Grim faced Captain Stone of Sarnian Lady took Darlanis from me as I handed her over to him. Sharon at her side. The sobbing golden Empress clinging to Sharon like some lost child as I then started to look for Lana among those wandering the bloody deck of the Ronda. I wondered about the puzzling truce between those of Sarnian Lady and the Janis, but just then the fate of a certain lovely hazel eyed brownette concerned me much more! Where was my friend Lana! I had seen the young Prince carried off, his bandages dark with blood. We had lost over half our own in the bloody fighting. I reflected upon the fact that death was still death, whether it came by a 20th Century bullet, a Lorr energy beam, or was delivered by an steel headed arrow or crossbow bolt.
It was then as I looked among the fallen warrioresses before the forecastle that I found her, the crossbow bolt buried in her heart. Her eyes glazed in death, the sword still in her hand! "Lana!" I sobbed, going to my knees, clutching her lifeless body to my bosom. Her cheek already cold in death as I held her, the salty tears scalding my cheeks as I tore off my helmet to hold her for the last time once again in my arms. First Janis, now her! Next to her the body of a woman I had known well aboard the Ronda. Our "losses" had indeed been heavy. I wondered if even Darlanis would consider it worth the "price" that we had "paid"!
I felt strong arms raise me, and sobbing, I buried my face against a strong masculine chest. Weeping out my sorrow and misery, strong arms holding me close, death all around us. "There, there, my brave little warrioress," his voice said, "cry and weep out your pain, let it flow and pour out." His hand stroking my damp hair as I clung to him, my salty tears of sorrow wetting the fine material of his uniform. He was the captain of the Janis. He too had lost much that horrible night when the dying pirate captain had slew his lovely tall golden haired Princess. More than just Janis herself, for without her, there was little hope of bringing the war between Dularn and California to a swift end. Especially now when there would be no one left to "advise" Tulis, to tell her that "peace" was a better "choice" than this war that had gone now for six years without any "end" yet coming in sight!
With a shuddering effort I forced myself back under control. Looking up into his dark eyes, my voice soft as I whispered, "We have all lost much this night." Thinking of his Princess dying there in his arms and my dear friend Lana lying there at my feet. And I had been "responsible" for all of this with my "suggestion" to Darlanis in how to trick the pirate into attacking the Ronda! "Yes," he answered, looking down into my eyes, his strong arms still holding me close. I didn't ever want him to let go! I had suffered too much this night. I wanted "out" of all this!
Suddenly there was the tall blonde warrioress lieutenant at his side, her voice urgent as I became suddenly aware that not all was well! The truce between the Dularnians and the Imperials was rapidly breaking down without Darlanis or Janis to control the situation! The crews of Sarnian Lady and the Janis had discovered the feminine cargo the Seahawk had carried below, and now both demanded that the women be turned over to them! The pirate having made a good haul of feminine lovelies somewhere recently!
The scene was "tense" as I dashed between the two crews, the naked women cowering in a shivering, terrified mass, men on both sides fingering the hilts of swords. The black clad warrioresses of the Janis fitting arrows to their strings. The few surviving warrioresses of Darlanis' personal guard doing the same thing on the other side. Crossbowmen from the Janis setting bolts on the tracks of their crossbows while their Imperial counterparts did the same. A word from their captains and both would be at each other's throats! The blood lust was high, their hatreds strong!
My sword shook in my hand as I faced both sides there in the moonlight, standing among the trembling terrified women. Knowing that neither captain Eric Stone of Sarnian Lady or captain Jon Richards of the Janis really wanted to see the outcome of such a battle between their own crews! One that could go on and on until there wasn't a man or woman left able to fight! I knew these people well enough now to know what they were like. Knew the hot blood-lusts that could drive them at each others' throats like maddened rabid animals. There would be few survivors, if any.
"STOP IT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, waving the blade in my hand, prepared to kill whoever made the first move, my face, I am told, being such that few cared to look upon it! Crying, "SO HELP ME GOD, I'LL KILL THE FIRST ONE THAT MAKES A MOVE TOWARDS THESE WOMEN!" I am told that the tears were running down my cheeks at the time, but I don't really remember too much, only that everything was blurred before me and that I was very, very angry, a blood-red fury overwhelming me that could have driven me to kill anyone, even those I knew, should they have approached me just then! "BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN DIED HERE TONIGHT TO RID THE SEAS OF THIS GOD-DAMMED PIRATE, AND ALL THE LOT OF YOU GOD DAMM BASTARDS CAN THINK OF IS WHO IS GOING TO GET THESE POOR WOMEN AND MAKE SLAVES OF THEM!" I screamed, the fury coursing so hot through my shaking body that I was more like a maddened rabid animal, not a reasoning thinking human being just then!
Then turning to captain Richards of the Janis, I snapped, "If its women you want, I'm sure that Darlanis will give you all you want for coming to our assistance!" I am not a feminist, but just then I hated the entire male sex, including him too!
"We sought no prizes or rewards when we answered your request for aid," captain Richards answered, his voice level as he regarded me standing there. Adding, "We seek none now." With this he then turned and barked swift orders, his crew and his tall warrioresses now withdrawing back to their majestic ship, leaving us all standing there like a bunch of fools! Suddenly I was running to him, the tall captain who had held me in his strong arms. Crying out his name, throwing myself into his arms as he turned towards me. Begging his forgiveness for my angry heated words only a minute there before!
"You are forgiven, my brave one," he smiled, holding me. Adding, "Your Empire is truly fortunate to have one as brave and courageous as you leading its forces." I thought I would wait a while before telling him the truth. I thought I knew who had requested his aid and established the truce. I would speak with her in the morning. We all owed very much to Sharon.
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