by Robin Roseau
"Yes, my little love," Rora said. "You are going with. And you will behave. I will need your assistance, and you will not bedevil the Amazons with your questions."
"With your blessing," Omie said, "she will attend training, of course. And you are welcome, if you wish it."
Rora smiled. "Perhaps I will, if you will be gentle with me. I will teach you to build these huts, and you will teach me what it means to be an Amazon." We reached her house, and she held open the door, inviting us in. Narsana raced ahead, offering to show us her room. Laughing, Omie and I followed her.
Narsana's room was in the loft. It was difficult to tell in the evening, but it seemed like it would be a cheerful place. The bed was small, but Omie and I slept in each other's arms, anyway, so that wouldn't be an issue. Omie declared it perfect, beyond perfect, and I told her I would retrieve the things we would need; our packs were still in the stable. When I got back, Rora had tucked Narsana in, and I found Omie and Narsana in the kitchen, drinking another cup of tea. I set down our pack, accepted my own cup, and then asked, "Rora, are you sure you have time?"
She smiled. "When I was Narsana's age, I wished to join the Amazons. I was not allowed to do so. But now, at least for a while, I may join you. I will consider this a grand adventure, and I thank you for the opportunity. You will also give my daughter an opportunity to see the Amazon life up close. She may decide it is not for her, or she may find herself at the front of the competition to join you." She smiled. "And my reputation will grow as having directly helped the Amazons. I am very pleased to help you, Beria."
Then Rora turned to Omie. "You are her warrior, but it seems like she is the one in charge."
Omie smiled. "She is now my equal as a warrior, and I have little more I can teach her."
I stared at her. She hadn't said that before.
"And so a companion is an apprentice?" Rora asked.
"A companion is many things," Omie explained. "Friend, apprentice, squire. Beria quiets the demon voices I carry and attends to my needs, and I train her to be an Amazon."
"What does it mean to quiet the voices? I have heard this before, but I have never understood. It seems like everyone assumes everyone else understands, and thus no one ever explains."
And so Omie explained.
"And that is why you touch her so much?"
"Yes," Omie said. "And, well, we are lovers, so I would want to touch her anyway."
Rora had more questions, and we answered them for her.
"Is it difficult to learn to quiet the voices?" she finally asked. "You take the girls when they are young." She eyed us. "Who will you love, once Beria becomes a warrior?"
"That becomes a problem for older warriors," Beria agreed. "As the age difference increases, warriors take companions who view them more as surrogate mothers, not as potential lovers."
"That is sad," Rora said. "Everyone needs love."
"We have love," Omie said.
"But that is not what I meant, and we all understand that, don't we?"
"Yes," Omie said. "We understand. This issue is why Nori has gone so many years without a companion. Do you know Nori?"
"I know of her," Rora said. "We have not met."
"My sister seeks to find a companion for her, but she has been trying for the entire time I have been an Amazon. Nori states she wishes no companion if she cannot have the type of love you describe."
"Perhaps Nori should consider an older companion. So I ask again, does one need to be a young girl to learn to become a companion?"
"No, Rora. Anyone, gentle of heart, can soothe the voices. You could do so."
"Could you teach me?" she asked.
"It is... intimate," Omie said.
Rora looked at me. "The sort of intimate that would cause jealousy?"
"No," I said. "My sister soothes the souls of all our warriors, not only Malora, and recently, I have been doing so as well." I smiled. "The voices do not plague Omie right now. We rode separately, and so they were bothering her when we arrived, but she has been touching me since we dismounted. But she can teach you. Perhaps you will silence them in a fashion I do not, and she will find additional comfort from you."
"It is just touch," Omie said, standing up. Rora stood as well. "We will touch. A hug." She stepped closer, and Rora opened her arms. Omie stepped into them, but the two were not comfortable with each other, so I stood as well.
I moved Rora's hands. "Skin to skin contact," I said. "As intimate as is appropriate." I put her hands on the back of Omie's neck. "Omie presses her face into my neck. You are even taller." Rora adjusted, and Omie leaned against her. Then I moved Omie's hands as well, giving them permission to touch Rora's neck.
And Omie sighed. I could see her relax further.
"This is all?" Rora asked.
"It is important that you want to soothe her," I said. "But yes. If this were the most intimate touch Omie experienced, the voices would not be silent, but they would be dim."
"And that is enough to bear them," Omie said. "But of course, more intimate touch can silence them, sometimes for as much as a day or two, although usually only a few hours."
Then Omie stepped away. "That is the type of touch I accepted from Beria until she was nearly sixteen."
"What happened then?"
"She felt very guilty about something, and I was able to get her to start kissing me," I said with a grin.
"Did I soothe you, Omie?"
"Yes," she said. "Thank you."
"And you are not jealous?" Rora asked.
I smiled. "No. I am pleased my warrior finds comfort."
"Well," said Rora, "you have given me much to think about. We rise early in this house."
"And we have kept you up late."
"I am not complaining," she said. "I am warning."
Omie smiled. "Amazons also wake early."
* * * *
We rose early, but were surprised that Rora had breakfast waiting for us. "I will need perhaps a half hour to prepare," she told us.
"Is there anything we can do?"
"Take my daughter outside and give her some exercise," Rora suggested. "Can you do that?"
Omie laughed. "I believe we can, especially if you have three sturdy sticks we can borrow."
Narsana grinned at us, and ten minutes later we were outside. The village had a small green, and we headed there. "Lead us in stretches," Omie said. "I will assist our newest recruit."
We had barely started with other residents gathered around us. One boy, perhaps a year older than Narsana, asked if boys could do the exercises, too. Omie assured him they could, and soon we had three boys joining us, and then two of their mothers as well.
And so we taught them the basics of stretching prior to exercising. We went easy on them, and we only did the simpler stretches, but it would be enough for this morning.
"Now," Omie said, "after stretching, we run. New companions always ask why we run so much. Do any of you think you can guess why?"
"So you can catch the demons," one of the boys said.
"Yes, or sometimes so we can run from the demons, when there are more demons than us. We run from them until we have more help. Many Amazons have been saved because she ran fast, and even more because her friends ran fast to help her."
And so we took them on a run, three times around the village at a pace Narsana could handle. At the end of the third circle, she was ready to be done in, and we didn't push her like we would a real recruit. But Omie explained that for an Amazon, that was only a warm up run, and normally she would make me run much faster and much further.
"But today I will give my companion a little vacation," she said.
"What my warrior means to say is that she grows old and wishes a vacation for herself," I said with a grin.
"Now, there are rules as an Amazon," Omie said. "The first rule is this: you may not practice your weapons without the supervision of your warrior, or of someone assigned by your warrior. Narsana, that means you may not practice with
the staff unless Beria or I is supervising you." She looked around to make sure the others understood the rule as well. The mothers smirked knowingly, and the children all agreed.
And so we spent ten minutes teaching them about the staff. And then Rora appeared with her horse and cart, and it was time to go.
* * * *
Narsana wanted to ride with Omie, although by the time we would arrive in Queen's Town late that day, she would ride with me as well. And so we set out, plodding along at the pace the mule could pull the cart. Omie answered Narsana's endless questions while Rora and I rode along together.
She asked more questions about being an Amazon, and she asked where I had been born. In turn she told me about her children. When I asked about their father, pain came to her eyes, and I learned she was three years a widow. Carpentry had been his business, but she had learned alongside him.
"Your daughter told us you are the best carpenter in Howard's Den."
She laughed. "My daughter perhaps exaggerates. I believe that distinction falls to my son, and he now teaches his wife."
And so we passed the time as we traveled, slowly, towards home.
It was early afternoon when I began to feel eyes watching us. It took me another fifteen minutes to find the first one. Omie and I talked cautiously with sign language. Finally I pulled up next to her and said loudly, "I sure am glad bandits are smart enough to know to leave the Amazons alone, although I haven't killed a bandit in weeks."
I had never killed a bandit, but they didn't need to know that.
"But you got six that day," Omie said, just as loudly. "You should be satisfied for a while."
"I would have gotten more if you hadn't been so greedy!" I complained.
"You snooze, you lose," Omie said.
"I didn't snooze. The entire fight was over in fifteen seconds."
"Which means it took you two and a half seconds per bandit," Omie replied. She tsked at me. "I've trained you better than that."
We heard scrambling, and whoever it was left us alone.
"We'll need to come back," Omie said quietly.
"I didn't want to risk our guests," I said.
"No," she agreed. "Good call."
And then I dropped back to ride alongside Rora again.
"What was all that about?"
"Just reminding a few watching eyes why they don't want to mess with the Amazons," I said.
"We were being watched?"
"I only saw three," I replied. I shrugged. "This is why we insisted you would have an escort."
"Did you really kill six bandits in fifteen seconds?" she asked.
I laughed. "No. It was my sister. It was years ago, and she only got five. She was a fairly new companion at the time. She earned pink hair for that."
"Why?"
"Malora told her to take the leader and leave the rest. My sister has never followed orders very well."
"It sounds like it is quite easy to earn pink hair."
"Malora chooses amusing punishments for amusing violations of the rules," I said.
"Pink hair does not seem very Amazon-like," Rora observed.
"I agree," I said. "Maya would wear it as a badge of honor, but I felt bad for having earned it when it was my turn. But no one in Queen's Town has been painted an unusual color in several years."
It was a long day, and hot in the sun besides, but we reached the shelter of our trees. Rora and Narsana would have liked to have stopped, but we gave them the choice. "Queen's Town is another two hours."
"Then let us press on," Rora said. "If Narsana grows tired, we can make a nest in the cart for her."
Narsana didn't want a nest in the cart, but instead she made a nest in my arms, arriving at Queen's Town fast asleep.
It was after dinner, but not quite dark. I called out for assistance, and soon we were surrounded by a small collection of Amazons. I lowered a limp Narsana into Gaylie's arms. "What do I do with her?"
"I believe Nori's hut can hold our guests," I declared. "Aura, I hate to ask."
"I'll take care of the horses," she offered immediately, stepping forward to collect reins. Careen was also there, and so the two of them gathered the horses. Omie and I helped Rora with her bags, and we followed Gaylie to Nori's hut.
I already knew it was neat and clean; I had seen to it myself already, wanting it to be ready if Nori returned with a companion. Gaylie carried Narsana to the bed and set her down. Then Rora was there, removing her daughter's boots.
"She has pajamas in that bag," Rora said quietly, pointing. I brought the bag and helped find Narsana's sleepwear, then helped Rora to change the girl's clothing and tuck her into the bed.
"She'll wake in an hour, crabby and perhaps hungry."
"I'll stay with her if you want to give Rora a tour," Omie said. I nodded then followed Gaylie from the hut. Together we showed Rora the basics, ending at the dining area. Serra was waiting.
"I'll have something warm in just a few minutes," she said.
"And can we leave a small bowl of fruit with our guests?"
"Of course." Serra gave Rora a tour of the kitchens. "We are informal here, as you can imagine. There is always hot water for tea, although I bank the fire at night, so the water grows tepid by morning."
Serra helped us make up a tray, and I carried it back to Nori's hut. Rora, Omie and I sat on the floor together and had a late dinner, talking quietly.
Narsana did indeed wake up, and she was indeed crabby. Rora disappeared outside to take Narsana to the latrine, and when they returned, she offered the girl some food, jollying her into a better mood once hunger was assuaged.
"She'll be awake for an hour," Rora said. "Would it be possible to bathe?"
"We have pools," I explained. "A quiet section of the river."
"Is it deep?"
"There are places to stand, but the water is quite cool."
"I have never been swimming," Rora said. "Is it safe for me?"
"We'll go with you," Omie said. "Bathing would be pleasant. You understand we may not be alone. Amazons have a different view of privacy than you may expect."
Rora cocked her head. "Would it be presumptuous of me to ask to be treated as honorary Amazons while we are here?"
"We cannot offer that title officially," I said. "Only Malora could do that. But we can certainly do so unofficially."
The woman smiled. Narsana wasn't interested in a bath, but Omie said, "An Amazon follows orders, Narsana. But this is far, far more than a bath. Come along now, and no fussing."
Rora collected her daughter. I collected fresh towels and soap, and Omie led the way to the pools.
When Narsana realized we would be skinny dipping, she almost balked and clung to her mother. I ignored her behavior and instead helped Omie out of her clothes, then stripped myself. Omie walked into the water, but I took a run, offered a battle cry, and dived into the pools. Surfacing, I whooped with joy. Then I splashed around with Omie for a minute or two before turning towards shore, buried under the water to my neck.
"Would you throw me a bar of soap, Rora?" I asked. She gave a good toss. I caught the soap, then explained, "It is deep where I went in, but you can easily walk in there." I pointed. "It grows deep gradually, but there is a distinct drop about fifteen steps in. It is safe if you do not go deeper than mid-chest depth." I pointed again. "And you can sit there against the rocks. It will be clean and comfortable. The water is cool, and you may gather goose bumps, but it should feel good."
Then we turned our backs on them, and I began to bathe my warrior.
"You're good with them," Omie said quietly. "How did you learn to be so gracious?"
"I'm making it up as I go," I said, "and basically asking what Maya would do."
She chuckled. "Your sister sends out ripples of influence everywhere she goes, but I believe your sister's sister is beginning to send her own ripples."
I hugged my lover, then helped her rinse her hair.
From behind us, I heard splashing. Narsana complain
ed for a moment that the water was cold, but there was more splashing, and I heard Rora speaking quietly with her daughter.
"Why Nori's hut?" Omie asked me.
"I'm not sure," I said. "It just seemed right. They need to stay somewhere, after all. There will be some doubling up until we get the huts built. Do you believe Nori will mind?"
"She has had that hut to herself for a long time," Omie said. "But no, I do not believe she will mind. You know, we have patrol in the morning."
"I know," I said. "We're going to get a late start. Serra and Jasmine can see to our guests."
Omie finished bathing me. I rinsed then turned in her arms. She laid her head on my shoulder, kissing my neck. I pulled her closer and glanced at our guests. Rora had her back turned towards us and was bathing herself while Narsana splashed around. Narsana caught me watching.
"Look, Beria!" she said. "I'm swimming!"
Technically, she was walking around in the water, but I wasn't going to burst her bubble.
"So you are," I agreed. "Is the water too cold?"
"Nooo," she said slowly. "Not toooo cold."
Narsana wanted to join Omie and me, but her mother said, "No, you will stay here with me. You have never been swimming before, and neither have I, so we will stay here where we can stand."
The girl began to pout.
"It is too late at night to learn to swim," I said. "And our swimming trainer is not here, Narsana. You will need to wait."
"Yes, Beria," she said obediently.
Rora dipped down in the water to rinse, then stayed low in the water before turning around to face us. She offered a quick smile.
"You were right," she said, "it is cold, and I have goose bumps. But I believe this is going to feel very good after a long day building huts. Do you really have a swimming trainer?"
"Maya," I said. "She remains our best swimmer."
* * * *
Later, after getting Rora and Narsana settled, Omie and I lay together, side-by-side in our bed. I brushed an errant lock of hair from her face and caressed her cheek.
"Omie," I said. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Being my warrior all these years."
"Oh Beria," she said, pulling me into her arms. We kissed for a while, but then I pushed her away. "I thought you wanted to..."
