by Robin Roseau
From that point on, there were two clear camps. None of the waiting Amazons made any move to speak with Parlomith or her allies. Parlomith stood around, talking with her allies. I memorized the faces of the women I would add to my short list to hate.
There was a commotion near the village, and then most of the village appeared along with Malora's closest allies, the ones who weren't already on the field. They crossed the field and joined into a large group, separate from Parlomith. I didn't see Malora, Nori, Ralla or Loren, but I saw their companions.
There was another delay, and from the look of it, Parlomith was unhappy about it. she stomped over to the other group and accosted them. I couldn't hear the exact words, but it was clear she was wondering where Malora was.
She didn't have that much longer to wait. Malora, flanked by Nori, Ralla and Loren, strode onto the field. She ignored Parlomith but instead stopped by to talk briefly with her friends.
I watched Parlomith, ignored, glaring at her. Malora looked cool as ice, but her lips were grim, and even from this distance, I knew the voices were after her.
I'd waited long enough. I glanced around to be sure I was still alone, then I slipped out onto the field, dropping my coat back into place around my shoulders. I knew it would billow out dramatically as I walked.
I understood the importance of a good entrance.
I strode forward with purpose. No one noticed me at first, and then Amazons began turning in my direction. Nori glanced over, saw me, and frowned, then spoke a few words to Malora.
Malora turned to face me, and I saw her mouth two words, "Maya. No."
I walked straight to her. No one spoke. "You didn't think I'd be late, did you?"
"Maya-"
I stepped closer, handing my staff to someone, I didn't see who but discovered later it was Ping. I moved straight into Malora, pulling her mouth down for a kiss. I gave it every ounce of passion I had. Then I pulled her into a hug, whispering, "You can punish me later. Even if it is very severe, I will forgive you. But you can take your release from the Amazons and, well, you can imagine what I think you can do with it."
"Omie and Beria?"
"I escaped," I said.
She scoffed. "Escaped. They're going to suffer your punishment alongside you."
"You forget. They aren't Amazons right now. We can discuss that later. We have more pressing business. Kiss me and let me quiet the voices."
She crushed me to her, kissing me again, and I stroked her, soothing her soul and warming her heart. Then I pushed away and shrugged out of the coat. Someone took it from me, and then I pressed myself against Malora again, offering her more of me to touch.
I could feel the tension leave her.
"Take what you need, my queen," I said. "The voices are afraid of me, and they will not plague you today."
"You are very naughty, Maya," she said.
But she calmed.
I was actually surprised how long it was before Parlomith found her voice. "This is very touching, but we have a fight. The Amazons require a new queen."
I kissed Malora then turned to Parlomith. "Well, it won't be you," I said.
She scowled at me, and I knew she wanted to hit the fight out of me.
I stepped away from Malora. "Well," I said, raising my voice loudly enough for people to here. "I am Maya, Queen's Companion, and today we have a momentous fight for the leadership of the Amazons."
"We know that, you idiot," Parlomith said.
"What we may not all know is what this fight is about," I said. "This is not just about who leads the Amazons, it is about the very heart of what it means to be an Amazon."
I turned around, looking at everyone listening.
"Amazons fight the demons!" I said. "That is what makes us warriors."
"What would you know about being a warrior?" Parlomith asked. "You're nothing but a clown. A laughingstock."
Malora stiffened, but I walked past her, setting an arm on her hand. This first part was a battle of words, and she knew I was better equipped for that battle than she was.
"What would I know?" I asked. "I am the Amazon who gave the true death to a demon queen with nothing more than my naked body and a single hunting knife." I turned around, looking at all of them. "No one else here can say that. None of you have given the true death to the demons, and none of you have defeated one of their constructs armed with so little. I carried that demon's voice in my head for months, fighting with it, until finally I lured it here to die. None of you can say the same thing. I'd say I know what being an Amazon warrior means."
Everyone knew the story, and there had been too many witnesses to question it. But I turned in a circle. "Of course, if you doubt me, we can retrieve the head. We can retrieve the claws. You will all recognize the demon for what it is. Where is the head of the demon you killed in this way, Parlomith? Where are the claws?"
She glared at me, and I thought I saw a tick in her eye. Good.
"But that is not why I am here today," I said. "I am not representing the warriors. Frankly, most of you can do a far, far better job of doing that than I could. I am here to represent the companions. I am the senior companion of all the Amazons, and before this battle is fought, they will be heard!" I thundered the last.
I turned in a circle. "The warriors are the swords of the Amazons. They fight the demons for all Morehama. Without the Amazon warriors, Morehama would be no more. Hail to the Amazon warriors!" I let out a cheer, which was quickly picked up by most of the Amazons there. I let them cheer for a minute, then I raised my hand, and they grew quiet.
"But when the warriors fight, they do not do so alone. The companions have their backs. We companions cook your meals, make your beds, and mend your clothes. Without us you would eat poorly, sleep in flea-ridden hay piles, and wear threadbare clothes."
There were chuckles at that.
"Of course, these are things you could do for yourselves, but we do them for you to ease your lives. But that is nothing compared to our most important duty."
I stepped to Nori, caressing her cheek, and she visibly relaxed. Everyone saw her do it, and they all knew the point I was making. But that was when I looked out over Parlomith's allies.
"There are warriors here today with no companions. The voices plague at you, don't they?"
There were a few nods, small.
"Who here has no companion today?" I stepped amongst them, ignoring Malora's hissed breath, and I caressed a face here and there. "Who? I'm not going to hurt you."
A few hands went up. I picked the closest, a woman from Parlomith's village. I stepped up to face her. "I'm sorry, I do not remember your name."
"Alda," she said.
"Alda, I am pleased to meet you. I am Maya, Queen's Companion. And this is what a companion does." And then I stepped into her arms, grabbing her hands and placing them on the back of my neck, then leaning against her, caressing her neck and sliding my fingers inside her hair.
She was surprised and stiffened, but then she wrapped her arms more tightly about me.
"Oh," she said. "Oh.... The voices."
"Yes," I said quietly. "Let me chase them away for a while, Alda. Let me soothe your soul."
I gave her just a few seconds. I knew Parlomith wouldn't allow me much time.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. I pushed away. She looked at me sadly, but I smiled at her. "Later, when this is over, if I am not grief-stricken, I can help again."
I turned around, picking another woman. This one I knew. Her name was Francine. I stepped to her. "Your companion is now a warrior," I said. "It has been two years, hasn't it?"
"Yes," she said. "I should have a companion by now. Malora coddles the western villages. They should tithe, and they should provide companions. Parlomith will make them give us what we are owed!"
"Will she?" I asked. "Tell me, do you believe a companion who doesn't wish to be here can do this?" And then I stepped into her arms. Like Alda, she stiffened, but I knew the affect I had, and she couldn't h
elp but wrap her arms around me. "Do you think you can force this comfort, Francine?" I asked gently. "Do you think you can beat a companion, and then expect her to give this comfort to you? You stand with my warrior's enemy, and I do this for you. What do you think it would be to hold a friend?"
Then I stepped away. I caressed a few more faces, working my way back to the safety Malora represented.
"The Amazons fight to protect the weak from the demons," I said firmly. "The Amazons clear the plains of bullies. The Amazons represent all that is right in Morehama. We are strong so that others do not need to be."
And I cheered, and most of them joined me. Then again I held up my hand.
"I came to you three years ago," I said, "seemingly unfit to be a proper Amazon. I will never be a proper warrior, in spite of having killed one demon and helped to kill two others. I had not been here long when Queen Malora took me on a tour, and I visited you, complete with my bright pink hair, to meet all of you."
I looked around. "Do you all remember my hair?"
There were nods. How could they forget?
"What is the point of this?" Parlomith asked.
"Why, I am making sure that all your allies, and all your possible future subjects, understand why they should support you, Parlomith."
I turned around in a circle, looking at all of them. "On that first tour three years ago, Queen Malora and I stayed at Northglen for two nights. She wished to review their training methods and offer suggestions, and she placed me in Parlomith's care for the day."
I glanced around. "And do you know what she did? She beat me so badly I could not serve as a proper companion to my warrior! The day I met Queen Malora, she assured me I would never be a warrior, that I would forever remain a companion, and I learned to soothe her soul. But Parlomith beat me so badly I couldn't stand to be touched."
There were a few shocked looks. Very few people knew this.
"You needed to-"
"I needed to be a companion!" I screamed. "That is my duty! Companion to Queen Malora, Queen of the Amazons, and nothing, NOTHING I ever do is more important than that. Who here believes I am wrong?"
Not a single hand was raised.
I looked around. "Parlomith, you almost died twice that summer. You are alive because of me."
"What are you talking about?"
"When my warrior saw what you had done to me, at first she thought it was from the trip down the river, but then she realized I spoke truth when I said they were from you. She examined my bruised body and declared every single bruise as coming from a staff. One of those bruises was from one of your students. The rest were from you. A full grown warrior, one of the best warriors amongst the Amazons, reduced to beating a new companion black and blue!"
I turned around again, judging my audience.
"Malora wanted to kill you. I begged her to let you live. She told me you had violated the sacred bond between warrior and her companion, but I begged her for your life, and she granted it."
"I would have killed her then like I'm going to kill her today."
"You aren't going to kill her today, Parlomith, and everyone here knows it. Even you. You're just too arrogant to admit it. I've fought you, and you are great against helpless companions, but you are no challenge to Malora."
I wasn't sure whether that rang true, but I wasn't afraid to make her doubt herself.
"You almost died a second time, when you showed up here unbidden. Again, I begged for your life. This time, while she was still livid from your treatment of me, you presumed to give orders to Queen's Town. You presumed to give orders to the Queen. You lied when you arrived, saying she had given you permission to teach here, but she hadn't done so. You almost died a second time."
"She lied!" Parlomith screamed. "She agreed I should teach here!"
"You are the one who lies!" I said. "And everyone here knows it. When Queen Malora found you here, she ordered you to never train companions again. Tell me, Parlomith, have you been training companions?"
"I am chief of-"
"I don't care where you are chief!" I screamed. "You are not queen! You will never be queen."
I turned in a circle. "A month ago, this woman whipped my sister, a companion, while we were a guest in her village. We were there while our warriors were fighting the demon incursion. Tell me, Parlomith, while every single Amazon warrior was fighting demons, why was it so important you had to whip a 15-year-old companion into near-unconsciousness?"
I turned around, and again they were stunned.
"Why weren't you fighting the demons, Parlomith? Were you too afraid?"
That got her back up. She began heading for me, but her allies held her back.
"I will see you dead!" she screamed at me. "Right after your warrior lies in the dust."
I turned around again. There were a lot of shocked faces, some of them amongst Parlomith's allies.
"That's your future queen?" I asked. "She wants to see a companion dead?" I shook my head.
"Let us consider what the Amazons would be like with this woman as queen," I said, pointing at her. "Companions will all become second class Amazons, treated little better than our horses, or perhaps quite a bit worse. Of course, word will get out that companions are treated poorly, and the villages will stop offering their daughters to us. Amazons are strong, but the villagers are many, and they will raise arms against you before allowing you to enslave and whip their daughters!"
"Of course, Parlomith has a plan. She will take what she wants by force, killing anyone in Morehama who stands in her way, just like she wants to kill me right now. Amazons will become feared throughout Morehama as she sends raiding parties to attack the innocent, taking from them what they would give if only we ask. Amazons would become known as worse than the demons we fight."
"That is not what Amazons do!" I screamed. "We protect the weak, we do not prey on them like well-trained bandits and thugs!"
I stood there, panting, although it was largely for show. I stepped to Malora. I kissed her and pulled away. "Abused companions will never love the way I love my warrior, the way my little sister, who Parlomith nearly killed, loves her warrior."
And all around, I saw companions cuddling against their warriors, but I didn't see Spade offering comfort to Parlomith.
"Why is it that Spade offers you no comfort, Parlomith? You clearly need her. I can see from here the voices are after you. Can't the rest of you see it? She is insane from the voices. Doesn't Spade help you?"
"That bitch is worthless!" Parlomith spat.
There was shocked silence. I put on a grimace, but I wasn't as shocked as I let on.
Finally I spoke. "Well. Parlomith has so abused her own companion for so long, the woman is no longer able to offer the comfort a warrior deserves. It isn't Spades' fault, of course. How often do you beat her, Parlomith? Does she have the same kind of marks you gave my sister? I bet she does. It's a wonder she hasn't knifed you in your sleep."
"She wouldn't dare-"
I sighed. "What warrior wants her companion to fear her?" I shook my head. "This is what Parlomith represents." I looked around. "With her as queen, you will all be free to whip your companions. Is that what you want? Or perhaps you'll stand by and let Parlomith do it for you."
They were shocked at that.
I shook my head again, then turned to Parlomith's allies. Several of them were holding her back from killing me, and I knew at my back, Malora's allies were ready to protect me. I remained ready to fade into them if Parlomith broke free.
"All of you came here to support Parlomith," I said, pointing. "All of you stand with her today. But now I ask you, are you standing where you should? Malora will welcome you with open arms if you step away now. Is Parlomith really the woman you want to follow? Is Parlomith really the woman you want for queen?"
And then I was done, having said what needed to be said. I moved to Malora, stepping in front of her, and she settled her arms around me. I looked up at her and said clearly, "I love you
from the bottom of my heart."
She kissed my head and then spoke firmly, "All of you must decide, where do you stand. Decide before this fight and be forgiven. The Amazons stand for strength. The Amazons protect the weak. Or if you prefer, we can be known as feared bullies, worse than the bandits, feared more than the demons. Is that what you all want?"
I could see confusion amongst them. Parlomith ranted at me, she ranted at them, and then a few stepped away from her. Four edged towards Malora, watching Parlomith carefully. Alda was one of them. "Queen Malora, I am sorry. I foolishly allowed myself to be swayed."
"You are forgiven," Malora replied. "We will discuss more later."
A few more said similar things, and Malora forgave them. Parlomith screamed at them.
Then two broke to the side. "Queen Malora," one said, "Parlomith has raised good points in the past, but I agree with your companion. She is not the one to lead us. We stand neither against you or with you on this fight, but we hold no ill will."
The other said, "The villages of Morehama have not properly supported us, and they should be taught a lesson, but your companion is correct. I would not want Parlomith to be the one offering that lesson."
"I understand," Malora said. "I do not expect everyone to always agree with me. We may debate these points in the future, and perhaps others may come forward in challenge, but I believe the villages have largely recanted their earlier behavior."
That was when I realized, other than Spade, there were no companions amongst Parlomith's supporters. I wonder if they were in the village or all at home. Of her twenty supporters, she had lost six. Not that it mattered, except that it spoke to a healthier civilization that only fourteen remained with her.
"Well," said Malora. "I believe you came here to die, Parlomith. Shall we get it over with?"
Malora unwrapped her arms from me, but I caressed her once more. I knew the voices were gone, and I could see the confidence.
"I'll be right here," I said. "Waiting for you."