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GOOD RELATIONS By Geneva The ancient Asia Minor state of Genoria, whose women are descended from Amazons, faces threats from raiders, neighboring kingdoms and empires. A young citizen of Genoria plays her part in preserving her nation and discovers a few things about herself. This is another story set in the ancient state of Genoria, in Asia Minor, on the Black Sea. The date is around the ninth century B.C.E. START They had told me that this was to be one of the most important days, and nights, of my life. As I walked just behind Queen Sarada, keeping her always in my sight as we made our way along the beaten earth path to the temple, I could not help but be impressed by her confident manner and I tried to copy her. It would be an important event for her too. It had been continually emphasized to young women like us that we should have great pride in what we were engaged on but, unlike me, she showed little apprehension too at what lay ahead for us. Perhaps she hid it better than me, or any of the other young women going there for the first time. Like us, she would be fulfilling one of the expectations of our nation of Genoria, one of its most sacred customs that, at the appropriate age, we would visit the Temple of Ishtar to meet and lie with visiting men of the outlying kingdoms to get with child. This is necessary as my nation of Genoria is a society of women only. Our history says that we are descended from the ancient Amazons and the priestesses and officials continually instruct us to follow their traditions. So, from ancient times, no men have had any part in our society whatsoever. They are not even present. It has been impressed on me, and other young women, that by the hard work and determination of its women only, our society has prospered over the years and its population has increased. Of course, men are necessary for the women of its population to conceive and bear children, but that is their only contribution. Those in trades, the artisans, the merchants and shopkeepers, the scribes, the army and the queen's advisors, all facets of our society, are all women. However, in Genoria, as in other societies, male children are born in approximately equal numbers to girls and I knew that these male equivalent of girls, called boys, can be found in other societies but, ours being a female only society, I had never had any experience of boys when growing up. I did not think much about it. Other girls like me were companions enough. Later, as I grew close to maturity, I had been told that these boys matured into men. History tells us that the Amazons would turn over any male new-borns to their fathers but that was not frequent as the father was usually unknown. Then if no one took the male infants they would be left out for wild animals. That seemed a bit drastic and cruel! Fortunately in Genoria we had a different solution to that problem. Two or three days after birth, any male children were taken to the high priestess or occasionally the queen. They had copies of special scrolls handed down from our ancestors. On these were written magic spells that did all sorts of wonderful things like healing wounds and deformities, but four of them were very special, and one more was even more valuable to Genoria. So, reading its words to any male child would change him into a girl and she could take her place in our special society! The grateful and relieved mother would offer thanks to the queen or the priestesses of the goddess Ishtar for any successful change. Occasionally male children died as the spell's effects are severe, but it was impressed on everybody that it was better than having our society raise male children. It was also said that one of the other spells would change the woman back to a man, another would change a woman to a man and yet another would reverse that. I thought of the third spell with distaste. I could not imagine having me, or any woman, having her beautiful curved body changed to a man's. We women in Genoria were fortunate, whether from the effect of spell, or just from our Amazon ancestors. We had been told we were known for our beauty. Where the scrolls originally came from originally is a mystery. Some priestesses said that they came from Ishtar herself or other deities. Others say they were composed by some sorceress. The truth seems to be lost in the mists of time. The language is also strange. Some sounds are like the Genorian language or some other local languages. Others have no obvious relationship. When they had almost grown up, that is when girls like me had first started the monthly bleeding of grown women, we had been further instructed about men as a preparation for our intended visits to the temple. It was emphasized how the gods had designed men with their strange bodies and anatomy to help women conceive. Many of us shook our heads in wonder, or shock, on how our bodies would be used to capture the men's essence and drain them, but there was occasional hilarity too and some sympathy for men, that they were inflicted with these strange angular hairy bodies instead of the harmonious and graceful curves of women. The gods must have had some purpose. Then, when the time came for us to visit the temple, as I was doing now, young women, those who had not done so before, were instructed on their behavior and actions in the presence of men and what to expect in the ritual. Lying with women at the Temple and coupling with them was all that was required of the men. We were not supposed to talk much to them either, other than to instruct them if they were unsure of their part. After lying with us they would be required to leave Genoria on daybreak. Any man caught afterwards in Genoria would be severely punished. The following day, young women like me, our duty done, would return to our various groups of women, that we called tables, hopefully having conceived. If we had not, we were expected to make monthly visits to the temple until we had. The role of the table was to form a closer group of friends, and also provide young mother-to-be with close support all through her pregnancy, at birthing, and help supervise their growing daughters. Any child was seen as a child of the table, and could expect discipline, guidance, care and love from any of its women. Among my other work, participating in my table's affairs, I was a skilled potter and sales of my wares helped support our table. I hoped that this visit to the temple would be successful. This was my first time. I had begun monthly bleeding two years before and now I was thought to have matured enough and be at an age when I would be better able to carry a child. I had been pleased when I discovered this was the queen's first time too, although she was some years older than me. While she was the queen-to-be, she had many more duties to learn from her royal mother Fermia and even her royal grandmother. Also, as future head of state and thus of our small army, she had to learn the use of arms and generalship, although the actual command was usually given to our general, Palustris. Genoria had been fortunate over the last few years. There had been some minor events on our frontiers, and we had heard of the turbulent events associated with the competing empires to the south and east of us over our protecting mountains but generally all had been peaceful. It was common knowledge that now, as Genoria had no wars for some years, Sarada's advisory council had suggested that it was time for her to visit the temple to eventually provide her own heir. She had ascended the throne two years before, succeeding her mother Fermia, as was the custom in Genoria where the queen's eldest daughter ascends to the throne when she is eighteen or nineteen. That way Genoria always has young vigorous rulers but who can still call on the advice of their mothers and grandmothers. I hoped that if we both conceived our children might be born on the same day. Perhaps too I would call my first-born Sarada like her. As we walked up to the temple, the older women who had visited the temple previously, sometimes many times, were quite open about giving the younger ones advice on what to expect at the temple. Otherwise, about to experience our first time selecting a man and lying with him, we were mainly just chattering, our nerves showing. I felt a slight hollow feeling in my stomach. Some of the older women were openly pleased and laughing at the coming night. I heard one matron boast that she intended to beat her own record of taking four men in one night. I just could not imagine that. The Temple of Ishtar iss only a small distance from the narrow pass that led to neighboring kingdoms over the mountains. Men from these were allowed in one night at each full moon to help the women perform the ritual. For woman, after a meal and wash, again part of the ritual, we would watch as men from the tribes stood before us and we would select the one we chose to lie with us. The queen walked evenly and straight, carrying herself tall, almost leading our procession. I had once attended her court when our table presented a petition and another time when my own mother had been presenting evidence at a trial. At these ceremonies the queen was dressed in her elaborate royal robes and her gold crown, wearing her other jewelry and her face elaborately made up with elaborate cosmetics as suited her royal rank, and attended by five attendants or slave girls to show her power. I was proud of her that such a woman would lead us our realm. Now, like the rest of us, Sarada was dressed only in a simple white robe with plain leather sandals on her feet. She had left her royal robes and attendants behind. This was part of the ritual, to show that all women in the realm, regardless of rank, were expected to conform to our nation's ancient rites and customs. It was also expected that the women would remember to walk decorously from the city to the temple. After all, it was a solemn duty she was performing. However, ranged discretely around our procession were some of our soldiers in their leather armor, all armed with bows and short swords, all women. This was unusual as most of the times the women going to the temple were not escorted. It was just that Sarada, as the head of state, needed extra protection. We had peace with neighboring states, but it was as well to be prepared. There would be soldiers too at the mountain pass to check on foreign men who wanted to participate. I had been told that the other kingdoms surrounding Genoria were governed completely differently, that all had both men and women in their populations and the women in these were usually were kept subservient to men and usually did not take much part in government or the army. I had shaken my head in in wonder and disbelief. These were strange societies. As our procession wound its way through the farmlands that surrounded the city we often saw women in the fields tending to the crops or helping with animals. They waved cheerily at our procession and cried encouragement. Occasionally we heard ribald remarks that made the younger girls blush. The sun was getting low by the time the ancient wooden structure of the temple came in sight. We had almost completely passed the farmlands and in the distance we could see the dark wooded peaks of the mountains. The full moon would soon be rising. After we were greeted at the temple by the head priestess the other priestesses served us a light meal with the juice of some fruit. The food tasted good, but I was too nervous to eat much. Finally we were instructed to line up so that they could give us a ritual washing and even more instruction about the upcoming ritual and the decorous behavior expected of us. Some of the older women, who must have made several visits to the temple yawned openly, or whispered and laughed among themselves but finally we were led to an ante room where we waited in various states of anticipation, the younger ones still nervously chattering, some older ones almost diffident, others eager. I knew the procedure. I was to select a man, tie a white cord to his wrist, symbolic of having captured him, a tradition from the time that captured men were made to serve our ancestors, and lead him to a mat on the floor where he was to lie on his back. I would then straddle him, slide slowly onto him and move on him. I had been told he would then soon release his essence into me to make me conceive. Like other young woman, the priestess had given me a scented oil for my loins that would help me slide easily over the man. The head priestess cried out her blessing. "May Ishtar give you fertility!" and I tensed at the thought of being pregnant. I had seen women in our table cry out when giving birth. The walls of the room were decorated with mosaics and paintings depicting goddesses and mortal men engaged in the upcoming ritual. A few girls studied the men depicted and covered their mouths in awe. "They look like that? Their bodies are so strange!" someone laughed. "How do they manage life with these things between their legs?" "I am supposed to take that in me!" gasped another girl in disbelief. A few young priestesses were watching us, smiles on their lips and with twinkling eyes despite stern looks from the older priestesses. One of the older women laughed too. "What are you complaining for? The bigger the better!" she exclaimed. "Oh, look through there! The men are already lined up for us. I can hardly wait!" "What are you looking for this time?" one woman asked another. "Someone strong, straight and healthy, of course, someone who can give me healthy daughters," was the reply. "Oh, look over there, him towards the right, the one with the very dark red hair and beard. I remember him from two years ago. I think he is the father of my younger daughter. She has the same colored hair. It's quite the envy of her sisters." "So, are you going to use him again?" "No, I am tempted but I'm going to try a blond haired man this time. Just for variety!" she laughed. All at once it struck me that eighteen or so years previously my mother must have stood here at the temple, just like me, and selected a man. I wondered how she had felt at the time and who my father had been and what he was like. Perhaps he was among the men waiting for us. I had the sudden thought that I might choose him, but I shook my head. That was unlikely. "Have you decided what kind of man you will select, Xeremis?" someone asked me. I had not thought about it much but before I could reply there was a sudden pounding noise outside, like horses' hooves. I heard shrill female screams and cries, but also deeper tones that I realized were men shouting. I frowned. We had been told that shouting and cries were absolutely forbidden. Any unseemly behavior and noises were totally disrespectful to Ishtar. I saw sudden alarm and anger on the priestesses' faces. With a sudden crash the doors flew open and a score or so of men rushed in, all dressed in armor and carrying swords or spears. We all screamed in terror. We were totally unarmed and they were all bigger and stronger than us. I caught a glimpse of the men who had been waiting for us for the ritual retreating in confusion. They were naked and unarmed and would be getting out of the way of trouble. The invaders must have planned well. They were armed and also had large nets with them. They herded three dozen or so of us together, jabbing us with their spears, and threw the nets over us while we screamed. The nets settled over us and we were caught. I was totally tangled in the mesh and in the confusion some girl stumbled and fell, in turn pulling others to the floor. I tried to stay upright but I was taken off balance and I was pulled down by the weight of the others. Beside me was Queen Sarada, struggling and gasping as she tried unsuccessfully to squirm from under the net. Some of our soldiers and priestesses burst in and attempted to fight and grapple with the intruders but their strength was no match for the men. I saw one run through with a sword and another lost her sword arm then her head was lopped off with a spout of blood. More nets were thrown on the others and those who could not avoid them were captured too and disarmed. The intruders worked swiftly, as if practiced. They were mostly all mature men, gray bearded with powerful mature bodies although two others looked much younger. These appeared to be less sure of themselves and were ordered about by the one who seemed to be the commander of the raiders. I struggled more frantically, although uselessly when I saw them pour chains, collars, fetters and manacles out of several sacks. They were intending to abduct us, probably take us for slaves and in less than a minute they lifted the edges of the net and one by one, pulled out the screaming women. The first two or three women were forced to the ground and chained, their hands behind their backs. They kept screaming until they were brutally cuffed into whimpering submission. The women struggled but metal collars were put on their necks, and they were roped to each other by loops on the collars. The men quickly worked through the others until there was only me and Sarada left. Then it was my turn. I was pulled out from under the net. I fought against them but my hands were roughly pulled behind me and I felt manacles link my arms together. Then fetters, with only a short breadth of chain between them were locked on my ankles and a collar was forced round my neck, connected by the rope to the previous girl. She was chained to others but it seemed as if they had run out of chains for me. It was Queen Sarada's turn next. They had pulled her from the net and were about to tie her to the first chain when I bent my head and charged with all my force at the two men holding her. One was knocked off his feet while the rope on my neck collar pulled over the two girls previous to me, then another two and even some of the men onto the floor. "Run, Sarada!" I screamed. She did not hesitate. She ran through the open door while the men stumbled over the tangled mess of bodies and nets on the floor. I was dazed and the men were furious and slapped and kicked me, but the gray bearded man who appeared to be in command held up his hand to stop another raider who had started to run after the queen. "Let that one go!" I heard him say. "We can't spend much more time here. We have enough girls still." That was lucky. Obviously he had not recognized Sarada. She would have been a valuable prisoner. But they were more careful. Altogether they had captured about thirty of us, but they selected the youngest women and actually rejected the older ones. A few minutes later, our necks roped together in a coffle, we were dragged out of the temple and to the outside. We were not allowed to stop. Pulling us along ,with spears jabbing our backs, the men took us into the trees where others were waiting with horses. They all mounted and dragged us behind them, stumbling in our sandals and chains, up to the mountain pass. The stony track narrowed at the pass. I cried out in horror. Several women's bodies lay there by the side of the track. They had been the guards at the pass. Several other women, the surviving guards, I supposed, sat miserably on the ground, gagged, stripped of their armor, and chained and collared together. They also joined our group. I had been placed last on the coffle so I was only connected to one other girl by the rope. We were rushed through the pass, stumbling in our fetters until several girls collapsed in total exhaustion. Not even the raiders' whips could make them move. "We'll need to let them catch their breath," I heard one man say. "But only a few minutes. We have to keep going!" As I lay in shame and terror, gasping for breath, I felt another girl's hands at my collar. "I will try to untie your rope," she whispered. "My wrists are fastened behind me but I can feel the knot. A good thing they did not use a chain!" In less than a minute I felt the rope release. "That's it! Go! Get help!" she whispered. "Let me try to unfasten yours," I whispered back. "No. They look as if they are getting ready to move again. There's not enough time. At least one of us can escape. Try to get help!" It was a full moon but I was in the shadow of the bushes and I was able to squirm and wriggle further away. Then I was in the trees and could get to my feet although I could not move fast with the darkness, the thick vegetation and the chains on my ankles. A minute later, some distance back I heard angry shouts and women's screams. My escape had been discovered. I cowered behind several rocks and I heard the men blundering about but no one came in my direction and finally I heard more cries, shouts and screams, the cracking of a whip and the noise of horses, dying slowly away from me. They were moving on. I gave them time to get well away then I cautiously made my way back to the track and headed back up to the mountain pass, only just visible in the light of the full moon shining through the trees. The chains on my wrists and ankles occasionally made clinking sounds but I had no way of stopping them. Finally the ground began to slope downwards and I was back over the pass. Just a short distance further on I saw the pale shapes of the guards' bodies and I hurried past. until I heard a small moan from one of the bodies. I kneeled over the woman. One of her shoulders was cut open but it looked as if it had stopped bleeding. I bent my face to her chest and heard her weak heartbeat. Her eyes opened and she looked at me. "Who are you?" she said faintly. "I escaped from them. Can you move? We should get away from here and find help. Put your arm round my neck and I will try to pull you up. My arms are chained behind me." It was awkward but I finally got her to her feet. "I am Xeremis," I said. "I was one of the women going to visit the Temple. Men rushed in and took us but I was able to get free." "I am Kara. I was a guard at the pass. I don't know how it happened but there were suddenly armed men all around us. We tried to resist but we were easily overpowered. There were just too many of them." "Yes, I saw some guards' bodies. The men took other guards with the rest of the prisoners. Who were these men anyway?" I asked. "I have no idea, probably from one of the kingdoms over the mountains. They were probably looking for slaves." She suddenly gasped. "I had heard the queen was to the visit the Temple. Was she captured too?" "No, she managed to escape. Now, can you move?" Kara groaned slightly. "Yes, but my shoulder hurts and I'm weak." She held onto my chained arms and with me supporting her we slowly made our way down from the pass, down towards the city but more and more frequently she had to rest. At last the sky began to lighten and we were about exhausted when I saw a group of riders coming towards us. I pulled Kara into the trees at the side of the road in case it was more raiders but as the horses got nearer I saw it was a troop of our Genorian cavalry, armed women. When I struggled out into the road in front of them they drew up around me. "I am Xeremis," I cried out. "I'm from the city. I was captured by some raiders but I managed to escape. Please help me. There is a wounded soldier over here too." The women's grim faces lightened a bit when they saw us. "I am Taliana," said the leader. "We have been sent to investigate this disaster. At least, two of you managed to escape. What happened?" I told her all, how I was captured and escaped. "But the raiders are well over the other side of the pass now. There were about a dozen of them." Talia grinned humorlessly. "Then we can take them. I have thirty armed riders with me and more coming in a few minutes. If we will ride hard we have a good chance of reaching them. The raiders will be slowed by their captives. However, I will send two of my soldiers back with you. Queen Sarada will want to see you to get a full accounting. But now, let's get these chains off you!" One soldier brought a chisel and hammer. My ankles then arms were laid on a hard rock and in minutes they were freed. Most of the others had galloped off towards the pass. "Unfortunately I will have to leave the neck collar on you," the soldier apologized. "It is too awkward here. Now, I better hurry and catch up to the others." The two soldiers put us on their horses and hurried us back to the city and immediately we were ushered into the presence of the queen. She was now dressed in her military clothing and with her were her chancellor Nera and Palustris, the general of our army. Sarada stared at us at first as if annoyed at the interruption but then she cried out. "You are Xeremis, aren't you? You helped me escape! And you have escaped too! That is wonderful! I was just telling others about your heroism." Her attention shifted to Kara. "Soldier, you are wounded. You need immediate attention! I must fix this." She ran lightly to another room and returned with a scroll. "This one. It should heal injuries." Immediately she began to read some words. A few sounded slightly familiar but I did not recognize the others and they did not even sound like any of the other local dialects. "It's from the same collection of magic scrolls as the one that makes male infants into girls," she said, by way of explanation. It only took a minute. Kara cried out at first but it took less than few heartbeats when she relaxed and I saw her wound beginning to close. Another minute and all that was left was a whitish scar, although her skin was still as bloody. Kara smiled gratefully but Sarada waved her arms at some of her attendants. "This soldier, she has lost a lot of blood. She is weak so take her to a bed and care for her." She turned back to me, suddenly very serious. "Now, Xeremis, you must tell me what happened to you, and how you were able to escape. Oh first, let us get rid of that disgusting slave collar on you. Go and get a metalworker," she ordered, and one of her attendants ran off. Once again I told her how I was captured but managed to escape, thanks to another girl and then my helping Kara. " I am very grateful for you helping me escape. You will be rewarded!" I shook my head. "My queen, I am glad to have helped, but it was my duty as a Genorian citizen to help you escape." She looked surprised then smiled faintly. "I suppose that was why you used my name and not my title when you told me to run! Good thinking! Queens like me are not used to being ordered and the only other one who uses my name is my mother. Well then, it will be Genoria that thanks you and will show its gratitude!" Her attendant had returned with another woman, a metalworker by her clothing. "Let me see that demeaning collar, " she said and in a few minutes she had it off me. I rubbed at the chafing on my neck. It was good to have its weight gone. The queen peered at me. "Xeremis, you have shown you are quick-witted and resourceful. You know, I think Genoria can use a person like you. So I am going to call on you in the future for advice. However, just now you look too exhausted to be of much use to me. I need you to be alert. I will get someone help you back to your table. Have a good rest there then I want to see you here tomorrow to help plan our strategy. This outrage must be avenged and we must hope our forces can rescue our women." The other women at my table had heard of the raid and had presumed I had been carried off, so they were absolutely delighted when I staggered in. After a great fuss I was immediately washed, fed and ordered to bed to take a good rest. When I woke sometime later another woman of my table was there with me almost immediately. "Ah, you are awake! Good! I hope you are rested after your ordeal too." I felt myself all over. My feet were sore with all the walking and my wrists and ankles chafed and reddened from the manacles and fetters. "I think so, but I'm sore in too many bits of my body. How long have I slept?" "All though the night. It is almost noon." "Noon?" I gasped. "I was supposed to see the queen." "That's all right, she has sent someone for you to bring you as soon as you woke, but you are to have something to eat and drink before you go." When I was led back to the palace and the queen's chamber I found her already in discussion with Palustris, Nera, and an older woman I recognized as her mother Fermia, the former queen. I was in awe of such important individuals but the queen beckoned me right to her. "Ah, Xeremis. I hope you have had enough rest now. I have been wondering about some things for you to do. Oh, first, I have some good news. The soldiers sent after the raiders caught up to them in the early dawn when the raiders had stopped for a rest. There was a fight and fortunately for us they were tired and careless. All of the captives from Genoria were rescued. Unfortunately we lost another of our soldiers, but about a third of the raiders were killed and some others were captured, including their leader. A few of them escaped, unfortunately. We brought the captured ones back here and we are already questioning them to learn what their aims were, how they were organized and who else knew about this. "This affair is worrying and dangerous. We have lived peaceably with our neighbours for a generation. We now wonder who and what prompted this. We have lost in total eight of our priestesses, soldiers or border guards, so far. That cannot be tolerated in a small nation like ours." She was interrupted by an attendant. "He is ready, Majesty," the woman, said. Sarada nodded grimly. "Bring him in here!" As the attendant went to deliver her message, the queen looked at us. "My interrogators have been busy. And effective! The enemy commander is now ready to tell us of his role and plans." I heard a clinking noise and three of her soldiers pulled, half dragged, a bloodied chained figure into the room. The man was hunched in pain and when they released him he simply fell to the floor. He was barely conscious. I hardly recognized him as the leader of the raiders just the night before, who had then seemed so powerful and threatening. I put my hand at my mouth and shuddered at his appearance. The man could barely lift his head. He had been severely beaten. Bloody saliva ran from his mouth. "Who are you and where are you from?" asked the queen. He slowly raised his head,l ooked round at us and his gaze fixed on me a brief second. His voice was weak and broken with the torture he had undergone. "I am Mitharnes. I was... a commander in the.... Urartuan army. We were getting ready to raid the Ceradol kingdom just over the...... mountains then when we questioned some Ceradolans they told us about Genoria. They told us that..... it was a society ....only of women, that Genoria had .....only a woman as leader and that the women there .....were beautiful and would make... good slaves." I first thought the queen would erupt with fury but she held her temper. "Only a woman? Slaves? And then what?" "I had some men... who wanted to come along. They already had some loot from.... our previous raids but wanted more. The Ceradolans.... we spoke to told us that Genoria also had a lot of gold. So we spied out the pass with the.... help of some... Ceradolans who had visited your... temple at times in the past. That one.... called after Ishtar where your women prostitute themselves." I felt the queen stiffen at the insult. For a sacred rite to be so described! "We planned..... it at the full moon when your guards would actually..... be expecting men who wanted.... to visit the temple. It was a simple... matter ...to hide weapons in our clothing and kill some guards, then .....overpower the rest." He paused for a minute. "We led our ...horses over with our ....supplies, I mean ropes and chains. Then we just waited until we saw the procession .....arrive from the city. We had been told ......too that you would be..... there and if we could capture .....you we would have removed the.... head of your society. That way we might be able to persuade more.... men to help us do a proper invasion and conquer Genoria. I ... I...did not recognize you..... and unfortunately you.... escaped ...with the help of another." He gave me a spiteful look and I had a small shiver. The queen scowled. "Take him away! Chain him closely!' she commanded. "We should hear from the others too." One by one the other five were brought in, and commanded to tell their stories. They were all similar. At least it did not look like these had been tortured. They were all adventurers looking for gold and slave women. The last one was only a youth, quite young. He told us he had been persuaded to come along by his uncle, the leader. "Now what?" asked the queen. "We have survived this threat and we have learned some hard lessons. Our border guards should have been more suspicious. Many of our citizens have paid for their carelessness by their lives. They failed to do their jobs so the rest will be discharged from the army and replaced by fresh soldiers. "But now we have to plan what else can we do to protect ourselves." "Could we send a delegation to the Urartuans and seek a peace agreement?" asked the chancellor. The queen drew in her breath and let it out slowly. "In the past we have preferred that Genoria remain a mystery, a hidden land beyond the mountains. I would prefer it to remain so. The other problem is that we have no men. So any delegation we put together would be only women and, as that object..." She pointed to the direction of the cells where the raider leader was held..." has said, they would be beautiful ones, who would tempt the lust of many men. We cannot show our weakness. "Then, in any treaty they might demand something from us like trade concessions and want to station their troops here. That would threaten our special society. No, on the whole, I think I would prefer as little as possible about Genoria be known." "What about these prisoners?" asked Palustris. The queen thought for a minute. "In the past, any men that were captured in war, or intruded on our territory were given two choices. Execution, being sold away or slavery. But one aspect of the slavery was special too. Using the magic scrolls that we use on male infants- they work well on grown men too- they are made into women. Some of the more recent of those, in my reign, these who took my fancy, have been given another choice, slavery under me for a year, so that they might learn to be good Genorian citizens and most have been eventually freed. "If they did not please me," she said airily, "Well, then they were sold as slaves along the coast or in the far off Greek states. I have two such slaves currently in my retinue. Xiremis, you have seen that two of my attendants wear collars? These slaves were men who intruded on our lands some months ago and were captured. "However, these adventurers in our cells downstairs have not just intruded on our lands. They intended to capture us and reduce us to slavery. They could have destroyed our realm. They have disrupted the holy rites of the Temple and finally, they have caused the deaths of our citizens. They do not deserve any mercy. "I sentence then to be executed. This will be done tomorrow. Xiremis, I expect you to be there." I gulped. I really had no desire to see any more bloodshed. "But perhaps we can give a little service to some ancient customs." said the queen. "These other five prisoners, they look in good condition. They are healthy and strong. Chancellor, send word to the nearest tables that if any woman wants to lie with the prisoners that they will be available tonight. That will be all. In the morning the men will be publicly beheaded. A night of pleasure for them? Then execution in the morning! That will be a shock to them when we tell them that! Their heads will be stuck on posts at our borders to deter others. " She looked round us as if looking for disagreement but the other women all nodded in agreement. I gulped at the thought of ending a person's life. It seemed drastic, but our nation had suffered severely. I had the glimmering of an idea. "Queen Sarada, can I have your permission to inspect these men?" "You fancy one?" She laughed, but with not much humor. "Yes, go and look them over and see if any of them takes your fancy, but they are all marked for death." I made my way to the cells, wrinkling my nose at the smell of unwashed bodies and worse. Crime or mischief in Genoria were usually punished almost immediately after trial before the queen and the cells were only used when further information might be needed. Usually any prisoners who were spared were required to scrub out their cells before being released but the smell often lingered. The raiders were all in one cell, but chained to rings in the floor. The leader was lying very still. He had been severely tortured to give up any information. I felt some pity for him, and for the rest, but their crime was severe and Genorians had died. One prisoner was sitting apart at the back, his head bowed. It was the young man and I suddenly felt pity for him, for a young life to be cut short. "What is your name?" I asked. "Medus," he muttered. "Where are you from?" "I came from over the mountains. I lived in an outlying province of the Urartuan empire." "Why did you come here?" "Bad advice, I suppose. I had disagreements with my father and my uncle persuaded me to go with him. He had been told that the Genorian women were beautiful and he wanted to capture some. He said I could maybe get a beautiful slave for myself. " I made my way upstairs where the queen was still conferring with the others. She raised her eyebrows at my expression. "Well, Xeremis?" "Queen Sarada, I beg a favor." She sat back, suspicious and wary. "Queen Sarada, I know that the men downstairs deserve death but there is one, the youngest. He had little part in it and he told us he had been persuaded to accompany his uncle. I beg you to spare his life. Send him back. He will be able to give a warning to others to keep away." The queen frowned at me then her expression softened, just a little. "Xeremis, you are too soft hearted. A few minutes ago I saw your open distaste at the torture we inflicted on the leader. I did not like that either but it was necessary to get information in case any more invasions were planned. However, you saved me and for that I will be generous to you. I will spare his life but he cannot go unpunished." She thought for a minute. "I will first give him some work, then I will treat him as we have treated less serious intruders in the past. He will not be offered to any of our women tonight. Instead, in the morning he will be offered two choices, being made into a young woman who can serve me as a slave for at least a year and at some point will be allowed to assume full Genorian citizenship. Or, if that is not acceptable, then his head can be removed, like the others." Her face was implacable. It was no use asking any more. "Thank you, Majesty!" I bowed and left her. There was great excitement in the city the next morning. The word had got out that the executions were to be performed in the square in front of the palace. With three more women from my table I joined the crowd of chattering citizens in the square. The spectators were all ages, even some young girls. This was to impress on them the effects of the laws and penalties of Genoria. I was apprehensive, thinking about the dreadful fate that awaited the men. I did not know if any women had visited them that night. If there had been, the men would probably have been pleasantly surprised but curious. Then in the morning, they would be dragged from their cells to the scaffold. Some woodworkers had been busy. Already a platform had been constructed with steps leading up to it. I felt my stomach give a lurch as a small procession came out from the palace, the crowd parting in front of them. The first was Palustris, leading a troop of armed soldiers, then another woman, beautiful like all Genorian women, but tall and well built and carrying a large curved bronze sword. Following, all in chains and prodded by spear carrying soldiers, came the stumbling prisoners. My heart sank when I saw the young man there who I had asked to be spared. I supposed the queen had changed her mind. I was disappointed but that was her royal prerogative. Last followed the queen, her mother and her chancellor, all in their finest robes and accompanied by the queen's attendants. Some of the girls were looking very apprehensive. The queen and her chancellor actually mounted the platform first. The queen stood straight and looked out over her citizens. As she raised her hands to speak the tumult died away to a murmur and then all was quiet. "Fellow citizens of Genoria and my subjects, there has been a desperate attempt to abduct some of our women by men, raiders from over the mountains. They even desecrated the sacred rites of the Temple of Ishtar. They actually abducted two dozen of our women who were at the temple. Fortunately our brave soldiers caught up with them and triumphed. They were able to capture the raiders and rescue our women. We have brought the surviving raiders here for punishment." I heard angry cries of "Shame," "Kill them! Death!" The queen help up her hand for silence again. "I was nearly captured too but a selfless and heroic action by one of our citizens saved me. That was Xeremis. Is Xeremis here?" The women parted around me so that I was exposed. I almost felt that I was being shunned. "Xeremis, come up here beside me!" I did not want this, but it was a royal command and, my knees shaking, I mounted the stairs to stand beside the queen. She spoke out loudly so her audience could hear. And held up my arm. "Xeremis, I give public thanks to you. Even more, you were able to escape, help yet another wounded victim, and your information helped us save our women and capture some of the men. These will now pay the penalty." She motioned to the executioner. "You will start now!" She stood aside and motioned for me to stand beside her. I was supposed to watch. The executioner ceremoniously mounted the steps and stood in the middle of the platform, ominously swinging her sword. The leader of the raiders was the first to ascend the steps, or rather he was mostly pulled up by two soldiers. They allowed him to sink to his knees, with a soldier holding each arm. Without any more fuss another pulled the man's hair forward, stretching his neck and with little hesitation the executioner swung her sword at his neck. I could not help myself. I gave a small squeal as his neck was cleanly sliced through with a spurt of blood and the body toppled to the floor of the platform. The executioner held up the head for all to see and the crowd gave a great roar. The queen held my wrist. "Steady, Xeremis," she muttered. "It is not pleasant to see executions, but you must be strong. Our nation must be preserved. These men threatened it. They must die but, if it makes you feel any better, they may leave daughters. I have been told that a dozen or so of our women came to use them last night!" She gave a malicious sneer. "Maybe they will be exhausted, even tired to death!" One by one, the other four were forced up the platform. They looked totally bewildered. They would have spent the night servicing women. Perhaps they thought they were being spared. Now they suddenly discovered they were to be publicly executed. Protesting and struggling, they were forced to their knees and one by one beheaded. The bodies were thrown off the platform but the heads were left in a pile, the eyes staring sightlessly. The four of them were despatched that way. The last to ascend the platform was the young man. His legs trembled as he was pushed forward onto his knees amid the blood of the others. I steeled myself to see his death but once more the queen held up her hand for silence. "At the request of Xeremis, I am prepared to be merciful. She has asked for the life of this one to be spared, given his youth." There were mixed cries from the audience, some of acclamation, some of protest. Many wanted his death. "You are called Medus?" Sarada asked. His face was white and his tongue flickered over his pale lips. "Yes, I am Medus." " I will give you two choices. In Genoria we have sometimes allowed prisoners to remain and serve me, but with certain conditions. This is a society of women only. Men are not allowed. We have a certain rite, using a spell, that when read to you could make you into a woman of the same age as you are. You would be beautiful too, but it will be a permanent change. "If you choose that, you will also serve me as a female slave for a year at least, learning the life of a Genorian woman and the expectations of her. If you are satisfactory and properly obedient we will be generous and you will eventually be freed and allowed to take full citizenship, with it privileges, and its responsibilities." She gave a cold smile. "One of these would be to visit the Temple of Ishtar and lie with men of neighboring tribes so that you get pregnant. I believe you have some experience of that temple?" He looked at her in horror and began to shake. "I cannot become a woman!" "You cannot? That simplifies things!" She clapped her hands. "Then the other choice is death, like your comrades." At her signal the executioner stepped forward with her sword, still bloodied. The young man's head sank, then he looked up at the queen as if looking for mercy, to the hushed crowd, to the sneering executioner, and back to the queen's implacable face. He gulped. "I will choose to become a female, slave," he whispered. "My citizens cannot hear you!" cried the queen. "You must shout it out and seek their approval. Tell them that you beg to be made into a woman and one of my slaves" I saw his face screw up in the agony of his decision. He looked at Sarada's stern face and haltingly cried out. "I beg to be made into a woman. I beg to be a slave to Queen Sarada." "Genorians, does he have your permission?" cried the queen. I was amused by her action. She was absolute ruler and did not need anyone's permission, but she was rewarded by a cry of acclamation from the crowd. Only a few dissenters, probably more bloodthirsty, cried that he should be executed like the others. "Thank you, citizens. I will see to his punishment. Put him in the cells," she commanded and with that she signaled for the executioner to leave the platform and we followed her down. The event was over. The queen turned to me. "Xeremis. I need to talk about some things with you. Come back with me to my quarters!" I dutifully followed her. Some guards brought along Medus too. I supposed he would be taken back to his cell. Back in her palace I stood in front of her beside Palustris and with her attendants ranged behind her. "Xeremis, you must have wondered about that exercise, but I liked the dramatic effect." She gave a faint smile. "And I am vain enough that I like the acclamation of crowds. I also think the way I did it emphasizes to Medus that his life as a man is over. However, I have a little task for him before he is changed, and for you. I think I am going to have you as one of my officials, so maybe you could call this your first official task. "As part of his punishment he is to gather the five heads up on the platform." She gestured out to the courtyard. "He is to carry them up to the pass. You will accompany him and there will be an escort of soldiers there too, just in case. At the pass, our frontier, you will supervise him as he mounts the heads of the raiders, his former friends, onto stakes. He is to do it as part of his punishment. It should make him realize how fortunate he is not to have his own head there. "Oh, I suppose the flesh will soon rot away so they will be unrecognizable and wild animals and ravens or other carrion eaters will help too, but the skulls may deter further invaders. "After that you will immediately bring him back here so that the rest of his penalty can be administered. One of my slaves has been with me almost a year. She has learned well and I am ready to free her. That one," she pointed to where the palace cells were. "He will be changed and then set about duties as a new female slave to replace her. Medus' crime was very grave. I will be a severe and demanding mistress and I may want more than a year's service." We set out the next day, accompanied by mounted soldiers. Fortunately for my legs, still aching from the exertions of several days before and chafed from the chains, I was given a horse, but Medus was made to walk. It did not make it easier for him that his arms were chained behind him, his ankles linked by a chain that only allowed him short paces, and round his neck was slung a bag with the heads of his former comrades. It would have been quite a weight. By the time we reached the Temple of Ishtar he was dragging his feet and stumbling badly. By the time we reached the pass he was close to collapsing and we had to wait impatiently until he recovered. The soldiers sank five stakes in the ground, each with sharpened points. One of them emptied the bag on the ground and the five bloodied heads rolled out. One soldier unchained him. "You know what to do." I said, ignoring the look of horror on his face. I was actually almost nauseous myself, but I dared not show it. " Make sure they face out of Genoria, so would-be intruders can see them." I ordered. Tears coming from his eyes, one by one, he jammed the heads on the stakes then sank to the ground, totally distraught and broken. I had to take several deep breaths too. I was a potter, totally unused to carnage and horror. It was obvious he was too exhausted to walk much further and, taking pity on him, I had him placed on my horse in front of me and we rode back down to the palace. It was disconcerting feeling a man in front of me. It made me feel very uneasy. It crossed my mind that at the Temple, when I was there for the rite, I would have been even closer to a man. "You are going to take me back to the palace?" he said. "Yes, the queen has commanded it." "Could you not let me go? I would go back home over the mountains and I would never bother you ever again." I shook my head. "No, it is too late for that. You must accept your punishment. But, in consolation, I have been told that those of the queen's prisoners who were made into young women eventually began to accept then actually like their new bodies and existence. Perhaps that's hard to believe for a man, but it may be the same with you." He just looked at me in despair and disbelief. "Anyway, if we let you go, the queen would be very angry. I would have betrayed the laws of Genoria and been disobedient to her." It was late when we reached the palace and he was immediately dragged off by some palace guards and locked in a cell for the night. The queen had come to watch our arrival. She nodded approvingly when I reported how it had gone. "So, be here tomorrow at noon, Xeremis. I will administer the spell that will change him then. You haven't seen it work before?" I shook my head. "No, majesty!" "Do you want to? It's the same one that I administer to male infants." I thought about it. I had heard of the spell but I had never actually seen it used. "Yes, I will be there." The next morning I presented myself at the palace where an attendant led me to the queen. She was still in her robes of office, having just held her daily council in her main room where she dealt with affairs of state. With her were her mother, Fernia, the former queen, and her chancellor Nera. And I bowed together bowed respectfully to both. Her attendants were helping the queen remove her outer robes and into a simple and lighter gown. She grinned ruefully. "These robes of office are such a weight! I use them for show and ceremonies, but in summer days I'm glad when I can get something lighter on. Thank you for coming, Xeremis. You pleaded for the life of Medus. I thought you should now see the next part." She clapped her hands together. "All right, he is in our cells downstairs and is awake now. It is time we attended to him. "But first, I have something to attend to. Malia? " She spoke to one of her two slaves and beckoned. "Come here! Bow at my feet, girl!" Malia, a pretty, gold-skinned, dark-haired girl immediately ran to the queen and bowed down so far that her lips were at Marada's feet. Her long dark hair fell off her tanned shoulders, exposing her slim neck and its bronze collar. She was so low that her dangling earrings almost grazed Sarada's jeweled sandals. The queen required her slaves to wear elaborate earrings to identify them. "Malia, do you swear absolute obedience to me and the rites and customs of Genoria?" "I swear that, majesty." "Rise to your knees and look at me, Malia. Now take off your earrings!" The girl was puzzled but immediately did so and handed them to the queen. Sarada leaned forward and unlocked Malia's collar. The girl stared at her, her apprehensive look changing to delight. "Malia, you have served me faithfully for one year. That is now over. I am now freeing you to be a full citizen of Genoria. " The girl's eyes lit up and she gave a squeal of delight. "So, Malia, I have your slave earrings and collar. Now stand up and take off your gown of slavery!" The girl immediately undid the braided rope at her slim waist and let the gown slip off her shoulders and fall to the floor. As it was warm she was totally naked underneath. In the summer many Genorian women did not bother with clothing other than their gowns. Occasionally in hot weather some women even slid the tops of their gowns off to hang at their waists. I saw Malia's pert breasts, each with a prominent brownish nipple and the dark hair at the vee of her legs. The queen snapped her fingers and the other slave passed her a bundle. She held it up. "Here, Malia, now you have earned the robes of a free woman." These were in a reddish brown colour, smart enough, but in a coarser fabric, not as fine as the gown she had been wearing, but that was the gown of a slave to the queen. Brownish or grayish green robes were the style used commonly by free women in Genoria. My gown was green, but I had decorated it with a dark green tie at my waist. "I.. I thank you, majesty." Tears of happiness at her eyes, Malia pulled the gown over her head, allowed it to fall about her and tied it round her slim waist. She bowed again. "Look at me, Malia," said Sarada. "I know that you were once a skilled metal worker. You told me that a year ago when you were enslaved. I have heard that you now want to join with other women at a table. That is good as I hope you have not forgotten your skills. One of our tables, the one situated over by the market, is looking for a capable metal worker. Go there and ask for Calimeta who handles most of the affairs of that table. She is expecting you. I wish you well." When Malia had left, almost skipping in her delight, Sarada looked back at me. "That was a pleasant business. She will be an asset to Genoria. Now, the other business at hand, the young man downstairs. He needs our special attention." The Queen beckoned to two of her attendants. "Bariel, you come with me. Felita? You too!" She also beckoned to two of her guards. These would be an escort, in case. One of her attendants, the one called Felita, wore a collar showing she was a slave while Bariel had the bare neck of a free woman. I noticed the Queen Mother Fernia was accompanying us too. We went down a corridor, through a heavy wooden door, then ten steps down a stone stair and we were in the dank cells below the palace. I wrinkled my nose again. The smell had not improved. Medus was in a small cell, the heavy iron collar on his neck chained to a ring in the floor so that he could not even rise. He looked up apprehensively through the cell bars. "It is time for the next part of your punishment. Prepare yourself!" said Sarada. He looked at us. "Please," he pleaded. "Release me and I will trouble you no more." Sarada looked at him contemptuously. "You should have thought of that before you joined the others and tried to abduct my citizens and desecrate the temple. Besides, your fate may be a warning to others. If I executed you, you would trouble us no more either. I would have preferred that!" Sarada had a bundle with her, of fine red and gold patterned cloth. She unwrapped it to reveal a parchment scroll. I had never seen any of the magic scrolls. It actually looked very ordinary, perhaps a bit worn but otherwise intact. The queen unrolled it, and handed it to Fernia, who began to read it slowly and distinctly. I had no idea what language it was written in. It was certainly not Genorian or any of the local dialects. It took only a short time for Fernia to finish. She looked at me, a faint smile on her face. "Xeremis, no doubt you are wondering about this. That scroll, or at least the words on it, dates from the earliest times of Genoria. Oh yes, it's human skin." I felt slightly nauseous and I breathed deeply. "What now?" I asked. "I don't see any change in him." The prisoner's face was puzzled too. He would have been relieved that nothing had happened. "Just wait," said Fernia. "It can take any time from a few heartbeats to several minutes to start." Then, just a minute later, the young man hunched his shoulders as if cold and, another few heartbeats after that, he shook, as with a shiver. This was followed by another and yet another until the shivers grew stronger and came more frequently, then ran into each other, so that he was shaking. I saw terror in his eyes fade to blankness and he sank to the floor, unconscious, but his body jerking in spasms. Then the tremors died away but his skin looked indistinct, as if it was blurred. The queen nodded and a jailer unlocked the cell door. Fermia took out a knife and cut off all his male clothes and unlocked his collar. Sarada pointed to his soft penis. "That doesn't look very impressive now, does it? Not what would be wanted at the temple, I believe. Or so the priestesses instructed me!" She laughed. "But then he will never go there again, at least as a man." "You see what is happening, Xeremis?" Fermia asked. "His body is changing already!" It was just as she said. The body was subtly changing in front of us, shrinking, and changing shape. The shoulders were narrowing, the waist even more so, while the hips slowly widened. The face and limbs grew smoother. At the groin his penis and the sac below began to shrink and I sucked in my breath as they retracted into the body. I had never seen an actual penis so close before although it had been described to us by one of the temple priestesses and I had seen some across the room on the naked men at the temple. It did not look at all the size of those shown on the gods and men at the mosaics in the temple. "Almost ready for the next part to happen," said Sarada. "Felita, are you paying attention? This is what happened to you six months ago when I read the spell to you." Felita's face was white with tension and her knuckles were white. "I don't remember much of before the spell. I do remember how I was after I woke up and I would not like to repeat the pain I endured." She drew in her breath. I was speechless. I had heard of the power of the spell but never seen it actually used. "There, look there!" said Sarada. She pointed to the figure's groin. A split had developed, quickly widening and lengthening. "She's well on the way to becoming a woman. And there! Her breasts are now starting." As we watched, almost not daring to breathe, the small male nipples began to swell, then the parts round them, and finally the skin expanded and swelled up until two female breasts sat on her chest. I shook my head in wonder. "It's totally a woman!" I exclaimed. "Yes, that's a wonderful scroll with wonderful effects," said Sarada. "All right," she said, suddenly brusque, "the change has gone well. Nothing much more is going to happen for two more days. Then I will perform the ceremony to take this person into servitude under me. In the meantime, I suppose I will have to think of a suitable name for her. "Xeremis. I would like you to be here in two days for the next part of the procedure. After all, it was you who wanted to spare the former man." It was phrased as a request, but she was the queen and I would obey her. I had some work to do first. Like all women in their tables I had some things to do and I worked hard all of that next day, dawn to dusk, making new pots, drying them and firing some left from before. Others, already fired, needed decorating and glazing and I completed that too. I liked working with my hands, seeing the clay take shape from my efforts. It seemed much simpler than affairs of state. The next day I took some time to visit my mother Adelanthe. She lived at a separate table, but not far away. Daughters were generally discouraged from living at the same tables where they had grown up, to discourage nepotism. She was spinning some flax thread when I arrived. Her eyes lit up and we embraced, just a little stiffly. Our relationship was cordial enough, but talking to other young women about their mothers I knew our relationship lacked their open mutual affection. "How are you, daughter? That must have been a terrible ordeal when these men tried to capture you. I am so relieved that you escaped. "I heard you have been busy too. I wish you had come to see me earlier. I am your mother, you know, " she said." And now you're hobnobbing with royalty!" There was just a trace of disapproval in her voice. "Yes, mother, I should have come to see you earlier but the queen's command could not be ignored." "That is your duty. I understand but tell me all about it." I told her all that had happened and when I was finished she looked at me in approval. "I am glad you helped save our queen and I am glad you are safe too. You were lucky. So maybe you can put that behind you and resume your normal life." Her expression became sterner. "However, do not forget your responsibilities to our nation. As soon as you can you must visit the Temple again and select a man. You are now a good childbearing age. Don't delay! It is your duty." Her voice softened and she gave a little smile, but it was still a demand. "Yes, and I want to be a grandmother too!" I took a deep breath. "Mother," I asked. "You have visited the temple too, in the past. I suppose you must have been several times as I have three younger sisters. So you must have lain with a number of men. Tell me, mother, do you remember anything of the man who was my father?" She stared at me and sniffed. "Oh, not really too much, even though he was my first. It's not really important anyway! Men have no place in Genoria. They exist only to give us children. They are like the drones in a beehive." Somehow I got the impression that she remembered more but did not want to talk about it. "So, why do you want to know?" "It was just curiosity. I see that you are dark haired, so I suppose that, as I am fair, my father could have been too. I wonder too where he came from. Perhaps he fathered other children. Perhaps he now has a wife in some realm beyond the mountains and perhaps I have half sisters or brothers." "That is possible, I suppose but these things need not concern you." She spoke testily, but then her face softened a bit. "I am sorry, Xeremis. I would have been curious too about who my own father was. "I can tell you very little. I was your age when I first visited the temple. That was in the reign of the queen's grandmother. There were two dozen of us there, mostly young women like me. Genoria's population was much smaller then. "As I expect it was with you, before you were interrupted, the men were lined up, anticipating us. Some were quite visibly ready to serve us." She gave a slight smile. "It was my first time and I was nervous and slightly frightened too. In fact I dithered at the back until a priestess pushed me forward. I was so nervous I selected almost the first man. "I suppose I could have chosen another, many of the other women had talked about taking good looking men but I wanted it over with. But you know, the man I selected treated me gently. It was my first time. I was nervous-I said that didn't I? " Then afterwards, I just felt a peace such as I had never felt before and he did not resist when I lay on him. It was wonderful to feel his male chest against my breasts. In fact I used him once more that same night. "Then a few weeks later I discovered I was pregnant with you so I did not visit the temple again for another year and a half after your birth. I was half hoping he would be there but I never saw him again. I used different men at later visits so your three sisters have different fathers to you, as you can see from their appearances. They will be here soon." I knew that was true. We all had some look of our mother, but whereas I was fair haired, only one other sister was fair like me. The other two were very dark haired. My sisters' arrival put a stop to my questions. One had joined another table, but two were still with my mother's table. They all had been visiting artisan at the Western part of the city wall, two of them getting instructions on weaving and the other on dyeing. I embraced each too. I liked them but we would never be a close family with my mother's coolness. I had reported to her as a dutiful daughter would have done, but other than that she was my mother, we had less and less in common and I soon gave the excuse that I was needed back at my table. There, at least, I had more overt affection from the other women. A day later I made my way to the palace and reported to the queen. "Xeremis, I hope you are well and rested after the events of two days ago? You should know that the woman who was Medus has now woken up and awaits her fate. I have also ordered her to be washed. A good exercise for Felita and I cannot stand dirty slaves at all! The guards will bring her up. By the way, I decided to call her Namesa. Oh, here we are!" Two guards had escorted Namesa into the queen's chamber. I would not have recognized her as the young man of two days previously. She was completely naked and looked entirely female. The spell had worked well. She was beautiful too, with a lovely graceful figure, with full, but well proportioned breasts, a slim waist and wide hips, but her appearance was spoiled by the awkward and tense way she carried herself. She would be rightfully worried about her future. The queen looked her up and down. "I am going to call you Namesa. That will be your name as long as you are my slave. Now, turn around slowly so that I can see you. Yes, I see you have recovered, and you have been washed. I see too that you have already lost your male hair. That is good. As I said before, you are now to be taken into my service. You will serve me at least a year. You are still willing do that?" "Yes," Namesa whispered. "Good. Otherwise you could still be executed. I see you flinched at that. Yes, you should fear me! "However, to impress on you your status, as with all my slaves, you will be given a ritual whipping. This is to impress on you that you must obey me instantly and completely. Anytime you displease me or fail to do your duties you can expect a whipping." The girl's hand went to her mouth and her face contorted, fighting her tears. Sarada gestured and the two guards took Namesa's unresisting arms and led her to a courtyard off the queen's chamber. "We will all watch," said Sarada so the rest of us followed. "Ten strokes," ordered Sarada. Another guard was already there, carrying a ten stranded whip. "Hold out your hands, slave " she commanded. Unresisting, numbly, Namesa allowed her hands to be loosely tied in front of her then she was pulled to a post set in the courtyard, her arms pulled up, and the ties looped over a hook. It was so high that her toes only just touched the flagstones. I heard the guard mutter to Namesa. "Two of my close friends died as a result of you and your friends. I will make you suffer!" She stood back and swung the whip through the air, as if testing it. I heard it whistle. At the queen's signal she then swung the whip at the naked girl's back. The vicious blow drove the girl against the post and she gasped and shrieked. This was followed by another blow on the backs of her thighs then yet another on her buttocks. The girl was screaming so much that she began to choke. I was almost in tears too at her obvious agony. The queen held up her hand for the guard to stop. "Wait until she can breathe. And put a rag in her mouth! I don't want her to bite her tongue. You can start again!" The guard swung the whip four more times until Namesa's whole back was covered in red stripes. She was writhing in agony but she could not escape the whip or avoid the blows. I saw her sag at the post, her head hanging forward. She had fainted. I felt weak myself. At the queen's signal cold water was thrown on her and gasping, Namesa spluttered and regained consciousness. "Three more, and not quite so hard," said the queen. "I don't want to kill her." So even the queen had some feelings! At last the punishment was done, and when the girl was cut down she collapsed at the foot of the post. I hunched in anguish. I had heard of slave whippings but never seen one. I was almost in tears for the poor girl, although I suppose she deserved it. If she and her friends had succeeded I might have been the slave, fearing a master's whip as I stood in his bedchamber or on an auction block. She was lying almost motionless. Her back was completely red. But at least it was neither blistered nor bleeding. She would spend the next few days in pain but she would have no lasting marks. She even had abrasions on her breasts, belly and thighs where she had writhed against the rough wooden post. But the poor girl was given little time even to recover her breath. "Pull her up!" commanded the queen. "Slave, come here!" commanded Sarada. Wincing, in tears, Namesa shuffled to the queen. "Kneel and place your head at my feet! Kiss them!" ordered the queen. "Repeat these words. 'I give you my complete obedience as a slave girl. I ask to be severely punished if I do not obey you.'" Tearfully, gasping, Namesa swore her obedience. "Now, kneel and raise your head! Look up at me!" When the girl did so the queen snapped a bronze collar on her neck. "This is a sign of your slavery. You will also have your ears pierced and wear the earrings, slave earrings, that I will give you to identify you as my slave." She handed her a bundle. "And this is your robe for daily use. Put it on! You will be given two others, one like this and another white one in a better fabric for when you accompany me on ceremonial affairs. " Your first duty will be to scrub out the cell you were confined in. Peris is my most senior attendant and she will supervise you. You will learn the duties of a personal slave to me. You will help me about my affairs and duties and help me wash and dress. You will cook for me, serve me and fetch and carry and do any errands as I command. You are dismissed!" Peris helped Namesa onto her feet and dressed her in her robe. The girl was beautiful, but her face was streaked with tears. "How did you find the punishment?" the queen asked me, when the two had left the courtyard. "I thought it was severe. I feared for the girl's life." "Xeremis, you are quick witted and loyal, but you are too soft hearted. A ruler like me must be firm." "Yes, majesty," I said." But I have no wish to be a ruler!" The queen sighed wistfully. "Sometimes I think the same. But I was born to be queen, like my mother and her mother and so on and it is my duty to lead my people. I am absolute ruler, but I keep in mind that I do so for the benefit of all. And yes, I think she was whipped harder than usual. I will tell Peris to give the girl a brew of willow bark. Perhaps some wine too. That will reduce the pain a bit. But then, maybe she will learn her duties all the faster. "Xeremis, I have in mind another bit of work for you, but you will have to tell me of your own plans. A few days ago we were going to the temple. That was interrupted, but we must keep in mind that it is our duty to go. Our normal customs must not be forgotten. Have you decided when?" "Majesty, I had thought of attending the temple at the next occasion, the next full moon, as the ancient rites suggest." "Xeremis. I may ask you to delay your visit to the temple, unfortunately. I have not thought my plans through properly yet, but come and see me in another week." I spent that next week attending to more needs of my table, catching up on more of my own affairs, and trying tests on a clay from a new source that had been found in the eastern region of Genoria, near the swamps. I had to modify how I first fired the objects but I was very pleased with the final result. I tried some new decoration and that came out very well too. A week later, as she had commanded, I presented myself back at the palace and I was taken to Sarada. Nera was beside her. The queen got down to business immediately. "Xeremis, I said I would call on you for advice and now I am doing so. I would like to discuss some things. As you know all too well, just a few days ago our nation was invaded. It is only by your actions and quick thinking that I escaped, and you have helped our nation escape disaster, perhaps even extinction. I have a capable chancellor here in Nera but she has said that she wants to give up the position due to her advancing age. Regretfully, I must agree, but she is willing to train her successor. I want that to be you." I gasped, "As you wish, Queen Sarada. It will be an honour to serve you." My head was spinning. This was the task she had mentioned. "As for the stability of the realm, there is my mother who could have taken over if I had been captured. She ruled before me and I have a capable general, but I am head of state. If I had been captured it would have severely affected our ability to survive. "It would also have encouraged other raiders or worse, invaders. My spies tell me that over the mountains matters are unsettled because of conflict between the various states. There are the Ceradolans, and Urartuans. These raiders came from Urartu. The Medean empire has competing turbulent factions too and just a little further away are the Assyrians, feared for their ruthless savagery. The Urartuan king is extending his authority and he may set his eyes on expansion. Genoria could be in danger. "He has the resources of a much bigger state. We are only small. Fortunately we have our mountains, the swamps and the sea for natural protection, but a determined invader might be able to force the pass. They might suffer severe losses, but we would too and we cannot afford them. "So, what can we do to preserve our small kingdom? We could ignore the events over the mountains. It could be that the other kingdoms will think we are not a worth the effort. Unfortunately we are not sure how much they know about us. "Another possibility is that we make sure we are continually prepared to struggle against any invader. That would take money effort and resources. It would be at severe cost to us but perhaps by our resistance any potential enemy would think an invasion would not be profitable enough. "So, Nera has suggested that we send a delegation to the Urartuans to discuss peace and relations between us. That could have advantages, but it also makes them more aware of us. "Then there is a more dangerous thing to us, personally. We are a society of women only, and beautiful ones too, I am told. We would be seen as a great prize. Remember that men have fought over women. You remember the story of Troy? That is a good example. As a society of women only we are certainly an exception among realms. Perhaps the original Amazons we descend from have seen the folly of their ways in inviting men into their society, the decision that drove our ancestors out to found this city of Genoria, but we do not know. "Then, for this recent attempt to abduct some of us, our slavery was uppermost in the men's minds. So, a delegation visiting the Urartuan court made up entirely of beautiful women would certainly attract their notice and perhaps give them some unfortunate ideas about invasion. We would be better to have men with us, but of course we have no men! "One possibility would be to enlist the help of one of the nearer countries. Ceradol, just over the pass, is possibly in the same position as us. It would want to keep some independence, or even just remain in existence, beside the power of the Urartuans." We discussed the matter back and forwards. Sarada thought that we should just preserve our isolation and prepare to defend our borders if necessary while Nera wanted us to send some delegation to the Urartuan court. "And what do you think about all this, Xiremis?" She was actually asking my advice. "Uh, Majesty, perhaps we should first try to get the reaction of the Ceradolans from our spies and perhaps send an envoy to them." But we had no decision, and we agreed to meet in another week, but matters came to a head before that. I had a summons from the queen and when I entered her council chamber I saw two men with her. There was also Nera and her attendants, including Namesa. A score of her guards were there too, all tense with apprehension, not used to seeing men with the queen. She beckoned me over to her. "Xeremis, I called you as we have a delegation sent by the king of Ceradol. These two men appeared at our frontier with Ceradol, at the pass, and made a request to present some proposals to us. You may be interested in what they have to say. The ambassador's name is Taganil. "Ambassador, this is my advisor Xeremis. I want her to hear your proposals. So, tell us again, Ambassador." I was flattered, but taken aback. The queen had referred to me as an 'advisor', a step or two up in rank from a humble potter! So I would have to pay close attention to what the ambassador had to say! "Your majesty, and women of Genoria, I present greetings from King Kares of Ceradol." He looked round his audience as if gauging our reception. "It has come to our knowledge that recently there was an attempted invasion of Genoria and that some of your citizens were captured, although briefly, the Gods be praised! These raiders must also have made a brief passage through Ceradol territory. We also captured some of the raiders that escaped and these have told us that they were from a province on the borders of Urartu. "So far Ceradol has kept its independence but we are apprehensive about possible ambitions of the Urartuans. So, we want to send a delegation to them to impress on them that we represent no threat to them and that good relations are in the interest of all. Without being presumptuous, we believe that Genoria faces the same risk and the same dilemma. "So, we would like to invite Genoria to send some delegates to accompany us on our talks with the Urartuans. This way there would be two states dealing with them and we would appear just a bit stronger. "Ceradol may even benefit from trade with Urartu although I cannot speak for Genoria. I suppose with your past history you may wish to keep your isolation." He grimaced. "We saw the skulls mounted at the pass and I suppose they are meant to emphasize that, but if you chose to remain apart we would at least act as a buffer." He stopped and looked at the queen as if expecting an answer. Sarada stood up. "I thank you for your concern, ambassador. Yes, we have discussed these things too. We are interested in your suggestions but they have a lot of implications that must be studied in detail. So, ambassador, I must discuss this with my advisors. That will take at least a day. "In the meantime, my chancellor Nera will take you to some rooms in the palace that you may use. You will be supplied with adequate food and drink by my attendants. However, you must not stray from that area. This is a society of women only and your being outside may cause some disturbances. "We will give you a decision tomorrow." She nodded dismissal and immediately Nera led the men from the chamber. When Nera returned we conferred again but without Sartada's attendants. This discussion was to be very confidential. Only her guards still stood outside the room. "This is something similar to what you proposed, Chancellor," said Sarada. "And I am inclined to agree now with your suggestion." She looked at me. "You, Xeremis? What do you think?" It looked as if she was going to ask my advice quite frequently. "I agree too. The Ceradolans seem sincere. But we should find the size of the delegation that they intend. Then there is the matter of which citizens we should choose for our own representatives." She pursed her lips. "Unfortunately we have no one familiar with that territory." I had a sudden idea. "We have one, Majesty. That is your most recent slave, Namesa. As Medus, he came from that area. She should be familiar with it." The queen sat back and scowled. "I really don't want to lose my new slave. This will interfere with her training, but," she sighed. "Affairs and security of Genoria take precedence." She thought for a minute. "We also need some way to persuade Namesa to help us. Yes, I know she owes me absolute obedience, but I'd like more than that. Not just fear, but actual willingness. There needs to be more of an incentive." "Majesty, I have an idea. Suppose you asked her to go, but as a reward you offered to reverse the spell and restore the male body if she had served well?" This time the queen took a deep breath and her eyes opened wide. "That is unprecedented. I would refuse, but these are trying times. I agree. She has only been a woman for a few days. So, I expect she should be willing, even eager, to recover her male body. Although, that may change, I suppose. My experience has been that most in her situation became very happy with their female bodies after a few months and would not have wanted to change back. Not that we gave them the opportunity! "One more thing. I suppose I should remove Namesa's collar so that it is not obvious she is still a slave. As far as the Ceradolans and Urartuans are concerned, she will appear to be just another Genorian citizen." "However, that is only one person. We need another two." She fixed her eyes on me and I felt my stomach lurch. "Xeremis, you have served me well and you are giving good advice. How would you like to be another representative from our state?" She had phrased it as a request, but I had little choice. I gave a slight bow. "Queen Sarada, I am honoured that you would place your trust in me." "Good. Then, I think one more, someone with a lot of experience. My chancellor would be a good choice but I need her here." A look of relief flickered over Nera's face. "One of the members from my advisory council, which is selected from the tables, has great experience and a good head. Her name is Penarche. I think I will ask her. I will make her the nominal head of our representatives, but I expect no conflicts between you and her." Her eyes flickered a warning to me. Another command! But that was good. I had absolutely no wish to take the responsibility of heading our delegation. I had heard of Penarche's participation on various Genorian state occasions and councils. I had been told she had a slightly demanding manner, but she was highly thought of and had a lot of experience. She would be a good choice. The next day the queen summoned the Ceradolans and announced her decision. They were delighted until she laid out some conditions. "I have selected three representatives from Genoria for the delegation, but I cannot let three of my citizens venture into foreign lands without some guarantee that they will be safe and will return. I will need to be given some hostages from Ceradol for this before I send them out!" Taganil was taken aback at first, but he nodded. "Yes, Queen Sarada, I understand. We shall go back to Ceradol and arrange that." He bowed to Sarada. He was as good as his word and a week later he arrived with three men. One was the Ceradol king's brother Yagath and two others, nobles of Ceradol. "So the Ceradolans are taking this seriously," mused Sarada. "We had better treat them well, but we will keep them guarded and isolated. The less they see of Genoria the better." The next day we three women and Taganil were ready to set out, leaving the other three Ceradolans behind as hostages. We were to travel first to the Ceradol court to meet the king and pick up two more delegates for our mission. When Sarada had announced her offer to Namesa the girl stiffened in surprise. She would have realized that for the spell to be reversed was unprecedented. I saw a gleam of hope in her eyes. No doubt she was thinking that if all went well, she would have her male body back on our return. I hoped our trip would take only a few days. As we left the palace some of the women in the streets stopped their activities to look and wave at us and I heard a few shouts of well wishes for our success, but in the main they were subdued. They would have heard that we were on a very serious mission. From the city, the path to Ceradol led past the Temple then up through the pass. I associated it with my brief captivity and we all looked warily at the mounted skulls. Three were still there, the flesh now hanging from them but the others were gone, the work of wolves or carrion birds, I supposed. Once over the pass we first made our way to the Ceradol capital. This was much bigger than Genoria but much shabbier too. We Genorians had more pride in our city and kept it clean. But the greatest difference was the population, with almost equal numbers of men and women and there were children, both boys and girls, playing in the streets. I was fascinated by the men as I had almost no experience of them in my life. Now I was faced with a sudden enormous variety, with different hair colours, height, weight and dress. Most of them were bearded. With their muscled bodies and arms they exuded power and strength. Their women seemed shabby and weak in comparison. Our small procession through the streets attracted attention. I had expected that but I soon realized the attention of some men was more than just casual curiosity. Some were openly looking at me up and down, at my face, my body and my limbs. I wished I had something more to cover myself with and I drew my robes about me closer as I suddenly felt very vulnerable. Namesa was even more affected, trembling and hunched over in her saddle." They are staring at us," she whispered. "I feel exposed." "You are a woman, and a pretty one," I said. "Many men in other lands view women as objects. You did. You wanted to a capture us and no doubt sell us, or use us. Now you know how insulted we Genorians were." At the palace we were given a formal welcome by the Ceradol king, Kares. Penarche, as the official head of our delegation, simply introduced Namesa and me as other Genoria representatives and we bowed respectfully to him. Kares was shortish for a man, but he was broad and powerfully built and I felt the power of his personality. "Welcome to Ceradol," he announced. "I am glad that we have established this cooperation. Our two states may be separated by steep mountains, but I hope this is a start to forming more contacts and drawing closer together. We can have good relations as I think we have much to offer each other although, the current threat we face, the nearness of the Urartuans, is a common challenge. "Now, for our delegation, as there are you three from Genoria, I have chosen three men from Ceradol. These are close advisors and have been my allies for many years. I have already made some arrangements so you will all be given horses but I will send two more to carry supplies for you. The Urartuan city you are heading for is a three day's ride from here. "I do not have to tell you any more about the situation that Ceradiol and Genoria are in. We are small states and the Urartuan is much larger. They have experience of warfare, from struggling against the Medeans and Assyrians and probably they will be facing future pressure from the Persians. It must be impressed on them that while we represent no threat, we are prepared to defend ourselves. But we assuredly do not want war or invasion. We are happy to trade with them. Penarche whispered in my ear. "That was more or less what Sarada has said, so at least we and the Ceradolans will be in agreement. However, Genoria is almost self sufficient and, I think uppermost, we want to keep as isolated as possible." "I am a little puzzled by the expressions of some of the Ceradolan courtiers, there at the back, to what the king just said," I whispered back. "These are serious matters but one of the men almost seemed bored. He even had the trace of a smile on his lips a minute ago. It's a calculating smile. I don't like it.maybe he has other ideas." Penarche shrugged. "Maybe he has all heard it before." The following day we set off from the capital. The Ceradol lands were drier and not so well treed or as fertile as Genoria and it became more arid the further south we travelled. With us were the Ceradolan delegates, Tenothes, the head of the delegation and Bellol and Negotan as aides. I recognized Bellol from our meeting with Manathes. Tenothes was the one I had noticed smiling the previous day but they were all courteous and considerate enough to us and I gradually relaxed. The three men actually spoke to us only a little, and answered our questions or comments only briefly. The king had supplied us with two large tents and the men even pitched one for us each night. In Genoria we would have done this ourselves and it felt strange at first. We usually tried to get some sheltered spot for shelter at nights but it was warm and the fires we lit for warmth were not really necessary. Still, we were careful. At night two of us would get some sleep while the other kept watch, and Penarche and I kept our long knives close at hand. I was more than a little worried at our situation, three women, with three men from a foreign state. In fact we had no difficulty, although Tenothes started to give me the impression that he was interested in Namesa. I caught him looking at her once or twice, that same calculating expression. She was a pretty girl. I hoped his interest would not cause problems. "Does this area look familiar?" I asked Namesa on the second day " You are from here?" I spoke quietly as I did not want the three men to know about her background. "A little further south and east. We should be near the city in a day." Around the morning of the third day one of the men looked around. "I think we must be close now to their city. I recognize some of the landmarks, like that hill over there. I travelled here about two years ago. I think the Urartuans will notice us soon and we will get an escort. It will be better if we show no resistance and tell them that we are on a peaceful mission." I hoped the Urartuans would respect that. Otherwise the Ceradol men might be killed or enslaved. Namesa and I would be prime female slaves. I shivered at the thought. Later I took Namesa aside. "This is your land. Is he right? How soon to the city?" "He's right. Only a few hours. You see these low hills? Just beyond these." Namesa had not spoken much at all since leaving Genoria and her manner became increasingly nervous the further we travelled. "Is something wrong?" I eventually asked her. She screwed up her eyes and wiped a tear. "This is my homeland. When I left it only weeks ago I was a man and free. Now I am female and a slave. I feel humiliated. If the Urartuan men and woman recognize me they will laugh at me at the very least. I never wanted to see it again, in this female body, in women's clothes." I needed her to be very willing to help us so I had to comfort and reassure her. "Namesa, no one will recognize you. Your appearance is totally changed. I will not tell, neither will Penarche, and the Ceradolans do not know anything about you. All you have to do is guide us. Perhaps too you can translate for us too, but just like our Ceradol companions, don't let the Urartuans know that you are familiar with their language." "There's also that Ceradolan Tenothes. I've seen him looking at me. I don't like it!" she muttered. "You are an attractive girl. Maybe you should be flattered." She scowled at me. But I did not like it either. I would watch them both. Tenothes was attracted to her. That might be awkward, or come in useful. We were suddenly aware of a cloud of dust coming towards us, that soon resolved into a troop of eight riders, all wearing armor and well armed with spears and swords. They wheeled round us and surrounded us. We were at their mercy. My stomach went into in knots but I held myself straight. Tenothes held up his hand. "We come in peace. We are a delegation from Ceradol and Genoria to your north. We wish to confer with your king." The bearded leader of the riders looked us over. "Our king is in the East, seeing to our defenses there. However his younger son, Parius is left in charge of the city. We will take you to speak to him, but you must give up your weapons." Worried about the coming meeting and being unarmed, we were escorted to the city. This was even plainer than the Ceradol capital. The buildings were newish, but there had been no attempt at decoration or beauty at all. One of the Urartuan king's officials showed us to some quarters. There was some confusion when he was told that our Genorian delegation refused to share close quarters with the Ceradolan men. The Urartuans had assumed we were female companions of the three Ceradolans. "So you are Genorians," he said. "I have heard of your land. I wondered if it was a myth. So you are a society of women only! Women take on the roles that other states keep for men?" He shook his head in disbelief but otherwise made no comment and gave us a separate room. The very next day we were led to Parius. He certainly was young, with a smooth face and only the wispy start of a beard, but already he had the aura of power. He looked us over for almost a minute before he spoke. "I am told that you are ambassadors from far off Ceradol and Genoria. What is it that makes you allies and come to see us?" Tenothes repeated what his king had said. Then Penarche took a step forward, making sure Parius was aware that Genoria was an equal independent participant and was not subservient to Ceradol. "Yes, Prince Parius, Genoria finds itself in the same situation. We are a smaller state than both Ceradol and you, but we pose no threat to you. We wish to live beside you and Ceradol with no warfare or even any threat. War is too destructive. Genoria is not rich but our nations both can do well with trade. We will not threaten you, but you must not threaten us. We want good relations with you. "You see, there was an unfortunate event some weeks ago. Some men, who we believe were from Urartu, raided our land, killed some of our soldiers and desecrated our sacred temple. They even tried to take some of my fellow citizens as slaves, but they were repulsed and killed. Genoria itself lost about a dozen killed." I was glad she said the Urartuans had been killed, not publicly executed. I saw the prince sit back in his chair, looking very wary. The faces of his advisors round him showed frowns and concern and they whispered to each other. "So, there were deaths on each side, but I tell you about that so that you may know Genoria can and will defend itself, if necessary. But let us put that conflict in the past. To be honest, Prince Parius, capture of our land is a poorer policy than trade." The prince gave a slight nod of assent. "Well said, Ambassador Penarche. What you said is troubling but I can tell you too that we would have discouraged these raiders if we had known. They were probably part of a troublesome group that would not obey our authority and we too had trouble controlling them. Our own nation is too involved with protecting our eastern frontiers to want any trouble in our rear. "However, what you propose is a serious matter and I must discuss this with my father's advisors before any agreement. I will tell you more in two days. Until then I will offer you our hospitality." I watched the prince's advisors as they listened attentively to the proceedings. I saw the eyes of one of them narrow as he looked us over, as if calculating. Another one who wore a thick fair beard was looking at us with an odd expression, slightly shocked and very thoughtful. Namesa was standing by me and I felt her flinch and tremble more and more, so much so that I had to take her arm. It felt as if she was almost fainting. "Pull yourself together!" I whispered and jerked her arm. "Do not show weakness!" "Please, can we leave?" she gasped. I assumed it was nervousness at finding herself in the prince's company. "You will stay here as long as is necessary!" I ordered. Just then it was obvious our meeting was over and we allowed ourselves to be shepherded back to our quarters. When we were alone we discussed the meeting. "It looks very hopeful," said Penarche. "I think he is looking for peace too. But it will depend on his father and other advisors. We will need to continually emphasize how Genoria is neither a good prize, nor a threat." I noticed Namesa was still very quiet. "Namesa, how do you think we were received?" I asked. " Yes, and what was the matter in there? You are with us as part of a delegation from Genoria and you must show decorum. You certainly should not show any fear." The girl tried to speak, but she stuttered. Her face was white. "Namesa, is something wrong?" She broke down crying. "Please, you must keep me away from them! I can't be seen!" "What do you mean! You are a slave and have a duty to do. You will obey us completely if you want to be freed," snapped Penarche. "You may not like being in front of these men but you are here to help us and interpret for us." But the girl was distraught. "There was something, wasn't there?" I asked. "Was it one of the men who came in? You knew him?" "Yes," she wept. "One of the men who came in. I know him well, too well. He is my father!" She sat down, crying so bitterly that I had to comfort her while Penarche looked on in impatience. "He had warned me about going on the raid but I was too headstrong. Actually I hoped that my father thought I would have been killed and then I would have disappeared and be out of his life. Instead I am now before him, dreadfully changed, into a female and a slave." I wiped her eyes. I thought that being a woman was a wonderful thing, but I suppose it was the shock of her change. She went on. "I would bring terrible shame on him and myself if anyone discovered who I am. Please do not tell him. He was trying to persuade me to train to be an official to the king, like him, but I was headstrong and too impatient for that. I wanted adventure and gold and I heard that my uncle was forming a group to raid Genoria to capture girls for slaves. I now know my uncle was a fool but he was a persuasive leader. He has certainly paid for it! "He had heard from my father that each full moon Genorian women met with men from neighbouring tribes at the Temple , just down from the pass. They would be unprepared and if we had captured slaves their sale would have brought us a lot of gold. Genorian woman are famous for their beauty." Penarche pointed her finger at Namesa. "Yes, and now you are one! Make sure you are obedient in case Sarada decides to sell you!" The girl shook her head. "Now my father could see my punishment and fate! I thought I would be able to avoid him finding out that when your queen offered to change me back and free me. I could make my way here and reconcile with him. Then he would never need to know! Now, if he or others recognizes me as a slave and a girl my life will be in ruins. He would be devastated too. Worse, his rivals in the Urartuan court would laugh at him and he would lose his prestige and authority." "That is not our concern " Penarche scolded. "You are a Genorian slave. You will do as we say and you will not embarrass us." "Wait!" I said. "We have to be careful. Many Urartuans might see it as some kind of insult to them, that we changed one of them into a female slave. Our position here is precarious and we have to step very carefully. We cannot risk this, so Namesa, we will keep you mostly out of sight. We will say you are indisposed. But still, you know the language, so you still should keep your ears open so that we can learn how they take our proposals. They don't recognize you. It is in your interest that they don't. Let's keep it that way." But things did not work out that way. The next day it was announced to us that one of the councillors wanted to see us. We were curious that he was by himself. Penarche and I rose to greet him but when I looked for Namesa she had just suddenly disappeared out of our room. The councillor was medium size and build. He carried himself straight and proudly, as if sure of his rank and position. He had a full beard of fair hair that covered a lot of his face but did not completely hide a dreadful scar across his left cheek. He wore his hair longer than most Urartuans, possibly to hide his left ear. Part of it was missing. That and the scar over his face looked like the effect of a vicious sword blow. He would have been a fine looking man before he had the wound. "Greetings," he said. "My name is Senabel. I have heard of Genoria, although it lies outside our territory. I know a little about it." He gave a small smile. "First, Urartu is my homeland and I am concerned with its best interests. I am part of a noble family that has served the kings of Urartu for generations and I have been an advisor and commander for the present king for many years. Yesterday I listened to you and the Ceradolans' petition and I sympathise with you. I think you will be pleased with what the Urartu policy will be. The forces that threaten this kingdom are to the east. That seems to be constant threat. In the past we have endured the pressure of many nations and empires. I envy Genoria being beyond the mountains. It will be partly protected by these but we have no wish to provoke any strife. "I have thought of what you said and I agree. I so will advise the prince about Genoria and Ceradol. I think he will agree." "Thank you, Senabel, " said Penarche. "Then our journey here will have been successful." He hesitated. "There is another thing, a personal one. You see, my eldest son fell in with some adventurers, bad company! We have never had a good relationship and he refused to let me guide him. "I made a lot of investigations and finally I heard that a group of adventurers under the leadership of his uncle, my late wife's brother, decided to raid to the west of Urartu, in Ceradol to look for plunder and loot. I already apologized to the Ceradol representatives about this. However, yesterday you mentioned that Genoria had been attacked by raiders. That was what inspired you to send a delegation to us. "That sounds to me as if it was that same group. They had decided to raid Genoria. I wonder if my son was among these? We had difficulties, but he is my eldest son and I am concerned for his future. We had difficulties but I loved him. His mother too, when she was alive." I felt alternatively hot and cold. Penarche's mouth was open in shock. I breathed deeply and made a decision. "Namesa", I called. "Come here!" Penarche looked at me. "Do you really want to do this?" she muttered. " I think I have to risk it. It may work for us." There was no answer to my call and I called again, more loudly. Finally Namesa's slim female figure sidled hesitatingly into the room, her face white, her expression somewhere between terror and shame. "Come and stand here beside me, Namesa!" I ordered. I felt the girl tremble as she came beside me. "Lift your head!" I ordered and her tear stained face lifted, although her eyes remained fixed on the floor. Senabel looked at her, surprised. "Excellency, when they are captured, male invaders and other intruders into Genoria are subjected to severe penalties. Depending on the seriousness of their incursions they may be executed, or sold as slaves but sometimes they are given a choice where their lives could be spared. "However, Genoria is a state for women only. There is no place for men but, for those who accept, we have a magic book that we use to change them into women so that they can fit into our society. Perhaps it could be seen as a mercy. Young men are offered the choice of being made into women, instead of death. Those who accept are changed into women almost immediately, and in addition they have to serve as slaves to be trained and learn about our special society, to fit in. If they give satisfactory service, they are eventually freed and can take their place among the rest of Genorians. "So, as we said some weeks ago, we caught some raiders. All except one were executed but there was one young man we took pity on and offered a choice, to become a woman and a slave, or death." I pushed Namesa forward. "This is what this girl, now called Namesa, chose. I don't suppose you recognise your son now?" Namesa was looking at me in anguish and she started sobbing again. Senabel stared at the girl incredulously. He staggered as if stricken. "My son? You mean, this girl, she is..." Namesa collapsed, while Senabel 's face turned white, as if he was ill. At last he sat down. "I hardly know what to say. I have served Urartu as a councillor and envoy to other kingdoms. I flatter myself I have a way with words, but this overwhelms me. As I said, my son was unruly and disobedient. He knew the risks of his actions, or should have. Now this has been the result." Namesa gave another burst of tears. Senabel took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. "Genoria's punishment is stern, but I suppose it is just. Now he... she should abide by the consequences and be glad that his.... her life was spared. But what a change! It means to that my son is gone. So Namesa will remain in Genoria. I don't suppose there is there any way I can change or mitigate this, perhaps give a ransom?" "Senabel, perhaps there is a way. We are on a mission. Namesa was sent with us to help us as she would be more familiar with your land and dialect. In fact, she was offered a reward if she helped us. We actually offered to reverse the spell and free her. So, if our mission is successful, then I can tell you that your son will be restored to you. It will be as if he only disappeared for a few months." Senabel's face filled with hope. He pulled up Namesa from the floor and embraced her, awkwardly at first then more firmly. She clung to him. "Then may your mission be successful! Namesa, you will serve Xeremis and Penarche to the absolute limit of your ability," he commanded. "Yes, father," she cried through her tears. "Now I must leave for a meeting with the prince. But Xeremis, can I speak with you aside first?" We had gone a little way outside our quarters. "Xeremis, you have been frank and honest with me. My son's actions gave us many tears. Now I think he, she, sees the error of her past ways. It is a drastic punishment, but she will learn that actions have consequences. In fact this may be a valuable lesson to her. You have my full support but I look forward to my son being returned to us as a better person. "Another thing, please keep this a secret. I would not want my son's misfortunes and punishment to be know in Urartu." "I understand. They will hear nothing from us." "Oh, one more thing, you tell me Genoria is still a society of women only. So, they still have the ritual of the Temple of Ishtar, I see." "Yes, in fact this affair started for me when I was at the temple, my first time. It was then that the men raided us. They included your son and his uncle." " My wife died a year ago. She would have been distressed to hear of her brother's death." Back inside I told Penarche about Senabel's comments." I am glad he accepts it. If he decided to hold us hostage, the word about his son would get out. So he had heard of the Temple." The following day we had yet another visit from Senabel but this time he looked very concened. "Xeremis, Penarche,... and Namesa, after I left you last night I was at another meeting, this time with the three Ceradolans. I think two could be trusted, but a third, Tenothes, the leader of the delegation, has made some alarming proposals after a discussion with Parius. He seems to have been successful persuading Parius and these discussions concern Genoria very much." I did not like the look on Senabel's face. "In fact, it looks as if Genoria has more to fear from the Ceradolans than us. They are proposing that we send some of our army into Ceradol to link up with their's. The idea is to invade and conquer Genoria with our overwhelming force. Then Ceradol would take over Genoria completely. Your queen would be either killed, or enslaved and sold away. Your society would be destroyed completely. Your women would be captured and enslaved and sold in Ceradol, Urartu or along the coast. The Genorian women are beautiful and would sell for a high price. In turn, Ceradol would cooperate with Urartu so it would be free of any threats from us. It would remain a separate kingdom from our empire, but in return it might provide men to our kingdom to help us against the Medeans or others. "Needless to say, the prince is very intrigued. He is in favour of the scheme as Urartu influence would be expanded with little effort. You would be betrayed!" Penarche drew in her breath. "Has this all been arranged?" "Not completely. They are still discussing some details. I have argued against the proposal and I will continue to speak out against any such scheme as I do not trust the Ceradolans. If they would betray Genoria so easily it shows me they could not to be trusted in their dealings with Urartu either. I think we could be cheated." "Why are you telling us this, and why did the Ceradolans invite us all the way here with them?" "I am not sure. Perhaps Tenothes' scheme had not been fully worked out. Maybethe idea just suddenly came to him. He has a scheming head. Maybe it was to lull you into a sense of security or at least have you put some trust in the Ceradolans. Perhaps even it was to show to us that you would be good captures. You are beautiful women. I have heard many men here in Urartu comment on the beauty of Genorian women and Genoria is prosperous too. Remember, that was what enticed my wife's brother in his ill-fated scheme, and my son. Yes, my son now... my.. daughter." He drew in his breath. " She is beautiful, like all Genorian women. I would be grateful if you could keep any man from .... abusing her. "Anyway, I warn you because I do not trust the Ceradolans. I have told you that I look out for the interests of Urartu. Yes, I have a personal stake in this too. I want peace because, if your mission is successful, I will have my son back." He sighed. "If Parius is swayed by the Ceradolans, then your mission will fail, but at least I will have treated you with honour. Be cautious of Parius. He will try to cheat you." He shook his head. "I am a loyal Urartuan, but find this a dilemma." "Your son will not return if we fail." He sighed. "I know, but tell your queen that I behaved honourably. Perhaps she will be lenient." From what I knew of Sarada that was unlikely but I did not say so. Penarche's face was grim. "We will need to get out of here and back to Genoria to warn them. Could we do that?" " I think you will still have to accompany the Ceradolans, but you will have to be careful. Don't let them know you suspect anything, and please do not tell them what I said. I might be accused of being a traitor to Urartu." "We actually have three Ceradolans back in Genoria as hostages for our safety." "That is a very wise precaution, but still, watch out for your safety. Parius may try to lull your suspicions or your reservations. Perhaps we can still succeed. Perhaps we can still show him that the Ceradolans would be an untrustworthy ally and that Urartu would be better to have the goodwill of Genoria." When Senabel had left we discussed what he had said, but we saw no solution. Penarche sighed. "The best we can hope for is that we get back to Genoria and warn the queen. Then Genoria will then be faced with arming for war with against the combined strength of Urartu and Ceradol, with our existence at stake." That night, in bed, I tossed and turned, wondering how I could use our knowledge to disrupt their plans. The next day we received a request to see Parius. "How will we handle this?" asked Penarche. "We will have to pretend we don't know about the Ceradolans' schemes," I said. "Maybe there is still hope. We can emphasize the advantages of peace again." "Where is your companion?" Parius asked, when Penarche and I were shown in to see him. "Uh, she is not feeling well." Namesa was still very nervous and I wanted to keep her away. Parius sat back on his chair, with a look of satisfaction. "I have news for you. In consultation with my advisors I can say we are impressed by what your delegation has to say and are in complete agreement. Genoria and Ceradol have nothing to fear from Urartu and we look forward to future good relations and trade. We will also take steps to see that your territory does not suffer any more raids. You may go back to Genoria and tell them that. "So, I am proposing a feast tomorrow to celebrate. There will be my advisors and me, the Ceradol delegation and you. I hope your other member, Namesa, can attend too. She is a pretty girl and will add to the meting." "That is wonderful news! You are very kind," said Penarche. "We will be there." Back in or quarters we discussed our strategy. "A feast would taste better if we could believe him!" said Penarche. "Yes, we just have to still pretend that we think they have good intentions. He sounded sincere, but until I hear differently from Senabel, we will assume Parius is lying. "And what about Namesa?" she asked. "Do we want her there?" "It can't be helped. She will have to accompany us. I only hope that that she can keep away from Tenothes. He seems to have taken a fancy to her. She knows the Urartu language too. Maybe she can pick up useful information. " We met with the Ceradolans later that day, ostensibly to plan our journey back and now Tenothes could hardly keep his eyes off Namesa. Even some days ago her manner had been stiff, but now she moved fluidly as if finally used to her new body. Later that night, I finally had an idea. It was tenuous, but we were desperate. That next morning I went out to a bazaar and bought some supplies. The feast was set for the evening. We spent the rest of the day discussing strategy then in the late afternoon we started preparing ourselves. Penarche had decided to wear her most ceremonial gown, as befitting her position as head of our delegation. I had only two others with me. I sighed. One was new but I took the older one for myself. Namesa." I commanded. "You should wear this gown of mine." I wanted her to look her best. "It's one of yours, the better one," she said, curious. "I don't want to go, anyway." "You will do as you are told!" I ordered. "Now, put it on!" With snort of contempt she removed her other gown, pulled it over her head and let it settle on her shoulders. She looked very beautiful in it, but I had some modifications to do. I pulled it more off her shoulders, stitching the material so that she could not pull it back up, and I tied it especially tightly to emphasize the curves of her waist and hips. She blushed and glared at me but did not say anything. I did the same with my own gown and Penarche looked at us critically, her eyebrows raised. "One would think you are trying to attract men!" she scolded. " Remember our Genorian traditions! Any liaison with men should be at the temple!" "Traditions may not have to be completely adhered to, if it is for the good of the state and I'm not finished anyway. Namesa, come here!" Although Sarada and her attendants decorated their faces it was still relatively uncommon in Genoria but I had noticed that many Urartuan and Ceradolan women decorated their faces and hair. I supposed it was to make themselves look more attractive to men or maybe to distinguish themselves from the men. My plans needed Namesa to look her most attractive to one man. I had her sit before me and with the supplies I had bought I started with red colour on her lips, then a dark colour round her eyes and on her eyelashes and finally blue and green or golden hues on her eyelids as I had seen on many of the Urartuan women. Her hair had grown longer and I fixed some bright ornaments in it. Her slave earrings were actually fancier than those on local women. She would catch the attention of the men. With her gown emphasizing her female figure she looked very alluring. Penarche looked on, frowning. "Now she looks like some of the women from Urartu!" "That is the idea! I hope it works. Now, Penarche, can you do the same with me? It's difficult to do myself." "You too?" She frowned her disapproval but did as I asked and when I checked myself in a bronze mirror I saw she had done a creditable job. "Do you want me to decorate you now?" I asked. "No!" she snapped. Then she relented "All right, just a little." "Come on!" I said. "And put something in your hair! After all, you are the head of our delegation. The most important person!" Half-heartedly protesting, she allowed me to fix an ornament in her hair. "A word of warning, " I said. " There will be wine, I think. Let the others drink all they want, but we all need to be careful. We need to be alert." "What are you telling us?" Penarche asked, suspicious. "Oh, just an idea I have." When a servant arrived for us, we took collective deep breaths, and allowed ourselves to be escorted to the banquet room. The Urartuans and Ceradolans were already there and I was gratified to see their conversation stop abruptly as they looked at us, probably surprised by our appearance, much more exotic than they had seen previously. Remembering our role as diplomats, we went before Parius and bowed slightly to him. "You too, Namesa." I said quietly. "Prince Parius, may this celebration seal the friendships of our nations," Penarche said. Senabel was there too standing with two other advisors just behind the prince and I gave him a slight nod. When he had caught sight of Namesa he had given a startled look. Now it was as if he could not take his eyes off her. She was one of the most beautiful women in the room. Some Urartuan women were looking at her enviously. I was gratified too to see that Tenothes's eyes had also become fixed on Namesa. My modifications to her gown had left much of her tanned shoulders bare and revealed the swell of the tops of her breasts. Soon we all were seated at a large table, Penarche, Namesa and myself together, facing the Ceradolans. Tenothes was right opposite me. The Urartuan councillors and some women in elaborate gowns, their wives I think, sat by us, but Parius took his position at the head of the table. The palace kitchen had done a good job. I lost count of the dishes presented to us. The roast venison especially was excellent and the accompanying wine very palatable. I tried to keep up a friendly conversation with all, especially Tenothes, but his eyes were continually on Namesa. Fortunately, the wine kept flowing well. Tenothes and others were drinking freely but I hardly touched my own goblet. Close to the end of the meal Parius stood up, belched and held out his arms for attention. "I have something to say, about peace between our nations." His speech was all we had heard him say before. It would have sounded reassuring if we had not been warned about him. I watched the others out of the sides of my eye. Tenothes again had that slightly knowing, contemptuous look but his head was slightly rolling the effect of the drink. The lips on Senabel's face were clamped shut. I think he was afraid to look at me. His face was pale. It seemed to emphasize the scar on his cheek. Parius sat down and we all pounded the table in approval but I looked at Penarche and rolled my eyes. "So Tenothes, " I said. I kept my voice low so the Urartuans would not hear in the general noise. "That is good, peace between our countries. I imagine it's especially good for Ceradol. If you tried to invade Genoria we would probably kill too many of you! Slaughter you like pigs." He stared at me in surprise, his eyes narrowing but slightly unfocussed from the drink. "Keep your tongue in your head, Genorian! You be careful of how you talk!" I leaned forward so my breasts were more obvious. "You threaten me? You are a coward, like all of Ceradol!" His voice rose and the conversation died around us as Urartuans and other stared at him. "Genorian whore, you are insolent," he hissed. "All you women need Ceradol men to give them children. Now you need a Ceradolan man to teach you behaviour." "You are not man enough!" I taunted, wiggling my torso. The others were looking at us, half of them drunk. Penarche's mouth was open in surprise. Tenothes lurched across the table to try to grab me but I was ready for him and I leaned back out of the way. He fell forward over the table spilling the goblet with his wine. Furious, he pushed his chair back, rose and staggered round the end of the table to me but I easily ran beside Parius. Tenothes looked round for another victim, furious. Namesa was next in his view, staring at him, open mouthed. He lurched to her, pulled her to him and with the one hand ripped her gown from her. "I'll show this Genorian!" he cried. Namesa was not wearing anything else under her robe other than a brief garment at her hips and that was snatched from her too and she was completely naked. She screamed and tried to beat him off with her small fists but he easily turned her around, pushed her face down onto a table, holding her wrists on one large hand, then lifted his own tunic. "You Genorian whore!" he cried out, forcing her legs apart. "You think you're too good for me, do you? You will be nothing but a slave. I will show you who your master is. Yes, we Ceradolans will soon be masters of all you Genorians!" He was suddenly pulled away from the girl. It was Senabel. "Leave that woman alone!" he cried. Tenothes swung round and pulled a knife from his tunic. He swung it at Senabel. The older man was not quick enough and it slashed him on his shoulder, ripping open a large wound. He fell back, blood streaming down his arm. Among shouts and screams of horror Parius leaped to his feet and ran to Tenothes but he caught the next knife slash on his arm. The room was now in chaos, but the other two Ceradolans, horror on their faces, piled on top of Tenothes to hold him down. Urartuan guards rushed in and subdued him, fastened his arms behind him and dragged him off. The feast broke up in confusion and anger and the Urartuans rushed us back to our quarters. "I suppose we were lucky that Tenothes lost his temper, " said Penarche. " I wonder what made him behave that way?" She raised her eyebrows at me but I made no comment. The next morning we were summoned to the prince. His arm was bandaged but otherwise he was not injured badly. "Prince Parius, we are happy that you did not suffer a more severe wound," said Penarche. " Yes, Tenothes tried to kill you!" I added. "We now see the Ceradolans in their true light. How is Councillor Senabel?" Parius stared at us stnily. "What Tenothes did was an attack on me, my councillor, and on Urartu. He has shown contempt for my nation. If he had been an Urartuan his skin would already be fixed at my palace gates. I had hoped to make some agreement with Ceradol, uh, and with Genoria," he added hastily. "But that is now impossible. We cannot trust people who would attack us that way. Your delegation must leave Urartu immediately. If you attempt to come here again you will be killed." "We were not the ones who attacked you. It was Tenothes and he also tried to rape Namesa, " protested Penarche. "No matter! I am not sure of your part in this, but we want you all out of here. My mind is made up. I give you until noon to leave." "We cannot travel with the Ceradolans," she protested again. "We would not be safe!" "They are already gone. Tenothes is in chains and we will demand that his king punish him. You three will be escorted to the part of our land that is closest to Genoria and, I believe, close to a pass over the mountains. It will be your own responsibility to avoid the Ceradolans." It was a quiet group that set out from the city. The Urartu escort did not speak much and at a river they stopped and pointed at the mountains. "There! A half a day's ride for you." With that they wheeled and left us. We were lucky. We rode hard, but keeping to valleys and behind hills until we reached the approaches to the mountains by nightfall, totally exhausted. We settled for the night under a fallen tree. "Our delegation was a failure," grumbled Penarche. "The result is better than it might have been," I said. "The Urartuans and Ceradolans will no longer be able to form an alliance. For Ceradol, we may not have its friendship, but now it does not have the resources to invade us and now their attention will be fully occupied with the Urartuans. Genoria will be safe." We had no further trouble and reached the pass by noon the next day. The skulls were still there, but now only bare bones. Namesa still avoided looking at them. We were welcomed by our border guards who sent us with an escort down to the city. I felt a relief at being back home in the city although I was suddenly aware of how different our society was from Urartu and Ceradol. No men were present at all. We hurried to the palace and Penarche made her report almost immediately, telling Sarada all about our journey, her impressions of the Ceradol king, Tenothes, Parius, Senabel and others we had met. Queen Sarada listened to our story gravely. She first wanted a summary, then another account with details, and then asked questions late into the evening and again the following morning. She was especially interested when Penarche told her about Tenothes' attempted plot and Namesa's father helping us. "So the Ceradolans, or at least some of them, are not to be trusted! They also have designs on our small realm. I wonder how much King Kares knows about this? But it tells me that we have to be continually prepared. We will need to set up a trained army to counter them. Unfortunately that costs money that would be better used elsewhere. But at least, probably, all we will have to contend with is the Ceradolans." She drew in her breath and slowly exhaled. " I would have preferred peace but this is better than nothing. Things have worked out better than they might have." "We are lucky that Tenothes revealed his true colours," I said. "Yes, we were," She stared into the distance then shook her head and turned her attention to us. "So Penarche, Xeremis. I thank you for your efforts. Genoria has great cause to be grateful for your work. Penarche, you should return to your table. I am sure you will be glad to be back and you will be welcomed too. I think you now need a rest, but be sure I will call you again for advice and help. You are a valued citizen of Genoria." "Xeremis, you too have shown yourself a true servant too. You also should return to your table and let them know you are safe, but you will present yourself back here in two days. I have told you I want you for a councillor. Your talents are wasted as a potter. "Namesa too, the delegation did not bring all we wanted, but you have served Xiremis and Penarche well, and Genoria. Your father has shown himself to be a friend. I made you my slave, but some weeks ago I offered you two bargains, that I would restore your male body, and give you freedom. I will keep these promises. "Namesa, uh, I hear that certain things were distressing and embarrassing to you." Sarada gave me a sidelong glance. " I regret these. I also regret that your father was injured. I hope he recovers well. He might be a future friend of Genoria." Namesa bowed to Sarada. "Queen Sarada, I thank you, but my father is totally a servant of Urartu. Whatever he does will be something that he thinks will be in the best long term interests of Urartu. Genoria is just lucky that its interests coincided this time." The queen nodded her head. "I will keep that in mind. Now, concerning that promise to restore your freedom and to change you back if you helped Penarche and Xiremis, I will do that in two days. So you can prepare yourself." "Thank you. Queen Sarada," Namesa said. "I have now been changed two months. When you left me no choice but to expect the spell and slavery or death I was overwhelmed. Then, when you had me severely whipped I would have happily seen your destruction. I desperately wanted to get my male body back and that is why I accepted your offer. Yes, I want to resume my life. And, I promise, I will find work that will not involve raiding or warfare. I will leave Genoria immediately and never bother you again." Sarada nodded. "Then that shall be done, and it is good that you leave immediately. As a man again, you cannot stay in Genoria. There is no place for men here. "Once you get changed back and recovered you will be escorted to the pass and you may make your way whichever direction you fancy. I wish you well in your future life, but make sure that you choose better company." "But there is a problem for you. I suppose you want to return to Urartu. Remember now that there is distrust between Genoria and Ceradol. We guard our borders and now the Ceradolans have started the same. They will be cautious of us now that we know of Tenothes' treachery and they have placed greater security at their borders. You would have to be careful how you travel back. It may not be safe at present." Namesa grimaced. She obviously had not thought of the dangers and I saw indecision on her face. "Queen Sarada. I had not thought of that. Please, could I remain in Genoria for a month or so longer until it is safer?" "You cannot as a man!" said Sarada. "Can I suggest something? "I said." Namesa could delay her change back until the travel is safer?" I could not read the queen's face. She was surprised but there was another problem. "Well, Namesa. I am sympathetic to your case. But all Genorians must be in some useful work or trade, or position. What can you offer our society? As far as I can see you have done nothing other than be an adventurer. You soldiered after a fashion, unsuccessfully and briefly whereas all of my soldiers here have had extensive military training from when they were young. You were not a personal slave long enough to learn much either!" I wanted to help Namesa. "If it please your majesty, you said you wanted me here in the palace. That will mean my work as a potter at my table will have to stop. They can use a potter and I am willing to train Namesa for it. At first I could split my time, with your permission, between the palace and my table. It will give her something to do while she is waiting." "Xeremis, I need you here as a help to our chancellor Nera and to learn her duties, but I suppose what you ask is reasonable and I will allow it." Namesa and I looked at each other then embraced. Both the queen and Nera were actually very demanding mistresses. I had not realized how complicated our society was, even a small city state like Genoria. I had to learn it seemed, innumerable fresh duties and responsibilities and then I had to spend several hours each day at my table to train Namesa. However, compared to administrative work, working with Namesa and showing herthe craft of pottery was actually relaxing and we soon became good friends. She was a quick learner. It was a different relationship from on our expedition. At that time she had been a slave. Now she was a free citizen and an equal. "I like this pottery," she said. "Yes, I like working with my hands too, seeing things form." "I never thought I would be doing this. It is so different from my life before but I like it and I am content. Xiremis, I should have said, I thank you for saving my life." "It seemed a waste of a young life to execute you." "You are not that much older than me!" "See how you are adapting to your new life," I said. "How do you find it now? I mean adapting to your new body." there had been a gradual change in her. The tenseness was gone and she moved confidently and gracefully. She stopped what she was doing, took off an apron and sat down. "You were born a woman. I wonder I you could ever understand. After I woke from the spell the realization hit me. I was in the cell and on my back and naked. I was in pain and in and out of sleep, t gradually feeling better. "When I got senses back I started exploring my woman's body. It is totally different from a man's. The first shock, you might say, was finding I had breasts and how the nipples were so sensitive. When I moved, like rolling to my side, the breasts changed shape. Even my voice was different. "Being made into a woman I should have expected it but when I finally forced myself to look between my legs I was devastated to see everything male was completely gone and replaced by woman's parts. The change was to be permanent too. It would be with me until I died. These first days I felt like a stranger in a woman's body. I was devastated. "Then I was washed then dragged upstairs before Sarada. And you were there, too. You saw me whipped ferociously as a slave. You had saved my life, but what a life! I was in misery. "Then the next day, even with my back still hurting I was thrown into the duties of one of Sarada's slaves and I had to obey. I had to learn female dress, for myself and Sarada. Then I was made to make myself up in a female way as she demands of her slaves. "To teach me, one of Sarada's slaves decorated me as a woman and when she held up a mirror for me to see myself, facing me was an entirely female face, just like that time later that you made me up for that feast of Prince Parius. It was like looking at a stranger. The queen, her attendants, Nera, all knew I had been a man, yes, you too, and I felt completely humiliated. But you know actually, no one gloated over me. "Then when you suggested the bargain with me that I could be changed back I was exhilarated. It was a way out." Namesa looked at me shyly. "But you know, that is now some months ago. My male existence seems like another life that is fading away. I wonder what is in my future now." Some weeks later the queen took me aside. "Xiremis, I was talking again with Penarche the other day about your experiences in Urartu. I don't think you told me all about your part in it." She had an expression on her face I could not read, partly amusement, partly calculating. "How do you mean, Queen Sarada?" I saw she had something on her mind but I acted innocent. "Wasn't it very fortunate for us that Tenothes became drunk then tried to attack you and then rape Namesa? It stopped dead any alliance between the Urartuans and the Ceradolans. The way I see it is that you made sure he was attracted to Namesa. "So, to sow dissention, you had set up Namesa as a bait? Am I wrong? I heard that you altered Namesa's gown to show her body off. Then you decorated her face in the style of the Urartuan women. Finally, at the banquet, you deliberately taunted Tenothes, questioning his manhood. Am I right?" I felt my face turn red and I took a deep breath. "Yes, Majesty, you are right. I made sure that Senabel knew that Namesa had been his son, but changed. I used his concern for him. "I used trickery, but it worked, and I had the interests of Genoria uppermost in my mind. I regret that I used Namesa as a tool and I am more and more sorry for any distress it caused her. I especially regret that Senabel, who could be our friend, was injured. But our nation is safer now." I bowed to her." Majesty, I will resign my position and return to my table. Please forgive me." She laughed. "What? You certainly will not leave! Nera will be retiring soon. You have shown exactly the qualities that I need for my chancellor, cunning, ability to use circumstances and events to your advantage, yes, and a touch of ruthlessness. I would be a fool to dismiss you. Do not mention this again!" She laughed at my red face. "But there is another thing. I would like you to bring Namesa here tomorrow. I have been told that the Ceradolans have relaxed their border patrols so she will be able to get changed back and be able to go home to Urartu. I thought you might want to see how the reverse spell works too. Oh, you were born female, weren't you?" "Yes, Majesty." "Good, I would not like to inadvertently turn you back to a male!" I actually saw Namesa less and less as she became more skilled and I could leave her on her own. She really did not need my help any more. In fact she had developed a real talent at pottery and her products had become popular at other tables and she would be missed when she left. When I told her about the queen's summons she looked taken aback but then nodded. "I will be there." The next day I watched her as she stood attentively in front of Sarada. "Namesa. I believe it is now safe for you to leave Genoria. The Ceradol border is quieter now. I suppose they are too busy with the Urartuans. It is time for you to take the reverse spell. It will make you unconscious too, but you will recover rapidly." Namesa's shoulders slumped a little. "Queen Sarada, I have now been in Genoria for several months, apart from our expedition to Urartu. I have been in a female body, and living here as a free citizen. It was slow, but I have come to accept my female body more and more." She hesitated. "I think less and less about when I was a man." "I don't think I can go back to my family. I have learned a lot and experienced a lot. I hope I am a better person and I am ashamed of my past actions. My father has said he would welcome me back, but we have had difficulties in the past and I do not think they will improve enough. "So, Queen Sarada, I ask your permission to remain here. I mean, stay as a woman, and to be able to take all the duties and responsibilities of a true citizen." Sarada studied her. Finally she nodded. "Yes, you have my permission. I think you have much to offer us." Namesa embraced me. "Xiremis, you saved my life and you have been a good teacher." With learning my duties, it took another three months before I could think about other things. One was the ritual that had started this whole affair, the visits to the Temple of Ishtar. Visits there had been suspended for several months while Genoria improved its security but soon after that I watched as Sarada herself set off on the ritual walk to the temple. I wondered when it would be my turn but Nera kept me too busy. Sarada's first visit must not have been successful as the following month she once again took the walk and several weeks later Nera told me that Sarada was now carrying a child. That was good. She now would have a successor. I had finally mastered much of my duties when the queen summoned me to her. "Your work is going well, Xiremis?" "Yes, majesty. I feel I now can breathe!" "So you have learned all about Genoria, its history, its organization and its rituals? All that a future chancellor should know?" The queen had a mischievous smile on her face. "Yes, I hope so," I said cautiously, wondering what was coming next. "So what about our rituals? Some months ago you accompanied me on our ceremonial walk to the Temple. We both remember it well, how it was disrupted and what that led to. But now things are quieter. I have done my duty, Xiremis. I am carrying a child. Maybe it is time you went there." "But my queen, my duties here?" "Your duties?" She emphasized the first word. "I am queen and I have done my duty going to the temple and I now carry a child." "Yes, your majesty, I did not think. I will make arrangements." "Good! There is also that girl, Namesa. She has learned pottery well? She is now a member of that same table that you had been in?" "Yes, Queen Sarada." "So perhaps she could accompany you? I will give you the task of persuading her!" I was welcomed back at my table and it was nice to see old friends and talk to them. All laughed and hugged me when I told them about my impending visit to the temple. "Yes, and I have been told to take Namesa with me. Where is she?" "In the workshop, I think," someone said. She had just been firing another batch of pottery. Her eyes lit up when she saw me and we hugged. "Just a minute, Xiremis, I have things that need finishing off here and then I'll be with you." I watched as she bustled about, checking the kiln and a batch of newly formed wares drying on its rack. It brought back old memories and we got talking about her work and her plans. At last I remembered what I had to say about the Temple. "Yes, I wondered when it would be my turn. I am ready. I want to be a true Genorian. We can go together?" "Yes, strange how things work out. The last time we were there, it was in greatly different circumstances." She gave a rueful look. "Yes, since then I have been captured, changed, and enslaved. And used!" She stood back and gave me a severe look. "Oh yes, on our expedition to Urartu, you told my father who I was despite my pleas, and you used me to tempt Tenothes. It made me quite upset." "Yes, I am sorry for your distress." "I hated you for that, but, like my father is loyal to Urartu, you always look for Genoria's preservation and I understand. Now I am free in a land that I am coming to love." She gave a shy smile. "And in a body I have finally come to love. Xiremis, I forgive you for everything." The next full moon at the temple, Namesa by my side, I watched nervously at the men standing naked, waiting to be selected. This time there were more of our guards, and some priestesses carried long daggers in sheaths attached to the girdles round their waists and they watched even more carefully to see that the Temple rules were followed. I thought of those long months before. It was at this point that the raiders had burst in. When I walked into the room, I was dismayed by the looks in the men's eyes as they stared at me, looking up and down my body. Perhaps they were matching my own scrutiny of them. Remembering that they were there for my benefit, not theirs, I forced myself to walk slowly and haughtily in front of them. I would be the one who will do any selection. On our walk to the temple Namesa and I got talking with some older women. "Yes, "they told us. "Make sure you use men who are neither too fat or thin and are medium height, with a straight body and bright eyes, reasonably muscled too. That way you can be more certain of healthy daughters." So, looking at them, I spotted one who took my fancy. He was a little taller than most and had a slim but strong looking body. "You!" I said. He looked young enough, but he was certainly not a boy. His body was nicely proportioned, at least in comparison to the men I had seen in Ceradol and Urartu. He had intelligent bright eyes too. My hands slightly fumbled with nervousness as I tied my silk cord to his right wrist. "Come with me," I ordered, and I led him from the room into a smaller one that had a screen. For some reason I did not want the other women to see me. I pointed to the mat on the floor and he lay down on it. When I removed my robe his eyes opened wide and somehow I was pleased that he would like my naked body. To my surprise I felt my nipples tingle and some wetness between my legs. Rather awkwardly I placed myself on him ready to straddle him, facing him. Next I had to place my nether lips on his erect penis and sink gradually down on him but I hesitated and flinched when I felt the blunt tip of his penis touch me. I gasped as I felt my lips stretch. Finally I took a deep breath and let myself sink on him fully. He gave a small gasp along with my small squeal at the sharp sting between my legs. I had been told that my first time would hurt a little but all at once I had him fully in me him so that our groins were even touching and our bellies were together! I looked down at him and he grinned up at the grimace that must have been on my face. I was probably grimacing. Maybe he meant to comfort me but I was so flustered by the feeling of him in me that I did not think to object to his hands at my breasts, pressing them gently. "Your first time, is it?" he asks. "You flinched. Are you all right?" "Yes," I gasped. "Let me get used to it." I did not move, trying to get used to the strange sensation of both holding a man in me and his hands at my breasts. "Same with me," he said. Somehow I was pleased that I was his first. His fingers gently pinched my nipples making strange feelings run up and down my body. "I don't think you are supposed to do that," I warned. "But do you like it?" He grinned. "Yes," I said slowly, "but it is a strange feeling." "Are you ready to carry on?" he asked. "Oh yes," I gasped, I had forgotten, still getting used to the pleasurable feeling of him in me. Hesitatingly, I pushed my knees to raise and lower myself so I was sliding up and down on him, more and more thrilled at the growing pleasure of feeling him moving in me. I moved faster, and I felt the pleasure building. It was as if something took hold of me, making me drive faster and faster, up and down, and I could feel my breasts bouncing on my chest. He was pushing up into me too. An exquisite tension started in my groin then spread over my whole body, stronger and stronger. I could not have controlled myself. My mind became helpless and I felt the tension soar to a climax where I was oblivious to all but the feeling in my belly then with a gasp, matched by my own small cry, I felt him release into me. I was making little unintelligible grunts and cries at the waves of rippling pleasure that ran up and down my body. I hoped the other women did not hear me, but I was not alone. All around me I heard small cries, sometimes even screams from other women and men. Some time later he stirred beneath me. I raised myself, feeling slightly stiff and he easily slipped out of me. His manhood was now shrunken from before. His arms had red little marks where my nails had dug into him. He pointed at some reddish fluid on my thighs." So it was your first time?' "I told you that!" irritated that he had not believed me. So now I had done my duty, and part of me wanted to leave, yet this man had given me so much pleasure that I wanted to stay with him. I wanted to be pregnant, but in some ways I hoped it had not happened so that I could quickly return to the temple for another round of such pleasure. Still, the ancient traditions had to be obeyed and wrapping my robe round me, I moved swiftly out of the room before I let my emotions show. A priestess was ready with scented water to wash my thighs and I allowed her to lead me to one of the cots provided for the women who were finished with the men. I lay down in one, still in a kind of daze over what had happened, but in minutes I was fast asleep. I was awakened in the morning by the noises of the other women rising and bustling about. I raised my head and swung my legs over to the floor, wincing slightly at a dull ache between my legs. A priestess was immediately at my side with another bowl of scented water and a cloth and washed me. I was slightly embarrassed at being washed so intimately but I was only one of number of women. Some of the other women were whispering to each other with little smiles and laughs and embracing and kissing each other. Namesa came into my arms. "How was that for you, Xiremis?" she asked. I had some mixed emotions. I wanted to appear detached, but it had been one of the most intense experiences of my life. "It was wonderful!" I admitted. "And you?" I saw her shining eyes and the answer was obvious. She gave me a beaming smile that showed she had felt the same exhilaration as I had. "It is supposed to be a duty, but I never thought a duty could be such a pleasure. I am glad I became a woman to experience it. You know, in other lands, man and women live together. Do you suppose that could happen here sometime?" "I think must be wonderful to have such pleasure more often. But then I think of having to live with a man and the effect of men on our society and I'm not sure." Soon it was time to return to the city. I still felt a slight soreness between my legs and I was glad when we finally reached the city again. I retired to my quarters in the palace and Sarada had even ordered one of her attendants to help me the first day. Some days after, I paid another visit to my mother. She was surprised to see me and I told her all that had happened. "So you have finally paid a visit to the Temple. Were you successful?" "That was only a few days ago, I don't know yet but somehow I feel different." Her manner had become softer. "I hope so. Maybe, tell me, Xiremis, what was he like, the man you chose?" "He was fairly tall and wiry, but he looked healthy! He was dark haired, with keen brown eyes." "Why did you choose him?" "I don't know. The men were standing for our inspection. Maybe it was the way he stood that took my attention first, but I did look at others until he drew my attention again. Then he just seemed to stand out. He had looked at me too and it was as if there was, I don't know, a connection between us. Mother, I feel awkward explaining this. There was not supposed to be anything. We had been continually told that the men were there to serve the women. That was their only purpose. But I wanted more." "Yes, I know, we are continually told about our traditions and custom and each time I visited the temple I tried to remember them. I think I was too nervous too the first time. But it became easier. "My first man served me well too. I had looked just about all of them over and then I saw him." She actually blushed. "Yes, I was nervous and actually we spoke a little when we were finished. You know, most of the men are Ceradolan. It's near us, just over the pass, but I don't think he was from there. The accent was not right. Maybe he was from further away. But we were not supposed to speak much. One of the priestesses gave me a glare. But I carried on, just whispering to him. He was the one who fathered you. I never saw him again. "Mother, I once asked about my father's appearance. You never gave me much of an answer, but can you remember anything at all?" "You're persistent! Well, if it will satisfy you, He was medium height, dark haired, with nice regular features and a shrewd look. I wanted these for my daughter and looking at you Xiremis, I think it worked. "You know, I wanted a strong man and his face showed he was a warrior. He wore a beard but it only partly hid an old wound. It made him look tough, but at least his eyes were kind." "What kind of wound had he?" "He had a sword slash over his left cheek that twisted his face and he'd even lost part of an ear." END