LEANORE 13
By Heck



Comments to heck@beadyeye.net

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

LEANORE HAD NEVER TRAVELLED in such opulence before.

The entourage consisted of four wagons. Julia Domina had a big, ornate one for
herself, naturally, and another was allocated to Leanore and Claudia. Another,
more basic, carried the porters, cook, and other necessary personnel, and the
fourth was little more than a big, canvas-covered cart containing all the
equipment, tents, and utensils required for a long trip.

The interior of the wagon in which the gladiatrix and her bodyservant
travelled was nothing out of the ordinary, for a rich traveller. To Leanore
and Claudia, however, used to travelling on foot or, in Leanore's case, in a
smelly, cramped cart, it was the very lap of luxury. The insides of the walls
were padded with deep-buttoned burgundy velvet trimmed in gold brocade with
little bell-shaped tassels and the flat, scallop valanced canvas roof was
painted, on the inner surface, with a celestial skyscape depicting various
gods and goddesses that Leanore did not recognise. The floor was thickly
carpeted, and two upholstered banquettes faced each other either side of a
central foldaway table. The wagon's open sided were screened by curtains and
louvred shutters.

Leanore and Claudia could not help exchanging girlish grins at the splendour
in which they sat.

Since her sexual encounter with the Domina, Leanore had thought long and hard
about the experience. She had come to the conclusion that it was possible to
enjoy physical love with another woman, and that it could be just as
satisfying as with a man. She had decided that there was no point in denying
the fact that women could make her just as hot as a male could, and that there
was nothing wrong with it. She remained just a little confused, though,
because although there had been no awkwardness or discomfort between them,
Julia had not mentioned the encounter nor had given Leanore any opportunity
for discussion. Her attitude had changed not one whit - she was still very
much the mistress and Leanore the slave.

The first leg of the journey, to Galltex, was expected to take several days.
They progressed at a leisurely pace, departing each morning when the sun was
high and stopping before it had fully set. The porters quickly and efficiently
set up a campsite every evening. Julia Domina's tent was huge, and it took as
long to move her accoutrements into it as it did to erect. Leanore had a
small, one-person tent to herself, while Claudia had to bunk in with the
others in a long, narrow ridge tent. The guards kept watch in shifts
throughout the nights and, by and large, everyone slept well.

Leanore set up an exercise regime for herself, morning and evening, to keep in
shape. It consisted of stretching, flexibility, and agility manoeuvres,
coupled with resistance training to maintain her extraordinary strength. In
the absence of her millstones, she performed one- and two- handed push-ups, or
chins using overhanging branches. Her routines were, by necessity, short but
strenuous. To begin with, several of the escort tried to join in and tried to
keep up with her, but one by one they fell by the wayside as it became
apparent that no-one, who was not a highly trained athlete, stood any chance
of matching her.

For the first few days, the trip was uneventful. On day four the road led
through a steep-sided, narrow valley alongside a rushing brook of clear,
chuckling water.

The day was hot, and the sun was almost at its zenith when Leanore handed
Claudia a canteen of cool, refreshing water. She drank deeply, before setting
it in its niche in the wagon wall.

"That's better. Thank you. I'll refill it from the stream when we stop".

"Claudia, isn't this trip a wonderful change? Don't you think it's better than
being cooped up all day in the Domina's house?"

"Oh, yes. Yes!"

"Then why do you look so glum all the time? Staring out the window as if you
wish you could be someplace else?"

"Do I? Sorry. I just can't help but keep thinking about my boys. Are they all
right? Are they getting enough to eat, keeping out of trouble? But the trip is
wonderful. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It's just a mother thing,
I guess".

Leanore reached across the table and laid a strong hand over Claudia's two.

"I'm sure they're OK. I never met them, but the way you talk about them they
must be two sensible, responsible young men. Don't worry. They'll be fine".

"Yes. I'm sure you're right", Claudia said with a wistful smile. "But when you
have kids of your own."

What would happen when Leanore had children would never be said. The wagon
rolled to a halt, and the women could hear the sounds of men calling to each
other. Sitting with her back to the horses, Leanore could not see what was
going on but, opposite her, Claudia was able to lean put the window to check
the front of the caravan.

"What's going on?" Leanore wanted to know.

"I don't know. The guards have all ridden up front, and are talking to each
other. Wait. Here comes Captain Marcellus".

Marcellus was the captain of the guard. He was a big, handsome, moustachioed
man who Leanore had occasionally noticed looking at her with more than
professional interest that, she had to admit, was not unwelcome. But he never
took advantage of his situation, never spoke to her like the slave she was,
and always treated her with kindness. He reined in alongside the wagon.

"A tree has fallen across the road. We're just about to harness a couple of
horses to it, but the end has gotten wedged between a couple of boulders.
Leanore, will you come and give a hand?"

"Of course". She was out of the wagon almost before he had finished speaking.
"But this seems like an ideal place for an ambush". She cast her eyes
downwards in embarrassment. "I guess you thought of that, huh?"

"I did, and I've set a couple of men to keep watch. But in any event, that
tree needs shifting".

Leanore walked alongside his horse. As they drew level with the big wagon,
Julia Domina stuck her head out.

"What's going on", she demanded.

"Domina". Marcellus indicated respect with a slight inclination of his head.
"Nothing to worry about, But just to be on the safe side, would you please
keep well inside your wagon and close the shutters?" Marcellus touched the
peak of his helmet in salute. "Just in case".

The Domina was no fool. She was back inside and the shutters wren tightly
closed before Leanore and Marcellus had passed the lead horses standing
patiently in the traces of her wagon.

The tree was a big one. It had come down right across their path and, as
Marcellus had said, its topmost end was wedged tightly between two large
boulders. Leanore walked up and down the length of the timber, and pointed to
the other end, which bore the distinctive marks of an axe.

"See that?" She spoke very quietly. "This tree's been felled".

"Yeah, I noticed that. I think I'll post a couple more on watch". He pointed
to two men and, with a jerk of his head, deployed them.

Her bare feet crunched through the leaf litter, their leathery soles never
noticing the odd twig or pebble, as Leanore approached the trapped end of the
tree.

"This has been jammed in here deliberately", she observed. "Look here". She
indicated mallet marks in the bark. "And here. I think it would be easier to
move one of these boulders than too try to lift the trunk out. Can we lop off
some of these branches to clear some working space?"

There was the sound of metal on leather as Marcellus unsheathed his short
sword.

"No problem. Conto!" He called to one of his men. "Here!"

"Sir!" The man called Conto picked his way up the short slope toward his
commanding officer.

He never made it.

Wit a wet, slapping sound, an arrow appeared as if by magic, passing right
through his neck from side to side. He stared at his captain with
uncomprehending eyes. His hands clutched at his throat and he sagged to his
knees, a horrible gurgling sound issuing from his open mouth. A great gout of
blood spurted from his lips and ran over his breastplate as he slowly keeled
over, drowning in his own fluids.

Leanore threw herself flat and squeezed under the fallen tree, immediately
followed by Marcellus. A hail of arrows split the air, and two more of the
escort fell under the onslaught.

"Weapons!" Marcellus yelled. "Take cover".

Whooping warcries filled the air. From nowhere, a band of thirty or are
barbarians, clad in animal skins and wielding heavy axes, cudgels, and
quarterstaves, descended from the trees and immediately surrounded the
crouching soldiers.

This was more like it. Marcellus thought. Here was an enemy he could fight. He
rolled out from under the tree, brandishing his sword. His men obviously had
the same idea and followed suit, undaunted by the fact that they were
outnumbered three to one.

"Don't let them get to the Domina!" the captain roared, engaging four of the
enemy at once.

This is no damn' good, Leanore thought. Have to get a weapon. She leapt out of
cover, coming to her feet right behind one of Marcellus's opponents. Her
strong hand reached under his chin, and the other closed on the back of his
head. There was a sickening crunch as she jerked his head round through almost
a hundred and eighty degrees and he fell bonelessly to the ground, neck
twisted to an impossible angle.

Leanore snatched his quarterstaff before it hit the floor and, in the same
motion, brought it round in a blurring arc to slam into the head of another
man. He was felled like a pole-axed ox. Almost simultaneously, her hand shot
out and gripped a third one by the throat. Her steely fingers bit deep into
the flesh, and his larynx was crushed in her terrific grip. She left him to
rattle his life away in the dirt.

This was not a situation in which she had any choice. This was kill or be
killed.

Marcellus now had only one barbarian left to deal with. As the man swung his
vicious double headed axe, the captain ducked beneath the blow and drove his
stabbing blade deep under his ribs and into his heart.

Leanore swerved around a swing from another axe. She drove her staff hard into
the solar plexus of the wielder, forcing the breath from his body with a
'whuff' and doubling him over. Like a sledgehammer, her fist crashed down on
the back of his neck, and he lay still.

The staff flashed round in a semicircle as Leanore pivoted on the balls of her
feet. Crack! Crack! Crack! Three faces split like watermelons, taking their
owners out of the fight for good. A movement to the left caught her eye, and
she leaned away from another quarterstaff. With lightning speed, her hand
flashed out and grabbed it, jerking it from the barbarian's numbed fingers.
She released the weapon, and rammed the heel of the same hand up under his
nose. His septum speared up into his brain and he was dead before he hit the
ground.

Marcellus dived headlong at the feet of a barbarian coming up behind one of
his men. He hit him in back of his knees, and he sprawled over the captain's
back. Throwing him off, Marcellus came to his feet and raised his sword high,
bringing it down with both hands to smash through his ribs, heart, and lungs.

A screaming barbarian rushed Leanore, axe raised high. She bent slightly at
the knees and grabbed his clothing with one hand. Using his momentum and her
own awesome strength, she heaved him high over her head at the end of one
powerfully muscled arm, to send him sailing through the air, arms and legs
flailing. As luck would have it, he landed on the blade of his own weapon,
splitting his sternum and laying his chest wide.

Marcellus's men had not been idle either, and five more barbarians lay dead or
dying in the undergrowth.

The remaining fourteen, by some unspoken signal, began to regroup. They
clustered in a knot by the stream, preparatory to rushing the remaining
guards.

Leanore was having none of that.

She snatched up the second staff from where she had dropped it. Her agile
hands made both weapons spin like the whirling blades of a thresher, and she
charged the bunch with a high-pitched ululating battle cry.

The sight of this dark skinned yodelling amazon, teeth bared and eyes
flashing, bearing down on them like the angel of death, was too much for the
battered and confused barbarians. As one man they turned and fled back down
the valley, past the caravanserai, and away. Leanore drew back her arm and
launched a staff like a spear. Propelled by her stupendous power, the blunt
end crunched into the back of an escaping man's head. The blow staved in his
cranium, and the staff exited through the centre of his face, spraying blood
and bone as he fell to the ground.

Barbarians were a primitive and nomadic people, but they were by no means
stupid. They had their own ingenious and efficient communications system, and
bad news like Leanore gets around fast. The caravan suffered no further
barbarian attacks for the remainder of the journey.

In the valley, an eerie post-battle silence had descended. Leanore went to
stand by Marcellus, and together they surveyed the carnage. In addition to the
dead barbarians, Marcellus had lost five good men, and the spilled blood and
viscera already gave the place the stench of death.

"You men!" Marcellus called out. "Don't stand around gawping like idiots! We
lost some good men this day. Burial detail! Get our men buried with respect,
like the heroes they were. These". He indicated the dead barbarians with a
contemptuous sneer. "These you can leave for the crows".

Leanore and Marcellus looked at each other. Both were covered in blood and
gore, fortunately none of it their own.

"You and I", Marcellus said, regarding Leanore with admiration, "look like
hell. We'd better get cleaned up. Then, perhaps, we can finally see about that
tree!"

"What about the Domina?" Leanore reminded him.

"Oh, shit! The Domina! I nearly forgot about her. I better make sure she's all
right".

"The Domina", came the familiar imperious tones from behind, "is just fine.
I'll ignore that you forgot about me. This time". Her eyes were narrowed, but
they held an excited gleam. "In view of the fact that you put on such a
splendid show. Both of you. I suppose I owe you some sort of thanks". She
affected a bored sigh. "Very well. Captain Marcellus, when I see Effluvius in
Capitol, I will see to it that he recommends you for promotion. Centurion is
next in line for you, isn't it?"

"Thank you, my lady".

"Hmm. Leanore. Come here". Too tired, momentarily, for defiance, Leanore
dutifully stepped forward. Julia took her arm and leaned up to whisper in her
ear. "You are forbidden to mention this to anyone. Break your silence, and it
will go the worse for you. But, if you claim the championship and successfully
defend it three times, you may have your precious freedom. Not a word, mind!"

Leanore stepped back, stunned by the uncharacteristically generous offer. She
beamed her thanks to the other woman.

Marcellus did not know what had transpired between the two women but, judging
by the expression on the tall woman's face when she turned to him, it was
something big. Her lovely face was alight with delight and there was a
sparkling twinkle in her eyes, as if all fatigue had fled. When she spoke, her
words came jauntily, proving how refreshed she felt.

"Come on, Captain. We're all sweaty and dirty anyway. Let's see about shifting
that tree before we get cleaned up". She strode off with a spring in her step,
and Marcellus tipped back his helmet and watched her go.

Even the way she walks is full of life and energy, he thought. Every step is
full of strength, and the way her muscles move under her skin. Gods, what a
woman!

He hurried to join Leanore at the tree, and detailed a couple of men to lop
off the branches from what had been the lofty top of the tree, so they could
get an idea of what was entailed.

The two boulders could have been cast from the same mould. Egg-shaped, they
stood about chest high proud of the soil, their butt ends deeply embedded in
the earth. About two yards of the treetop protruded between them and, as
Leanore had noted, they had been forcibly wedged and rammed home by blows from
a heavy mallet. Marcellus stroked his moustaches as he mulled over the
problem.

"If we get all the men on it, we should be able to lift it clear. Supposing we
can loosen it first".

Leanore shook her head.

"No. Look how the ground slopes away here. They wouldn't be able to lift it
high enough. I still think our best bet is to move one of the boulders".

"Perhaps you're right. But they look to be deeply embedded. I'll get a horse
shackled to one. Pull it over".

"Let me try something, first", she said. "I might be able to push one over, if
I can get properly braced". Marcellus smiled at her indulgently.

"Be my guest. You're welcome to try". His expression showed he did not believe
she could accomplish such a feat. "I know you're strong. But these boulders
must weight best part of three quarters of a ton each. I'll get a horse ready,
just in case".

"You do that", Leanore smiled back. "By the time you've got him harnessed,
it'll be time to move the tree".

Marcellus waved a dismissive hand at her and turned away. If she wants to
exhaust herself, let her. He wandered over to his men and began giving orders
to prepare a horse.

Leanore ignored him. All her life people had been telling her she couldn't do
this, couldn't do that, and she was used to it. Nine times out of ten she had
proven them wrong.

She hunkered down beside the nearest rock, weighing up the task in her mind.
Marcellus's estimate of their weight would be, she guessed, about right. The
bottom of the boulder was deep in, perhaps a good handspan, maybe more, and,
when she cleared away the leaf litter, she found that the earth was tightly
packed around it. So there was no possibility of getting a grip on it from
below. Trying to lever it out with the quarterstaff was a non-starter; the
staff would last about ten seconds. An idea formed in her sharp brain.

With lithe grace, she clambered atop the tree trunk and sat down by the distal
boulder. Placing her feet on the first stone, she braced her back against the
other. She sucked in great lungfuls of air, forcing oxygen into her muscles,
and began to push.

At first, the huge boulder seemed as immoveable as a mountain. Leanore kept
the pressure on, face screwed up in concentration. The mighty sinews of her
flared thighs stood out like steel hawsers, while the great muscles sprang
into bas-relief.

Just a tiny movement. That was all. But it was enough to encourage her. She
eased off slightly then poured on the power again, setting up a slight rocking
action, letting a small grunt of exertion escape her.

The little noise was enough to attract Marcellus's attention. He paused in the
act of tacking up a horse [he was not afraid to get his hands dirty by helping
his men with menial tasks] and turned his head. He gave a little gasp of
amazement at what he saw.

Braced between the two boulders, every muscle as tense as an overwound spring,
Leanore looked like she was cast in polished bronze. Even to the untrained
eye, the sheer strength in her body was a viable, tangible thing, a picture of
nothing but pure feminine power.

The boulder was rocking a few inches, now, and Leanore continued to pile on
the power, gradually increasing the motion with every push. Every muscle in
her magnificent body coiled and flexed, rising and tensing in full- bellied
mounds and flat, oaken planes. The rock rocked steadily now, and with every
heave swung further and further from the vertical.

"Go on, Leanore!" Marcellus began to stride up the slope toward her, yelling
encouragement. "You can do it! Push, woman!"

His men followed him, and took up a chant.

"Le-o-nore! Le-o-nore!"

Julia Domina stepped down from her wagon, sulking in her irritation to find
out what all the noise was about. When she saw the strength display that was
going on, she stopped by the lead horse and folded her arms. Her eyes narrowed
and her tongue wet her lips in growing excitement, and it was all she could do
not to join in the chant.

Even little Claudia got caught up in the moment and went to stand with the
man, clapping her hands and adding her voice to the chant.

It couldn't be long, now. Any moment, the boulder had to give up the unequal
struggle and yield to the woman's might.

And it did.

"Eeyagh!"

With a wordless yell of triumph, Leanore put every last ounce of her power
into a final heave. With a dry sucking noise the earth gave up its grip on the
boulder and it toppled in a shower of soil and dust, tearing its bottom
fifteen inches from the ground, rolling end over end down the slope.

"Look out!"

Leanore's yell was redundant. The soldiers had already seen the great rock
tumbling toward them, and scattered like ninepins as it careened between them.
They dived out of the way to a man, except for one young soldier who attempted
to outrun it. Legs and arms pumping, he took it on his toes as the boulder
rolled and bumped behind.

He nearly made it, too.

Just as it nearly caught up with him, just as it almost ground him into paste,
the rock spent the very last of its kinetic energy. On its final roll, it
bumped him quite hard between the shoulder blades, sending him sprawling in
the dust, covering his head with his hands in a futile gesture to ward off the
three-quarter ton stone he was positive was about to crush him.

When it rolled to a halt, and fell back half a roll, he was left feeling a
little silly.

The onlookers, who had been holding their collective breath, willing him to
dive out of the way, let out a gasp and began to laugh with relief and release
of tension.

All but the young soldier himself, who rose up on his elbows with a comically
surprised look on his face, wandering what all the hilarity was about.

Bloodstained, dusty, sweaty, and a little out of breath, Leanore sat on the
tree smiling gently to herself. She hadn't really known whether she could
achieve the feat, and she knew a feeling of pride and satisfaction at the
outcome. Her eyes met the stare of Julia Domina, twenty yards away, who was
looking at her with unashamed lust. But there was also something cold and
calculating in the aristocratic gaze.

What's on her mind, Leanore thought.