* * * *
The next morning, Omie asked to remain behind, as did Ralla. I didn't see whom she wished to visit with, but Malora immediately granted leave to them, sharing our schedule. "If it doesn't work out, you can catch up."
We visited four more villages, telling our story, demanding tribute, and accepting a dance at each. And Nori traveled with us. My heart grew heavy, watching this wonderful woman find no companion.
"We will not fill all our needs here on the coast," she said. "Perhaps I will find someone closer to home."
Finally we returned to Gallen's Cove, late in the afternoon. We would depart for home the next morning. We set up our camp on the edge of town, using a fallow field a gracious farmer had offered. Another hour later, and we received visitors. Ralla returned to camp leading a quiet girl named Jasmine. Jasmine was nearly nineteen and had been a student of mine until a few years ago. She had been sweet and gentle, not terribly bright, but I remember her as being kind to the other children.
"Queen Malora," Ralla said, "this is Jasmine. She asks to become an Amazon Companion. I have explained everything to the best of my ability. She does not believe she will be a warrior, and I would want her trained gently."
"She would need to travel with you, Ralla."
"When I visit villages, I travel through the trees, and I have never seen a demon in the trees. When I patrol, she will remain behind. She must be trained as well as your companion was by the end of your first trip with her." In other words, good enough to beat a small group of bandits. "She understands it will not be an easy life."
"Welcome to the Amazons, Jasmine," Malora said. "We leave in the morning. You may bring anything you wish if it fits on a horse."
"Thank you, Queen Malora," the girl said. She smiled at me, but she'd always been shy, and Ralla pulled her away.
And then Omie was there, and with her, Beria and my parents. They sought us out, and then Vorine caught up, dragging a girl of fifteen. I struggled to find her name, then remembered it was Careen. She'd been a handful in class, but I thought Vorine could tame her.
At the last moment, Beria ran to me, hugging me. "I really like her, Maya."
"I do too, Beria," I replied. "Are you coming with us?"
"Maybe."
"Queen Malora," Omie said, "This is Beria, Maya's little sister. She is thirteen and may be willing to come with us."
"I have requirements," Beria said, stepping away and back under Omie's arm.
"Oh?" Malora said.
"Yes. I will go if I may live in the same village as my sister. If I ever become a warrior, I will still want to live near my sister."
"And one other requirement," Mother said.
"Yes. My mother and father must see both my sister and me at least every other year, for at least a week. They will come to the Dark Forest if they are invited."
"Beria, your warrior is welcome in Queen's Town for as long as she wishes to stay, but if she chooses to leave, you would go with her. That is the nature of being a companion."
"She wishes to stay, but only if her sister also stays."
Vorine stepped up and introduced Careen. "I wish to remain in Queen's Town as well."
Malora smiled. "You are all welcome, and if ever you become a warrior, Beria, you are welcome to remain, but you must follow the rules."
"I know the rules," she said. "Omie told me. And she told me she would train me very, very hard, and I may not like it. But I will learn."
Malora turned to our parents. "You are welcome any time, and we will return here, but perhaps less often as time passes."
And then Omie turned to me, and she mouthed the words, "thank you".
She was welcome.
I slipped under my warrior's arm and invited my parents to dine with us.
"No, you will dine with us," Mother said. "You and your warrior and Beria and her warrior, and any of your friends who you would normally dine with. We have a pack of your things to send with you."
"My fiddle!"
"Yes. We kept everything for you, hoping you would return one day. But I see instead we will be coming to you." Mother smiled. "Omie tells us you covet cloth, especially leather. We're sending some for you and your sister to share, and we will bring more every time we visit."
I pulled my mother into a tight hug and thanked her. "I love you so much, Mother."
* * * *
Later that night, when the noises of camp had stilled, and I lay in my queen's arms, I turned to her. "I love you, Malora."
"I am so proud of you, Maya. I love you, too."
"I can't wait to get home. We have been gone too long."
Cast of Characters
Villagers from Gallen's Cove
Maya Softpeace: 22-year-old schoolteacher
Beria Softpeace: Maya's 12-year-old little sister
Alara: Maya's grandmother, a village elder
Juna: a village elder
Morana: 13-year-old girl, becomes companion to Miari
Olive: 14-year-old girl, becomes companion to Narana
Amazons from Queen's Town
Warriors (Companions in Parentheses)
Malora (Maya): Queen of the Amazons
Nori: Malora's most trusted advisor
Balorie: Coordinates patrols for Queen's Town
Ralla: Coordinates patrols between the villages
Benala (Omie)
Chalena (Varda)
Clara (Bea)
Gaylie (Aura)
Karena
Lidi (Neela)
Ping (Sara)
Ree (Vorine)
Companions (Warriors in parentheses)
Aura (Gaylie): New companion
Bea (Clara): 17-years old
Neela (Lidi): New companion
Omie (Benala): Vorine's younger sister, small, fond of wrestling submission holds
Sarra (Ping): head cook for Queen's Town
Varda (Chalena)
Vorine (Ree): Omie's older sister
Other Amazons
Riva (Latari)
Valan (Honna): Chief of Black Oak
Honna (Valan): Companion
Loren: Chief of Two Bends
Meena (Loren): Companion
Mar (Slip): Chief of Northglen
Slip (Mar): Companion
Parlomith: Companion trainer at Northglen
Miscellaneous
Lathana Jara Marquine: The Demon
Chester: Villager of Howard's Den
Dana: Tanner at Howard's Den
About the Author
A writer by avocation, Robin has a renaissance interest in many areas. A bit of a gypsy, Robin has called a few places home and has traveled widely. A love of the outdoors, animals in general and experimenting with world cuisines, Robin and partner share their home with a menagerie of pets and guests, although sometimes it is difficult to discern who is whom.
Robin can be reached via email as [email protected] or found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/robin.roseau. Robin will have a web site soon at http://www.robin-roseau.com.
Other Works by Robin Roseau
All titles available on Amazon
Novels: The Madison Wolves Series
Fox Run
Michaela Redfur is a werefox living a quiet life in Bayfield, Wisconsin. She has a quiet job that gets her out of doors and avoids the werewolves as if her life depended on it. Which it does.
That all changes early one morning when Lara Burns, the Madison Wolves alpha, introduces herself, much to Michaela's chagrin. Lara explains to Michaela that "we only want to talk", but when a werewolf comes knocking on a tiny, delicate foxes' front door, Michaela knows talking is the last thing in the wolfy mind.
This novel is 93,000 words and is the first in in The Madison Wolves Series.
Fox Play
Having now agreed to a commitment relationship, Michaela and Lara turn their attention to a new threat. Durian, alpha of the Chicago wolves, wants Lara's pack for himself in order to replenish his dwindling powe
r.
In the meantime, Michaela faces her fears built from the past while struggling to find her place in the pack.
Fox Play continues the story first begun in Fox Run. This is a novel of 95,000 words.
Fox Mate
Michaela Redfur has been accepted into the wolf pack as their fox, and a wedding with Lara, the alpha, is in the planning. But being accepted into a close-knit clan is not simply a formality. There are rites of initiation and you know you are truly accepted when the dark and ugly is accepted along with the good.
In Fox Mate Michaela, the lone and orphaned fox, finds out how acceptance works - wolf-style: some rough play, lots of love especially when a pack- member is in need of help.
Michaela struggles to hold things together and find peace in time to save the wedding.
This is a novel of 110,000 words. The novel deals with traumatic issues from Michaela's past and contains some graphic violence and scenes that may be disturbing to sensitive readers.
Fox Afield
Lara and Michaela depart on their honeymoon, combining a vacation into an opportunity to practice diplomacy with another werewolf pack. Their honeymoon is interrupted by a frantic phone call to Michaela from an old friend.
The wolves along with Greg Freund's team rush back to Wisconsin to right a wrong, but the clock is ticking.
Michaela and the wolves must go undercover to solve the mystery. In the meantime, Lara's overly-protective nature fires, leading to stress between Lara and Michaela.
This novel of 90,000 words is the fourth Fox novel.
Fox Revenge
Lara is pregnant with twins, and Michaela is fiercely protective. This turns out to be a very poor time to take in a refugee from a neighboring wolf pack, and things grow more difficult when the neighboring alpha demands the wolf's return.
The resulting troubles put Michaela on the opposite side of the issue from Lara, Elisabeth and the rest of the pack, adding stress to all relationships.
This is a novel of 84,000 words.
Fox Dish
While pack shows its delight with the arrival of Lara and Michaela's babies, Michaela vows to keep Celeste and Rebecca safe from all directions. This includes dealing with old enemies.
Michaela's actions have unexpected results, landing Michaela in a fight for her very existence, squared off against everyone she once thought was a friend.
This 80,000 word novel is the sixth in the Madison Wolves series. It completes the story arc begun in Fox Revenge.
Other Novels in the Madison Wolves Universe
Familiar
Moira is able to see something few others see: the aura that surrounds people. What she doesn't understand is what it all means. And then she meets Arianna, who definitely knows what it means.
Arianna recognizes Moira's unique gifts, and she isn't going to let them go to waste, regardless of Moira's consent.
This is a novel of 75,000 words.
The Five Kingdoms
Privateer
Rani Karden finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and becomes a victim of the "civilized" wars of the Five Kingdoms. Along with her brother's wife and children, she finds herself held hostage for ransom aboard the privateer Fleetfoot. Sorri Westmere, captain of the Fleetfoot, sets out to tame the fiery redhead, but she is soon captivated herself.
Striving to teach Rani that being a hostage isn't as bad as it might sound, Sorri learns that perhaps her choice of careers is an impediment to personal happiness.
Privateer is a fantasy novel of 140,000 words and is the first in the Five Kingdoms series.
Other Novels
Fitting In
Nicole is a 33-year-old, introverted computer programmer dealing with her own difficulties. At a party hosted by her best friends, she meets Alexandra, slightly older, beautiful, and athletic in a way Nicole could never be.
Sparks fly, but their differences, coupled with the stress of meeting the family, drives the two apart. But the stubborn Alex isn't ready to give up, in spite of Nikki's fears.
This is a novel of 93,000 words.
Tresjolie
Tresjolie is a distant, backwater planet, and Wanda Waverly is the new imperial governor. Governor Waverly is very driven to change the planet from backwater to thriving member of the empire.
The people of Tresjolie are not so happy with her plans, which leads to conflict.
While dealing with the conflict, Wanda meets a native, Audra Flying Lynx. Audra is kind and lovely, and Wanda decides mixing pleasure with her life of otherwise all-business, all-the-time sounds pretty good. Up until Audra kidnaps her and forces her to a tour of the planet to see what exactly the Tresjolians are trying to protect.
Tresjolie is a novel of 97,000 words.
The Interrogation
Bethany from North Carolina is about to lose her job, as her company has been sold to a much larger company in Silicon Valley. She spends the weekend in The Bay Area prior to a Monday morning job interview only to meet the dark and dangerous Katrina.
Katrina is a domme and introduces Bethany to a world she's only imagined in her darkest fantasies.
This novel is 61,000 words. This story features sex between two women, bondage, domination and submission.
Lost in the Words
Jessie Mack is a writer living with her two dogs, the students from the nearby college, and the characters in her novels. What she has in her novels she lacks in her ability to maintain a basic human relationship. She hasn't had a lasting relationship in decades.
Fumiko Hayashi is the aunt of one of the students from the college. She sees something special in Jessie. But even Fumiko's patience is tried when Jessie gets lost in the words.
This is a novel of 75,000 words.
Novellas
Stark's Dell
Relocated to the isolated farmhouse of her stern grandmother at age 5, Emily struggles to find friends...until she meets Dee Dee. Older and wiser, Dee Dee guides Emily through childhood and adolescence, sharing Emily's deepest secrets.
But Dee Dee has secrets of her own, and it isn't until it is nearly too late that the two friends discover that what they feel runs deeper and lasts longer than even they can imagine.
Stark's Dell is a long novella of 50,000 words.
The Emergency Claus
While engaged in overly-playful reindeer games, Santa Claus broke his leg. Now it is up to his daughter, Tabitha, to deliver the Christmas presents.
Tabitha has never been interested in the family business and would much rather run her own consulting business based out of Chicago. She is even less interested in marrying some nice young boy to take over as Santa, but there are some nice (and perhaps a few naughty) women she finds more intriguing.
It all comes to a head when Allison catches Tabitha in her role as Santa.
This is a novella of 25,000 words.
Short Stories
Cooking for Love
Deb saw herself as short, dumpy, plain, and boring, a former housewife and repressed lesbian who had tried to fit into the expected norm. Her husband had left her three years ago, and in spite of her best friends' efforts, she hadn't had a date since.
Jocelyn was a gorgeous woman with cropped but stylish blonde hair, sharp features, and an athletic build. In other words, the perfect woman in Deb's eyes, and the last woman Deb would expect to want her.
Cooking for Love is an 8000-word short story.
Southern Night
Vacationing in Australia, Amber meets Jackie, several years Amber's senior. Amber finds Jackie commanding and alluring and instigates a meeting.
Southern Night is a short story of 5,000 words.
Amazon Companion
Copyright 2013 by Robin Roseau
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate th
is book in any format.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.
* * *
License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Amazon Companion Page 45