Antia in Tagar
Antia.
“Come on, Tamara!”
“You’ll defeat her!”
“You won’t live, Antia!”
Antia. That’s me. The one who had the guts to fight against Tamara the Tagar
heroine! Oh, you should have seen this heroine! Tall, old, skinny, and combined
with the traditional a-ghesh equipment, spear and shield, looks ridiculous. And
they say she’ll defeat me!
I know much about a-ghesh warriors. Tayunna, my dear teacher, told me of them,
of Tagar, of their traditions. And she also told me of a little trick that
helped her defeat several a-ghesh women! To tell the truth, I was surprised, for
the trick seemed too obvious. Nevertheless, I’ve a chance to test it... right
now.
I start approaching Tamara, slowly, slowly. The shouts of her friends weaken,
they are all interested to see what happens next. Tamara is already tired, she
is not used to long fights, she breathes quickly and her large mouth seems even
larger. Come to me, heroine. I hold up my saber and as if accidentally uncover
the chest...
Tamara.
“Come on, Tamara!”
“You’ll defeat her!”
Thank you, my dear! Thank you, Ritta! But I can’t defeat the amazon so far. Vast
and buxom, Antia seemed to me awkward when I first saw her. Moreover, they say
she’s only 23 summers old – how can such a young one fight well? But minute
after minute this buxom bitch keeps the distance. A little fear starts to wake
in me. I try not to panic: I am Tamara, I’m 36, I’ve been warrior for 20 years
already, and I’ve fought in the respected a-ghesh position for 10 years! I
attack again – and again the dexterous bitch dodges from the blow. Something
starts to ache in my breast... I was so afraid of it! My breast – the breast of
a mother – is growing tired of the fight too soon. And I start to lose my
breath...
Oh... It’s getting worse and worse. The pain grows. It’s so hard to breathe...
Antia is smiling to herself. I don’t care! I start breathing trough my mouth.
But it doesn’t seem to help. It’s about time to finish this dance! The amazon
seems tired, too. Uh-huh! She’s tired – her armed hand is lowering! I slowly
take the position for the jab. Her shield is a little insecure, and I can see
her large, milk-white breast. Now!
Antia.
Come to me, heroine. I hold up my saber and as if accidentally uncover the
chest. A tiny step forward, and Tamara attacks, aiming at the uncovered spot. I
quickly hold up the shield, the spear thuds into the wood covered by leather and
slides down. Now!
I take a large step backwards. Tamara follows me, quickly raises her spear and –
indeed! – uncovers her belly!!!
I fall on my left knee. (The right one is too weak, so I don’t trust it too
much.) When Tamara starts the jab, I plunge my saber right in the middle of her
belly!
Tamara.
What is that? What? Oooooh... The pain! What is the matter with my belly?
Something bursts inside, and I feel something strange, cold, hard in me! I look
down... Oh no! There’s her sword in my belly! Why is that?! How is that?!
“Tamara! What’s the matter with you?” cries Ritta. I try to call her, but my
tongue won’t move. Only a moan comes out from my mouth.
The pain grows stronger, overwhelming me. How hard! How silly! What will Ritta
say? Oooh, not the belly, not the guts... What is the matter with my legs?!
Antia.
And for a few moments the time stops. I still cannot believe that the trick
worked, that I hit the rival, that I defeated Tamara... The wounded a-ghesh
warrior freezes in an awkward position, with a raised spear in her hand; her
friends are struck, none of them speaks. I can only hear my own heart beating. I
will remember this moment for ever.
I push the saber out. Tamara moans and fall on her knees, then on the ground. I
stand up, shield and saber in my hands, and look at her. The wound is right
under her navel, she covers it with her long thin hands. I’ve won. I’ve defeated
the Tagar heroine! I’ve defeated Tamara!
I wipe the sword in the grass. The wounded warrior shivers, her pale face
reflects agony and suffering. I understand it’s a very hard blow for her – be
defeated at home, in Tagar, before her friends! Her agony will be long and
terrible. And nobody will help her. Her friends are silent, Ritta ran to the
wounded woman, knelt to her and whispers something in her ear... Tamara answers
slowly, she is on the edge, in a little while she’ll start wiggling in the grass
and moaning. She says she didn’t expect such a mean trick from me, that she
cannot bear the pain... Ritta is holding her hand.
Finally, Ritta rises and approaches me.
“You’ve won, Antia,” she says quietly, staring at me with her dark eyes. “You’ve
shown skill in combat, and now you can show nobleness by freeing Tamara from
long painful death!”
“There’s no reason for me to make her agony longer,” I answer, “but let Tamara
ask me for that herself!”
I kneel next to her and call her name.
“Tamara, I’ve wounded you in the belly! Your death will be long, and the agony
will be horrible! Say yourself defeated – and die quickly, without suffering!”
She moans.
“Antia...” she whispers harshly. “Antia... what have you done...”
Her foot is scratching the grass near her useless shield.
“The pain...” she chokes and then adds quickly, “Kill me, Antia... I cannot...
the pain...”
With a great effort she turns over onto her back. One by one she relaxes her
legs. She is very pale, but seems calmer since it’s all going to end now. I put
the tip of my sword to her soft left breast. I try to look her in the eyes, but
they are closed.
She just trembled. Nothing more.
The End.
Copyright by Nica (2003).