Amazon Challenge (2 page)

"It was a joke," she said, "but we're due, don't you think?"

"I suppose we are. Am I allowed to officiate?"

She laughed. "You know the answer to that, Maya."

"Can't blame me for trying."

She glanced over at me. "Walk with me." She didn't wait but immediately turned away and led us on a path
further from listening ears. As soon as we were well clear, she said quietly, "Are you pretending to hate it? I thought you were past all that. For a while, you embraced the training."

"I had a demon to kill," I replied. "I never enjoyed it, Nori. I hated it the entire time. I appeared to embrace it because it was necessary."

"So you really do hate it?"

"I can't begin to tell you how much," I answered.
"I'm tired of getting hit, and don't even tell me to try harder. I don't like hitting anyone, either. Inside I flinch every time."

"Not always inside, either."
She sighed. "I thought you've been joking."

"I make jokes about hating it," I said, "like some people whistle in the dark."

"So if Malora and I excused you from future training?"

I stopped her with a
hand on her arm, turning her to face me. "If you ever give me that choice, I will take it." Deep down, I knew that would be a mistake, but I wouldn't be able to help it.

She nodded understanding. "There's a style of training you haven't seen very often." She paused for a moment, and I was sure I wasn't going to like what came next. "We're going to start doing more partner and team exercises."

"What do you mean?"

"You and Malora."

"Malora and I spar nearly every day."

"You and Malora spar against each other," she said. "But you don't spar
as a team. And it is even more rare we fight in larger groups."

I searched her face, trying to understand. Other than during tournaments, the Amazons didn't usually train that way, not that I had seen. "I don't understand."

"That's why we're going to start. Today, I believe."

I sighed. "I'm going to get more bruises, aren't I?"

"And if you fight poorly, so is your warrior."

"So Malora drew the short straw when you gave me to her."

"Not hardly," Nori replied.

She turned, leading the two of us back to the center of the training ring. Everyone else was waiting, some having started to stretch.

"Get us started, Beria," Nori ordered.

We stretched. We ran. My sister was faster than me, as were all but the youngest companions. For a while, Malora and Nori had tried to use me to set the pace for the young companions, but I could only remember my first days as an Amazon, and I was too easy on them.

But at least I hadn't felt the tip of Malora's whip across my bottom in two and a half years. Just thinking about it made me rub myself in imagined pain.

When we were done running, Nori collected us all together. "As promised, we are having a tournament today, but it will be a little different than we're used to. In increasing age, you will each select a partner and invite her to a bout
. The person you challenge gets to pick the style of the bout: wrestling, hand-to-hand, bows, staffs, swords, or free combat." Free combat meant each fighter would pick her weapon of choice, which was almost always a sword. Malora liked to pick two swords, and sometimes Nori picked a staff for herself, simply to change things up.

"If you are invited to fight, you must accept. If you have already fought, then you are done until the next event."

"What's the next event?" Vorine asked.

"Teams, warriors with their companions. We will pick opponents the same way based on the age of the companion."

She looked around. "Gweneth, I believe you are youngest." Gweneth was Balorie's new companion, having just joined us this past spring. She had just turned fourteen.

Gweneth stood up. "
Balorie is on patrol. Whom will I partner with later?"

"One of the warriors will volunteer," Nori explained. "You may not have the same warrior for each of your partner bouts."

The girl nodded then looked around. "I pick my opponent, anyone I want, but my opponent picks the weapon?"

"Yes," Nori agreed.

"I'm going to lose, whomever I pick," she said. "So do I pick someone to give her an easy win, or do I pick someone so no one else has to fight her?"

That earned some chuckles.

"You should pick who you want to fight," Nori said. "Who will teach you the most, understanding that this isn't a training fight?"

"So if I pick you, the fight will last about three seconds?" she asked Nori.

"Yes," Nori said with a smile.

"All right. Queen Malora, will you fight me?"

The assembled Amazons chuckled. Malora climbed to her feet, squeezing my shoulder as she did so, and then said, "I would be honored, Gweneth. Staffs." She looked around. "To keep this moving, everyone should go collect a staff and a sword."

By that she meant all the companions should go pick two of each, one set for their warriors.
The companions rose to our feet and ran to the storage shed, me in the lead. "Jasmine, pass out swords," I ordered. She immediately turned to the swords on the right while I turned to the staffs. "Two per companion. Gweneth give your second set to Nori."

The fight between Malora and Gweneth was brief. I wondered whether Malora would use it as a training session. She was gentle with the girl, and gave her a chance to take a few swings, but Gweneth tended to fall off balance when fighting with the staff, and Malora simply waited for that and rapped her with the staff each time, no harder than necessary to get the girl's attention.

At the end of the bout, they thanked each other.

Beria was next. She immediately looked at me. "I suppose if I pick you, it won't be wrestling."

"Staffs," I told her immediately.

She sighed.

"I'd wrestle with you," Omie said with a grin.

"Maybe later," Beria replied. "Jasmine, will you fight me?"

"Swords," Jasmine said immediately. "I'm not letting you get me in one of your warrior's submission holds, and I still have bruises from staffs two days ago."

I didn't know who would win this. Jasmine wasn't any better of a fighter than I was, but she was older
and had a longer reach than Beria.

But my sister was a wildcat. As soon as Nori began the fight, she went after Jasmine. The bout ended three to one, and Beria was grinning.

Neela fought with Aura and then it was Bea's turn. She turned to me. "I wouldn't suppose you would agree to wrestle?"

I smiled and stood up. "I believe the challenged gets to pick her weapon of choice. Bea."

Bea looked at me hopefully. I bent over and began reaching for my staff then left it where it was. "You know I'm just kidding. I'd love to wrestle."

Love was putting it strongly, but of everyone here, Bea was the most fun to wrestle. There had been a time we hadn't been too unevenly matched, but she was far better than I was by now. However, she took such joy from it, I never turned her down. She grinned at me.

"You are both experienced," Nori said. "You may start up if you want."

I sighed. More bruises, I was sure. You would think I would have grown accustomed to them.

"We can start down if you prefer, Maya," Bea said. "It's up to you."

But real fights don't usually start with someone on her hands and knees, or if they did, you were definitely in the wrong place to begin with.

"Up is fine," I said. I grinned at her. "Feeling ticklish?"

She laughed. "That hasn't worked in a long time, but you're free to try."

Bea was better than I was, but the results weren't a foregone conclusion. She took me to the ground first, but I immediately reversed it and worked on applying the latest submission hold Omie had tried to teach me. Bea escaped, and then we were scrambling around for a while.

We were both panting and worn out before Bea managed to apply a hold quickly enough I didn't counter it until it was too late. As soon as she had the lock applied to my arm, she applied just enough pressure I couldn't escape,
then gave me a chance to tap out. I did, then lay on my back, winded. Nori helped us both to our feet, and Bea hugged me.

"Thank you," she whispered into my ear.

I squeezed her arm; I didn't have enough breath to do more than pant.

We eventually finished our solo matches, and then it was time for partners. Gweneth stood up and Nori asked which pair she wished to choose from.

"I would rather my partner picks," she said.

"Does someone want to be Gweneth's partner? You'll still fight with your companion."

I leaned to Malora, "Why doesn't Nori partner with her?" I whispered.

"She won't learn anything," Malora replied. "Watch."

The warriors looked amongst themselves, then Clara, Bea's warrior, stood up. Clara was a good fighter, but she wasn't in Nori's or Malora's caliber. "I'll partner with you, Gweneth." Clara pulled the girl to the side and they conferred for a moment. "Gaylie and Aura, will you fight us?"

The two Amazons stood up, spoke together briefly, and then Gaylie said, "Staffs." They picked up their staffs and moved into the practice ring. Clara spoke quietly with Gweneth for a moment
, then they each picked up their staffs and moved into the circle.

It was an interesting fight. Gweneth hovered slightly behind and to Clara's right. Gaylie and Aura concentrated primarily on Clara, although Aura from time to time sent a swing at Gweneth, whenever the girl moved too far forward.

Clara had her hands full, fending off the attacks from two women, but still, she managed to protect both herself and her partner, making enough swings at both their opponents they couldn't grow overconfident.

Gweneth bided her time, making poor swings at Aura from time to time, but oth
erwise staying out of the fight. Then Aura launched a series of attacks at Clara. Gweneth took two steps to the right, and swung for Aura's unprotected flank.

To everyone's surprise, the blow landed, a firm blow against her arm and ribs, and she crumpled to the ground, a sign she considered the blow fatal.

"I did it!" Gweneth said, standing there in shock.

Her joy was short-lived.
Gaylie feinted at Clara then withdrew, luring Clara forward, and then Aura's body was between Clara and Gweneth. Gaylie spun around, sweeping past her prone partner's feet, then tangled Gweneth's feet, dropping her to the ground, then offering a token "killing" blow.

"You're down, Gweneth," Nori declared.

After that it was Clara against Gaylie, and the two were well matched. In the end, Clara won, but they were both panting hard and ended up hugging each other for support in the middle of the practice ring.

"Good match," Nori declared. "Gweneth, what did you do wrong?"

"I was so surprised I hit Aura that I didn't move back into position behind Clara."

"Don't let that happen again," Nori told her.

"Understand?" Malora whispered to me. And I nodded. If that had been Nori or Malora out there, the fight wouldn't have lasted long enough for Gweneth to learn anything.

I leaned back. "Did they drag out the fight to give Gweneth an opportunity?"

"I don't think so. Clara was fighting for everything she was worth."

The other teams avoided
choosing Malora and me, and pickings were slim by the time we stood up.

"I think everyone has gone," I whispered to my warrior.

"Yep," she said. "Trust me?"

"Of course."

"Nori and Omie, would you care to partner together for this?"

Two warriors, and one of them the second best in the village, perhaps second best amongst all Amazons.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"It's time for you to learn something," she said.

Nori and Omie climbed to their feet. "Free fight?" Nori asked.

"Yes," Malora said. "That would be best." She turned to me. "Use your staff."

"Do I fight like Gweneth did?"

"No.
Side by side. Give yourself enough room to use your staff without hitting me, but retreat behind me if you are becoming overwhelmed. Keep yourself alive. They are probably going to concentrate on me." She paused. "I've never done this before. I think we're all going to learn something."

"If they take me out first, then they can concentrate on you."

"Nori can't stand against me two swords against her one, and she can't protect Omie. Don't move too far from me, and bring whoever is after you back to me if you need to. I won't need much help if you can just be a distraction."

I nodded.

Nori and Omie moved to the center of the training ring. Both were carrying swords, but I saw Nori had a whip on her belt.

"Nori has a whip."