War Path. Chapter 6. Argento's Mission.

Argento and her thirty warrioresses were now clad in the uniform and armour of the enemy troops. Each woman had had to tie up their hair and strap their breasts so they looked like men. Luckily for them, the helmets covered most of the face except the eyes and the other advantage they had was they had selected uniforms from a unit that was mute. Their mission was to infiltrate the enemy camp and try to capture the enemy commander and bring him back.

Elandra's frontlines.

Elandra shook hands with Argento and watched as she and her disguised troops struck out for the enemy camp on their mission. The moon was obscured by clouds as Argento made her way to the enemy lines. Two of Argento's warrioresses had retained their amazon uniforms and each had been loosely bound at the hands. They came to the enemy lines and were challenged by a sentry and Argento pointed to the two amazons. The sentry looked and smiled then wave them through but then realized that these troops were walking like women. He was about to raise the alarm when a hand clamped down on his mouth and a blade slit his throat.

The group arrived at the enemy commander's tent and when the moon was covered again they took out the guards surrounding the tent. Argentos warriors replaced them then the remainder went inside to find the enemy commander who they captured binding and gagging him. As they left the tent arrow hit hay sconce's lighting up the sky and they were surrounded by the enemy and a fight broke but it was one-sided and although the amazons killed many soon only Argento remained alive. She was soon subdued and heavily bound after being stripped. She was dragged to a wooden post and tied to it so when the sun rose she would be in plain sight of the enemy.

Arerto's HQ

Arerto woke the next morning to the news that Argento had been captured and was on display for everyone to see. Arerto rode with her escort to Sabine's camp and saw for herself. She could see that Argento was being taunted and tortured and Arerto was seething. She ordered that the cavalry should be recalled from the north but Sabine argued that this would be disastrous and put the war in jeopardy. Arerto after cooling down looked on Argento again knowing that a rescue attempt would be futile and cost lives but she could not allow Argento to suffer anymore. She went to the nearest archer and took her bow and one arrow and headed to a spot where she could take aim. She whispered to herself "Argento please forgive me for what I am about to do". Arerto took a stance and took aim bringing the arrow up in the bow. She aimed and held her breath then released the bowstring and the arrow flew straight and true hitting Argento shattering her heart killing her instantly. If Arerto could have seen she would have seen a smile on Argento's face the split second the arrow hit. Arerto handed the bow back and silently made her way back to her headquarters.

This episode did two things for Arerto. One it had made her cold yes warriors died but to be stripped tied and tortured was not war it was sadism. But the second thing was more important the amazons had seen how prisoners were treated, which gave them a resolve to not surrender and fight harder. Soon Arerto's was receiving reports that the enemy were being squeezed and retreating back towards the city until what was left of the enemy was trapped inside their city. Argento's body had been recovered and taken down and cleaned and dressed in a warriors armour. Her body along with those who had fallen with her were taken back to Talia for burial as heroines. Arerto stood watching as the wagons left and sent messengers to her commanders to meet her.