Amazon Chief by Robin Roseau

Author:Robin Roseau
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Robin Roseau
Published: 2014-03-23T00:00:00+00:00

Challenges

Our return trip took longer than the trip to White Pine had taken. We rose early in the morning to depart, the companions readying the horses. Zora pulled Lia aside, and I learned later Zora told her sister-in-law, "If you do not come back, I will send the rest of your things with the spring tithe. I am sorry we were unable to find peace together, but I do wish you the best." When Lia repeated it to me, I thought Zora had been gracious and was pleased Lia and her daughters were departing on as good of terms as would have been possible.

Arden provided a single packhorse. We distributed the extra packs between that horse and our other packhorses, but we had come prepared, and the horses were not over-burdened.

Maya offered her horse to Lia; she could ride with Malora. But Lia admitted to having very little experience with horses. So instead Lia and her daughters rode with this Amazon or that one, changing off at each stop. Throughout the next six days, I sometimes found myself riding alone. At other times I might have Lia or one of her daughters with me.

It greatly amused me to see Nori with Annalise, the youngest. Nori was incredibly gentle with the girls. I caught Rora smirking at her more than once.

Even Malora carried the occasional passenger, talking animatedly with whoever rode with her.

But neither Lia nor her girls had spent time in the saddle. We were forced to travel more slowly than we normally would, took more frequent breaks, and didn't ride as late into the afternoon. It was cold as well, but spring was approaching, and we didn't experience the bitter cold that had visited us just a few weeks ago.

The girls actually found it a grand adventure, although the long days wore on their nerves. The adults were challenged to keep them entertained. They were sweet girls, and so they were well behaved, but the long days wore on them.

However, the early stops gave us opportunity to train. Malora had declared me as our group leader with the words, "It's good experience for you," and so each afternoon, after conferring silently with Malora and Nori, I called a halt, picking campsites with access to water and, when possible, more shelter than just our tents. With all of us working together, it took little time to prepare camp, and then we would have time for an abbreviated training session.

We had planned ahead to some extent. We didn't have enough practice weapons for everyone at once, and we didn't use our real weapons during training, but we had two practice swords and two staffs. We taught Lia and her girls how to stretch and how to run. We let them collapse early while the rest of us ran enough to get our blood moving. On the third afternoon, Lia found a chance to sit next to me while Nori demonstrated with the staff.

"Even the queen runs."

"Of course."

"And even at her age, she runs far faster and far longer than I do.

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