Amazon Chief (98 page)

"I know the place," she said. "Bea?"

"Yea, I know it."

"If this goes badly, you two take different routes there," I said. "Make sure you're not followed. Get my family to safety."

"They will wait no more than two hours," Nori said. "Then they're heading to Gallen's Cove. Jasmine said she can get them there undetected."

"She can," Ralla said.

"We're the only ones in the village who know where they went," Nori said. "If this goes very, very poorly, we may need to hold our tongues for several hours."

"Flat out lie," Malora said. "We sent them to Lake Juna for safety."

Nori smiled. "I sent Aura and Lin there leading six more horses. There will be a track as bold as day."

"Don't answer easily," Malora said. "Make her threaten before telling her. If we answer easily, she'll know it's a lie."

"Don't give her an excuse to kill you," I said.

I stood up and looked around. Then, one at a time, I hugged each of them. I whispered to each of them how much I loved her. I held Maya for a long, long time, and Malora almost as long. I gave Omie a quick peck on the lips, surprising her, but she smiled. "Ah, kissed by the queen. I can handle that."

"Let's go do this."

* * * *

"Well," said Jalad. "It's about time."

"Curb your impertinence!" I ordered. "I am your queen and you will address me with respect, or I will have. You. Flogged!"

There was a cheer at that threat.

Jalad looked around, but she didn't open her mouth.

"Well, Jalad. You have foolishly challenged me. I accept. This will be a fight to the death. Yours. We will commence immediately."

She stared at me. "What?"

"You heard me. You called for this challenge. I told you that you were a fool for doing so and offered to let you back down. You insisted. Defend yourself. Now."

"But-"

"But what?"

"I'm not ready."

"Your staff is in your hand. We are standing on the grounds upon which we have already fought. My sister's staff is in my hands. It served me well against my queen, it will serve doubly well in a fight against a worthless piece of shit like you."

"But. I'm injured! I thought you would set a date."

"I did. You challenged. I accepted and set the date and time. The date is today. The time is now."

"Fine," she spat. She lifted her staff and charged.

She fought wildly for the first minute, but she actually calmed down. I thunked her three times, quite firmly, but not enough to leave more than bruises. After that, it was a more even match.

More or less.

She was putting everything she had into her swings, and she had a lot. I was deflecting her swings more than blocking them.

Then she tipped her head to my right, and I immediately stepped left and swung. She feinted at me then did a real strike where I had just been standing. My staff came down on her arm, striking firmly. I followed up and she backed away, barely defending, then stepped behind the whipping post.

She came back out the other side. We traded more blows, deflected or blocked.

I showed her an opening. She took it, and I barely blocked, backing away quickly.

I took a glancing strike off my arm. It hurt, but it wasn't bad. I gave her a solid strike to the chest, then I showed her my opening again. She took it, and I took her strike firmly against my ribs.

She'd already hit me there once this week, and it hurt, but she didn't crack my ribs.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

Then I was holding her in place, driving my knife deeper into her gut, searching for her heart. I thrust again, my hand now buried in her stomach, the knife finally reaching her heart.

I rotated us, still holding Jalad up. Her face went blank. I searched the Amazons behind her, finding Omie standing with Bea, Malora, Nori, and Ralla. Other Amazons I trusted surrounded all of them.

"Omie," I said. "Our families are safe." I let Jalad's body drop to the ground
, releasing the knife still buried in her body. I knew my hand was bloody, and I let people wonder what I had done. With luck, they might think I had ripped her heart out with my bare hand.

We could retrieve Malora's knife later.

"Omie," I repeated. "Would you and Bea be so kind as to retrieve our families?"

I said it calmly, then stepped forward, over the corpse, ignoring it on the ground. I held out Maya's staff, not caring who took it. I looked out over the Amazons.

"I will lead you as well as I am able. I will need help from all of you. But I will never let someone like that!" and I pointed in the direction of the corpse, "lead us. And I hope none of you ever do, either."

I looked around. "Lunch may be delayed. The schedule this afternoon may be delayed. Queen Malora, Sister, what do you say?"

"All events delayed two hours," Maya announced. "We'll probably withdraw a few so dinner isn't too late."

I stepped closer and whispered to Malora. "Your knife is in her heart, but I don't want anyone to see it removed. I'm going to order Nori to take care of the body."

Malora nodded, and I stepped back.

"Nori, please see to it our training grounds are properly cleaned." I looked at the corpse. "I don't care what you do with that. Whatever you feel is appropriate is fine. But she was an Amazon, and so I do not want her body treated with disrespect. Use whatever help you require."

"Yes, Queen Beria."

I looked around. "Serra. Where are you?"

"Here, Queen Beria."

"Would it be an imposition to ask you to begin lunch preparations? Or should we wait for Aren and Lia?"

"I have been dying to visit my old kitchen, Queen Beria, but I will ask you to make it an order."

I laughed. "Serra, you were released from Amazon service. I cannot order you."

"I am and will always be an Amazon, Queen Beria, and I will always obey your orders. Or Queen Malora's, for like you, she will always be my queen as well."

"As long as Queen Beria's orders
supersede mine," said Malora with a laugh.

"Serra, please see to lunch. Recruit what help you need. I presume most of those here will eat with their villages, but you will need to feed Lake Juna, Queen's Town, and a few of our closest allies."

"Queen Malora, I ask that you continue to serve as queen for a few more hours. I believe I would like to clean up. Maya are you needed here?"

"No, I am not."

"I'll handle everything, Queen Beria," Malora said.

"Thank you."

I let Maya lead me back to her hut.

I held it together until Maya got me to safety in her hut, and then I began sobbing into her hair, holding my blood-drenched hand to the side. She held me while I trembled.

"I killed a woman, Maya. I killed a woman."

"I know you did, and I am so sorry it was necessary."

Nori, Ralla, Ping and Malora arrived a while later. I was still a mess. I stood there, holding my sister, while Nori and Ping cleaned me as best they could

"The tunic is ruined," Nori said. "We'll never get the blood out."

"My companion finds herself with a richness of skins. She'll take care of it."

"How are your ribs?"

"They hurt, but I can breathe fine," I said.

"I want to check. In fact, I really think we should go for a swim. I want to check everything, and you'll feel better in fresh clothing." She paused. "You're not quite clean. We need to bathe you."

I nodded. Malora had taken a seat. I looked at her. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, honey. Have I told you how proud I am?"

"Everything out there?"

"The first rule of being an effective queen: learn to delegate."

"Will I have nightmares?"

"The demons will try to feed them to you," she said. "But that's along with all the other horrors they offer. I have never killed anyone that didn't leave the world a better place for his passing. Do you regret killing her?"

"No."

"Then there is no need for guilt. You didn't make her into what she was."

I looked around. "Am I really queen?"

"Yes," she said with a laugh. "You are."

"So all of you have to do whatever I say?" I looked at Rall
a and Ping. "Well, not you two."

"Yes," Ralla said, "Us to. Well, me at least."

"And me," Ping agreed. "I am retired from active duty, but I will always be an Amazon, and I will come if ever you call."

"Well then, I believe I will take Nori's advice, and for my first
frivolous order, I command you all join me."

There was laughter, but then Malora said, "Ralla's been a little under the weather."

"Oh, Ralla, I'm sorry," I said. "I was being frivolous. I would enjoy company from anyone who would enjoy a swim."

"I think I'll take a short nap," Ralla said, "but I would appreciate it if someone would send my companion to me when she returns."

"Of course," I said. "Can someone spread the word we're going swimming? Spread it carefully?"

"I'll handle it," Ping said. "The people from Queen's Town that were here when you were here, plus everyone from Lake Juna?"

"Yes, thank you. Nori did you send all my newest allies with my family?"

"Yes."

I let them lead me to the pools. Nori was solicitous of me, which I thought was silly. I wondered if I was less steady than I thought I was. She and Maya stripped me, and I submitted for a complete inspection, including some poking and prodding.

"Amazingly whole," she declared. "You're going to hurt for a few days."

"Small price to pay," I said. "May I swim?"

"Go ahead," she said.

"I'll bathe you," Maya offered.

* * * *

The pools filled with most of my friends.  I had aches on top of my pains and declined all forms of horseplay. Maya, Nori and Malora swam gently with me. The water felt good.

"Do I have anything to wear?" I asked. "Lia packed for me."

"Yalta said she was handling it," Maya said. "There's a stack of clothes waiting for you. I can't attest to fit."

"Yalta knows my size. She'll have found something that works."

"Queen Beria," said Malora, "Lake Juna is without a chief."

"Glorana and Frida together," I said.

"You should talk to them this afternoon and announce it this evening. Will there be dissent?"

"There shouldn't be."

"No one who will feel slighted?"

"No, I don't believe so. No one has complained in the past." I wasn't really watching her, but then I turned to her. "You sly fox!"

She grinned. "What?"

"You had me pick the replacement chiefs for all the chiefs that are on the verge of retirement."

"You did a good job, too. I wouldn't have thought of some of your choices, and I might disagree here and there, but not enough to argue with you."

"A problem for another day," I said.

She didn't say anything.

"Is there anything else I need to address?"

"I'll handle the village, if you like, until all your guests are gone," Malora offered. "Maya will begin to transition her duties to Lia. You will need to decide what changes you will make. Just because the senior companion handled recruitment, for instance, doesn't mean Lia should."

I paused. "Maya will continue to handle recruitment," I said.

"We can discuss those details later," Malora said. "I was offering an example, that's all."

"Right."

"We'll move out of your hut this afternoon," Malora said.

"Excuse me?"

"It's yours now. It's the queen's hut."

I smiled. "Remember that entire Queen Beria thing?"

Malora grinned at me.

"You are not moving out of your hut. I will remain with Omie until the guests are gone, and then I will decide from there."

"Beria-"

"Now is when you say, 'Yes, Queen Beria'."

"Yes, Queen Beria," Malora said with a chuckle. She turned to Nori. "Power went to her head fast."

"It sure did," Nori agreed. "Next she's going to tell you that you aren't allowed to give her the clothes off your back, too. She made you keep your name. She made you keep your hut." Nori shook her head. "How positively dictatorial."

"I know you guys are teasing, but I presume if you're ever serious about that, you'll tell me."

"Of course we will," Maya promised.

I smiled. "You know, I have wondered about something for two years. I now find I am in a position to demand an answer. Malora, why did you make Rora give that saw back to the lumber mill?"