Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N :: Still un-beta. D;
This chapter still contains a lot of Flashbacks. But next one will be less flashback and should be moving in faster pace. And whoa longest Chapter I've written so far!
Chapter 5 :: Ascend
Out of life's school of war: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.
- Friedrich Nietzsche, The Twilight of the Idols
After Her mother was gone. Lysandra locked herself inside her quarter for days. Crying, sobbing, tearing apart her room. She was angry at everything and everyone. She was lost, confused and enrage.
She was looking for a reason for her mother's parting. She was looking for someone to blame. And she found herself.
It was her. She was the problem. She remembered the story her mother told. It was because her mother wanted to have her. Letting her came to this world, her mother had to pay the price. That was what she believed.
Realization washed over her whole. She was then mad at herself. If it wasn't because of her….then her mother would still be here. She now understood why the Amazons despite her existent.
Fury burn her heart. And rage burn her soul. That when she started running and slamming herself into tables, seats, walls or anything around the room to hurt herself, screaming as she went. She'd considered about jumping off the balcony but it would mean suicide and suicide would not be a punishment, it was a getaway. So she didn't. The more the pain consumed her the more she guilt she felt it left her body. But not long before her room became trashed. Her whole body was aching. Bruises all over. She split her lips, cut her chin and she was sure there was a long gash on her hand from broken vase. It left her felt empty.
When her body was about to give up, she dropped and knelt on the floor, clapped her hands together, praying to any gods she could think of, she cried their names, begging them to return her mother. Bargaining them to take her instead or whatever a six years old could come up with. But nothing changed, nothing happened. So she told them to take her too. Told them to take her away to be with her mother. Instead, all her injuries were completely healed.
As if it was to tell her something. Lysandra didn't get it.
Because instead of calming her down. The fire inside her sparked and burn bright with anger. She started the process all over again. Every cuts, scraps, bruises, gashes would heal in the matter of hours and not even leaving scars on her beaten body. But her mother was still gone.
It went on for days, but to Lysandra it was like forever.
At the end, she just dropped on the floor and laid there, exhausted. She cried until there were no more tears to shed. She sobbed until her throat inflamed and her voice lost. Her room was a mess from her madness. She didn't eat at all during that time. She ignored people who came to knock on her door, or telling them to go away. Until the last day, the queen herself came.
"Lysandra! as your queen, I demand that you open this door at once! Or I shall have it remove whether you like it or not!"
As your queen. She said. Not As your grandmother.
But she did opened it and let the queen in. She was tall and majestic. Her blue eyes were cold. Like a deep sea that she felt she would drown everytime she looked into them. Her golden locks shone in the sunlight. She didn't smile, only looked down at Lysandra who stood there in the middle of trashed room.
"What is this madness Lysandra?" She asked, her voice was still, not showing any anger, any concern, not showing any emotions. Typical for her it seemed. It was easy for her to be that way after losing her daughter, Lysandra's mother. Hippolyta was an Amazon. She was their queen. She was supposed to be the strongest, the boldest, the fearless. She was a soldier. She knew sacrifice. She knew how far she would mourn for her grief. But Lysandra did not.
She didn't want to grief because she didn't want to actually believe her mother was really gone. She had told herself, she cried and sobbed and screamed because of the pains in her little heart. Because if she didn't, she thought that she would combust.
Lysandra didn't reply back. She only stood silently, looking up to the queen. Their blue eyes met. Even though they were related, the shades of their orbs were different. Hippolyta's were lighter shade of blue, with the tint of green, like the ocean, that bottomless sea beyond Themyscira shore. But Lysandra's were darker shade of blue. They had no hint of any other colors. Just pure blue. Not the steely gray shade, not the greenish tint, not the violet hint. just high blue, sometimes like a cloudless sky when she stood in the sun or deeper shade like navy blue in low light or at night time.
And the relationship between them were just like their eyes, it wasn't related. She didn't feel the slightest connection with Hippolyta either physically or emotionally. The queen loved her mother, she knew that. But with her, if she ever loved Lysandra at all, she did a great job concealing it. It was those vibes she could sense from people, they would spread through her, letting her picked up their feelings, their loves, their hatreds, their affections or their hostilities. But not with Hippolyta. With the queen, she felt nothing. Though she decided this wasn't an ability to be relied on.
Still, Lysandra never felt attached to her maternal grandmother. She felt that she should but she didn't. Instead she felt distance. She felt emptiness in the space between their connection. She felt stranded in her presence. She was never affective towards Lysandra, she never offered her warm hands or hugs or kind words. All she gave were the coldness of her blue eyes, her sharp voice and her indifference.
So Lysandra told herself, those feelings between them were mutual. It wasn't just her that she felt disconnected. Hippolyta felt it too.
So why was she here, in her room. After both of their love one were gone. She never knew.
"You are a mess, girl…." She said again after the silence reached its peak. Averting her eyes away as she looked around the destroyed room, she inhaled deep breath then spoke again without looking back at Lysandra. "clean yourself up, have Selia help you. Then join me for dinner"
And, she just…..left.
She left her quarter without saying anything else, or why. Why would she want Lysandra to join her at dinner. They never had a meal together, just the two of them. Her mother was always the bridge in between. She used to be terrified of Hippolyta, from her cold eyes and indifferent face, though she was beautiful in her own way but she was like a statue of those goddesses Lysandra saw in the temples, beautiful but meant to be terrifying. She could count how many of those meals they had until that day.
Now that their bridge was gone. Leaving them a distant shallow space between two sides. She wanted to have a meal with Lysandra?
Selia didn't let her indulge into anymore thoughts then. She led Lysandra quickly to her own bathing area. She drew her a warm bath. Helped her out of few days old cloth and untied her sandals. Combed the knots out of her black hair as she soaked in lavender smelling tub. She let Lysandra cleaned her tear strained face with wet cloth. Pat her skin dried when she came out of the water. Then helped her in fresh cloth and with a new pair of sandals before sending her out the queen's chamber. They didn't talk much. Lysandra was thankful for that.
Artemis was one who collected her from her quarter. They didn't talk either as they walked silently to their destination. On the way, Lysandra could hear all the noise and music came from distance as if the Amazon outside the palace were celebrating. She didn't pay attention to them, she wasn't in any mind to care. When she got to Hippolyta's private dining quarter, she was already seated and the feasts were already served. Artemis nodded her head and left the two of them. She curtsied before took her seat at the end of the table.
They could hear the music and cheering from outside as they ate in silence. Or rather, Lysandra just played with her food. Even though she didn't eat for days she wasn't that hungry. And eating with the queen made her throat squeezed itself tighter, making it harder for her to swallow anything down.
"They are celebrating…."
Lysandra looked up from her food, to the Queen whose face was hardened. She didn't say anything, only watch her continue talking.
"…It's been five days and they're still celebrating. Diana had become divine powers…to them she is now seated among the goddesses" Hippolyta didn't look at her as she spoke, instead staring at some random object on the table. "…But I think we both know better"
"…" Lysandra still kept her mouth shut. She didn't really get what this conversation would bring anything out.
"…..You have lost your mother. And I, I have lost my daughter….My little sun and stars, my everything. I had lost her once when she ran away to save Man's world. And now I've lost her again…" The Queen closed her eyes but she could see them trembling under the eyelids as if she was holding tears that formed behind them. "….But as a queen I could not grief as much as you do…."
"What do you need of me, My queen?"
What do you want from me? What do you want to get out of having a meal together when you never actually care?
Lysandra finally spoke for the first time since she sat down. Her voice coarse but she didn't feel that burning sensation in her throat anymore. She looked directly at the queen who glanced back at her.
There was a long pulse before Hippolyta answered. "Truly, I do not know"
"Do you blame me for her losing, too, My queen?" She stiffed at Lysandra's words. But her younger self continued "…My apology, of course you do. Even I did…."
Lysandra stood, her chin held high as she didn't let her gaze falling off from Hippolyta. Their blue but different shades of eyes met.
"I have done all the grieving, My queen. Mother does not want me to be a weak little child" She spoke with determination in her heart. Remembering her mother's last words. "She told me to become strong and become wise….So strong and wise, I shall"
She was done. If no one would help her save her mother, be the gods themselves or whoever, she did not need them. She would be the one who break the curse. But she knew the road would not be short and comfortable. It would be rough and difficult. She would hurt herself in the process. But she must. Because she was her mother's daughter.
Hippolyta stared at her still form for a long while. Neither spoke, only the eyes were connected.
Finally she spoke.
"Do what you will…..it is your choice" She said. Waving the hand, dismissing her.
Lysandra immediately curtsied, before spun her heels and walked out of the room. She marched straight to Artemis who was waiting outside the door. She was with another guard that she didn't pay any attention to remember her name.
"You are the best of them, Are you not, Artemis?" She asked as she stood in front of the tall Amazon.
Artemis blinked, her green eyes flashed a bit of confusion. But she replied.
"Second to your mother perhaps?"
Out of every Amazons she knew, Artemis was the strongest, boldest, fiercest warrior. She might not like Artemis. Because she wasn't kind and caring like Selia. She was harsh and unfriendly. But she was strong and intelligent. And Lysandra didn't want her for a friend. She didn't want her to be warm and cozy. She wanted her for a teacher, she wanted Artemis to beat the greatness out of her.
She wanted it the hard way. And that how she wanted her life would be from that moment on. The hard and solid way.
"Train me, make me be better than her"
"You won't be, Princess. She was blessed by the gods with powers and wisdoms. You on the other hand, only half an amazon with mortal blood in your veins" Artemis didn't seem to sneer but Lysandra didn't care.
"Then I shall train harder, I shall study more. Make the best out of me, Artemis. Because I have no other choice. If no one would help my mother. Then I must"
"You don't even know how to break the curse, princess. No one did, How would you do that when you don't even know how to proceed?"
"Then I will look at the cause of it. I will find the reason of this forsaken curse. But before I do I must become strong and smart. I must know how to survive, Please Artemis….I beg of you…"
They both pulsed. Artemis's fierce green eyes stared down at Lysandra's dark blue one.
"By training with me, I am not going to fool around, I shall be strict and I shall make your life a living hell….This won't be easy, Princess"
"Wouldn't dream of it"
And for the first time since her mother was gone, Lysandra smiled.
After three weeks of training Lysandra realized what Artemis had promised wasn't just half of it.
The redhead Amazon wasn't joking around when she said she would make her life a living hell. Maybe It might be easier to live in Tartarus so she didn't have to endure all the bruises and scrapes. Though it would heal overnight and left her skin flawless for the next morning in order to be cut all over again.
Whichever gods that was responsible for such a stupid blessing. Because she would appreciate if they would made her skin more invulnerable along with enhanced healing factor so she could feel less painful anytime the blade slice her open. But no, the pain was always there and she had to wait until she at least caught some sleep to be able to heal.
She remembered her first day with Artemis. Her hands that held wooden staff, were trembling, She tried to hold back the tears behind her eyes.
"Are you afraid, child?" She said. Her voice was still but it gave Lysandra chill down her spine. Even though they stood in the middle of hot training ground. Without the roof, the sun blasted itself down on everything, including their bodies.
In truth, She was. She did scared out of her mind because of Artemis. She never face her with an Armed Artemis before. But she didn't answered. She kept her chin high and gripped her staff as it supported her badly bruised leg. Artemis circled her with her own staff in her hand, twirled it around. Her piercing green orbs bore down on her. As if to judge how pathetic she was after fifteen minutes of sparring.
"…..Are you afraid of getting hurt? Or are you afraid of even trying to hurt me?"
She was. Both. Her mother always taught her to be a gentle and caring person. She never hurt even a fly in her life. And How Artemis expected her to fight? She didn't know….until later..
"I take it that you are. Now….let see if I could teach you how to get rid of them!"
Artemis charged her as she screamed "Think of you mother, kid!"
The staff hit her good leg as Lysandra cried in pain. All she wanted was to drop the damn staff and held it but Artemis didn't let her, she swung down the wood on to her again. Their wooden staffs connected making thudding sounds as Artemis continued to yell at her "Think of people that called you those names! Those people who despite you! Who called you a bastard child…. THINK OF THEM!"
And she did, even though she didn't want to but they all popped up in her mind like weeds in the garden. Anger rose inside her as she remembered how they treated her behind her mother's back. She remembered the coldness of the queen's eyes that made her drown helplessly everytime they met hers.
She shook with rage and gripped her staff harder, bracing the impact and blocked Artemis's swing.
"Good. You are angry….use it. Let it drive you but don't let it control you…." Artemis's smile as she continued to slap her staff down on Lysandra who now are able to block them at least.
"Tell yourself, girl. Tell yourself you are not afraid. Say it!"
But she couldn't. She wanted to but her throat shut tight even when her mouth was gaping the words out but no sound was produced. Artemis's staff hit her right hand. It stung as she tried to hold her staff as more hit swooped down on her.
"Come on! You weak little thing!"
Artemis screamed in her face as another swing hit her hand, the pain erupted and she dropped the staff. But that wasn't enough. Artemis slammed the blunt tip into her gut knocking Lysandra on the floor.
She tasted blood inside her mouth. She must have bit her own tongue when she slammed to the ground. The wooden staff laid next to her. Artemis towered over her like a tall statue of Hera….not that she ever knew what Hera looked like…probably something like Artemis, Tall, hard, intimidating.
"Giving up so soon?" Artemis hovered over her, smirking. Lysandra glared back at her smug expression. But her body was screaming with pain. Tears brimmed over her eyes. But Artemis didn't stop there.
"….you can always quit, Princess. We all know that no one care if you were not trained…."
The words hit her in the gut harder than wooden staff as it shook her being.
We all know that no one cares if you were not trained
We all know that no one cares.
No one cares.
Anger erupted inside her entirely. The tear in her eyes seemed to dry from eyes by itself. The pain in her legs seemed to be less as she tried to stand. Artemis stopped smirking and returned the glare back at her.
Lysandra then remembered last year when she scratched Artemis's face. She knew that Artemis was still as scary as ever. She remembered her insolence and that satisfaction she got after seeing the red marks on Artemis's face. And her mother's words resonated in her head from memories.
Do not be afraid, my dear stars….
"I…." Her voice shook, by what she wasn't sure. Stared back at the Tall Amazon. Repeating those words from her head "I….am not afraid"
Do not fear pain…..
"I will not fear pain"
Do not give up…
"I will not give up"
She held her chin high as Artemis glared was upon her. Their eyes locked for sometimes before Artemis smirked again. She almost chuckled as she went down and picked up Lysandra's staff.
"Good!" She said as she tossed the staff back at the young princess.
Lysandra caught it and tried to hide her smile. Maybe Artemis wasn't that scary after all….
But that thought flew away five minutes later when she got wacked across the jaw.
Well…it was only her first day….
The crowds cheered when Artemis knocked her off balance and the dagger in her right hand flew away. It slapped the ground but Lysandra managed to flip herself with a handspring and dodged the sharp blade of Artemis's hunting knife. She only got one left now since Lysandra disarmed her first one in the first five minute of the sparing. It was laid ignored by the foot of the cheering crowds.
"Come on, Artemis….it's been almost half an hour. But you still haven't knocked me out yet….I'm starting to think that you are getting….old?" Lysandra smirked. As they circled around each other again. She liked annoying Artemis. That was like her daily stress relief session.
"Do you know what's your problem, Princess?" Artemis asked, Lysandra only shrugged her shoulder and letting her continued. "…you fought like a wolf but you always ignore your injuries…."
"They will healed…..So…?"
"You are still an arrogant brat"
"You are still a moody old hag"
She grinned as she dodged Artemis's kick. Lysandra dropped on the ground and swiped her teacher's legs. She lost balance but quick enough to manage a handspring. Artemis didn't wasted time as she charged Lysandra with more power, her brute strength was superior than Lysandra. But the Amazon princess was faster and swifter. She was able to dodge all the swings from the sharp blade before Artemis kicked hard in her chest made she fell on the ground. The Taller Amazons pounced on her with knife at her throat.
"You lost, Princess…." Artemis said but her smirk came undone when she felt the sharp tip pressed behind her neck.
Lysandra smirked. "Maybe not"
Combat trainings were her favorite. Though it started out with such painful experiences. She remembered how she got tossed around the training ground. How Artemis's staff would wacked her in places that made her limped back to her afternoon study.
And the hard solid way that she wanted. She got it all.
As she grew older, she also got faster, stronger, tougher.
By the age of nine she was swift as lighting with knives and daggers. By the age of ten, Archery and throwing was her new hobbies. Her aim was so great that even Artemis clapped her hands in amusement. Other weapons came and went, she learned and mastered them all with such short time. When she reached Thirteen she was so great at unarmed combat. That when the group training started.
Group. Meaning, her, alone. Against a group of Amazons. Five to ten at a time, depended on how her or Artemis wanted it. And there were always volunteers to group up to beat her, not knowing what they actually getting themselves into.
Lysandra wasn't blessed to be superhumanly fast but she was still faster than most Amazons. With knife or dagger in her hand (sometimes none) she was able to dodge and knock them off their balances before cut them, marking them on their skins, on places that were supposedly fatal if she dig her sharp blade hard enough. Branding them that they were defeated by her, a spawn of mortal, a weak little girl they laughed at.
Sometimes she would have Artemis blindfolded her or tied her arms behind her back or both at the same time. Using only her body, her senses to guild her for defending herself. The thrill washed over her body as she listen to their breathings, to the sounds of their weapons moving through the air, to the sound of their stomping feet. Maybe she wasn't blessed with enhanced senses but that never stopped her from horning herself to become one. And she would smile smugly after hearing grunting all around as they hit the floor one by one.
She was damn good under Artemis' strict supervision. She might not be as great as her mother who was blessed. But she didn't need the gods to be notorious. She only needed the right trainings. It wasn't easy but she thought it was all worth the pains she endured.
"Get ready, the group fight is starting in ten minutes" Artemis hissed as she marched to the volunteers of the day that waiting on the side of the training ground. Lysandra smile smugly as Epione handed her wet cloth. Her honey color eyes shone with concern.
"What?"
"You shouldn't provoke Artemis like that…she is your mentor" Her voice was calm as if in 'I am not judging you, I am just telling you the fact' tone.
"Please, Epione…. You do know how Artemis and I train. We based our technics on insults…." Lysandra replied playfully as she rubbed the dust off her forehead.
"Why must you be so…..savage?" She shook her head at the princess "..and this group fight session. I don't like it. I do not understand why you and Artemis agreed to this ridiculous exercise…"
"Why? Because I let them think they can gang up and beat me?" Lysandra glared at the taller Amazon.
"I'm just worry about you, Lysandra. You like to play rough and at the end of the day you are the one that got hurt most" Epione snatched the wet cloth away from her before started cleaning Lysandra's face with gentle hand. Lysandra let her but didn't stop pouting.
"It will heal. It ALWAYS heals"
"But you still get hurt, Lysandra…. I don't like seeing you getting hurt…"
There were 3 people in Paradise Island that Lysandra liked and surprisingly they did not despite her existent. First was Selia, who was warm and kind to her. Second was Artemis, she technically didn't like Artemis but She does respect the redhead since she was the one who whipped the good out of her. She will always be grateful to Artemis. The last was Epione.
She met Epione when she was thirteen during her first hunt, who happened to be in the same Hunting party with her, Selia and Artemis. Lysandra didn't pay attention to her much apart from remembering a stare directed from her when the party first gathered which was normal. She met new Amazons who hold grudge against her everyday, besides there were over thousands of them on the island. So when Selia introduced everyone, Lysandra ignored those honey color eyes that direct at her. She was too focused on her goal that day. It was supposed to be her showcase event of her Archery that she'd been horning for months. Instead, she fell into an underground cave while they were pursuing an injured game.
"By the gods, Epione! You sound like Selia….I'm not a child anymore….so stop treating me like one!" She scowled. And Epione just shook her head in defeated. Before Lysandra finishing the glaring festival for Epione, Artemis called her back to start the next session.
"Careful, Lysandra…..I'm just worry about you" She called out before Lysandra left to join the group.
"Then don't. I can take care of myself"
"I know"
She knew Epione was just worried for her but it still got on her nerves everytime she did and treating her as if she was child. She wasn't use to having someone fussing over her beside her mother and Selia. She just felt uncomfortable.
"Finally, The princess decided to grace us with her presence" One of the Amazon said out loud. She had long brown hair and there's a scar on her left cheek. Lysandra ignored her, probably one of the people whom she graced with her weapon.
"Rules are simple. This is an exercise. No fatal blow is allowed. No hidden, concealed weapon. When you are down. You are finished, Understood?" Artemis voice was sharp. She looked around direct her gaze at five other Amazons.
Only five? Well, better than none. She thought. This was going to end quicker than she thought it would.
"Lysandra, your weapon?" Artemis turned to her.
"Oh, since tomorrow I'm turning Seventeen and you said no training, I decided to go with none as my early birthday present to myself" Lysandra shrugged and grinned as smugly as possible. Not that she ever cared about her birthday, it was just another day for her. She just wanted to get under people's skin. She sensed unapproving eyes from Epione who stood on the sideline. Lysandra ignored her.
"Fool" Someone uttered. But Lysandra kept her cool. Looking at her opponents. Five stood around her. Two wielded knives. Two wielded Xiphos. One used dagger. All hated her. All wanted a piece of her. And all thought she was a foolish little weakling.
She would show them who was the fools here.
Lysandra grinned smugly as the first one charged.
That day during the Hunt, Lysandra didn't know how she fall, she didn't remember anything until she woke with blind headache at the end of the cave on her back, soaked in her pool of blood that probably came from the gash behind her head. Her left leg throbbed as well as her back. She couldn't see the sun in her sight from the narrow mouth of the cave. From the shade of the sky that was in orange hue, she guessed it was probably almost evening.
She blinked while laid down on the cold stone in the bottom of the cave. Her arms ached but didn't seem to be broken, her left leg on the other hand, the throbbing pain suggesting that she might have broken it. She wanted to sit up looked around the tight space the she was in. But her back disagreed with her completely. So she tried her best to move her head from side to side. Lysandra saw her bow laid not far from her right and her quiver with arrows spilled out, abandoned on her left. She moved her hand slowly to her belt checking if her hunting knives was still sheathed and winced from the pain in her shoulder.
She blinked again as she kept her body still. The pain was erupting inside and gushing out all over her body. She knew in matter of time the injuries would heal. So she told herself to sleep, to speed up the process of her self-healing.
She cursed the gods mentally as she shut her eyes.
When she woke again, the darkness was upon her. Only the stars were visible from opening of the cave. Her back pain was lessening. The gash on her head seemed to closed up a little. Her shoulders were still stiff. But her leg was still in a great pain.
Lysandra sat up, she hissed as the pain in her leg screamed right back at her. It was very swollen and she cursed under her breath when she inspected with her hand if it was broken. Appeared that the bone didn't snap in two, she was glad at least. Injury like this would take at least two or three days to completely heal even with her healing factor.
She groaned as she slid her body to sit against the wall of the cave. Her bow and arrows still laid abandoned nearby. She ignored them for now as she took off the belt, she used both of two sheathed hunting knives which were long enough to splint her leg before wrapped her belt to secure them.
Lysandra sighed when she done. She reached her flask that she took off her belt for water. Drank it carefully as she thought about how long it would last her, maybe two days. But with her injuries, probably not. She didn't know how far she could go without water. Food she could withstand the hunger for days. But water was another story.
She could wait until someone came and find her. Or she could try to climb up when her leg was in better shape. But again, she wasn't sure if any of them would care enough to come looking for her. Maybe Selia or Artemis would notice that no one was giving them a smart mouth. Maybe they would come looking for her. But how long would that be? And during The hunt, each party competed for the best game as offering to the Goddess Artemis. She was sure her life was nothing compare to the tradition for these amazons.
Suddenly the world fell silence around her. What if no one cared enough to look for her? And she was left here to die of hunger? In some hole. That would be ironic. After all the training she endured, but ending up dying of starvation.
She took a little sip of her water again. Looking up at the stars. Perseus carried Medusa's head across the dark sky. Andromeda chained to the darkness not far from him, waiting for his rescue.
Poor Andromeda. She thought. If Perseus wasn't there to rescue her, she would have died for being a sacrifice to the sea monster. And it wasn't even her fault to begin with. Stupid mother, Cassiopia who bragged about her beauty, causing the whole mess to start, And stupid father who believed the oracle that sacrificing his daughter was only way to save his kingdom. Princess Andromeda was chained to a rock. Waited for her fate to be decided. If it wasn't Perseus who helped her, though they didn't even know each other. She would have died.
"Too bad….I have no Perseus to rescue me" Lysandra snorted before told herself to sleep again.
This time when she woke her leg got much better. She looked at the wall of the cave as she sipped on some of remaining water from her flask. She could probably climb up because it wasn't as high as she thought it was. She had done some wall climbing before. But with her leg and proper equipment, it was going to be a hard one. The water in her flask was low now. It would only last her maybe one more sip. She needed to get out of this hole soon before her body starting to need more water.
She tried to stand, testing her leg. The pain was dull but still there so she decided to leave her hunting knifes as the splint for the time being. Meaning she would have to use her hands to climb up. Lysandra retrieved her bow and gathered her arrows before she swung the bow and quiver over her body. She put the flask inside her top. She didn't want to finish the rest of water yet. Just in case she failed to climb up, at least she would have some water to last her for a bit.
Lysandra looked up, the sunlight wasn't as hot, she presumed that it was still in late morning. Better get this done before noon when the sun would blasted the heat down on her. She touched the rock wall and started climbing.
And she was right, she fell the twice now. Her nails jagged and started to bleed, Her left leg started screaming in protest as the pain surged through her. She cursed and looked up. The sun long moved passed her head, it was late afternoon now. Soon it will be evening and night time was not an option to climb. With no light to guild her and even if she succeeded(which likely not) there were still wild animals in the woods to consider. If she wanted to get out of here, she better did it now.
Lysandra took the flask out of her top. She drank the rest of her water before toss it aside, savoring the last bit of it before wiped her mouth. She stepped her good leg on the stone again, hand reaching for a higher grip.
The gods be damned, Why would she be Andromeda when she could be Perseus?
"I will not fail. I will not fall"
She breathed in and out before started climbing again. This time she made it to the top. The breeze hit her face when she reached the surface.
Lysandra groaned and panted hard as she felt sharp pain in her left leg returned. She clawed and dragged herself up before rolled on her back with legs still hanging by the ledge. Bow and quiver digged into her back but she ignored it. Sweats didn't help as she laid there looking at the blue sky.
She made it.
Her throat started to burn, she needed water but she was so exhausted that she didn't want to move. Her consciousness was swimming and her eyes starting to close. Her ears picked up the rattle sound from the nearby shrubs. Maybe it was some wild animals ready to finish her. She barely had strength to move now, let alone fighting some wild beast.
"….Princess!" The voice called, unfamiliar. Or maybe it was just her consciousness playing tricks.
"By the gods, Princess!..."
Soon she felt warm hand scooped her up, honey eyes and short copper hair came into view, she could see freckles across the face. She just didn't remember who it was.
"….water…want water…"
Someone held her in their arms. She didn't really pay attention until gulping all the water from another full canteen. Freshness washed her throat and coldness started to cool down her body. Her eyes started to focus once again and the pain in her leg was also back.
She has short copper hair and light brown eyes. She didn't remember her name but memories skimmed out that she was in the same hunting party with her. And she smelled like strawberry, or maybe she was just hungry or something. The short hair Amazon smiled sweetly at Lysandra. Which was very….unusual. Most amazons wanted nothing more than to beat her to the pulp. And her arms was securing her up as she finished the rest of water in the flask.
"Easy…princess….let me see your leg…" She said after took away the empty flask. And reach over to examined her left leg. "….it might be broken, you shouldn't move around" Her eyes caught the opening of the hole in the ground, they widen before she looked back at her.
"Did you just climb up from that hole with your broken leg?" She asked, her voice seem too high, Lysandra cringed.
"…..I am Perseus not Andromeda…." Lysandra murmured before gave her a weak glare. "And who in hades are you?"
"My name is Epione, Princess. I'm in your hunting party" The short hair amazon smiled warmly at her before moved her down so that Lysandra's head was resting on her lap "We realized you disappeared after Artemis caught the game. We called out your name but you didn't answer" Her eyes shone with concerns "Someone suggested that you might went back out of the woods so we split the search party…we had no idea you were stuck underground"
Ok, that was really weird. Lysandra thought. Not only she didn't hate her, she seemed really concerned.
"Thanks all the gods you are alright! I have to send signal to Artemis and Selia so they know I found you…" She looked down and their eyes locked. "….What is it, Princess?"
"Why in Tartarus you smell like Strawberry?"
"You must be hungry then…." Epione smiled again and offered her the bread. Lysandra tore the wrap off and devoured all of it.
Memories of their first meeting vivid in her mind. And She was back in reality when the first opponent charged her by slashing the knife. She dodged it quickly, grabbing her arm and hurled her into the other two who hold Xiphos, all three of them swayed and hit the floor.
Three out. Two to go.
The other two charged her at the same time.
Good! She thought. This will make thing go quicker!
She dropped on the ground last second before both of them strike at her made them clashed into one another, dropping their weapons. Lysandra didn't let them recover before grabbed both collar and slammed them against each other again, head to head. They yelped and fell to the ground. The crowd stopped cheering.
"Happy early birthday to me!" Lysandra shouted and smirked. Pointing her fingers at herself. But as she was about to turned her back, the brown hair Amazon who got scar in her cheek grabbed a dagger that she dropped on the ground and charged at Lysandra.
She might be taller than Lysandra but not as fast. The princess twirled around just in time for the blade to miss her face. She then immediately grabbed her opponent's wrist before twisted her weapon holding hand back. She heard it snapped as the sharp tip was pointed at the other's throat.
"Trying to stab me in the back again, I will make sure it buried in your throat" Lysandra hissed in her ear.
"…y…you wouldn't dare…." The brown hair Amazon spoke thought the grunt.
"Sure. You gave me all the reason to….so Help me gods, why don't I just get it over with?"
"Enough both of you!" Artemis shouted and Lysandra released her gripped before clashed her shoulder into her attacker making her clashed back to the ground.
"Polycasta! I told you that you are out when you down!" Artemis yelled at the brown hair amazon. Lysandra smiled smugly as she casually strode back to Epione. Tossing her ponytail in satisfaction.
"And you Princess!, you need to stop with that arrogant attitude!" Artemis screamed in her way but Lysandra just rolled her eyes.
"Please…..that's my charming point! Isn't that right, Epione?" She glanced at Artemis before turned around and batted her long lashes at the short hair Amazon.
"Argg!" Artemis was letting out a frustration huff and rubbed the bridge of her nose when another royal guard ran in the training ground and announced.
"Artemis, The queen has request you in her chamber, it is urgent"
Artemis gave the messenger a horrific glare, making her almost faint at the spot. But she replied. "Tell her I will be right there after changing"
The messenger sprinted out without looking back. Artemis on the other hand turned around to Lysandra who still smirking back at the other five Amazons who just lost to her.
"Look like our afternoon study will be halt until I am done, try not to get killed before I came back, Princess"
"Of course, Artemis! I promise I will behave!" As if.
"Epione, keep eyes on her" She said with a frown before turned around and announced "Alright Everyone, this training session had finished for the day, now OUT!"
The crowds dispersed fast because no one wanted to face Artemis's wrath. Leaving Lysandra wondered what did the queen want so urgent that have to send someone to called Artemis out from their training. Epione was on her side, didn't notice that Lysandra intensely watched her teacher exited the training ground in a hurry.
PS;
Long chapter is long! I, myself Love reading long chapter. I hope I didn't bore you to dead lol.
The quote in the Beginning of the chapter is my most favorite quote of all time. I'm glad I could elaborated it into the story! XD
Next chapter will be post around Monday as well. Since it's my only day off. For now, please Review if you can? I love to hear what you guys think!