That night Zaria was both happy and sad for her friend Svetlana. It was an uncertain future for all of them, but now her spiritual sister's life would be vastly more complicated. The ordeal of childbirth, though rewarding to a woman without complications, was still a life-threatening proposition in those times, both for the child and the mother. Zaria also took to heart the fact that she saw her young friend literally come back to life with the knowledge that the man whom she had come to love over those past months—even in the direst circumstances as his sex slave, now pledged his affections for her. It would be the greatest of mysteries to all of the girls now as to how Murka would take the news that Svetlana was carrying his noble child.
In spite of this development, the plight of the young Amazon, Aella, was clearly still in Zaria's mind. Fearing that Sharvur would call for her novel presence in his bed chamber—surely sooner than later, and knowing of his cruel ways, Zaria formed a plan to help the young Amazon escape. Using her growing authority within the palace, she slipped outside into the cold snow-covered grounds that afternoon. She made it a point to wear a floor-length and hooded fur coat. She also insisted that the guards saw, heard and knew of her movements. They acknowledged her presents outside the palace, as it was now inconsequential to them due to the severe weather and the knowledge that Zaria would not get far on her own in the current freezing conditions.
She went directly to the men who tended the war horses in one of the stables, not far from the palace entryway. She told the stableman that she and Sharvur would be taking a ride that evening down into the tent city and to prepare two horses to be ready for their short journey to visit one of the king's commanders for dinner. This order was responded to and as Zaria looked back while returning to the palace she could see that, indeed, a pair of swift animals was being led out of the stable, and soon were tied to the fence to remain in waiting. A light snow was falling and her thick wolf-pelt coat was covered with a soft powder when she reentered the guarded doorway.
As Zaria went in to visit the new feral prisoner of the palace and to tell her of her plan for that evening, she realized with a shock that it was too late! Aella's chamber was already empty. She knew immediately that Sharvur had already arranged to have her brought to his bedroom under guarded escort earlier. Zaria ran to the upper level of the king's sleeping quarters and from the steps could see that the door was closed tightly and secure. She also knew it would be counterproductive to her plans to try and intervene and now could only hope that the young woman could and would endure the cruel sexual games and antics Sharvur obviously had planned for her that evening.
* * *
Inside Sharvur's warm pleasure nest he sat up in bed for her, wearing his dark blue silk night clothes. Secretly, this evening he was armed with a razor-sharp dagger, hidden under his nearby pillow. He kept the weapon there within his reach should the woman warrior he planned to enjoy that night attempt to resist his advances or try and attack him.
Two armed soldiers had brought Aella to his room, and each stood holding her by the arms. The young Amazon looked understandably frightened in his presence, but also kept a stoical composure in accessing the situation. She was fully aware her fate that night would include acts she had never engaged in, and more disturbingly with a sworn enemy she had been trained to avoid and kill if necessary—a man.
As she was brought close to the bed Sharvur smiled at her as a greeting.
"You are looking far better than you did when you were first brought to my palace," he said, whimsically. And I am sure it was difficult giving you that bath yesterday which added to your attractiveness this evening, Aella."
Aella was wearing a similar short dress that Branka was expected to have on when she entered Sharvur's chamber at night for his pleasure.
"I notice my men have no trouble tolerating that smell of a beast you used to have so odiously around you." He laughed, and the two men did as well.
Aella, just stood closely before Sharvur's bed with her head down, refusing to acknowledge either his derogatory words or his hungry eyes on her body and face. The bedroom was typically lit by the large wall torches in each corner. Their flames waved like flags in Sharvur's large bronze mirrors from the slight breeze which never stopped circulating in the solid rock citadel.
"Bring her closer!" Sharvur commanded. "Now put down your swords. There . . . on the floor, next to you. . . but within reach should you need them."
This the soldiers did reluctantly.
"One of you . . . hold her tightly. And the other. . . remove her dress. . . and undergarment!"
This the men also did, yet even more cautiously—fearful of the fierce reputation Amazons had on the battlefield. Both men also knew of their very nature as haters--and slayers of men.
Standing as before—now naked in front of the king, Aella remained calm, considering at each moment her plan of escape or attack.
From under his pillow, directly next to the sharp, and hidden dagger, Sharvur produced his leather horse whip, so cruelly used on Branka on certain nights and threw it over to one of the men.
"Take her over to the mirror and press her hands to the wall. Spread her legs with her back to us!"
Aella at first resisted being moved toward the mirror, but one of the soldiers grabbed her by the hair forcefully, causing her to acquiesce.
"Now one of you . . . take my whip and run it up and down her back . . . teasingly. She will soon feel the sting of being such a hater of men."
Aella braced herself for what she knew would be painful. and she could only anticipate what would come next.
"Whip her now, strongly! Like a horse! That is all these beasts understand!"
As the soldier began to harshly strike Aella's back and buttocks with the leather whip, the young woman flinched from the strokes but never uttered a sound. And amid the noise of the leather striking her naked flesh, soon Sharvur's own loud breathing could be heard. It was obvious he was overly aroused by this brutality he so enjoyed, and was ready for his next act of humiliation and cruelty.
"Bring her to me now. Quickly!"
Aella had until now resisted any defensive action, as she had been taught in combat to wait for the perfect moment to strike unexpectedly. She paused accordingly as the men led her over to Sharvur's bed. The king was already naked himself and clearly aroused for the final act he had planned.
"Lay her on my bed. . . here. . . next to me . . . And hold her down," he ordered breathlessly."
As the soldiers followed their leader's command, now out of reach of their weapons, Aella endured being placed on the bed in a compromising position. As Sharvur moved close to get on top of her, she saw the dagger's handle beneath the pillow as he accidently exposed it.
As quick as a lithe and powerful cat, Aella sprang for the weapon and in the process grabbed Sharvur by the fleshy instrument of his intended sexual act—swinging the sharp blade against it with force, severing his manhood from his body. The shocking mutilation happened in one strategic swing of her athletic arm. As the king cried out in agony with blood spurting onto his silk pillows, Aella again swung the long knife—this time catching the throat of the nearest soldier who had been holding her thighs apart. He too was immediately incapacitated by a more lethal injury and was already dying as the Amazon lunged for the remaining soldier. Ducking the swing of his fist and plunging the already bloodied blade into his chest, Aella planted the dagger with such force through the man's rib cage that it perforated his heart. He too fell to the floor to the sound of his last gasps.
Amid Sharvur's screaming and holding his groin to stop the amputation's bleeding, Aella ran still naked from the chamber and down the hall. Zaria heard the bellowing of the king and came running up the stairs, catching Aella carrying the dagger while in full flight. The Amazon stopped and looked at her questioningly for some direction to run. Zaria quickly removed her fur coat and put it tightly on the girl, as she had originally planned to do. Then, hurriedly, she led her to the exit where, within at a short distance, the woman warrior could see and eventually reach one of the horses. It was all clear to Aella that Zaria had provided them for her nightly escape. When the young Amazon stepped into the freezing night wearing the wolf-hide pelt, she looked back into Zaria's face with a look of gratitude.
As the Slavic princess pulled down the warm hood over Aella's face she told her the guards would not stop her on her way to the horses. Indeed, as the disguised Amazon walked out calmly to the coral wearing Zaria's rich and royal coat, the soldier just nodded to her. Suddenly, she leaped to the back of one of the animals. In a flash the victorious Amazon warrior had taken flight—galloping into the snowy night as if horse and woman were one.
* * *