Queen Hippolyta had some difficulty focusing on the matter at hand. Her generals debated what formation to use to repel the invading westerners, but Hippolyta had never been very apt at strategy, truth be told. The queen was named after her ancestor Hippolyta the Liberator, the founder of Amazonia. The legends said that Hippolyta the Liberator fought with a sword the size of a house and could move faster than eyes could follow. Tales of ancient heroes were always so inflated. Hippolyta didn't know why. The Amazons were strong enough already. All the nations north of the great southern Jungle lived in fear of Amazon raiding parties. Whenever Hippolyta led a party into the northern countryside most the pitiful villagers tried to flee. The few men who were foolish enough to try to fight were cut down with ease. The amazons would make off with all the village's gold, valuables, and food. Sometimes, they would bring a few young men back in chains for breeding or for execution in the Arena of the Liberator. None in the world could stand before the Amazons.
Six months ago, a massive horde of men crossed the western mountains. They crushed each of the northern nations in turn, leaving nothing in their wake but ruin and corpses. Now, they had turned their attention south, toward the jungles of Amazonia. But the Amazons would not be such easy prey.
The scouts reported that the western horde numbered more than a hundred thousand men. The Amazons could only muster about ten thousand warriors, but Hippolyta was not worried by the enemy's numbers. She may not have been a great strategist, but she was an accomplished warrior and she knew her women well. At twenty eight years of age, she had already slain over a hundred and fifty men, both in battle and in single combat in the Arena. She would pit any Amazon against ten men any day.
Yarei, commander of the scouts pushed her way into the command tent, falling to one knee before Hippolyta and her assembled officers. "Report," commanded Hippolyta. Yarei was a warrior of great skill and the fastest runner in Amazonia. At the age of twenty she had already risen to the position of Scout Commander. She was also one of Hippolyta's closest friends.
"My queen," began Yarei, "the king of the westerners rode out before his host as one of our scouting patrols passed. He politely asked for an audience with the Queen of the Amazons."
"You are going to refuse, I hope, my Queen," said one of Hippolyta's generals. "This is obviously a trap."
"Perhaps," said Hippolyta. "But there is nowhere to hide an ambush on the plain, and I could easily outrun any attack. This is a good opportunity. Tell the western king I will meet with him tomorrow morning in the center of the plain. He is to bring no more than ten soldiers with him, and I will do the same." She turned to her generals. "Perhaps I can convince him not to attack. If not, I will simply slay him. There is no man alive who can best the amazons in combat. Then we can fall upon his leaderless host and crush them."
"As you command, my queen," said Yarei, rising to her feet. She turned to leave.
"Oh, and Yarei. You are to attend me tonight when your duties are complete."
"Yes my queen." Hippolyta caught a glimpse of a smile as Yarei exited the tent.
"That will be all for today," Hippolyta said to her generals. "You are dismissed."
With her official duties out of the way, Hippolyta decided to bathe for a while. After that, she would return to her tent to enjoy Yarei's beautiful body and agile tongue before sleep. She couldn't wait.
Hippolyta woke at dawn the next morning, Yarei's fingers gently caressing her clit. Hippolyta moaned softly, but gently pushed Yarei away. "If only we had time," she whispered. She rolled out of bed. "Get up, Yarei. You're coming with me. Yarei pushed herself up and gave Hippolyta a quick kiss before wandering over to collect her clothes, which had been strewn about the tent last night.
Hippolyta quickly dressed. It didn't take long, for Amazon warriors wear very little. She wore a tight bikini made of chainmail that kept her massive bosom near to her chest. Hippolyta's breasts were the biggest in all Amazonia, as was expected of the direct descendant of Hippolyta the Liberator. The titanic tits of the Liberator always bred true, generation after generation. The chainmail was not meant for protection, it denoted her status as queen. Every other Amazon warrior wore a leather or leopard skin bikini instead. Steel was very rare in the southern jungles. Most warriors wielded spears with steel tips, but only the officers were aloud steel blades. Hippolyta strapped her own long, thin steel blade to her back and strode from the tent. Yarei was not far behind her. Her other eight warriors were already prepared. Hippolyta led them at a run out of the jungle and onto the plain.
The journey would have taken any lesser runners half a day, but Hippolyta and her party were Amazons. It took them less than an hour to reach the meeting place. The western king and his men were already there. The westerners wore steel helmets and chainmail from head to foot, with heavy broadswords at their belts. Good. Their heavy weapons and armor would make them slow.
One stepped forward. He was tall and heavily built, with a short cropped brown beard. He looked about thirty. "I am Jarl Edric Fredulfson, lord of the Steel Horde and father of thirty seven sons. I have tales of your beauty and strength." He bowed.
"I am Hippolyta, Queen of Amazonia and the southern jungles, descendant of the Liberator." She returned his bow. "You have asked for an audience with me. What is your purpose?"
"I seek to avoid needless bloodshed."
"In that case, you should turn your army around and go back where you came from."
"I'm afraid I cannot do that. You see, when I left my home with my army, I cast my oathstone, swearing to leave no enemy standing in the lands east of the mountains or die in the attempt. If I break my oathstone oath, neither I nor my sons will be permitted into Valhalla. I have heard such interesting stories concerning your people ever since my host crossed the mountains. Is it true that there are no men in Amazonia?"
He was clearly trying to change the subject. Hippolyta decided to answer his question. "There are men. We need them for breeding, so we keep them in chains. They often die of disease or malnutrition so we need to raid in order to secure more every so often. If you are not willing to leave then surely you do not expect us to surrender without a fight?"
"No. I propose single combat."
"Single combat? You would put the success or failure of your whole army on the shoulders of one of your men?"
"Not on one of my men, no. I will face your strongest warrior myself."
Hippolyta had to admire his courage, if not his sense. Single combat with an Amazon? No man in the world could hope to win. "As it happens, I am my people's finest warrior," she said. "Where should we hold this duel?"
"I have heard that Amazonia has a stadium large enough to seat twenty thousand people. I can think of no better venue."
"I will not permit you to march your army to Amazonia."
"My whole army couldn't fit in the stadium anyway. I will take ten thousand men with me. The other ninety thousand will remain here. If you are not afraid to face one hundred thousand men in battle then surely you have no fear of a paltry ten thousand. If I lose the duel, you may kill them or enslave them as you please. The other ninety thousand will return home."
Hippolyta paused. This proposal could be a ploy to enter Amazonia, but if there was a trap, she could not see it. The enemy would be much less dangerous once split up. If the Jarl's ten thousand tried interfering in the duel they would be crushed by Hippolyta's army. They did have the advantage in steel weapons and armor....
"Your ten thousand will surrender their arms and armor before they enter the stadium." She said.
"Done. Provided your ten thousand does the same," He replied. "And to be sure that you do not bring additional reinforcements the entrances to the stadium are to be sealed until the end of the duel."
This arrangement was just about ideal. Hippolyta couldn't believe her luck. She would turn back the enemy army, capture ten thousand slaves, secure all the steel from their armor and weapons, and put a man in his place while doing so, all without losing a single woman. Perfect. "I agree to your terms."
"We have not yet agreed upon what happens if I win the duel."
"Name your terms. It matters not, you won't win."
