The Draconia Chronicles
Lion's Roar
Chapter 2: Bronze and Iron
The Tigers. It is the first time I had seen them up close. They looked at us like we were not of this world, and yet at the same time we both looked so similar. The warriors under the command of me and Queen Gorgo kept our shields ready in case the Tigers try to be clever. Judging by their tatters, they resembled victims of a sacked village than warriors
"So these are Tiger Warriors? How pleasant," said our queen,
"Really? And what you girls supposed to be?" asked a tiger warrior, I overheard her name from Kiriad requesting her to be silent. The big tiger was named Scyde. Such an exotic name, "So Princess Kiriad went across the sea to look for help in the war, and she only finds this handful of...whatever you all are...I would've expected more for the war effort,"
"Is that so?" asked Queen Gorgo, inspecting the tiger warriors,
She soon pointed to one, "You there...what is your profession?"
"I'm a musician, Miss," replied the young tiger with blond hair,
She pointed to another, "And you...tiger, what is your profession?"
"Historian, m'am," replied the tiger, our queen lightly nodded,
"And you?" she asked the tiger named Scyde, impressive she is,
"I'm the chief advisor to the princess," she replied, I can see in her eyes a keen interest. I can say that I am interested in what our new allies can do on the battlefield. Queen Gorgo lightly nodded to her answer. Such practices of the tigers are left to lions of the other city-states, but not us. Queen Gorgo looked to us, and we clinched our spear shafts.
"Nemeans! What is your profession?!" our queen called back,
We drummed the shafts of our spears combined with the backs of our hands holding the spears three times, and yelled our battle-cry while raising our spears proudly to the sky in unison three times. Three times to honor our weapons: the sword, the shield, and the spear, "HYAH! HYAH! HYAH!" we yelled back showing discipline and readiness for battle.
'You see, Princess, we are more prepared than you are," Queen Gorgo replied returning back to a more calm tone, the pride of these tigers looked hurt. The pride in one's self is only made of glass. So easily can it be made into something wondrous, and so easily can it be undone. Through I must say there is something these warriors have in abundance.
"And who just are you exactly?" asked Scyde, clinching a fist,
"I am Gorgo, Queen of Nemea," she replied, Scyde stood defiant,
Hypatia took offense, "You insolent...," she snarled, I stopped her,
"Stop," I said quietly with a hand on her bronze armored chest,
"You call yourself a queen? Then show me what makes you a queen," said another tiger, this one was bigger and armed with a battle axe. From Scyde's words of warning to her, I gathered that her name is Ashaki. The subtly of the tigers is like that of the edge of a kopis, I admire that sprit in a way even if some other lions might find it to be rather rude.
I took a step forward to meet the tiger challenger, only for our queen to stop me, "I will handle this," she said with a wink of her brown eyes. Her neat cornrows of dark brown hair disappeared beneath her bronze and iron helmet with only the beaded ends of her many braids showing behind her, "Athena, Zeus hear me, grant me strength and courage"
"Are you sure of yourself?" asked Chara, seeing the tiger warrior,
"It is not the size that counts, but the heart," our queen replied,
"I can fight her if you so desire it, my queen," said Ptolema,
"Save your strength for the enemy," advised the queen to Ptolema,
She stuck her spear into the soft ground, and unsheathed her kopis from her side. Her hoplon shield faced forward showing the image of Cerberus to intimidate her enemy. Like two vultures over a carcass, our queen and the challenging tiger warrior stared each other down, "I will give this one chance to stand down, and avoid dishonor," said our queen,
"No way...I always wanted to fight a queen," said Ashaki, grinning,
"Well then, may Tyche grant you favor in battle," Queen Gorgo replied, the tiger charged like a wild animal brandishing her battle axe, and the fight began. Queen Gorgo got inside Ashaki's guard, and flipped her over her shield and landing back first on the ground. Our warriors cheered for our mighty queen, and clattered spears against our shields.
"You have strength, that is good," said our queen as a teacher would to a pupil, and blocked every strike of the axe with her shield, "you are relentless, but...," at that moment, she spun around, and smashed the shield into Ashaki's back, and sent her down to the ground wth a face full of gravel, "without discipline and honing, you are but a wild animal"
Ashaki wiped away some blood, "I'm not done with you, Queenie,"
"Yes, you are," Queen Gorgo smirked to annoy the big tiger warrior, Ashaki snarled and attacked again. She locked her battle axe with her shield as she swung at her, and struck it down with her kopis, disarming her. She moved in with her shield forward, striking her chest by using her shield like a fist. She straddled her with her shield, pinning her down
Ashaki cringed and growled under my weight, "Yield, my friend,"
"Never," Ashaki growled looking at the edge of my sword at her neck
Queen Gorgo got up, and sheathed her kopis, and offered a hand to the defeated warrior. She smiled a small, motherly grin to Ashaki. Ashaki grinned back, and took the hand up. At that moment, I can feel a mutual respect forming between our kinds, "There is no shame in this, but room for improvement," said our queen to the cheers of our sisters.
"I apologize for her actions," said Princess Kiriad on Ashaki's behalf,
"There is no need for an apology," I said putting a hand on her shoulder,
"If you can do that to Ashaki, I can't wait to see you in battle," said Scyde,
"Patience, my friend, we all await the coming battle," I replied, grinning,
A tiger named Zurina smiled pridefully, "The scalies won't know what hit 'em,"
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