Amazon

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"Rhea," she looked over at one of the older women, "Your mother would be disappointed."

Rhea turned her head away from the women, "My mother is dead." She snapped and peered over her shoulders lightly, "She cannot think much in the Underworld."

"You are ungrateful of the life you have been born into!" One of the women shouted at Rhea and she squared her shoulders, "The men have corrupted you, you have turned into their whore." Rhea stiffened at the insult and did not turn around, she tried to think. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, though she could hear other insults from the other women as she began to walk away.

"Are you going to cry to your lover?" Another voice snickered, "He will only throw you out, and you are not woman enough for them. You are not a slave Rhea, he will not accept you the way you are. You have nothing."

Rhea did not know what to think but she hurried away from them and into the forest. She grabbed her dagger and hurtled it at the nearest tree, taking a deep breath and walking towards it. She heard a crunch and she turned her head, Achilios looked so innocent and small compared to the rest of the men. She yanked her dagger out of the tree and turned to face the young boy she had taken off the street.

She turned to him as he walked closer; he looked so small and shy. Rhea smiled sadly and walked toward him, closing the distance between them. She laid her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it lightly. Neither of them said anything as Rhea wrapped her arm around Achilios's shoulder and they both watched the forest. She knew that Achilios would always be there, she would never have to question her love for him.

She was so confused at what love meant, but she felt like a mother who cared for her child. Rhea would have had to kill her son if she had had one in the Amazon camps. But she was not in the Amazon camps anymore and she could care for the young boy she had taken off the streets. "Are you feeling well?" Rhea suddenly asked, "It must be hard for you."

"I do not know what to feel," Achilios was honest, "I cannot remember what life was like with my mother."

Rhea smiled sadly, "My mother died too."

Achilios frowned, "Do you remember your father?" He then grimaced, "I apologise, and I forgot you do not have fathers as an Amazon."

"Do not worry Achilios," she touched his cheek softly, "I do not think I am an Amazon anymore." It felt like a breath of fresh air admitting it, "My father was a bad man though or so I have been told."

Scratching his head Achilios nodded, "My father was a warrior, he was a good man, and he loved my mother very much from what I can remember."

"How old are you Achilios?" Rhea asked as she looked down at the boy. Achilios looked young but not too young, he could have been eleven summers or older. His hair was a dark mop of curls and his eyes such a dark brown that it seemed to suck anyone in.

"Eleven summers," he answered and beamed up at her, "I am old enough to be a warrior."

"Of course you are," she replied and heard someone shout for her, she turned her head to see Bastian walking through the forest.

"Are you both alright?" Bastian touched Achilios's shoulder and looked down at the boy, examining him before grabbing Rhea's face and examining her.

"Of course we are," Rhea smiled and slowly pulled Bastian's hands off her face. "We were not going to run, Deacon would not allow it."

"It does not matter what Deacon wants," Bastian sounded frustrated, "We are not under his command anymore; Elias has taken control of our garrison. We are now under his command; I cannot keep you both safe by manipulating my brother anymore." He shook his head, "Elias may like me," Rhea frowned as if remembering the Elias from when she had taken Bastian.

"It is not Elias from when I took you is it?" She asked and Bastian shook his head.

"No," Bastian cleared his throat, "This Elias is much older and stronger. He is a powerful man; you must stick by me Rhea." He touched her cheek and looked so hopeless, "Please pretend to be my wife."

"Of course I will," she whispered and felt relieved over her decision.

"I need you to pretend because..." he trailed off and frowned down at her, "What did you say?"

Rhea touched Bastian's shoulder lightly and almost shyly, she did not want to be too unusual in front of Achilios. "Of course I will pretend to be your wife," she cleared her throat, "Achilios head back to the camp." She kissed his forehead and he frowned at her before nodding and hurrying toward the camp. "I have been rethinking my life and I cannot go back to the Amazons, they will not accept a traitor."

"I apologise," Bastian sighed heavily.

"No do not," she reached out and touched his arm to stop him from pulling away from her. "It is not your fault Bastian, it is my own. If I had been strong enough I would have killed you when I had the chance," Bastian grimaced at her honest words, "But I did not. I was in denial, from that moment I left my people dying and in horror to run away with you... that I was not an Amazon anymore."

It felt as if she was ripping something off and she could finally breathe. The title hurt to pull away, to admit that she was not one of them anymore. But she could not hate men; she could not hate men when she was willing to marry Bastian. Bastian looked as if he could not believe Rhea's words. She waited, her heart hoping and waiting for him to speak to her, to understand what she was trying to tell him.

"What are you trying to say?" Bastian asked quietly.

"I will marry you Bastian," Rhea told him and he wrapped his arms around her, he kissed her softly and she melted into his arms.

"I care for you," Bastian stroked Rhea's hair back as she smiled up at Bastian. He had never seen her so open and happy before, she was usually so closed off and avoiding him. He decided he really did like this side of Rhea; he could not wait to marry her. His father would be unhappy, in fact his family would not believe him, but it did not matter to him.

"I care for you too," she pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him softly.

They broke apart when they heard yelling and thundering footsteps. Rhea broke away from Bastian as a young man ran forward, "Are you Bastian?"

Bastian nodded, "Yes, what is the problem?"

The young man looked reluctantly at Rhea before looking back at Bastian, "Your brother is asking for you, he demands that you see him now."

"Why?" Bastian's voice rose as he ordered the man to answer him.

"I do not know sir," the man bowed his head slightly; "He did not trust me with the information."

Bastian looked back at Rhea and she held onto him in support, they made their way through the forest as they followed the young man and towards Deacon's tent. Rhea looked up at Bastian who squared his shoulders and took a deep breath; she had decided to wait outside as Bastian entered the tent. She did not mean to but she worried for him, she did not trust Deacon even if he was Bastian's brother.