“c1″> 

“c1″>Generations ago the ram’s horn had been used to
announce the Queen’s arrival at the battlefield and to
proclaim great victories. It was said to be a gift to Penthesilea,
the most brave and powerful warrior in Amazon history, unequalled
in strategist’s skills, feared enemy and trusty friend; a
gift from Artemis herself.

“c1″> 

Less
than half a candlemark later, warriors and craftswomen, elders,
apprentices and children were gathered in and around the central
square, Xena and Gabrielle among them. Queen Melosa stepped onto
the dais in front of the council’s hut, wearing her mask and
the rest of her royal attire. Eponin and Solari were on her right
and on her left, both of them also wearing all the insignia of
their ranks. It had been years since the nation had been summoned
by the great horn; consequently, the assembly didn’t take
long to fall silent. They went to their knees in
greeting.

“c1″> 

“c1″>Melosa’s voice powerfully rang out over their bent
heads. "Amazon sisters! I called upon you to celebrate a great
victory in battle – and that’s what we will do tonight.
Our fallen sisters now are dwelling in the golden
forest class=”c1″>of “c1″>Artemis; their courage
never will be forgotten. Their spirit will stay in our hearts thus
it will stay alive. We all have every reason to be proud of what we
have accomplished."

“c1″> 

Women
sprang to their feet, cheers rose to the sky, and once again,
Solari blew the great horn. Silence settled quickly on the
square.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Alas, Amazon sisters! I also called upon you
because this time of joy and triumph also is a time of shame, to
our village as well as to our tribe. You all know that the enemy
army and their leader were largely helped by one of our own, by
Najara, from now on known as Najara, the traitor. As we learned by
surviving members of his army, Najara told him about the festival
and she also convinced him to attack the day he did. Not only did
she betray the very Nation she was born to, she cowardly also tried
to kill an innocent child while escaping from the battlefield. From
this day on she will be an outlaw, the council unanimously
condemned her to death."

“c1″> 

Melosa
closed her eyes and fell silent while the tension among her
audience grew considerably. She took a deep breath and
continued.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Najara was sent to another village because she was
found guilty of rape and child abuse. I believed to act in the best
interest of the girl as well as the village at the time by keeping
her crimes out of the records. I also wanted to give Najara a
chance to redeem herself out of respect for her fighting skills and
the battles over the years she had to fight for the nation. The
recent past showed that I was wrong. We have to thank Xena of
Amphipolis that my misjudgement didn’t have more serious
consequences than it had. We have to thank her prowess as a warrior
as well as her skills as a healer."