The Paladin Chronicles Book bundle 1-4 by Neil Port - HTML preview

* * *

Kynane woke, screaming.

"Lady, you are safe," a kindly woman said, smiling in the faint light from the embers of the cooking fire. "I will heat you some broth if you wait. My name is Omphale."

Kynane looked around. She didn't recognise where she was.

"You're Karian, aren't you? My name is Kynane."

Omphale nodded. "I well know your name, Princess. Your family is not popular around these parts. I suggest you don't use that name here again"

Kynane smiled ruefully. "I am no longer a princess except in name. My family have been busy trying to kill me."

Omphale chuckled, "Well, perhaps there may be a chance for us to be friends after all."

"Where is Hakeem? Are we still in Bithynia?" Kynane asked.

Omphale nodded. "We are in Bithynia, and yes, you are still in great danger. I don't know where the Warlord or his scouts are. They will be watching this place, but from afar. In the meantime, you are to rest."

"I could have kept going," Kynane said in disgust. "There was no need to stop!"

"Of course, Princess. When you first came, I noticed you were so full of energy. It was likely boredom I'm sure that made you sleep a full day around. This is the second night since you came."

Kynane smiled ruefully. "I suppose I sound foolish to you. They have done so much for me and my body is betraying me, I don't know why. They should be losing patience by now."

"I don't suppose Hakeem got around to telling you this is a side-effect of the healing he did. As you were close to death it will take months to wear off."

"So that's it!" Kynane laughed and shook her head in exasperation. "And here I was getting angry with myself. He should have told me."

"Hakeem can be just as frustrating as most men I have ever known." Omphale chuckled.

Kynane's face fell. "He is so sad, isn't he?"

"You are in love with him."

"Is it that obvious?" Her eyes teared slightly.

"Probably to everyone but Hakeem. I doubt if you are the first among his women who wished more from him. But I saw how he looked at you while you were sleeping."

"He says he can't love again"

"The man's a complete fool. Good luck, Princess, for all our sakes as well as yours. We need Hakeem. I will pray to his God whom I call Apollōn, to open his eyes."

"Thank you, Omphale." Kynane smiled shyly.

* * *

After her visit to Omphale's village, Kynane felt better, and once she knew the cause of her weakness, she no longer pushed herself beyond her limits.

Now they were making in almost a direct line for Mysian Olympos. On the second day they were travelling towards Lake Askanios. As they topped a rise, the great lake was laid out before them. Kynane's eyes widened at the stunning sight.

"Oh, Hakeem! Can we stop for a little while, please? It's so beautiful!"

She jumped down from her horse and took a deep breath as if to breathe in the freshness of it all.

It looked so perfect. The lake reflected the light blue sky. There were only a few white clouds; the mountain range containing the snow-topped Mysian Olympos could be clearly seen in the near distance, and like a backdrop to the lake, it was reflected in the water.

Just in front of them were wild hibiscus, laurel and chestnut trees. Below them was a well-tended orange orchard and further down someone was growing cherries.

The mixture of colours — with white clouds, white snow, blue water and sky, dark green pine and shrubs and the lighter green of the laurel and the colours of the orchards — was enough to take her breath away.

"This region was originally called after Skythians. They are called 'Ashkuza' in the local tongue," Hakeem murmured. "You Greeks mangled it to 'Askanios'."

"Hakeem! You can hardly call me Greek!" Kynane laughed. "I am half Illyrian and half Makedóne."

Hakeem smiled back at her. She was so lovely when she laughed.

After a short rest, they mounted again to walk their horses on towards the east of the lake.

After two turns of the glass, Hakeem called for her to halt.

"Don't move and don't touch your weapons," he warned her.

Nothing happened for a little while.

"How long do we have to wait?" Hakeem called out to the bushes.

Four men emerged from the trees. They were Greeks.

"You know, Hakeem," said their leader with a broad grin. "One day, I'll be able to sneak up on you."

"Is that why you have left the rest of your men in hiding, Nikolaos?" Hakeem laughed back at him. "But you are getting much better. I know there must be five hidden but I can only see one."

He turned to Kynane. "This is a scouting patrol from Helicore. Today we are honoured. They are led by one of their commanders, no less, probably to check their training."

Nikolaos raised his hand and the rest of his men emerged.

Hakeem raised his voice. "Time to join us, now!"

Anastasia, Eirene, Alba and Thaïs led their horses out of the bushes from behind where the men had been concealed. The four women favoured the men with their sweetest smiles. Hakeem noticed a slight exaggeration in the way they swayed their hips as they walked.

Hakeem and Nikolaos completed the introductions, though Hakeem pointedly didn't introduce Kynane. The three youngest of the women were looking with frank appraisal at the men and they began to smile back.

Hakeem gave the Greeks a baleful glare.

You lot, keep away from my Amazónes! He didn't want to start losing them to some loutish Greeks just as soon as they started to show promise. The girls saw his scowl and looked amused.

"Hakeem," Nikolaos said politely, "am I permitted to know the name of this lady?"

He favoured Kynane with a charming smile.

"Her name is Kynane and she is sworn to me. She has agreed to help me train my Amazónes," Hakeem said.

"The Kynane?" Nikolaos was astounded.

Some of his men had placed their hands on the hilts of their swords. Hakeem's party made no move.

Then Nikolaos recovered. "Pardon any rudeness, Princess."

Kynane nodded and smiled politely, but waited on Hakeem's cue.

"The lady is under my protection."

Nikolaos looked unhappy. "It will be necessary to escort the Princess to Helicore, Hakeem. You know that. I'm afraid my orders are very clear."

Hakeem's Amazónes snatched at arrows and fitted them as they moved away to give themselves a clear line of fire. They still pointed their bows downward.

Kynane loosened her throwing axes in her belt.

Alba made an apologetic face at the attractive young Greek boy she had been eyeing.

Hakeem and Nikolaos made no move towards their weapons.

"Nikolaos," Hakeem smiled pleasantly, "I doubt if your superiors would be pleased if you killed the Warlord and five of his women just to arrest one of our number. Kynane has committed no crime against your prince. Officially there is a truce with the Makedónes, and if that were not so, she is no longer welcome in Makedonía, through no fault of her own.

"I mean you no discourtesy, but you are far too junior to arrest me, and you have no reason to arrest her. Send a message to your superior and loan me one of your men to escort me by the quickest way home."

Nikolaos thought for a minute, and then nodded.

"Anyway," Nikolaos said, "I expect it would have been these lovely ladies who would be reporting the demise of me and my men, not the other way around."

 

 

Chapter 6: Kynane in Love

Kynane was aware they were being tracked well before they reached Hakeem's house. Hakeem and the women ignored it.

No one emerged to greet them.

More training, she realised.

As they drew closer, they started to move through well-tended fields and pasture. A number of the workers paused in their labour and yelled out a greeting, which Hakeem and the girls returned in good measure, calling out to many of them by name. They all looked happy and well fed, she noted with approval.

Hakeem was a good land lord.

Then a team of excited children burst out from a nearby village like a horde of little barbarians.

The rest of Hakeem's party dismounted and waited, so she hopped off, wondering what was going on. Soon they were all leading two or three excited children perched on each of their horses. A short way on, Hakeem and the others lifted their little passengers down, kissing the girls and ruffling the boys' hair and giving them mock punches.

Hakeem would make a good father, she realised with a pang.

"As you can see, the children are terrified of their fearsome lord," Eirene remarked to Kynane.

The first glimpse of Hakeem's 'house' was impressive. It was a large but simple hill-fort, standing out from the surrounding plain. Surrounded on the summit by earth works — a newly completed mud brick wall had replaced the remains of a wooden palisade. It was not designed to withstand a serious siege, but for anything short of that, it would do well enough.

There was a proper road and entrance at the front and a narrow path at the rear, not much more than a foot path.

Hakeem saw her studying it. "Not as grand as you're used to I'm sure, but well organised and comfortable enough in parts."

"Hakeem, it's more than I expected." Kynane smiled. "I would be happy to never to see the inside of a palace again"

They were challenged at the entrance, very professionally, though Kynane noted the women did not carry swords, just bows and large belt knives. Once past the entrance, they were mobbed! It was complete chaos; mainly women.

Kynane remained on her horse, shy and uncertain, feeling a little overwhelmed by all the strangers. A Gypsy girl was shouting at the top of her voice for people not to bother Hakeem until he was settled. Hakeem took a few strides through the crowd to lift her off her feet and swing her around to hug and kiss her.

Kynane felt a stab of jealousy.

"That's Asha. She is a cousin to Jacinta." Eirene had appeared next to Kynane's horse. "Don't worry, she is betrothed to our stable master. Come down from your horse.

"Hakeem will be busy for a good while to come. I'll introduce you and find you somewhere to stay. No, they'll take the horses."

Kynane found herself in the middle of a small wedge made up of Eirene, Anastasia, Alba and Thaïs.

"The sisterhood's quarters are at the back. Hakeem rarely goes inside the women's quarters and we have a large weapons practice area near the orphanage."

"Orphanage?" Kynane asked.

"Some orphans sort of ended up here. We keep them healthy and train them. We have been finding relatives and foster families, so we only have twenty left. They are at lessons with Father Lazar now, you'll meet him later."

"It sounds like this place runs itself," Kynane said, a little breathlessly.

"We run it," Eirene admitted. "And we and Asha run Hakeem when he's here. Someone has to! I'll show you the baths in a minute and we will get you settled, but I just have to see people's faces when we introduce you. I hope you don't mind."

They strode past an archery range. Kynane could see the girls were excellent infantry archers and good at unarmed combat, but what about other weapons?

"Girls!" Anastasia announced loudly as she walked past. "Ladies!" She clapped her hands. "I have an introduction to make."

All the nearby women stopped what they were doing and assembled into a loose group, respectfully saluting the four seniors. More started to filter in from inside a nearby building and the ones that had greeted Hakeem were all drifting back.

Anastasia waited patiently till more of them and two more of the seniors came. The seniors could be distinguished by a leather glove on their left hand.

"This lady has agreed to join our senior teaching staff here. She is not part of our faith ... yet."

A lot of the women laughed as they looked at the stranger curiously. Father Lazar and Alba had a reputation for converting anyone who didn't already arrive as a Shayvist novice.

Anastasia paused for effect as the women all tried to get a glimpse at the large lady they were told would be teaching them. What they saw was impressive. There was no doubt that this woman carried herself as an experienced warrior, but who was she?

Anastasia held up her hand to still the growing murmur. "I will allow my country woman to introduce herself. There may be one or two of you who may have heard her name before."

Kynane stepped forward and gave the assembled women a broad smile.

"My name is Kynane —"

That was as far as she got.

There were cheers, squeals of delight and whistles. Soon everyone was talking and shouting at once as they mobbed her! It was very pleasant to be greeted so warmly, but Kynane thought she would need to review the whole program.

As scouts, these women would be a close match for a group of elves, but what about with other weapons? How good were they on horseback? And as pleasant as their enthusiasm was, some discipline wouldn't hurt.

(I'm going to enjoy teaching these women, she realised as they excitedly jostled her.) Her own training had been very isolating, often surrounded by men and boys. These women had a sense of community and belonging which she had never felt before.

* * *

A delegation

It was almost a week later when Kynane asked to see Hakeem.

Hakeem managed to see her between a report on sheep breeding, another on the wheat harvest and another on a tract of land one of his retainers suggested he buy. As Kynane was announced, he rubbed his eyes wearily. He was surprised when Kynane was followed into the room by the eight senior sisters. He asked a servant to bring tea and forced himself to relax, ready to listen to what the women had to say.

"Kynane, I'm sorry. I have hardly seen you since we arrived. I think I have just about caught up and can give you some of my time but in a fortnight I need to go to Karsh and I will be away for a few months. Have you had a chance to look at the training program?"

"Hakeem," Kynane asked looking straight at him. "How serious are you in asking me to help with the training program?"

Hakeem laughed self-consciously, "That bad, huh?"

" What you have taught is excellent," Kynane began kindly. " I've never seen the like of the women for bow skills, woods-craft and unarmed combat. The seniors are fair peltastae. But none have any blade skills worth mentioning. Most can ride a horse but none can fight on one.

"Discipline is poor and there is no proper command structure. You simply have never taken a firm hand. They may obey you but they give the rest of the seniors here a lot of back chat. And we need to think about our seniors beyond being trained and training others. There are not nearly enough opportunities for those who don't want to become full time female warriors."

The other seniors looked uncomfortable, but waited.

"If you want me to help, the only way I can do it is to take over completely and re-organise the whole program. I will be in charge and when you help, you will answer to me in all aspects of the women's training." Kynane waited for the explosion and drew a big breath, ready to shout back.

"I agree."

What?

Kynane looked at him in amazement.

"Thank you, Kynane," Hakeem said. "Eirene here tried her best to keep the Amazónes together after Jacinta's death. I have given what I could, but I never desired to take over. I want it to be run by women. And unless something major changes it will never be what it could be."

He looked at the other women. "It seems you have the agreement of the others. Let me know what you need in extra weapons and horses. I have a fair bit here, but let Asha know how much you need. I can't buy you elvish swords, but order the best human blades we can afford.

" I won't have any rubbish coming through my doors. How long will it take you to give me a list of what you need?"

The women relaxed. They had dreaded the confrontation with Hakeem.

Hakeem asked Kynane to stay sitting after the others left.

"Thank you, Hakeem." Kynane smiled. "I was worried you would be angry."

Hakeem laughed softly and walked around to sit on the desk just in front of her chair.

"Why, because you spoke the truth?" He bent forward and took her shoulders and looked deeply into her face. "I am glad to have you. I can't be everything to everyone."

As he looked at Kynane smiling back at him, he felt his breath catch. Without any conscious will his face moved towards hers and they were drawn into a kiss. His arms pulled her up into an embrace.

Suddenly he came back to himself and pushed her away. Kynane clung to him; she was surprisingly strong and she grabbed another kiss before he could disentangle himself.

"Hakeem!" Kynane whispered urgently. "We both want this."

"Kynane!" Hakeem replied in anguish. "What am I doing to you? You deserve far more than I can give!"

"Hakeem, I will take whatever you can give me. It's you I love! And you love me too, I know you do."

"I'm sorry, Kynane, I have to ..." Hakeem turned and hurried away, his face averted.

Kynane ground her teeth in frustration and then decided to go to the training yard for a workout. A very hard one!

* * *

Hakeem had gone to Asha in a panic, needing to talk to someone. Instead, she was giving him a solid dressing down. "You are such an arrogant pig! You are breaking that woman's heart!"

"I can't give her what she deserves."

"Have you asked her opinion on that? There are two people involved in this, you know."

Fool of a man!

While Hakeem was enduring a tongue lashing, the seniors had gone in search of Kynane.

"What happened?" asked Anastasia, watching Kynane doing an exhausting sword drill she should be avoiding at this time in her recovery.

"He kissed me," Kynane said in disgust. "He admitted he loved me."

"And?" Alba asked.

"And then he went all noble and said I deserved better, and then he ran away." Kynane said through gritted teeth.

"Stop exercising." Eirene commanded. "We need to think."

Just then Asha came hurrying up.

"That man!" she almost spat in disgust. "If I was a warrior, I would be tempted to kill him myself."

"How is he?" Kynane asked anxiously.

"I think I have softened him up a bit. He is guilty because he is in love with you. He is guilty he can't give you what you deserve. He is guilty for falling in love after he has lost Elena and now I have made him feel guilty for rejecting you."

"Oh, poor Hakeem!" Kynane sighed.

"Poor Hakeem, nothing," Asha countered. "The man's a complete idiot. I had to put up with him after Elena and Jacinta were killed. Now he wants to throw away not only his happiness but yours as well. You have to do something quickly before he talks himself into hardening his stupid attitude. It requires extreme measures, I'm sorry. There is only one thing you can do.

"First, you are still not recovered so we will get you to rest. It's going to be a long night ... at least I hope so. Then we need to bathe you and perfume you and do your hair. Do you have a nice night dress?"

The other women were looking excited. Kynane felt hot in the face.

"I can't do something like that! That's not, er. That's not ..."

"That's not ... nonsense," Asha said briskly. "I know Hakeem. It's tonight or 'kiss' your chances goodbye."

It wasn't true at all, but no one wanted to cope with a lovesick Hakeem over weeks and maybe months to come.

Kynane could hardly sleep waiting for the night to come! She dozed a little and at least got up feeling rested. It was very late when she was offered some food, but she could hardly eat.

Someone had found some aromatic soap, and after a bath the girls gave her a massage with scented oil and then brushed and curled her hair. It felt very good and calmed her.

Asha poked her nose round the corner. "He's in bed, but will read for a while. It's important he is asleep and you wake him. Don't startle him awake if you don't want him putting a sword through you!"

The other girls got a severe case of the giggles. Apparently, the thought of Hakeem killing Kynane, as she was trying to sneak into his bed, was hilarious.

Very funny! How did I ever agree to this?

Then they dressed her in some thin, red silk night dress that someone had quickly sewn.

"You look lovely in this. But if this works, he may not even notice what you're wearing." Alba giggled.

Kynane moaned to herself, as they escorted her back to the section containing Hakeem's quarters. She was terrified, as she had never been terrified in battle. Her heart was hammering and her knees felt weak.

"Hakeem, it's me," Kynane whispered.

Hakeem was dreaming of Kynane.

"Kynane?" he queried groggily, coming out of his dream.

Kynane was standing by his bed in the moonlight.

Her gown dropped at her feet and she stepped forward.

Hakeem woke up completely. He gasped; her body was glorious.

"Move over," Kynane commanded nervously.

Hakeem hesitated.

"Are you going to let me in?" Kynane asked, feeling close to tears.

Hakeem jumped back to make room for her. He kissed her hungrily on the lips as she lay down in his arms. She melted into the kiss.

"Kynane, I love you," he whispered softly.

"This is my first time," she whispered, feeling frightened.

"Seducing a man?" Hakeem enquired.

"No!" Kynane gave him what she planned to be a playful punch, but it hit him with a hard thud.

Hakeem grunted. Oh, no! I've hurt him!

"You are my first ... ever."

She felt embarrassed and nervous. She was a woman twenty years old and still a virgin.

Hakeem moved back on his elbow and wordlessly kissed her gently on the forehead. His hand massaged her shoulder lightly.

"Do you like me? I'm not too big, am I?" she asked.

"Kynane," Hakeem said softly as he admired her body, "how can you be too big for me?"

He chuckled and Kynane giggled a little.

"You are perfect. Leandros has a statue of Athena naked, it is so beautiful." Hakeem murmured. "To me that is what you look like. Not Aphrodite, but definitely Athena!"

"You think I look like a Goddess?" Tears came to her eyes. "Really?"

Hakeem kissed her on the lips to get her to stop talking, and then pulled back, smiling.

Wordlessly he slid his hand over the muscles of her shoulder to feel skin and her female muscles. Then he slowly ran his hand down to her right breast. Kynane shivered at his light touch. He ran his hand over her abdominal muscles, appreciating their feel.

"Like a Goddess," he said softly.

Then he bent and kissed her breast. His beard was tickling ever so slightly.

His hand was rubbing gently over her stomach and then her hip and then moved to her mound and her inner thigh. Kynane gasped. He started to kiss lower while his hand kept teasing back and forward. Kynane felt her body tingling all over.

He moved so gently. There was no hurry.

She began to flush and pant, and as his fingers found her opening she began to arch back. As she became ready, she felt the mounting urge to have his manhood inside her.

When Hakeem gently pushed inside; there was a sharp pain, then it was gone. She felt him surging back and forward and she started to move with him. Then they surged together, stiffening in shared ecstasy.

Then she felt Hakeem relax on top of her.

"You're right," she smiled as she felt his weight. "I'm not too big for you. No, don't move!" She wrapped her arms and legs around him. "That was wonderful!" She kissed his neck and shoulder. "Why did we wait?"

Hakeem propped himself up on one elbow, his face inches from hers, and gave her a dreamy smile.

"Kynane," he murmured and wiped a strand of her hair back behind her ear, "I really have no idea, no idea at all."

 

 

Chapter 7: Genocide at Khumin

Khumin, East of Bukhara

Esther finished serving her sons and daughter their evening meal.

Âthwya and Dratha were good boys and Leila, named after her dark hair, was a sweet tempered and loving sixteen-year-old.

It was a meal of bread and spiced lentil stew with ceramic cups of well water. Things had been hard since her husband died. Her sons were not men yet so, with that and the drought, they didn't get paid very much, but with both of them working it was better now.

She was not alone in struggling to make ends meet.

The people of Khumin were Pahlavi (Parthian), a tribe famous for its warriors. It was a tradition for so many of them to join the Sâh's standing army. They even had their own hazarabam (regiment). When the Sâh went to fight the Hun, many extra men from the village went to help.

Few had returned.

A lot of women in the village of Khumin were widows now, and she was better off than some.

Soon Dratha would go back to help his uncle and cousins with their herds. Âthwya was apprenticed to the local potter. It didn't mean a lot of money but he was able to stay and look after her and his young sister while Dratha was away.

As she sat to join her family, Dratha's dog stood. The hairs on his back were raised and he emitted a low throaty growl. He was a large and muscular dog, sandy coloured with a black face, the type favoured by the local shepherds.

"What's wrong with your dog?" Esther asked.

Outside their house, other dogs began to bark. Soon all the dogs in the village were barking furiously.

Dratha leapt to his feet. Ignoring the dog, he rushed to the kitchen bench and grabbed a large knife and the goatskin he used for water when he was herding. He pressed them both into her hands then ran to their nearby bedding and grabbed a blanket.

"Mother, take Leila quickly! Hide in the desert!"

His older brother, Âthwya, looked at him in confusion and then suddenly his face was transformed into an expression of utter dread. Without a word he ran to open the box where his father's old sword was kept.

Dratha had begun digging through another box of his father's tools. He pulled out a machete and felt its edge.

Esther stood, clutching what she had been given. "What is happening?"

The dog was barking furiously now. This breed only did one of two things, either herding or guarding.

It didn't usually bark, not usually like this. That would scare the sheep.

"JUST GO!" Âthwya and Dratha screamed together.

"Mother, go quickly. Don't take anything else with you," Dratha finished. "The village is under attack."

With her heart pounding, her breath coming fast, she stumbled out of her house. Leila ran after her, a sack of flour and another kitchen knife in her hands.

A quarter moon cast a little light. On the northern road to the village a large number of men carrying torches and clubs and other weapons were approaching. Some of them were beating drums and singing as they marched on the village. It was like a party for them.

Those that had reached the edge of the village began shouting for the villagers to come out, calling them dogs. They were Sogdiane, but they were their neighbours. What had gotten into them?

A handful of Esther's fellow villagers were in the street, the rest were hiding in their houses.

"Should we take the dog?" Leila asked.

The Sogdiane men were banging on the doors, calling for people to come out.

"No, he will give us away."

Heart racing, breath coming fast, she caught at her daughter's arm and pulled.

The attackers had brought a ram made from a short heavy log reinforced by metal bands. They bashed in a door and a group of waiting men rushed in to drag a family out, screaming. They began beating at them with clubs and swinging at them with machetes and swords.

"Children!" someone screamed. "Kill the children! Remove this infestation at its roots."

The devils! Esther thought.

Children were easier to kill. They weren't strong or resourceful. They didn't hide well or run fast or fight back. Many clung to their parents. Many that hid would whimper in fear.

And a few good blows would finish their small bodies, much easier than an adult.

If you want to exterminate a people, target their children.

Is that what was happening? They were trying to exterminate us?

Mothers with children would be the next easiest. There were a lot of them with their men dead — and then pregnant women. She saw a Sogdiane man open the stomach of a woman heavy with child to let her dying eyes watch as he bashed her unborn baby against a rock.

Esther felt cold all over and sick to her very soul. She turned her back on the terrible slaughter of her fellow villagers. "Follow me," she said to her daughter.

To the side of their village was a dry culvert.

But these neighbours had visited the village in times of peace. Esther and her daughter didn't even reach it before a figure loomed out of the darkness and clubbed at Esther.

"Well done, son!" a satisfied voice called.

Leila recognised the voice. It was the father of a Sogdiane boy she had liked.

"Dahâka?" she called out. "It's me, Leila, please don't hurt me. Everything has gone crazy."

"Leila!" Dahâka called out. "Father, it's Leila!"

"Just another Pahlavi bitch." His father snarled, looming over her, with his sword raised.

"No!" Dahâka screamed.

It was the last thing Leila ever heard.

* * *

Esther opened her eyes. She could still hear men shouting with joy and the sounds of terrified screams. There was the flickering light of flames and the smell of smoke in the air; the poorer houses with thatched roofs were burning fiercely.

She felt weight on top of her. She was under a pile of dead bodies; their blood, their fluids and their manure were all over her. Her head felt as if it was splitting. A moan escaped her lips.

"Shh!" a voice whispered out of the darkness nearby. It was Dahâka, Leila's friend.

"They are looking for survivors. I think they will leave soon. Sorry I hit you."

Dahâka had never understood why his father and two older brothers hated the Pahlavi so much, but then they hated many things.

They didn't like him much either. He was the youngest and they said he was soft like his mother.

When he used to go to Khumin, people had been friendly to him and he had gone there often. He had eaten in their homes. He had Pahlavi friends. He especially liked Leila with her shiny black hair, ready smile and hazel eyes. She was a year older but she seemed to like him and sometimes he dreamt of her.

His father was furious when he found out he liked a Pahlavi girl. He forbade him to go there again and it became harder to get away from his father and brothers after that. They were big men and he was scared of them. They told him what to think and stood over him and threatened him till he agreed with whatever they said. They told him he was stupid and weak, but he knew he was only young, he wasn't sixteen yet and only lately he had started to fill out.

Things were hard in his village. No one much had money. Many who had no work seemed sad, but there was a lot of anger underneath. That's when Erezav, his brother's friend, began stirring up trouble. The Pahlavi were doing better, he said. But many had been in the army and had herds; he didn't say that was the reason.

He said the Pahlavi land really belonged to the Sogdiane people.

Maybe that was true, the Pahlavi had come from Aryana a long time ago, but many people here were nomads. Who was to say a land with nomads wandering over it was owned or occupied?

Then he said that their flocks and houses and everything they had belonged to the Sogdiane people. He said it was time to get rid of the Pahlavi and take back what was rightfully theirs. He said the Sâh had protected them. But the Sâh was no more and now was their chance.

People seemed to forget the Pahlavi were their friends.

Dahâka was scared by the shouting and angry voices; it was like his family all over again. He didn't want to go on the raid but his father and brothers made sure he didn't slip away. They looked at him straight in the face and asked if he was a coward. He said he would come, and then they seemed happy.

For a while, everyone else seemed happy too, banging drums and singing. At first, he had enjoyed marching with the men and feeling accepted. But as they came closer to Khumin he became afraid again — afraid of what was going to happen.

His father told him to stand in the dark and hit anyone who came from the village, and he never disobeyed his father. But it had been Leila's mother. She had been so kind to him. Leila's family was nicer than his own family.

"Leila?" Esther asked.

"One of the men killed her, I'm sorry."

His father had left to kill more people. When Dahâka had found that Leila's mother was still breathing, he had hidden her under her daughter's body and the body of another woman.

"My sons?"

"I haven't seen them, but they killed your dog, I'm sorry. Now keep quiet."

His hand stretched under the bodies and squeezed her hand and put the goatskin of water in her hand.

"They are poisoning the wells by dumping bodies in them."

Then he walked back to join the other men. Erezav was there, looking feverish with excitement. A few were avoiding looking at one another, looking guilty and frightened now they were no longer carried along in the moment. They were all Behdin (Zoroastrians), what would happen when they faced their day of judgement?

Most didn't care. They were getting carts and loading them up, gathering any nearby goats and donkeys, and ransacking the houses that were not yet set on fire.

"If you want your share, you'll have to get it yourself," his eldest brother called out.

With a dreadful sinking feeling he realised he would have to leave his village. He never wanted to look into his father's face or the faces of his brothers again He didn't want to see any of these people again.

He was only young for that he would need money and supplies.

He started to go into one house before he realised it had belonged to Leila's family. He changed direction and decided to search the house next door. In his mind he could see the face of the widow that had used to live there. He was going to add theft to his other crimes, but he needed to get away.

He hoped his God would forgive him.

* * *

Jess

It was after the midday break and they were back travelling when Jess sat up straight on her camel.

"Vaysâ (stop)!" she yelled, pulling back on her camel reins and holding her hand up. It was part of the little Sogdiane she knew. She stood high in the saddle and scanned the horizon. "Pandora, tell them I can smell smoke!"

She grabbed for her bow and quickly strung it.

"Is she sure?" Teispes, the leader of their escort, asked, struggling with his restive horse. "There is a village not too far ahead."

Jess grunted and pointed; they couldn't see the village yet but in the far distance high up they could see tiny black specks circling. Jess removed the camel's bells and slipped the rope joining her camel to Pandora's and tossed them both to one of the men.

"Pandora, you stay here."

With a meaningful glance to Teispes, she nudged her camel forward. Teispes looked like he was about to protest, but one look from Jess silenced him. He nodded to Zavan to follow them.

Jess tapped her camel to speed it up. It made a jerky rocking gait but Jess showed no sign of discomfort. Her bow was ready; her eyes were restlessly scanning the terrain. The two horsemen followed close behind.

Pandora dismounted to sit in the shade while one of the men climbed a nearby hill to keep watch. She didn't mean to fall asleep but she was still not used to riding camels. She was woken by the lookout calling down. The afternoon shadows were already lengthening.

Jess was walking her camel slowly back; the two men were trailing far behind her.

Jess didn't say anything, she just gathered brush to make a fire.

Teispes moved to sit on the edge of their camp and Zavan went to join him for a while. They mostly sat in silence looking out over the desert. Finally, Zavan murmured something and climbed the hill to relieve the lookout.

Pandora didn't immediately get to find out what was going on. She hurried to do her share of setting up the camp.

Then Jess called her over. "See if he wants some tea."

She was preparing food with the man who normally helped her.

"Jess, what happened? No one will say."

Jess sighed; she didn't look up.

"The village was called Khumin. It was a Pahlavi village. Most of the villages around here are Sogdiane. The Pahlavi came from Aryana long ago, raiding. The people around here have long memories, it seems."

"You mean after all this war," Pandora had a sick feeling in her stomach, "that this was a fight between rival tribes? Haven't they had enough with killing?"

"I wouldn't call it a fight. It was murder, plain and simple." Jess looked at her, her eyes bleak. "The men from Khumin were loyal to the Sâh, he would have protected them. They sent many men to help him fight against the Hun, and they lost badly.

"With the Sâh dead their neighbours decided it was time to settle old scores. Teispes was the one who followed me into the village."

She poured tea into a cup and passed it to Pandora.

"I have a little wine. I will give it to him later."

Teispes was sitting alone, just staring out over the desert, watching the last of the light as it faded. He looked up as Pandora approached. She was shocked to see he had been crying.

She sat down next to him and passed him the tea. He began to talk as she sat. His voice was dull and soft. Pandora had to strain to hear what he was saying.

"I knew your mistress was far more than she seemed. I have heard of women warriors, of course I have, but I didn't know she was one. When I saw her take four arrows in her bow hand for rapid fire and how she rode her camel and how she had trained it, then I knew.

"When we were closer to the village she made us slow. She led me and Zavan off the road to circle around behind a hill to scout out the village from under cover. But we knew what we were going to find, we could see the vultures and black carrion birds circling. Whatever had happened had happened days ago. The fires had burnt out.

"Your mistress can't speak a lot of Sogdiane but she said it didn't make sense to her, and I could see why. The Hun might do it to punish a village but there was no reason for them to do that here. They had already won the war.

"But it wasn't the Hun." He shuddered as he remembered the horror of it. "It was their friends and neighbours; it was my people." He held the cup in his hand but he didn't drink from it.

"It was an extermination. Out from the village there was a small shop for travellers, really a single room and a veranda. Someone had recently repaired its roof with fresh green palm branches. Jess was the only one of us with a bow so we rode back to the road and I went ahead, yelling out loudly so they didn't shoot at me. I could hardly hear anything between my yelling and the beating of my heart."

He paused for a moment.

"It used to be a village of hundreds but all we found standing were three men armed with machetes and a woman. They were caring for a score or so of injured. Your mistress unloaded all the barley she had and we gave what we could, and then she attended to their wounded."

"I didn't know she could do that," Pandora said.

"Well, she can. She washed their wounds with water and a little salt," he went on. "The worst that were infected she packed with honey. They had plenty of honey. The ones she could she stitched with thread soaked in strong vinegar.

"They had been beaten and hacked with machetes. Many had terrible injuries. No few were dying. I don't know how she could stand even looking at them but she still tried to help each and every one, even the ones for whom she could do little, still she tried.

"One of the survivors was a little boy, not much more than a baby really. He asked if we had seen his parents but they weren't there. His sister was next to him; there wasn't a mark on her but she just lay there, staring. It made my flesh creep the way she just stared. They say she hadn't talked or eaten since the attack."

He paused. "That wasn't the worst. Your mistress told me to wait there with Zavan while she rode into the village to search for survivors. I said I would follow her." Teispes shuddered. "Before God, I wish I hadn't. You know there was a time when I would have said I didn't like the Pahlavi but what I saw that day will stay with me forever.

"The birds were in great flocks and many of them took flight as we approached. We saw a family of hyenas when we were leaving but apart from that ,and the birds, there were no other signs of life. There was a terrible stench and flies were everywhere and the maggots had started.

"I'm a herder; I can handle that sort of thing. But it was the sight of so many bodies and how they lay that was the worst. There were just so many of them. Some were piled up, most were in odd untidy positions. It's hard to explain, you would have had to see it to know.

"There was too much food even for all those birds. Some of the bodies hadn't been touched and some were partly eaten. There was an old couple, just like my parents. He had been cut open and his guts had been pulled out. She had been stripped naked first and her throat cut." A tear ran down his cheek. "This was an old lady, someone's grandmother and they had done 'things' to her." He started to sob and paused before he could continue.

"And the children, so many dead children," He turned to her. "Did you know that I am a father? There was a beautiful little girl, maybe six. It looked from a distance as if she were only asleep if it weren't for the blood. She was just like my little Adileh.

"How can I look upon my daughter's face now and not see that little girl? They wanted to remove the Pahlavi tribe from our land, so they had done a monstrous thing.

"They murdered the children.

"Another girl was there, maybe only twelve. They had cut her throat but her dress had been pulled up. SHE WAS ONLY TWELVE!" he shouted, his breath came quickly, his face was flushed with anger; his hands were balled into fists and tears were running down his cheeks.

"How can I come to this land again and not remember? How can I see a Sogdiane man in a village nearby and not wonder 'were you there?' How can I look in the face of a Pahlavi and not feel the guilt I share written all over my face?

"It was MY PEOPLE who have done this!"

Then he quieted somewhat. "I have seen the face of evil now, and it is a lot like my face. Each of us carries an awful thing inside of us ... men more so. So long ago our Khordad (prophet) Zarathustra (Zoroaster) warned us. He said it is our choice. We are, all of us, capable of these terrible things.

"And he warned us too that Angra Mainyu (the devil) uses lies. Lies that others tell us and lies we tell ourselves. They make it easy. We cling to blindness and then we can do such terrible things."

Pandora placed her hand awkwardly on his shoulder.

"Your mistress told me to go out and wait outside for her. She seemed so cold. It was as if she didn't care, but I know that's not true. I don't think of myself as a coward, but I couldn't face any more, so I left and I waited while she walked back in to search that village of silence and death. I heard her calling and calling and going from house to house, examining each body. It took a long time. She came back alone. All she said to me was, 'these people were different, but not by much. Is this what you people do to those who are different?"'

"What will happen now?" Pandora asked.

"It's not over; that woman's sons survived. Most people hereabouts don't live in villages, they live in the hills; many of the older ones have been in the army. They will know who the ringleaders are and they will know where they live and they will know what to do when they are not surrounded by a big crowd."

"So more killing."

"Yes, more killing, and it won't do any good. It will only feed the hatred, but I can't blame them. I would have gone with them, even against my own people, but they had already gone.

"You women should not be travelling alone."

Jess came up behind them. "There is food if you wish."

Teispes shook his head.

Jess squatted down and clasped her hand on his shoulder. Wordlessly she passed him the wine, all she had, a full goatskin. He pulled the cork and sat for a while with it. Then he tipped it up to drink while Jess turned and walked back to the fire.

 

 

Chapter 8: Chandyr

Teispes and his men took them beyond the remaining villages and finally bid them farewell. Jess's fellow cook gave her a small bag of seasoning.

One of the men made a small camel charm for Pandora from goat's hair, and made a big deal of giving it to her. It was to remind her of her time riding camels.

It was the third night after they had bid farewell to the men that the pair arrived at an open-air caravanserai at the outskirts of Chandyr, a small oasis town on the overland route between Bukhara and Parap, the great river port on the Vaksu Darya (Oxus River).

The Oxus flowed north into the Aral Sea but by a great feat of engineering, a wide canal had been cut through the marshes of its delta to join the inland sea the Persis call the Darya-ye Khazar (Kaspian Sea).

Once in the Kaspian, they could no longer reach Elgard by boat. The elves had sunk boats to block the Mt'k'vari River. Still, once they reached Ateshi-Bagavan, the capital of Azar Pāyegān, they could travel the highland route into Anatolē or even make for one of the northern Black Sea ports and take a boat to Troia.

Jess had a knack for languages and she could already make herself understood, but she left it to Pandora to arrange for the care of their camels and a small private stall for the two of them.

Jess helped the men of the caravanserai to unload their camels and stow their gear, with the remaining barley, and then shouldered a small bag so they could explore the town together.

Pandora couldn't help but wonder if Jess worried about the rest of her gold hidden somewhere in her luggage. If she was worried, she gave no sign of it.

They found some soothing ointment and a Skythian hunting bow for Pandora. Then they followed the sound of hammering, metal on metal.

Around the corner from the bow maker, there was an open weapon smith's workshop. One heavily muscled man, naked to the waist, was enthusiastically pumping a great bellows while another man who looked like his twin withdrew a glowing metal bar from a kiln and hammered it on an anvil.

Jess didn't know what was more fascinating: watching the tip of the metal (red and yellow with heat) being hammered, or watching the muscles working over the men's arms and chests with the sweat running down their bodies.

"A thousand greetings, noble ladies."

Jess turned around, still grinning from watching the sons, to greet the father; he looked just as big and strong, only greyer and not so sweaty.

"He's Persis," Pandora whispered to her in Greek.

"What difference does that make?"

"Men from the heart of Aryana go in for a lot of courtesy, Jess. Especially towards women, it can get a bit weird, especially if they like and respect you. After all, their civilisation is the greatest the world has ever seen."

"I want a woman's fighting knife for my friend, and for me, do you have anything better than this?" Jess turned back to the weapon smith and passed her belt knife over.

"How do you use it, great lady?"

"From the front," Jess showed him a sabre grip.

"From behind," she held her left hand as if grabbing something and held it in an inverted reverse-grip with her right hand.

That caused him to raise his eyebrows.

He looked her up and down and smiled in appreciation.

"It is big for a woman," he said, considering.

He turned it over and looked down the blade. He felt the edge and balance and spring. Then he held it to his ear while lightly tapping it with a small metal rod and smiled in appreciation.

"This is a good knife." He took a deep breath. "I do not think any of my humble knives would be worthy of either one of you ladies."

Jess got ready to leave.

"He's being polite!" Pandora hissed at her in Greek, grabbing her by the arm.

"It's a compliment to us when he says his knives aren't worthy of us."

Jess looked back at her with utter confusion.

"You are too kind," Pandora replied quickly. "I'm sure it is we that will prove unworthy of your fine knives. Please show us your worst stock."

They were led to a clean part of the shop. He offered them seats that were of course unworthy for people like them to sit on. Pandora insisted the seats were far too good for them.

Then one of his sons brought a table and unwrapped his miserable offerings. It was a selection of some of the most gorgeous slender and well-crafted knives Jess had ever seen.

Jess passed over the short and highly decorated ones and chose a rather plain one from the corner for Pandora.

"Any more of these?"

It had a slender symmetrical double-sided blade that came to a sharp point. The blade was easily seven and a half inches and the handle made it almost as long again. Pandora's eyes bulged as she saw it.

"My Lady knows her knives; that is the best of its type, but isn't it too plain for your lady friend?"

"It is perfect for a knife-against-knife or knife against someone not armed," Jess explained to Pandora. "The grip on the handle is excellent with a small guard to prevent your hand slipping forward as you stab. It is long and slender to penetrate clothing or leather armour and still slip in between ribs. I'll show you how to use it later."

Pandora felt a bit sickened by Jess’s description of how to use a knife in a fight.

She realised she could draw the knife and warn someone off, but if it ever came to using it she would be in a fight for her life and she might have to kill someone, if she could.

"You will need another knife to cut your meat," Jess added.

"Now could you please show me some heavy knives for myself, but bigger than what I have?"

"But you are a lady." He looked distressed. "Such knives are not for women."

Jess stared at him until he broke eye contact. Then she held out her right hand; the calluses were unmistakable. He looked at her in shock.

"Please accept the apologies of your humble servant."

"I need a knife that can parry a sword and a single blade for cutting," Jess explained, making a cutting motion.

She turned to Pandora to explain. "In a knife and sword fight, a knife doesn't have the weight and leverage, so you can't hack with it like you can with a sword. You have to draw a blade across your enemy's flesh, a bit like cutting a steak."

"You can parry a thrust perhaps," the weapon smith commented as he gestured to his son to bring their heavier knives. "But trying to parry a sword slash is far too dangerous. You are better off investing in some light armour. Do you throw?"

"No," Jess said. "I do not throw."

The weapon maker nodded.

He didn't like people throwing his knives.

Jess finally chose a heavy, chunky looking knife. It wasn't a short sword but it was still very large for a belt knife and longer even than the one she chose for Pandora.

It had a large guard, which was mostly straight but bent at the tips like a back-to-front and elongated 'S'. Jess carefully checked the grip to see if it fitted her hand and examined the wood, and then she grunted and smiled. "Ash?"

The weapon smith nodded with a smile that she could appreciate his craft so well.

"Yes, and I only use heartwood."

"Let me show you," Jess held the knife up for Pandora to see. "This is a special knife, designed for a fight that might involve a sword." She smiled and nodded in acknowledgement to the weapon smith. "Not that you want to fight someone with a sword if all you have is a knife.

"It's much heavier. It has to be. It hasn't got a symmetrical two-sided blade like the knife I got for you. There is a front and back. The first third of the back, called the spine is thick and blunt to give it strength." She traced her finger along it. "Then comes a short blade that recurves to the knife's point, which is in line with the central axis of the blade." She demonstrated. "The short blade at the back near the point is for penetration when you stab but maybe you can do a back slash with it." She flicked her wrist to demonstrate.

"Because this knife is heavier it can have a larger guard without having all its balance in the handle." She moved on to the main cutting edge. She ran her finger along the bevel and then took an oiled cloth and carefully wiped the blade before putting it alongside the knife she had selected for Pandora.

"This is a fine knife indeed." She gave the weapons master a look of appreciation. "And I do know how to parry a slash from a sword."

He looked at her closely and a chill went down his spine. It was a little bit unexpected in a woman, especially one so young, but this black woman was a master of her art. She was not only a skilled warrior but she was an assassin. Perhaps the best he had ever met. He was privileged to serve her.

"How much do you want for this one?" she asked, pointing first to her knife.

"Your presence is already enough of an honour." He replied bowing deeply.

"Huh?"

The man held out his hands disparagingly. "Ghaabeli nadaare (It has little worth)."

"Pandora, help! He doesn't want any money for it!"

"Not really, but you must have really impressed him." Pandora whispered. "He is not treating you as a customer but as an honoured guest."

"But how can I buy his knife?" Jess was grinding her teeth in frustration.

"In Aryana it is called t'aarof (etiquette)," Pandora explained. "You have to keep insisting on paying him until he finally gives in."

Pandora turned to him. "Khaahesh mikonam (I plead with you). We are unworthy of your knives. They are princes amongst all other knives!"

After lots of denials and hedging, he finally nominated a figure. Jess started to pull a purse of silver from her belt. That's not too much.

"Wait, Jess," Pandora said. "You have to insist on paying a fifth more. It has become a point of honour."

What?

Pandora finally got a fair price for both knives. Once he decided to treat her as a guest, the dealer would never charge too much anyway, but still the final price caused Pandora to raise her eyebrows. Jess assured her these were serious weapons but to Pandora they seemed rather plain.

Jess for her part felt exhausted by the process.

She counted out several silver coins and passed them across. The man inspected each one carefully and even weighed them. Some of the coins from different regions were different weights to the local ones.

He offered her change.

"No thanks," Jess said.

"Ghadamet ru chesham (May your footsteps fall on my eyes)," he insisted.

Huh? What? Oh, he is saying he enjoys me visiting him, that's nice.

"Jess, you said that the wrong way," Pandora explained. "Now he thinks you want the change but are only being polite. Now you will have to take it under protest or he will be very offended."

"Ghorbaanet beram (I will sacrifice myself for you)," Pandora said on Jess's behalf.

Well, that's one way of saying we like him.

Finally she took the change she didn't want.

Then he seemed overjoyed and offered them tea.

"I would love a cup of tea." Jess breathed a sigh of relief.

"You must refuse it," Pandora advised.

"What?" Jess spluttered. "But I'm tired and I'm sick of all this t'aarof courtesy nonsense. My throat is hoarse from trying to pay the man!"

"Then you must hesitate when you refuse, that way he knows you really want it. Give in when he offers it the third time."

Jess finally allowed his daughter to give her that cup of tea that she was so desperate for.

"Do these people really torture their guests with all this stuff?" she asked.

"Most certainly," Pandora said. "It gets worse if you really are their guest, especially the closer you are to Aryana. This is considered a barbaric kingdom compared to there."

How under the Gods am I going to survive that place?

"I want a long sword but now I am too terrified to ask. He might refuse to take my money again."

Pandora explained her friend's wants, the weapon smith and her trying to outdo each other in professions of humility.

"Lady, I have something I would like to show you because only a person like you could truly appreciate it, but I am embarrassed by how much I would have to ask for it," he said.

He disappeared out the back of his shop and returned bearing a leather scabbard, decorated with bronze. "When I saw it, I had a moment of weakness. Now I can't sell it and my wife, blessed that I am to have her, honours me all the time by nagging me!"

Wordlessly Jess took the scabbard and the sword outside.

The blade was elvish! Somehow the handle had been lost or destroyed but a more than serviceable handle with a fine grip had been substituted. The blade was as new. It had a guard, like her knife.

As she drew the sword, her eyes glittered and a smile came over her face. She could not conceal her look of hunger. The balance, the weight, the length, everything was perfect for her!

She started to go through some routines. She drew her new knife left-handed and started to use both: faster and faster. Her hands and the blades became a blur, the sword whistling as it sliced the air. All nearby stopped to watch her, then she stopped, panting a little.

"I'm out of practice," she said, grinning broadly. "How much is this?"

The big man quoted a figure and walked over to retrieve the weapon. Jess held up her hand for him to stop. He had no idea what it was really worth!

"Jess, that price is ridiculous! It's more than three years of a tradesman's wages."

Jess turned to the owner. "I would be honoured to pay your price. Can I ask you to tell no one about this, and can I take a shield of my choosing?"

He looked at her in shock and nodded.

"It is a fine sword," he whispered.

"Yes, it is," Jess said softly with a broad smile. She chose a sturdy shield and then carefully made a pile of gold coins. Her purse was noticeably lighter.

"I don't want to go through that again," Jess said, wiping the perspiration off her brow as they were walking away. "Though it was nice when he said on behalf of his family Cheshmemoon ro roshan kardin (You have lightened up our eyes). You are right, Pandora, men from Aryana can be very courteous."

"Jess, you paid far too much for that sword!" Pandora complained. "But I guess it's your money."

"Dora, Dora! You're wrong on both accounts. This is an elvish blade, it would surprise you to hear how much this sword is really worth. And it's our money. I think it is about time I gave you some of your share."

"I don't want your money, Jess."

"We are partners aren't we? What about the money we got from the three men?"

"Have you still got that?" Pandora was astounded.

Jess gave her a look as if she was stupid.

"Our camels were owned by bandits, they have hiding spots sewn into the saddles. We can't spend the big coins yet, but I'll pay you your share out of the other money."

"I didn't do anything," Pandora said.

"Yes you did." Jess pushed her gently. "You distracted them. And you sure have been distracting me ever since we met."

She pushed her friend, then pushed her again gently ... and then pushed her again and again until she got a response. Pandora launched herself at Jess, raining down blows on her while Jess squatted down with her hands over her head. Both of them were laughing uncontrollably.

* * *

"Do you like him?" Pandora asked, curious.

"Dora, you're the only person I want to be with," Jess said flatly.

"But you never said whether you liked men," Pandora insisted.

She was watching Jess closely.

They were in the tavern eating unleavened bread and some form of lentil stew with big mugs of water in front of them. Jess never drank alcohol.

Pandora had caught her watching a handsome young man who was drinking alone but seemed to be spending more time watching who came and went. He was observing them as well, trying not to make it obvious.

To Jess he was gorgeous.

He was likely an Avestan (the tribe from the region where Zarathustra (Zoroaster) came from). He was dressed in the fashion of a Persian warrior with fine flowing saffron robes embroidered on the edge and a short sword belted to his waist. On his head he wore a short square embroidered tiyara (Persian hat) in white. Gold earrings stood out against ringlets of dark curly hair. He had a short beard and big broad shoulders of a warrior, probably an archer.

"I do, I think! Oh, I don't know!" Jess said with a sigh.

She felt like repetitively banging her head on the table in frustration.

"Don't you ever let up? I'm just working up an appetite for you, I guess."

"By watching men? Do you like watching men, Jess?"

Jess took a deep breath and leaned forward. "Can you keep your voice down a little? I like the look of him. Yes. But I don't feel like tearing his clothes off in the middle of this tavern."

"Do you feel that way towards me?" Pandora's eyes were sparkling and she was grinning uncontrollably. "What, right now?"

Jess nodded, blushing.

"My rash for riding the camel is better," Pandora said, still smiling.

Then she looked down and lost her smile.

"Jess!" she hissed, "where's your other glove?"

"Oh, oh!" Jess put her left hand under the table. "I must have left it at the weapon smith's. I'm not used to a glove on my sword hand. I was distracted by the sword," she said, touching the new purchase she was wearing at her hip. "I have several spare right hand gloves back in our luggage but I really need to buy some designed for a swordsman."

Someone had already noticed she wore one glove. He was making his way a little unsteadily towards them. "You think you are smart, don't you, bitch!"

Jess felt some of his spittle on her face.

He leant forward to bring his face close to hers. He was dirty and unshaven. He reeked of body odour, beer and sheep. Jess considered saying something, but he was a drunk; it would only make it worse.

She looked away. Why was a woman in pants with a sword and a single glove such a problem for these men?

"Oh, so you're not talking. You think you're better than us! Dressed like a man, screwing this bitch here. Do you know what we did with the last one of your kind?"

"No," Jess swung back to face him.

Her left hand closed around the hilt of her knife and she shifted in her seat, getting ready.

"What did you do?"

"She was only a girl dressing up like a man. She couldn't fight any of us! She was begging for it. Me and the men, you see, we gave it to her, see? We showed her what her place was." He gave her a nasty leer. "She cried just like a girl in the end."

He smiled.

Jess smiled at the man. "Was it all your friends that did it? How many of you are there?"

The man looked surprised by the question. "Twelve of us, we each had our turn!"

Her knife was out of its sheath, still concealed from the man standing over her. Her hand had closed over the hilt of her sword. She leaned forward, her body tensed as she began to slowly work the bench back. All thoughts of avoiding trouble had gone.

"Why don't you show me my place?" she asked sweetly.

The handsome warrior that had been watching the two of them appeared behind the man and grabbed his shoulder. "Leave them alone or you will answer to me."

All talk in the tavern stopped.

This man was a very different proposition to the one that was harassing them. He moved with the power and grace of a trained warrior.

Oh my Gods! Jess thought. He had such lovely brown eyes and such a warm deep voice.

Well, it was very nice to be looked after.

She relaxed back and favoured him with a grateful smile. The sheep herder decided better of it and left hurriedly, muttering to himself.

Jess tried to project her most winsome smile. "Well, thank you, stranger, for rescuing us. What is your name so we may thank you properly?"

It was already an immodest thing for a woman to ask his name, but she couldn't very well invite him to join them without knowing his name.

He leaned forward, flushed with anger. "I'll say this to you once and once only. Don't come around these parts dressed like that unless you are looking for more trouble than you can possibly handle. Leave this place, leave it now!"

So much for the gallant rescuer.

He spun to leave. Jess needed information and she needed it fast. "Wait, stranger!"

He turned back slowly, as if he had been given an unwanted burden.

"As you can see, I am from far away," she said in a placating tone. "How I dress is common for women where I come from. This glove," she held up her hand, "is because I have wounded my hand and it is not a pleasant sight. I know this is a great problem but I don't fully understand."

The man nodded and sat down with a sigh. Everyone in the tavern started to whisper to one. Jess and Pandora were tagged as prostitutes now. They seemed to be good at attracting attention wherever they went. Travelling with a man would help. Perhaps this man may be for hire.

He looked at her left hand in the glove. "Show me!" he demanded.

Jess had not even shown Pandora her left hand. She hesitated and then pulled off her glove and held out her hand. But her head was averted, ashamed. It was black like her skin but looked drier. It looked dead with a sickly green tinge and dull red highlights.

He returned her hand.

"Can you use it?" he asked.

Jess demonstrated, opening and closing her hand. "It is strong, far stronger than my good hand, but it is slow and clumsy. I'm trying to practice with it as much as I can. It is getting better."

"How did this happen? Your hand has not been burnt by anything natural."

"My family had enemies." Jess shrugged. "One had arcane power."

"Your family is dead," Pandora added.

Jess nodded recognition.

"Lady, I am sorry for my earlier rudeness. My name is Iraj. This is a curious coincidence. Jacinta, the Warlord 's daughter, also injured her left hand. It was in a battle with a daimôn."

Jess felt a chill, as if someone walked over her grave.

Jacinta, there was that name again.

"In honour of her memory," Iraj continued, "the women of her order who achieve mastery wear a glove on their left hand. We Aryans have women warriors, but not everyone accepts them. You do understand that any woman claiming to be a skilled warrior and travelling without a man is a challenge to all low born men?"

Jess slumped in her seat. "I'm afraid I do. Thank you, Iraj, it seems you have saved me from serious trouble."

"Can you use that sword you have?" Iraj gestured.

"I am still alive." Jess shrugged. "Iraj, we are travelling and I think if we had a male escort it might help keep us out of trouble. Are you a mercenary?"

"I am, but I am not for hire. I had a young sister, her name was Katin. We were very close, perhaps too close. My father promised her in marriage but she wanted to be a warrior like me.

"She ran away and came in search of me, dressed as a female warrior. She hoped it would keep her safe. It only got her killed. I have followed her trail here, and now I will find her killers."

"I would like to go with you, Iraj, when you meet those men," Jess said softly.

She stepped on Pandora's foot ... hard.

"No!" Iraj said. "You don't know what they did to her before she died. Leave here! This is a very bad place."

He stood and left.

"Maybe we should leave?" Pandora suggested.

Jess was staring at her hand. With a nod she tossed some coin on the table.

"I don't want you mixed up in any of this. Let's go back immediately. Even this tavern isn't safe."

As they got back to their private stall at the caravanserai, Jess stood next to Pandora and took her hands. She kissed her lightly and looked closely into her face. "I want you to stay in the caravanserai tonight; it's guarded. You'll be safe here."

Pandora looked at Jess with horror. "Jess, you're scaring me! You can't be thinking of looking for those men. Don't even joke about such things."

Jess sighed, "I am going to scout around, yes. I have certain advantages in the dark. If I'm not back in the morning, take all our possessions and find Iraj. I don't care what you say to him or offer him, make him take you away from here."

Pandora clutched at her friend. "Jess, no! You heard the man. There are too many of them."

Jess kissed her gently. "I'll be careful."

Pandora clung to her, terrified. "Jess! Why are you doing this?"

Jess firmly disentangled her friend's hands. "That girl was brutalised and murdered simply for wanting to be what I am."

"Jess, don't leave me!" Pandora called urgently as Jess stood. "If you really love me, you won't go!"

"Pandora, I do love you!" Jess turned and took her bow, looking at Pandora sadly. "You can't know how much you mean to me. But there are things about myself that I just can't help."

Then she was gone.

Pandora threw herself down and started to cry.

"Jess!" she screamed into her blanket. "I hate you."

Jess kept to the shadows as she snuck out of the caravanserai. She had an almost overwhelming desire to run and hunt the desert creatures of the night.

Not tonight. Tonight she had other prey.

She lay her sword, her quiver and bow on the ground. Then she took off her clothes and undergarments and wrapped everything carefully and buried it all under rocks near a shrub, and then she covered her tracks. She wore a dark waist band for her knife; otherwise she was naked.

It was very dark now. In the dark she could see clearly but only in black and white. She felt a fullness above her nose; it wasn't just her sense of smell that got sharper, she could feel the energy traces left by humans and animals. As she had said to Pandora, she had certain 'advantages' in the dark.

She smiled, setting off, following the trail left by the man they had met at the tavern. He had stopped to piss by the road and Jess paused, bending over, to sniff the area.

And then she crept on.

* * *

Manuschithra got up and staggered over to relieve himself again.

It was his turn to watch over the flock. The other men of the young men's camp had finished their drinking and were asleep.

He felt irritated by the events in the tavern. There were two women this time that had scorned protection of men. He was going to show them what real men could do with women, but that bastard had intervened.

He thought back to when they caught the other bitch, riding by as if she owned the road. Now that was fun. They soon had her crying and pleading for mercy. She hardly knew how to use the weapons she wore.

"Was it fun killing Katin?"

For a moment he thought he imagined it, a woman's voice, calling out from the darkness.

He strained his eyes, but he hadn't regained his night vision from staring at the fire.

A powerful hand caught his chin from behind and a huge knife pressed hard against his throat. It made him arch up on his toes to ease the pressure.

"Don't move, speak only in whispers. I asked you if it was fun killing Katin."

It was that bitch from the tavern! He could feel her nakedness but every nerve in his body was focused on the knife at his throat.

"I didn't know her name," he said desperately.

"Those men near the fire, are they the ones who were with you? Were there any here that didn't join in? Or any that did join in that and are not here?"

"No, it was all of us. It wasn't me alone."

Jess pulled him back, her hand clamped over his mouth. She jerked the knife hard. His body struggled for a while and then convulsed. When it was still, she lowered it carefully to the ground. Some of his blood ran down the inside of her thigh.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Manuschithra, is that you?" a sleepy voice called out.

"Come! Look!" a gruff voice called.

His cousin wondered why Manuschithra sounded so strange, but got up and shuffled over to where he called. There was a shape lying on the ground in the darkness.

The man made an 'urck!' and a gurgling sound as Jess slid the blade across his throat.

This knife really is magnificent. It was really worth the money.

Three men sat up. "Did you hear something?"

Shepherds are light sleepers.

"Over here!" a strange voice called out in the darkness.

Aiwi-xvarenah drew his sword. He was their best tracker. He motioned to the other two and melted into the shadows. The other two started to kick the others awake and motion for silence. They built up the fire and lit torches. Somewhere in the darkness there was an animal snarl. A man cried out in agony ... then silence.

"It's a lion!" Ankasa, the eldest, told them.

"I don't think so," Vara, his cousin, replied, surveying the darkness.

Some of the big cats had become desperate with the drought, but they didn't come this far into the desert. And they hunted at dawn.

What was out there? Two of the men with swords drawn went in search of Aiwi-xvarenah, calling his name. One was Vara's older brother.

Vara had doubts they should be doing that, but he wasn't the eldest.

"Be careful," he called after them.

Ankasa got the others ready with slings, throwing spears and torches. Then they went together.

They found the three men lying not far from each other — with their throats torn out. The night stank of blood.

Vara screamed and dropped to his knees, keening. He hugged his brother's body to him, rocking back and forwards. The rest looked on with disbelief.

Ankasa clasped him on the shoulder. "The time to mourn is later, let us kill this beast first."

But if it was some animal, why didn't it kill one man and disappear into the night, dragging its prey? Why kill three and leave the meat?

On the other hand, if it was a raid, they would have been attacked in force by now and it would be planned for closer to dawn so their attackers could drive off the sheep. It made no sense.

Ankasa formed them up in a line, holding torches; everyone looked frightened.

They started to move along the ground yelling at the top of their voices and beating the bushes to drive the animal from cover. The ground was uneven with hollows and rocks, too many shadows. The light kept dancing up and down as they walked. There was a lot of ground to cover and they had to separate to go around palms and shrubs.

One man hung back. A dark figure rose up behind him. The sound of him dropping his weapons couldn't be heard above the men's shouting.

Ankasa glanced back to see a dark figure down low, flying through the trees.

"Panther!" he called, pointing.

"No, it's a man!" Vara yelled. "Careful, there may be more. Hey, someone else is missing."

The remaining seven men gathered in an uncertain group.

A throwing spear came sailing out of the darkness. One of them screamed as it hit him in the chest.

"The torches are making us targets!" Vara realised.

"Back to the camp!" Ankasa yelled.

Only five made it. One man was left wounded. He screamed out in the darkness for help.

And then, abruptly, his voice stopped.

Vara's breath was coming rapidly now, his heart was racing. He couldn't see anything much in the darkness, the torches had spoiled his night vision. Was that some movement near one of the date palms?

Another throwing spear came sailing from that direction and killed his friend standing next to him. Without another word, Ankasa broke and ran in the opposite direction. He was fast for an old man, but something dark ran around the group to give chase. It moved at twice his speed.

The three remaining men crouched as low as they could, seeking cover. From the darkness where Ankasa had fled, a woman's voice called out.

"Was it fun killing Katin?"

Now they knew. One of the old Gods, a daēva, had sent a demon to claim their souls.

Another spear flew with inhuman accuracy. It was as if a bull had rammed Vara in the chest at full speed, goring him. He slipped down, hands weakly pulling at the spear.

The last two desperately cried out to Ahura Mazda to send his spirits to protect them. They shouted out and clapped their hands to frighten the demon away.

A black figure rose up nearby and leapt upon them with an animal scream of rage.

 

Chapter 9: Pandora, and Separating

Jess carefully watched the sleepy guards patrolling before sneaking back over the wall into the caravanserai. Her hair was still wet from washing but she had dressed and had recovered her weapons.

Pandora sat up as she returned.

"Are you still awake, Dora?" she whispered hopefully. She remembered Pandora's earlier offer. Was she still interested?

"Jess, you killed those men," Pandora said, her voice dull with horror.

Jess made no reply.

"What are you?"

Jess's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry," she said tiredly in the darkness.

"I'm leaving. In the morning I'm leaving," Pandora said.

"Not here," Jess cried out in fear. "Please not here, Dora. It's not safe."

"Am I safe with you?"

It felt like Pandora had slapped her, did Dora really think so little of her?

"Please don't leave me, Pandora." Jess sounded lost. "I love you. I need you. I would never hurt you."

"Then tell me the truth."

"I can't," Jess whispered. "You would only hate me worse."

"In the morning, then," Pandora said. "In the morning we go our separate ways."

Pandora lay down but couldn't sleep. Every time she looked, she saw Jess sitting motionless on the edge of their bedding. A few times she heard muffled sobbing.

The next morning Jess seemed detached and businesslike. They moved around avoiding looking at each other.

Jess would keep two camels, which was only fair. She talked a lot about how she had divided the supplies and what Pandora would need to do. Pandora found she couldn't listen. Her heart was aching too much.

Jess was giving Pandora a king's ransom in money.

"Jess, I can't take all this money. It's a fortune."

"Take it unless you want to be a slave again or sell yourself on the streets," Jess told her. "You have to use it to live for the rest of your life."

Pandora looked at her friend. "Do you think we will ever meet again?"

Jess walked across to her and gave her a chaste kiss.

"Why do you even ask that? It was you that said you would go a different way. Maybe it's true, you are better off without me."

Pandora had thought they would talk more. All that happened was Jess asked her to stay with her several times. She repeated her demand to be told the truth and Jess seemed resigned. There was a lot to do. And then it was time to part.

Pandora felt a sense of panic. She couldn't believe Jess was letting her go, just like that.

Jess noticed Pandora seemed to be dragging out the farewell.

"Pandora," she said tiredly, "I have to leave here quickly, and you know why that is. Please come with me. It's not safe for you here. But if you're not coming, I have to get ready to leave."

Pandora nodded. "It's goodbye then."

She turned and started to leave.

"Goodbye, Pandora," Jess whispered softly.

Pandora wanted to say more but she just sighed and watched the only person she loved in all the world walk out of her life.

* * *

Pandora made her way into the town looking for another place of lodging.. She would spend a second day in Chandyr and then she would travel to Anatolē a different way but she couldn't stand the thought of staying a second night in the room they had shared.

At first she couldn't bear the thought of meeting Jess on the road. She knew she wouldn't be strong enough to ever leave her if she did. But the further she went, the more her heart longed to turn around and run back to her.

She looked around but Jess wasn't following. There was only a crush of strangers going about their business. She suddenly felt very lonely and scared. Why not turn back?

Later, she wished she had.

* * *

Jess quickly paid and readied herself to leave.

She tipped handsomely so everyone was smiling at her.

Before she left, she went in search of Iraj. He had booked a full room to himself and he looked at her quizzically as she pushed past him and carefully closed the door.

"You have to leave, and leave now," she said without any preamble. "Last night, the men you were looking for were all killed. I don't know how many enemies they had, but you were asking about them, so you will be the prime suspect." She held up her left hand. "And I am included. We were both seen together and we weren't very quiet about it."

"You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?" Iraj looked at her curiously.

"And how would I kill twelve armed men?" Jess snorted with amusement.

"Who said anything about 'twelve'?"

"Look," Jess said. "Don't jump to any conclusions. My offer still stands. I need to hire a body guard. I need to get to Anatolē."

"Jess, I'm suddenly a man on the run and Anatolē is the other side of the world!"

"Just what you need," she said crisply. "Name your price."

"I get the feeling you are a very dangerous person to know, I want half a silver mina a month!"

"Whoa, you have a high opinion of yourself. That's almost twice the usual."

Iraj started to say if she wanted him for any less she needed to tell him the truth about herself but she held up her hand to stop his reply.

"Agreed. I'll pay in advance, if that's all right with you of course."

She dug a gold coin and passed it across. If she tried to pay him in silver it would not be much less than 300 grams. He did think well of himself.

"I'll meet you about three kilometres beyond the city, I recommend we leave separately," Jess finished.

"Is your friend coming?"

"No." Jess's expression was impossible to read. "She made the decision to stay another day and then leave and travel to Anatolē by a different route."

"That's not good."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I told her it's too dangerous." She shrugged. "She's a grown woman."

Just then they heard a man come galloping in. He was shouting at the top of his voice. Iraj and Jess exchanged a significant look. "That's your news, if I'm not mistaken. Thanks for warning me."

"This place just got a whole lot more dangerous for both of us. Act surprised. Leave big tips. I will wait for you, but not too long." She turned to leave.

"Why?" Iraj asked.

"Look, Iraj. I never said I did anything."

"All right, you didn't do it."

Jess chuckled. "That's better."

"But if you ever did do such a thing, why would you?"

Jess paused, her eyes looked moist. "If I ever would do such a thing, I would have done it for Katin." Her voice was gruff. "Katin and others like her."

"But why?" Iraj persisted. "You didn't know her."

"No, I didn't," Jess said, and gave him a level look. "And I'm sorry about that, because now I never will."

"I'm sorry Katin never had the chance to know you, either," he said softly.

Jess bowed her head. "Thank you, Iraj, that helps. I'm not feeling very good about myself at the moment. They would have killed you, you know."

Iraj nodded, she was probably right.

With that she was gone.

* * *

Pandora was certain that Jess had left their room last night and killed a large group of armed men. She was a dangerous killer and she had many secrets. Pandora's head told her she needed to get as far away from her as she could.

But Jess had been so kind to her, and Pandora had fallen in love with her.

She didn't expect Jess would let her go so easily. She expected her to break down and explain what was going on with her. She seemed so sad, but resigned, as if she felt it was inevitable.

It made it hard to talk about.

Jess didn't want to talk about it because she was in so much pain, Pandora realised with a stab of guilt. Then Jess had to hurry, and before Pandora knew it, it had happened.

Only then did Pandora feel what she had lost. She had been a slave, now she was leading a camel with a modest fortune in gold.

What are you doing, girl? How can you let someone like Jess get away?

She didn't understand what kept her walking, away from Jess, away from the caravanserai.

The main road diverted to meet the town that had grown up around a fresh water spring so there was no single main street, more an irregular maze of laneways.

Who ran this place? There seemed no one who took responsibility: no prince, no town council and no law. As she walked further from the caravanserai, she realised she was being watched. Men and women stood to watch her from windows and doorways. Those going about their own business and children playing would stop and stare as she passed.

People began to call out, and when she turned to look, she could hear the sound of laughter. She considered getting her bow down from her luggage and stringing it.

She realised she should turn back and head for the caravanserai. There were guards there and the owner would help her to employ some guides who could be trusted. Just as she was about to turn around a well-dressed older man hurried up to her.

"Lady!" he said urgently. "You shouldn't be wandering here on your own. This place isn't safe."

There were groups standing around staring at her and he yelled at them to go about their business. They turned away; this man had some authority here.

"My name is Asho-paoirya, I have a shop here. Foreigners call me Asho."

Pandora let out the breath she was holding in relief. She gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Asho, my name is Pandora. I am a little lost I guess. I was looking for somewhere I can stay the night and then I plan to go on my way in the morning."

"The caravanserai is the best place, I think," Asho-paoirya said. "Or there is a wealthy lady who has fallen on hard times who takes travellers in. Her house is magnificent but staying there is not cheap." He looked Pandora up and down. "I'm not sure if ..."

"Oh, don't worry!" Pandora assured him. "I have enough money!"

"Well, I'll take you there, then," Asho-paoirya declared. "But surely you're not travelling on your own? Where's your family. Don't you have any friends?"

Pandora shook her head. "I'm travelling alone."

"That won't do," Asho-paoirya fussed. "You don't seem to be carrying any weapons."

"Just a knife, I have a bow in my luggage," Pandora admitted. "I'm not a fighter, really. I hope to hire a guide and maybe one or two guards for the journey."

"How then did you get this far?" Asho-paoirya seemed surprised.

"I was travelling with someone, but we parted this morning."

"I think I understand." Asho-paoirya gave her a sympathetic smile. "He tried to take unfair advantage of you."

Pandora nodded ... something like that.

"Well," Asho-paoirya decided. "Don't you worry about a thing. My house is not far, you can leave your camel with my servant. Then I will take you and arrange a guide. You must leave the bargaining to me. Then we will see you settled into comfortable quarters."

He gave her a fatherly smile.

Pandora felt overcome by his generosity. "Asho, you are too kind!"

"Nonsense," Asho-paoirya insisted. "It's all decided then, it will be my pleasure."

Pandora felt a great load had been taken from her shoulders.

She realised she shouldn't have told a stranger that she was alone and had money and could barely defend herself, but she somehow felt she could trust this man. Besides, he was a merchant, with a nice house, and he obviously commanded respect here.

After getting the camel settled and giving the servant some money for grain, Pandora followed the man as he went in search of a guide. She had a bag which contained the money that Jess had given her slung over her shoulder.

"This man is very good," Asho-paoirya was saying over his shoulder. "I knew his father. But he lives in a very poor area of town. Here, let me help you with that!"

Before she knew it, she was following this man through a maze of back streets and he was carrying all her money.

It seemed to be taking forever and Pandora started to suspect they were doubling back. This place was not so large. Had he deliberately gotten her lost?

He had separated her from her animal, her bow, and her money. Now she was following him through dark and narrow alleys. She started to feel afraid.

Asho paused and gave her a reassuring smile. "Sorry to take you a round-about route, but believe it or not, there is a temple at the front and we needed to avoid people coming and going. It has a nasty reputation."

"I can take my bag, now," Pandora offered.

"Not at all, not at all," Asho insisted. "Now stick close to me and you'll be safe enough, but this is a poor area."

He started to climb a ladder that led to the top floor of a huge mud brick building.

Pandora heard some chanting from the temple carrying faintly. There was the smell of aromatic smoke in the air.

She wondered whether she should just run and let him have her camel and money but she told herself that she must be imagining things. She realised Jess had already left and she had no way of finding her.

Asho led her into a small dark room. There were four people on the floor, shapes in the gloom and two doorways closed by curtains. Asho gestured for her to go through one.

"It's just next door."

"Look," Pandora said. "I think I have made a mistake."

Asho-paoirya turned slowly.

His face transformed into a smile. He was greatly pleased.

"Yes you have, young lady. Yes you have!"

It was then she noticed someone behind her, cutting off her escape. She snatched at her knife and tried to back up against a wall. The man behind her struck her on the calf with a cudgel. She collapsed screaming. He reached down and twisted her arm cruelly, taking the knife. He didn't bother to hold her, he just stepped back.

Two women rose to take positions at either side. Pandora was boxed in. They needn't have bothered. She had no use of her leg. All she could do was half-sit, rubbing it and glaring at them. She was caught so easily.

"I really need to thank you," Asho-paoirya said, greatly pleased with himself. "I can't believe you are so stupid. Now we have you, an extra camel and this." He hefted her bag.

"You're slavers," Pandora said in bleak realisation.

Asho-paoirya and the two women started to laugh.

"Slavers," said one of the women. "Is that what you think we are?"

Asho-paoirya hushed her, but he was still chuckling. "Where did you get this?"

He held up her saddle bag.

"It was given to me." Pandora said.

One of the women bent over to look at her face, smiling down at her. When the blow came, Pandora couldn't even dodge away. She saw a flash of red light and blackness across her vision. Then the woman lifted Pandora's chin up and smiled at her again and struck her back-hand.

A ring cut her cheek; a drop of blood ran down her chin.

"When the master asks you a question, you answer truthfully."

"Enough, Hvovî," Asho-paoirya chuckled. "I'll let you have your fun with her later."

Hvovî patted Pandora's head and gave her a proprietary smile.

"No need to lie," Asho-paoirya said with a bored look on his face. "You are a harlot and from the weight of your saddle bag, you served a prince. You stole from him and left in a hurry. That black woman was helping you, but you have had a falling out, probably over money."

He smiled at her. "So you see, we know all about you. It's very fitting you have come to us here. Our God helps us in many ways!"

A God?

Pandora felt a terrible chill. She was upstairs from the temple!

And they weren't slavers.

"Please," she began, trembling. "Please let me go! My money and my camel you can have it all, just let me go."

"Now she understands!" Hvovî laughed in glee, "This will be great fun!"

"Pandora, you have nothing to bargain with," Asho-paoirya said, almost kindly. "I already have your money and the camel. Do you seriously propose to give me what is already mine?"

"I have friends, they know I'm here," Pandora tried desperately.

"We know about your friends, and when you separated from them, we couldn't believe our luck," Asho-paoirya smiled. "That Nubian woman and the man you met have already fled. Someone raided a camp of shepherds and the whole tribe is out hunting them. They won't get far; they may be dead already."

She felt as if a knife had stabbed her heart.

Jess dead!

A single tear ran down her cheek but she wiped it away. She didn't want these people to see her cry.

"We have a great honour for you." Asho-paoirya continued, "We will present you as a bride to our God, Aesma. A harlot, so young and beautiful, he will shower you with many blessings. The transition, I'm afraid, is painful."

He actually believed that to be a human sacrifice to his God was an honour.

Millennia ago Zarathustra (Zoroaster) taught that the ancient blood-thirsty Gods were really daēva, working in the service of the evil one, Angra Mainyu.

All Pandora could remember of Aesma (Aeshma) was that he was depicted as a blue giant with clawed feet and the head of an elephant and tusks. She didn't know why he was supposed to be the arch fiend in service of Angra Mainyu but she had an awful feeling she was going to find out.

"How long have I got?" she asked.

"The ceremony for your conversion will be on the fifth night from now," Asho-paoirya said with something like pity in his eyes. "There is another, but she is older and sicker. She is unsuitable for our God and will be given to our sorcerer to increase his powers over the dead."

Pandora felt a leaden feeling inside. "I'm sure she is ever so apologetic for being unsuitable. I am so happy to be chosen in her stead."

Asho-paoirya looked at her sharply.

"Oh, I see you are trying to joke! You need to be taught proper respect for our God."

Pandora felt herself being grabbed from behind. Hvovî was approaching with the eager smile on her face. She tried not to flinch.

* * *

Pandora was kept in a small cell. There was a barred window in the door and a slot for food and water. It overlooked what seemed to be the workshop for their sorcerer/priest.

Hvovî and the other woman were his assistants.

There was one other woman in the cell but she seemed to sleep most of the time. She looked half fed, her hair was grey and matted. When Pandora gave her water she swallowed listlessly and mumbled a few incoherent words. The cell stank of urine, faeces and sweat.

She tried to think how to escape, she tried to sleep, but all she could do was lie, listless with despair. Her leg was aching and her face was bruised and swollen.

That evening the two women and the priest came to take the other woman away.

Hvovî gave Pandora an unpleasant smile. "I get to use the knife on both of you. Yours will be in our temple. It will be quicker, I'm afraid. I have to show your beating heart. Hers has to be slower and more painful to release her full power."

Pandora looked at her in sick horror. She was going to die here and Jess was probably already dead.

An hour later, she could hear the old woman scream. It seemed to go on and on. Then it got weaker and changed to moaning, interspersed with cries of anguish, and then it stopped.

Pandora drank some of the tepid water. She couldn't eat. She couldn't sleep.

The hours dragged on till dawn.

After dawn the priest came into her cell to examine her. The women stood behind him as guards. Above his loin cloth he had painted his body with white ochre and he had exaggerated his eyes with black paint circles around them. His hair was a tangled mess, dusted with some sort of white powder.

He wore a leopard's skin over his shoulder. His eyes looked feverish as he studied her. She cringed away from him as he moved forward to touch her. He didn't speak at all, just touched her lightly and stared at her, his head titled. Then left, grinning.

She expected a visit from Hvovî but it didn't come. She lay and tried to doze again, terrified and sick at heart. It seemed to take forever but the night eventually came. After this night there would be two others, and then she would die.

With nothing to do, she looked through the bars of the window into the workshop. A half-moon had risen. She could see the priest and his two women assistants making potions. They had brought a pot filled with what looked like clotted blood. The priest was muttering to himself.

The workshop had large windows to let the breeze in. They had left the wooden shutters open and long coarse curtains drawn back but little of the cool managed to penetrate her cell.

The half-moon came out from behind a cloud. She looked at the window and then looked back. One minute she wasn't there. The next minute she was.

Jess!

Pandora bit her tongue to stop herself from crying out with joy.

Jess gave her a tiny wave of acknowledgement. She was completely naked, just wearing a black waist band and a tie for her hair. She wasn’t even wearing her glove.

She looked gorgeous sitting in the window like a panther in the trees. The only weapon she had was her knife inserted into her waist band. She was outlined by the moon but would be invisible in the shadows.

"You have made a big mistake," Jess said conversationally, to the priest and his assistants.

She sat on the window ledge, dangling one leg casually down. They jerked around in surprise.

"What say you let my friend leave with me?" She gave them a small smile. "And then I might forget about this."

"You won't be leaving either," the sorcerer cried, muttering something, and then he pointed to the window.

Jess jumped down in a crouch. There was a hum of power released and the air across the window started to shimmer like ripples on a pond.

The two women had drawn their knives and they moved to circle Jess from either side.

Jess moved like a cat. She punched the quiet one hard in the stomach with her knife. The woman screamed and died quickly. The sorcerer tried to aim a silver staff at Jess, but Jess had already moved.

Hvovî screamed and dropped her knife as Jess twisted her arm, slipping behind to hold her. Jess's knife pressed against her throat.

"Let my friend go or I will kill her!" Jess warned.

The sorcerer just shrugged.

Hvovî started to say something but Jess jerked the knife hard across her throat and threw her struggling body away from her. The sorcerer aimed his staff. There was a loud explosion and fire licked at the mud bricks.

Jess rolled out of the way.

"That was easy so far," Jess said with a cheeky grin. "Now just you!"

She danced across and kicked him hard in the stomach.

It felt like she had kicked a tree trunk with her naked foot.

The sorcerer watched her with amusement as she hopped and limped about cursing. He wasn't affected in the slightest.

There was a pounding from the locked door. The noise had woken the residents of the house. The sorcerer screamed at them, he wanted to do this himself.

The distraction gave Jess the instant to dodge as he slammed his heavy staff at her. She appeared next to him again, balancing awkwardly on one foot. She tried to shove him but it only made her stumble backwards; he was immovable.

Pandora watched with her hand in her mouth.

Jess dodged a fireball and broke a chair over his head; he wasn't affected.

Jess was starting to tire and she hadn't hurt him at all.

This is not going well!

Jess went to duck to one side but her foot slipped sideways on some blood, causing her to fall. The sorcerer smiled and pointed his staff straight at her.

Pandora screamed.

Jess shrivelled into a ball, with only her left hand held up. When the smoke cleared, she raised her head and looked at her hand. Her face broke into a smile of delight. She stood up, holding her left hand out in front of her.

"I never knew it could do that," she said brightly, as she limped towards him. "That should prove handy, don't you think? Why don’t we both see what else it can do, you and I together ?"

It was then that Pandora realised what had happened. Jess's hand had been hit by sorcery in the past; it must contain some sort of spell.

But why was she naked?

The sorcerer looked frightened for the first time.

He lifted his staff over his head and tried to bash Jess with it. But she was already too close; he couldn't get any power into it. She caught the staff with her right hand and pushed her left hand towards his face while he struggled to snatch his staff back.

The air around the sorcerer started to shimmer. Her hand was cancelling his protection spell!

There was a momentary struggle and his protection shield dissolved with a small 'womph!' and Jess touched his face. He shrieked and staggered back; silvery fluid started to run over his cheek. "It doesn't do that to normal people," Jess said.

She pulled the staff from his hands and threw it across the room.

She grabbed his clothes with her right hand and drew her left hand back. Grunting with the effort, she punched him hard. The edge of her hand hit his throat hard with a sickly crunch.

Jess took several limping strides to the window and, after a struggle, pushed her left hand through the barrier with a small 'pop!'

The sorcerer was turning a deep dusky red.

He was gripping his throat and making 'whooping' sounds, and waving his hands about as he tried to get air. She limped and hopped back as fast as she could and, ramming him with her shoulder and giving him hard jabs from her knife as she herded the struggling man towards the window.

As he hit against the window frame, she ducked to lift his legs and push him through.

"Look out below!" she called softly.

There was a faint 'Hey!' from below and the sound of a body hitting the pavement.

"Make sure he's dead," she hissed softly.

Jess turned with a look of immense satisfaction and raised a bar to open the door to Pandora's cell. Then she looked in consternation. "It needs a key!"

Just then the banging and questions started again outside the locked door. Jess tried to grumble something low to mimic an irritated male voice.

It didn't work. People began throwing themselves against the door. It was a very stout door reinforced with metal but it wouldn't last forever.

"Around her neck, I think," Pandora pointed to Hvovî's corpse.

"It would have been nice if she told me that before I cut her throat!" Jess grumbled to herself as she limped over. She was moving better already.

As she rolled a chain over the head, Pandora had a vivid image of the dead woman opening her eyes and grabbing Jess's hands but she stayed dead.

The men outside had found something to use as a ram. The door was still holding, but not for long. Jess quickly moved back to the door to the cell, dropped the slippery keys, and then fumbled to get them in the lock.

"It's starting to clot," she grumbled to herself. "If you had told me before I killed her, I could have ..."

Just then she finally got the door open ... And was almost knocked over by Pandora throwing herself at her crying and hugging.

She gave Pandora a fierce hug. "Not much time, sorry, where are your things and the money?"

Pandora shook her head.

"It's not important, I really mean that. You now! You are what's important! But I didn't go to all this trouble just to get you caught again."

Jess reached up and gave one of the curtains a sharp tug. She was showered by a heavy cloud of red dust and it didn't give. She gave it a furious heave ... and was buried under the curtain as it came away.

For a moment she was sneezing, coughing and struggling under the curtain. Then her head poked out. She threw one end out the window. Someone below coughed.

The sound of hammering on the door was getting louder; the wood was starting to give way.

Jess braced herself ready to let Pandora down through the window.

"Over you go," she instructed, "And don't scream!"

Scream?

Someone caught at her feet and Pandora let out a small 'squeak' in surprise. She ended up in Iraj's strong arms. "Don't scream, it's me."

He led her over to his two horses. "Can you ride a horse?"

Pandora shook her head.

"Of course not, that would be too easy. Don't worry, speed won't help us now."

He passed Pandora a heavy black garment and helped her into it. She was completely covered, only her eyes showed.

It would be suffocating in the heat.

"It's a local custom; it allows young women to pass more safely in dangerous places by concealing their beauty," he explained.

"They are looking for a man and a Nubian. In that outfit, you can pass as a local, but Nubian you obviously are not. I will lead your horse and do all the talking. Try to look shy."

"What about Jess?"

"She's coming a different way."

"Iraj, why is Jess naked?" Pandora asked, puzzled.

"She was attacked by a wizard, it affected her," he said ambiguously. "Being without clothes and without her glove gives her ... advantages."

"Yes, I saw that. That sorcerer tried to hit her with some sort of spell and her hand, the left one, countered his spell."

Iraj looked at Pandora. "That man that Jess threw out the window was their chief sorcerer?"

Pandora nodded. "She was wonderful. You should have seen her!"

"So much for sneaking quietly out of town," Iraj muttered. "There was possibly only one group left from these parts that aren't trying to hunt us down and kill us. And what does Jess do? Well, why not go and kill their head priest?"

All he could see were Pandora's eyes. They were sparkling with love and excitement.

Iraj sighed.

They were stopped several times till the men of the village passed the word: ' let the man with his wife' go.

 

Chapter 10: Jess, the Truth

The vigilantes had marked where Pandora and Iraj were to spend the night, so the 'married couple' would not be disturbed. It was a ruined hut well out of town. Tomorrow they would go to where Jess and Iraj had left the camels.

"Can I come in?" a soft woman's voice called from the darkness outside.

"What is the password?" Iraj called back, grinning.

"Iraj! Don't be ridiculous," Jess hissed. "It's me, Jess!"

"Wrong password!" Iraj called back. "You know the arranged signal."

They heard some muttering out in the darkness.

Eventually Jess's voice replied with a sigh. "The night is black but I am blacker."

Pandora and Iraj were overcome with giggling as Jess stalked in.

She was completely naked except for a waist band but she held her head high, with an air of offended dignity. Iraj sat with his mouth open in shock as she turned to speak to him in the flickering candle light.

She was magnificent.

She stood six foot tall, large, muscular and lean. Her stomach was flat, even her stomach muscles showed. Her unruly hair was pulled back in twin plaits. Her smile flashed ivory against her complexion. Her breasts were fair in size rather than large, but stood proud and erect.

"Can I have my clothes, please?" Jess asked humbly.

Iraj shared a look with Pandora.

Clothes? Now, I'm sure we put them around here somewhere.

Iraj couldn't tear his eyes away. His manhood was as hard as a rock.

"Clothes!" she pouted.

She put her hands on her hips and stood with her feet astride, frowning at the grinning pair. Then she stamped her bare foot. It hardly made a sound on the sand of the floor.

"Clothes!" she insisted.

Iraj reluctantly opened a bag and stretched out his hand with her pile of clothing.

She jerked it out of his hand and actually turned her back to take her waist band off and get dressed. The view of her back was as good as her front.

"There should have been a counter to your silly password," Jess grumbled as she got dressed. "Something like 'and I'm an Avestan pig!"'

"But you're not an Avestan, and why call yourself a pig?" Iraj asked.

Pandora and he broke into laughter. Jess sighed and squatted down with a look of all-suffering on her face.

"What happens now?"

"They'll be out searching in earnest now; first the raid on the tribe and now the raid on the town. Pandora tells me you seem to leave a trail of dead bodies wherever you go."

Jess looked at the pair smiling at her.

She felt deeply hurt. She felt bad enough about killing people. She certainly didn't like to be reminded. But it all seemed unfair. She had been attacked twice in the desert by bandits and once she had to rescue a single traveller. Since she met Pandora, she had to kill men twice to rescue her.

The latest mess was one Pandora walked into, despite Jess’s warnings.

The time with the shepherds ... well, admittedly she went looking for trouble, but she just couldn't stop herself, and it was better than Iraj getting himself killed.

Iraj was continuing, "I don't think anyone will see you two as the cause, but you are linked to the killings and that will be enough. They will chase you and they will try to get you to confess. Then they will kill you. Does anyone know which way you intend to go?"

Jess nodded. "We told Arshan, the leader at the last place we were at."

"The one whose sons you killed? I think we should veer bit north and head the less travelled routes. I don't think I'm charging you enough, Jess."

"I'll try to get her to kill less people next time," Pandora giggled.

Jess stood up, tears in her eyes. "Pandora, I will give you enough to set yourself up somewhere. I will pay Iraj to take you t-to somewhere safe." Tears started to run down her cheeks and she took a shuddery breath.

"You two need to stay away from me, for both of your sakes. You may not believe it, but I am sorry. You don't have to sit in judgement of me; I hate myself enough already. Maybe if those men catch me it will be a good thing. It's just that I d-don't m-mean t-to be evil."

She lost control and, with a sob, burst out of the hut.

"Damn!" Iraj said. "You had better go to her."

"She said not to ..." Pandora sounded unsure.

"And you would listen, now?" Iraj was incredulous. "Pandora, right now your friend needs you more than anyone has ever needed you in all your life! Go to her."

Pandora ran outside. She looked round anxiously but couldn't see anything in the light of the half moon. Then she followed the sound of muffled sobbing. She sat down and took her friend in her arms. Jess pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Jess. Please don't talk like that."

Jess turned her back on her, huddled into herself in her misery.

"Jess, I love you!" Pandora started to cry herself. "You are good and kind and you have saved my life."

In the darkness she sensed more than saw Jess turn to her. She was hiccoughing and sniffing.

"What did you say?"

She sounded like a lost little girl.

"I said I loved you," Pandora said. "I want to be with you. Please don't talk about us separating. I'm sorry. I just seem to keep hurting you. It's just that ... I don't know who or what you are."

Iraj appeared on the other side of Jess. He sat and put his arm around her. She didn't draw away. "You have to tell her," he advised softly.

Jess gasped, sitting up straight. She turned to him. He couldn't see her face.

"You know?"

Iraj nodded. "I have known since this morning. It doesn't make any difference to me, may the one true God have mercy on my soul. Tell her, or I will."

Jess looked away in the darkness. "I can't," she shuddered.

"Do you want me to?"

He felt her nodding jerkily, again and again.

"Pandora, your friend here ... I would be proud if she were my friend too. Your friend is a changeling."

Pandora sat there in shock. The words echoed in her mind.

Your friend is a changeling.

"Come on!" Iraj pulled Jess up to walk the short distance to the hut. But the Jess who was as sure footed as a cat, the Jess who could run faster than a man, could barely stumble. Her friends had to half carry her, one on each side. When they got back, she slumped in misery on the floor. Her head was bowed in shame.

"Now you know." Her voice was harsh.

"Now you both know. A word from you, either one of you, and every man's hand will be turned against me. They will hunt me down without mercy. I will have nowhere to hide."

She looked up at them, her face a mask of anguish and pain.

"I woke ... I don't think 'woke' is the right word. I came to some sense of myself ... a year and a half ago now I think it was. I already had memories of living in the desert maybe for months, eating the snakes and small animals that come out at night." She shuddered. "I was an animal. The only thing I had was this."

She took off an object hanging around her neck on a thin metal chain and handed it to them.

"It looks to be some sort of key," Iraj murmured. "I have never seen anything quite like it."

"The chain is very strong; it looks like a dull type of bronze but a metal smith said he didn't know what the metal was." Then Jess continued on; her voice was toneless. "For a time I ranged, naked in the desert. I was not in the form you see before you. I could abide the sun and heat and sand storms better than its own creatures. I enjoyed the hunger of the hunt. I hid from men, a complete animal, maybe worse.

"Then knowledge of people and language began to return to me more and more, but little of my own past before the desert or how I got there. I began to spend more time in human form and gain control over the change. It is harder though at night, especially under a full moon.

"When I felt I had enough control, I came upon a camp of men in an oasis. There were ten of them. I was naked, without clothes or possessions or weapons. I tried to say I had been robbed and beg their help. I guess I was a woman walking naked into a camp of single men. I don't know what they said, but they laughed and made fun of me. They grabbed me and gathered around.

"I was enraged. I changed, and when I change, I can be inhumanly fast. I can still hear their screams. I can still taste their blood in my mouth."

Jess paused for a while. "When I regained control after that I was surrounded by bodies horribly torn. Their clothes were torn and bloody from where I had worried at their bodies in my anger. It is something that I don't wish to remember.

"I stayed there for a period. Then I dressed as best I could in what I could find and took supplies, their money, some weapons and one of their horses and I walked. The horse died. There was nothing I could do for it. Near another oasis, I was attacked by men riding camels." She paused. She didn't say what happened to those men.

"So I took three of their sturdiest camels and this time followed the tracks. I stopped at a small oasis to buy food. I was attacked again but that time I didn't kill anyone.

"After that, I was afraid of people. I lived for a while longer in the desert until I felt confident that I had control over myself. Then I came to Buxarak (Bukhara) and met Pandora. Pandora, I love you!" she cried desperately. "You make me feel human."

"You said your parents were killed," Pandora prompted.

Jess nodded. "I have very faint memories. They are like smoke in the wind. As I try to grasp them, they fade away."

"What can you remember of your family?" Pandora asked softly.

Jess shook her head. "It seems the more personal details are, the more they make me human, the harder they are to grasp. I was human once, I think ..." Jess's voice trailed away.

"Jess," Iraj said firmly. "You are human as far as I am concerned. Do you think you are cursed?"

"Of course, I am cursed." Jess laughed. "If you ask whether it was a curse that did this to me, I think so. I have a strange ghost of a memory of fighting a powerful wizard. It was in a very dark place deep under the earth. He seemed young and pale and red headed. That's how I got this." She held up her hand. "I can't remember, but I must have managed to kill him. Maybe it was he who cursed me.

"When I met Pandora, she thought I was an Amazon. I dress a bit like them, and I wear a glove on my left hand. I don't have false modesty but even before I became a changeling, I don't think many female fighters could match me. The Gods give us messages. As soon as I heard it, I knew many of the answers that I seek lie in the Troad."

Pandora inched up to her friend and took her hands and as an answer kissed her hungrily on the lips. "I will come with you, Jess," she said huskily.

"It will be morning soon and we will have to leave and find our camels or the only place we will be heading for is a 'be-heading'." Iraj smiled crookedly at the lameness of his joke.

"Jess, I am proud to have taken service with you. I don't see you as evil at all. I would like you to see me as your friend. I did not mean to hurt you but if we are to be friends you will have to understand I will tease you."

"So will I," said Pandora, giving her friend a hug.

"So don't take everything I say to heart, please. Now I still think I could have asked for more money!" Iraj said with a self-conscious grin. "But don't you dare offer it now or I will be very offended."

Jess laughed. Her eyes were glittering with gratitude.

* * *

They kept to a minor route with only small villages and oases interspersed with long stretches of desert.

"They are expecting us to get river transport at Parap," Iraj said. "I suggest we cross the Oxos at nearby Amul instead and take the overland route across the desert to Margu (Merv)."

What the three friends didn't know was that the hunt for them had already died away.

Asho-paoirya and several others were found the next day with their throats cut.

The small township had long lived in fear of the devil–worshiping cult. There were still good people left and they were not sorry to see the ring leaders dead. They set up a town council and asked priests of Mazdayasnaism (Zoroastrianism) to return to their town and help them cleanse it and set up a fire temple there. It would take a long time and a lot of work, but they never wanted to return to what they had had.

The dead sorcerer could only have been killed by an even more powerful sorcerer. The shepherds had been killed by a demon, probably summoned by the same great one to punish them for killing an innocent girl. No one in their right mind would want to catch up with this great sorcerer; especially as he came filled with such wrath to dispense justice for whatever reasons of his own.

* * *

Jess was somewhere off in the desert scouting. Iraj and Pandora were leading the two camels and his two horses along what looked like a rarely used trail.

"Do you mean to tell me that when you didn't know about Jess, you couldn't stand it?" Iraj asked. "Now you know she is a changeling, it's perfectly all right?"

Pandora laughed and shook her head. "Iraj, you must understand that I am a woman. I'm not even supposed to make sense all of the time."

"That is something that I would never get away with saying to a woman."

"I can't explain it, myself." Pandora laughed again. "I loved Jess as soon as I met her, but there was too much I didn't know."

Pandora saw a distant unmistakable figure coming towards them.

"Here she comes."

Jess flashed them both a fond smile as she trotted closer.

"I found a hidden cistern with water; I can find forage for the camels, but feed for the horses is a problem."

"Lucky we still have some barley," Pandora said.

Jess had almost a supernatural ability to locate the hidden sources of water in the desert. If anyone was very good at finding something, people said they had 'sniffed it out'.

Iraj wondered. Could that be her secret?

Jess saw him giving her a quizzical look. "Is anything wrong, Iraj?"

"No," Iraj shook his head and gave her a reassuring grin. "Nothing at all."

* * *

"The desert, once you know it, is so lovely," Iraj murmured contentedly as they sat by the warmth of the fire. Jess had cooked for them. Neither Iraj nor Pandora could cook and Jess seemed to enjoy it. They were watching the twilight and the stars starting to come out. The moon would be up soon.

They had been travelling for two weeks since Pandora's rescue. They had found a spring with some grass and were spending a few days allowing the horses to regain their condition. Camels can go for long periods without water and food. They store fat in their humps separate from their body in the desert heat. They can eat almost anything and their upper lip is split so they can strip and eat thorny plants. If food is short they can eat anything: meat, leather ... or sometimes their owner's tent! But horses are creatures of the grassy steppe. They need plenty of good water and roughage from grass, not just grain all the time.

This small oasis wasn't big enough for full time occupation but someone had taken the trouble to dig out a pond at the base of the spring and there were small clay pipes that drained any excess water into a small irrigation system that fed a couple of dozen date palms and some grass. Climbing was another thing Jess could do very well so Iraj had set the girls to gather dates and set them out to dry as supplementary feed for later.

These few days' rest were a pleasant interlude and, Jess realised as she bundled up the left- overs, that she had never felt this happy in all her memory.

Pandora, now that she understood, seemed to be freed of something. There was no doubt about her love for Jess.

Iraj had fitted in as if they had been three friends since childhood. He was an exceptional man. He had accepted her as a changeling immediately. He was quieter than Pandora, but just about anyone else Jess knew was.

He had a quick intelligence and a surprising sense of humour when you got to know him. Most of the time his sense of humour was firmly directed at teasing Jess in an affectionate way. He was muscular, handsome and did have a smile that made Jess feel weak at the knees.

Though Jess didn't like what she was, both her friends seemed to accept her and like her no matter what and that helped so much!

Jess had taken off her glove and studied her left hand for a while. "As soon as Pandora told me about Jacinta, I felt this strong connection with her. I am hoping that in the Troad I can find a clue as to what I am."

"When my sister got killed, I found out all I could about Jacinta," Iraj said. "Apart from you being black and older than she would have been, there is a remarkable similarity between the two of you." He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "What if Jacinta's task was not finished? Her God would have sent someone else, don't you think? Maybe that is you, Jess. Gansükh is still alive. It was he who trained the other daimôn raisers and he is guarded by a daimôn lord."

"I am an assassin, a good one. You think I have been sent by a God to kill someone?" Jess laughed. "You think that is why I'm similar in some ways to Jacinta? I thought even Gods hate my kind."

"How do you know? Have you met any lately?"

Jess had to smile at that.

"Jacinta acted like she was much older but she was only fifteen when she was killed. She would be just over seventeen if she had lived. How old are you, Jess?"

"Twenty, I don't know how I know those sorts of things without any proper memories. This can't make much sense but I was living in the desert at the time of the battle for Elgard when Jacinta was killed. How would her God choose me to replace her even before she was killed?"

"Who knows what Gods can do?"

"I can't fight a daimôn lord."

"Jacinta's hand was struck by a daimôn blast. Somehow it meant her hand had some sort of magic."

Jess looked at her left hand and opened and closed it slowly. "My hand worked on the demon worshipers' magic." Then she gave a sad smile. "But me, sent by a God? Iraj, that is ridiculous."

"Do you think Jacinta could do what you can do?" Iraj asked quietly.

"No, I suppose not." Jess laughed softly, "If my hand can attack daimôns I would be much deadlier than Jacinta ever was."

She sat for a while, looking at her hand as she opened and closed it.

* * *

"Tomorrow night's the full moon," Pandora reminded Jess the next evening; they were resting by the fire.

"Yes," Jess replied. "The stars look so bright. It feels like you can almost touch them. I find the desert so beautiful at night. Even in this form, I can see better than you in the darkness."

"What's it like?" Iraj asked curiously.

Jess hesitated; she felt a surge of shame. But her friends accepted her. If all she had to do was tolerate their curiosity, she could cope with that. Well, she supposed she could.

"I see things in black and white in the dark and colour during the day," she answered. "But still very clear. In the brightest glare, I feel something flicker across my eyes." She gestured to her eyes. "My sense of smell is very sharp too. I can feel a fullness here," she touched her forehead just above her nose, "just before I change."

"Don't you feel restless?" Pandora asked.

"Pandora, I can hardly wait for some answers to all this but I am a hunter, I can be patient."

"Not restless about that, are you listening to me, Jess? Tomorrow is the full moon!"

Jess looked at her friend suspiciously. "In answer to your question, you don't have to tell me about the full moon. I can feel its power over me. I was trying to put it out of my mind. That is, as long as my best friend doesn't keep reminding me."

"I would like to see, that's all," Pandora said wistfully.

"Pandora! That's cruel! You know how I feel about it, and you want to watch me change? Like I'm some sort of freak show for you."

"No, Jess!" Pandora said, giving Jess an encouraging smile. "It's not cruel at all. I'm really trying to be kind to you."

Jess waited, favouring Pandora with a very old fashioned look.

She waited for Pandora to explain how humiliating her was kind. How asking her to expose that part of herself that she was totally ashamed of, the part that would likely cause the maximum disgust in others, was being kind to her.

"Jess," Pandora started, "remember how you felt about anyone finding out you were a changeling?"

"I felt awful! I was ... I still am, a thing," Jess said softly.

"And then we both found out. How did you feel then?"

"You both gave me the greatest gift I could ever have been given." Tears started to run down Jess's cheeks with strong emotion as she recalled. "You knew, and didn't find me disgusting. I could share what I was with my friends. It was as if a great burden was lifted from me. I am very grateful to both of you."

She sighed. She could tell where this was going.

"So," Pandora said sitting forward, "if we see you after you have changed then you can feel better about that too. The fact that I am curious is beside the point. It really is. Besides, it's a safety issue. If we know what you look like, we won't attack you and can help you and not be so scared. And, well everything! What do you think?"

Jess took a big breath. "I think you are winsome and devious, Pandora. And I think I have been around you too long. You can say the most preposterous things and they are starting to make sense to me. And you, Iraj?"

Iraj looked a bit embarrassed. "Sorry Jess, you're the first changeling I have met. I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious."

Jess sighed, "Yes, I'm the first changeling I have ever met, too." She laughed a little self-consciously. "To tell the truth, I don't know what I look like exactly. I know I'm an animal, black like a panther, but I don't grow a lot of fur. My limbs get very strong with claws, my teeth are sharp and my jaws powerful. I'm about the same size as I am now, just a different shape. Lately I can remain partially human and change back and forth more quickly. So I can run with paws and as soon as I stop, I can use my hands. I can't use weapons while I'm like that, except for my knife."

"Is that why you are such a good warrior?" Iraj asked.

"I don't think so. I have certain advantages, even in human form. But I 'know' I was trained as a female warrior before, and I was a very good one."

Jess could feel her resistance crumbling in the face of Pandora's arguments. "I don't want to take off all my clothes for a full change. You wouldn't give them back to me last time."

Iraj and Pandora smiled in unison at the memory of seeing Jess naked.

"I couldn't help it," Iraj confessed sheepishly. "You are a magnificent woman, Jess. I'm only human, after all. I feel hot and dizzy even thinking about it."

"Do you really think I look good?" Jess looked at him shyly.

She couldn't suppress a smile.

"Good isn't a strong enough word!" Iraj breathed out heavily and flashed her a broad smile.

"Pleease, Jess!" Pandora asked in a wheedling tone.

"You won't give up on this, now you have started," Jess said, and shook her head in fond exasperation. "Will you, Pandora?"

"I'm a much nicer person when you satisfy my curiosity," Pandora replied sweetly.

"All right," Jess agreed, gritting her teeth, "I'll do it. But you must understand I feel very exposed, changing in front of my friends, and I'm terrified I will disgust you."

"Oh well," she sighed. "I may as well go all the way."

She turned her back and pulled her shirt off, dropped her pants and then took off her under-clothing and put it in a neat pile. To force herself over any shyness, she deliberately twirled naked in front of her friends, while Pandora and Iraj made appreciative noises.

"I suppose I just should ... just ..."

"Jess! Just do it!" Pandora settled down to watch her friend intensely.

And Jess changed. The being they saw looked at them curiously but didn't otherwise move.

After about ten minutes, Jess changed back. She crouched, bent over.

"Oh," she groaned, hugging herself. "It was so hard to resist that. All I wanted to do was to run into the night and hunt. Can I have my clothes?"

Iraj was so stunned, he just automatically handed them over. He had gathered up her clothes and had every intention of teasing her for them but that was all forgotten.

"That's not what I expected," he said slowly, looking towards Pandora.

"Nor I," Pandora agreed, after a pause.

"I wasn't disgusting, was I?" Jess asked anxiously.

"No, you weren't," Pandora said slowly. "Though if I didn't know it was you and you came on me from out of the darkness I would have been frozen with terror."

"I must say, I didn't think smaller ones existed," Iraj said thoughtfully. "Pandora's right, I wasn't scared because I knew it was you, Jess."

"What did I look like?" Jess asked, confused.

"The yellow eyes looked rather cute," Pandora said helpfully. "And the small pointy ears, but your teeth were so sharp and really needed a clean. Your jaws looked strong enough to crunch through my arm."

What am I supposed to make of that? ... not disgusting at least. Strong, sharp teeth she expected but yellow eyes? ... cute??

"What animal form did I take?" Jess asked.

Pandora looked back at her and gestured helplessly.

Iraj wordlessly took a pan and carefully poured water into it and put it close to the fire.

Jess transformed her face only.

"Oh," she said in shock. Hands flew to her face. "I'm a daimôn!"

"A small cute one," Pandora added.

"You know," Jess shuddered a little, "I don't know how I could have coped with it if I didn't have the two of you." She crawled over and took her two friends in a loose hug. "As much as I hate to admit it, you were right, Pandora. Once you two had seen it, I feel better about it. Though I don't think you wanted to see it just for me. Curse you and your curiosity, Pandora." She shrugged helplessly. "I'm a daimôn."

"A small cute one!" Pandora repeated helpfully. "At least small, as far as daimôns go!"

Jess shook her head. "I can't believe you just said that." She chuckled despite herself. "Tell me, Pandora, in your vast experience ... how do daimôns 'go' exactly?"

Soon the three were gently laughing.

I'm a small cute daimôn, Jess thought ... one the size of a huge panther, capable of running down a man and tearing his throat out. One capable of killing a dozen armed men.

 

 

Chapter 11: Iraj, Jess and Pandora

It was the evening after they had left the oasis. They had made camp early, just up from the floor of a dry wadi.

"You tell him!" Jess hissed to Pandora.

"No, I have to gather some brush for the fire."

"No you don't. I always collect the brush as well as cook. Its so I can build the fire how I like it. You talk to him, you're better at this sort of thing."

"No, you tell him. You like him, I know you do."

"Pandora! That only makes it worse."

"Jess, you aren't afraid of anything."

"You know that's not true, Dora. Please don't make me do this."

"And how long do you think you can put up with this problem, then?" Pandora gave her a sly smile. "I won't be long."

Jess made a growling noise in her throat as she walked back to prepare their evening meal. As she settled down, she glanced across at Iraj. He was repairing a leather strap. Damn that Pandora! How did she let her friend talk her into things so easily? She wiped her hands nervously on a clean cloth.

"Iraj?"

"Mmm," he said. His tongue was sticking out the side of his mouth as he worked.

That would be a bad habit in a fight.

She watched him for a moment taping the leather punch with the hammer. He was using thick waxed hemp as thread and was double stitching everything.

She liked watching him work. He looked so sure and confident. She bit her bottom lip, wondering how to bring it up.

"I suppose you don't know that Pandora and I are, well we are ..." Jess stopped, at a loss.

"Lovers?" Iraj suggested.

He carefully put the leather strap down and looked up. If Jess could have, she would have flushed beetroot. "Blur, er, wha ... how did you guess?"

"Jess, you may have been born yesterday, but I wasn't." Iraj smiled to rob his words of offence and picked up his strap again.

Jess walked over and sat down next to him and suddenly threw her arms around him and kissed him fiercely on the lips. Iraj almost stabbed himself with the needle.

"Er, that was nice! But what was that for?"

"That's because you are the most wonderful, incredible man I have ever met. Both of us have been too nervous to mention it. So you don't mind if we sometimes need a little, er, privacy?"

Pandora appeared out of nowhere, not having to pretend to be busy collecting brush wood anymore. All she had was one small twig.

"And you two have been waiting for over two weeks because you were afraid to ask me?" Iraj broke out laughing.

"And you knew anyway and didn't care!" Jess finished for him.

They had been desperately restraining themselves or trying to be quiet or trying to sneak time together. It was so frustrating.

"So, some privacy at times," Jess repeated. "Trying to hide it from you has been killing us."

"I will be discreet," Iraj said with a perfectly straight face.

Jess thought for a second and then gave him a little shove. He almost stabbed himself again.

"Now what is that supposed to mean? You'll be discreet. You're starting to sound like Pandora. I said privacy. Surely you're not curious, are you?"

Pandora giggled.

Jess gave her a sharp look.

"Curious isn't the word. I think I'd better stay as far away as I can. Having you two making love in earshot would be torture for me."

Now Jess and Pandora were curious.

"Tell us!" Pandora begged.

"Don't you know?" Iraj shook his head. "You are both absolutely beautiful. Even the thought of you making love to each other drives me wild with desire."

"Oh! I didn't know that." Jess was surprised. "I don't understand."

"Jess," Iraj said patiently, "you are a woman and may not feel exactly the same way as a man. Besides, I suspect our mischievous friend here has only just begun your education."

Pandora looked thoughtful for a moment, then her eyes sparkled and a mischievous smile started to spread across her face.

Jess caught the look.

"You!" she ordered, pointing to her. "Don't even think about it. There is absolutely no way I am going to have an audience. If you want me, absolutely no audience. Now if both of you will excuse me, I suddenly feel in a hurry to cook dinner. If you are really nice to me, I might even hunt for fresh meat first."

Jess was as good as her word. She looked anxiously at her two friends for approval of what she had caught and cooked.

"No!" Iraj smiled his reassurance. "Really, that was the finest snake I have ever tasted!"

"Yes, me too!" Pandora agreed. "In fact, it is the only snake I have ever tasted."

Iraj burst into chuckles. That was exactly what he had meant.

"We have some left," Jess offered anxiously.

* * *

It was only the afternoon on the fourth day out from the last oasis.

Jess had found a hidden cistern so they made an early stop to allow Jess to prepare the family of lizards she had caught that day.

"The larger animals aren't this far into the desert," Jess said, sulky in the face of all the teasing.

"I'm going for a little walk," Pandora said with a secret smile after they had all eaten.

She was carrying Iraj's hunting bow and a small bale of hay for practice.

"Do you want someone to check your technique?" Iraj called out.

"No, thanks," Pandora answered. "I just want to practice what you have shown me."

"Not too far, dear," Jess said automatically.

Iraj looked at Jess, who was pouting a little as she finished wrapping the left-over lizard meat.

"Jess, it actually did taste good the way you cook it, thank you for hunting," he said gently.

Jess flashed him a smile and carefully washed her hands, and then looked at him nervously.

"We have enough water, Iraj. Do you want to bathe?"

Iraj nodded. "That would be nice. I'll do that first thing in the morning before we set out again."

"If you like," Jess said shyly, "I could help. Anything you want me to do."

Iraj looked a bit puzzled. "Thank you, Jess. But I'm sure I can manage."

Jess paused and knelt next to him. "We have been riding a long way."

"Yes?" Iraj replied, starting to realise Jess was behaving very oddly.

"You must be very sore; if you like I can massage your back." Jess looked at him hopefully.

"Jess," Iraj asked. "What's going on? And where is Pandora?"

Jess wouldn't look at him for a moment. She muttered something about Pandora. Then she looked up at him, humiliated.

"Iraj, I'm sorry. You must know I am attracted to you!"

"Jess!" Iraj said, looking at her incredulously. "Have you been trying to seduce me?"

Jess looked away. "Bad idea!"

She gathered herself, ready to rise and make a shame faced retreat, but Iraj caught at her hand. "Jess, please sit down."

She sat and waited, looking confused and embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Iraj."

"Well, I certainly am not. You surprised me, is all." Iraj gave her a smile. "I'm not sure this is a good idea. What about Pandora?"

Jess looked at him earnestly. "I would never hurt Pandora. She knows I am attracted to you from when I first saw you." She paused. "It was her idea."

"Jess," Iraj laughed, "that almost guarantees it is a bad idea."

Jess managed to chuckle; Iraj was putting her at her ease. At least he wasn't disgusted at the thought of making love to her.

"Jess," Iraj continued, "I get the impression you don't have a lot of experience with such things."

How can you guess?

"Pandora was the first," she whispered reluctantly.

Iraj looked surprised. "The first woman?"

"No," Jess shook her head, "the first!"

"Jess! Where on earth have you been?" he gasped.

A look of pain passed over Jess's face, her eyes teared.

"Jess that was a silly thing for me to say, please forgive me!" He turned her face to him and wiped her tears gently with his hand. He kissed her lightly on the lips, more like brushing her lips with his.

"Here, I'll show you how it goes for everyone else but Pandora."

Jess sat up straight, like a student, all ready to be instructed.

Iraj had to struggle not to laugh.

He moved closer to her and bent over and gave her one of his gentle kisses on the lips. She responded but kept watching him closely, wondering what was coming next.

"Relax." He smiled at her. "We are good friends, don't forget, there is no pressure."

She smiled back at him uncertainly.

He bent to kiss her again and this time she grabbed him and kissed him hungrily, she reached behind him and loosened his hair from his warrior's tie and ran her hands through it and then kissed him on the neck. It tickled, making him feel dizzy. He could feel her heart racing, her breath coming faster as she pressed herself against him.

"Whoa," he said, a little breathless himself. "You're a fast learner!"

"That's what Pandora says."

"Jess, let's just both forget about Pandora for the moment. Why don't you lie back and let me do this slowly."

He eased her down and kissed her again as he ran his hand down from her shoulder. When he found her nipple she gasped; it was hard and erect. He ran his hand over and over her breast, luxuriating in the feel of it. Then he turned his attention to the other side.

He started to work down over the taut muscles of her stomach and then started to tease her mound and move back and forwards going lower. He could feel her moist and ready.

"Can I touch your manhood?" she asked.

"Jess, of course you can. But if I discharge you will have to wait till I am ready to get hard again and there is less strength each time. It's best not to waste it too much."

Jess looked amazed. "You can't do it twice?"

"Er," Iraj was having trouble thinking as Jess was cradling his testicles in one hand and was lovingly stroking his penis with the other. "I think I can do it twice," he whispered harshly.

"That's nice, isn't it?" Jess said, studying his face intensely.

"The answer is yes, but I think you should stop now."

The tip of his penis was releasing fluid. Jess seemed to be intrigued and kept stroking until Iraj grunted and tensed and lost control.

"I'm sorry," he apologised.

"I'm not!" Jess said. "I've never seen that before!" She squatted facing him, grinning.

"Now we wait," she announced.

Iraj had no trouble with a second time but he had more control. He slid himself inside Jess and she moaned as they started to move together. Then they clutched each other tightly in shared ecstasy.

"How did I do?" Jess asked anxiously.

Iraj had to laugh.

"Jess, you were brilliant. I think that was maybe the best I've ever had."

Jess held him inside with her legs and arms wrapped around his body and kissed his chest over and over. "I'm glad," she murmured. "I want to keep you inside forever."

She gave his buttocks a little tug towards her pelvis.

"Are you sure Pandora won't mind?" Iraj asked.

Jess stiffened.

"Oh, no!" she gasped. "What a fool I am!"

"What?" Iraj was a little alarmed.

"Pandora promised not to watch."

With a sigh she buried her head on his chest and her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"And you believed her?"

Jess smiled helplessly and pounded her head a few times into his chest in mock exasperation. Then they both began to laugh.

"It was worth it, just to get her permission!" she whispered, grabbing some of his chest hairs with her fingers.