DEFINING THE ESSENCE OF POWER AND STRENGTH

Fedora watched as Gabrielle sat down looking at the children who were now seated in the brand new school room which was highly decorated and beautiful it was everything she had wanted it to be. It even had scrolls and ink so the children could spend time writing there were also toys and other items like maps and statues as well as big cushions for the children to sit on so they were comfortable. She felt a smile form as she eyed the golden werewolf who was sitting on the floor in front of the children, she could see the horns which were now very large but still covered in velvet. She had hoped that Gabrielle would come as the children had been asking after her ever since her last visit. Titus mostly he was deep fascinated by werewolves now and little Kaia just liked Gabrielle's company unlike Neola who was interested but still mindful.

Titus looked up from his scroll as he met Gabrielle's gaze seeing that Gabrielle was being very silent. "What do you like boys or girls?" Fedora rolled her eyes she should have seen this question coming. Gabrielle eyed her clawed hand before looking up. "I like both genders." Neola watched as Kaia got up from her cushion walking over to Gabrielle she slowly sat down opposite her clawed hand looking up at her. "Can you change yourself like only be interested in one gender?" Gabrielle watched as Kaia put a little hand on her clawed hand her big eyes staring at her, she sighed looking down at the young girl. "No I can't and if I was to try to be any other way I wouldn't be being true to who am." Titus put his hand up. "Then you're like the Empress?" Gabrielle lowered her gaze. "Yes in that way I guess I am."

Neola looked up slightly as she spoke. "Then if you're both like that why aren't you together, is because you have another lover?" Fedora folded her arms. "Look I don't think you should be asking that Neola it's much too personal and I've told you before that you have to be very careful when you ask people about these kinds of things." Gabrielle raised a clawed hand. "It's okay Fedora." She looked at the young girl. "No I don't have another lover, I had one once but that was a long time ago and he was a werewolf like me and he was called Damokles but he died." Titus felt a grin form. "Did he die in glorious battle like my grandfather did during the war in Crete!" Gabrielle looked up slightly feeling a sad smile form. "No he didn't."

She paused watching as the children fell silent. "He was killed by another werewolf who was an assassin." Titus eased out his hand. "You mean a dirty assassin like Iona, the Empress's private killer?" Fedora turned sharply, gods the children were being far to blunt tonight. "Iona is not the Empress's private killer she takes care of issues out side of the palace Titus." Neola laughed slightly. "She won't be taking care of much from now on I heard that Gabrielle broke her arm and cracked three of her ribs because she killed her pet." Gabrielle sighed as she looked up. "My self and Iona just has a disagreement that's all, it was a matter of honour and we settled it with weapons that's all, its part of warriors code of honour."

Titus smirked as he eyed the golden werewolf. "And she lost because your stronger than she is, I heard you can smash up doors and pick up things which would take three normal people to lift, it must so wonderful having power like that." Gabrielle shook her mane as she eyed him seeing the joy in his eyes. "Titus please come here for a moment." She watched as her stood up walking to stand in front of her a gleeful smile on his face. "Where do think real power comes from?" Titus eyed her for a long moment in confusion he slowly pointed to her shoulder. "It comes from your strength and muscle, to be powerful is about how strong you are." Gabrielle slowly eased up a clawed hand. "Let me tell you something Damokles once told me."

She put a clawed hand gently on his chest spreading her clawed fingers wide. "Strength is something which comes from the heart, it's what defines the bravest people of all, they are the ones willing to stand up for what they believe in and they will fight for it, despite that they may not be strong in body or carry the biggest weapons." She paused seeing that she had his full attention. "Strength of the heart is what defines the greatest warriors you should always remember that Titus, because it's the thing that separates warriors from warlords." She moved her hand away watching as he lowered his head in deep thought she had a feeling this young man wanted to be a warrior one day but right now he was still just a teenager and not old enough to join army.

Titus looked up slightly. "But if I'm not strong I can't become a great warrior." Gabrielle felt a half smile form which was more genuine than normal. "Any one can become a great warrior Titus did you know that when I was younger than you I was a carpenters daughter. Yet here I am now and I'm a warrior, I wasn't strong to start with but I believed I could be." Titus looked up sharply as understanding hit home. "So if I believe I can be a great warrior in my heart then I can be one?" Gabrielle nodded as she looked at him. "Yes Titus." She looked at him for a long moment before speaking. "Just remember the most important thing of all which is once you become a great warrior you must always show compassion and kindness to others who are not as strong as you are and help those in need."

Titus nodded as he stepped back then seating him self as he looked down in deep thought he was clearly thinking through what she'd said. Neola looked up slightly. "You still haven't answered my question why aren't you and the Empress together?" Fedora eyed the young girl in annoyance. "Neola please don't force this subject." Gabrielle watched as Kaia carried on looking up at her she turned to the young girl slowly. "My self and the Empress are just friends, we don't think of each other that way." Neola raised an eyebrow. "Well I think you'd be good together, I mean your similar." Gabrielle shook head. "No we aren't similar I'm a werewolf and she's human, I doubt she'd want someone who isn't human as a lover. I'm also sure that she has another person in mind to sit beside her on the throne." Neola blinked in confusion. "I don't understand what difference does you being a werewolf make you're no different from us?"

Gabrielle breathed in deeply. "When you're older you'll understand Neola life is never that simple believe me." Neola folded her arms in annoyance. "I hate it when grown up say that, you know in three weeks time I'm going to be twelve then I can start to know stuff." Gabrielle felt a slightly warm smile form. "Don't be so fast to grow up, enjoy your childhood Neola because when it's lost it's lost forever." Fedora felt a smile form if anything Gabrielle was very good with children and teenagers she had a real gift for keeping their attention. She could see that she was smiling a little when talking even in werewolf form she very rarely smiled so clearly something in her life was making her much happier.

No doubt it was the Empress who as she'd been told by her daughter had spent much more time in Gabrielle's company and was making her much happier. She breathed in breaking out of her thoughts as she looked at the children. "You know I think Gabrielle has had a lot of questions from you all tonight so you should let her relax while I tell you a story." Kaia looked up slightly. "Can Gabrielle tell the story?" Gabrielle eyed the little girl she raised her clawed hand. "Look you really don't want that, I'm not that good with stories." Fedora smiled as she took the scroll of the desk where the painted and carved griffin was seated which Gabrielle had given her, she turned slowly to her. "Please read them the scroll it's the story of Ares and Aphrodite's battle over Athens." Gabrielle took hold of the scroll slowly unrolling it she looked at the children who were waiting in anticipation she eyed the scroll as she began to read it slowly.

8

Joxer looked up watching as Jace entered the throne room, he slowly poured wine in to a bronze goblet as he turned to face him. "You're back late." Jace adjusted his shirt. "I was busy brother." He eased out his curved dagger twirling it. "I had company." Joxer eyed his horned helmet which was sitting next on the table. "Ah that kind of company, I see." He took a slow drink from his goblet. "You know just once I'd like to meet this man you run too late at night." Jace smirked as he eyed his bother. "No you wouldn't." Joxer felt a smile form. "Why does he have a lust for killing like you?" Jace lowered his gaze. "Look brother you don't have to take an interest in my relationship I know it's not your thing." Joxer walked over patting his twin brothers shoulder watching as he pushed his medium length hair back. "I'm not Jett, I know he hated that your weren't in to women, but you know I'm not like that and I've already lost one brother, I don't want loose you no matter what happens, we are family we need to stick close."

Jace folded his arms. "Jett was foolish he disobeyed your orders, he didn't see the bigger picture, but you know what he was like he was always arrogant and self centred the most foolish thing of all was he was forever trying to gain your approval. Maybe he thought killing the Empress would be the ultimate way to please you." He lowered his gaze to the floor. "I still miss him though." Joxer stepped away from him. "So do I Jace." Jace eyed his dagger. "I came here because I had a few important things to report." Joxer poured him a goblet of wine then carefully passed him the goblet watching as he took it. "Please go ahead and tell me what's going on at late."

Jace looked up slightly. "Well our spy has reported back from the Empress's palace they apologise for the very late report but a lot has gone on recently and a lot has changed." Joxer raised an eyebrow. "So is Gabrielle a prisoner in the palace at Corinth?" Jace took a sip from his goblet. "At first yes the Empress very much treated her like an animal in fact she even had her paraded around in front of the royals in chains." Joxer felt his fist smash the desk hard causing it to rattle. "That bitch how dare she do that to Gabrielle! She is not an animal she is a clever and very intelligent woman!" Jace put his dagger away as he raised his hand he knew fully well Joxer's temper was never nice but it was very rare that he got this angry he was always so level headed. "Just hear me out brother before you blow up and break something in anger like you did the last time."

He took a sip from his goblet. "The Empress changed her mind somewhere down the line don't ask how or why the details are very sketchy. Now Gabrielle is a guest in her palace she gives her everything she wants and she's treating her very well. She even said that Gabrielle could leave but Gabrielle hasn't left and has made no effort to return to Grand City." Joxer blinked in confusion as he felt his temper fade away. "Why would she stay? That's not like her at all." Jace put down his goblet as he pulled out two rolled scrolls from his pocket. "Our spy sent us these two scrolls at great personal risk, these scrolls do not go out to the royals and other important people until tomorrow these are two of the first copies ever made." He unrolled the scrolls putting them on the table in front of his brother. "I think this might be the reason for her staying." Joxer turned eyeing both scrolls, one was written in normal Greek sighed by the Empress as well as Gabrielle along with both of there seals. The other scroll was in werewolf tongue again with both signatures a both seals. He could read werewolf hand perfectly Gabrielle had taught him how, he eased it up reading it.

"I Gabrielle the Golden Horn wish to speak to you all from the bottom of my heart and soul.

I ask you to read this scroll where ever you may see it, for this is a scroll that will tell you all that the hunting law put in to place is now at an end. With my seal I give my approval to the second scroll you may have read in human hand."

I ask that you now stop hunting the humans who have been hunting us and I ask that you send me letters regarding any issues you have to the palace of Corinth as your Horn Hind I will do everything in my power to see that you are fairly treated and that all disputes are looked in to.

This is going to be a changing time for our race and I want to help you all and I am working with Empress in Corinth to ensure that we are now treated as people and citizens of Greece as the Empress's promised.

I am but one voice of many and one warrior among others, I am forever and eternally bound to my armour and want with my inner soul to show honour and courage to all. For I am the one who's horns rise to heaven of the serpent goddess. I am the first and last and I am destined and would give my life's blood for all of you."

Joxer felt a wide smile form. "Yes this suddenly does make much more sense it also explains why she haven't left because her being there gives the power to do things with out the interference of those disgusting Imperial Council bastards." He laughed slightly. "She's making policy and over ruling them, my, my they are going to be so angry when they see these scrolls, I wish I could be there to see their faces." He eyed the scrolls again. "Still they've never liked Gabrielle, she's always been much harder to control than her predecessor. She's magnificent compared to them she deserves to be the true king while they fade and rot away in to nothingness." Jace felt a smile form. "You care about her don't you?" Joxer stood up slightly. "Yes brother I do, I consider her a very loyal friend."

He turned to him. "Be sure to reward the palace spy well." Jace nodded he eyed his bother. "I will." He paused before speaking. "I do have one other thing to report that may interest you." Joxer eyed him. "What's that?" Jace felt a wide smile form. "A bunch of illegal slave traders had the audacity to try and sell us some men, women and children." Joxer breathed in deeply. "You know how I feel about slave traders I hope you showed them my feelings." Jace smirked as he looked at him. "If you mean did I spill their guts and make their death's excruciatingly painful then yes." Joxer breathed in deeply. "Just be sure to give the men, women and children their freedom papers and some dinars then help them on there way."

Jace breathed in deeply. "Well that's what this about you may want to keep one of the female slaves." Joxer slammed his goblet down hard. "I hate slavery, I have no interest in keeping any woman as a slave. Have you forgotten that it was Roman slavers who killed our parents and sold us off as play things to a Roman master who made our lives Tartarus until we all worked together as teenagers and killed him then escaped Rome for good!" Jace eased up his hand. "Just hear me out brother please you really need to see this female slave before you free her." Joxer felt his body tense. "Fine then, bring her in but this had better be good brother!" Jace turned giving a signal watching as the two men nodded then slowly opened the double doors. A male and female warrior came in bringing in a tall woman who was in tattered rags which were covered in dirt. She hadn't been well fed and even under the torn rags he could see her ribs which were showing through slightly.

Joxer turned to freezing in mid motion watching as the woman violently pulled herself free of both the warriors who were holding her. Jace watched as the other men closed the door he felt a smile form. "As you can see she's quite special." Joxer turned to his brother feeling his anger fade away. "My deepest apologises brother I misjudged your intent forgive me." Jace nodded respectfully. "No harm done." Joxer walked forward eyeing the tall woman who looked at him in disgust he could see the hatred burning in her deep sea blue eyes. Her long messy hair was light red in colour but give it some black henna dye and the illusion would be complete as to who she would look like. He folded his arms coming closer to her. "Welcome to my throne room."

The woman's eyes narrowed as she spoke coldly. "The original slavers who took me from my home town in Pylos spared no time in raping me. Just take in to mind that if you try to do the same thing I'll do everything in my power to rip off your cock and shove it down your throat until you choke on it, you bastard!" Joxer raised an eyebrow eyeing his brother. "She's quite charming." He turned back to the woman. "I'm sorry but you misunderstand my intent, I have no interest in raping you or causing you any more harm than you've already suffered. I believe any woman who comes to my bed chamber should come because she wishes it not because I've ordered it." He paused. "My twin brother here also hates slavers just like me, which is the reason that he killed all the slaver traders and their leader, no doubt you witnessed that?"

The woman eyed him in disgust. "Yes I witnessed him having his fun it was enough to make me throw up, so thank you for that, I'm so grateful." Jace leaned against table. "As you can see she's very spirited." Joxer smiled as he stepped closer to the tall woman. "How long have you been a slave?" The woman looked up slightly. "Nine years in all they tried to sell me over in Rome but it didn't work out there, so they were selling me back over the border illegally." Joxer eyed her right arm catching sight of a burnt in branding on her shoulder the branding of a trouble marker which was the roman number X which read ten under it was a bulls head. He breathed in deeply he had this very same brand burnt in to his shoulder. His roman master used to beat him constantly for his behaviour because he'd been the most outspoken of his brothers in the end he'd been given him this very brand as a form of humiliation.

He looked up slightly. "Did you choke your master with his own man hood by any chance?" The woman's eyes narrowed. "I tried very, very hard." Joxer felt a smile form. "Good for you I hate those Roman bastards one used to be my master right up until me and my brother slit his throat with a carving knife." He watched as she looked up the surprise appearing in her eyes. "Watching him die was such a pleasure, believe me." He breathed in deeply seeing that he now had her full attention. "My name is Joxer and I'm the Warrior King, or the thorn in the Empress's side depending on what you hear." He put a hand on his chin. "What's your name?" The woman breathed in deeply. "My name is Leah though my master used to insult by calling me slave woman."

Joxer looked up. "Then I'll call you Leah and I'll also say that no harm will come to you here, you'll be well treated and looked after until your feeling better." He paused looking up. "I will sign your papers giving you freedom, but personally I'd like you to stay here with me." Leah eyed him for a long moment. "Why what possible use could you have with me?" Joxer felt his smile form. "Do you have any idea how much you resemble the Empress of Greece?" Leah rolled her eyes. "Oh yes I'm well aware of it! It's the reason my Roman master liked to try and force himself up on me daily!" Joxer raised a hand. "Well I'm not interested in you in that manner, in fact I want to turn you in to a warrior, I'll train you and pay you well." Leah narrowed her gaze. "Why do this for me, I mean what's in it for you?" Joxer looked up slightly. "You get to make the Empress of Greek look like a fool and you'll get to kill every illegal slaver alive and castrate them." Leah looked at him for a long moment before speaking. "I don't care for the Empress of Greece personally but I do like the idea of killing slave traders a lot, they killed my parents and my little brother."

Joxer moved over easing a broad sword free from one of the racks he raised it handing it to her carefully watching as she took it looking at the gleaming blade. "Then welcome to my home Leah, we take very good care of our own here in my underground city, though you will have to get used to the werewolves who are loyal to me here as they walk around at night on guard duty." Leah looked up sharply. "Werewolves, there are werewolves here?" Joxer stepped back putting his hands behind his back watching as Jace smirked. "Oh yes we have ten here there our friends." Leah breathed in deeply feeling the shock hit home. "But I thought werewolves were slobbering, violent monsters!" Joxer shook his head. "No their intelligent self aware beings who can talk, they also have a human form and I have an alliance their king."

End of part 47

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