“How old are you, my lord?” asked Beral looking again at Prince Pantherus, smiling.
“Fourteen, Empress,” replied Pantherus slowly.
Beral very slowly, as not to startle the boy and possibly receive an injury, reached up and touched his face. “It’s alright, you’re family.” The youth, despite himself, smiled and blushed. Just like I said earlier, thought the empress. Young males always respond well to kindness and gentle females. Turning again to his father she said, “Come kinsman, let’s get you and your people settled into your accommodations. You too handsome,” she said, giving the young prince a wink. The boy’s mouth split into a grin, but just as quickly he closed his mouth and looked apologetically at the empress who giggled. She knew this was a genuine grin of humor, despite the fearsome teeth. The boy didn’t mean to threaten her. But in his country, showing one’s teeth to people unfamiliar to you would be seen correctly as a warning or threat and would be wisely heeded. “It’s alright, prince, I well know the difference between a smile and a threat. Now please, come along. You must be tired.”
In Barrat there were no teleportation devices, and deliberately so. These people must have traveled at least to the neighboring kingdom’s borders by conventional means and taken more sophisticated transport from there. Beral shuddered. The sight of these Barattian warriors must have had the women in the various towns along the way petrified! Indeed, if it were not for the women and children in their retinue they would probably been marked as a war party and confronted on sight.
As soon as word had been received that King Roc was in the palace with his party, the servants immediately began scrambling to have his accommodations in readiness. The empress and her consort expressed their apologies again along with Queen Tana and left along with their guards and other retainers. King Roc looked at his son and grinned. “She won you over, eh? I’m not surprised. She is one juicy package isn’t she?”
The prince became defensive. “Well…I…I believe that she was telling the truth, Father! It is true that she is beautiful, but I truly believe that she was as clueless as her mate about our circumstances!”
His father chuckled, “It’s alright boy. I believed her too. Hmmm, those are some BIG ones aren’t they?” The prince blushed red. “I swear! If she was taller and slimmer she wouldn’t be able to stand upright! Heh!”
King Roc’s mate was not amused. “Honey, that’s enough! They’re not that big!”
“They’re pretty big, Mother,” said Prince Pantherus seriously. “Although they look good on her, I’d prefer a woman that was a bit smaller. I suppose (chuckle) Lord Talos isn’t complaining though!”
“That’s enough, my son,” said Roc looking at his fuming mate. “Ayala, please set our temporary house to order, I would speak to our son privately.” Angrily the woman began giving commands to the female and human retainers.
A Bellasarian servant who had come to ask if anything was needed for their comfort, but stood at the open door before announcing himself, noticed that not one male mutant was addressed or moved to lift a single finger with the work. “Please excuse the intrusion, Your Highness,” said the man. “The door was open.”
“It’s alright,” said Lady Ayala. “And please do not refer to me as, ‘Your Highness’. I am no more a queen than Lord Talos is an emperor.”
“I understand, my lady,” said the servant. He was at first surprised to hear this, but then thinking about it he realized it really was the same, but in reverse. “Your title is consort, then?”
“Yes, I suppose so. But Barratian Kings generally refer to their women as their mates, with no ranking title beyond that.”
“I…see. I shall announce you as ‘Lady Ayala, the king’s consort’,” said the man smiling. Lady Ayala smiled in gratitude at this. “I am called David,” said the man, now remembering to introduce himself, “is there anything you require here, Lady Ayala?”
“No. But thank you.” Then she made a curious expression and leaning forward sniffed David. “You’re a mutant?!” she exclaimed in surprise. Several of the Barratian warriors looked at the man and then the woman. “My Lord David, thank you again, but please…next time send either a woman or a male human to see to our needs. The servant looked confused. “Mutant men do not cater to or take orders from women in Barrat,” she said quickly to the servant. “My lord might take this as a slight to his honor, or worse, a show for his benefit that women rule men here…even mutants.”
“I…I see, my lady!” said the man in shock. “I will promptly have an appropriate person under me to take care of your needs.” And with that the man bowed (much to the disgust of the male Barratians) and left. The Lady Ayala sighed. Her great grandmother had told her of the time when women ruled in the land that would one day bear the name of the man who liberated it, or, to be more precise, the man who liberated the men. She remembered that there was tears in her eyes as she spoke of the love of Barrat and Queen Maya and of the people who destroyed what might have been and set them at each other’s throats, ultimately leading to the society that exists today. The fools! Because of their stupidity and twisted desire to dominate they lost everything. Some of them even lost their lives, and doomed the rest of us to almost slavery for years! Things had improved though for the women in Barrat, but slowly. With a silent prayer, she hoped that greater ties to the empire would change that, so did Empress Beral III. However, Ayala’s own husband was even now proving that earning the Barratians trust wouldn’t be easy.
******
“My son,” said King Roc to the prince, “be wary while we are here in the capital.”
“I don’t understand,” said Prince Pantherus. “I have heard that the men of these lands are formidable opponents, but they are dogs to their women. Besides, Empress Beral said you and she were like siblings when you stayed here some years ago.”
“Indeed we were, my son. But she wasn’t empress then.” King Roc smiled as he thought fondly of those days. “Lord Talos and I were as brothers! Heh! Strong bastard! Do you know we fought a grueling match for almost an hour? I was completely exhausted afterwards.”
“Wow, he must be very strong if it took you an hour to overcome him!” gasped Pantherus in awe.
“I didn’t beat him,” said Roc.
“You lost?!?” cried Pantherus in disbelief.
“No,” said the king with a chuckle. “It was a draw.” The prince was speechless. He couldn’t imagine anyone strong enough to fight his father to a standstill. “I have to admit though, I was in a pretty bad way towards the end and might have lost if the then ‘Princess Beral’ hadn’t become impatient and called the match, HAHAHAHAH!”
“Well it had dragged on for an hour,” said Pantherus, totally clueless to his father’s meaning. “So, Lord Talos is stronger than you?”
“I was just a kid back then,” said Roc, wiping his eyes, “but enough of that. Women are dangerous,” said the king becoming serious again, “and in many ways, my son. What they lack in strength they make up for with cunning and vindictiveness. They are fickle and not to be trusted. Your own ancestor learned the hard way exactly what they are capable of and the extent they are willing to go to hurt men once angered or unable to have their way. I would suggest you keep your mind and eyes off your cousin’s big tits, pretty face and ample curves and be more mindful of other things, like her body language and her eyes when she speaks. Also, like all who take the throne, she is a high level telepath, so keep your mental shield up! Physically she is VERY strong and well-trained in the ways of battle, so do not underestimate her in that area either.” The prince nodded. In Barrat, women hadn’t been allowed to bear arms or learn their use since the ‘Women’s War’ when they revolted during the reign of his grandfather and the Bellasarian invasion. But mutant women were still potentially dangerous, armed or unarmed, and the women of the Illyrian royal family were famed warriors even in Barrat.
“Do you really
think the empress would do something rash, Father?” said Pantherus. “She seems so…honorable.”
Roc nodded and said, “Empress Beral III is good, my son. But you would be wise to remember the story of your ancestor, King Barrat and Queen Maya of Mavie.” The prince frowned and nodded in understanding. “Remember, the very fact that there were those who plotted to keep us from this meeting even to the extent of lying to their own queens proves that we have enemies among the other nobles and their vassals. History repeats for those who forget the past.”
******
Hylos, the Hidden City of the Elders
“Sister, King Roc of Barrat has arrived at Illia with his mate Lady Ayala and son, Prince Pantherus.” The Lady Gorgo watched as Bellasaris seemed to stare into space.
Bellasaris shook her head sadly and said, “Barrat.”
“Sister?” said Gorgo.
“What a magnificent boy,” said Bellasaris. “He was so much like him. If only…”
“The empress is taking steps to make a change in that land, Sister,” said Gorgo. “Her daughter, your namesake, has already set her sights on the younger son of King Roc. Beral plans to use this and kill two birds with one stone. If a mating of the two does come off…”
“Let’s hope for the best,” said Bellasaris. “The Barratians have become very intimidating neighbors. Although technically now part of the empire, they are still largely autonomous. Humph! Not only do they have some of the most skilled and ferocious warriors’ in the known realm, but their mountainous domain and its surrounding forest is a natural stronghold and perfect for guerrilla warfare. The Mavie can tell you that! We can’t leave this as it is.”
“You mean what’s left of the Mavie,” said Gorgo.
“They have repented, Sister,” said Bellasaris sadly. “Oh how they have wallowed in regret for these past few generations. I was lucky in some respects, but I should have foreseen that woman becoming trouble down the line somewhere. It is as the saying goes, ‘It is through error that wisdom is born’. Fortunately, fate can be merciful, if only a little.”
Gorgo nodded and said, “The union was successful.”
“Yes,” said Bellasaris. “It finally brought peace and a little better life for the women on the other side…for a while, but more needs to be done. Humph! There would not be as much to do if those crazy bitches didn’t keep fucking everything up! I want that realm and its warriors and I will have them! Beral III also sees the value of the Barratians. It may take a century, maybe less, but I’m certain that the ways of Barrat will return to the conventional Bellasarian way. Not completely of course, but close.” Gorgo nodded and left the room. Bellasaris’s thoughts moved back more than a thousand years ago when her daughter, Beral I was queen of Illyria and that woman tried again to persuade her the way she could never move her mother.
******
“No.”
“But, Your Highness,” begged Mavie, “what I propose would be for the good of the empire and especially our women.”
“Our women are happy,” said Queen Beral. “Our men are happy. Your ideas are flawed and unnecessary. My mother and the senior council opposed you in the past, why would I support this ridiculous notion now?”
“Queen Beral,” said Mavie, “men…many men are quite impossible and potentially dangerous to our freedom. What I propose is not total separation, like some have in the past, but just a few changes in the social order to make sure we don’t end up on our knees again.”
“The only troubles we’ve ever had with our men,” said Beral, “mutants that is, have always been because of the outsiders coming into our lands filling their heads with nonsense. You know, like their religions, politics and their own social ideas of what women can and can’t do and where women belong! And NOW, thank the creator, they are all moving to the new nation of Akkadia to be with their own kind and do as they please. Humph! Good riddance!”
“Are you forgetting the Tarrack War and how women and girls were raped and forced into bondage by him and his warriors?” said Mavie. “They were Bellasarians and…”
“He was from Earth!” snapped Beral with impatience. “He was an Earthborn mutant who convinced many gullible fools to follow him and forced many others out of fear! As I said, the trouble began with an outsider! And who do you think put a stop to that animal, huh? It was my brother, King Harold. When the forest mutants made him king did he stick with Tarrack’s ways and continue to suppress the women, or did he immediately return the people to the old system that everyone else uses? Actually, he even improved it. There was and still is grumbling among some men as to why women are only allowed to rule in many Bellasarian states, which is why we had an increase in demands for a mixed gender council over the last few centuries. If I were to stupidly approve any part of this nonsense…”
“Highness,” Mavie persisted, “it is true that the men of your clan are exceptional, but I see them as just that…the exceptions! These demands are exactly what I’m talking about. We need insurance!”
“Why would the men willingly allow themselves to be put under our heel?” asked the queen dryly.
“That’s just it, my queen,” said Mavie excitedly, “what I propose will be implemented slowly, a little bit at a time. The men will never realize anything of great change right away. And by the time the new order is complete, they will have become used to the way things are and accept it.”
“You are a fool,” said Beral, “no, worse than a fool. Your scheme would fail if I was crazy enough to allow you to try it. And it might unleash the very thing you dread so much once the men realized what was happening! Where do you fools keep popping up from?! Would you enslave your own father?”
“I have no father!” said the woman proudly. “I was sired by a female shapeshifter who is mated to my mother!”
“Oh, you’re one of those,” said Beral rolling her eyes, “I should have known. Look, your other mother STILL had to take the shape of a man to make you, so, technically you do have a father!”
“She took that disgusting male form to procreate…that’s all,” snapped Mavie proudly.
“Lady Mavie,” said Beral in exasperation, “this conversation is starting to stray into something else. The answer is NO. You may leave!” Lady Mavie stormed out of the audience chamber with her followers. Watching and listening from another chamber was Cato and Bellasaris.
“That loony will be trouble,” said Cato to Bellasaris, “this Mavie hates men with a passion. What makes it worse is that it’s an inherited hate. Butch and others we’ve known and had to deal with could be understood. They had been sex slaves to the humans, and were abused by their men in ways that made them what they were. But this fool is only following teachings that have been instilled in her by people who weren’t even born at that time! Did you see how proud she was when she said she had no father? I smell trouble from that one.”
Bellasaris shook her head. “Women were not the only ones who suffered in that way, my love. You of all people should know that. And it wasn’t just the human men who were using and abusing the mutant women either. Yet rather than hate all humans, which I could understand, they choose to hate only the men, and not just the human men…ALL men. This proves that these people, and their male counterparts, were sick to begin with and the situation just gave them an excuse! Still, without support by our daughter, Lady Mavie can do nothing within the empire. And if she leaves to go establish herself and the rest of her reversed lot somewhere else they will be extinct or near extinct in perhaps a generation or two. It was only by luck that she was born female, no matter the true gender of the mutant that sired her. Indeed, it was luck that she was even conceived at all. Only one in fifty shapeshifters can cross gender shift and only a portion of them can actually sire or conceive in the temporary gender’s form. Hah! For males, it isn’t even temporary anymore after conceiving as a woman usually. They’re stuck! Many of her followers have
birthed male mutelings. I hear that some of these fanatics have given away their male young, but others will not be so eager to abandon their own offspring, male or not. No. I believe we need do nothing about her.”
As Lady Mavie left the building her lover seemed worried. “Honey, let it go. After all, we can live as we please. And with my ability to shape-shift, and hopefully sire young, we can even officially marry. Be patient.”
“No. I’m certain that my idea is the best way to go,” replied Mavie. “You’ll see, and so will the rest. I intend to move out to the unknown lands beyond the forest kingdom and put my plan to work. As a noble of Illyria, those barbarians out there will accept me because of my lineage and status. And then…with time, Queen Beral or one of her successors will see the fruit of my labor and we’ll see who was right! Are you with me?” The other woman nodded, along with the rest. “Remember, we’ll go slowly. We’ll make suggestions and changes gradually. The women there will eventually line up behind us. And the men…Well, by the time they realize what is going on it will be too late, if they realize anything. The younger generation will be clueless citizens. The older generation will…” Mavie grinned and said no more.
******
If I had only done something then, thought Bellasaris. But then she sighed and shook her head. Mavie hadn’t committed any crimes or acts of sedition. She even forwarded her proposal properly to the queen before the council. What could she have done? Others had taken followers and set off to unsettled areas before, some like the Melmorians and Tabonese had founded great nations. But they never crossed major lines as far as Bellasarian social order went and none whatsoever based on gender alone. Well, beating one’s self up over it now was pointless. Besides, in one way she did some service to the empire. Everyone who had weird ideas about the status of others of the opposite sex and the existing system (yes there was such among the men too) learned a valuable lesson from her folly.
The Mutant World Page 9
