Amazon Challenge (30 page)

"But that is not why I am here today," I said. "I am not representing the warriors. Frankly, most of you can do a far, far better job of doing that than I could. I am here to represent the companions. I am the senior companion of all the Amazons, and before this battle is fought, they will be heard!" I thundered the last.

I turned in a circle. "The warriors are the sword
s of the Amazons. They fight the demons for all Morehama. Without the Amazon warriors, Morehama would be no more. Hail to the Amazon warriors!" I let out a cheer, which was quickly picked up by most of the Amazons there. I let them cheer for a minute, then I raised my hand, and they grew quiet.

"But when the warriors fight, they do not do so alone. The companions have their backs. We companions cook your meals, make your beds, and mend your clothes. Without us you would eat poorly, sleep in flea-ridden hay piles, and wear threadbare clothes."

There were chuckles at that.

"Of course, these are things you could do for yourselves, but we do them for you to ease your lives. But that is nothi
ng compared to our most important duty."

I stepped to Nori, caressing her cheek, and she visibly relaxed. Everyone saw her do it, and they all knew the point I was making. But that was when I looked out over
Parlomith's allies.

"There are warriors here today with no companions. The voices plague at you, don't they?"

There were a few nods, small.

"Who here has no companion today?" I stepped amongst them, ignoring Malora's hissed breath, and I caressed a face here and there. "Who? I'm not going to hurt you."

A few hands went up. I picked the closest, a woman from Parlomith's village. I stepped up to face her. "I'm sorry, I do not remember your name."

"Alda," she said.

"Alda, I am pleased to meet you. I am Maya, Queen's Companion. And this is what a companion does." And then I stepped into her arms, grabbing her hands and placing them on the back of my neck, then leaning against her, caressing her neck and sliding my fingers inside her hair.

She was surprised and stiffened, but then she wrapped her arms more tightly about me.

"Oh," she said. "Oh.... The voices."

"Yes," I said quietly. "Let me chase them away for a while, Alda. Let me soothe your soul."

I gave her just a few seconds. I knew Parlomith wouldn't allow me much time.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I pushed away. She looked at me sadly, but I smiled at her. "Later, when this is over, if I am not grief-stricken, I can help again."

I turned around, picking another woman. This one I knew. Her name was Francine. I stepped to her. "Your companion is now a warrior," I said. "It has been two years, hasn't it?"

"Yes," she said. "I should have a companion by now. Malora coddles the
western villages. They should tithe, and they should provide companions. Parlomith will make them give us what we are owed!"

"Wi
ll she?" I asked. "Tell me, do you believe a companion who doesn't wish to be here can do this?" And then I stepped into her arms. Like Alda, she stiffened, but I knew the affect I had, and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around me. "Do you think you can force this comfort, Francine?" I asked gently. "Do you think you can beat a companion, and then expect her to give this comfort to you? You stand with my warrior's enemy, and I do this for you. What do you think it would be to hold a friend?"

Then I stepped away. I caressed a few more faces, working my way back
to the safety Malora represented.

"The Amazons fight to protect the weak from the demons," I said firmly. "The Amazons clear the plains of bullies. The Amazons represent all that is right in Morehama. We are strong so that others do not need to be."

And I cheered, and most of them joined me. Then again I held up my hand.

"I came to you three years ago," I said, "seemingly unfit to be a proper Amazon. I will never be a proper warrior, in spite of having killed one
demon and helped to kill two others. I had not been here long when Queen Malora took me on a tour, and I visited you, complete with my bright pink hair, to meet all of you."

I looked around. "Do you all remember my hair?"

There were nods. How could they forget?

"What is the point of this?"
Parlomith asked.

"Why, I am making sure that all your allies, and all your possible future subjects, understand why they should support you,
Parlomith."

I turned around in a circle, looking at all of them. "On that first tour three years ago, Queen Malora and I stayed at Northglen for two nights. She wished to review their training methods and offer suggestions, and she placed me in
Parlomith's care for the day."

I glanced around. "And do you know what she did? She beat me so badly I could not serve as a proper companion to my warrior! The day I met Queen Malora, she assured me I would never be a
warrior, that I would forever remain a companion, and I learned to soothe her soul. But Parlomith beat me so badly I couldn't stand to be touched."

There were a few sh
ocked looks. Very few people knew this.

"You needed to-"

"I needed to be a companion!" I screamed. "That is my duty! Companion to Queen Malora, Queen of the Amazons, and nothing, NOTHING I ever do is more important than that. Who here believes I am wrong?"

Not a single hand was raised.

I looked around. "Parlomith, you almost died twice that summer. You are alive because of me."

"What are you talking about?"

"When my warrior saw what you had done to me, at first she thought it was from the trip down the river, but then she realized I spoke truth when I said they were from you. She examined my bruised body and declared every single bruise as coming from a staff. One of those bruises was from one of your students. The rest were from you. A full grown warrior, one of the best warriors amongst the Amazons, reduced to beating a new companion black and blue!"

I turned around again, judging my audience.

"Malora wanted to kill you. I begged her to let you live. She told me you had violated the sacred bond between warrior and her companion, but I begged her for your life, and she granted it."

"I would have killed her then like I'm going to kill her today."

"You aren't going to kill her today, Parlomith, and everyone here knows it. Even you. You're just too arrogant to admit it. I've fought you, and you are great against helpless companions, but you are no challenge to Malora."

I wasn't sure whether that rang true, but I wasn't afraid to make her doubt herself.

"You almost died a second time, when you showed up here unbidden. Again, I begged for your life. This time, while she was still livid from your treatment of me, you presumed to give orders to Queen's Town. You presumed to give orders to the Queen. You lied when you arrived, saying she had given you permission to teach here, but she hadn't done so. You almost died a second time."

"She lied!"
Parlomith screamed. "She agreed I should teach here!"

"You are the one who lies!" I said. "And everyone here knows it.
When Queen Malora found you here, she ordered you to never train companions again. Tell me, Parlomith, have you been training companions?"

"I am chief of-"

"I don't care where you are chief!" I screamed. "You are not queen! You will never be queen."

I turned in a circle. "A month ago, this woman whipped my sister, a companion, while we were a guest in her village. We were there while our warriors were fighting the demon incursion. Tell me,
Parlomith, while every single Amazon warrior was fighting demons, why was it so important you had to whip a 15-year-old companion into near-unconsciousness?"

I turned around, and again they were stunned.

"Why weren't you fighting the demons, Parlomith? Were you too afraid?"

That got her back up. She began heading for me, but her allies held her back.

"I will see you dead!" she screamed at me. "Right after your warrior lies in the dust."

I turned around again. There were a lot of shocked faces, some of them amongst
Parlomith's allies.

"That's your future queen?" I asked. "She
wants to see a companion dead?" I shook my head.

"Let us consider what the Amazons would be like with this woman as queen," I said, pointing at her. "Companions will all become second class Amazons, treated little better than our horses, or perhaps quite a bit worse. Of course, word will get out that companions are treated poorly, and the villages will stop offering their daughters to us. Amazons are strong, but the villagers are many, and they will raise arms against you before allowing you to enslave and whip their daughters!"

"Of course, Parlomith has a plan. She will take what she wants by force, killing anyone in Morehama who stands in her way, just like she wants to kill me right now. Amazons will become feared throughout Morehama as she sends raiding parties to attack the innocent, taking from them what they would give if only we ask. Amazons would become known as worse than the demons we fight."

"
That is not what Amazons do!" I screamed. "We protect the weak, we do not prey on them like well-trained bandits and thugs!"

I stood there, panting, although it was largely for show. I stepped to Malora. I kissed her and pulled away. "
Abused companions will never love the way I love my warrior, the way my little sister, who Parlomith nearly killed, loves her warrior."

And all around, I saw companions cuddling against their warriors, but I didn't see Spade offering comfort to
Parlomith.

"Why is it that Spade offers you no comfort,
Parlomith? You clearly need her. I can see from here the voices are after you. Can't the rest of you see it? She is insane from the voices. Doesn't Spade help you?"

"That bitch is worthless!"
Parlomith spat.

There was shocked silence. I put on a grimace, but I wasn't as shocked as I let on.

Finally I spoke. "Well. Parlomith has so abused her own companion for so long, the woman is no longer able to offer the comfort a warrior deserves. It isn't Spades' fault, of course. How often do you beat her, Parlomith? Does she have the same kind of marks you gave my sister? I bet she does. It's a wonder she hasn't knifed you in your sleep."

"She wouldn't dare-"

I sighed. "What warrior wants her companion to fear her?" I shook my head. "This is what Parlomith represents." I looked around. "With her as queen, you will all be free to whip your companions. Is that what you want? Or perhaps you'll stand by and let Parlomith do it for you."

They were shocked at that.

I shook my head again, then turned to Parlomith's allies. Several of them were holding her back from killing me, and I knew at my back, Malora's allies were ready to protect me. I remained ready to fade into them if Parlomith broke free.

"All of you came here to support
Parlomith," I said, pointing. "All of you stand with her today. But now I ask you, are you standing where you should? Malora will welcome you with open arms if you step away now. Is Parlomith really the woman you want to follow? Is Parlomith really the woman you want for queen?"

And then I was done, having said what needed to be said. I moved to Malora, stepping in front of her, and she settled her arms around me. I looked up at her and said clearly, "I love you from the bottom of my heart."

She kissed my head and then spoke firmly, "All of you must decide, where do you stand. Decide before this fight and be forgiven. The Amazons stand for strength. The Amazons protect the weak. Or if you prefer, we can be known as feared bullies, worse than the bandits, feared more than the demons. Is that what you all want?"

I could see confusion amongst them.
Parlomith ranted at me, she ranted at them, and then a few stepped away from her. Four edged towards Malora, watching Parlomith carefully. Alda was one of them. "Queen Malora, I am sorry. I foolishly allowed myself to be swayed."

"You are forgiven," Malora replied. "We will discuss
more later."

A few more said similar things, and Malora forgave them.
Parlomith screamed at them.

Then two broke to the side. "Queen Malora," one said, "
Parlomith has raised good points in the past, but I agree with your companion. She is not the one to lead us. We stand neither against you or with you on this fight, but we hold no ill will."

The other said, "The villages of Morehama have not properly supported us, and they should be taught a lesson, but your companion is correct. I would not want
Parlomith to be the one offering that lesson."

"I understand," Malora said. "I do not expect everyone to always agree with me. We may debate these points in the future, and perhaps others may come forward in challenge, but I believe the villages have largely recanted their earlier behavior."

That was when I realized, other than Spade, there were no companions amongst Parlomith's supporters. I wonder if they were in the village or all at home. Of her twenty supporters, she had lost six. Not that it mattered, except that it spoke to a healthier civilization that only fourteen remained with her.