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Authors: Robin Roseau
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mean?"
"Queen Malora," she corrected. "A queen has few friends. Even Nori and I must maintain a certain distance. We would talk. As if we were friends. Companions."
"All right," I said. "What else?"
"There would be, um. Physical duties."
"I thought so."
"We live a warrior's life," she said. "There are aches. A companion eases those aches."
"So, clean your tent-"
"Or house. Yes."
"Make your bed. Do your laundry. Prepare your meals."
"Meals are typically served communally, although there would be times you would be expected to cook for me."
"Serve your meals."
"Yes."
"Rub your feet."
"And my arms, my back, sometimes my legs, sometimes my hands."
"Polish your boots."
"And spend time with me. There are two beds in there." She gestured towards the inner chamber. "You would occupy one. Most companions become very casual with their warriors. You may or you may not."
"I would call you Malora?"
"If we developed a warm rapport, yes, I would invite that. You should not presume."
"I see. Anything else?"
"Most warriors train their companions."
"Train?"
"To fight. I would expect you to accept at least basic training, enough you wouldn't be a hindrance in a fight."
"Who would I be expected to fight?"
"Demons."
I stared at her.
"Believe it or not, they are real."
"I see." I didn't. "Anything else?"
"I believe you have the basic understanding. I would require you to operate in good faith."
"Don't spit in your dinner."
"Yes."
"And you would trust me?"
"You would offer certain assurances. I fully expect you to attempt to escape. When you do, you will be found and returned to me, and I will punish you. The punishment will grow increasingly severe with each failed attempt. You will vow to make no attempts to murder anyone, especially me or Nori."
"And you would believe me?"
"Yes. You already know what will happen if you break that vow."
"You were serious."
"Quite. You would be subject to Amazon discipline on all other issues. There is a certain amount of leniency for new arrivals, but the rules are not complicated, and the period of leniency is limited."
"I would be expected to act subservient to everyone else?"
"You would be expected to act politely with everyone else, and they with you. Disputes are handled on the training ground."
"So the best fighter gets her way?"
"I am the best fighter," the queen said with a smile. "And yes, I get my way."
"Virtually everyone here is a better fighter than I am," I pointed out.
"Then you should be especially polite, but no one will treat you as a servant."
"Except you."
"Companion."
"I fail to see the distinction."
"Servants rarely share meals with their masters. Companions live the same life as their warriors. It is not a caste system."
"Everyone here began as a companion," Nori said. "I didn't start out as hers, but I became Malora's companion."
I stopped. "You were lovers?"
"Yes," she said. "Once upon a time."
"And now you have acquired me for her?" I was puzzled. "Aren't you jealous?"
"Yes," she said, "but we haven't been lovers for a long time. We. We can't." The two looked at each other. "We can't," she said again.
"More for you to learn," Malora said, "but not tonight."
I looked down, studying my hands. I tried lifting them, but the pain was nearly overwhelming. I blinked back the tears.
"I promise," the queen said, "your arms will be fine in a few days. We can fashion slings for now."
I looked up at her through the tears. "You promise?"
"I promise."
"Do you keep your promises?"
"Yes. Do you?"
"Yes."
I looked back down. "I want to go home," I said in a small voice. "I'm a teacher of small children. They need me. I'm a good teacher. I am not a warrior. I am not suited for your life. Send me home."
"And take your sister instead?" the queen asked. It was gently said, but my response was not.
"No!" I flashed my eyes at her, then I knew my face filled with dread.
"Consider this a warning," she said. "I applaud your desire to protect your
"Queen Malora," she corrected. "A queen has few friends. Even Nori and I must maintain a certain distance. We would talk. As if we were friends. Companions."
"All right," I said. "What else?"
"There would be, um. Physical duties."
"I thought so."
"We live a warrior's life," she said. "There are aches. A companion eases those aches."
"So, clean your tent-"
"Or house. Yes."
"Make your bed. Do your laundry. Prepare your meals."
"Meals are typically served communally, although there would be times you would be expected to cook for me."
"Serve your meals."
"Yes."
"Rub your feet."
"And my arms, my back, sometimes my legs, sometimes my hands."
"Polish your boots."
"And spend time with me. There are two beds in there." She gestured towards the inner chamber. "You would occupy one. Most companions become very casual with their warriors. You may or you may not."
"I would call you Malora?"
"If we developed a warm rapport, yes, I would invite that. You should not presume."
"I see. Anything else?"
"Most warriors train their companions."
"Train?"
"To fight. I would expect you to accept at least basic training, enough you wouldn't be a hindrance in a fight."
"Who would I be expected to fight?"
"Demons."
I stared at her.
"Believe it or not, they are real."
"I see." I didn't. "Anything else?"
"I believe you have the basic understanding. I would require you to operate in good faith."
"Don't spit in your dinner."
"Yes."
"And you would trust me?"
"You would offer certain assurances. I fully expect you to attempt to escape. When you do, you will be found and returned to me, and I will punish you. The punishment will grow increasingly severe with each failed attempt. You will vow to make no attempts to murder anyone, especially me or Nori."
"And you would believe me?"
"Yes. You already know what will happen if you break that vow."
"You were serious."
"Quite. You would be subject to Amazon discipline on all other issues. There is a certain amount of leniency for new arrivals, but the rules are not complicated, and the period of leniency is limited."
"I would be expected to act subservient to everyone else?"
"You would be expected to act politely with everyone else, and they with you. Disputes are handled on the training ground."
"So the best fighter gets her way?"
"I am the best fighter," the queen said with a smile. "And yes, I get my way."
"Virtually everyone here is a better fighter than I am," I pointed out.
"Then you should be especially polite, but no one will treat you as a servant."
"Except you."
"Companion."
"I fail to see the distinction."
"Servants rarely share meals with their masters. Companions live the same life as their warriors. It is not a caste system."
"Everyone here began as a companion," Nori said. "I didn't start out as hers, but I became Malora's companion."
I stopped. "You were lovers?"
"Yes," she said. "Once upon a time."
"And now you have acquired me for her?" I was puzzled. "Aren't you jealous?"
"Yes," she said, "but we haven't been lovers for a long time. We. We can't." The two looked at each other. "We can't," she said again.
"More for you to learn," Malora said, "but not tonight."
I looked down, studying my hands. I tried lifting them, but the pain was nearly overwhelming. I blinked back the tears.
"I promise," the queen said, "your arms will be fine in a few days. We can fashion slings for now."
I looked up at her through the tears. "You promise?"
"I promise."
"Do you keep your promises?"
"Yes. Do you?"
"Yes."
I looked back down. "I want to go home," I said in a small voice. "I'm a teacher of small children. They need me. I'm a good teacher. I am not a warrior. I am not suited for your life. Send me home."
"And take your sister instead?" the queen asked. It was gently said, but my response was not.
"No!" I flashed my eyes at her, then I knew my face filled with dread.
"Consider this a warning," she said. "I applaud your desire to protect your
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