Chapter 6
by 
mally01
What does Arerto do?
Onwards.
Arerto still rubbing the sleep from her eyes went over to Julia and cleared her throat and just came out with it. She asked Julia if they had been intimate the night before and Julia looked at her. She asked Arerto if she wanted it to be true or was it her dream. Arerto thought then started to explain she had never been with a woman before. Julia smiled and said that coming from a society that embraced sapphic relationships she should know. Arerto blushed and informed Julia that she had not had time to form a relationship only training and studying.
Julia asked her to be honest, did she enjoy the experience and Arerto then knew that it had happened and answering honestly she said she had enjoyed the experience. Julia smiled and hugged her then said they best break camp and head for the next challenge the Styrian Hydra. They broke camp and mounted their horse and headed west to the mountains both in silence. They eventually came to a small stone house on the side of the road with an old man sitting outside and as they approached her remained seated.
Arerto dismounted followed by Julia and approached the man who turned out to be blind. He gave his name as Eldred and then said that they were Arerto and Julia. Arerto asked how he knew and he said was expecting them and also knew their mission. Arerto asked him where the Hydra was and he pointed to the mountain behind him and told them the Hyrda was in a cave at the base of the mountain. He warned Arerto that she would need to be wise to beat the Hydra and explained it had eight mortal heads and one immortal head.
Arerto asked Eldred how she would defeat the hydra if one head was immortal and he said he could not answer but further warned her. When you cut off one head another grows back to take its place and its bite of spit are highly toxic. The immortal head could also spit flames but not very far. Arerto pondered on the problem as Eldred offered them food and drink. Arerto knew she could not ask Julia for help she had to complete the trials on her own so she would have to come up with a plan.
They both remounted their horse's and headed for the cave and set up a small camp just out of sight of the cave. Being so near the cave they could not chance a fire and Julia suggested they share a blanket. Arerto agreed but it was only to keep warm but first, they need to see their enemy so headed on foot to the cave and watched the entrance for any signs. They kept watching and were about to give up when the Hydra appeared and it was as Eldred had said it had nine heads and a very long tail. Then the Hydra retreated back into the darkness of the cave.
