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.

Started: June 29^th 2000 on Thursday

Series Five: The Rebirth Story: One

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.