End Chapter 1

     Thera set about informing the boy as she called out for one of the Phalanx to step up and display her armaments. "Here Captain Elgar you see each member of this group are the tallest and largest and strongest of my warriors." Elgar realized the myths and legends he had been told about the Amazon Warriors were true. "They each carry a solid bronze round shield." Thera went over pointing at the item as she explained "It is four feet in diameter, it weighs 24 pounds, there is a small tip in the center; which looks like a woman's nipple," she paused with a smile "This is a special weapon that provides protection, but as you see," Thera paused moving the left arm of the warrior back "the handle is mounted to the right and the left arm is secured by a thick leather strap just below the elbow, this allows the weapon to be carried with greater ease. It provides strength and great force to push through the lines of our enemy. It is used for the smashing of skull and bones. This shield is enough to shatter a man where he stands." Here Thera gave a knowing look to her troops as they all recalled in their minds for they had seen and heard the sounds of smashing bones many times. "You will notice the armor, also hand cast in bronze. The breast plate is secured to the back plate with three leather straps; which are securely fastened."
     "Why do they have only one breast?" Elgar interrupted.
     "That is a good question Captain Elgar, thank you for asking." She smiled up at the curious boy as she pointed out saying. "Our armor is flat on the right side allowing each warrior to move with ease whilst using their swords, spears, javelins and, of course, a bow. This gives us each a chance to have an accurate aim and deadly precision so that we may have the chance to return home safe, with our lives." Elgar gave a look of understanding and Thera continued on with the boy's lesson. "Now the bronze armor covers the leg from the knee down, six small straps secure the front leg plate with the calf plate. Light weight leather sandals which are secured by laces protect the feet, remember footwear is vital for a strong army, I cannot stress this enough." she said with emphasis. "The two thick bronze gauntlets protect the wrist and forearm, two large arm guards protect the muscle and bone of the upper arm. Each wears a protective helmet fashioned in the Greek style, only the mouth and chin are exposed. You see we all wear broad collars of bronze around our throats, this is to keep them from being slashed in battle." Thera said as she rubbed the highly polished collar with her left hand.
     "Why do you all have your long hair pulled back in braids?" Elgar asked the Commander of the well armored group of strange looking women. "And black painted across your eyes?"
     "Good Elgar, that is good of you to notice." Thera said as she took her hands and rubbed them to the back of her hair as she gathered her long, blood soaked braids bringing them down around her shoulders "We pull our hair back so it is not a hindrance to our movements as we fight. Before we go to war we pour oil over our hair and naked bodies to purify our flesh in case we do not have the chance to make it back home, safe with our life. I have had, on many occasions, to bury my warriors where they lay. For, as is our custom, we believe if we fall on the field of battle we should be buried in the earth forever, in the soil where our blood was spilled so that we may nourish the earth with our bodies and bring forth many flowers. We will shed our blood for flowers, you see?" Thera gave a look as somber as a watery grave then Elgar gave a look of understanding as he looked in Thera's eyes as they stood there for a moment in silence, as the warriors gathered there recalled bloody battles and terrible scenes of war in their mind's eye. "We paint our face black from temple to temple to deflect the bright sunlight away from our eyes as to improve our sight."
     "I see." Elgar replied soaking up the knowledge.
     Thera then continued with the lesson for the boy "Now each member of the phalanx carries a spear. It is eight feet long with an iron head, razor sharp cutting edge. It is designed to fracture ribs, puncture lungs and penetrate the pericardium. You can kill a man in a breath, so quick, so deadly." Thera smiled wildly as she set the massive warrior back in line as she called out the charioteers. "Each chariot is built from ash and elm, the wheel is set at the center, this allows it to carry more weight so you have two fighters instead of one. Unlike your people's chariots with the wheel at the back. The last time these ancient relics went to war was probably at the Great Battle of Kaddesh!" here an uproar of laughter lifted across the field though Elgar had no idea of what she spoke.Thera continued on explaining the long bow was handcrafted from Ash and Elm wood. She explained the best bow strings are made from flax, hemp and beeswax, the shafts were made of the wood of a Yew tree and the inch long arrows were made of forged iron and were as sharp and deadly as a tigers tooth. Thera stressed the importance of this effective war machine.
     Now when she spoke to him of the cavalry she did not call out one of soldiers, instead she went over to Elgar as he sat atop her steed and he listened intrigued as she showed him the finely crafted saddled with the bronze breast plates covering the thick muscles of the animal's chest. Thera pointed out the thin bronze bands around the ankles of the horse. "This protects the horse from the swords of men and war dogs and snakes." Elgar was fascinated when she unhooked her small bronze, crescent shape shield from off the back left of the saddle. She then slid out the javelin from the right side of the saddle "This is also constructed of Yew it is four feet long and weighs about a pound and half. The tip is made of forged iron and if thrown with the right amount of force can stop a man's heart in an instant." she said with a snap of her finger. "Now the most important weapon we carry is this." Thera said unsheathing her sword holding it up for the boy to see, but not so close so he was unable to touch it. This is called a cyphos, or short sword. It is 20 inches long and weighs two pounds. A forged steel blade which is sharpened on both sides, so it cuts both ways. It is designed for thrusting and slashing. Cuts throats, slashes abdomens, snaps spines and amputates arms and legs and heads." Thera said a strange fascination sweeping over her face as she stared down at her sword "Yes, all my brave ladies know the sound of a man dying on the end of our blades!" here a roar came up from the warriors as they all lifted their swords above their heads then they began beating them loudly against their shields. Then Thera instructed her troops to resume clearing the dead from the field.
      Elgar had many questions but Thera had to tend to the dead. She ordered all the bodies to be taken far off down the shore to a place they called the Field of Bones. Thera made Elgar watch from the back of the horse as heads were cut from the corpses she explained they placed each head in a small bag made from fishing nets and then hung each head from the limbs of all the old oak trees surrounding the field; which was scattered knee deep with the bones of men killed in battle over the last four centuries. When asked Thera explained the importance of having a place like this near your territory to discourage unwanted intruders and thieves. Elgar thought he would vomit as he saw the bloody, fresh heads of the men he had come here with swaying in the breeze, he wanted to cry but he knew that from here on out he was a man, and so he acted like a man to show respect to his fallen countrymen and to be brave in the midst of his enemies.
     Thera was informed of the inferior quality of weaponry taken from the dead hands of the foreign soldiers. "We also found these." Lacuna said handing her commander a helmet full of black eggs. "They have been hollowed out and filled with tiny shards of glass and sand."
     Thera examined the black egg in her hand. "Elgar, what are these?"
     "We throw them in the eyes to try and blind our foe, their dogs or horses. They did not work against your helmets."
     "Very clever." Thera took the egg in her hand and placed it back in the helmet and instructed Captain Lacuna to bring them back with the returning army.
      As Thera set her ladies to their tasks she called for one of her chariots to be brought out for the boy. Thera sat on the back of the two wheeled war machine and called for water and grapes and bread; which Elgar savored as he tasted the sweet honey wheat bread, baked with apples, dates, walnuts and raisins. Thera sat with him but she did not partake of the food or drink as she explained that a true warrior never sups with an enemy.
     "Why commander? You must be hungry too."
     "Oh yes, every word you say is true. Because, young man, when you share a meal with a stranger, then they become your friend."
     Elgar wanted to say something because he thought it strange that the bizarre tribe of blood soaked women could have even the slightest concept of friendship, for they were bloodthirsty and barbaric, but they were a well organized, deadly killing machine.
     Then Thera gave Elgar his final lessons on how to handle the team of horses. "Take this chariot and these two horses as your prize and return home to your people and train hard at war and we shall meet on the field of battle, and we shall see." Thera supplied him with a goatskin of fresh water and sweet ripe fruit and more bread for his long journey home. She sent out a rider to lead him east to a road, far off in the distance, that followed the coast and would lead him back to his village and the family that worried and waited for his safe return. Before Thera allowed him to depart she called out loudly to her warriors. "What say you my fine army? In ten years on this eve will you come with me and return here to the field of battle and give Elgar the fight he needs to appease his satisfaction and vengeful needs?" A cheer came up from her people so loud was the roar there came a knocking from the lad's knees. "Now away with you Captain Elgar until you have grown and returned here upon your battle steed!" Thera watched as the boy disappeared off on the horizon, the sun now making its long journey into night as she took in a deep breath and headed west leading all her warriors back home.