Trials Chapter 7: Doratea

                It had been some time since Doratea had returned home. At least a month, maybe more; time seemed so hard to judge when you were in the forest. She looked around the village and smiled. It hadn’t changed. She always worried she would miss something during her travels. She looked at the temple towering over the village at its base was of statue of their goddess Celeste and her sisters. Soon she would have to stop there and report but she decided to take her time and sight see.

                The village was bustling more than normal. It was to be expected with the tournament coming up. She watched as women busied themselves preparing food and moving lumber to build the obstacles for the games. As she walked she saw a taskmaster walking a partition of prisoners bound together by chains. She walked up and happily waved to the woman.

                “Shira how are you?” she said cheerfully. The woman stopped and rubber her shoulders with a huge gauntleted hand.

                “Bored mostly.” She replied with a huge yawn

                “What’s wrong?”

                “Look around! The entire village is busy preparing for the games and I’m stuck here hauling these rejects.” She ended the sentence with a decisive kick to one of the stragglers.

                “Not a single one worthy of the arena?”

                “No most of the promising ones were picked off by the veterans. These ones here are off to be sold or trained.”

                Doratea looked at the prisoners. All men all scrawny and weak it was pathetic. She brought one to her face and looked in his eyes. She saw fear in them pure and honest.

                “Training seems a waste on them. They should just throw them in the arena.” She said. “It would be a good show to see them get slaughtered.”

                Both women chuckled at this.

                “What’s so funny?” a voice came from the prisoners. “What’s so funny about sentencing innocent people to death?”

                Doratea looked into the group to see who was brave enough to speak up. She saw one of the smaller captives the straggler glaring at her with murderous intent.

                “You’re not innocents.” Doratea replied coldly

                “You all think that your better than us because of your false god but you’re all just as savage as the rest of us!”

                “Goddess!” Doratea corrected inspecting the prisoner. She couldn’t place it but something was off about this one. He was smaller and his face was mostly covered in mud and grime but that wasn’t it something seemed different on a primal level. She grabbed the prisoner by the arm and dragged him away from the pack. Shira stared at her quizzically.

                “What are you doing?” she asked cautiously. It wasn’t really her place to question Doratea but it would break laws if she went too far.

                Doratea ignored her continuing to harass and inspect the prisoner who pleaded in protest. Finally she discovered what was so odd about him. She smiled.

                “It seems the only man with stones enough to challenge us is a woman.” She said wiping of the prisoners face showing more distinctly female features formerly hidden by the grime. By then a small crowd had gathered and even Shira was surprised by the revelation. Doratea brushed the prisoner on the cheek before letting her go to join the rest.

                “That one has potential, send her to the temple to be cleaned.” Doratea commanded and immediately two women dressed similarly to Shira emerged from the crowd and grabbed the woman easily lifting her before carrying her down the road. “Anyone else feel like speaking up. I assure you we have plenty of open spots for the arena.” The rest were silent avoiding her gaze, pathetic.

                “What could you possibly do with that one?” Asked Shiri. “She is so scrawny. She won’t last one round in the arena.”

                “She’s not going to the arena.” Doratea replied slyly before leaving Shira to her work.

                Finally after an eventful morning Doratea made it home. She looked at the tall building with three separated complexes that made up the main grounds. As a guardian she was afforded a larger home than usually but that wasn’t’ the reason she needed one. She opened the door and was immediately greeted by huge arms that wrapped around her possessively. Soon she was the focus of a passionate kiss with a long sensual tongue exploring the more intimate regions of throat. When the kiss finally broke Doratea looked up to see a the beautiful face of the woman she loved. Dark brown eyes wide with joy and a cute button nose framed by short black  hair.

                “Easy there Dixie” She said embracing her mate. “You’d think I was lost at sea or something?”

                “You were gone so long this time.” Dixie replied in a pout pulling into a tighter embrace.

                “And I see you aim to make sure I don’t leave again.”

                “Oops! Sorry.” Dixie said before reluctantly releasing her smaller partner.

                Dixie for her part was a legend; a former champion of the arena and a prime example of what that made you. She towered over Doratea by several feet and many of the women in the village. In battle she was a force of nature ruthlessly destroying her opponents with sheer force and was the fear of any man, woman, or creature. Doratea had fallen for her long ago but as a child she was trained to be a guardian and they were typically forbidden to marry. For years she stayed by Dixie’s side however content to support her on the sidelines sure some other lucky soul would snatch her up. Then the day came when Dixie would triumph in the arena and be granted one single wish if It were the Queen’s power. The wish was simple, the right to marry Doratea.

                “Why were you gone so long?” Dixie asked.

                “I had to track some intruders that fled inward toward our village.”

                “Did you find anyone?”

                “No most had been captured by other guardians. I had a little distraction that kept me longer than I had expected.” She said in a lackluster tone obviously trying to avoid the topic.

                Dixie sighed. Doratea could already tell that Dixie was curious but she was also far to caring to pry knowing Doratea didn’t care to talk about her work. She smiled for as fierce as she was in the arena Dixie was a kitten in real life.

                “You are terrible at hiding your emotions.” Doratea giggled. Dixie turned and blushed slightly. “The truth is I ran into Kiri out in the forest.”

                “Kiri!” Dixie shouted. “How is she? I was so worried when she went out on her own.”

                “She’s found a straggler.” Said Doratea downheartedly.

                “That’s great news!” Dixie exclaimed. “She finally has someone to bring to the arena.”

                “He’s scrawny, unfit for the arena.” Doratea replied. “I tried to claim him, make him a servant at the temple.

                “But?” asked Dixie all though she could guess the answer.

                “But she wants to fight!” Doratea almost screamed. “She thinks he’s special. She thinks she can win!” Then everything came out. “I told her to wait. I told her she was too young!” Doratea clung to Dixie crying into her chest. “I don’t want her to die!”

                “You’re a guardian Dora.” Dixie whispered softly to her distraught wife. “You have seniority over her. You can just take this man from her.”

                “It’s too late.” Doratea said trying to regain her composure. “He gave rights. He’s belongs to her now.” Doratea finally let go walking towards the window. She let the breeze flow through her hair and took in the scent of flowers from outside. “Do you think she has a chance?”

                “She is strong and determined. “ said Dixie walking over to join her. “She probably won’t win, but I don’ t think she’ll die.”

                “She’s not you.” said Doratea looking up at Dixie. “ And she’s so small.” The last word barely escaped he mouth.

                “Size isn’t everything.” Dixie said. She then picked up her wife. “Now you’ve been gone a long time and I think there’s some catching up we need to do blue eyes.” She  kissed her wife again and both women disappeared to the bedroom.