by Robin Roseau
"Greetings, Chief Beria," Glorana said. "Queen Malora. Are you back?"
"Just dropping off a new villager," I said. "We'll get introductions over dinner. Queen Malora, I hope you will stay for dinner."
"We shall," she said, "and then we'll head home. Do you need a day or two before continuing our trip?"
I turned to Glorana. "Do I?"
"Not on our account," she said.
"Queen Malora, do you wish me to take a day or two anyway?"
She laughed. "No. But a night in a warm bed will feel good."
"Speaking of a warm bed," I said, and I headed to my hut. "I'll be right back."
My hut was just as I had left it, although it was cold; there was no reason for a fire while I was gone. I collected the bearskin from atop my bed, throwing part of it over my shoulder so it would not drag on the ground. I stepped back out. Glorana was watching me, but the rest were chatting and walking slowly through the village. I headed straight for Ralla, then settled the long skin over her shoulders, covering her entirely, then draped more of it over Jasmine at her side.
"Walk with me, Chief Beria," Ralla said. She nudged me away from everyone else, Jasmine at her side. "Nori told me. You don't have to do this."
Instead, I stepped into both of them, offering them hugs, and kissing first one cheek, then another. "I don't know how much I owe you, Ralla. You helped train me. You helped me learn to patrol. You were there the day I became a warrior and helped me get through it. Jasmine, you have offered comfort and friendship. We became Amazons on the same day. You soothed me when my heart was breaking. Now you are both leaving, and while this isn't forever, we will not see each other often. I want you to have this, and remember me during the winter gales, while you huddle under it."
"You know I expected you to keep my skin," Ralla said. "Now I take two skins from the Amazons instead of none as I had planned."
"You've only been to the coast in the late spring and summer," I said. "You're going to want these. Keep them both. Maybe you can will them to the queen of the Amazons, and when you are both gone, many, many years from now, the Amazons will have this gift returned."
"We shall," she said.
We hugged again and exchanged another set of kissed cheeks, and then we separated.
By the time we rejoined the group, we'd acquired a larger audience. "Why does Ralla have your bear skin, Chief Beria?"
"The impudent child lost a wager," Nori said. "She wagered she could beat me in a duel." And then they took turns telling the story exactly the way I wanted it told.
At the end, Malora said, "And when she returns in another two weeks, you will witness the results of her wager with me." She shook her head. "She should know better than to wager against Nori."
I shrugged. "Next time, Nori. Next time."
Nori chuckled. "Any time, Queen's Companion's Sister."
"That's Chief Queen's Companion's Sister to you," I said, earning some chuckles.
* * * *
Lia came to me that night, knocking at the door of my hut. I looked up when she entered.
"Settled in all right?" I asked.
"Yes, thank you," she said. "Do you have a few minutes, Chief Beria?"
I gestured to a chair. "What can I do for you?"
"Not a thing. I came to thank you."
"There's no need," I said. "We're happy to have you. Your girls are a delight, and I very much enjoy your company." I grinned. "Besides, you haven't seen the duty roster yet."
She laughed. "Yes, I have."
"I will be gone for two weeks," I said. "If Badra's hut gets cozy, you and your daughters may sleep here. I do not know how warm the bed will be. My best blanket rode away on the back of a horse this evening."
"We brought some bedding with us," Lia said. "That is a generous offer. Are you sure?"
"I never offer anything when I don't mean it," I said. "It is up to you. I would prefer the girls stay out of my chest. We don't have locks on anything here. If you do not trust their curiosity, have someone move the chest to safety elsewhere." Then I gestured to the fishing flies hanging from an old fishing net Dannick had given me. "The hooks are sharp. You will need to warn the girls."
She got up and looked at the flies. "What are they?"
"Fishing flies." I explained them. "I can teach you in the spring."
She turned around. "I'd like that." She stepped forward to stand beside me. "There is something I would do for you."
I raised an eyebrow. In answer, she took my hands and pulled me from the chair, then stepped into an embrace, laying her face against my neck. I wrapped my arms around her and sighed.
"Thank you," I whispered several minutes later.
"Do they grow silent?" she asked.
"They grow still. My sister can silence them in this fashion. For you, it may take more intimacy than is appropriate, or perhaps far more time than you are offering. But this is good. They are quiet, and I will be able to sleep."
"Through the night?"
I didn't answer her.
Eventually we separated, and I thanked her again.
"Jasmine's laundry is drying in the kitchen," Lia said. "She expects you to bring it with you in the morning."
"I am leaving early," I said, "well before first light. I won't forget."
"Then if you do not see me, you will wake me, and I will attend to it."
"That isn't necessary."
"Yes," she said, "it is. Please, Chief Beria."
"It will wake the children."
She laughed. "You don't really believe that, do you? They will waken when they waken, and neither you nor I will have any effect on that fact."
"Then when I depart my hut in the morning, I will find you."
"Your laundry is also drying."
"I already packed my other set, and I have the set I am wearing."
"And your chest is now empty?"
"Of clothing, largely, yes." I smiled. "Sleep well, Lia. Welcome to Lake Juna. I hope you enjoy it here."
"I believe I shall, Chief Beria."
I led her to the door, then stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"If you are going to come to me in the evening and still the voices, then I hope at those times you will call me Beria."
She smiled and caressed my cheek. "I shall, Beria. Good night."
* * * *
We finished the tour through the south half of our forest, our party somewhat smaller.
Arriving at Green Arrow was difficult. Over the years, I had traveled a few times when Maya and Malora had taken their tours. Maya and I never even stopped here. We both rode straight through without a word. The first time we had done it, Malora had tried to cut us off. "What are you doing?"
"We'll wait for you at Broken Knife," was all Maya would say.
"She's dead, Maya." In response, Maya simply stared her down. "I wish you had said something earlier. We could have planned better."
"You planned poorly," Maya told her. "You actually thought we would spend the night here? We should have stopped at the last village. Instead, it's going to be dark by the time we make Broken Knife."
Malora sighed. "I'll catch up to you."
"Yes," Maya agreed. "Tomorrow morning. You need to do what you need to do here, but I don't intend to be here for it. As far as I am concerned, everyone in this village can rot in hell. You won't allow me to punish them properly, but I have no intention of making nice to them. We'll see you tomorrow." And then she had pulled her horse around Malora's, and I had followed silently.
But now I had new duties, and I couldn't ignore the village. Maya and I were both quiet as we rode into the village, but we climbed from our horses. She took my mount from me, and then the companions settled the horses while Malora, Ralla, Nori and I met with the village chief.
The composition of the village had changed a lot in fifteen years, but I recognized some of the faces. One or two of the companions were still companions, but there were two companions who were now warriors. I didn't
recognize anyone else. But looking around, I realized that either there were a lot of companions on patrol, or this village was very, very low on companions.
Our meeting started the same as it had with the others, but rather than being invited to sit with us at the meeting, the companions served us and then departed. That changed when Maya, Jasmine and Rora finished with the horses. We wouldn't be staying the night, so they did not need to set up camp. They found us in the dining hut and pointedly sat down with us, Maya sitting between Malora and me, offering us both her comfort. Rora and Jasmine sat with their warriors.
We had just doubled the companions in the village. I'd only see three.
"Where are the other companions?" I asked. "I see three."
"Benta is on patrol," their chief said, a woman named Senai. The village had four companions. Every other village we visited has at least eight, and some had a full complement, a companion for every warrior. Maya flashed me a victorious smile.
All these years later, and she still hadn't forgiven them.
"Thank you for explaining," I said.
Things grew increasingly tense, with Green Arrow warriors offering increasingly pointed looks. Finally Senai said, "Queen Malora, I would address a different issue."
"Of course," Malora said.
"I would register a complaint with your companion," Senai said.
"And what complaint is that?" Maya asked sweetly. "This is the first time I have stopped in Green Arrow. Do you wish to accuse me of avoiding training?"
There was an intake of breath, then Senai said, "That is at the crux of the issue, isn't it? It has been fifteen years, but you continue to punish the village when no one here is responsible for what happened, and the woman who was responsible is long dead."
Maya's eyes narrowed. "My queen forbid me from the punishment I wished to enact on everyone responsible."
"Parlomith is dead."
"Parlomith was not the only woman involved!" Maya thundered. "That woman," and Maya pointed to one of the warriors, "and one of the companions conspicuously absent from these meetings helped to hold me down." She pointed at the other face I recognized. "That woman and two more companions helped to tie my sister to the whipping post and then, when Parlomith was done, all of them left us there, still tied. I was forced to free my sister, her back red with blood, with my hands bound tightly behind my back. Not one voice was raised to Parlomith to suggest she not engage in such insanity. Not one hand amongst you was raised to help us."
"They were only companions," Senai said.
"I am only a companion!" Maya yelled. "If companions are so witless and powerless, what could one little companion do that is so harmful to a village of Amazons?"
"You deny us companions, and you deny us our share of the tithe."
"I do no such thing. I am meticulous in making sure you receive everything you need." She stressed that word. "And not one jar of food less. And I do not deny you companions. I only insist companions have a say in who is their warrior. If none choose to come here, perhaps you should consider how you treat your companions and amend your policies."
"You do not allow our warriors to attend the spring recruitment," Senai said.
"I do not stop anyone from traveling to our tent city and offering themselves as warriors to the attending companions."
"You force us to woo them and then poison our reputation!" Senai's eyes flashed.
"I do not force you to do anything," she said. "I am a companion. I can't force anyone to do a thing."
Senai didn't realize she couldn't possibly win a war of words with my sister. What I found interesting was that Malora was letting Maya fight it.
"You set the rules," Senai said, leaning forward and glaring at Maya. "And the queen enforces them. You state if we want companions, we must woo them."
"I do not force you to seek companions," Maya said. "You may thank the demons for that. I do not force you to woo companions. In fact, I do not see very much wooing from any of the villagers here. I see a lot of posturing. I see a lot of fierce looks. But I do not see anything that I would consider wooing."
"You poison their minds towards us!"
"How do I do that?"
"You tell them where our warriors are from, and you tell them we treat our companions poorly. You cannot continue to blame us for what Parlomith did fifteen years ago."
Maya smiled. "I am far more specific than that. I tell them how the warriors at Lake Juna treat their companions. I am very, very specific. And then I tell them how the warriors here treat their companions. Again, I am very, very specific. I let them come to their own conclusions. And in all fairness, while I am at it, I also tell them that this village is in the greatest need and even acknowledge the quality of the warriors and suggest the training here would be exceedingly thorough."
"You also tell them there are only four companions living here, and they divide all the companion duties amongst them."
"True," she said. "Am I mistaken? Are there more companions? Or do they not divide the duties? If I have been unwittingly lying, I will happily amend my words."
"No fourteen-year-old girl is going to come here voluntarily after you make sure they know how much work they'll have!"
"Ah, so you fault me for sharing the truth? I do not apologize for doing so. Surely you can't expect an apology for sharing the truth."
Senai banged the table in anger. None of us on our side reacted.
"Senai," Maya said, "There is a simple solution that does not involve attempting to bully me."
"Yes, you could stop scaring away the companions!"
"I will continue to tell the truth to any companion who wishes to hear it," Maya said. "If you don't like what I tell them, change the truth."
"How am I supposed to do that if you won't give me any companions?"
"I don't give anyone a companion," Maya said. "I facilitate introductions, and the companions offer their services. If you wish to lure companions to your village, then perhaps you should make coming here more palatable. Start by treating the companions you have more kindly. And as no fourteen-year-old girl is going to come and do the work of two women, perhaps the warriors should share in the duties so it is not such a burden to the companions you have."
"We are Amazon warriors!" Senai yelled. "They are companions. We do our duties, and they do theirs."
Maya shrugged and turned to Malora. "This is the woman you approved to become chief?"
"No one I really wanted was willing to come here," Malora said. "Senai is qualified as a village chief."
Maya shook her head. "Senai, I did not make the situation here. I have offered suggestions for how you could fix it. The only thing I am doing is preventing you from lying to possible companions or taking them by force. As long as I have any power to prevent it, Amazons will not be known throughout Morehama as bullies."
Senai looked away, clearly angry. Then she turned back to face Malora. "Are you going to allow her to continue to do this to us?"
"I have not heard what you wish her to change," Malora said. "Do you wish her to allow you to lie? Do you wish her to withhold the truth? Or do you wish to be allowed to take companions the way she was taken?"
"We need companions!"
"Do not take that tone with me!" Malora thundered. "You will remain respectful of my position for as long as I hold it."
Senai had the grace to look chagrined. "My apologies," she replied. "I meant no disrespect."
Everyone was silent for a moment, then Malora said, "You need companions. I agree. My companion has offered suggestions. If you do not care for them, perhaps you will think of other suggestions. You have not told me what you wish changed, only that you are in need."
"She doesn't have to poison them from us."
"Does she misrepresent the situation?" Malora asked. "If so, she has offered to amend her words. Tell her where she is mistaken, and I am sure she will be very reasonable. Won't you, Maya?"
"Yes, Queen Malora."
Senai
didn't say anything.
"Consider her advice," Malora added after a moment. "I have found over the years that her advice is typically quite sound."
"What about my other complaints?" Senai asked.
"Which complaints are those?" Maya asked.
"You prevent my warriors from seeking positions elsewhere."
"You aren't going to blame that on me, too, are you?" Maya asked. "How do I do that?"
"You tell the other chiefs not to accept transfers from Green Arrow."
"I have never done so," Maya said. "That is an outright lie. In fact, I have never talked about Green Arrow to any village chiefs at all, discounting Queen Malora, chief of Queen's Town, and my sister, now chief of Lake Juna. Other than discussions with potential companions every spring, I do not talk about Green Arrow to anyone, in any way, and I haven't since shortly after Parlomith died. And that was to the people assembled here plus my sister's companion at the time."
"Then why won't the chiefs accept transfers?"
"I do not understand why you wish to deplete your forces," Maya said, "but if the chiefs will not accept transfers, you should ask them. I have never talked to a single one of them about anything here. I did tell the companions at Broken Knife what had happened here, but that was while Beria and I were fleeing your abusive chief. Are you going to fault me for doing so?"
"No," Senai said crisply.
"Do you accuse my companion of lying?" Malora asked.
"No."
"Then unless you have more evidence of her interference, should we move on?"
"She does not share the tithe fairly with us."
"Ah," said Maya, "a complaint that may actually have a basis. As I stated, I make sure you have everything you need. Have I been remiss?"
"The other villages receive cloth. They receive cases of wine and other delicacies."
"Yes," Maya said. "They do."
"We have been punished long enough," Senai said. "Especially as most of us here were not involved."
"You already know my opinion on that last part," Maya said. "As for being punished long enough, I will make you a promise. When the marks finish fading from my sister's back, then I will include the remaining goods you would like to receive. If they never fade, then when the last woman who helped Parlomith is dead and buried, I will forgive this village."
