Usual disclaimers apply.
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
Chapter 55
"At Amphipolis in this fateful hour,
"I place all Heaven with its power,
"And the sun with its brightness,
"And the snow with its whiteness,
"And the fire with all the strength it hath,
"And the lightning with its rapid wrath,
"And the wind with its swiftness along its path,
"And the sea with its deepness,
"And the rocks with their steepness,
"And the Earth with its starkness
"All these I place
"By God's almighty help and grace
"Between myself and the powers of darkness".
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
Rory and I had finished our conversation with the general and had retreated to the kitchen. Hearing the door open I jumped up and offered my help with the bags before hugging the girl in front of me. "Tabitha! You look wonderful!"
"Thanks," her smile was the same as always and she nodded to Rory. "I knew that you were coming, but what's with the wagon?"
"Arion and Melodia needed to use it," Rory answered while I wrote out the truth on a blank piece of parchment from my locket handing it to her discreetly.
"Ah," Tabitha said nothing as she read the parchment and then smiled again. "So, are the two of you going to help Toris and me make dinner, or would you rather be on clean up detail?"
"Neither," I teased. "I do believe that you have people to clean up."
"We do," Tabitha nodded before placing a bunch of carrots in front of me along with a knife. "Get busy on cleaning and cutting those," she directed. "And you," she placed a large basket of mushrooms and a rag with a small bowl of water in front of Rory. "I know you can clean mushrooms."
Shaking our heads, Rory and I were quiet for a few moments, "So, Tabitha, where is your brother?" Rory asked quietly, "And how is it, you've become the boss of the kitchen?"
"That's easy," Toris had entered the kitchen and immediately put the largest pot over the fire after filling it with water and stock. "She's a much better cook than I am." Smiling he began to break down the chickens on the counter. "I decided, one day, that I'd rather eat Tabitha's cooking than mine and I bet the customers would feel the same way. I promoted her the very next day."
Tabitha nodded as she began to make bread for the next day. "Yep, and about a week later Jason showed up and decided to help me in the kitchen. The three of us have most things down by now."
"Speaking of," I began. "Where is Jason?" I repeated Rory's question.
"At the docks," Tabitha lowered her voice a little. "He's purchasing what little fish came in today from the boats whose captains were brave enough to go out today."
"Threats?" I asked.
"Not so much verbal ones," Tabitha hedged. "Let's just say we aren't eating as well as we used to and even the neighboring village seems to not have a lot to share."
Nodding, I handed Tabitha the carrots. "I think I'll go see what I can find to supplement the pot tonight. Nothing big, but there might be some smaller game I can find."
"Sam?" I shook my head at Rory.
"I need you to stay here and protect the twins, and whomever else may need protecting."
"Understood," Rory continued to clean the pile of mushrooms with a sigh. "Now, if I could just snap my fingers and have a pile of clean mushrooms…." She trailed off as I made to go to my room.
"Sam, do you think it's safe for you alone?" Toris finally spoke.
"I'll be okay," I assured him. "I'm just going to grab my bow and arrows, chakram, and check in on the twins before heading out. I'll be back before dinner."
Nodding Toris turned back to his chickens. "Be careful, Sam. You may be your mothers' daughter, but you aren't them."
"I know."
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
I had been stopped heading to the woods that surrounded Amphipolis three times. I was polite to the Roman soldiers, but I also noted that there were six posts built next to some of the taller buildings in town. All were manned, and I figured that Amphipolis was now supporting about 75 men. Not even a full cohort, but more than enough to try and take over the village. I knew if it came down to it right now, Amphipolis didn't stand much of a chance. A ragtag group of fighters from the village along with Rory and myself couldn't take them all; we could, however, do some serious damage.
Making my way deeper into the woods I stopped to listen. Hearing very little I decided to take to the trees and hope I'd spot something I could take back to the inn. Getting comfortable in a taller tree I listened again and frowned. Deciding I'd heard enough I tree walked until reaching my destination. Dropping from the tree, I startled a doe and her fawn, who ran in the opposite direction immediately.
"What'd you do that for?" The Roman soldier came towards me and I looked into his eyes, thankful for my height at this moment.
"To stop you from poaching." I returned.
"We weren't poaching," the second Roman soldier joined the first and I made note of his hand on his sword.
Shanking my head, I sighed. "Okay, maybe poaching is the wrong word. How about being stupid?" I offered. "Because that's the only way to explain why you would even think it would be alright to kill a doe and her fawn."
"Who'd know?" The first soldier asked. "We want some meat that's more than the measly bits we've been getting."
"Then organize a hunting party and do it right," I took a deep breath. "There is plenty of game around here, but what you were about to do was totally wrong. Artemis would not look kindly on you."
"Who cares?" The second soldier asked cockily. "Not like Artemis is gonna bother herself with us."
"Want to bet?" Closing my eyes, I felt the tingle before I opened them.
"Samina?" Artemis's voice was soft, but she was obviously confused as to why I had called her. Something I wasn't even sure would work the way that it did with Auntie Dite and Aunt Hestia.
"I was just explaining to these soldiers how unpleased you would be if they had succeeded in killing a doe and her fawn." I answered before backing away from the goddess. I watched as she seemed to grow, and I could feel the strength emanating from her. As her eyes blazed I remained silent and was glad that her anger was not directed towards me.
Moving toward the soldiers, Artemis began to speak with an authority I had rarely, if ever, heard from her. "You dare consider killing a mother and child?"
"They're only deer," the first soldier spoke shakily, and the second shoulder seemed rooted to the spot in fear.
"Only deer?" Artemis queried. "Then, perhaps, I should turn you into a deer and see if you feel the same when a hunter comes for you. There is a reason that does and fawns are off limits for hunts. Surely you know this rule."
"We do," the second soldier finally spoke. "But they were there and easy for the hunt. We're tired of the barely there meat we've been getting."
"Maybe if you hadn't raided the town and made people afraid to leave their homes to fish, hunt, and work, you'd be able to be fed better." I stepped into the conversation. "Perhaps if you'd organize a legitimate hunting party you'd be able to eat better. There is only so much food the inn can supply. You're soldiers, I would have thought you could help supplement what you are supplied."
"Well," the second soldier shuddered as Artemis began to give off a silver light. "That's what we were supposed to do, but we just decided to come see what we could find and take it back. Neither of us wanted to wait for a hunting party to get ready. Besides if others were with us…" he trailed off.
"If others were with you, then you'd not be able to poach what you wanted no matter the rules of hunting."
Both men nodded, and I glanced at Artemis. Nodding back at me, she took an arrow from her quiver and broke it in half. Pressing one half to each man's head I watched as they began to breathe heavy, this was followed by crying, and finally loud screams. Removing the arrow pieces from their foreheads, Artemis placed the broken parts together and united the arrow again. Handing the arrow to me, she smiled. "Use this only for an emergency, you shall know when the time is right."
"Thank you, Artemis." I nodded to her deeply in a show of respect and then looked once more at the men in front of me. They had yet to move and I wondered just what she had done to them. "What about the soldiers?"
"They won't be a problem any more. Take them back to whomever they report to and explain what you observed. They will not remember me today, but they will remember the lesson the arrow parts taught."
"Thank you for your help today," I responded.
"You are welcome," Artemis put her hand on my shoulder and then ran a light finger down the side of my face. "However, I am surprised that you called me for this, Samina. I know that you could have handled the problem."
"I know," I hesitated briefly, "It's just that something inside was telling me to ask for your help. I've learned not to ignore when I have that voice telling me something. However," I looked skyward before looking back to the goddess, "please don't come into the city limits of Amphipolis. Something doesn't feel right, and I don't think that any gods or goddesses should come into Amphipolis proper. I don't know why, I just know that within city limits something would go wrong."
"I will pass along the message, Samina." Moving towards me once more, Artemis placed a kiss on my birthmark. "All will be well, my child."
With that, the goddess was gone, and the soldiers finally moved again. Both still seemed unsure and I watched as they looked around them twitching somewhat. They reminded me of nervous rabbits and I decided to use them before returning to the inn and handing them over to the general. After all, I had seen the tracks of what I hoped was a buck. We might as well take something larger than a few rabbits back with us to help fill the larder.
***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***BARD***XENA***
Hope everyone who has stuck with me enjoyed this chapter.
I am still working on my Glee story as well as a couple stories that I'm trying to finish for publication.
More Sam soon!