Amazon Companion (21 page)

"No."

"I didn't. I know I didn't. He knows the way."

"Yes."

I laughed. "Does mine?"

"Yes."

"Another way to get home?"

"If you don't get her too lost. She can probably find her way home from any point within an hour or two. Beyond that, perhaps not. So if you get lost?"

"Tell her to take us home and perhaps break branches in case she is just as lost as I am."

"Why would you break branches?"

"Two reasons. To make it easier for you to find me, and to signal that I wasn't intentionally running away. If I were intentionally running, I wouldn't blaze a path straight to me.
Also, if you have a clear path, you can move faster and with more confidence, so if we're going the wrong way, you'll catch up to us."

"You can hang something from a branch at t
he first point you realize you're lost."

I nodded, and then we dismounted.

The "fun" was in the morning. We did our stretches like always, then ran, again like always. I remembered what Nori had said about my being lazy, and I tried harder, but I still earned one swat with the whip.

I didn't know how much they wanted from me. I thought I was running as hard as I could, but after the swat, I ran faster, at least for a while.

But then Nori said, "Today we are to have a tournament."

There were cheers from some of the women and puzzled looks from the other new companions. Immediately some of the warriors began taunting each other, and nearly everyone looked excited.

"The warriors will all compete," Nori announced. "Queen Malora?"

"I will help officiate," she replied. "My companion is not ready."

Aura and Neela turned to their warriors, and I could see the hopeful looks on their faces.

"You will perform poorly," Gaylie told Aura.

"Please," Aura replied.

"Of course," she said. And that meant Lidi gave Neela permission to compete as well. I didn't understand it. Why would they want to fight if they didn't have to?

"I know you want to make wagers," Nori said. Then
I watched as the warriors wagered on their companions and the companions wagered on their warriors.

Once the wagers seemed settled,
Nori separated the warriors from the companions with Nori officiating the warrior battles and Malora the companions. They timed it so one fight would begin immediately after another ended, and everyone was able to watch every match. I sat at the edge, looking back and forth, mystified why anyone called this fun.

But I remembered what Nori said about my being lazy. I spent the entire time I was watching working on my stretching exercises. I wasn't sure what else I could do.

In the end, Vorine, Ree's companion, was the champion of the companions, and Gaylie was champion of the warriors present.

"This afternoon we will have team competitions," Nori announced. "And perhaps Malora will offer us a surprise."

"Perhaps I will," she said, laughing.

Nori turned to me. "Everyone else worked hard."

"I've been stretching."

"And now you will run. Go."

"Yes, Nori." I climbed to my feet and ran. No one chased me with a whip, and I'm sure I ran a little slower because of it, but I ran long and hard, not stopping until Malora began running alongside me, then gave me permission to slow down, then walk.

She threw an arm over my shoulder. She was full of joy. "What did you think?"

I didn't want to answer her, so I covered my reaction by continuing to pant. I hoped she would drop it as she steered us towards our hut. I couldn't feign being out of breath the entire way, and she asked, "Well?"

"I don't know," I said.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"I don't know." I said it quietly.

She pulled me into our hut without any further questions then turned me to face her. "I want the truth."

"I don't understand."

"You don't understand my wanting the truth?"

"I don't understand why anyone wants to do that. Nori said it was supposed to be fun, and everyone seemed so excited."

"Don't you compete in Gallen's Cove?"

"The men compete for about practically everything," I said. "Most fish caught. Biggest fish caught. First fish caught. Biggest fish not caught."

"Not caught?"

"Biggest lie."

She laughed. "Right."

"I'm glad I'm a woman," I said.

"I'm glad you are, too," Malora replied, and she gave me an appreciative look. She hadn't looked at me that way, and it made me uncomfortable.

"Knock it off."

She frowned. "I didn't mean to embarrass you. I was teasing."

"Were you?" I asked.

She turned away. "I thought-" She paused. "Never mind what I thought."

I stepped up closer and touched her tentatively. "I'm not ready for you to look at me like that yet."

"Yet?" She turned back.

"I don't want to talk about this right now."

"We can talk about it another time?"

"Yes. But not when I'm upset."

"You're upset?"

"Everyone tried to hurt each other. We're supposed to be friends.
Omie almost beaned her own sister in the head."

"It's friendly competition. Like the men and their fish."

"They have other games. And sometimes they fight with each other, just to fight. But not the women. They fight in other ways."

"Oh?"

"With words, usually subtle words. I find it very ugly."

"I, too, find that type of fighting ugly. Did anyone seem angry?"

"No."

"This is how we test ourselves safely." She paused.
"Imagine you want to be a warrior."

"I don't!"

"Imagine."

"All right. I want to be a warrior."

"Being a warrior means fighting demons. But you've never fought a demon, and you don't know if you're ready. But Lidi has fought demons. If you fight Lidi and beat her, then you're probably ready to fight a demon, too. Even if Lidi beats you, you might be ready. But if she beats you easily, maybe you aren't."

"I'll never beat Lidi," I said.

"Probably not," Malora replied. "I told you the first day, you will probably never be a warrior, and I will do everything I can to be sure you aren't. And perhaps you don't have the same motivation everyone else does. They all want to be warriors."

"Even
Serra?"

"Perhaps not
Serra, but she is an Amazon at heart."

I looked down. "Thank you for not making me compete."

"You're not ready."

"I'll never be ready."

"Don't be silly. Of course you will. You are unlikely to win, and you may not do well, but in a few months, you'll be ready to compete. And sooner in the less dangerous competitions."

I knew she was wrong.

"You didn't have any fun?"

"No."

"Are you looking forward to seeing me fight this afternoon?"

I looked up. "Nori said it would be team competitions. What does that mean."

"Probably a warrior and her companion."

"Some of warriors are gone, and
Karena has no companion." I narrowed my eyes. "Are you going to make me fight with you?"

"No." She grinned. "The teams will fight me."

"Alone?" I squeaked. "That's not fair."

"I am the queen for a reason, Maya. Don't you want to see me fight?"

"You could get hurt."

"If I do, will you massage my bruises?"

"You could get hurt worse than bruises."

"I won't."

"I don't want to watch."

She ruffled my hair. "I have duties."

"As do I," I admitted.

* * * *

If the morning competitions were hard to watch, the afternoon competitions were even worse. They partnered up, usually a warrior and her companion. Omie's warrior was gone, so she partnered with Karena. Lidi and Gaylie were at a severe disadvantage, as their companions were Neela and Aura, who hadn't been here any longer than I had.

In the end, it was Clara and Bea who won, barely beating Ree and Vorine in a tie-breaking match.

Malora immediately challenged Clara and Bea to a match, and she was amazing to watch, but I was so frightened for her. She beat them easily and was barely winded at the end but was beaming.

"Nori and Malora!" the women began to chant. "Nori and Malora!"

The two turned to each other, grinned, and then stood shoulder to shoulder and said, "Sure. Against whom?"

There was laughter, and then Lidi said, "Each other, of course."

Nori laughed, and Malora said, "I don't think so. The two of us against all of you." She looked at me. "Except you."

"Wager!" Clara called out.

I popped to my feet and said loudly. "I wager on my warrior."

The crowd grew still. I had been so quiet. Every face turned to me. "What do you have?"
Omie asked me.

"Kitchen duty," I said.

"She sews quite well, too," Malora said.

"Only repairs," I added. "And I have no materials."

"Kitchen dinner for two nights," Omie said.

"Do all of you want the same wager?" I asked. The companions exchanged glances, then turned to me and said, "Sure."

I counted. "That's too many dinners if my warrior loses. A dinner and either a breakfast or lunch."

"Agreed,"
Omie said immediately for all of them.

Then
Gaylie spoke up. "That wager is worthless to me."

"And I would very much like to have my clothing repaired,"
Karena said. She turned to Malora and Nori. "Or perhaps you prefer the warriors make their wagers with you and not your companion."

Malora glanced over at me. "I am heartened my companion carries faith in me. She may wager on me if she chooses."

Karena turned back to me. "You will repair my clothing?"

"And if my warrior and her right hand should win?"

"I have a bear hide to offer."

"You must need a lot of repairs," Malora interjected.

"Not so many," Karena replied. "I thought perhaps I could be owed future repairs."

"I am willing," I said, "but I will not repair your clothing forever."

"Bear hides are uncommon," Karena said. "I believe it is worth my current backlog plus my repairs for the coming year."

"I presume you will not suddenly become disrespectful of your clothing."

Her eyes narrowed.

"I am still learning Amazon ways,
Karena," I said. "If my question was insulting, it was not intended that way. My apologies."

"Of course," she said. "No, I do not seek to abuse you. I seek a fair offer."

I glanced at Malora, and she nodded fractionally once. "Agreed," I said.

Serra
suggested, "You and I could wager stable duty. One week."

"Am I wagering more time than I have if I lose?" I asked. "I have your wager,
Karena's repairs, and everyone else's kitchen duty to contemplate."

"Perhaps," she replied. "Three days."

"Three days."

"If we win,"
Serra said, "your three days begins when my warrior returns."

"I would wager a deer hide," Clara said, "but I do not know what you have that my companion does not already attend to for me."

I wanted the deer hide.

"I am a teacher," I said. "Perhaps there is something I can teach you."

There were chuckles at that. "What can you teach me that I can not teach you better?"

I smiled. "To read."

"I can already read."

"Mathematics. History. Logic. Music. Philosophy."

She offered a tiny bow. "While these subjects may have value elsewhere, they have little value to an Amazon. Anything else?"

"I am sorry," I said. "I came with nothing but the clothes on my back." I glanced at Nori. "Someone was too busy tying me up to allow me a chance to bring even my fiddle, much less anything you may find worthy winnings for a wager."

I noticed Lidi talking quietly to Neela. "I have no deer hide," Lidi said to me, "but I would be willing to owe you my next large skin. You can teach someone to play music? What instrument?"

"Any instrument," I said. "For myself I play fiddle and piano, but I have neither here."

"On the wall of my hut I have a guitar," Lidi said.

"You wish me to teach you to play it?"

"No. I wish you to teach my companion to play for me."

"I can teach her the basics of the guitar and a few simple songs. They will require a singer in accompaniment."

"Neela has a fine voice," Lidi said, gazing fondly at her companion for a moment.

"Guitar is an instrument that one can teach oneself after learning the basics," I said. "I can teach the basics, and Neela can teach herself after that."

"I have a fiddle," Benala said. "It was mine as a child."

"You wish me to teach you or
Omie, your companion?"

"
Omie."

I thought about it. "The fiddle is a far more difficult instrument than guitar," I said. "What I would be willing to teach in exchange for a deer hide is not enough
that she will produce music when we are done."

"You could accept more than one skin,"
Benala suggested.

"I am concerned about the size of the debt I will accrue if my warrior loses this match." I glanced at all of them. "The odds are aga
inst them, and I have been taking even wagers. I should perhaps have asked for odds."