TESSA

Iolaus struggled as the amazons dragged him to the barn and chained him to the wall. It did no good, there were too many of them and they were armed and he was again, naked.

"Iolaus, you have to do something about keeping pants on!" he muttered to himself. Iolaus looked around as soon as he was left alone. The barn was old, with warn planks that were amazingly able to keep the wind out, the roof was thatched and in good shape. All in all, this barn was in better shape than the one Iolaus had had when he was a farmer. The animals he shared his space with all looked healthy and happy. He was chained by the ankle to a very sturdy post, with a very sturdy chain. Clean straw came flying over the wall.

"Make a bed for yourself." Someone yelled at him.

"Make a bed for myself, what was wrong with the one I was in just a few minutes ago?" He asked but no one answered. Iolaus went about making a nest out of the clean straw. Dreading what must be coming with the following day. "I guess I wasn’t as good as I thought I was or maybe I did something wrong, but what? I really don’t want to stay here all the rest of my life. And I really don’t want to meet the Queen’s Doctor."

Iolaus curled up in his nest of straw and fell into a fitful sleep, for what was left of the night.

"Good morning, Iolaus," Ellia called out to Iolaus, as she walked into the stall.

Iolaus whose normal "early warning" system alert system had failed him, startled awake. "Good morning, Queen Ellia, do you always throw your bed partners into the stable after they have ‘Pleasured’ you? If so that may explain why you sleep alone!"

"Wow, given the very precarious state your future health is in I’m amazed you have the gall to speak to me in that fashion." Ellia responded.

"My future health, what a laugh, I’m doomed to spend my life here as a eunuch doing work that not even your followers will do. I am no more than a slave, and I have nothing left to lose!" Iolaus spat out the words.

Ellia laughed, "Oh my friend, here get dressed and I will have someone get you some breakfast, we need to talk." She tossed Iolaus’ repaired vest, some pants and his boots at his feet and walked away. "Attie, please see to the chain around his leg, but Iolaus, if you try to run, you will be killed."

Iolaus was astonished to see his vest repaired. It was in perfect shape, he picked it up and held it to his heart and murmured a word of thanks to the Gods that he had it back. Quickly he dressed and Attie walked with him back to the Queen’s house.

"Ah, what’s going on here?" He asked Attie. She didn’t answer just shrugged her shoulders and kept walking. "Ah come on, you are second in command here you have to know what Ellia wants. Ok, I guess I will just have to wait. I really hate waiting you know; so if you could just tell me a little bit about what I should expect it would help. I mean will Ellia let me go; is the <gulp> doctor there? Attie, SAY SOMETHING!" Attie just kept walking and ignoring Iolaus.

They got to Queen Ellia’s house and Attie knocked on the door. A tall, stunning, girl opened it. Iolaus was captivated by her green eyes and honey colored hair, after he got used to the light a little, he could see the hint of freckles on her cheeks. She kept her eyes to the floor, and seemed to lack confidence in Iolaus’ presence. Ellia came into the room, and dismissed both Attie and the young woman.

"Hello, your majesty. Thanks for returning my vest."

"You’re welcome. I suppose you noticed my doctor isn’t here."

"Ah, since it was just you and me, I’d guessed as much. But she’ll be here any minute, right?" Iolaus asked, looking nervously around.

"No … you’ll be kept intact for now," Ellia said with a wry look. "No, I have decided your next task," she said as she strode around him. "Did you notice Tessa when you came in?"

"You mean the girl who answered the door?"

"Yes, that’s her. She’s of an age where she should be introduced to the fold of womanhood."

Iolaus watched Ellia as she walked. She gave him a look to see if he caught her meaning.

Suddenly Iolaus asked, "Ah, the ‘fold of womanhood’? I don’t understand."

"Don’t stall. You know what I mean. She’s your next task."

"She looks awfully young. I don’t think I want … I don’t want to hurt anybody."

"No, of course not. And if you DO hurt her, you will forfeit your life!" Iolaus shot a look at her because this last statement was extremely forceful.

Ellia collected herself and continued. "Last night taught me a number of things about you, Iolaus. First, you have the patience and the skills necessary for this task." She forced herself not to look at Iolaus when she said this. "Second, I’m sure you loved your wife deeply; this is the kind of trait you look for in a man, for introducing a young girl to the fold."

"Further, Tessa is my daughter. She’s been physically prepared for some time, and I’ve been waiting for a long time to find a man for this step."

"Ah, er, um, well, thank you I’m sure. But this is not something that I really want to do." Iolaus stammered.

"Well then that is your choice. I can have the doctor here in a matter of minutes." Ellia told him. "I’m sure that your wife was a virgin when you married her."

"Yes, but that was different." Iolaus blushed.

"Different, how, how can it be different?" Ellia asked.

"Well, for one thing I loved Anya with all my heart. I don’t even know this girl. And pretty as she is she doesn’t even know me."

"So you noticed her beauty, did you?" Ellia chuckled.

"Well, I’m not blind!" Was his response.

"No matter, you will welcome Tessa to the world of womanhood or live the rest of your life out here as a eunuch doing manual labor. It really is your choice. If you choose Tessa, and do not harm her, you will be shown out of our forest and back on the path to wherever it was you were going."

"Queen Ellia, thanks for having the confidence in me, but I really, don’t want to do this. When it was just us last night we were both experienced and we knew what to expect. I am not a man that goes around looking for virgins. I like my, er, company to know what to expect and be able to enjoy all there is to enjoy."

"And that is one of the reasons you have been chosen, Iolaus. You are a man of greatness and tremendous passion. You will be able to take Tessa and teach her many things, who knows she may be able to teach you a few things too," soft spoken as she said these words to Iolaus.

"Oh all right, it’s not as if I have a choice. When do I do this ah, ‘job’, Ellia?" Iolaus asked.

"We will leave you here and go and prepare Tessa. She will be brought to you later in the day. For now you can have the run of my house and Dorsa will get whatever food or drink you want. Just don’t leave the house. Send Dorsa to get what ever you want, understood?"

"Yes, I understand that I am not to leave the house. That later in the day you will bring your daughter to me to have me ‘initiate’ her into the fold of womanhood and if I hurt her or in some way displease you I will remain here for the rest of my life. Did I miss anything?" Iolaus asked.

"Your tone is not one that I am accustomed to hearing, Iolaus. I still hold all you hold dear, watch your mouth," an angry Ellia snapped.

"Well, I’m sorry if you don’t like my tone, I don’t like the job I have been assigned. I don’t like working as your private Stud."

Ellia was purple with rage, "Attie, come in here now! Take him to the barn chain him up and don’t feed him. I was wrong about him, he is not the man I thought he was. When Possiva gets back from her search for medicinal herbs send her to me immediately!"

Attie reached for Iolaus and grabbing him by the back of his head started for the door. Iolaus grimacing in pain from the hold tore free and confronted Ellia again. " Oh so if I say ok now I will behave all will be ok?" Iolaus angrily demanded.

"No, Iolaus there is nothing you can do to change my mind. You had a chance and you chose to remain here as my slave. I may, myself, do the honor of the surgery myself."

Attie continued to drag Iolaus out of the Queen's house, once she got to the front door Ellia’s soldiers helped place Iolaus in chains and drag him back to the barn. Soon he was once again chained to the post, but this time his hands were manacled and both feet were chained. "Iolaus, you and your big mouth, when are you going to learn?" Iolaus mumbled to himself.

The day seemed to take forever to pass as Iolaus tried to get out of the chains. "Herc doesn’t even know where I am. I am in real trouble and there is no one but myself to get me out of this and I got me into this." Iolaus continued his conversation with himself. "What are you looking at?" he demanded of the cow as she lazily chewed her cud all the while watching him pace at the end of his chain.

Night came and with it a large bon fire. Drums were being played and women’s voices were singing. Soon, some of the warriors came in and grabbed Iolaus. They very efficiently stripped him bare and dragged him out to the center of the buildings. He was quickly staked to the ground, in the classic spread eagle design. Ellia came to him in full battle armor, "Well, little man, do you have anything to say?"

"Oh, so now I am, ‘little man’, again what happened to, ‘Iolaus’, or, ‘more baby more’?" Iolaus asked. Even knowing that he should not provoke her and make all attempts at reconciliation he was unable to hold his tongue.

Ellia bent over him and slapped his face with her open hand. She then grabbed a length of leather from another and began lashing Iolaus. He would not give her the satisfaction of crying out. Finally drained Ellia said, " Iolaus, I really thought you were the man I was looking for I don’t understand how I could have been so deceived."

Possiva stepped into the light, her knife and herbs at the ready. It was now or never for Iolaus and he had now idea how he was going to get out of this one.