HEARTS' HOMELAND TRILOGY

PART 3: RITE OF PASSAGE

She wandered over to the window, trying vainly to stretch her numb wrists in their bonds. Tiredly she stood looking down on a scene she had seen so many times before. In the valley below the great temple, vineyards stood in full bloom. On all sides, the vineyards were surrounded by dense forest, the distant perfume of which filled her nostrils. She closed her eyes momentarily, grateful for the comfort the wind-borne scents gave her.

The battle for Akraea had been long, bloody and hard, and had still been unresolved when she and her two sisters had deliberately allowed themselves to be taken by Ares' minions that morning. It had been an act of desperation, but she knew they had to do it; to take the chance.

It wasn't long before she felt his presence in the room behind her. Turning slowly, she faced him, her countenance calm, in spite of the anger which filled her.

If she was angry, the dark lord of war had long since passed merely angry. He stood glaring at her with cold eyes that spoke of many things, but above all his extreme displeasure with her, his long, strong, muscular arms hanging loosely at his sides. His stance was quite deceptive. Kendaa had, on more than one occasion, seen him raise such a relaxed arm to throw a bolt of destruction at those who displeased him.

"Care to tell me what you think you're doing?" He enquired in a quiet, silky voice that brooked no refusal to respond.

"Untie me," she demanded coldly.

A dark eyebrow quirked above a pair of deadly cold eyes.

"No," he answered in a calm, deliberate drawl. "Now, what do you think you're doing?" He repeated harshly.

Kendaa shrugged as best she could with her arms bound behind her. "We had to see you. The only way to get your attention seemed to be for us to allow ourselves to be taken," she informed him matter-of-factly.

"This," his hand moved to indicate her bound form, "was rather extreme, don't you think?" He asked sharply.

"You think so? We...I've been pleading with you to show up for three days!" She replied equally as sharply.

Dark eyebrows raised mockingly. "You forget to whom you're speaking, Amazon," he snarled. "I am not your lap dog to come meekly when you casually call for me," he told her in a quiet dangerous voice.

Kendaa could feel her temper rising fast. "Thank you for reminding me, my Lord, that the gods treat us mortals with complete disdain; that you really don't have a care in Hades about anything to do with mortals, and that you above all could care less that women and children are being slain in their hundreds by your minions in this war!" She flung at him, her voice rising sharply.

Dark, almost black eyes bore into her, his fury almost a tangible thing. "Have a care, mortal," he warned her softly, his voice all the more frightening for its calm tone.

But Kendaa perversely wasn't afraid. "Or what, Ares? You'll destroy me?" She laughed bitterly. "You've threatened me with that more often than I've had Name Days. And why on earth should I care that you would threaten to put me to death?" After all, I've spent the last three days trying to stop the consequences of your direct orders, you cold-hearted bastard!"

He was physically trying to calm himself. He balled his hands into tight fists at his sides, as he took one step closer, the leather which sheathed his long, solid legs, stretching and making a strangely erotic sound in the room's taut silence. "You think I wouldn't destroy you if it suited me? Don't push me, my dear," he advised her in a soft, deadly whisper.

She could smell the blood lust and rage within him. It reached out to her, almost as strong as a physical blow. The God of War was always like this during a war, especially one as violent as that currently being waged. She wasn't surprised; he was, after all, the very spirit of war. She had seen the Lord of War like this on many occasions, but not since they had become involved on so many other levels. She hated seeing him wearing his present mien, and that in turn made her even angrier, and brought her back to the mission that had seen her surrender as captive to his warlord.

"Push you?" She asked incredulously. "My sisters and I have come here in desperation, Ares! We've seen dozens of women hauled onto the battlements of that city and raped in front of everyone; we've watched as we've fought, knee deep in bodies, as infants were skewered before our eyes by your soldiers! Push you? You're allowing the deaths of innocents in their hundreds! You have to stop it, and you're telling me not to push you? Is this about us or this wretched war? Is the immortal, great God of War so petty that he would hunger for the death of one, single Amazon warrior when there are so many innocents being slaughtered?"

Her eyes were battle-ready deep forest green. "I had come to expect better even of you," she finished, her tone a curious mix of disgust and sadness.

In two rapid steps he was directly before her. He reached out to grab her cruelly by both arms. "You go too far," he snarled at her, his face contorted with rage at her implied insult.

Then something in her snapped. It could have been the last three unending days of bloody, unrelenting fighting as they fought to save the city; it could have been sheer exhaustion; or even sheer fury. Without warning, she screamed, a scream of pure rage, and brought her knee up hard and fast into his groin. He instantly released her arms and stood back a pace, almost doubling over, in some considerable pain for all that he remained silent under the full impact of seldom-felt pain.

Ashen-faced, she stood breathing hard and watching him in horror. Oh Zeus, what have I done?

Slowly he stood upright, regaining his habitual grace and poise. Dark eyes were almost black now, and he was breathing every bit as hard as she, driven by pure fury.

His hand came up, and letting forth a terrible, guttural snarl of rage, he released a bolt of energy from his palm and threw it at her. But at the very last instant he diverted his hand slightly. Kendaa felt the searing heat from the deadly bolt as it shot past her head to smash into the stone wall behind her, leaving a black, smoking hole. The entire temple rocked under the full force of the impact.

Kendaa swayed wildly on her feet, and then, with no free hands with which to balance herself, she fell to the floor to lie at Ares' feet.

The warlord of all warlords had no such difficulty remaining on his feet. His face murderous, he glared down at the woman at his feet. But somewhere deep within him, a tiny voice spoke. How could I have done that? I almost killed her. She clearly deserves to die. And yet... By Olympus, she drives me to the brink again and again! She's a magnificent sight when she's driven by fury - I so enjoy watching her when she's like that. But I will not tolerate such insolence from her!

As he watched, she awkwardly pulled herself into a half-sitting position, wincing as the ropes bit more deeply into her wrists. Automatically, he waved a finger in her direction. The ropes binding her fell to the ground behind her. She looked up at him sharply in some surprise, meeting eyes that were still dilated and black with rage, but set in a face that was slowly losing its murderous expression.

She slowly climbed to her feet, and stood rubbing her wrists and gritting her teeth as circulation began to return with excruciating force. When she raised her eyes to his once more, his face was almost expressionless. I've never known anyone like him. Why does he anger me so much? I just deliberately tried to hurt him. And it hurts me that I should have wanted so badly to hurt him. This war...he can't help who - what - he is, but he's got to stop it! So many innocents are being lost. His army is vile. They...

Her face hardened.

"Ares, you have to stop this war," she told him, her voice more calm now.

His eyes never left hers. "Why, pray tell? And who are you to tell me of all people what I can and can't do?"

She shook her head, forcing down the anger that threatened to overwhelm her attempt at reasoning with him. "I'm not telling you, I'm begging you. I'm a warrior, I'm used to seeing people die; I've killed more people myself than I care to think on. But this is different, Ares. Haven't you been watching what your own men are doing? They're committing the vilest acts on the people in that city. That's not your style. You've always preferred a clean kill, not the terrible, cowardly, dishonourable murders that are being carried out in that city right now."

Still he stared into her eyes. Seconds later, as he considered her words, his own eyes widened. Tears had formed and were silently coursing down her face. He looked at her wordlessly, at a loss. Once before she had cried in his presence. But this...this was different somehow. He was stunned at the depth of raw emotion and distress that was radiating out from her. Involuntarily, his hand went out, almost as if to touch and comfort her, before lowering again without completing the action. His own fury began to abate. What is wrong with her?

They stood, not three feet apart, yet they were separated by the immeasurable chasm of his immortality and her mortality, and their mutual stubbornness and pride.

For long moments, they simply stood unmoving, but totally aware of each other.

Absently wiping away the tears, she quietly repeated her words. "Please, will you end this war?"

He remained silent for several more heartbeats, lost in the feelings and emotions that were pouring out of her. He had never known her to be so emotional. It confused him. And that in turn annoyed him. He thought about the war. There was more at stake here than was apparent to the Amazons and the other defenders of Akraea. He thought of the small, unobtrusive temple in the middle of the city. His men had to get to the temple at all costs. He hadn't, of course, been aware of the butchery that Nolus and his warlords had apparently been engaged in, being preoccupied with the overall ordering of the war. Nolus had overstepped his authority before; Ares would have a word with him. In the meantime...

"I'll consider your request," he told her, revealing nothing. Once his men had taken the temple and he had destroyed that which it held, then and only then would he call a halt.

Kendaa expelled her breath. While he hadn't said he would stop the war, at least he hadn't rejected her plea outright. That at least was something.

"May we go now?" She asked, wanting to return to the city as soon as possible.

But Ares had other ideas.

"Not so fast, my dear. You and your sisters won't be going anywhere tonight. You'll remain here until I decide to release you. If I decide to release you, that is."

He was still furious with her. And he wasn't about to allow her blatant disrespect in the throne room to go unpunished.

"As you will, Ares," she nodded slightly, grudgingly. "I'll go to them now," she said, moving forward.

The God of War held up his hand, dark eyes unreadable. "Uh, uh, uh. You'll remain here in my quarters tonight," he told her calmly.

She glared at him. "I want to go to my sisters."

He merely gazed at her, unconcerned at her anger. "You'll stay in my quarters if I have to chain you to my bed, my dear. Of course, we both know how that would end up, don't we?" He added nastily, ignoring the repudiating hiss that escaped her.

"Or...," he added with deliberate, cutting sarcasm, "perhaps you would prefer to spend the night with Graegus. Would you like me to summon him here to guard you?" He enquired silkily, a snarl of rage contorting his beautiful face.

"In fact," he suddenly added icily, "that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm sure you'll find his company as... pleasant...as mine," he assured her with cutting sarcasm.

Kendaa swallowed. She had never, in all the time she had known Ares personally, seen Graegus. But she had heard all the tales of the horror that Ares kept chained up as a pet. Hercules had told her of his own encounters with the hideous Dog of War.

Ares' soft, sibilant whisper snapped her attention back to him.

"Sleep well, my dear. Regretfully, I have other matters to attend to, but you'll find Graegus stimulating company, I'm sure," he told her, giving forth a laugh of pure evil.

In all the time she had known him, he'd never been this way towards her. She knew the darkness of war was consuming him, and remained silent as he roared out a summons to Graegus.

Nothing in her worst nightmares could have prepared her for the ghastly apparition that appeared beside Ares. She stared, frozen in horror. It was the most hideous thing she had ever seen.

Ares laughed outright at her look of horror.

Indicating the floor at the bottom of his bed, he snarled out a harsh command to the beast.

"Watch and guard!"

Moving his eyes back to Kendaa, his hand curled around the hilt of the great Sword of War sheathed at his waist, he smiled coldly. "If I were you, I'd retire sooner rather than later, my dear. Graegus doesn't like being disturbed once he's settled for the night."

With that he vanished, leaving her alone with the creature. For a long moment, they eyeballed each other, Graegus snarling softly.

Carefully and slowly skirting her way around it, the Amazon moved onto the bed, where she lay down gingerly, her eyes never leaving the monster regarding her so balefully from the bottom of the bed.

Ares couldn't have chosen a more suitable punishment for her insolence towards him in the throne room, she reflected wryly before closing her eyes, knowing she wouldn't sleep.

It was going to be a long night.

Somewhere in the depths of that night Ares' men, encouraged by the outright promise of the God of War to punish them severely if they failed, broke through the inner ring of Akraea's defenders and stormed the entrance of the temple they were seeking. Killing all the occupants, they made their way to the sanctuary, where they found the glowing, perfectly-clear round crystal they were seeking.

Not long afterwards they presented it to Ares. He himself had been unable to enter the temple. He'd tried, only to discover that Dahok's minions had placed some form of guard around the building which repelled him and, he was certain, any other god from entering.

He stood looking down expressionlessly at the glowing object in his hands for a long moment. Deep inside the crystal he thought he saw something move; a tiny movement, but he caught it nonetheless. A cold smile formed on his face. He calmly crushed the crystal into dust which floated down to lie at his feet. Another attempt by Dahok curtailed - but Ares knew it was but one of many to come.

He vanished, to reappear in Nolus' tent seconds later. "Well done, Nolus. I am pleased."

The warlord spun around, his face flushing with pleasure and pride. "I'm glad to have served you well, My Lord."

Ares gave him a perfunctory smile. "By the way... While I commend you on your - dedication - to your work, I'd ask that you refrain in future from wholesale massacre. Slaughtering women and infants is an inefficient and time-wasting means of conducting warfare, and I don't recall giving you a free hand to devise your own strategies."

Nolus swallowed, blinking uncomfortably. The God of War was infamous for his lack of patience with his own servants. "As you will, My Lord," he managed, his voice betraying his nervousness.

"Now, call off the army. They have achieved their objective. Remove them from the city."

Nolus bowed. "Yes, My Lord."

When he raised his head, Ares had vanished.

She was rising up through layers of sleep towards waking. Something wet was moving with slow deliberation over her face.

Kendaa came awake. And shrieked.

Inches from her face, Graegus' nose was snuffling her, already having left a wet trail across her forehead and cheek.

She flew off the other side of the bed in a flash of movement, and spun around when she heard Ares' loud unabashed laughter.

He was wiping tears of merriment from his eyes.

"Oh you should see your face!"

He dissolved in another gale of laughter.

"You, you know...I think he likes you!" He told her when he had regained a little control over his merriment.

The Amazon didn't share in the amusement of the God of War.

"You bastard! Get it away from me!" she screamed at him, wiping her face in disgust.

"Now Kendaa, you don't want to hurt his feelings, do you?" Ares went off into another round of laughter.

The hideous creature's massive head was swinging back and forth between its master and the new toy its master had given it the previous night.

Kendaa drew a deep, calming breath, and studiously ignoring the still-snuffling thing, walked to the end of the bed to confront Ares.

"I don't care if you're the God of War. I don't care if you choose to destroy me; in fact, I wouldn't care if you were Zeus himself right now. "Get that thing away from me and do it now, or I swear I'll never let you near me again!" She screamed the final words right in his face, her own face red with fury.

He lost the laughter, although a smile played around his lips.

"My, my. We are cantankerous this morning, aren't we? What's the matter? Didn't get much sleep last night?" He taunted her.

She shook her head in disgust and placed her hands on her hips.

"Fine. You've had your revenge. Or do you plan on keeping me locked up with this thing forever?" She asked him coldly.

Dark eyes regarded her thoughtfully. She had a point, and his revenge had been satisfying. He didn't think she'd be so openly disrespectful towards him in the future. For some reason the animal really terrified her. He smiled to himself. That piece of information might be useful in the future.

Ares nodded slightly. He turned to Graegus.

"Go!" He rapped out the sharp order. The thing sat looking at him for a moment, until he repeated the command in a loud bellow. It vanished, leaving them facing one another.

"You and your sisters may leave now," he informed her calmly.

She was surprised, and it showed.

"I've called an end to the war. You see, I've obtained what I wanted from Akraea," he added.

Kendaa wondered what he had wanted so badly from within the city, but knew he wouldn't tell her. She was relieved he'd ended the war, but felt sick to her stomach that so many had died so he could get whatever it was he had wanted.

"May I go now?" She asked, her voice still cold.

Ares smiled, reaching out to trail a finger seductively down her neck. "Oh but my dear, I was so hoping you might stay a little longer."

She slapped his hand away, almost shaking with rage.

"After what you've done? You must be joking, Ares," she hissed at him.

He could have made her stay. But he decided against it. A cold fish wasn't what he wanted in his arms, and at that moment, his favourite wore an expression that very much suggested she would like to stick a dagger right through him, for all that he was a god.

"Go then," he snarled softly.

Without a word, she moved passed him and stalked out of his quarters, in search of Laurissa and Hygea. She knew they would be terribly worried by now.

Laurissa and Hygea spun around as the door to their quarters opened to allow Kendaa entrance, a temple guard closing it behind her.

Both Amazons had slept little the previous night, worrying all through the night at what Ares might do to their sister in retaliation for the insults she had hurled at him in his throne room. The dark circles under their eyes were a match for the ones under the brilliant green eyes of their sister.

"Kendaa!" Laurissa pulled her into a relieved hug, and was soon joined by Hygea.

"Thank the gods you're alright!"

The blonde Amazon hugged her sisters equally as tightly before releasing them, relieved that they were unharmed.

"So, he didn't come near you?" Kendaa asked them.

"No, but tell us what happened to you? He didn't hurt you did he?" Laurissa was concerned. Kendaa looked as tired and emotionally drained as she and Hygea were. She knew her sister's confrontation with Ares would have not been at all pleasant. They both had very short tempers, and Kendaa had pushed the God of War hard the previous day.

"He didn't hurt me," Kendaa assured them. "But I did get to meet Graegus," she added, absently wiping her face.

Hygea blanched. "He threatened you with Graegus?"

"Oh yes," she sighed wearily.

Laurissa moved to lean against the edge of the table in the middle of the room. "So he was really mad?"

Her sister laughed a little. "Yes, he was mad. But he's stopped the war."

"Thanks the gods for small mercies," Hygea muttered, drawing a relieved breath.

"I don't know what he was up to in Akraea, but he said he got what he wanted during the night, so...," Kendaa shrugged, shaking her head in frustration.

"He's freed us. We can go," she added.

Laurissa laughed uncertainly. "Well, that was easy!" She told her sisters ironically. "Where do we find our weapons?" She asked over her shoulder, heading for the door and opening it, only to find a sword placed at her throat.

"Do you mind?" She glared at the guard. "Ares has freed us, so get out of our way!"

"Lord Ares hasn't told me he's freed you, so you'll all stay put until he does," the guard told her nastily.

Kendaa rolled her eyes. "Ares!" She yelled.

It didn't take long for him to appear.

"What now?" He snarled. "Haven't you gone yet? Olympus, what are you waiting for? A banquet in your honour?"

Laurissa winced at his sarcasm, while Hygea closed her eyes, waiting for Kendaa's response.

It came.

"We want nothing from you, except for you to tell this moron that we're free!" She told him sharply. "And we want our weapons back," she added coldly.

The air was thick with the tension between the two of them.

The Amazons' weapons suddenly materialised out of thin air to land in an untidy pile and a loud crash in the middle of the room.

"There, now get yourselves - and your weapons - out of my temple!" He roared at them.

"Fine!" Kendaa yelled back.

Laurissa and Hygea watched the exchange in rapt fascination.

"You are the most annoying mortal!" Ares bellowed, his eyes locked with hers.

"You want to talk about annoying?" Kendaa started to retort, only to be summarily cut off by the God of War.

"No, I do not want to talk about annoying. I want you GONE!" He roared at her, vanishing from their sight.

There was a bemused silence for a few seconds after his abrupt departure.

Laurissa calmly folded her arms across her chest. "You know, you two really need to find another way to express your feelings for each other..."

Hygea laughed softly. Kendaa glared.

They left the temple shortly afterwards, but were unaware that the God of War watched them from the window of his throne room, his face still angry.

As they disappeared from view, Ares growled, spun on his heel and all but threw himself back on his throne. Kendaa was without a doubt the worst mortal female he'd ever gotten involved with. As he sat with his fury festering, he idly stroked his beard. She was just begging to be punished, slowly and with great creativity. If she wasn't careful...

"You'll...what?"

The calm voice broke in on his turbulent thoughts. His head shot up and he regarded his father with dark, baleful eyes. His face now set itself in lines of boredom mixed with contempt.

"What do you want?" He asked, not that he really cared at all what his sire wanted.

Zeus smiled, surprising the God of War. It immediately put him on the alert.

"I just dropped in to say hello. Couldn't help overhearing what you'd like to do to the Dryad. Strange..." The King of the Gods still smiled, which was beginning to unnerve Ares.

"Do you think you could manage to stop talking cryptically and just say whatever it is you want to say?" The dark Lord of War asked in a sharp, sarcastic tone.

Zeus's smile grew. He nodded.

"I was just thinking how strange it is that you're sitting there thinking up such creative ways to murder her when she's just about all you ever think about lately, to the point that you've been neglecting your duties. If one didn't know better, one might suspect you actually loved the Dryad..."

That brought Ares off his throne to face his father in one lithe, fast movement. "I've never neglected my duties! How dare you imply that I have! And as for loving that infuriating, foul-tempered, disrespectful example of mortal womanhood...one might suspect that the King of the Gods was finally losing it. Love her? You must be crazy." Ares snorted in derision.

Still Zeus smiled, his face thoughtful.

"You know, I do watch you...more than you think I do, my son. I've watched you and the Dryad for a long time, and then there was Mitraea. I was watching then too..."

"Well thank you for intervening while mother was trying to kill me!" Ares interrupted, enraged.

Zeus shrugged. "There was no need. That situation resolved itself without any undue help from me."

Ares shook his head in disgust.

"No. What I meant was, you and the Dryad began to really look at each other at Mitraea."

"I was mortal at the time, in case you hadn't noticed," Ares snapped.

Zeus grinned. "Oh yes, I noticed. And I must say, it did wonders for you."

Ares' lips pressed together tightly as he tried to control his growing anger.

"And then," the King of the Gods continued, "you and she finally came together. I was pleased to see that, but not entirely happy that you started neglecting your work to spend more and more time with her."

"Excuse me?" Ares shouted. "If you care to look, no war has gotten out of hand, no war has started or finished that I didn't personally oversee!" He roared at his parent.

"It was a shame she lost the child," Zeus went on, ignoring the outburst, "but you know, I was actually proud of you when you brought the little one to her; in spite of the 'rules'. You did her a great kindness. And you did her an even greater kindness just after she lost the child, when you provoked her into coming back from that place to which she had withdrawn within herself."

That brought the God of War up sharp. He'd been very careful to cover his actions with regard to Eirene. It was galling to know that his father had known all along. And that he had been proud of him. Ares swallowed suddenly, viciously stamping down on the unwanted feelings that were trying to make themselves heard. He remained silent, watchful.

"And you would have me believe you don't love her. A pity, really. She loves you, you know."

Ares' mouth opened, and then abruptly shut again.

Zeus grinned. "You can't tell me you weren't aware of that, Ares! She's been trying every bit as hard as you have to deny it. In fact she hates knowing she loves you, but at least she's acknowledged it."

Ares smirked, eyebrows raised. "And since when did you take over Cupid's duties?" He enquired nastily.

"Oh come on! The Dryad loves you, you love her. You both love fighting with each other - it adds flavour to the relationship. And she's carrying another child," Ares' father added with devastating suddenness.

That brought the tall dark god's head up sharply. "She's what?"

Zeus shrugged. "I was wondering when you'd realise. She hasn't yet. But it won't be long. And this one will live - a son. Should I offer congratulations now or after the birth?"

Ares stared at his father for a long moment without really seeing him. So that was why she had been so unusually emotional the previous day. He supposed he should have figured it out, but he'd never paid much attention to the pregnancy of any of the women by whom he'd sired children.

"Well?"

His father's voice brought him back.

"What?" He blinked, confused.

"What do you plan on doing about her pregnancy?" The King of the Gods asked him.

Ares looked at him as if he'd grown two heads.

"Do? I plan on doing absolutely nothing. She'll have the child. So...?"

Zeus's face suddenly became grave.

"Ares, the dryad is special to me - and, though you won't admit it yet, to you. Watch over her."

His son frowned. Something didn't quite add up.

"What are you talking about?"

Zeus sighed. "You know as well as any of the gods what Kendaa did in the Great Northern Forest. And you know Hera wants to destroy her. You do care for her, and you care very much. You were right to warn her about your mother. Hera plans to act soon."

The darkly handsome face of the God of War curled into a sneer, his hand moving to tightly grip the hilt of his sword. "And you, of course, won't do a thing to stop her."

The King of the Gods shook his head in sorrow. Ares' arrow had hit the mark. "I can't. There are reasons why I can't move against her, and Hercules is occupied elsewhere this time. But you can help the dryad!" He told his son with a degree of intensity that surprised the dark Lord of War.

For a moment father and son stared at each other, measuring, assessing.

Finally, Ares nodded slowly.

Zeus, for one of the few times in Ares' long existence, smiled warmly at his son before vanishing.

The Amazons remained in Akraea for several days after Ares' army withdrew, helping with the clean-up, before heading back to their own city in the mountains.

Life settled back into its regular patterns for the women warriors.

Kendaa kept a wary mind's eye on the Great Northern Forest, her sense of unease growing daily.

Early one morning she was torn from a deep sleep. She sat up abruptly in her bed, unsure of what had woken her.

Suddenly she cried out, and hurled convulsively forward in the bed until she was almost doubled over with the pain that coursed through her. Again and again, she went into spasm, while in the Great Northern Forest, Hera's servants took their axes to the outer ring of great trees.

The half-dryad drew in a deep breath, fighting for control, close to retching, for all that her stomach was empty.

Eventually, it eased, and she lay back on her pillow, arm flung back over her head.

It had begun. Hera had thrown down the gauntlet.

Wearily, she swung her feet to the floor, only to stop when a tall, dark figure materialised directly in front of her.

She stared up at him. His visage was somewhat calmer than the last time they had confronted each other in his temple.

He didn't waste time. "Kendaa, it's begun," he informed her quietly.

She nodded. "I know. They're destroying trees in the Outer Ring. I have to go."

Ares gazed down at the Amazon woman. Even with sleep-tousled hair, which she was now pushing carelessly away from her face, she was magnificent. He could feel the determination within her as she stood. Yes, this one thing she would have to do herself. Her dryad self. It was time for her to resolve the unique duality of her being.

Carefully he reached out and sensed the new life pulsing deep within her. As yet, she had no idea she was carrying his child.

He regarded her intently, his dark eyes caressing. "Be careful," he bade softly.

She smiled faintly. "I will," she replied equally as softly, as he vanished.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared for the day. She would leave for the Forest Realm that night, but in the meantime there was training to be given throughout the morning, preparation for the feasting that night, and that night - something she had to do before she left.

The feast had been under way since not long after nightfall. Roasted pig and various root vegetables had been consumed along with copious amounts of ale. The best of the spring fruit had been used to round off the meal, and now the majority of the women in the city were seated or standing talking to each other in groups of varying sizes. The Amazon Nation had always felt an affinity for Gaea, so her Festival was kept with a certain amount of enthusiasm that was often lacking in festivals relating to other gods.

Kendaa sat at a long table with several of her friends; Laurissa, Klio, Therese, Calico, Lessa, Ceallach and Arete among others. She watched the door restlessly, awaiting the arrival of two others, who would shortly be coming off patrol duty.

Two figures walked through the doorway and she drew in a deep breath, her stomach churning. Amphalia and Khyra had arrived. What she had to do could now be done. She felt more apprehensive about it than she'd ever felt about anything in her life. The next few minutes would, she felt, determine her future with her Amazon sisters.

Amid calls for her to tell a story, Ceallach rose from her seat next to Klio, grinning as she moved to the front of the hall to begin her tale.

Ceallach's story was, as always, superbly and skillfully told, a tale of the ancient Amazon capital, Themiskrya, which held the undivided attention of every woman present from beginning to end.

As her sister sat down to enthusiastic applause, Kendaa swallowed and rose.

Moving forward to the front of the hall, she took up a position directly to the right of Ephiny, who, like several others, looked enquiringly at her. She took a deep breath before beginning.

"My sisters, I too have a tale for the telling this night," she began diffidently. Glancing in Khyra's direction, she saw the pain for her written on the younger woman's face. She had earlier told Khyra what she would do that night.

Shouts of encouragement greeted her quiet statement, and the hall settled down for another tale.

"My tale is one of the Dryads...or of one dryad in particular - and the Amazons."

Silence now reigned in the Hall of the Amazons.

"Mellinope was once, not all that long ago, Queen of the Northern Dryads. She reigned in the Green Depths of the Great Northern Forest. Many were her subjects - her children."

Kendaa paused, remembering.

"First among her children was her daughter by a mortal. This child she loved greatly, and eventually, according to the Law of the Green Depths, decreed that she would be her successor. For all the years of her childhood, this young one played, laughed and ran with her sisters through the hidden depths of the Forest Realm."

The woman telling the tale smiled a little. "Zeus himself always held a particular fondness for the oak dryads. Their affinity for the earth and for all growing things pleased him, as did their innocence and lightness of spirit. This of course displeased the Queen of the Gods."

It was an effort to keep her hands still, but Kendaa continued.

"Then one day, Hera decided that Mellinope and all her children were a threat to her. She came to hate them, and be jealous of them, for all that they had done nothing to her. She sent her fury against the Great Northern Forest Realm."

All eyes in the Great Hall were now riveted on the tall, slender blonde Amazon whose voice rang so clearly throughout the large chamber. Kendaa swallowed and continued.

"Hera herself destroyed the Forest until there was nothing left but mounds of ash and charred earth. Her minions hunted down and slaughtered Mellinope and every one of her daughters. Except for one. Only one, the Forest Princess, escaped. She was pursued by Hera's servants and faced death at their hands, only to be rescued by Hercules, the son of Zeus."

She stopped for a moment, preparing herself for the inevitable.

"At that time, the dryad princess swore, in the presence of Hercules and his mentor Ceridian, that she would henceforth renounce her entire dryad heritage - and the dead kingdom that was now hers. She would from that moment on, be human. She surrendered to her human nature and took human form, a form she has retained to this very day. And eventually, when she was strong again, she left Ceridian and ventured forth. After a time of testing she was accepted by the Amazons."

She paused, looking around the crowded, silent room. The only face that showed awareness was Khyra, who knew what was coming. For one fleeting moment, Kendaa's eyes locked with those of her raven-haired friend and sister, gaining strength and support.

Raising her head high, she resumed, her voice ringing out to fill all the corners in that large chamber.

"She is still among you," she told her sisters calmly, for all that her heart felt like a lodestone in her chest, before closing her eyes and concentrating.

Her form shimmered in the vision of all present.

An instant later, a dryad was in their midst. Tall, pale, with elongated, slender limbs, and possessed of a strange, ethereal beauty, she stood still before them, her hair white-blonde and wispy, her gold-flecked green eyes even more pronounced. She wore a pale green short robe, and an oak crown, her heritage, was entwined in her hair.

Around the hall, gasps and muted cries of shock could be heard coming from all directions.

She looked around her. Ephiny was silent, her face wearing an unreadable expression. Among her sisters, the reaction varied. Laurissa and Calico were weeping outright, their eyes locked with hers. Lessa looked shocked, while Calee appeared confused. Khyra, too, had tears in her eyes. Amphalia was shaking her head, her mouth slightly open, as if she couldn't believe her eyes. Klio was watching her, a thoughtful frown on her face.

It was far worse than she could ever have imagined. But it was done.

Quietly she spoke again, and her musical voice nevertheless carried to all corners of the chamber, silencing all voices once more.

"Tonight I leave you. I am, by blood right, and by the Green Law of Succession, Mellinope's successor. Hera has long sought to destroy me. Especially so since I made the blood sacrifice which gave rebirth to the Forest Realm and sent newly born little ones of my kind to play once more in its replenished depths. Once again, the Queen of the Gods seeks to destroy that which is entirely good. She seeks to destroy the Forest Realm, its Little Ones...and me...once and for all. I leave to do battle with Hera. Once and for all."

A terrible silence now reigned in the Hall. She would have given anything for her nightmare to be over, but gathering every reserve of strength and pushing her pain away, she continued.

"Forgive me for my deceit. I never meant harm by it. It was simply my wish that my past die, just as all my race had died. Now I know it's not that easy. Tomorrow, one way or another, the fate of the Northern Realm - and mine - will be decided. If I don't return...," she drew a deep breath. "If I don't return, know that you are all the family I have ever known since my kind was destroyed. You are all my sisters in the deepest sense of the word, and I thank you for that. Farewell my sisters."

She came to a halt. Looking sideways, she saw that Ephiny had risen to her feet, her eyes intent. Kendaa smiled slightly, and shook her head.

Slowly she began to walk from the hall, past table after table of her sisters. All eyes were on her, although none stood or moved to touch her. For most the shock was too great. Half way down a wad of spit came through the air to land directly in front of her.

"Forest spawn!" Came the guttural, hate-filled accusation. She paused, turning to gaze at the speaker. Chaerea, of course.

She resumed walking. At the door she paused again. Khyra reached out and hugged her warmly. "May the gods protect you, my sister," she whispered through her tears.

Kendaa released her friend, smiling slightly, before moving out the door and into a night which was as curiously silent as the hall behind her remained. She didn't go to her hut for her weapons. For the forthcoming battle she would not be using human weapons.

She walked slowly towards the treeline, her thoughts and feelings an odd jumble.

The darkness of the forest swallowed her.

In the still-silent Hall of the Amazons, one warrior woman had risen abruptly from her seat.

Picking up an almost-full jug of ale, Laurissa turned on her heel and walked rapidly down the long hall, coming to a halt in front of Chaerea. Her face furious, for all that tears still poured down her cheeks, she didn't hesitate. With considerable force, she threw the contents of the jug in Chaerea's face.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that, you narrow-minded, cold-hearted bitch!"

The Council member jumped to her feet, her own face twisted in furious indignation. "How dare you!"

"Oh I dare," Laurissa snarled. "You've hated her for so long, yet she's saved your hide more times than anyone here could count!"

"That's not..."

"Enough!"

Ephiny's harsh voice tore across Chaerea's. All eyes turned to their Queen.

She waited for silence to settle again before leaning on the table in front of her, her face intent.

"I want only one word from every one of you." She paused for a long moment, her eyes moving over all the women in the crowded hall.

"Yes or no. Does she go alone to do battle against Hera?"