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Date Posted: 07:03:10 09/28/01 Fri
Author: Leigh
Subject: Anikitos: Chapter 1 (I posted the original instead of the edited version above.)
In reply to: Leigh 's message, "Anikitos: Chapter 1" on 01:35:52 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



Anikitos
By Leigh



Death had fallen upon the city of Pontus. Its dark wings hung low over the once thriving polis shrouding it in thick silence. Columns of smoke rose in thin spirals from the outlying fields, mingling with the early morning fog and filling the air with an acrid, charred, scent. Within the city homes, small shops, and businesses lay in ruins. 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 with one hand as she reached down with the other and calmed her war steed’s restless prancing. The morning wind blew against her, billowing the long crimson cloak she wore out behind her. Sunlight glinted off of her brass breastplate. From her left arm hung the crescent shaped shield of the Vatian tribe on which the image of the goddess Athena looked out onto all would-be challengers with an unyielding stare.

Her 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, five hundred 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 delayed 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. There was little hope that anyone was still alive. This was the second attack in the space of two new moons. The first had been on Lemaya, the fort at the western passage into the Gorgon Valley. Like Pontus, the attack at Lemaya had been unprovoked and had yielded no survivors.

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 once, her mouth a grim line. Unlike Nikita who had hair the color of untouched snow and eyes that were the blue of a crisp summer sky, Aella's hair and eyes were dark like their mother's. The two sisters though were similar in build, both of them tall and thin. They were also equally fierce on the battlefield.

"There's more," Aella reported. "Some of the dead wear the colors of Emulonia. It appears the two have formed an alliance."

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

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

Nikita's frown deepened. 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. Not that it would do them any good – Vatian horses were too independent for the harness.

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 the others?" 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 as she wheeled 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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Replies:

  • Anikitos: Chapter 2/a -- Leigh, 11:11:39 09/28/01 Fri
  • I really like this Micah ...(r) -- Nell, 09:12:07 10/01/01 Mon
  • I really like this Micah ...(r) -- Nell, 09:14:40 10/01/01 Mon
  • Woohoo! {{{{{Leigh}}}}} -- Kim, 12:49:57 10/01/01 Mon
  • I'm really looking forward to this - i'm already hooked! (NT) -- LJhooked, 23:15:15 10/22/01 Mon
  • Fantastic, Leigh. (NT) -- MichelleB, 05:54:12 10/25/01 Thu
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