Born of Courage (Part One)
A Woodland Amazon Story
By Wyldewood

A Pre Story Note:
This story takes place within the Woodland Amazon world and storyline, but hearkens to an earlier time. Amerlin is still queen at this time, but this is at a time set before the main story, indeed before the first chapter of the main story at a time of the four queens of which Amerlin was one of them. This was written at the request of one of Queen Amerlin’s many fans.

Late spring was upon them as Queen Amerlin and her entourage walked in to the newly founded village of Three Falls within the territory that was her own. With the feuding that was ongoing between her and the other three queens these days, she was making a point to be visibly present in the handful of villages that made up her own domain, and making sure the needs of all her people was being met. This village was very young, made up of about 40 adults and a number of those yet to come to age, they had gathered from a couple of the villages that was doing well and after some exploring and the queen’s permission they established this new village within sight of the triple waterfall that gave the village its name.
By and large, the village was doing well and the requests she received were but a handful, and for the most part easily dealt with by ensuring certain supplies were dispatched to support the new village. The last request however, came from a young woman, and she seemed almost embarrassed to approach the queen, and started to explain her problem, except her words seemed to falter as she glanced around at others close by. Sudden understanding struck Amerlin and she made a small silencing hand motion to her, and raising her head she said to all close by, “This is a matter for the queen’s ears and hers alone, let all others leave this hut while I conduct this business with her.” The others quickly nodded accepting her command and within a minute or so, the two were alone in the hut.

Alone at last, the young woman showed some relief washing over her, but still not all had passed, and she began to explain her problem to the queen, though a slow flush of embarrassment also began to show as well. She had a younger sister, just a year younger than herself in fact. Strong, intelligent, keen of mind and body, she had everything to become a great woman and warrior except for one thing; she seemed to lack self-confidence and courage. She knew how to fight, but she was always losing the fights. Always starting strong, but then her confidence seemed to fade and she would end up losing each and every fight.

The sister and also with some help from the village’s huntress who also taught fighting had tried to get her to develop this but without success, and she was turning to the queen for help or advice in any form in a desperate way hoping the queen whose own reputation as a fearless warrior and fighting woman could divulge some secret that could liberate her sisters confidence and courage. Worse, her sister was coming of age and was due for her trials, and if she could not prove her courage, she would find herself doing menial work or become a merchant the rest of her life and the village could lose a potentially strong member. As the women went silent, the queen sat there pondering the matter for a couple minutes. This was a unique situation indeed, it sounded like she had all she needed, except that most vital part of courage and self-confidence. She realized she wanted to meet this young woman and to discover for herself what the problem was, and that made up in her mind, raising her voice, she called for the others to return in to the hut. As they entered, she told them her work at this village was done and they would be returning to her own village. Looking directly at the woman before her she said, “We leave shortly, find your sister, and tell her that the Queen has selected her to serve her for the next four months. She must quickly prepare and join us as we head back to my village.”
The woman’s eyes lit with both surprise and hope, she was not sure what the queen had in mind, but she thanked the queen and hurried away to find her sister. As the entourage was about to depart a half hour later, the woman returned with her younger sister and the queen’s eyes widened. Though she was the younger of the two, she was herself very close to her own size and as they came close, realized she was indeed the same height as her and maybe 5 pounds less than her as her eyes travelled over her, she noted her legs were quite powerful, and suspected she did a lot of running. As the older sister gestured her forward, she stepped up to the queen trying to meet her eyes but clearly nervous and quickly did a formal bow to her. Amerlin nodded her acceptance and gestured for her to walk along side of her to her left. Quickly taking her place, the entourage began the trek back to the queen’s village.

Once in the woods and moving Amerlin turned her attention more to the woman beside her and opened the conversation by asking her name. “Dabbrel” she answered, but quickly went quiet, her eyes darting uncertainly to the queen not sure what to expect. Amerlin saw this and began to set her at ease, by asking some questions about her life and what she had been doing at the village. As she had suspected, her height and weight had found her selected and assigned to teams of women and men that ran messages between villages as well as helping to haul supplies back and forth. She looked naturally strong and her hauling had made her even more powerful over time. “I think” Amerlin said, “We could use your skills a lot in our own village. I need someone I can trust to carry important messages from my hand to others.” It was the start of what she hoped would be self-confidence building by having her ‘carry the important messages of the queen’, but this was just the start she had in mind.
Once back to Amerlin’s own village, she had the young woman assigned a bed in the large hut where the huntresses lived that were not yet mated, hoping in part that hanging around fighting women all the time would set her at ease as well. As the women there were always engaging in friendly but very rough competitive fights, and she hoped Dabbrel would watch and even participate.

The first couple weeks passed somewhat quietly, Amerlin put her to work carrying messages, both verbal and written to the villages in her terrain, and brought back the responses, she also kept an eye and ear on the huntress hut through her contacts there, Dabbrel was well behaved, and even got in to a couple scuffles, but like her sister had said, she started well, but soon faltered and lost. It was time to take a more direct and harder stance with the young woman, and the next day as she reported shortly after dawn as she usually did, she found the queen dressed in her own minimally covering fighting clothes and with a walking staff and with two guards in tow, the foursome left the village and walked deep in to the woods.

The queen’s goal was soon revealed to be one of the hunting and scouting trees near the edge of the valley that looked over the upper plateau as well as down in to the valley itself. Here, the queen paused, telling her guards to stand watch and do not come above, despite what they may hear, and started to climb up calling for Dabbrel to follow her up. As the two emerged on the platform nearly a hundred feet up, the queen stretched gracefully before set her staff against the trunk, and surprised the younger woman by ordering her to strip down. Surprise filled her face and she hesitated several long sessions before she stammered “yes my queen” and began to do so, finally standing before the queen and unsure why the unusual command or what to expect.

She would soon find out as the queen set her hands on her hips and frowned, the woman before her was solid and fit, and there are few in her kingdom that came close to her own height and weight, the one before her should inspire fear in a fight. “A good warrior woman must be able to fight” Amerlin began, “and someone your size should be among the better fighters, yet I am hearing you start good, and then falter, invariably losing. That is unacceptable to me, especially for one I must trust with my important messages.”
Amerlin’s brow lowered and her voice became dangerous with tinges of anger and it, “Now prove to me you can fight, we wrestle here and now to submission, and it stops only with the surrender the winner can find acceptable. Take me and make me cry for release if you can!” That spoken, Amerlin dropped to a ready crouch and started to close in. Dabbrel’s face was shocked, ‘fight the queen?’ was all she had time to think and then she realized Amerlin meant it as she closed in and caught her by the arm and deftly hip tossed her to the rough wooden platform floor getting a yelp of pain and then grabbed her hair from behind and started to haul her back to her feet.
“But you’re the queen” she stammered, and found herself suddenly driven down face first and the queen was on her back and her hands locking around her throat from behind. “Here I am not your queen, I am your foe and enemy from a rival kingdom, here to raid your village and capture others of it including you and to steal the resources, and will you allow that? Become a slave for another queen’s village! Now fight bitch or suffer at my hands!”

Realization flooded Dabbrel’s face the queen was dead serious and began to struggle back, knowing full well the queen would not hesitate to hurt her. A sudden shift of her legs under her and she thrust up and forward throwing the queen off and before her and she lunged at the queen’s back and caught her in a full nelson and cut down hard, even as she struggled to her feet bringing the queen up with her.

Amerlin quickly backed in to her and then twisted violently to one side and bent over forcing her foe’s feet to come free of the ground and then tossed aside peeling her out of the nelson and went for her nearby feet. Grabbing at one she stepped over it going for a painful leg lock and tried to twist around it, but this time Dabbrel responded fast getting her free leg up and shoved against the rear of the queen and send her flying. Leaping to her feet, Dabbrel caught the queen as she started to rise, and lifted her over her head as the queen struggle to wriggle free, and then dropped to one knee and slammed the queen face down over it her stomach slamming in to the leg and driving the air out of the queen, in a rush, and then flipped her over on her back, still across the leg, and one hand clamped on the queen’s throat, and the other across an leg as she tried to bend the queen backwards and damage her back.

Amerlin saw and felt the choke ease for reasons unknown, and with both hands, reached up and raked both her breasts cruelly and Dabbrel gasped and started to rise and lost her hold. It was all Amerlin needed and she lashed out with both feet against the knees and dropped her foe neatly right between her legs and she clamped down hard and began to crush her without any sign of mercy. The woman gasped and arched, her hands prying at the knees trying for some space, but Amerlin ground harder and harder and she gasped “Mercy my queen, I submit!” However, Amerlin was not willing to accept it. “We just started girl” she snapped, “You have plenty of power still and I won’t accept your surrender, fight!”

Realizing the queen was going to force the fight to last a lot longer unless she could somehow stop her, Dabbrel tried to desperately pry the queen’s legs apart to no avail and found herself slowly weakening and realized the queen was trying to literally crush her out cold. Her eyes looking over the queen laying before her almost comfortably as she was crushing her only made her more angry that she was suffering and almost by instinct, she suddenly grasped both hands and slammed it down hard in to the queen's taut stomach getting a hard grunt and jerk from her. It was an opening and she realized it her clasped fists rose and came down a second harder time and this time the queen grunted and jerked harder and even gasped with some air expelled, and Dabbrel was encouraged went for a third time, this time the queen tried to block the blow, but Dabbrel fuelled by the queen weakening powered the blow through and this time her legs loosened and she jerked up hard.

Once more Dabbrel slammed her fists home, and the scissors that had been grinding her in to unconsciousness broke, and the queen jerked up hard under the impacts, and Dabbrel’s fighting instincts took hold once more as the queen jerked up and her hands grabbed at the queen’s own and jerked her further up close to her and then slid under her arms and around the queen and as she kneeled there, began to crush the queen in a ferocious bearhug.

For Amerlin the sudden change and reversal partially delighted her as it showed that Dabbrel did have a fighting spirit, but it also came at a bad position, hauled up as she was, she could not get the leverage she needed to effectively scissor the young woman, and with Dabbrel angered, she was not holding back with her bearhug, worse, it was an embarrassing situation for the queen for the way to becoming a queen was to destroy the current one in a bearhug, and Dabbrel had her in a very bad position, and worse, she realized the woman was incredibly strong with the hold, in all her fights she had never endured as powerful a bearhug as this woman’s. Realizing she was caught fair and square, Amber chose to tap out for a release, but Dabbrel refused to release her from the hold and tightened harder.
“You told me I had to take it, now suffer, as you made me suffer, or better yet, lock arms and fight back!” and she tightened yet again, getting a sharp gasp from the queen, and a sharp cry of pain as she felt her ribs shift and creak.

Instinctively and because it was in her own nature to never back down from a fight, Amerlin accepted the challenge, and she forgot about the scissors as her arms rose and encircled the younger woman, and tightened down. Amerlin was proud of her bearhug; many who saw her destroy the cruel queen before her afterwards declared she had the best ever in any generation of the queens, and ensured she kept it as the best as she had to face several challengers to her crown. This woman was perhaps her best challenge ever, and she wanted to prove she was the best, even if it was not for the crown.

Both women writhed and grunted, and gasped as neither held back, and Amerlin tried a few times to get to the inside which was better, but Dabbrel was not letting it happen, blocking every attempt and also keeping her trapped in a compromised position, and as the struggle neared a half hour in length, she had the queen steadily weakening, and began to press in harder and harder, bending the queen backwards and the pain and pressure mounted. Reluctantly, the queen gasped, “OK enough you made your point, and proved yourself, now release me, but again Dabbrel shook her head no, no words either as she was still gasping and straining against the queen’s own attack, and for the first time Amerlin began to become alarmed, her back was being bent back to a dangerous level and her ribs were very close to breaking, one felt like it may have already cracked a bit.
Putting force in her words, Amerlin declared, “This contest is over, I now command you as queen to release me!” and released her own grip to show it was over. For several more seconds Amerlin had to deal with the bearhug but eventually, the command penetrated the battle heat that had enveloped them both, and her arms relaxed and then uncoiled, pushing the queen away from her as she knelt panting for her own breath, even as the queen collapsed to the decking and laid there gasping, and one hand exploring her ribs and wincing a bit, certain she would be paying a visit to the priestess when they got back for a fuller examination and likely healing under her mystical hands.

Dabbrel half glared at the queen in turn, “Should not have pushed me to do that” she gasped, “I’ve been forced to kill before once against Brin in my village when he tried to take me against my will, and then against his sister, when she sought revenge and tried to shoot me in the back with an arrow in a cowardly manner!” Amerlin slowly stood up, despite near exhaustion from the fierce struggle, and there was anger on her face, and also a look of understanding as well, Dabbrel had been forced to kill twice in situations without honor to save herself, no wonder she hesitated and faltered when she got in fights, she knew she could kill, and feared doing so when it was not needed.

“You were right to worry, but those two deaths were not your fault, indeed they both forfeited their honor when they attacked, your honor remained intact, and if you think otherwise, then put your worries to rest. I Queen Amerlin say what you did was an act of honor!” She paused a few seconds to consider, and then added, “Indeed, had I been told of these fights and your village chieftess was supposed to in fact, and failed in that duty, I would have formally and publicly declared you were right to kill them, and had they succeeded, they would have found themselves facing me, and my own deadly bearhug as they pay the price for an unlawful murder.”

Dabbrel’s own face showed an incredulous look at first, but as the queen concluded her words, a look of relief washed over her face, as she realized the fault of the deaths she had been blaming herself for was in fact a lawful killing, and she was not to blame. “As for your chieftess” the queen added, “I think she needs to report to me to explain why what happened to you, was not told to me that I may pass judgment, I wonder what else she failed to report, or perhaps deliberately chose not to.” Looking at Dabbrel she added, “In the morning use your runner legs, and return to your village, go to the chieftess and tell her to come immediately before me, and you will escort her with haste without revealing why I want her here before me.”

Turning towards the ropes to descend, Amerlin began to lower herself, though not without wincing a bit, and Dabbrel followed, once on the ground, she collected the guards, and they walked back towards the village, as they went, Amerlin admitted to the young woman, “Your bearhug is very powerful, had I not been compromised, that struggle could have ended much differently, after I heal and rest a bit, I want to test your bearhug fully against my own and see which of us is truly best at it.” The words to Dabbrel seem incredulous, but she also heard grudging respect in the queen’s own voice and realized there was truth in her words and flushed at the honor of her words. Reaching the village, Amerlin dismissed the young runner for the night to get some rest, she had a lot of ground to cover tomorrow, reaching her own village, getting the chieftess there and escorting her back as fast as possible, it would be a full day and the early night to make the round trip.

Indeed, Dabbrel took her runner duties very seriously and when Amerlin woke as she usually did at first light, she was pleasantly surprised to learn from the guard that her runner had already woke up and left almost an hour earlier. The queen smiled at the new confidence of her runner, and half suspected if she set the pace for the return trip, the village chieftess may well be exhausted and hard pressed to deal with what she had in mind. It was indeed a hard pace the young runner had set her expected arrival that evening came sooner than even Amerlin expected, with both arriving just before the sun set, Dabbrel breathing hard, and the chieftess looking exhausted and on the verge of collapse. This of course was what Amerlin was half hoping for, a few years as a leader and then as the Queen she had learned when someone is tired, they make mistakes when questioned closely and hard, and she wanted answers from this woman.

Clearing the council chamber except for two guards, the chieftess, and Dabbrel, she began the interrogation quietly and in a more informal tone asking questions in a casual manner about village affairs and listening and watching intently, her eyes marking how the chieftess reacted to certain things, her ears noting hesitation and nervousness and soon realized the chieftess was not being very truthful to her as she picked out several inconsistencies in what was being reported to her, a glance or two at Dabbrel along the way also saw her face react to certain things but she kept quiet. It was time to change tactics, and the conversation shifted from friendly and casual to hard hitting as she returned to the inconsistencies and began to question her harshly on her contradictions.

The chieftess found herself suddenly on the defensive and was quickly rattled as she tried to cover up and in doing so introduced even more contradictions and lies until finally the queen certain the chieftess was essentially completely trustworthy, has had her fill of the woman, and it was time to take action instead. Rising to her own imposing height, she began to strip away her own clothes and ordered the chieftess to do the same, alarm filled the chieftess’ face as she realized the implications, realized she was finished, and dropped to her knees begging for mercy, and found none in the countenance of her queen.

Amerlin scowled at the woman before her, and then turned her attention to Dabbrel, “It is clear she is unworthy of her position, and I hereby strip her of her rank and place among her people. Worse she lied about her involvement regarding the unlawful deaths regarding you because they had been her friends and turned her face away when she should have acted by the laws.” Considering the now former chieftess she spoke aside to Dabbrel and told her to strip as well, as she did so, suspecting what the queen had in mind, she was soon finding herself facing her former chieftess, and Amerlin told her to put the chieftess in her beast bearhug, and then in tones as cold as ice told the deceitful former chieftess, “Stripped are you of your power, now . . . ., prove yourself worthy of life by matching this woman you tried to harm in honorable bearhug combat to the death, lock arms and my the Goddess Suhr serve as the final judge!”

Horror filled the woman’s face, and she tried to beg for mercy from the queen, her words suddenly cut off as Amerlin nodded to Dabbrel, and she poured on the pressure. Realizing she had no choice, she threw her arms around the young woman, and began a desperate counter bearhug looking to kill Dabbrel and save her life. It was too little and too late, already exhausted from the long hard run and with little time to recover, and given the runner’s own fine physical condition and health, she could gain no advantage and soon withered under Dabbrel’s assault and began to beg for mercy. Neither woman seemed inclined however and after several minutes the former chieftess was unconscious inside the still tightening arms of the runner, a questioning look from her to the queen, and the queen gave a chopping motion with her hands and Dabbrel’s arms suddenly swelled as she threw all she had in to the bearhug. Shark cracking sounds were heard and blood sprayed from the other woman’s lips and then Dabbrel let go dropping her to the floor, where she twitched a couple times and then died.

Looking down at the dead woman, Amerlin’s voice was firm as she said, “You have performed well in your duties, and demonstrated your combat skills in an honorable manner, her death was as it should be, your actions one of honor to help restore your village’s honor.” Telling the guards to haul away the body to the edge of the woods and leave it there as unworthy of a proper burial honor, she looked at the panting woman before her. “I am tempted to set you as the new chieftess but you may still need to gain a few skills in order to be worthy of such. In the morning you will return to the village, locate she who is named Twen, and tell her what has happened here and that I name her the new chieftess of that village. Then return to me, there is no need to be as fast as you were this day.” Smiling Dabbrel nodded saying “I shall, and she will serve you well I think, she has long been an honorable fighter in the village as it got started, and in the village before that from where she came from.”
Satisfied with the results, Amerlin released the young runner for the night, but also invited her to visit her in her quarters later that evening after she had cleaned up and rested a bit. This the young woman did, she was aware of the queen’s reputation and of some of the stories that circulated freely of what happened in her private chamber at night with those women she favored, and knew that right now, she was definitely in the queen’s favor.

It would be an interesting night indeed for the younger woman, the queen loved a good fight and her match in the treetop platform against her, and just now watching her take on and destroy the chieftess who had been out for herself and her friends, and not the village she was responsible for had excited the queen. Very few women could match her as a fighter, and she had taken a personal vow not to accept a lover unless she was very close to her abilities or even better her equal or superior. Now as if sent by Suhr, the goddess of war, here was Dabbrel serving her and in her eyes, this young woman seemed to perhaps, be the very woman she wanted as her own, one who could be a worthy lover and perhaps successor as Queen when the time came for her to fall. Amerlin wanted very much to see if this exciting woman who had just a couple days ago been a shy non-descript woman was the right one, and she hoped tonight she would accept the offer and risk herself and allow herself to be tested, without realizing what the queen had in mind.
Dabbrel allowed herself about three hours to rest up after the queen suggested she come by tonight after a rest, she had heard the whispered stories in this village, they were even known in her own village of some of “the queen’s private sessions with women who interested her” and after that nap, walked through the queen’s complex to her personal chamber. A pair of women guards were posted at the door, but the one smiled and told her as she approached “Go on in, she is expecting you” and opened the door calling softly “Dabbrel is here my queen” and closing it as soon as she stepped through.

The queen’s own chamber was softly lit, not with torches, though Dabbrel could see a few were on the uprights, but rather with a few scattered lanterns, the outer glass made of some green glass, or perhaps from the green gem that she seemed to prefer. Amerlin had been lounging on her own bed, a huge circular thing a good dozen or so feet across, but as she entered she stood up and smiled. The queen was wearing just a simple loincloth made from the skin of a hunting cat, and nothing else that Dabbrel could see, naked from the waist up and nothing on her feet either, something she had noticed the queen seemed to prefer. “Welcome to my personal room” the queen said, “No need to be dressed so formally here either” she added and nodded at Dabbrel’s own clothes. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, the younger woman slowly removed her own top and her running bootd and set them aside, and found herself under a hard scrutiny of the queen’s eyes as she slowly walked around her and admired the fit look of her.

“Tell me” she said softly as she finished her walk around, “Have you heard the stories of what happens to those I invite here at night?” Slowly Dabbrel nodded, “Yes my queen” she replied softly, “Those who come here it can be said it gets very intense, very rough and very personal or so the stories are told.” A small chuckle parted from Amerlin’s lips and she said with good humor, “In this chamber, I am not your queen, you may call me simply Amerlin, and in fact I must insist upon that, this is not the throne room where such formalities are required.” Dabbrel’s own face paled a bit at the informality of it all, and before she could stop herself she asked “Then the tales are true, about the fights and more in here? About the very rough ways you like and insist upon?” then clapped her hands to her mouth not believing she actually said that right to the queen.
A delighted laugh came from Amerlin at her words and her reaction, and then told her, “Quite possibly true, but if you know me that much, you also know I demand openness and honesty as well as honor. I ask no names who told you such, but tell me what you think happens here, and I’ll tell you if it is true or not.”

Slowly Dabbrel tried to relax, she didn’t want to insult the queen, but her words had caused a certain sense of ease for her and she told her haltingly, The stories are such that those who spend the night here often engage in hard fought wrestling to start and end it, what happens in between depends on the mood and feelings of both after the first fights, but that it is always very rough and wild.” She hesitated, unsure if she should say the next and Amerlin saw it, “Go on,” she encouraged, “say what else you heard, you cannot offend me by telling me the truth as you heard it.” A flush filled Dabbrel’s face and she replied slowly, “They say you are a lover of pain in the fights, you love to inflict it and also take it, and have little or no fear when facing someone in wrestling that you seem to thrive and grow from such.” A short pause, “Is that true my queen?” then realizing she had ignored the queen’s mandate she stammered “I mean Amerlin”

Amerlin’s own smile grew and she told her, “The tales are indeed true, and I relish those fighting women who are not afraid to hold back when they face me or are in another fight, such as when I commanded you to fight and destroy that traitorous chieftess.” Dabbrel’s own countenance grew calmer at those words, and in a voice that still showed perhaps some reserve she said, “In many ways, I am also like that, I love the hard fights, the pushing of myself to my limits, but I told you also what happened and why I was always holding back for fear of destroying another.” Amerlin nodded and told her in a serious tone now, “When you are with me here in this chamber, or in any other private place such as that treetop platform the other night, you must understand, I don’t want you to hold back, I want you to try and win, to destroy me if you can and must if that is necessary.”
A slow long pause passed between the two women as Amerlin allowed the words to settle in and the woman before her to accept the fact she meant it, then asked quietly, “Now that you truly understand how I feel, are you willing to risk me, to do your best here in my chamber, no matter what it takes?” It was an offer that filled Dabbrel’s heart with desire to fight her and even more, the queen had just told her she didn’t mind how hard she fought and in fact it encouraged her to harm the queen, it filled a desire that she had been suppressing for a long time, and she realized she had a kindred spirit standing before saying “Do your worst!” Slowly she smiled at Amerlin and said quietly, “Thank you I accept your offer and command, what shall we do this night?”

Amerlin smiled and motioned to wait briefly and went to the door and opened it, speaking to one of the guards she said loud enough to be heard, “Send the runner with the instructions I told you before, see to it we are not disturbed unless there is an emergency.” Then closed the door, and picking up a bar, set it across the door making it very hard to open from the outside.

Coming back and close to Dabbrel, the queen’s hands slid to her own loincloth and with a swift move shoved them down so they fell to the floor and she stepped away from them, instinctively Dabbrel matched the queen’s move and saw approval in her face. Little did she know, but the queen was about to attack her best assets those being her powerful running legs. Signaling for Dabbrel to lie down where she stood on her back, the queen reached for one leg and twisting around so it wound on her leg, she grabbed the other leg lifting it and crossing Dabbrel’s legs and slid her in to a figure four leglock and dropped back and dropped her other leg over to lock the hold in. “Now” she said as she began to bring the pressure up and saw Dabbrel slowly writhe in the hold, “Use your powerful legs against me, most know this hold and how to reverse it, let’s see who cries for release”
“You sure you want to do this?” Dabbrel asked, pain clear in her voice, and Amerlin said “Yes. . . Uk!” It was not a question of fear of suffering in the hold Dabbrel had asked, for as soon as the word ‘yes’ had passed her lips, Dabbrel rolled violently to one side and forcing them face down she backed up in to the hold. The runner did indeed know the hold, and had expertly rolled the queen in to a reversal and now the pain and pressure was on the queen, getting the suddenly cut off response from her and then a hiss of pain as the younger woman worked the hold.

A smile crossed Amerlin’s face and she twisted hard slowly forcing them in to a rollover and regaining the control. “Good start!” she hissed, “But I won’t be taken that easy!” The smile suddenly disappeared even as she almost had Dabbrel back on her back, but then the woman threw herself hard the other way using the queen’s own force to her advantage and got them face down again. “You wish!” Dabbrel retorted, “You want me to not hold back?!?” She suddenly dropped to her elbows and kicked upwards getting a startled yelp and then howl of pain from the queen as her legs were lifted up torqueing the pressure up radically.

Dabbrel enjoyed punishing Amerlin for the better part of a minute, but it’s hard to keep the legs elevated from a reversal position, and as soon as her legs faltered and dropped a bit, Amerlin rerolled them once again, and this time it was Dabbrel who would endure the pain for a couple minutes, before she could compose herself once more and got the queen back over again. Slowly, steadily the two women gasped and struggled to keep the control as they slowly rolled across the room and back for the better part of the next fifteen to twenty minutes. The queen soon realized she was losing the advantage as the young woman’s running legs showed the endurance she had and Amerlin found herself face down for longer and longer periods. Finally, “Enough, release me, you won this round girl” Amerlin found herself gasping. And slowly she found the hold uncoiling and then finished freeing herself.

For a good half hour more the two rested, massaging their legs and working to restore them to usefulness, neither of them could even stand for the first fifteen minutes, but then Amerlin declared herself ready to continue, and motioned for Dabbrel to lie down and once again set them up for the figure four. Surprise was on the younger woman’s face as the queen had lost the long struggle, yet she was willing to do it again, and firm resolved filled her own face, if the queen wanted to lose again, she would do her best to not just win, but make Amerlin regret trying it a second time.

As the queen locked the hold in, she also locked eyes with the younger woman and grunted, “This time, however long it takes, no surrender for either of us, we struggle until the pain becomes too much and we pass out from it.” That got a startled look from Dabbrel, and then she howled in pain as Amerlin threw all she had in to the hold with pressure that could break the legs of a lesser woman, and Dabbrel was hard pressed to roll and reverse the hold, but she did, and the two of them began a slow grinding duel. This time with surrender forbidden, the struggle would become far longer and more protracted, and once again Dabbrel was gaining the hand and the control, keeping the queen on the receiving end almost completely near the end of the hour, but still she could not make Amerlin pass out from it and she was getting frustrated from it that Amerlin could still take it and struggle however weakly. Gasping she half snapped at Amerlin, “We can use just the figure four, correct?!?” Amerlin all but exhausted nodded weakly and tried again to force the rollover but failed once more. “Can we modify it to improve upon it?” Dabbrel asked, she had an idea, but she wanted to be sure it was allowed by the queen’s rules. It would be several seconds but then Amerlin nodded her head yes weakly, her voice hoarse, she said “You can.” And it was all Dabbrel needed. Drawing deeply from her own reserves and doing her best to ignore her own pain, the younger woman used her position of control and forced their legs apart breaking the hold. Amerlin’s own eyes widened in surprise it seemed like the young woman had just quit, but then as she looked behind her towards her, she felt Dabbrel roughly grab her legs and roll her on her own back. The hands continued to grip her legs and she realized why the questions and tried to struggle free of the grip, but Dabbrel had a firm grip and despite her weak struggles, she now was applying the figure four back on her, but this time the positions reversed, and she cut down hard on the hold.

A sharp cry filled the room, and several more as Dabbrel tapped all she had left in to torturing the queen’s legs and it was finally enough, collapsing on her face with her younger foe over her, Amerlin felt the darkness close in on her, and realized she had lost a second time. Minutes would pass before she woke, and realized she was still in the hold, but it was on loosely and not with pressure, but Dabbrel was watching her like a hawk. “Want to continue and see if I can take you a third time?” Amerlin could not resist a smile, and for a moment Dabbrel began to tighten the hold, but Amerlin shook her head ‘no’ and called, “Not now, I need a good rest from that last one, your legs are good girl, you are the first to ever make me pass out in that hold!” Amerlin was not about to admit that she had just been bested in a hold variation she had never seen before, but she also knew she would not forget either.

Dabbrel grinned at the words, and slapped at them, “Run as much as I do for the tasks I perform, and for the sheer thrill of the run, and you could easily be as good with your legs as mine. I never had to force someone to pass out in such a hold before, and your tolerance is very high to the strain and pain.” She paused a few seconds, a look on her face suggesting she was thinking of something or perhaps some event, and Amerlin read her face and asked her, “You are thinking of some other fight with legs that pushed you hard?” That got a nod of confirmation from Dabbrel and she replied, “Just a few months ago, one of the other runner girls and me, we had a real hate for each other and she dared me to the trial of the double deathlock with legs, and not knowing what it was, but willing to prove I could win, I accepted.”

Now Amerlin was curious, she had never heard of such a challenge, and probed the younger woman for details, it was similar to a step over leglock, but used both legs not one and the positioning seemed odd. Yet the look on Dabbrel’s face suggested it had to be very intense, her attention became more riveted as she learned they had fought in it twice, each scoring a win before their friends, and both vowing a third and final fight somewhere and sometime in private to determine once and for all whose legs were the best in a true deathlock match, the loser to be left behind to perish because her legs and back had been broken. Amerlin’s eyes widened as she contemplated Dabbrel’s own legs before her, and tried to picture the other woman’s and the two locked in a deadly struggle of lawful challenge and found herself more and more curious. Asking the name of the other and where she was from, she found that the other was named Moonshade, and she was from a rival and hostile queen’s village as well and found herself wanting to meet this woman who could apparently match her own runner’s legs.

Finally getting up and stretching, she noted the moon was showing in her west window, a signal the night was over half gone, and both should really be asleep. Looking at Dabbrel, she told her they were done for the night, but to return there the next night for more struggles, and specifically, she told the young woman she wanted her to show her how the deathlock was applied, and maybe a fight between them as well. Dabbrel, nodded quietly, and bade the queen a good night and left. She hid the fact she was hoping for more between her and the queen, but this was the first night for the two of them, and the fact she wanted her back the next night for more struggling was a good sign. Returning to the warrior’s hut, she stretched out in her own bed, and winced a bit from their own struggles as her legs reminded her of the stressed out muscles, and tried to sleep, but memories of the intense struggle between them kept waking her up, or was it perhaps her own legs doing that. At any rate, she got very little sleep that remainder of the night.
Fortunately, the queen had little need for her the next day, or perhaps she thought, the queen was saving her for that night if the occasional looks she saw the queen give her was a clue. A single task of collecting reports from some of the outlying scouts took a couple hours and the queen then dismissed her for the day telling her to rest for the rest of the afternoon, for she would be busy that night. The words filled Dabbrel with excitement, and she tried hard to sleep in her bed. She managed some but not a lot, but at least she rested a bit, and shortly after sunset, she was at the queen’s door and being admitted in.

It didn’t take very long for the two women to be stripped down and the queen regarding her with a mixture of coolness and restrained emotions on her face. “Now” she said, “Teach me this deathlock you spoke of” and the young woman nodded and did so showing her how it was started and a few ways to vary the capture of both legs and getting them locked in. Finally the hold applied to the queen, she dropped back in to it and got a howl from the queen and the final instructions on how to reverse the hold, and the two experimented with it for the better part of the hour. Both of them, their legs sore from this and the previous night they decided they had enough of leg fighting, or more accurately the queen did and invited the young woman to join her in her bathing area and pointed towards a hole in a floor where the stream passing under the queen’s house had been deepened and the two stood in cool waters that was easily close to covering their shoulders allowing the cool flow to wash away the pain and revitalize them.

It was then the queen made her own next move as she came up to her and pressed her breasts hard against Dabbrel’s and got a slight gasp from her. This was the stuff of the tales she had heard and a sign that she had gained much favor from the queen, but the queen was also in a feisty mood and slid her arms under Dabbrel’s and drew her in to a firm bearhug and told her to lock arms with her. Grinning now Dabbrel rose to the implied challenge and added her own bearhug to the mix, but this time while somewhat painful, there was clearly a sexual element in it as well, and she realized the queen was testing her further. “Let’s see who can crush and envelope the other’s breasts and also make her climax using just our breasts and bearhugs” Amerlin told her. “I enjoy doing this here, because the cool waters help keep the breasts firm a lot longer even as the heat of our struggle makes them rise.” And tightened harder and the bout was on between them.

This bout would prove a key one for them both, as they sensed quickly what the strengths and weaknesses were in each other and used them both forcing the other to have the breasts collapse as well as inducing an orgasm as well, the queen found it funny that Dabbrel was caught out the first time she climaxed and the queen in a swift move tightened the bearhug and took them under the water, both quickly trying to crush each other as hard as they could until a lack of air forced them to stand up, their heads breaking the surface once again, and later Dabbrel returned the favor on the queen. It was a good night for them both, and when she was dismissed; it was with satisfied looks on both their faces, though Dabbrel was still not quite happy enough. More than a couple times after they left the water the queen looked between her and the huge bed, but it went no further that night, but the younger woman suspected the time to enter the bed was getting closer.

The following morning and that night however would not be the hoped for time, indeed the queen seemed distracted a bit and barely used Dabbrel during the day and dismissed her in mid-afternoon telling her, Rest this afternoon and especially tonight, tomorrow you may have a very busy day.” The words and the tone suggested the queen had something in mind, but she offered no further details, and by now Dabbrel knew enough to not ask, the queen would tell her when she was ready to.
The following morning however, the queen quickly wrapped up her own duties by mid-morning and dismissed all for the rest of the day including Dabbrel and retired to her quarters leaving word that unless an emergency existed she was not to be disturbed. Rumors also were in the village that the night before, a young woman had been brought in as a prisoner and taken before the queen that very night. Someone, an advisor to the queen, even hinted that the woman was found spying and the queen was dealing with her personally in the interrogation.

Dabbrel rested as she could, and did a little shopping in the village market as all the single warrior women in the hut were responsible for their own meals, and since she lived there herself that applied to her as well. Turning in at sunset as most did, Dabbrel was surprised when three hours later, she was woke by the guard leader and told to report to the queen in her quarters, she had a mission for her.

Quickly dressing, she reported as ordered, expecting perhaps an overnight run, but found the queen instead in just a loincloth, and she promptly told her to strip down, but it was clear the queen was also agitated. As soon as she was stripped, the queen went to a side door and she noted it was heavy wood and covered with red leather, calling through it she snapped “Bring her in” and as the door opened, Dabbrel gasped as two guards brought in a bound young woman and realized it was Moonshade. Amerlin was watching Dabbrel and saw the recognition on her face, and asked quietly, “This is the one? The one who promised you the deathlock match?” Nodding slowly even as her eyes roamed over Moonshade who was stripped naked, and who showed a large number of bruises and welts and even barely patched cuts all over her.

Amerlin had also turned her attention back to Moonshade and told her. “This one is not only favored by the queen of her kingdom, but is her lover, and also a spy. I have you to thank for tipping me off about her, and because of that she was caught spying in our own kingdom, and brought to me for interrogation, I have enough proof now to declare she must die for her crimes.” Turning her head back to Dabbrel, she added, “Yet you also spoke to me of the death challenge between you two, and as a way of thanks, I deliver her fate in to your hands and allow you to lock with her and fight to the death as you had both promised each other.” That got a gasp from Moonshade and a scowl from Dabbrel as she contemplated her enemy and heard the command to lock with her and try to kill her. She however shook her head ‘no’ and in a polite voice said to Amerlin, “I want this, I want it very bad, but I must decline in the name of honorable combat.” That got a look of surprise from Amerlin and she asked, “You consider fighting an enemy even if a former friend as unhonorable? Have you suddenly become fearful of her and think she will destroy you instead?!?”

That got a scowl from Dabbrel that she directed at Amerlin. “I don’t fear her, make no mistake on that, but look at her! You have been clearly beating and battering her to extract the facts to condemn her and she is in no real shape to fight, it would be an one sided fight and she would lose easily. I cannot in any way of honor face her as such. I am more than willing to face her, but in the name of honor, let her heal up so we can fight as equals; else there is no honor in this battle.”

Amerlin’s own scowl faded for the most part as she realized what Dabbrel said was true, and she contemplated Moonshade closely, and then instructed the guards. “Take her to the prisoner hut; ensure she remains bound and chained there. Ensure she is fed, and watered and allowed to heal for the next eight days, at that time, she will be returned to face my runner in that death match, as she will have had more than enough time to heal by then.” The guards given their orders grabbed her and hustled Moonshade out but not before she dug her feet in and snarled at Dabbrel, “You will die when we meet, I will grant you no mercy and torture you slowly before I finish you off!” Then glaring at Amerlin she snarled with utter loathing, “You are a coward, after I destroy and kill her, I dare you to risk my legs and body in the same fight to the death.” By then the guards had their grip on her tightened, and they lifted her physically off her feet and hustled her from the chamber.

For several tense seconds the two women stood there as Moonshade disappeared, and then Amerlin closed the door, and dropped the bar in to place to ensure privacy, then gestured for Dabbrel to follow her through the red door, and closed it as well. A single red glassed lantern lit the room dimly and in that low light, Amerlin closed on her runner, and anger was clear on her face. “Don’t you ever speak to me in that tone again when before others! I tolerate it when we are in private, but never ever use that tone again in public where others can hear us!” Gesturing around the room, Amerlin asked her, “Do you recognize this room from stories?” and she looked around and paled in the dim light. “Yes my queen, it is said that here you deal with enemies on a personal level, and engage in deadly fights.” There was a touch of fear in her voice as she realized the queen was very angry at her and she might be punished right here and now with deadly force.

It is also where I bring those who deserve a strong punishment to face me, and you by your words have earned my anger, and must now face that punishment!” Dabbrel lowered her head, and hoping for the best quietly said, “I ask forgiveness, sometimes my blood boils in anger and I speak quickly though always what my heart feels.” Amerlin however shook her head ‘no’ and stepped closer, her words perhaps softening a bit she remained adamant. “Learn from this then, and remember what happens here tonight.” Then she lunged in and caught the younger woman in an inside bearhug and began a fierce crushing. After a harsh minute without any air, Amerlin released her and allowed her to drop to her knees and demanded she get up, which the young woman did at once. And again the queen closed and locked her in to the bearhug and began to crush with no mercy. “Lock arms girl, I told you the other day we needed to settle who had the better bearhug, now let’s see who admits the other is the better with the bearhug!”

Surprise, and the thrill of a challenge ran though Dabbrel and her arms rose and closed, and she after a moment’s hesitation, returned that attack and then amplified it after the queen upped the power of her own crushing attack, and the two began to grunt and groan as neither held back. But the queen’s own grip was rock solid and she knew how to best apply it, and it was clear within seconds that she had Dabbrel and the woman slowly faltered in the next minute or so then went limp in the queen’s arms, but there had been no surrender, and the queen dropped her and let her wake up on her own and rise to her feet. Asking if she was OK, and getting a yes from Dabbrel she told her, “It’s not over yet, we had no surrender, out bearhug me if you can girl, and don’t hold back this time!” and closed on the younger woman.

This time Dabbrel closed and caught the queen partially out getting one arm inside and the two wound up in a mutual in and out bearhug, and neither able to cut the other’s air off, and it devolved for the next twenty or so minutes in to a slow grinder before the queen tried to heave her up around and down under her, but Dabbrel was half expecting it, and as she came around got her feet braced and the queen could not take her down, and in fact her arms loosened up a bit from the aborted maneuver and now it was Dabbrel’s turn to score both arms inside, and with a hard grunt threw all she had in a crush out and air denial attack of her own. It took longer, but she did stop the queen’s breath, and after a couple minutes, the queen passed out in turn, and like the queen before had, gave her time to recover. When she did, there was a look of shock and awe on Amerlin’s face and she admitted to the younger woman, “In all my years and many bearhug challenges, no one ever managed to crush me out; if you had killed me with the bearhug you would now be queen by the laws of Suhr.”

Dabbrel smiled broadly and dimpled at the very high praise, and still smiling asked if Amerlin was ready to resume. It got a puzzled frown from the queen, “You did succeed in knocking me out,” she said, “why should we continue?” Dabbrel’s own smile faded a moment then slowly returned and she said, “Because neither of us had won yet, you did say we had to make the other admit their bearhug was the best, I knocked you out, but you certainly not admit it was the best. Her smile widened, “And to be honest, I’m as curious as you are who will be able to take the others the longest until she does break and concedes. That was what you had in mind, wasn’t it when you told me to lock arms with you?”
That got a broad and then wicked smile from the queen, “You are quite correct.” She said and dropped to a ready crouch, “Let us agree, we do it and allow as many knockouts as necessary or prolonged crushing without knockouts until one finally says the other has the superior bearhug, shall we?” Dabbrel nodded agreement, and she also dropped to a crouch and started to close. “I am going to make you wish you had kept the punishment one sided, and I would have taken it, now however, I plan to leave your chambers as the winner, and I will thank you for restoring my honor and returning my confidence to fight hard!” A second later she lunged in and the battle was on as she tried for an inside bearhug but had to settle for the outside one as Amerlin timed her own strike and got inside, but just barely.

Dabbrel caught outside, instinctively took what she had, and closed her own arms tight against Amerlin’s arms partially blocking the queen from fully getting her arms in and grasping her wrists behind her, but she was able to get her fingers connected and hooked the fingers anyway and threw all she had in to three short sharp bursts in an attempt to rattle the younger woman and finish closing the bearhug, but after the third, Dabbrel tightened fiercely herself and pressed in hard against her upper chest, their breasts mashing down against each other’s in a way that got a gasp from the queen, and then found herself slowly arching backwards, her lower spine starting to cry in serious pain, and Dabbrel showed no signs of easing up soon, her face inches from the queen’s showing a determined grimness.

Taking as deep a breath as she could, Amerlin tensed, strove to rise upright for a few seconds, and saw she was not budging her foe and suddenly twisted hard to one side catching her off guard enough to topple them to the hard wooden floor. It gave the queen the break she needed as the impact loosened Dabbrel’s arms just for the second or so, and with a gasp, the queen thrust her arms in all the way and finished her partial bearhug and tightened, but as she did so, Dabbrel’s agility showed as a hard twist rolled the queen under her, and her legs hooked and grapevine the queen’s from the inside and with a hard jerk, spread them wide in a vicious leg split, the power of her running legs clearly felt as the queen howled in pain involuntarily and felt like her thigh muscles were being torn.

Now the battle devolved in to a struggle of painful debilitation, Amerlin had her inner bearhug, but had Dabbrel over her and with her controlling the leg split she could not roll her over and had to deal with her own not inconsiderable weight that was just shy of the queen’s own. Add to this and because the queen said it was allowed, she was using her legs expertly keeping the legs spread painfully, working her thighs hard with occasional painful and very distracting jerks farther and farther apart, it was clear Dabbrel was looking to sprain her thigh muscles in a way to keep her from being able to stand at all for the rest of the fight, and distract her from her own bear hugging to boot, and it was working!
Both women however continued to weaken, and it was Amerlin who finally got her legs free as her foe weakened, and grinned up at her foe, and it just as quickly disappeared as she tried to crush her unconscious and failed, realizing she too had weakened badly. Both women locked eyes, and silent agreement seemed to pass between their eyes. With a soft moan, Amerlin released her bearhug and then a couple seconds later so did Amerlin and the two rolled away from each other laying there gasping for a couple minutes, and then slowly levered themselves to their knees facing each other. Challenge still in their eyes, the pause was just for a moment and then they lunged for each other. Dabbrel got the advantage this time however. She went with both hands for one arm instead and used the queens own forward momentum to jerk hard sideways and then get herself behind the queens back and catch her in a bearhug from behind. Now it was just Amerlin who would suffer under the arms of Dabbrel as she tightened hard, using her arms just under the queens breasts to work the lower ribs and lungs while at the same time leaning back and pulling up in a manner to hurt and harm the breasts.

A momentary look of alarm soon crossed the queen’s face as she struggled a few seconds to try and pry her tired arms apart without success and then abandoning that started to swing elbows wildly and hard from both sides hoping to nail her on the side of her head and stun her. Dabbrel was ready for it however; she had clearly been in this situation herself a few times and expertly was ducking and dodging the swings, and under her fierce grip, the queen was slowly succumbing and then with a deep groan passed out.
A grunt of annoyance slipped from Dabbrel’s lips as she had hoped the queen would admit she was better, and let her go and slowly stood up and retreated to one corner and settled down on the middle rope to rest and wait, knowing the queen was also going to feel more rested as well once she woke. For several long seconds she toyed with waking the queen early while locked in, but shook her head no, her sense of honor demanding she let her rest an meet her rested as well for another go, and personally confident she was slowly breaking the queen.

A good half hour would pass before Amerlin finally awoke and tried to push herself upright and then had to bite back a cry of pain without much success as she collapsed face down and laid there panting for several seconds. It was enough for Dabbrel and she moved in for the attack stepping in front of the queen and grabbing a double handful of hair and then literally jerking her up to her feet to go for the bearhug. It was a mistake for her however, the long nap had indeed given the queen a much needed rest and as she came up, so did her arms and wove them around Dabbrel’s exposed body in an inside bearhug before Dabbrel could release the hair and tightened hard getting a solid gasp from her foe and her arms quickly dropped and took the outside grip once again, her own eyes flashing in annoyance at getting caught out so easily, and the Dabbrel pushed hard against the queen and smiled grimly as she collapsed backwards to the hard floor, Dabbrel again on top, the work she had done to the queen’s legs had paid off, they were nowhere near recovered, and once again she wound the grapevine and leg split on despite Amerlin’s attempts to block it and the ground struggle began once more.

For the first ten minutes or so it looked like mutual attrition was going to happen again forcing a break between them, and as they released and rolled apart for a breather, this time it was Amerlin who seemed to recover faster, rising up to her knees and slowly closing until she was close, and Dabbrel seeing this started to push up. But the queen gave her no chance to get beyond hands and knees as she lashed out with a sudden knee lift that caught the runner square to the head and she collapsed flat face down with a groan, clearly stunned. It was the opening the queen needed and she moved on top of the younger woman straddling her waist and grabbed her hair and drew her up and back camel clutch style. It was not her chin however she wanted and with Dabbrel still stunned she too her own reverse bearhug on her foe, and used her straddling position to also bend back and arch cruelly her lower back, even as she tightened down on the bearhug without mercy and began to reef her lower back as well. It was a cruel hold, and the queen had timed it right, Dabbrel was unable to throw elbows up and back at that angle, though she tried, but most met only air or at best barely grazed the queen, tired, and tiring more, she tried to force her body to straighten out and go rigid, but the long struggle was taking its toll. Finally the young woman passed out, but unlike Dabbrel, the queen gave her no honorable recovery, she knew she was also exhausted, and compromised, and was close to her own limits as well, unknown to Dabbrel Amerlin had come within seconds of admitting the runner was better not once, but twice, and only the slight shifts gave her enough hope to hold out.

Instead, she used to hold and the backbreaking pressure and pain to revive her, and then send her almost at once out cold, and then revive her a third time. As Dabbrel came around and saw herself still trapped and the hold tightening again, she shook her head slowly, “Alright, you win!” she said hoarsely, “You barely have the superior bearhug” Amerlin frowned at the choice of words, but chose to accept them, and released the woman and fell backwards herself gasping and breathing deep and hard, she had felt Dabbrel close to breaking her grip in her power stretch attempts, a few more and she would have been free, and things would have got interesting.
For the better part of the next half hour, the two were content to simply lie where they had fallen and recover, then slowly movement returned and at last they say up, and slowly stood up, though the queen could barely stand on her badly abused legs, and Dabbrel was also barely able to stand straight, both hands on her lower back, it was clear the final hold combo the queen had her in had been cruel, and ultimately the true finisher of the grueling match. Amerlin favored her runner with a crooked grin, and then asked her “What’s with this ‘barely’ you spoke of, you admitted I had the superior one, right?” Dabbrel favored her with a rueful smile but actually shook her head ‘no’ and answered, “While you allowed us to both combine holds with the bearhug, I have to think, it was that backbreaker position that truly broke me, and not your bearhug.” She shrugged gently and added, “Still you made me say it, so it is so, regardless of my opinion.” And then smiled, “So what do you have in mind next my queen Amerlin?”

Now it was Amerlin’s turn to smile, “I’m tempted for more rough stuff, but think maybe tonight we have had enough unless you have something in mind, so I for that wonderful session that no one has yet to give me, give you the choice we can call it a night and prepare for tomorrow, or you can choose a struggle of your choice to end this night.”
For a few seconds, Dabbrel debated that offer, her body wanted rest, but the queen’s words and offer told her instinctively it would be better to go for the final struggle to gain favor in her eyes, even though despite the loss, she clearly had gained a lot. As her eyes swept the room, she had a sudden inspiration, it was risky given both their state, but it could also be just the right answer, but first she locked eyes with the queen, “Any struggle I choose?” she asked, there was a slight sign of hesitation by the queen, as she considered those words and her own condition, but then her eyes lit, and she said “I said your choice, why should I now add limits?” That made the choice very clear for Dabbrel and she nodded and said “Come then, “ and walked from the danger room back in to the queen’s own chamber and as Amerlin followed, she gestured at the bed and told her, “OK, on the bed, in the middle, on you back and prop your upper body up with your arms.”

Curiosity was clearly on the queen’s face, and the fact Dabbrel had chosen the bed was also not lost on her. Nodding she climbed on the huge bed, and took up the position and Dabbrel crawled up on top of her and settled down so they were breast to breast, and then slid her arms under the queen’s and took a firm inside bearhug and told the queen to drop down flat. The queen had several ideas by now what was going to happen, and a couple seconds later, was perhaps pleasantly surprised as Dabbrel, added the dangerous leg split again, and then looking down at her grinned. “You asked me for some of your reputation, one often told is your love for the breasts and bearhug battle, prove your skill if you can upon my body, until one is forced to admit not just the better bearhug but also the better breast fighter and smotherer, you game?” Dabbrel’s smiled slowly broadened, and she added, “Winner enjoys the loser as she wishes for the night?” Now it was time for Amerlin to smile, “Ohhhhh you are going to regret offering me this challenge, I accept!” and a second later, her arms snapped up and around Dabbrel and the struggle began in earnest.

The guards posted just outside the door of the queen’s chamber knew little of what happened that night, though they were very much aware of what can and does happen in there. The ones on duty with enough beer to loosen their lips after they were off duty spoke of many hours of moans and cries of pain, as well as the sounds of pleasure and sexual climaxes, and that it was not until almost an hour after dawn, almost six hours after the two had locked there on the bed that night that the queen opened the door and shocked the guards with her utterly devastated and about to collapse look, and ordered a stretcher, which on arrival would a couple minutes later take Dabbrel uncovered and looking just as bad if not worse than the queen and also unconscious to the village priest, followed by the equally nude queen for some healing as well. Both would remain in the local temple the whole day which of course got a lot of tongues wagging as others coming in for lesser injuries found the high priestess busy with them both and the lesser priest had to help all the others.
It was sunset and the torches were being lit when they two walked from the temple, the few who saw them could see faintly the signs of bruises, but these were nowhere near the level they had been when they entered the temple, and the queen brusquely brushed off inquiries, while Dabbrel followed a pace or so behind the queen, a look of respect upon her face. Returning to the queen’s chamber the two regarded each other for several long seconds, and then Dabbrel burst out in stifled laughs and was soon joined by the queen. The experience of the night before now returning to their memories in vividness, they looked at the bed, a sweat sodden mess even after a full day to try and dry out, on the hard floor to one side, it was also very slick with sweat from after the struggle had rolled off the bed to the floor and finally ended there much later. Dabbrel had lost finally with dawn showing in the windows, her pride finally broken with her body, she had owned the queen for the first half, but the queen had a desire to win this, she was not about to allow Dabbrel to take her in breast fighting, and there had also been her earlier comment about the bear hugs, and she was determined to take her there as well and leave no question who had the better bearhug this time.

Dabbrel had fought hard, and grimly, she wanted this win and bad, and wanted to prove to the queen she was a contender, and her willingness to try anything and everything to defeat her and impressed Amerlin in many ways, forcing her to draw deep several times upon her own reserves and use every skill she had in both breast fighting and bearhugs, and even as she had finally won, and walked behind her unconscious body, she admitted she was easily her equal in the bearhug side, and now as the laughter stopped, she turned more serious, and openly admitted that to Dabbrel which got a shocked look from her. But despite them being tired and sore, the queen wanted more, and reminded her that they were to do the death lock tonight.

Dabbrel however was still exhausted and sore, despite the healing of injuries, little had been done for the exhaustion or the soreness of stressed muscles, that had to heal naturally, and she said as much, suggesting to the queen, that perhaps they should hold until the following night to allow a near full recovery as the battle might leave them as bad as they were that morning. That got the queen’s eyes to widen a bit at the implied challenge and potential danger. Part of her wanted it now, but the wiser part agreed with Dabbrel, and she slowly nodded acceptance, and the two departed for a well-earned sleep that night, but not before they would embrace each other in a tight grip that slowly started to get harder and harder and threatened to become another bearhug fight. Dabbrel had enough wisdom to hold off as she realized where it is going, and said softly, “You sure we should continue? I want us fully ready for tomorrow my queen.” It was enough, Amerlin backed off but not without a regretful sigh, and a slow grin. I am tempted, really tempted, but your right, and we may need the time after tomorrow night to fully recover, remember you will be in a death match all too soon, and perhaps myself as well.” That was a sobering thought, and with that thought, they departed and went to bed.

Dawn would come dark and dreary, and with the queen entering her royal chamber to conduct the day’s business, she found the captain of the guard awaiting her, and she was clearly agitated. Dropping to her knee, she told it plain and clear, “My queen, I regret to report that the prisoner Moonshade has escaped, she was found just before dawn collapsed and moaning and looking very pale, we released her from her shackles to put her on a stretcher to take to the priestess, and she revealed she was faking it, in her escape, she grabbed a knife, and slew one of the guards and injured another before taking a spear strike to her side, and escaping before the rest of the guards could answer the alarm.” Amerlin’s own eyes flashed dangerously, and she told the captain to prepare a hunting party for Moonshade, and then had Dabbrel sent for as well, and as she arrived told her what had happened, and told her to accompany her, adding at the end, “Our struggle will have to wait, it looks like you may get your fight sooner than expected.” And strode out to where the hunting party was gathering with Dabbrel quickly following.

The fugitive woman was minimally dressed, and clearly bleeding form her own wound and the hunting party had one of the members with one of the great tame hunting cats, and using it they soon found her trail and began to follow it. Blood was initially found here and there, but then that faded, apparently from some evidence in the brush, she had sacrificed some of her tunic to bind it, and left the rest behind as she resumed her flight, clearly looking to get free of this kingdom and back to her own. The hunt took a bit more than two hours, with the tracking becoming fresher and fresher, and then Moonshade struck as she apparently realized they were about to overtake her and went to ground, and came out slashing with the stolen knife.

The guard closest to her took the knife in the arm, but by then three others had closed and using their spears swung hard and expertly knocking the hand and arm off the knife and the guard pulled it free while Moonshade found herself surrounded and with several spears now pointed at her from all sides, she knew she was finished but remained defiant, her glare turned to the queen and occasionally at Dabbrel. Amerlin’s eyes were full of fire, but her voice was colder than ice as she growled, “Is this your idea of honor? You are as evil as the queen who has you as a lover, but you shall never grace her bed again! I gave you the chance to rest and recover and then face Moonshade in death fight as you had promised each other, you also demanded death fight with me, and I was willing to grant you that, but now you forfeit that right.”
Glancing at the captain, she snapped, “She killed one of yours, wounded two others, you have the right to kill her and I grant that, perform you duty and destroy this spy and traitor slowly and painfully.” Dabbrel though spoke up, “My queen, I ask the privilege to be her executioner, we had a death duel promised, and you had granted that right, I ask that you honor that request, if I fail the guards can finish her then.” Amerlin slowly turned her head and studied the woman closely, “She has forfeited her right with her dishonor, yet you bring a valid point of law, formal challenge was given and accepted, and that also I might add also extends to me since she challenged me to death fight, and I accepted.” Turning her attention fully back to Moonshade, her voice still as cold as before, “You in my own mind don’t deserve this, yet I grant you three choices of death, risk yourself against Dabbrel in the promised deathlock fight, or risk me in a formal queen’s embrace death struggle, not a deathlock as you asked for, or else I turn you over to my hunters here, make your choice bitch!”

Moonshade slowly looked around, and she could see on the guards faces, she would die slowly and painfully, killing one of their own had guaranteed that, that left the queen’s offer and Dabbrel. She was uncertain she had a chance against the queen’s embrace under best of conditions, and her arm was now injured. That left Dabbrel, and if she had to die, she would at least take out her former foe and now mortal enemy first. A slight nod at Dabbrel and she said, “Bitch, I will make you beg repeatedly for death before I finally snap your back!”

Dabbrel’s own voice grew mean, “we shall see, a shame our friends from both sides are not here to witness it.” Glancing around where they were, the area was full of underbrush, not the best of places for a struggle like this but her senses told her where they were, and she pointed towards the river’s direction, “The bloodstone next to the river, that was where it was to take place, let’s do it there.” And got a nod of acceptance from the queen, one guard had a length of flexible vine, and quickly fashioned a noose and slid it around Moonrise’s neck, “Try and run” she hissed as she secured it, “Or try and remove it and I will not hesitate to use this and kill you before you have your chance to fight!” With others keeping spear points at ready, Moonshade knew she was figuratively and literally at the end of her rope and moved at the pace they set as Dabbrel took the lead and led them soon to the river and the bloodstone. It rose just above the river, deep red in color, and smooth from the river washing occasionally over it and about fifteen feet across, it was up here that Dabbrel stopped and stripped down, and with the guards watching, so did Moonstone and she stepped up on the stone scowling, the noose finally removed. “You take the down position” Moonshade snapped, but Dabbrel shook her head ‘no’ and told her, because of what you did, I demand you take the down instead, Moonshade looked like she was about to object but a small rustle and glancing around she saw every spear point was down towards her, and it was clear from their grim faces, she was not allowed to argue the starting position.

A silent snarl touched her lips, but she stepped to the center, and laid down face down, her hands and arms ahead of her, and Dabbrel moved in with the queen and the warriors making a ¾ circle on the land sides and watching closely, especially the queen, this was a new hold a new struggle, and she would watch it carefully and learn, regardless of who won or lost. It began simply enough as Dabbrel seized both ankles and bend them and the lower legs back towards Moonshade’s but and crossed them in to and X and then stepped between her legs facing away and then thrust both feet between her legs after crossing her own legs and hooked them behind her calves. Amerlin had seen variations of this hold before, usually one leg hooked was enough and weight applied was enough to gain a speedy surrender, both feet hooked was not very common, but was a lot more damaging she realized, though the crossed legs was puzzling, but shortly after that it became clear as Dabbrel suddenly arched back her shoulders touching Moonshade’s and her hands slid under Moonshade’s armpits and grasped her shoulders from the other side, and her foe reached back and up and mirrored her grip, and seconds later, she started fighting trying to stretch Dabbrel out and break her arch that had to be torturing her legs real bad. Slowly the arch flattened and finally broke as Dabbrel collapsed, and just as suddenly Moonshade rolled her under and the extra x became apparent, whoever was under was the victim, much as a figure 4 can be reversed by a rollover, and now Moonshade arched getting a sharp hiss of pain from Dabbrel as she looked up and back, and then groaned, as Moonshade deliberately dropped her shoulders against her foes, and jerked the legs high in the air, and even Amerlin winced as Dabbrel screamed in pain, she could see the legs flexing unnaturally and saw the ankles could be sprained quickly and the knees popped form the sockets and even the lower legs broken.

But then Moonshade rose off the shoulders and using her hands and arms arched forward and the second part was revealed as Dabbrel had her back curl up in an excruciating arch, but then she seemed to regain her wits and with a sharp hiss, began to force the arch of Moonshade to collapse, despite her struggles to keep it, and after a few grueling minutes the arch broke, and Dabbrel rolled back on top, and this time, she went for the lift and arch, and it was Moonshade’s turn to cry out, a sudden scream from Moonshade signaled something went, and a closer look showed the ankle bent at a bad ankle, it was clearly sprained now, it’s usefulness limited, and Dabbrel shook and jerked hard risking her own arch trying to make the injuries even worse and she got it as a knee popped from a socket. But the move cost her as she went off balance and lost her arch and despite the obvious pain, Moonshade got her rolled and went back on the offense, this time, she concentrated almost exclusively on the legs and not the arch and they saw and heard first one and then the other ankle go, and the knee was borderline going, and Dabbrel was looking very worried as well as in extreme pain. By now, both women were coated in sweat and a light layer of mud from dirt on the stone, and Dabbrel managed to roll them to one side, the position almost neutral with both able to inflict some damage, but not a lot, but Dabbrel grunted and heaved and rolled seeking top, and Moonshade tried to correct and regain it, and then overestimated as she rolled on top, and over rolled and Dabbrel kept them going until she was on top and managed to barely stop the roll, and attacked again.

This time she lurched up and forward and lifted as well, it was dangerous, but with one knee popped, she could concentrate the other knee, and after nearly 5 minutes of back and forth struggle trying to pop it and not get rolled, she got the pressure right and high enough and the knee went with an audible pop getting a cry of pain, and triumph from the two, and then Dabbrel went for the last ankle and the legs themselves. The ankle was stubborn, but by forcing their combined legs up and arching her foes back, the pressure on them rose, a sudden splintering sound and suddenly both legs broke with a second of each other, and Moonshade cried out “NO!” and shook her head in denial, but it was not to be. The knees popped, and the legs broken, it was all over for the spy, and they both knew it, but Moonshade would not stop fighting and kept trying to somehow get the leverage to stretch Dabbrel out again and regain the top, but it was not to be. Dabbrel rose on her hands releasing her grip on her foes shoulder she needed for stability and using those hands and leaning forward, she started to walk forward, slowly dragging her foe in to a deeper and deeper arch of her back, and it was clear, this was the deathlock finisher, inch by inch, she bend her foes back more and more the arch clearly reaching a point where the spine had to be taking serious damage just as it was. With a moan, Moonshade passed out, unable to take any more. Sensing it, Dabbrel looked to the queen, and asked formally, “Finish it this way, or will you allow me to grant her a mercy finish.”

Amerlin, considered a few seconds, it was clear Moonshade was out, and near death, “You choose” she answered, and watched to see how she chose. Within seconds, it appeared that Dabbrel chose mercy. She relaxed the hold, and unhooked the deadly deathlock and rolled her foe over on her back, Moonshade was utterly out of it, her face a light shade of blue, the arch had been so deep, her breath had been cut off. Quickly straddling her foe’s waist Dabbrel glanced at the queen, and whispered “Goodbye my former friend and dropped forward, her arms enclosing her foes head as she forced a breast smother on her shutting off her air. It didn’t last long Moonshade came around in the final seconds, her burning lungs perhaps reviving her and she fumbled slowly for the arms trying to get them free, but quickly faltered and dropped lifeless, and after nearly another 5 minutes airless, was finally released, her lived blue face showing shock, and surprise perhaps at her own death. And barely able to stand herself, Dabbrel sketched a short bow to the queen. “By your command she is dead.”

Amerlin nodded, and told her hunters, make a splint for her leg and create a stretcher that she may ride back in comfort befitting a champion of our people. As this was done, Amerlin draw her own hunting knife, and with a few hard moves removed the head of Moonshade, and then with disdain, grabbed the feet and dragged the rest of the body to the river and threw it in. Two of the hunt party was not being used and she gave them Moonshade’s head, “Deliver the head to her mistress’s village in a way it can’t be missed yet not endanger yourselves, and then return quickly.” Her death will no doubt send a message to the queen and she will be furious and want vengeance, I am hoping it leads her to make a foolish move that will remove her from power and maybe from this life as well.” Then stepping to one side of the stretcher they lifted and bore Dabbrel back to the village for mending and healing. Arriving well before midday and her actions being told, her position in the eyes of the queen’s village rose considerably.
End of Part One.