Amazon

тʜɪʀтᴇᴇɴ

Amazon | Thirteen

As they entered the streets of Athens, Rhea stared. She was unashamed even though people looked up at her in shock, they would curse her. They called her things, rude things – many of them that had to do with her savagery and barbaric looks. Rhea took it in stride and Bastian admired her. She kept her back straight and looked on; he did not know many people who could do that at all.

Bastian led her and the horse through the streets, passing people and glaring down at them every now and then. Rhea ignored those around her; she followed Bastian and stared at the back of his head. Bastian seemed to intimidate those around him which was unusual since to Rhea Bastian had been nothing but sweet, awkward and cheerful.

Rhea guessed she would see the real him in his natural habitat, like he had seen her.

Bastian stopped outside a large, white home and tied a horse around a post. A man in a loose tunic who looked gaunt and unhealthy, he gripped the horse and bowed his head. Bastian turned to Rhea, “This is my child home, mother must not be home.”

“Who was that man?” Rhea turned her head, trying to spot the man who had led the horse away.

“A slave,” Bastian replied as if he had no thought about the man and it was normal, Rhea narrowed her eyes. She did not agree with keeping slaves, in fact, she found herself angered with Bastian. She narrowed her eyes as they entered the home, Bastian led her out into a court yard and she heard a gasp.

“Bastian,” a large woman wrapped her arms around him, pulling him down and kissing both his cheeks. Her hair was greying and her skin was quite pale, she looked different compared to the women Rhea had grown up with. “And who is this?

The woman stared at Rhea and Rhea did not back down, she stared back. “This is Rhea,” Bastian moved toward Rhea and the woman gasped.

“She’s a savage,” the woman whispered, “A barbarian, your father and mother will not be happy about this Bastian.”

“Yiayia,” Bastian hissed, “Do not speak about her like that. Rhea is an Amazon, not a barbarian.”

“Even worse!” Rhea heard the woman cry and she recognised the word he had called her, grandmother, Rhea was shocked to learn that people had grandmothers. She was sure that all old people died, they did not last very long.

“Yiayia,” Bastian hissed, “I am sorry Rhea,” Bastian apologised, his dark eyes looking sincere and almost begging her to believe his apology. Rhea turned, looking away from him as she felt the warm sun on her skin. “Excuse us,” Bastian touched her lightly and she moved away from his hand, Rhea crossed her arms over her chest. She ran her tongue over her teeth; she looked around the small courtyard that was in the middle of the house. It was large and had small plants with stone benches.

Rhea heard someone gasp and she turned her head, “Thief!” A woman who looked a lot like Bastian was pointing a shaky finger at her, Rhea stepped back, “A barbarian thief!”

A man ran into the courtyard with a sword and charged toward Rhea, pointing the sword at her throat. “State your name and your business,” he barked the order, spit landing on Rhea’s face. She felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny of the man. She wanted to open her mouth and bark an order at him for him to remove the sword from her throat; except she had a feeling he would shove it through her throat.

“Father!” She heard Bastian bark and he stood beside her glaring up at the man who was his father. Rhea could not see it; Bastian looked more like the terrified woman. “Rhea is my guest; I will not have her treated in such a horrible way.”