by Robin Roseau
Becoming
I loved being an Amazon. Oh, it was hard, especially at first, and I missed my family. But I had Maya. Although I was closer in age to my brothers, of all my siblings, I loved Maya the most. She was the one who always protected me, and she was the one who held me when I cried. And so I had Maya and quickly made more friends.
In the evening of the day after we arrived at Queen's Town, there was a ceremony. Maya took all the new companions aside before the ceremony and talked to us individually. I don't know if she told the other new companions what she told me, but she said, "Beria, this ceremony is very important. The details need to remain a secret to you, but if your warrior tells you to do something, you must do it without hesitation."
"Of course, Maya," I said.
Up until the ceremony, I'd been wearing my own clothes. Twice during the trip from Gallen's Cove I asked Omie when I would get my own Amazon clothes. She told me, "When I'm ready to give them to you."
And so I'd asked Maya if I could have some, and she told me, "Your warrior will see to your needs, Beria." And then she frowned at me. "You already asked her and didn't like the answer you gave her."
I looked down. "Was that wrong?"
"It's no different than asking Mama for permission to do something, then going to Father when you don't like the answer Mama gave you."
"So are you Mama or Father?" I'd asked her with a grin.
She hadn't answered that. "If you don't understand something Omie tells you, you can ask me about it. But I expect you to tell me when you've already talked to Omie."
"I'm sorry, Maya," I said, and I was. I hadn't thought of it that way.
And so I arrived at Queen's Town, still dressed in my clothing from home. Vorine and Omie showed their hut to Careen and me. Omie was right; it was small. It wouldn't be too bad for one warrior and her companion, but it was going to be cozy for all four of us. The beds were big and consumed much of the available space. On the other hand, the beds were big, and there was ample bedding.
Vorine saw Careen and I eyeing the space and said, "If Maya can get us building supplies, then it's temporary."
"It's great," I said. I made a point of stretching. "Much better than the tent, and a lot more places for spiders to hide."
Vorine grinned at me, as I'd told the story of Omie and the spiders over a bonfire during the trip here. Omie made a disgusted noise and said, "You can learn some of your companion duties right now, Beria. There is laundry to do."
The next day was the ceremony. She took me to the pools. I was a little self-conscious about it, but we bathed each other, then Omie dressed me in a simple, white shift. I helped her into her clothes. Then she braided my hair in the Amazon style, and I braided hers.
It was at the ceremony she gave me my first Amazon clothes. I loved them.
"Congratulations," she whispered to me while hugging me. "You are now officially an Amazon." She slipped her fingers against the back of my neck and buried her face in my neck. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
* * * *
Being an Amazon was hard.
Omie had warned me, and so had Maya, but even with their warnings, I wasn't ready for the first day of training at Queen's Town. After breakfast, but before training, Maya pulled me to the side and said, "Beria, today when we train, you mustn't quit until your warrior gives you permission."
"I know, Maya," I told her.
"If she tells you to run faster, you must run faster."
"I know."
"The first several weeks were the worst for me."
"Maya, I know," I told her, a little annoyed.
My sister heard my tone and frowned.
"I'm sorry," I told her right away.
"Be careful with that tone, Beria," she warned me. "You can get away with me in private, but if you try that on Queen Malora or Nori, they'll make you regret it. And it will break her heart, but Omie can't afford to let you get away with it, either."
"I said I was sorry," I snapped at her.
She backed away, holding her hands up. "Remember what I said." And then she joined her warrior in the grass. Omie called me over as well, and then it was time to stretch.
Stretching wasn't bad. Omie had already taught me the exercises, but Nori taught them fresh. We stretched, and then Nori declared it was time to run. Everyone climbed to her feet and set off. "Maya, set a pace for the companions, please. Bea, you may run with the companions or with your warrior."
Bea was one of the companions. All told, there were fourteen warriors living in Queen's Town and nine companions, but that day, four of the warriors were on patrol along with two of their companions. I would meet everyone over the first week. Bea chose to run with the companions.
Nori set a pace for the warriors and my sister for the companions. She set a brisk pace, although at first I didn't have any trouble keeping up. I was surprised when Omie ran next to me. "You aren't running with the warriors?"
"For now, I run with my new companion," she said. "Keep up with Maya." I glanced around and saw Vorine running next to Careen and Ralla with Jasmine. I was surprised to see Malora running with Maya, but halfway around the field, she picked up her pace and caught up to the warriors, pulling into step alongside Nori.
We went once around the field, and then Maya said, "Faster now." Immediately she pulled a few steps ahead of me, Jasmine and Careen also lagging while the other companions easily kept pace with my sister.
"Keep up," Omie said. "Beria, keep up!"
I stepped it up, struggling to catch up to my sister.
Jasmine was tall and lanky, with long legs, and she seemed to struggle less than Careen and me. We made it twice more around the field, but when Maya began a fourth circle, I thought I was going to die. Careen and I both slowed down.
"Keep up!" Beria said, and from the other side of Jasmine, I heard Vorine urging Careen to greater speed. "Beria you won't like it if you don't keep up. Maya is running slower than she is supposed to, Beria. You can keep up."
I tried, but I couldn't catch up to my sister, and Careen wasn't doing any better.
That was when I heard a "crack!" from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, and I saw Queen Malora, coiling a whip. She reached out with it again and it went "crack!" immediately behind me. She hadn't touched me with it, but I yelped in surprise.
"Those were warnings, Beria," Omie said. "The next one won't be."
"She-" I panted, "-wouldn't!"
To belie my words, the next crack of the whip was right across my ass. I yelped in surprise and put on an immediate burst of speed, struggling to catch up to my sister. A moment later, there was another crack, and Careen yelped.
It took me another half of the circle, Malora cracking the whip behind us, not quite touching us, but the promise was there if we slowed down. I caught up to my sister, and when I glanced over, I saw Careen had caught up as well.
"I warned you," Maya said to me.
I didn't have words to tell her what I thought of her right then.
We ran.
Careen and I both earned one more crack of the whip, and Jasmine earned one, too, but only one. I thought I was going to die long before they let us stop running.
But I didn't die.
I wasn't sure I could sit, either.
They let us catch our breath, which took several minutes, and then Nori stood in front of the newest companions. "We know you don't understand why we're so cruel, but all of you heard Maya's story about the demon."
I glanced at my sister and raised my hand.
"Yes, Beria?"
"What does running have to do with my sister's story?"
Maya turned to me. "If the Amazons couldn't run long and hard, the demon would easily have made it to the portal with me."
"Oh," I said in a small voice.
I vowed then and there I would run as hard and as fast as I could.
"Vorine, what are the new companions learning today?"
Vorine moved in front of us. "The new compan
ions will be learning staff every morning for the next several mornings. This afternoon, we'll learn wrestling." She grinned at my warrior, and I saw Omie grin back.
Omie and I had already been wrestling, and I had learned how much she loved it.
"Tomorrow afternoon will be swimming lessons," Vorine went on. "The warriors are welcome to join us." Then she looked at Neela, Aura and Maya. "The three of you will train with the new companions. The older companions may train with us as well, and we would love to have them, or if their warriors prefer and Nori allows, they may train with the warriors."
"Vorine," said one of the warriors. I couldn't remember her name. "Did you have preferences for Bea?"
"She is welcome for staff training in the mornings," Vorine said. "But she will learn more with the warriors. But for wrestling and swimming, I hope she will join us."
Bea grinned and nodded to her warrior, and the woman said, "Then that is what we will do."
"All right," Vorine said. "Maya, will you show the new companions the equipment shed, then bring staffs."
Maya climbed back to her feet and turned to us. "Come." She didn't wait but immediately set out for a shed set near the training ring. Omie helped me to my feet and sent me after my sister. I ran three steps and caught up to her.
"I'm sorry I was snotty earlier, Maya."
"Already forgotten," Maya said. She wrapped an arm around me and gave me a hug. "I know it's hard."
"Yeah, but now we get to do the fun part!" I grinned at her and was surprised when she muttered under her breath.
We arrived at the shed. Maya opened the door and stepped aside, pulling me with her. "Older companions, please grab staffs, then I'll give a tour to the new companions." Maya, Jasmine, Careen and I waited for the other companions to grab what they needed, and then Maya led us into the shed. It was cozy with four of us. "As you can see, this is where we keep the training equipment. It is currently neat and tidy, and I expect it to stay this way. As a companion, one of your duties is to retrieve the practice weapons for both you and your warrior and return them here when done. You will put them where they belong, and do it properly."
"Yes, Maya," I said immediately, echoed by Careen and Jasmine a moment later.
"Now, you've already been told this, but it bears repeating. The order of command amongst the Amazons is Queen Malora, and then your warrior, and then any warriors assigned to a position of responsibility-"
"Like Nori?" I said.
"Yes, like Nori or, when you finally go on patrol, the patrol leader. And after them comes me. Do you each understand?"
"Yes, Maya," I said immediately, to be echoed by Careen and Jasmine.
"In reality, Queen Malora rarely orders the companions to do anything. I, however, will be far more direct with you, as I am responsible for the duty roster. Now, look around this shed. It is not only tidy, it is clean."
I glanced briefly.
"No," she said. "I told you to look around. Do it." And so all three of us spent a moment or two looking around the shed. It was remarkably clean for a storage shed. "It is this clean because I cleaned it myself yesterday afternoon. It is nearly impossible to avoid dragging in grass and dirt, and cleaning the shed falls under the duties of the companions. The companions that were here while I was gone, recruiting the three of you, did not clean the shed. When I saw it yesterday afternoon, I was quite livid, and when I show you the duty roster later, you will see the results. I normally assign myself to the same duties I assign the other companions, doing my fair share, but you will see my name does not appear a single time, and the companions that were here are sharing my duties. Do you all understand the implication?"
"Yes, Maya," we all said.
"All right," I said. "Staffs are there, as you see. You will grab two, one for yourself and one for your warrior." Then she set her hand on a bin. "This bin is for equipment that is in need of service. Every time you return something to the shed, you will inspect it, and if you feel it may need attention, you place it in this bin. I will then see to it. Now, the reality is, I'm not always qualified to tell if something needs repair, and so Malora or Nori help me, but that is not your concern. It is also good practice to briefly check the weapons you pull from here to make sure they are sturdy. Now, one at a time, come forth and collect two staffs."
Jasmine stepped forward first, carefully pulling out one of the staffs and looking at it briefly.
"Generally speaking," Maya said, "You can feel with your fingers." She pulled a staff and demonstrated, running it through her fingers as she pulled it from the bin. "Go ahead and grab a second one, Jasmine, then you can run to your warrior."
Careen was next, and then I stepped forward, but Maya stopped me. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, Maya," I said. I grinned at her. "Do I get to hit you with a staff?"
"Probably not. They don't let me practice with just anyone." She looked embarrassed about it. "Grab your two staffs. We've been in here too long."
I grabbed the first, running it through my fingers. "There are some dings," I said.
"Show them to your warrior," she said. "They're probably fine. They get a lot of dings. We're more worried about cracks."
I nodded, grabbed another staff, and turned for the exit.
"I'm glad you're here, Beria."
I turned around and smiled. "Me, too." Then I turned and ran out of the shed, hurrying to Omie.
I loved training with the staff. Omie and Vorine started over with the basic lesson, and I was surprised that Maya, Aura and Neela did everything the newest companions did. When I quietly asked Omie about it, she said, "It's always good to study the basics."
"You had to correct Maya's stance."
"Only a little," she replied. But then she nudged one of my feet slightly further forward as well, and I grinned at her.
We worked for a solid two hours, and at the end, I could barely lift the staff. I worked only with Omie, and she gave me several bruises when I was exceptionally sloppy, but when we were done, she pulled me into a hug. "Very well done, Beria," she said. "Go put our staffs away, and then it's time to run."
I didn't even complain. I ran as hard as I possibly could, staying next to my sister the entire way, and I didn't earn any additional stings from the whip. From the sounds, Careen couldn't say the same thing.
"Don't get cocky," Omie told me. "Maya is taking it easy on you today. If she doesn't step it up, I'll let Bea set the pace tomorrow."
Maya must have heard her, because she sped up, just slightly.
I didn't know how Omie could run alongside me and talk at the same time. It was all I could do to breathe.
* * * *
Before lunch, Maya collected Careen, Jasmine and me from our warriors, leading us to the entrance to the kitchen. Just inside the door was a board, and I saw there were several duty rosters there.
"This is the patrol schedule," Maya said. "None of you will need to worry about this for some time. This is the main duty roster." She pointed to two sheets of paper. "It is set for two weeks. Every morning, Serra crosses out the previous day. I made this duty roster last night, to begin today, so nothing is crossed out yet." She turned to each of us. "I'll explain the first several days for you. Beria, you will see your name under 'Lunch'. That means when we finish here, you report to Serra in the kitchen and do whatever she tells you. Jasmine, you are on dinner duty. The days I have dinner duty, I check with Serra immediately following the afternoon training. Some days she wants me to help right away, but normally she doesn't need me for an hour and sometimes not for two."
She turned to look at us, and we nodded understanding.
"Tomorrow, Careen has lunch and Beria has dinner. Jasmine gets a few days off from kitchen duties, then she has lunch again. Can you all see?"
"Yes," we said. It wasn't complicated.
"The other duties you can expect to see are stable, pools, and firewood. And I already explained about cleaning the storage shed. The first few times you have any of these d
uties, you will do them with me. Because the other companions have been assigned to my duties for a week that means all of you get a short break as well. Count your blessings. But you will see that next week, your names begin to appear along with mine."
She looked around at us. "It is your responsibility to check the duty roster and see to your duties. You will not like it if you require reminders. If I make changes in the middle of the cycle, I will warn you, but otherwise you should check the roster and make sure you understand it."
"Yes, Maya."
"All right. This sheet-" and she pointed. "Is how your warriors reserve you for other duties, so that I don't assign you. Jasmine, you will see that your warrior has already written your name down beginning late next week. You will see that the other companions have their names listed based on the patrol duty."
I raised my hand. "Are we allowed to trade duties?"
"Yes," she said, "but you are not allowed to pressure anyone to trade with you. If you have a conflict, you may ask someone to trade with you, and once you settle in, you can expect people to ask you to fill in for them as well. It is considered reasonable to trade for scheduling conflicts. It is discouraged to trade because there is a duty you do not care for. If you have a conflict that you cannot resolve by asking someone to trade with you, you see me. If I cannot accommodate your request, then you are stuck with the assigned duty at the assigned time. If your warrior has a problem with that, she will hopefully come to me first, and if dissatisfied, Queen Malora." She looked around. "That never happens."
She studied us. "Questions?"
"What about the duties to our warriors?" Careen asked.
"You fit those in around these duties," Maya replied. "Your days will be full, especially if your warrior has a backlog of mending to do." She smiled at that, and I wondered if there was a story behind it. "I did mending for months to catch up, but I was doing it for Queen Malora and Ralla while also making more clothes for myself."
"Ralla told me about that," Jasmine said. "She told me to talk to you about it."
"No more questions?" Maya asked. We shook our heads. "Then I will stress this. I assign these duties to myself, and you will normally see my name on this chart at least as much as anyone else. I do not respond well to grumbling. We all eat. We all use the pools. We all do our share."