---
Helena watched as her friend rushed around her, trying to find a clean shirt for her to change into.

"Here," the blonde woman finally huffed, holding out a clean white shirt for the girl to put on, "it's my husband's but I doubt he'll mind if you borrowed it for a while."

Helena nodded reluctantly and slowly started to pull off the various pieces of leather and bands of feathers from her body.

"Helena," Sandy whispered softly as the girl removed one of her larger arm bands showing a long white scar marring her perfect caramel skin. "Where have you been? The last I heard of you, you were presumed dead by your lieutenants and Greece was open to any warrior with a sword and the gall to take your throne. What happened?"

Helena shook her head and smiled softly, "I did something terribly stupid Sandy. I let my own power see past the power of others. I was captured by the Amazon queen and forced to do hard labour to repent for my crimes against her nation … and her."

"She captured you?" The young woman's mother yelped. "I'll kill her! Hand me a knife, no one captures my friend and gets away with it!"

Helena sat very still for a second as the young woman attempted to storm around the room, presumably to find a weapon to dispose of the absent Amazon Queen.

"Sandy?"

Helena tried unsuccessfully to capture the raging woman's attention until she finally gave up and gripped her by the wrists.

"I'd rather you didn't kill her, if it's all the same to you, I'm rather …" Helena blushed brightly, "I'm rather taken by her, actually."

Sandy stopped her fuming instantly, her eyes grew soft with love for her friend, despite her past.

"Oh my, of course you are. How does she feel about you?"

Helena frowned and sat back down on the soft bed behind her. "She's the Amazon Queen, she cannot afford to be compromised by a … a … criminal like me."

"Nonsense! She's lucky to have your love but you still haven't answered my question. Does she love you?"

Helena dropped her chin to her chest and let out an exhausted sigh.

"I do not know and right now I am much too tired to think about it. I need to feed and stable my horse, then bathe if possible. I have a room here. It's paid for so if you don't mind I rather stay here tonight and deal with father in the morning."

Sandy smiled sadly at the reminder of the awkward situation that seemed to pronounce itself when ever father and child were in the
same room.

"I'll have someone see to your horse. The bathing room is just down the hall, make sure you lock the door behind you. There are some unsightly characters around here these days. I'll see you in the morning." Sandy dropped a quick kiss on the soft skin of her friend's cheek and rushed from the room to return to her almost forgotten duties in the kitchen.

---
Barbara rested her chin wearily on her hand, which she quickly propped up against her throne. The throng of complaining women had been small to start with. The usual theft and disagreements between family groups were easy enough for the queen to deal with but as the day wore on and more women poured into her hall, Barbara began to lose her patience.

Gabby could see the irritation in her queen's features. She noticed the slight tick in one green eye and the way plump lips slowly curled themselves into a sneer as the women in front of her raised their whiney voices.

The young blonde guard gulped. She had authority, she was the princess' consort, and she could request the company of the queen any time she deemed fit.

Taking a deep breath, Gabby opened her mouth and spoke.

"That's enough. The queen will retire to her chambers for a meeting with her committee, you will all leave."

The shocked silence turned to muffled grumbling as the women gathered their evidence' and left the throne room.

"I knew you'd come in handy, Gabby," the queen smiled as she stood from her throne and stretched her sore and tired back muscles. "Thank you for getting rid of them."

"My pleasure," the curly haired guard said with a beaming smile.

"I'll see you in the morning," the queen whispered quietly as she rushed from the room.

She was tired, sore and her patience was paper thin. Barbara knew that her day could not finish the way she wanted it to. She would not be able to go to the dining tent and openly stare at the beautiful dark haired, ex-conqueror as she ate her meal and made quiet conversation with her princess.

As much as the queen loathed to admit it she realised that the young woman had managed to insinuate herself into the lives of all the Amazons, seemingly without meaning to.

Barbara of Gothomia, Queen of the Amazons, slept and for the first time since the day she had become royalty she smiled in her sleep,
her dreams filled with piercing blue eyes and locks of silky dark hair.

---
Two summers Earlier

"Queen Barbara, you have to see this!" Dinah yelled happily as she breezed through the outer doors to the queen's chambers.

Barbara almost jumped out of her chair as the young blonde entered her room quickly and rushed to her balcony to stare over the edge.

"What?" Barbara asked in a panicked voice as she joined the young woman on the balcony over looking the Amazon compound.

Dinah grinned happily and pointed to the entrance of the prison.

Barbara watched as a bleary eyed Conqueror stepped from the confines of the small room, her hands and ankles in chains.

"She's leaving of her own accord?" the redhead asked.

"Well," Dinah blushed, "I may have spoken to her a few days ago."

"Dinah," Barbara said tersely, her fingers automatically seeking to dislodge the comfort of an already painful headache.

"No, it's not what you think. I promise. I didn't use my power on her. We just talked about things. That's all. Amazon's honour."

"But she has agreed to work in the kitchen by her own choice?" Barbara asked as she stared at the lithe body of her part time – now ex – lover.

"Yes. But I think she'd serve much better at some other task that is more suited to her unique abilities," Dinah suggested with a lecherous grin.

"Oh yes?" the Queen asked, raising her eyebrow for the smart mouthed answer she was sure to receive.

"I think she's make a wonderful body slave for an old warrior like you," Dinah explained as she took two precautionary steps backwards.

Barbara burst into surprised laughter and half heartedly swiped at the young woman's shoulder. "Get out of here you impetuous child!"

Dinah grinned as she watched her queen sit on the end of her bed and laugh happily for the first time in many moons.

---
Present

"Wake up sleepy head! There's someone here to see you."

Helena groaned and buried herself into the soft pillows of her bed. "No, it can't possibly be morning yet. I only fell asleep half … oh my."

The dark haired woman slowly opened one blue eye to capture the equally blue eye staring at her with a surprised expression.

"Father," Helena noted solemnly as she pushed her blankets aside and stood to her full height, if only to be on the same ground as the
man she had so fiercely pushed away many years before.

"Helena," he answered slowly, his eyes clearly inspecting the woman standing before him.

Sandy watched from the corner, a worried expression barely covered by her hopeful gaze. "I'll just nip down to the kitchens and fetch some breakfast for you. Have you eaten Mr. Bruce?"

The tall dark man barely shook his head at the girl before she was out the door, shutting it firmly behind her.

Helena stood, almost carefully, in her oversized shirt. She tried not to glance at the sword on her father's hip, or the array of weapons stashed in hiding places on his body that her trained eye couldn't miss.

"You look well," she offered hopefully to the last living person that she would still call family, how ever distantly.

Bruce narrowed his eyes at his daughter. He knew she was a fierce fighter, he knew she could hurt him if she decided she wanted to attack and he knew that she was inept at maiming people she didn't want to deal with. He also knew that when she was five she had spent days begging him to teach her how to ride the donkey.

However evil the villagers may think her, he knew that she was his daughter.

"I was worried," he mumbled as he reached out, not fearing for his own safety, and wrapped his arms around the shocked shoulders of his
daughter.

Tense seconds passed before she relaxed and allowed herself to be enveloped in her father's arms. She too had been worried for her father, thought she would never admit it to anyone.

"Food!" Sandy exclaimed as she backed her way into Helena's room, she was prepared and willing to break any angry or bitter silence that may have begun in her absence. As she turned she noticed the tense embrace of long forgotten families and a tear slowly filled her eye.

She cleared her throat and dropped her serving tray to the table before rushing at the two dark warriors. "I just knew everything would be alright! I just knew it!"

Helena laughed nervously as she detached her friend from her waist and neared the table nearly buckling with the amount of food.

"Are you trying to feed an army?"

Sandy rolled her eyes and joined her friend in the fresh fruit on the plate. "I remember how you eat Helena."

Bruce laughed gaily at the old friends cheerful bantering.

Quietly the three companions started their meal and involved themselves in reminiscing and sharing joyful banter.

"I know that Sandy works here at the tavern but what have you been doing to keep the dinars coming in, Father?" Helena asked around a mouth full of warm bread.

Bruce sipped from his goblet and gave Sandy a strained look, as though seeking her permission. This was not lost on Helena.

"What is it?" she asked tersely.

Bruce cleared his throat and looked his daughter in the eyes. "I work as a mercenary, Helena."

"Oh," she whispered softly, "then I suppose for a while there you were working against me?"

The dark man slowly nodded his head, "I did not want to hurt my own daughter Helena, that was why Barbara –"

"Barbara?" Helena coughed around the half swallowed mouthful of bread and apple juice stuck down her throat. "What does Barbara have to do with anything?"

"Queen Barbara and I have been working together for many years," Bruce admitted, "you see it all began when I met your mother. She was a thief at the time, stealing to survive and feed her family. I convinced her that leading a life of thievery was beneath her, that she was destined for greater things, to protect the innocent using her … special gifts."

Helena nodded as her eyes grew wide and she leant forward in her chair.

"So we were married and we travelled, searching for others like her to help us take down the scum and bigoted maniacs that roamed Greece torturing, pillaging and stealing. Along the way we met an amazingly smart redheaded Amazon," Bruce smiled at the memory of the
hopelessly young and naive, yet smarter than most, redhead.

"At the time Barbara was a princess, she'd run away because her mother wanted her to rule the Amazons but Barbara," Bruce smiled at
his daughter, "Barbara wanted to be a teacher."

Helena grinned; she often caught glances of the queen sneaking into the school house to bestow some pearl of wisdom to the young children learning inside.

"She decided that she would come along with your mother and help us until she could find her way to Athens and a teaching academy, but
things soon changed. She involved herself in our battle, she learnt the way of war and soon she felt herself to heartless and ruthless to teach the young. So she returned to her village and began those first few steps to becoming one of the kindest and best rulers of the Amazon Nation."

"Does she still help you? I mean, is that why she didn't have me killed?"

Bruce shared another secret glance with the young cook sitting beside him.

"Barbara has never killed. She has fought and caused injury but she has never lost her blood innocent. However, in your case, I believe she wasn't thinking with the head of a ruler."

"What do you mean?"

"All in good time, Helena," Sandy spoke from the sidelines then motioned for Bruce to continue his story.

"When your mother and I found out she was pregnant with you we decided we should settle down in a small village, we didn't want to involve you in our quest until the time was right for you," he explained sadly. "But then when you were barely 10 winters old we realised that our past would soon catch up with us."

Bruce took a deep breath and let the memories of the last few years of knowing his wife and daughter wash over his battered emotions.

"A warlord by the name of Jokeris, found out about your mothers talents and decided to blackmail her into working for him. He told us that if Selina didn't do what he asked of her he would expose her. We had no idea how people would react to her, she never did have the best temperament in the world, we worried that people might think she was a demon sent by Hades himself."

"So she worked for him?" Helena asked as she emersed herself in her father's story.

The tall dark man nodded sadly, "For nearly six summers before –"

"He gutt shot her with an arrow," Helena whispered, the memories of holding her bleeding mother in the forest by her childhood home once
again fresh in her memory.

Sandy shivered at the coldness of her friend's voice and smiled sadly at Bruce, if only to show her support.

"I looked for you when you left Helena, I looked everywhere but I didn't find you until you were firmly attached to the throne of Greece."

"And now?" his daughter asked in a hopeful tone.

"I am a renegade, a mercenary, known as the Dark Knight. Sandy and I work together with a small stringent of others trying to keep the warlords well away from our village."

"Sandy?" Helena laughed doubtfully, looking over at her stringy, underdeveloped friend.

"Now, now," the young woman yelped as she pulled three throwing stars from no where and sent them into the wood of the window frame behind Helena's head. "Looks can be deceiving, my friend."

Helena narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger, "Don't do that again."

Sandy gulped and nodded.

Helena raised her eyebrow, unimpressed. "Do you have a little name as well?"

"I'm Lady Shiva," the young woman said proudly.

"Shiva? Like the God? Isn't He a he?"

Sandy folded her arms across her chest grumpily and mumbled, "Hence the Lady."

Bruce chuckled to himself, catching the glare of his daughter.

"And Barbara? How does she fit into all of this?" Helena demanded.

"Since Carolyn died she hasn't felt compelled to help as much. Barbara works with us sometimes, she is much more committed to working with her Amazons and leading a strong nation but her fighting skills and hunger for knowledge have aided us many times," Bruce explained quickly.

Helena was puzzled but nodded anyway, she could soon enough find out how Dinah's mother fitted into the picture, "she is very smart, and
has much more finesse than some of the warriors."

"Enough about us tell me, how did you become the Conqueror of Greece?" Sandy asked excitedly.

Helena blushed, "it's not an interesting story really."

"Pish," Sandy said with a wave of her hand, "I'm sure it is."

Helena sighed and resigned herself.

"I was barely sixteen summers old when mother was killed but she meant the world to me and I wanted revenge. I was so angry with you
father, you refused to help me seek it, you spent all your time disappearing into the forest, it was like you never loved her at all."

Bruce stared down at his feet, shame evident in his eyes.

"I took it into my own hands to find whoever had shot and killed mother. I couldn't sit around and do nothing … but I was young, and very stupid. I'd been on the road no more than a day when I was attacked by thieves. They took all my dinars, my horse and mother's whip. The dinars and the horse meant nothing to me, but the whip … it was the last thing I had that belonged to her, so I followed them on foot. I must have walked for days before I collapsed under a tree. When I woke up I was in a healers hut. I couldn't believe that I wasn't dead, so I asked the woman who was trying to force water down my throat and she laughed at me and told me I was a very lucky girl to have passed out under the tree that the Queen of Greece decided to use as her restroom."

Sandy giggled but was quickly silenced with a look from Helena.

"I couldn't believe it myself at first until she came to visit me. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, she reminded me so much of mother that I started to cry and she comforted me. I couldn't believe my eyes again, she wiped away my tears and sung to me as though I was just a five year old again … and … and she made me feel safe."

Bruce paid careful attention to the note of sadness and longing that filled his daughter's voice.

"She asked me if I had family and I told her that they wouldn't want me. To this day I do not know what possessed her to take me back with her, but she did. She let me live in her castle, she made sure I was called Lady Helena and that I learned all about the politics of running Greece. She taught me how to read and write herself … and the king of Greece taught me how to fight."

Helena took a deep breath and a small sip of water.

"He and I never really got on as well as I did with her. He respected me for my talents and I respected him as my king. When he died I mourned with her and when she decided that I should take the throne from him I agreed. I realise now that my mistake was in my motives, I conquered in her name, I did it for the love I had for her. I didn't want Greece."

A single tear fell from Helena's sparkling blue eyes and without thinking Bruce brushed it away with his thumb, she smiled wetly at him and scrunched her nose.

"Then when she died I kept fighting all of those who thought they could take the last thing I had of hers. They kept coming and I kept conquering until there were none stupid enough to try. Then I met Barbara, did she tell you about me? Was she sent to spy on me?"

"Not at all," Bruce assured her in his softest voice, "Her meeting you was purely for her own purposes, she never even knew you were my daughter until four summers ago."

Helena nodded and brushed the rest of the tears from her eyes, "good. Good."

"She speaks of you often, though, she is the reason I knew you would be returning home and I rushed back from Amphipolis as quickly as I
could."

Helena cocked her head slightly and grinned/

"Amphipolis? Hey? Do you know Xena? … That'd be so cool if you did."

---
"I guess it doesn't matter, it's not like she won't be ripping it off of me anyway … I mean … Hello Barbara!"

Queen Barbara stood very sill as she took in the sight before her. She could understand why Dinah would be having a private meeting with her personal tailor, the wedding she had planned so carefully was barely three weeks away. What Barbara couldn't understand was why Dinah would even bother having the fluffy pink night dress she was wearing fitted.

"What do you think?" Dinah asked as she twirled in a tight circle.

The Queen blinked and tried to shut her mouth, "It's very … nice, sweetheart."

"Thanks, Gabby's going to love it."

Barbara blushed and chuckled to herself, "I'm sure she will."

Barbara slowly walked to the other side of the tailors hut and poked through a small bin of long strips of leather, trying to find a replacement for the tie that had snapped on the front of her royal bodice while she dressed.

"Barbara?" the young blonde woman called from her perch on the tailors stool.

"Hmm?" the Queen responded as she continued to search.

"Do you think I should get this in yellow instead of pink?"

Without thinking Barbara laughed, "goodness no! You'd look like a canary!"

Dinah's mouth snapped shut and she stared at the back of her queen's head.

Barbara dropped the leather in her hands and stared at the wall in front of her face, absolutely mortified at the words that had so thoughtlessly left her lips."Its ok, Barbara," Dinah said softly as she plucked at the front of her nightgown. "You can say Carolyn and you can say canary without me going into shock or having a break down. I know my mother is looking over me … and more important, when she was still alive she appointed you to take care of me, so I know she loved me … and I know she loved you. It's time to let go."

"Let go," Barbara whispered under her breath.

"Helena's here now and when she returns from speaking with her father you aren't going to have any excuse to keep her away. She's a
free woman, she can … court anyone she wants to without your permission and without feeling as though she is doing the wrong thing," Dinah continued.

"I just wonder Barbara, when are you going to realise that its time you moved on and see what is right in front of you?"

The tailor returned to Dinah's side with several lengths of dark pink ribbon and a handful of pins to hem the long flowing dress she wore. The two women, held back by the presence of the third woman, simply held their tongues and returned to their own business.

Barbara fished out the first piece of semi long leather she could find and turned back to her princess. Dinah watched as Barbara tried to form words and then grinned when those words formed themselves as a picture in her mind.

"I don't think the Amazons would react negatively towards their queen finally settling down, Barbara," Dinah said with a wink, "I do think some of them will have to give up the hope of having you finally fulfil their masturbatory fantasies."

"Oh yes? And just how many of them?" Barbara sassed the young blonde.

"I'd say everyone, at some point."

"Everyone? Even you?"

Dinah closed her mouth and shook her head, "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not answer that question. Derogatory comments made about the queen are punishable by four hours in the stocks."

Barbara laughed gaily as she stepped from the tailors hut into the sun.

---
Helena mounted her jittery steed and smiled down at her friend and father.

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon? You'd be welcome to stay a few more days," Bruce said as she handed Helena a packed saddle bag.

Helena simply shook her head, "I received a scroll from a friend who's getting married, I'd like to be there for the ceremony, it should be interesting and my mind has a thousand questions to ask Queen Barbara."

Bruce frowned, "Now girl, don't you go ruining your first chance at happiness! You hear me?"

Helena shared a disbelieving look with Sandy, then rolled her eyes. "Yes, Father."

"And you make sure that when you two are ready to face the world together you bring old Babs to see your old Dad!"

"Yes, Father."

"And be careful," he yelled as she turned her horse towards the main street.

"Yes Father."

"And watch out for bandits on the main road!"

"Goodbye, Father."

"Be good," Bruce screamed out as his daughter spurred her horse into a fast gallop and disappeared from sight.

---

"She's coming back right?"

Dinah rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion and stared down at the blustered redhead slowly pacing around her. The young blonde woman had seen her queen anxious on exactly two occasions, the first was the night her mother had gone on a mission and never returned.

"Barbara! Sit down! The messenger said Helena was leaving her village and she'd return to us before the end of the week, she'll be here don't worry."

Barbara slumped into a near by chair and huffed. "How can you be so sure? Maybe she's decided that I'm too controlling and horrible. Maybe she's decided to go back to Greece and take her throne … Great Gods what if she's evil?"

Dinah closed her eyes then very carefully placed her small hands onto her temples and took a deep breath. "Bruce would have sent notice if anything had happened. Look at it this way, maybe she's just releasing years of pent up … aggression in the Amazon way."

Barbara's face paled magnificently, "you think she hit some man over the head and she's having her way with him?"

Dinah's mouth dropped open and she blinked like a startled owl. "Uh … no, I was thinking more along the lines of a hard ride – I mean, horseback ride. Oh, um, or hunting. She knew the deer would be moving north, maybe she stopped along the way to bring back a fresh
kill?"

"Maybe," Barbara muttered noncommittally. "I think I'll go get some fresh air."

As the redhead left her hut, Dinah slowly shook her head and allowed a small smile to grace her lips. She had never seen Barbara in love,
but this was almost exactly what she had expected.

---
Helena rode into the Amazon camp just as the sun sent its last few splashes of gold over the far off mountains. Confident and happy,
yet slightly amused at the kind and warm welcome she received as she passed the perimeter guard.

The first thing the young woman wanted to do was to find her queen and make sure she was still standing, then bombard her with questions about working together with her parents.

Unfortunately as the dark haired woman entered the barn she caught sight of two blonde heads running in her direction giggling hysterically.

"Helena!" Gabby yelled as she launched herself at her friend and hugged her tightly.

Helena gurgled as she was embraced by enthusiastic arms. Her shock slowly wore off and she politely removed the strong guard's arms from around her shoulders. "Gabby, please, not in front of the royalty," she joked half heartedly.

Gabby blushed and chuckled nervously, "Sorry, it's just that I can do that now."

"Hug me?" the brunette asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Well … yeah."

"The way I see it Gabby, you can hug me – but if you ever throw yourself at me, I'll have to hurt you. Sorry, it's just that I can do that now." Helena smiled to herself and turned back to her horse, quickly catching a glance of Gabby's surprised face and Dinah's barely contained giggles.

Very slowly, Dinah managed to control her internal laughter and petted her lover on the shoulder. "Helena, Gabby and I would like
you to stay with us until you've sorted your housing arrangements out."

Helena picked up her grooming brush and slowly started to rub the dust and dirt from her horse's coat. "That's not necessary," she pushed herself to say. She would love to spend time in Dinah's warm company but knew she shouldn't impose on the two young lovers. "I'll stay in the slave's quarters."

"Helena," Dinah said in a rather demanding tone, one the dark woman had never heard from the young blonde before. "I'll not tell you again, you'll be staying in the Regent's quarters in my hut until you have your own home, no matter how long that is."

Helena closed her mouth and eyes and smile happily, "Y-yes my queen."

Dinah let a small grumble of success pass her throat then rolled her eyes, "I'm still just a princess."

"Never just a princess, Dinah," Helena whispered into the warm coat in front of her.

Dinah smiled then led Gabby from the stables.

---
"Is she here?" Barbara asked quickly as she stepped through the wooden door of her princess' hut and into the warmth her home offered.

Dinah nodded as she led the redhead to a large animal skin chair sitting near the fire.

Barbara fiddled with the gold bands encircling her wrist. Dinah watched with amusement as the queen petted down her hair and tugged
at her leather skirt. It was when Barbara started to look for a shiny surface to check her teeth that Dinah decided to put her out of her misery.

"She's in the back bedroom with Gabby – I think I'll go hurry them along."

Within seconds Dinah pushed a squirming brunette through the back door of her hut and locked the door behind her, sealing queen and
former slave into the room.

"That was mean," Gabby tutted sarcastically from behind the blonde.

"That, my dear, was necessary. Barbara can run really fast when she wants to."

---

Helena paced nervously from one side of the room to the other. Although, she wasn't sure whether her nervousness was because of the queen's complete lack of response to her entrance, or because it seemed she would have to begin the conversation between them.

"How's the village been running?" Helena suddenly asked, her response built on her need to run from dealing with emotion and suspicion and diving straight for pleasantries.

Barbara blinked as the young woman flopped herself into the chair opposite her. "Uh … w – well, the hunts haven't been quite as fruitful, I believe because of your absence. But yes – things are … running smoothly."

Helena grinned as her queen stuttered. Her nerves settling slightly as she realised she wasn't the only nervous one in the room.

"And you my queen?"

"I'm running smoothly," the queen answered without thinking.

Both women paused, sharing an amused grin.

But the moment was soon lost as Helena realised she was talking easily and immediately shut her mouth and Barbara noticed a large patch of skin on Helena's shoulder that looked rather kissable and blushed bright red.

"Erm –so, I suppose you'll be looking for a job … and land, to build," Barbara asked as she purposely kept her eyes locked onto Helena's forehead and far away from any tempting exposed flesh.

Helena nodded.

Silence fell around the small room as the two women regarded each other.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Helena blurted as she pulled at her collar, she didn't really think the room was all that hot but her body seemed to be reacting all the same.

"Uh, sure, yes, a walk would be nice."

Helena grimaced slightly as she watched the queen's nervous eyes flick towards the door.

"You won't run away … right?"

Barbara blinked then laughed, "I promise."

"Amazon's honour?"

"On the head of my first born."

---

"You talked to your father," Barbara suddenly blurted as she shut the door to Dinah's hut. She really hadn't meant to let her inner workings flow from her mouth so easily, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. Helena was yet to complain, scream, spontaneously combust, or otherwise, over her visit with her father.

"We chatted, and I met – oh what was her name? Shiva. Lady Shiva?" Helena grinned at the name and very nearly shook her head in
disbelief.

"How is Sandy?" Barbara asked with a fond smile as she remembered the spry young woman from an unexpected visit to notify Bruce of
Helena's position as she fast became the indestructible Conqueror of Greece.

"She's fine. She can cook so I guess she's earning and living well. Do you have one of those?"

"Those?"

"Names? I mean, Dark Knight, Lady Shiva, Black Canary, is that an Amazon thing or are you all named after animals? And what exactly is
it that you do for them? And how come I never met you? And how long did you know my mother?" Helena stopped walking suddenly and glared at the redhead across from her.

Barbara smiled civilly, trying to hide the nerves making her arms shake.

"They call me The Oracle' and they call me that because I am an information gatherer and keeper. I have many friends' over the country who keep me up-to-date on all sorts of things."

"You're a spy," Helena muttered with a frown.

Barbara shook her head and turned to watch a rowdy group of Amazons try to mount horses."Not in the least, Oracle gathers information from people willing to help, I've not set foot outside of this compound to gather information in over eight years. You never met me because after I returned to the Amazons I didn't have the time to visit, and my mother frowned upon Selina. Apparently she was a bad influence," Barbara smiled at the dark haired woman's expression of pride.

"I knew your mother for a fairly long time. Long enough for me to call her sister."

Helena shook her head again and sat down on an over turned water barrel. "I still don't understand why you tried to save me."

"I did try, and I succeeded, if I do say so myself. Helena, look at me," Barbara hooked her thumb under the young woman's chin and
smiled as blue eyes glanced nervously up."I cared very deeply about your mother, she was family to me, which made you family so I couldn't allow myself to live knowing that the
daughter of Selina was living a life not meant for her, you were meant to be a hero not a ruler."

"How do you know?" Helena asked seriously.

"Because, mothers always get what they want and Selina wanted you to be a hero to the people."

Helena smiled, "Helena of Gothomia, Hero to the People, it has a nice ring."

"It certainly does but allow me something?"

Helena nodded slowly as she continued to watch the emotion filled green eyes peering at her nervously.

"Why did you become the Conqueror? What drove you to be a leader?"

Helena smiled sadly, "many reasons. My love for the Queen of Greece helped to place the idea firmly in my mind. My love for violence and
the fight helped me to continue on the same path even after she died and I suppose …"

"You suppose what?" Barbara prompted lightly.

"I'm not sure, honestly I'm not. There's just something about being …"

"All powerful." The Queen suggested solemnly with an understand nod.

"You know something about it," the dark haired woman asked as she stopped walking and turned to her friend.

"It was a long time ago, another life. I fought at your father's side; we thought we could so no wrong. I watched as men fell to their graves on battlefields and I thought it was my destiny. I … I enjoyed it."

"You aren't like that now, Barbara," Helena growled passionately as she gripped her companions strong shoulders and shook gently. "I'm
proof Barbara, I'm proof that you aren't like that. You've saved me from a life of … well only the Gods know. I'm here and I'm going to help people, I'm going to help this nation to the best of my ability and it was all your doing."

Barbara smiled softly as she looked up at the moon and stepped out of Helena's personal space. "But still … I can almost feel it, what
it's like to race across the treetops under the moon. I guess I haven't let go of what I was before."

Helena creased her head in though and smiled sadly. "You can't ever be what you were, so be yourself instead."

Barbara turned from the moon and looked her friend over, "that is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. Wise words my
friend."

"Ah," Helena blushed, "Actually I think Dinah said it to me once."

"Oh. Well, I won't tell."

"Just to be sure though … we could kill her," Helena laughed as she started to walk towards the Queen's hut.

"We're the good guys, we don't kill innocent people. We don't kill anyone."

Helena grinned rapaciously at the redhead, "Speak for yourself."

"Helena!" Barbara yelled as the brunette started to run across the Amazon compound. "You're kidding right?! Right?"

---

"Where to put you," Barbara murmured as she watched the lines of women in front of her. "It wouldn't be fair to take Gabby's position from her, I believe she's more experienced than you anyway. She actually worked to get where she is."

"Hey!" Helena shouted indignantly, "I worked."

Barbara turned on her heel and grinned at the lanky brunette, "you didn't work like Gabby."

Helena rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. "Yeah, yeah, everyone loves Gabby."

Queen Barbara chuckled softly as she turned back to the Amazon's lined in front of her, she slowly stepped forward contemplating each with her gaze. None of them moved.

"No, I don't think your talents would suit my army, nor my guards. You'd probably end up doing something stupid and get yourself killed, can't have that," Barbara caught Dinah's eye and a spark passed between them.

Dinah stepped forward, placing a hand on her Queen's shoulder and turning to grin evilly at Helena.

"Oh, you're right my Queen," Dinah agreed with a lint of mystery and mischief in her voice. "Helena has many skills but when faced with a difficult situation those skills tend to follow the way of her … loins."

A murmur of laughter flitted across the gathered Amazons as Helena scowled and pouted at the teasing comments.

"So that is why Helena, once she has finished receiving her rite of cast, will become an ambassador of the Amazon nation," Barbara
watched that faces of her Amazons clearly show their shock, more than a few disgruntled murmurs were heard amongst the older women.

Dinah blinked twice quickly before slowly falling into step with her Queen's decision. "Helena will vowel to speak for the best interests
of the Amazons. You need not worry."

"She's a murderer, a thief, how can we trust her not to run away and build her army again!"

Dinah glared at the beefy woman who was standing in the front of their parade being petted on the back by the other women around her. "Maleka, was it not four seasons ago that you came to us after murdering your husband?"

The hands stopped and the woman glared at the ground in front of her.

Helena raised her eyebrows and grinned happily.

"A new ambassador for the Amazon nation sounds like a good reason for a celebration!" Dinah waved her arms in the air and half a dozen women rushed to gather tables, ale and food while the rest cheered merrily.

---
"Need a partner?"

Helena jumped as a slim hand landed on her shoulder, she scowled in her head for letting someone sneak up on her and actually startle
the great conqueror.

Barbara sat down heavily beside the brunette allowing herself a brief touch of their legs.

The dark haired woman glanced at the pale thigh rubbing against her own and grinned to herself. "I was just thinking, don't need any help in that department."

Barbara chuckled softly. "The great and might conqueror, simply thinking? I thought your body moved in sync with your mind. One can't survive without the other?"

"What are you suggesting?" Helena drawled, reaching out to trace the lines of her Queen's skirt.

"Sparring, why? Did you have something else in mind?"

Helena grimaced and pulled away, leaving a very amused Amazon queen trying to control her laughter.

"Will you teach me that move with your sticks that had me groaning every time I bent over … for a week?"

Barbara laughed loudly and stood to retrieve the fighting sticks from her boots. "I'll teach you a few things if you like, seems that I owe you."

Helena's brow crinkled slightly as she stood and pulled a sword from the racks of weapons on the left side of the training field. "Sure,
I can teach you a whole lot," the brunette drawled sarcastically.

"You can teach me to be surprising," Barbara suggested as she swung her batons to clamp down on the other woman's shoulders.

Helena parried with her sword and dropped under their combined momentum of the Queen's powerful blow.

Helena grit her teeth irritably, "That isn't something you can be taught."

Barbara pivoted and aimed several jabs at the brunette's knees, dropping the young woman to the floor again.

"You're out of practice."

"Am not."

"You've lost your edge," the Queen insisted.

"I haven't," Helena spat back through gritted teeth, still trying to regain her footing as the Queen easily predicted her moves and sent
her grabbing at the dirt to steady herself.

"You have. You've been a slave too long. First thief or bandit you meet on your travels will send you to –"

Queen Barbara's words cut short as she watched two yellow eyes glare up at her from the dirt of the training field. A warm smile filled the Queen's face.

"Just like your mother."

The brunette growled softly and back flipped off the floor, her hands poised in front of her as soon as the Queen's baton moved in her hands.

Barbara struck first, aiming at the young woman's elbow, a spot which had always been a weak area on her mother. Barbara's pride was
evident when the brunette took the hit easily, almost as if it were a fly bumping into her instead of hard, reinforced wood.

Helena smiled seductively as she pushed forward, pulling the redhead's arms above her head and sending them both off balance.

---

---

Helena smiled seductively as she pushed forward, pulling the redhead's arms above her head and sending them both off balance.

They lay silently for few minutes, staring into each others eyes. Neither having the courage to move, or breathe lest the spell between them be broken. The night sounds around them, the drums from the village, the young exuberant squeals of drunken Amazons, the night
bugs slowly coming out for their dinner, all slowly died away as they shared their unbroken moment.

A silent pact, a quiet declaration of love.

"We should go inside," Barbara whispered huskily.

Helena blinked twice as she slowly came back to herself. She took notice of the hard body pressed deliciously beneath her. She laughed to dispel some of her hidden embarrassment.

"Right, can't have the Royal bottom bitten by bugs. What would Gabby say?"

"Actually," Barbara said softly as she stood and dusted her hands across her backside. "I was hoping the Royal bottom would be bitten by a rather insistent ex-slave bug."

Helena blinked owlishly as she watched the redheaded Queen laugh and run through the dark. Never one to lose an opportunity when it
came to love or war, Helena raced after her.
---

"So …"

"Indeed."

Silence hung heavy in the muggy air of the late night.

"What was that?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh … sooo …"

"Oh for Gods sake … " with an agile strength surprising even to herself, Queen Barbara jumped forward, securing her arms around her beautiful brunettes shoulders and pressing their lips together.

"Ok," Helena nodded as she reached up to place her hands around her Queen's waist and continue the delicious contact between their
bodies.

"I don't know what it is about you Helena," the young redhead whispered huskily as she pushed away slightly and began to pull the layers of her Queenly garb from her slender body.

"You made me feel like a hormonal teenager again. You make the day seem a bit brighter. I'm rather embarrassed that it has taken me this
long … but I think I'm quite taken by you."

"Really? Same. I mean, with you, I'm not taken by myself - er - taken by you that is. You and your … pers … ect breast … erm, I mean, personality," the brunette squeaked stupidly as she pulled at her own clothing.

"Ah," the Queen teased as she grabbed onto the post of her bed and spun in a tight circle giving her quarry a perfect view of her rear
assets, "so you just wish to secure my bed and my body."

"And your heart."

Barbara smiled as she settled herself on her bed and crossed her legs, "Helena, when you want to you can be the most romantic person on the planet."

"You think?" the young brunette smiled thoughtfully as she tapped her lower lip in consideration.

"I suppose," she mused before throwing herself at the bed and the nude redhead perched on it.

Barbara couldn't help the startled giggle that escaped her throat as the fierce looking ex-Conqueror dove onto her body and placed soft kisses on her throat. She mumbled happily and petted at the long strands of hair tickling her nose, the soft curve of womanly curves and the dainty curl of perfect toes.

"Make me come Helena," Barbara whispered huskily to her dark lover. "Make me scream just for you."

The brunette groaned into the curve of perfect neck and skin near her mouth.

"Only for you," she whispered back as she ran her finger tips lightly over the well muscled and toned body beneath her.

Hands, lips and tongues scouted and teased as the two women shared secret smiles and loving words.

Helena growled as she continued to desperately press herself against the tease of her lover's fingers. The throbbing between her legs a
constant remind of the ache she felt for the redhead to push just a little bit harder, rub just a little bit faster.

Barbara was relentless, teasing the thrusting hips higher as she let Helena come to her hand instead of giving in to the growing passion
and running her fingertips through the warm wetness she was sure she would find between the brunette's legs.

"Oh no, you don't," the redhead husked as one of Helena's hand tried to smooth down her own stomach and get past the teasing hands keeping her at bay. "Only I'm allowed to touch."

Helena groaned deep in her throat and thrust her chest outwards, hoping for any kind of contact with her partner's sweet mouth. The intensity of her feelings pounded in her head, she was sure that if Barbara simply kept talking to her she would climax. She was also sure that if Barbara didn't touch her soon she would internally combust.

"Open your eyes," Barbara whispered. "Open your eyes. I want to see you."

Barbara gasped at the burning intensity she could see in the bright blue eyes that trailed over her face. They both pressed forwards, seemingly on their own but in their hearts they moved as one, their lips collided, seeking to share the passion each felt blazing inside.

The older woman slipped her hand between their sweat slicked bodies, flowing down the slopes and curves of the young body beneath her. Helena whined as long fingers explored her wetness enthusiastically. Pressing softly at first but harder as the redhead decided there
would be many times for soft, slow explorations later.

"Stop teasing," Helena ground out from between her teeth and reached for the redhead's hand, forcefully placing it over the centre of her
need.

Queen Barbara smiled to herself as she felt slick wetness coat her palm. "I'm very glad you came back, Helena," she whispered sweetly
into the conquered woman's ear.

Helena arched again, pressed as much of herself as possible into every available inch of the Queen's flesh. "I'm glad I came back too. I'm also very glad you decided I was worth keeping."

The Queen raised her eyebrow, "You're very talky for a naked person, has anyone ever told you that?"

Helena grinned without opening her eyes, "A couple of times, someone may have mentioned it."

"You're doing it again, shut up and kiss me."

Helena leant forward slowly, letting her lips closer and closer to the warm skin of her Queen's mouth. She let the sensations run through her every nerve and shivered against the cool air attacking any area that Barbara's warm body wasn't.

---
Dinah sighed into the chilly night air nipping at her nose and cheeks.

She couldn't help smiling as she heard a renewed bout of heavy breathing and screams from her Queen's bed chamber.

Her eyes widened as a sharp yell pierced through the yard.

"Punish me, I've been a bad conqueror!!!"

Gabby giggled as she sidled up behind her love and wrapped her arms around her slender waist. "What are you doing out here listening to
… that?"

"I'm enjoying the fruits of my labour," Dinah smiled triumphantly.

"Oh, you're a bit of a voyeur?"

Dinah nodded slowly and turn to her curly haired companion. She ran her hands over the other girl's button nose and brushed at her hair.

"Come on, let's go. We've still got a few weeks until our celebrations start and we aren't left alone for a minute."

Gabby groaned happily, "I'm marrying a sex addict."

Dinah turned seriously to her partner, "worse. You're marrying a sex addict that can order you to strip. What are you waiting for? Strip!"

---
"That was interesting."

Helena frowned as she rolled over and wrapped her arm around her lover. "Interesting? What does that mean?"

"Well, you know," Barbara blushed as she snuggled into the warm embrace.

"Not really," Helena admitted as she reached up to stroke one strong shoulder, "That's why I was asking."

"Ok, not interesting."

Helena hid her smiling face in the pillows around her head, "so it wasn't interesting?"

"Oh! No, I mean it was wonderful! Amazing! Lovely! Really. It's just that I've never really thought of trying … it … like that."

"It?" Helena asked.

Barbara nodded and pursed her lips together, "You. Know."

Helena grinned again as she snuggled into the warmth and comfort of her lover's waist.

"What now?"

"Want to do it' again?"

Barbara scoffed a few times before regaining her composure and poking at the brunette's waist. "I meant with the future, your future. When you go out and promote Amazon ways."

"Well," Helena said softly as she buried her nose into a particularly good looking piece of pale skin. "I think Helena of the Amazons: Hero to the People - has a nice ring to it. But then again …"

"What?" Barbara asked as she reached down and gently rubbed her fingers across the skin at Helena's hip.

"Well, consort to the Amazon Queen doesn't sound so bad either."

Barbara's eyes slowly grew and her mouth dropped open.

"Er - well - yes. I like that."

"You do? It's ok?"

"Um. Yes."

"Good," Helena hummed as she nestled back into her haven.

Barbara took a deep breath and let a giant smile cross her face.

"So, a hero name then?"

Helena pushed herself up onto her elbows and smiled, "The Huntress."

"How do you think Artemis would feel about that?" Barbara chuckled.

"I don't think she'll mind."

Barbara laughed loudly as she watched the brunette look up at the roof of the hut and grimace slightly.

"Uh huh."

Helena shifted on the bed and slowly lifted her leg over her lover's waist. "If I'm the Huntress -" Helena whispered slowly, rubbing as much of her skin as possible along the Queen and staring deeply into her green eyes.

"I guess that makes you the prey."

The End.