LEANORE 03
By "Heck"



Comments to heck@beadyeye.net

CHAPTER THREE

THREE LONG SUMMERS passed since Leanore underwent her womanhood ritual, and in
that time she had bloomed into a tall, powerful, and exceedingly beautiful
young woman.

A fingerwidth over six feet tall, with her lovely face capped by tight,
close-cropped curls and almost permanently lit by a wide, dazzling smile,
topped a superbly muscled, immensely strong body. Broad, sloping shoulders
tapered into a flat, muscular waist before flaring into wide hips, full, round
buttocks and long, long legs with their powerful thighs and diamond hard,
diamond shaped calves. Her arms flowed from rounded deltoid caps that gave way
to full-bellied biceps and the inverted vee of perfectly developed triceps.

As result of her terrific physique, Leanore had grown into a representation of
pure and unadulterated feminine beauty. With her sparkling personality,
perpetual good humour, and resplendent looks, she drew the attention of every
man, and not a few women.

From working with the metal, her forearms and hands had developed corded
straps of muscle and sinew, and her grip was the envy of every man in the
village. Under the tutelage of Imon, the village metalworker, she had studied
hard. He recognised her love of the material and determination to produce work
of quality and artistry, so he gave her all the benefit of his craftsmanship
and experience. She made superb spear and arrowheads, as well as pans and
other utensils, but her real skill lay in the crafting of beautiful ornamental
pieces. There was hardly a man or woman who did not possess at least one
example of her work.

Her relationship with Tanley, after that wonderful first night, had continued.
It had not developed into a true love affair, as neither was prepared to
commit just yet, but was a very torrid, physical relationship, both full and
fulfilling.

Both took other lovers when they felt the need, and neither was in any way put
out by this. It was the way of the Eople. They were not inordinately
promiscuous, and when a couple eventually committed to marriage, or pairing,
as it was known, they held fidelity as sacred. But until such vows were
exchanged, each person was deemed to be a free agent, able to take their joy
where they found it. Jealousy between unpaired couples was virtually unheard
of.

After her initial uncertainty, Leanore found that she loved hunting. She
hunted regularly, and had become a formidable stalker, always in at the kill,
and often led hunting parties in her own right these days.

Old Avid had, sadly, been killed by a charging buffalo, just over a year ago.
The Eople had mourned him, and he would be long remembered, but they were a
practical people and had wasted no time in appointing his successor. Nita, the
new head huntress, was very accomplished and commanded great respect. She was
quick to recognise skill, and liked to delegate responsibility to those who
had earned it. Hence, Leanore found herself at the head of a party more and
more frequently.

It was on such an occasion that she led her party home one day. The hunt had
been very successful, and the band were heavily laden as they made their way
into the village, singing as they went. The carcase of a greater kudu was
slung on a pole between four of the hunters. Others carried parts of a zebra,
while Leanore carried a dead gerenuk across her broad shoulders, its long,
graceful neck swinging as her long stride covered the ground.

Folk gathered round them as they entered the village, joining in the song and
clapping in congratulation. Leanore's face was wreathed in smiles as she
accepted the gratitude, but a nagging doubt hung at the back of her mind.

Where was her mother?

Despite her high office, Usan was always at the front of the welcoming
committee whenever Leanore returned from a hunt, successful or not. She was
always first with congratulations or commiserations, and was a constant source
of support and encouragement for her daughter. It was surprising, almost
shocking, that she wasn't here, and her smile faded as Leanore searched
anxiously for the welcoming face.

Usan stood solemnly, alone before her hut. A tall, commanding presence, she
stood in regal isolation, arms folded and with a grave expression. Sensing
something wrong, Leanore dropped her kill and pushed her way through the
excited throng, hurrying to her parent.

"Mother? What's wrong? What's happened?"

Usan stared levelly into her daughter's eyes as she considered her response.
There was pride and love in the gaze, but Leanore could also see worry and,
perhaps, doubt. She returned the gaze unwaveringly as she waited for the
headwoman to reply.

"Leanore", Usan said at length. "You know and respect the traditions of the
Eople as well as I do. Isn't that so?"

The last was more of a statement than a question, but Leanore nodded her
agreement anyway.

"One of those traditions", Usan continued, "is the right of challenge. When a
man or woman is desirous of the betrothed of another, they may challenge that
person in combat for the right to pair with the third party. You know of this"
Again, it was not a question.

"Ye-es". Leanore's response held a note of nervousness, as well as curiosity.
Had someone challenged Usan? It was known that she had been seeing Teven of
late, although Leanore had not suspected that it had gone as far as betrothal.
She was confused.

Usan averted her eyes for and instant, and sighed. She seemed to come to a
decision, and met Leanore's gaze again. She made her next statement flatly,
almost coldly.

"You have been challenged for the right to pair with Tanley".

Leanore's jaw dropped incredulously. She could hardly believe what she was
hearing. Usan couldn't have said that! Could she?

"What!?"

"You have been challenged for the right to pair with Tanley". The statement
was no more believable the second time. It was only respect for her mother
that prevented Leanore from laughing in Usan's face.

"That's ridiculous!" she burst out. Her voice was loud enough to carry over
the rattle of excitement of the welcoming committee, and they all fell silent,
turning to watch. Nobody told the headwoman that anything she said or did was
ridiculous.

"Maybe so", Usan said, her voice much more calm and quiet than Leanore's.
"Nevertheless, it's true. You ."

".have been challenged", Leanore came back. "Yes, I heard you the first time!"
She was aware that she was raising her voice to her mother, something she had
never done, but was past caring. "It's ridiculous! I'd be insulted, if it
wasn't so laughable! Challenged for the right to pair with Tanley? Tanley and
I aren't even betrothed! Not in the slightest! Not likely to be! I don't want
to pair with him. He's free to pair with whoever he likes! I have no claim on
him!"

Usan stood patiently and let her daughter's tirade play itself out. She felt
empathy for Leanore, and knew that the young woman was right. However,
tradition was tradition and, among the Eople, it had the force of law. It did
not matter that the headwoman's daughter, or even the headwoman herself,
thought it inappropriate. Tradition would always have the last word.

"You may say what you want", Usan said when Leanore had finished. "But the
fact remains. You and Tanley have been seeing a lot of each other since your
womanhood, and it is perceived that you have become betrothed. You have been
challenged, and the challenge stands. You must accept it, or leave in
disgrace".

Leanore gulped nervously. This was serious, and she had a moment of self-
doubt. On the hunt, she could face any animal, any danger, without qualm. But
she had never been called upon to face, to fight, another human, and it was a
little frightening. She stared at her feet for what seemed a long time before
replying in a small voice.

"I suppose I have to accept it, then. Who is the challenger?"

For once, Usan could not meet her daughter's eyes. There was a long pause
before she replied.

"Lexis".

Leanore's eyes opened wide, and she knew a twinge of real fear.

Lexis was not one of the Eople by birth. She had been a mature adult when she
had come to them some seven years ago, from another village many miles
distant, to pair with one of the Eople by mutual arrangement. Such things were
not uncommon, and Lexis had been welcomed warmly and made part of the
community with full rights and status. But before the pairing, the man who was
to be her husband had succumbed to a fever and died. Lexis had been
distraught, but the village had rallied behind her and took her to their
bosom. She had elected to stay, and had been a valuable part of the society.

Unfortunately for Leanore, the people to whom Lexis had been born were a proud
warrior caste, and Lexis herself was a fully trained, successful fighter who
had been highly respected among her peers.

"That's not right!", Leanore blurted out. "She can't challenge me!"

"Leanore".

"She's not one of us! She isn't of the Eople! She has no right to any
challenge! She."

"Leanore!" Usan's voice became hard and severe as her hands closed about the
younger woman's elbows. "Listen to me!" Her words broke through the near-panic
in Leanore's mind. When she continued her voice was gentler. "Lexis has every
right, as well you know. She was accepted as one of us when she came here to
pair with N'Thony, and nothing has changed. Her challenge has been made, and
you must accept it, or leave".

Leanore's shoulders seemed to sag as the inevitability of it all descended on
her. It was contrary to her sunny disposition, and against almost everything
she believed, but she came to realise she had little choice.

"When?" was all she said. Usan took a deep breath.

"You have a sevenday to prepare".

*

Grim faced and silent, the Eople gathered in the dust outside the village,
forming a circle some twenty feet across. They accepted the dictates of
tradition, but were not prepared to allow an incident of which they strongly
disapproved to take place within the confines of their home. Any affection
they had held for Lexis had evaporated, and as a vocal and happy people, their
very silence indicated their feelings on the matter.

Leanore sat on a low stool just inside the circle, head down and eyes fixed on
the ground between her feet. Usan massaged her muscular shoulders, trying to
loosen the tension but finding her fingers unable to make any impression on
the iron-hard fibres. This last sevenday, Leanore had practised hard and
absorbed every bit of advice she was given. She had learned about kicking,
punching, and wrestling, but the tiny bit of knowledge she had gained in no
way prepared her for the battle to come. But that was not what concerned her
mother.

The headwoman worried about the mental state of her daughter.

Leanore was agile, very quick for such a tall woman, and almost unnaturally
strong. On the hunt, she was used to avoiding charging animals, and was not
afraid of injury or pain, but that was a very different prospect from the
ordeal that faced her now.

For the first time in her life, Leanore was expected to meet another human in
combat. Another human that had the specific aim of causing her harm, or even
of killing her; death was a possible and acceptable outcome, according to
tradition. The young woman had such a pleasant and cheerful outlook that such
violence was alien to her, and Usan fretted that, should she find herself in a
winning position, Leanore would be unable to deliver the final blow.

Still rubbing Leanore's shoulders and whispering words of encouragement, Usan
looked with utter contempt across the circle to the other woman seated there.

Lexis sat alone. No one rubbed her shoulders or offered words of
encouragement. She had not been particularly disliked among the Eople, but
they were making it clear that they strongly disapproved her actions in
bringing this challenge.

She ignored them totally.

As tall as Leanore, Lexis was more lightly built than the headwoman's
daughter. A powerful woman in her own right, she was lithe and athletic, with
well-defined musculature, and looked every inch the warrior, even though she
was as naked as her opponent, and glared across the circle with a sneer upon
her handsome face. It was obvious that she was supremely confident in her
ability to win, and Usan felt a lump in her throat as she met the woman's
gaze.

Leanore lifted her head to her mother.

"I can't win this, can I, Mother?" Her voice was small and quiet. Usan sighed.
She wanted to encourage her, but didn't want to give hope where there was
none.

"Not by using fighting techniques, no. But you are heavier and stronger than
she is. You have a chance if you can close with her and outmuscle her. That
should be your goal. Ride her blows, and try to grapple with her. That's the
best advice I can give".

Abruptly, Lexis rose to her feet and strode arrogantly into the centre. Usan
clapped Leanore's shoulder, and stepped back to allow her daughter a moment to
gather her thoughts.

Challenges such as this were rare, these days. By custom, they were usually
started by a few words from the headperson of the village, a short speech
describing the reasons for the challenge. Usan would not dignify what she
thought of as an unnecessary farce by making such a speech. She simply
accompanied Leanore to meet her rival and stood silently between them with
hands outstretched. She looked Lexis squarely in the eye. Tradition demanded
that she speak to her, although her voice was full of disgust.

"Lexis, you have brought this challenge. Will you withdraw it?"

Lexis stared brazenly at Leanore as she shook her head.

"Leanore, you have been challenged. Do you still accept it?"

Leanore drew herself up to her full, impressive height and returned the stare
with a confidence she did not feel.

"Yes"

Usan brought her hands together with a sharp clap.

"Begin".

Lexis dropped into a half-crouch, hands outstretched with hooked fingers,
adopting a fighting stance that was natural to her. A little awkwardly,
Leanore tried to copy her, and the two women began to circle each other in the
dust.

Remembering her mother's advice, Leanore rushed at her opponent, trying to
close with her from the outset. Lexis dodged to one side, easily avoiding the
charge and swinging out a leg to trip the younger woman. Leanore sprawled
clumsily, rolling over to avoid a vicious kick. She came to her feet quickly,
expecting a retaliatory blow.

Lexis merely stood with hands on hips, watching as Leanore shook the dust from
her hair.

The younger woman immediately knew the experienced warrior outclassed her. She
also knew that, whatever was thrown at her, she had a position to maintain and
a status to uphold. She might lose, but she would lose with dignity and not
for the want of trying.

She rushed Lexis again, hoping to lay hands on her but expecting the other to
easily avoid her once more. Instead, Lexis launched her self low and flat. Her
shoulder ploughed into Leanore's midriff, her impetus lifting Leanore off the
ground. Lexis thrust up and back, pitching the other over her shoulder.
Leanore threw out her hands to absorb the impact with the ground, but fell
heavily on her shoulder. She scrambled to her feet.

Before she came upright, a hard-swung foot took her squarely on the side of
the head, sending her reeling, a spray of red flying from her smashed lips.
She rolled over, dazed, and kept rolling, trying to get clear of her opponent.

Lexis was giving no quarter. With lightning speed she leapt after Leanore,
tried to grab a handful of hair. The short crop of curls gave her no purchase,
but her hand held the target still long enough for her to crash a hard,
knuckly fist into Leanore's face.

Leanore fell again, but the blow was not delivered at full power. She swept
out a muscular arm, and managed to catch Lexis behind the ankles. Her strength
was such that the woman's legs were wrenched from under her, and she fell with
a crash. Leanore was quick to throw herself astride but once again, the older
fighter's experience told. Lexis arched her back convulsively, thrusting
upwards with an explosion of power, tossing Leanore forward with a lurch.

Somehow, Leanore managed to turn her tumble into a controlled somersault, and
came to her feet in a motion that was, if not smooth, at least effective. She
wheeled, to find Lexis had also risen to drop a strong grip on Leanore's
shoulder.

Using her hold as leverage, Lexis doubled her fist into a knot of knuckles and
drove it with all her force into Leanore's abdomen.

Leanore just had time to tense her muscles, turning her belly into a flat,
ridged sheet of iron. For once, she had taken her opponent by surprise, and
Lexis's jaw dropped in pain and shock. It was like driving her fist into a
rock, and she felt the jar of the impact right up to her shoulder.

Spotting her advantage, Leanore swung her hand in a backhanded blow. The
strike was inexpert and clumsy, but effective. Propelled by the awesome
strength of her arm, the back of her hand smashed into Lexis's cheek. The
older woman was flung away from her like a moppet made of rags, and sailed a
dozen feet across the circle to land heavily on her back, all the wind knocked
out of her.

"Now, Leanore! Now!"

Leanore had not followed through, but stood staring at her downed opponent.
Her mother's involuntary yell galvanised her into action, and she sprinted
across the circle to throw herself atop the other.

Acting purely on instinct. Lexis drew up her wiry legs to meet the onrushing
Leanore. Full of sinewy strength, they absorbed the rush and thrust outward
like recoiling springs. Leanore felt her attack turned into a forced retreat
as the legs threw her back and she staggered on her feet, narrowly avoiding
another fall, while Lexis came to her feet in a roll.

The trained combatant stood with her hands on her knees, sucking air into her
lungs. She had been made to look stupid, embarrassed by an untrained girl, and
the pain of the fall was far outweighed by the sting of humiliation. Leanore
saw the look in her eyes, which had turned from contempt to pure hatred, and
knew she meant to kill her. Her only chance was to keep on trying to grapple
with the woman, to defeat her by sheer strength. It was clear that she was
out-skilled.

Time and again, Leanore charged. Time and again, Lexis twisted out of her way,
and each time lashed out with a fist or a foot that landed a telling blow
until Leanore's face was a mass of bloody bruises. Sweat ran in dark streams
through the dust that plastered their naked bodies.

She glanced quickly at her mother, receiving a nod of encouragement from the
austere headwoman. Usan was trying hard to appear impartial, and losing that
contest as surely as her daughter was being beaten in combat.

In the second taken for the glance, Lexis had recovered sufficiently to renew
her attack. A blood-curdling yell escaped her throat as she ran toward
Leanore, who was just able to turn to meet her. Leaping high in the air, Lexis
came down on her with legs apart. Her groin smashed into Leanore's throat, and
she wrapped her powerful thighs round her neck as the two fell to the ground.

The impact of Lexis's pubic bone into the hyoid cartilage of Leanore's tender
throat was almost enough to crush her windpipe, and she coughed as she rasped
for breath. The thighs wrapped tightly around her were not as strong as her
own, but were strong enough. Lexis's muscles sprung into relief as they
tightened, python-like, about the column of her neck, and Leanore felt her
face becoming congested as the blood supply was constricted. Her strong
fingers pried at Lexis's legs trying to prise them apart. She made a little
headway but, as strong as her arms were, Lexis's legs were a match. She was
not able to release the pressure on her carotid arteries sufficiently. Very
slowly, she felt her vision blurring at the edges, the world began to darken
around her, and she passed out.

Lexis felt Leanore's body go limp between her thighs. She released her grip
and let the inert form roll clear. Leanore sprawled on her back and lay still.

A wicked grin spread across her satisfied face as she climbed to her feet.
Ready to finish things, she raised one foot high to stamp down on Leanore's
exposed throat.

"Lexis!" Usan's outraged voice rang out across the circle. "It's finished!"

Lexis's foot stopped in mid-stamp, hovering inches away from inflicting
certain death as she glared at the interruption.

"It isn't finished 'til I say so!" she shot back. "It's my right as victor!"

Usan stepped forward.

"You've won, Lexis" Her voice was quiet, but still carried to every ear with
the venom of a cobra. The crowd remained silent in their support of the
headwoman and disgust at Lexis. "There is no need to kill her. And if you do,
right or no right, I will make it my business to see that your life in this
village is over!"

Lexis snorted her contempt.

"What're you going to do about it, old woman? You going to take me on too?"

Usan took a few steps forward. Under her calm exterior, her fury boiled.

"If that's what it takes".

Lexis laughed as she stepped over the form at her feet. She advanced on the
headwoman with clenched fists, anger burning in her eyes.

"Well, you know, I don't really care about this village any more. I'll just
take Tanley and go. But before I do, I'll just wipe the floor with the
so-called 'headwoman' ".

"Tanley may not want you".

"Oh, he'll want me. Don't you worry about that, bitch!"

A collective gasp rose from the crowd, and several of them moved forward,
muttering oaths. The word 'bitch', associated in the minds of the Eople with
the female hyena, an animal they thought of as being filthy and disease ridden
and looked upon with disgust and loathing, was an unforgivable insult.

A cloud of rage passed over Usan's face. A growl sounded in her throat and she
stalked toward her enemy. Lexis sneered and moved to meet her. The two women
closed on each other, ready to tear each other to pieces. The fact that she
was facing a trained warrior did not cross Usan's mind as she stung from the
insult to herself and the injuries to her daughter.

Usan swung a fist that missed the ducking figure of Lexis by a yard. Lexis
laughed as she drew her own fist back.

.and found it held in an implacable grip.

During the altercation between her mother and her rival, Leanore had come to
and risen to her feet. She had quietly moved up behind Lexis and, as the fist
was raised she grabbed it in her big hand.

As Lexis began to turn, a grimace of pain crossed her features. Leanore began
to sque-e-eze. The strength in her hand was little short of phenomenal, and as
her iron fingers closed, the small bones in Lexis's ground together. The
fighter screamed as small, gristly crunching sounds came from her fist and she
desperately tried to pry the grappling hook digits from her hand. Realising
she had the woman at her mercy, Leanore gave a snarling smile and poured on
the pressure even more.

Lexis sank to her knees in agony, whimpering her anguish, feeling the bones
popping under the relentless grip. The straps and bands of corded muscle that
made up Leanore's forearm stood out in deep definition. She had rendered Lexis
helpless with just the power of one hand, the blood beginning to ooze between
her fingers as she crushed the fist that had bloodied her own face just
minutes ago.

Excruciating agony was etched in every line of Lexis's face, agony so great
that she could not even whimper any more and mouthed wordlessly in her
suffering. Her hand was crushed to a bloody mess, and it was obvious that she
would never use it again. She crawled in the dust, plucking ineffectually at
Leanore's hand and pushing at the teak-hard shaft of power Leanore's arm had
become. Rivulets of tears coursed down her face as she silently pleaded with
her tormentor.

At last, Leanore relented, and thrust the woman from her. Lexis curled up into
a ball of pain in the dust, cradling her ruined hand to her chest as she wept
uncontrollably. Leanore stepped over her rival and into her mother's arms. She
too began to weep, now that the ordeal was over.

Usan gathered her daughter to her and smoothed Leanore's hair, speaking over
her shoulder.

"Lexis. You have disgraced yourself. You are no longer welcome, and I speak
for myself when I say you should be banished". She raised her voice to speak
to the whole Eople. "Does anybody disagree?"

Nobody had any objection.

"From this time forth, you are no longer a member of this community. You may
fetch your belongings, but you must leave, and leave now. Begone!"

Lexis glared at the headwoman, a last flare of defiance gleaming in her eyes.
She stood and, holding her crippled hand close to her chest, walked away with
as much dignity as she could muster.

The circle broke to let her pass and closed behind her, leaving no trace of
her passage.