Resolution

by Douglas E Roff

  “Our clan. I shall merge my clan into yours and require you to be headman. We journey in one-month time to your homeland. I will call on my wife daily until then. Ready your men for the journey home. We will have much to discuss.”

  “Husband,” a voice called out. “Is it not time to hunt?”

  “Again?”

  “If you are too tired or too old, I will understand.”

  “You are a horrible and selfish mate.”

  “Yes, I know. Now hurry before I am death’s doorstep. I crave … sustenance. And sport.”

  Chapter 18

  Adam was alone in his Study after returning from his mysterious trip into the wilds of Kenya. He had accompanied Nie and his men to their homeland, ostensibly to unite the clans of Africa who had gathered to meet and challenge the Manti. While many clans of the Wildmen had met and sworn allegiance to the Human, there were many that could not conceive of such devotion. The clans felt no hostility towards humans, except for their occasional encroachment on Gens territories, and paid their fellow mammals little mind.

  Niela was anxious to get home to see her mother and brothers again. Though a warrior Princess, she did not stray far from home. She knew her lands and loved every tree, river, and valley in it. As a part of her mating price, she exacted a promise from her mate, who she now called husband in the human fashion, that upon the death of Paulo and the remaking of the world, all encroachment in Africa would be halted. Humans would stop their advance on nature, destroying everything in their path. He assented and promised he would do her bidding if she would help him with the rest of the undeveloped world. She had no idea what Asia, Central and South America were, nor the vast wilds of Canada, Russia, and Australia.

  “There will be ten lifetimes of work to do, and I have but months to live. I will depend on you and our unborn children to carry on my legacy. Will you honor me with your oath?”

  “I will honor you with my oath and our children. Your legacy will survive among my people and this earth.”

  Niela nestled her face in her husband’s immense chest, wrapping her arms around him. Adam now travelled as a Gens but was cloaked in purple as befitting his station. So too was Niela, though her affinity for clothing was nil. Along the paths unseen by humans of the dense forests came the Wildmen to bow to the Manti, whose reputation had preceded him. The conquest of Niela, body and soul, was apparent to all who spent time with them. She could not bear his absence, and even when he was in council and she was not invited; she would not be away from his side even if it meant occasionally baring her teeth to make her point.

  Love, that strange human emotion, had captured her heart and she vacillated between giving in to her desires and her need to be strong and independent. She spoke to Adam, the Manti who counselled that she should be both. Fierce to the world outside their camp, strong and confidant; even challenging her mate on matters of state.

  “But between us, only tenderness and love. I am your world and you mine. How may I seal our love?”

  Niela smiled. “We are alone?”

  “Again?”

  “Come old man, I wish to show you something new. I have need of your storied skills to decide which are boasting and myth invented by you, and which are fact. Come, I have designs on you and we have need to be alone. I have been practicing every day; my human body is still frail, but can be useful when put to task.”

  “Practicing? Practicing what?”

  “Becoming your warrior wife. In frail human form. What do you think?”

  Niela transformed into the essence of the toned, beautiful, muscled Black Warrior Princess of the Ancient Wildmen. To Adam, she was perfect in every way, her beauty breathtaking, her physical form that of a goddess.

  “Am I pleasing to your human eye? I know nothing of your desires in human form. And I know nothing of your human arts of coupling. Is it violent? Must I fight you?”

  “No, my love. It is not violent. Not always, anyway. And you need not fight; I love you and this is our time to be gentle and loving. But if your instincts tell you to set free your inner aggression, I will happily enjoy that too. Now come to me and let us delight in one another.”

  ***

  Adam was still thinking of his wild mate when Hecate appeared. “You have visitors.”

  “If it’s Akira and Tar, our appointment is in an hour. I will join them then.”

  “You seem distracted. Daydreaming of her?”

  “If you must know, yes. Were you spying on me again?”

  “It is my duty. And, Fionna, and Niona were along with me too. We quite enjoyed the entire journey. She is magnificent. The sisters would like to meet her, and her people. The warrior in them make our Immortals wet with primal desire from observing such fierce creatures; they cannot but admire the animal forces at play. I too would like to meet Niela. She seems … interesting.”

  “I shall invite my spies along next time. Niona will have to explain to our hosts that her Sari is not meant for them. Now, who is here to visit?”

  “Alana and Hannah. They never left and beg to speak to you.”

  Adam was displeased. His mood was suddenly dark. “What more have they to say that remains unsaid?”

  “Perhaps you should ask them,” Hecate said curtly. She disappeared; the doors opened, admitting two women who approached Adam slowly and tentatively. There was no hint of remorse or regret in their faces; neither was there in Adam’s. Defiance filled the room.

  “What?”

  Alana said, “I have decided I will not leave, either Paraiso or my children. This command of yours has no meaning, and I will not be ordered about due a fit of pique by my husband.”

  “Ex.”

  “Delude yourself Adam all you want; I am a mother to your children and not your chattel to be shuffled about. I will stay in my home with our daughter and keep working. Your permission is not required. Your time with your family, however, is. Do not abandon them.”

  “Your tone threatens with emptiness. I see all my children every; I don’t need your admonition to be their father. And your presence only hinders what family means.”

  “Don’t be absurd, your highness. You’re an idiot with bad instincts.”

  “And you think yourself beyond reproach. Your vision is clouded by some emotion I do not understand, as if you have never done anything wrong. You miss the big picture and have reduced our relationship to just us.”

  “You’re arrogant and blinded by your own pride. It will be your downfall. You will drive away everyone who loves you because you believe you are always right.”

  “Perhaps so, but I can say one thing with certainty: you do not bear my wounds or burdens. You have not been stung by betrayal or felt the weight of the decisions that are painful to make. You have sat quietly on the sidelines watching; this was always what I desired for you as mate. I had this same conversation with Misti, who never understood what I tried to do for her; to keep the stains of murder and death away from her soul. I have borne these burdens willingly. And what was your response? Order me to hurt another that I love. You are first and foremost in my love; everyone knew and accepted that. But I could not abide your cruelty toward Niona, and would not abandon my responsibility to her, her sister, or the world. My time is short; I will not abandon anyone. If you require otherwise, then I feel nothing but sadness for you. That darkness, I cannot share. Stay with my blessing, but unless you find it in your heart to move back from the precipice of your own making, do not infect me or others with your madness.”

  Adam turned to his other angry wife, “That leaves you Hannah; I thought you had decided to return home.”

  “I have nothing to say to you other than I will not leave my wife. Not for you and not for anything in this world. I have earned the right to decide matters for myself; if you feel otherwise, too bad. I am committed to our project and it is not for you to dictate whether I shall leave or stay. I have work to do, and if this troubles you, stay away from me.”

  “Thank you both for
visiting. Now if you have nothing more, please leave.”

  Alana said, bitterly, “You’ve replaced us already. That didn’t take long.”

  “If you weren’t so bitter and small, you would see there is much more to do beyond killing Paulo. We have an immense mountain to climb before I kill him, then an insurmountable mountain ahead before I die. Alliances must be forged. There is only one way to insure fidelity of purpose and commitment. That you cannot see what is important is beyond my capacity to understand. We, none of us matters. Only our work and the future of this planet. Am I wise? No, but I know what lays ahead. I wish you were my rock, as you once were. But you are sand. If you saw what I see, I would welcome you back and love you as before. But while you are infected with anger and hate, please stay away. I will honor you space. Please honor mine.”

  ***

  Alana and Hannah walked slowly through the City of light, each putting off their return home. Alana’s home was dreadfully quiet without Adam playing with the kids and his other offspring visiting each evening. She missed him and his laughter, his joy at being surround by his tribe, and the warmth of his touch each night when all was quiet, and he was just hers. How had this gone so wrong; why had she been so cross with the man she loved? She wished she had been right; her anger was directed at Niona for almost killing Adam. He had forgiven her; why could Alana not do the same?

  She turned to Hannah. “What should I do, Hannah? I feel weak, unable to maintain my anger and darkness. I miss him so much, I feel like I can’t breathe much longer without him back in my arms again. But how do I repair this mess. How do I ever get back to my old life when I loved him, and he couldn’t live without me? If Misti were here, this never would have happened.”

  Hannah said, “To be truthful, I don’t even remember why I quarreled with him. Except that I did and now wish I hadn’t.”

  The ladies were seated on a bend at a lovely fork in the road, a beautiful tree spreading out above them, moonlight shining through the atrium. There were a million stars in the sky that evening, like every evening, and the crisp air was soothing. As they sat in silence, a hooded figure approached. She stood in front of the ladies, in silence.

  “May we help you?”

  “The figure said, “No, the question is how may I help you?”

  Misti St. James pealed back her hood and extended her arms to Hannah and Alana.

  “Apparently I have a medical emergency to address.”

  The ladies leaped up and surrounded their diminutive friend weeping with joy.

  “Will you stay? Stay for a while? We’re falling apart without your presence in our lives. Adam hates us, and we need you here to set things right.”

  “Adam doesn’t hate you; he loves you. He is dying inside from the pain this rift has caused. We must stop this foolishness and return to honestly sharing how we feel, no matter what resentment and slights we have felt. Then, when argument is finished and decisions made, accept and let go of residual bitterness. None of us, even him, have a corner on wisdom. But, sometimes our only course is to accept a result and watch what ensues.

  “When did you start thinking he was smart? He’s an idiot. Accept that, and that his pain is real. When he feels that oppressive weight, he isn’t himself. Then he retreats into his world of doubt and fear, not knowing where he should go and what he should do. In that world, he is alone, and his pain becomes too much to bear.”

  “How do …?”

  “How do I know? Our souls are merged; I feel everything he feels. I need only go to the mind room we set aside for communion. I should not have left; I should have seen this coming. He needs all of us now. His time is short, and he is beginning to drift off to obsessing about his date with oblivion. We must do everything in our power to stop Liara. Fionna and Niona are our best bets to keep Adam from the fate she has planned for him. If we are lucky, we can save him.”

  Alana and Hannah looked at each other and said, at the same time, “What do you want us to do?”

  “Follow me. We shall visit the sisters, make amends and forgive each other, bury the past, then lay down the law with Adam.”

  Misti paused.

  “Hecate! Hecate, appear this instant or I shall forbid you union with Marie and Cori.”

  Hecate appeared. “I forgot what a tyrant you were. But I’m so happy you’ve come home. This place is a mess, and we need you back in charge. How can I help, Mistress Grumpy-de-Grump?”

  “Where are Adam and the sisters?”

  “At Adam’s. Playing a board game. How boring.”

  “Probably strip Monopoly. Adam can change any game to the ‘strip’ variety. Honestly, he’s such a perv, but God Bless him, he’s my kind of perv. Go get Cori and meet us at Adam’s. Be quick. There’s no time to waste.”

  “Hannah, go get Vera. She is visiting Beata and her sisters. Drag her if you have to. This is important. Alana, go get the kids. Adam needs to be reminded what this is all about. Where are mine?”

  “With Adam at night, and his parents by day. Kendra comes over most nights now and watches the tykes. She sleeps there most evenings, except date nights.”

  “Anyone special?”

  “Yes. Every young woman over the age of eighteen in Paraiso and Nabataea.”

  Chapter 19

  The knock on the door came as a surprise to Adam and his ladies-in-residence; they were all sitting on the oversize couch watching an episode of some British drama they had been watching for months. They were not expecting visitors. This night was DVR night, binge watching episodes they had missed. Kendra was minding Adam’s three children on the floor making googly eyes and playing nonsense games. The sounds of child laughter reverberated thought the living room, bringing a smile to the two sisters who had little experience with the joy or burdens of child rearing.

  Adam popped up to answer the door. It was Misti, alone, hooded and looking as beautiful as the day they met. Adam was, however taken aback.

  “Well, husband, are you going to invite me in or have I too been banished to along with Hannah and Alana?”

  “No, you are not banished, neither are they. Please come in. I hope you’re staying and not coming back just to nag and lecture me.”

  “I’ll be staying, and I’ll be lecturing, nagging everyone, and giving out stern warnings to all the big children in this room and here in the City. Alana and your daughter are on the way, Hannah and Vera are coming as are Beata and her sisters and your children. I have not invited Noki as she’s the only grownup left in the family, and the Lady Cia and Lady Eene have not chosen to lower themselves to seventh grade. The rest of you, however, including the Immortals present and Cori who has been summoned, have much to answer for. To me. That also includes you, Adam.”

  Kendra asked, “Can I leave before you start punching people?”

  “No. You stay put as this mess concerns you too, though your conduct to date has been exemplary.”

  Adam asked, “Will there be loud shouting and yelling at me?”

  “Maybe. Depends on whether you decide to continue to act like an idiot or are willing to do as you are told. Again, by me.”

  “If I do, will you stay? Like a long time? Until all this is all over? We’ve missed you and it appears without an impartial sheriff in town, there’s total chaos.”

  “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

  “Be nice. You’re not perfect either.”

  “Closer than you, and that’s all that matters. Now, sisters, how are you doing? I hear that there has been some turbulence in the wake of my departure?”

  The front door opened and one by one the other ladies filed in. Alana and Beata had the kids who squealed for their father; Hannah came in quietly. Vera, was visibly happy to see Misti while still angry with Hannah. She hugged Misti and relieved Alana of her baby. They all sat in chairs and sofas dragged into the living room from other parts of the residence.

  “I’m not going to waste any time tonight on pleasantries or try to sugar coat our present state of un
rest. I will say that if you, all of you, don’t wise up, you’re playing right into the hands of Paulo and the Collective. All of you have your petty complaints and slights, including this moron we’re all married to, but all of you have lost sight of what matters; what and why we are all here and the importance of what we are doing.”

  Alana began to speak, “I’m not sure that’s …”

  “Shut up and be quiet. After I’m done if you have something to say, say it to someone who cares. I don’t. I will speak with each of you first, then tell you what we’re going to do. Then we must discuss the run up to the fight, and what we can do after the fight to save Adam’s ass. Hecate, appear now and quit hiding.”

  Hecate appeared. “I’m afraid of you when you’re angry. So is my Master, though he won’t admit it.”

  “Yes, I do admit it. In fact, I think I hear my Mom calling me for dinner. May I leave now?”

  “Sit and behave. Both of you.”

  “Now, I begin with Kendra, who has been silent on all the goings on, and rightfully so. She has stayed close to Adam and the family, but rightly stayed out of this schoolyard drama. I will ask you to come out of the shadows and resume your former duties of minding the man-child. Not the children; their father. You will move in here but maintain your own residence for your free time. I am moving in to your place for the foreseeable future. Any objection?”

  “None. Very happy.”

  “Good. Now Fionna. Just keep doing what you’re doing, but I need an update on the Book, your species, and your Master. And we will talk more soon about your agenda, and that of Niona. This includes your ward, Cori and what I can expect from her. Which, by the way, where is she?”

  “Coming,” she said, just then walking through the door. “Just got word I was needed. I was visiting Marie and Francoise. Lost track of time.”

  “Good. You don’t know me but I’m Misti Alarcon St. James, and I’m here to get back in charge of this mess, including you.”

  “If my Master agrees, I’m yours to command. Otherwise, I only know you from what I have been shown by my sisters and friends. To be clear, I am not presently yours to command.”