Ahlea Warrior Girls: The Sacred Statue

  IX

  A vast crowd that had gathered on both sides of the road, from the Ahleyn capital entrance, all the way to the queen's palace on the hill, applauded the two heroines who rode on horseback toward the castle. All residents of Blyst, and also newcomers from other Ahleynian cities, wanted to welcome and greet two Ahleas who were responsible for the end of many years of war. They were followed by the honorable platoon composed of other Ahlea warrior girls, and right behind them was the rest of the armed forces who had recently returned from the battlefield. Shouts "Hail the Ahleas", "Long live the Queen!”, " No more war!" echoed through all the streets and neighborhoods of the capital that was finally able to breathe freely from the threat of war.

  The sudden announcement of peace, imposed from the mouth of newly crowned King Yarael Twenty-eighth of Waeryehen, sounded like a most beautiful song for everyone's ears, instantly spread through Ahleyn and in just two days it caused immense joy and celebration.

  Shortly after that news, stories started to spread about two warrior girls who had all by themselves broken all the way through to see the Waeryehenian king and persuaded him to cease all fighting. As it usually happens, every next teller that carried the story further, added an occasional decorative detail which made their adventure seem all the more extraordinary, even more than it by itself was. Several dozen explanations appeared of how they managed to do all this, none of which was too close to the truth. Some mentioned a mage, some said there were even more of them. Others described how two warrior girls killed several dozens of Zals, maybe even hundreds, almost with their bare hands. Most of these stories were recognized as a set of fabrications, but some of the more fantastic ones had remained in people's memory.

  “Well, it is time, once again, for congratulations,” Dlora said to her partner while riding a horse when they almost had approached the door of the palace, and when their hands began to ache from all the waving to the crowd “such a welcome after the first task! You are free to withdraw and live like a folk hero.”

  “Oh, not by a single chance” countered Tenen “I finally realized what it means to be Ahlea warrior girl. For me, the adventure is just beginning.”

  The girl took a short break, stretched a slight smile and then added:

  “Maybe you could withdraw. I mean, considering your age.”

  Dlora frowned, equally slightly:

  “Try and mention my age once again, and feel free to forget every chance of experiencing new adventures.”