Serinina finally gets a real family that cares for her and she is given a chance to fulfill her destiny. Just not in the way she thought.

What Serinina had just learned from reading some of the ancient scriptures of the Hekatinian chronicles and earlier scriptures from the Goddess Danis was stunning.

But it still meant little to her. Serinina still knew that what happened to her was the will of the Goddess and that the Goddess had named her own sister Patinea as her vessel requiring Serinina to be removed as the heir. It was the will of the Goddess to destroy her masculinity and make her a girl.

The teacher Aethelfled was looking at her from across the table in a soft, sympathetic way, hoping she would understand. “So you see, the Hekatin have gone corrupt and are still corrupt. What they do is not always the will of the Goddess. Often, they act against the will of the Goddess, what they do is their own will. But people have unfairly blamed the Goddess.

Serinina was boiling mad now. The women saw her features tense up. Her fists tightened into balls, and they almost saw her features darken. Her eyes narrowed frighteningly.

“You may try to spare that horrible vicious bitch the blame, but it's not working for me,” Serinina said between her teeth. Her eyes were blazing.

“It was the Goddess that gave my sister and Actonia the visions of me as a girl. It was the Goddess that told them that I may be happy as a girl, and it was that they were relying on when they transformed me against my will. It was the Goddess that made my sister her vessel requiring me to be destroyed, so my horrible, sadistic sister could ascend, and make me helpless under her power. This horrible plot was indeed the will of the Goddess. Any attempt to spare the Goddess the blame for my life's destruction is a lie. The Goddess is to blame.” Serinina nearly shouted in rage.

“I can see that,” Asiria said sadly. “Not all things are the will of the Goddess. But it seems a mistake was made here.”

“Mother,” Aethelfled said sternly. “We know the Goddess is not infallible. She was struck down, and she allowed the Hekatin to become brutal and corrupt under her leadership in instituting a brutal matriarchy that totally disempowered men. And she was blindsided and killed by one of her male slaves that begun a brutal revolt. So I wouldn't doubt that this stupid plan was indeed the will of that idiot bimbo Danis. She was trying to convince people that Sarin would be happy with what was done to him, and he would cooperate. It was a very long shot that should have never been considered. We know there is no way Sarin would have ever been happy with the transformation. You and I know, but this spell is considered a blessing, and the changing to female is considered an elevation in status by these people. And in a way it is in it gave Sarin access to powers he never considered possible. And the Goddess even bestowed other powers that are stunning to the Hekatin, and they never knew possible. The Goddess was counting on that to satisfy Sarin.”

“I know, but it doesn't. These powers are difficult, and it took me a very long time to learn and get accustomed. And I had to endure much suffering along the way. And it isn't a life that I wanted,” Serinina said to them.

“I want to be a warrior and a fighter, and it's what I was meant to be. That's the life that I want. They changed my sex, my body, and my name. But I still have the same desires, the same as my sister. It didn't change me, I still want to be a warrior. Not a witch. I also want to be a powerful King. My future was stolen, and they tried to force me to change. But I refuse to change. My desires are my desires. That's what I want. I will be happy with nothing less.”

“This is also something they should have counted on,” Aethelfled said to her mother. “The Goddess seriously misjudged Serin's conviction. I want to help Serin reclaim his life, do you, Mom?”

Ashiria thought for a few long seconds and then nodded. “Yes, the Goddess made a horrifying error, and it should be no surprise to me. She is an idiot ever to think this could have worked. Serin is not Devinia. She isn't the Boy Devin who loved the change so much, went to the Goddess, and asked for the change so she could claim the crown. It was done by Devins's request and his permission. It was forced on Serin to deny him the crown, and destroy his future. How can anyone think Serin would ever be happy with it? It changed a loving and compassionate boy into a very bitter and hate-filled woman. I will help you, Serin. But it won't be easy. We will train you very hard. And when you are exhausted and want to stop, we will push you harder, and you better not use magic. We want to train your body, strengthen your shoulders, your legs, and your entire body. And you will want to rest, we won't let you. You will get very strong if you can handle it.”

Serinina smiled, “Thanks, that's exactly what I want.”

“You will have such skills that you would make the old Serin jealous. Now get a good night's sleep. You will wake before dawn, and we will make you run, and then, you will build up your arms and shoulders.”

They ended the session with the typical warrior salute. They held each other's arms at elbow length and nodded. Then Aethelfled showed Serinina to her private room, and she nearly collapsed in her bed and slept.

Asiriah burst in, waking Serinina up before sunrise. It was barely five in the morning and they forced her to run along the walls of the ancient fortress. The sun was not even up yet, and it was pitch black outside. But it was time to get started, and Serinina remembered doing many training sessions as a boy before sunrise. That's how it worked if one was serious, and she was very serious with getting her body in shape and training to fight. She refused to allow a goddess, her sister, or anyone to force her to change her life's path. She was going to be a warrior as a boy or a girl, or she would rather die. If the Goddess feared her power and wanted to change her, then the Goddess was cruel, and she was in for a very rude surprise.

So Serinina threw her dress on, and she began feeling the unwelcome cramps that come with womanhood. She shouted out a very vulgar curse at the Goddess. She made sure that her underwear was adequately padded with moss and then ran outside in the pitch black with Aethelfled following behind her. And then they began their running around the walls of the enormous ancient temple that the order of women refitted as a fortress for their order. The cramps she felt kept slowing her down. Still, she powered through her training and refused to allow her usual feminine cramps and the occasional pain to stop her. But, she was sorry for all of the times she made mocked women for these cramps when she was a boy. She was such an insensitive and ignorant boy. But, Serin was only sixteen, and that goes with age. She didn't deserve what happened to her. If she did deserve it, many other boys were much more deserving of what happened than Serin.

Serinina only made it halfway around the walls of the fortress before she was totally exhausted and out of gas. She nearly collapsed in exhaustion when Aethelfled laughed, “You are only halfway girl, keep going. Try to make at least it one entire lap. Do you think your sister Patinea stopped from exhaustion, or did she power through her training? Think of what she took from you and what was supposed to be your future. She led her troops to fight the Ansays. She took Rook's rock, not you. She won the loyalty of the army, not you. It was all stolen from you, and this is how you win it back. Prove you can be a girl and fight. Prove you can be better than her. Prove you are stronger and kick her ass now get up and run. This is the only way. Even as a boy, you knew that stamina was the key.”

“I know,” Serinina gasps in exhaustion and stands up and forced herself to continue past the point of her exhaustion. “I am very out of shape, they forced me in the corset and refused to allow me to train. Very hypocritical of a woman and a regime that was supposed to be for female empowerment. Turn me into a woman and force me into the life they wanted me in.”

“That's why we invited you here. Patinea has betrayed her sex. So has the Goddess. Keep running Serinina and let your anger drive you.”

She ran two complete laps before she stopped and was about ready to begin a third lap. Serinina was an overachiever. But Aethelfled told her to stop and said it was time for breakfast now. She needed more fuel if she was going to continue her physical training so the two young women went up to the main temple where other girls and adult women were seated around the table, and food was being placed in front of them.

Asiria inquired, “How did Serinina's morning run go?”

“It was very rough,” Aethelfled replied.

Serinina piped in, “I had no idea how out of shape I was. But, I was forbidden any physical training by my sister who did it herself. I was forced into a constricting corset every day and only allowed the most menial tasks. They were even hesitant to allow me to take part in Hekatinian courses, but Falconette realized how hypocritical and wrong it would be to forbid me from that. Make me a woman and then forbid me from something that is exclusively only for women was a bit too far for her. But it was a fight. I am now exhausted.”

Serinina took in a mouthful of eggs and asked for more. More was given to her. “I did two entire laps around the walls and was going to do three.”

“We want you to be able to do ten by the end of training. Now we will begin your strength training in the afternoon. You will be made into an elite warrior by the end of your training. I only wish is that you don't seek vengeance for what was done to you. Only justice and victory over your abusers.”

“I think I must have revenge. I need to destroy the Goddess and all of her followers. They brought it on themselves.”

“Yes, they did,” Aethelfled agreed, and the other women around the table nodded.

Asiria shouted to Serinina, “Serinina, princess of the Golden Isles. I have invited Queen, Penthesilea, and her daughter Cassandra. Penthesilia queen of the Amazons to observe your training. She has expressed great interest in your progress here.”

The noble woman nodded. She was sitting beside Asiria wearing a flowing white embroidered gown. She wore a slim crown on her head and nodded. “Yes indeed, Serinina. I have much sympathy for you and if you prove worthy in your training here. I will extend my hand to you. We will invite you to extend your training with us. I may even adopt you into my family and be Cassandra's sister. Since your family rejected and abused you. Would you like that?”

Serinina frowned. She would be made another princess then. But only being a princess there didn't seem quite as insulting and demeaning. Of course, her sister felt the title of princess was so demeaning she hated it. Bestowing the title on Serinina was meant to demean and insult her. It was meant as an insult and to destroy her life, which it did. She had to fight for any sort of respect. But being made a princess of an elite world-renounced group of women warriors didn't seem in the least bit insulting. It actually sounded very fearsome, and a wicked smile spread across Serinina's face. She bowed her head, “I would be very honored to be adopted by you, Queen Penthesilea. I would be proud to be a princess of the Amazons.”

Then Serinina wondered what her sister Patinea would think if she knew that her sister was being adopted by an Amazon queen and being made into their princess. And then being accepted and trained to be an Amazon warrior. Her, the former Prince Serin who often and very proudly mocked women warriors and said multiple times that girls can never fight. Her, was now being adopted by the Amazons. What would Patinea think? Serinina thought that Patinea would be afraid, but also think it would be endlessly amusing and probably laugh at the irony of it all. Serin thought it was very ironic.

“Then you need to continue your training here and prove you are strong enough. I think you are, Serinina,” Penthesilea said to Serinina. “I can see such a strength already. You proved you are strong enough to be a woman and have suffered your transformation and abuse by those that were supposed to help you. And you are still here, and that proves you are much stronger than Patinea. When the Hashashins have taught you all that they can, and then I will take you to our Island and continue your training. I will wait that time. And then I will ask a favor of you to repay all of our effort.”

“I would do anything you ask, my queen,” Serinina replied.

“We are at war,” replied the Queen. “With the Greeks. Agamemnon and Ajax want to invade our island and destroy us. He threatened my daughter Cassandra and our client city of Troy. Would you help defend us?”

“Yes,” Replied Serinina. “If you help and train me, and love me as a daughter. I will do anything for you, Penthesilia. My family has rejected me.” Then Serinina nearly broke down and sobbed. “They hated Serin so much and destroyed him. She tried to embrace me as a daughter. But after what she did and clearly showed her favor to her daughter Patinea. I was unable to accept her affections anymore. I felt rejected and hated. Her affections seemed very insincere and actually insulting after what she did to her son. If you are willing to embrace me, I will do anything that you ask.”

Penthesilia sensed the conviction of Serinina and the truth of her words. The strong woman stood up and circled the table until she stood behind Serinina and laid a comforting hand on the young woman's shoulder. Serinina was going on eleven years old, and yet she had gone through so much and was now uncontrollably weeping. It was heart-wrenching that her own family did this to her. Penthesilia was like a loving mother, currently doing her best to comfort Serinina.

Serinina stood and turned to face the imposing motherly woman who right now felt so much more of a mother than Aanya ever did. Penthesilia put her hand lovingly and stroked the younger woman's cheek and looked deep into Serininas eyes. “Let me into your mind, Serinina. I want to see your life.”

Serinina opened herself and embraced the older woman tightly.

Penthesilia experienced all of Serinina's life from her times as an arrogant and self-centered teenaged boy to his abrupt transformation into Serinina and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her own family when they supposedly blessed her with femininity. To the alienation and sidelining and humiliation she endured at the theft of her entire life and the wars fought by her sister Patinea and throwing all she achieved in her face. Then to Serinina's bitterness but her pride and support, she felt to her sister and the understanding she also felt at her sister's frustration as a woman.

All of it hurt Penthesilia and shocked her. She backed away, breaking the mental contact with the young woman. “Oh my god, Serinina. It's all so painful, but it makes so much sense. You are indeed stronger than anyone even thought you could be. You endured it all, and yet you still loved and supported your family. What none of them ever knew and what I think you didn't even know was that you did have the spirit of a strong girl inside of you. That's what made you act like such an arrogant and insensitive boy. But you secretly understood, and you desired it. It's what made you so strong during your abuse, and you continued to support Patinea even if she hated you. Only a girl has that kind of strength. And that kind of understanding and compassion. It was all overlooked and used to abuse you, but you had the strength of a girl to endure. I will adopt you, Serinina if you are willing to accept.”

Serinina smiled through her years. “Yes, I do.”

“I can only do this if the Goddess consents and accepts you,” Penthelesia said to her.

Serinina frowned and almost became enraged when the older woman held up her hand and said, “Not that hateful bitch. This is another Goddess.”

Then the doors to the temple opened, and a large woman dressed in heavy leather armor and a bow slung over her shoulder walked in with supreme confidence.

Penthesilea and her daughter Cassandra knelt and bowed their heads. “Athena. Our Goddess. We were just discussing you.”

“I know,” Replied Athena, in a voice that radiated across the room. “Serinina, I have had my eye on you for so long. I never approved of what happened to you. My brother and I have wanted to help for so long. I think my brother has a crush on you.” She said with a slight girlish giggle. “He loved strong women like you. So, let me have a look at you, Serinina.”

Then Athena did the same thing as the other woman except she looked deep into Serinina's life, and all of her possible futures. “Her path was never going to be an easy one. But only a woman as strong as you could have endured what was fated for you long before you were ever born, and you were chosen to suffer for the sins others did and things that you were never responsible for. It's such a horrible injustice. Queen Penthesilia, I consent to making this woman your daughter. She will be a very powerful warrior. She will be a great sister to Cassandra, and you two will be unmatched. Like you and Patinea should have been if she didn't reject you. Two strong sister warriors facing the Greeks. But Queen, I must inform you. The Greeks will be besieging your client city of Troy within the year. We need to accelerate her training. We can't wait until Asiria gets finished. You need to take her now and begin training her as an amazon. She will be needed at Troy. Only Serinina can save Troy. Or they will fall, and you will die Penthesilia, and your daughter Cassandra will be enslaved by Agamemnon. You need to adopt her today, and set sail within the week.” Then Athena vanished from sight.

Penthesilea was shocked. She shrugged, “Okay, We will have the adoption today. You go train with Athelfled and my daughter Cassandra will help you as I prepare for the ceremony to officially adopt you Serinina. And I will inform your fleet to prepare for our arrival. The trip to our island will be rough and take weeks. Our triremes are docked at Rook's rock. So, you go while I prepare.”

So Serinina went with the two older girls and began a day's worth of strength training while her future mother prepared things for her adoption. And she sent orders to her fleet docked in Fawnae land to prepare to depart for the Mediterranean.

It wasn't easy for Serinina at all. She set to build a massive, imposing wall. She spent the afternoon mixing concrete and making massive blocks and then lifting them. She carried them to a partially built wall. She mixed the cement and the mix to set the massive block in and then repeated the process endlessly. It was grueling work meant to enhance her shoulders and her biceps. They began burning almost immediately. Living as a pretty and voiceless princess, wearing a corset and doing nothing physical for over a year made sure she had no strength at all. So this was nearly torture for her arms.

Serinina suffered, smiled, and knew she was building her arms up so she could become a warrior despite her sister's restrictions, which no longer applied. Her arms were building strength so she could wield a sword and fight. And perhaps kill her sister.

It had almost got dark late in the afternoon and going on evening when her physical training ended, and Asiria approached her, setting the final massive brick into a new wall. She felt like she wanted to collapse, but her will refused to allow her to collapse. Serinina wasn't sure how much longer she could do this.

Asiria met them and spoke, “We are ready for you in the temple. Good work Serinina. I knew that you would refuse to give in. This is what you need. If you think we are rough, you have no idea what the Amazons will put you through. But you are strong enough. Even their Goddess agrees. So let's go.”

Serinina followed the women into their enormous temple to Prognita where Athena waited, with the Queen and her assembled advisers waiting for their newest daughter Serinina. She was let to the assembled group of women led by their amazon queen Penthesilia wearing her royal robes. The rest of the Amazon's were dressed as warriors and wearing thick leather armor.

Serinina was led up the steps and standing in front of her new mother, who was beaming with pride.

The Queen shouted, “We are here to accept Serinina Denae as my daughter. She has proven herself worthy to be adopted by the Amazons. Goddess Athena has given her consent. Serinina, do you consent?”

Few had ever bothered to ask her consent for anything in her life. They always just ordered her or put her where they wanted her. Serinina smiled and said loudly, “I consent and accept. Queen Penthesilea. I will make you proud.”

Penthesilia placed a slim pink crown on the young woman's head and said, “by this action, I make you my own daughter. I adopt Serinina as my daughter and princess of the Amazons.”

Athena approached Serinina and touched her head, and marked her. “You will be a great princess, Serinina. You have already proven your conviction and your unconquerable strength. You have also proven your nobility and great level of compassion and insight that women possess that far exceeds your sister. They misjudged you to a massive extent. We will love and guide you as a family should.”

Then Asiria felt sadness that Serinina would be leaving them so soon, but it must happen.

Their Queen then said, “Good, let's have dinner now. And you need to get your sleep. We will be traveling to Rook's rock early in the morning to meet our fleet docked there. And then we will be sailing for nearly a month.

The women ate well, and Serinina noticed that these women weren't obsessed with their weight or having a slim waist. They ate like men and ate a lot. Of course, these women lived a very physical life of combat, training, and warfare. Whereas the women in the golden isles didn't do much physical tasks. So they ate very little to make sure they remained very slim. Serinina was forced into that life in order to compete and be accepted by the women as a woman they could trust. That no longer mattered.

Then Serinina settled in for her sleep for the last night here. She had no idea what the future held for her. She heard a lot about her being required to defend a place called Troy and save those people. She had no idea what or where that was.

Serinina didn't get that much sleep that night. It seemed that no sooner had she fallen asleep, that Cassandra walked in and told her it was time to go. Serinina dressed and walked out to meet her new mother and her Queen. Serinina saw hundreds of amazon warriors assembled along with the Queens personal guard. She saw hundreds of assembled and armored Amazon hoplite warriors wearing heavy metal armor on their chests and their arms. The women were carrying a large round metal shield and a long spear. They also had a short gladius sword. Serinina also saw dozens of bows women guarded by the hoplites. They assembled into formation with the queen, her daughter Cassandra and Serinina in the center of the formation guarded by the queens personal guard. Then their military troops leading the way and they marched out in long columns. This was the life meant for Serinina and she finally felt like she meant something.

Penthesilia said, “Be aware. We will be going through Denae land, and into Fawnae land to reach where our ships are docked. We may be attacked if they try to recapture their princess that they abused. Watch for any approaches.”

The march was long and hard and Serininas feet began aching by the second hour. She didn't know it until now but these long marches were very boring after the second hour and the long hours marching became very monotonous.

But there was some action by the second days march when one of the leaders shouted that a patrol was approaching. Serinina saw that the patrols were wearing the crest of Denae. These were Gerriks troops. The troops sprung into action and their training must be impressive. Then their shields locked into position in one swift motion they slammed down and held their spears above the shield watching the patrol wearily ready for action. They assembled into formation almost effortlessly as one unit. They all assembled into a phalanx with their rolls of spears and shields locked into place.

The captain of the Denae patrol shouted, “Lower your weapons, please.”

Cassandra pulled her spear back and let it fly. The spear arched over the troops and ended up in the patrol captains chest. Cassandra shouted, “Come and get them!”

The Captain fell dead. Another officer marched up and this man looked more powerful. He shouted, “I am Lord Baldic Wensae. We are here to help escort you.

Serinina stepped forward and shouted, “You are a traitor and we don't need your escort. Especially from someone whose character is so low you will support and serve the sister of someone she stole the crown from. We don’t need you here and I don't want your patrol here.

The phalanx moved into position to attack as the bows women stood further back with their bows trained on the Denae patrol. The troops began moving back and retreating from the Amazons and the confrontation ended.

Serinina's mind went back to her sister's war, where she marched her troops across this land to reach Rook's Rock and besiege it. She was successful and they lived mostly like this. They were marching in formation with their Queen. She wasn't a soldier, but it was close. They camped for the night and stopped for food. This was how she wanted to live. She wanted this life, and this freedom, much like her sister wanted it so bad. They camped and ate much like men ripping meet off and stuffing it in their mouth. She was indeed her father's daughter, and this was the life she longed for that was almost stolen from her. They were going to pay.

Then they were on the march again, and it took nearly a week of hard marching to finally make it to their port town. They were allowed to enter as diplomatic dignitaries. The Queen's guards were very protective of Serinina, but the Fawnae guards didn't know her so there were no hostilities as they marched up to the docks to board the ships.

And Serinina was stunned. There was an enormous ship, unlike any ship she had ever seen before. This was a massive ship they were boarding. It was much larger than any ship she had ever seen before. This was no ship built in the Golden Isles. It was an enormous ship 100s of meters long, and it was extremely tall and had one enormous tall sail. It seemed to have a metal ram in the front. The ship set sail and left the port to meet their fleet of similar ships awaiting them and then they all set sail in formation.

Then Serinina saw 100s of enormous wooden oars aligned in three massive rows on each side of the ships poke out and they began rowing at the beat of a drum.

Everyone on the ship was a woman. Women manned the oars, and it was all crewed by women, and led by a woman commander.

Serrinnia was also assigned an oar and she sat in the wooden seat and pulled the enormous oar back and pushed the ship forward along with 100s of other women on three decks. She was on a massive Greek-styled trireme manning an oar.

Her Queen said this trip would take nearly a month and give her a lot of time to increase her physical training as an oarsman on a trireme.