An Amazon's Affection

Bryna stepped through the town's gate, carrying a slain orc over her broad shoulders. Trees rustled under the afternoon breeze. As Bryna trekked past the wooden structures of Treasa, the villagers greeted her. She responded by flexing her bare biceps. Sweat dripped from her shoulder-length, uncombed scarlet hair onto her tank top. Blanketed in orc filth, she looked forward to a shower.

As Bryna passed a toy store, she noticed a girl doll sitting behind the glass. The doll fashioned pigtails and emerald eyes. Bryna goggled at the toy. When she snapped from her trance, she held the orc with one arm before fishing every last coin from her trouser pocket. A smile spread across her lips as she counted up to the amount shown on the price tag resting below the item.

Bryna approached the store’s entrance, but halted when the villagers eyed her. Blood suffused her cheeks as she imagined how they would respond. Big Bryna with a doll? Even giving Cinderella a chainsaw would feel more appropriate. With a sigh, Bryna decided to wait until sunset. She prayed nobody else would purchase the doll. The coins clinked while they sank back into her pockets.

Bryna resumed her stroll and soon returned home. When she found her mother in the backyard, she shuffled up to her. "This should keep us fed for at least a week." She dropped the orc onto the grass, causing the earth to tremble. “Mum, can I go and play with my friends for a bit?”

Bryna's mother raised an axe over the orc. “Dear, you’ll be eighteen in a few weeks. Why don’t you start thinking about your career?“ She thrust her axe into the beast’s neck, slicing its head off. Like daughter, like mother, she flaunted her bare arms to celebrate her success. She brushed sweat off her crimson, bushy hair. “Well, I guess there’s no need to. We all know you’ll honour family tradition and tread the warrior’s path.”

Bryna prepared to protest, but paused when she heard footfalls behind her. She veered and faced a trio of bulky men in sandals. They invited Bryna out for a drink.

Bryna coughed as the men blew cigarette smoke at her. She twirled a finger around her non-existent pigtail, wondering how she could decline their offer without sounding rude. Glancing toward her parent, she hoped for her to reject their request.

Instead, Bryna’s mother slapped her daughter’s arm. “Now that sounds more like something a warrior would do. Move along, girly.”

One of the men guffawed. “Bryna's like one of us blokes.”

Bryna donned a smile, but inside, those words pricked her like needles. Her mother shoved her into the men, and they headed toward the pub.

When Bryna entered the candle-lit bar, women stared with admiring eyes, but no man bothered to hit on her. Who would date the village’s tallest citizen? Shrouded in disappointment, Bryna drank until her vision whirled.

Bryna staggered out of the pub and into the starry night. With a beer bottle in hand, she swayed along the deserted street. Lantern lights peered through the houses, but they failed to illuminate Bryna’s path. Without any lights from street poles, darkness engulfed the village. A burp escaped Bryna’s lips, and she leaned against a fence for support, resisting the urge to vomit. “I don’t want to become a warrior. Why can’t they understand?” She shattered the bottle against the ground.

As Bryna passed the toy store, she remembered the doll from the morning. She darted up to the glass and pressed her face against it. Her alcohol breath fogged the surface. She squinted in search of the toy, but the shelf appeared empty.

Alcohol overcame Bryna's emotions, and tears coursed down her cheeks. She despised the person who snatched the doll, but she hated herself more. If she hadn't worried so much about how others judged her, she could've grabbed the doll.

Bryna felt someone tapping her shoulder. She turned around but couldn’t see anyone. When she glanced down, she saw a short girl in a pink dress standing before her. In the distance stood a woman, who Bryna assumed was the kid’s mother. The child hugged a doll in her arms. Bryna gasped upon realising it was the same toy she had wanted.

"Are you okay?" The girl hopped in hopes of patting Bryna's head, but she only reached her shoulders.

Bryna nodded and wiped tears off her face. "Did you buy that doll from this store?"

The girl nodded and asked whether she wanted it. Bryna managed a tiny nod.

“Here you go, then.” The child handed the doll to Bryna.

“What? Are you sure?”

"You always give me lollies and stuff. Let me give you something back."

Bryna grasped the toy's soft hair. She embraced the kid and thanked her. "But can you do me a favour? Don't tell Mum about this. Actually, please don’t tell anyone at all."

The girl wore a perplexed expression, but agreed anyway. After waving Bryna goodbye, she skipped back to her mother. With their fingers locked, they disappeared into the shadows.

Lifting the doll over her head, Bryna pivoted in circles. The toy's pigtails bounced while it twirled. Bryna wished she could tie braids like hers. Then she figured, why not? The regret of not buying the doll earlier hurt so much, she resolved never to experience it again. If she needed to destroy expectations, so be it. Carrying the doll by the hand, Bryna skipped toward home.

Soon, Bryna reached her front door. Her mother arrived to grant her entry. When she glimpsed Bryna’s doll, she rolled her eyes. "Darling, a warrior doesn’t need garbage like that.”

"I'm not going to be a warrior." Bryna shook her head. "From now on, I shall walk the path I choose." She swung her arms open to illustrate her determination. In the process, she ripped her doll's head off. "Whoops, well, old habits are hard to break.”

Word count: 995