O/C: Dawn, Eve, Caseous, Manillas, King and Queen of Tartan
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the characters above are the only ones that I own. However, I can dream. Can't I?
Chapter One
The rain drove down from the dark night sky, pelting the two cloaked and hooded figures that ran hunched over through the back road out of the kingdom of Tartan. The moon and stars were covered with the black clouds, providing a perfect cover for the figures' escape. The heavy rain would wash away their tracks and their scent. The rain would also keep the lazy warlords inside the comfort of the warm castle. The figures ran from the kingdom as if Ceberes himself were on their heels.
A few hours later the rain had lessened to a slight drizzle and the two figures had thrown back the hoods of their cloaks to reveal the faces of two frightened women. They trudged wearily through the mud and the high grasses of a vacant field, leagues from their kingdom. On their foreheads hung a single jet stone on a thin silver chain. Their eyes, the same deep midnight blue were downcast and the youngest one's were filled with tears.
She pushed a loose strand of soaking wet blonde hair behind her ear, the gold bracelets on her wrists jangling. "Where are we going?" she asked woefully.
The older woman stared at the sky through a sheen of raven black hair. "I think the best thing to do would be to find Cheiron atthe Prometheus Academy.
The blonde sniffed, a small ray of hope fell upon her. "You mean the place where he trains all those men?"
"Dawn! How can you think of men at a time like this?"
Dawn rubbed her nose and then squared her shoulders. "Because, Eve, someone has to look on the brighter side of things. And I think hiding in a place full of young male warriors is a really, really bright side."
Eve smiled in wonder at her younger sister. She always saw the goblet as half full instead of half empty. It seemed she could find the silver lining in everything. However, Eve's face fell, they would be hard pressed in the months that came, she was sure, to find any silver anythings. Every piece of their gold and jewels were back at the castle. All they owned was what was on their weary backs.
The next two days were horrible for the princesses. They had been thrown out of their luxuriant atmosphere with servants and soft beds with down pillows and silk sheets to sleeping on the hard ground with only their tattered and muddy cloaks for protection. They ate what Eve could shoot down with the bow and arrows she had managed to steal from one of the castle guards. For the first days, the broad sword that Dawn carried with her was more of trouble than it was worth and several times Dawn almost left it. However, on the fourth day of their travels, Dawn thanked the gods that she hadn't abandoned it.
They were walking down a small trial, only a few miles from Ciaron's Academy, when they were ambushed by a small gang of thieves. The birds in the trees had become suddenly silent and Eve was uneasy with the silence. She had just signaled to Dawn to get her sword ready when five dirty men stepped out behind a (what the girls thought was an abandoned) wagon. They blocked the path, their ugly faces pulled taught with evil grins.
Hercules, Iolaus, and Jason approached cautiously, hunched close to the ground. They had just come upon the scene and were sizing up their opponents and the two apparent victims. They saw the blonde girl tense at the sight of the thieves, but other than that there was no apparent change in the two women.
The dark-haired one cleared her throat and spoke in a commanding voice that sent shivers down Jason's spine. "Step aside." She said simply. Her tone implied that she was not used to being disobeyed.
"Aye, my pritties. We'll move off, as soon as you hand over those pretty little trinkets you've got strung about you."
The blonde one's hand went straight to something around her neck. Hercules couldn't make it out, but he assumed it was a finery she wasn't willing to part with.
"I will give you one final warning. If you do not comply, we shall be forced to take, how shall I put this, harsher methods to punish your obedience."
The men apparently hadn't understood a third of the words the woman had said. They advanced towards them, their faces shining with greed. In a flash, the dark-haired one had notched an arrow in her long bow and had sent the green feathered shaft straight through the neck of the closest man. The blonde one pulled from underneath her worn cloak a broad sword that glistened in the afternoon sun.
The girl could barely hold it, Hercules saw, but she made a good show of twirling it in her hands. He had a feeling though that if she had to actually use it, the blade would fall from her slender hands and be useless.
Hercules, Iolaus, and Jason leapt from their vantage points behind three large trees much to the surprise of the two woman and the four remaining men. Hercules ran to the side of the girl wielding the sword and caught her as she swivelled around to face him, the weight of her weapon off setting her balance. He caught the sword in one hand and held his other arm around her waist as she leaned back surprised.
"Hello." He said cheerily. "We're here to help."
"Oh. Good." She said, still a little disoriented from his sudden appearance.
Iolaus and Jason went straight for the four remaining men, a few well placed punches and the men were down for the count. The dark haired girl stepped over an unconscious man at her feet, an arrow pointed at Hercules's heart.
"Step away from my sister immediately."
The girl immediately grabbed hold of his tan v-neck leather shirt. "No, it's okay. He can stay right here thank you very much."
Her sister sighed exasperatingly. "Dawn. This isn't the time."
Dawn pouted. "Oh please, Eve. He's so cute. Pleeeeaaaasse?"
Hercules blinked in surprise and blushed slightly.
"No. We have to get to Cheiron's Academy."
Jason cleared his throat. "Well, that's where we're from. Cheiron sent us out to meet two travelers. I assume that's you."
Eve lowered her bow but didn't put the arrow away. She turned to Jason, sizing him up with her dark eyes. He fidgeted slightly under her fierce gaze, but kept his regal appearance. "So then you would be our escorts?" She asked cautiously.
Iolaus nodded smiling quirkily. "Yes ma'am. And may I say that you two both look lovely."
Dawn giggled. Eve didn't. Dawn slipped out of Hercules's grasp and skipped to her sister. She whispered something in her ear. Eve shook her head and Dawn tugged on her cloak and looked up at her sister with pleading eyes. She stuck out her lower lip a little and let it tremble a bit. Hercules walked quickly over to his two friends. All three watched the two sisters with interest.
Eve rolled her eyes and sighed exasperated. "All right we'll go with them. But I still don't trust them."
Dawn's arm rose in triumph. "Yes!" She looked at the boys and winked. "We'll go with you on one condition."
Jason nodded. "And that condition is...?"
Dawn adopted a very serious expression. "I get a very, very long, very hot bubble bath." She nodded her head to emphasize the point.
Iolaus smiled. "Is that it? Well, in that case, follow me, ladies."
Dawn skipped over toIolaus and linked arms with him and Hercules. The three of them set off down the path, leaving Eve and Jason staring at each other cautiously.
"And you're not as trusting as she is, I take it." He paused. "Not that that's bad or anything." Eve nodded, a feint smile coming to her lips. Seeing this Jason took heart. He held out his arm regally. "My lady...?"
Eve's smile broadened and she shrugged. She placed her hand upon his and they began to follow Dawn, Iolaus and Hercules who had just broken into song.
This is my first Young Hercules fan fic, so please read and review!