Shadows 03 Greek Shadows

by K C West

  When I stepped out to relieve myself, Marna was nowhere to be seen. The sunshine, sparkling on yesterday’s snow, created a jeweled wonderland. I thought it looked beautiful, until the vision of that recent and bloody death appeared in front of my eyes.

  I turned to go back inside the cave, but stopped when a sound signaled Mama’s presence. She stood, feet wide apart, with her sword drawn, looking fearsome with blood marking her cheeks and forehead. Her eyes were as cold as steel.

  “What’s this about?” I asked, unnerved by her appearance.

  She came at me with the sword, missing me by a fraction of an inch when I reacted with a quick side-step.

  “There’s a sword behind you. Pick it up.”

  “Why should I?”

  “You either pick it up, or I kill you right here.”

  Fear turned in my stomach. “What are you talking about? Why would you want to kill me, or for that matter, I you?”

  “I don’t want to kill you, but I do want to kill the anger that rots your soul.”

  I stood unmoving, staring at her, trying to fathom her next move.

  “Pick up the sword.”

  I did as she bid. The weapon felt good in my hand, perfectly balanced. I waited until she lunged and sensed my Amazon spirit springing into action, directing my arm, blocking her blade. “What the hell are we doing? If you kill me, what are you going to tell PJ and Leeja?”

  Marna lunged, and again, I parried; the sound of clashing metal echoed back and forth across the mountain. Sweat coated my body; my grip weakened. I turned away and splintered a small log with the sword before throwing the weapon into the snow. “I don’t want to kill you. I just want to get back to PJ and live my life out with her in a civilized manner.”

  “Pick up the sword.”

  My throat was dry, my chest heaving. “I will not.”

  “Pick it up.” She advanced, but I stood my ground. The tip of her blade bit into my neck, and I felt a trickle of blood. A vision of PJ flashed into my head. I imagined her holding me, weeping, as my life’s blood stained the snow.

  Marna stepped back and her expression softened. “You have passed your first test. You laid your anger aside to think about PJ.”

  “How do you know what I was thinking?”

  “Because I love, too, and I know the way a strong mind works. Mortal danger always triggers thoughts of a loved one.” After wiping the tip of the blade, Marna sheathed her sword. “Now I shall prepare some herbal tea for us.”

  I followed her into the cave, wondering what other tests the warrior had in mind, and if I would be up to the challenge.

  *

  That night, the snow continued to fall until every single rock was covered and the branches of the nearby trees bowed low with their burden. Snow had drifted up to the cave entrance forcing us to dig our way out. With each step, we sank up to our thighs. I longed for the sun, the warmth of Lesvos, but mostly I longed to be with PJ in our tent on the island or in my, no, our home in New Mexico. I wanted it to be her home, too. I didn’t care where it was, as long as I was with my beloved.

  “Conditions won’t allow us to do much today,” Marna said, after scouting the vicinity of the cave and bringing the horses inside. “Might as well rest up.”

  She cooked some of the venison, using a stick for a spit. It smelled so good, but for the longest time, I refused to eat. When I could no longer stand it, I reached for a piece, burning my fingers in the effort. Marna tossed me her dagger and a stick so I could slice the meat and hold it over the flame, allowing it to cook slowly.

  Once I had eaten, I relaxed into a dreamlike state. The cave was a pleasant temperature. The smell of the horses, the roasting meat, and the sight of the warrior, with her face fiercely chiseled in the flickering shadows, all combined to give me a feeling of well-being. If PJ could’ve shared such a moment, she would’ve understood my love of the Amazons. On second thought, maybe not. She was still fighting the idea of my being directly descended. She was just not ready yet to accept and be in a moment such as this. I thought back to the Superstition Mountains and how gentle and loving she had been with the bones of the women we found there, and yet, she harbored an unexplained hostility to this Marna and Leeja.

  “Am I right in assuming that you do not eat meat on a regular basis?” Marna asked.

  “I eat meat.”

  “Then why the fuss yesterday when I killed the buck?”

  I stared at her, trying to come up with a logical answer. “I guess because he was so wild, so majestic.”

  “And what of the animals you eat? The cattle, the fish, and the fowl?”

  “Somehow, it’s not the same.”

  She made a derisive sound. “What is the word you use? Ah, yes. Bullshit!”

  My relaxed mood changed. I glared at her, but did not respond. I was finding it difficult to relate to this Marna. She was no longer the gracious host she had been when she sat beside her queen, nor was she the Marna that I had idolized in my mind since I had felt her overwhelming presence in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. This Marna was hard to the point of being cruel. She seemed hell bent on putting me down.

  “Why are you so angry?” I asked.

  “Who are you to speak of anger?” She stood and put on a long, thick fur coat.

  “Wait, where are you going?”

  Without another word, she picked up her weapons, took the horses, and left.

  Alone in the silent cave, I heated some water and made some herbal tea. By the middle of the afternoon, I was hungry again, but Marna had taken the dagger. I tore at the slab of venison, until I had a small chunk to skewer with the now-blackened stick, and cooked it.

  Later, I stood at the cave entrance, watching the night fall around me. It was black with no stars or moon to cast light over the ghostly landscape. Snow clouds sent their large, fat flakes spiraling downward. I wondered where Marna was and when she would return. How would she ever find the cave again with no tracks to follow? Would I be left here to eventually starve to death? PJ would forever wonder what had happened to me. Even if she knew where I was, she would never find my bones, scattered as they would be by wild animals. Would she think I had deserted her? I brushed my thoughts aside. “Don’t panic,” I said. “Stop, evaluate your situation, and think. You have food enough to last several days if you’re careful. Then, when the storm lets up, head down the mountain. Down will always get you somewhere.”

  Shivering, I banked the fire and crawled under the robes. I was cold and miserable and unable to dispel my rising anger. I was scared, too. Panic crept into my psyche. What if something had happened to Marna? What if she’d fallen somewhere out there and couldn’t move? I had no idea where she was or where I was.

  After a restless attempt at sleep, I got up, walked to the cave entrance, and called her name. My response was the muffled silence that only gently falling snow can bring.

  “Damn you!” Shaking my fist in the air, I returned to the warmth of the robes, and sometime during the night, I slept. The fire was almost out when I awoke, so I quickly added the last of our wood.

  Being as careful as I could to keep my bearings, I gathered what little fuel I could find, pulling dead or dying branches from the trees because most of the windfall was buried in the deep snow. I returned to the cave, carrying my meager bundle with scratched and bleeding hands.

  “You bitch!” I stared angrily at the neat pile of wood that had been placed beside the fire during my absence. “Marna, damn it, where are you?” I continued to curse, my shouts reaching no farther than the walls of the cave. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You bring me up here, and then play games with me. Get back in here, you overrated Amazon archetype. You have no right to treat me this way.” I ranted and raved until I doubled over, clutching my stomach in pain, heart pounding, and a monster headache threatening to tear off the top of my head. I managed to stumble out of the cave before throwing up, though there wasn’t much for my stomach to toss. With a sigh of re
signation, I dropped to my knees in the snow.

  I shook partly from the anger, partly from the cold temperature, and then I didn’t care any more. The last thing I remembered was whispering PJ’s name, saying that I loved her, wishing I could make love to her one last time. Then, nothing.

  *

  I awoke in the cave, wrapped in furs. Marna was holding me, sharing her body’s heat. The fire crackled, and sparks flew as its healing warmth spread to all corners.

  Through cold lips and chattering teeth I managed to speak. “Why?”

  “I wanted you to confront your own anger and know the futility of it. To realize that it’s not the answer to real problems.”

  “But you put my life in jeopardy, leaving me like that.”

  “You were in no danger. I was watching you the whole time from up on the ridge behind the cave.”

  I cursed, determined to punch her, but could not muster the energy required to raise my hand. When I was thoroughly warm, Marna got up and made some tea. While I sipped the hot beverage, she produced some sweet potatoes, put them in the coals to bake, and roasted a large hunk of venison. We shared a wonderful meal and emptied an entire wineskin.

  More relaxed now, Marna propped herself against a mound of furs, stretched, and crossed her legs. When she looked over at me, her eyes, though still penetrating, had lost their cold, hard edge. “You have lived with anger much of your life.” The words were framed as a statement rather than a question. Somehow, she seemed to have all the answers.

  “I suppose I have. Being different - knowing that one is not generally accepted - is especially hard for a child.” I thought of Rusty, my first real friend, and the kids at school. Kids could be so cruel. Just because I couldn’t fit in, I became an object of ridicule. “It wasn’t easy, but I showed them. I worked hard and excelled in my field.”

  Mama’s eyes glinted in the firelight. “Then you met Terry.”

  I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You know about her?”

  “You are of Amazon blood. I know all about you.”

  “Yeah, Terry. The less said about her, the better.”

  “First, she hurt you, and then she hurt PJ.”

  The thought of PJ’s ordeal brought tears to my eyes. “Terry got away. You know, skipped bail and disappeared.”

  “She will be punished, sooner or later.”

  “I hope you’re right.” When I threw another piece of wood on the fire, sparks danced upward into the air like startled fireflies.

  Mama stared into the flames. I imagined she was thinking of Leeja, though I had no proof.

  “You have learned your lessons well,” she said, after a long silence. “You have experienced the futility of holding on to your anger. When faced with a crisis, you have assessed your situation with a cool head and have formed a plan. That is how it should be. You have learned that a hot head and lack of thought can lead you into trouble. Yes, you have learned your lessons well. As soon as the weather allows and the snow melts a bit, we’ll return to the encampment and to our loved ones.”

  Mellowed by the food and wine, I relaxed, delighted at the prospect of being with PJ again.

  Chapter 12

  Queen Leeja told me that we would travel to a grotto for discussion and meditation. I soon learned, however, that when an Amazon queen travels, she takes an entourage.

  At least a dozen heavily armed women from the main camp joined us on our ride into the hills.

  We stayed on horseback until the ground grew too steep; then we hiked, leading the horses the rest of the way. My legs were accustomed to long walks, but my shoulders, arms, and back soon protested the extreme exertion required to reach this hidden retreat.

  And my butt. Jesus, I couldn’t even begin to think about how I’d sit down again. My thoughts drifted to Kim and the journey she was taking. She hadn’t been on a horse in years. We were both going to have sore bodies when we got to our destinations.

  All the physical effort was worth it, though. The grotto must have been the equivalent of an Amazon day spa. It was a collection of small caves and stone corridors that wound labyrinth-like through one side of a mountain. Thermal pools sparkled in the available light as though they were festooned with stars from the Milky Way. Vent holes in the ceiling brought in fresh air and expelled the smoke of fires, maintaining a nearly constant temperature throughout the stone facility.

  When we arrived, half of our contingent remained with the queen and me to unload supplies and walk through the rooms, while the other half threw down their supplies, ripped off their clothing, and dashed naked and frolicking down some stone steps to a partially-hidden lagoon.

  Queen Leeja noticed my astonishment at the noisy, off-duty crew. “You may swim down there at any time, Dr. Curtis.”

  “Thank you, but the absence of swimming attire has me a little concerned.”

  Leeja seemed amused by my comment. “You don’t need to be shy around us. We are all women, are we not?”

  “I’m just not quite as uninhibited as I once was, Your Majesty. And I’m still wondering why I’m here cavorting with Amazons in the first place, though you’ve been most gracious to me so far.”

  “Ah, yes. You have questions and uncertainties about your role in all of this.” Her dark eyes focused on me with what appeared to be a hint of mirth. “Why don’t we relax and enjoy some of the comforts of this tranquil place before we get into such deep discussion. The water in the lagoon is cool, but exceedingly invigorating.”

  “Maybe I can manage that a bit later.” I looked around for a diversion. “Didn’t you say the private pools down those corridors are heated by warm springs?”

  “Indeed.” She chewed on her lower lip. “In fact, you have given me a wonderful idea. Come, we’ll relocate to my favorite one and have a private soak. I imagine your muscles must ache after your trip.”

  I rotated my arms and shoulders and grimaced. “I’ll admit to a twinge or two.”

  She spoke with two of her staff in whispered tones. After a quick salute, they rushed down the corridor.

  I wandered over to the huge fire pit in the main room, drawn by the delicious fragrance of roasting meat and simmering side dishes. Apparently, a kitchen crew had been on duty a day or two in advance of our arrival. And judging by the amount of food already prepared, they had been busy.

  “Hungry, Dr. Curtis?”

  My stomach answered for me. “Sorry about that.”

  She waved my apology off. “We cannot help when our body speaks for us.”

  “Your Majesty, may I ask you a favor?”

  She inclined her head. “Probably.”

  “Please, call me PJ, okay?”

  “Of course. And you must call me Leeja.”

  “But you are the leader of these women. I want to show proper respect.”

  “Then call me Leeja in private, when we are not surrounded by my subjects.”

  She led me down a narrow passage, the walls of which were smooth to the touch, the result, I thought, of ancient underground rivers and streams. Soon we came to a cozy antechamber, and Leeja motioned for me to go first.

  “What do you think of it?” she asked.

  “It works for me, Leeja.”

  “Good. I know your name is Priscilla, but you want me to call you PJ. Is that a special name that Kim uses?”

  “Oh, no. I prefer PJ because Priscilla sounds so formal and old-fashioned. My middle name is Josephine, so that’s where the J comes from.”

  “I’ll bet that Kim has a pet name for you, one that you care not to share.”

  I felt my face reddening and lowered my eyes. The conversation was getting way too personal.

  Leeja gestured toward another passage where I saw shadows flickering along one wall and sniffed moist, fragrant air. “The pool is right through here.”

  Three torches had been lit and arranged along a curved wall, their reflected images bouncing on the water. Trays of meat, sweet potatoes, cheese, olives, and bread beckoned from a waist-high s
tone ledge to our left, and there were two benches along the right side of the pool, each draped with a robe and a large drying cloth.

  “A hot tub, buffet spread, and massage table. You’ve thought of everything,” I told her.

  “We do our best, but I see we are missing some pillows.” Before she could summon any attendants, two young women hastened in, arms laden with cushions and animal furs. Leeja nodded her approval. “Thank you, Reena, Alaina.”

  “You’re welcome, My Queen,” said the taller of the pair.

  “Will there be anything else, Your Majesty?” the other asked. Both young women were dressed in white chitons and had brightly colored flowers braided into their long, dark hair.

  Leeja glanced at me, but I had nothing to add. “You may prepare the wine and leave us to soak for a candlemark or so. After that, I believe Dr. Curtis and I will require massages with some of the special oil.”

  The young women opened wineskins and set out two drinking cups. Without a word, they approached their queen and undressed her. I was treated to the sight of Leeja’s lithe, evenly tanned body before she slipped into the pool, making hardly a ripple. Displaying the grace of a dolphin, she rose again to the surface at the other end of the pool.

  “What bliss. Won’t you join me, PJ?”

  She made a motion with her hand and the attendants stripped me naked before I could respond to her invitation. I scurried into the water, creating a huge splash, and sank onto a submerged ledge wide enough to sit on, but low enough to keep me covered up to my neck. The water temperature was perfect. It caressed my bare skin like a silken robe. I detected a mineral odor, but none of the sulfur that the grotto in Eresos contained. I leaned my head back against the edge of the pool and closed my eyes, letting my body collapse into a carefree, boneless state.

  “Didn’t I say that you’d find this trip pleasurable?”

  The water lapped gently at our necks and breasts as we shifted our bodies into positions most comfortable for soaking.