“c1″> 

“c1″>"Spill it, Ep."

“c1″> 

"I
had to cut short the sparring sessions because of the festival
preparations. There was nothing to do for me, so I took a long
bath, and then decided to work on my whipping techniques. A strap,
birches or even a cane are okay but with this single tailed monster
I always feel sort of self-conscious."

“c1″> 

Melosa
realised how difficult it must have been for the proud warrior to
admit to these insecurities, even to her lover. "You did a
good job on Xena, the welts were gone after less than two
days."

“c1″> 

Eponin
smiled. "I know, Xena told me so, but I also know that they
hurt a great deal. And I’ll have to do it again at the
beginning of the trial; it’s only three days ‘til then.
I tried to find a move or a twist that leaves marks but inflicts
less pain."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Did you come up with something?" Melosa
asked, silently pleased with the friendly bond the two warriors
were developing.

“c1″> 

“c1″>"Not really. I used the dead tree trunk north of
the training grounds as target when Xena passed by. She can handle
a whip probably better than anyone else. Never before, I saw such
proficiency, and she taught me a great deal. I now know how to skin
one’s back with just a few strokes, how to break the skin
with every blow, how to curl the tail around a target, making an
impact on the whole body and still only leaving a tiny mark in the
middle of the back. It all depends upon angle, speed, and wrist
flexibility. But I really hope that I don’t have to put any
of this to use. There’s this stroke she demonstrated, it
doesn’t leave a straight mark like all the others but
something resembling a half-circle. It looked easy enough when she
did it but I just didn’t get it right. When she left to tend
to Gabrielle two candlemarks later, I kept on trying but it
wasn’t any good. That’s what I was cursing
about."

“c1″> 

“c1″>"I’m sure next time you will get it right,
love." Melosa answered and continued with mock severity.
"And so the weapons’ master of the Amazon Nation let a
slave get away with using a whip, a whip still is considered a
weapon, isn’t it?"

“c1″> 

The
slight banter in the Queen’s voice was completely lost on
Eponin. "It wasn’t used as a weapon, my Queen, and we
didn’t have an audience either. I’m probably guilty of
irresponsibility but please don’t punish
Xena."