Amazon Chief

by Robin Roseau

  I helped Joelle from my lap. She took her sister's hand.

  "Thank you, Zora," Lia said.

  Zora nodded. "Arden and I will see you off in the morning. Make sure you leave instructions with us for how we may contact you. Family should stay in touch."

  And then she turned around, making sure the girls were following, and headed for the door.

  "Wow," I said.

  "She lost a battle," Lia said, "but she knows she has won the war. She gets the house to herself now."

  "You trust her with your children?"

  "She has been a shrew, but she is not stupid. She knows if she upsets them, she will have screaming children. She is quite capable of being charming when she wishes to be, and she will charm them right to sleep."

  Maya returned to her fiddle ten minutes later. Another musician appeared, also holding a fiddle, and the two of them took turns playing. Maya learned some new songs, and it also looked like the other player taught her a few tricks with the fiddle. Between the two of them, they played late into the night.

  It was a wonderful night.

  Challenges

  Our return trip took longer than the trip to White Pine had taken. We rose early in the morning to depart, the companions readying the horses. Zora pulled Lia aside, and I learned later Zora told her sister-in-law, "If you do not come back, I will send the rest of your things with the spring tithe. I am sorry we were unable to find peace together, but I do wish you the best." When Lia repeated it to me, I thought Zora had been gracious and was pleased Lia and her daughters were departing on as good of terms as would have been possible.

  Arden provided a single packhorse. We distributed the extra packs between that horse and our other packhorses, but we had come prepared, and the horses were not over-burdened.

  Maya offered her horse to Lia; she could ride with Malora. But Lia admitted to having very little experience with horses. So instead Lia and her daughters rode with this Amazon or that one, changing off at each stop. Throughout the next six days, I sometimes found myself riding alone. At other times I might have Lia or one of her daughters with me.

  It greatly amused me to see Nori with Annalise, the youngest. Nori was incredibly gentle with the girls. I caught Rora smirking at her more than once.

  Even Malora carried the occasional passenger, talking animatedly with whoever rode with her.

  But neither Lia nor her girls had spent time in the saddle. We were forced to travel more slowly than we normally would, took more frequent breaks, and didn't ride as late into the afternoon. It was cold as well, but spring was approaching, and we didn't experience the bitter cold that had visited us just a few weeks ago.

  The girls actually found it a grand adventure, although the long days wore on their nerves. The adults were challenged to keep them entertained. They were sweet girls, and so they were well behaved, but the long days wore on them.

  However, the early stops gave us opportunity to train. Malora had declared me as our group leader with the words, "It's good experience for you," and so each afternoon, after conferring silently with Malora and Nori, I called a halt, picking campsites with access to water and, when possible, more shelter than just our tents. With all of us working together, it took little time to prepare camp, and then we would have time for an abbreviated training session.

  We had planned ahead to some extent. We didn't have enough practice weapons for everyone at once, and we didn't use our real weapons during training, but we had two practice swords and two staffs. We taught Lia and her girls how to stretch and how to run. We let them collapse early while the rest of us ran enough to get our blood moving. On the third afternoon, Lia found a chance to sit next to me while Nori demonstrated with the staff.

  "Even the queen runs."

  "Of course."

  "And even at her age, she runs far faster and far longer than I do."

  "She is an inspiration to all Amazons."

  We taught the girls how to use the staff. They were too long and heavy for them, but they did their best. Maya used her real staff for demonstrations but switched to a practice staff when there were blows to exchange.

  "I remember this," Lia said. "Badra and Gini taught Tamma and me a little. At the time, it seemed like we were learning to be such ferocious warriors. But I know it was just the beginning." She turned to me. "Did Gini find a companion?"

  "I'm sure she did," I said. "Maya may remember."

  "Were you an Amazon by then? Do you know?"

  "If Maya was there, then yes. I became a companion the year after Maya did, so it would have been one or two years later. I was living in Queen's Town learning from my warrior."

  "All right, you two," Nori said, looking at both of us. "If you're going to distract the class with your talking, you can be first."

  "Oops," I said. "We're in trouble now." I laughed and jumped to my feet, then helped Lia up. We collected the practice staffs, and I helped her with the lesson Nori had been teaching. Nori watched for a minute, then she began to berate me.

  "What has happened to your form, Beria?" She offered several points of criticism.

  "Hold," I said to Lia, and I stepped back. "Nori, perhaps you would care to show me the error of my ways."

  Nori raised an eyebrow, and I heard Maya snicker.

  "You're falling off balance and leaving a hole. Lia isn't going to see it, but you know I am."

  I transferred my staff to my left hand, thrust out my hip, and settled my right hand on it, looking at her. Nori stared at me for a moment.

  "Beria," she said, "you know I'm right. It's as plain as day."

  I continued to stare at her.

  "Fine," she said. "Lia, I will take that staff. Don't get too comfortable. It's time the upstart learned her place."

  As soon as Nori's hand was on the staff, Badra spoke up. "I would place a wager on my village chief."

  There had been a certain amount of snickering, but everyone drew quiet.

  "I will do it five times," I said. "If you manage to score a point any of those five times, you win," I told her. "None of your other points count."

  "What are you wagering, Badra?" Malora asked.

  "Anything you desire, Queen Malora," Badra said.

  "I have a bear hide," Ralla said.

  "Ralla, no," I heard Jasmine whisper, but Ralla shushed her, whispering into her ear. I glanced over, and she appeared mollified.

  "I also have a bear hide," Badra said.

  "Mine is from a brown bear," Ralla said. Brown bears were very rare and much larger than a black bear. To an Amazon, that hide would be priceless.

  "I cannot match a brown bear hide," Badra said.

  "I have a brown bear hide," I said.

  "No," said Malora. "This is too dear a wager."

  Ralla moved closer to her, and the two whispered back and forth for a moment. Finally she looked up at me. "Do you wish this wager?"

  "I would not have offered any wagers," I said. "I don't like taking advantage of my friends, after all. But if that is what Ralla wishes to wager, I will accept. If she wishes to lower the wager, I would accept a smaller wager or allow Badra to do so."

  Malora raised an eyebrow. I had just made an incredibly arrogant boast. "Everyone here saw the opening Nori identified, Beria."

  "I saw it," Jasmine said.

  "I didn't," Lia said, earning gentle snickers.

  "I withdraw my objection," Malora said. "Nori, please put this whelp in her place. Do you also wish to offer a wager with me?"

  "I wouldn't want to leave Badra out of the fun," I said.

  "I will wager my bear skin against Beria's," Ralla said.

  "Badra, I've been collecting rabbit skins again," Maya said.

  "Eight against a deer hide?" Badra offered.

  "Six?" Maya counter-offered.

  "All right," Badra said. "Six."

  "And what shall we wager, Beria?" Malora asked me.

  I turned to her. "Half my hair."

  She stared at me.
/>   "No," said Maya. "Malora, don't take that wager."

  "I have little else," I said. "Hair grows back. Half my hair. You will have to cut it for me. I won't be able to do it. I know my hair carries small value to you, and so I offer a symbolic wager. But if you would rather have a deer skin, I have those."

  Malora climbed to her feet and moved to stand in front of me. "What are you doing?" she asked very quietly. "For that matter, what is Ralla doing offering such an exorbitant wager?"

  "Ralla is retiring," I said. "She is either finding a way to give her skin to me, knowing I will need it more than she will, or she is taking mine because she needs funds to resettle."

  "Ralla wouldn't do the latter," Malora replied.

  "Perhaps she believes I know what I'm doing," I said. "Or perhaps she feels I need to be put in my place. Perhaps I have been growing arrogant."

  "I do not like wagers of this size, Beria."

  "I didn't not start the wagers, and Badra wasn't offering more than a deer skin."

  "You know the only skins I receive are gifts."

  I grinned at her. "Fine. Pink hair."

  She laughed. "Implemented at the end of this trip. I do not wish to present you with pink hair to half the villages."

  She stepped away. "Beria and I have reached agreement. One of us will be wearing pink hair at the conclusion of this trip, to be refreshed as necessary for a month. And don't think I didn't notice the arrogant whelp offered odds. She has far, far more hair than I do."

  "Ah, but I am only a village chief, and you are a queen. I believe your hair carries more value than mine." I looked around. "Any more wagers?"

  "I would wager on my village chief," Lia said. "I don't have anything to wager, however."

  "Companions frequently wager duty shifts," I said. "But that only works when they share a village."

  "We will have laundry to do upon arrival home," Rora said. "If Nori wins, Lia will do our laundry. If Beria wins, then I will do Lia's laundry."

  "Which includes Beria's," Malora said.

  "She has two children; I have one warrior," Rora pointed out. "And I will need to teach her how to do the laundry, unless someone else does so." But then Nori whispered something to her, and Rora added, "However, I accept your stipulation, Queen Malora. Her laundry, including her children's, and her village chief's."

  "Well," Nori said. "Unless there is to be more wagering, I should put the whelp in her place."

  "You make no wager, Nori?" I asked. "Afraid to put your skins where your mouth is?"

  "You, little whelp, are wagering our honor. I believe that is sufficient wager."

  "So be it," I said. I stepped further away from her and lifted the staff. "Whenever you're ready."

  She came after me. We exchanged blows for a moment then backed off. When next she came after me, I offered the opening she had complained about. She immediately took the opportunity, but I blocked her strike and stepped back.

  "That was one," Malora said immediately. "Four more."

  "Just because you blocked it doesn't make it a good habit," Nori said.

  I shrugged and lifted the staff.

  She came after me, and I let her push me backwards, then shifted past her, tapping her with my staff on the way past, then turning to face her.

  "Damn it," she said, rubbing her ribs.

  "Oh, I didn't hit you that hard."

  "That's not a point," Malora said.

  "I never said it was." But I kept my eyes on Nori. She followed me, swinging, and after her third strike, I gave her the opening again, making it just a tiny bit bigger. She took the offer, but instead of a proper strike, I trapped her staff and rapped her wrist, although not very hard.

  "Go ahead and shake that out," I said. "I'll wait."

  "Two points to Beria," Malora said. "Stop messing around, Nori."

  "I'm not messing around," Nori said. And then she shook her wrist out, flexing her fingers before gripping her staff again. She didn't wait but came straight for me.

  We traded blows for a moment, and she managed to whack my arm, significantly harder than I had hit her wrist.

  "No point," Malora said.

  "Go ahead and shake that out," Nori said. "I'll wait."

  I shook the arm, rotating it around, then gripped my staff and grinned at her. I swung for her with little warning. It wasn't meant to connect; I only wanted her to think I was sore at her for the bump on my arm. We pushed back and forth, and then I offered the opening. She refused it. Ten seconds later, she refused a second time.

  "Hold," I said, stepping back quickly. "Malora, I said I would offer it five times. That makes four."

  "I didn't see it," she said.

  "I did," Maya muttered, but it was said quietly I could ignore it.

  "Nori-" Malora said.

  "One point," Nori said.

  "No," I said. "No points, but we're not doing this all afternoon until finally I make a mistake."

  Nori held her staff to the side and stepped closer. "Did I miscalculate?" she asked quietly.

  "No," I said just as quietly. "It's a real hole."

  "It's an intentional hole."

  "Of course it is. I really would like to know if you are able to take advantage of it. That's all I wanted, Nori."

  She nodded. "Show it to me a couple more times, and after that, we'll see."

  "Thank you." I stepped away. "Queen Malora, I would like to change our wager."

  "Oh, I don't think so."

  "I do not care to see my queen in pink hair," I said. "If I win, then I want you to order everyone to silence."

  "Agreed," Malora said immediately.

  I lifted my staff and waited for Nori. We traded blows and counterblows, neither of us connecting. I showed her the opening twice more, then we separated. "Got it?" I asked. She nodded.

  She almost got me. Almost. I managed to block her, but barely, and we froze at that point, standing very close to each other, somewhat tangled together.

  "Almost had you, but that's the best I've got."

  "I could still make a mistake."

  "Three points," Malora said.

  For the fourth point, I tangled her staff then flipped her over my hip. We froze with the end of my staff resting on her sternum, her staff safely tucked underneath my armpit. She blinked up at me.

  "Four points," Malora said quietly.

  I helped Nori up. She dusted off for a moment before lifting her staff.

  The last exchange was lengthy, but then I offered the opening, and Nori took it. There was a scramble, and we ended up with our bodies pressed together, but her staff made a clear thud against my ribs. Everyone would have heard it. We froze.

  "Point to Nori!" Malora said with pleasure.

  Nori stared into my eyes. "Is that what I think it is?" I nodded. "If I hadn't pulled it, I'd have cracked your ribs." I nodded.

  We separated, just a little, my back to the other Amazons. Nori looked down between us. I had a practice dagger pressed against her stomach.

  "I never even saw it," she said. "You could have gutted me."

  I nodded. "I wasn't sure. Nori..." I wanted it kept a secret.

  "You couldn't use it in a practice bout, you know." I nodded. "I'll need to tell Malora." I knew that. I slipped the knife back inside my tunic and stepped away.

  "Point and wager to Nori," I said.

  "Why?" she mouthed.

  I glanced at the kids. I trusted everyone else, but I didn't know these children. I turned back to Nori, and she nodded understanding.

  "Like I said," Nori said firmly. "Impudent whelp."

  "I guess you were right. I'll have to work on it." I turned around. "Who is next?"

  * * * *

  "Walk with me, Beria," Malora said later that evening. I climbed to my feet, and she put her arm around me before pulling me from the camp. "I'll have to dye your hair," she said once we were well out of camp. "You offered to let me cut your hair. And you were intending to lose."

  "The story will g
et around," I said. "Maybe the version of the story that is most spoken will exclude the fourth point where I flipped her. But I wasn't planning that far ahead, Malora. I had intended to win, but when the flip worked, I decided I needed to know."

  "And you don't want anyone else to know."

  "If I ever need that, it's going to be against another Parlomith, Malora. If the kids weren't here, I would have accepted the win. The rest of us can keep our mouths closed, but they're eight and ten, and I might sit on this for ten years before I need to use it."

  "Challenges are almost always steel, Beria."

  "Almost always is not always."

  "You lost large wagers for a secret you may never need."

  "But if I do, it's worth the bear skin. And we haven't had pink hair in a long time. I'm sure I'm owed for some prank never assigned to me. Let Omie do it."

  "Pink hair makes up for a lot of spiders." Malora chuckled. "All right."

  "Does Maya know?"

  "No."

  I paused. "Malora, it's worth a bear skin to me to let it get around that Nori is still better than I am."

  "It's a price you shouldn't have to pay."

  I shrugged. "It's Ralla and Jasmine. Consider it a retirement gift. I don't know how much I owe Ralla, anyway. Surely I owe her far more than one bearskin. Will they keep it, or will she trade it?"

  "I'll make sure she keeps it," Malora said. "They'll think of you every cold winter night."

  "Tell them when I come to visit, they can move it to my bed." She laughed.

  * * * *

  We finally arrived at Lake Juna. I offered to Malora to let them head straight to Queen's Town, but she said she wanted to see Lia settled in. And so we rode into Lake Juna shortly before dinner, some three weeks after departing, and we still had half our original trip remaining.

  The village was pleased to see us, and we were greeted warmly. Lindara took my horse from me. She had a little help moving the horses to the stable, but she must have offered to settle all of them, because a moment later, Tamma and Lia reappeared. Tamma began giving Lia a tour of the village.

  Glorana and Frida appeared, took one look, then Frida disappeared in the direction of the kitchen while Glorana continued towards us. I presumed Frida would tell whoever was cooking to put on more food.