Ethelred new warrior please make your self at home this land you are safe and protected any problomes or simply want to adress me i am here
for now bed ridden but i shall be a queen again for you

I am sorry its the dead of the night mi lady but we need to move you bandits are here they say that you owe them they trashied the rooms and looking for you
She looked to her queen in worry and panic rushing around
I promise to inform your husband but take the caves and hide they want to kill you for the acts of treason
She new the story of them fleeing and now worried more then anything for her queen who was heavey
I cant they will get me you go tell my king i have stayed to fight the bandits in from the warriors take all you can and rescue yourself
with that she sits up and that thought hit her and she slapped her self for it the slaves left and fled and she was alone her wepon at her side

A palace servant, a young woman, on horse back gallops down the trail South toward me. As she nears I soon recognise my wifes new horse. As she comes near she pulls in sharply barely keeping from falling from the bare back of the foam mouthed steed.

All in a rush she blurts out the news...
My lord, i am sorry its a disaster! The bandits who helped the rioters in Thracia have came again. For your wife. We was unable to move her so she holds out with some warriors but they wont be able to fight them much longer. The bandits let me through after catching me but they gave me a note.


The palace servant passes me a note. Unopened I know she will have no clue what it says. She probably doesn't even read yet. With a beginning of a fire stoking in my chest I open it to find only this, a single sigil. The mark was of their old kingdom. One of the more powerful Thracian clans.


She has found me not more than a half days ride away! Now the thunderstorm that held me to my wife before I went to Cillicia shall not compare to the Fire Storm ...gift of Zorastra...I am bringing in my rage! They will believe they have time since only the queen expected me.......but instead of a week for the trip to Cillicia and back...they were going to find an efreet at there backs by sundown!

I had been travelling already to be by her side for the birthing and a small recovery. Now...it seems the Gods and Godesses STILL favored us to have me so close so quickly. What a pity at least a few of the divines were for the Raiders...or they would Not have shown until AFTER my arrival.

The child must be absorbing some of her divination arts or she would have seen this more clearly than the vague worry and need for me there. A blessing to the child...if they lived to control it.

"These foul Thracian Bastards!" This lot wont be so large as the riot...I will join her warriors and drive them out. We will use the caverns to surprise them! "
"Ride back girl ! Tell them to ready the caves and I will meet them at Your Ladys Hot Springs! Ride!"

I begin to run direct through the trees, no longer safe on the road, before the slave moves a meter. Of course ...if she returned , good spirits help her. They wouldn't kil her..... right away. There were....other ways of making someone feel dead from the inside.
Of course if I had taken the mount and the road...I would just be killed as a threat on sight. Not planning on being the one dying, I think to myself.

While I plan, I run.


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Come no futher i wont be alone in this and you strick me once you will now the wrath of me
she scremed as her warriors were forced back in to the room were she lie the babe had knocked her powers abilties right out she no longer could tell wich vision was true or false she just placed it to a good sign of the babes health
I am sorry mi lady we couldnt hold them back
with that he his pushed back and one bandit kneels at the side of the bed and looks upto me and laughs another bandit places his hand on her stomech and she snaps but he grips harder
A child such a bother for such a slave as you and even to have royle blood in it you now what that makes you
He did not finsh the sentence just brushed her hair from her face and licked her neck one of the warriors move foward to take a swipe but the queen been strict on her bed rest has had no time to train them even against these deamons she sat and mummbled to her self one for her husband to have got her slave girl and he will ride fast and last but no least that nyx would help her in this time of need.
Please call for my slaves
she begged his grip had caused her to set to labour she feelt the pain and griped to the bed and with that she saw it the water the bandits were took back with this and allowed one slave to enter to help the bandit offerd his hand to her but she refused to take it
I am not sure what to do my queen
no one really did now what to do at all she had her free hand on her stomech as she feelt the pain and all she wanted to do was push so she did and the slave was reminding her to breath
you will not take my babe
she said throuh gritted teeth as the bandit that kneeled stood up and grinned then it hit her they had timed it for this moment

QUOTE:
...I am from mortal my lord but praise be from Nyx ,Demeter and Ares

I am honeord to meet you and i saulte you from the daughter of chaos and the warrior of the night.

As Prisstess and rightful throne holder of Cappa we greatly accpet with open arms another god in the court.

I wish you much happiness and if you accpet to be my brother in arms i could use my gifts for your advantige too.





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Be praised, young mortal, found worthy of serving your God!

I, the son of Zeus Almighty and of beautiful Persephones, the holder of the Eleusyn misteries and the guard of the secrets of the forests, the protector of Greece and the friend of all pure in their heart, salute you.

I come to bring you the friendship of the Hellenes and their wish for a long and happy relationship with you, now and everlasting. My worthy adorers hope you feel the same and together you two shall achieve many things in this world, for I, my heavenly father and your gods to be satisfied.

What say you, sacred priestess?!

The night had concealed him in it's warm cloak a he had crossed into her Royal holdings and yet he had no trouble seeing his way....a gift from his wife's Patron, no doubt.

As he arrived at the meditation springs he heard movement in the warm steamy cavern. Halting he watched as a couple of warriors stealthily moved among the columns. The natural cave glowed faintly with a light from mosses and minerals on the walls. He had not been seen. He was just about to leave when he heard a female voice.

You make so much noise you men....can't you wait as her Heartbonded asked? Sit still or are you going to run?

The palace servant girl. Maybe, he thought, but the figure which had spoken was now only barely visible as the sound gave her position.

As he rose to his feet Shazir called quietly. "Hey Girl....will you join us to defend your queen?" All three turned, now aware of him. The girl a little less surprised.....what did it matter?

She is mine and theirs . Of course we will.
What an odd way for a servant to talk Shazir thought.

The 4 figures crept through the caverns and came to the cellars beneath the feast hall. As they approached all could hear the bandits snoring in the hall above...drunken and fat from the raided food and their spent blood lust. They must have beleived the palace was theirs alone now. Except for occassionally a small muffeled noise of a woman groaning hard...but muffeled.

That sound sent fire up Shazir's spine and into his skull! it had come from his wifes greating hall. He was certain it was her and some male voices raised when she groaned...in crude jokes of how the fit would be after something with evil laughter and some or to angrily tell her to be silent. A cold flame began to burn in his eyes and his grip became like iron on the axe he carried.

With hand signals he told one man to go right while the other went left inside the hall above....and silently kill the sleeping villains. Murder repayed for murder. Quite pleasing in it's service of justice.

They climbed quietly up through a wood hatch from the basements to the kitchens rooms above. Shazir noted the clay amphorea nearby. Jars containing wine and from the smell......also some olive oil! EXCELLENT! This Night a faster way to eliminate the enemy was at hand....and the God Zoraster was about to be returned some of his own...BY THE FLAME!..but first..Shazir had to look to his wife.

He told the two men to wait for him to to begin killing. They were to sneek jars of oil into the mass of sleeping men and to pour the wine across the floor. in front of the exits with jars nearby. Then they would use slings to crack the oils and wines open and toss the nearby torches from the walls into the mass....making sure the bandits were well coated with the oils splash! Tonight AFRITI would attack these vermin!

Shazir dipped his axe in the olive oil and then dipped cloths into the oil and wine to act as wicks, wraping them around his and the mens arms loosely so they could throw them off, when too dangerous.
The Woman KNEW...she was to go to the Queen........odd girl, she was mumbeling something under her breath. A chanted deep and somehow sublime cycle of words that Shazir felt in his bones....the men seemed a little odd as she began too. Then they all moved to position.

Shazir gave the signal by lighting his cloth wrappings on his arms and waist...as well as his axe.......the men did also. Strange thing to notice in the corner of ones mind before battle but the flames waveredA sight he must have been wrapped in flame and roaring with his axe.....but the men he surprised leering down at his wife reacted so slowly, like a dream and ...The Palace Girl !! Already??!! With Her??!!! slowly...blood red....and like seeaweed...not natural flames in flickering.
Shaking it away and focussing on his wife he jumped through the door and behind him the woman....the sound of lamps crashing against men and amphorea in the hall behind began along with grunts of surprise and a short shriek as the flames began!

A sight he must have been wrapped in flame and roaring with his axe.....but the men he surprised leering down at his wife reacted so slowly, like a dream and ...The Palace Girl !! Already??!! With Her??!!!

The men were going for knives! No time to think now! Shazir's AXE began to SEEK It's Bloody Vengeance!!

She had been in labour for what feelt like hours and yet nothing happend but the pain and the smirk of the bandits at her bed side she had feelt nyx had left her side.
She could smell something burning as the door riped open something strange happend her husband was caught in time some how he slowed with every blow in front of her she placed it to been exguested till soft words were whisperd in her ear

My dear daughter you have followed me wisely from start to end and in this moment of chaos i come to you and help you through this with out me you will not survie if you trust me take my hand

She saw no one in front of her till the palce servent apperd in front of her the girls eyes shone like the stars of midnight and her hands held to her and with no questions she took the hands

Well done my child i promise you a son to honor your husband you also keep close to your heart wich i approve of love is a rare gem but now child rest

with that the last face she saw was hers as she passed out in to a lucid dream she was in the gardens of mother earth as fairy's and pixies danced she was in the middle of a pool of water as a roar of thunder struck the skys it turned to darkness and she was stood in great pain but she new what this it was visoion

In the middle she could only see her godess nyx skys as a symbol apperd up in front of her the stars had all blacked to make to back to back luner shapes )( she wonderd for a while at what she was seeing as she screamed she wasnt sure why but the pain of something caused her to scream.

mean while back as her eyes flitter from what she sees the palace servent helps to make the child passin in to the world easy and as the finel scream is hurd from the cappa queen it is replaced by a screaming child the palace girl lied him on the end of the bed and everything but the queen returnied to normel

the queens eyes still flutter as she let the visions she had miss pass her by with every heart beat she had truely exguseted her self with this and nyx was not finshed with her yet there was something nyx wanted her to see maybe it was there sons path for on his left leg a birth mark the same symbols the young queen saw in the sky )(

The bandits had moved so slow....or maybe I had just been that quick. Strange are the forces that overcome you when your loved ones are so clearly seen in danger.

The battle was done only minutes after it began. The Cillician Afrit had been short and bloody in his killing of the first man but as he stepped toward the second he realized the fight was already his. A gift , again, from the Gods. Wasn't a shrine to Aries only a stones shot from where he was now? Here in his wife's palace?
And the timing of his arrival, at night....the hours most favored by Nyx. Lastly, this was in defence of his wife and their fruits of Love, the unborn child.

The CHILD!! He looked back at his wife suddenly and ended up colliding with the last bandit who's eyes acted as though they had not seen him yet. The villain crashed bag against a pillar his head cracked hard against the stone.and both of them fell to the floor....the man now caught in a point or two by the flames around Shazir.

Shazir leaped to his feet and looked to the divan where his wife lay. Some blood was across her now! Gods NO!! Without a word Shazir ran to her! Not remember ing he had just cut the hand off one man who was standing over her and buryied his axe in his soft belly only about 1 cubit from her bed. Now he was standing in flames nearly over her and feeling nothing, the oils and wines burning from the cloth....not yet his skin.

There they now stood. He in flames next to the Priestess layed out and Bloody with smile on her face and the palace Servant girl staring as if at a deamon while the woman who had accompanied Shazir held a newborn infant her face and figure now mesmerizing and shadowy. SHE layed a hand on him the flames and cloth he wore fell away and he lowered the axe to the ground.

With stars in her eyes and a sweet voice like a cool nights breeze she said.

Care well for your son, he will meet me again some day. maybe you as well.

She planted a kiss on Shazir's, the Priestess Nyx and their newborn sons forehead and left. Only calling over her shoulder in more of chilling COMMAND...

These two.....secure them. And sacrifice them as befits us Gods. We Never do ANYTHING without purpose, man.

The other two men entered as she turned to mist in the doorways shadow.

She woke dreamly to a childs crys such innocent crys in the middle of chaos and in that thought she sat up fast her head spun causing her to lie back

Please be you my love that has our child please resure me with your voice

the last thing she could rember was the bandits still been close and a women yes a women comeing to her rescue she laid still in the pool of blood but she couldnt care she needed to now her child was safe she was not even sure what there child was.

She had given birth when her visions and she feelt lucky to be alive.

She slipped her self up slowly and no voice was needed as she saw ...a baby boy and her husbend softly hushing his crys

I am glad its you ...i didnt think i was going to make it oh hes so beutiful hes a treshure


she went off in to a ramble in that and stopped as shazir pulls close to her side and kisses her forhead and smiles and thats all she needed to now she was safe again

That night I stayed beside her as she slept. Our son...our beautiful son, well I would talk to her in the morning about his naming. He slept now at her breast as the one female palace servant girl remained. She said he should be allowed to nurse from her as he chose. So their I sat beside her Divan where she had been carried by me and cleaned by me. Her and my son. I had much to think on.

Yes, that was an odd thing to see a woman disapear in the smoke of the sickly sweet stench of the burning dead from the other room. The smell was awful and made my skin crawl...yet here were the two men who had remained after doing the bloody deed at his own bidding. Yes...they had won. Gruesomely.

One of them had pulled me to the side to join the other when the last bandit had been bound. The servant girl had said she had never left the queen...no matter how I threatened her. I just could not understand who i had been met by and who had entered with me. Then the men had given an accounting of themselves.
All but two others had been killed Sir. We should never have thought 3 men and a girl would be able to do so much....but now. You give us much to consider about ourselves. I am glad you came or we would have been dead from shame for leaving her in such a state.
A statement I would have made true if she had not survived...though he would never hear me say it aloud.One of the ones who broke away had been wreathed in flames from head to toe and we couldn't get close enough to finish him...no doubt he will be nearby but his last wish was probably to have been finished by a blade or drowning than in such agony. The other well, he was cowering behind an Urn and seemed to just be singed by the flames ..when we saw him his eyes looked about to pop from his head and his scream almost was loud enough to exceed the running torch fellow as he sprinted out in his wake before we could close the path. No doubt he saw our flaming weapons and the blood over us all and was convinced he was being chased to his own Hades or whatever dark death he fears most. His tales, if he is ever sober again in this life...will probably drive off other bandits for a long time.

I hoped so, and still I had to consider which of the Gods me and my Priestess Nyx would be sacrificing these men to.....and how. Oh...that idea was a warm one, they should never have threatened my family!
But the Yazatas would be given their due for the aide they gave. My Good wife was most harmed by them and her Tribe. Me, well I had at least blead one and his moans and piteous tears were soothing to my ears as he held on to life like he heald in his guts...by the bare fingertips. His partner who lay unconscius still, well he would receive the FULL benefit of my so innocent looking wifes wrath. I was not so sure he would not wish to trade places with his friends who had burned to death.

Tonight had been the first testament of the Archon of Cillicia and his Tribes support of the Archon and Oracle of Cappadocia and HER people. The Future was a hand in hand Unity like the Love of the Royal Husband and Wife. Unseperable during the lifetimes of their leadership and as long as each throne held a member of their family.