Amber smiles-- careful to keep her dream of one day being a normal, happy family back in that locked closet she created many years ago in her mind-- and then steps forward, puts her arms around Markova's waist from behind, kisses the side of his neck, and then rests her head on his shoulder. "It went very well, love-- much better than expected. She's not mad at me anymore, an' she's glad that I'm with ye since we're...so happy together," she finishes, still shy about using the L-word, yet feeling rather bold for making such a physical display of affection to him out on the battlefield in front of all of his men. "How are things here, then?" and she adds in a whisper "it's good ta see ye."

Markova wraps his arms around her and motions towards the men, "They are doing well. Once your daughter joins us I shall unleash them upon our enemies and we will be victorious once and for all.."

Amber feels a pang of nervousness in her belly and silently watches the men for a moment while she thinks. She turns and looks up at Markova's face. "So ye like her then? That's why I've been so quiet and keepin' ta myself so much...I've been so worried that the two people I care for the most would hate one another!"

Claudius looks askance at Amber, "Like...is a strong word for it. Respect,...yes. Respect would be a better term, my dear. It seems she has a bit of you in her, I'm not sure where the rest comes from. Don't worry, Amber she'll join us, her and her friends. All in good time."

Amber smiles. "Well, I'll have ta settle with "respect" then! Don't get me wrong-- 'tis quite a compliment ta be respected by Claudius Markova!" Amber squeezes him and then looks around. "I could really use a beer! Come! Walk and talk and drink with me, Claudius!" she says, pulling him forward a little.

Claudius nods and a wine glass appears in his hand, and a glass of beer in hers. The two walk past the men and out towards the pastures. "So what did you wish to speak with me about, Amber?"

Amber takes a swallow of the beer, closes her eyes and sighs. "Aaah, it feels like it's been so long since I had a good beer! Thank ye, love!" They walk on a little further until Amber's sure that they're out of ear-shot of the men. "How long are ye gonna give Cliodhna's group ta decide what they're goin'' ta do, then?"

Looking down, Claudius smiles into his glass. "For a bit longer. Soon they will see the futility of fighting me. Soon Osiris will move against them and they will know they have no chance against him."

Amber nods thoughtfully. "So let's say they decide ta accept yer plan. What will yer first move be?" Amber take another swig of her beer and gazes across the field.

Claudius turns to Amber, "Why all these questions? Why do you wish to know this? Here I thought we would have a leisurely walk through the field and you want to talk plans."

Amber turns to Markova, her eyes filling with emotion. "Ye have ta wake up ta help the Wraiths, am I right?"

"Yes," Claudius looks at Amber his face getting a little red.

Amber turns and grasps his arm tightly with her free hand. "What will happen ta me then? Ta us? I can assure ye I'm not just a figment o' yer dream, Claudius. I don't want ta leave ye!" A tear finally forms and starts to trickle down Amber's cheek before she can hastily wipe it away with the back of her hand holding the glass.

Claudius takes Amber in his arms and looks out into the horizon, "Don't worry my dear. When I wake up you will still be within me, and I will still be with you."

"Within ye?" Amber feels herself starting to panic. "Ye mean like a voice in yer head...like one o' those Shadow-things? Will I be able ta see ye...touch ye? Will we..." Amber blushes a little, "...be able ta make love?" Amber's speaking gets faster and her voice gets a little higher as the panic begins.

Claudius chuckles at this and suddenly the scenery changes to a deserted island. Claudius picks up Amber and carries to a shady spot and kisses her, "Speaking of which..."

Amber-- still full of fears, but knowing Markova well enough to know when to abandon a subject-- takes this to mean that she shouldn't worry, and kisses him back. "Well, if I AM ta be a voice in yer head, I need ta enjoy yer body..." she slides her hand down his chest and stomach, "...as long..." she grips Markova, "...as I possibly can..." she pulls Markova down on top of her, kissing him passionately.

Afterwards...

The two lay under a pair of palm trees, feeling the breeze caress their skin and hearing the soothing sound of the waves crashing gently against the beach. Amber sighs. If only it could be this wonderful all the time. Forever. She'd forgotten how easily and how high Markova's temper could rise. Perhaps this would be Cliodhna's arena-- negotiating and arguing. Amber didn't feel very good at it. "Claudius is so lovely when he's happy," she thinks, propping herself up on one elbow to gaze at his face. "I hate ta be the cause o' his anger or sadness." She leans in, kisses his cheek, and rests her forehead against his. "Claudius..." she whispers softly.

"That was nice wasn't it," Claudius says with a sleepy voice as he strokes her hair.

"That it was, indeed," she murmurs, smiling, and laying back down in the crook of his arm. "Tell me again, love...tell me again what life will be like fer us when you have control o' the Shadowlands."

"It will be paradise, no more pain and suffering, no more poverty or hunger," he leans up on one elbow. "I will set your country free, and yes my dear I will have more than just the Shadowlands...I will have the world."

Amber smiles up at him languidly, thinking that he's never so sexy as when he's exuding confidence and assertiveness! "Thank ye, my darlin''. I would love ta show my island ta ye-- I think ye would find it absolutely beautiful." Amber sits up, placing Markova's head in her lap, and begins singing a haunting melody in Gaelic that floats and soars, then floats almost still in the air before climbing and carrying itself away into the clouds. "Claudius...could I ask ye fer somethin''?"

Suddenly the scenery changes again, rolling green hills spread out before Amber. No longer laying nude upon a sand bar, she is dressed in a flowing gown of deep forest green. Claudius stands there in a fine leather gherkin also of green. A castle stands about a mile away from them and Claudius smiles, "Is this the land of which you speak??"

Amber gasps-- turning in a complete circle, taking everything in. She is completely speechless, holding her fingertips against her lips. She turns back to Markova, and he can see she's struggling against tears again. Finally she trusts herself to speak, and whispers, "this is what it once was, yes, and some parts are still..." She looks at Claudius against the back-drop of her homeland and walks up to him, running her hands down his arms-- feeling the vivid texture of the material. She shakes her head smiling, and again has to whisper. "Ye look so handsome...how do ye know my land so well?"

Claudius smiles and looks at his armor, "It's not bad, impractical, but not bad." He motions with his arm, "I know this land as well as I know your body," he says with a wolfish smile, "You dream of this land every night."

Amber let's out a high, girlish giggle, reddens, and covers her mouth-- her eyes sparkling. "Oh Claudius, yer so bad!" she laughs, smacking his arm playfully. "Peekin'' inta my dreams, are ye?" Then she leans in, speaking low, "what else have I dreamed about?"

"Mostly your home and your father. And..." he stops and a building appears, loud music pours out and the smell of a brewery surround Amber. "This pub..."

"Aah..." she makes a little choked-sound, her eyes getting shiny again. "I'm sorry, love-- I've been an emotional disaster fer the past two days...so embarrassin''..." she trails off watching people enter and exit the pub. "Welcome ta my home-- my parents have owned this place fer decades." Amber takes Markova's hand and leads him inside, pointing out to him everything of interest-- including the upstairs where the bedrooms are. While they're standing in Amber's old room, Amber pulls Markova to her and kisses him. "I had ta do that-- I dreamed o' doin'' that an' more fer the 35 or so years I spent apart from ye."

"So this is where you grew up?" Claudius says looking over the room. He runs a finger on the dresser and checks it for dust, "So is this where you raised your daughter?"

Amber looks around-- suddenly feeling a little self-conscious of the relatively humble setting. "Yes...yes it is. Her room was at the end o' the hall, if ye'd like ta see it..." she remarks non-challantly. "She was a very good, obedient child...very intelligent..." Amber starts walking around the room while talking. "She was frustrated at bein' smaller an' weaker than most o' the rest o' the cairn, but with her quick mind she soon figured out how ta outsmart the big bullies." Amber realizes she's rambling and stops in front of Markova grinning. "Can ye tell how proud I am o' her?"

Claudius chuckles, "I was once the small one myself. The bullies quickly learned to leave be," he says. He watches Amber a moment, "Yes, yes I would like to see her room..."

Amber smiles at him in surprise. "All right then!" She takes his hand and leads him down the hallway. Stopping before the closed door, she has already lifted her hand-- preparing to knock-- before she realizes what she's doing. She laughs a quick laugh and drops her hand. "I guess she wouldn't be in there ta answer the door, now would she." She turns the knob, pushes the door open, and they enter.

The room is medium-sized with one window facing east. "She never minded that eastern window much-- she always rose with the sun, anyhow. Now I couldn't stand havin' that sun in my eyes in the mornin'-- not with my wicked hangovers!" Amber smiles guiltily. "Although I did stop my drinkin' fer over 3 decades so I could be a good example," Amber adds, almost defensively.

Everything is as Amber remembers it from when she left to join her daughter in Belfast. The walls are a mint-green color with plain-looking forest-green drapes over the window. There are posters up of various Irish musicians, many large political and relief maps of the British Isles and Europe, Celtic artwork, mounted hunting knives, and some paintings of wolves. A single-size bed with navy green bedspread and narrow nightstand holding a lamp, alarm clock, glass, and framed picture of Amber and Cliodhna when Cliodhna was in her late teens are in one corner, a dresser with a small TV and other various objects sitting on top in the other. A bookshelf fills another wall-- the books ranging from popular fiction to war documentaries, politics and history, geography and gun maintenance. Amber smiles when she glances at the book titles, and then looks over at the large desk where a scrapbook lays open. She points it out to Markova, and flips through the pages to reveal many newspaper clippings and such regarding the IRA, British Government, Ireland, etc.-- all of it from before Cliodhna left for Belfast. Amber leans in and whispers, "I could show ye her weapons and ammo hidey-hole, but then I'd have ta kill ye!" and then laughs. "Well, this is it-- what do ye think?" she asks curiously.

Claudius walks about the room looking intently at the posters, pictures and knick knacks. He rubs his chin as he does so. "Interesting....politics, history...very learned."

"Oh yes, that's what she loves most! Look here-- how cute!" Amber flips the scrapbook to near the front and shows him a newspaper article of an 8-year old Cliodhna looking serious, holding a little trophy and standing next to an important-looking man. The title of the article reads, "McPhearson Youngest Chess Champ in Limerick History." "She was so embarrassed by all the attention that she refused ta play in competitions ever again." Amber muses. "She's read about every major general an' war-leader in history...studied their strategies and techniques...she was disappointed that I hadn't met more during my time-travellin' days. In fact, look at this, Claudius!" Amber leads him back over to the bookcase, pulls out a thick, leather-bound book entitled, "Roman War Generals," and flips to a page, holding the book out to him. "This may explain why she was so eager ta challenge ye when she met ye." The title of this chapter is "General Claudius Markova, the Cannibal of Rome," and has a photograph of a bust carved bearing Markova's likeness. "On second thought..." Amber cuts in after glancing at Markova's face, "...don't read that. I don't think ye would like it. It was a very biased account."

"I do not mind, history can paint whatever picture of me it wishes. I know the truth of the matter and why certain things happened the way they did. Junior chess champ you say..." he says looking at the article.

Amber quickly puts the book back and joins Markova at his side, beaming over the newspaper article. "Oh not JUNIOR chess-champ, love, adult-division chess champ!! She beat out men her grandfather's age! In fact-- an' ye'll love this-- she used ta sit outside with her tribe-uncles an' listen ta them strategize before battles at about the same age, an' one day she just piped up and told them all the faults in their battle-plan! They were amazed, but luckily their pride didn't get in their way, an' they let her sit with them from then on...they're the ones who taught her ta play chess. I don't know-- I need a little fun and music and sleepin'-in or life loses its spark! But-- as my father always said-- 'it take all kinda ta make the world go 'round.'"

"It does indeed. Cliodhna's childhood sounds very much like mine...except without a father. Perhaps that was better for her." He says looking out the window.

Amber comes up behind Markova and wraps her arms around his middle, resting the side of her head against his. "Oh I don't know, love," she says thoughtfully. "My choice ta never get married or get inta any relationships seems ta have made her bitter with me as she blames me fer her never havin' had any relationships. I'm sorry yer father was such a cruel man," she says in a quiet voice, hugging Markova tighter for a moment. "I don't like when yer sad-- let's return to yer home."

"No, I have a better idea," he says with a smile. Claudius takes Amber by the hand and leads her out of the room and down the stairs. Taking her around a corner he motions to the backyard. "I'm hungry, let's eat."

Amber looks up at him in surprise, and then smiles as they walk. "That would be lovely, Claudius!"

As Amber turns the corner, a blanket appears upon the ground a few feet away from them filled with food and drink. Claudius sits down and hands her a drumstick and takes one himself.

Amber takes the drumstick from him, and then looks down at her fine green gown. Concentrating, she changes her clothing into a Celtic warrior's outfit-- complete with leather boots, leggings, and tunic-- and her hair is suddenly in a long braid. She sits with crossed legs comfortably next to Markova and takes a bite of the chicken. "Ye've been in quite the romantic mood fer the past couple o' days!" she remarks, grinning at him.

"Nice armor," he says taking a bite from his drumstick. "Why the armor? You planning on attacking a village?"

Amber laughs loudly. "No, no, ye silly man! Besides, this isn't so much armor as efficient an' rugged-wear. We DID evolve after the Bronze Age!" she grins, punching him lightly in the thigh. "However...I AM in a bit of a mood ta get some exercise. Would ye...like ta do some sparrin' after lunch?" Amber raises her eyebrow.

Claudius raises an eyebrow, "Sparing...hmmm." Suddenly everything changes as the ground becomes sand and Amber finds herself standing in the middle of a coliseum. "How about a contest?"

Amber rubs her hands and grins. "What sorta contest, then?"

A crowd roars, startling Amber as she turns to see the entire coliseum filled with spectators. Claudius sits in the emperor's thrown, gold leaves adorn his head. He raises a goblet of wine and speaks, "Citizens of Rome, welcome to The Contest! In this corner we have Amber McPhearson, Warrior Woman of the Celtic lands, and in this corner we have Aruni! Dark warrior from the deepest jungles of Africa! Contestants, you will fight until the death, and when one of you falls another will take their place!" He winks at Amber to make sure she knows she is safe. "Take your weapons, and begin!!!!"

Amber stares at Markova gape-mouthed, and then mouths "I'm going ta kill ye!" to him after he winks. She quickly turns to her opponent and assesses the man's skills. "Fine then," she thinks. "If he doesn't want ta fight me, himself, I'll show him what I can do!"

Amber turns to her weapons-rack behind her, and-- glancing over her shoulder at her opponant with a smile and a wink-- she walks with a voluptuous swing to her hips over to the rack. Bending slowly-- wiggling her rear a little as she pretends to look for something-- she places daggers in her belt, a sword in a sheath on her back, a quiver of arrows over one shoulder, and takes up a bow in her left hand. She stands and stretches seductively, and turns around to face Aruni.

Aruni appears to have been taken off-guard by her femininity-- probably expecting her to act like a wild woman and run shrieking at him in a berzerker-frenzy-- and watches her with interest as he distractedly chooses his weapons, and then turns to face her. Amber stretches the bow string with her fingers, standing in profile to Aruni and inhaling deeply so her tunic stretches appealingly over her chest. She laughs to herself-- this particular skill has never failed her, although not enough fighting-women seem to know how to employ it. She pretends to shake out her arm as if the bow is too strong for her to use, and then begins advancing on Aruni slowly.

Aruni continues to watch her, and then when she starts her approach, he unconcernedly unsheaths his scimitar-- holding it low-- and walks towards her with a smile. Amber smiles back, and then stops and bends over-- pretending to check her boot-- her cleavage fully in Aruni's view. The audience murmurs-- impatient for the battle to begin-- when suddenly Amber snatches an arrow from her sheath, strings it, and launches it-- all in a split-second right-- into Aruni's foot! He looks down in complete surprise, and then looks back up at Amber and bellows like a struck oxe. Aruni tries to move his foot, but it's pinned firmly to the ground, the arrowhead lodged in a chink in the stone below the sand. The audience roars and cheers in surprise and approval.

Amber drops the bow and pulls out a dagger in one fluid motion, throwing the dagger so that it goes through Aruni's weapon-hand, and he drops his scimitar. While he's shrieking in pain, trying to pull the dagger from his hand, Amber throws her second dagger, pinning his second hand to the first. She runs with great speed-- unsheathing her sword-- and dodges past his swinging arms and kicking free leg to get behind him and pull him backwards with one arm and hold her sword to his throat with the other. Aruni is now leaning backwards against Amber's chest-- completely off-balance and at her mercy now-- as she continues to hold the sword at his throat and looks up at Markova to see if he gives the thumbs-up to let Aruni live, or thumbs-down to end his life.

The crowd goes silent as Claudius stands. He looks over the crowd, milking their anticipation, and holds out his fist...thumbs down!!! The crowd roars and begins to chant, "Finish it! finish it!"

Amber gives a little smirk, steps back quickly, and as Aruni begins to fall backwards, her sword slices through the air and takes his head clean off. The audience is on their feet, stomping and chanting her name, and Amber gets on one knee before Markova's seat high above her and places her fist over her heart, bowing her head. "This is...well...quite an arrousin' situation!" she ponders, seeing Markova shining like a star in its element before her, wondering what will happen now.

Claudius tips his head to her in salute and then once again stands as the crowd goes quiet. "And now straight from the icy north, your hero and mine! Karine the savage beauty!!!" Amber turns to see a beautiful blonde woman stand before her. Her blonde hair is long in back to her waist while her hair in front is in bangs. She stands nude before Amber and wields a very wicked spear. She stretches like Amber did, and Amber can see her muscles rippling through her skin.

"Begin!!!"

"'Yer hero an' mine??'" Amber's thought crackles with jealousy as she looks over this amazonian...naked...grrrrr!! She wishes she had her .45 pistol about now so she could pump that slut full of lead! She grabs a staff from the weapons-rack, and slings off her quiver and sword-sheath. Turning to face Karine, the women stand in stillness for a moment, and then both leap towards each other at the same moment shrieking their own battle-cries.

Karine thrusts her spear at Amber, but Amber knocks it away. "Damn, she's a powerful one," Amber thinks, feeling the vibrations dying away in her staff. This time Amber swings, but Karine parries and jabs swiftly, knicking Amber's upper arm with the tip of her spear. Amber ignores the wound, and brings the lower end of her staff up hard into Karine's stomach, causing her to bend at the waist, and then brings her knee up into Karine's face. Karine's nose bursts a shower of blood, and Amber feels sweet satisfaction in looking at Karine's newly-flawed face.

Karine now looks like a berzerker-madwoman, and runs screaming at Amber with the point of her spear aimed at Amber's heart. Amber waits until the last minute, and then dodges swiftly to the side-- leaving her foot out to trip Karine. Karine goes sprawling onto the ground, but rolls quickly to her back and flips back onto her feet. Now her eyes are gleeming full of hatred, and she and Amber stalk in a circle glaring at one another.

Suddenly Karine launches her spear at Amber, and when Amber raises both arms to deflect the spear with her staff, Karine pulls out a dagger and throws it like a flash. It imbeds itself into Amber side, and Amber lets out a cry and looks down to see blood running down her side. Karine runs at her doing a banshee-yell, and Amber-- ready to claw the bitch's eyes out-- yanks the dagger out of her side with a groan, throws down her staff, and runs at Karine. The two come together with fingers clawed, and begins swiping at each other. Amber grins-- although she doesn't have her Garou-claws any longer, she's very comfortable with this style of fighting. She leaps over Karine-- placing one hand on her shoulder as leverage-- and with the other hand grabs a handful of her blonde hair and yanks her head to the ground. Karine is flung to the ground, but gets a hold of Amber's leg and pulls her down with her.

The two roll around on the ground with hands clutching each other's hair. Karine ends up on top, and-- stradling Amber's chest-- she pins Amber's arms down with her knees. But Amber's legs come up behind her and wrap around Karine's neck, pulling her backwards. Amber twists, lunges, and maneuvers to sit on top of Karine, and then she punches her hard in her broken nose. Karine lets out a loud cry of pain-- hands instinctively coming up to protect her nose-- and Amber is able to flip Karine onto her stomach. Amber sits astride her back and pulls Karine's head up and back so it's held in the crook of her arm-- the other arm locking her bent arm in place-- and Amber, again, looks up to Markova for his ruling while trying to catch her breath.

Claudius nods and smiles at Amber. He stands and applauds, the crowd follows his lead as Karine disappears. "Well done, well done," he says as he hops down to the arena and walks towards Amber. "I am very very impressed. You are quite the warrior. When I was a boy I watched Karine kill many a man-- I guess she wasn't ready for a woman eh?" Suddenly Amber finds herself in the Emperor's chair looking down at Claudius in his leather armor. He looks to her expectantly.

Amber looks around in surprise-- taking a second to realize what's expected of her-- and then looks down. She's wearing the deep purple toga of an empress of Rome-- a cape made of matching material pinned at each shoulder by clasps made of gold and inlaid with amethysts. Her red hair is coiled into curls and pulled up into a gold and amethyst circlet with some curls hanging down around her face. Gold and amethyst jewelry tinkles at her ears and throat and wraps around her upper arms and fingers, and gold sandals are upon her feet.

She places her hands on the railing in front of her and peers down at Markova with a crafty smile. Adopting a regal aire and holding her back straight, she addresses the Romans in a deep voice.

"Citizens of Rome, we now have a new contestant-- our Emperor Claudius Markova Primerus!" The crowds gasps and then rises to their feet and begins chanting Markova's name. When the chanting dies down, she continues. "An' he will be challenged by..." Amber puts a finger to her lips and thinks. "...by the champion o' King Arthur o' Britain, Sir Lancelot du Lac!"

Facing Markova appears a knight in a suit of metal armor, brandishing a long and shiny sword in one hand, holding a large shield painted with his coat-of-arms in the other, and carrying his helmet under an arm. Lancelot's blonde hair falls to his shoulders, and when his piercing blue eyes settle on Markova-- recognizing him as a Roman invader-- he glares and issues an insulting threat while quickly placing the helmet on his head.

Claudius picks up a spear and rushes forward at Lancelot. He turns just in time to parry the the blade as Lancelot raises his shield to stop the oncoming spear. Claudius backs up a bit and the two circle each other. Claudius brings the spear in low and fients to his right, bringing his fist out. Lancelot deflects the spear and is hit by the fist, knocking him back a step.

Claudius brings the blunt end of the spear round knocking into Lancelot's chest knocking him back yet again. Lancelot rolls with the blow and brings his sword out cutting Claudius'arm.

Backing up and clutching his arm Claudius looks at Lancelot. Lancelot smiles as he rushes forward. Claudius drops to his knees and kicks out taking Lancelot's legs out from under him. The blunt end of the spear comes down and knocks the shield from his hand.

Lancelot rolls away barely dodging the point of the spear. Rolling back up, Lancelot brings his blade pommel up in a sweeping motion hitting Claudius square in the chin.

Claudius rolls with the blow and sweeps the spear knocking Lancelot to the ground and brings the spear to his neck. He stops and look to the Empress....

Amber smiles down at Markova, her cheeks pink with color. She's never seen him fight before! He defeated Lancelot so handily and quickly, too! Much as she regretted to do it-- Lancelot being a kind of countryman of sorts-- she held out her hand and twisted her wrist to give the thumbs-down. It was only fair-- Markova had let her kill that Karine-creature, she thinks.

Claudius jams the spear into Lancelot's neck and the crowd roars with excitement. He brings out the spear, twirls it and stabs it into the ground, then walks over to Amber's spectator's box and kneels.

Amber smiles a magnanimous smile for the audience to see, but secretly she is enjoying this immensely! Claudius Markova kneeling before her! She thought she'd better enjoy this while she could, because he probably hadn't knelt before anyone in millenia, and probably wouldn't do it again! But who to send him against for his second match...hmmm...there was this famous boxer from America who was immensely popular before she died...

Finally Amber speaks. "The Emperor is highly-skilled with weaponry, but let's give him a test o'...boxing!" The audience murmurs their approval-- this sport had only recently come down to them from Greece where Greek athletes made use of it in their "Olympics," and they were eager to see it performed. Amber sweeps her arm out to the right, and there in the arena appears a large, muscled man of African descent with short-cut hair. He is wearing red calf-length boots, red satin boxer trunks, and red boxing gloves. Amber squints her eyes, and suddenly the gloves are gone, and his hands are bare with the knuckles taped up. He sees his opponant and grins a cocky grin, throwing his head from side to side and bouncing on his toes while making practice punches in the air.

"And now our emperior will face the great Mohammad Ali, world heavyweight boxin' champ, an' follower o' the Islamic faith!" The audience cheers-- leaning forward so as to get the best view of this spectacle as they can, as Ali begins taunting Markova with jokes about his Italian heritage.

Claudius turns and looks at Ali, and looking back at Amber he smiles. "Nice choice," he says to himself. He looks back at Ali and motions for him to come on. The two circle each other when Claudius comes with a right hook, Ali dances away and jabs him in the face.

"Best you got, pretty boy?" Claudius swings again, Ali dances away and jabs him in the midsection. "Oh no that can't be the best you got!" Ali jabs him in the face twice more and Claudius rolls with the last one bringing his fist into Ali's gut. Ali reels back a bit. "That's more like it."

Suddenly the two of them begin to duke it out blow by blow and it begins to look like Ali is winning. Claudius goes down on one knee and Ali stands before him taunting him. Claudius looks back at Amber and rises striking fast into Ali's face and begins to pummel him. Finally he stops and Ali too goes to one knee, but Claudius brings back his fist and begins to pummel again. Claudius watches Ali fall to his face and lie there motionless.

Amber realizes that she's gripping the railing tightly, and relaxes her fingers. "Whooo-- where did Claudius learn ta box like that?!" she wonders to herself in amazement. She begins to think regrettfully of the father he could have been...the things he could have taught Cl-- and then she hurries and stops herself. She stands-- unable to disguise the amazement she feels-- and holds her arms up to silence the cheering crowds. "By the rules of boxing, Mohammad Ali has been defeated by a knock-out! Emperor Claudius Markova Primerus is now the world boxing champion!" The crowds rose to their feet, thunderous in their applause. Amber smiles down at Markova and mouths, "well done!" to him.

Suddenly the coliseum disappears and once again Amber finds herself in her backyard with Claudius standing in front of her. In her hand she holds a gladius and Claudius smiles. "This what you've been waiting for....." he says holding up his gladius.

Amber smiles a devilish smile and leans in close to him. "Claudius...I've meant ta ask ye. What are your religious beliefs?"

Claudius stops for a moment and looks at Amber. "I'm not catholic," he says with a smile and makes a strike at her with his sword.

Amber parries the thrust away easily and pulls him back in close with her other hand. "I was just wonderin' because...well...I thought I should tell ye ta hurry an' pray, because yer about ta meet yer maker!" Amber pushes them apart with a little laugh and holds her gladius out, watching Markova carefuly.

Claudius smiles as he teasingly pats her gladius with his. He cocks an eyebrow, "Oh really..." He feints a thrust and brings his foot out wide right for Amber's side.

Amber twists to the left and jumps-- feeling Markova's boot barely brush her side-- and then spins quickly, slashing her blade towards Markova's chest. "Ah, love, yer such a tease with yer weapon!" she laughs breathily from dodging.

Claudius swings his foot back to the ground and barely brings up the blade to deflect Amber's strike. "Tease is it?" Claudius thrusts at Ambers midsection.

Amber bends at the waist and leaps back while swiping her blade sideways against Markova's, pushing the point of his gladius away from its target. "That was too close," she thinks, and decides she better be on her guard. "You men...always thrusting towards the same target," she murmurs with a grin, and engages Markova in a barrage of attacks where steel clangs against steel in such a quick exchange that the swords seem to blur. They finally have to stop and circle each other while catching their breath and scrutinizing one another.

"That depends upon the target..." Claudius says as he rushes Amber grabbing her sword away from her and wrestling her to the ground. He pins her wrists and smiles.

Amber strains against him in frustration for being caught off-guard, and then seems to relax her body while gazing into his eyes. Suddenly she thrusts her hips up-- bucking Markova off her stomach-- and twists and lurches up so that Markova falls to his side, and-- using this momentum-- she's suddenly sitting on top of HIM. She smiles down at him while undoing her braid and shaking her hair out. "Aah, Claudius. This may be one battle ye'll want ta lose!" She raises an eyebrow at him while moving her hands down to unbutton the top button of her leather tunic.

Claudius laughs and begins to undo his leather jerkin and pulls it off throwing it behind Amber. He leans up and grabs a handfull of hair and bring her in close kissing her passionately. "Who said I was losing?"

Amber laughs-- pulling her tunic over her head and tossing it haphazardly. "All right then, how about if ye lose for a while..." she leans down and kisses him. "An' then I lose for a while..." she rolls so that she's the one laying on the bottom. "An' then ye let me win again for a bit..." they roll and Amber's on top again. "An' then..." Amber's words are cut off by Markova kiss, and her giggles echo across the dusky green fields as another day ends and night falls across the Deadlands.

Amber wakes up with a start and it's still night outside-- the stars twinkling merrily in the dome of heaven above her. She's had a bad dream...Cliodhna standing accusingly in front of her, pointing at her and calling her 'Roman whore' again and again and again. She realizes that she's a little chilled, and pats around on the grass behind her until she touches her leather tunic. She changes the tunic into a warm fur blanket and drapes it over herself and Markova. With embarrassment she realizes that she's been crying, and quickly dries her face.

"Claudius..." she whispers worriedly, and when he opens his eyes, he can see from her face that something's upset her.

Leaning on one elbow he looks down at Amber's face seeing the worry there. "Hmm?"

Amber looks up at the sky as if trying to get courage from it. "I have ta know somethin'...I...what am I ta ye?" Her eyes shift from the sky to Markova's face. "Am I just a lover...mistress...whore? I have ta know. An' the men-- what do they think I am?" Her eyes begin to shine, and she quickly blinks away the forming tears.

Claudius looks down at Amber's face. "The men don't think, my dear. They are just something I keep around to keep my mind occupied. They're like tin soldiers in a sandbox," he says as he lays next to her. He looks at the stars a moment and finding what he was looking for he points to a group of them. "See that? That Constellation? My mother called it the Queen. You know it as Casseopia. I used to look at it at night in bed when I was a teenager after my mother had died. It would remind me of her. It was like she was always watching me. Making sure I was safe and well," he says as he draws the lines of the constellation with his finger. "You are not a whore or a mistress, Amber," he says.

Amber is overcome with emotion and relief-- not to mention amazed at the beauty and honesty revealed to her just now-- and holds Markova tightly in her arms, letting her silence, tears, and closeness communicate more than words.

Wraith Side-Story 6: "Discussions of the Heart"

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