In The Land Of The Amazons

The battle waged hotly for almost an hour when suddenly a loud shriek was heard from Clymene, who found herself pressed up against the inner wall, her shield held aloft to protect herself from the man wielding the giant, double-edged axe. She fought like a wild animal, using her sword to attack the enemy's exposed stomach each time he raised his weapon. But her shield, as strong as it was, was giving way under the heavy blows, and then, under one singularly forceful stroke, it fell to pieces altogether, leaving her completely at the mercy of her attacker.

Xanthippe, who had witnessed the awful predicament of her friend but who was too engaged with the enemy herself to come to her aid, shouted to Chilon to help her friend, and he did so none too soon. For as the giant lifted his axe to deliver what he thought was going to be a mortal blow, Chilon suddenly appeared from behind him, and with one powerful stroke of the great sword, hacked the giant's axe-bearing arm off at the shoulder. The Miriandyni fell to the ground screaming in pain, but Clymene put an end to his suffering by shoving her sword into his neck up to hilt until he cried no more. Upon seeing the great man fall, the enemy turned and fled. Xanthippe ordered her archers to chase them down, and many more of the attackers were killed even as they ran from the city gates.

It had been a costly victory, but the Amazons had won.

************

The next two days were spent in collecting the enemy corpses and burning them far outside the city walls. Then Xanthippe performed a cleansing ritual of the city in which all its citizens were compelled to fast for three days. Sacrifices were made to Artemis, and once all due obeisance was made to the goddess, Lysippe and all of the Amazon fallen were given burial rights with honors. And although both Hippolyta and Antandre had betrayed her, Xanthippe could not help but believe that they were only acting out of loyalty to Lysippe and not because they had any personal motive to see her destroyed. And so she forgave them in her heart, and thus lifted that onerous burden from her soul.

She and Chilon had spent the past week living together in her house, making love every chance they got and living every day as if it were their last. There was no talk of the future. She knew he had to fulfill his obligation and did not try to dissuade him from what she knew he must do. But still her heart was sad. She tried not to show him how disappointed she was and kept her feelings to herself, offering prayers to the gods that somehow her love for him would triumph.

One day, barely a month after the war with the Miriandyni, Chilon came to her with a forlorn look in his eye. She knew even before he said a word that the time had come for him to depart. She turned away from him, not wanting to hear the words but helpless to do anything about it.

"I am leaving in the morning," he began. "I want to spend the rest of this day with you."

"I have made arrangements for my soldiers to accompany you to the western border of Bithynia where you can procure a boat from any of the local villages along the coast," she said, fighting to hide her sorrow. "The narrowest part of the channel is only a mile across and Megara lies directly on the other side. Some say you can swim across."

"I'd rather take the boat," he mused.

"Clymene and Anaea are going with you I understand."

"Yes. I didn't ask them to, but they volunteered."

"Well, they know the country as well as I do. They will prove adequate guides."

Xanthippe moved toward the window and stared out at the setting sun.

"I'll never see you again, will I?" she asked.

"Why do you say that? You know that I love you."

"Then stay!" she said, suddenly turning to face him. "If you are in love with me then you cannot be in love with Tethys."

"It is not for Tethy's sake that I am leaving."

"You go because of your mother."

Her voice sounded remote, flat.

"She was in frail health when I left her in Athens. By now she must believe that I am dead. I could not live with myself if I allowed her to continue to think me dead when I'm not. That is why I must go."

"And what then, Chilon? After you have seen her, what then?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I have my duty."

"As I do mine."

The night passed slowly for the two lovers. But when dawn finally came, she awoke to find him gone, and the emerald necklace, which had once been destined for the neck of his betrothed, lay upon her pillow with a note promising his return. She knew he had planned it this way for her sake; to assuage the pain of a protracted goodbye. She stayed in her home all day that day, feeling desolate and miserable. She put the necklace in a drawer to keep it out of sight. It only reminded her of her beloved, and that was too much pain for her to bear.

The journey to the Bithynian city of Chalcedon took four days on horseback. Clymene had decided to follow the coastline to avoid encountering the Miriandyni whose tribes occupied the lands to the south. By the time they reached Heraclea, many of the people there had already heard of the defeat of the Miriandyni at the hands of the Amazons and welcomed the strangers with food and shelter. Upon reaching Chalcedon on the fourth day, Chilon made arrangements with one of the local seafaring merchants to be ferried across the straight. He thanked Clymene, Anaea, and the soldiers for seeing him safely to his destination, and Anaea, overcome with grief, grabbed his hand and kissed it, blessing him and wishing him a safe journey.

When Chilon arrived in Megara there was great celebration and rejoicing throughout the city. Believing him dead, they were amazed to see him appear as if out of nowhere, looking well and fit. Polydeuces, Tethys father and their king, immediately set about to honor the young Spartan with a banquet. When Tethys was told of his arrival she rushed to see him, greeting him warmly and with much affection. Chilon told her and the king of his adventures in the land of the Amazons and how he must return shortly to Athens to let his mother know that he was still alive. It was arranged that a ship should take him home and that it would be ready to make sail in a few days.

During that time Chilon and Tethys spent much time reminiscing of their more youthful days when as children they had promised to marry each other one day. But as beautiful as she was, Chilon knew in his heart that the promise could never be fulfilled, since he had already given his love to Xanthippe. Tethys had accepted his decision graciously, though not without some relief, as she herself was no longer under the sway of her childhood ambitions. And so, on the second day, having come to a new understanding of their brief relationship and departing as friends, Chilon said goodbye to her and made the journey home.

Unlike the trip he had made previously, this one was completely uneventful, and he thanked the gods for the clement weather. Upon setting foot on Grecian soil he got down on his hands and knees and kissed it, and made a prayer to Zeus that his mother still lived. His prayers did not go unheeded, for when he arrived at her home he found her at the loom spinning and talking with some of her friends. When she laid eyes on him she cried out with joy and he rushed into her arms, covering her face with tender, hot kisses. Many tears were shed that day, but they were all tears of joy.

Xanthippe watched the months go by slowly. The role of queen sat comfortably with her, and she ruled wisely and fairly. But, much to the incredulity of her people, she chose to remain in her home instead of taking up residence in the palace. Her quiet ways and noble simplicity endeared them to her, and the city and its people thrived under her rule. But she could never forget her love for Chilon.

Every day she would go to the temple to perform her usual duties and would always end the ceremony by praying for his safe return. But when the anniversary of his departure came around, she had all but given up hope that she would ever see him again. As she lay prostrate at the foot of the goddess, making supplications in a fervent but tremulous voice, Anaea came running into the temple, and seeing Xanthippe lying down on the floor, rushed to her and threw her arms around her.

"You must come!" the girl exclaimed. "A ship has been sighted off the coast. Clymene thinks it's a Megarian ship!"

"A Megarian ship?" Xanthippe replied. "That would be a rare occurrence indeed."

"But I think she's right. Hurry, my queen. Your horse is ready and waiting!"

Clymene had indeed been right. It was a Megarian ship. And as it pulled into port she saw a figure of a young and very handsome man standing alone on the prow. He was wearing a crimson cloak and his arms were outstretched toward her.

"It's him!" Clymene cried. "It's the damn Greek!"

"Did I not always tell you that he would come back to us?" Anaea cried, barely able to contain her joy. "Now do you believe that he is a god?"

Xanthippe stood on the dock motionless, unable to speak. Words would have been wholly inadequate now, for they could never convey the unbridled happiness she felt upon seeing the man she loved returned to her alive and well. And then the greatest joy of all, of feeling his arms around her and his passionate kisses that fell upon every part of her beautiful face, which she bestowed upon him with equal fervor. The long march of days that had preceded their glorious reunion now quickly faded into oblivion, made insignificant by the love they bore for each other.

"I told you I would come back," he said, holding her tightly, unwilling to let go.

"I always prayed you would," she replied, tears flowing freely down her face. "I never stopped praying."

They embraced each other for quite some time until Anaea, impatient to embrace him as well, finally got her way and showered him with kisses. Clymene, too, in uncharacteristic fashion, greeted him no less warmly and kissed him on the cheek.

"It is good to see you, Chilon," she said, her eyes filled with tears.

Chilon's arrival in Themiscyra was received with great joy and celebration. His was the place of honor at the banquet Xanthippe had prepared for him, and that evening as they lay in bed together he told her of all the things that had happened to him after his departure from Themiscyra a year ago.

"It must have been disappointing for Tethys to see you go," she said.

"I think we both realized that neither of us were in love. It was only a childhood infatuation, nothing more."

"And the death of your mother. That must have been a difficult time for you."

"I cared for her right up until the end. She died peacefully knowing that I had found love with you."

"With me? Not with Tethys?"

"I don't think it mattered. All she wanted was for me to be happy. And I am happy, Xanthippe. I am so very happy."

The years passed, and the love Chilon and Xanthippe shared never diminished but continued to grow stronger with each new day. In time, and due to Chilon's efforts, a trade route was established between Megara and Themiscyra, bringing to the city much of what was the finest of Greek culture. The city prospered, and Chilon had the distinction of being the first man to not only marry a queen of the Amazons, but to make his home in their land. She bore him three children, all girls, and this was regarded as further evidence that Artemis had blessed their union. He taught the Amazons many things that he had learned from his Athenian mother, and even Clymene, always dubious about anything Greek, finally came to accept that part of her heritage with a newfound sense of pride.

But it was Anaea, who, in her own childlike and intractable way, kept the image of Chilon the god alive; for he did indeed seem like a god to them in some ways. And although he never failed to assure people that he was just a man, they, in their deepest hearts, didn't really believe it.

THE END