Autumn approached. I had trained hard, but I would forever remain incompetent. Malora told me over and over again she was proud, and I felt like I had settled in.
But then both our names appeared on the duty roster under the section labeled, "Patrol."
I stared at it for a while, unsure how I felt. And then I turned around in search of Nori, finding her in her hut.
"I'm not ready. I'll never be ready."
She smiled. "Not as a warrior. No. But Malora needs to go on patrol, and she needs you. You will not need to fight. You will only need to soothe. There are many jobs during patrol, and it is time you learned them."
"Does Balorie know?"
"Of course. You'll be fine, Maya."
And so, the day of our first patrol drew close. The night before we were to leave, I was nervous, and Malora understood. I took her to our hut after dinner, turning on a lamp to low, and I looked at her.
"I want to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"You used to tease me that you wanted to kiss me."
"Yes, I did."
"And that you wanted to... touch me."
"I touch you often."
"Don't be coy, Malora."
"All right. Yes."
"Was it only teasing?"
"No. It was not only teasing."
"You stopped teasing."
"I know."
I turned away from her. "You stopped teasing about when the pink faded from my hair. And perhaps you stopped when I last wore pink paint on my lips. Do I need to paint my lips pink for you to tease me again."
She came up behind me, resting her hands on my shoulders. "Maya, I stopped teasing you because it hurts too much when you say 'no'. I was teasing you, but I was torturing myself."
I turned in her arms. "My queen, I love you. Please kiss me."
I didn't have to ask twice. She pulled me into her arms fiercely, lowering her mouth to mine, and it was the most divine taste. I melted into her arms, and I felt like I had never been kissed before.
It was not a long kiss, but it was filled with hunger and promise. When eventually she released my lips, we stared into each other's eyes.
"I do not know what to do next."
"You say one word. Yes. Or no."
"Yes."
She kissed me again, and then when she released me, she began pulling my clothes from my body, kissing me as she exposed more skin, and her mouth was heaven against me. She pushed me back to the bed, still fully dressed, and lay down atop me, kissing me, her hands touching me, not the intimate places, but her fingers were hungry, and I wanted all of her, I wanted her everywhere.
"Let me watch you undress," I said, "and then make love to me."
And she did.
* * * *
We made love not once, not twice, but many times that night, until, very late, we lay entwined together, and my heart was full.
"I have loved you since we met," she said. "I have wanted you since we met. I have wanted your maddening body and your lips, pink or otherwise."
"Was I worth the wait?" I asked.
"Yes."
"I am...unpracticed."
"You require more training," she said, and we chuckled together. "You please me beyond compare, Maya."
"I loved feeling your weight over me," I told her. "That was my favorite."
"Oh?"
"Well, I loved when you let me. Um. Taste you. Maybe that was my favorite."
"I enjoyed that, too."
"I thought that's what those sounds may have meant." I grinned at her. "I liked when you did that to me. That was my favorite."
"You have many favorites."
"I like lying here with my head on your shoulder," I told her. "Maybe that is my favorite."
"No, I don't think so," she said.
"I think, Malora, that anything I do with you is my favorite."
She played with my hair. "You need to be disobedient again."
"You liked it pink?"
"I liked being able to see you in the dark."
I laughed. "I knew you liked it pink."
We lay together for a while before she said, "Maya, it is possible in the morning you will have regrets."
"No."
"It is possible this was your fear about tomorrow."
"Tomorrow picked the night, but I picked this a long time ago, Malora. I was only waiting until I was sure."
"Sure?"
"That I was never leaving."
"Oh Maya!" she said, holding me tightly. "I have waited for those words."
"You haven't waited for me to declare my love?"
"Okay, I have waited for those words, too. But I knew that."
"Did you?"
"You show it every day."
"So do you," I said. I grinned. "Can we do it one more time?"
"Insatiable!"
It turns out, we could.
* * * *
In spite of the late night, we woke early, still entwined. I'm not sure if she woke before I did, but when I opened my eyes, I saw I was holding one of her breasts. I had done that before, but this time, I began to tease the nipple, grinning.
"We don't have time for that," she whispered to me.
"For what?" I asked innocently. "I am only seeing if you are awake."
"I am awake," she said.
"Will we be able to do this tonight?" I asked. My fingers hadn't stopped playing.
"I'm afraid not. We must be vigilant." She tried pushing my hand away, but I clasped her breast tightly and refused to let go. "Stop that!"
"If we can't do it tonight, or tomorrow night, then I'm not moving until we do it again this morning."
She laughed, flipped me onto my back, and together, we began to move.
We were still moving some time later when Balorie said from outside the hut, "Malora? Are you in there? You're late."
"Um. We're a little busy," Malora said.
I gasped with what she was doing.
"We'll be a few more minutes."
"Twenty!" I said.
Balorie chuckled. "We'll wait."
It was a half hour before we emerged, and when we did, the entire village stood outside our hut. Nori stepped forward. "How long has this been going on?" she asked.
I looked at the sun, then at Malora. "I'd say fourteen hours."
She looked at the sun. "That sounds about right."
"Fourteen hours," I answered. "Although I think we slept for a few in the middle."
And they all began to whoop.
"It's about time," Omie announced.
"Quite," agreed Malora. "Um. We should clean up a little more."
"Go," said Balorie. "I don't want to smell sex off the two of you for the next three days.
* * * *
We got a very late start, but when I apologized to Balorie, she said, "Are you kidding? None of us could be more pleased. You two are so good together."
"Who is in charge on this patrol? You or her?"
"I am, and she'll follow my orders. You'll follow orders from either of us, but I won't tend to order you. I'll order her, and she'll order you. You will do the last thing either of us tells you, or any other warrior, for that matter."
"Yes, Balorie," I said.
"We probably won't see anything exciting. Demons are rare, and there are no bandits. We haven't had one all summer, except for Omie's. But if we do, you will stay out of it, and under no circumstances do you draw attention to yourself."
"Yes, Balorie. I'm no fool."
We had experienced warriors with us: Balorie and Malora plus Ping and Chalena. Varda was along as well, so there were two companions.
The first day was uneventful. We rode east, leaving the forest and moving onto the dry, scrubby plains between the forest and the mountains. That was where we met with the team led by Ralla with Ree, Karena and Gaylie. Aura looked excited, the end of her first patrol and the only companion on the trip. She and I hugged.
"It was boring, a lot," she said, "but fun, too. I sat watch with G
aylie. It was scariest at night, because we couldn't see very far, but Gaylie told me we had nothing to fear."
Balorie and Malora received a quiet status report from Ralla, and then they headed west while we headed east.
We traveled an hour onto the plains, coming to the top of a low ridge, but we could see for miles and miles after that.
"We pause here and watch," Malora said to me as we descended from our mounts. "This part you can help with." She stood me on the top of the ridge, wrapping her arms around me. "Look in one direction, really search it." She gave me ten seconds. "Now, move your eyes right, just a tiny bit, and search there." And slowly, spending nearly a half hour, we scanned the countryside before us.
"The demons do not bother hiding," she said. "If there was one out there, it would be moving, and we would see the movement."
"I see a herd of antelope."
"Where?"
I pointed then described the location.
"Good," she said. "Balorie?"
"I see them," Balorie said. "Fancy fresh meat tonight?"
All the warriors had bows. I didn't bother bringing one. I was worthless with it, anyway.
"Who gets the skin when it's four of you hunting it?" I asked.
"Five," said Varda.
"The one who saw them first," Malora explained.
I laughed. "You were all waiting for me to say something first?"
Balorie laughed. "Yes, but you were the first to say something, but that also means you're the one who has to skin it, which means you'll be the one who has to go for the swim afterwards."
I wasn't sure what the deal was about that, but I wasn't going to complain.
We climbed back on our mounts and began to stalk the antelope, but keeping an open eye for demons the entire time.
"Don't grow complacent," Malora told me an hour later.
It was Varda whose arrow took down the antelope, but they left me to gut it. We couldn't stop moving, so we threw it over one of the packhorses and kept traveling, returning to our patrol path.
That evening, after setting up camp, I skinned the antelope. While I worked on the skin, they butchered the animal and began to roast some of the steaks. The scent was intoxicating, and my mouth was soon watering. I cleaned my new skin, but we then used it to wrap the rest of the meat for travel.
We camped beside a small lake, and I went for my swim afterwards. It was cold, brisk, but I found it refreshing and was disappointed I couldn't lure anyone in with me.
We settled down after that, a rotation for the watch set with two warriors on watch at all times. Malora and I cuddled together. I wanted to talk, but she told me to sleep, caressing my hair to soothe my body, and we fell asleep together. But then it was no time at all before Balorie was waking us for our watch.
Malora told me how to keep watch at night, and we sat together, touching, but focused on our task. She reminded me to use my ears as much as my eyes, perhaps even more so. Our watch went without incident.
The second day began simply with a normal camp wakening for the day. People were a little tired, but we soon got moving. We all did a scan of the bleak countryside with the mountains in the backdrop, and then we mounted up and moved on.
Malora quietly talked to me about keeping up the scan. "Your horse will follow along and doesn't need you to lead it," she explained. "We need your eyes. But if your horse grows skittish, that is something you respect."
The morning was uneventful, but that was all to change.
"Balorie," said Chalena. There was a sound to her voice.
"I see it," Balorie said. "Malora."
It took Malora a moment. She and I were both looking towards the west, and the trouble was to the east. She found it, then she worked her horse closer to me and quietly told me where to look.
"I see... something. What is it?"
"Demon," she said.
I stared. And stared. And stared. Until that moment, I wasn't sure I had believed them.
Then Balorie had everyone in motion. "Varda," she ordered. "You will stay with Maya. If the demon gets past us, you will climb on your horses and set off for home, and you will not stop until you get there. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Balorie," we both said.
"Malora, left flank. Chalena, right flank. I have the center. Ping, you are stopper."
I didn't know what any of that meant.
Everyone slipped from her horse. The warriors began moving towards the demon, which had noticed and changed directions towards us. "You two, put the horses in a line, but be ready to leave," Balorie ordered, setting Varda and me to work.
We finished quickly then I turned and watched, my heart in my throat. "They're real," I whispered.
The demon was closer, and I could see it. I couldn't judge distance, but even from this distance, it looked huge.
"Yes," Varda said from beside me. "They're real. You didn't believe?"
"I don't think I did," I said. "Oh my god, it's so big."
"Eight or nine feet," she said, "not counting the horns, and four to five hundred pounds. Some are bigger."
I studied it, my hand over my mouth. It was big and completely naked, the skin golden, almost iridescent. In a way, it was beautiful and frightening at the same time. It ran on two legs and had four arms, which was disconcerting. I could see the horns. I couldn't tell how long they were, not at this distance, but they were black, projecting out of its heads in a spiral, and I thought the sun glinted off the tips.
"The horns look sharp."
"Razor sharp, but the claws are worse," Varda said.
"Varda, there are only four of them! And it's huge."
"And strong," she said. "Four is plenty. Demons are big and run fast, but their reactions are slow. Both Balorie and Malora have fought demons solo and come away without a scratch. Ping is good, and Chalena isn't bad."
I watched as the four Amazons arrayed themselves against the demon. Balorie and Ping strode forth together while Malora worked her way to the left and Chalena to the right, separating by perhaps a hundred paces.
The demon bellowed a challenge and began loping towards Balorie. Balorie strode forward, looking exceedingly confident, her sword at the ready, and Ping dropped back.
"Why isn't she helping?"
"She's the stopper. If it gets past Balorie, then Ping stops it. She's the fastest runner. If it engages with Balorie, which it almost certainly will, the other three will close in."
The demon bellowed again, facing first Malora and then Chalena, then continued loping towards Balorie.
"You must stay quiet now," Varda said. "If you scream, it considers that a challenge. Let the warriors handle it, but if I tell you to run, grab your horse and go. I'll be right behind you."
I'd do whatever she said right then. I was terrified.
The demon moved closer to Balorie, and I realized each step ate ten or twelve feet.
"It's so fast."
"In a run, yes," she said. "But slow reactions. Watch now."
Balorie screamed a challenge, and the demon screamed back. I saw Malora and Chalena angling, closing off the escape routes for the demon, running faster now, and I understood why we ran so much in training. I would never complain about that again. If I were Balorie, I would want to know the warriors on either side of me could run.
Ping continued to hold back, and the demon lowered its head and charged at Balorie.
I began biting my hand, trying to hold in the screams.
"It's so big, Varda. It's so big." I shoved my hand back in my mouth and clutched her with the other hand.
"I know," she said. "I was scared the first time I saw one, too."
The demon roared as it charged Balorie. She stopped, waiting for it, dancing on her feet, but just before it reached her, it sprang upwards, jumping well above her, and then it thundered past her, heading straight for us.
"Oh shit!" said Varda. "Get out of here!"
I ran for my horse, Varda a half second behind me. I freed Fleetfoot f
rom the line and climbed on top of her. She was skittish, and she spun on me, then froze.
And I saw Ping leap for the demon, slicing it cleanly with her sword. The other three warriors were converging on the demon. But Ping's leap took her off balance, and the demon slapped her with a backhand.
Even from here, I heard the crack of a broken bone, and Ping flew across the ground before coming to a stop.
"Ping!" I screamed.
"Oh damn it!" Varda said. "Get going!"
The demon stood, staring at Varda and me, and it screamed back. But then Malora screamed at it, and from behind the demon, Balorie screamed a challenge, and then Chalena, and the demon spun.
I tugged on Fleetfoot's reins, but the horse stood there.
Malora ran past the demon, getting between the beast and us. And then Balorie was on it, and Chalena, and Malora screamed at it.
The demon swatted weakly at Balorie, who ducked and scored a slash along its leg. Then it looked at Malora, screaming at it, then it looked up the hill at me.
Then I saw it smile. It smiled!
It turned tail and bounded away, far faster than the warriors could pursue, disappearing in moments. I stared after it.
"Stay," Varda yelled at me, and I stopped fighting my recalcitrant horse.
The warriors watched after the demon for a moment, then Balorie and Malora rushed to Ping. Balorie yelled something at Chalena, who hurried to us, stopping in front of us and turning around with her sword out. I realized Balorie had sent her to protect us.
"Ping?" I asked.
"She's moving," Chalena said. "I think her leg is broken. She'll live."
"They're real," I said.
"Damned real," Chalena agreed. "Keep your eyes open. I've never seen a runner before. It may double back."
Then Balorie hollered, "come," and Chalena told Varda and me to bring the horses.
I climbed from mine, who had calmed down, and together Varda and I led the eight horses, including two pack horses, forward, stopping short of where Balorie and Malora were helping Ping. Chalena continued to stand watch.
Malora straightened up, staring at me. Balorie said something, and Malora hurried to us, grabbing a first aid kit from a packhorse. "I'll talk to you two when we've settled Ping." She hurried back to Balorie, and I watched as they worked on her leg.
"Will she be okay?"
"It should heal," Chalena said with a glance. "It looks like a clean break."
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