Chapter 2: She misses her sister
The queen paced in her room. Kim, Eris and Bana entered cautiously. None of the women know why they had been called in so errantly. When the queen finally stopped her pacing she looked up nervously at the three. "Close the door. This news cannot leave this room." Kim closed the door behind them and watched as she began to pace the room again.
"Antiope has gone missing." She finally said. Eris and Bana visibly recoiled at the news. Kim stood clueless. "I just resaved word; her fleet was caught in a storm. Her ship crashed on the rocks near Aeaea." Kim frowned at the name of the island, something about the name that struck her. "I want you three to take a ship and recovery team with you to Aeaea. Find my sister, dead or alive and bring her back here."
All three women nodded and filed out of the room. Eris was the first to speak as they marched out. "Bana I want you to get the recovery team together. I want a ten of our best trackers. I'll get our fastest ship ready. Kim I need you to organize the supplies. We need a good store of food, water and medicine for a month's trip on the ship before as soon as possible. I want to leave before the tide rolls out."
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Kim stood in front of two carts watching as they were being packed with supplies. She still couldn't help the nagging thought about the name of the island. Something about it was familiar and foreboding. She felt a cold chill go down her spine and settle in her stomach.
"You have something on your mind." A voice said from behind her. Kim jumped and turned ready to draw her sword. She stopped when she saw a young cloudy eyed girl behind her.
"I wish you wouldn't do that. Wear a bell or something." Kim said holding her stomach in hopes of steadying the nausea that followed with a visit from the oracle. The girl only smiled at Kim before speaking.
"You're right to wonder about that island." Kim stared at the girl. How did she know where they were going? Or what she was thinking for that matter. "I thought you might find some use for this." She said placing a small bag in Kim's hand.
"What is this?" Kim asked.
"Moly. It will protect you from any hidden obstacles in your path." Kim looked down at the bag in her hand. She looked back up to ask the girl what she meant but found herself alone. She tied the bag to her belt as she fought the overwhelming nausea. She hoped she would get used to the girl's visits.
"The carts are loaded lieutenant." A woman called. Kim nodded trying to balance herself.
"Right. Let's get going; the general wants the ship loaded immediately."
Kim led the way through winding paths to a wide river. A large ship waited at the edge. Ten soldiers milled around the bank, when Kim appeared from the forest the group rushed to form a line as she passed. She still wasn't used to the authority she had.
"Don't just stand there load the ship!" Eris called as she leapt over the rail of the ship to join Kim. The women rushed to the carts and began loading the ship. Eris nodded her approval to Kim and then looked down at her belt. "Picked up something extra did you?" She said in a whisper.
"Yes, the oracle came to see me off. Gave me a gift. I think we may need it when we get to Aeaea." Kim replied. The meaning of the name still escaped her. But she soon became distracted by Bana's voice piercing her thoughts.
"Nice of you to finally join us lieutenant." Kim clenched her teeth to hold back her biting remark. Eris saw this and patted the redhead's shoulder. "Go and supervise the loading, I don't want anything damaged." Eris said in a steady voice. Kim gladly complied and marched onto the boat. Eris turned her rage toward Bana. "Captain, this is going to be at least a month's trip. We will be in very close quarters with one another. Am I going to see any more of this hostility between the three of us or can we all remain civil until we return?"
Bana pursed her lips at the question. "I'm sure that if the girl knows her place we won't have any trouble on our journey." Eris smiled at the woman before she reached out and rested her hand on the back of the woman's neck. In a matter of moments she yanked the woman toward her so they were inches from each other. Her smile faded into a deep scowl. "No Captain. So long as you know your place we won't have any trouble." She let her stare bore into the woman before she pushed the woman aside and strolled back to the ship.