A War For The Death of A Boy

Chapter II

The Enforcer, Saran, Corde, Eri and Tinka sat around a table in the largest of the military center's conference rooms. Matt and Stud Boy were busy conducting a computerized analysis of all statistical data pertinent to the mission. As was the case with almost everything located on the island, the military center was equipped with nothing but the most recent state of the art technology. Each Amazon received several years of computerized weapons, data, and tactical training at the academy. The Enforcer had also devised a full military training facility within the compound to further that education. From early on each Amazon was required to participate in a complete physical training program; inclusive of hand to hand combat and weapons use. In addition to that, the Enforcer had incorporated continual computer technology training, weapons warfare, and tactical combat strategy. As in all academies, there were students that excelled within specific subjects, and the military academy was no exception. Several of the six warriors currently studying the data of the up coming mission were among the elite. The Enforcer was very confident of each of their skills, which would insure a precision and accuracy necessary to execute the mission without mistakes. She would allow them exactly two hours more to compile a full report of all necessary data and tactical information.

"I am going to inform the Queen of our progress. You have two more hours to complete your analysis and presentation for briefing. I expect each of you to be fully packed and ready to go by dawn tomorrow morning. Each of you is responsible to make sure your responsibilities here on the island are covered in your absence. Matt I expect all systems to be fully operational and any additional help you may need to be in place one hour prior to departure. Are there any questions?"

"Is it true that Princess Eponie will be joining us?" Eri asked.

"Is that a problem Eri?"

"Not at all Enforcer." Eri replied with just a hint of a smirk, "I think we were all just a bit surprised to hear she would be coming. She has not gone on many away teams lately."

"Well she is coming, and more importantly, the Queen herself wants her there." The Enforcer had known Eri for many years, and knew that the warrior would need to hear nothing more in order to drop the subject. "So please make sure the briefing is complete and ready on time."

"As you say." each of them responded simultaneously.

Eri rose from the conference table and informed the group she was heading to the arsenal in order to secure all the necessary weapons for the trip. Each of them offered to help, but Eri said she could handle it alone. It wasn’t that Eri didn’t enjoy their company; but the Enforcer had asked her to pack the still experimental "cloaking device". The Queen wanted the chance to test it out on this next mission, but was afraid Eponie would object. She had even gone so far as to say it wasn’t that she was afraid of telling Eponie; more like she wanted it to be a surprise! Eri laughed aloud…Between Cyan and her toys; and Eponie and her….."stuff"….some things would never change.

The Queen headed toward Labris's hut. How in the world was this island going to survive not having Corde's coffee while she was gone? The Queen was already annoyed that someone had eaten the last of the lemon poppy-seed muffins, which Corde had set aside for her. Cyan walked through the door of the hut, which was really more of a library considering the number of books that filled the walls. She was hoping to talk with Labris before she had to leave; but instead found her blood boiling as she watched Eponie put the last of her muffin into her mouth.

"I can't believe you ate my muffin! You know they're my favorite!"

"What did you expect? That I would go on this mission with an empty stomach?"

"You could have eaten anything else Eponie; but we both know you ate the muffin because you're still upset with me!"

"Typical response. Those who think like a child, behave like a child."

"A child? A child? I'll show you childish! You are not coming on the team, and that's final! How's that for childish?" as Cyan turned and headed for the door. Before the Queen even realized what was happening, the book that Eponie had been reading bounced off her back.

"Oh, I don't think so!" Eponie taunted. "A deal, is a deal, and I will be going with you!"

The Queen picked up the book and tossed it casually in her hand. "You know Eponie, I might have been mistaken about the usefulness of your analogies and metaphors earlier..." as she let the book fly through the air...."they might actually come in quite handy."

Eponie shifted to her left just as the book was about to hit her. If that's how she wants to play, then so be it. Eponie reached for the shelves grabbing two more books.

"Eponie... What are you doing?"

"Well, with any luck, one of these books will actually hit you and cause enlightenment. Or better yet, perhaps learning through osmosis......"

"It seems you have actually found a usefulness for the hundreds of books that clutter the walls of our palace...." Cyan said as she reached for several books herself....... "Perhaps I should inform Larc that you will be teaching book ballistics in the fall?"

Seconds later the hut was a blur of paper, books, and toppling shelves.......and somewhere in the background a strained voice could be heard just above the noise.

"My books! My books!" Labris seethed. "You two had to do this here? Why can't you go and ruin your own things? Don't you have enough things in the Palace to keep the "Destruction Duo" busy?"

"I'm sorry Labris, but Eponie once again became a little over emotional, and....."

"Enough! Out! Both of you! Before I drop you like a bad habit!"

Cyan rolled her eyes over towards Eponie giving her the signal to make for the door. As they both rushed to escape to the outside, Cyan smirked at Eponie and asked, "Was that another metaphor?" The two warriors burst into laughter as they left the hut, and headed down the path far away from the wrath of Labris.

"I need to go and get the medical supplies from Ashana" the Queen said to Eponie.

"That's fine, I need to go back to the Palace in order to pack. Meet you there in an hour?"

"Sounds good." Eponie turned to leave but the Queen stopped her. "Eponie, do not forget to pack your futuristic weapons and technology gear. I know how much you like to use your staff, but this trip will require more then that." The Queen turned quickly, and was gone.

The Queen's words might have been lost on another, but despite their differences, Eponie knew her well enough to understand what she had meant. This mission would require both of them to move outside their own comfort zones for the sake of the other. Eponie really did need to pack, but more importantly she wanted to return to the Palace so she could talk with Princess Vicky before Cyan returned. She would have to hurry if she wanted to say goodbye to the children at the academy.

Larc ran a very efficient academy, and absolutely loved what she did. She had been both thrilled and honored when the Queen had asked her to become head master of the entire training facility. That did not mean Larc didn't miss the battles every now and then; nor did it mean the Queen had excused her from the more advanced military training the Enforcer taught. In fact, the younger Amazons at the academy seemed unusually willing to absorb all that she had to say. Over the years Larc had become more and more confident that despite her excellent warrior skills, her true passion and talents lay in teaching the children.

Larc saw Princess Eponie coming through the gates. All of the children loved when Eponie came to visit; then again, who was she kidding, she loved when Eponie came to visit too.

"Hey Eponie, what are you doing here? I was under the impression that you were preparing for an away mission?"

"Wow! News sure does travel fast around here. Just thought I would stop by and see the children before I left. I might even be able to pick up some communication tips from them. Never know when you may have to communicate with a child" she said with a smirk and raised eyebrow.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that Eponie?"

"Never mind. I was just thinking aloud. How are the children doing with their studies?"

"Actually, they are all doing excellent. Most of the higher-ranking warriors, such as Eri, Corde, Tinka, and Saran have regularly been visiting, training, and teaching some of the various classes. Matt, Stud Boy, and the Enforcer have spent many hours explaining tactical procedures and futuristic technology. All of the children sit to glued to their seats every time one of them comes. The Queen has been more than accommodating by granting me everything the academy needs. She has even sent away teams to the past and future for the sheer reason of gathering the historical scrolls and databases we are missing in our library."

"She has?" Eponie did her best to hide her astonishment, but Larc was the head master of the academy for a very good reason.

"Yes Eponie, the Queen is an avid supporter of education."

"I know she is" said Eponie "I just didn't realize she believed that it was equally as important to realm travel for knowledge as it was to wage war in defense of the mortals."

"Come on Eponie, I don't believe that for a minute. You would have to be blind not to see that the Queen values information and knowledge as much as a good sword."

"Well she certainly picks up a sword a lot quicker than a book. Of course, that's not to say she isn't just as dangerous with one" Eponie muttered under her breath.

"Queen Cyan is a warrior before all else, and as a Queen that is exactly how it should be. Surely you don't really want or expect her to be anything else, do you?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind if she tried to get in touch a little more with her softer side. You know, maybe a little less action, and a little more sharing. Instead I find myself sharing, while her actions’ napping! For example, we were on the terrace the other day, the one that overlooks the Waterfall of the Portals. I was attempting to explain to her, how for me, that waterfall represented the overflowing power of life, and how we can be washed clean each day… to start afresh. You wanna know what she was doing? Catching the water in her mouth, and then trying to hit me with it from the farthest distance possible! It's ridiculous! I see a waterfall; she sees a drinking fountain. I try to share; she wants to compete. I get frustrated; she leaves the room. I ……"

"complete her, and she completes you..." Larc mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" But before Larc could answer, the children had come out from their classes, and surrounded Eponie, and ending their talk.

Ashana was surprised to see the Queen walk through her door. Usually the Enforcer was the one who picked up the medical supplies before a trip; but she always enjoyed talking with Cyan.

"Hey Cyan, what brings you around my way?"

"I'm sorry Ashana. It has been far too long since we last had a chance to chat. Things have been so busy around here. I really have missed talking with you. I haven't even had a chance to grab a cup of coffee with Visioness."

"Well, you're in luck Cyan, here I am." Visioness walked through the door and immediately sat down to rest.

"Why do you look so tired?" Ashana asked.

"Let me guess" Cyan said with an increasing smile "the Enforcer has asked you to help lead the physical training classes while she is gone?"

"Bingo! It's either that or she's planning to kill us all off one by one through exhaustion!"

"Well I guess you came to the right place then" Ashana chuckled "one Jacuzzi tub coming up."

"What are you here for Cyan? Just a visit before you leave? I heard Stud Boy is going to be making his debut trip? Gotta be here for the extra medical supplies then."

The three of them laughed. Although everyone gave Stud Boy a hard time, no one was foolish enough to doubt his abilities. The Queen herself had brought him into the tribe when they had first come to the island. He had risked his life by supplying the Queen with information that the gods had strictly forbidden be revealed. As a result, Stud Boy had earned the wrath of the gods, and certain death. Queen Cyan refused to leave the Stud behind, and he had been living with the Amazon's ever since. It was no secret that Stud Boy had a valued place in the Queen's heart; but as the years went by, there was not a single Amazon that did not consider him one of their own.

"Actually, I am here to pick up the medical supplies for the team, as well as some aspirin" Cyane said.

"You have a headache," Ashana asked with concern.

"More like I am going with one" Cyan grumbled.

Both Ashana and Visioness doubled over in laughter. "Oh, come on, it can't be that bad, can it?"

"Are you kidding? You've seen us over the last weeks. Now consider this, we are currently on a huge island. Approximately 12 hours from now we will be confined to a relatively small ship, with a very defined mission. I am not convinced I'm making the wisest decision."

Ashana spoke up confidently as she always did, "Cyan, you have seldom made bad decisions, especially at crucial times. Why would you doubt yourself now?"

"Sometimes I think Eponie forces me to think too much, and at other times I feel like I haven't thought enough. I can't help wondering if my decisions become more emotional than logical where Eponie is concerned."

Ashana and the Visioness exchanged glances with one another. It was Visioness who spoke this time. "Has it ever occurred to you that Eponie may find herself making more logical than emotional decisions when it comes to you? We have known you both for many years now, and each of you provides different leadership to this tribe than the other. It's because of those differences that this tribe has grown. You were the one who convinced us that it would take all types of people, eliminating our weaknesses, to become invincible."

"And I still believe that. Princess Vicky and I do not rule the Amazon's in the same way; but it is different. We've both lived through the same battles, the same losses, Eponie doesn't seem to understand me the way Vicky does."

"This tribe will never be completely unified until both you and Princess Eponie are as well. You represent the balance between all of us, and....."

"Save your breath Ashana, she's not even listening" both women watched as the Queen rose and picked up the medical supplies.

"Thanks for the supplies Ashana, and don't overwork my army Visioness, or the Enforcer will not be happy. The Queen walked through the door and off towards the palace obviously deep in thought. Ashana and the Visioness knew the Queen well enough to guess where she was going. It was a known fact that whenever the Queen was truly troubled by a decision, she always sought the council of Princess Vicky.

Eri spotted Cyan walking back towards the Palace; but strangely enough the Queen had not even noticed her. She must have been very deep in thought, because the Queen always knew, or "sensed" might be the better word, where Eri was at all times. Cyan was a great Queen with fighting skills no warrior she had ever seen could match; save one; but her alertness to Eri’s safety had less to do with her skills as a warrior, than they did with Shatan and Davu.

Shatan had been her father’s brother; Cyan’s husband. He had been known as the greatest warrior ever to take up sword against the gods. Eri had come to live with Shatan and Cyan after barely escaping her own village with her life. Her parents had been very wealthy and influential people in their village; and because of that were slaughtered by traitors aligned with the gods. It had never been a secret that her uncle had wed the Queen of the Amazons, and when the time came, the traitors had seen fit to execute her own family as examples.

Eri had only been eight, but skilled enough with horses to out-run their scouting party. Her father had disclosed to her the location of his brother’s tribe several years before; and having nowhere else to go, and no one left to trust, she had made her way across hundreds of miles to Cyan’s tribe. Eri might not have been born into the Tribe; but she knew she would never love or trust anything but Amazon life again.

As Eri had grown, Shatan and Cyan made sure she mastered all the ways of the warrior. Mediocrity was not something either of them tolerated well; nor did she, herself, want it. Over time, she had come to trust and love them as much as the family she had lost; but that same trust was not as easily given to others. In most cases Eri would simply except Cyan’s judgement of a person; and even now not much had changed.

Eri trusted Cyan with her life, but had actually come to enjoy Eponie’s company on her own. The other warriors, were warriors, and that trust was different to Eri somehow. Their swords constantly raised in battle to defend one another; no complicated reasons or metaphors; just life and death. But Eponie, she required an additional type of trust, one that Eri had not been willing to bother with….at first.

At first Eri had been reluctant, no, more like adamantly opposed, to Eponie becoming Princess. She had talked about it many times with the Queen, but regardless of what they thought, Byakou had given her the Rite of Caste. She had held out hope for Eponie once she had heard of the plans to avenge Byakou’s death. If there was one thing that the Queen and Eri shared, it was the thirst for revenge…..

….She had been living with Cyan and the tribe for almost ten years when Shatan and Cyan gave birth to their son Davu. He had been appropriately named to represent "the Beginning"; for a new and greater time the Amazons were sure they would see. Almost two years of peace followed Davu’s birth, as the war with the gods seemed to subside. Eri was thrilled at having a new sparring partner, and spent hours playing with the boy, even to the point of neglecting her own training. Her bond to the Queen had always been strong, but the birth of Davu had cemented the relationship more than anything ever would……

Eri swiped at a tear rolling down her cheek as she turned her direction towards the stables. She often went there to brush the Queen’s horse, so appropriately named Shatan. She could feel the bitter taste of anger rising in her throat as her fists clenched tighter and tighter to the point of shaking. Not even two years had the peace lasted before the gods had attacked again! And in those vivid memories, Eri could see the deaths of Shatan and Davu, little Davu, over and over again.

Everything had changed in an instant; for all of them, but especially for she and Cyan. They both had been ripped apart by the shedding of blood; yet forever bonded in their quest to spill more. At least, that’s how it had been, before Eponie. Eri had noticed the differences in Cyan, and at first had been annoyed at the growing friendship and tolerance of Eponie and her more peaceful ways. But Eri trusted Cyan completely, and had been willing to listen when Cyan tried to explain how important Eponie had become.

Now, upon entering the stables Eri found herself unclenching her fists, and relaxing a bit. She stopped to examine her hands, and found that the trembling had all but disappeared. The Enforcer had made a strange comment earlier in the day that made Eri stop and wonder for just a minute.

"Winning the wars will take more than just wrath and anger Eri. Battling with skill and conviction will win you everything;…. everything but sleep. For in the end, a victory is lost when mercy is denied. There must always be balance."

Eri could not recall the last time she had had a peaceful nights sleep, and she knew that the Queen awoke every night with the same nightmares that haunted her own mind. The Enforcer had always been more than just a warrior to Eri; but even she had changed since coming to the Island. Eri couldn’t help but think that perhaps the balance she was talking about was the same one that Eri had found in Cyan and Eponie.

Then again, she was technically immortal now, thanks to the powers of the Crystals, so she had more than enough time think about all that mumbo jumbo Eponie would just love to know she’d been contemplating! Eri shook her head and started to laugh as she walked towards Shatan…… "Don’t worry boy, when push comes to shove, I’d still choose a good day of sparring over a nap in the library any day!"

Chapter III