Free Amazon Challenge by Robin Roseau

asked.
    "Yes. Her name was Lathana Jara Marquine. She told me she was a queen, although I do not know if she lied."
    "What do the demons want?" Lia asked.
    "To fight us," I said. "To kill us. We do not understand why. The Amazons keep all of Morehama safe from them."
    The villagers had begun dispersing, but then the mayor and his wife approached. "Please," said the wife. "Do not take my daughters!"
    I turned to her. "What is your name?"
    "Warina," she said.
    "Warina, we're just on the edge of town. To be quite blunt, I do not trust your husband."
    "You're a horrid woman!" she spat. "You come here, scaring us, taking our daughters, demanding we give you our food and goods-" Her husband began pulling her away.
    "No, Plaank," I said. "Let her say it. I don't blame her. Three years ago, I said the same thing, nearly word-for-word."
    That shut her up.
    I pointed. "Warina, the demons are real. I am going to ask you what the queen of the Amazons asked me, three years ago. If everything I've said is true, then what does this village owe us for keeping you safe?"
    "Nothing!"
    I cocked my head. "Think about it. You may have your daughters back tomorrow, if they choose to remain here."
    "What do you mean, if they choose to remain here?" her voice rose to a screech by the last word.
    "It will be their choice," I said. "One or the other may choose to become an Amazon. One or the other may have a better answer to my question than the one you offered. Think about it. What are we owed, if our tales are true? And if you doubt me, go take a good, long look in the wagon."
    Plaank pulled her away, but she broke loose and ran to the wagon. She stared at the face of the demon.
    I watched. Badra moved to her side, and I saw Badra speaking quietly. Finally the woman turned to me, and her face was full of fear.
    I didn't blame her. She was afraid her daughters would go with us to fight demons. I'd be afraid, too.
    * * * *
    Tarine was bubbling with impatient anger over the bonfire that night, muttering now and then. Lia and Tamma were having a good time, a grand adventure, and I didn't want to ruin it for them.
    There were good sides of being an Amazon, after all.
    But Tarine's comments were growing increasingly pointed. So far, the girls hadn't picked up on the dispute, but they would eventually. I grabbed Nori, pulling her away.
    "Don't say it," she said. "Tarine."
    "Do you want to handle it or do you want me to handle it?"
    "Why aren't you asking Malora?"
    "Malora is busy." She was. She was entertaining our guests. "I know Tarine isn't happy with our methods. She isn't going to be happy. I need her to shut up in front of our guests."
    Nori sighed. "I'm not exactly diplomatic."
    "Then please stay with me. She won't get physical with you standing next to me."
    I left Nori there and worked my way closer to Tarine, sitting near the fire. I crouched down, my ear near her ear. "May I speak with you, Tarine?" I asked politely.
    She looked over her shoulder. "What's the point?"
    "Please."
    She stared at me for a moment before nodding. Together, we worked our way to Nori before I turned to her. "If you can keep your voice down, we can talk here. If this is going to get loud, I'd rather be further away from our guests."
    She glanced over. "Let them hear."
    "Right now, we have a good chance of one or the other becoming an Amazon. They do not need to be privy to our disputes while making their decisions."
    "I wasn't given a choice," she said. "Why should they?"
    "Do you want to compare how each of us became an Amazon?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.
    "That's not my point," she said.
    "Then what is your point?"
    "If the villages don't give us what we need to keep them safe, then we should take what we need."
    "The villages will give us what we need," I said. "My way takes longer in the short term but will be far better in the long term."
    "You insist on making us beggars."
    I was done. She wasn't listening and didn't intend to. "Tarine," I said, "this trip is