by Robin Roseau
She laughed at my expression. "Well, I wasn't going to leave it where you would find it. Ping has been keeping this for me."
I had never been in Ping and Serra's hut, so that had been a good hiding place. "Keeping secrets from me?"
"A few," she agreed. "I have to keep you on your toes, after all. Stand up and strip."
"So romantic," I replied, but I didn't waste time, taking my clothes off and setting them aside. She admired my body for a moment then asked me to close my eyes. There was rustling and I felt her step close, and then she asked me to lift my hands straight above my head.
Then she slipped something over my arms and down my body. "Keep your eyes closed."
She stepped behind me and did up the laces. She made a few adjustments, which required her to be a little more personal than I would allow from anyone else, and then she walked around me several times. "Lovely," she declared. "You may look."
I opened my eyes and looked down. I was wearing a dress. It wasn't Amazon style but instead looked like something I might wear at home. It wasn't fancy; in fact, it looked like it would make a good traveling dress.
"There are under-knickers," she said. "Will you pull them on?"
I should have had them on before she pulled the dress over me, but I took the garment from her and stepped into it, working to slide it into place up to my waist, under the dress.
"These are designed for traveling," she said. "You can properly sit a horse with them and maintain your modesty. The skirt of the dress can ride up in front and flare out in back, all anyone sees are your legs below your knees, and your boots come up to cover the bottoms of the knickers."
She was watching me carefully.
"I'm confused, Malora," I said. "The dress is lovely, but why did you get it?"
"It's for when we visit your parents."
I liked wearing my Amazon clothes when we visited my parents, but I wasn't going to tell her that, not that night.
"I love the dress." I moved into her arms and kissed her. "Thank you."
She hugged me, then returned to stroking me, calming herself further. We stood there for a while, and then her touches became a little more intimate.
"Time to remove the dress?" I asked.
"Not yet," she said. "I want to tie you."
"Oh you do, do you?"
"Yes. I want to remember you the day we first met."
"You aren't serious."
"Please?"
"Of course, but you must kiss me first." And she did, kissing me deeply, leaving us both panting. Still kissing me, she pulled my arms from around her neck and moved them behind my back. A moment later, she began tying my wrists.
She finished the knot, hugged me for a moment, then broke the kiss.
"I feel silly," I said.
"I know. Humor me?"
She produced more rope, tying my arms firmly behind me, although not as uncomfortably as Nori had once done. Once I was fully trussed, she kissed me again, holding me by the head. It was a long, sweet kiss.
"I love you," she said. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too, Malora." I smiled. "If you slide the knickers down, you can play. Or maybe you want me to use my mouth."
"I'm not done," she said. "I want the full experience." She led me to the bed, had me sit, then lowered me to the bed, rolling me onto my stomach. She kissed the back of my neck. I lay still while she put my boots back on then tied my ankles and knees together.
"I think that's going to get in the way," I told her when she was done. "And the boots seem like a bit more realism than is necessary."
She lifted me so I was sitting on the bed, my feet on the floor. She sat next to me on the bed, caressing me, and I leaned against her.
"I love you," she said, "more than I could ever find the words to say."
"I know. I love you, too, Malora." I looked down at my bound body. "But I don't want to stay tied up all night. Get a good look then untie me. I want to hold you."
"In a bit. Omie and Beria are leaving tonight. I've had scouts out. Parlomith has people watching the trails just in case I send anyone away, but Ralla and Balorie have been scouting. There's an open game trail, and they showed it to Omie. They'll be safe, but it will be slow. They'll leave in a little bit and travel all night. They will need to be very, very quiet."
"Will they be safe?"
"Yes," she said. "They'll travel light, and they have money. Omie knows the way. They'll make the plains and travel well out onto them, then there's a place to hide for a few hours. If things go very well tomorrow, then Vorine will go and get them. If no one arrives by early afternoon, they'll head to Gallen's Cove."
"Do we need to worry about them being declared deserters?"
"They are going on my orders, and Parlomith will be dead long before she can retrieve them from Gallen's Cove. Also, they'll be going in disguise."
Then she eyed me before kissing me furiously. I moaned into the kiss and pressed myself to her. "Untie me now."
"Not quite," she said. "We don't have the full effect yet. As I recall, you were gagged when we first met."
"You are not gagging me."
"I think I am," she replied. She produced a cloth. "Open."
"Malora, what are you doing?"
"Maya, open."
"Please don't gag me, Malora. You've had your fun."
"Open, Maya."
I opened my mouth, and she pressed the cloth into it, adding two more before my mouth was full. She used a fourth cloth to tie it into place, pulling it taut enough I couldn't spit it out.
She caressed my face and kissed my nose and eyes.
"I need you safe, Maya," she said.
And I realized she had tricked me.
"No!" I screamed into the gag. "No! You need me." But even I couldn't understand the words.
She caressed me and whispered soothingly.
"I know you wouldn't go," she said. I struggled to get away from her, but she held me tightly. "Listen to me, Maya. Just listen! Hold still and listen."
I tried to calm myself, but my heart was pounding.
"I love you, but tomorrow I need to know you're safe. I can't worry about you. I need to know you're safe. If you're there, I'll be worried, the entire time, I'll be worried about what might happen to you. You're going with Omie and Beria. With luck, I'll come to get you myself. With less luck, it will be Nori, and she'll take you home, or back here, whichever you want."
I shook my head. She was sending me away. I started to cry.
"Please don't cry. Please, Maya, you're going to break my heart. You need to understand. I gagged you because I knew you could talk me out of it. I've ordered Omie to keep you tied and gagged until tomorrow. I'm sorry. I know you're going to be very angry with me, and I'll do my best to make it up to you. Be strong now, honey. Be strong for me. I need you to understand."
I did, but I was so angry. I shook my head.
"Hopefully, none of this was necessary, but I can't let her touch you. If I don't win, I know the first thing she'll do is kill you, probably by beating you to death. We both know you'll do something foolish if she kills me, and she'll have all the excuse she needs, and if not, she'll trump something up. She'll kill you even before Loren's challenge. She'll be queen, and no one will stop her unless they want civil war."
I hit her with my head. It was the only thing I could do. She pulled me to her.
"I'm going to fight hard, Maya, but you must be safe. I can't worry about you."
And I understood. I lifted my face to her, still crying, but presented myself for a kiss. She kissed me around the gag.
Then she raised her voice. "Nori!"
I turned, and Nori stepped into the hut. Behind her was Omie and with Omie, my sister.
They had all known.
Omie and Beria were dressed in western women's clothing, suitable for travel. Both of them had released their hair, tying it with a ribbon instead of a braided in Amazon style. I didn't think anyone would be fooled, but from a di
stance, they didn't look like Amazons, perhaps.
"Hold her, Nori," Malora said. Nori sat down on the other side, wrapping an arm around me. I sat there numbly. "She's angry," Malora added.
Malora stood up and brushed my tears away. She turned to Omie and Beria, looking at them for a moment, then she stepped to her chest, dug through it for a moment, then produced several pieces of paper. She pressed them into Omie's hands.
"Omie, Beria, and Maya, I release you as Amazons. You are no longer subject to Amazon laws."
"No!" I said into the gag.
She turned to me. "If you return, you will be welcomed again. This is insurance, honey. With any luck, we'll burn those papers tomorrow, and no one will need to know. But in case you're caught, that's insurance."
I nodded understanding.
Malora turned back to Omie. "I cannot order you, but I want you to keep her tied and gagged until you are well away. If you ungag her, she's going to start begging to turn around, and you know she can talk any of us into anything she wants."
Omie nodded. "I understand, Queen Malora."
"No. I am now Malora to you. Omie, please keep yourself, Beria and Maya safe. I am counting on you. Now give me a hug."
She hugged Omie and then Beria. Then she returned to me. She and Nori helped me to my feet. Nori turned me to her.
"It has to be this way," Nori said. "Thank you for earlier. I'll see you soon." And she pulled me into a crushing hug. "I love you, Maya. Be smart. If we don't come for you, don't fight with Omie. Everyone knows where to find you when this is over, and it will be over."
She kissed my cheek then pulled away, pressing me into Malora's arms.
Malora kissed me again. I stood there numbly, wanting to kiss her back. She held me for a long time, stroking me, and I thought every comforting thought I could.
"I love you," I said into the gag. "You better come for me."
"I love you, too," she said.
It was Nori who carried me, Malora talking quietly as we traveled not to the stables, but into the woods behind the village. Vorine was waiting with horses.
Beria climbed onto one of the horses, and then everyone worked to get me on top of the horse in front of her. This was familiar. Beria held me, and I struggled to find a position I could maintain.
Omie collected the reins of her horse, but she didn't climb on top.
I looked around and found Malora. She was watching me.
"Please forgive me, Maya," she said. I nodded and told her again, "I love you."
The words came out muffled, but she knew what I meant. She stepped forward and reached up to caress me once more.
"Get going," she said. "Be very quiet, Omie."
"I'll keep them safe, Malora."
And she began to lead us through the dark forest.
Broken Plans
I was livid at all of them. They had all known. I'd been saying goodbye, and Omie and Beria had known. They were going to feel my tongue.
Omie led us quietly for an hour until we intercepted the river that passed alongside our village. She stopped there then stepped back to check on us.
"This is far enough," she said.
Beria reached up and removed my gag. "Oops," she said. "She was supposed to wear that until tomorrow. I guess it fell out." She pulled the cloth from my mouth.
"Let me go!" I said. "I have to go back!"
"Hush," Beria said, covering my mouth. "Speak very, very quietly."
I nodded.
"She didn't give you a choice," Beria said. "And she ordered us to remain silent. But we're no longer Amazons, so we don't have to follow her orders."
I stared at her.
"We're giving you a choice," Omie said. "But you are going to listen to us first."
"She wants you safe," Beria said. "I told you before, you are both the same. She protects, you heal, but you almost always think of others first. But you are both very, very stubborn at the same time, and neither of you respond well to being forced against your will."
I opened my mouth to speak, but she silenced me again.
"Maya, we don't know the right thing to do, but we know this isn't the right thing, taking you like this. So you are going to listen, and then you will decide."
"I am taking Beria to safety," Omie said. "Everyone agrees that is best. Neither of us can do any good in Queen's Town tomorrow. Maya, you are very, very good at silencing the voices, but it won't last until tomorrow. And that is the only reason we removed your gag. Do you understand?"
I nodded. "Yes, but if you took me away like this, and she dies tomorrow, you know I'd never forgive any of you." I turned to look at Beria. "Especially you. You knew and didn't tell me."
"We can fight about that if you want," Beria said, "or we can discuss what we're going to do now."
"You need to do whatever is best for Malora right now," Omie added. "Do you hear me? You have to do what is best for Malora. You have to do what is best for her to win tomorrow."
"Will she fight better if you calm her voices?" Beria asked. "Or if she knows you're safe."
"You can't do both," Omie said.
"If Malora loses," Beria said, "Parlomith will kill you. Everyone agrees. She may want to torment you for a long time, but as soon as she realizes she has challenges pending, she'll kill you before the next fight." Beria hugged me. "I want you to come with us. I do not want to go home to Mom and Dad and tell them you're probably dead. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Nori knows we're giving you this choice," Omie said. "She wants you safe, too. She promises Parlomith will die tomorrow. But she agrees it should be your choice whether you are safe with us or standing with your warrior."
"Malora will be very angry," Beria said. "We didn't know she was going to release us as Amazons, but I don't know if that will protect us. She'll probably have to punish the three of us."
"Maya, if she does, it will be bad. Beria will get another whipping. We all will."
"Can you forgive her if she has to whip us?" Beria asked. "Because we're going back, even if it's to a whipping."
"We're going to let you down from the horse," Omie said. "And untie you. Then either you can climb on top of one of the horses and head west with us, or you can follow the river on foot and head east."
Beria began lowering me into Omie's arms. She set me on my feet, steadying me, and Beria climbed down. It took her several minutes to untie Malora's knots, then they both stood in front of me.
"Do you know what you're going to do?"
"Is there any question?" I asked. "I stand beside my warrior. I will always stand beside my warrior. I'll take any punishment, but she won't touch either of you."
"We have your Amazon clothes," Beria said. "I sneaked into your hut and swiped some earlier."
"Good," I said.
I stripped out of the clothes Malora had put me in, pulling on my proper Amazon clothes instead. Then I saw Omie holding the long coat Ralla had once given me.
"It might be a little warm," she said, "but you'll make a better entrance. And it will be cool tonight."
I slipped it on, but didn't button the front.
"There's a light moon," Omie said. "You'll be able to see. It's upstream."
I nodded.
She shoved a wine skin into my hands, and I slipped it over a shoulder. Another small pouch held a snack. And then Omie turned away, returning with my staff. I hadn't even seen it.
"I'm sorry. You'll have to carry it. I couldn't get your sling for it."
"That's fine," I said. "Thank you."
"Nori says the river is safe from here, but there's someone watching downstream an hour. We were supposed to cross here and head north for a while before turning west again. That's what we're going to do now."
"Thank you, Omie, Beria." I pulled them into a group hug, then pushed them away. "Take care of each other. I love you both."
"We'll see you tomorrow," Beria said. "Or if Nori is delayed retrieving us because you're all partying too ha
rd, in a few weeks."
I nodded. "Be careful."
"You two."
I turned my back, moved to the stream, and began working my way upstream, not looking back.
* * * *
As I drew closer to the village, I was unsure what to do. I didn't want to arrive in a fashion that Malora could interfere. That meant she couldn't see me until it was too late to send me away again, and that meant no one else could see me, either, less she feel obligated to report me to her.
I made myself a cold camp, hiding under a dense pine tree I knew of. It was warm and dry, and I made a little nest. I sat for a long time, worrying, but eventually I slept.
I woke throughout the night, and was awake for good shortly after first light. I ate some of my food, had more of the water, and waited, planning what I was going to do.
I decided I needed to move. Once Parlomith arrived, I didn't want to travel too far to arrive at the training grounds, but I wanted to remain near the water. I crept from my hiding place, peering out carefully first and listening to the forest animals. I felt safe, so I worked my way carefully towards the river, a short distance downstream from the village. There was a place you could cross without getting wet. I stayed inside the trees and watched for a long time, then I moved out, crossed the open area quickly, and disappeared into the trees, kneeling down and listening carefully. I waited fifteen minutes, but no one bothered me.
I moved my way slowly towards the training grounds, traveling short distances then settling down to listen. Twice I thought I heard someone else out in the woods, but I never saw anyone, and no one accosted me.
I made it to the edge of the training grounds. There were already people about, so again I hunkered down inside the trees, next to a large oak, my green coat blending well in the forest. I pulled it up over my head to hide me better, and then I waited.
It seemed like a long time, and the number of people on the practice grounds grew. I didn't see Malora or Nori.
I waited.
The sun was out, but it was difficult to see where it was from underneath the trees. I tried to judge the time based on the shadows, but I couldn't have done so with any accuracy at all.
Parlomith arrived. I didn't hear when she arrived at the village, but she and a contingent of about twenty Amazons strode along the path from the village to the training grounds. Even from the distance and looking through the trees, she looked arrogant and sure of herself. I glared at her with hatred.