Of Fury and Shadow

Chapter 2: Queen\'s trial

Selene sat with her mother till she heard the drums signal that the sun had begun to set. She took one more look at her mothers face and stood to get ready. She washed her face with water from the basin and found the items that Sabeer had laid out for her own use in the queen"s trial and was glad that she hadn"t thought to take them. There was the red war paint that she would have to paint on her face and arms, their mothers dagger and the robe she was to cover herself with until her mother"s pyre was lit. As she dipped her fingers into the red paint she heard someone enter the tent behind her. She turned hoping it was Sabeer coming to offer her support and maybe forgiveness.

"Shouldn"t you be done with that by now?" Came the voice of Selene"s best friend Leala. Selene stifled her disappointment and held out the paint pot to Leala.

"Yes, which is why you will need to help me. Who told you?" Asked Selene.

"Who do you think? Your loud mouth sister has been yelling to Valeen about it, her tent isn"t that far down from mine. I have been meaning to move it since those two became lovers. Anyway, the whole camp should know by now." Leala took the paint and drew a crescent moon on Selene"s forehead. A symbol representing the goddess that her mother had marked her with at her birth. "You"d think she would be the one doing this."

"No, Sabeer is hurt. She feels that our mother and I have betrayed her. If there was more time then maybe..." Selene let the words trail off because she wasn"t sure if they were true. Would Sabeer change her mind if she were given more time?

"Well I think it"s the best thing your mother could have done. Sabeer is selfish, self centered, and a huge b.."

"She is still my sister." Selene said cutting off Leala. She knew well that Leala could go on insulting Sabeer if she were given the chance. The two had never gotten along. Since the time Sabeer had tried to bully Leala when they were children. That was the day Sabeer learned that no one bullied Leala, not even the sss princess.

"Yes, she is Selene but you and I both know that you have done more for her than she has for you in your life. Starting with you pretending that you were weaker and slower than she is. It didn"t fool anyone but her. Anyone who has ever seen you fight seriously knows that you out match her in every way. It"s about time she realizes it." Said Leala as she began to paint symbols down Selene"s arm.

"That"s not why they chose me to be the queen"s successor." Said Selene slightly annoyed. She knew Leala meant well but she was always embarrassed when this subject was brought up.

"Of course not! You have a million other qualities to recommend you for the job over her. You being the stronger warrior is only the tip of the mountain. I just think that if you had shown her how good you were sooner your mother wouldn"t have waited this long to name you her heir."

Selene rolled her eyes. She"d had this conversation with her too many times to count and she always told her the same thing.

"I did it because it made her feel better to be the best of us two." She said hoping this would end the conversation.

"No, you did it because you didn"t want them to know how good you were and make you queen. Now look, I"m getting you ready for the queen"s trial. You didn"t change anything by hiding." This was what Selene was hoping that Leala wouldn"t say. She said it every time this subject came up and she was right. "What changed your mind? I heard Sabeer yelling that you went along with the council."

"I can"t go into it now and I don"t have all the details yet, but there is a chance that we can end the war. I may never have to lead us into battle." Selene heard the paint pot fall to the floor. She looked up at her friend to see her look of shock and relief. Ever since Leala"s older sister had died when they were younger they had both shared the same hope: That one day the fighting would stop and they would never have to attended the funeral of another loved one. Selene couldn"t get emotional now, not with what she had to face ahead. She picked up the paint and placed it in her friends hand giving it a small squeeze before letting go. Leale nodded in understanding.

"Have you thought of a strategy yet?" She asked, taking Selene"s hair in her hands to braid.

"No. Queen"s trial is unpredictable, I can"t think of strategy until I see who steps into the circle."

The queen"s trial dated back to the death of the first queen, Illah. A tradition that was then carried out at the funeral of every queen. A pyre would be erected to burn the fallen"s body, the smoke carrying her spirit to the afterlife. The queen"s named successor would light the pyre and wait silently meditating inside a circle drawn in red sand around the burning remains. The fire would be lit at sunset and anyone who wished to challenge the queen"s successor for her right to rule would step into the circle to be judged by the queen"s departing spirit. At dawn the amazons in the circle would then engage in a battle to the death, with the victor becoming queen. If an sss stepped out of the circle before or during this fight for any reason then she would be killed by the amazons watching nearby for challenging the queen. Stepping into the circle is not something any sss would do without thinking it through. Selene had been afraid for Sabeer when she thought of her being obligated to participate in the queen"s trial but now she wondered if Sabeer would do the same for her.

Sometime in the middle of Selene"s thoughts Telmare had entered the tent and sat waiting for Leala to finish painting the last of the symbols on Selene"s chest and back. When she was done Selene stood and faced the old woman.

"Do you understand the rules of queen"s trial?" Asked Telmare calmly.

"Yes."

"I know this will be hard for you. Your mother always knew that you hated to kill if you could avoid it and she respected the high value you placed on life but the price for peace is blood. Anyone who steps into that circle tonight will kill you if they can. Not all of them will agree with your mother plans. You may be the only chance we have." Continued Telmare.

"I understand."

"I think Katan may join the fight. She hasn"t said anything but she doesn"t agree with the councils plans. She was your mother"s friend and her shadow guard. Can you kill her?" Telmare was looking at Selene in a way that made her feel as if the woman could read her thoughts. Before she could answer Leala cut in.

"Of course you can beat her! I"m the best shadow guard there is and you"ve beaten me loads of times." Selene began to laugh but then saw Telmare"s serious and unnerving face.

Selene thought about what she had been asked. Katan was a shadow guard, which meant that she had the rarest gift of all the amazons. She had the ability to travel through the shadows. It was an ability that was coveted by many amazons and obtained by few. The amazons who showed the potential for it as children were put through test after test until they were ready to make their first jump or risk being lost in the shadow world, forever. It was a risk that they faced every time they used the ability because shadows shift and change so quickly. Selene had shown that she had the potential but the queen hadn"t allowed her to train in it. So Selene trained as a warrior instead, the most common of the sss abilities, but she was the best. Having the potential to be a shadow guard meant that she was faster than most amazons and as a warrior she had trained to take advantage of her superior strength and agility. This was due to the magic that all amazons possessed. When the magic manifested in an adolescent sss a seer would test them to see what potential their magic held. They would then choose and train to develop these gifts by either becoming seers, shadow guards or warriors. Selene thought back on her training and all of those times she had beaten Leala. She looked at Telmare and gave her the answer she was looking for.

"Yes, I can kill her." Said Selene accepting what fate and her mother had decided for her.

"Then it is time to begin." Said the old woman.

***

Selene and the members of the council carried the queen"s shrouded body and placed her on top of the pyre. They were in the center of the sss encampment and Selene was not surprised to see that amazons from other camps had made their way to be present at the funeral of their queen. She looked to see if her sisters face was among those present and was struck by disappointment when she didn"t. She kissed the tips of her fingers and laid them on her mothers forehead this was the last time that she would see her face.

"I"ll do my best to make you proud." She said before stepping down. She walked over to Telmare who was waiting with her mother"s dagger. When she reached her the old woman raised her hands for silence and the drum that hadn"t stopped since the sun had begun to set fell silent.

"Our great queen has fallen! But in her place she has left a daughter to rule and guide us, Selene." At her words the crowd began to buzz with chatter. Those who didn"t know of the change were easy spot with their surprised faces. Most of them began to look around for Sabeer. Selene wondered if any of them would step up to challenge her now that they knew she would be queen. Telmare waited for silence before continuing. She held out the queen"s dagger to Selene in her up turned palms and spoke again.

"Stand in the circle and be judged." Selene took off her robe throwing it down at Telmare"s feet and took hold of the dagger hilt. She then turn to Delyth who was standing next to Telmare holding a torch.

"Light the fire and be judged." Selene slipped the dagger into her belt at her waist and took the torch from Delyth with a nod. As she stepped back two younger seers came forward and began to pour out the red sand where she had been standing. They walked away from each other as they poured sand in opposite directions to form the circle. Selene walked slowly toward the pile of wood that held her mother and held the torche"s flame to it. She fought back the tears that threatened her and took a few steps back as the flame ignited. Again she heard the sounds of drums as they began to beat once more. Selene stood with her hands clasped behind her back and watched as her mother"s body was consumed by the flames. As Telmare had warned her Katan had stepped up to the circle. She was stripping off her armor as no one entering queen"s trial was allowed anything but a dagger. Selene watched as the older woman finished and stood there clad only in her dear skin pants and top. She placed a dagger on her hip and entered the circle. There were cries of "Katan" as the amazons acknowledged her claim to queen"s trial. A smug smile slid easily across the shadow guards face. Selene couldn"t believe that her mother"s close friend would be so willing to kill her and clearly she wasn"t conflicted by it. She wondered how her mother"s spirit would judge Katan for what Selene felt was a betrayal to her dying wish. Katan must think that her mother would have approved of her in some way and Selene began to wonder if there might be some truth to that thought. Katan had known her mother since they were children and as her body guard had spent much of her time with the queen. She quickly pushed that thought from her mind. If her mother had thought that she would make a better queen then she wouldn"t have named Selene as her successor.

The night passed with no one else stepping into the circle. There had been times when Selene thought she saw another sss step up to the line and consider entering but they always turned away. She didn"t know if it was the thought of fighting her or the thought of fighting Katan that kept others from entering or maybe they didn"t think that she needed to be challenged. Perhaps, they even thought that she was a good choice for their new queen.

The amazons sang and danced around the circle to pass the night. Several times Selene met the eyes of another of her people and they would give her nod or smile and continue with their tribute to their late queen. She was supported, even if her sister was not here to even if she was angry, her people would support her. Selene felt that was all she needed to know that she could do what was needed. She would protect her people and fight for their interests. She watched them all night long. She wanted to burn them into her memory so that if she ever wondered why she committed to this she could think back on this night and remember. That was if she had the opportunity to look back on this night. She looked to Katan whose face looked concerned as she watched the amazons. Selene watched those who passed by Katan and saw as some spat at the amazons feet and called her names. Selene hadn"t even considered that as something they would do to those who chose to challenge her. She wondered if it spoke more to their approval for her or their dislike of Katan. If Sabeer had come would she have spit at my feet, thought Selene.

Slowly the dancing lessened and the crowd grew. Glancing at the sky Selene could see the subtle changes in color as the sun threatened to rise. She inhaled deeply and felt relief as she thought that soon this ordeal would be over. One way or another.

She began to think of strategies to defeat Katan when she heard murmurs from the amazons surrounding her. A group of them parted and she heard the amazons shout "Sabeer" and looked up just as her sister stepped over the red line and unhesitatingly into the circle. Selene"s mouth fell open, filling with words she knew that she couldn"t speak till the trial was over. Her mind was in a frenzy. Sabeer had stepped into the circle knowing full well that only one of them could leave the circle alive. Selene met the eyes of her sister and she couldn"t describe what she saw there. Sabeer"s eyes were trained on her but they were blank as if she wasn"t looking at her own sister. They were dressed similarly in deer skin leggings and a deer skin top that was bare at the shoulders. The only things to show the difference between them was the sun symbol painted on Sabeer"s forehead and the ruby pendant hanging from her neck. That was meant as an insult. She didn"t step into this circle as a challenger, she stepped in as the heir. The singing, dancing, and drumming had all stopped. There was complete silence when Leala yelled "b***h".

Selene kept her eyes trained on Sabeer"s face. What was she thinking? What was she feeling? Was her mind swimming with a thousand conflicting thoughts? Selene"s thoughts and question were like drops of water falling into the ocean that was growing between her and her sister. What could be done? Nothing, there was no walking out of the circle unless you were the only one left alive. Selene heard Telmare"s word"s from the tent as if the old woman were yelling them at her "The price for peace is blood". But who"s? Hers or mine?

The sun rose golden and bright over Sabeer"s shoulder and Selene knew that she was out of time. Sabeer had made the choice for both of them. Selene looks away from her sister to what is left of her mother"s burning pyre. She can feel tears well up as she looks back to Sabeer, whose is no longer blank but angry and streaked with tears. The sound of drumming begins again signaling the beginning of queen"s trial and Selene pushes her thoughts and concerns away faster than she thought possible. Katan wouldn"t wait for them to solve their family issues to begin. Selene glanced her way just in time to see her leap into the shadows. Anticipating that Katan would target her first she quickly jumped up into the air to avoid the grasping hands that rose up from her shadow. Landing inches behind Katan, she grabbed her by the roots of her white blond hair and dragged her half out of the shadow. Selene raised her knife above her head ready to strike when Sabeer appears and lands a kick to Selene"s ribs throwing her to the ground. The moment Selene"s fingers release the woman"s hair she is gone and Sabeer"s dagger lands in the empty sand. Selene gets to her feet her knife in the reverse grip, eyes searching for shadows. Sabeer, mistaking Selene"s concentration for distraction lunges towards Selene, fist clenched aiming for her face. Selene deftly steps to one side taking hold of Sabeer"s outstretched arm as she does so. She uses Sabeer"s own force against her pulling her forward slamming the hilt of her bald into Sabeer"s jaw. Disoriented by the blow Sabeer stumbles and drops her knife. Selene quickly picks it up and stares back into Sabeer"s disbelieving eyes. That is the moment Katan chooses to appear, rising up behind Selene, her hands reaching to draw her blade across her throat. Selene throws herself backward into Katan, knocking the shadow warrior off balance enough for her to slip out from under the knife. Selene then kicks Katan"s legs out from under her. Sabeer, having regained herself reaches into the burning pyre pulls a stick with the tip still burning and as Katan falls, landing on her back, She brings the stick done into her eye. Katan screams in pain releasing her grip on her knife and bring her hands up to her ruined eye. Wasting no time Sabeer picks up Katan"s dropped knife and stabs her twice in the heart. Katan"s screaming stop suddenly, her body going limp. Selene watches as Sabeer gets to her feet, covered in soot and blood. She feels passing relief at not having to kill their mother"s friend before she remembers what comes next. Selene makes up her mind on what to do next. Gathering her courage she resolutely takes a offensive stance, making the first move. No, Sabeer made the first move by walking into this circle.

Selene lunges forward and to the right in a feint. Sabeer moves to defend her right and Selene adjusts slicing into her left fore arm. Sabeer pulls away moves behind Selene landings kick on her lower back. Selene falls landing hard on her knees losing one of her daggers as she tries to regain her balance. She can hear Sabeer"s foot steps coming up behind her. She quickly spins herself out of the way, grinding her knees painfully into the dirt. She stands and faces Sabeer in time to block a kick to her chest. Sabeer growls in frustration and moves into attack again. Selene bobs in and out of Sabeer"s attacks landing a few hits of her own. She lifts her leg, landing it square into Sabeer"s chest and uses it to push her back hard. Again Sabeer growls in anger.

"How long have you and the queen been planning this?" She asked beginning to circle Selene.

"I didn"t plan this Sabeer, if you had stayed to talk with me you would know that." Responded Selene moving carefully. She knew that Sabeer was only talking to try and distract her but she wanted to hear what her sister would say.

"You think you"re better than me. You always have. Even when you"ve never beaten me at anything in your life. Some how you convinced our mother that you were better, enough betray me!" As she screamed the last words Sabeer lunged. Selene dodges the attack easily.

"No one has betrayed you, Sabeer. Our mother wanted a better way of life for us and our people. One where we don"t have to fight for our lives daily. She knew that you didn"t understand that. Look at you, you let your anger rule over your mind and now you are here trying to kill your own sister." Selene made no move to attack as she let her words hit Sabeer. She wondered if she could make her understand.

"And you? Aren"t you here trying to kill me too?" Asked Sabeer with a dangerous edge to her voice. Finally she shakes her head. "It doesn"t matter. Soon you"ll be dead and things will be as they should have been, as if you never existed." The look in Sabeer"s eyes was all the confirmation that Selene needed to know that the relationship she thought she had with her sister was nothing but a lie. She could see that Sabeer had every intention of killing her for the throne that she truly believed she deserved. In the course of two days her life had changed. Her mother was gone, she was the new heir to the amazons, and she lost the only family she thought she had left. She looked at her sister, saw the anger and even something that looked like hatred that had filled her whole body. Selene was tired and sad. She had also had enough of this, it was time to end it.

"It"s time you learned who your sister really is." Was all she said before she spun striking Sabeer in the chest with her elbow, knocking the wind out of her. She pulled her elbow back again and struck it into Sabeer gasping mouth. Sabeer falls dropping her knife and reaches her hand to her bleeding face. She manages to regain her breath and sees her knife lying inches from her but before she can reach it Selene kicks away and out of the circle. She gets to her feet shaking with rage. She changes tactics and throws punches and kicks at her younger sister forcing her back to the circles edge. Selene neatly dodges them all. She catches a kick aimed at her head and yanks hard on Sabeer"s leg throwing her off balance. Sabeer recovers, her eyes becoming as wild as her attacks. She screams hands grasping for Selene"s throat but not finding it. Instead Selene hits her in the stomach, hard, bringing her to her knees coughing and sputtering.Selene calmly walks behind her, takes her by the hair and lifts her knife to her throat. The amazons cheer and begin stamping their feet waiting for the killing blow but it doesn"t come. Instead Selene silences them all with a look unlike any they have ever seen on the face of their queen. A hush settles over them and anticipation fills the crowd.

"Our late queen chose me to lead our people, not because I am the strongest, but because she believed that I could lead us into a new era. An era of peace, something that none of us has ever known. Telmare says that the price for that peace is blood, but I say that there has been enough sss blood spilt, enough to pay for a thousand years of peace. I do not want to begin my rule by staining my hands with the blood of my sister. I have proven that I am the stronger one and that I am worthy to rule. Now let me prove that peace is possible by sparing her life." Every mouth was silent, every eye on Selene. Never had she felt as powerful as she did now.

" I will give you the choice Sabeer." She said pulling her sister to her feet by the hair careful to keep the blade of her knife to her throat. Selene hated to do it but a show of force was still needed to make this work. "Prove your allegiance to me by serving as one of my guard or..." She pressed the knife"s edge to Sabeer"s throat, hoping that her point was being made without her having to say it aloud. The crowds anticipation rose again as they all waited silently for Sabeer"s answer. When she doesn"t someone starts to chant choose. The word drifts from sss to sss as each begins to chant it over and over again.

"Choose!" They shouted, fists rising in the air and feet stamping at the ground. Selene could feel that Sabeer was losing her resolve.

"Choose, Sabeer." Whispered Selene.

"Guard." The word rasped it"s way out of Sabeer"s throat, quiet and almost a whisper. The crowd hadn"t heard it over their chanting.

"So they can hear you, Sabeer." Said Selene with a yank of the hair she still fisted. Sabeer had to let go of her pride.

"GUARD!" She shouted and the amazons quieted. "I choose the guard, now let me go." Sabeer struggled but Selene did not let her go. Instead she walked forward pushing Sabeer towards the circle line. She wasn"t going to take any chances, she felt Sabeer dig her feet in as they reached the edge.

"I chose, now let me go!"

"Not yet, I want you to remember this. Remember that I had your life in my hands and I spared you but that is it sister. Challenge me again and I will kill you." The words were cold and hard and her voice sounded different to her own ears. Was this the voice of a queen who meant what she said? Sabeer"s muscles were tense and her heels dug into the ground. Selene knew what she had to do, there could be no question as to who won this fight.

"UACH!" Sabeer screamed in surprise as Selene drew her knife along the side of her neck. Not hard or deep enough to kill her but enough that it would leave a scar. Selene released Sabeer"s hair and kicked her hard enough to send her to the ground and across the line. Sabeer landed hard and amazons moved backwards and away from her. She pushed herself up and raised a hand to her neck, it came away covered in blood. She stared at it and then looked up at Selene, still standing, still in the circle.

"The scar will remind you." Selene kept her eyes on Sabeer"s until she stood up and pushed her way out of the crowd of cheering amazons. When she could no longer see her Selene raised her fist in the air and stepped out of the circle as the amazons greeted their new queen.