."

Everybody chuckled and circled around Sylvia to study the scroll.

"Look, there’s Solari." The second in command point to her great descendant. "It looks like this gives you their date of birth, death, order in the Amazon Nation, job, and where they were located in the Nation."

Janice shook her head. "This is perfect."

Cliona lifted her eyes. "But we still don’t know who are the modern version."

"True." Melinda grinned. "But dis iz uh start." Filling her lungs with the tomb air, her eyes fell to the scroll.

"Hey there’s Amarice." Cliona chuckled and crossed her arms against her chest. "The best Amazon I must say."

The Amazons all huffed at the princess.

"You wish Cliona." The third in command scanned the list to find Teresa. "Ha there’s my descendant."

"Oh yes." The princess looked to her copilot. "That piddle third in command."

"Hey!" Ashley jabbed her partner in the stomach. "Don’t mess with Clan Teresa."

The princess’s eyes only gleamed in response.

"Mel, you notice something funny about this listing?"

"Yes." Melinda pointed to Xena and Gabrielle’s name. "They ain’t got uh location."

"I noticed that too."

"Maybe they were still traveling?" Hellanes glanced up after her suggested answer.

"Probably." The Queen nodded. "Sylvia, unroll this thing completely."

The second in command nodded and began to unroll the scroll. Soon she found it to be longer then her. "Uh some help?"

Radclyffe chuckled and dropped her lamp to the floor. She took the top of the scroll and held it.

Sylvia Carter started walking backwards while unrolling the scroll.

Janice glanced up to her partner. "We’re in for it now?"

A snicker escaped the southerner with a grin. "Yup."

The second in command came to the end of the scroll when her back hit the opposite side of the tomb. "Now that’s a lot of Amazons."

"Well Starling, you were right?" The archeologist grinned across to her regent.

Miller nodded and stepped up to the outstretch scroll, scanning it. "Yup, there’s gotta be somewhere around nine hundred here." She soon found one name she really liked. And with her smile she pronounced it aloud. "Ephiny, Regent of the Amazon Nation." She smiled to her friends. "Yup." Her head bobbed up and down. "That would be my clan."

Now all the Amazons began to look up and down the extensive scroll to find their own descendant.

Janice peered up again to Melinda. "You would have thought Xena and Gabrielle would have settled down eventually."

The tall woman gave a sigh. "I would have reckoned dat too."

Covington glanced back to her Amazons looking up and down the list, reading name after name. "Maybe they were killed during their travels."

The translator right hand came up to Janice’s back. "I don’t reckon dat explanation myself."

Janice nodded faintly. "I hope it isn’t the right explanation." She peered up again. "It wouldn’t be right."

"No." Sapphire eyes shifted to Janice. "They weren’t killed in their travels Janice." She smiled warmly and gazed back to the long scroll being held by Sylvia and Radclyffe. "Otherwise all of dis wouldn’t have happened."

"Yeah." The archeologist found that smile on her lips.

Ashley ducked under the long scroll to come to the side Janice and Mel were on. She walked past them with her lamp.

"Let’s roll this up Sylvia."

The second in command nodded at the head council member. She slowly began to walk towards the older Amazon while rolling the scroll up. "This is just amazing."

The princess’s face was cover with a grin. "Now we know where amazing came from. The Amazons." She chuckled. "The Amazons are amazing."

Hellanes laughed and glanced over to the princess. "The Amazing Amazons."

The priestess smirked to the two Amazons. "Exactly."

Janice and Mel chuckled together at the Amazons.

"Sweet mother of god!" Ashley whirled around. "Look at this everybody!" She turned back around. "Hurry up!"

Radclyffe was kneeling down inserting the scroll back in next to the map scroll that Miller had returned.

The soulmates were the first up to Ashley’s side with their lamps. They both lifted their lamps with wonderment filling them. Their lamps lit a corridor that held three doorways. One doorway to the right, left and directly ahead. The room at the far end they could see something reflecting back the light from the lamps.

So the group of Amazons walked down to that room first wondering what could be reflecting off such an amazing yellow, red, green, white, and silver color back to them. They entered into the cool room with their bright lamps and everything came to life to them. Ten jaws dropped. Nobody said a word, it was pure silence. Not even breathing could be heard for their breaths were caught in their lungs.

"Well…" Cliona glanced down to the southerner. "Looks like the Amazons are rich as you are now."

Melinda laughed with her response. "Looks dat way."

There before the group was a huge statue of a woman, presumed Artemis, Her head touched the ceiling and her base was on the ground. The statue was made of pure gold and showed Artemis at her best. At her feet around the floor were mounds of gold, gems, silver, and jewelry. It was a wealth of fortune that was scattered around the room like it was worthless.

"Ha." Starling shook her head. "There’s enough money here to buy all of the ancient Amazon lands. Then have some left over."

Janice’s expression brightened up as it hit her. "That’s exactly it!" She turned her head to her regent. "That was Gabrielle’s intent with this." She laughed. "She wants us to buy back the ancient lands. The money left over is to…" Her head turned back to the statue. "Rebuild."

"Where could they possible get all of this money?" Ashley shook her head. "There’s tons here."

Melinda quickly explained that one. "Duh mountains." She turned her head to the group of Amazons. "They were mining in duh Amazon Mountains, they had tuh be mining for something."

Starling moved her head in agreement. "That would explain why those mountains are fairly barren."

"You think there’s any… of the whatever in the mountains left?" Cliona looked to Melinda in question.

The translator shrugged her shoulders. "Could be."

"Well… let’s go check out these other two rooms." Janice turned towards the door.

The Amazons began sifting out of the room into the corridor again. Five went to the room on the right and the other half to the left room.

Janice ambled in with her soulmate and grinned at what the room contained. "Prepared for anything I must say."

Mel gave a chuckle. "Seems like it."

Before the women lining the walls on racks were weapons, only metal of course. For only metal could survive the test of time.

"Hey Janice and Mel! Come over here and take a look at this room!" It was Hellanes voice.

Janice started leaving the room and calling back the weapons master. "Nes, switch rooms with us. You’ll want to see this room."

The two groups switched rooms.

Janice, Mel, Starling, Ashley, and Cliona came into the other room. This was another scroll room with two walls filled with scrolls. The left side held more then the right however.

The archeologist ambled over to the left side and lifted her lamp. Above there was a description engraved with The Chosen’s Tales. "My god, all of Gabrielle’s scrolls." She took a step forward and selected a random scroll. She slowly unrolled it and found it in pure English with Gabrielle’s handwriting. "This is perfect."

Melinda spun around with a Greek version. "These are duh missing scrolls in Greek Janice."

Covington slowly turned her head around still peering down at the scroll. "Jack-pot."

Miller strolled up to her Queen’s side. "Why are there more scrolls in English then Greek?"

The Queen lifted her head. "Probably because she later translated hers to English. The Greek ones were scattered around."

The southerner nodded and rolled up the scroll she was glancing over. "These Greek ones are her later ones. Her perspective iz different."

"How are those different?"

The translator turned to Cliona. "They’re different ‘cause Gabrielle wuz uh bard then later on she wuz uh warrior."

Ashley furrowed her eyebrows. "If she became a warrior later on then why was she still writing?"

Janice grinned to her third in command. "Because she was a warrior-bard."

"And a Queen." That was Starling.

"The Chosen too." Cliona smirked and crossed her arms against her chest.

"Also Xena’s soulmate." Melinda silent shifted over to the group again.

Janice lifted her eyes to her partner. She smiled warmly about what Mel said.

The belle winked and returned the smile.

Now the other five Amazons came pilling into the room.

"So what did you think of that room Nes?" The Queen turned towards her weapons master.

"Glorious." Hellenas Kallen grinned and crossed her arms against her chest. "I can’t wait to test them all out."

The archeologist chuckled and rolled the scroll back up, carefully she slipped it into its home again.

"So what’s the plan now?" Starling was gazing at her Queen intently.

Janice shrugged her shoulders. "Any suggestions?" She glanced around at her Amazons.

Nobody said anything because they were still awe struck by everything.

"Well…" The Queen laughed to herself and took her hat off. "We need a plan."

"How ‘bout we get dat door secured?" Pappas put her hands on her hips. "And make sure nothing ain’t gonna fall over it."

"Yeah, good idea."

"What about all the scrolls Janice?" Clan Ephiny raised an eyebrow.

"I do not want them removed from here." The archeologist looked seriously at all her Amazons. "They should stay untouched today." She sighed. "Tomorrow we’ll start glancing over them and get an idea about what they contain."

The Amazons nodded together.

"And the… gold room?" Sylvia arched an eyebrow.

"Leave it, along with the weapon room." Janice crossed an arm over her stomach. "We’ll figure out what to do with that later."

"I think we’re suppose to buy the Amazon lands with that money."

The Queen shook her head at Starling. "Let’s not worry about that right now. Let’s worry about what these scrolls have." She smiled warmly to her Amazons. "Then we’ll figure out what to do with everything."

The women nodded together.

"Are we going to read over Gabrielle’s scrolls tomorrow too?" Emily glanced around the room. "There’s a lot of them."

"No." The archeologist gazed around herself then back to the doctor. "Tomorrow the Amazon first." She grinned. "The next day the Chosen."

Everybody chuckled with warm smiles. They were all to excited about this discovery.

Melinda stepped closer to her partner. "Let’s get out of ‘ere for duh rest of duh afternoon."

The Amazons compiled and began to shift out of the room, down the corridor to the scroll room, and to the steps. One by one each person went up.

Janice stood on the floor glancing around in the large room at the scrolls, she sighed with a smile. "Amazing."

Mel stood on the first step scanning the room, she lowered her eyes to her partner. "Ain’t it?" She reached under her arm to extract her gold mask. "I wonder whose masks were these?"

The smaller woman did the same, pulling her mask out staring at it. "Xena and Gabrielle’s."

Melinda Pappas grinned to her soulmate. "You mean ours."

Janice Covington lifted her eyes up with a knowing look. "Exactly." She turned towards the steps. "Let’s go."

The southerner began to climb the steps to the top.

Janice quickly followed behind.

~*~*~*~

Mel shifted to the fire with Hellanes, they were both cooking for the big group.

The rest of that group was relaxing around the table. It was early evening for them after having covered and secured the entrance to the tomb. Everybody was ecstatic about the find, they couldn’t sit still or stop yacking.

"We have to read that scroll at the top first."

Janice chuckled at Emily. "I agree." She cross her legs at the ankles under the table. "I am dying to know what it says."

Cliona smirked to her friends. "It probably says how perfect the Amazon is."

Laughs filled the room.

Radclyffe shook her head with a small grin. "No, that scroll will probably tell what the Amazon means."

"Not just mean Rad." Constance took a deep breath, relaxing herself. "But tell the destiny of the Amazon." She smiled to her friends. "That’s the way of the Amazon, the destiny."

Ashley shook herself with a quietly laugh. "God, I am excited. We can’t go in there now?"

"Nnno." Starling gazed to her third in command. "You can wait."

"No I can’t." The copilot laughed. "It’s all I can think about."

The princess studied her partner with a grin. "I’ll keep you busy tonight."

The third in command raised an eyebrow at Cliona. "I’m in for it now."

Cliona Smith snickered evilly.

"You know what will be interesting?" The second in command glimpsed around. "Are Gabrielle’s scrolls."

"Definitely." Janice moved her head in agreement. "Now we have all of them."

Emily shot a grin over to the archeologist. "I guess this means we’ll find out how Gabrielle got her hair cut short."

The Queen chuckled. "It will… and so much more."

The southerner turned around to the group. "And you better not cut yo hair Janice." A grin was over her lips.

The archeologist smirked down to her lover. "Hey, you never know."

Melinda ran her tongue across the back of her molars. "Don’t go there love." She turned back to the cooking with Hellanes.

The group was snicker at the translator’s words and the whip she pulled out on Janice.

The Queen still had an evil smirk. "Hey Mel, want me to start wearing skimpy clothes?"

The room was filled with laughs again.

Mel slowly turned back around and locked her eyes with Janice. Her voice came out in a purr saying, "Only if I can."

Janice’s eyes went wide and she felt herself blush. "Right." Her eyes narrowed with a grin. "You’re on."

The room still held those laughs with people all feeling the warmth too.

"Good." The tall dark southerner winked and her expression with nothing but evilness. She turned back to her cooking in innocence.

The archeologist shook her head and gazed back to the group. "Well… any other comments around here?"

"I’m ready to go back into the tomb."

Starling turned to the good doctor. "We know." She gave a smirk. "How about we lock you in there tonight?"

"Sounds good to me." Emily mirrored the smirk back.

The regent narrowed her eyes. "Watch it Amazon."

"Yes regent."

Constance held back a yawn and slumped in her seat. "Who here is still tired from that flight?"

"Not me."

"Nobody asked you Sylvia." Starling faced her second in command. "You weren’t even on the flight."

Sylvia Carter snickered.

Radclyffe smirked down to the second in command. "No, I have a feeling she was ordering Hellanes around."

Carter’s jaw dropped in utter upset. "I did no such thing."

"Hell!" The weapons master whirled around from the kitchen counter holding knife. "You are worse then Starling about orders." She shook the knife in the second in command’s direction.

Clan Solari shook her head and held her hands up. "Watch it with that knife Nes. You’re dangerous with those things."

The weapons master’s face was covered with a grin. She stepped up to the table the knife still in hand. "Well… admit your inane words."

The second in command shook her head. "I don’t know what you’re talking about." She had a bad grin on her lips.

Hellanes raised an eyebrow.

Laughing, Sylvia told the truth. "Okay maybe I gave a few orders."

"Pfft." The weapons master turned around to go back to her cooking. "Kiss my bon-bon Sylvia. A few, right."

Janice intently looked to her second in command. "Did my second in command act like the Queen around here?"

Carter laughed and turned her attention to Janice. "Maybe a little."

The Queen arched an eyebrow. "Well I know who will be digging holes in the forest tonight."

"Oh hell." Sylvia sighed with a grin. "I’ll get you Nes."

The weapons master slash cook snickered.

The women all continued to enjoy the evening. Radclyffe only being called Raddy once that night and she’d taken easy to it. She would try and relax while shifting out of her uptight attitude.

Overall the night was perfect. They enjoyed themselves and the time together. It was the most perfect group of Amazons ever.

~*Part 7*~

Janice filled her chest with fresh air, she could feel the breeze brush by her. Her eyes were closed and her body relaxed into Mel’s. Then she noticed something, which made her wrinkle her eyebrows together. She could feel the breeze caress her stomach. Slowly her eyes opened in the sunlight barren grass field. She stared at the scene, she wasn’t in Greece anymore. Her eyes lowered to her stomach and she saw her stomach bare. Her eyes widen and she held her arms out, she wore silver bracelets. "What the hell?" Janice leapt up from Mel’s arms. "Oh my god!"

Mel’s eyes flew open and glanced up to her soulmate. "Janice?"

Janice Covington held her arms out and looked up and down her length. She wore boots with sais, a deep orange-red skirt with a leather belt. Around her chest was a maroon leather top. "How’d I get into these?"

"I… ain’t sure." Mel began to stand up. "Why iz yo hair short and blond Janice?"

Janice lifted her small hands to her hair to find it short. She pulled down a bang and saw how it was sun blond. "What the hell?" Her eyes lifted to her partner. "Mel… w-why are you wearing Xena’s clothes?"

Melinda took to notice of her clothes and looked at her own length. "I reckon… I don’t know." She lifted her head back up. "But it feels… normal."

Janice shook her head and kept staring at her soulmate, she looked exactly like the warrior. "Mel, what’s going on?"

"I don’t know." The tall woman took a step up to Janice and placed her hands on her partner’s shoulders.

"Mel… this isn’t right." Janice peered up onto her soulmates eyes and quietly whispered out, "What’s going on?" She now noticed that Mel’s eyes were no longer light but held power to them.

"I am here Janice, it is okay." The tall woman squeezed the other woman’s shoulders.

Covington stared up with confused eyes and suddenly an energy spilled over her. She shut her eyes and fell into the other female. "Oh god, what’s happening?"

"It’s okay Janice. Just let go." Her voice was hardier then normal. "Let go, you’ll be safe."

The small woman sucked in a deep breath and lifted her head to the taller female. She gave a warm smile. "Gods, I missed this Xena."

Xena’s lips reflected that same smile. "Me too." She lowered her head to kiss her Soulmate deeply.

The small female went with the kiss and deepened it with her right hand going behind Xena’s head. She pulled back with her same smile. "I love you Xena."

"I love you too Gabrielle." Xena kissed the top of her Soulmate’s head. "Glad you made it."

"Me too." Gabrielle took a long breath and grasped Xena’s right hand. "I didn’t think Janice was going to accept me."

"Nah, I knew Janice would."

"Mmm thankfully she did." Gabrielle stepped lowered her gaze. "She’s proud of me." Her eyes lifted with happiness in them.

Xena smiled with love. "I know. She would come around eventually." She quietly chuckled. "You’ll have a deep bond with her then I will with Mel."

"Maybe." Gabrielle sighed. "Now we can help bring back my Amazons." She gave an evil grin. "I can’t wait."

"Gabrielle, remember we can’t take Mel and Janice’s body." Xena wrapped her arms around her Soulmate. "We can’t destroy them."

"I know, they’re us but just with…"

"A southern and archeological twist huh?"

Gabrielle quietly laughed. "Exactly." She smiled with a nod. "It’ll be nice to help them fight the darkness."

"Yes it will be." Xena glanced past her Soulmate to the barren grass field then back. "They’ll be different too."

"Very." Gabrielle sadly sigh. "I almost regret to change them."

"They want it that way otherwise they wouldn’t have accepted us."

"Accepted their soul." Gabrielle grinned up to her Soulmate.

"Exactly."

The Soulmates leaned in to deeply kiss each other, their eyes closing.

"Oh my god!" The archeologist sat up in the bed from the translator’s arms.

Mel quickly shot up too while breathing heavy. She ran her right hand through her wet bangs in the dark room. "What was that?"

The Queen turned her head to her partner. "I don’t know… but that was a hell of a dream Mel."

"It certainly was." The southerner ran her right hand through her hair.

"Mel?"

"Yes?"

"What happened to your accent?" Janice turned fully to her partner.

The translator faced Janice. "I don’t know. But why is your voice lighter?"

Janice dropped her eyes and laughed with her right hand going behind her neck. "I don’t know. Your voice definitely is deeper." Her eyes peaked up and her hand fell down to her lap.

"Janice… they’re inside of us."

The small woman kept her eyes down studying the blanket. She took a deep breath. "No, they’ve always been in us. We just accepted them."

"Yes we did." Mel smiled warmly and lifted her right hand to her partner’s cheek. "How you feel?"

"Truthfully?" The archeologist locked eyes with the other woman. "Perfect."

"Me too." The southerner’s lips took on a grin. Her eyes were a deep rich blue containing power. "I love you Janice."

"I love you too Mel." The Queen’s face lit up with a loving smile. Her eyes were a soften green now, not the normal brisk green.

Melinda leaned into capture her Soulmate’s lips in a long kiss.

Janice disappeared into her Soulmate’s promising kiss.

~*~*~*~

Starling stretched her arms in front of her body and dropped them to her sides. "Well, who’s ready to get on those scrolls?"

All the Amazons peeked up at hearing the regent enter into the main room of the hut.

"I definitely am." Emily stood up with her grin. "See you all there." She quickly exited out of the hut.

The regent quickly turned her head to her second in command. "Where’s Janice and Mel?"

Sylvia shrugged her shoulders. "They haven’t came out of their room yet."

Miller arched an eyebrow. "This could be… bad."

Suddenly there was a huge boom from down the corridor where the rooms were.

All the Amazon froze in spot for they only knew of only two people who could be doing that.

The following sound was a long sensual moaning flowing down the hall to the main room.

The Amazons blushed to their roots.

Radclyffe quickly stood up. "Well, I think I’ll be joining Emily."

"Same here." Constance stood up and powered walked out the door with the council member.

"Mel…" It was certainly Janice’s voice floating through the air that held need.

Ashley stood in a flash, she was bright red. "I’ll see you all at the dig." She scrambled out of the hut.

Cliona coughed. "I think I’ll make sure my copilot is fine." The princess heard another moan drift from the Queen’s room. "Definitely." She busted through door after the third in command.

Hellenas stood up as Sylivia did. "As much as I enjoy a leisure morning, this wasn’t what I had planned." She walked over to the door opening it. "See you two down there." The weapons master was caught in mid stride at hearing a small boom from the Soulmate’s room. "God save us all." She left the hut.

Janice fell back onto the bed laughing. "Oh god this is to funny."

Melinda crossed her arms against her chest as she leaned against the door to their room. "We seem to be... scaring them off."

The archeologist sat up and ran her hand through her strawberry blond hair. "Yeah but there’s two people left in the hut."

The translator nodded. "That’s what I counted too." She slipped her hands into her pants’ pockets. "Your turn, I did the last moan."

Sylvia stepped up to her regent’s side. She opened her mouth but paused listening to a throaty moan filled the air. "Well… sounds like they’re having a good morning."

Starling faintly nodded, her eyes still pinned down the corridor. Now a grin played on her lips while she turned her head her second in command. "How long do you think we can take it?" She hadn’t really meant it to be heard but it sort of slipped.

Sylvia Carter raised an eyebrow and glanced down to the corridor. "Not long."

Miller gave an internal sigh at knowing her friend responded well with that. "I figured."

Sylvia turned back to her regent. "How long are you going to last is the real question?" A moan filled the air again with a small pounding sound.

Starling gradually lifted an eyebrow. "How long are you is the important question?"

"Not very long."

"Mmm, I know." The regent lifted her right hand to Sylvia’s cheek. "How you feel?"

"Very nervous." Sylvia quietly laughed and gave a shy smile. "Not the norm for the forties."

"What is normal today with those two?" The regent nodded her head down towards the corridor.

"Not much then." Clan Solari gave out a grin.

Clan Ephiny quietly laughed and heard another moan while her fingertips glided across Sylvia’s warm lips. She closed her eyes and leaned in towards her friend.

The second in command sucked in a breath while closing her eyes and she felt warm lips claim hers. When she opened her eyes she heard a low yell of pleasure down from the rooms. "Okay that’s our cue to go."

Starling laughed and nodded. "Agreed, let’s exit stage left." She stepped back from Sylvia knowing she needed space.

The two women quickly moved to the wood door and left the hut in a hurry.

Mel opened up the door a crack and glanced down the hall, she saw nobody. She silently closed the door and gazed back to her Soulmate. "They’re all gone."

Janice stood up from the bed. "Good, glad that idea worked."

"You’re evil Janice."

"Mmm I know." The archeologist ambled up to her partner. "But you started the whole thing."

"And how you figure?" Melinda brought her arms over her chest.

"You kissed me passionately."

The translator’s mouth dropped. "I did no such thing Doctor Covington."

"Right." The Queen pressed her small-framed body against her companion’s. "And I am Gabrielle."

"Hi Gabrielle." The tall woman’s eyes twinkled with mischief.

Janice opened her mouth to protest but one didn’t leave her lips. "Damn it." She grinned up to her partner.

"See, you’re trying to put the blame on me when you could have ignored that kiss."

"Right." The archeologist pressed her hands against the other woman’s warm stomach. "You tell me if you can ignore this?" Reaching up, she pulled down Mel’s head to capture her lips. Janice made the kiss deep and long while trying to pull Mel towards her.

The translator lifted her head up while a grin spread across her lips. "Maybe that is a little hard to ignore."

Janice snickered. "Well… if you don’t want to…" She turned away and started walking closer to the bed. "Spend time… together while we have the hut empty… that’s fine with me." She halfway turned around. "I can ignore that kiss from earlier."

The taller woman glided across the room to stand at Janice’s side. "Alright, if you want to do that."

The archeologist turned her head towards the other woman. "You couldn’t make it long without me."

"Really?" Mel crossed her arms against her chest.

The Queen faced her Soulmate. "Really."

"Mmm and you could?"

"No." Janice laughed with a sheepish smile. "I couldn’t last long."

"I know." The aristocrat leaned down and took her partner’s lips. "Let’s use this time wisely."

"I’m up for that." The small female’s voice was teasing but her lips were in a smile.

Mel leaned her head forward to Janice’s ear. "Good," was purred from her lips. She slipped her large hands under the leather jacket and pulled it off. Seeing the jacket slide off her partner’s body, she grabbed it and tossed it onto the table.

"Explain to me why we got dressed this morning?" The archeologist’s eyes with ease shut.

"Because that was before I kissed you." Mel’s lips were brushing across her Soulmate’s smooth neck.

Janice shut her eyes. "That’s right." Her body was filling with a burning fire. "Mel."

"I know." The southerner’s hands went to her Soulmate’s shirt and gradually unbutton it.

And within a few minutes the two Soulmates found themselves on the bed and clothes gone. The air of the room was heavy with their breathing.

Mel was on her knees, head dropped back, eyes closed and with her hands in strawberry-blond hair.

Janice however had her mouth sucking on her partner’s right breast and her left hand working Mel’s other breast. She was also on her knees with her right hand holding Mel’s side.

The southerner sucked in a deep breath when those warm lips harshly pulled away from her right breast to go to her left one. Slowly lifting her head back up her eyes forcefully opened and Mel grinned down at the scene of her lover. Her eyes hypnotically closed as Janice’s warm hand went streaking across her stomach to the center of her stomach. Placing her hand under Janice’s chin she lifted her head up.

The archeologist had a half-upset look and half-amused look.

The translator gave a smirk and leaned in to kiss her Soulmate passionately. She could feel her partner trying to take control of everything but she had a plan. So Mel quickly moved her right hand to the other woman’s center and slipped a finger into Janice.

Janice lost the battle and broke the kiss with a deep moan. Her head dropped in between Mel’s breasts at that point.

"Relax for me love." Mel carefully slipped out her finger and shifted her hands to Janice’s sides, pushing her back.

The Queen followed the command and went onto her back into the bed. She’d felt small fires before in her but now things were more intense between her and Mel. For some reason or another but she was not about to question it. She no longer felt small fires but just a wild fire that ripped to her soul and back again. It was overpowering and left her here on this bed breathing heavy lost in blue eyes and a never-ending need.

The southerner leaned forward and took her Soulmate’s lips in pure passion.

Janice easily responded but felt her partner’s hips press against hers. The next thing to happen was Mel straddling her at the hips.

The translator grinned down at her archeologist and lowered her head down to Janice’s. She narrowed her eyes with a twinkle and her voice came out deeply saying, "Ready to soar?"

The small woman couldn’t say a word, her response was her eyes closing. Oh god the ache was going to kill her soon if Mel didn’t satisfy her.

Melinda’s lips shaped into a smile at seeing this, she loved everything about her partner. So she took Janice’s lips again to double the fire’s strength. Her lips then began a decent down the small woman’s body. Stopping first at Janice’s breasts, working them and thrilling Janice’s body and soul.

Following that was the strong stomach, Mel had to followed the ripples of the muscles with her tongue. To add a little spice to it all the southerner was rubbing her legs against Janice’s a few times. But that stopped and she simply gave her Soulmate a push closer to the edge with her knee pressing into the archeologist’s center.

The Queen groaned and shut her eyes tightly, her body screamed into her head for the need. "Oh god."

The tall woman grinned inside at hearing her partner’s low whisper. She slid her tongue down the smooth stomach directly to Janice’s center while spreading her legs back out of the way. Mel easily slipped her tongue between the folds of her Soulmate’s warm and coat center to start her tease.

"Oh my god." The archeologist’s voice was louder now. Her hands were curling around the bed sheet in desperate control. Her eyes were still closed and she pressed her head back down deep into the bed.

Mel made sure the tease was strong with her tongue swirling and surging through Janice’s center but not yet entering. Save the best for last as they say.

The small woman opened her eyes forcefully and lifted her head. "Mel." Her voice held a deep plea. "Please." Her head dropped back with closed eyes and she moved her right hand to her Soulmate’s head. Janice gave an urging command to her lover.

Melinda easily compiled and slipped her tongue inside of her Soulmate.

The archeologist sucked in a deep breath with the arching of her back. Her hands shot up to the bars of the bed above her head. Her grip was strong but sliding due to the sweat on her palms not to mention over her body.

The southerner tasted inside and out of her partner. She also made sure Janice was getting closer and closer to that perfect edge. And when she felt she had Janice where she wanted her, Mel stopped. Her head came back up and she heard the biggest growl from Janice. "Don’t worry." Melinda slipped a finger into Janice. "I’m far from finished."

The metal bars of the bed racked from the sudden jerk.

The Queen was breathing the heaviest now. "Mel!" Her voice boomed through the room. "Mel… please."

"I will," came sexually from the southerner’s voice. She began the solid but slow movement of her finger. Soon she’d add more with a fast pace.

Starling came in first slowly in a seeming timid way.

Sylvia came in next and silently closed the door to the hut. "Wow, it’s quiet now."

The regent shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe they’re asleep."

"No… they would have joined us at the site."

The regent turned her head to the second in command with a high arched eyebrow. "You really believe that?"

"No." Carter quietly laughed and took a deep breath. "Well, you know what they say… it’s always quiet before the storm."

Starling opened her mouth to respond to that one but stopped.

A loud scream erupted through the hut and sounded through and probably into the forest. It was certainly Janice’s voice screaming Mel’s name in pure release of ecstasy.

The regent turned brick red and Sylvia joined her in the deep redness.

Clan Ephiny coughed and looked away. "Well, we better wait for them at the dig site."

"Right." The second in command scrambled to the door and left in a rush.

Starling wasn’t to far behind feeling the air outside cool her body and calm her heart rate. "Damn Soulmates." She laughed while continuing her power walk to the tomb.

~*~*~*~

Mel was the first to the steps into the tomb, she stood on the level floor by the steps. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Janice come down beside her.

The eight Amazons lifted their heads as they sat on the floor by the lit lamps. They stared directly at the Soulmates.

The southerner crossed her arms against her chest. "Problem y’all?"

The Queen held back the loudest laugh at her partner’s deep voice and hard tone.

The Amazons shook their heads and lowered their heads back to the scrolls they were reading.

The translator turned her head to her companion and winked.

Janice arched an eyebrow but had a warm smile. She reached over and rubbed Mel’s back and walked over to her Amazons.

The southerner followed behind and saw them reading the English scrolls.

Radclyffe lifted her head up. "Glad you two decided to join us."

The Queen raised and eyebrow while her arms went against her chest. "Figured we better Rad. Want to make sure nobody get’s out of control."

The head council member huffed. "That’s the pot calling the kettle."

Janice laughed and gazed over to her regent. "What’s going on?"

Starling gazed up with a smile. "Well since we’ve been waiting for… you both we’ve been skimming over these scrolls."

"And?" Mel placed her hands to her hips. She looked more… dangerous since her hair was down.

Starling shook her had and gave a reply. "It’s all about the Amazons. It’s just perfect." She glanced around and over to the wall and finally to the Soulmates again. "It’s everything about the Amazons right down the smallest of details to how the Amazons slept at night."

Janice quietly laughed. "That’s me… Gabrielle for you." The archeologist dropped her head and shook it from the slip that came past her lips.

The regent had a confused look. "You okay?"

"Yeah." The Queen smiled while noticing her other friend’s staring up with worried looks. "Hate it when that happens."

The women laughed together.

The Queen shifted over to the wall and gazed up to it.

Mel came up beside her Soulmate and studied it all. "Has anybody read the top scroll?"

"No." Sylvia lifted her eyes to it. "We didn’t want to touch it without the Queen’s permission."

"Good thinking." The Queen winked to her second in command but shifted her attention to the scroll again. "Think we can get it?"

Mel nodded. "Sure, let me get it." She stepped up to the wall, carefully she extracted the scrolls in two columns till it reach above her height. The scrolls she deposited into Janice’s arms. Then with the greatest ease the tall woman placed her boots into the scroll sockets and climbed up the wall.

All the women’s eyes were on the tall dark southerner that scaled the tall wall side.

"Mel be careful."

Melinda reached up and grasped the scroll at the very top under the declaration that read The Amazon Destiny. She pulled the scroll out and lowered her arm down with it to her Soulmate. "Here you go."

Janice fumbled with the scrolls she had to try and get the handed scroll.

Ashley quickly stood and took the scrolls from Janice. "Go ahead my Queen."

The archeologist sighed at her third in command and reached up to take the scroll from her partner. She carefully tucked it under her arm. Next Janice moved towards the scroll wall to watch her translator come down with perfection. "You’re good."

"I know." Mel spun around and turned her head to Clan Teresa. "Here." She reached forward taking the scrolls and putting them back into their homes.

After that, Janice was unrolling the scroll she had and glancing over it.

The belle did the same, skimming it.

"What’s it say?" Cliona stared up in wonderment.

The Queen lifted her head up with the rim of her hat darkening her eyes. "How about I read it to y’all later this afternoon." Her eyes flickered over to Starling. "Right now I want to talk to Starling… alone."

The regent’s head sharply lifted. "What I do now?"

Sylvia snickered and stood. "The regent is in trouble."

The Amazons laughed and began to stand together. They went about placing the scrolls they had back into their rightful homes.

"That’s real rich second in command."

The second in command was standing near the steps, hand resting against the cool tomb wall. "Well… I’ll see you by the tree behind the hut at three." She winked and laughed at her friend’s shocked expression. "Bye… Star." Sylvia rushed up the steps to follow her friends.

Mel turned her head to Starling. "Neglecting to tell us something… Star?"

The regent lifted her red face. "Um… no not really." She sheepishly smiled.

"Uh huh." Janice sat down facing her regent.

The southerner bushed a lantern out of the way with her boot tip and sat beside her Soulmate.

"Did anybody noticing something… odd about Mel?" Ashley glanced around to her friends while they slowly walked back to the hut.

"Yeah." Cliona grinned. "But I think it’s both of them."

The grouped laughed loudly together.

"They’ve changed, that’s for sure." That was Hellanes.

"Not just that." Emily glanced around. "But Mel lost her accent. Didn’t y’all notice that?"

Cliona quietly laughed. "After what Janice probably did to her, I’d lose my accent too."

"Mmm, wasn’t Janice." Sylvia devilishly grinned.

The princess arched an eyebrow at the second in command. "And how would you know?"

Sylvia Carter looked away as her body went up in a notch of heat. "Trust me, I heard… from the birds."

The women laughed simultaneously and walked to the front of the hut.

"Either way." Constance glanced around between the women. "They’re happy… and getting happier."

Radclyffe’s lips slipped into a warm smile. "Even I have to admit it’s perfect to seem them like that."

Cliona let everybody in except for the council member, she stood in the doorway. "Somebody write that down! Raddy just said something nice."

Clan Masika growled low and shoved the princess into the hut. "Move it youngen."

The pilot laughed as she straightened back up from being pushed into the hut.

"What we going to do with all these scrolls?"

Janice sighed and thought for a moment before responding to her regent. She leaned back with her hands going behind resting on the cold floor.

Mel glanced over to her partner but back to Starling. "We should leave them here."

The regent nodded in agreement and turned her head to Janice.

The Queen sat up straight and gave her answer. "Mel’s right." She glanced around in the tomb. "We’ll leave all the scrolls here." She took a deep breath. "No, I lied… Mel and I will take Gabrielle’s Greek scrolls back to Columbia."

"Good idea." The translator gave a small smile. "We’ll need something for Doctor Johnson to show we didn’t go on vacation in Greece."

The regent quietly laughed. "And the rest of the scrolls we’ll leave here?" She paused while taking a deep breath. "You don’t think that’s risky?"

"Why?" The archeologist shrugged her shoulders. "This tomb is in the middle of no where and nobody knows what’s going on." Her lips formed into a grin. "We’ll be fine… besides you, Hellanes, and Sylvia will be here to guard it."

Starling shook her head with a grin. "Thanks." But her serious look took over. "What about the money?"

"We’ll use it." Janice reached up to remove her hat to place it in her lap. "Gabrielle’s purpose with that was to buy back the ancient Amazon lands."

"We can’t possible buy back all the lands Janice?" Clan Ephiny shook her head. "That’s to much land and to much money being waved around."

Melinda grinned with her arms going against her chest. "You just gotta know how to wave money around right Starling."

The regent quickly raised an eyebrow. "And I am taking it you’ll be the treasury of the Amazons?"

The southerner laughed but gave a sly grin. "Of course, I do have numerous accountants."

Starling gave her own grin.

"Look, we can not use all that money just on buying land and building on it." The archeologist caught the attention of her Soulmate and friend. "We need to use some of that money on the Amazons personally. If we so much as find an Amazon needing money then we’ll use that money to help."

The regent nodded. "I agree. There definitely are Amazons in finical debt."

"I know." Janice lowered her eyes.

"What about the Amazon Scrolls?" Starling tried to change the subject.

"No Amazon knows everything about the Amazons?" Janice lifted her head up.

"No." Starling shook her head. "Rad knows the most out of anybody and even her knowledge is small." Her amber eyes raised up to the Amazon Scrolls in the wall. "What are we going to do?"

"We should publish the scrolls."

The Queen turned her head at Mel. "I like that." She had a warm smile. "Definitely Mel, if we take all these scrolls…." Now Janice looked up to the scrolls. "And have them published in a book for every Amazon, it would be perfect." Her eyes averted back. "Make them a tradition like the Amazon books in each clan."

"That would be perfect." The regent brightened up to this idea. "It would be amazing."

A chuckle left Janice. "The Amazing Amazon." However she went serious now. "The weapons should be left in that room… we’ll figure out what to do with them later."

"Okay I agree…" Starling soon was handing over a grin. "But I am not sure if I’ll be able to keep Nes away from them."

The archeologist laughed with a smile. "Don’t worry, somebody needs to learn how to use them." She winked and grasped her hat and put it on. "Let’s head to the hut. We’ll figure the rest of this later."

"Alright." Starling stood up with her lamp.

The Soulmates did the same and Janice also carried the scroll from earlier. The three women left the tomb and closed the hatch while covering it with a tarp. Soon after they found themselves inside with the rest of the women in the midday.

The Queen soon found herself sitting around with her Amazons reading the scroll titled The Amazon Destiny. Her voice was reading the scroll aloud in a tale of seeming power. Each Amazon was lost into Janice’s voice and her tone. Everybody could feel the convictions of Janice’s words as she read the scroll as if she was giving them a dream. The scroll the Queen read only spoke of destiny.

Janice smiled as she kept reading aloud, her eyes pinned down on the scroll. "Each Amazon Nation was created for the same reason. I do not care whether my Amazon knows the ways of fishing, knows trade, or how to fight. I do not care if my Amazon comes from the north, south, west, east, or Chin. I do not care if my Amazon is a priestess or a shamanness. I do not care because that is not what makes an Amazon. What makes an Amazon is trueness of heart, of love for another, and selflessness. We are no longer broken fragments of what was, we are so much more. We are not just tribes of women, warriors, fighters, farmers, traders, priestesses, Queens, archers, and fishermen. We are a family. We are a family of sisters, mothers, and daughters. And there is no other such Nation in this world like ours. That is the difference of our Nation. That is what makes this Nation so special."

Janice paused for she knew the rest of the scroll and she read it from her soul’s past. Her eyes lifted to her Amazons around the table and she spoke the rest while gazing between her Amazons. "I am the Queen and I am your chosen. I will tell you the destiny of the Amazons. Tell you the Amazon Destiny. I promise to this new Nation, to the old Nations, the first Nation, our ancestors, and to Artemis that I will not let this new Nation rest asunder. We will not rest asunder. This new Nation all of us will establish. This new Nation will last for all time."

Now a powerful smile took over Janice’s lips. "This is a new age for the Amazons. The sun set on the Amazons so long ago. We have survived the night and waited for the light. The dawning of a new era has shined over the Amazons. And the night may fall upon the Amazons someday when I am gone. But I will come back to bring my Amazons out of the night and into the rising sun's light. Time will never bring about the death of the Amazon."

Janice stopped and rolled the scroll up carefully, she took a deep breath and finished the remains that was written on the scroll. "Amazons. Women. Nation. Warriors. Family. These are the things we are. And something trivial as time will never destroy us as it tried for so long. The only thing that now remains is for all of us to become as one. To forget about what Nation we came from, for it does not matter here. Now we must stand together and embrace the Amazon Destiny!" She lifted the scroll and at the center was a stamp of a gold bird and she pressed her lips against it. Cautiously the scroll was on the table waiting to be heard again.

There was a time of silence now for everybody took in the words spoken by Janice.

"Amen to that!" Cliona smiled and stood up with her head bowed.

Starling soon found herself standing up with her head low.

Next came Emily with Constance both standing and bowing heads.

Ashley stood up with Sylvia and Hellanes.

Radclyffe glanced around with a stern look, her head bobbed up and down at seeing the demonstration. Without warning a warm smile creased her lips and she stood up ever so slowly. Her hands grasped the wood of the table and she bowed her head to Janice.

The Queen felt herself faintly blushed and she reached over to grasp Mel’s nearest hand in a tight embrace.

Mel faced her Soulmate and leaned towards her with her right hand brushing Janice’s cheek.

The archeologist shut her eyes when the contact of Mel was on her lips.

The kiss was long between the chosen as the Amazons looked on with warm smiles.

When Janice pulled back she was lost into her Soulmate’s eyes.

Starling crossed her arms against her chest and let a grin slip in. "The Amazing Amazon."

The women broke out laughing together.

~*~*~*~

Well, the rest of that day had been relaxing. Janice deciding everybody should have a day off after the digging from the past days. The Amazons smiled in reaction to the proclamation and went about doing their own things for the afternoon. By the evening everybody met up for dinner and afterwards they went to bed early, not sure what tomorrow would bring.

But by early evening Janice and Mel were in their room together. Janice was on the bed, back against the wood headboard. Mel however sat in the center of the bed facing her partner. There the two women talked about the plans.

"Janice, this is going to be a lot on our plates."

"I know." The archeologist sighed while lowering her eyes. "But I… can’t turn my back on them."

Mel reached out with a smile. "I know." She squeezed her Soulmate’s hand. "Nor can I." She gave her own sigh. "But it is going to be a lot of work."

"It will be but it will be worth it Mel."

"It will." The southerner nodded and let her thumb run against her friend’s fingers. "We’re going to have to figure out how to fit the Amazons in with our research on Xena and Gabrielle."

The small woman sighed and stared at their laced hands. "They… kind of go hand in hand." Her emerald eyes lifted up to Mel.

"True." The translator nodded in agreement. "What about the Amazons’ purpose?"

Janice slowly raised an eyebrow at her partner. "What you mean? Mel, we know the purpose of the Amazons."

"I know… but what will the Amazons do in the forties?" The southerner shook her head. "We can’t help build them if we don’t know why."

Janice quickly grasped both of her Soulmate’s hands and held them tightly. "Mel, tell me right here and now that you don’t know why we’re doing this… that you don’t understand." She paused for a moment. "Tell me you don’t know why."

Melinda let a smile crease her lips. "I know why… just a real big family to bring together."

The Queen quietly laughed. "Understatement." She leaned back against the headboard again and thought for a moment. "We should have a meeting tomorrow."

"I agree." The translator gave a nod and relaxed herself. "Truly Janice, we should head back to Columbia soon."

"Yeah, I’m sure Doctor Johnson will get overly nosey if we don’t arrive soon."

"He will." Mel however let a grin come over her face. "Soon we’ll be on our own."

The archeologist laughed. "I can’t wait, no more of the University’s so-called help."

The southerner narrowed her eyes faintly. "That was my daddy’s University."

"Was." Janice released her Soulmate’s hands and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Still is."

"No…" The Queen shook her head with a small grin. "Maybe if you ran the show it would be different."

"Are you suggesting something Janice?"

The small woman shrugged her shoulders. "Nope." She hopped out of the bed with her partner’s curious eyes on her. "I am going to go tell everybody that tomorrow we have a meeting about the plans for the Amazons."

Clan Xena stood up off the bed and came up near her partner. "I’ll help."

"Thanks." Janice smiled up as she felt warm hands fall to her hips.

"Ssso, what do mean by ‘if you ran the show it would be different?’ I couldn’t be the dean Janice."

"Never say never Mel… we both know that." Janice’s lips now took on a devilish grin. "Besides your name is only Pappas."

Mel laughed and lowered her head against her partner’s. "Well… Doctor Johnson is… close to retirement."

"Very close." Janice pressed her lips against her Soulmate’s lightly. "Maybe a year."

"In that year we could will have the Amazon organized."

"Hopefully." The archeologist circled her arms around her partner. "Melinda Pappas the Dean of University of South Carolina… nice ring to it."

The tall woman now had a grin. "Very nice ring." She took Janice’s lips into a long kiss.

Janice disappeared into the kiss and almost forgot her mission. "Mel… the meeting."

Melinda quietly laughed and released her partner. "You take the right side of the hall, I have the left."

"Sounds like a plan." The archeologist left the room with Mel behind her.

The pair split up going to each room telling those Amazons that there was a meeting tomorrow morning on the plans for the Amazons. Each Amazon seemed excited about this new information. After this, the Soulmates went to their room again. There soon Janice was giving Mel the same treat she’d receive that morning. It was grand and only left the translator without any breath and a pounding heart. Her soul was filled for a time till its need would take her all over again.

Section 4

~*Part 8*~

Janice tightened her arms around her Soulmate’s body.

Mel gradually opened her eyes and smiled. "Morning." She lifted her head to kiss the top of the archeologist’s head.

The Queen slept on top of her Soulmate in the pure nude… not that Mel wasn’t nude as well. Janice lifted her head with groggy and half-opened eyes. "Morning." She gave a long content sigh while placing her head back down. "How’d you sleep Mel?"

"Real well."

The small woman gave a little laugh. "I hear you on that one." Now her arms came up with her head. She crossed her arms over Mel’s chest and rested her chin there. "We should head back to Columbia soon."

"Definitely." The translator let a small smile crease her lips while her fingertips glided up and down her friend’s smooth back. "Maybe even tomorrow."

"That early?" Janice arched an eyebrow.

"It is a long flight."

"True." The small woman gradually closed her eyes. "Let’s just get through this meeting… we’re playing this by ear."

The southerner gave a faint nodded while continuing her caress along Janice’s back. "This is odd."

The archeologist ever so slowly opened her eyes. "It is." She had her eyes locked with Mel’s. "I’ve never… felt so…"

"Perfect." The southerner smiled warmly. "Despite the fact you’re… letting me be more in control."

Janice laughed turned her head to rest her cheek on her arms. "Nnooo, I’m just getting real soft… like Gabrielle."

"Love… Gabrielle wasn’t soft."

The archeologist quickly lifted her head with a high eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yess… you know that."

Covington let a grin control her lips. "Only around Xena she was."

"Yup." The translator found her own grin covering her mouth. But that grin disappeared, as she became serious. "Are you scared about this change?"

Janice truly considered while her eyes went unfocused. "It’s different." Her eyes refocused on Mel. "Maybe a little scared because Janice Covington is not the same person everybody knows."

"But I know you."

"Yes." The archeologist smiled warmly. "But see even now… I don’t act like the same person you met Mel."

"Do I act the same as I was when we first met?"

The Queen quietly laughed. "Definitely not… no accent either."

The southerner corked an eyebrow. Now her eyes twinkled while her voice came out light. "We’ll if y’all want my accent back I can do dat wid no problem. ‘Cause right now I feel like uh split personality."

Janice laughed with a shake of her head. "That was interesting." Suddenly Janice dropped her smile and her face swept over with a death look. "But fuck that, I am an archeologist with the best rep for screwing up a dig sites if I you let me. Otherwise I’ll sell your mother for just a little stash of moolah."

The translator gave an innocent look. "Now Doctor Covington what would uh lady like yo do wid uh lot of money? Definitely considering yo are duh daughter of Harry Covington."

"Hell!" Janice rolled her eyes. "I’d buy myself a nice revolver first with some cigs, get my self drunk as shit, and I’d finish my goddamn night with fucking a bitch of a hooker." She had her eyes narrowed but they were sparkling deeply. "You know what the hell I’d really do with that goddamn money?"

"What iz dat Doctor Covington?"

"I’d fucken burn it all ‘cause I got everything I want right here." That hard as nails look dissolved from the Queen’s face and was now a warm smile on her lips. Janice leaned in to take Mel’s lips. "Right here."

The tall woman moaned into the kiss while shifting her right hand behind her partner’s head to deepen the kiss.

Janice grinned while kissing this other beautiful woman. When she pulled back she nuzzled her face against Mel’s neck. "I love you Mel."

"I love you too Janice." Mel encircled her Soulmate’s body.

The archeologist started to quietly laugh.

"What are you chuckling about?"

Janice took a deep breath. "Did I really use to talk like that?"

"Pretty much." The belle smiled to herself while shutting her eyes. "Not quite so many cuss words though."

The small woman quietly snickered. "Sorry, slip of the lips."

"Right." A grin creased Melinda’s lips. "Mmm, we need to get up."

"Yeah." Janice was thinking about getting up.

Mel was thinking about getting up too.

However it just was not happening between the two women.

"Okay… this plan ain’t working." The translator opened her eyes again.

"That’s because this is perfect." Janice gave a happy sigh.

"True." The southerner took a deep breath. "But we need to get up before the Amazons start thinking bad thoughts about us."

"Who cares?"

Silence for a few seconds.

Mel gave a low laugh. "Guess neither of us. Well… I’ll just come up with another plan." Slowly her warm hands slid down to Janice’s sides while her eyes opened again.

The archeologist knew what was about to happen. "Don’t even think about it Mel."

"About what?" The southerner gave an innocent looked and she quickly began to tickle the small woman. And now came the first time Mel heard her Soulmate squeal uncontrollable so this only led to Mel falling into a bundle of laughter.

Janice took a deep breath as she controlled her body again. She glared down at her laughing partner. "Mel." Her voice was hard.

The aristocrat took a deep breath while her laughter stopped, she gave a warm smile. "Sorry… but I’ve never heard you-"

"Mel." The archeologist growled her Soulmate’s name and rolled off her partner to stand up.

Melinda stared at Janice’s back, she sighed, and hopped out of the bed. Her arms came around the small woman and she drew Janice in. Her lips came down to brush over the archeologist’s ear. "Sorry."

The Queen gave a sad sigh and she relaxed into her friend’s embrace. "It’s alright." She lifted her head up some to peer up into warm sky swept eyes. "I guess that was Janice coming out." A corked grin was on her lips.

The southerner let a warm smile take over and she felt two small hands had grasped hers. "I know…guess Xena and Janice don’t mix."

The archeologist quietly laughed with her grin forming into a smile. "They need to." She lifted her right hand to pull Mel’s head down. She gently kissed the taller woman.

Melinda smiled after the kiss broke.

Janice turned fully to the belle now and rest her head against the other female’s chest. Her eyes shut and she felt herself fall into her side that was Gabrielle.

Mel soon was being filled with the side of her that is Xena. She felt that strong instinct to protect her Soulmate from the world around.

The Queen now shivered in her partner’s arms.

The translator peeked down at her partner. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Janice glimpsed up to the other woman. "Just… felt my stomach curl up from this feeling."

"Good feeling?" A lopsided smile was on Mel’s lips.

"Definitely." The archeologist took a deep breath with a serious expression coming over her. "We should do this more often."

"Ohh?" The southerner grinned from ear to ear. "Snuggle?"

Janice laughed. "Don’t call it that or I won’t want too."

The aristocrat snickered low. "Well… spend time together?"

"Exactly… and yes." Clan Gabrielle let out a huff. "We better get this meeting started. I’m sure they’re waiting for us."

Melinda nodded in agreement.

~*~*~*~

"We’re not leaving tomorrow?" Emily quietly whined while falling back into her seat.

"I agree." Ashley sighed and slumped into her seat. "I’m not ready to go back to work."

Cliona smirked over at her partner. "Come on Ash, America Air Born is the best."

The copilot huffed. "Keep saying it, maybe I’ll buy it one day."

The princess snickered low.

"Let’s be serious here." Radclyffe leaned towards the table. "This is a serious matter with our Nation."

The Queen nodded at that in agreement. "I agree." Janice reached up to remove her hat and settled it into her lap. "We all need to help in making the plans for the Nation."

Starling now spoke in. "Janice, Mel, and I have already came up with some ideas."

Everybody’s attention went to the regent in wonderment. But Starling glanced over to her Queen and nodded.

Janice nodded back up and took her cue. "Two small ideas. First I’d like to take all the English scrolls and have them published. Second is with all the gold and jewelry, I think we should buy these lands and the rest of the money to rebuild as well as help any Amazon in finical debt."

"I like that." Constance smiled warmly. "I know a few Amazons in England that could use the money after this war."

"That’s what I figured." Janice nodded.

"What about publishing these scrolls?" Hellanes held out her right hand. "What’s that going to do? We’re not going to publish them publicly." Her hand grasped the table.

"No." The Queen shook her head. "We publish them and hand them out personally to each Amazon." She grinned. "They’re only for the Amazons to understand what it was like during Gabrielle’s time."

Cliona gave a smirk. "Well, I guess we can’t call those books the Amazon books."

"We’ll call them the Amazon Knowledge books." Radclyffe had a smug look.

Cliona shot a mock glare to the head council member.

Radclyffe quietly laughed and shook her head.

"Why don’t we just call them the Amazing Amazon books?"

Everybody at the table chuckled at Sylvia’s joke.

"No." Janice shook her head and went serious. "I like Rad’s idea. Amazon Knowledge books is fine." She took a deep breath. "Now that we decided on that pressing matter let’s move on."

"Hold on, are we planning to buy all of the Amazon lands?"

Melinda shook her head. "No Emily, just Gabrielle’s original lands. That’s to much land and as Star said to much money being waved around."

Leukos evilly grinned. "Jus’ have to know how to wave it around right?"

A huge grin took over the aristocrat’s lips. "Exactly."

"So does this make you our treasurer of the Amazons?" Sylvia smirked to the translator.

"It does." The archeologist crossed her arms against her chest with a smug look.

The second in command’s mouth dropped because of the simple agreement.

Janice quietly laughed but went stern. "We need to figure out how to bring the Amazons together."

"Only by word of mouth." Starling took a deep breath. "That’s how the last meeting happened."

"But you said only five hundred Amazon showed up for that one?"

"Yes." The regent nodded at her Queen’s words. "So we need to give more time to let more word to get around." She took a deep breath. "The Amazon are resourceful and very loyal. Word will spread fast but there are some Amazons that are hard to get too."

"Well…" Constance’s let a grin come over her expression "We’ll just make sure to spread with the word that our Queen is the Chosen."

"Exactly." Starling gave serious nod. "That’ll make sure that more Amazons come. If we’re real lucky maybe all will show."

"But that’s not likely is it?"

Starling turned her head to Emily. "No Ems, out of the nine hundred plus we may only get… six hundred. It depends on time, location, money… everything."

Janice was in deep thought over her regent’s words. "Cliona?"

The pilot gazed over to the Queen. "Yeah?"

The archeologist lifted her eyes to the princess. "Would you feel like flying around the world to pick up some Amazons? Just incase some can not afford to make it to Greece."

Cliona Smith gradually corked an eyebrow. With a tiny grin crossing her lips she glanced at her copilot. "What you say Ash?"

Ashley quietly laughed. "Hell yeah." She grinned over to Janice. "I think America Air Born can shove it up their-"

"I think they can too Sprite."

Ashley started to laugh hard at Sylvia’s interjection.

"Quite a mouth she has on her hands." Sylvia shook her head but focused her attention on Janice. "What about the Amazons Cliona and Sprite can’t make it too?"

The Queen’s lips creased with a fine grin. "Then we can just pay for it. We do have enough money… now."

The Amazons chuckled together.

"When we have this meeting we should probably have the Amazon fill out forms." Constance’s eyes flickered between all the other women. "A form on where they live, what clan, age… things like that."

"Good idea." Janice nodded and took a deep breath. "I’d like to figure out a way to gain better control over this small… communication gap. We can not keep relying on word of mouth."

"We could do what Gabrielle did." Cliona straightened up. "Use the lieutenants."

"How?" Janice crossed her arms against her chest.

"Well…" The princess thought for a moment.

"You’re saying having the lieutenants monitor sectors like in Gabrielle’s nation?"

Cliona glanced over to the translator. "Yeah… sort of."

Mel nodded and turned her head to the Queen. "If we take the lieutenants and make them in charge of certain Amazons in certain areas of the world, we could keep better tabs on what’s going on."

Janice nodded and was about to answer but didn’t.

"That’s it." The princess smiled. "Each lieutenant can be in charge of a certain sector of the world with those surrounding Amazons."

"Then it would be simple if those Amazons checked in with that lieutenant on how they’re doing."

Emily nodded in agreement with Sylvia’s words. "Also if say Janice has an order we could have it dispersed to the lieutenants and then the lieutenants would tell their Amazons in that sector. It would be perfect."

"My only problem is with the lieutenants themselves." Janice straightened up. "They are all over the world and I have very little control over them." She saw the looks of hurt written over her Amazons. "And I am not saying they will be disloyal. I am saying something could easily happen to my lieutenants and it may be months before I know which would endanger those Amazons in that sector." She shook her head. "Once it gets public of our people the Amazons will be poked and probed with questions. We all know this and we can only hide ourselves for so long." She narrowed her eyes faintly. "We need to be cautious of the outside world especially with today and with men. They will not take lightly to knowing their wife is an Amazon. A woman that is independent and only allows other women into her family."

"We’ll have to change that."

The women turned their heads to the head council member.

"Truly." Radclyffe straightened up. "The Amazons will need to make a small shift to be able to integrate right with modern day." She shook her head. "As we all know we can not come together here in Greece, throw on leathers, strap swords on our backs, and masquerade with feathers on." A deep breath. "It’s not realistic." A pause while she collected her thoughts. "The forties Amazons will have to adjust by knowing a family can include men…" A huge smirk covered her lips. "It’s just men are not always wearing the pants, that’s all."

Constance raised her eyebrow at her friend. "So you’re saying Rad that when we go back to England and my betrothed returns from war I should tell him I am an Amazon?" The priestess shook her head. "I will if I want to break the engagement."

"Constance."

The priestess turned her head to the Queen in question.

"I think what Rad is trying to say is the Amazons of the forties need a different mind set." Janice took a deep breath. "Meaning for example, you can not walk around thinking you’re an Amazon so you do not need a man. Rad’s point is we need to walk around remembering we’re apart of great tribe of women that stand for a family not difference between sexes."

The head council member nodded in agreement at that explanation. "Thank you."

Janice’s eyes flickered over to Radclyffe Hale and a small smile creased her lips. Her attention went back to all the Amazons. "Does everybody understand what is the new frame of mind?"

Each Amazon nodded in agreement.

The Queen sat back in her seat with her hands resting on top of her hat. "And since each of you are officers." Her eyes settled on Emily. "With the exception of our good doctor." She focused on the women again. "I’d like for you eight to set this example with my Amazons."

The Amazons nodded in unison, even Mel and Emily.

"Thank you." Janice gave a warm smile but lost it due to her seriousness. "Let’s set a date on this meeting."

Starling sat up. "Currently it is January tenth… nineteen forty-three."

"What time is it too Star?" Janice gave a huge evil grin.

"Funny my Queen." The regent narrowed her eyes with a grin.

The archeologist chuckled. "Okay now that we all know today’s date, we need one for when this grand get together is to happen."

"How about in six months?"

Mel shook her head at Emily suggestion. "No, that’s to early." Her eyes shifted to Starling. "Do you know how much time was between the announcement of the meeting and meeting last time?"

"I have no idea." The regent glanced down to the head council member. "You know right Rad?"

Clan Masika nodded and gazed over to Janice. "Your mother put a time space of about five months."

The Queen sighed. "And that was in the middle of World War One… Christ this is bad."

"We should make it a year." Mel turned her head towards her Soulmate. "Hopefully the war won’t be to bad."

Janice’s right hand went through her hair in frustration. "Damn war." She took a calm deep breath. "We have Amazons in Germany, France, Austria, and Italy huh?" Her eyes were focused on Starling.

The regent faintly nodded. "Afraid so."

"Christ." Janice Covington went silent with the rest of the women.

Starling slowly lifted her eyes up from the table to lock on her Queen. "Amazons are resourceful."

Sylvia now locked her eyes on her Queen. "The Amazing Amazon." She said it with a straight face.

"They’ll be here." Radclyffe crossed her arms against her chest. "Or I am not the oldest clan."

Janice sighed and gave a faint sad smile. "Let’s hope so."

"So… is it decided? A year?" asked the regent.

"Yess." Janice gave her nod of approval. "January tenth… nineteen forty-four." A grin came into play. "Let’s get word around."

"Don’t you think Janice it would be a good idea to hand out the… Amazon Knowledge books at that time?"

The archeologist turned her head to the priestess. "Good idea." She turned her head towards her Soulmate. "That means we’ll have to take the English scrolls with us back to Columbia."

Mel nodded and spoke her idea. "I think I can get them published privately."

Janice grinned. "I know."

The translator winked.

The small archeologist chuckled and gazed back to the women. "Anybody else have questions… suggestions?"

"What about the weapons?" Hellanes finished her question with a grin.

The Queen evilly grinned at her weapons master. "Just don’t break them Nes."

The weapons master laughed low and nodded. "Yes of course my Queen."

"And the money?" Cliona shook her head. "We really can’t leave it here."

"We could… technically."

"Ash, we should put it to use." The princess shook her head again at her partner. "It’s been sitting there for to long as it is."

"Then we’ll take it back to America." Janice cut in before a debate came about. "Mel and I will take care of the money." She took a deep breath. "As soon as we get the money in order we’ll buy these lands."

"How are we going to work that?" Sylvia shook her head. "Only Hellanes or myself could buy the land since we’re Greek."

"Well… get ready to be purchasing a hunk of land."

The second in command arched an eyebrow at her Queen. "You’re kidding?"

Janice quietly laughed. "I am." She went serious and gazed at her Soulmate. "Your explanation Mel."

The translator nodded and gave her full attention to the Amazons. "It’s simple, we’ll make the Amazons quote, a legal partnership, unquote."

"So basically we’ll be an organization?" The regent nodded. "The Amazon Organization."

"Yes, we’ll legally be a organization... club." The aristocrat shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever you fancy to call it." She gave a sigh. "Non-the-less, once we legally make this group and say it resides in Greece then we’ll be able to purchase land… or whatever else." She paused and remembered one small detail. "The only thing is, once we do this our name will be public… the government will want to know what’s our purpose."

"Hell." The Queen shook her head. "Forgot about that part."

The aristocrat grinned to her Soulmate. "I can pull strings."

The archeologist corked an eyebrow. "Excuse me."

Melinda laughed and reached down to grasp her partner’s hand.

"We need to figure out a source of income Janice." Radclyffe sat up in her seat. "There may be that gold but it won’t last forever."

"The mines." The doctor brightened up. "If we could find out if the Amazon Mountains still holds ore. We could do mining and sell the ores." She sheepishly smiled. "Just an idea."

Janice was in deep thought again, considering the idea.

"Yeah and what? Call it Amazon Jewelry?" The second in command snickered. "The Amazon Jewelry Company."

The archeologist turned her head to her translator and whispered, "Can we do something like that?"

"Yes," was the southerner’s response. "That’s only if there is anything still in those mountains."

Janice nodded and sighed. "We may have too." She gazed up to her friends "Rad is right, we do need an income." She sighed again. "Let Mel and I look into it. Right now fortunately we have enough gold to supply us… for now."

"Mmm, I have another idea…" Mel grinned. "Let’s try my father’s trick." She sat up and glanced around. "We could take some of the money and buy stock… good stock. That way we’ll always have income."

Everybody nodded together.

"You think that’s wise Mel?" The Queen gazed at her lover. "If the stock market crashes…"

"We’ll be fine." The aristocrat sat back with a grin. "I do have the best stockbrokers."

Janice quietly laughed. "Okay, so that’s another idea." She took a deep breath. "But right now the plan is to get the Amazons together here in Greece, buy the lands here, and get those English scrolls published."

"Are we going to do anything with Gabrielle’s scrolls?"

"I’m not quite sure yet Ems." The archeologist crossed her legs at the ankle under the table. "We’ll worry about that later but Mel and I are taking the Greek versions back to Columbia." Another small sigh. "Anything else?"

"I may have a solution to the sector problem."

The Queen along with the rest of the Amazons gazed at the eldest Amazon.

Radclyffe took a deep breath. "I am not quite sure of this but supposedly Gabrielle had an overseer of her lieutenants. Now the overseer’s job was to check on these lieutenants along with the Amazons in that area just to make sure things were okay." Her eyes focused on the Queen. "I’m sure you could find out whom this overseer is and have them doing this job again."

Janice’s head was bobbing up and down as her mind considered the idea and possibilities. "Not a bad idea Rad."

The head council member nodded. "It’s your best option I believe Janice."

"It may just be." The Queen smiled and glimpsed around. "I think that covers everything."

"Are we leaving tomorrow Janice?" Ashley had a pouting look.

The archeologist quietly laughed. "I’m afraid so Ash." She took a long breath. "We’ve been playing Amazons to long."

The group laughed together.

"So, tomorrow we’ll leave and head first to England and to…" Janice turned her head to her Soulmate. "Columbia?"

Mel squeezed her partner’s hand. "Or New York?"

Janice whispered out, "I don’t know." But her eyes averted away. "Starling, we’ll leave the truck with you."

The regent nodded. "Thank you, will be nice to have a source of… transportation."

Sylvia and Hellanes huffed together and said in unison, "About time."

A few Amazons snickered while the others had grins.

Janice squeezed her Soulmate’s hand and let go, that hand went to grasp her hat. She lowered her head and put the hat on while standing up. She lifted her head and dropped her hand, her eyes were dark now. "Everybody, get some rest and relaxation before tomorrow since we’re flying out of here." Her eyes switched over to her regent. "With the exception of the guardians."

Starling Miller huffed and slumped in her seat. "Whoopee."

The second in command evilly grinned at Clan Ephiny. "Don’t worry, things will be more… entertaining now."

The regent arched an eyebrow at her friend.

"Oh wonderful." The weapons master sighed and sat back in her seat.

"Don’t worry Nes." Sylvia Carter rested her hand on her friend’s knee. "We’ll include you."

"Hell no." The weapons master stood and her eyes flashed at the second in command. "I do not need to be that… close to the most ordering people in the world."

Starling and Sylvia laughed as they watched Hellanes amble off with a grin.

Janice shook her head and gazed down to her Soulmate.

Mel lifted her eyes up and gave a warm smile. She read her partner’s eyes and stood up herself while taking the smaller hand offered.

Without a word the Soulmates left the hut.

Emily glanced back to the closing door and back to the group. "I don’t want to know what they’re up too."

"No you don’t" Starling quickly stood and glanced over to her second in command. "Nor what Sylvia and I are up too."

The second in command could take a hint and stood up to disappear with Starling.

"Gee, we must be slacking ourselves Ash."

The third in command gazed at the princess. "You’re talking… crap Cliona."

The pilot laughed and rested more back into her seat. "Darn, you can even let me through out some subtext around here."

Radclyffe raised an eyebrow. "That’s because you don’t know how to do it right Cliona."

"Oh?" The princess crossed her arms against her chest. "Can you do better?"

Emily looked from one end of the table to the other watching with a smirk.

"Oh course." The head council member turned her head to the priestess. "Come here… honey."

Constance quietly laughed and leaned towards her friend. "Yes… sweetie pie?"

Radclyffe held back her laugh and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on Constance’s cheek.

"Sweetie… I am engaged."

Clan Masika winked. "And he is at war."

Constance laughed and sat back in her seat. "Rocking the cradle."

Hale quietly laughed and took a deep breath while gazing at Cliona.

The princess shook her head and sighed. "That’s nothing Rad." She turned to her copilot.

Ashley raised an eyebrow in question.

"Which you prefer Ash… honey dumpling or sexy momma?"

The third in command just laughed and shook her head. "How about neither?"

"Not an option." Cliona carefully lifted her right hand to her copilot’s cheek and leaned in to just lightly brush her lips against Ashley’s. When she pulled back she saw the huge blush on Ashley’s face that was only getting redder.

Radclyffe cleared her throat. "Well… maybe that does take the cake." She laughed then gave a sigh.

Emily quickly stood. "It’s getting way to… friendly for me around here." She chuckled and left the hut in a hurry. Walking at a slow pace the good doctor made it to the dig site and glanced around for the Soulmates.

The archeologist walked out of the supply tent and spotted her friend. "Hey Ems."

Emily strolled up to her Queen. "What you and Mel up to?"

"We’re getting the scrolls together and the money."

The doctor nodded and caught sight of Mel now coming out of the tent. "Want company?"

Janice chuckled. "Of course, get a lamp and we’ll meet you down there."

"Alright." Leukos went into the tent after the southerner shifted out of the way.

Mel and Janice made their way into the trench with lamps and four large bags.

~*~*~*~

"Janice, I’d like to know how we’re gonna get all of this money out of here."

The archeologist stared at the pile of gold and jewels. "You’ve have a point." She sighed.

"Well… do you real need all this gold to buy the lands?" The doctor glanced between the women.

"Nope." Melinda took a deep breath. "Maybe about… one tenth."

Janice chuckled. "Probably right." She lifted her eyes up to her Soulmate. "So what you say one bag load?"

The translator glanced back to the pile. "Yeah… sounds good." She grinned to her partner.

The archeologist again chuckled and took one of her bags to collect the some of the wealth.

The southerner bent down to help her friend load it in.

"Hey Ems." The Queen lifted her head up to her friend. "Why don’t you start getting the Amazon Knowledge scrolls?" She threw her second canvas bag at the doctor.

Leukos caught the bag as it smacked into her. "Sure my Queen." She smirked and strolled out of the room with the bag and a lamp.

Janice turned her head towards the doorway. "The English ones Emily!"

"I know!"

The archeologist laughed and went back to gathering the money. "She’s great."

"She is." Mel smiled up and kept lifting the gold in. She lifted up a small diamond. "My… what a beauty." She turned it in the light to see it glisten to her.

"Yeah." The archeologist looked up and wrinkled her nose. "If you like compressed charcoal."

Slowly the belle’s eyes averted to her Soulmate. "Compressed charcoal is worth a lot these days."

"Yup." Janice looked away and kept lifting handfuls into the bag. "But… worth nothing when it comes to you."

Clan Xena smiled to herself and dropped the diamond into the bag as if it were nothing. "Dido."

The archeologist’s eyes flickered up with warmth and she smiled. She took a deep breath and put one last handful into the bag seeing it at its limit.

Mel closed pulled the string at the top and put the flap over and tied it shut. "I’ll carry it."

The Queen chuckled. "Yeah, to heavy for me." Janice stood up with two canvas bags that were Mel’s along with the two lamps.

The aristocrat grasped the bag and lifted it up finding it mildly heavy. She slung it onto her back with a rattle.

Janice lifted her eyes to the large gold statue. "That’s something else."

Pappas turned towards the statue of Artemis. "It’s beautiful." She gave a sigh. "It must have been in their temple to Artemis."

"I’m sure it was." The small woman studied it for a few more moments and huffed. "Wanna go get Gabrielle’s scrolls?"

"Yeah." Mel smiled warmly. "Come on." She headed out of the room and walked into the next room that held the ‘Chosen’s Tales.’ There Mel settled her bag down onto the ground and took a lamp along with a bag.

Janice walked over to the Greek side with her companion. With Mel, Janice began to place the scrolls carefully into the canvas bag. She slipped one in and suddenly stopped in mid-action because something invaded her body. She rose back up and glanced to Mel. "I wanna check something, you got these?"

"Yeah." Mel smiled and saw out of the corner of her eyes her Soulmate walk to the English side. The southerner’s eyes shut as a feeling wash over her. She opened her eyes again and stared at the scrolls.

Janice walked up to the English scrolls, studied them, her right hand came up, and began to brush along the scrolls. She felt herself searching for one particular scroll and she had no idea why. Suddenly she grasped one and her fingers wrapped around the scroll.

Mel kept pulling out the Greek scrolls and settling them into the bag. Her hand grasped the next one and she was hesitant about putting it into the bag, she began to unroll the scroll.

The archeologist pulled the scroll from its home and began to unroll it. She quickly realized the scroll was blank but when it was completely unrolled she found a ring resting in the middle that sparkled and twinkled up to her. Her eyes became fixed on the ring and she smiled warmly. Carefully she lifted the ring and turned the band ring and saw an inscription that was in Greek. She didn’t need a translator to tell her what it read, she knew it said My soulmate forever. Janice quickly slipped the ring into her pant’s pocket.

The translator was not shocked about the unwritten scroll and was actually expecting it from this scroll she held. For what lay in the middle of the scroll was more important. She carefully lifted the two rings that greeted her in twinkles and sparkles as if she were an old friend. The southerner smiled warmly at them and lifted the rings to kiss them lightly. She now slipped them into her pant’s pockets and heard her archeologist shift across the floor. Mel quickly rolled up the blank scroll and placed it into the bag and reminding herself to take it out of the bag at first chance. "Find what you were looking for?"

Janice lifted her eyes to her partner. "Yeah." She came up to the Greek side and bent down to collect the rest of the bottom scrolls. "It’ll be nice to get back to the old grind of archeology when we get home."

"So Columbia?"

The Queen sighed and stood after depositing the scrolls into the bag. "I think so Mel. We need to get moving with the plans."

"I agree." The southerner gave a small nod and leaned down to lightly kiss her partner. "Ssso… we get to play translator and archeologist soon."

Janice laughed and gave a nod. "Yup… I like playing Queen but… archeology I was born for."

"True." The translator lowered her head close to Janice’s. "But your soul was born for Amazon Queen."

"Nnno." Janice grinned up and placed on hand on her Soulmate’s hip. "My half soul was born for you."

Melinda warmly smiled and took her partner’s lips in a powerful kiss.

"Hey Mel and Janice?"

The Soulmates groaned together at hearing Emily’s voice.

"What’s up Ems?" Janice released her partner at seeing the doctor come to the doorway.

"I need another bag." Emily realized how close the two women were to each other. "Oh… I’m… really sorry." She blushed slightly.

The archeologist laughed and grabbed her last empty bag and thew it at her Amazon. "We’ll be there in a second."

"Yeah… don’t mind me." Emily rushed out of there. "These Amazon are to friendly for me!"

The Soulmates laughed together at Emily’s echoed words.

The archeologist sighed slightly. "Yup… back to the old grind."

Mel’s lips shaped into a grin. "Thank god we’re partners."

"Tell me about it." Covington leaned up to kiss Mel lightly again. "We better go."

"Mmm yeah." Mel stepped back and tied the bag.

The archeologist reached down to take the bag with her lamp.

The belle walked over to the moneybag, lifted that to her back, and grabbed her lamp.

The pair left the room and walked down the corridor to the main room.

"Slight problem." The doctor turned her head at the pair entering. "I can’t reach the high ones."

Melinda sighed. "Vertically challenged people."

"Hey!" Janice narrowed her sparkling eyes.

"How I love them." The southerner gave a devilish grin.

Janice arched an eyebrow not totally convinced.

The translator dropped her bag to the ground and lifted her left hand to graze past Janice’s cheek.

The archeologist couldn’t hold back the blush.

Mel winked and walked over to Emily with her lamp. She placed her lamp down and turned to the English wall.

The Amazon opened her bag up more and held it with both hands.

The Queen came up beside Emily and watched as Mel took the high scrolls to place them into the bag.

But even Mel’s height became limited compared to some of the high scrolls. So she improvised and climbed up the wall carefully and took the highest scrolls out.

Janice took the scrolls handed to her and placed them into the canvas bag gingerly.

Within a minute or two the women had all the English scrolls in the bag.

The Queen doubled checked the wall and saw even the two very bottom scrolls were gone. She smiled to her friends. "I think that’s it."

"Are we really flying back tomorrow?" Emily lifted her eyes to Janice while she bent forward tying the bag.

"Yeah Ems… sorry."

Melinda walked over to her gold bag to carry it again. "Don’t miss Columbia huh?"

The doctor chuckled and lifted her own bag. "Ain’t that… it’s jus’ I feel at home here."

"Me too." Janice smiled warmly. "But we need to head back."

"I reckon so." The southern Leukos sighed and glanced over to the other bag with the scrolls. "How are we going to-"

"Got it." Melinda walked over to the canvas bag and lifted it up in her right hand. "Janice, can you get my lamp?"

"Sure, no problem." Janice collected her Soulmate’s lamp and glanced over to see Emily getting her lamp too. "Ready?"

"Yup," responded Emily. She walked over to the steps and began to climb up them.

The Queen glanced over to her partner. "Thanks Mel."

The aristocrat smiled. "No reason to thank me." She shifted the pack on her bag. "Come on, let’s go."

Janice’s lips creased with a warm smile and she walked up the steps to the trench.

~*~*~*~

"Woo." Hellanes jumped to the door of the hut and swung it open. "You three have a load there."

The Queen laughed. "Thanks Nes." She walked into the hut with her bag.

Melinda followed behind with Emily behind her.

The weapons master chuckled to herself and spun her sword to sheath it behind. She walked into the hut and closed the door behind. "What’s in those bags?"

The three women settled the four bags over in the corner of the hut.

"The scrolls," answer Janice. She straightened up. "And money."

Clan Eponin nodded. "Good."

~*Part 9*~

"I’m going to sabotage the truck," huffed Ashley.

"Ash, it could be worse." Cliona came up behind her friend and rested her hands on the Amazon’s shoulders.

The third in command turned around to her partner. "I really don’t wanna go back to America Air Born."

"We don’t have much choice." The princess sighed sadly and in the background she heard the door to the hut open. In the corner of her eyes she saw her Queen come outside with the bags.

"Yes we do."

"No we don’t." Clan Amarice looked away in frustration.

"We do have a choice Cliona… why we have to stay with this stupid company?"

"We have too stay okay?"

"No we don’t." Ashley narrowed her eyes a little.

Cliona opened her mouth to respond but was cut off.

"Neither of you don’t."

Both Amazon turned their heads to see Mel standing there with a serious look.

"How you figure Mel?" Cliona released her copilot and crossed her arms against her chest.

"I reckon I can help out Cliona." The southerner smiled warmly. "I know some people in the airplane business… I’m sure I can get you both hired to another company."

"Really?" Ashley’s eyes brightened up. "Mel, I can’t stand America Air Born."

"I know." The aristocrat sighed. "I’ve heard bad stuff about them."

"Yeah… they’re pretty bad." Cliona sighed and shook her head. "A bunch of jackass jerks are partners… about five partners."

"I heard." Mel shifted her weight to her other foot. "Think you can deal with the company for another month or so? I’ll have some strings pulled by then."

"Definitely." The third in command jumped to hug the tall woman. "Thanks Mel."

"Hey… don’t thank me till I pull the connections."

Smith grinned at seeing her copilot happy now. She then went in for a hug from Mel after Ashley.

"What’s all the hugging about?" Sylvia stepped up to the small group. "You guys still have an eight hour flight together and you’re hugging?" She sighed as if in pain. "You should be hugging me here… I feel out of the circle here."

The third in command laughed and stepped over to the second in command to hug her tightly. "Sorry Sylvi."

"It’s alright Sprite." The second in command hugged her friend tightly. "I’ll miss you cutie."

"Hey, no hitting on my girlfriend." The princess put her hands on her hips.

"Which girlfriend Cliona?" Slyvia pulled back from Ashley but still holding her by the hips. "You mean this one?" She leaned in to kiss Ashley on the cheek gently.

The third in command blushed to her roots and coughed. "Thanks Sylvia."

The second in command winked. "No problem Sprite." She released her friend.

Ashley turned to Cliona. "And you… you wish I was your girlfriend." She smacked the princess’s stomach and strolled away.

"For a partner… she’s got you whipped I’m afraid Cliona."

The princess coughed and straightened up. "Really Mel?" She crossed her arms against her chest. "And Janice doesn’t have you whipped?"

The archeologist heard her name and came up to the group. "What’s going on?"

The southerner glanced down to her partner. "Cliona thinks you have me whipped."

Janice laughed low and turned her attention to her princess. "Me have Mel whipped? Oh Hell yeah." She started walking away.

"Janice?"

The archeologist spun around and came back up quickly to Mel’s side. "You rang Mel?"

Both Sylvia and Cliona fell over laughing at the scene.

The two soulmates stared into each other’s eyes.

Melinda winked at her partner.

Janice still heard her Amazons laughing. "Mel?"

"Mmm?"

"Kiss me."

The southerner faced her partner and bent down to take her partner’s lips in a sensual kiss.

The Amazons immediately stopped laughing and looked to each other.

Cliona shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe they have each other whipped."

Mel slowly pulled back but had her eyes locked with her Soulmate’s. "Got that right." She turned her twinkling eyes to the other women.

"This is where we leave." Sylvia grabbed Cliona’s arm. "Before we really get whipped."

The two Amazon scurried away to help with loading the truck.

Mel turned her head to her partner. "Thanks."

A grin masked over the archeologist’s lips. "Nothing to thank me for… you do have me whipped." She gave her own wink.

The tall female laughed and leaned down closer. "Don’t we have each other whipped?"

"Very much." Janice finished the distance to kiss her partner warmly.

"Damn Soulmates." Starling sighed and shook her head.

"Well… they are cute."

The regent turned her head to Emily. "Thanks… peanut gallery." She furrowed her eyebrows. "And they are not cute."

"Yes they are." Emily glanced over to see the Soulmates pulling away slowly. "They’re really cute… especially Janice."

"Oh give me a break." Starling sighed. "She’s an archeologist… not a fluffy bunny Ems!"

The doctor laughed and patted her regent’s shoulder. "Sure… sure." She strolled off.

"They’re not cute Emily!" The regent narrowed her eyes at the Amazons back.

Leukos turned around and kept walking backwards. "Like I said… sure sure." She grinned and turned away to keep walking.

Clan Ephiny groaned and leaned against the truck’s hood. "I can’t believe it."

"What’s that?" Hellanes came up to her commander.

"Emily thinks Janice and Mel are… cute." The regent turned her head to her weapons master.

"Well… I have to agree." Hellanes shrugged her shoulders. "Love is cute in its own way." She grinned a little. "Definitely our Queen… she’s precious."

Starling’s eyes widen. "There is nothing cute about Janice Covington!" She cringed realizing she’d just yelled that out.

Hellanes Kallen’s eyes flickered over in the woods to see Janice coming with her Soulmate. "They are, you better have a damn good explanation for them, and I am out of here." She rushed off.

Janice came up to her regent and crossed her arms against her chest. She ran her tongue across her molars.

Mel glanced down at her Soulmate. "Don’t kill her… tiger."

The Queen’s hooded eyes peered up to Mel then over to Starling. "I couldn’t help but hear you say something a little on the… loud side."

Starling sheepishly grinned to her Queen. "Yeah… well I was… defending you."

"Really?" Janice took a step closer. "I’m not cute?"

"Nnooo." The regent pressed hardier against the hood.

"Why is that may I ask?" The archeologist reached inside of her jacket to extract her revolver, she opened the barrel. "What could possible make you think I am not cute?" She lifted her head with an innocent look. "Don’t I look cute?" Her revolver went back inside of her jacket and she pulled out a cigar. "What makes you think I am not cute Star?"

"Well…" Starling rubbed the back of her neck. "I don’t know… really… a few things."

The Queen lit her cigar. "Like what? My gun… my hat?" She sighed and threw the match to the ground and began to smoke her cigar. "Maybe it’s my cigars?" She pulled out of her mouth. "Or maybe my goddamn cussing?"

"Really my Queen… it’s just you don’t remind me of a-"

"Of a fluffy bunny?" Janice sighed and took a drag on her cigar, she turned back to Mel. "And you don’t think Mel’s cute?"

"Well… Mel maybe is a little cute."

"Really?" Janice held her left hand back to her partner with the cigar. "Mel’s cute but I am not?"

The aristocrat reached forward to take her Soulmate’s cigar and placed it into her mouth. She took a few drags on the cigar and let the smoke slowly escape her lips.

Starling’s eyes flickered back to Melinda and she bit her lower lip as she felt the laughter bubble to the top. "Mel’s very cute as long as she doesn’t smoke a cigar."

"So it’s my cigar huh?" The Queen sighed. "Fuck, I should have known it was my cigar Mel." Janice glanced back to her Soulmate.

"I told you love." The southerner pulled the cigar from her mouth. "It’s the cigar… don’t make you cute."

The archeologist grinned and turned her head back to Starling. "So am I cute now?"

"Uh… not really Janice."

Janice’s face dropped. "But my cigar is gone." She put her hands on her hips. "Maybe it’s because I am just not cute huh?" Her eyes sparkled as they narrowed. "Maybe that’s it huh?"

"I think that may be it my Queen." Starling gave a fake smile.

Without warning the Queen pulled her regent down to her level by her shirt. Their faces mere inches. Her voice growled out, "I think that’s it… don’t you?"

"Definitely my Queen." Starling’s eyes were wide by her friend’s actions and not at all expecting them.

The Queen smiled very warmly now and pulled her regent in for a tight hug. "Thanks for defending me."

Miller sighed in relief. "No problem my Queen."

Janice pulled back. "Who thinks I am cute?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Just look for the Amazons who look like they want to pinch your cheeks."

The archeologist laughed. "Good idea." She sighed while saying, "I better go see if the tents are down."

"Yeah, I think Radclyffe, Constance, and Emily are doing it."

"Great." The small woman sighed and turned to her Soulmate whom stood with the cigar in her mouth.

"Do I look like you Janice?" Mel raised her eyebrow as smoke floated from her lips.

"Definitely… not." The archeologist wrapped an arm around her partner’s waist. She started walking.

The southerner removed the cigar from her lips and handed it down to her Soulmate. She encircled her partner’s shoulders. "Darn… I’ll never be like you." She found her lips with an evil grin

The archeologist grinned up to her Soulmate. "Don’t want to be hun." Janice took the cigar and began to smoke it again.

Starling crossed her arms against her chest and starred at the Soulmate’s backs. "Maybe… they are cute."

"Starling!" growled Janice loudly.

"Or maybe not." The regent quickly walked to the back of the truck.

~*~*~*~

Janice hugged her second in command tightly. "Take care Sylvi."

"You too Janice." Sylvia released her Queen and smiled sadly. "When will you be back?"

The archeologist’s eyes dropped to the forest floor.

"Soon Sylvia." Melinda smiled warmly. "We promise."

Janice glanced up to her partner.

Melinda looked down and her eyes spoke volumes to her partner.

The Queen turned her head to her second in command and weapons master. "Definitely soon."

Sylvia put her hands on her hips. "The last I heard, soon is quite related to saying the weather is seasonal."

Janice laughed. "Fine, we won’t come at all."

"Not that I don’t like seasonal weather my Queen."

The archeologist laughed and nodded. "Thought so." She walked over to the passenger’s side with her Soulmate. She hopped in and just remembered she was riding with her Soulmate, and Starling. She sighed inside and scouted over closer to her regent.

Melinda came in next and sat beside her partner.

Starling rolled down the driver’s window and gazed sternly at her second in command and Hellanes. "Make sure this place is in order when I get back." She turned the key and started the truck.

Sylvia shook her head. "Sure sure."

"I’m serious."

The second in command corked an eyebrow. "Yes Regent Starling." She batted her eyes. "I’ll have your bed made up and waiting just for you." She winked.

Starling laughed and gave an evil grin. "Make sure you warm the bed for me."

Hellanes groaned. "Great… just great."

Janice glimpsed to her weapons master. "Sorry Nes!"

"I can deal."

"That’s it, I’m sending you back to the states." Starling glared at her Queen and hit the truck in reverse.

The archeologist laughed and sat back in her seat.

The regent turned the truck around on the road and drove off.

The truck kicked up dust as it went down the road in the green forest.

Sylvia sighed and stepped closer to Hellanes. "I’ll miss them."

Ashley quickly stood up in the truck. "Bye Sylvia!" She waved with a warm smile.

"Bye Sprite!" The second in command waved back with her warm smile.

"See you soon Nes!" The copilot waved to the weapons master.

Hellanes smiled and waved back. "Take care Ash!"

Cliona now stood up too and started waving. "Bye Sylvia and Nes!"

The two remaining Amazons laughed together and waved while saying in unison, "Be good Cliona!"

The princess’s mouth dropped.

Emily stood up and waved. "See y’all later!"

Constance and the head council member stood now and started waving.

Sylvia felt her eyes sting. "I’m gonna cry Nes."

The weapons master sighed and wrapped her arm around her friend’s shoulders. "Lean on me."

The second in command sniffed. "Got a tissue?" She kept waving.

"You can use my leathers."

"Thanks." Sylvia mocked glared and glanced back to her waving friends.

Janice turned to her Soulmate. "Give them a kiss for me Mel."

"No problem." Melinda poked her head out the window and smiled back to Sylvia and Hellanes. She kissed her hand and blew it at the two Amazons. "That’s from your Queen and me!"

Hellanes laughed. "Thanks Mel! Tell Janice we’ll miss her cuteness!"

The southerner winked. "I’ll definitely will tell her!" She waved with a warm smile. She ducked back into the truck.

"What you suppose to definitely tell me?"

The translator turned her head with a grin. "Nes said, tell Jaice we’ll miss her cuteness."

"Now, I know one of the cute thinkers." Janice narrowed her eyes. "Gotta get her back."

The tall female snickered and sat back into her seat.

~*~*~*~

Sylvia sighed. "That was fun huh Nes?"

"Yup." The weapons master patted her friend’s arm. "How you feel?"

"Very alone." The second in command gave a pout.

"Don’t you worry… Star will be back."

"Now that’s a good thought." Sylvia brightened up and felt her friend drop her arm. "You now, this family just keeps getting bigger."

"Sure does." Hellanes turned towards the hut. "Let’s see there’s… ten of us now." Her head bobbed up and down. "Not bad." She stopped walking and turned her head to the other Amazon. "Just think, in a year we’ll have nine hundred Amazons right here in this forest."

Sylvia’s eyes widen. "What? We’re not having nine hundred Amazons."

The weapons master furrowed her eyebrows and put one hand on her hip. "Sylvia where were you during the meeting? There’s going to be nine hundred Amazons right here."

"I know there’s going to be a lot… but nine hundred?" The second in command’s mouth dropped. "Holy… sugars!" She laughed. "That’s one big family."

"No kidding." Hellanes started walking again.

Clan Solari shook her head and laughed. "Hey, maybe Janice will let us have one of those wild Amazon parties. Your mother ever tell you about those?"

"Definitely." Clan Eponin evilly grinned. "Nothing but partying, drinking, music, dancing, and…"

"Sex." Sylvia laughed. "That’s my type of bash!" She laughed and walked with a bounce. "God, that would be grand if we could have a party like that next year."

The weapons master sighed and shook her head while opening the door. "Star doesn’t know what kind of trouble she has on her hands."

"What you saying Nes?" Sylvia came in next with a half-confused look.

"Star doesn’t know you are such a big… player."

~*~*~*~

Cliona brushed her hand through her hair in hopes to keep control of it in the wind. Her eyes settled on Radclyffe. "God…" Her voice came out in disgust. "I can’t believe I have to ride in the same truck with you…"

The head council member narrowed her eyes at the princess.

The pilot rolled her eyes. "Ride with…. Raddy." She sighed disgustedly.

Radclyffe raise an eyebrow and she leaned towards the princess. "You know what Cliona?"

The princess leaned towards Clan Masika. "What… Raddy?"

"Shove it up your-"

"Now ladies." Emily broke in with a bright smile. "Let’s act respectful around here… y’all only have to deal with each other for eight plus hours."

The head council member grinned and eyes came back to Cliona. "Thank god you’ll be in the cockpit flying so I don’t have to look at your ugly mug."

The pilot rolled her eyes. "Oh oh… I feel the pain Raddy." She laughed. "At least my mug doesn’t look like my ass."

Ashley hit her partner’s arm. "What’s wrong with you?"

Clan Amarice turned her head to her friend. "Raddy is just so annoying even more when you have to sit here and look at her."

"Lord." Radclyffe rolled her eyes. "I’d rather look at a pile of shit then you Cliona."

Constance sat there shaking her head with a smug look.

Cliona turned her head towards the oldest Amazon again. "Well at least I don’t smell like pile of shit like you Raddy."

"Would you two ladies please be quiet." The good doctor had flashing eyes and she gritted her teeth. "I really don’t want to hear you pair all duh way to the airport."

"Fine." Cliona closed her eyes. "Now I won’t have to look at Raddy."

"You know you want to look at me Cliona."

The princess gave a smug look with her eyes till closed. "You just want me looking at you Raddy."

The council member huffed. "Not your pig eyes."

Ashley cut in before anything else was said. "If one of you two doesn’t stop, I’ll shove one of you in the glove compartment."

Cliona opened her eyes and locked them with Radclyffe.

The head council member suddenly broke out laughed and falling into Constance.

The princess was also laughing hard and leaned against her copilot.

Ashley sighed and shook her head. "Ha, ha… you two are a bundle of laughs."

Constance patted her friend’s back. "Rad, you really can’t fool me."

Radclyffe sat up again with a smile. "Ah I know Constance." She brought hand arm behind her friend’s back. "This will be a long flight."

"Yup." Cliona sighed. "But you only have the best pilots."

The older Amazon nodded. "True." She smiled warmly to the princess.

Cliona smiled back warmly as she bobbed along in the truck.

~*~*~*~

"Don’t do anything I would do Star."

"Always the comedian my Queen." Starling pulled back from the hug. "Take care of yourself huh?"

"I will." Janice smiled warmly. "You have still have my number and address?

"Definitely." The regent smiled. "I’ll give you a buzz soon."

"Good."

Starling turned to Mel. "Mel?" She took a deep breath. "Keep the Queen in line huh?"

"I’ll try Star."

Janice groaned as her Soulmate and regent hugged. "And she calls me the comedian."

Clan Ephiny sighed sadly and crossed her arms against her chest. "Well… I’ll miss you both. Thanks for everything."

"No problem Star." Janice smiled warmly.

Starling felt her eyes begin to sting. "Seriously, be careful Janice and Mel… you’re our Chosen… and well… you’re like my sisters." A few tears trickled down her cheeks and she brushed back her curly hair. "Take care of each other huh?"

"Oh god, come here." The archeologist pulled in her friend tightly and buried her head into Starling’s hair. She felt her own emotions come to the top and escape as tears. She pulled back with a weak smile. "You’ve always been a sister to me Starling." She kept her smile and glanced up to Mel.

The belle smiled to Starling and gave her another but longer hug. She quietly whispered into the regent’s ear, "Take care… my sister."

The regent pulled back with a loving smile. "Get on the plane you damn Soulmates."

Janice laughed and ambled over to the steps with her partner. She took a deep breath while her first foot went on the first step. "Mel… I’m not sure if I can leave."

"We’ll be back love. I promise."

"I know." The archeologist hung her head and climbed up the steps with her Soulmate.

Mel went into the plane and sat down while she let her lover close the door.

Ashley came up beside her Queen and unhooked the steps. "Ready my Queen?"

"No…" Janice turned her head to her third in command. "But we have to go."

The copilot sighed. "I know the feeling." She pushed the steps away from the DC-3 and waved to Starling. "Bye Star, miss you!"

Starling waved and crossed her left arm over her stomach. "Bye Ash! Take care of yourself and Cliona!"

"I will!" Ashley turned her head to her Queen. "You have the door?"

"Yeah, go ahead." Janice smiled and watched her third in command disappear to the cockpit.

The archeologist gazed down to Starling and locked eyes with her. "It’s our past lives Starling."

"It is Janice… it is." The regent heard the plane start with the props spinning and she took steps back till she came to the truck. "I’ll miss you Janice!"

"Miss you to Starling!" Janice yelled over the roar of the plane. She grasped the sides of the door and smiled confidently to her regent.

Starling gave a sad smile and waved.

The Queen winked to her and her lips spread into a rich smile and she closed the door shut. When she had the door shut and the latch down, Janice leaned her head against the door and sighed. "Oh god… where’s Mel?" She lifted herself from the door and walked into the main body of the plane to find her Soulmate.

Mel smiled up to her best friend. "Come here," she whispered. She was sitting lengthwise in the two seats

Janice crawled into her partner’s arms and settled there with a sigh.

Starling looked up at the DC-3 plane seeing it begin to wheel away along the runway. She looked up to the windows to see Emily Leukos. She waved up to the good doctor.

Emily waved back with a warm smile.

The regent watched the plane go down to the runway and sit there to pick up speed. Her hair blew back and Starling faced the plane while her hand rested against the truck. "Good luck to you my friends," she quietly whispered. "That’s a big family." She laughed to herself and saw the plane soar down the runway to pick up speed and lift up from the ground and rise up into the sky. She sighed sadly and hopped into the truck and started the engine.

~*Part 10*~

"Who’s going to cry with me?" Cliona sniffed low.

Radclyffe rolled her eyes. "You’ll live without me Cliona."

"Oh I know that." The princess laughed. "I’ll be having a party now that you’re gone Raddy."

"Good, I couldn’t stand you to begin with Cliony."

The pilot huffed and rolled her eyes.

Janice sighed. "Damn Amazons."

"Remember… you’re one too." Cliona smirked to her Queen.

"No, I’m the Chosen not just an Amazon." The archeologist winked. "Get it straight."

"My mistake." Cliona chuckled but sighed sadly. "Well…" She turned the head council member and priestess. "I guess this is the end of the line for you two. I hope you enjoyed the flight here to England."

"It was perfect Cliona." Constance smiled.

"Not bad pilots." Radclyffe grinned.

"Y’all will be able to get a ride back into London fine?"

Constance glanced over to Mel. "We hope so… otherwise we’re walking."

"Let’s hope not," Emily responded.

"Don’t worry, we have a friend that should be able to pick us up." The head council member shrugged her shoulders. "Or we’re walking as Constance said… it’ll be a nice walk."

The priestess sighed. "I can’t wait. You better hope your friend picks us up."

Clan Masika gave a serious expression. "She will… no worries." She turned back to the other Amazons. "Everybody… take care because it was a huge learning experience for me."

"That’s good." The Queen grinned. "Did we scare off Raddy?"

The head council member’s expression dropped. "Don’t speak about Raddy… she’s my evil side."

Janice laughed. "Trust me, I know what you mean." She sighed happily. "It was nice getting you to lighten up Rad."

"Wasn’t it?" The head council member chuckled. "I feel younger too."

"Scary isn’t it?" Constance glanced up warmly.

"Very." Radclyffe glanced back and suddenly heard the roar of a car coming onto the airport pad. "That must be our ride Constance."

"Thank god." O’ Henry shifted first to Janice. "Talk to you soon my Queen."

Now the Amazons made their rounds of hugging and saying good-bye.

Janice, Mel, Emily, Ashley, and Cliona stood in front of the DC-3 watching Constance and Radclyffe walking to the car with their bags.

"And the plane begins to empty." The third in command sighed.

Janice suddenly realized about the little thing with communication. "Wait!"

Constance and Radclyffe stopped in mid-stride and gazed back.

The Queen laughed. "Everybody has each other’s number and address?"

"Yes." Cliona grinned. "I am planning to call Raddy every week!"

"You better not Cliona!" Radclyffe pointed her finger at the princess. "I’ll hang up on you!" She walked over to the trunk of the car and put her bag in followed by priestess.

"I’m serious, everybody has numbers and addresses?" Janice laughed. "I don’t want use playing the game of word of mouth."

"We’ve got each others numbers." The priestess smiled. "Don’t worry my Queen."

The Queen shook her head. "I am. Somebody is bound to call me asking for somebody’s number." She grinned.

Radclyffe opened the car door. "You’re stressing yourself out Janice." She grinned. "Take care you five." Her eyes then shifted directly to Melinda. "Mel, next time… we’ll try getting a long."

The southerner nodded. "Next time Radclyffe, take care till then."

"Definitely." The head council member smiled. "My Queen, I’m sorry for my insults."

Janice shrugged her shoulders. "No hard feelings."

Radclyffe nodded and climbed into the car.

Constance smiled to her friends. "See you ladies in the future. That was great adventure and I’m ready for next year."

Cliona smirked. "Do some preachen for us Constance."

"Smartass!" Constance shook her head. "I will have to pray for you soul Cliona."

"Christ." The pilot rolled her eyes. "Take care Constance."

"You too princess." The priestess’s smile went directly to Janice. "It was great meeting the Chosen, take care my Queen."

"See you soon Constance." Janice nodded.

Constance nodded back. "Bye Mel, Ash, and Emily."

The three women called back as they saw Constance go into the car and closing the door behind. The group watched the car roll away with Constance and Radclyffe.

"I think I am going to really cry." Cliona shook her head. "This is getting depressing."

Janice sighed. "I hear you."

The pilot took a deep breath and gazed at her Queen. "So… New York or Columbia?" She turned her head sidelong to see them finish fueling the plane.

Janice took a deep breath. "Columbia here we go."

The princess chuckled. "Then let’s fly out of this crazed country."

The small group of Amazons all climbed onto the plane together.

~*Part 11*~

Janice peered out the window to see the airport coming closer. She looked up to her Soulmate. "We’re back in Columbia."

The southerner grinned and spoke with a light voice. "Welcome back home tuh Columbia South Carolina Doctor Covington."

The archeologist’s lips creased with a loving smile. "I was home all along Mel." She leaned up to kiss her Soulmate deeply.

Melinda melted into her Soulmate’s touch as the plane touched down.

The End

Table of Contents

redhope@redhope.net