Trials Chapter 9: Exhibition Part 2
The games had finally started. It had been late in the afternoon and people were flooding into the arena. Doratea was busy in easily the most boring part of her job crowd control. She had dropped the robe and was not down to the uniform underneath. This seemed to ease the tension of the people around her while still showing her authority. She continued guiding the villagers into the arena scanning through the crowd for Kiri. She was hoping to find her and try to convince her not to join one last time but she was nowhere to be found.
Finally the last commoner had entered and Doratea was forced into the next phase of her assignment; escorting the dignitaries. Over the years the games became an example to foreign powers of the strength of the amazons. Certain ambassadors and other foreign diplomats were allowed to observe the games in an attempt at peace and of warning to what waited for them if they ever dared to engage in war. She hurried to the gates to greet the diplomats. She looked down at them. It was easy to forget how small humans were. The tallest of them a man only came up to her chest he was gruff and strongly built. He also had the red facial hair that marked him as a man of the north. Somehow that was impressive. She silently wished that this man had been chosen as her sister’s partner.
“This is my first time attending the games.” He said in a thick northern accent “Woman fighting is something worth seeing.”
“Is it really that amazing?” Said a woman with light skin and strange red markings on her face and hands.
“Where I come from woman are mostly confined to the kitchen.” He laughed heartily.
“It would be interesting to see the legendary amazon military prowess.” Said a smaller thin man with balding grey hair and long robes.
Doratea lead them to their own special viewing box next to the Queen’s private box. She then pointed out a spread of food that had been provided for them.
“The Queen sends her regards and hopes you enjoy the games.” She said with rehearsed cheerfulness. She then exited leaving the diplomats to their chatter.
She was happy to leave them. She hated humans. Something about them seemed so shifty. It was ironic that she had been the one in charge of them. She headed towards the queen’s box and was blocked by the royal guards.
“Nobody is allowed to visit her majesty at this moment.” One spoke
“Why?” she asked defiantly.
“She is currently in talks with her highness Queen Lucinda Qwalis.”
“She may enter!” boomed Celina and both guards stepped aside.
Doratea entered with apprehension as she saw her queen and the queen of men sitting before her. Lucinda was not at all what she expected. She assumed the queen of men was an old crone grey haired and weak. What she saw was a girl younger than herself with shining blonde hair and green eyes like emeralds. She had an air about her that somehow seemed equal to Celina despite her small stature. She sat in her own ornate throne the whole of which sat on a table in front of Celina. The contrast was striking. She looked like a doll next to the queen’s formidable stature. She rose to address Doratea.
“You must be Doratea.” She said in a quiet mouse like voice. “Celina has told me a lot about you.” She motioned for her to join them.
Doratea paused and looked at her queen for approval. Celina nodded and Doratea jumped up onto the table and sat next to Lucinda her legs hanging over the edge. The three woman had a perfect view of the arena as the opening ceremony came to an end.
“I’m afraid I can’t stay long your highnesses.” She dared to utter. “ I only came to notify the queen of the diplomats arrival.”
“Surely you can stay for the first match?” Lucinda spoke looking up at her hopefully.
“I really must get back to my guard your highness.”
“Nonsense!” the Celina barked. “You will stay for the first match.”
There was no arguing with that and all three sat and watched as contestants entered the arena leading the pack of fighters was Dixie.
Dixie hated the arena. She hated the violence, she hated the cruelty, she hated seeing the youngest and brightest of her culture maimed in slaughtered in a primitive display for the goddess. She always thought of them as more kind than that. Most of all she hated how it brought out the worst in her. She remembered all the people she had slaughtered in her savagery. She still saw their faces in her dreams at night. She looked at the newcomers with sad eyes. As a veteran she was expected to be present as a coach for the rookies. She separated as more competitors funneled in and took her place on the podium. There she stood as one of the select few one of the champions of the arena.
She surveyed the crowd in the stands above her. They all cheered in excitement for the games. She saw the common folk in the lower stands and the elites in the boxes above. Then she saw something that almost made her scream. In the royal’s box Doratea sitting eerily close to their queen.
“That bitch.” She said under her breath. She could feel the rage building in her. It was what allowed her to triumph in the arena and now it was calling to her telling her run of there and strangle Celina by the throat. Then Doratea waved at her and suddenly her rage subsided. In the end the queen could never come between them. She waved back and blew her a kiss. Doratea blushed and the queen grimaced slightly. Soon the arena was filled and one hundred warriors from all over the world stood before her and the rest of the veterans. She looked at her fellow veterans and a truth became uncannily apparent; no matter who competed the victor was always amazon.
The exhibition was going to start soon and it was up to the veterans to choose who would fight in the opening match. A priest came up to the stand in her hands was basket filled with different multicolored marbles. On each one was a name of a participant. She stopped in front of each veteran and the names were called off. Soon it was her turn and the priestess lifted the basket for Dixie to choose. She reached in and pulled out a shiny yellow rock. On it read Kirisiala Parksis.