“c1″> 

“c1″>"No, I didn’t commit murder. I fought them
and I killed them."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"We have to know more than this. Tell us the whole
story! I not only order you to do so as the head of the jury but
also as the Queen and priestess of this
tribe."

“c1″> 

The
tall woman kept her mouth shut. Theano’s blows now were
steadily raining on her back and soon sent her in some sort of
meditative haze. Suddenly the whip wrapped herself around her upper
body and her left breast, just on top of the nipple sported a small
gash resembling a half circle. This brought her back to reality.
Another stroke found its way to the other side and she haltingly
began to speak.

“c1″> 

"At the
time I was on my way back from the far east. I not only wanted to
rule Greece “EN-US” class=”c1″>but the whole world, Xena, Destroyer of Nations.
The Northern Amazons were the first opponents to pick my ambitious
mind. Queen Cyane was a formidable warrior, far better than I ever
would have thought possible. I tried to kill her but was easily
defeated. Borias, my partner, wanted to form an alliance with them,
he wanted them to join with our army. Queen Cyane only agreed to
some sort of none-aggression pact but she also agreed to become my
teacher – and I was eager to learn all the incredible things
I had seen her doing.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"About two moons later I decided that I now knew
all she would ever be able to teach. I was wrong but I had learned
enough to turn their fighting skills against them. At first, I
thought about taking them out individually.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"One day, they all came together to prepare the
funeral fire for a young warrior. I had seen her playing with some
of the others in the trees when she fell and broke her neck.
Killing the council on holy ground to me was the best way to
demoralise the whole tribe. I told them that I had caused her death
thus provoking a fight. I killed them one after the other. Queen
Cyane the whole time tried to reason with me, to get me to see some
sense. I didn’t stab them from behind but I wanted to see
them dead, and I got what I wanted."

“c1″> 

“c1″>Xena’s voice was audibly strained and though she
tried to keep her facial expression impassable everyone listening
to her knew for sure that there still were many things left unsaid.
Silence reigned among the audience and the jury alike, finally
Ephiny got to her feet and waited for Melosa’s consent to ask
the next question.