Amazon Chief (3 page)

"Come on," I said, grabbing her hand. "I've been using your skiff. I hope that's okay."

* * * *

Mama didn't want to let me go to the dance, but Father said, "Renee, don't you think our daughter will notice if her own sister isn't there? Besides, it's a dance. I want to dance with you. And both our daughters."

And so, after dinner, Mama made me and my brothers dress in our nicest clothes. But then when it was time to go, she told Father, "Take the boys outside. I want to speak with Beria for a few minutes."

I wondered if I was in trouble.

From watching the parents of my friends, I knew that my parents held an unusual relationship. Father nearly always did what Mother told him, but whenever he put his foot down, he won. It didn't happen often, and so, having gotten his own way in getting us to go to the dance, he gave Mother what she wanted. He took my brothers outside to wait for us.

As soon as the door closed, Mother turned to me, "
Did you understand what Maya said today?"

"Yes, Mama," I said. "They need more companions."

"I forbid you to go with them," Mama said.

I cocked my head. "Maya said it was my decision."

"You are thirteen, Beria," she said sternly, "and you will do as you are told."

I looked at the floor. "Yes, Mama."

She studied me for a moment then said more cheerfully, "Let us go see your sister."

I looked up and smiled. "Yes, Mama."

Gallen's Cove was not a big village, and so it was a short walk to Mardon's, our only pub, where the dance was to be held. In spite of our desire to see Maya, we were far from the first to arrive, and the pub was already quite busy as we stepped inside. The front of the pub held tables and a bar where you could order drinks, if you were old enough. And there was a large room on the side where the village held dances. Mama led us inside and then drew all of us to one of the few remaining tables, making all of us sit. She asked Father to retrieve drinks for us, and he recruited Dannick to help him.

She never released my hand, keeping me beside her the entire time.

From the next room, we could hear music: a fiddle, a guitar, and a drum, and from time to time, I caught a glimpse of people dancing, but only a glimpse.

Father
and Dannick returned with drinks: beer for himself, Dannick and Nathano, a glass of wine for mother, and warm cider for Chandor and me. Dannick drank down half his beer then asked if he could go dance.

"After you've said 'hello' to your sister," Mother said. "For now, you will sit with us."

"Yes, Mama," he replied, but then he turned around to watch over everyone.

Dannick was friendly with Anna Brighteyes, although I wasn't sure how friendly. But I was surprised when I realized he was checking out the Amazons as they moved about the room. One of them noticed, and then the two of them flirted at each other.

I rolled my eyes.

"What have I told you about that?" Mother asked me.

"I'm sorry, Mama," I replied. Yes, I was sorry I had gotten caught.

It wasn't for another fifteen minutes before I saw mother stiffen. I turned to her and saw the way she was facing, then followed her gaze straight to my sister. She was approaching our table, holding hands with the Amazon queen but her arm around one of the women she had introduced as her friend.

Mama almost didn't wait for Maya and was on her feet before she arrived at our table. She pulled my sister into what appeared to be a crushing hug. I didn't hear what they said to each other. Then Maya hugged Father, teased my brothers for a moment, then turned to me.

I threw myself into her waiting arms. Yes, I'd seen her that afternoon, but we'd barely talked. She held me tightly for a minute before she said, "I want to introduce all of you to someone very important to me."

She held out her hand, and the Amazon queen stepped forward. The woman stepped forward, and the look she gave Maya puzzled me. This old woman was looking at my sister the way Dannick looked at Anna Brighteyes.

I didn't understand.

Maya introduced Malora, who clasped hands with my father and brothers. Then she introduced the young Amazon. Maya's fondness for the diminutive warrior was obvious.

"Omie," Maya sa
id, "This is my sister, Beria. Beria, this is Omie, a kind, gentle warrior." Maya put her arm around Omie's shoulders.

I had never seen my sister so comfortable with anyone before. She had always been physically
standoffish. But she was trading lover's caresses with the queen and casually had her arm around Omie. Then I saw her hand shift position, and she laced her fingers into the back of Omie's neck.

I looked between the three of them then stepped a single step closer. "Maya, I don't understand. Aren't you with her." I pointed to the queen.

Maya looked at the queen for a moment, and the looks they shared left little question. "I am," Maya said. "Omie is nervous, so I am comforting her." Maya turned to our parents to explain further. I tried to pay attention, but I was a little overwhelmed by everything.

This was my sister, but it wasn't. She'd only been gone a year. She looked... amazing. I couldn't get over how much she glowed; she positively glowed. And she was touching everyone. She'd always been comfortable with me and with our brothers. I guess that comes from helping to raise us. But she'd never been so casual with anyone else.

"Is it magic?" I blurted.

Omie smiled at me. "No, Beria. Only touch, and perhaps a desire to help me." She looked to Maya for a moment, who nodded to her. "Would you like to learn?"

I paused. "Does it hurt?"

"No, little sister," Maya said. Maya explained further, and I smiled.

"Beria," said Omie, "Perhaps we could dance." She gestured to the other room.

"Do you know the steps?" I asked.

"We'll make our own," Omie replied. And I saw some of the other Amazons were also dancing with some of the local girls.

I glanced at my sister, and she was smiling at me. Maya wouldn't let me do something wrong. So I turned to Omie, and when she held out a hand, I stepped forward and took it, letting her lead me to the dance floor.

She drew me to a corner, but when I glanced over, I could still see my family. Mother was frowning, but Maya smiled again and nodded once to me. I decided it was all right. I'd spent years listening more to Maya than mother, anyway. This seemed no different. I turned to Omie.

"I don't know what to do," I told her.

"We can just dance," Omie said. But she said it hesitatingly.

I cocked my head. "You don't sound like you want to dance."

"I would like to show you how to be a companion. We can dance and talk at the same time." She looked at me kindly and spoke gently. "I promise it doesn't hurt. Maya wouldn't let me do anything bad to you, would she?"

"No," I said firmly. "All right."

"I will need to touch you. Do you mind if we hug?"

"No," I said. I stepped marginally closer, and then she did. I realized I was taller than she was, even if she was six years older. I hadn't thought about it, but I realized I was taller than my sister now, too.

Then Omie reached for me, wrapping her arms around me. I wrapped mine around her, and then our heads were over each other's shoulders. Omie had to stretch a little, then she turned her face so her forehead was against my cheek.

She sighed.

"Thank you," she whispered.

No one had ever thanked me for hugging her before.

"Is this all?" I asked.

"Can you put one of your hands on the back of my neck?" she asked. And then I felt one of hers on my neck, under my hair. I did the same thing with her, and she held me tighter for a moment.

"Hugs are nice," Omie said, "but skin to skin contact is the best."

"You said we could dance," I reminded her.

"And we can," she replied. She began moving, back and forth, and I moved with her. Then she said, "But I have my eyes closed, and even if I open them, all I will see is you. So you need to steer."

I giggled. "All right." And so I took over, taking responsibility to move us about in slow time to the music. We didn't really go anywhere, but I made sure we didn't bump into any of the other dancers.

"Can we talk while we dance?" I asked.

"Of course. What would you care to talk about, Beria?"

"Do you like being an Amazon?"

"Very much," she said. "My sister, Vorine, and I come from a village in the plains not far from the forest where the Amazons live. In my village, we have always known the Amazons, and we revere them for what they do to protect us. Girls compete to become Amazons. My parents were very proud when Vorine was selected. I was so small, but I worked very, very hard, and so when it was my turn, I won the privilege as well."

"Is it scary?"

"Sometimes," she said. "But we train very hard. Even your sister trains with us, although she will never be a warrior."

"I don't understand."

"Maya is a very, very good companion," Omie said.

"Maya is very good at everything she does," I said.

"Maya is very good at almost everything she does," Omie corrected. "She is a very poor fighter."

"But she killed that demon by herself."

"Yes, but she out-smarted it."

I laughed lightly. "That sounds like Maya."

"Maya is maybe one of the smartest Amazons," Omie said.
"And she is a very good friend. She has been an especially good friend since I became a warrior. I wouldn't have made it without her." Omie tightened her hold around me for a moment and didn't speak.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, Beria," she said. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Letting me hold you."

We danced for a minute. "I'm only thirteen," I said.

"So Maya said."

"But I'm not stupid."

"I didn't imagine you were. Your sister is very, very proud of you."

"She is?"

"She talks about you. She misses your parents, and she misses being a teacher, but she misses you the most."

I let that absorb but realized Omie had distracted me. "I'm not stupid."

She chuckled. "No, you are not."

"Maya is with the queen, isn't she?"

"Yes. Maya is the queen's companion, although Maya is such a good companion, she also helps the rest of the warriors in Queen's Town who have no companions of their own."

"Like you."

"Yes. And now my sister. And Nori-"

"That's the mean woman who stole her last year."

Beria paused before responding. "Nori has apologized to Maya, and Maya has accepted. They have become good friends."

The idea of Maya being good friends with anyone startled me. "That doesn't sound like my sister."

"Forgiving someone who treated her badly?"

"Well, that too," I said. "Maya doesn't have friends."

"She does now. Everyone at Queen's Town loves and respects her." She paused. "Well, everyone who matters."

I thought about that. This was twice Omie had distracted me. I wondered if it was intentional.

"Maya likes Queen Malora," I said.

"Yes, she does. Everyone likes Queen Malora."

"Maya likes-likes Queen Malora. You know what I mean."

"Oh," said Omie after a moment. "Amongst Amazons, that is not considered unusual."

"I think I like you," I told her. "But I don't like-like you, Omie."

"Ohhh," she said. She unwrapped herself from me, and I felt sad for some reason, but she did it enough so she could look into my face. "You are thirteen, Beria. We may grow to like-like each other, but not until you are at least sixteen. And maybe not even then." She looked away and then started to let me go.

"Wait," I said.

"It's not like that," she said quietly. "With some warriors and companions, it becomes that, but it's not like that, Beria." She wouldn't look at me, and then said, "I should return you to your family."

"Omie," I said. She tugged on my arm, but I stood firmly where I was and didn't let go of her hand. She turned back to me.

"It's not like that," she said again quietly.

"Okay," I said cheerfully. "Would I be a good companion?"

She looked up and smiled. "I think you would."

"And you came here to find companions?"

"Yes, we did."

"Then maybe we should dance some more, and you can tell me what it would be like to be your companion."

She stepped forward again, and when she pulled me back into her arms, I let her. I didn't understand this like-like thing, and I didn't understand how my sist
er could be with the queen. But I've always looked up to my sister, and if she could be a good companion, then so could I.

We danced a whole song, neither of us talking. Another song began, and Omie didn't let go of me, and I didn't want her to. I wanted to know what it was like to be an Amazon.