A War For The Death of A Boy

Chapter I

Cyan looked out the window of her hut at the waterfall which hid the entrance to the Portal of Realms. It had been a long time since she had thought about her sister, Bajarat, and the Queen knew why. Baj had had a way of making Cyan think twice about everything she would do. As kids growing up that had been fine, but when the trouble with the gods had begun, it had nearly wiped them out. Cyan and Baj had come to blows during the most bloodiest and crucial of battles.

Cyan shook her head as her eyes came back into focus. She did not want to remember anymore about that day. It had been many years since that battle took place; the same number of years since she had last seen Baj. Still the memories came, and she could not help remembering all that had happened....

" We are about to be completely wiped out." Cyan said to her sister. "The gods have shown no mercy, and either will I."

Bajarat grabbed her sisters arm, "We cannot engage in attacks against the immortal's. You are only provoking them into wiping us all out. These Amazon's are prepared to follow you to their deaths."

"Then so be it! I will defeat the gods, and I will never allow the Amazon nation to be ruled by their games again. We are nothing more than entertainment for them! You are my sister Bajarat, but I am still Queen."

" Then be a good Queen; and save your people." Baj whispered.

As the waterfall came back into focus, Bajarat's words still stung Cyan as if they had just been said. Queen Cyan had indeed saved the Amazon nation that day; but it had cost her something that could never be won; her sister. When the AmazonQuest tribe had fled for the safety of their new island, Bajarat disappeared without a word. Queen Cyan had sent scouts back after a time in the hopes of finding her, but they never found a trace. Over the next few years Cyan wondered whether her sister was even alive; but never spoke of it to anyone.... until Eponie.

Eponie sat in Labris's hut, with books and paper scattered everywhere. Everyone in the tribe knew Princess Eponie liked nothing more than a good cup of coffee from Corde's java hut. This morning however she had two cups in front of her and it still did not look like she had had quite enough.

" She's driving me nuts" Eponie said to Labris.

" Well,… we have all noticed that you two seem to be butting heads a lot more than usual."

" It's hard not to butt heads when one of them is so large!" snapped Eponie, "and hard too" she mumbled to herself while rubbing her head and glancing back to her papers.

Labris winced at Eponie's sarcasm. It was very unlike the Princess to take clashes with the Queen so personal. The entire tribe knew that the Queen and Princess were very different; but very seldom was there a lack or respect in their words for the other. And, if there was, it was always confined within the walls of the Royal Palace. This morning however, Eponie seemed very willing to put peacefulness aside in favor of violence, (specifically towards the Queen).

" I don't seem to be able to make her understand why peacefulness needs to be the main focus of this tribe. Everything I suggest, she seems to do the opposite. Is she trying to drive me insane? Or just get us all killed?"

"Okay, that's enough Eponie. I have listened as a friend, but I will now speak to you as an Amazon of this tribe. That Queen who drives you insane, is the same Queen who saved most of the members of this tribe. Everything eventually requires sacrifice, and she has sacrificed a lot for all of us. There isn't a person in this tribe, the Queen included, that does not desire peace, and you know that!"

" So why does she dismiss it so quickly every time I bring it up? She has even avoided taking me with her during specific realm travels. She much prefers the company of others who think like her."

" If you are referring to the Enforcer, must I remind you that they have been fighting side by side for many years? There is a sense of security and trust that is built over that much time, and The Enforcer, along with many others, have been Cyan's ultimate line of defense. Their examples in fighting, courage, and loyalty have been a crucial role in the Amazon training. Eponie, you criticize the Queen to quickly when her motives do not seem to match yours, and assume she values the ways of war far more than peace. If this tribe is to continue to grow, you and the Queen must learn a balance."

As Labris rose from the table and left the hut, she muttered quietly under her breath…."If not, as immortals, this could become a very long and painful existence." Eponie, not quite needing a miracle ear to catch the sarcasm, looked after her for a moment; then turned back to sip her coffee. Perhaps Labris was right, and she was assuming. She needed to talk to Cyan soon….but maybe one more cup of Corde's coffee would make it all the easier.

Queen Cyan was still lost deep in thought when the Enforcer entered the room. " How long have you been standing there?" the Queen asked when she finally met Olympia's stare.

"Long enough to know you were not thinking about our future; or maybe you were?"

"Please Olympia," the Queen only called her that when talking on a more personal level..." I do not have the energy to play metaphorical games with you."

"Ah, I see. Princess Eponie strikes again!"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm sorry Cyan. I merely assumed by the use of the word " metaphorical" that Princess Eponie had something to do with this."

" Well Enforcer, as usual, you assumed correctly. Eponie believes that I always choose the way of war before trying to keep the peace. For the last few weeks we seem to clash over everything. If I add "Chobos 101" to the Amazon academy schedule; she feels the need to add "Poetry 101."

"It's your typical Ying and Yang theory Cyan"

"Well thank you for your insight Olympia, but what in Tartarus does that mean?"

The Enforcer laughed. "How can someone be so alert on the battlefield, yet so clueless off of it?"

"I certainly hope there is a very good follow up sentence to that statement" growled Cyan "or we may just get the chance to see how clueless I really am."

"Relax, my Queen, I have known you almost all of my life and would die to protect you and anyone in this tribe. The years have gone by, and all things change, but some things will always remain the same, they just come in different forms. So, before you roll your eyes and get that exasperated "get to the point" look; answer me this question...... Are you sure it is Princess Eponie that is bothering you, or a long forgotten memory of someone else?"

Before Queen Cyan could answer, Princess Eponie walked through the door to the hut.

"Could I talk to you for a minute?" Princess Eponie said to Cyan; but before anyone could answer, Mad Matt came busting in.

"My Queen! I must speak with you and the Enforcer right away!"

"Relax Matt, you nearly flattened the two guards the Enforcer had posted outside my door. Take a seat, I will be with you in a minute. Eponie, is this an emergency?"

"No my Queen, it can wait."

"Well Matt, it seems you have our full attention. What seems to be the problem? I was under the impression you were analyzing the data gathered by our last away team."

"That's exactly why I'm here my Queen. While analyzing the data with Stud Boy we came across a serious problem. As you know we traveled to the future to plant the layout drawings of the Imperial Death Star within the designated R2 unit. The drawings were to be accessed by colonial sympathists, and provide them with the necessary data to destroy the Death Star........."

"Yes, yes, I read the report. I still don't see the problem?"

"Stud Boy and I dug a bit deeper into the research, and to make a long story short, we discovered the identity of Darth Vadar. He was a boy named Aniken Skywalker, being trained as a Jedi Knight."

"Really? Well apparently something went awry in the training….So, let me guess, you're suggesting that if we sent an away team back to when Vadar was still a child, we could eliminate him and any future threat he might pose to the Alliance."

"To put it simply, yes. If we could eliminate Darth Vadar before he turns, we might possibly avoid all future conflicts in that part of the galaxy."

Queen Cyan turned towards the Enforcer; The Enforcer nodded, and quickly left the hut. The Queen knew that the Enforcer was gathering an away team even at she spoke.

"Mad Matt, I realize you have done a lot of the work in getting this information, but it is my desire that you not be a part of the away team that I send. You will be needed here to analyze and process all data. I do not want any screw-ups, so I need the person most familiar with the mission guarding the portal."

"But what better person to have on the away team than a trained assassin?" Matt snapped.

Great! Cyan thought as she rolled her eyes. She did not even have to look at Eponie to know this couldn't end any other way; but badly.

"No Matt! You will guard the portal as I requested, and insure that everything goes without error."

"Yes my Queen, but if I might make one more suggestion...."

"Go ahead," Cyan said in the hopes he would not add any more depth to the hole she was already in, "But do not try my patience, I have made my decision."

"Understood. I just wanted to mention that Stud Boy did a lot of work in helping me gather and analyze the information. He has worked hard at training with the Enforcer, and I think he would be a great asset to the team."

"I see." said the Queen quite pleased with the suggestion. "I will speak with the Enforcer when she returns. If she agrees, I will honor your request. Go and gather any information and equipment you think we will need in addition to our usual gear."

Cyan turned to see Eponie staring at her.

"How can you just send a team out to assassinate someone, a child none the less, without considering it more carefully? Are you so above making mistakes, that you assume this is the right and only decision? How are you acting any differently than the gods when you make decisions concerning a persons destiny of good or evil."

Cyan had known that the word assassinate would trigger an immediate reaction from Eponie, and the Queen was prepared. "I am not deciding the destiny of a child who has not already chosen. I am saving the lives of people he will eventually kill after he has! And yes Eponie, there is a difference."

"How can you be sure that with a less severe mission than his immediate death, that the child could not be changed?"

"Eponie, I know how important it is for you to save all individuals, and I try to let you incorporate that belief into our tribe. It is an honorable belief; but I will not to lose the war for the sake of the battle."

"But what if this battle were won? There might not be a war! The child changing destiny without requiring his death? Is it not your responsibility to help all mortals?"

"And is it not your responsibility to obey me, and not question my decisions?"

"Obey you, yes...... Question you? No. Friends must question one another."

"Then am I to assume that I am a friend first, and a Queen second Eponie? Because I was a sister first at one time, and it almost killed us all. I will not make that same mistake twice. You may not agree with me, but I am still the Queen."

"Then be a good Queen!"

Princess Eponie's words still hung in the air as she turned to go. Cyan felt herself reel backward from the impact of Eponie's words; and all the memories of years past seemed to melt into this one moment. Just before Eponie left the Queens hut, Cyan regained enough composure to call to her, although very softly...

"Eponie, it feels like we have been at war constantly over the past weeks. I don't know why things seem so complicated right now, but I do know I am a good Queen....…second; and your friend, first. Come with me on the mission, and I will give you as much time as I can to save the boy. If however, both myself and the Enforcer feel he is still a threat, I will follow through on my decision. Understood?"

"I will get my things."

Princess Eponie brushed past the Enforcer on her way out. The Enforcer had heard the last bits of conversation between the Queen and Princess. Olympia rolled her eyes, "This could be either a very long or very short mission".

"Very funny Olympia!" The Queen said as she headed towards the java hut. "At the very least, we are probably assured of at least one murder. By the way, I have had a request to add a specific member to our away team……besides our Princess Eponie that is. Do you think that Stud Boy is ready for a team like this?"

"Actually, the situation is almost ideal. With both of us on the team, and his knowledge of the research and data, we probably won't get a better scenario."

"Who else is coming with us?"

"Eri of course, Saran, Corde, and Tinka. I think it will be a very efficient team. They are all well trained in past, present, and future weapons and technology. The real plus side of the team is that Corde will be making the coffee!"

"Well, I guess that will help with Eponie some.." Cyan chuckled, "..but I want Stud Boy kept far away from the caffeine."

"I'm going to go tell Stud Boy to get ready; and spend some time with Mad Matt on tactical issues. If you need me, just page me. You know, these pagers and cell phones were a couple of great deals for us. Oh, and by the way, you did the right thing; with Princess Eponie that is."

"Really? How so?" the Queen asked curiously.

"You were right to say that you are a good Queen, Cyan; but it is Eponie that has made you great, and you her." As the Enforcer marched off, Cyan heard her last words trail behind her…"It's all about balance Cyan.….all about balance."

Before Queen Cyan could respond, the Enforcer was gone. She didn't know what she would have said even if the Enforcer had still been there. Olympia very rarely spoke her mind with no reserve outside of military issues, so when she did, the Queen listened carefully. Olympia had been best friends with Bajarat since youth; and when Baj had left, the Queen had known that the Enforcer felt the loss as much as she had. Not soon after, the Princess Byakou had been killed. Neither the Enforcer nor the Queen spoke of the two women outside of necessity; but Eponie had seemed to change all of that as of late.

Eponie herself had been Byakou's best friend, and had vowed to avenge her death. It was not long after that Eponie had become Princess through Byakou's Rite of Caste. The Queen had been very skeptical when Eponie had first arrived, not truly believing she was the "killing warrior" she pretended to be. The passion and fire that Byakou and the Queen had shared for battle was noticeably missing from the new Princess's eyes. It had become increasingly obvious over the years that the Princess Eponie that now ruled the Quest along side Cyan, was not the same woman who Byakou had known. Eponie had never really had all of the same values as Cyan, even from the beginning; but over the years, the impact of the Princess had not gone unnoticed, by anyone.

Cyan often found herself wondering whether Eponie had actually changed her more over the years; than she had been able to change Eponie. The rest of the time she just wished that Eponie would forget the whole Princess of Peace routine, and just get back to the kick-butt basics! Cyan laughed. It had taken the Queen even less time to realize that although Eponie might be focused on peace; she could really wage a battle when she wanted to.

The Queen continued down the path towards the java hut briefly glancing over at the Amazon Academy. The Enforcer was right, Eponie had not only made an impact on the tribe, but she had made Cyan a better Queen. Maybe it wouldn't kill her to sign up for "Poetry 101"; then again it might be easier to start with something simpler....like sword making! The Queen laughed at the thought of herself sitting through a Poetry class over at the Academy. "Maybe I could rhyme the enemy to death?" she thought.

Then again, Eponie's constant craving for knowledge had saved their butts quite a few times with the most obscure knowledge Cyan could possible conceive. "Why did she know this stuff? Or better yet, why could she possibly care?" Unless she was planning to try out for that ridiculous "Jeopardy" show that had recently started coming in on Cyan's satellite dish, she couldn't possibly come up with one pertinent use. Either way, it was important to Eponie, and by default it had become somewhat important to Cyan. If she had time, she needed to remind herself to have a long talk with Labris, and ask her to explain this continual fascination with non-stop story writings. Perhaps she was missing the bigger picture…..

Chapter II