CHAPTER Eighty-Six – Greek Xena.
(At Galdrish)
The spearmen team and the archery team came back just in time to receive cheering and praises from the Galdrish people.
They bowed and curtsied while hiding the legend from the people’s eye. Timothy felt someone grab his arm and pulled him to a hug.
He would have punched whoever till he saw it was his father. His eyes look wet, “Son, you came back. I was so worried”.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
He rolled his eyes, the man was probably drunk. How could he be drinking while they were on war? And if he needed to run?
His team leader pulled him back. He felt annoyed, having to be pulled about. She pointed at the palace and pointed at Xena, the legend.
He nodded and gave his hand for Xena to come down with. He had let her use his horse to return home as she could not walk properly.
But to his surprise, she jumped down without taking his hand, “Take me to the King. I need to rest” she spoke in English.
Timothy did as he was told and ushered her to the King’s courtroom. Officer Twisthat was standing waiting for the King.
He looked at Timothy questioningly for bringing a poor looking woman into the King’s court. Was she a lost official of the palace?
“Am I seeing Twisthat?” Xena’s voice sounded broken? The Officer went backwards on hearing her? Was he hearing Xena?
His eyes sparked and he rushed the woman in a hug, despite her appearance. She stood stiff not expecting the reaction, but she patted his back.
The King came out from his inner chambers just then. His eyes fell on the I’ll looking women, she had a smell, he frowned.
He met her sudden gaze and he could swear he saw power in those emerald eyes, “Who are you? Archer, why bring her to my court?”.
The King tried to sound as friendly as he could. The woman didn’t look like she was of this place. And was possibly from further countries.
Timothy vaguely explained that they had raided Craitan as planned but while searching the dungeons, they found the Greek Xena.
The King sprang from his chair surveying the woman. Was it true? Was their legend standing before his eyes?
“That’s what I am called? The Greek Xena?” she sighed disappointedly, “I married a Galdrish man. Could I be accepted already?”.
It was a whole seven years of marriage, plus the five years she stayed at Galdrish while training to be a swordsman and archer.
She applied for citizenship after the years and the King granted it, changed her name to a Galdrish name but everyone stuck with Xena.
Twisthat and Timothy bowed, snickering. She was the first of their foreign line to ever live amongst them and marry one of them.
Not to forget the sacrifice she did to save the Galdrish’s general. She was then recorded as a legends, a Greek legend.
When she had given birth to three beautiful daughter year after year. They had termed them the Princesses of Greece.
The girls had to leave the village and were raised in a place no one knew of them or their family. Being labelled ‘Poor Orphans’.
“Xena, forgive us. We thought you died in that war. Or else, we could have fought hard to bring you back!” Twisthat apologized.
Xena nodded, “I thought I died. Waking to see myself at Craitan was worse than death”.
She realized she was away from home, her children and she didn’t get to save her husband from ambushing Craitan soldiers.
It dawned on her, painfully, that he’d not make it after many years.
She recounted how she’d been taking care of properly as the Craitan King thought she’d give up important information on Galdrish military.
She was regarded as a foreigner, so would not be affiliated to Galdrish. When she refused to say anything, she was sent to the King.
He believed she was a goddess of some sort as she was from Greece. She stirred trouble and made his wife, out of jealousy, lock her away.
Twisthat looked down in shame. The sacrifices she had to go through to protect Galdrish yet he couldn’t take proper care of her daughters.
If she asked him, he wouldn’t even know where to say they are. He let a nameless wealthy man marry all three of them. She’d kill him. He’d die.
“Well, I am back now. I would like to take up my position at archery department as a trainer. Oh, and my children” she turned to Twisthat.
He stayed dumbstruck. He looked over at Timothy and at her. He saw Evelyn recently but knew nothing of where she was at the time.
Timothy decided to help out, if she knew that her daughters were married to one man, a werewolf man, she’d break something on him.
“At a forest, with friends?” she raised her eyebrow at Timothy, “Little nephew, they were supposed to be at your house”.
Timothy felt his throat get dry. Whenever she called him ‘little nephew’ since he was a kid, it was when she was controlling her temper.
She was the living embodiment of Evelyn in terms of wicked, impulsive and hot temper. And he was about getting lashed at.
“The forest at Galdrish or at the outskirts of Galdrish? Forbidden forest? That forest?” the King enquired. Timothy slowly nodded.
He could be killed by Xena. At least, he lived his dream of being among Galdrish army. He peeked at her, she had a smile. It confused him.
“Forbidden forest is home to the gem protectors. Those werewolves. Yes, I knew their Alpha. My daughters can be safe there”.
Timothy’s mouth dropped. Did she know what she was saying? Safe and Werewolves weren’t related words.
“I better get dressed and meet them. Hurry now, Timothy. I need to leave” she bowed to King and bowed again at Twisthat.
“Thank you for preserving and returning to us once again, Greek Xena” the King thanked. Craitan had no holds or regrets on him.
“I preserved for my daughters and my little boy who I barely got to suckle. Thank you for their protection” she spun around and marched off.
The King eyed Twisthat who was looking down. He knew Greek Xena had children but he head nothing about them after the war.
“I’d take my leave sir. Don’t worry, our legend won’t have anything to complain about. I’d take her to her kids myself” he bowed.
Before the King could ask more questions, he didn’t have an answer to, he trotted off, ignoring the reason he came to the courtroom.