Part 1
She was walking rapidly - almost running - a worried frown on her normally reserved features. She called his name again and again.
"Leonides! Leonides!"
There was no response.
"Leo, answer me!" She called out, her anxiety adding a sharp edge to her voice.
Impatiently she pushed her long blonde hair back off her face. He should have been safe here. Not many outsiders braved Amazon hunting grounds. Still she worried, so many 'What ifs' running through her mind. Her son was barely 16 months. he couldn't have wandered this far from the city, surely, in such a short space of time.
An analytical voice asserted dominion over the many others streaking through her brain. But he's the son of a god - and his inheritance from his father is as yet unclear.
The father in question, Ares, God of War, chose that precise moment to materialise behind her.
In the short interval before she became aware of his presence, Ares had time to admire a rear view of his favourite's slender form as she half-jogged down the path. A slow, appreciative smile touched his darkly handsome features, his head inclining to the side to obtain a more complete viewing.
Kendaa sensed him, turning at that instant and surprising the almost lascivious grin on his face.
"Where is he?" She demanded without preamble.
Ares straightened slowly, crossing his arms across his broad chest, his face mild. "You haven't lost him again, have you?" he enquired helpfully.
The tall Amazon looked fit to be tied. "No, I haven't lost him. He's taken off - yet again. Can't you find him?" She asked, unable to keep the anxiety from her voice.
Ares gazed at her benevolently. "Relax. He's fine. He is half-god, after all," he told her calmly.
Kendaa's hands went to her hips in frustration. "I know what he is, Ares. He's my son, and he's only 16 months old, now where is he?"
The God of War assessed the nasty glint now sending the gold flecks in Kendaa's eyes flashing threateningly. Oh yes, she was ready to blow. He chewed thoughtfully on his lip for a moment, enjoying the anger building within her.
His eyes shifted slightly away from her, before moving back. He pointed, eyebrows raised in a smug gesture the half-dryad knew only too well, to a spot behind her.
She turned.
Laurissa was walking up the path with Leonides happily ensconced on her hip. He was babbling something at her as she smiled down at him. Looking up, she saw Ares and her Amazon sister watching her.
Coming to a halt close to Kendaa, she ducked her head in acknowledgment of the God of War, before handing Kendaa's son back to his mother. "There you go, my little woodchuck, I think your mama might have been looking for you."
Kendaa held the giggling child to her, her hands smoothing the thick, dark curls so like his father's. "Where did you find him, Riz?" She asked, her assessing eyes moving quickly over his small form.
Her equally tall sister laughed a little. "He was wandering along down by the river, levitating rocks and sending them to splash in the water, weren't you, little one?" Laurissa ended, smiling at the laughing child in Kendaa's arms.
Leonides' mother turned sharply towards Ares. "So help me, if you say, 'that's my boy!'...," she muttered, glaring at him.
Ares raised his shoulders in a shrug, just as his son spied him, and started squirming in Kendaa's arms. "Da! Da!" His little arms were waving excitedly as he tried to reach his father. In spite of herself, Kendaa laughed and handed him to the god, who carefully lifted him free of his mother.
Laurissa couldn't contain her own grin. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes she would never have believed it. The mighty God of War as proud father. Truly a sight to behold.
Ares was calmly holding his sunny-tempered son when he noticed something. He frowned. His aristocratic nose wrinkled delicately in distaste.
Realisation.
The God of War handed the laughing child back to his mother with an alacrity that took Kendaa by surprise. "What...?"
Then she too smelled it.
"Not my job, my dear," Ares told her pleasantly, before stepping closer to murmur quietly in her ear.
The tall blonde smiled up at him and nodded, as he moved away from her and vanished.
Kendaa turned to Laurissa, still smiling, and opened her mouth to speak, but her sister Amazon anticipated her.
"Let me guess - you need a baby-sitter tonight, right?"
The half-dryad laughed outright. "Only if you don't mind, Riz, and if you're not busy. I haven't seen him for weeks... That war near Orchomenos has kept him pretty preoccupied."
Laurissa smiled, understanding only too well the wistful note in her sister's voice.
"It's not a problem. It's just a good thing we've both just come off a week of night patrols." Her lithe body moving gracefully, she stretched herself luxuriously in the morning light, yawning.
"Partying again last night, I take it?" Commented an amused Kendaa.
"Well, yes. If you must know, Miss Nosy, I got together with Hebea, Lessa and Calee. Haven't caught up with them for ages. It was great!"
Kendaa laughed. "I'll bet it was."
Just then, Leonides stuck his fist in his mother's mouth. Removing it, she gazed at him, smiling. "Is that a reminder that you would like to be free of your dirty clothes, hmm?"
The child in her arms giggled and clapped his tiny hands before throwing his arms affectionately around his mother's neck and hugging her.
"I think you can take that as a yes," grinned Laurissa, as they headed back towards the City.
That was the start of it all, one of the last happy moments before the madness set in, she thought, closing her eyes and leaning her head tiredly against the cold stone wall at her back. Gods, I wish my head would stop throbbing. Her head had been aching for two days without ceasing now. She automatically went to move her hand to rub her stiff neck, but the clanking chains pulled her up short. Her manacled wrists were held above her by short chains attached to the wall behind her, and there was little room for her to move them at all. At least the chains leading to the manacles around her ankles were longer, allowing her to sit on the dirty cell floor. Idly she wondered when her tormentor would return. It had been several hours now, and she knew he wouldn't delay for much longer. He was determined to break her. She just held on to the hope that somehow the situation would be resolved before he achieved that end.
Strange, she mused. He's my lover and my Lord - and now he's my tormentor. And he does it all so well, she thought with a touch of hysteria that bothered her. Frowning and moving her head in an attempt to ease the stiffness, she opened her eyes to gaze once again around the dimly-lit cell in which she was imprisoned.
She thought back to that last night before everything had changed...
The evening meal in the City of the Amazons was always something of a rowdy affair. This night was no exception. While some sisters chose to eat alone or with friends in their own huts, many ate in the large mess hall.
The hall was filled with talk and laughter as the warrior women sat over the remains of their meal. At a long table towards the middle of the hall sat Laurissa, Surabufix, Kendaa, who was trying to convince Leonides to finish up the remains of the rice and root vegetab;es on his plate, Klio, Ceallach, Calee and Therese.
"I'm so glad I'm not on night patrol this week," yawned Calee. "I really need the sleep." Several of her sisters laughed outright.
"Why am I not surprised?" Klio grinned. "You and Riz have been up late for the last three nights straight. I don't know where you get the energy!"
Calee shrugged. "I'm an Amazon," she pointed out blandly.
Ceallach shoved her playfully. "What's that supposed to mean? That the rest of us have no stamina?" She glared in mock indignation at her sister.
A snort came from the opposite end of the table. "Well, for some of us, that would be right," Therese pointed out, running her hands through her hair tiredly. The healer had been up late for several successive nights tending five of their sisters wounded in an incursion by a large party of brigands from the north. The brigands, naturally enough, had come off second best.
Just then, Leonides scooped up a handful of wild rice from his plate and tossed it with perfect demigodly accuracy at Laurissa.
Kendaa groaned, everyone else laughed and Laurissa merely stared down at the splotch of food on her bare waist before calmly removing it. When she had finished she turned to Leonides, who was convulsed with laughter.
"Just remember who's looking after you tonight, young man. Er...god... Leonides!" She told him, glaring with mock severity.
The child on Kendaa's lap turned to look up at her. "Riz, mama? 'night?"
Wiping the accumulated congealed food from around his mouth, Kendaa nodded. "That's right Leo. You'll be sleeping at Laurissa's tonight. If I were you, I'd think twice before playing any tricks on her," she warned him in a firm, calm voice that held his attention.
"No da?" Her son asked, his little face falling, obviously disappointed.
"No, not tonight, little one."
He sniffed, crestfallen.
Sura smiled slightly at the evident disappointment of Kendaa's son. "He's very fond of his father, isn't he?"
Kendaa finished cleaning his face and stacked the two plates and mugs together in a neat pile.
"Yes he is," she replied quietly. "I'm glad Ares responds to him too, when he's around." She fell silent for a moment, thinking of the alternative. That would have been cruel. She was only too aware of the constant hurt and anger that consumed Hercules as a consequence of his father's apparent disinterest. She wasn't sure what she would have done if Ares had shown no interest in his little son.
Giving herself a mental shrug, she stood, smiling at her sisters. "I have to go. Fair dreams all," she bade them, hitching Leo higher on her hip. "And as for you... No playing tricks on Laurissa, alright? Because if you do, she'll tell me, and you really don't want that, my love."
Leo nodded enthusiastically in agreement, which immediately worried his mother. She just hoped he wouldn't choose to try his untrained demigodly powers on her sister. She'd already been through five baby sitters before appealing to Laurissa in desperation. Riz had often told her she wasn't any good with children, but to everyone's surprise, and certainly Riz's, she and Leo had struck up an instant and mutual admiration society. Since that first occasion, Laurissa had happily looked after Leonides at night when she was free and when her duties permitted. Otherwise, he stayed in the city creche with the other children whenever his mother was attending to her duties, or when the Amazons had gone forth to battle. Often, when she went to Ares, she took their son with her, and he slept in his own quarters at Ares' temple under the watchful eye of one of the god's priestesses.
Kendaa kissed her little boy on the forehead and handed him down to Laurissa. As she picked up her dishes, Klio also stood and collected her own plate and mug. "I'll walk with you."
They placed their dishes in the large tubs set aside for washing by those rostered for it on that particular night and walked together from the hall.
"I take it you're going to see my father?" She smiled at her sister.
The tall blonde nodded. "Yes. It's been a while," she replied somewhat awkwardly. It always made her feel uncomfortable to discuss her relationship with Ares with his daughter. It was, really, a strange situation, she conceded to herself.
Klio grinned, knowing only too well what was going through her sister's mind. "You don't have to feel that way, you know. It doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I think it's great for you. For both of you."
Kendaa stopped and turned to her smaller sister, frowning slightly. "Are you sure? I never meant for this to happen. and I know he didn't either." She shrugged helplessly. "It just did," she drew a deep breath, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head.
"Of course I'm sure!" Klio laughed, a soft, musical sound that had been inherited from her water nymph mother.
Kendaa smiled too now. "Well...would you like me to say hello for you?" She, like all in the City of Amazons, was only too well aware of the difficult and complex relationship between the God of War and his daughter.
Klio hastily held up her hands in negation. "No! No thanks," she concluded more quietly. "Best you don't mention me. I want you to have a nice night. That might put him in a bad mood," she smiled wryly. It might not too, but she wasn't willing to take the chance of ruining a rare, light-hearted evening for her half-dryad friend.
"Whatever is best for you, my sister," Kendaa replied softly, reaching out to hug the other Amazon, before turning to head into the depths of the forest surrounding the City, as Klio moved off towards the hut she called home when staying in the Amazon City.
The moon was full. As Kendaa walked she turned her gaze upwards and drank in the cool, clear light. A slight, warm breeze blew through her hair, leaving behind a sensation not entirely unlike the soft caress of her lover's fingers. She smiled, the anticipation of seeing him - of touching him - filling her with a delicious longing. The sweet, delicate night-scent of the trees surrounding her settled within her, soothing and filling her dryad self with peace and contentment. The Green World always had a strong impact on her. It called and laid claim to the Other within her. Tonight she intended to give the dryad free rein. She grinned wickedly to herself. Yes, Ares will be in for a surprise tonight.
Then she was in the designated clearing, and he was already there, waiting for her. He was leaning against one of the larger trees, arms habitually folded across his chest, one booted foot negligently up behind him, planted against the trunk of the tree.
"You're late," he observed quietly, but not in irritation.
She smiled, moving slowly towards him. "Your son decided to decorate himself and Laurissa with the remains of his meal, my Lord," she told him, her green eyes sparkling mischievously.
Dark brows raised ironically. "Oh? He's always my son whenever he's being difficult... You wouldn't by any chance consider such an insinuation towards a god impertinence, would you, my dear?" He asked drolly, his own eyes equally as teasing, for all that his face remained serious.
She pretended to consider that for a moment.
"Mmmm... No," she told him imperturbably.
He raised his head in acknowledgment. "I thought not," he murmured wryly, lowering his leg and moving towards her with sleek, pantherish grace.
They met in the middle of the clearing. The God of War wasted no time. He reached out and pulled the tall Amazon to him, his arms closing tightly around her. She raised her head as full, soft lips descended and closed over hers. her own arms went around him, as she sighed with the contentment that only Ares gave her.
Long moments later, she gently pulled free of his arms, and stepped back a pace.
Ares frowned slightly, his dark gaze never leaving her.
"Going somewhere?"
She smiled a little. "No. Stay there. Please?" She asked him quietly.
He said nothing, but did as she asked, waiting.
She moved slowly to the other side of the clearing before turning to face him again. She closed her eyes. As he watched, her form shimmered in the moonlight and suddenly the dryad stood before him, haunting green eyes locked with his own dark ones. He stood completely still, his head up, arms hanging loose at his side, waiting to see what she had in mind. From the look on her beautiful, ethereal face, he knew she was up to something. And I just know I'm going to enjoy it, he thought.
He smiled slightly in anticipation.
The dryad turned to face the full moon now, offering a deep, graceful bow to it, before raising her arms above her head.
Suddenly the clearing was filled with the delicate sound of what could only be described as music. It had been a very long time since the God of War had heard such. The wind, the rustle of the leaves and sounds from many unidentifiable sources all combined now to form a haunting refrain that seemed to reach out and enter into the very fibre of Ares' immortal being.
Kendaa still faced the moon, singing softly. It was a song with unidentifiable words - more a chant. The God of War had never before heard its like.
It was a song of Power. An invocation.
Then Ares gasped outright.
Light from the moon was streaming towards the dryad in the clearing, shaft after shaft of moonlight threw itself at the tall, slender form. Slowly, she became immersed in a cloud of brilliant, clear, cool moonlight.
Moon calling! She was Moon Calling!
The God of War suddenly licked his lips and swallowed in overwhelming anticipation. He'd heard of such of course, but had never, in all his long existence, actually witnessed a dryad Moon Calling.
The tall blonde dryad sang for several minutes, until her song faded away on a soft, low note. The haunting, beautiful music, however, continued.
In spite of himself, Ares felt a longing building within him. For what, he couldn't have said at that moment. He stood absolutely still, watching and waiting.
The almost translucent form of the dryad turned now to face the god and the centre of the clearing.
She began to dance.
Ares slowly moved back toward the edge of the clearing to give her room. His eyes never left the form of his lover.
She began to move around the clearing, in soft, lithe movements that spoke of the Green World and all that it contained and held sacred. Her dance told of a world unknown to mortal kind - or to gods, for that matter; of moist brown earth covered by moss and a thin layer of dead leaves; of rain damp bark; of trees swaying gracefully in a warm breeze; of a forest in the full bloom of spring, dressed in all its most beautiful finery.
Her whole body, dressed now in the Moon, seemed to have become a natural extension of the Forest surrounding her.
Her hand extended out. Here and there slender fingers touched leaves, branches or trunks. And where her hand had touched there now hung the most delicate, beautiful webbing Ares had ever seen. More beautiful than a spider's web, proudly spun around a tree branch, the weaving left by Kendaa's gracefully moving hands hung like winter icicles, complete with their own internal illumination. The woven Moonlight gently swayed in the soft night breeze of her wake. All around the clearing now, light sprang forth from every corner, as the dryad touched and moved on, fingers dancing as lightly as her body was.
Ares' head went back. he drew in a deep breath. The desire, need for his lover was almost more than he could bear. It was building and increasing with every movement she made. Somewhere in the sensual chaos that had overtaken his mind, he recognised that by its very nature dryad Moon Calling was something of a mating ritual. He didn't really care at that moment what it was. He had to have her, and soon. But he didn't - couldn't - disturb the rhythmic, erotic, compelling flow of her dance. Helpless to assuage his need, he watched as her dance turned the clearing into a silver-white world illuminated by the cool, crystal light of the Moon now shining forth from every corner of the glade. Even the grass beneath the dryad's bare feet began to glow with the unearthly light.
The God of War stood silent and transfixed. He who had seen sights far beyond the comprehension of mortal kind now stood wordless and awed. In another time, another place, he would have felt outrage and hatred at the senseless cruelty of his mother's act which had deprived the world of such beauty. And the odd paradox was that he who had presided over some of history's worst, unimaginable scenes of horror now stood utterly bereft, his heart twisted in pain at the terrible loss of the oak dryads and all they represented, and in unbearable longing for the dancer before him.
He slowly came back to himself to find Kendaa had finished her dance and stood as still as he, watching him. He blinked, now returning her beckoning gaze.
She moved towards him, still dressed in the light of the Moon, every movement graceful and compelling. He waited, still silent, his maleness rock-hard and agonised in its need for her.
When she was close enough, she slowly reached out and embraced him. It felt like he had become part of the Forest world. For the first time, he felt what Kendaa felt. Knew what she knew. As the moonlight surrounded and drowned him, he expelled his breath slowly. Then she was reaching up to pull his head down to hers. Just before their lips met, he whispered, "Moon witch."
Kendaa smiled as they sank to the floor of the shimmering glade. A thought from Ares dispensed with their clothing before they had reached the ground.
As they lay together and became one, Ares had never felt so alive in his long existence. He smiled as his lips gently moved over the dryad's slender form, and her hands held him close.
Their cries filled the night, but there was nothing in the heavens or on the earth to disturb the joy they had of each other again and again throughout that night.
It was a night neither of them would ever forget.
Some time in the pre-dawn stillness, Kendaa opened her eyes. She had reverted back to her human form just as she was drifting off to sleep. Now, Ares' hand was resting possessively on her stomach. She slowly turned her head and focussed sleep-hazy eyes on him. She smiled slowly. He was reclining on his side, his head supported by one hand, gazing at her out of eyes that reminded her of liquid chocolate.
For a moment neither of them said a word.
Ares leaned down and gently kissed her waiting lips.
As he slowly drew away, she reached up and ran a hand through his thick, disordered curls. "I have to go soon. Laurissa is on patrol duty today, and I have to collect Leo from her."
Ares' fingers drew a tempting path across her bare flesh, and her other hand moved to close around their solid warmth.
"You can bring him to my temple next time," he told her quietly.
She nodded. "I'll do that. He misses you."
The God of War frowned and sighed. He was highly impressed by the son he and the dryad Amazon had produced. The child definitely had a lot of potential. And as loathe as he was to admit it, even to himself, Ares was actually very fond of him.
He moved to lie on his back, looking up at a sky just showing the first faint hints of the new day.
"I see him when I can," he told her a little shortly. "When he's older, he'll be spending a lot more time with me anyway. He'll need to learn how to use and focus his powers," he added thoughtfully.
It was Kendaa's turn to frown slightly. She knew she had no right to ask Ares to desist from anything where his son was concerned, especially when it came to the powers that Leo had inherited from his father. She just hoped that when the time came, Ares wouldn't choose to mould Leonides into a replica of so many of his warlords. She knew he loved his son in his own way, but he would always be first and foremost the God of War. She sighed but remained silent, unwilling to lose her seldom-felt peace and contentment, hoping that he would be willing to allow Leonides to choose his own destiny.
She slowly rose to her feet and retrieved her clothing under Ares' frank gaze.
"How goes the war in Orchomenos, my Lord?" She asked, almost formally.
Ares raised an eyebrow in faint surprise. "Are you interested?" He asked - a slight challenge in his voice.
His Chosen shrugged. "I was just curious. Word hasn't reached us in the City one way or the other. We could, of course, always discuss Leonides' most recent efforts to drive all my sisters crazy...," she suggested in a dry tone.
Ares had risen to his feet and dressed himself courtesy of a brief thought. His hands snaked out and grabbed her from behind. "You are impertinent, my sweet. I've a good mind to punish you," he whispered in her ear.
Kendaa turned in his arms and kissed him softly on the ear. "Is that a promise? I really hope so, because I've always loved the way you punish me, my Lord Ares," she whispered back, a wicked, unrepentant grin on her face.
He gave her a look that said volumes. She laughed outright and reached up to kiss him. "Forgive me, my Lord, you do tend to bring out the worst in me," she said against his lips.
He accepted her invitation and took her lips captive, giving no quarter. Nor did she want any. When he released her, she was smiling still and the expression on the dark Lord of War's face told her he wished they both didn't have to part.
With her hand on his chest, she smiled again. "Don't tell anyone, but...I love you, you know."
He laughed outright. "I give you the word of a god, my dear...your secret is safe with me."
As she stepped away from him, her smile faded, aware they wouldn't see each other again for a while. Neither was Ares smiling now.
Silently she turned and headed back into the forest in the direction of the Amazon City. As she went, the God of War, with a look that could almost have been regret on his handsome face, vanished from the clearing.
Go to Part two