The Amazons

Seven

Ira stormed into the throne room. The big wooden doors banging behind her as she strode over to Queen Otrera, sitting calmly on her throne.

"Ira, how nice of you to join me." She spoke in her melodic voice, "I trust Jett's training is going well?"

"I want to get rid of him. He is insubordinate and impertinent and I will not tolerate it."

Otrera took a long and calming breath.

"And what is it you would have me do?"

"I want him to be given to the bearers. When I first brought him here you wanted him to be given to them. Well, they can have him. I will not tolerate that impudent pig anymore." Ira spat out.

The Queen rose from her throne and walked slowly towards Ira. Her bare feet gliding across the cold marble.

"My dear girl." She brushed a lock of blonde hair behind Ira's ear. "I cannot do that for you."

"Why?" Ira had not expected to be turned away.

"You have never been good at trusting people. You're scared of letting people in, of letting your true self be seen. You are much like me in that aspect." She paused, Ira looked away for a moment.

"For a while now," Otrera continued, "you and Kinzie have been competing for the place as first in command of the hunt. Soon I will have to make a decision on who to choose. I don't want to lose you Ira, the hunters look up to you, they respect you. But with Kinzie in your place while you train Jett, she's gaining their trust."

"Which is precisely why Jett should leave. I belong with the hunt." Ira protested.

"Yes, you do. But under one condition. You learn to trust. You learn to trust Jett."

Ira clenched her jaw.

"If you cannot do this. Kinzie will take command of the hunt. Those are my conditions."

Ira stared into the Queen's eyes. Both women mirrored each other more than they realised. Neither of them were going to back down.

Suddenly loud voices and fast footsteps were heard from outside the palace. Ira turned her head sharply.

One of the watchers of the Grand Entrance came sprinting into the palace.

"Your Majesty, you must come at once. Azie has returned."

°°°

Ira sprinted through the winding pathway leading out into the village. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had before. Her mind was clouded, but one thing was very clear, she had to see Azie.

The twisted trees either side of her whispered harshly to one another, their secrets blindly making their way through the heavy air. They reached out their gnarled hands towards the blurry figure sprinting between them. The dark canopy above Ira cleared and the sunlight burst into Ira's eyes. For a second she was blinded, then all she saw was Azie.

She was sitting on a log, her brown hair was dirty and messy, her face was covered in mud. But her bright blue eyes were exactly the same as the last time Ira had seen her, they twinkled and shone with life. Then they landed on Ira.

The two sisters surged towards each other. They collided and held onto each other for dear life. Ira took her little sister's face in her hands and wiped away the tears of joy that were making tracks in her grimy face. Like a river meandering through a jungle.

Then her eyes were drawn to something over Ira's shoulder, and warm, soft arms enveloped them both.

A melodic whisper made it's way into the sisters' ears.