Chapter 16: A New Arrival

The next morning Roban woke up and felt a bit confused for a moment. The little girl sleeping on his chest wasn’t his sister. His sleep-fogged mind cleared quickly and he remembered. There wasn’t a problem; the girl on his chest was Menja. The tight petite ass in his right hand felt very familiar as well. To his left was a buxom curved brunette, easy too, Denyssa. The big auburn beauty spooning her had to be Hassika. That meant the slim girl hugging his sister was Rhabina. Roban was happy, not so much about how easy it was to name his sleeping companions, but about the situation in itself. He would like to wake up more often like this.

It didn’t change the fact he had to piss. He tried to move, but that earned him a dangerous growling from his right, a disturbed whimpering from the left and Menja just hugged his neck a little tighter. Obviously even such a lovely situation had some disadvantages. Sighing he pinched his sisters ass, licked Menja’s nose and tickled Denyssa’s belly.

He received a squeak, a giggle and a moan in reaction ... a moan? Well, Denyssa often woke up horny. Actually ... no he had to piss. They let him get away on his second try. When he walked out of the sleeping chamber he found a woman he never had seen before. She was obviously waiting and had been for a while already. She was sitting at the round table and had finished a meal some time before. She looked a bit familiar, especially her gray eyes. As tall and strong as an amazon, she wasn’t dressed like one, but like an ordinary woman from Vernya.

“You have to be the infamous son of Nyome, the Matassaja’s brother. Were you sleeping with her and the new First Daughter, Hassika, in there?” She asked, looking at his nude body.

Roban answered with a nod.

“A lot has changed since the last time I came here. I wanted to talk to Assanka, but they told me she and Valira are dead. You killed them?” She asked, but it didn’t sound accusing.

“First they killed me, but yes, I did.”

“They told me all about what happened. I just wanted to hear it from you too. I am Nirumy, Assanka’s younger sister. I come from Notabir with news for her. Since she is dead, I’ll have to talk to Hassika.”

She looked at Roban critically. “They told me my niece is in there as well.”

“Also little Menja and Denyssa, a friend; now you have the complete list.”

She sighed. “Doesn’t matter much I guess. Even before you came here we were lost and just didn’t know it.

“NIRUMY, you are back. I have so much to tell you!” Rhabina screamed exited.

“What are you talking about Nirumy?” Hassika asked sleepily.

“I have news too. My mama is dead, and I am the new Dreamer,” Menja declared.

A procession of naked girls passed Roban on their way to the table.

“Let’s get something to eat too, I’m starving. Brother, be a dear and see if you can find some food for your harem,” Athea said pleadingly.

Roban returned a while later, after he finally relieved his bladder and found something to eat for the women. He even had dressed meanwhile. Loaded with two baskets full of bread, cheese, ham, fruits and even eggs, he had an enthusiastic welcome. There weren’t enough stools at the table, but Menja didn’t mind sitting in his lap again.

“You have to be a naive six-year-old to sit fearlessly naked on his lap,” Hassika commented.

“I’d do it too, but would become horny. I need to eat and want to listen to Nirumy though,” Athea replied dismissively.

“Hah! Look at Rhabina and Denyssa, they blush so prettily!” Hassika laughed.

“Could we get back to Nirumy’s news now? It’s more important than girls and their reasons to blush,” Athea complained.

They returned to their discussion once the situation was under control again.

“Twenty thousand, are you really sure about the numbers?” Hassika asked.

“I saw them, and after all I’ve heard it’s only their advance party. The main army will cross the mountains in spring. They will overrun everything from Notabir to the coast of Vernya. There aren’t even enough warriors to defend against the vanguard. The Ghallan Clans will send an army, but they are at odds with each other. Probably no more than three thousand will come. Notabir and the farmsteads don’t even have that many, maybe two thousand. The King of Tularkis, Malrik, will send an army too, but he can’t expose his lands to the Ogusi raiders in his south. I’ve heard he sent five thousand and they were marching already before I left Notabir. It’s war Hassika. What will the amazons do?”

Hassika paled. “What can we do? The tribe is only seven hundred, four hundred amazons able to fight. Since Assanka became First Daughter we’re practically at war with Notabir. What more do you know about this army from the west?”

“Just rumors, bad ones. Their leader, Emperor Dharkuntis is said to be some sort of undead, a ghost or whatever. He has ruled their nation, the Manthakin, for more than two hundred years and surrounded himself with all kind of wizards and priests of gods I never heard of. He isn’t with the vanguard though. One of his warlords is leading the advance party. Lord Jochias, a monster too after all I’ve heard. They say the Manthakin are totally fearless of enemies in front of them, because the terror behind them is far worse in any case. Only one half of his warriors are Manthakin though, the other half soldiers from nations they conquered on their way. The vanguards are all mounted and leading packs of huge war-dogs. It’s rumored they fed them the dead and wounded enemies. Jochias is said to be huge, to weigh more than a thousand pounds at least. His appetite for food is strange as well. He prefers young women they say. All rumors born of fright, but that’s what I’ve heard.”

Athea had listened as intently as all of them. She looked at her brother, rolled her eyes and sighed.

“OK, I guess it’s fair. I got my amazons and now you get a bloody war. Maybe the girls and I can find fun in it too. At least some of the rumors sound fascinating,” Athea said musing.

All stared at the crazy pixie, only Roban was grinning.

“Do you think it’s all a joke? A war is coming and thousands will die. Do you know what happens to women in a war? This isn’t something meant to entertain you!” Nirumy yelled at Athea.

“Actually it’s my brother you should scream at. I would prefer to travel to Ghota and meet their Queen. The problem is, after he heard of this, I couldn’t convince Roban to come with me. He is the only brother I have and I’m rather fond of him. What can I do?” Athea shrugged.

“Ouhm, you’re not only Roban’s sister, but also the Matassaja. What do you think we should do?” Hassika asked her, sounding hopeful to prevent having to make a decision on her own.

“Hassika, you are asking an obviously deranged child to decide the future of the tribe!” Nirumy looked horrified at Hassika.

“Hey, remember the Prophesy? I follow our Goddess’ will. Her children will decide the future of our tribe.” Hassika said, sounding just a bit mirthful. “If you would have been here the last couple of days, you wouldn’t look so horrified about it anymore. I had to get used to a lot more, some of it very personal and challenging!”

“I’ve heard about your challenges. Your brains got fucked up through your ass, or what happened?” Nirumy hissed.

“Aunty, you shouldn’t be angry at Hassika. She didn’t do anything wrong and isn’t doing so now. Maybe someone told you what happened, but you could never really understand without seeing it as we did. Look at little Menja! Can you imagine her yesterday, the incarnation of the Goddess Nyome, threatening to kill us all? I’ve seen an immortal killing mama and all her guards in seconds, and yesterday he took my virginity. You look at his sister and see a small girl. We KNOW she is the Matassaja,” Rhabina told her calmly of a reality Nirumy couldn’t fathom, but her voice didn’t leave any doubts about the truth of it.

“You should have seen me! It was so cool. My eyes shone with a golden light and little blue lightning crackles were all over me, but it didn’t tickle! And I buzzed Tikie’s mama, the mean cow,” Menja told her proudly.

“Besides, what decision do you expect from me? If an army of a hundred thousand is coming to waste Vernya, all I could tell the tribe is to run for their lives! Who should fight them? Should I tell the tribe to pack their belongings and search for a new home far away? Where should we go? North is the only possible direction, but there is nothing. The Great Wilderness, as it’s called so poetically, are wastelands and desert. The tribe couldn’t survive there. No one can pass the mountains behind the wilderness, and no one would try to. Behind the mountains is Kurgath, timeless winter and bloodthirsty Norgar clans. We can’t stay and we can’t leave. The tribe is lost, and you know it as well as I do. You think I’m happy I will be the last First Daughter after a thousand years, the one who couldn’t prevent the end of the Amazons?” Hassika asked upset.

“Sorry, you are right, all of you. There is no hope for the tribe. Vernya is lost too. I don’t even believe it will stop there. The Emperor’s army will head south for Ogus after they conquered Vernya. I doubt all the Ogusi clans united could stop them. There are rumors some of them are secretly allied with the Emperor anyways. I’m blaming you for the truth I came back to tell my sister,” Nirumy apologized in abject misery.

“Well, as Hassika pointed out correctly, I am the Matassaja. Yesterday the tribe renewed their bond with Nyome. I won’t tell you today it was all a big joke and you’re lost anyways. I didn’t know about this Emperor and his army, but it doesn’t change anything. You are under Nyome’s protection again. Seems mommy sent us here for more than one reason. Damn destiny! Why did you lead us north, Roban?” Athea asked.

Roban scratched his head thinking. “Ouhm, it was the direction I traveled searching for you. I just didn’t want to go back. The lands I came through were damn boring to travel once already.”

“I’m fine to blame destiny for the direction I did choose. Probably we should have taken a ship somewhere to leave Vernya. Anyhow, I do want to see this army! That’s just what I need after all this quarreling with women, an honest war between men!” Roban folded his arms and looked defiantly at the women around him.

Athea petted his thigh soothingly. “Just as I thought ... you see, I’ll have to go with my brother. I have to prevent the worst of what could happen; if he would be left on his own it really could become a huge mess. I’ll be the voice of reason when another surge of masculinity strikes him.”

Menja giggled, while Denyssa and Hassika snorted in perfect synchrony.

“I’ll lead an amazon guard for the Matassaja and come along to see what will happen. If all goes to shit, at least I don’t want the Goddess to blame us. We will do all we can to protect her precious blood daughter,” Hassika decided.

“I chose my future yesterday. From now on I will be at the Matassaja’s side as well,” Rhabina declared.

“Well, I still can take on the role as a virgin sacrifice; maybe another one will be needed.” Denyssa sighed longingly.

“I want to come too! It’s always so much fun around Athea and Roban. Real magic happens!” Menja added excited.

Nirumy shook her head looking dejected.

A little later only Athea and Denyssa were still at the quarters. Hassika and Nirumy left to organize the departure of the amazon guard contingent, accompanied by Menja, who wanted to say goodbye to some friends. Roban was gone too. He wanted to look for their horses and start packing their belongings.

“Am I right to assume you have no idea what to expect?” Denyssa asked

“That’s what happens if you decide to leave the destined path of your future. Would you want to go back to your family in Hithad now?” Athea asked her in return.

“No, and what good would that do anyways. As far as I understood my future wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be. I just wanted to ask if you two have any idea what will happen, maybe some godly insight about the future.”

“No, I have nothing. That would be some boring adventures if we already knew the future. If you’re worried, even without any godly insight, I suspect your virginity won’t last very much longer,” Athea told her grinning

“Actually I’m not worried about that. Virgin or not, I’ve already had more sex than I ever thought I would have. Since you’ll take your growing harem along, to wherever and whatever we are going to do, I don’t think that will change anytime soon.”

“If you’re not worried, why do you sound so resigned?” Athea asked gently.

“You and your brother maybe don’t know how it feels to be afraid. What Nirumy told us scared me Athea. I’m no powerful immortal; I’m just a human girl. When we meet this army, will fire rain from the sky and simply destroy all your enemies? What do you expect to happen?”

“I know as much about the future as you do, nothing. You are right, I am not just human as you are, but I can die too Denyssa, and I don’t want to. I know sometimes I sound like I wouldn’t care about anything, but that’s wrong. My brother died two days ago. The pain I felt was nothing I ever want to experience again. I didn’t know he would come back. But even when he did, he wasn’t Roban anymore. Nothing of what happened I knew in advance. I do care Denyssa and I’m scared to lose the people I love. I would like to run away from this Emperor and his army just as much as you probably want to do, but I can’t. Yesterday I took on responsibility for the future of this tribe of amazons. I didn’t have to, but chose to do so for my own reasons. I have to admit some of them were selfish and greedy. Now I’ve to pay a price of my own. I’m not sad or desperate about it. Because of my brother I would have to stay anyways. He can’t run away from a war; it would go against his nature. To leave my brother is against mine. I can’t do it.”

“I already thought as much.” Denyssa sighed. “You are right, I would like to run, but just like you I can’t do that. I have chosen too Athea, I put my life in your hands willingly. I still believe it will be better than it ever could be without you,” Denyssa said, finally smiling again.

Roban was packing provisions and bags full of dresses on their packhorse, when a throng of little girls led by Menja entered the stable. They were whispering excitedly among each other, looking at him in a mixture of awe and anxiety. Menja stepped at his side and took his hand.

“This is Roban, the Matassaja’s brother. A big brother is just like a big sister, but looks a bit weird. His job is to protect the Matassaja and her friends. He isn’t dangerous to us. You can even play with him, but he will probably tickle you, as he does that a lot. His favorite animals are flies, but he likes horses too as you can see,” Menja told her stunned watching friends.

“Yeah, and he tries to catch sweet treats if you throw them at him,” Roban growled.

Menja slapped his leg and looked frowning up at him. “I’m explaining to my friends that they don’t have to be afraid of you. Stop growling or I’ll have to tell the Matassaja!” Menja warned sternly, the girls looked even more flabbergasted.

“Tattletale!” Roban grumbled.

“Girls, leave please, I have to talk to Roban,” Hassika said entering the stable.

Menja and her friends left running. They were squealing and whispering even more excited now.

“Do you have some friends for me to meet as well?” Roban asked her grinning.

“No, I came here to ask for a favor. I will lead a group of three hundred amazons to escort the Matassaja. I can’t lead shit to the outhouse if you treat me like a mindless sex toy though. Could you and your sister stop doing it for a while?” Hassika asked him, sounding serious.

“Ouhm, yeah, of course we will leave you alone,” Roban replied a bit sheepishly.

“Now, I didn’t say that! Please just no public shows for now, that’s all I’m asking for. I somehow became rather fond of my forced debasement at the hands of you two,” Hassika replied grinning.

“I don’t think three hundred amazons will make any difference in view of ten thousands of warriors, but we won’t stand back and hide while others fight a war about our future,” Hassika said, sounding serious for once.

“I am just one man and plan to change the outcome of this war. Protect my sister and I will be in your debt,” Roban replied, serious as well.