DEFINING MOMENT

Author's Note- I loved this film and found the character of Artemisia very interesting so this is a deeper look into her. Artemisia's POV. I own nothing. All rights go to their respective owners, As always, reviews are appreciated. Hope you enjoy! X

PROLOGUE

My heart is cold but my mind is strong. I am unbreakable. Nothing can affect me but I was not always this way. My name is Artemisia and here is what you didn't see...

CHAPTER 1

I was born in Greece. Yes, I know; a Persian warrior and commander but with Greek blood running through her veins. I was only six years old when the hot blood raped and murdered my entire family. A young girl watching all this chaos and destruction, it does something to the mind. Sometimes it breaks it and other times it strengthens. Once my family were killed, they turned their attention to me. I was just a girl, a young girl at that. Tears flowed from my blue eyes and the fear than ran through me was something I could not hold back, no matter how strong my mother had taught me to be. I screamed before the Greek soldier's boot lashed out at my fragile form.

I begged and pleaded with them to let me go. They would not and I was a prisoner under the deck of their ship for years, untill the age of sixteen. On that God forsaken vessel I was abused beyond anything I'd ever known. Broken limbs were made to heal on their own, blood dried on my face where I had been disciplined because I refused to do something they wanted me to. It was usually vulgar and unsanitary. I lost my virginity to a deck hand at the age of fifteen. A big, burly man who was sloppy and had no regard for my well being but then none of them did. I tried to escape a few times but they chained me up so I could not move. I could not even defend myself when the men came down to me, drunk and full of lust, looking to try out the only girl on the ship.

Eventually, the hot bloods grew tired of me and dumped me on the Persian shore. I crawled away from the sea, afraid that another ship was come by and use me for the same ends. I finally collapsed in a Persian city and was content to lay there untill some guard would decide to kill the Greek girl. I closed my eyes and waited.

The sun beat down on me and my throat ached with the dust from lack of water. I heard footsteps stop beside me and I opened one eye to look up at a tall, imposing black man. This was it, he would draw his sword and end my suffering. Instead, I felt his arms circle me as he lifted me from the ground and started carrying me. I blacked out in his arms. When I heard horses walking about, I came to and looked to see that I was being carried into a Persian palace.

He said something to me and then I blacked out again. Over time, I learnt that I was not to be killed or used as a servant and that was the day a sword was placed in my hand.

My mentor was kind but he was strict and saw potential in me. I wanted so badly not to feel weak and vulnerable so I trained hard, fought hard and completed any challenge he set me. I had been training for a while when I noticed the King Darius looking down on me, watching me as I attacked and parried with some of the other students. My mentor stood at his side;

"Who is that?"

"Artemisia."

"Where did you find her?"

"Abandoned on the streets."

I saw my mentor turn to the King and smile slightly with his arms folded.

"She is of Greek origin."

The King looked down at me again and I fought harder, attacking quicker, jumping back and making my moves faster and more vicious, even going as far as to cut my opponents, making them surrender to me.

"She has much anger in her."

"And by using that, she will defeat anyone who steps in her path."...

As I grew, I became stronger and more resilient. On the day of my twenty-fifth birthday, I recieved a message from the King. He requested my presence in the throne room. I went there straight away and knelt before my King. I noticed his son, Xerxes standing by his side; a handsome man and a distraction if I had not been so focused on my training.

"Artemisia, your mentor tells me you are exceeding the other men."

I stayed silent. Self recomendation was no reward.

"I have a challenge for you. Go to the far ends of the country and seek out all who think they can compare themselves to me. Once you have found them, kill them. Spare no one."

I nodded and stepped back froom him.

"Artemisia?"

I stopped. There was something else.

"Have you had the pleasure of meeting my son?"

I forced a small smile onto my face and bowed low again.

"I regret to say I have not. It is an honour to meet you, my Prince."

He gave me an easy smile.

"And you. We have heard great things about you Artemisia, I have never seen my father so impressed."

There was a slight hint of venom in his voice but it was not directed at me.

"Surely you are the best fighter our Kings has ever known." I said, stroking his ego.

He bowed his head and King Darius looked a little disappointed.

"Alas, I am not like my father. I like the luxury of being royalty but not the hard gratf that comes with it. But perhaps you would like to teach me someday?" He suggested, that smile crossing his lips again.

"If the King permits it, I would be happy to."

Darius smiled brightly. "Of course I would permit it! The skills of a warrior are not based on how high she is born or wether she be a woman, if she can fight, she can fight. That is all there is to it."

I felt pride swell up in my chest but I could not let that distract me. I looked at Xerxes one more time before seeing him as a man rather someone I had to respect and serve.

"Kind words my King, now I wish to fulfil your challenge."

He nodded and let me go. I gave them both one last bow before leaving the throne room to ready my horse.