Amazon Chief (82 page)

Malora nodded. "Then we come back to you." She screamed at me. "Why is your name not on this list?"

I waited, not sure if I was to answer.

"That was not a rhetorical question."

"We've been holding me in reserve, Malora. I don't know if I can win, but I know if I ever need to intercept a challenge to you, I would rather have seen how your challenger fights without her having a clue as to my skills. If you insist, I will compete, but I will use a single sword and not last past the third round."

Malora continued to glare at me for a moment, slowly relaxing. Maya stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the queen. We stood like that for several minutes before Malora spoke again.

"You will listen to me, Chief Beria, and you will listen very, very well. You not only will compete, you will win. Do you understand me?"

"Queen Malora-"

"Shut up! You will compete, and you damned well better win. You will study your best opponents when they are in matches with others. You will analyze their strengths and weaknesses. You will discuss them with Nori and possibly with me. You will hide your own abilities if needed, at least in the early rounds, but by the end, you will fight with every last ounce of skill and ferocity you have. Do you understand me?"

"No, Queen Malora.
"

"What the hell wasn't clear?" she yelled.

"The reason why."

"Because I ordered you to. Because I want no doubt in anyone's mind just how good you are. Now, do you understand what you are going to do?"

"Yes, Queen Malora."

"Good. You will also avoid any and all other entanglements. You will make no other trips, beyond your patrol duties, between now and my competition. At the competition, you will not be drawn into any of the side events that goes on unless you are invited to do so by one of the people currently in this room."

"That means you and I will do a water wrestling doubles event," Maya said. "And that's it."

"Which you will also win," Malora said.

"There are other Amazons who swim," I said.

"Queen's Town is the only village that plays in the water with the sort of heart my companion has. And it's our pool, which you know almost as well as your sister does."

"Word has gotten around over the years," I said. "There are a few villages that are hoping to sucker the queen's companion into a significant wager."

"I have faith in the two of you," Malora said.

"Yes, Queen Malora," I replied.

"You will conserve yourself," she said. "You will not take foolish risks early in the event, risks that may leave you partially disabled for later, more difficult fights. And you darned well better not show up with a sprained ankle from a training accident the day before my event."

"No, Queen Malora."

"You will train here and in Queen's Town. I expect to see you at least twice a week. You will swear your village to secrecy. If anyone from here is pressed as to your abilities, make sure they feed out lies, very well-crafted lies, and make sure you share those lies with Queen's Town."

"I will be crafting those lies," Nori said.

"Yes, Queen Malora," I said.

"Good." She paused. "I'm sorry I was so angry. You didn't deserve it."

"I thought we were hiding my skill," I said.

"We were. And we are for another three weeks. But why do you think Nori was talking to you about the warriors at every village?"

I smiled. "Scoping the competition?"

"You will win. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Queen Malora."

"Good. Are you angry with me, or may I have a hug?"

I moved into her and wrapped my arms around her.

"I can never decide if I see you as a sister or a daughter," she said.

"I see you as sister some days, mother on others," I replied. "Either way, I love you." Then I glanced at Nori. "I might love you, too, but don't let it go to your head."

She smiled. "Yeah, me too."

"Like the aunt I never had," I added. And in my arms, Malora chuckled.

We arrived before dinner. Everyone from Lake Juna who wasn't actively on patrol went with us. We could run our patrol from Queen's Town almost as well as from Lake Juna, and Malora had given us permission to do so.

Each village brought it's own supplies, setting up camps in the woods around Queen's Town. Maya had already picked sites and assigned a site based on arrival time. Lake Juna was offered a good location, but not one with any apparent favoritism implied. Never mind that Omie and Aren opened their hut for Lia, the girls, and me.

Maya quietly told me she and Malora had to be careful about showing favorites. Everyone knew of my relationship with the queen, but we didn't need to point it out too boldly, and so we didn't stay with them. Instead, they offered space to some of the aging chiefs that Malora had known for a very long time, women who were not competing themselves, but had come with their warriors to cheer them on.

Aura and Lin were invited to stay with Bea, and Vorine opened her home to Ree, her old warrior. I understood there were a few tears over that, but Ree and Pallie accepted with pleasure.

Aura and Malai competed for our second slot, Badra and Astarine repeating their wishes to avoid competing, Aura won easily, and Malai was very gracious. Privately I apologized to her, but she said, "I'd just lose during the first round, anyway. Even Yalta can beat me."

"Yalta is very good," I pointed out.

"Still, I'm fine. It wouldn't be right to send me as our second best when I'm no more than sixth or seventh. I don't mind, Chief Beria."

And then the entire village had focused on bringing my skills to a peak. I had also been to Queen's Town once or twice a week, and the warriors there worked with me. By the time we arrived in Queen's Town for the tournament, I was as ready as I was ever going to be.

I had never seen so many Amazons gathered together at one time. Every village sent at least one warrior for the tournament. Most sent a delegation, although no one had as many as Queen's Town or Lake Juna present. Most of the village chiefs came, although a few had remained at home, allowing younger members to go while they stayed to handle demon patrols. I thought it was gracious of them. From our tours, I knew there was a lot of excitement about the tournament, after all.

Officially, each village was to handle all their own needs, including meals. Unofficially, Maya told us ahead of time she expected us to join Queen's Town. Lia and Aren had then pooled resources and efforts, the two of them smoothly sharing the Queen's Town kitchen. She had been coming with me when I came down to Queen's Town. She told me, "If I want to make something in particular, I tell Aren. If it fits with her plans, she tells me to go ahead. Other days, she just asks me to handle this portion of the meal or that one." And a few times, I knew they created something special together.

Omie and I couldn't have been more pleased that our companions had become good friends.

And so, we arrived and exchanged greetings with our friends at Queen's Town. We set up our camp, although about half our delegation was whisked away to shared housing in this hut or that one. Lia kissed me and hugged Omie and then disappeared in the direction of kitchen to offer her services to Aren. We lost track of the girls almost immediately as they were drawn away by some of the companions. I knew they would be well managed.

I turned to my old warrior. She was smiling at me.

"She's good for you," Omie said.

"Yes," I agreed. "She certainly is."

"How are you feeling?"

"Good."

"You should know. Aren and Lia negotiated. There is a truce on pranks this week."

"Lia told me."

"Going to honor it?"

"She told me what would happen to me if I didn't." I was good, but if the three of them decided I was getting a dye job, I was pretty sure I'd be getting a dye job.

"That's not an answer."

I laughed. "Yes, Omie, I will honor the truce. Lia informed me it began yesterday at dinner and extends until the conclusion of our first meal back at Lake Juna."

"Good. Should we go see what kind of trouble we can cause?"

We stepped out of the hut then stood watching for a minute. I'd never seen Queen's Town so busy. I caught a glimpse of Maya then made a double take. My daughters were standing with her as she greeted another delegation, the group from Tall Pines. Maya turned to Joelle and said something to her, and then I saw Joelle gesture, leading the delegation to their campsite.

"How did I not know about that?" I asked Omie.

"Maya's been training them while the warriors have been training you," Omie said. "You're not usually this unobservant. Your companion also has duties scheduled to work around the kitchen schedule. Between Maya and Malora, every available pair of hands is put to work."

"What are your duties?"

"Keep you out of trouble."

I laughed. "That hasn't been your responsibility for a long time, Omie."

"Perhaps not, but it is this week."

"Queen Malora doesn't trust me?"

"Queen Malora doesn't trust a few of the competitors. You'll see some of the other chiefs are taking similar precautions with their top competitors."

I turned to face her. "Wasn't it about two minutes ago you suggested we get into trouble? Now you're saying you're responsible for keeping me out of it."

"There's trouble, and there's trouble," Omie replied. "For instance, if I lured you to the kitchen, you'd get in one kind of trouble, but at least Malora would know where you were."

I laughed. "I have learned to avoid the kitchen when Lia is in it. We use the same agreement at Lake Juna that we have here. The head cook is the absolute law in the kitchen, and anyone foolish enough to step inside may be put to work."

Omie grinned. "Aren and I have an agreement. If I appear in the kitchen, she may order me to perform one minor task. She usually asks me to wash a few dishes. Sometimes she asks me to work a kink out of her back. I make a point of popping in once or twice a week."

"Does my companion know of this agreement?"

"Yes."

"Do you believe if we popped into the kitchen now, she would honor it?"

"You could negotiate from the doorway, but my agreement with Aren starts if I allow one wayward hair to cross the threshold."

"Then let us go negotiate," I said. She grinned and set a path to the kitchen. I greeted a few people on the way, but when Clara saw where we were headed, she asked, "Are you sure you want to do that?"

We grinned at her and continued towards the kitchen.

On arrival, Omie opened the door and stepped right in. Aren saw her immediately and smiled at her, then looked past me. I hovered outside. She watched me carefully then frowned.

"You warned her."

I grinned. "I've lived here before," I said. "Is my companion available for a brief conference?"

"I'm here," came Lia's voice from somewhere inside. I couldn't see her from the doorway.

"Omie has informed me of an arrangement she shares with Aren. I was wondering if you would honor the same arrangement."

"Come on in and we can discuss it," Lia said.

"I'll come in if you agree to the arrangement."

"Get in here. I'm not talking to you through a wall."

"I'm not stepping so much as a toe past this threshold unless I am guaranteed immunity."

Aren laughed. From around the corner, Lia said, "I like their rule," Lia said. "Yes, Beria, I will agree to the same arrangement. If you step into my kitchen, I will not demand more than a minor task from you, but you will do it without complaint or you become my kitchen slave until I release you."

I crossed the threshold to see my companion up to her elbows in preparation.

"Chief Beria," said Aren. "There is a sink full of dirty dishes. Please wash and dry them. I believe you should remember how."

I glanced at the sink. "That is more than a minor task."

"You have your orders, Chief Beria," Aren said. I noticed Omie smirking at me, and when I looked at Lia, so was she.

"I will happily wash a few of the dishes," I said. "I believe that to be the limit of my agreement with both of you."

"Honey," said Lia. "I made an agreement when you step into my kitchen. This kitchen is Aren's."

I stared at her, then turned to Omie. "You set me up!"

"I sure did," she said with a grin.

"Thank you, dearest," Aren said to Omie.

I looked at Lia. "You helped," I accused.

She grinned. "I sure did."

"Did we or did we not, just minutes ago in your hut, agree there was to be no pranking this week?"

Aren smiled at me. "Chief Beria, we are short handed and would like the company of our warriors. We're all a little stressed. We set you up in fun. After this week, I will honor with you the same agreement I honor with my companion. But we could really use your help. Maya has all the companions busy, and we assured her we could handle it."