It was a hot arid night within the City-state of Shikhatta with the moon hanging a quarter full in the sky, casting soft light with which to give some guidance to nocturnal travelers in the sprawling streets lined with buildings made of clay brick, straw, and wood. The glowing splendor of the celestial body was reflected upon the flowing waters of the river, which ran through the middle of the wide city from the distant mountains of Hecuba. Few stirred within the city unless bound by duty or need. Numerous contubera, groups of eight to twelve warriors, tread through the city in routine patrols seeking suspicious activity. A rare movement of shadow in the streets and alleys hinted of others still awake in unseen action. From near the center of the small river two bodies swum with simple rhythmic paddling and soft splashes, moving away from the massive palace which recently served as their prison and was home to the religious head of !the city state; Queen Ithokura. One, a massive individual bare of hair was having some difficulty as they moved, certainly unpracticed at this endeavor. The other, with hair matted along their head, seemed quiet and intent, moving more gracefully than their partner.

For long moments the two continued in their simple endeavor, pitting their waning stamina against the strength of the flow of water in slow progression to the outer wall at the edge of the city. Passing patrols along the bank of the river forced the two underwater to avoid detection and loose time as the river pushed them away from their destination. Finally, they reached the wall. Low arches crossed the length of the river with dark metal bars dipping beneath the water’s surface. The larger of the two, holding on to the metal bars took in a breath and dipped below the surface. The smaller of the two hung on to one bar and looked about quietly, breathing heavily to regain strength from the night’s swim. Moments later the first surfaced and silently mouthed a curse.

They moved along the length of the wall towards the bank of the river, watching for signs of a patrol. The sandy bottom rose to meet as they moved closer, allowing them stability as they crept closer to the beach. Their bodies slowly rose from the water of the river with each step, the soft light from above exposed the fair skin and rolling curves of two female forms with broad shoulder and curvaceous torsos. The areas of the stomach to the thighs were covered by crimson leather flaps taken from the bodies of those that once guarded them. Makeshift bandages from a silken cloth were wrapped about the left arm and region of the lower abdomen of the bald woman. Both held javelins and shields they had managed to bring with them. The smaller possessed two curved daggers hanging on a belt along the small of the back.

After a moment of hesitation the smaller, thinner one pointed to a point along the wall where block stone steps zigzagged to the top. Two forms could be seen at the top, one holding a torch which highlighted the warriors of the city-state. The two swimmers moved into the darkened shadows of the many buildings between them and their destination and away from the banks of the river. Within the winding alleys and less traveled streets the larger one, better skilled at keeping orientated on a location than her friend, took the lead. They traveled through dirt floored alleys wafting with the faint odor of human wastes and the sounds of small rats. The two managed to avoid any sign of activity or wary eyes in their travel along the edge of the city and came to the end of the buildings. An open area surrounded the foot of the stone steps. A quick glance confirmed the two sentries had moved away to check another portion of the wall, it allowed them the opportunity to move with !stealth to the stairs undetected.

As they slowly moved up the stairs to the first flight they were startled as gongs and horns suddenly sounded from the palace, carrying across the grand expanse of the savage city. Voices cried from numerous locations along the wall, passing the orders to watch for escaped slaves and to awaken other warriors. The sound of soft soled boots scuffle across the wall from above to make their way down the stairs as the light of a torch danced and grew brighter. The two skulkers leaned against the wall and made ready to attack the sentries. The two warriors of Shikhatta bounded down the stairs and reached the landing. Each appeared as most Shikhatta warriors; with bald head bare save for a braided tail of dark hair, shoulders and lower regions covered in crimson leather with breast to stomach bare, and soft calf-high boots. Each held javelin and square shield with a sheathed scimitar dangling from a soft hide leather strap hanging across the shoulder.

The weapons did not help the surprised warriors as the two skulkers vaulted from their position. The smaller one tackled a short thick-bodied warrior, knocking both over the edge of the landing and into the darkness to land with the soft thud of skin against skin. The larger stepped out and thrust, taking her nubile opponent through the upper abdomen as the inexperienced warrior exhaled with wide eyed surprise. The girl’s attacker gave the young warrior no time to recover as she withdrew and thrust again, this time the javelin point found its mark between the small breasts. Blood spurted as the girl shuddered and slid down the wall to slump with a sleepy gaze.

The large attacker moved to the edge of the stone landing and looked to her companion below. The smaller woman was rolling off the body of her opponent. The guard lay spread eagle with a slash splitting the flesh of one breast. A curved dagger was buried deeply in the left side of the meaty neck of the slain amazon, who looked lifelessly to the night sky with eyes wide and blood-coated teeth curled back in a snarl. Blood ran down the weapon and pooled even as the packed ground slowly absorbed the liquid.

"Hurry up Fawnyae! We have our opening, let’s not waste it!"; hissed the larger woman urgently.

The smaller woman stood up and stared at her dead opponent with a half mad look and pulled a second curved dagger from its sheath and made as though to leap upon the corpse, ignoring her companions summons. Cries erupted down a side street of the city as a contubera spotted the two escapees, startling the woman before she could do whatever she was contemplating. Running quickly up the stairs the smaller woman joined her companion, who looked at her worriedly.

Together they ran to the top of the wall with the group of women warriors following closely. One or two javelins flew by, getting lost in the darkness beyond the wall as their owners cried in frustration. The escapees ran back along the wall towards the river and stopped as another group reached the top of the wall hundreds of yards ahead. The larger woman looked back to the first group and threw her javelin back at her pursuers. The group hesitated as shields were brought forward. The javelin glanced off the shield of the lead warrior, but the tactic bought the two the scant moments they needed. The larger woman pushed the smaller one off the wall and leaped to join her in the river. The water seemed to swallow them whole, for neither resurfaced as the Shikhatta looked into the river with frustration.

A company leader joined the two contubera looking out into the darkness and quickly assessed the situation, scowling. "Prepare our valiant sisters for burial, I will inform the palace of what has happened."

.....

The darkness was offset by the predawn light of a time called false dawn. In that time the birds roused themselves and uttered numerous calls as though inviting the sun to rise. Humanity still slept on, the earliest risers among them resting a moment before rising to begin the day.

The large woman staggered to shore coughing, holding the arm of her silent similarly garbed redheaded companion as she followed. She glanced back to the city-state of Shikhatta, now distant on the horizon.

"The darkness hid our flight, Fawnyae, but the sun is rising. They will catch us if we do not find quick transport or a hiding place soon."

Her companion simply nodded and smiled. Garluatha hesitated a moment and then turned away to guide her with a concerned frown. Thoughts of vengeance slid through the large woman’s mind for what the Shikhatta had done to her countrywoman, but reason and need prevailed. They were in no position to afford the luxury of vendetta’s, not yet at least.

A low walled compound lay ahead in the open grasslands, most likely a small estate belonging to one of the ruling hierarchy of Shikhatta. While it would be prudent to avoid it altogether Garluatha needed quick transport. She had no doubt the ruling class of this city state kept horses.

She left Fawnyae behind some cover on the edge of the compound and carefully approached a wood gate along the low wall of the open end. Three hairless nude slave women moved about the inner section in the early morning rituals of collecting and preparing food for the day, a miniscule number which told the woman of Rojures that the mistress of this house was not here. Activity along the corner of the wall to her left caught her eye. A fat Shikhatta with short black, greasy hair pulled back in a pony tail took a swig of liquid from a polished wood cup as she sat watching her charges. A simple cloth shirt which was tied about the neck covered the massive front side but left the back bare. A belt supported a side-slit skirt which extended to the knees. Thin leather moccasins were set to the side as stubby toes cured and uncurled. A young slave, standing behind, massaged the broad bare back of her supervisor and kissed the offered neck unsmiling.

Garluatha hunched low, moving carefully and quietly along the wall, her full breasts swinging as she scrambled quietly to a position behind the two. She managed to climb over the wall before one of the slaves noticed the large woman advancing on her supervisor. But no warning was given as the giantess pushed the young slave girl sway and pounded the Shikhatta to unconsciousness.

When she was finished she looked up to see the three slave women looking at her with fearful looks, unsure as to how to react before a large woman somewhat dressed like the warriors of this land. The warrior of Rojures contemplated a moment. She could explain herself and offer to help them to freedom, but she would be further slowed and possibly caught by her pursuers. Though it came hard, she realized she could do nothing at this point for them. This she explained. They accepted her explanation with a mixture of sympathy and grief at lost hope and offered the houses two horses and the supplies the overseer kept in her room, among them was a wide bladed bastard sword, javelin, and large shield. The woman tested the balance of the sword and smiled, pleased to finally have a weapon she was more familiar with.

One slave , as it turned out, was once a healer and volunteered her talents. She cleansed the wounds and applied an oily salve she claimed the Shikhatta warriors made use of that would reduce infection, limit scaring, and increase healing. Fawnyae was brought before her to see if something could be done to snap her out of her bizarre behavior. She scrutinized the traumatized woman and advised rest and recovery among friends, apologizing for not being able to do more.

She dragged the heavy supervisor into her sleeping quarters and stripped the woman bare of clothing. With a length of rope found in the courtyard she bound the unconscious woman to her bed and gagged her with her own loincloth. She removed the other furniture from the woman’s rooms with the help of the slaves and locked the door. The makeshift prison would hold the woman for a few days, giving her more time to escape the warriors that no doubt would be hunting her.

Garluatha, re-provisioned and re-equipped, was ready to travel by mid morning dressed in a simple half shirt and skirt. Stored clothing unpacked by the slavewomen provided her silent aide with a simple headpiece, shirt, baggy leggings, and sandals of a noblewoman. She left the estate with a renewed determination and a simple plan to return to her people. She had no illusions of her chances, it would be a tough task to keep ahead of her hunters in a land unfamiliar to her.

…..

The hall was by far the largest within the temple palace of the city-state of Shikhatta. Huge obsidian columns towered fivespan high of the height of the average dweller making minuscule those who enter. Queen Ithokura, along with four of her elite warriors of Shikhatta, entered it along with naked male and female slaves following. Like all Shikhatta warriors the queen herself was nearly bare of hair. A headpiece adorned the queen with thick reddish black strips tightly circumventing the scalp with multiple curved horns. A leather tube supported by this headpiece suspended a long braided tail of hair which swung along down to the small of her back as she moved. Dark brown eyes flashed with heated frustration . A hawk nose and pursed full lips accented the emotion being felt by the religious leader of the city state. She was nearly bare of clothing save for a golden silk cape which hung on her shoulders. Clinging to the rounded curves of her breasts it split wide to expose! the flat belly and bejeweled waist with a thin silk loincloth.

Before their leader, poised against leaning wood slabs and strapped by the forehead, under the arms and the about the knees and ankles lay the nude bodies of six Shikhatta warriors for her inspection. Their leader walked calmly to the first and stood to examine the body of a young woman with an expression of sleepy surprise with a dark red slit below the jaw line. The chin and throat were saturated with reddish brown sticky drying blood. The thin framed body was pallid, showing bluish veins. She stepped a few paces down the line and faced a woman with lifeless eyes rolled upwards, dark circles protruding under the eyes with a slack jaw reddish purple face and dark bruises under the throat. She continued down the line past a thin faced bony girl with sleepy glazed eyes and a slightly open mouth to stop before a young beauty with large hanging breasts and a deep wound between. Ithokura extended a hand and caressed one mammary with sadness, recalling this particular warriorrquote s prowess at pleasing her queen. She looked on to the beaten form of another woman. Dark purplish black bruises could be seen on the forehead, along the broken jaw, on the right shoulder, left breast, right rib cage, and multiple points on the abdomen. The final warrior, a woman the queen recognized as an up and coming favored, lie still with eyes closed, a massive gash running from above the bellybutton to the sternum.

She turned to view a naked Shikhatta warrior flanked by two more of the queen’s elite guard. The woman was broad shouldered with drooping breasts, large stomach, and large round behind. A large dark swell along the right side of the cheek and mouth forced a slight upturn of the right lip. What skin shown between her legs was raw and red. The warrior’s head was bowed and the body was trembling. Her leader struck her hard and spoke to the frightened woman.

"It all begins with you. These deaths could have been prevented had you awaited the return of your partner. Your eagerness to be entertained by our lust driven male slave with the giantess of Rojures has brought upon the demise of your sisters and your own violation. The scent and sight of your disgrace is on you even now and it is an affront to any Shikhatta warriors that witness it."

The woman dropped to her knees and crawled forward. The elite moved to intercept, but halted at a gesture by Ithokura who watched with a twitch of a smile as the naked warrior gripped her thigh and looked up with pleading in her eyes.

"Please, my queen, the binds themselves had failed to hold the strongwoman. It was my unit leader herself who had assessed their wear to be adequate. Please do not impale me before the temple. I still long to serve you as I was born to do."

"You were begotten as a warrior, destined as one of the hosts to conquer for Bahkraine"; said Ithokura as the woman looked into the hard darkness of her queens eyes, "but this day I tell you I see no sign of a warrior. Be gone from my site, you cowering kunt and give me time to think of a suitable punishment."

She turned to several other high ranking warrior women entering the chamber with anger in her eyes.

"This woman of Rojures has deprived our people of defenders and future warriors that would come from these women. She has some knowledge of our intent and purpose of battle and may stir her clans against us to ally with the city-states earlier than had been foreseen. She is wounded and also hampered by a red head woman who is half-mad if not completely insane. She is unfamiliar with our domain and will seek the easiest of paths to follow; either the river or the same trail she and her partner arrived from. Send messengers and treble the patrols along the borders to the mountains. Let every warrior know her description and her capability. Send out scouting parties to learn where she goes and hunt her down! Inform me immediately when she is spotted for I wish to see this woman’s dead body for myself."

"Also, spread the word that I, Holy Queen of the Shikhatta and immortal daughter of Bahkraine offer those who find and slay these Rojures bitches all the pleasures of the temples for three months and a step up in ranking.

Hearing her commands, the warrior-generals moved quickly to spread their queens dictate throughout the regions under Shikhatta domain. By the first light of morning messengers had left the gates of the city, each with orders to identify and hunt down two women of the clans of Rojures.

Word quickly spread among the warriors throughout the territories under Shikhatta domain of the queen’s will and her reward for those who achieved it’s success. Such a reward was extreme extravagance to the common warrior who’s luxuries were few and duties to their goddess constant. With a single mind the warriors began their search with great fervor; villages were turned inside out, travelers were given great scrutiny, patrols were increased, and the passages to the smoky mountain range where dwelt the clans of Rojures were denied to all.

Ithokura was pleased with her warrior’s efforts and expected to be notified of their prey’s death within the week. She received reports of the massive manhunt and took great personal interest in its progress. Each hint of Garluatha and her companion was sought and passed along.

Success of a sort was soon achieved when word came confirming a theft from a nearby estate near the river by two that matched the description of the hunted. Horses, clothes, and weapons were taken. A citizen in charge of the slaves kept at the compound was found bound nude to her small bed. Her four charges were found locked in their cells, telling their rescuers of the two who had done the deed. The contubera of nine horsed warriors who had discovered the theft immediately set off in pursuit of the two thieves after relaying word of their find to the city-state. Ithokura ordered three more to follow in the event their prey doubled back, effectively blocking any return to the city.

In some deep corner of her mind it gladdened the holy queen to know her enemy did not drown in the river. She felt she and her people would be cheated of worthy sport. Reluctant as she was to admit it the she was beginning to admire the giantess’s fortitude in the trials she had set for her. This is a warrior she was beginning to consider worthy of respect, something she sparingly gave to few of her enemy.

She found herself more and more drawn into the hunt as reports came in, giving orders to relay the reports directly to her no matter the circumstance. As she had guessed the two escapees were following the river closely, attempting to use it as a means to thwart tracking by riding within the water. The river would also guide them to the mountains, it’s source. It was a simple tactic but effective. The hunters were slowed in appraisal of the rivers shore for sign their quarry had left the river in pursuit of another direction. Their caution bore success as a change in course was noted, the hunted ones were moving instead towards the hilly regions of Shikhatta territory.

It puzzled the Holy Scion momentarily until she surmised it’s reason. She was thus not surprised when further word reached her afterwards of the ambush of the contubera by their prey as it rested during the night. Reportedly, the two warriors of Rojures struck from the shadows, dispatching two of the three sentries quietly and releasing the binds on the horses of the Shikhatta. Howling like women possessed to startle both beasts and warriors the two entered the camp swinging their weapons. When finished their efforts resulted in the deaths of two more before disappearing into the dark with a few light wounds. The unit leader had nearly lost half those women under her and herself was wounded with two others from the attack, their beasts lost somewhere along the hills.

In Queen Ithokura’s bedchamber she heard the recount of the contubera’s failure early in the morning darkness. A messenger recanted the tale admidst the background of soft moans and gasps of the numerous participants of the queen’s continuing orgy dedicated to Bahkraine. The holy queen lounged naked with an expression of interest as the woman relayed her report staring towards the ground with two elite warriors dutifully watching the warrior. When the tale was done the leader of Shikhatta rose and padded over to a table map of her domain and bid the warrior forward to point out the location of the skirmish. The warrior, hunched over with eyes towards the floor, quickly scampered to the table and pointed the location out to her queen.

Ithokura lazily traced the river up to the mountains with her left hand in contemplation, dismissing the group with a wave of her other. A smile slowly spread across her full lips as her dark eyes held a spark of voracious resolve. She WILL join the chase. These adversaries deserved her personal attention.

The queen awoke the next day and issued new orders. The rule of the city-state would be entrusted to her priestesses in her absence as she joined the hunt for the fleeing prisoners. None protested for she was their holy queen, daughter of a goddess whose appetites must be quenched but would never be, her will was their command.

She rode out from the city-state on her golden chariot emblazoned with holy signs of Bahkraine flanked by two of her thick muscled elite warriors each wearing a full helm and single curved leather chest plate in addition to the normal armor Shikhatta warriors wore. Four more similarly attired warriors on horse surrounded the chariot in a protective formation. The entourage followed a hectic pace as she raced on to the border. There was a certain feral joy in the Shikhatta leaders eye as she urged her horses onward at top speed. For days the retinue traveled along the dirt roads which followed the river with the erstwhile huntress vigilant for clues as to her prey’s progress. The horses were exchanged twice at preset destinations to allow the group to keep up the queen’s hectic pace without killing the beasts.

She counted on those warriors stationed along the river to slow the escapees enough to allow her to have a chance at the prey. The two would have to circumvent the numerous hunting parties and towns and villages which dotted the route, each garrisoned with a company of amazon seeking their deaths. Two kilometers beyond the point of the skirmish the messenger had indicated, she identified a set of tracks three days old entering the water, following the river towards the mountains. Another kilometer upriver she noticed the tracks of three contubera a day behind their quarry, most likely those she had dispatched from the city-state.

She continued on at a rapid pace in the tepid heat, sure that her group would catch up to the escapees at least a day before the border. Three days more the group caught up to the contubera stalking the women of Rojures. The unit leaders were surprised but honored to see their queen join in the hunt and deferred the leadership to her. Ithokura naturally accepted and found a place for the group to rest and make plans.

A detailed map of the mountain passes leading to the region claimed by the Rojures was laid out for all to view. It revealed three possible paths of escape their targets would possibly take from the river. Ithokura ordered two of her own elite warriors to notify those villages nearest to two less likely paths of the possible arrival of the escapees. Meanwhile, the group would continue pursuit along the most likely trail. By the tracks and the terrain ahead all agreed they would catch those pursued somewhere along the borderlands.

…..

The mountain range that bordered Shikhatta territory loomed before Garluatha and her silent aide as they continued to ride, their horses covered in white froth as she pushed the beasts past their limit of endurance. The large woman did not care now that she was so close to her objective. The two would not need them once they entered the mountains. They had continued to follow the river for days, avoiding patrols and settlements of any kind. and were now in semi familiar territory.

She was weary from the forced ride, lack of sleep, and the constant call to alertness and felt as her mounts looked, haggard and ready to lie down. The only thing that kept her going was her need to get her and her aide Fawnyae safely back to her people. Her hope was that she would meet a patrol of her own people when she entered her territory. Once safely in their care she could count on them to escort her back to her clan to rest., to meet with the council of Rojures and make plans for a reckoning.

She knew of two trails into the mountains that would fit her needs, but one was too close to a settlement. That left a winding ill used trail with an open kilometer and a half range of gradual hills that slipped into the mountains. She arrived shortly before the dawn along the open expanses perimeter as a border patrol of fifteen Shikhatta slowly made their way across. Keeping to the tree line, she dismounted and awaited her opportunity. Her best chance, she surmised, would come as they were at the far edge of the clearing.

A quarter of the sun was still along the horizon when they met that point. The giantess assisted her companion onto their horse and mounted hers. Ignoring her riding sores she kicked the sides of the beast to prompt it forward. Fawnyae mimicked the motion. Both horses galloped out of the coverage and head for the other end of clearing. The grass blurred by as the horses moved, setting riding sores to fire in pain with each bounce. Meters passed quickly as the rolling green hills began to show streaks of bare ground with exposed rock.

She was a quarter third to their destination when the distant thunder of hooves came to her attention. She turned to her right and saw nine Shikhatta on horse riding towards her in silence with determined looks, followed by a royal chariot ridden by Queen Ithokura herself with two flanking elite warriors on horse. To her left she noted the approach of a little more than twenty riders bearing down on the two with grim confidence, the jolting motions of the horses setting the flaccid portions of their bodies to bounce and jiggle as they closed. She realized too late the Shikhatta host had hidden themselves in the shadows of the rolling hills and set the patrol out to influence their quarry’s decision to cross during the light. It was a subtle trick, but effective. She had no doubt that if she had tried to cross at night scouts hidden along points would give warning to the others.

She urged her horse on, hoping to outrun them to the trail between the rocky hills. Again her companion copied her motion, but this time let out a haggard shriek and clumsily drew her curved dagger as she looked to their pursuers. The group responded with war cries as they gave chase, gaining ground as the fatigued horses of the pursued vainly tried to outpace the fresher beasts. The giantess of Rojures looked about for a chance to escape and only came up with desperate infeasible plots as the hunters came into javelin range and let fly with their weapons. The royal chariot broke of pursuit and instead head directly towards the trail point ahead, located between two towering rocky hills. Its driver obviously realized where she could meet her hunted if her warriors could not stop them and moved ahead to block the path.

Among the pursuers an experienced warrior, sweating with exertion paused to take aim with her javelin and let fly. The deadly shaft flew true, striking Fawnyae in the lower back. The woman arched her back up and opened her mouth in a silent o of shock. A second warrior let fly and struck the madwoman’s beast in the flanks with her javelin, which then fell to the grassy ground. Garluatha noted her friends slowing and glanced to her side to gain dawning realization of her aide’s plight. Her eyes welled with tears as she helplessly watched as a second spear transfixed the redhead’s upper torso, the shaft point exiting just below the sternum. A third warrior barreled closely past the slowing horse with scimitar in hand and swung. The deadly curved blade caught the base of the neck and severed the head of the wounded prey, sending a weak stream of blood from the ragged stump of the target’s neck.

Garluatha let out a bellow of rage and directed her tired horse towards the woman warrior still smiling and flush with victorious bloodlust as she raised her crimson scimitar to the sky. Those closest to the large woman were taken by surprise at the change in course, and jarred each other in a slowed effort to follow. Those closest to the Shikhatta slayer reveled with their sword sister as they moved to the headless corpse now sliding from its beast. The large amazon rode through the this group, her horse slamming into their beasts to widen the gap and allow the living fury to reach the Shikhatta executioner. Her broadsword slashed as the warrior brought her shield to bear to block the blow but. the strength of the maddened amazon’s strike cut through the lower corner of the guard and buried itself lengthwise into the upper belly of the warrior. She rode on, pulling the weapon along as the one attacked rolled forward in shocked reaction and her gory innards began to spi!ll out.

It was a momentary victory at best as those arrayed against the lone avenger regrouped at prompts from unit leaders and gave chase. Their overconfidence was reigned in as recollection of the quarry’s capabilities were recalled and their sword sister fell to the ground to die next to her beheaded victim.

The regrouping allowed the giantess of Rojures enough leeway to return to her previous course with most of the host behind her. Ahead, she found the royal chariot blocking her passage. Queen Ithokura herself had disembarked, confidently removing her golden cloak and handing it to one of her elite warriors as she pulled a silver metal scimitar from its jewel encrusted scabbard. She strode froward, a tanned, toned, voluptuous woman with a red leather open faced helm with a tail of jet black bound hair. Silver metal armor hung loosely from the shoulders and protected the bosom, exposing a muscled stomach. A similar side slit metal skirt hung down to her knees from a metal belt. Intricate bands of metal on her lower arms and legs provided protection as well. As the Rojures warrior rode towards Shikhatta’s leader she could see an exposed face in a close mouth smile with dark brown eyes that hungered for their meet.

Garluatha was not going to allow the royal the pleasure. She prompted her beast once again into a charge, this time directed toward the queen. The plan was evident to the Shikhatta leader from its inception. She calmly gestured with arm outstretched and spoke a command. One of her elite warriors, always close by, handed her monarch their javelin as the scimitar was sheathed. The two enemy closed; one calm and confident, the other desperate and hopeful. Ithokura’s arm pulled back and threw the weapon as the horse came to within fifteen meters of the group blocking the trail. The shaft pierced the skull of the unfortunate beast, sending it rolling to the ground to throw its screaming rider a few feet ahead of the creature..

Ithokura moved to within five meters to stop and assay her quarry as the remainder of the host with her closed.

"So ambassador of Rojures, you think to leave the hospitality of my lands? As you can see it will not come to pass. You are proficient in fighting, something I had not been informed of nor realized until your escape. I lost too many warriors in learning this. It will stop here and now. You will return and replenish our numbers."

"Never, queen of whores!" Said Garluatha as she stood up. "You will have to kill me. If you can, that is."

"Know that I will have you for my breeding stock, your daughters will be born and raised as warriors in the service of Shikhatta. If you have need to fight me , then so be it." said Ithokura matter-of-factly as she advanced, drawing her scimitar with a grim smile.

Moments ticked by as both women moved, feinted, and attempted to appraise each others skill. The host of Shikhatta surrounding them bore witness in great trepidation, elite warriors moving to stay close to their charge as those warriors of the three contubera urged on their queen with numerous cries.

Then the fight commenced in earnest as Ithokura began with a quick slash to Garluatha’s shirt, tracing a thin line of blood as the material fell and exposed the large breasts of her adversary. The ornate shield of the queen was raised to block the incoming two handed blow of the broadsword and received it with a jarring clang. The scimitar slashed by again as the exposed thigh received a slash upwards, opening the side of the skirt with a small trail of blood, nearly slicing the belt in two. Another stroke whizzed by the larger amazons leg as she shifted stance and backed away from the Shikhatta beauty.

The queen smiled evilly, moving forward to press her advantage. The movements became smooth and rapid as the scimitar cut light scratches into the body of her opponent despite Garluatha’s best efforts to block, dodge, and defend. Her opponent realized the queen’s intent; she was slowly stripping and bleeding her opponent, giving her followers some entertainment as she exhibited great skill.

"You are not the challenge I had hoped for cow of Rojures. You are slow and hold no skill I cannot overcome. Your offspring shall be taught by our finest trainers and wield weapons much better than their mother."

The large warrior knew she needed to do something quick or the Shikhatta leader’s pronouncement would come true. The queen once again advanced holding her shield before her and moving to swing. The action suddenly inspired Garluatha who awaited the next stroke. A light slash along her forearm resulted as the larger woman pounded froward to slam into the queen’s shield and bear down on her smaller opponent in a tackle. Ithokura fell as her scimitar was lost from her grip, her enemy’s mass atop the holy queen. Garluatha rolled to her feet, pulling her antagonist up with a strong jerk and keeping her off balance enough to spin the woman about and get her arm around the smaller woman’s neck while putting the broadsword point to her back.

"Remember this bitch", said the larger contestant breathing heavily in her opponents ear, "one blow could turn a fight."

The joyful screaming and laughter suddenly died as the warriors realized their queen’s danger. Elite moved to the front of the crowd ready to move with weapons in hand but hesitant to strike. They whispered orders to unit leaders and allowed the years of discipline to set in as hand signals were given and the contubera’s reformed.

"Move aside or I gut your queen where she stands!"; bellowed the woman.

The assembled circle of warriors moved to provide an opening, each with anger on her face. Garluatha continued to moved with her captive as blood trickled from the numerous cuts, weakening the already fatigued warrior. She constantly looked over her shoulder, hoping to see the warriors of her clan coming to her rescue, but saw nothing as she moved.

"I give you one last chance to surrender to me, ambassador. You are in an untenable position with my warriors ready for any sign of weakness. Surely you must be weakening from your constant exertion and the slow loss of blood. You may last anther fifteen quateem but the result will be the same, you shall help produce a new generation of warriors to serve Bahkraine."

Garluatha looked about and realized the hopelessness of her predicament. An anger welled inside her and she resolved to strike a final blow against her enemies in a last desperate bid for freedom. She shoved her broadsword in, rewarded with the gasp of both Ithokura and the group watching her as its blade pierced the body of their leader and exited through the belly. The group looked in incredulous dismay as their beautiful queen fell face forward to lie before her slayer. The executioner stepped forward and drove the broadsword into the back of their holy queen to deliver another blow, this time meant for the heart. Life-giving crimson liquid poured out and pooled about the still moving body as Ithokura groaned and shuddered

Moments of shock followed for most of the Shikhatta warriors as the elite moved those few meters to their queens body and Garluatha stepped back in triumph. She was both relived and elated at having removed the one person who had plagued her since her sojourn from Rojures. She had no regrets. Ithokura was an evil queen whose hunger for power and wealth needed to be stopped.

"A worthy blow Sub-chieftain, if I was fully mortal", said the holy queen’s voice as she was pulled to her feet by her elite, covered in her own blood. "But I am the daughter of a goddess, as my priestesses have proclaimed to you unbelieving heathens. Bear witness to this fact and despair!"

Now it was Garluatha’s turn to be shocked as she looked in slack jawed amazement as the wounds quickly began to knit themselves together. A cold stark fear ran up her spine at the sudden realization of Ithokura’s proclaimed immortality. She could not be killed. Her evil would grow unchecked.

She was considering this when she realized all the Shikhatta were looking to her with zealous fury at the violation of their queen. The unit leaders looked to the elite and received silent acknowledgement of what was to be done. With a single cry three contubera of zealous amazon surged forward to do their temporal and spiritual leader’s bidding.

The red hair giantess of Rojures ran with the pack of zealous amazons at her heals, amazement still in her thoughts over what she had just witnessed. Her enemy gained ground quickly, most fresher than their weakened quarry. She scrambled on hands and feet desperate to find some way to escape. A small thin warrior leaped forward, her scimitar skittered off a large rock on which the hunted woman momentarily leaned against, sending shards of stone and dirt flying with a sharp krang of metal. Garluatha turned about and thrust her sword, rewarded with the Shikhatta’s horse scream as the blade pierced the leather armor and deeply entered the lower abdomen. The warrior twisted and backed away in shock to fall groaning to the ground as another moved forward to take her place

An anger built of frustration and loss boiled out of Garluatha’s mind as she was slowly backed into the wall of the passage, blocked by savage women with faces contorted in zealous fury. Behind this group lie the two fallen warriors and further down, the elite group attending to their queen. Her hand stretched back and found the rock wall and brushed something else she recognized. A thin rope used in the making of traps her people set along the passages in the event the Shikhatta had ever decided to invade. She blocked a blow meant for her stomach and followed the lines trail to a group of rocks above.

With anger in her voice she cried out inarticately, silencing the crowd with its strength. The group hesitated, a little surprised at the strength still exhibited by their prey.

"See that your craven queen lies wounded sluts of a goddess of whores and know that one of Rojures has done the deed who will not submit, despite the tortures we would endear. Know that one of my people is worth ten of you. We will not yeild. We will not be broken, even while staring upon deaths face!"

With that she pulled on the hidden line, setting in motion something she could not stop. A jagged thunder came from above attracting the attention of the warriors arrayed along the passage. The giantess took the momentary distraction to swing her blade a final time and watched as it cleaved sidelong into the head of the nearest Shikhatta. The woman grunted as the force of the blade cut deep into the side of the head just below the eye and ground against bone as the steel was pulled from the warrior by the follow through. Bright red blood issued forth from ear mouth and notrills as her body fell sideways to the ground to convulse.

The next second the piled rocks from above, meant to seal the passage, crashed down as the warriors attempted to scramble from the area of the death dealing rockslide. A large boulder landed in front of Garluatha with a solid thud and rolled back to crush her mortally wounded adversary. She could see near the rear of the pack several roll over a supple bodied short woman who screamed as a ton and a half of stone crushed her bones and innards. A huge stone bounced off a jutting slab from above and landed atop a thin framed unit leader cutting off her commands with a muffled crunch. It rolled on to pin an athletic warrior’s mid and lower body as she cried and vomited blood as she was crushed by the massive thing. This continued as the giantess watched her enemy fall before the massive weight of earth arrayed against her and them.

A rock the size of her head smashed into the side of her shoulder, sending her reeling with shock and pain to land beside the bodies of two of her former adversaries. One was dead with her face locked in a shocked death stare and her crushed body splayed in unnatural angles. The other was a thick bodied, large breasted woman in her early twenties with a boulder pinning her along the lower left portion of her body with crushing force. The warrior looked tiredly towards the new form and winced with pain, her right arm was free but could no longer wield a weapon as her hand was reddish purple and bleeding slowly, unmistakably broken. The giant amazon crawled the few meters to lie next to her nameless enemy dying before her, staggered by two bone jarring glancing blows as the onslaught of stone continued. It afforded her some cover from the earthen rain of doom.

"Tijiara, my lover, let us share another night before I go to battle." whispered the warrior huskily as she looked past her new visitor. It was clear the fanatic amazon was hallucinating.

Something stirred in the Subchieftains soul; pity for the dying woman warrior. She leaned close and fondled the woman’s breast as she kissed the lips of her former enemy, giving sensation to the phantom images of the warrior’s mind. The woman responded weakly, and shuddered and sighed with the thoughts of her bedmate on her mind as she died with her enemy embracing her.

With the preliminary wave of the largest boulders nearly spent to fill most of the trail the body of the artificial avalanche followed after with smaller boulders and stones hailing down to fill the path. Garluatha was pounded, smiling in the knowledge her death had cost the Shikhatta dearly. She knew it would leave an indelible mark on the mind of Queen Ithokura. With this example of Rujures resolve she was confident the Shikhatta leader would rethink any strategy against the Clans of Rojures. The giantess looked close into the half lidded eyes of the dead warrior she embraced and thought of her own life, mentally preparing herself for that moment when she would see her goddess and proclaim the worthy tales of her existence. Then the pass was sealed with the remaining stones and the sub-chieftain lie still in the darkness as oblivion overtook her.

A one word scream erupted from Ithokura as the queen of Shikhatta staggered to her feet still bleeding profusely, head shaking in negation as fate denied her will. Two of her elite warriors moved to steady their queen with looks of awe and shock at seeing the fate of those warriors who had given chase to the ambassador of Rojures. A cloud of dust settled as one or two survivors staggered forth bleeding from numerous wounds. Cries and groans drifted out as a little less than one quarter of the remaining host regrouped, some with serious injuries that required attendance.

The unit leader of the elite warriors looked to her queen with worry on her face.

"Your orders, my queen?

Ithokura looked out to the blocked trail, estimating what would be needed to clear it to reclaim the bodies of the fallen. She sighed in resignation.

"Issue orders to regroup, elite leader. We return to the capital city immediately. I have much to reconsider."

END (Garluathas’s Guantlet)