Nori and I began herding Malora further away.
"Let's go for a walk," Nori said. "I'm sorry. I was angry. I thought you were replacing me. Come on; let's go for a walk. I shouldn't have sprung this on you so abruptly."
We pulled her away further, and Ralla joined us.
"Parlomith's here," I whispered. "We're going to go for a walk and calm down. Is Balorie here?"
"She's here," Nori said.
"I'll find her," Ralla said. "We'll meet up at the lover's tree. Queen Malora, go clear your head so we can make the right decision."
"Fine," she said. "And then I'll kill her." She pulled away from us, storming into the woods with Nori and me struggling to keep up with her while Ralla reversed directions in search of Balorie.
Malora lead us to the same tree where Nori had cried in my arms. I looked at her. "Lover's tree?"
She shrugged. "It's comfortable and private."
Malora wasn't ready to settle down, but I grabbed her hand, knelt down to the mossy grass, and pulled her down with me, wrapping my arms around her.
"Malora, I'm sorry," said Nori.
"It's not your fault."
"The voices..." Nori looked uncomfortable. "I wasn't gracious."
"Sit there," she said, pointing to my other side. "I think we both need her. Do you mind, Maya?"
"No, of course not," I said. "I'd offer more skin..."
"We're going to make some vests for you," Malora said.
"Bare arms?"
She nodded. "A problem for another day."
I gave each warrior a hand as they sat on either side of me. I could tell right away the voices were after Malora, and she leaned against me, tangling the fingers of her free hand in my hair. Nori looked over at me, and I told her, "Take what you need." She clasped my hand firmly, her other hand resting against the skin of my neck.
"We'll save the Parlomith discussion for Ralla and Balorie. Everyone has different parts of the story, so we'll tell it once. What else has been going on while we've been away?"
"Benala needs a new companion," Nori said immediately.
"Omie-"
"Benala killed the demon, but Omie took the voice. Physically, she's fine, but Benala had to restrain her to get her back here. Her sister has been helping. All the companions have. Omie has someone touching her nearly constantly. She's going to need a special companion of her own. The current solution is workable for now, and maybe she'll learn to better deal with it."
"We've had others with bad reactions like this," Malora said. She turned to me. "Do you understand? Do you understand our choices?"
"Yes, Malora," I said. "I do."
"We'll have a bonfire tonight and find a way for Omie to announce she has become a warrior. I'll pretend you didn't tell me."
"It will be obvious."
"I know, but we need a proper ceremony."
"Vorine is pissed. She's older and thought she should go first," Nori explained. "For now, Omie has moved in with Ree and Vorine. We'll need a different solution if Vorine becomes a warrior, and it's not fair to her to hold her back from patrols. She's ready."
I had the glimmer of an idea. "May I suggest we come back to that?"
"You have an idea?"
"I want to think about it before I open my mouth," I said with a smile. "Yes, I might."
"All right," said Malora. "What else?"
"That's the big news. Maya, you should let your friends tell you about your snares."
"Trouble?"
"No, not at all. Everything is fine."
"Did they keep up?"
"Yes. If we're having a bonfire tonight, then we should let the companions discuss the snares during the bonfire," Nori said. "We received updated inventory reports from most of the northern villages. I asked Serra to review them, expecting more of the same."
Malora grinned. "Not the same?"
"No. Your trip seems to have worked, at least for this round."
"If they slide backwards, Malora," I suggested, "you can intentionally send them poor supplies."
"I've done that in the past. They don't seem to equate the two actions. But now at least they've demonstrated they know how to take proper inventory, so perhaps they'll understand if I do it again."
"Serra's review was cursory," Nori went on. "Frankly, she does not have the organizational skills to manage this. She can handle her own needs, but asking her to think larger is too much."
"Do you have the organizational skills, Maya?" Malora asked.
"Yes, but I don't have a clue what a village might need. It would take a few years of proper records before I could handle this."
"This village has proper records going back a hundred years," Malora said. "All our villages are the same size, more or less."
I thought about it. "I would want oversight for a year. I think it's too important for a new companion to handle without an experienced warrior looking over her shoulder."
"Serra can help, and you would review your lists with me even if you had all the experience necessary. Do you have time?"
"Do I get paid?"
"Paid?" Nori asked. "None of us get paid."
"We all get paid," I said. "The Amazons take tithe, which is distributed. Tithe is mostly food, which we all eat. That is a form of payment. Many of us wear clothes made from the animals we kill ourselves, but I see cow leather amongst the clothing, and there are no cows in our forests. I see evidence needles are used, and I see strong thread."
"You've made your point, Maya," Malora said. "What do you want?"
"Fishing hooks, fishing line, thread, and while I have never been focused on clothing, I find I have a newfound respect for access to materials to make clothes."
"I just bought you enough leather to keep you busy for months."
"And after that? If I take this on, I don't think I can manage my snares anymore. I have enough rabbit skins for my own needs, but I won't acquire more for trading purposes."
"Who have you been trading rabbit skins with?"
"Me," said Ralla as she stepped up. "And I have your supplies, Maya. I think you'll be pleased."
"Thank you!" I said.
She and Balorie stepped over the roots of the tree and settled down, the five of us forming a small circle.
"Maya," said Malora, "I will make sure the needs you listed are covered. Will you handle these needs for us?"
"Of course," I said. "And I would have found time even if I still had to tend my snares." But then I held up Nori's hand. "But I am being pulled thinly."
Balorie looked between us. She also had no companion of her own. "Maya, I hate to ask. May I rub your feet?"
I looked at her. "You hate to ask? Because they stink so badly?"
She smiled, but it was ragged.
I glanced at Malora and she nodded agreement.
"I would love having my feet rubbed, Balorie," I said. I stretched my feet out, and she unlaced my boots and pulled them from my feet. Then she produced a towel, dampened, and washed my feet. I began to laugh. "You came prepared."
"Ralla's suggestion," she said. She looked at her friend. "Thank you."
Balorie began to massage my feet, and we sighed together. "I could get used to being the leadership council's pet companion," I said with a moan, eliciting chuckles from the rest of them.
"There's nothing left of you to touch," Ralla whined.
"You had her on your horse for hours," Malora said. "Are you really in need?"
I cracked an eye open, and Ralla was grinning. "No, but I feel left out."
"Don't you people use the other companions? Why do I have four of you fawning over me? Not that I'm complaining. Oh, Balorie, yes, right there. Oh my god!"
"For some reason, you're better," Nori said. "Look at Balorie."
I opened my eyes again, and Balorie had the most blissful expression.
"That's from touching your feet. Feet isn't normally anywhere intimate enough to do much," Malora said.
I looked at her. "How bad are you
r voices?"
"Right now? Calming down."
"Without me."
"A lot worse than I realized," she said. "I've killed a lot of demons."
"We all have," Nori said. "Omie is a wreck from one. We're all holding a dozen or more. Malora has at least three dozen."
"All right," Malora said after a moment. "How long has she been here?"
"Three days," Nori said. "She arrived in the evening, after dinner. She insisted on training the younger companions yesterday and today. She said she came with your authority to manage their training."
Malora's expression clouded again.
"Let's hear the rest," I said. "What else do we know about it?"
"That's it," said Nori.
Malora and I took turns explaining what we knew, and what we had already agreed.
"The question is, do I kill her or send her packing," Malora said.
"Or do I take her swimming?" I suggested.
There were chuckles. Balorie felt left out. I looked at her. "Are you a good swimmer, Balorie? Perhaps you would like to wrestle with me in the water?"
"Not now," Malora said. "We're not using that solution. I thought of a swim with you to humiliate her, but I don't want you to become a target. If she comes after you, you won't be able to defend yourself."
"I have a question then. Is she here because she thinks she can saunter in and take over like this, or is she here because she thinks she can saunter in here and. Um. Take over."
"Oh shit," said Balorie. "A challenge?"
"Beating the crap out of me could have been an opening salvo. She may have thought I'd have pushed you away, and you would be a wreck."
"She may hope to destroy confidence in Maya," Nori said, "and convince you to get rid of her. A few weeks of the voices back after her calming them for you, and you'll be at a disadvantage."
"If she saw this, right now," Ralla said, "She would know that plan didn't stand a chance of succeeding."
I glanced at her. "My adoring subjects."
"Or if she saw the way you look at your companion," Nori said, "she would know that plan didn't stand a chance."
"Well, I don't think she's here because she wants to train the companions," I said. "I think it's more than that."
I paused. "I need to ask another question. Nori, release my hand please." Nori let go, but I continued to hold my arm out, turning my hand over. "Imagine I am clutching a rock, and I am wet."
"From swimming," Malora said.
"You are going to pull me from the water, as you believe I am in danger. This is the hand you can reach, and I'm hanging onto a rock for safety. Grab my hand."
Nori immediately grabbed the wrist, reaching underneath so I could grab hers. She didn't even have to think about it.
"Hmm. Release me." She did. "Give me your hand." I moved her arm where I wanted it, then I clasped her hand, pointed towards Ralla. "Same problem, Ralla. Grab my hand."
And she grabbed me by the wrist, lifted my hand from Ralla, and then smoothly offered a second hand underneath mine, giving me a wrist to clasp.
"Balorie," I said. And Balorie effectively did the same thing.
"I'm going to kill her," I said. "She tried to kill me. This is what she did." And I grabbed Nori by the hand.
"That won't work!" Balorie said. "Especially if you were wet."
I explained in more detail, details I hadn't shared with Malora before. "This isn't proof," I said when I was done. "We can't accuse her. In all honesty, it happened very quickly." I began calming down. "I take it back. She may not have tried to kill me. She seemed honestly concerned. I may not have given her time to react. As soon as she pulled my hand from the rock, I scrambled for her."
"If she had let go, would you be dead?" Malora asked quietly.
I thought about it. "I don't know. I was tired. I couldn't have made it back to the same spot or one like it. I was just too tired to do it again. But I may have stayed alive long enough to find an easier eddy."
"I know that river," said Ralla. "I would not have gone swimming there, and I'm almost as good as you are. It's treacherous."
"Maya..." said Malora.
"I was fine," I said. "It was invigorating."
"Kill her," Nori said.
"Is she a good warrior?" I asked.
"Very good," Balorie said.
"Can she beat Malora in a challenge?"
"Not if Malora is at her best," Balorie said immediately.
"I agree," said Ralla. "But if she were weakened, then maybe. She's a fine warrior."
"The Amazons need the warriors we have," I said. Malora smiled at the 'we'. "May I offer a proposal?"
"Haven't you been?" Malora said with a wry smile.
"We have several problems to solve," I said. "We have the issue of Omie's companion. Vorine is serving duty now, but she needs to be treated as a warrior. We have a queen's companion who is a very poor student. We have an unwelcome trainer looking for more opportunities to beat me to a pulp." I paused. "Maybe she thinks she can drive me into running away. Malora, if you let her train me, I'd run. You know I would."
"We'd catch you," Balorie said.
"And Malora would have to whip me, and I wouldn't let any of you touch me again. Does it work if I am unwilling?"
"No."
"All right. Anyway, we have these problems to solve, and it strikes me that they have the same solution."
"Oh?" said Malora. "Do tell."
"I like Vorine and Omie as trainers. Let them work under Nori as the trainers for the younger companions. You will need to supervise, and I do not know if they can do all the training. That gives Vorine responsibility, as consolation for keeping her near Omie and available as a companion at least until we can acquire one for Omie. She loves her sister, and she'll wait. She would probably wait anyway, but this is recognition for her."
The women were nodding.
"That gives you a reason to cut Parlomith loose, thanking her for her offer, but you like this solution for Queen's Town better. It has the benefit of being honest. And you can also state that Parlomith is too valuable a warrior to be wasted training the young companions when there are younger trainers available who can produce results."
"What results?" Balorie asked. "That's what she'll ask."
I smiled.
"That's when we invite her for a swim," Ralla said, laughing. "She doesn't need to know you were kicking everyone's ass even before Omie and Vorine started training you to wrestle."
"We have to be careful with that," Malora said. "You can't humiliate her."
"I'll give her a good match," I said. "I'll let her win at the end." I paused. "I won't stay underwater willingly for more than a thirty-count, so if it's longer than that, you'll know something is wrong." I turned to Ralla. "You need to be there."
"I haven't agreed yet," said Malora. "She's been training the companions for two days. Did she beat any of them the way she beat my companion?"
"None that have complained," Nori said, "and I've been watching. She's rough with them, but I don't think as rough as you described."
"Find out," she said.
"Leave that to me," I offered. "I'll have an answer ten minutes after we get back."
They discussed it. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the physical pampering I was getting. I could get used to being a companion, if it was going to be like this.
"So," Nori whispered into my ear. "Am I forgiven?"
"I'm seriously considering it," I said, earning some chuckles.
"Anything else we need to discuss?" Malora asked.
"Nothing is pressing," Nori said.
"How soon can I send you on patrol, Malora?" Balorie asked.
I opened my eyes, curious about the answer.
"This fall," Malora said. "Can we put it off that long?"
"Why so long?"
"I don't want to go even three days away from my companion right now."
"Oh," said Balorie. "Companion, do you understand the implications of what your warr
ior has just said?"
"Suck it up on the training ground so I can go along."
"Yes."
"You don't need to be good enough to fight a demon," Nori said. "I'd feel better if you'd been tried in a few real fights."
We hadn't mentioned the bandits. I glanced at Malora, and she shook her head just once. Ralla grinned but said nothing.
"We've been gone long enough," Malora said. "As nice as this is, Balorie, you need to put her boots back on her."
"Do we have time for a swim?" I asked.
"We have to wait for that part," Malora replied.
"Just a swim, no playing. And I really, really want fresh clothes."
"With this one, it's always about the clothes," Ralla said.
"I think that is about to get better," Nori added. "The warriors have all paid their debts from their wagers with you."
"Really?" I smiled. "Who can I beg to help me make the clothes?"
"Bea is actually very good," Malora said. "There are better in other villages, but she's as good as anyone here."
"What wagers?" Balorie asked while lacing my boots.
"Are you a good swimmer, Balorie?" I asked her again.
Nori laughed, and we all climbed to our feet. Nori told the story while we walked back to the village.
* * * *
We didn't have time for a swim. Dinner was waiting for us. I managed to grab Bea, Neela and Aura and pull them to the side.
"What did you think of Parlomith as a trainer?"
They looked uncomfortable about answering.
"This is important," I said. "I am asking for Malora. She needs the truth. Did Parlomith abuse you?"
"She's rough," Bea said. "I wouldn't call it abuse. I have a couple of bruises Nori wouldn't have given me."
"Nori is willing to give bruises," Aura said, "but Parlomith seems to enjoy it. I think I have three from her."
"I have four," Neela said. "But one is from Bea."
"She made me hit you. I'm sorry."
"She doesn't use a whip when we run," Aura said. "So that's a little better. But Nori stopped doing that, too."
"They only did that for the first few weeks when I got here," Bea said. "Enough I knew they would, and enough I learned my limits were a lot further than I realized."
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