Amazon Challenge

by Robin Roseau

  "Only a few," she replied, turning to face me and letting me catch the glint in her eye.

  I looked back at Warina and held the staff out, trading the practice staff for my weapon. I shrugged it into place. "You can have some privacy in our pavilion." I helped her to her feet and hooked her arm in mine, pulling her along. The girls hopped up and followed, jabbering about what they had been doing so far this morning.

  Lia was of the age where she thought she should play things cool and not let the adults know she was excited by something, but Tamma hadn't hit that age, and even Lia was clearly excited by the morning activities. I could feel Warina stiffening beside me, but she didn't accost me for tempting her daughters. Instead, she quietly pleaded, "Please don't take them both."

  "It will be their decision," I repeated again. "That is a better choice than most of the rest of us received. In the villages further east, the young girls compete for the honor of becoming Amazons."

  "Then take them!"

  "My words exactly, three years ago. If we take all their young girls, there would soon be no older girls to become wives and mothers."

  "They would all go?"

  "Most, yes. Far too many for the villages to survive."

  We reached the pavilion. I opened the tent flap and held it open. "Warina, we have been honest with them. Will you be?"

  She looked me in the eye. "I am not here to convince them of one choice or another."

  I nodded, closed the flap, and stepped away, standing guard.

  * * * *

  The party that evening was actually pleasant, in spite of distrustful looks from the villagers. Upon arriving, I told Lia and Tamma they must tell us if anyone was missing. They both looked around, and then they looked uncomfortable. Their expression told me everything I needed to know. I looked around myself for confirmation, then said, "Your cousins?"

  They both nodded.

  "All right. Anyone else?"

  They traded names back and forth, then after exchanging a name, they looked around, finally identifying the person in question. "We think that's everyone," Lia finally said, "all the girls we can think of."

  "Thank you. Have you two decided what you want to do?"

  "Would we live with you and Malora?" Tamma asked.

  "You would live with your warrior. The warriors here today are from many villages. Nori is the only warrior from Queen's Town."

  "Nori is scary," Lia said.

  I sighed. She was, but I wished she didn't keep scaring the companions.

  "Mother told us it would break her heart if we both went with you," Lia said. "I will let my sister decide. If she chooses to go with you, then I must stay."

  Tamma looked surprised. She hugged Lia. She looked at me hopefully. "May I go?"

  "It is your choice," I said. "We would love to call you an Amazon."

  "I'd be an Amazon?"

  "From the moment you leave with us. There is a ceremony when we get back, but you would be an Amazon right away and would be expected to behave like one."

  "I could go tomorrow? I don't have to wait? No more school?"

  I smiled. "Training instead, and Nori went easy on you today."

  "It was fun!" she said.

  "It won't always be fun. Sometimes it is very hard, and sometimes you get bruises. I got two bruises in my fight with Nori today."

  Lia cocked her head. "Are you trying to convince her to change her mind?"

  "No. I want her to know there will be a challenge. I think you're up to it, Tamma. I think you would both make very good companions."

  Tamma looked uncertain. "I am supposed to pick a warrior?"

  "You are supposed to talk to a warrior and you pick each other. She must decide she wants you, and you must decide if you want her."

  "I liked Badra. And Gini was funny. I would like either of them."

  I had already asked both of them about the girls, and they were both keen.

  "Well then, let's go talk to them." I turned to Lia. "I would like you to stay for the party. Tonight, perhaps you can talk to your friends that are here and share with them your thoughts."

  Tamma looked at me with her brow furrowed. "Will I see my family again?"

  "Yes," I said, "but I do not know when." I smiled. "Do you know the word 'negotiation'?"

  "That means when you want something, and you trade for it."

  "Something like that," I told her. "I think it is time you learn how to negotiate. Will you trust me?"

  "All right," she said.

  I put my arm around her and looked for Gini and Badra. I caught Gini's eye and gestured with my head. She nodded, and then I lead Tamma to Badra. Lia wandered off, and I saw her a few minutes later speaking with some of the other girls.

  "Hello again, Tamma," Badra said. She smiled and looked at me. "Will there be dancing later?"

  "Yes," I said. "If the villagers don't have music, I brought my fiddle."

  "Tamma, would you dance with me later?"

  "I don't know how to dance," she said.

  "I can teach you," Badra replied.

  "Teach her what?" Gini asked.

  "How to dance," Badra said.

  "I have something else we need to discuss. Tamma is considering becoming a companion. She wonders if either of you would like to be her warrior, but she also has a few concerns."

  Badra and Gini both exchanged looks, and I could see the excitement in both of them. I wished I had a companion for each of them.

  "What concerns?" Gini asked.

  "She would like to know what assurances are available for how often her warrior would bring her to see her family."

  Neither of them looked happy. They weren't expecting that question, and when Tamma was looking at Badra, Gini gave me a dirty look.

  "That's a tough one," Badra said. "I'd like to say we would come a few times a year, but I don't think that's a promise I could keep."

  "You understand, Tamma," Gini said, "if we leave, then our Amazon sisters must cover our duties for us. It is difficult to be gone too often."

  The girl looked down. "I understand."

  "I can try to make it every year," Gini said. "But I don't know if I can promise that. I want to see my family, too, and they live in the south. I only see them every three or four years."

  "I am sure Tamma wants to see her family more often than every four years," I said. "I believe she wants a promise to come back to White Pine no less often than every other year with a real effort to make it every year."

  I was putting both women on the spot. I wanted to see what they did about it.

  "I cannot leave without the permission of the village chief," Badra said. "I see my family about as often as Gini sees hers."

  "I can promise this," Gini said, "and I bet Badra can as well. I can promise to ask my chief to let me take you home once a year, but they may be brief visits, only for a few days. My chief may not allow that. If we are not able to come at least every other year, then the years I would visit my family, we will visit yours instead."

  "I can make that same promise," Badra said. "But more likely we would visit both your family and mine on the same trip. It would only add a few days of travel to see both."

  "You'll ask your chiefs?" Tamma asked. "Really ask, not fake ask?"

  They both smiled. "Really ask," Gini said. She paused. "We might have to trade duty with the other Amazons so they don't mind taking our duty while we're gone."

  "I can do that. I trade with Lia all the time." The girl turned to me. "I want to go. May I leave in the morning with you?"

  I smiled broadly. "We would love to have you."

  "Which warrior is mine?"

  "Well," I said, "that's the tricky part. We could make them fight for you."

  "We could?"

  Gini and Badra both laughed.

  Tamma looked between them, then looked at me with pain. She didn't want to pick. To be honest, I wouldn't have wanted to, either.

  "You like them both?" She nodded. "Well then, let them
work it out."

  "Queen's Companion," Gini asked immediately, "do you believe we will have similar luck at other villages? Tamma is a special find for us."

  "I agree, she is. We will find more companions. Tamma is unique, but perhaps there are others whose company you will enjoy as much as hers."

  "What about Lia?"

  "Their mother asked that they don't both leave, and Lia let Tamma decide. I cannot fault the girl for caring about her mother's wishes."

  "No," Gini said. "Neither can I." She turned to Badra. "My home village is far away. Yours is closer, and you have been without a companion longer than I have. If you will treat Tamma well, then it is your choice, Badra."

  "I will work her very hard," Badra replied.

  Gini smiled. "To an Amazon, that is almost the same thing."

  There were three chuckles and one nervous teenager.

  "You would also treat her well, and your chief may be slightly more amenable to more frequent departures."

  "If you do not want her, I will happily claim her," Gini said. "I cannot imagine a better companion. But if you want her, claim her now."

  Badra smiled. "I do want her."

  "Congratulations to both of you," I said. I turned Tamma to me. "When you tell your parents, your mother will probably cry and your father may try to interfere."

  "They can't make me stay, can they?"

  "No, but it can be very difficult to watch your mother cry."

  She thought about it and nodded.

  "From this moment forward, you must do as your warrior tells you. You understand that, don't you?" She nodded. "And the punishments for disobeying can be very unpleasant."

  "I'll be good."

  Badra was grinning, but she wasn't touching her new companion.

  "This part can be awkward. Do you remember what we said about what a companion does?"

  "We do chores like laundry and serving dinner."

  "Yes, but there is something much more important. We offer comfort to our warriors. I am going to show you how we do that. It isn't scary and it doesn't hurt." I turned to Gini and stepped closer. I caressed her cheek, and her eyes opened widely before she smiled. She wrapped her arms around me, and I let her hold me, her fingers at the back of my neck. She trembled a little, then sighed softly and whispered, "Thank you."

  Tamma watched carefully. "Aren't you with the queen?"

  "Yes," I said, "but this is only comfort. It is just like hugging your little sister when she's had a bad dream."

  "Did Gini have a bad dream?"

  "Yes," Gini said.

  Tamma looked over at Badra. "Do you want a hug?"

  "Very much," Badra said. She stepped closer, hesitant, and I saw she would be very careful with the girl. Tamma was less reserved and hugged her tightly. Badra slowly put her arms around her.

  "I'm sorry," I whispered to Gini, pulling away. I turned to the other two. They were about to break their hug, but I held them together. Then I moved Badra's hands to the back of Tamma's head.

  "Skin contact helps," I said. I adjusted Tamma so her face was buried in Badra's neck. I could see Badra's entire posture change as she held the girl.

  I whispered to Tamma, "if you listen to your warrior's body, you'll start to hear when you're comforting her, and you'll learn what she needs the most from you."

  "This is all?" she asked. "She needs me to hug her."

  "And care about her," I said.

  She pulled her head away and looked at me. "I can do that."

  "Good. She'll want to touch you a lot. If you have questions, you can ask Badra, but if you are uncomfortable or don't understand, you may find me as well."

  "Thank you, Maya," she said. She laid her head against Badra's chest again. "You're warm, Badra."

  "Tamma, you will stay with your warrior now, but you should introduce her to your family and let them know what you decided. Lia can collect your things for you a little later." I didn't want to give her parents an opportunity to interfere, so I wanted her plastered to Badra's side until we were well gone. Badra looked over the girl's head and nodded, letting me know she understood.

  "Congratulations!" Gini said. She said it with meaning, but I knew there was disappointment as well.

  "Let's leave them to get better acquainted," I said, grabbing Gini's arm. I pulled her away and said, "That was very gracious."

  "Badra's a good woman," Gini said. "We already had decided earlier if both girls came, I was getting Lia."

  "Then I am doubly sorry. If it's any consolation, I believe you will have a companion long before we return home."

  "Tarine would be happy if we treated the companions the way Nori treated you." Everyone knew the story; it was famous, the new companion who had beaten a warrior in a duel, then taken by Nori instead, given to the queen. "This is better."

  "Yes. Perhaps slower."

  "Will they tithe?"

  "We just took the mayor's daughter. I hope he loves her enough to be generous."

  "That was clever, the bit about taking her to visit. Your idea, I presume."

  "Yes. She asked if she'd ever see them again."

  "I didn't see my family for five years. I missed them terribly."

  "Mine comes to visit," I replied. "And of course, I saw them the first year, when we went back." We came to a stop. "See anyone you want to meet?"

  "You don't need to escort me around, Maya."

  "You instead want me to introduce Tarine to some of the girls?"

  She laughed. "You don't know them any better than I do."

  "True. So plan B. Come on." I tugged on her arm, having found Lia talking to a couple of other girls about her age. I dragged Gini to them.

  "Lia," I said. "Who are your friends?"

  Lia was good about it. She gave introductions then gushed about how nice Gini had been to her that day. One of the girls asked Gini if she could see her sword, and I took a moment to pull Lia to the side.

  "I need two things from you. I need you to collect your sister's things for her before the night is over. Can you do that?"

  "Sure."

  "And I need you to introduce Gini to any girls you think would make good Amazons. If she meets anyone you think would be bad Amazons, find a way to tell her without anyone else hearing."

  "Can I introduce the girls I don't like to Tarine?"

  "Oh, you are a wicked girl," I said. "Be my guest."

  * * * *

  In the morning, we left White Pine with Tamma, riding double with Badra. Both seemed very pleased with the situation. No other girls chose to leave with us, but I hoped the village would begin sending girls annually after this. Malora talked to the mayor, who made promises, but we didn't know if he would keep them.

  We hadn't gotten far from town before Tarine began sniping again. "One. We left with one companion. "This is success? I would have taken ten."

  I turned to her. "Tarine, Badra has a companion she wouldn't have if we hadn't come. The village will begin to tithe. They may begin to send girls in the future, but I do not know. And we did that without ruining our reputation. Our reputation is at least as important as the companions we could have taken against their wishes. The Amazons are stronger for having come." After that, I ignored her.

  We traveled to the coast, picking up two more companion on the way. We visited four villages on the coast, and we found a companion for Gini, a sweet girl of sixteen named Callie. I think Callie was leaving a bad household situation, as she made a beeline for me the moment I finished talking to the village.

  "Miss Maya," she said.

  "Yes?"

  "Do you have any men?"

  "There are no men living with the Amazons," I said.

  "You said it was our decision if we wanted to go."

  "Yes."

  "I want to go. Right now."

  "What's your name?"

  "Callie. I'm sixteen. Please, may I go with you?"

  I studied her. She looked nervous.

  "Please don't make me beg," she
said quietly. "I have to go with you."

  "I'm not going to make you beg. I want to be sure you know what you're getting into. There are rules. You will have to follow them."

  "But there aren't any men?"

  "No, no men."

  "I want to go. Please."

  "Come with me." I took her arm and went in search of Malora. She was talking quietly to Nori. Malora smiled when she saw me.

  "Malora," I said, "this is Callie. She wishes to become an Amazon. Immediately." I turned to her. "Do you want to go home, think about it?"

  "No!"

  "Maybe pick up your things?" Malora asked.

  "There's nothing there I need."

  I looked at Malora. "Then of course, you may stay with us." She put an arm around her. "But I must talk to you and make sure you understand."

  "I listened carefully. I'm going."

  "Come on," Malora said. "We'll go talk under that tree." She looked over her shoulder and mouthed, "Gini."

  I nodded. As soon as they were out of hearing, I stepped up to Nori, "if her father, or more likely stepfather appears, I won't mind if you find an excuse to beat the crap out of him."

  Nori raised an eyebrow, so I related the entire conversation. Her lips grew tight.

  "Don't jump to conclusions," Nori said. "He may just be overprotective, or it might be one of the local boys."

  "I suppose." I sighed. "I still haven't found one for you."

  "You mean I haven't found one I want," she said with a smile.

  "I need to find Gini."

  Gini was talking to Badra and Tamma, so I grabbed the four of them. "Tamma, see the girl talking to the queen, sitting next to the tree?"

  "Sure."

  "Go introduce yourself. Offer to be friends."

  "All right."

  As soon as she was gone, I told both women about the conversation. "Gini? She's going to latch onto the first warrior who shows her an ounce of kindness. Make sure that's not Tarine. If you're not interested, tell me now."

  "I think I'm going to tell her a story about how the worst warrior in our troop beat up two large men, all by herself."

  I grinned at her. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

  I pulled them both over, and we all sat down together. I made sure Gini sat next to the girl, and I leaned against Malora. After a minute, she turned her attention to me, and Badra pulled Tamma's attention, and that left Gini to talk to Callie. Five minutes later, Gini caught my eye and nodded once.