Ithokura, Holy Representative of the voracious and cruel goddess Bahkraine and queen of the city state of Shikhatta, strode down a large hall within her palace temple with a feral smile on her face accompanied by four of her personal elite warriors. Those within the hall fell upon their knees, when they realized their leader was within view; sitting on the back of their feet as their arms were outstretched, palms down on the floor.

Their leader walked past, unresponsive to many voiced well wishes moving with strident purpose. A room beyond the heavily reinforced wood door near the end of the hall was her destination. A regular warrior woman stationed to the left of the door noticed the approach of her queen. From her lax posture leaning against the wall she snapped too with straight back and eyes forward. She held the squared shield and scimitar regularly borne by the warriors of this large, growing city-state and opened the door. Like all regular Shikhatta warriors her head was shaved bare with exception of a small section near the back of the head which was allowed to grow and bound in a tail of hair with crimson leather. A thick section of thicker, similarly colored leather adorned her shoulders. From sagging, somewhat overlarge breasts to a slight paunch she was bare of armor or clothing. A belt held two wide decorated leather strips of heavy leather covering both crotch and buttocks down to mid thigh. Calf high light leather covered her feet.

The religious icon and ruler of the city-state stopped for a moment.

"Wait here my elite. I will have no use for you within these chambers." she said, eyeing the older warrior holding the door for her. "I will honor this warrior with the duty of escorting me to my destination.

The woman noticeably blushed and attempted to hide her excitement at the honor she was being entrusted with. Ithokura almost laughed aloud at the woman's childish effort to hide her reactions from her queen but instead waited for her warrior to step through the door.

"You know where I wish to go warrior, take me there." was her only command.

The woman nodded and proceeded down a stairway into a long, dimly torch lit hall. Near its end was a large arched door of thick iron barred wood. The guardwoman pounded on the door twice and was immediately answered with the clatter of released latches. The door opened to a small room with three other similarly garbed warrior women. One wore a leather band with a carved upward turned horn which marked her has leader of this small group. She was well muscled in the arms and abdomen, possessing small firm breasts.

The lead warrior bowed and said; "She awaits within, Holy one, still unbroken despite these weeks of effort. I can only blame myself for this failure to please you and our goddess Bahkraine."

And what of her companion unit leader? Is she as strong willed as her friend?

She had succumbed after a week and a half and may be of use in your design.

Hmm, good work unit leader, but I wish to see this undaunted bitch.

The unit leader gestured towards an open hall with numerous barred straw- floored cells containing mostly nude wild-eyed men and some women driven mad by their treatments and led the way as her queen followed with the others to a closed door at its end. The door was pushed open to revealed a large, thick bodied nude redhead woman with fair complexion and rounded breasts tipped with large, soft pick areolas. She was securely bound to a wood table with her legs braced wide for all to view the pink portion of her gender. Thick straps secured her upraised wrists and elbows, neck, stomach, and ankles. A leather mask with eye slits was placed over the woman's face and prevented any speech. Bruised and raw portions of her body bore the marks of her mistreatment.

The queen advanced with a pleased look and let her hand caress the ivory flesh of her captor from the toes up to the thigh with her right hand and stopped to stand next to the middle of the table. She reached out with her other hand and massaged one of the breasts of the prisoner, enjoying the slight wriggle as her prisoner still attempted to struggle.

"Ah, my deadly ambassador Garluatha, you do not like my touch?", she said smirking. "I would think it more pleasurable than the drugged, slobbering, lust-crazed males we have provided you on numerous occasions each day. But then, this fate is much better for my people, for you will provide our nation with strong warriors."

Oh, If you are worried for your people, you should not. Your absence allows my allies within your clans the opportunity to keep them occupied until my armies can deal with the city-states. So your people are not threatened by we of Shikhatta for the time being. Enjoy your time here, for it shall be many years before I and my goddess will tire of you.

So saying she turned to the warriors to address them.

"If she cannot be broken by the constant violation of the men we have within the dungeon then perhaps the touch of a woman may break her spirit. Before each session I want one of you to ravish her, then when you are through allow the male his turn.

She turned to leave and hesitated a moment. "Oh, and try not to enjoy your duties overmuch my faithful warriors. I want her will crushed before the next month's dedication to our goddess Bahkraine."

…..

The sweating warrior leaned back from her straddled position atop Garluatha's waist facing away from her head bereft of clothing with spine bowed. Her left arm fingered that portion between the spread legs of her helpless captive as the woman underneath struggled. The firm pointed breasts and molded, thin-framed body of the Shikhatta was marred by three small scars along the right knee, left waist, and across the bridge of her nose. Her head jerked back, dark brown eyes rolling upward with a whispered thanks to both her holy queen and goddess as she finished the rapid, climactic massage of her own body and her victims.

A feminine chuckle announced the presence of another of the warriors within the chamber. This one was heavy set with rounded stomach, a large rear, and firm high set wide boobs. Like her companion she sported a few small scars from previous fights. She snapped a leather cord twice and a bald nude man corded with heavy muscle stood with a glazed, wild look in his eyes. Dark, greasy body hair covered most of his body and the unwashed aroma of his scent began to make itself known.

"Your turn is finished, my sword sister. I have another prize for our guest from our beloved and immortal queen and daughter of the ever-hungering goddess Bahkraine. Give way."

The warrior girl swung off the bound captive with a contented smile and stooped to retrieve the pile of her clothing and weapons. She walked to the door and opened it, then turned to her companion before leaving.

" Go ahead and start without me. I will return shortly after I have cleaned the stink of this lesser one off me."

As was routine the warrior prompted the man to approach their prisoner with a word or two. In his drug induced state he obeyed with a sleepy drooling expression, mounting the fettered woman and pumping in growing frenzy. The guardwoman stood back and leaned against the wall. On occasion she would taunt the prisoner with debasing comments to further add to the humiliation so as to break her spirit.

Near the finish of the male's violation the woman noted a creak and muffled snap, which was not part of the usual sounds. She immediately tensed and ordered the man to stop. He continued heedless of her commands until the sharp stinging pain of the leather cord snapped, then withdrew to his corner under her prompting. The woman checked the bonds beginning at the wrists and working her way down and around the foot of the table. Garluatha tensed and kicked before the guard noticed the knee strap had snapped off her right leg; allowing her the freedom of the one limb. The woman staggered back and fell unconscious slumped against the wall as the heel of her captive's foot caught the guard straight in the face with a solid swak.

Unsure of how long her luck would endure the masked and bound redhead strained to release her wrists and elbows. Muscle flexed and strained beneath the thick flesh of the amazon woman. Weakened by the constant use and human sweat she managed to slide her hand out of the left wrist binding. With more fevered squirming and straining she released her arm. It was simplicity itself to release the straps and moments later she was leaning against the table regaining the use of her limbs. She reigned in the turbulent emotions now surfacing with the act of her release and the memory of her abuse; realizing they would distract her from thinking clearly at a time when she needed to most.

She looked about the room for tools or weapons she could use. She found a wooden bucket, a few additional foot and a half long leather straps, and the unconscious guardwoman's leather whipcord. She lifted the woman and placed her upon the table; finding the curved dagger and sheath attached to the back of the belt by a leather strap. She stripped the guard naked and bound her to the table in her place. The broken strap was quickly replaced by one of the others she had found.

She looked to the female now groaning to consciousness who had been her tormentor then to the drugged madman the woman had utilized to violate her. She staggered over to the naked man and mimicked his handler's actions to guide him to the naked female on the table. The woman struggled in desperation as he began, which only excited him more as he progressed. The crimson hair amazon moved to the head of the table and stared with empty expression at her torturers panicked and angry eyes. She watched a moment then moved to the side of the door to await the other warrior without comment.

The thin petite woman returned as the mad male slave was in mid stride of his second fulfillment. She stepped in and closed the door with a haughty laugh.

"It would seem sword sister there is a limit to our captive's stubbornness. See how she now undulates and writhes to extract her pleasure! I think we…"

She stopped in mid sentence when she noticed the woman on the table possessed no crimson hair cascading from the mask that also served to gag the prisoner. Before she could react Garluatha stepped from behind and had grabbed and pulled the single tail of hair of the warrior down to force the head back and drew the crescent dagger across her throat. Blood geysers as the main artery was severed. The girl still attempted to shout a cry but only managed a soft gargle as blood flowed down the smooth curves of her bare torso. The tall amazon pulled the dying girl to the ground as she jerked and spasm. Moments later the girl lay looking to the ceiling of the room with unfocused eye.

The large amazon hesitated a moment to stare at the body of her victim and then stooped to grab her dagger as well. Though unused to such a style of blade she knew she would need some sort of weapons. She opened the door and checked down the hall to the room where the warriors generally resided. No sound of conversation came from that direction. All was silence.

Still without clothing she padded down the hall as quietly as she was able and reached the protective cover of the archway to the room. Four cots, a large wide wood chest, and a wood table with a lit brass lamp and four seats was all she saw within the room. Asleep on one of the cots was the leader of the foursome whose cruel unspeakable acts to her was by far the worst. The torturer slept on her side; facing the escapee in slack jaw peace. Though it would disturb her people's code the warrior of Rojures leaped to the sleeping woman, pushed down and straddled the body, and then grabbed the throat in a strong grip without challenge or warning. The unit leader had scarce moments to realize her predicament as she awoke with strong hands cutting off her air. Her bare legs flailed about as she struggled for minutes with her vengeful adversary looking down with wild hatred in her eyes. The grip never loosened and continued on for minutes even after the shuddering limbs had ceased and the face had taken on a purple hue.

Garluatha finally relaxed her grip on the dead woman's throat and stood up with a blank expression on her features. She walked over to the wood chest and examined it. Finding no lock; the warrior opened it. Lying within were several scimitars, medium sized shields, and javelins. She pulled a javelin and shield out of the chest and tossed them onto an empty cot and closed it without a word. She walked back to the still warm body and pulled one of the daggers from their sheath. With curved dagger in hand she gripped the unit leaders length of braided and bound tail of hair after pulling it taunt and slicing it off at its base at the back of her head. She tucked the headband and the rest of the sparse uniform underneath her left arm. Gripping the ankles, the crimson hair amazon pulled the throttled woman's body off the cot with a soft thump and pulled it down the hall to the room that held with it the memory of the redhead's weeks of torment. The occupants of the flanking cells now noted activity and began to laugh, scream, and babble incoherently in semi-lucid appreciation of the final fate of the Shikhatta warrior dragged unceremoniously down the hall.

Though no master of disguise the red hair giantess knew she needed to be able to slip unnoticed about the huge palace temple so as to find a way out. The only means she could think of was to look as her enemy did. With careful strokes she removed the long fiery hair on her head and shaved off the cropped hair that remained. She took the tail of the Shikhatta leaders hair and bound it with the headband. From the bound woman's pile she took for herself the silken loincloth the warrior wore. Donning the outfit of the unit leader she took a deep breath and rechecked her outfit to make sure she had everything a warrior of Shikhatta walked about with. Confident she had missed little, she left the torture chamber as the drugged madman continued his activity with crazed lust upon the only live Shikhatta.

She found her advisor Fawnyae staring blankly with a lean and haggard look curled up near the back of one of the cells within the hall. The large woman almost lost her composure, nearly flying into a berserk rage at the sight of her companion's condition. However, she reigned in her emotions once again and guided her fellow clansman back to the warriors' lair and beyond to the stairs.

The two of the Rojures clan's warriors entered a semi crowded hall after ascending a long flight of crude stone stairs. The arid heat of the Shikhatta climate was a change from the cool dark chambers. They followed the flow of naked shaved slaves, toga garbed citizens, weapon bearing warriors, Mohawk hair priestesses, and the rare richly garbed and well protected noblewoman as they traveled about the temple citadel looking for an unwatched entrance to escape. Each gate seemed to hold a large contingent of warriors watching the traffic entering and leaving. Each traveler showed Wood markers. Garluatha possessed no marker and moved on in the hopes she would find a less guarded exit to the colossal fortress.

The escapees' fortune turned sour as they trafficked down a less traveled hall and passed five warriors quietly discussing their visit to the private chambers of the queen for an afternoon's pleasurable dalliance with their leaders private stable of males. The woman warrior at the center of the group noticed the strange large unit leader passing without a warrior in evidence with a prisoner she and her unit had helped break. The strong jawed woman with sagging, somewhat overlarge breasts and a paunch slowed her stride as recognition slowly dawned.

Turning quickly she pointed to the receding pair with a hand upon the shoulder of the largest woman among the group.

"By the dread hungering goddess"; she said in growing realization" those two women are the ambassadors of the Rojures clans! They must have escaped their holding cells! Quickly! We must raise the alarm and stop their escape!

The five as one drew their scimitars and shields and ran after the two who had just turned down another corridor.

They shouted to others within the halls to make way and summon warriors to strike against the escapees in the holy queen's name. The group ran towards the corner in pursuit. The unsubtle approach warned their prey of discovery. Garluatha looked about the hall the two had just entered and noted a group of slavewomen bearing water containers with an escort of two warriors, two robed priestess' in discussion, and several citizens. All looked about to see whom the shouting was concerning. Without any indication of the warrior group's target they held little clue as to whom they referred to. It gave her and her friend a brief moment to slip quietly through the open arch of a room with two open darkened entrances to choose from. She chose the further one to her left and guided Fawnyae through the portal. A flight of stairs descended to a lit room below. Within the room she found a large pool of water with a low ceiling, tunnel inlet which extended beyond into the darkness. Three large clay containers were filled with water to her left and a hanging oil brassier cast shadows. She took a few steps up the stairs and heard the sound of footfalls from above.

"Things are getting interesting", she said aloud with sarcasm and withdrew into the room.

…..

The Shikhatta warriors descended down the stairs into one of the many well rooms of the citadel with rhythmic steps that set their bare chests in a jarring bounce. They slowed as they reached the bottom.

"I am certain they came this way." said the warrior who had initially discerned Garluatha's disguise.

"There is nothing here but the water tunnels to the river, and they possess a barred gate to prevent escape.

"Never the less our duty is clear" said the first speaker with conviction "We must prevent any possibility of their escape, and perhaps recapture them. I suggest the four of us seek them while one reports this to a unit leader. When we catch up we will have to watch the large one. I am sure she is the one who will cause us the most trouble. "

The four others nodded silently and one ascended the stairs to report. The four remaining warriors looked to the opening of the tunnel and considered what they were about to do.

"Our scimitars and javelins are useless in the confined portions of the water tunnels," said a thin-necked woman with defined upper torso and wide hips, "we will only be able to bear dagger and shield effectively."

"It is what we must do.", said a well-endowed girl with a single scar running vertically along the forehead. She placed her useless weapons to the side of the entrance along with her boots. The others did the same. One removed the small oil lamp from its chain and slid into the water as the others hopped into the shallow pool. Water rose to just below their armpits and gently rocked the flaccid swells of their bosoms as they trudged slowly into the darkness of the water tunnels.

They moved on in silence for some moments with the gentle splash of their motions and the rare sensation of small fish flittering past their bodies. Sound carried within the enclosed space, providing both the hunter and the hunted with a better chance to hear movements. Up ahead in the darkness the Shikhatta could perceive the gentle splash of their quarry. They looked to each other with victorious smirks and continued to follow it to its source.

The last warrior on the brim of the lamp's light, a thin lanky woman with a single brow across her forehead moved to follow her sword sisters. Before she realized what was happening the silent form of Garluatha rose above the surface from behind, placed the warrior in an immobilizing hold, and pushed her head and shoulders under with the bulk of her body as she too sank forward below the surface with a swooshing splash. The sound went unnoticed by the others as the receding light source dimmed and the tunnel was engulfed in darkness.

Beneath the surface the woman struggled to break the grip which held her under. She released the shield and slashed at the meaty arms that constrained her motion. Pain shot up one arm of her adversary and the water darkened with blood. Her attacker released her hold and utilized her thick legs to stay on top of the thin body to keep it pinned underneath the water. One arm gripped the wrist of her dagger hand and twisted to force the dagger from the female's grasp. Without the further chance to draw air the surprised warrior would drown. Her lungs were already burning for the need of the breath she was denied. She squirmed and shifted to break the hold of the unseen female assailant she could only assume was their prey they had thought ahead in the tunnels. Finally, she could wait no longer and water rushed into her lungs and she died with a sleepy gaze into the dark waters.

When Garluatha was positive her quarry was dead she released the body and allowed it to float on its own. She removed its garments and let them sink with the exception of the silken loincloth, which she used as a makeshift bandage to bind the deep slash on her left arm. Several shouts from the darkness ahead drew her attention. They had caught up to her advisor somewhat quicker than she had hoped. Retrieving a dagger and javelin she had placed before, she moved towards their voices knowing she or they would wind up floating in the darkness.

As she came close she could hear their conversation, letting the darkness and the water conceal her as she slowly moved to the entrance of a large high ceiling domed chamber with light streaming down from a small chimney.

"I still cannot believe she used her own clansman to act as decoy. The woman is still in a state!"; said one.

"Her concern is to whittle us down since we still outnumber her. Ti'Thena no doubt has fallen somewhere back within the tunnels."

"That was my plan kunt" she said wading slowly into the chamber, noting how the sandy ground underneath had risen and the water level dropped to their hips and her upper thigh. "I figure the odds are even now that one warrior of Rojures faces three crazed sluts who bow to a goddess more suited to animal husbandry than conquest."

The slur extracted angered cries from all three as they positioned themselves to strike from three separate sides, forgetting her aide Fawnyae momentarily. Garluatha hunched over low looking ready to grapple and tried to keep all within site with none to her back so as to succeed in a tactic she had hopes would work. She awaited their charge with some nervousness.

"A foolish plan from a dead bitch"; sneered the thin necked woman with defined upper torso and wide hips. "You cannot stand against three Shikhatta who hold the favor of their goddess."

The warrior spoke to gain the large woman's attention and provide an opening for another of her sisterhood. The well-endowed Shikhatta warrior to their opponent's left moved to strike with curved dagger raised high and a look of zealous excitement. The warrior of Rojures noted the move and leaned low with her arms in the water for a moment and then lifted the javelin she had dragged underneath its surface. With a tremendous arced swing upward she caught the girl straight between her sumptuous breasts, driving the shaft through the body to have the tip of the spear point jut out her back and dribble blood.

The girl hunched over with eyes wide in shock and an open mouth look of surprise, dropping the weapons she held into the water. Blood poured from the Shikhatta warrior's chest wound as she stood on quaking legs momentarily. Loosing strength, she twisted and fell into the water on her right side and shuddered once as she died. Blood drifted out from her body in a growing cloud. Garluatha released her hold and drew her only other weapon she had brought with her to face the remaining two warriors; a curved dagger.

"That leaves two." Said Garluatha aloud.

Both warriors of Shikhatta advanced with gritted teeth and a determination to avenge the insult to their faith and their comrades' deaths, feinting and swinging their daggers as their bald adversary dodged and blocked. A swing by her identifier drew some blood with a slash across her left collarbone. Her responding strike managed to get by the shield and bit lightly against the warrior's upper arm. Her comrade swung low and drew more blood just above the knee down the meaty thigh.

Garluatha realized she would need an advantage to best these well-trained warriors and sought inspiration. She noticed her companion staring blankly at the growing darkness surrounding the dead Shikhatta and was inspired to a new tactic. She took another deeper slash along the waist from her identifier again as she moved to where the body floated. She dodged below another swipe by the other who seemed to be aiming for the upper body as the bald woman sheathed her dagger. With a frenzied swift kick she snapped the javelin and lifted the main portion of the weapon and wielded it two handed as a club. She now had a greater length of reach that would put the warriors off.

The results were instantly noticed as Garluatha moved with the makeshift weapon, blocking the strikes of the warriors. She countered one failed stroke with a strong swing that struck the side of her identifier's head and sent the dazed woman reeling to fall into the water.The woman's fellow warrior saw an opening and slashed the amazon of Rojures deeply across the lower chest, forcing Garluatha to cringe with pain. On the following swing the warrior woman's slash resulted in the loss of her dagger to the water as the wood club was held at each end and brought swinging down before the curved blade could slash flesh.

The dazed woman with the slight paunch regained her senses as Garluatha thrust the blunt end of the club into the stomach of her fellow warrior. The air was knocked out of her companion as she bowed over in pain. Another similar strike followed to strike the right breast. A third found the solar plexus. She realized the large woman was going to beat her companion to death and recognized the practicality of escape. She was surprised when a thin muscular arm wrapped about her shoulder and throat and a sharp stabbing pain sent fire into her chest. She moved forward to pull away from her attacker and was surprised to meet the blank haggard stare of the half-mad redhead advisor. The redhead swung again with the curved dagger in her hand in an upward vertical arc. The dagger bit deep and fire ran up the woman's belly and overwhelmed the warrior's consciousness as she fell back into the water to bleed and drown.

Garluatha finished her task with final swing on the body of the warrior and turned to find her final opponent floating with Fawnyae standing over her.

"Well you may not be all there but at least you managed to partially avenge yourself, my friend."

With hand outstretched she gestured towards her naked advisor. "Lets get you into something , bind these wounds to limit the scarring, and find that gate I overheard them talking about earlier. At this moment I think we may escape our captors gracious accommodations."

END (for now)