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Date Posted: 01:35:52 09/28/01 Fri
Author: Leigh
Subject: Anikitos: Chapter 1
In reply to: Leigh 's message, "Anikitos" on 01:33:46 09/28/01 Fri

"We are riders; our business is with the bow and spear, and we know nothing of women's work." Herodotus IV


The Gemstone Chronicles: Book One - Aniketos:
by Leigh



Death had fallen upon the city of Pontus. Its dark wings hung low over the once thriving polis, shrouding it in eerie silence. Columns of smoke still rose in thin spirals from the outlying fields. It mingled with the early morning fog and filled the air with an acrid, charred, scent. Within the city walls, homes, small shops, and businesses lay in ruins. And everywhere lay evidence of the battle that had taken place. Warriors, both, Vatian and foe littered the ground, their sightless eyes staring into eternal oblivion.

"Whoa, Dahomey. Steady."

Nikita tugged on the reins of her war steed with one hand as she reached down with her other hand and calmed his restless prancing with a downward stroke. The morning wind blew against her, billowing the long crimson cloak she wore out behind her. The sunlight glinted off of the brass breastplate she wore. From her left arm hung the crescent shaped shield of the Vatian tribe on which the image of the Virgin Huntress Artemis looked out onto all would-be challengers with an unyielding stare. Nikita's hair was tucked up into her helmet that, unlike those of her troops who waited silently in the background for her command, bore the deep red and gold plumage of the rare Imaus -- an indication of her rank within the army. Her legs were bare beneath her skirt and she wore fur-lined boots on her feet. Sighing, Nikita placed her hand upon the hilt of the short fighting sword that hung from the golden girdle about her waist. "We shall not battle today, Dahomey," she murmured as her blue eyes surveyed the carnage in the valley below her.

She'd gathered her best warriors, a thousand strong, and led them here as soon as she'd received word that Pontus was under attack. Recent storms though had flooded the Thermodon River making the crossing slow and dangerous and delaying them by a whole day's ride. They had arrived in the early morning hours to find they were too late; Pontus was destroyed and the invaders gone.

From her position on the hilltop Nikita watched as members of her guards scouted the ravaged city in search of survivors. She held little hope though that anyone was still alive. This was the second attack in the space of two new moons. The first had been on Leyama, the fort at the western passage into the Gorgon Valley, and like this attack, it had come unprovoked.

A lone rider galloped up the path from the valley below and reined her horse in alongside Nikita's. Aella, Doyan of the first rank and Nikita's younger sister, removed her helmet, secured it under her arm, then handed over a patch of wool with a distinctive emblem on it. Nikita took the cloth, studied it, and then turned her gaze back down toward the city.

"Thracia."

Aella nodded grimly. Unlike Nikita who had hair the color of untouched snow and eyes that were the color of the summer sky, Aella's hair and eyes were dark like their mother's. But they were similar in build and equally fierce on the battlefield. "There's more," she reported. "Some of the dead wear the colors of Emulonia. It appears they've formed an alliance."

Nikita's expression darkened. She had suspected the Emulon King behind the attack on Leyama. Now she was certain. Crumbling the cloth in her fist, she asked in a tight voice. "Their objective?"

"The treasury is empty and they've taken the horses."

Nikita's frown deepened. Emulonia was preparing for a war. They would use the money to buy foot soldiers, mercenaries from the northeast. The horses they would keep and attempt to retrain for their chariots. It wouldn't work though. Vatian horses were trained to run in battle, not pull.

Dahomey snorted and pranced restlessly about. Nikita pulled up on the rein to steady him. "Organize the women," she said to Aella. "Bury our dead and clean up the city. Have a regiment begin repair on the gate and post sentries on the towers."


"What of their dead?" Aella asked, pointing with her head to the valley below.

"Burn them." Nikita saw the flash of disappointment in Aella's eyes but chose to disregard it. Too much time and energy would be wasted if the women were allowed to dispose of their enemy's dead as they wished. Nikita wanted their anger saved for the battlefield where they could discharge it upon the living. "Do it," she ordered. Aella acquiesced silently as she turned and rode back down to the city. Nikita signaled for three of her captains to follow Aella along with their regiments. She then turned Dahomey around and signaled for the rest to follow her. If they were lucky, they might be able to catch the raiding party before they reached the border.

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