Amazon Chief (16 page)

"Making the roster isn't just a matter of writing names in however you want?"

Maya laughed. "No. Some weeks it's easy, but most weeks it takes a couple of hours. And if you watch, you'll find that some weeks, one companion or another gets more duty than is fair, because I just can't make everything work out. And when I'm going to be gone, it's even worse, because I have to do it even further ahead, and we're going to be short handed as is. It was hard when Omie and Vorine both became warriors, because suddenly we were down two companions. We gained them back plus one, but beginning probably next year, Jasmine is going to be gone with Ralla most of the time, so she's barely ever going to show up on the duty roster. I hope we have more companions by then."

"Will you always give me no duty days when Omie comes home?"

"I'll try. I won't always succeed. And if I do, chances are, you'll have extra duties the day before and after. I didn't do it this time, but beginning the next time she's gone, I'll probably give you extra duties while she's gone, because you'll have time, and because I know what kind of trouble you can get into without enough to do." She grinned at me to let me know she was teasing.

I nodded. "I didn't realize so much went into it. If there's anything I can do to help..."

"Thanks," she said. "It's one of my responsibilities. But you can bet I'll remember your offer. When you get lunch and dinner duty both on the same day sometime, you'll know not to complain."

"Oh, I'll complain all right," I told her.

I made it through the rest of the day without any problems, but that night, the bed seemed awfully empty without Omie sharing it with me, and I was cold besides. I got up in the middle of the night and found another blanket, but I shivered most of the night. In the morning, I was crabby, and my hair was a mess.

I didn't know how to braid it for myself. Careen saw me fighting with it and helped me. But I realized how much I was already taking
Omie for granted.

The day she was due to return, I spent the entire time in training distracted, watching for them to return. I collected more than the usual assortment of bruises, and Vorine berated me for my lack of attention. But when she caught me continually looking over my shoulder, watching for Omie, she pulled me to the side.

"Beria, they don't get back this soon. The two patrols meet on the eastern plain at the edge of the forest, and it takes about two hours to travel. Now, you need to pay attention. I know it's hard, but if you think it's hard now, you should imagine what a real fight can be like. Do you understand?"

"I'm sorry," I said.

After that, I did better, but I still earned a few more bruises, and they were entirely my own fault.

As the morning wore on, I grew increasingly nervous. Why weren't they back yet? Did something happen? What if Omie got hurt? Why weren't they back yet?

We finished training, and then we ran, and for the first time in weeks, Malora had to use her whip to get me to run faster, one in a warning over my head, and then once against my bottom when the warning wasn't enough. After that, I ran for all I was worth, and the other companions struggled to keep up with me. I imagined Omie was in trouble, and if I ran fast enough, I could save her.

We finished running, and they still weren't back. I cleaned myself up and then I found myself hovering around the eastern trail from the village, watching for approaching riders. I was pacing back and forth and wondering if I'd get in trouble if I got on my own horse to go looking for them when Maya found me.

"Hey," she said.

I turned to her. "Where are they?" I demanded.

"Sometimes they run a little late," Maya said. "Sometimes the returning patrol doesn't get here until the middle of afternoon training, and once in a while, it's not until dinner."

"Something is wrong," I said. "I know it is."

"Oh honey," Maya said. "That is very unlikely. This is about the earliest a patrol can arrive."

"Maybe we should go look for them."

"Do you know how much trouble you would be in if you did that?"

"You could take me."

"Do you know how much trouble I'd be in?"

"But-"

"Honey, there are eight warriors and three companions out there. Didn't you notice how light we were at training? If there's any trouble, they have more than enough to handle it. But everything is fine. Come on. I have pool duty. I was going to do it this afternoon, but you can help me."

"No!" I said. "I need to take care of Omie's horse when she gets here."

"All right," she said. "I need to take inventory at the stable. Will you help me? It will go faster with help, and we'll be waiting for them when they get home."

I eyed her. "Are you making work?"

"No. It's not due for another two days, but I can take it two days early. I take formal inventory every month and spot check weekly." She held out her hand, and I set mine in it. Then she pulled me to the stable.

We were there an hour
later, sharpening hoof knives together, when I heard horses outside.

"They're back!" I said, shoving my knife and sharpening stone into Maya's hands. I was out the door a moment later in time to see Omie stepping down from her horse. I threw myself on her. "You're okay," I whispered, squeezing her tightly.

"Of course I am," she said. "Did you doubt your warrior?"

"No," I said. "But I missed you."

"I missed you, too," she said. "The voice is really bad, Beria."

I grabbed her hands and shoved them up to my neck, and I wrapped my arms around her neck, pulling her face against mine.

And then Maya was there. "Beria," she said quietly, "Will you allow me to help?"

"I don't understand.
"

"She is your warrior," Maya said. "But the warriors tell me I am extra soothing. Will you allow me to help soothe your warrior?"

"Of course," I said.

And so we engaged in a three-
way hug. Maya leaned against Omie, taking one of Omie's hands from my neck and moving it to her own. Omie sighed.

"Please," Omie said, "just a few minutes."

We stood there, not talking, and it was longer than a few minutes. I didn't notice anything going on around us. But then Omie sighed again and said, "Thank you, Maya."

"You're welcome, Omie," Maya said. She gave my warrior a kiss on the cheek then pulled away. I tried to pull away, but Omie clutched at me, and I knew she needed more.

"I'm sorry," she said. "More. Please."

"Of course," I said.

"Bea took care of your horse," Maya said. "I'll put your things in your hut. You'll want to come to lunch. Beria, you let Omie hold you. I'll grab plates for you."

By the time lunch was over, Omie seemed better, but for the rest of that day, she was especially attentive to me, touching me as much as she could. In bed, she whispered into my ear, "Thank you, Beria. I don't know what I'd do without you."

No one had ever needed me the way Omie did.

It was nice to be needed.

The weeks turned into months. My birthday arrived. Maya caught me in the morning before training, pulled me into a hug, and whispered, "Happy birthday,
Beria. Do you like your birthday present?"

"No one has given me any birthday presents," I complained. "This sucks."

She laughed into my ear. "Perhaps you didn't notice that you have nothing on the duty roster today."

"That's my birthday present? No duties."

"Yep!"

I laughed, but I thought it was kind of a crappy present. I was going to remember it when her birthday rolled around.

Absolutely no one else said a thing about my birthday all day. I was disappointed, but I didn't say anything. Maybe Amazons don't celebrate birthdays. As I thought about it, I realized we hadn't celebrated anyone else's since I had arrived, and by the law of averages, there must have been someone's birthday since I had arrived. Lunch came and went, and no one said anything. The same thing happened over dinner: absolutely nothing.

But over dinner, Queen Malora announced we would have a bonfire after dinner. Then she looked around until her eyes settled on me. "Beria, you may build the fire after dinner. I believe you know how by now."

"Yes, Queen Malora," I said. It was the first time she had given me an order, and it was to build a bonfire.

I muttered to myself about crappy birthdays the entire time I was assembling the fire.

"Great," I muttered. "Splinters."

I finished building t
he fire then sat down in the grass and worked to get the splinter out. A few minutes later, the other Amazons arrived, the mood light. They were carrying the benches from the dining area and set them up in our customary place near the fire. Bea and Maya were carrying a bench together. They nudged me out of the way and set the bench down, then bent over and picked me up by the elbows, setting me down on the bench. Then they wandered off without even talking to me.

Omie sat down next to me. "Splinter?"

"I got it," I said. "I think."

"Let me see," she ordered, so I held out my hand. "No, it's still in there." She looked around. "Splinter patrol!"

"Oooh," said Nori. "Surgery! I've always wanted to perform surgery."

"Keep her away from me, Omie!"

There were chuckles. Nori sent Neela for a first aid kit, and a few minutes later, Omie managed to extract my splinter for me.

"Thanks," I said.

"You're welcome."

"If everyone is finally ready," Malora said. She frowned at me. "Why isn't the fire lit?"

"Um. I didn't know I was supposed to light it. You always light it."

"Well, tonight I want you to do it."

"Um. How."

"With this," Serra said, handing me a brand from the kitchen fire. I got up, walked to the other side of the
waiting pyramid of firewood, and thrust the brand into the kindling, blowing on it to bring it to life, then fanning the fire until it grew. When I stood up, I saw everyone was watching me, and there were a few chuckles.

"What?"

"Nothing," said Omie. "Come sit."

"I have soot on my face, don't I?"

"Maybe a little. Don't brush at it; you'll just smear it around."

I sighed. Crappiest. Birthday. Ever. I walked around the fire, now burning nicely, and sat next to my warrior, right up front.

"Finally," Malora said. "Do we have any announcements?"

Maya stood up. "I do."

I thought, 'finally, she's going to tell everyone it's my birthday.'

Instead, she said, "I have
to make some adjustments to the duty roster. I'll post them at breakfast in the morning. Everyone should check it tomorrow for the changes."

Then she sat down.

Then Omie stood up. "I have an announcement." She stepped to the front and smiled at me, then said, "Actually, Nori and Vorine should stand up, too. This is an announcement by all of us."

Nori and Vorine moved to the front.

"We'll have a tournament tomorrow," Omie said. "Come prepared to wager."

And then the three of them sat down.

"Anyone else?" Malora asked. "No?" She looked around. "Okay, who wants to tell a story?"

Omie raised her hand.

"All right, Omie," Malora said. Malora sat down next to Maya, the too of them practically cooing at each other, and Omie stood in front of us.

And then she proceeded to tell the story about my ankle. When she was done, she turned to Maya. "So, I need to ask you. Did your sister lie to me?"

"It was really a man-o-war," Maya said. "She cried like a baby, too. But that story about me dangling her in the water as shark bait is patently false."

"I remember you doing it to me, Maya! Don't lie."

Maya smiled. "Honey, it was a tidal pool. I'm pretty sure there were no sharks, but there were a couple of crabs that looked interested. All of you should have seen how angry Mama was when Chandor got bit by the barracuda."

Maya looked around. "As long as I'm standing, is it my turn?"

"Go ahead, Maya," Omie said. "I'm done for now."

"Well," Maya said, "As everyone knows, Beria is my little sister."

I groaned.

"She's the fourth of five children," Maya explained. "I am oldest, and we have three brothers."

"It's not pick on Beria day!" I muttered.

From next to me, Omie squeezed my hand, but then she whispered, "Hush, I want to hear this."

"Beria has always looked up to me," Maya went on to explain, moving to step in front of all of us, and I could tell right away she was going to tell a long, and presumably embarrassing, story about me. I had to hand it to my sister; she knew how to speak in front of an audience. She had gotten a lot of practice as a teacher.

"I'm ten years older than Beria," Maya said. "And this story is from when I was perhaps fourteen or fifteen, and Beria was five.
Our schoolteacher was elderly and had been sickly over the previous winter, so this story was from the summer after I first began to assistant teach." She looked at me and smiled. "Do you remember how you used to follow me around, trying to copy me?" Maya paced back and forth. "As you can imagine, I took everything I did very seriously, so I spent the summer working on lesson plans. I would sit at the kitchen table for hours, preparing lesson plans, then grumbling at them and ripping them to pieces."