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  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 otherwise 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."

  "Yep. Don't let her intimidate you."

  I'd seen Nori use that whip before.

  We stepped into the ring. I kept Malora in my peripheral vision but watched Nori carefully. As soon as she transferred her sword to her left hand, I knew what she was going to do. She grabbed the whip, uncoiled it with one motion, then sent the tip towards my right arm.

  I was already stepping to my left, partly obscured by Malora, but I swung my staff in a circle in front of me, and the whip got tangled around the staff, I twisted the staff once more around the whip, then hanging on with everything I had, I gave a solid heave.

  I pulled it right out of Nori's hands.

  I hadn't actually expected it to work, and I'd been a little worried she'd pull my staff out of my hands, but I'd had a solid hold of it, and if she'd gotten into a tug of war game with me, Malora would have been on her in an instant, and the whip would have been stretched between Nori and me, serving as an obstacle to Omie. Malora would easily have taken Nori out.

  Malora waited while I untangled the whip from my staff, throwing the whip to the ground somewhere behind me. Then we began advancing again.

  "Well done," Nori said to me, and then we were in fighting range.

  Malora, as always, was a blur. Both Nori and Omie concentrated on her. Any time Omie turned towards me, Malora's sword flashed out, driving Omie back and bringing her attention back to my warrior.

  I watched for what seemed forever but was probably about thirty seconds, doing nothing more than protecting myself from Omie's occasional sword slash, but I began to see the pattern.

  I sent two attacks at Omie, but she turned both of them aside. She tried to counter-attack, but I blocked one and Malora blocked the second for me.

  But then I saw my real opportunity, and I sent the end of my staff in a thrust, not at Omie, but across the middle of the fight, punching Nori firmly in her left hand, her off-hand.

  "Damn it," she muttered, and the two of them took a couple of steps back. She shook her arm out.

  A minute later, I got a second chance, and I hit Nori exactly the same way a second time.

  "Stop that!" she hissed at me as they fell back again.

  Omie sent her sword snaking in my direction, but I managed to turn it, and she barely retreated from both of Malora's swords, and then I swung my staff and caught her hip in a solid blow. I sent her off balance, and I rapped her sword firmly, hitting it so far out of line that it stretched in front of Nori.

  Malora immediately dropped two sword blows across the stretched out arm, and before she could recover, I pulled a blow to Omie's head, tapping her gently.

  She went down, and Nori was in full retreat.

  Malora let her retreat and whispered to me, "Well done. Now you stay alive, but send your staff at her just enough she can't completely ignore you."

  I let Malora take a half step closer to Nori than I was. And then we were pursuing her.

  Twice Nori tried to take frantic steps to my side, our right, to try to flank me, but both times I retreated behind Malora, and the second time I went all the way around her, swinging with my staff towards Nori's sword arm. She deflected the blow, but there'd been so much energy in my swing that she'd had to really work for it, and Malora rained three rapid blows. Nori went down.

  Malora turned and hugged me. "Well done."

  I pulled her lips down for a sweaty kiss.

  "All right," Malora said as Nori and Omie climbed to their feet. "Nori and Maya together against me and..." she looked around. "Jasmine."

  Nori and I stepped to the side.

  "What's she doing?" I asked while catching my breath.

  "You contributed more than expected," Nori said. "She wants to see it from the other side."

  "Why are we doing this?"

  "Bandit training."

  "I'm better than Jasmine."

  "Yes," Nori said. "But Malora is better than I am."

  "Pick up your whip," I said.

  "I don't want to use it on Jasmine," she said. "Ralla asked us to train her gently."

  "I don't want you to use it on Jasmine, either," I said. "I want you to use it on my warrior."

  Nori cocked her head. "What will that accomplish?"

  "Surprise."

  Nori collected her whip and didn't even make a pretense of wrapping it on her belt.

  "Can you send it so it looks like you're using it for Jasmine, but actually catch Malora's shoulder?"

  "Yes."

  "Give me a half second warning when you do it."

  "I am the warrior, Maya. I pick our strategy."

  I grinned at her. "All right."

  I took my position on Nori's left. A moment later, Malora and Jasmine began advancing towards us, Jasmine on Malora's right, my side. Perfect.

  "Now," Nori said, and I was in motion before she could stop me. Her whip reached out, seemingly aimed at Jasmine.

  "Nori!" Malora said, intercepting the whip before it could catch Jasmine, but I had closed the distance, and before Malora was ready, my staff was swinging for her upraised right arm, smacking it firmly. I didn't wait but immediately retreated to Nori.

  Nori had already dropped her whip, and when I looked up, Malora had dropped her primary sword and was fighting left-handed.

  "That will never work twice," Nori said. "Now it's an even fight."

  "Malora is going to want to put me in my place," I said. "She'll make mistakes."

  We began advancing towards Malora and Jasmine. Jasmine was holding a staff, the same as I was. I would have preferred a sword, but whatever.

  Malora gave me the stink eye but then kept her eyes primarily on Nori. The two of them engaged, Jasmine holding back. She was far too cautious for this. I sent an attack her way, just to scare her off, then I ducked low and sent a swing for Malora's legs, really reaching with the staff, hanging on by the end. It wouldn't have crippled her if I had hit her, as there was little power in it, but she jumped over it anyway, leaving herself off balance, and Nori attacked.

  Malora was able to deflect Nori's attacks, but she and Jasmine retreated several steps. I sent two more attacks towards Jasmine, then after an instant behind Nori, I thrust my staff towards Malora's face. She ducked to the side from it and parried Nori's attack, but it drew her just slightly to her left, leaving Jasmine temporarily exposed, and I sent the other end of my staff up, sweeping Jasmine's staff wide and pulling her in front of Malora. Nori's sword reached out, smacking the flat across Jasmine's neck.

  "You're down," Malora said, falling back. She was still shaking her right arm out; I must have hit her pretty hard. I felt a moment of guilt, but it was short lived after all the bruises she'd given me over the previous three years.

  One sword against one sword, Malora was still better than Nori, but she was fighting left-handed, and I was a significant threat she couldn't completely ignore.

  From that point, I kept crossing back and forth behind Nori, reaching out with my staff, trying t
o trip Malora or distract her. Malora primarily focused on Nori, but I seemed to be enough of an annoyance she grew tired of it. She waited for me to thrust at her feet and stomped on my staff, pulling me slightly off balance. I felt a quick sword slap against my neck, and I was down.

  After that, it was Nori and Malora against each other, Malora fighting with her off hand. Their swords were a blur, but finally the fight ended with a move too fast to see, Malora swinging around behind Nori, the flat of her wooden sword stretched across Nori's neck.

  Malora pulled me to my feet and hugged me, then did the same with Jasmine. She sent Jasmine back to her place outside the circle but then turned to me. "If you were that good with a sword, I'd never let you go on patrol."

  I stared at her, hurt.

  "I couldn't stand it if you became a warrior, Maya," she added.

  I blinked at her several times. "Nearly everyone here is better than I am with a staff, and I'm pretty sure I can't beat anyone staff against sword, either."

  "True, but you are very good in a supporting role." She turned to Nori. "I want more partner bouts, Maya and Jasmine to stick to staffs for them. Nice strategy with the whip."

  "That was her," Nori said, gesturing at me with a thumb. "I didn't know what she had planned."

  Malora smiled.

  There were more bouts, but thankfully I was able to sit out, but then Clara stood up. "We all challenge Nori and Malora."

  Malora stood back up and looked around, then pulled me to my feet. "We're keeping Maya," Malora said.

  "No, Malora," I said quietly.

  "Don't argue."

  I sighed. "Yes, Malora." I looked down. "I'll be right back." I handed her my staff and ran to the storage shed, returning with a second whip. "I've been practicing," I said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "My control isn't that good, but no one minds a few welts."

  I crossed the space to Malora and Nori, who were both watching me carefully.

  "Do you know what you're doing with that?" Malora asked, too quietly for anyone else to hear.

  "Yes. Subterfuge."

  Malora grinned.

  "Wagers," Clara said.

  I counted the number of opponents and said quietly, "We're going to lose."

  "Probably," Nori agreed. "They'll try to split us up."