THE CHOSEN
PART 16
By D.virtue
“My Lord, this is Pentar, a prisoner in your dungeon.”
“What is his Crime?”
“My Lord, he has committed Treason against the Realm.”
“ In what way?”
“ My Lord, he has caused others to rebel against your laws with his words. “
“What say you Pentar? Is this the truth?”
“Yes! You are a murdering dictator who deserves to die a painful death you and
your whore!”
Pentar spit the words at Diana more so than The Conqueror. Diana in the
meantime was shocked to hear such disrespect and anger directed at the woman
she cared about and begun to feral her brows with every word that came out of
his mouth, but just when she decided it was not about her but The Conqueror
administering a just sentence on the young man he turned on her and called her
a whore.
Diana had been called many things but never a whore and the other things she
was called she never sat back and let the statement stay in the air longer
than necessary, she tended to have a temper when it came to her being called
names, especially disrespectful ones. Pentar was now glaring at Diana and he
said,
“Look at that whore, she stands there like a sex servant waiting for her
master to bed her. I spit at you whore!”
with those words he expectorated up in her direction. Diana then begin to move
towards the young man, even before The Conqueror or her soldiers could even
begin to stop her . Diana Strided down the stairs all the while looking at the
young man and in complete confusion.
“Why do you speak to me in such a way?”
Diana asked out of curiosity.
“ Because you are a whore, look at you, dressed like that, showing most of
your body, and why? For her, That evil heart demon from hell!”
Pentar said this through gritted teeth.
“ Who are you to judge me or anyone else? You don’t know me or anything about
me, so how can you stand there and act as if you are the Angel Gabriel
here to judge. Well Pentar let me educate you on a few things. One, if you
want to make a statement and get a positive response you need to stop using
derogatory terms that are offensive, disrespectful, and downright rude.
two...”
“ Who are you to tell me how to wage a battle, you some little girl from no
where! The nerve! Your a fool. If I had a weapon I would cut you down where
you stand.”
“ Is that right? You think just because I’m dressed like this that I can’t
defend myself. No Pentar it is you who is the fool if you think the way a
person looks makes them an easy target. If anything the benign looking one’s
are the one’s to watch out for, they can be deadly.”
“ Are you challenging me?”
“ excuse me, am I challenging you? No, why would I want to do that, I just
want you to understand that the way your going about this is useless and
dangerous.”
Pentar seeing an opportunity decided to act on it,
“My Lord Conqueror? I demand my right to fight for my freedom, Thus my
innocent.”
“On what grounds?”
“This woman here has challenged me. I am a warrior and I have the right to
fight for my honor.”
Xena looked at Diana with some irritation in her eyes but she held her temper
at bay. She had to grant the challenge, but she was angry that Diana would
again be fighting as a warrior. Diana saw the look and she knew she would be
in for it if she didn’t say something.
My Lord Xena, I did not Challenge this man.”
“See she’s doing it again. She’s calling me a liar and I refuse to have my
honor smeared by such a woman.”
Diana looked at Pentar as if he just grew another head, then she turned fully
to face him and said,
“You are a liar, and I don’t appreciate being lied on.”
“My Lord? I demand your answer.”
The courtyard had become loud upon the initial statement but now was dead
silent once again.
Xena Decided to try one thing before she granted the challenge.
“Pentar while you have the right to fight for your freedom and honor because
you are a warrior, you do not have the right to fight my Consort who is not a
warrior.”
Xena thought this was a stroke of genius on her part and was sure it would
work....until Timson her advisor who was standing by the young man said,
“My Lord isn’t it true that your Consort was a warrior a longtime ago?”
Timson did not like Diana and he wanted to get rid of her the most efficient
and least obvious way that he could. Xena was raging on the inside at Timson’s
big mouth and she thought she would have a talk with him about it later.
“ Yes that is true she use to be a warrior.”
“ then the Challenge can proceed legally with your command My Lord.”
Xena glared at Timson and then she turned it on Diana and then finally the
challenger himself.
“Yes let it be so.”
“ The challenged has the right to choose his weapon.”
Xena said in a matter of fact tone.
“In two candlemarks the challenge shall take place, here in the courtyard
before the citizens.”
With those words The Conqueror sat back on her Throne and the Challenged and
Challenger returned to their previous places. The large doors were closed. As
the doors were closing The Conqueror had one of her hands holding her chin
while she tapped her other hand on the arm of the chair closes to the side
that Diana was standing on. She had her eyes cut up to Diana in anger and
irritation. Once the locks had set on the doors, Xena jumped up from the
throne and grabbing Diana by the arm she practically dragged Diana to the
changing room.
“ What was that?!”
“What?”
“That in the court? what were you thinking? what made you think you could
speak to any of the prisoner?!”
“ I didn’t think about that.”
“Obviously!”
“ You don’t have to shout at me.”
Xena stopped what she was going to say next, she then took a deep breath, and
through clenched teeth she said,
“ Fine, I’m not shouting, I just want to know what you thought you were
doing?”
Diana hearing the sarcasm in Xena’s voice said,
“ Now your going to be sarcastic?”
“Diana...!”
“ fine, I was just standing there minding my own business just listening to
that bastard disrespect you in your palace, and then he turns around and
starts disrespecting me. I felt if he knew me then decided to call me those
names then fine, but he knows nothing about me and I refuse to stand there and
let any fool call me such malice names, just because he’s angry with you. It
really was a shock to me to hear him speak about you like that and I literally
had to hold myself back from snatching his throat out.”
“Diana, I told you before we came here that I didn’t need you to protect me,
and you will have to learn to control that temper of yours, especially with
situations like this. As my Consort there will be many people who are against
you because of me. But I don’t think I’m telling you anything you didn’t know
before you came here to be with me. I am hated by some, admired by some, loved
by a few, and feared by all.”
“ I understand what you are saying, but I told you that I would protect you
and Gabrielle, and Xena no matter how many times you say you don’t want me to,
I will continue to until my last breath. And as far as the way some people
feel about you I think that can be changed, I believe that.”
“ Diana I will tell you this, I don’t want you to kill him.”
“ Why? I mean I hadn’t planned on killing him, just beating some sense into
him.”
“ Diana I don’t want you to be mislead about things, some people don’t
respond no matter what you do short of killing them. You don’t know this man
like I do. He is quite wick and cruel, he has a knack for turning things
around to fit his agenda. He wants to destroy me and anything close to me. He
has corrupted many decent citizens, and when some of them tried to leave he
had them killed and then blamed my Regimen. Let me handle his execution. I
don’t want you to use a sword to fight him either.”
“ Xena all people are capable of change, That I learned from Gabrielle, but I
am not naive either, I recognize there are those who are so wick that their
souls are none existent, and therefore they are dangerous to everyone around
them, especially the innocent.”
“ Diana you know what I hate about this whole thing?”
“ What ?”
“ It’s the fact that you will be using a weapon again, fighting as a warrior.
That I blame on you.”
“ Why me! I didn’t challenge him, he lied.”
“Your too competitive, you have to learn to control your temper.”
“ ME?! Look who’s talking about competitiveness and temper, The Queen of
moodiness.”
Diana said in mock to Xena’s statement.
Wham..!!
Xena backhanded Diana across the face, and Diana flew to the ground.
“ How dare You, MY Consort speak to me in such a fashion! Consort you seem to
forget to whom you are speaking to, well I’m here to tell you I will not let
You, My Consort disrespect me at all, Do I make myself clear?!”
Diana laid on the floor for a moment with Xena standing over her, she then
got to her feet rubbing the side of her face. She then said,
“ I wasn’t trying to disrespect you, I was just trying to make the point that
Your temper and competitiveness is just as lively as my own if not more so,
I’m sorry if you thought I was being Disrespectful. Forgive me?”
Xena stood where she was with her arms crossed assessing Diana and evaluating
what she had said. She then decided that it was not Diana’s intention to be
disrespectful. So she said,
“ Forgiven Consort. Come here.”
“ Diana walked to where Xena stood and came to stand in front of her. Xena
lifted her hand to Diana’s cheek and said,
“ maybe your right about my temper, but you have to admit, my temper is
quicker with you because of your temper and competitiveness, you seem to push
the right buttons with me. I think it’s because of your resistance against my
controlling you.”
“ Well, maybe you should rethink this control issue?”
“ Not an option.”
Xena said narrowing her eyes.
“ fine, be that way.”
Diana said in a lighthearted, albeit serious voice, while turning to walk away
from Xena and head towards one of the windows.
“ Glad we agree on who controls who.”
“ I didn’t say I agreed, I just said fine.”
Xena’s eyes took on a contemplating look, as if she was trying to figure out
what Diana meant by her last statement. But after a moment she decided to put
it at the back of her mind and concentrate on what was happening in less than
20 minutes.
“ Xena?”
“ Hmm?”
“Can I wear my leathers, rather than this?”
Xena looked over at Diana and was not surprised to hear the request, it did
make sense. But Xena had other plans she wanted to fulfill so she said,
“ No.”
“Why not ?”
Xena gave Diana a look that ended the discussion. Diana looked back out the
window and absentmindedly started tracing the patterns in the stones. Xena
watched Diana for a moment then she said,
“It’s time to go.”
Diana turned to Xena and headed towards the door, Xena caught Diana by one of
her shoulders just as she was passing her and she said to Diana looking
halfway over her shoulder in a warning tone,
“you are to use your staff, clear?”
Diana hearing the warning said,
“Yes, My Lord Xena.”
and walked to the door and out. Xena and Diana arrived back at the courtyard
sitting and standing in their original places where they had been before, the
only difference was that Diana was holding her staff in her hand already in
the extended position. The locks on the large doors once again sounded and
the doors begin receding back to expose the courtyard once again, along with
many more people.
The soldier brought Pentar back to stand more in the middle of the yard rather
than at the very foot of the stairs. He was dressed in armor, but he did not
wear a helmet. He was a moderately big man for someone so young, his face was
weathered and hard looking with dark brown eyes. He constantly wore a scowl on
his face. The sword he held was not as large as Xena’s but it was large none
the less.
The Soldier stepped forward and Announced,
“ My Lord, The Challenged has chosen his weapon, and stands ready to fight for
his right to freedom and honor as a warrior . What say you MY Lord?”
“ So be it .”
Diana stood listening to the exchange and after Xena gave her permission Diana
started heading down the stairs. She did not look at Xena, she figured it
would show weakness and she wasn’t about to give anyone that satisfaction over
her, especially Pentar or Timson.
Diana arrived at the spot she was told to stand. The people gathered around
gasped in astonishment at seeing Diana still dressed in such light clothing,
even Timson was a little uncomfortable about the fact of having a dead young
girl as beautiful as Diana was just lying on the ground maimed with such
feminine clothing on. He thought that she would put her leathers on as well as
armor, but no, here she was, no armor no leather and only a staff to protect
herself with against a highly trained warrior with a sword.
“ My Lord?”
Timson the advisor spoke.
“ My Lord? would it not be better for Your Consort to wear more protective
clothing?”
“ It is because she is my Consort that she is wearing what I have chosen for
her to wear.”
“ As you wish My Lord.”
The soldier then stepped to Diana and Pentar and said,
“When Our Lords gavel falls you will begin.”
Diana now looked up to where The Conqueror sat and she waited for her to raise
and lower the gavel without looking at Pentar. The Conqueror raised the gavel
and held it up for just a brief moment while she watched Diana, and then
seeing Diana lower and raise her eyes the gavel fell.
Pentar had been waiting with bated breath for the gavel to fall, and once it
did he took a swing at Diana’s head expecting to end the fight even before it
begun, but to his surprise although it did not appear that Diana was watching
him she had been. So when he swung she ducked and came around with her staff
to catch him in the back.
He glared at her, but Diana still being interested in getting through to the
young man said,
“ Now listen, you really don’t want to do this, I mean you were captured
because you spoke out against the Realm. It’s ok to speak out, but your
problem is that you don’t organize yourself.”
They continued to circle one another with Pentar taking swings and stabs at
Diana. His anger building with every miss.
“ If you would just listen, you will see what I’m saying is true. If you wrote
down all of yours and those who follow you, if you wrote all of the grieves,
the specific grieves you have and asked for a audience with Our Lord, I’m
sure she would grant it.”
Pentar being angry that Diana was talking to him about grieves during their
battle he took it as a slap in the face and said,
“ I wouldn’t asked that b....’ for a cup of water, I’d rather see her dead her
body torn limb from limb . As a matter of fact once I finish with you little
whore, I’ll go after the young girl standing off to the right who seems to be
very worried about you from the expression on her face. I take it you two know
each other?!”
Diana dodged a swing by Pentar and positioned herself to see who he was
talking about. She was shocked to see Gabrielle standing there with her eyes
wide and tears falling down her face. Diana almost forgot where she was and
what she was doing until she saw Gabrielle's eyes go wider still , she then
returned and just in time to back flip over Pentar and the sword that he had
stabbed at her.
Diana looked at Pentar and said,
“You a warrior would not hurt a child, would you?”
Diana asked because she had to be sure of who this man was. Pentar had an evil
gleam in his eyes, they actually seemed to be darker than normal. Pentar said
with vemon and promise what his intentions were towards Gabrielle.
“ I would, and I plan on hurting her for as long as she lives. I’ll give her
to the others first to do with what they want, then I will take her, and
everyday I will cut off some part of her body starting with her fingers.”
Diana listened to this man and she thought how ironic, here he is berating
Xena and it’s him who is standing here talking about torturing a young child.
Diana’s eyes took on a wick gleam of their own. She was now baring her teeth
and had cocked her head to look at Pentar as if she was thinking about who he
was.
Pentar saw the look and he laughed and said,
“ “So she does mean something to you, good, now I know I can carry out my
plan.”
“ Is that what you think?”
Diana said looking over her brows, and wearing a smirk on her lips.
Both Xena and Gabrielle saw the look . Gabrielle assumed that Diana was going
to knock him out, but Xena knew from Diana’s looks exactly what her intentions
were, because she herself had worn that look many of times.
“ Yes, That’s what I know !”
Pentar said while taking multiple swings and jabs at Diana, who only stepped
out of the way of each as if they were pieces of paper caught in the air and
was just blowing around with no purpose.
Just then after Pentar had taken a swing and missed he said,
“Whore! you think your something, but your nothing but a piece of centaur
dung that needs to be destroyed, and it is I who will destroy you and The
Conqueror and Your friend over there, and I will bath in their blood. I’ll
spit on all of your dead carcasses.”
“ Really? well I have just one thing to say to that....”
Diana then flipped over Pentar once again and turning , she brought her
staff across Pentar’s exposed head and he went down dazed. Diana then turned
after a moment and started walking slowly away from the young man, she had
made it to the bottom of the stairs when she heard Gabrielle and Xena Scream
for her to lookout !
Pentar had gotten back to his feet and had thrown his sword at Diana’s back
with a aim that would have been true, but Diana had never dropped her
defenses, she knew he would do what he did so she waited for the sword to get
close enough to her.
Then just as it would have hit it’s mark Diana turned and caught the sword and
continued her turning and she sent the sword flying back to it’s owner with
such speed and strength that when it hit it’s mark in Pentar’s chest it
continued through his chest and came out of his back along with his heart and
the sword flew and impaled a tree that was behind him.
The courtyard had gone dead silent after their initial gasp of shock at what
they had just seen. Pentar in the meantime stood holding his chest as if he
were trying to prevent his blood from pouring out, he looked up towards Diana
and she said to him,
“You threatened two too many when you threaten Xena and Gabrielle, Die you
heartless bastard!”
Diana sneered at him and Pentar’s eyes went wide and then he fell dead to the
earth. Diana had turned and started walking towards the stairs once again, and
she strided up them and went to stand before Xena The Conqueror. Every step
Diana took towards Xena , the more her body tighten. Adrenalin was racing
through Diana and it was causing her to ache with need of Xena, so her eyes
were filled with wanton desire by the time she arrived at Xena .
Xena saw the fire in Diana’s eyes and her eyes were filled the same , her body
was tight also and she needed to quench both their passions, but first things
first she thought. When Diana came to stand before Xena, a single pale green
jewel fell from Diana’s eyes and Xena caught it without moving anything but
her hand. Xena closed her hand around the single jeweled tear and then she
told Diana in a low voice that was only meant for Diana to hear.
“Bring me his sword Consort.”
Diana cocked her head slightly at The Conqueror and with a feral smile, She
acknowledged the reference. She thought Xena would be angry with her for
disobeying her. But she wasn’t, at least it didn’t look like it , instead it
appeared Xena was appreciative of the kindred spirit they both shared.
Diana turned on her heels and she headed back down the stairs towards the tree
where the sword had embedded in.
There were many soldiers trying to pull the sword from the tree so as to take
it to The Conqueror, Xena obviously saw them all struggling with the sword and
she also knew they wanted to be the one to present it to her in hopes that
they would be granted a reward of some sort.
Diana arrived at the tree and all the soldiers that were trying and failing to
remove the sword all backed out of her way. Diana just looked at all of the
men and stepping towards the sword she effortlessly pulled it from the tree.
She then turned on her heels once again and carrying the sword with the heart
still impaled upon it she walked towards the heartless body of Pentar, there
she looked at it as she past and with a flick of her hand on the hilt of the
sword she released the heart from it and sent it flying back into the hole in
Pentar’s chest.
Diana didn’t even look back , but instead smirked and walked back up the
staircase and once again went to stand before The Conqueror. The Conqueror’s
fire had now turned to a raging inferno once again inside of her and the
energy that radiated from her bounced off Diana and returned to her. Diana
trembled from the pulsation of energy she was feeling from Xena, her eyes were
taking on a more lustful, hunger filled quality and Xena slightly but visibly
shivered.
“ The sword.”
Xena said coming to a stand in front of Diana. Diana looked at the sword with
the blood still falling from it and she brought the sword in front and between
the two of them with the tip pointed to Diana’s left and Xena’s right. She
then handed the sword to The Conqueror and bowed her head and lowered her eyes
for a moment. She then looked back up at The Conqueror who had not watched her
bow but stood towering over her in a possessive manner while looking out at
the people gathered in the courtyard.
The Conqueror stepped around Diana and walked to the top of the staircase,
Diana turned to see Xena flip the sword from an upright position to a
downwards one with one hand, she then saw Xena impale the sword into the
marble stairs.
Xena then stood and in a commanding voice she said,
“ From this day forth let it be known that those who would challenge My
Consort Challenges THE CONQUEROR and in so doing will face Me in answer to
that Challenge!”
Xena then turned back to face Diana who only smirked and cut her eyes slightly
to the doors of the connecting room. Xena raised a brow and with a return
smirk she shook her head ever so softly and once again stepping around Diana
she went to sit on her throne. She then waved her hand at the soldiers thus
dismissing court for the day. Once again the large doors came to close and
lock. Xena then stood up and motioned for Diana to follow her. Diana and Xena
left the platform and went to the changing room where Xena changed without
ever looking at Diana.
They then left the room and Xena took Diana and herself to the kitchen where
Xena told the cooks to bring foods of all sorts to her and Diana out by the
lake.
Diana smiled at the thought of Xena’s plans, and Xena glanced over her
shoulder and said,
“ don’t assume to much Consort.”
Diana’s brows knit together in confusion at Xena’s statement .
Xena smirked once again and turned her head and they headed to the lake.
end of part 16
continue to part 17
love to hear what you think.
Denisewade@aol.com