Amazon Chief (60 page)

"An excellent example," she said.

"You and your daughters are the most likely culprits, but I wouldn't rule out anyone else living here. Some are more likely to be involved than others. It is unlikely to have been a companion unless her warrior is also involved."

"I am, more or less, a companion," she said.

"Ah, an unaligned companion. Special case."

"All right," she agreed.

"If I catch a companion, I punish both her and her warrior."

"Oh. I see."

"And then the warrior punishes the companion a second time."

She laughed. "I suppose she would."

"I cannot accuse you of this present in my bed," I said. "I only have suspicions. If it is a harmless present that caused no damage, then I will be alert for evidence, and I may leave the present on your doorstep to let you know I believe you left it there."

"I see."

"At times, when confronted with my suspicions, the person confronted may choose to deny involvement."

"I suppose she might."

"She had damned well better not be lying when she does it."

Lia grew silent, then nodded.

"Now, if the present were dangerous or caused damage, that is harder to let go. In that case, I would be more direct in my questions. And then the person involved should think long and hard whether the loss of trust is worth avoiding whatever punishment I might mete out."

"I don't believe anyone here would be malicious."

"Sometimes judgment can be clouded. Now, you realize that if there are any pranks waiting for me in my hut, you and your daughters are going to be my first suspects. I may not bother gathering evidence before deciding in my heart whom to blame."

She grinned at me.

"You may want to consider whether there is anything you wish to confess. Before I find out on my own."

"I have nothing I wish to confess, Chief Beria," she said.

"Also, please never lie to me. I won't lie to you unless it's required for my position. I might not volunteer the truth, and I may phrase my words very, very carefully, but I will not lie."

She nodded. "And neither will I."

"Good." I looked down at my plate, now empty. "This was very good. Thank you."

"Did you care for more?"

"No, but we'll want warmed cider for the bonfire tonight."

"Ah, of course. I have little treats that have proven popular as well. They're small, because I don't know when to expect more sugar."

"Probably not until after the worst of the spring mud dries," I said. "If you are going to change the usage habits of our village, you should warn Maya so she can anticipate."

"Do I just hop on a horse and go see her?"

"You tell me you need to see her, and we make arrangements. A year from now, that might mean you tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back, then hop on a horse and go see her. For now, it means you'd be giving me an excuse to go visit. We might have to stay the night and leave early in the morning."

Lia smiled. "I shall endeavor to give you opportunities to visit your sister."

"Maybe wait a few days," I said.

I looked around for a moment. I saw Joelle was sitting betw
een Glorana and Frida. Annalise was at the end next to Lindara, Aura's companion.

"The village has adopted them," Lia explained. "Everyone has been exceedingly kind.
The companions have been teaching me their duties, but they've also been teaching Joelle and Annalise."

"Glorana said they've been getting riding lessons. And you, have you also been getting riding lessons?"

"Not yet," she said. "Are you offering?"

"Perhaps I am." I paused. "None of you are in Amazon clothing."

"No one has said anything about that."

"Your village clothing is not the best for our forest, but typically a girl's first outfit comes from her
warrior."

"Perhaps if I had materials and a pattern of some sort to follow, I could make us clothes."

"After the first, yes," I said. "I believe we'll discuss it around the bonfire, perhaps while we are preparing Aura's punishment."

"So you've decided?"

"Of course. I've had months to think about it."

"Is it going to be horrible?"

"It will perhaps be amusing. I'm glad she confessed, and I'm glad for the details."

* * * *

I lit the bonfire and allowed everyone to cluster together for the warmth for a few minutes, then we took chairs, everyone sitting closely enough to remain warm. I started with announcements, telling about how the trip had gone and giving them an idea of what to expect from me moving forward.

I then thanked everyone for making Lia and her daughters feel at home. "I know this is an unusual situation, and it
occurred to me over dinner we are presented with a small problem to solve. We have three companions with no warrior and no induction ceremony. Which means they are still wearing these clothes," and I gestured. "I have ideas, but I would like to see if anyone else wishes to propose something."

Lia immediately offered to make what is needed but expressed unfamiliarity with the style and a lack of materials.

"She sounds like Maya," Aura said.

"So she does," I agreed.

"They are companions of the village," Glorana said, "and thus they are the responsibility of the village as well."

"Quite so," I agreed. "Is that the makings of a proposal?"

"Normally a companion's first outfit is provided by her warrior," Frida pointed out. "Sometimes it is assembled hastily with quite a bit of help from the warrior's village. As Lia, Joelle and Annalise are companions of the village, then the village together should assemble their outfits."

"If the warriors of Lake Juna would volunteer materials," Yalta said, "the companions will assemble the first outfits. In the future, at least until they have been taken into the home of a particular warrior, all the warriors could, from time to time, donate a skin or two. If every warrior in Lake Juna provided one deer hide a year, that would be more than ample."

"Very good," I said. "Is this acceptable to everyone?" It was. Yalta volunteered to coordinate and said she'd be visiting each of the warriors for their initial donations.

"Thank you, everyone," Lia said. "You have all been too kind."

"Well then. I believe we now must turn to a more serious issue. Aura, front and center."

Aura climbed to her feet and moved to stand before me.

"Lindara, tell me the truth. Did you know of Aura's offense?"

"Beria," Aura said very quietly, "it wasn't her fault." But I looked past
Aura to see her companion with a very guilty expression.

"Answer me," I told her.

"Yes."

"All of it?"

"Yes."

"Get up here," I told her. She stood up and moved to stand next to Aura.

"Tell me the truth. Anyone else?" I asked.

"No one else," Aura said. "On my word."

I looked past her. "Anyone?"

They shook their heads.

"All right." I paced back and forth. Like most companions, Lin wore her hair long, and I knew Aura preferred it that way. Aura had long changed to wearing her hair short, as many warriors did, but Lin's was nearly as long as mine. Finally I came to a stop before them. "Aura, you made a slip of the tongue when you confessed to knowing a secret, and that led to the rest of your offense."

"Yes, Chief Beria. I am sorry."

"After that, I find you blameless in confessing the details to my sister."

The look that flashed across her face was evident.

"And so there would need to be only a very, very minor punishment for the initial slip."

"Thank you, Chief Beria," she said.

"However, you then told my sister where to find my snares. And you kept all this information from me for a very long time."

"I was under orders from Queen Malora!" she protested.

"Did she order you to never tell me? Is she now going to be upset that you finally did?"

She sighed. "She told me not to volunteer the information, but if you asked directly, I wasn't to lie or deceive. She didn't mention a time limit."

"Was this before or after Maya approached you about my snares?"

"Before, but I felt Queen Malora's orders covered that as well."

"All right," I said. "And tell me, did Queen Malora order you to tell Maya how to find my snares?"

"No," she said quietly.

"Well then, there is a slip of a tongue, and then this last offense of revealing the location of my snares to the enemy!" I made it sound very dramatic and received a few snickers.

"Yes, Chief Beria," she admitted. "I will point out my companion shared no secrets and should be considered as under the same orders of secrecy that I was." She lowered her voice. "Please don't punish her, Beria."

"When I came back with the words 'rabbit thief' written across my face, I demanded to know how it was done. And Maya told me." I grinned. "Lin, warming on the edge of the stove in the kitchen is a small jar. Bring it here. Be careful not to burn your hands. And from the storerooms, bring a small paint brush."

The girl turned and ran.

"I'm sorry, Beria," Aura whispered.

"I know you are," I whispered back. "You know this won't be bad."

She nodded.

A moment or two later, Lin returned.

"I would not wish to burn Aura," I said. "Was the pot bubbling?"

"No
," Lin said. "It is a little uncomfortably warm. I could pick it up, but I didn't want to hold it." She was using a rag as insulation for her fingers.

I took the
paintbrush from her then dipped it into the dye. It was black. I pulled the brush out, held it in the air to cool for a moment, then dabbed a little on the back of my hand. It was warm, but didn't burn.

"Tip your head back, Aura," I ordered.

It took me a few minutes, but when I was done, I turned her to face the rest of the Amazons, who immediately began laughing.

"What does it say?" she asked.

"Lin?"

"On this side," Lin said, pointing, "it says 'blabber'. And on the other 'mouth'."

"You may let it sit for a few minutes then go wash your face. Lin, you will refresh this every day for a month, excepting when on patrol. I will allow it to fade after that."

"Yes, Chief Beria," she said.

"Lin, you may also add your own design elsewhere on her face or any portion of her skin you desire, but you may not disguise the words I have written. Aura, you will cooperate and also take no retribution if she chooses to do so."

"Yes, Chief Beria," Aura said.

"Lin," I added. "Be careful. You have to heat it, but you don't want to burn her."

"Yes, Chief Beria," Lin said.

"You two go sit down."

Amidst chuckles from the Amazons, the two of them sat down. I heard Aura talking quietly to Lin and Lin grinning. I wondered whether she would take up my offer to paint her warrior.

"All right. Who has a story to tell?"

* * * *

"Ah," I said. "I was hoping to see you again this evening." Lia was at my door. I invited her in. "I wanted to talk to you."

"I came to soothe you before bed," she said.

"Are you bribing your village chief?"

"I might be," she admitted.

"I found no surprises in my bed."

"As we had warning when you were returning, I made it myself this morning with fresh bedding. I did not expect you to find surprises."

"You mean you did not expect me to find them in the bed."

She didn't say anything. I had my back turned, but when I turned suddenly, she quickly hid a grin.

"Did anyone put you up to it?" I asked her.

"Put me up to what?" she asked.

I stared at her. She began shifting back and forth. "Did you know that your sister knows you miss the banter and teasing?"

"My sister knows quite a lot," I admitted, "so would not be surprised she knows this. Lia, I promised I would never lie to you."

"And I promised I would never lie, either," she said.

"So when I tell you that after our conversation at dinner, I searched the hut very thoroughly, you will know that I am not bluffing."

She smiled, but it was forced, and her eyes flashed briefly to my chest. "Gotcha," I thought.

"Was there anything you would care to confess?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she stepped closer. "I had something else I wished to discuss," she said. "And I should soothe the voices for you. Perhaps we could return to this conversation."

"All right," I agreed.

"I have been told that companions wear their hair long at the request of their warriors."