The Tales Of Esmeralda

Chapter 22: Titania Gets Punched In The Face By Heracles

Andreas was successfully able to help Esmeralda, Yolanda, Sebastian, Petros, and the animals out of the camp. Once they got out they went as far away as they could.

The next morning at the camp, Titania woke up to one of her men standing on the inside of her tent, looking as if he was waiting patiently for her to wake up. She sat up, her blanket falling and revealing her naked torso. "So?" she asked. "What is it you want?"

"Um...well you see... Please don't get angry, ma'am."

Titania smiled sweetly. "Oh, I could never."

The man smiled awkwardly. "Um...well...the prisoners have escaped."

Titania frowned as much as she could. "WHAT?!"

~~~~

The gang had already been on the run for what seemed like forever. They didn't know (or rather care) which direction they were going in. Yolanda abruptly stopped the cart sometime in the morning.

"Wha?!" Esmeralda yelled as she woke up suddenly. "Wha happen?" She sat up. Yolanda was staring out.

"We-we're at the ocean..." Yolanda said. "This is as far as we can go..." And indeed they were at a dock.

"Um..." Sebastian said. "Okay... Now, how do we stop Titania?"

Esmeralda shook her head. "We can't... She's the most powerful warlord in Greece..."

"You know what that means, right?" Petros asked. "If we can't stop her?" Everybody shook their heads. "We need help..." Petros looked over towards one of the boats. "And I think I know who to ask."

~~~~

Petros got out of the cart. The other three followed him shyly. Petros proudly walked over to one of the boats. "Oh good sir!"

The big man that Petros was speaking to looked at him with a frown.

"Op, nope," Esmeralda said. "He looks mad. Nope."

"This should be good," Yolanda said.

"I just hope he knows what he's doing," Sebastian said.

The man walked off of his boat onto the dock. "Yes? What do you want?"

"Is your name...?" Petros began. He swallowed. Then tried again. "Is your name Heracles?"

The man straightened up. "Why, yes. I am. How did you know?"

"The, uh, lion skin. It kinda gave it away. I've heard stories about you. Amazing stories. And one of the first stories I heard was about how you defeated the Nemean Lion, skinned it, and wore it's fur. You're...you're a legend."

Heracles smiled. He was a rather tall man who was four inches taller than Petros. His muscles were huge everywhere on his body. The Nemean Lion's fur went around his head where the lion's head was, and the rest of the fur went down his back. On his face he had a black beard, and his hair was probably the same color. His eyes were a new, interesting color to the gang. They were electric blue and looked as if electricity really surged through them.

"Why thank you, young man," Heracles said. "That is very kind of you to say."

"And, uh, also? An unrelated thing. But, uh...I need help."

Heracles frowned. "Oh. Is that why you said all those nice things?"

"No no noo! I mean, I've always wanted to say those things to you. It's just that...unfortunately...I need help."

"And what can I help you with?"

"Have you ever heard of Titania the Feared?"

~~~~

At Titania's camp, Titania immediately got changed into her battle armor and stormed to the middle of the camp.

"Hey! Bastards!" she yelled. "Gather 'round! How did those puny little brats escape last night?!"

Nobody answered her. They were all silent. 

"Well?!"

"They were silent, ma'am," Andreas said. "They must've been able to sneak out."

Titania took a deep breath. "Go! Go! Form a search party for them! I want them! Dead or alive!"

~~~~

Titania and her men went down the path to look for the heroes. They also looked in some woods.

"They're not here, ma'am," one of her men said.

"Well where could they be?" Titania asked in a frustrated tone.

"Freeze!" Titania heard a voice say. She looked up, and ahead of her in the middle of the road was a very muscular, tall young man.

"And who are you?" Titania called to the young man.

"My name is Heracles," the young man answered. "Son of Zeus." He raised his club. "Are you the infamous Titania the Feared?"

Titania smirked. "Infamous, eh?" Titania hopped off of her horse and walked slowly towards Heracles. "Why, yes. I am." She stopped when she was an arm's length away from him. "How can I help you?" She put her hands on her hips.

"I demand that you come with me right now."

Titania raised an eyebrow. "Demand? Why, we can't have that. No. Of course I'm not coming with you."

"Have it your way then." Heracles raised his left fist and punched Titania in the face.

At once, all of Titania's men that were with her aimed their various weapons at Heracles.

"Step away from Titania!" Andreas called out. "And nobody else gets hurt. Go! Move it!"

And with some slight hesitation, Heracles left.