This story was inspired by many different things over a period of time, chief of which was Konstricta's 5th Emily and the society story. The character just sat coiled around my brain stem picking up other odd traces until this story popped out. My plans with it may alter, but I'm considering future installments which may, how do I say it, irritate some people due to some historical and religious angles. If so, remember it's only a story everyone. :) Currently I'm looking at 3 or maybe 4 segments of 2 or 3 shorter chapters each, but who knows. I've decided to go ahead and offer the segments as I write, rather than wait, hope I don't die off or lose interest and leave you all hanging.
A creature from another time and reality is stranded on this Earth, and somehow must survive. This Story involves alternate time lines, therefore names, places, and events may alter slightly or dramatically.
Stranded in Alternate Time 1-3,
by Py, (c) 8/11/2000,
--------------------------------
Stars and Moon, the gods create,
She is cast down, left among mortals,
To her will, kings will bow,
To her might, all will perish,
Gifts from afar, to sooth her wrath,
Gold and slaves, the mighty and the beauty,
Swift is her justice, and her vengeance,
Loyal are her guards, who protect her faces,
Song of Kleopatra,
(Translation from Egyptian,
Ernest Grub P.H.D. Westerton, (2087 AD)
1. Kendraha was a queen now, not of the entire country, but on this one little section in the Southern part of the country she now knew as Egypt. It had taken some time after arriving in this branch of the temporal stream, establishing herself as an ordinary citizen, making sure she had her language skills correct, while probing the minds of people she passed for knowledge, news, and behavioral patterns of the day. Nobody would know, nor would anyone be harmed by her mental probes, an most importantly she removed or altered a few memories so that no one would remember her in particular, she'd be just another face in the crowd. As long as she kept quiet she wouldn't need to do any major mental work that might draw further attention.
Kendraha had been sent here by the Academy to study this alternate past time line, her mental powers were formidable, and she was one of those with talent at minor appearance shifting beyond the normal 3 phases for her people and occasional cosmetic purposes, plus she liked the job, so her superiors loved to send her on the oddest assignments. This was another strange one, not a single early member of her own species the Humalli around, only the precursors of the slave race which called itself Human. In her world and time they had no detectable mental power at all, bred in huge numbers, and without the Humalli to control them they warred constantly. Here in this time line she had to admire them a little though, they seemed to have done quite well technologically speaking. At this time they still worked largely in stone, using bronze tools, but so had her people at the same historical period in her own time line.
Kendraha wasn't concerned about changing her time line and destroying her own present. In her early days at the Academy she had, until it had all been explained to her. You couldn't change your own past, because you can't enter your own past time line, it was impossible and undesirable anyway as you could create all sorts of paradoxes. In the same way that the future changes with each decision, making myriad alternate futures, there were also just as many alternate pasts leading to the same point in the present. Likewise there were alternate past and future time lines which had no bearing at all on the present she knew. That's where her expertise was, and that's why she was in this time line where her people either never existed, died off, or were hiding out there somewhere. Her job was to find out, but she had never expected to be cut-off from her own present time. That changed things in her opinion rather dramatically.
Normally they tried to keep things undisturbed in other past time lines by going unnoticed, mainly to aid future examinations if comparisons were required later, but survival alone was her main concern now. She reasoned that since paradox was impossible in this time line, she would do whatever she had to do in order to survive. She might live for another 10000 years, and had no desire to remain quiet and unseen for all that time, especially considering hiding out and being unnoticed could increase her level of danger, as well as limit the likelihood of being found and rescued. She planned to do whatever turned out to be the best to survive, and didn't care what impact this had on the time line in this insignificant branch of the temporal tree.
There had been unease among the slaves in her present, rumors that a revolt was in the making, that the slave race had hoarded stolen weaponry, and would rise up and overwhelm her people. The Humalli had let the slave race grow into huge populations to guarantee a constant supply of them, allowing them to organize as long as they remained in there place, and now apparently the revolt had occurred. Her retrieval bracelet had gone dead on her second day, that alone was enough to tell her the truth. She guessed that the Academy had been attacked, equipment smashed, her race probably destroyed, and possibly her Earth shattered beyond repair. Still she held out hope that the Humalli would prevail, and eventually reestablish her link, if they could ever find her and the handful of others in the virtually infinite number of time lines.
She found a place to live, a hovel on the edge of town that creaked in the wind. It belonged to a man who had gone away on a trading mission to another country for at least a year on Kendraha's mental suggestion. None of the neighbors would complain, and none would remember her face later. Food was tricky, she could eat the normal food of humans, but as at home the cravings grew each day without hunting. Still, she had been trained in how to deal with such a situation in survival class, so she sought out incidents of mental distress or other high emotional moments of the humans, which wasn't hard to do as the humans were such emotional creatures normally. The emotional feedings on fear, hate, love, etc., left her victims mildly tired, but not so bad that anyone should notice any patterns. However, the emotional feedings weren't enough in themselves, and after 4 months of eating human food and feeding off emotions, Kendraha thought she'd go insane from the constant nagging hunger for something more substantial. Yet she continued to control herself, knowing that a disappearance of anyone here in this city now could give her away.
Transformations were also a problem, Kendraha couldn't maintain her human form constantly, so she reverted at night, after barring and barricading the doors and window. She had chosen a good and sturdy place intentionally for this reason, but only wished that the merchant who owned the place had been a little richer. She slept lightly, usually in her hunter form for a faster return to human shape, but sometimes in her normal feeding form. She always remained ready to convert to her fully human form at the first disturbance, hoping that the barricades would hold the brief time she needed to become human in appearance again. Fortunately for her, she suffered several false alarms, but nobody ever tried to break in.
By the 7th month Kendraha was ready to make her move. One early evening after the last meal of the day and while there still was some light, she walked out of her little hovel. Kendraha went to a secluded spot, and altered herself slightly, just temporarily so that if she slipped no one would make the connection. She made her skin tone slightly darker, changed facial features a bit, and shortened her dark hair. She had chosen a nice but average woman's tunic to wear, which she had bought with money she had stolen, and was sure that she looked quite unremarkable to anyone who might see her. Done with that she marched out and towards the palace, where she touched the minds of guards and those she met, convincing them that she was just a slave, that they knew her, and that there was no need to stop her. Later they would forget her even having passed them.
Kendraha found the head servant, an older woman who was currently making sure that all the other servants were doing their chores. Kendraha clouded the woman's mind slightly, making her believe she was talking to the Queen, "I do not want to be disturbed for the rest of the night, nor do I wish to be disturbed tomorrow! I will call for someone when I am ready to grant an audience! This includes servants, I want no disturbances!" The woman nodded, "As you wish, I will inform the staff, but you will have to inform the guards." "I will." Kendraha said, then left the room. She repeated the performance for the head of the guards after getting him alone, and both he and the head of servants thought that the Queen was probably planning to sneak out for a lover's rendezvous, as sneaking someone in without anyone noticing would be impossible. The head guard was in addition to his orders advising his men of this, and assigning 2 men to follow her quietly and keep her safe if she did leave.
Kendraha checked visually and mentally for anyone close by, then silently slipped into the Queen's room. It was a huge place, with a large straw filled mattress, marble columns, plants, and a large open balcony. She knew that the approach to the balcony wasn't easy, she had considered that option, but it was always guarded, making this approach simpler and easier. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" the young Queen Kleopatra said sternly. "I do not recognize you, are you a new servant?" The Queen reached into the folds of her skirt, withdrawing a dagger, "Only the most trusted may enter my chambers!" She moved to call for a servant to deal with the situation, and Kendraha struck her with mental force, "You don't need to call for help, you know me, I'm completely trustworthy. Now, put the dagger down." The Queen's eyes became somewhat unfocused, and she dropped the dagger, "I know you and trust you."
Kendraha approached the Queen while maintaining a friendly smile and her mental control. She picked up the dagger and moved it out of the way, then began undressing, "I don't need to undress, but it's easier this way." Kleopatra simply stood there, unable to move much except to watch Kendraha. "Your turn." Kendraha said musically. The Queen began to remove her garments, her movements slowing each moment. "My, your fighting this well!" Kendraha said in a mocking tone, but with some slight admiration. In her human form her mental gifts were almost as powerful as in her hunter form, and this woman was fighting her, futilely but more than any human from her own Earth. She wondered if in her Feeding form, the one that was mentally the weakest, if humans of this Earth could resist her. She wasn't concerned though as usually it was far too late for escape by the time she adopted that form, either the victim was dead or almost dead and beyond struggling or screaming.
Kendraha took Kleopatra's hand, and led her to the far side of the room, feeling the Queen struggling to control her own movements, "You are strong for a human, but you should have figured out by now that you can't resist me." On a large patch of rug she had the Queen kneel down facing her, then she did likewise. First Kendraha altered her form slightly, becoming the same light brown as the Queen, altering her facial features, growing long black hair, until they looked very similar. She could feel the rush of amazement in Kleopatra as she did this. Then Kendraha's lower half began changing it's surface, growing harder and altering to a mottled green and black scaly skin, totally replacing the old skin, as the legs merged and elongated. Kendraha knew that in human form she was heavier than a human of the same size, which was necessary for this transformation. Her emerging tail was about 3 human body lengths long, and started at the base of her ribcage, it took most of her human shape mass to take on the hunter form.
Kendraha sensed that the mind of Kleopatra had shifted from amazement to fear, and even though her mental controls were just as good in this form, the Queen was talking. It was a murmured cry for help to her guards, barely above a whisper, but it alarmed Kendraha a little. This woman was too strong, and Kendraha decided that the sooner she got this started the better.
Kendraha brought her tail around, quickly encircling the Queen's chest and midsection in her coils, trapping the arms in the process. The Queen made some guttural sounds as she tried to call for help, and Kendraha felt the terror building. She drank-in the fear of Kleopatra, all the emotions up to now had been lacking in something she needed, but the terror was glorious to her. Kendraha rippled the muscles of her coils slowly as she constricted the Queen, getting her body into a reclined position on the rug, and an additional coil around her thighs to help with control. She prolonged the attack on Queen Kleopatra, enjoying the taste of terror which grew along with the realization of her helplessness as no one appeared to aid her. Kendraha hadn't done this in so long, she couldn't help prolonging every bit, even those bits that did not bring her much nourishment.
After a good deal of time had passed, Kendraha occasionally relaxing her coils a little to give Kleopatra hope and some renewed strength before resuming the constriction, the kicking and struggling was feeble. Kendraha could feel the lungs straining for air as they pushed against her coil encircling them, the heart frantically beating inside the Queen's chest, the terror slowly disappearing as weakness claimed her. Kendraha had even stopped her mental controls some time earlier, the Queen was so weak it didn't matter anymore. Finally Kleopatra just lay there with her mouth wide open, her legs barely twitching, the trapped arms lay still as the chest continued to work in an attempt to take in what little air it could. The terror had faded to almost nothing, replaced by weakness, resignation, and sorrow. These didn't feed her much, so Kendraha knew it was time to end things. She bent her human half low over the Queen, "I must finish you now Queen Kleopatra, then we'll see what comes next." Instead of the final burst of fear she was hoping for, Kendraha was hit with a wave of peace, and thoughts of the strange gods these people believed in." That fed her less than the other emotions had, so she clucked her tongue in disappointment and rippled the muscles in her tail.
Kleopatra twitched and gasped with her mouth wide, but no air entered her lungs. The legs even moved a little, one hand pushing on a lower coil uselessly, then reaching out as if to grab something invisible. Then abruptly the Queen's body relaxed fully as consciousness fled her, and after a brief period and another squeeze, Kendraha felt the life force leaving the body. She drained the life force directly as it was released, sensing some part of it escaping as it always did. The life force nourished her better than the terror had, but having gone so long without it just made her want more. There was no more here, and with a sigh Kendraha made the last transformation, becoming the fully serpent form, which proceeded to open it's jaws at the head of Kleopatra, and began the slow process of swallowing her body. When Kendraha in feeding form had worked the last of the Queen through her serpent's jaws and sufficiently past her mouth, she went through the usual realignment of her disconnected serpent jaws, while moving her last meal further down her length to her stomach. After both of these chores were done she curled up on the rug, glad that she didn't need to be in the sunlight to digest as with other reptiles, and glad it would only take about a day to digest her meal enough to transform back to human form. Kendraha was vulnerable to attack now, her mental abilities weakest in this form, she didn't like that. She preferred it back home where all the Humalli were guarded and protected by other Humalli, and humans under strict mental control, while the digestion of unwanted or undesirable slaves was going on. She tried to stop thinking of this, her life would forever be different now, and longing for what was gone would do no good. Tiredness crept up on her as it always did while digesting, and before she slept she couldn't help remembering home again, and all that had been left behind.
--------------------------------
2. After adopting the identity of Queen Kleopatra, Kendraha had pronounced that she had been given a dream from the gods, and had been told to try new ways of ruling. The first new idea was to build a personal guard, they would be a force of women who would take full charge of protecting the palace and her at all times. They were to be called the Amazonian guard. Also she announced the revelation of a new Goddess, her name being Kendraha, and Kleopatra would worship this God above all others now. Secretly she hoped any rescue party searching the time lines for her would notice the name and be able to find her as a result, but every year without rescue made this seem more unlikely. She had time to wait, but the nature of her occasional feedings made discovery by the humans possible at almost any time. She had learned that her very first night when a servant had entered her room in the morning while she was digesting the former Queen. She couldn't have defended herself, but with an effort she managed to cloak the situation with her mind. The servant saw an illusion of the Queen sleeping in the large bed, and on the rug saw nothing at all out of the ordinary. The woman who was the head servant rushed in and quietly ushered the girl out, and Kendraha had sensed them retreating from the door, both relieved that the Queen had not wakened. Kendraha was tired from the brief mental exercise on 2 minds, difficult in this form and while digesting, and she was simply glad they had left quickly and not walked on the rug.
Kendraha ruled Egypt harshly, trying to treat her subjects more in keeping with human norms in this time line, but also dealing with a growing hatred for the beings, which seemed to grow all the worse after each time she had to kill and eat. Feeding off of emotions helped delay it, but being Queen isolated her from most heavy emotions, the best she could get was emotions gathered while solving squabbles among the humans, and occasional times when emotions ran hot in the palace. Still every 2 or 3 months she had to supplement her emotional and human food diets with a slave or criminal. She had become quite good at it, involving as few people as possible to bring someone to her in restraints. Then having all those involved with her as she erased all memory of the incident from their minds before having them leave. Finally she would release the prisoner from the restraints while holding him or her in a mental grip, then feeding as she had with the Queen. Her servants had grown used to her periods of isolation for dreaming, and the few who occasionally inquired about missing people eventually got to see the Queen, where they had there minds adjusted.
The Amazonian guards were working out well, with training they became great fighters, and with cautious manipulation of the mind, certain chemical and hormonal changes could be caused to make them as strong or stronger than the male soldiers. Further mental tampering guaranteed their complete loyalty, also making them vicious fighters who would continue fighting while in pain or even with some mortal wounds. Even the male human soldiers were intimidated by her large guard of Amazons, and Kendraha felt almost as safe as in her own time and place. Her guards came in all sizes, and she wasn't afraid to throw in an occasional foreigner. They all were beautiful and physically fit, those were prime requirements for Kendraha to even consider adding someone. The reason for an all female guard was simply psychological. The most likely direction for trouble to come from was from men on this Earth, and the most difficult person for a man to harm was a woman, especially those who were attractive, not to mention the effect to their morale after being defeated by a group of what they considered to be the weaker gender. Some wouldn't try to harm her due to the female guards, others might but would be at a disadvantage due to subconsciously not wishing to harm women. Many wouldn't care though, these were rough times, but in that case they would meet a force of strong, ruthless, and devoted women who were as good if not better guards than the previous Kings and Queens had kept.
Kendraha stood on a balcony of the palace overlooking the small arena where some of her personal guards exercised. She did a quick mental scan over everyone as she normally did when entering an area with other people in it, finding no signs of obvious treachery in there surface thoughts, nothing but excitement about today's games. The games were an ongoing event, it helped to keep her Amazonian guards at their best through competition, and each day a handful of those off duty would compete. There was a ranking system, and usually after a bit more than half a year depending on the number of guards and events, the top 10 were picked and put in a 3 day competition for the title of First Amazon. It was an honor to be in the top 10, but even more to be the first Amazon. The competition was always fierce, and Kendraha loved to watch and soak up the emotions. They never injured each other though, except through accidents which occurred from time to time. Frequently guards received minor injuries such as being knocked unconscious, small wounds from sword fighting, bumps and bruising, or other similar injuries. Slightly more serious injuries such as broken legs or arms were rarer, never had they been in great enough numbers to be of concern to the Queen. Kendraha could tell immediately if someone had intentionally done harm, and a few times when she had thought that during the wrestling one Amazonian would kill the other, they always brought their emotions under control at the last minute, so a death during the games hadn't happened yet. At a word from one of the guards attending her, the arena stopped and turned to their Queen. Raising both arms, they made fists as they crossed their wrists above their heads. Each woman shouted in unison a short phrase which meant 'It is a glory to die for our queen!" She waved acknowledgement, and they dropped there arms to their hips with a loud slapping sound.
The Matches went well today, little in heavy emotions occurred, and several records were broken. The injured Amazonian Tannar who used to be an Amazonian guard, but now walked with a limp and instead trained guards instead, was keeping the scores on some papyrus. The wrestling was going on now, a variation on the usual sport where the competitors won either by making an opponent unconscious, gaining a submission, or most commonly by 3 times sustaining a submission hold for a count of ten. Most of the competitions were held in normal guard's clothing minus the usual leather worn normally, and without the war armor worn for special occasions or on armed duties such as patrol or guarding. Armor was never worn during the games, leather occasionally, and during wrestling most Amazons competed in the nude to keep the opponent from grabbing onto their clothes. Currently the number one competitor Hamilla, a tall dark haired woman with light brown skin, wrestled nude against a tall blonde foreigner named Alexia. The blondes inexperience showed, her moves were unsure, and she had chosen to retain her tunic for the match. Hamilla was taking full advantage of the inexperience of her opponent, and using the clothes to grab onto. However, at several points Alexia got in some very impressive attacks, once getting a submission hold on Hamilla for the 10 count, foiling several fierce counter attacks, each time to the cheers of the other Amazonians present.
Hamilla became enraged, and attacked with a fierce yell and little skill to back her greater size. The two went down, Hamilla wrestling wildly with Alexia on the ground, eventually getting behind the blonde Amazonian, wrapping Alexia's legs with her own, encircling Alexia's neck with her forearm. Hamilla held her opponent, squeezing with her forearm to knock her out by cutting off her air, alternately fighting off the clutching hands of Alexia with her free arm, and adding extra squeezing pressure with it. Alexia tried desperately to breathe and to break the hold with her hands, while Kendraha sat feeding on the rage of Hamilla. Abruptly Alexia stopped moving, her arms falling to the ground as if someone had cut the strings of a puppet. Kendraha stood, "Halt!" she commanded. Hamilla immediately released her hold, rolling off Alexia and moving away. Tannar and another woman went to the motionless form, while other Amazons clumped and muttered. A few moments later Tannar stood, "My Queen, the Amazon Alexia is dead. Her neck was broken." Kendraha didn't need this confirmation, she had felt the sudden death and the lose of life force. She paused, "Seize the Amazon Hamilla and confine her, I will decide her fate tomorrow." As she left Kendraha heard the beginning of the keening chant the Amazonians ritually did for their dead.
The following day Kendraha wasn't very busy, a man was dragged before her after having been caught stealing from soldiers, so she sent him to be executed. Another was a foreigner from a distant neighboring country who had been the sole survivor of a shipwreck. She disliked this small country, so had the man staked out on the palace roof, where she could feed on his fear and other emotions while he died. She would have liked to feed on his physical form and life force, but it wasn't near time yet. She also had considered the punishment of Hamilla, thinking that feeding on her would be a safe thing as she had no family, and considering the situation her disappearance would seem normal. However, Kendraha had long ago decided never to feed on the physical form of a palace servant or a soldier, there might be too many questions. Her own Amazonians might prove to be physically a problem as well considering their fighting ability and the long term mental changes she had made in them, so she decided as always to avoid the possibility.
There were several visitors from foreign countries today, then she had to see to some details of law and government. She hated paperwork, when Kendraha had joined the Time Core she had thought there would be none, and found more than ever. Now here there was less, but still too much in her opinion. Fortunately the actual writing was done by a scribe, an older small man of no physical danger in Kendraha's opinion. She had the man teaching the writing skills to a number of smaller Amazonians these days, using sand for practice work. She had kept such Amazonian scribes before, and preferred it that way when she could, but so few had the writing skill these days, and her Amazonian scribes had to keep up their training and patrolling, which on occasion could get them killed.
Hamilla was brought before her in the main throne room, proudly walking with a simple tunic and no weapons of any kind, followed by 2 fully armed and armored Amazonians. Several others in tunics and leather lined the room as usual, and the scribe sat to one side with his papers ready to record. Hamilla stopped her advance and knelt down on the large carpet about 2 man lengths from the Queens thrown, where she bowed and remained that way. Tannar came forward, "Queen Kleopatra, this Amazonian has killed a sister in the arena during the games." The retelling of the incident went on, with Tannar offering the bare facts, and Hamilla eventually pleading her own case, and refusing to accept responsibility. Kendraha thought a while, she knew that Hamilla had been so enraged by Alexia's surprisingly good performance that she had accidentally killed her, but she couldn't tell them how she knew. A few knew some odd facts about their queen, but none knew she could sense emotions or thoughts, never mind feed on them. Kendraha waited until a few murmurs began, "Hamilla." The woman raised her head at the call of her name, and Kendraha continued, "This is the first time any Amazon has died in the arena. Twice before you have shown a lack of restraint, causing serious injury to Tannar, forever removing her out of the ranks of the Amazonian guard. Now one has died," She raised her chin slightly, "What do you think I should do with you?" Hamilla waited, then realized that the Queen really wanted an answer, "Removal from the ranks of the Amazonian guard and expulsion forever from the country, if not death." she finally said.
Kendraha smiled, "You are intelligent, it is a shame to lose you." She stood, "Lower your head and remain kneeling there." then she called a guard over. She whispered to the guard who saluted and left, then returned a short time later with the thief who had been condemned that morning. Kendraha resumed her seat, "Your name is Arrasness, is it not?" she asked, and he admitted. He was surprised that the Amazonian had brought him here rather than to a place of execution. The Queen nodded, "Would you like a chance to earn back your life?" He smiled nervously, "Yes my Queen!" Kendraha pointed to Hamilla, "That woman there, kill her for me." He hesitated as the crowd murmured and he looked at the Amazon on her knees. He then resolved himself, stepped to another Amazon, and held out a hand. She looked at Kendraha who nodded her approval, so the Amazon gave him a dagger. He cautiously approached Hamilla expecting attack, then grabbing her hair he pulled her head back and cut her throat.
He watched Hamilla struggle briefly as blood spilled from her wound, then she was motionless. He dropped the dagger with a clang on the marble floor. Kendraha spoke into the silence, "You are free to leave, your life is returned to you." The man quickly left and the Queen stood, Roll her body in the carpet and dispose of it, then bring in a fresh carpet." She saw the scribe busily writing everything down as she left, followed by Tannar limping slightly in pursuit and the sound of Amazons chanting again.
"Did you have to kill her your highness?" Tannar said once they were alone in the hallway. Kendraha nodded, "I had no choice, for the safety of other Amazon guards, and as punishment." "It was an accident!" Tannar insisted. "It may have been unintentional." Kendraha said. "But she had a rage, she didn't control it, and that is why she killed." Tannar sighed, "You speak of things you cannot know, how another feels, it is unsettling." Kendraha laughed, "I speak only of what everyone knows, Hamilla had a problem controlling her rage." The queen entered her room and with a wave of her hand Tannar followed closing the door behind them. "Highness." Tannar continued. "Strange things are about you, the people talk." "What of?" Kendraha asked. "She knew she could read it directly from Tannar's mind, but forced herself to talk as others did to seem human. Tannar looked around a bit as if checking for spies, "Rumors are that there's something odd about you. Perhaps you've made a deal with the dark forces. You ascended the throne at 14, and at age 16 had your first revelation, and since then your reign has been,..." she searched for a word until Kendraha prodded her, "Brutal, your highness."
Kendraha smiled slightly, "Yes, I suppose I am that, but it works. My kingdom is the most powerful around. None can stand against me, no assassin can get past my guard. The Amazonian guard tests my food and checks all visitors. I receive gifts from other nations trying to keep my soldiers from invading. All goes well, why must you worry so Tannar?!" The Amazonian makes a hand motion towards a chair, and the Queen makes one in response telling her to sit and rest her leg, "I worry because the countries forces are stretched, and the rumors I spoke of suggest you could be in danger." Kendraha had gone onto her balcony, and now turned to face Tannar, "Danger, from where?" Tannar pointed and swept around with her arm, "From all around you. The people have not taken kindly to your reign. They could turn against you and there are more than enough able bodied people to overwhelm the few hundred Amazonian guards.
Tannar rubbed her leg, "Highness, if I may be so bold." "Please do." said the Queen. "Highness, we've had other brutal leaders in Egypt, we survived them." Tannar said as Kendraha's eyes narrowed. "However, each of those died, either of natural causes or by assassination within the first 20 years. You have ruled for much longer, so naturally all of the guards who have studied history are concerned." Kendraha's face softened as Tannar continued, "After 20 years you were still alive, this is amazing in itself, and the people rejoiced, as regardless of the harshness of your government, it is fair. After 30 years the rumors became more widespread, speculation as to how you manage to stay in power,and why you still looked far too young for your age. Once a servant barged into your chambers while you were bathing in the sunken part of the floor, and she came screaming out talking about a huge snake in the bath, and you being nowhere to be seen. The guards found only you, but the servant had fled the building and the rumor grew from there." Kendraha remembered all too well, she hadn't been able to stop the servant from leaving, it had happened too fast and the feeding form had been too week to stop her at the distance between them once she had been able to react. Tannar continued, "Now you've been Queen for over 40 years, and you still look like a 20 year old. People are more sure every day that your in league with the dark forces. Some even suggest your not even the real Queen Kleopatra, but a demon of some sort who killed her and has taken her place."
Kendraha laughed, "Is that it, rumors and wild speculation with no basis in fact?" she said with a grin. Tannar frowned, "Some people have asked about the missing people we've informed you of on occasion, all prisoners and such. We explain them away as what obviously occurred, they escaped, or were released, then as former prisoners or not they left the area and were killed by thieves, or else disappeared to other countries." Kendraha looked stern, "Tannar, your my most trusted servant, what aren't you saying?!" Tannar sighed heavily, "They didn't escape, and weren't released, we'd have a record of those who had been in prison. Certainly a few could be misplaced, but not over 100 records covering more than 40 years." Walking towards her Kendraha smiled, then sat on the edge of her bed, "What do you think happened to them?" Tannar shook her head, "I don't know Highness, I just know what didn't happen to them, what really did is a mystery, it's almost like,..." "The Earth swallowed them up." Kendraha said with a sly grin. Tannar thought for a moment, "Yes, like they just vanished from the face of the Earth, we must try to figure out what happened, it could ease the tension somewhat." Kendraha waved, "Yes, look into it Tannar, but don't waste too much time on dead men." "Nearly half were women Highness." Tannar corrected. Kendraha stood and walked back towards the balcony, "Whatever Tannar, see to it."
Tannar began leaving then turned back, "Highness, there is one other thing." Kendraha sighed, "Speak." "Highness." Tannar began. "I swear I've seen a snake in your chambers also, when the guards and I returned to look into that servants claim. I was first at the door, and I swear I saw you in the sunken bath covered with water, a green and black serpents tail sticking out of the other end. It shrank away in moments, and you seemed unaware, I assumed the servants hysteria had gotten to me. The Queen smiled and walked towards her, "I'm sure it did. Kendraha tried to alter Tannar's memory of that day, but it was far too old a memory to change without causing damage, and Tannar's thoughts indicated she didn't believe it was real, so Kendraha left it the way it was. When Tannar had left, Kendraha picked up a vase and through it against the wall, "Damn, damn, damn, now my best friend has doubts, and there's danger all around me. I've got Amazons killing each other, and unease among the people. Maybe it's time to recall an army to hold the city during these troubled times, or would that make things worse."
--------------------------------
3. Kendraha did recall an army the next day, but it would take nearly a total of a week for it to arrive, allowing time for the messenger to reach the nearest one. In the meantime she had the Amazons work harder to secure the palace, moved some of the city soldiers closer, and tried to act as if all was normal. Two days later she was preparing for bed, feeling calmer each day about the situation. She had spent all the previous evening trying various ways to look older, adding a few lines here and there, or a grey hair or two, planning to introduce these changes rather quickly but not too abruptly, perhaps over the course of a few years. She went to bed after returning to her youthful Kleopatra form, cursing herself for not having considered such a basic thing as aging. "These humans live such a short life though, and my people live so long aging isn't a factor for thousands of years, and only then do we cover it up with body shifting. At the Time Core we didn't discuss aging ourselves, we never planned to be around long enough to need it." She sighed, "I suppose I'll have to get hold of a man, pretend to get pregnant by him, steal a newborn female child at the proper time, change lots of minds to cover the deception, and all just so I can have an heir. When she's a teen I'll have to dispose of her and assume her role, so much effort for such a small reason as aging."
Kendraha slept poorly that night, and woke to the sounds of yelling in the streets and the clanking of metal on metal. Early dawn light came in through the window, but she abruptly realized she could see a fire a short distance from the palace. She ran to the balcony, and looked to the street off to one side. Kendraha saw the unmistakable sight of her Amazonian guard fighting a mob of local citizens, who were being led by 2 of her own soldiers that she could see.
Kendraha saw one Amazon go down, but still fighting briefly as a soldier thrust his sword through her body, then she ducked as the other soldier saw her and threw his spear, missing her by very little. Tannar and 2 other Amazons all in full battle gear came into the room without waiting for permission, "Highness!!" Tannar yelled as she saw the Queen crouched on the balcony. Kendraha moved away from the window and stood, "We must get you out of here, the entire city has turned out against you, the Amazonians and the soldiers could probably handle that, but the soldiers also have turned." Tannar explained. "I know." Kendraha replied. "I saw them, are you sure it's all of them?" "Yes my Queen." Tannar said mournfully. "Come, we can sneak you out the back. After the army arrives and brings order, we can restore you to the palace."
The rear entrance was under attack also, and further checking revealed the same on all sides. "We are surrounded Highness! We can only sit and wait for an opening." said Tannar. "Not so!" said Kendraha. "Get me to the horse stables and we can get out of here." Tannar looked shocked, "How,...?" "Just do it!" Kendraha commanded. Kendraha and her 3 Amazonians rushed for the door leading to the stables, only now did she remember that she was wearing her night clothes and carrying no weapon. At the stables they found further fighting, most of which was outside, but some inside. Amazonians, citizens, and soldiers fought, and her 3 Amazon escorts joined in fighting any attacker who came close to her. Kendraha had reserved her mental power, it wasn't endless, and concentrating on more than one in such chaos was almost impossible. Likewise causing more than a momentary effect was too difficult under these conditions, but having saved her power she released it now. Soldiers hesitated just long enough for an Amazon to easily finish, citizens fell causing difficulty for others, whatever Kendraha could manage while preparing a horse and avoiding danger.
She finally mounted the horse, looking ahead for a safe passage out, still trying to conserve some mental power for the ride ahead. She saw Tannar fighting fiercely, seemingly enjoying being a fighting Amazon again even with her stiff leg. Tannar was standing between her and several attackers, and while Kendraha watched she saw 2 citizens and one soldier go down to her sword. Kendraha was trying to keep attackers from getting too close by effecting their senses in various ways, allowing them to be more easily cut down by her defenders, when a determined man got too close, and a terrible pain went through her arm and leg. Kendraha fell off her horse which moved away a short distance, and she became aware of the man standing over her, about to thrust his sword into her body for the killing blow.
She didn't have time to even think about striking at him, a blade emerged from his stomach, then pulled back. The man who had tried to kill her clutched at his bloody stomach as he fell over dead, and Kendraha saw Tannar directly behind him, holding the sword she had used to kill him, a huge smile of satisfaction on her face. The smile immediately changed to pain as a sword swung to cut deeply into the right side of Tannar. As Tannar fell, Kendraha felt a sudden rage of her own. She screamed, her entire mental power focused on the soldier who had struck Tannar down. He collapsed, his body spasming and blood running from nose and ears. Several citizens, two other soldiers, and one Amazon fell unconscious from the powerful and slightly unfocused attack, and they became easy targets for those around them.
Kendraha managed to get to her feet, and with fewer attackers now she was able to call on one of the fighting Amazons to throw Tannar across the back of the horse, then help her climb on behind her. This Amazon stayed with her and the horse as they left the stable, ultimately leaving to fend off an attack. From then on Kendraha simply rode as far and as fast as she could, keeping the straightest line she could manage. Her mental powers were virtually gone due to the sudden burst she had used, but fortunately for her there was little to hamper her retreat, and no one apparently in pursuit. She kept low, crouching over Tannar's still form, expecting an arrow in the back at any moment, or some hoard of humans to rise up in front of her.
She reached the outskirts of the city, passed through the countryside, and eventually disappeared into some thin woods when her horse grew too tired to run further. Getting down she eased Tannar to the ground, noting to her surprise that she was still alive, but not for too much longer. "You are safe?" muttered Tannar. "Yes, I'm safely out of the city." Kendraha replied. Tannar smiled, "It is good my Queen, now I can die in peace." Tannar hesitated, "You will need weapons, and some clothes. Use mine, the weapons are good and the clothes are only slightly damaged." Kendraha tried to quiet her, "I will, be calm now, save your strength. Here you are bleeding to death and still thinking about taking care of me!" "I am an Amazon my Queen." Tannar said hoarsely. "You are, and probably my best one!" Kendraha murmured "Thank you." Tannar said with a cough. "But many others deserve that honor as well." When the horse was rested Tannar insisted that she move on, so Kendraha ignored the healing pain of her own wounds, hoisted Tannar over the back of the beast, and slowly walked the horse down the dirt road. By nightfall they stopped in a hidden clearing off the road, where Tannar died in her arms. Then Kendraha sang the Amazonian death chant for Tanner.
A few days later the army arrived, and it retook the city from the rebellious forces. The news was that the entire Amazonian guard had been slaughtered, along with non-Amazonian palace staff, except for the palace scribe. No one found the body of either the Queen nor Tannar, and there was hope held for their survival for some time, but witnesses said that both had ridden off, Tannar and the Queen both badly wounded. Some doubted their deaths, but with no bodies and no return since the cities recapture, it seemed likely that they had either fled and died, or been killed and hidden or dismembered beyond recognition. After a week the whispers began, and after a month of being temporary leader, the army's Commander proclaimed himself the permanent leader unless Queen Kleopatra returned. Within months other armies returned and the capital city of the nation was fought over, the kingship of Egypt changing hands several times.
Kendraha watched from various places within a day or two's ride from the city. She stayed at various Inns, reading the minds of people passing through, learning the fate of her disintegrating kingdom. The death of her entire Amazonian guard hurt the most, although she had heard rumors that after she had been safely away, many had chosen flight over death. She liked that thought, they fought to the death to protect her, but once she was safe beyond any immediate danger, they reverted to their own instincts and at least in some cases chose life. She hoped it was true, some of her Amazons had gotten closer to her than she had thought possible for a human. She vaguely wondered if they could survive, if they could reintegrate into normal society, and what would happen if they had children. Certainly nothing she had changed was done on the genetic level, she hadn't the power or experience, but how would children raised by fierce fighting women grow up. Would they follow in their mother's footsteps, or be ashamed, or would it depend on the child's gender.
She knew if any of her old Amazonian guards survived and saw her, they would immediately drop everything to protect her, unless the mental bonds had been given enough time to break down partly or entirely. Seeing one of them wasn't likely to happen, but she had immediately begun work changing her looks, Kendraha did not want attention brought to her, not right now at least. The biggest change she could make was to hair, so she turned her hair red, then eyes blue, and was satisfied that this would be enough to protect her identity from anyone who knew Queen Kleopatra. Her wounds healed quickly thanks to her advanced biology, within days she was fully healed, and the scars were simple to get rid of by morphing her own body slightly. Getting new clothes to replace the Amazonian ones she had taken from Tannar's body wasn't hard, her mental ability made stealing money simple, or she could steal clothes directly if their weren't a lot of people in the area at the time. The dagger she kept, but the sword she traded at the first opportunity because it had Amazonian guard markings on it. The dealer had traded a sword with equal quality and thrown in a nice belt and sheath, but she knew he had gotten the better of the deal because of a gem buried in the hilt of Tannar's sword. She hadn't wanted to take the time to dig the gem out and then barter the sword, and with her thieving ability she didn't need to. The thoughts of the trader had revealed that he believed she had robbed the bodies of dead Amazons, and wanted to get rid of the stuff quickly, and she smiled thinking he was half right.
She waited almost a year living in an Inn using stolen money, letting people believe what they wanted about her. There was plenty of emotion around, soldiers came in and either got drunk letting emotions run wild, or just made people so nervous or sometimes frightened. When she had to have more substantial food, she would go elsewhere, alter her appearance for the evening enough to guarantee no one would suspect her, then would find someone alone and usually drunk. Then under her mental control they would travel by horse to a very remote place, usually her victim's horse but sometimes stolen from someone else, where she would usually release the horse and take her victim deep into a cave or other difficult to reach place. There she would convert to the half snake hunter form to crush the life out of him or her. as slowly as possible, draining every last bit of nourishment from the emotions before feeding on the released life force, then she would convert to the full serpent feeding form to consume the body. A day later she would return to the Inn on foot or by borrowed horse, people would talk about her disappearance, and she would let them believe what they would about her.
When she moved on, she said nothing to the Inn keeper, paying for her room for several days in advance, to promote the idea that her leaving was unexpected. She took little with her, hiding her sword in her garments, knowing she could get whatever she needed whenever she needed it. The first large thing she needed was a horse, and she had stolen money from those passing through in preparation for this, and now used her mental ability to get an excellent price on a reasonable horse. Once well beyond the city that had once been a final stop for travelers preparing to enter her kingdom's capitol, she brought out the sword, and strapped it across her right shoulder and left hip the way Tannar had when she had worn it. Kendraha knew she must look silly, with no armor or other protection, just a traveler's tunic with this sword on her back, dagger on her thigh hidden by skirts, fiery red hair, and more importantly she was a woman traveling alone. She reminded herself to keep alert, and if anyone took any serious note of her she would use her mental ability to discourage those thoughts. She smirked at the thought of her old instructor and what they would think of her. Low key and unintrusive she was not, survival had made her into exactly what the Time Core didn't want agents to become, part of the alternate history rather than just an observer.
To be continued
--------------------------------
By Py