Audacia

Quilla (Archer)

Audacia is the only daughter of Thespis, a Palace Guard, and Melinna, a courtier in the Queens household.

They first met when Melinna was sent to bring wine to the Queen and she almost ran into Thespis, then a Palace soldier, spilling some of the wine onto Thespis. Melinna wiped the wine off Thespis’ uniform and the guard, intrigued by the lovely young woman, asked her for her name. One of the other courtiers found Melinna with the guard and reminded her of her duty. Thespis explained the situation to the other woman, who simply scowled and hurried Melinna away.

The next day, Melinna was called into the presence of the Queen. She was informed that the other courtier had told the Queen of the encounter in the hall and that this behavior would not be tolerated. She was reminded that courtier’s and guards were not to mingle. She was to keep away from the new Palace Guard.

Still, the household was small and while Melinna did all she could to stay away, she found herself drawn to Thespis’ easy smile and warm eyes. She began to find ways to come into contact with him. She would stand in front of him at balls, quietly speaking to him over her shoulder. She made sure to travel down the hallway he guarded, smiling and lowering her eyes as she passed. When she went to the market or took horseback rides, she chose him as her companion. In this way, they came to know one another.

The courtier who had found them together became aware of the relationship between Melinna and Thespis and informed the Queen, as was her duty. Furious, she called them both into her presence.

The King stood by the side of his Queen as she told them that she would not allow their union to continue. She claimed they set a bad example for the other courtiers and guards. They were disrupting her household.

Thespis pleaded with them to allow him to take Melinna as his wife. The Queen refused to entertain the suggestion and the two were ordered never to see each other again. The King informed his guard that he would be reassigned, sent to the barracks to train the young men who arrived for the army. The site was well outside the palace walls and both knew they would no longer be able to see one another.

A few days after Thespis was ordered from the palace, he heard a noise outside the door of the barracks. Creeping up to the door, he pulled the door open and grabbed the hooded figure that stood there. Thespis pinned the figure to the wall by the throat and pulled down the hood. He stared into the frightened eyes of his beloved Melinna.

Thespis let her go and she sank to the floor. He slipped down beside her and cradled her in his arms, asking what she was doing here. She replied that she couldn’t bear to be apart from him. He held her tightly, then gathered her into his arms and carried her inside, quickly hiding her inside his private room. Lying beside her, they shared their first night together as one. This became the routine every night. Melinna would sneak over to the barracks and would stay they until just before sun up when she would melt into the shadows and return to the palace.

They managed this successfully for several weeks. One night when Melinna arrived at Thespis’ room she was crying. Thespis asked her why she was upset, and Melinna replied that she was carrying his child. Thespis was overjoyed at first, but then realized that the child meant that they were both in grave danger. They would have to leave the palace that night. Thespis told Melinna to go back to her room and grab what her she could and meet him back at his room. She returned to her room and filled a small satchel with her most important belongings before meeting Thespis just outside the castle walls.

The made it to the city stables, where they planned to purchase horses for the long ride ahead. As they entered, palace guards surrounded them. Thespis removed his sword and prepared to fight them, but he heard the voice of his King behind him telling him to lower his sword. Thespis and Melinna turned and saw both the King and Queen.

The King stepped forward and told the pair that they had betrayed the Queen by going against her orders and as such they would be sold into slavery. Thespis stepped forward boldly and told the King that he would forfeit his life if the King would spare Melinna and his child. Melinna protested instantly, shocking everyone by offering herself as a slave if they would free Thespis. Touched by these requests, the King agreed to Thespis’ deal and ordered Melinna banished from the city forever.

The guard dragged Melinna away from Thespis. She pleaded and struggled against those who held her, trying to reach Thespis who stood before his King with quiet dignity. The guards shut the door to the stables and began escorting her away, but they had not gone far when she heard an unmistakable cry of pain as Thespis was killed.

At the city gate, the guard released her and stood by, obviously waiting until she was far down the road. She looked at the spires of the town, her only home. Then she turned and walked away down the road without a look back.

Once out of sight of the gate and the guards, she raised her hand and wiped the tears that had been falling from her eyes. A few more steps forward and she finally collapsed, unable to bear her grief any longer. She felt like she would die, but as she lay there she felt a movement in stomach. Her child was with her still, telling her in its own way that Thespis was still with her. Wiping her eyes again, Melinna got to her feet. She looked down the road that led away from the city, then into the thick forest that covered the countryside. Deciding, she walked into the forest.

She walked for hours. Darkness surrounded her and the sound of night animals kept her alert for a long time. Finally she could go no farther and collapsed beside a large pine tree.

When she woke, she found herself in small hut with an older woman washing her face. The woman introduced herself as Labda. She gave Melinna shelter for a few days while the pregnant woman regained her strength. In her weak state, it was easy to relate her story to the stranger who had been so kind. At the end of her story, Labda offered to allow Melinna to remain with her until the child was born.

Several months after arriving at Labda’s hut Melinna gave birth to a daughter who she named Audacia. Labda placed Audacia on Melinna’s chest while she got a blanket to wrap the baby in. Turning back, she saw that Melinna had closed her eyes and was lying still, the baby snuggling up into her chest.

Labda picked up the child and wrapped her in the blanket, rocking her until she faded into sleep. She placed the baby in a hand-hewn cradle that had once been hers. Then she turned and took care of the mother, wrapping Melinna in the blanket from the bed and saying many prayers over her. She would move the body later, after building a pyre outside.

While she was thinking these things, she looked over at the sleeping child and wondered what to do with her. The child seemed to sense someone was watching her, so she opened her sleepy eyes and seemed to smile. At that moment Labda decided to raise the child as her own.

Audacia grew quickly as the years passed, strong and sweet natured, if a little mischievous. She was always wandering the forest, looking for new adventures.

Labda taught the girl how to live in the forest. She showed her how to recognize edible plants and which plants were poisonous. She showed her the ones that had medicinal qualities. She taught Audacia how to hunt small animals with the use of traps as well as with a bow.

Another skill that Audacia seemed to have mastered was the skill of tree climbing. She could often be found in some of the higher branches of the great trees of the forest, laughing and jumping from tree to tree. Labda’s heart would flip in her chest as she watched the girl leap and spin through the branches. Audacia always managed to land with ease on the designated branch, but she would sometime miss a branch and fall to the ground. The first occasion this happened Labda scolded the girl for being so reckless, but Audacia would not be put off and was determined to jump from the same branch without falling out of the tree.

By the time Audacia reached 15, Labda was becoming an old woman and knew that she would be coming to the end of the life. She decided that Audacia should know about her parents. So after the sun had set and by the side of the fire that kept the two of them warm, she told Audacia the story of how she came into the world.

At first Audacia laughed at the story, saying that Labda was her mother. Labda slowly shook her head and repeated again that she was not her mother and that she was the daughter of Thespis and Melinna. Audacia’s head began to spin with Labda’s words. Audacia asked why wasn’t she told before about her family, why it had been kept a secret for so long.

The older woman could tell that Audacia’s emotions were raging. She continued with the story of her true Mother. When she told what had happened to her father, she saw Audacia clenching and flexing her fists.

She tried to comfort the young woman by taking her hands, but Audacia pulled away. Looking into her eyes, Labda saw beneath the blueness of the young woman’s eyes flashes of red. Determined now to finish the story, she told of the day Audacia was born and of the death of her mother.

When she spoke, the girl’s voice was quiet and shaky. She asked why her mother hadn’t lived. The older woman shook her head, telling the younger that the only reason she had been able to think of was her mother had wanted to follow her father. She had held on as long as she could, putting everything she was into birthing the child. Once completed, she willingly followed her beloved into the afterlife.

Audacia asked what had happened to her Mother’s body. Labda explained that she had built a pyre outside. When the fire had finally died, she had scooped up some of the ashes and kept them still in a pottered jar. She went to her bed and from underneath produced a small chest, which she had always kept locked. She presented it and the key to Audacia.

Her hands trembling, Audacia opened the box. Inside there was a lock of hair and a small leather necklace with a strange pendant. She picked up the small jar, tears welling from her eyes, and hugged it to her chest for a moment. Then she turned to Labda and told her that she would scatter her mother’s ashes to allow the spirit find its way to her father.

Placing the jar back into the box, Audacia picked up the leather necklace and examined the strange pendant. It was a rough circle made of small twigs. She asked Labda if she had any idea what the pendant symbolized.

Labda remembered seeing such designs on the trees near her childhood home and her mother spoke of a land of wild and brutal women who lived there. The pendant design was similar to marks that were often left on the trees near to the their land. The women had been known as Amazons. The older woman had no idea if the legend were true or simply told to keep her out of the forest, but the mark matched.

Audacia sat in silence, running her fingers over the pendant while her mind raced with questions. Finally she turned and looked at the woman who had been her mother for so long. She asked Labda if she would allow her to leave and find this land of women. She wanted to know if these women knew anything of her mother.

The older woman felt her heartache at the thought of Audacia leaving, but knew that this was a journey that she would be foolish to prevent. With a sad heart, she agreed.

As the new day began, Audacia packed what little clothing she had and fastened her dagger to her hip and her bow and arrows across her back. Finally she tied her mother’s pendant around her neck, hugged Labda, and began her journey.

Audacia's totems are the hawk and the cheetah.

Tae'Nah athelfi arche: 12 May 2007

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