by Robin Roseau
"And both their chiefs wagered?"
"They did."
"Well," said Lia, "That's all right then." She thought about it. "So whether or not Beria wins today, I won the wager?"
Nori nodded. "But Beria is going to win today. Isn't she?"
"Yes," I said. "She is."
"What will the division of skins be?"
"Well, I believe Jasmine said something like, 'those girls are going to split thirty skins'. So that would be half to first place, then probably twenty rabbit skins to second and the last ten to third, or five each to Tenda's and Lilith's chiefs."
"I'm going to get seventy-five deer skins?"
Nori smiled. "Yep."
She turned to me. "I am a far, far better hunter than you are, my sweet!"
I laughed. "When I go hunting, I fill our bellies."
"Pshaw. You just bring home more work to me, and I'm the one who actually fills our bellies." She turned to Omie. "You know, she doesn't even butcher them. She makes me do it."
"I figure you have a particular way you want it done, dear," I replied. "I wouldn't presume."
"Did you even teach her how to butcher a deer?"
"Um," said Omie. "That would involve knowing how myself. Hey! I taught her to catch the deer. I taught her to clean it and dress it out. I taught her how to get it home. And I taught her how to deliver it to the kitchens after divesting it of its all-important hide. What happens after that isn't my concern."
"What I am wondering is this," said Nori. "While you and Meena were negotiating over deer skins, why didn't you ask your warrior if she brought any?"
Lia turned to look at me then narrowed her eyes.
"Hey," I said, "not once did you ask."
"How many did you bring?"
"I didn't have five." I grinned. "I do now though. Well, if my sister parts with my half."
"So you have five?"
"Um."
"How many do you have?"
"I brought four. I used two but got back five. So now I have seven."
"Huh," she said. "That's pretty good. Seven deerskins. I have seventy-five."
Nori chuckled.
"Whatever am I going to do with seventy-five deer skins?"
"Trade them," Nori said. "Talk to Maya about it. Or just hang onto them. Even if your warrior never hunts another deer, you'll be set for a long, long time."
"What I would do," said Omie, "is take them out and count them. In front of Beria. Slowly."
I chuckled. "Gloat all you want, my love," I said, "but I will point out you earned those seventy-five skins by wagering on me."
"I picked a winner." She laid her head on my shoulder.
"I think I picked a better winner," I replied.
She smiled. "If you keep saying things like that, I'll let you touch my deer skins."
"Maybe we should do that now," I said. "I would love to touch your skin, dear."
Nori let out a short bark of laughter. Lia took one of my hands and pressed it to the front of her neck. I sighed in happiness.
I let the conversation flow for a few minutes but then said, "Can we walk?"
We could.
* * * *
A while later, I got a report from Tenda.
"I scoped out the Knotty Oak campsite."
"Oh?"
"Someone didn't sleep well, and she was moving slowly."
I smiled.
"How's the leg?"
"Bruised. Sore. I'll be fine."
"Don't let her hit you again."
I smiled. "Good advice. Got any that I might be able to apply?"
"She twists her right foot when she's about to lunge, and she sort of milks the staff with her fingers when she's about to make a particularly heavy swing."
I hadn't noticed either of those.
"Congratulations, by the way. Well, congratulations to your village chief."
"For what?"
I explained about the wager. She smiled. "I didn't know. Well, I knew about the wager, but I didn't know I was sharing third place with Lilith for it. That's good company."
"Yes, I agree. I didn't get to fight her."
"Neither did I. She would have beaten me."
"Probably me, too. I know some of the tricks she does, but she's a lot better at it than I am."
"I won't keep you," Tenda said. "Maybe we can share a glass later."
"How do you feel about Haldara?"
"She's a good woman."
"Grab Lilith then, too, and our companions."
"Perfect." She started to step away but then turned around. "Beria."
"Tenda?"
She studied me. "Nothing, I guess."
"Yeah, me too."
Haldara found me a few minutes later. She wrapped an arm around me. "Where are your lovely daughters?"
"I have no idea," I said.
She bent her head lower. "I noticed yesterday. She tips her head to the side when she's about to feint."
"I thought I saw that, but I wasn't sure." Then I told her what Tenda said.
"I didn't notice either of those, but if Tenda did, then it's true."
"We're grabbing a mug later. You'll join us, right?"
"Wouldn't miss it."
"If you see Lilith, tell her."
"I didn't get to fight her," Haldara said. "It would have been interesting."
"I think the four of us need to get together. Tenda and I both said the same thing."
"I can't fight Tenda," she said. "I'd break her. That was real nice what you did yesterday."
"Keep a secret?"
"Sure."
I leaned closer. "Tenda threw the match at the end. She had me beat five-three if she wanted."
"She didn't want to fight me or Jalad. But you would have beat her with staff, so it worked out."
"I just wanted you to know. Don't share it with anyone. Malora and Nori know, and that's it, unless Tenda tells someone."
She nodded. "She's a good Amazon."
"Yes, she is."
Five minutes later, Lilith found me. "Haldara said you were looking for me."
I grinned. "Share a mug with us later?"
"I wouldn't miss it." Then she leaned closer. "She gets brutal when she's mad, but she also gets sloppy." She shrugged. "I bet she's going to start brutal. Watch her."
"Tenda and Haldara both want to fight you."
She laughed. "I'd like that."
"I think you'd beat me."
She considered it. "It will be fun to find out, but no, I think against two swords, you would win. Staff or one sword, yeah, I think I'd beat you."
"Have you wrestled with the warriors here?"
She grinned. "Yes, some. Bea spent the entire time giggling. She didn't care I beat her."
"Sounds like Bea. How did you do with Omie?"
"Good matches," she said. "One-one. I wish I could have wrestled Nori or Malora, back in the day."
"Please don't say that any louder."
"Of course not," she said. "Malora remains queen until she chooses to retire. You've got her covered openly. We all saw. But if it ever came to it, you won't be alone."
"It's not the Amazon way," I said.
"I don't particularly care," she said. "Do you?"
"No."
We clasped hands, and she promised she'd be around for that beer.
Omie sauntered up. "Just a few minutes," she said. "Malora wants you to come in from the left side, nearest the village. Jalad will arrive from the right furthest from the village." She handed me my swords, and I began limbering up with them and stretching out once more.
I was hiding how the leg felt. It hurt, and I was a little concerned about it, but I could fight. From Tenda's report, Jalad might be a little stiff, but I wasn't going to assume anything. I'd do my best to make it a short fight and watch for treachery.
Lia appeared and slipped under my arm. She took my swords away and handed them back to Omie, then she pulled me to her. A moment later, I felt my sister as well.
"How are you doing?" Maya asked.
"They're quiet," I said, "but thank you." I clasped them both to me. "I love you both."
"I can't stay," she said, "but take what you need first. And watch yourself, sister. I don't trust this one."
"No one trusts her."
Maya held me for another minute or two before stepping away.
"Where are our daughters?"
"Bea and Haldara have them. They'll keep them until this is done. Tell me the truth. Should I be worried?"
"No. You'll get your skins either way."
"That's not funny!"
"I'll be fine. She's going down five-zero. Trust me."
"I don't care about the score as long as yours is the five and you come to me undamaged."
I laughed. "But you don't care about the score."
She leaned up and kissed me. "I love you, Beria. You are my hero, and I don't say that lightly. I have never felt as safe and protected as I do with you. I feel warm and loved, and I've never felt that at all. And mixed in with all that, you're also a generous lover and an amazing mother. My daughters are happy, and that's in large due to you."
"You made them into girls that know how to be happy," I said. "And into girls that everyone loves. Thank you for sharing them with me." I paused. "I didn't ask. Was she good in the kitchen?"
"Aren used the word 'angelic'. You saw."
"She could have been horrible before we got there."
"She asked me if she could help out more in the kitchen back home. She asked about being assistant cook. If I do that, I have to take her off some of the other duties or it won't be fair."
"You are the chief's companion. As long as what you're doing is deemed fair by everyone, and she at least spends some time on the other tasks, then I don't care. But she still takes care of her own horse."
"I want you to step up her training."
I hadn't expected that. "How much?"
"Stop just short of being a demon. She's ready to be treated like a companion, not a child."
"Annalise isn't."
"I'll trust your judgment, Chief Beria."
We cuddled for a few more minutes, but then Omie said, "It's time."
I kissed Lia once more then stepped out of her embrace. "Hold still," I told her, and I put a hand on her shoulder, using her to steady me, and then I stretched my legs out once more. "Thank you."
Omie handed me my swords. I took a deep breath, and I stepped into the ring.
Final Match
Jalad was moving stiffly. I smiled.
"How's your leg?" she asked. "I wouldn't want to win because you weren't up to form."
"Don't worry," I said. "You won't."
Queen Malora said a few words. It was a familiar speech, things she'd said so many times before. But it never hurt to be reminded.
Amazons were protectors.
She drove the point home more than she usually did, but I didn't mind. That's what we were. We were protectors. I was happy with that label. I was real happy with that label.
I watched my opponent for a while, but it was impossible not to be drawn to Malora, and from time to time, the audience.
I saw Lia standing with Omie and Maya. Bea was there with Joelle, and Haldara had Annalise on her shoulders. I wasn't sure they should be here for this, but evidently Lia was okay with it.
What surprised me was the number of weapons I saw. Maya had her staff, her real staff, slung across her back. Omie had both of my real swords. And when I looked around, I saw everyone I trusted was carrying steel. Oh, it was casual. No one had any weapons drawn. But they had them handy.
What did Malora think? That Jalad would be that poor a loser? If she were, I'd handle her. And Malora had slowed down, but she was still damned good. I didn't think anyone alive could stand up against the two of us.
I tried not to worry about any of that. I had a fight to win.
Malora finished her speech amid cheers. I had to admit, it was pretty rousing, and I cheered with everyone else.
Then she addressed Jalad and me. "This has been a good tournament. Let's give everyone here a good final match. Show them the best the Amazons have to offer."
"Of course, Queen Malora," I said.
Jalad just nodded.
"If you're both ready," Malora said. I raised my swords. "Fight."
I didn't wait for Jalad. She was moving forward, but I closed the distance sooner than she was expecting. She tried to jab at me with her staff, but I stepped beside it, and I used the flat of my blade to hit her across the side of the head. I continued past, finishing the spin with my swords up.
"Hold!"
Jalad turned to me slowly.
"Beria, what did I just say?"
"It was the flat, Queen Malora," I said. "And I pulled it besides. But if you felt that was an unfair point, I understand."
"Point to Beria. One-zero. Ready. Fight."
Jalad waited for me this time, and so I paused just at the edge of her reach. She swung at me, and the tip of her staff passed just in front of me. Both my swords came down as hard as they could on her arm. Then I danced away.
"Hold! Point to Beria. Two-zero. Fight."
Jalad came after me, and she came after me hard, swinging her staff rapidly. I backed away quickly, but I knew exactly where the whipping post was. I knew Jalad could see it and hoped to back me against it in surprise. Instead, I let her think that but then stepped around it just at the last instant. Her staff slammed loudly into the wood, but I continued spinning around and dropped each of my swords on her arm twice then across her back twice more.
"Hold!" Point to Beria.
And a whole lot of glares from Beria's opponent.
Malora started the fight. I blocked two strikes from Jalad's staff. They actually were reasonable strikes, well coordinated, and she was set to pull them if I failed to block them. Then I pushed her backwards, lunging repeatedly then standing up. She cocked backwards with the staff but it bounced off the whipping post, distracting her, and I scored a long slash across her arm.
"Hold!" Point to Beria. Four-zero.
It had been a good point and not cruel, but Jalad turned to me, and I knew she was done behaving. Malora called the fight, and she began swinging fiercely, wild strikes that would have crippled if they landed. I waited, and then she cocked her foot. I immediately lunged from well outside of lunging distance, but she was already committed with her own lunge. She slammed herself into the point of my sword while I brushed the end of her staff past my body.
I immediately danced backwards. "Hold!" Malora said.
I watched Jalad carefully. She eyed me then stood up straight, standing her staff on the ground by her side, held in just one arm.
"Point, match, and tournament to Chief Beria of Lake Juna!" Malora declared.
Jalad eyed me, and I didn't take my eyes from her.
"Good fight," she said. "Good tournament. Congratulations, Chief Beria." She offered a tiny bow of her head and stepped backwards five steps.
I was actually rather surprised. She was being gracious.
"Thank you for the tournament, Queen Malora," Jalad said. "It was well organized, and I faced highly worthy opponents."
"Thank you for attending, Jalad," Queen Malora replied. "You are an impressive warrior."
"I'm good with a staff," she said. "The demons do not fear me so much with a sword." She offered another small bow then turned and exited the training ring.
I turned to Malora, lowing my swords. She was beaming broadly at me. Then we each stepped together and hugged. Moments later, everyone else was there, too, voices raised in congratulations. I felt Lia and Maya, and I heard Haldara pushing people aside so Annalise could lean down and hug my head.
I got hugs and kisses and congratulations from every direction.
I felt a little numb, actually. I had performed well, but so had others, and I wouldn't have been here without Tenda's grace. Nor was I sure I would have beaten Lilith.
"All right," Malora b
ellowed. "We can offer more congratulations in a little while. There will be an awards ceremony this evening. I understand the companions have a variety of events for this afternoon. But we have one more event here this morning, so I need all of you to clear out of my training circle."
I turned away, but she said, "Chief Beria! Not you."
I froze, grinned, and turned to face her. "Me?"
"You," she said. "Come here."
She led me to the center of the ring then pulled me close to her.
"I'm so proud of you," she said.
"Thank you, Malora," I said. "I had a lot of luck, and a lot of help along the way. You know that."
"Yes. One generation helps the next. Nori and I have been training you very, very carefully since the day you arrived. You and a few others, but it quickly became apparent it was to be you."
"Me?"
"Beria, I'm tired. I'm old. A queen shouldn't need to be protected from another Amazon. I'm ready to retire. I need you to challenge me."
No!
I screamed the word. "No!"
"Listen to me," she said.
"No! Malora, no. You are queen-"
"You always said, I was queen until I decided to retire."
"But not yet. Not yet! This is foolish. You are an amazing queen. I don't know the first thing about it. I can be your warrior. Anyone who wants to challenge you has to get past me first. And I'm not alone. Lilith said the same thing. Everyone loves you."
"I'm tired, Beria, and that's not the Amazon way. I know for a fact that at least three warriors standing here right now, watching us, who will challenge me today if you don't do it first."
"Who? I'll kill them."
"I won't say," Malora replied.
"I can't, Malora. I'm not ready. I'll never be ready."
"You're ready. Beria, listen to me." She pulled me closer. "I have been training you for this. Not just for the fight, but for everything. Why do you think you are a village chief? Why do you think at the same time you are also the patrol coordinator? I raised you here, and I made sure you were fit to rule. You're like me. You are just like me. You are a protector, and I want the next queen to be a protector. It has to be you."
"Maya will kill me."
"Maya knows. She's known for years. Do you remember? She and I fought about sending you to another village. I wasn't going to tell her why, but I had to. She's known. Look at her."