Otherworld

Part 19

Bridged's head was swimming. She had just gotten done listening to the story about the warriors and taking notes. Her notebook was brimming with pages of notes about the warriors. They reminded Bridged of the Amazons and of Achilles and his Myrmidons.

Bridged chewed on her pencil as she flipped through her notes. According to the village storytellers, the warriors were taller and prouder than their people. They had a noble air about them that set them apart from the rest. They were a warlike people who had disappeared once war had forsaken their planet. That had been many thousands of years ago.

Just the thought of these warriors set Bridged's blood pumping. Her and Arnold had spent their first 5 years of their backpacking it across Europe and around the Mediterranean Sea. Her fingers were itching for another adventure.

"Did you find anything of interest?"

Arnold sat down beside Bridged. He stretched his legs out towards the fire and scratched at his bare thigh. Bridged looked Arnold up and down. Bridged was right. Arnold looked good wearing only a loincloth.

"I sure did and I'm looking at it."

Arnold chuckled as he reached forward and ran a hand down Bridged's braid. "I could say the same for you. You look delightful with your breasts bare."

Bridged frowned down at her breasts and the smooth expanse of her stomach. "Aye, but I feel half naked. I keep expecting someone to shout at me to put some clothes on."

Arnold tugged on Bridged's braid before his lips brushed her ear. "I'd say you're wearing too much."

Bridged shivered and gave her husband a sultry look. "How about I answer your question first and then maybe we can have some fun?"

Arnold sat up like a little boy who was told that he'd miss recess if he didn't behave. "I'm all ears."

"And eyes too apparently."

All Arnold did was grin widely at her. He nodded at her notebook. "What did you discover?"

Bridged flipped through her notes. "These warriors haven't been seen or heard from in several thousands of years. They left once there was no more war to occupy them. The storytellers tell of their armor and their fighting style. Just listening to them describe these warriors makes me think of the Amazons and Myrmidons from Ancient Greek and Roman lore."

Arnold leaned forward and ran a finger down the edge of the page. "Did they say how we can find these warriors?"

"They did." Bridged flipped to the last page of her notes. "You must travel to the edge of the sun. There you will find a cavern so deep that light doesn't pierce it. That which you seek requires a sacrifice of some kind." Bridged gave a slight twitch of her shoulders as she looked up at Arnold. "They weren't quite sure what that sacrifice could be. No one has ever made the journey and its believed to be nothing more than a story."

Arnold rubbed at his beard. "We need all the help we can get. I'll talk to Chief Nakiki and see if she'll let us and a small group of the agoathos daimon's go in search of these warriors." Arnold shook his head. "It's not like we have anything to lose."

Bridged closed the distance between them so that she could kiss Arnold on the cheek. "How about you go and ask the chief about this now. I'll be waiting at home with a surprise for you."

Intrigue flared in Arnold's eyes as he gazed contemplatively at Bridged. He finally nodded to himself. "You have a deal." Arnold gained his feet and held a hand out to Bridged.

Bridged pressed herself against Arnold. "Hurry." Bridged murmured before she kissed Arnold. "You don't want me getting cold and lonely do you?"

Arnold crushed Bridged to him briefly before he set off at a jog in search of Chief Nakiki. Bridged watched him go with a small smile on her face. Arnold was going to love her surprise.