The Tattooed Princess: Book Two-- Escape to the West

The Powers of Art and Envy

What Zaria and Branka did not know as they were placed back into their tent cell that mid-morning, was that the spectacle of Tsudros as prisoner of the Amazons would not stop as it had before. It seemed the bizarre showing of his body to the young and fertile members of the female clan for reproductive purposes was only an overture to his fate. This information came to them secretly as the one girl who volunteered to bring them food and water that afternoon was none other than their Amazon friend, Tomyris.

            It was obvious to Branka and Zaria that she could not show any camaraderie with them when they had been abducted. Her staying aloof, wisely gave the girl a greater chance of helping the two later. Up to that point, Tomyris had been careful to not show any collusion with them. Yet the young Amazon had indeed now found a way to help their plight, and surprisingly, to try and reduce the grave outcomes for Tsudros, for whom they all suspected the worst.

            "I come to say . . . I have not forgotten you" Tomyris whispered, "For saving my life." She expressed this secretly while entering their closed tent with a basket of food. As she handed the two a ceramic jug of cool herbal tea, she spoke in more somber tones of what she had learned about that evening's proceedings. Tsudros would in all probability be executed that night, she told them. It would take place at a meeting of the warriors around the evening fire. This caused both girls to burst into tears while Tomyris tried to quiet and also comfort them.

            At first Zaria's weeping was inconsolable, but Tomyris told her she had a plan which had some chance of saving him.

            "I know my sisters and their feelings about men," she said coolly. "We have been taught to hate them since we were born. Our leaders will feel no sadness for the death of your love, Zaria. And we girls cannot imagine how your heart feels. This is because you are as different from us as a deer is to a wolf."

            Zaria put her hand onto Tomyris' shoulder affectionately.

            "We know of death and killing but not of love like you," she went on while the girls drank desperately. "And we know many of our sisters have been killed by men . . . and tortured by them to deserve out hatred."

            Branka, too, began to sob quietly as these words were heard.

            "But I also know my sisters well in other ways," the young Amazon confided.  "I know what gives them joy. What makes them curious . . . and what will take their thoughts away from killing or victory in battle."

            Both girls were immediately intrigued and calmed themselves quickly to listen. There was in her words the making of a plan. And no matter how futile or senseless it might be, they had no other options than to try and save their beloved Tsudros.

            For the next critical moments while two armed Amazons waited outside for Tomyris to exit their prisoner's tent, the girl spoke to them in whispers of what she thought best to attempt that night. The Zaria and Branka took in all of her plan, listened to its details and Zaria agreed to do her part. They could see and hear in the stillness of the afternoon that Tomyris was sincere in her commitment to help them. What the young Amazon conveyed to them was in her mind their only chance of seeing Tsudros survive the evening spectacle—his planned and public execution. Following this the Amazon girl left hurriedly and with little else to say.

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            That evening as darkness set in, Branka lamented to Zaria that she would help her through what ever occurred that night. She tried to comfort her with the knowledge that her own lover, Moshtok, may have already met his end, and if not, was no better off than Tsudros in this wild territory. The land where he might easily be discovered and captured himself by the feared women warriors.