Amazon

ᴇʟᴇvᴇɴ

Amazon | Eleven

Rhea did contemplate slitting Bastian’s throat and begging for forgiveness, only she felt something for this man. It was not as if she was gaining feelings for him, it was more that she felt respect for him and enjoyed his company. She never thought she’d think that about a man or even feel like that for one. Yet Bastian seemed to break all the rules and that made something inside of her enjoy his company.

They had been walking for hours but Rhea was not sure of the time nor was she sure of the day, everything felt like a blur now. They would sleep at night; catch what little food they could find while they continued to walk to Athens. Rhea was not excited nor was she ready to face the large city. Rhea knew her ancestors would be disappointed in her, she was a terrible Amazon.

Now she was too busy making her way into a man’s world, she is not bothering with her lineage and she knew it would make them mad. If they managed to strike her down before she reached the city she would not be surprised, they would make her suffer for years to come after she died. She would spend her eternal life begging her ancestors to leave her – she had no choice but to follow the man.

Even though she tried to justify what she was doing there was nothing she could say to make it any better. She was betraying her people. She knew Bastian had some sort of attraction to her—she predicted he was attracted to her—and that could prove deadly when the time came when she had to leave him. He would not give her up without a fight, she did not want to fight him and kill him.

“How much longer do you think we have before we arrive in Athens?” Rhea asked as she brushed down her armour with her hands.

“Not long I hope,” Bastian breathed, “The sun is burning, do you agree?”

“The sun is hot Bastian,” Rhea replied, “It will always burn.”

“I do not mean that,” Bastian scowled, “The sun is burning my skin, do you not see the pink?” He pointed to the visible parts of his skin and Rhea could not believe he was so much paler than she was, were neither of his parents’ dark skinned? That was an alarming new discovery; the pale people lived in Athens.

“That is interesting,” Rhea looked down at her own skin, while it did look like it was pink; her skin was still the usual dark olive colour. “I do not burn like you,” Rhea grabbed his arm and he almost hissed but kept quiet, not wanting to seem like he was hurt, “You are very pink and pale, I am dark and not very pink.”

“Agreed,” Bastian grunted, “I suppose you must be used to be out in the sun all the time. I am but my mother is very pale, she even has pale hair.”

Rhea gasped, “There are more pale haired ones?”

“Yes,” Bastian replied, “And there are people with hair the colour of flames.”

“Did the flames touch them when they were born?” Rhea asked, “How could their hair be the colour of flames?”

“I do not know the answer,” Bastian replied, “Perhaps the Gods are the only ones who know.”

“I would not be surprised,” Rhea grunted and seemed to become distant, “The Gods love to make things different to mess with our minds, do you agree?”

Bastian snorted, “The Fates are the ones that mess with us Rhea, and it seems your fate was to be with me.”

Rhea seemed to scowl, “They do not like me I predict,” Rhea was frustrated, “They would prefer I was with a man in a man’s world, how is that justifiable when I am one of the greatest women in the world? It does not make sense,” Rhea crossed her arms over her chest in frustration.