A Warrior's Heart Continued.

Seeing his smile, she hesistated before giving him a small smile. He was giving Nara a chance to lead the men. "you gave Nara command over men. If they don't follow her willing, there will be trouble," she told him softly. "you're different, but are they?"

"They know that when I put someone in command that they had better listen to them and do as they are told. Oh there will be some doubts in their minds but that will change when she tells them what to do. I think it will be a step towards them seeing what your people can do and perhaps some will come to see women in a differnt light. Oh I know there will be those that will fight the idea. I think you know what I mean. But a few is all it needs to begin a change." He looked at her and smiled some more.

"you have faith in them that they will change," she stated softly. "I do hope you are right, for Nara's sake." she twisted the reins in her hands. She sighed a little. "What about that Duncan fellow?" she asked him, her gaze spotting Cloe who was riding along side Duncan.

Most men would not change over night, and not all men would. But Korag hoped enough would to begin a change in all men's attitude towards women. "Duncan?" Korag grinned. "He is a good man and leader. But if you are asking about does he has the same taste in women as I do, I am not sure, but from the looks of it, I would say he does."

As if the two knew they were talking about them, they both turned and looked over at Korag and Maeve. Both were smiling. "Now you have been troubled I think. What has you that way?"

Cloe was hurt in the worst way, something that caused physical and emotional pain, but even that wouldn't break an amazons spirit, it made them stronger. But it normally would be a while before they were happy again, but the smile Cloe had made it seem that she would be okay. And that Duncan was the cause.

Her gaze shifted to the direction ahead of them, she couldn't get away from him. not while she and him were on their way to fight the Mage again, leading so many men. She couldn't avoid it any longer. Sighing, she finally told him. "the traitor would figure out what I've done with you, and she would tell the queen in an attempt to get out of punishment. I do not know what would happen, if anything at all would happen. It's not a rule that we can't lay with a man for any other reason." meave didn't really know what she was saying. "but since the shamaness visited, I am not sure they would care."

Korag could not believe that all of the amazons would be so strict with themselves. He believed that women just like men had needs and that they would seek out the means to satisfy them. "Do you really believe that all of your sisters would not lay with a man just for the pleasure of it? Look at your traitor. What do you think she was doing with the man she was with?" He reached over and patted her leg. "I would not worry about it, especially since you have rescued your sisters and the queen from the Mage. A hero can do no wrong." he told her.

He would not mind making love to her again and perhaps a lot more. She was what he wanted. Though he had a feeling that she would rather not be around him or the other men. "If we were not going after this Mage, you would rather be returning to your village wouldn't you?"

Her gaze shifted to him when he called her a hero. That startled her a bit. "I'm just doing my duty," she told him softly. "I do not want them to see me as a traitor as well."

Hearing his question, she frowned a little at him. "it is my home," she told him. "they are my family. I belong with them. Why do you ask?"

He was afraid she would say something like that. He nodded, a sad look upon his face. He guessed he was hoping for to much. "No reason." he said and urged his horse forward and trotted around the formation of men. He rode around to talk to Duncan.

"I am going ahead a bit to scout the lay of the land. Don't want no surprises." he told him, "Maeve is in charge till I get back." he looked at Duncan for any sign of doubt. He just smiled and nodded his head.

"I'll make sure the men under stand it if there is a problem." he told Korag.

He then turned his horse to the direction they were heading and put his heels to the horses flanks. The horse broke into a fast trott and then a slight gallop.

Maeve saw his sad look. Why was he sad? He confused her. She wondered if he wanted something from her, something more than just sex. That thought startled her. Her gaze shifted to Nara, after Korag had gone ahead to scout the land. This was all strange to her, but she tried to put all the pieces together from what he told her, Nara told her,and the shamaness. What did they try to tell her?

Nara and Cloe rode around to joint Maeve. Cloe looked a bit confused. "He said he was riding ahead to check things out. Wouldn't that be the job of a scout, or someone other then him?" It was indeed something out of the ordinary.

Nara shugged her shoulders, "Normally. But he is a bit differnt." she looked at Cloe, "Speaking of different." she motioned with her eyes towards Duncan.

"Cloe gave a shy smile. "He is different then any man I have seen or heard about. We have been talking about weapons training, and things that a man would not normally talk about with a woman. I find him interesting."

Nara looked at Maeve. "Since he is gone you are in command." she grinned. "Now this will be one to tell the Queen and the Shamaness. In command of a hundred Men. Telling them what to do and not the other way around." she shook her head. "I think he likes you Maeve. I think he wants you, and not just to have sex with."

Maeve glanced to them when they joined her. She was glad, otherwise she would have to ponder about him alone. She listened to them and smiled. "I wonder where they learned this," she statedsoftly.

Hearing what Nara said about korag,Maeve blushed. "he asked if it weren't for the Mage, if I would rather be back at my village, I told him the amazons are my family and he looked....sad."

Nara made a face that seemed to imatate pain. "Oh that had to have hurt." she said. "Guess he wanted to be alone to think things out." she shook her head. "Hope he keeps his mind on what he is doing."

Korag rode off ahead of the marching men. He scanned the sky to watch for any Harpies. None were present. As he neared the forest he slowed the horse's pace. He thought about Maeve and shook his head. She was not cut out to be away from the amazons. She was to attached to the whole just women thing. She had become what she hated the most, in a sence.

Maeve stared after the direction he had gone. Did hebreally want more? What wa it about her that interested him? "what is he doing?" she asked, glancing to Nara. She never had a reason to leave her tribe. But what was the strange feeling she had?

"Well from what I do know of men, he was trying to see where he stood with you. You more or less, figuratively, slaped him in the face. He is probably trying to sort things out, which means he will not be fully aware of his surroundings." she told Maeve.

Unfortunately she was right. His mind was not on scouting and he did not notice the lone harpie coming up behind him with an insturment to knock him unconscience. He as hit on the back of the head and was knocked form the saddle. The horse bolted back towards where it had come leaving Korag layin on the ground out cold. Two figures came out of the forest, the amazon and the man she had been with. They drug him back into the forest. They were not the clean and proper looking people they had been at the castle. It looked as if they were living off the land.

Maeve growled, why didn't she see that? She did not understand what she did to him, but he wanted her to talk about her feelings or whatever. But he never mentioned his. The amazon was in the mind set that amazons did not find love or any of that sort.

"if he got himself in trouble, maybe men had it all wrong, they needed a woman to protect them instead of the other way around." that amused her a bit, but she had soemthing to do, having a feeling that Korag was in trouble. There was a reason Amazons did not being emotion into a battle. "we should tell that Duncan, if you say Korag wasn't focus. Then i feel he already got himself in trouble."

Korag was drug into the forest to a camp with two soldiers, the man and the amazon tratior and one of the Harpies. Loyal followers of the man. "We should kill him." the amazon said. "Because of him we are on the Mage's shit list."

"We will need him to get back in his good graces." he told the amazon.

Cloe rode around to Duncan and told him thier concerns. He rode over to Maeve and looked at her. He had seen the way Korag had looked at her, the same way he looked at Cloe. "Your in command now, what are your orders." If he had went off alone and gotten himself into trouble. he was all for going after him.

Maeve glanced to Duncan, he was asking her what they should do. Being in command wasn't something she was familiar with. Turning slightly, she looked at all of the men under her command. So many of them. "we should track him down," she stated softly. "which men are your best?"

Duncan rode off and returned with five men. "These are the best runners an Eric here is the best tracker we have." All five men looked up at Maeve. They didn't know what was going on, but knew what Korag had told them. He was not there so the woman called Maeve was in command. They didn't know what to think of that order. They had never taken orders from a woman before, but Korag seemed to beleive she could lead or he would not have made her his second in command.

"What are we here for. What are our orders." one asked.

Maeve looked to the men Duncan brought over. They looked capable. "You are coming with me to track Korag down. I need a couple of archers, in case any of the creatures are near. Cloe, would you like to come?" Maeve asked, glancing to the young amazon.

Duncan looked at her. She was wanting to go after him. But she was in command. She would have to put someone else in command if she was going to take off. Then when she asked Cloe if she wanted to come, he didn't like the idea but he was not in any postion to tell her she couldn't.

Cloe nodded, "I'll go with you." she told her.

Meave felt the need to go after him. If what sje said really upset him, thing it was important that she go. Meave did not know the men, so she wasn't sure she could trust them enough to get korag alone. She glanced to Duncan, then Nara. "I suppose your in charge."

Nara looked at her with a surprised look. She then looked over to Duncan. She was going to be in charge of a hundred men? Temporary but still. She looked back at the men with steely eyes. "We will make it to the Castle and meet you there." she told Maeve.

"If he is truly differnt then most men." she shugged her shoulders and smiled at Maeve. "What harm is there. Besides I think our sisters will understand and will welcome you anytime. Now go after him and be safe."

Maeve nodded. She knew Nara would be alright, with Duncan there, she would be fine, he wouldn't let the men disobey. She smiled, and nodded to Nara, then rode off, going in the direction Korag had gone.

Korag woke up, his hands and ankles tied. His head pounded from being hit. He opened his eyes slightly and spotted the man and the Amazon. He heard the voices of two other men and then the harpie came in to view. From their conversation it was apparent the Mage and them had a falling out. This was good to hear. He didn't know how long he had been out. His men would be getting closer.

Cloe rode with Maeve as the men ran. The tracker kept them on course by keeping an eye on the horse tracks left by Korag's horse. "What are you going to do if that bastard has caught him." Cloe asked. "Surely he will have his castle better guarded this time."

Maeve glanced to cloe. "then I would wait for the others. It would not be wise to get korag if he's in the castle without his army," the amazon replied. "But I have a feeling a smaller group has him, if he was taken at all."sje did not know Where these feelings came from, but she didn't have a reason to not trust her gut.