No way

The silence between you and Laoda grows. For a long moment, all anyone can hear is the muffled sounds of the diplomats in the other part of the tent, marching of soldiers outside the tent, and your heavy angry breathing. Finally, the silence is broken by the sound of you slowly pulling your mother's blade from its worn leather scabbard. Laoda doesn't even flinch as the gleaming sword lifts above your head and once again you are reminded that despite her fragile appearance there is an undaunted strength in this Daughter of Aphrodite.

Holding the blade upright you swear on your mother's blade, “So help me Ares, the only thing I want from those bastards is their blood on my mother's sword.” However after the solemn pledge, you sheath your blade with a sharp 'thunk' and turn back to reassure Laoda. “Don't worry. I heard what you said, I won't rush into anything without consulting with Atheas, and you will be informed of my decision before anything bad happens.” The relief on your ambassador's face is impossible to miss and you rest your hand on Laoda shoulder “Thank you for your efforts, your work here is invaluable to me, and I am well aware that this was not easy for you.” You couldn't even begin to imagine what it must be like to represent Accor among all these men, adding a note of formality to your tone you make the decision official, “Please communicate to my mother's killers that I will never deal with them, and that they had better keep their black-as-Hades hearts well away from me and my Sisters.”

“I will, my queen, and if I may say so, I understand why you refuse to deal with those men.” Her soft hand covers your fingers and you feel a jolt of desire in your core. You've always found Laoda to be stunningly beautiful, but until this meeting you never considered her as a bedmate. An image of her with her back arched and mouth open in a silent scream of pleasure only adds to the growing heat in your loins and you pull your hand away from hers and turn away from the temptation before you. Not only is this woman twice your age and your mother's confidant, there is the matter of the curse that could easily pass from you to this woman. You need Laoda with all her abilities and knowledge far more than another raw recruit with memories of her past wiped clean and ready to join you and your Sisters.

“There is a man that I think you should speak with.” If Laoda senses your confusion about your sudden feelings for her, she makes no indication of it.

“Is this a man worthy of my womb?” Again your heart races, this time with a different kind of excitement. No one has come out and addressed the issue directly, but it is pretty clear that your private council all expect you to find a man and have him plant his seed within you sometime during or immediately after the taking of Athenapolis. You have mixed feelings about lying with a man, even if it is a necessity for the continuation of your bloodline. it is not so much the mechanics of the act that bother you, it's not too difficult to figure out where the man's organ has to go. Nor are you some kind of prude; goodness knows you are no stranger to sex, but except for one youthful experience almost two years ago, you've had no intimate experiences with any male. Luckily before you have time to work out why the idea of taking a man has your heart pounding like a tribal drum on the midsummer solstice Laoda snorts in laughter.

“Oh no, my Queen, I doubt very much this man would suit your needs in that way, although I do have several candidates who have expressed interest in earning your favor.” She smiles at your look of surprise wickedly, “Apparently spreading the firm thighs of an Amazon queen is a fantasy that many warriors share, and when that queen is young and beautiful and has yet to lie with a man, the prize is well worth the possible indignity of being pummeled into the ground by said queen.”

You stare at Laoda in shock, “Who told them that I was beautiful? Or a virgin for that matter!?!” But even as you ask the question the answer is clear. For just a heartbeat your previous erotic image of her in orgasmic bliss is replaced by the satisfying picture of your dainty ambassador lying crumpled on the carpeted floor of your tent with a broken nose and a bloody lip. You sigh in resignation. Not only would it be a crime against all womankind to break Laoda's perfect nose, you are familiar enough with the Daughters of Aphrodite to know that it is in their nature to stir up the lusts and desires of men and women wherever they go.

“Never mind,” You wave off her uncharacteristically awkward stammering, “Tell me instead about this man you think I should meet.”