by Lucky Charms

Disclaimers: See Part 1.

Feedback is always welcome: luckycharms@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2004 by Lucky Charms. All Rights Reserved.

---

Lyan was thankful of her skills in tracking and soon found the Amazon Rogue Encampment. Though the army was not near as massive as Lyan thought it would be... it was bigger. For a moment she felt like her hopes were ill founded, but she held her Labrys tightly in her hand again and she felt renewed hope. She wasn't doing this for just herself; the life and hopes of all her people were in her hands now.

Damn, Lyan said, pretty proud of herself for sounding and feeling like a real Princess. Eat your heart out Diana! Lyan then made her way to a lightly inhabited section of the camp then began walking around like she owned the place; a good tactic if you want to stick out like a sore thumb. "Lookin' good there ladies!" Lyan said boldly. "How yah doin'? Go Rogues eh? Nice sword you got there...," she continued, receiving odd looks as she strutted past until she caught sight of a striking young tanned man wearing nothing but a loincloth. "A man?"

Lyan stood in mute fascination. She had heard a lot about men, but she had never seen one before. "Hah...," she said. "Kinda weird looking."

Steve felt that somebody was staring at him and turned his head to see a young Amazon with a labrys in her hands, staring mindlessly at him like one would if they saw a two-headed rhinoceros with wings for the first time. He immediately knew she didn't belong here. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded in hushed tones as he rushed up to Lyan. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"No I'm not!" Lyan hissed haughtily. "I'm an Amazon you know."

"Yes, and just by looking at me like you just were, you're bringing attention to yourself." Steve looked around and sighed. There were already a few curious Rogue Amazon's looking at them with questioning eyes. "Just come with me okay?"

Steve motioned for Lyan to follow and guided her to a tent located near the center of the camp. Inside, Lyan was greeted with the eyes of several more men bound in shackles attached to posts. "Uh, what's going on here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing." Steve said, giving a nod to the other Men signaling that everything's alright. "What are you doing walking around the enemy camp like that?"

Lyan frowned. "Trying to find a way to stop the war from happening!" That deserved some laughter. "What? You don't think I can do it?" she demanded.

Steve silenced the men. "Think about it, whoever you are. It's just you against this army of thousands!"

"I know," Lyan replied, trying not to sound too depressed. "But I've got to do something. All the others want to do is sit around and try to talk their way out of things."

Steve shook his head. "You haven't a chance," he said. "Unless there's some miracle in store."

Miracles are funny things. They have a habit of showing up in the last second possible. Wangfred was startled awake when the computer activated the Red Alert siren. "Who, what, when, where, and sometimes why?" he cried as he scrambled to his feet.

"We've arrived at Amazonia," the computer stated. "We'll begin orbit in five minutes but..."

"Finally!" Wangfred cheered. "Get the transporter ready!" He ran toward the door but found, too late, that it wouldn't open and slammed into it. "Computer!"

"You idiot," the computer growled. "If you'll only listen to me before you go running down there like a flaming buffoon you'll know that there's something wrong going on down there."

"What do you mean?" Wangfred asked, rubbing his nose, as he walked back to his chair.

"Look." The computer displayed a satellite image of Marie's camp.

"So?" Wangfred shrugged. "Looks like an ordinary encampment..."

"Now look at this!" The computer presented another image; this time of Lyan's camp. "Notice the difference? The first encampment looked a bit more hostile than the other one."

"Aaooh! You think there's about to be a war or something?" Wangfred asked before his eyes lit up. "Great! Prepare the Pussy Willow! So, which group does my candidate belong to?"

The computer scanned for a moment. "To the peaceful one, but she doesn't seem to be there."

"Whaaat?" Wangfred cried.

"It looks like she's in the enemy camp..."

"So what you're saying is that Marie actually has taken over other tribes and we didn't know about it?" Lyan asked. "Why?"

"Marie is using the scare tactic to ensure that the people who really don't wish to fight with her will in exchange for their family's safety," Steve explained. "Only a small handful of Amazons really believe in what Marie preaches."

"Well that's stupid." Lyan frowned as she got to her feet and headed to exit the tent. "All I have to do then is explain to them that, HEY!"

"Sit down!" Steve cried and pulled Lyan back inside. "If Marie hears word of this she'll have you killed on the spot! Sshh...," Steve whispered as he heard some voices outside.

"She went in with your slave, ma'am," a Rogue voice reported moments before Marie and the Rogue entered Steve's tent. "That one." She pointed to Lyan.

"What are you doing here?" Marie asked, examining Lyan with critical eyes.

"Me?" Lyan's eyes bugged out a moment. "I was just, uh, here to, uh, torment the slaves! That's right. You stupid men!" Lyan shook a finger at Steve. He couldn't help but roll his eyes and shake his head. "Hah hah, see? Can't understand a word I'm saying, the big dolts..."

Marie arched a brow. "You look like somebody I know..."

"It's possible. I have that kind of face you know," Lyan explained quickly. "You know, one time, somebody mistook me for someone named Linda Carter? I mean, who the hell is she anyway? I bet she's ugly and people meant that as a..."

"You're the Princess Lyan, aren't you?" Marie said, silencing Lyan. "Interesting that the Queen would send her own daughter to die at my hands..."

"No she didn't!" Lyan cried. "She doesn't even know I'm here... uh-oh." Steve sighed and shook his head again.

"Indeed?" Marie turned to the Rogue. "Send another letter to the Queen. Let her know that we now have her daughter in my custody and if she doesn't surrender now, she'll die."

To Be Continued in Part 4

Feed the Scribbler: luckycharms@e-scribblers.com.