Amazon Chief (39 page)

"Wait," I said. "Let me coach her."

Malora lifted an eyebrow but nodded, and I pulled her away.

"Hey, what's going on? If it were staffs, I could understand."

"Malora and I had a fight."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"The worst part is, I had to admit she was right. I hate it when she's right."

I tried hard not to smile.

"It's not funny," she said.

"Want to tell me about it later?"

"No."

"Well, I'm here if you need me."

"Wrestle Malora for me?"

"You know she wants to wrestle you, and you know why, Maya. She knows you're upset, and she thinks she can jolly you into feeling better."

"She should know better by now. We've been together for twelve years."

"You like wrestling her in bed. You like wrestling her in the water. You seem to enjoy it when we go to Backbend Gulch."

"We haven't done that lately," she said.

"No, but you have fun."

"I guess."

"What's so bad about here?"

She turned and pointed to the whipping post. "That. I hate this entire field. I hate everything that represents. And you know, I've never seen that one used. Just-"

Just the one Parlomith had used when she had whipped me all those years ago.

"Is that just since-"

"No. It's always been like this."

"If I were the village chief here, and you asked, I'd have it removed."

She turned to me. "I never asked. Oh god, I never asked. She'd do anything for me. I know she would, and I never asked."

"Maybe she can't. She's queen. Maybe she needs it as a symbol. I wouldn't know."

"I never asked."

She stepped away from me and walked straight to her warrior. "I want you to chop that down." She pointed to the whipping post.

"Nori," she said immediately, "will you ask your companion if she will remove that construction from our training ground and replace it with some other obstacle?"

"Wait," Maya said. Everyone froze. "Is that why it's still there?"

"Have you ever seen me use it for anything else?"

She shook her head.

"Have you seen me survive eight on two duels because it's there?"

Maya nodded.

"Did you see me beat Parlomith in part through careful use of that post?"

"Oh god. Yes."

"Nori, you have known me since I was a new warrior. I was your warrior, then a village chief, and finally Queen. How many times have you seen me tie someone to that post or one like it?"

"Three times," she said. "Two of them were bluffs. One was not, and if it had been me, I would have killed or banished the individual."

"And what did I tell you after that incident?"

"I believe your exact words were 'never again'."

"You told me..."

"A bluff," Malora said. "I needed you to accept the situation, Maya. Nori had already told me what a good companion you were, and the best resolution to the situation was if you agreed to stay. After that, I had sort of dug a hole and didn't know how to climb
back out of it. I'm sorry."

Maya stared at the post.

"An obstacle."

"And a symbol," Malora said. "One I don't care for. About half the village chiefs have used their post, but most hate it."

Maya turned to her warrior. "I would love to wrestle you, Malora. Care for a wager?"

Malora laughed. "Isn't that what got you into this situation in the first place?"

"Winner gets to give the loser a backrub tonight," Maya said.

"Agreed," Malora said immediately.

"Ready... fight!" said Maya, and she threw herself into her warrior's arms.

Nori and I stood side by side, watching. "Is that a new submission hold?" I asked her. "I haven't learned that one."

"I'm pretty sure I saw you and Omie using that one a few times," Nori said.

"Which one is winning?"

"I think Maya just won," Nori said. "Oh wait, take down."

"Huh. Maya's on top. Malora isn't trying very hard."

"I'm sure she's just lulling her companion into a false sense of security," Nori suggested. "Or perhaps throwing the fight so her companion will be allowed to offer a backrub later."

"Oh, good reversal, Queen Malora!" I yelled. "Is that a pin?" I asked Nori.

"Probably, but I'm not going to interrupt them. Are you?"

"Hell no," I said. "Hmm. That's a legitimate wrestling move."

"I didn't know Maya knew that one," Nori said, cocking her head.

"I think that's how Bea beat her last week. Is she doing it right?"

"Oh, close one," Nori said. "Maya almost had her." She cocked her head. "What is that move called?"

"I think it's a lip lock," I suggested. "Like a wrist lock, but, well..."

"With lips."

"Exactly. Wait! Was that a giggle? A Maya-sized giggle?"

"I think it might have been," Nori agreed. "And in the middle of a lip lock no less."

"Oh, no, it wasn't the lip lock. That's Maya's favorite submission hold."

"She's usually the one to apply the tickle hold," Nori said. "I don't believe I've ever actually witnessed Malora stoop to such a base hold."

"I have it on good authority Malora practices that hold frequently," I replied. "But Maya doesn't seem to be submitting."

"And here she was ready to give up and just let Malora win the match."

"Yes. Malora would have been so angry."

"Do you think one of them is going to win?" Nori asked. "Perhaps we should wager on it."

"You have been suckering me," I said. "Malora has pinned Maya at least a dozen times, but you refuse to call it, hoping I'd believe you'll continue to stand her and watch, but as soon as I wager on my sister, you'll bend down and start slapping the ground."

"I keep hoping Maya will actually succeed with one of these reversals," Nori said. "It's good practice for her."

"You know, between the two of us, I bet we could pin my sister's lover."

"And why would we do this?"

"So that my sister could practice her tickle submission holds. She needs more practice."

"If you want to help Maya, I won't stop you," Nori said. "I, however, learned my lesson a long time ago. I do not gang up against the queen. She has too wicked a sense of humor."

"I think Maya's getting tired," I observed.

"She's panting a lot," Nori replied.

"Are you going to make her run afterwards?"

"Naw. I want to go swimming."

"I didn't get a run in."

"You could get a run in now. I can declare a winner when you're done."

"God," Maya yelled from below Malora. "Would you declare the damned pin already?"

"You could call it yourself," Nori replied.

"I have, four times," she said.

"She's pinned you an even dozen by now," Nori said.

"I was distracted."

Nori looked at me. "It really is kind of warm."

"And she lost the wager. Thank you for that."

"Do I get to play?"

"Of course. Want to be captain?"

"Hell, no."

"We could do something different."

"Oh?"

"Make our companions be captains."

"Hello!" said Maya.

"Oh come on," I said. "Even you could squirm out of that one. Now you're not even trying." I turned back to Nori. "What do you think?"

"I think Maya likes the game too much, and I wouldn't want to ruin her fun," Nori replied. "I suppose I should declare that pin."

"Why start now?" I asked her.

"Good point."

We looked at the two wrestlers, barely moving now. Finally Nori knelt down and said, "I can't believe you're waiting for me." She slapp
ed the ground. "Satisfied?"

Malora slowly climbed from her companion. "Good match," she said.

* * * *

Malora had asked me to visit with her after dinner before the evening bonfire. I wondered if I was in trouble, but I couldn't remember doing anything I wasn't willing to get caught for. I knocked at the door and was invited to enter.

I stepped in to find Malora, Maya, Nori and Rora.

"This feels vaguely familiar," I said. "Should I collect my companion?"

"No," Malora said. "Come on in, Beria." Moments later, we all settled to the ground, and Maya handed me a mug of cider.

"Definitely familiar," I said.

We settled in, making small talk for a minute before Malora got to the point. "Beria, what are your aspirations?"

I frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. Why do you always wonder if you're in trouble?"

"Because no good conversation started out with the question, 'what are your plans for the future'."

Malora smiled briefly. "I'm serious."

"And I'm stalling while I think about it," I said. "And I don't know. You're asking me what I want to do as an Amazon?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't know. I guess I'll do whatever job you want, Queen Malora."

"So you don't covet Balorie's position?" Malora asked.

"Or mine?" Nori added.

I frowned. "If either of them decided to retire, or move, or something, I guess I would hope to be considered, but there are older warriors here-"

"Which of them has displayed the leadership you have?" Malora asked immediately.

"Bea."

"No," Malora asked. "Bea is a very, very good team player. She brings joy to our village and cheers our hearts. I suppose that is a form of leadership, but it is not the type we're talking about."

"Clara-"

"Is tired," Malora said.

"Vorine and Omie."

"Yes, good examples. They both love to train. Why is it that Omie asks Nori when she needs help breaking a bad habit in your companion?"

I sighed. "Because Omie can't bring herself to do it."

"Why didn't she ask you?"

"I don't know."

"Could you have done it?"

"Of course. It's a bad habit. It could get her killed."

"Are you good enough?"

"To teach my companion? Yes. But I'm not as good as Nori."

"I am better at helping to break bad habits," Nori said, "but that is because I have been doing so for a long time. But I do not know how much longer I will beat you in bouts. You are already winning points from me, and I think within the next year or so, you will be consistently winning bouts."

I stared at her. She had always seemed almost like a goddess to me.

I turned back to Malora. "I don't covet the jobs you have mentioned. I would do them, and I believe I would do them well. I would do them because they must be done, a
nd I would want them done well." Then I looked at Nori. "If you tell me you're retiring, I'm going to be angry."

She smiled. "I'm not retiring."

"Good. Queen Malora, I would do these jobs, but it would be some time before I would do them as well as the people currently doing them."

"Perhaps. More so Nori's than Balorie's."

"I've only co-led a few patrols."

"I know. The only reason you aren't leading them on your own is because I would prefer you to co-lead a few demon fights first. But circumstances may be catching up to us."

"Is something wrong with Balorie?"

"No, nothing is wrong with anyone."

I glanced at Maya. Her face was frozen, not in a frown, but she wasn't smiling. And when I looked closely at her, I saw her eyes were red and splotchy. No one else looked upset, and Maya was leaning against Malora, clutching one of Malora's arms around her. Maya was upset about something, but she wasn't giving me clues what it was. No one else was upset, but I thought they all knew why she was.

"Something is going on," I said. "Could we speak plainly?"

Malora smiled. "Your sister loves you."

"I know she does."

"Beria, Amazon villages are placed on the rivers between the plains on our east and the plains on our west."

"The rivers are a source of water," I observed.

"They are also pathways the demons have been known to follow. By placing the villages on the rivers, it helps to intercept the demons who would torment the people west of our home."

"It was only luck that Ralla caught that one last year," I said. "And luck again that Jasmine remained a companion."

"Yes," Malora said. "That was the first in a while. The Amazons have been too sparse for us to patrol everywhere."

"The villages are at full strength," I said. "More or less."