The Amazon's Valley

[Kaena]

Kali took a step back in surprise as he turned to face her, her eyes rising to meet his as he spoke. She fought the urge to strike him when he compared her to his murderous Emperor. If she lashed out now, it would add more credibility to his words. Instead she took another step back and took a deep breath, turning to look away before she spoke.

“I admit, I have done some things in my life that I am not proud of,” she said, hoping that he didn’t hear the catch in her voice before she was able to get her emotions under control. “But, I am nothing like that tyrant you call your Emperor. Everything I do is for the safety and well being of my people. I am not interested in stealing land from people and killing everyone in my path. I only act against those that are a direct threat to my people, like you and your men. If I was like him, you would have been dead already.”

Kali was at a loss of what to do with the man before her. On one hand she wanted to see him on his knees submitting to her completely, but, on the other she admired how strong and stubborn he was. Since she had already removed his chains, there was no way to force him back into them. He was definitely stronger than her and she was certain that he would have made a run for it already if Nala was not watching him so closely. Brute strength was not going to force him into submission to her.

As much as he had tried to hide it, she had noticed his reaction to her touch. She wondered how long it had been since he had truly lain with a woman, not counting the woman he claimed to have raped in the name of his Emperor. Maybe she had been approaching him all wrong. It was obvious pain and threats did nothing to sway him. He had seen enough of that in his lifetime.

“I’m not going to force you into something just to satisfy my own ego,” she said softly, reaching out and brushing a lose hair away from his eyes. “It is obvious that is not going to make you submit to me. I would rather you give yourself to me willingly than break your spirit just to win this game of wills we have been playing.”

Walking around him, she trailed her fingers lightly along his skin again and down his back before she lowered herself back in the chair she had been seated in. Calling Nala to her side, she took a deep breath before speaking again.

“You say you only came here to kill the men you brought with you,” she began, running her hands through her long hair, before reaching down and running her hand along Nala’s back. “I can guarantee you that Kaiya and the others have already taken care of that, or have taken the men as their slaves. All I can offer you now, in exchange for your intel, is the chance to kill the man who put you through this all. I am not going to take my woman and run like a scared kitten away from your Emperor and his army. If at anytime I have a chance to take him out, I will give you the honour of doing so. In the meantime, it would be optimal to me if you relent and submit to me, however, as I said, I am not going to force it on you.”

Kali leaned back in her chair, waiting to see what he would respond. With Nala no longer lying across the door, she wondered if he would consider his options or make another run for it. She really hoped he would not choose to escape. She had pissed of Kaiya off enough that night and she was sure to take her anger out on him if she found him alone without Kali.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

"Submit...a simple word...for something not so easy to do...," He repeated her word and turning to peer firmly into her eyes to show his resolve in them, "No, I will not kneel to anyone, Kali...You are no better than the madman Emperor whose army I left trying to make the whole world submit to him. I will be free of you all."

“I admit, I have done some things in my life that I am not proud of,” She said.

Theron saw how she had reacted when he met her gaze challengingly. He had caught the slight catch in her voice of a woman pulling herself back from an edge. She might have hit him, but she was restraining herself which surprised him. He had expected to be struck, to be proven right, yet she somehow did not take the bait.

Instead she took a step back and took a second to get herself in check before stating, “But, I am nothing like that tyrant you call your Emperor."

"How so," He sneered at her looking her over from head to toe, blond, buxom, and so very fiery. He wanted her like no woman he had under him in a long long time. In that it was apparent she was very different from the ugly gluttonous self-absorbed lunatic that had conquered much of the world.

"Everything I do is for the safety and well being of my people. I am not interested in stealing land from people and killing everyone in my path," She told him,"I only act against those that are a direct threat to my people, like you and your men. If I was like him, you would have been dead already.”

"But you still require me to submit as he does...to everyone," He replied.

“I’m not going to force you into something just to satisfy my own ego,” she said softly, reaching out and brushing a lose hair away from his eyes.

He flinched as she lifted her hand but when she did not strike he allowed her to touch. He liked when Kali touched him. Well...when it didn't involve pain...well...maybe even then.

“It is obvious that is not going to make you submit to me." She said walking around him. Her fingers tracing over the skin of his neck and shoulders. "I would rather you give yourself to me willingly than break your spirit just to win this game of wills we have been playing."

Theron's eyes drifted shut enjoying the tactile sensation of her touch.

Then it was over. Kali left him yearning for more. He watched her saunter back over to the chair and sit down regarding him with a speculative eye.

“You say you only came here to kill the men you brought with you,” she began, running her hands through her long hair, before reaching down and running her hand along Nala’s back.

His breath caught watching her fingers run through that silken golden locks and again as she ran her hand down her shapely body down to stroke fingers down the tiger's back.

“You say you only came here to kill the men you brought with you," She asked.

"That's right," He nodded to her, "If you knew them like I do. You'd want to kill them too."

" “I can guarantee you that Kaiya and the others have already taken care of that," She said, "Or have taken the men as their slaves."

"Garlen and the others are hard. They truly believe in the emperor's nonsense of being a god in mortal flesh," He told her, "They won't give you anything no matter what you do to them. All you have is me to deal with."

"All I can offer you now, in exchange for your intel, is the chance to kill the man who put you through this all." She replied, "I am not going to take my woman and run like a scared kitten away from your Emperor and his army. If at anytime I have a chance to take him out, I will give you the honor of doing so. In the meantime, it would be optimal to me if you relent and submit to me, however, as I said, I am not going to force it on you.”

He blinked taken aback by that. What deception was she trying to run on him, "I wish I can believe that, but its been my experience that submission only comes through force."

He crossed his arms, "I have to be firm on this, Kali. The negotiation here is my freedom for your information."

 

[Kaena]

Kali could feel his eyes on her as she spoke. His gaze was far from one of disinterest. She smiled to herself at this knowledge and let her eyes travel up and down his body suggestively while he spoke. She let her eyes linger on the bulge in his pants before travelling back up to meet his eyes, her tongue running lightly along her lips.

“There are several forms of submission,” Kali replied, getting back to her feet and walking back over to the wash basin. “Submission can be forced or earned. I admit I went about it the wrong way. By demanding your submission I am no better than your Emperor.”

“It appears we are at an impasse,” she said, dipping a cloth in the water and washing away the sweat on her neck. Squeezing the cloth she let the water drip down her neck and into her tunic, the water travelling between the valley of her breasts. Pulling off her tunic, she pretended to ignore him as she stood at the basin in her leather underclothes which barely covered her breasts and exposed her firm abdomen. She watched him out the corner of her eye as she continued to wash, bending over to wash the dust from her legs and feet.

Straightening up she turned to face him again and moved quickly towards him, forcing him back against the wall, her hand braced on the wall beside his head. Smiling at him, she pressed her body against his, her leg pushing between his legs.

“ You like what you see don’t you” she said seductively, her eyes rising to meet his again. “Such a pity you refuse to submit to me.” With these words, Kali backed away from him again and went back to washing herself as if nothing had just happened.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

He blinked taken aback by that. What deception was she trying to run on him, "I wish I can believe that, but its been my experience that submission only comes through force."

He crossed his arms, "I have to be firm on this, Kali. The negotiation here is my freedom for your information."

Noting his interested gaze in her she in turn set her eyes to rake over his body. Theron found that he could feel her regard as if she had reached down and traced fingertips over the contours of his muscular torso. He was surprised to find he liked her looking at him like this.

“There are several forms of submission,” Kali replied, getting back to her feet and walking back over to the wash basin. “Submission can be forced or earned. I admit I went about it the wrong way. By demanding your submission I am no better than your Emperor.”

He chuckled darkly, "Well your a damn sight better to look at than that fat toad at least."

“It appears we are at an impasse," She replied taking the washcloth and wiping the sweat and grime from her face and neck.

He stepped closer only for the tiger to rise up from the ground. It didn't growl or make a move towards him. It just stood there staring at him, watching, waiting for him to take that next fatal step.

He turned his eyes back to Kali to find her wringing the water from the rag and letting it fall down her front. His eyes widened as he watched the water slide down the deep valley between those full mountainous peaks of her breasts. It dampened her tunic making it transparent.

Without looking over to him he watched her reach down and pull the damp piece of clothing up over her head. He stood transfixed watching her in only her leather smallclothes continuing washing off the rest of her body.

And what a body she had. She had whipcord muscles in arms and legs, muscles from a lifetime of running and fighting and swinging a sword or thrusting a spear. Yet she was balanced with lush and feminine curves. He'd seen and had dozens of women, some willing, many that weren't willing, and quite a few were pretty, but none held a candle to Kali...she was touched, blessed by the gods themselves. She was both warrior and woman at the same time. The dichotomy and contradiction mesmerized Theron.

His eyes loyally followed every movement over her skin. Skin his fingers longed to reach and caress.

No. He had to remind himself that this woman was his enemy here. Sure she had lips he wondered what it'd be like to press his to in a kiss, but she demanded his slavery to her for it.

No, he would not be tempted by this witch's sexy body.

The she bent down to wash her legs and feet and in the process giving him an incredible view of her buttocks. They looked firm like he could bounce a gold piece off them. He though of risking the Tiger's ire and stepping up to her and giving that right cheek a good squeeze.

After all she was asking him for it with this display, wasn't she?

Apparently she hadn't forgotten that he was there watching her. She straightened back up spun around and strode right up to him. Her eyes drilling into his as she kept on going forcing him to step back until he backed right up against the wall of her home. She pressed her body, all those hard firm muscles of a warrior as well as all those soft and supple curves of a woman up against his. Her leg raised between his until the top of her knees touched his still sore manhood.

“You like what you see don’t you” she said seductively, her eyes rising to meet his again.

Never in all his years had he ever met a woman so forceful, so assertive...so in command. He grunted in response to her words, "A man would have to be a fool not to, Kali." He raised his hands up to take hold of her and lowered his head to kiss those lush lips, but before he could do that...

“Such a pity you refuse to submit to me.” With these words, Kali backed away from him again and went back to washing herself as if nothing had just happened.

Anger and frustrated desire began to rise in him, "What is it you want with me? If you want your information I will give it in exchange for my freedom." He bellowing now, angry and confused and cornered, "Why are you playing these games with me, woman? What do you want from me?"

 

[Kaena]

It hadn’t been easy for Kali to turn away from him. She had seen his desire burning in his eyes and when he moved as if to kiss her, she almost let him. She cursed herself for almost losing control and kept her back to him as she gathered herself once again. Taking a deep breath, she turned back towards him as he spoke, holding a hand down to calm Nala who had risen in defence at his outburst. If Nala had not been in the room, Kali wasn’t sure she would have been able to stand as brave as she was in the face of his anger.

“I have already made it very clear what I want from you,” she replied, shaking her head. “Freedom is not something I can grant you, even if I wanted to. Resisting me is not going to change that. I know you want me and you can get what you want if you simply give me what I want.”

Kali wasn’t sure what to do anymore. When she had brought him to her dwelling, she had been confident she would be able to break him as she had many men before. She stood silent for a moment, watching him, desperately trying to come up with something. She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of screams outside and loud pounding on the door.

Forgetting him, she slipped her tunic back over her head and rushed to the door. When she pulled the door open, she was met by the smell of smoke and she could see several women running around with buckets in hand.


“One of the men has escaped and set the longhouse on fire,” the woman who Kali recognized as Malika, blurted out. “There still several women and children trapped in the building.”

Kali was running towards the longhouse before Malika even finished talking, her mind far away from the fact that she had just left Theron alone in her cabin. She reached the longhouse as a group of women and children stumbled out, coughing from the smoke. She ran up to one of the women, grabbing her to get her attention.

“Is everybody out?” she asked, searching her face for answers. Her hopes fell when the young woman shook her head, tears in her eyes.

“Serena and her baby are still inside,” the young woman replied, tears springing to her eyes. “We tried to get to her, but the roof collapsed before we could, they are trapped in the back section of the house.”

Tearing a strip of cloth from the bottom of her tunic, Kali dipped it into a bucket and tied it around her face. Without any regard to her own safety, she ran past the women in front of the house, shrugging off anyone trying to hold her back, and rushed into the smoke filled darkness. It wasn’t long before she could make out Serena’s calls for help at the back of the house. She made her way through the darkness, only to be met by a wall of debris that blocked her patch. She could hear the walls creaking around her, threatening to collapse as well as she started to work at digging away the debris. She was determined to get Serena and her baby out, or die trying.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

Anger and frustrated desire began to rise in him, "What is it you want with me? If you want your information I will give it in exchange for my freedom." He bellowing now, angry and confused and cornered, "Why are you playing these games with me, woman? What do you want from me?"

“I have already made it very clear what I want from you,” she replied, shaking her head. “Freedom is not something I can grant you, even if I wanted to. Resisting me is not going to change that. I know you want me and you can get what you want if you simply give me what I want.”

Theron shook his head to that, "You want me to bend a knee for you, but I have sworn that I will never do that for anyone ever again. I will be free."

They stared at each other for a long tense moment. Both of them were immovable in their positions. She wanted him to be her slave, and he wanted to be a slave to no one. They were at an impasse. The only way past this was his continued captivity or his eventual escape.

Too bad. He did want her, badly, he desired her like few women he'd ever come across in his life, but he wanted his freedom too.

He eyed the tiger as she reached over and pulled back on her tunic. There was some commotion coming from outside. Kali opened the door to her home and looked out. Another amazon carrying a bucket of water that there was a fire and Kali immediately took off leaving Theron alone being guarded by the tiger.

This was his chance. He could escape now, and she would be too late to catch him. He eyed the tiger cautiously as he inched closer and closer to the door.

The tiger raised up on its feet watching him intently.

"Stay put cat," He told her, "I don't want to hurt you, but I'm going."

Disregarding his words the tiger followed him out the door. Down the street he could see the burning building. A column of black smoke was rising in the air as the blaze burned despite women dumping buckets of water.

This was his chance. He should go. He should run as far away as possible. Freedom was waiting for him.

Theron then saw Kali take a wet rag and tying it over move dove inside the fire.

He ran then, full speed, but not away. He was running straight for the fire. The tiger chasing after him.

He didn't know why. His freedom was the other direction, but here he was running past the other amazonians and into the burning building after Kali.

The room was full of smoke, and he began coughing immediately, his eyes watering too.

"Kali," He called out, "Where are you?"

 

[Kaena]

Kali quickly cleared away the wall of debris and continued to stumble blindly towards the sound of Serena’s voice. It seemed like hours, when it reality it had only been a couple minutes when she finally was able to make out the silhouette of Selena on the ground, surrounded by fallen debris. Once she got closer, she could see that Serena had her baby clutched tightly to her chest but her foot was trapped beneath a piece of wall that had collapsed behind her. Rushing to her side, Kali tried to lift the heavy beam from Serena’s leg, but, found it was heavier than it looked.

“Please, just save the baby,” Serena pleaded, attempting to thrust the crying baby into Kali’s arms. It took all her courage to not take the baby and retreat to safety, leaving her sister to die a horrible death. Kali shook her head in response and looked around frantically for something that she could use to life the beam. She wasn’t going to leave a sister behind to such a fate, no matter what the outcome.

Grabbing another board, she slid it under the beam and pushed down, praying it would allow her to at least lift the beam enough for Serena to slide her leg out. She was so intent on what she was doing, she didn’t notice that the wall was starting to crumble towards her. As she lifted the beam, Serena managed to pull her leg free and take off running towards the door, just as the wall fell, knocking Kali to the ground, the sound of Theron’s voice calling to her the last thing she heard as she fell unconscious.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

He didn't know why. His freedom was the other direction, but here he was running past the other amazonians and into the burning building after Kali.

The room was full of smoke, and he began coughing immediately, his eyes watering too.

"Kali," He called out, "Where are you?"

The fire had gotten out of control now. It had grown too furious and spread too fast. Flames were consuming rafters and load building walls with every passing moment. It was only a matter of time before it collapsed. This building was doomed.

Through the smoke he saw a shadow rushing towards him. It was a woman clutching at a wailing infant. She walked past him towards the door.

"Where's Kali," He asked.

She pointed behind her before rushing outside of danger.

Theron raced deeper into the inferno coughing from the deepening smoke. It was so thick now he could barely see. In the next room one of the walls had fallen in scattering flaming debris across it.

He could feel time growing short on them in here. He had to find her and soon.

"Kali," Theron called between coughs.

Underneath a pile of rubble he found her laying on the floor. Quickly he knelt leaning in close to see if she still breathed. She had to still be breathing. She had to.

"Kali," He said and she stirred opening her eyes to look up at him. Thank the gods above and below she was alive.

He began to lift some of the burning timbers off of her. A lot of it was really heavy, "It's going to collapse any moment now...." He put his shoulder under a beam trying to lift it and some other debris off of her legs. "Can you get free...we have to get out of here quickly?"

 

[Kaena]

It was Theron’s voice that pulled Kali back to consciousness. She could barely make him out through the heavy smoke that surrounded them. Coughing violently, she struggled to sit up, but fell back as pain shot through her leg that was still trapped under a beam. Fighting through the pain, she struggled to pull her leg out from under the beam as Theron lifted it off her. She attempted to reply to his question, but the smoke burning her throat made it impossible to speak.

It took a couple of tries, but finally she was free and she rolled to the side just as another beam fell where her head had just sat. The heat of the fire surrounding them blistered against her skin as she pushed herself painfully to her feet. Bracing herself, she put all her weight on her injured leg and breathed a sigh of relief to find that it held her weight, despite the pain, which appeared to be from a large gash along her thigh.

Grabbing Theron’s arm to make sure they didn’t get separated she rushed towards where she was sure the door was, the smoke and fire swirling ominously around them. It seemed like forever before they finally pushed out into the cool night air. Letting go of Theron’s arm, she collapsed to her knees, coughing as her body worked to clear her lungs from the smoke she had inhaled. When her head had finally cleared, she looked around and found that a number of her sisters were surrounding Theron, their swords drawn and more were surrounding a man on his knees, who she recognized as one of Theron’s party/

Getting back to her feet, she pushed past the women surrounding Theron and waved them away before turning her attention to where he stood.

“Why did you come for me?” she asked, her voice a mix of confusion and gratitude. “You could have made a run for it. Nobody would have noticed you escaping.”

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

He began to lift some of the burning timbers off of her. A lot of it was really heavy, "It's going to collapse any moment now...." He put his shoulder under a beam trying to lift it and some other debris off of her legs. "Can you get free...we have to get out of here quickly?"

She began to stir at the sound of his voice. She tried to reply but was interrupted by a coughing fit from the smoke. Theron had cleared her of most of the rubble that had fallen onto her but there was a large rafter that had pinned her ankle preventing her from pulling her leg free.

As she was recovering from the coughing fit Theron put his shoulder under the beam and lifted with all his strength. It was not easy. The beam was very heavy and positioned in such a way that he could not lever it off of her leg easily.

With all his might he managed to lift it up off of her and she pulled her leg out, but they were still stuck in a rapidly burning down building. The fire had grown to full-blown inferno now. The heat was unbelievable and the smoke had thickened so much that every breath they made them cough from it.

He cast about. Where was the door? The smoke was so thick he couldn't see more than a foot or so ahead of him. Then Kali grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him along.

Did she remember the way?

It was tough going for some time. He couldn't see anything and had no idea if they were making any progress or not. All he could do was trust that Kali knew the way out.

Finally they emerged from the inferno and tumbled out the door. There was a badly burned Dysen, one of the men that had come with him and Garlen over the mountains to scout this valley. He was surrounded by Amazons weapons drawn.

As they knelt coughing their lungs out. More of the Amazons grabbed him by the arms. He struggled against them but they too drew their swords. He froze at that. Unarmed he had only a small chance to fight them off. No his only chance was a quick and decisive series of strikes. For that he needed them to think he would allow them to think he'd given up the fight.

But kali raised up to her feet and rounded on him pushing past the women holding him to look him in the eye. “Why did you come for me?”

He was taken aback by that question. Why did he rush in to help her?

“You could have made a run for it," She pressed, "Nobody would have noticed you escaping.”

He couldn't make sense of it either. He had his chance for his freedom. It was the reason he had left the Mad Emperor's army. It was the reason why he would not be a prisoner to Kali.

So why, when he was presented a golden opportunity to take it, did he run the other way?

He had no answer. Not for her, and not for himself.

To her question he played confident and shrugged, "And it's a good thing I did. You would still be in there now if I hadn't."

To give punctuation to his words the burning building suddenly collapsed in on itself.

 

[Kaena]

Kali could tell by his response that he was not entirely sure why he had come to save her himself. With everything she had done to him and his insistence on freedom, coming to rescue was the last thing she had expected him to do. The moment she had ran from the house leaving him alone, she expected to never see him again. Yet, here he was and he had saved her from a terrible death. She knew for that alone she owed him a formidable debt.

“It is true that I would have not gotten out of their alive with your help,” she admitted, her voice still husky from the smoke she had inhaled. “Any other man in your position would have run for their freedom. I owe you a great debt for what you have done.”

Turning towards her sisters she could see the anger and exhaustion written on their faces. Even though she and the others had made it out alive, there was still the fact that one of Theron’s men had tried to kill several of her sisters. Her eyes fell on the man on his knees, surrounded by several of the women. He was badly burned but still alive. She couldn’t tell if he had been burned by setting the fire or by trying to help put it out or save the others, as Theron had.

“Who is this man?” she directed her question to one of the other women.

“He was the one that started the fire that almost killed you my dear sister, “ Kaiya sneered as she stepped from the shadows. Kali cursed herself for not noticing her their earlier. “If you had just let me get the information we needed from your boy toy there and then kill them all, this never would have happened. If any of the women had died tonight, their blood would have been on your hands.”

Kali sighed and shook her head at her sister’s words. Though some of her words rang true, it would not have been her fault if others had died that night. To say that it was would say that her other sisters were weak and not able to control the men in their care. It was unfortunate situation, but, not something she could be blamed for.

“Shut up Kaiya,” she said, drawing a gasp from the surrounding women. “You are just angry that I did not concede to you and let you have your way. We have always kept the men we captured, so these men are no different. You were not intending to kill them, you just wanted Theron for yourself. But, that does not mean I am going to let this man get away with what he has done.”

Leaning down to pick up a sword one of the women had dropped in their frenzy, she walked over to the man on his knees. Placing to the tip of the sword under his chin, she raised his head so that he had to look up at her.

“What do you have to say for yourself before are you sent to meet your maker,” she said, her voice once again strong and full of her anger.


“I don’t answer to you,” the man spat. “I only wish that I had succeeded in killing some of you and your disgusting offspring. Long live the Emper…” His words were cut off as Kali raised the sword and brought it down across his throat. Blood spurted forth from the open wound as he fell to the ground, his eyes glazing over as death took him quickly.

Looking around she saw that the others had started to dissipate now that the fire was burning itself out. Her eyes fell on where Theron still stood, watching her. Lifting the sword which was still dripping with blood, she pointed it back in the direction towards her home.

“You,” she said firmly, her command directed at Theron. “Get back to my house. We have matters to discuss.”

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

To her question he played confident and shrugged, "And it's a good thing I did. You would still be in there now if I hadn't."

To give punctuation to his words the burning building suddenly collapsed in on itself.

“It is true that I would have not gotten out of their alive with your help,” she admitted, her voice still husky from the smoke she had inhaled. “Any other man in your position would have run for their freedom. I owe you a great debt for what you have done.”

That took him aback. For some reason it felt wrong for her to feel that she owed him anything for him saving her life back there.

That said Kali rounded on the burned man, "Who is this man?"

"His name is Dysen," Theron told him, "Outside of Garlen, he's the worst of the men who went with me over the mountains to scout your people out for the Emperor's army."

"Theron! You fucking traitor," Dysen screamed at him, "The God-Emperor will strike you down for your treachery here...and he'll drag our entire regiment out and decimate it as an object lesson...and we'd deserve it for letting a traitor like you flourish and esca-Aarrgh!"

One of the amazons stopped his tirade with a jab of the but of her spear to one of the fresh angry burn from the fire he'd set. His howl from the pain sounded throughout the streets of the Amazon's village.

Kali in turn was arguing with the fiery redheaded Amazon warrior called Kaiya.

“Shut up Kaiya,” she said, drawing a gasp from the surrounding women. “You are just angry that I did not concede to you and let you have your way. We have always kept the men we captured, so these men are no different. You were not intending to kill them, you just wanted Theron for yourself. But, that does not mean I am going to let this man get away with what he has done.”

He eyed Kaiya speculatively. She had rather large and appealing breasts and a lush and curvy, womanly, figure, but her eyes seemed set in a permanent unforgiving glare that Theron found rather intimidating. Not at all like the understanding but firm resolve he saw in Kali's eyes. He was glad in a strange way that Kali had laid claim to him. Kaiya seemed easy on the eyes and everything, but something told him he'd not for some strange unknown reason run into a burning building to save her instead of running for his chance for freedom.

She picked up a sword and pointed it just under Dysen's chin. “What do you have to say for yourself before are you sent to meet your maker,” she said, her voice once again strong and full of her anger.

“I don’t answer to you,” the man spat. “I only wish that I had succeeded in killing some of you and your disgusting offspring. Long live the Emper…” His words were cut off as Kali raised the sword and brought it down across his throat. Blood spurted forth from the open wound as he fell to the ground, his eyes glazing over as death took him quickly.

Theron nodded at Kali's swift action. A quick death was too good for a man like Dysen. He was one of the worst, seeking out and reveling in the rape pillaging and destruction of any country the army was set against by the mad Emperor.

She turned pointing the bloody sword straight at him saying in a voice that gave no room for argument. “You, get back to my house. We have matters to discuss.”

Theron scoffed at the tone. He was not her prisoner. She could not talk to him that way.

So why was he turning around to do as she told him to? What the hell was wrong with him? They were questions he mulled over all the way back up the road to the front door. Once at her door he stopped staring at the street and the way should've ran. The way to his freedom. The way away from these doomed warrior-women. The way away from Kali forever.

Why couldn't he take that path? What was keeping him rooted at this door? What was it about this woman that he'd only known for a couple of hours that seemed to tie him to her so entirely? Sure, he was attracted to her like he'd never been attracted to a woman in a long long time, but she'd turn him into another kind of slave.

No, he needed to stop thinking with his manhood when it came to this woman. He needed to take that path to freedom and forget her forever. Yes, that was it. All he needed to do was take that first step.

He heard something behind turned and saw her regarding him. The bloody sword she'd used to kill Dysen with still in hand.

To her he told her, "Don't tell me what to do again. I won't be your slave."

 

[Kaena]

For a moment Kali wasn’t sure if Theron was going to obey her and head towards her house. She could see by his posture that he wasn’t impressed by her order. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath, until she let it out in relief as he headed towards the house without a word. Glancing over at Kaiya, she could see that her sister was watching her closely, her anger at Kali’s verbal reprimand written all over her face. Not wanting to get into another battle with her sister that night, Kali turned on her heels and followed after Theron.

It took her longer to reach the house than Theron due to the large gash on her leg. When she finally caught up with him, she stood watching him as he stared longingly at his path to freedom. She knew at this point if he decided to make a run for it, she was not up to physically going after him and she would just allow him to leave. However, she was pleasantly surprised to see him turn away from the street and looked towards her.

"Don't tell me what to do again. I won't be your slave." With the exhaustion of everything that happened to her that night, his words instantly made her anger flare. It took everything for her not to lash out at him verbally. Instead she took a deep breath before speaking.

“I owe you a debt for saving my life,” she said softly, “You are free to go if you want to, but, if you decide to stay, you will obey me. Your survival here depends on this. It is not negotiable.”

Leaving him with these words, she walked into the house and slumped down on her bed. In all the excitement she had forgotten about her wound, but, now it throbbed painfully and she could see that her pants were soaked in her blood. Ripping away her pants, she examined how deep the gash was, grimacing at the sight of exposed muscle. If she didn’t get the wound cleaned and dressed soon there was a chance of it getting infected. She distracted her self with taking care of the wound, trying to avoid staring at the door to see if he would join her.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

He heard something behind turned and saw her regarding him. The bloody sword she'd used to kill Dysen with still in hand.

To her he told her, "Don't tell me what to do again. I won't be your slave."

“I owe you a debt for saving my life,” she said softly, “You are free to go if you want to, but, if you decide to stay, you will obey me. Your survival here depends on this. It is not negotiable.”

Theron looked back to the path leading out of the Amazon's village. Away from her. "I can't do it," He admitted to her, "Though I am inexplicably drawn to you for some reason I must be free."

She turned without a comment and began heading back to her door. Doing so he saw the nasty-looking gash on her thigh. It seemed she hadn't tended to it yet. The trousers she wore were stained a deep red from it.

She entered the house and Theron was alone on the street. He was finally at long last free. He turned back to look down the open road, the path to his freedom. He took a deep breath and began heading down it, but he didn't get more than a few steps before he halted. He couldn't get Kali and that wound on her thigh out of his head.

Why?

He had what he risked everything for before him. He couldn't go back home. He was a deserter and a traitor to the mad emperor now. His only course was this one.

So why did he hesitate now?

Why did part of him want to turn around and make sure Kali wound was properly cared for? He couldn't get away from her.

What power did she have over him? He might as well be already in her chains.

This realization made Theron very angry even as he found himself turning around and storming back to her house. He threw the door open and rushed in to find her having torn the pants off and in the process of bandaging the wound.

He was upset, not really at her-some at her, yes, but the target was mostly his own confusion when it came to this woman's hold upon him. So his rancor heavily tinted his words as he came to her. "I thought so...you're not doing it right," He growled smacking her hands away so he could properly tie the bandage around her wounded thigh, "I've seen men fall over dead or have infection cost them their limbs for cuts smaller than this one. That isn't going to happen to you if I have anything to say about it."

He lifted her leg so it was over his knee as he wrapped the bandage around it nice and tight. Doing so pulled her in intimately close. "I can't explain why...but I can't seem to leave you. You have me bewitched somehow, woman."