by Lake, Edward
Isabella opened her bag and took out a soothing gel. She climbed onto the bed and rubbed it all over Audrey’s body. “Breath slowly, Miss, and try to relax.” Isabella got in position and watched her closely. “Now...push.”
Audrey began to push, and within minutes, the baby’s head gradually came out. She was sweating like crazy, and her eyes were bloodshot. She pushed harder and harder until finally releasing the baby completely. Isabella used her sija to cut the umbilical cord, then she wrapped the baby in a cloth and carried it into the bathroom.
I stood up and walked to the bed. Isabella came back moments later and the baby was cleaned up. She went to her bag and pulled out a thick baby blanket. Audrey smiled and reached out to her.
I quickly moved over to Isabella and took the baby. “I’ll take it from here. I’m sure you have more work to do.”
Isabella sadly glanced at Audrey, then looked at me with a forced smile. “Very well, My Ruler.” She gathered her things and hurried into the hall.
I was displeased to see her show compassion toward a servant, but I was in a good mood, so I was willing to let it slide.
I rocked the baby in my arms and gradually looked at Audrey. She was trembling mightily with a dire look in her eyes.
“Soldiers, take this infant to the preservation camp.”
Audrey tried to get up but she was too weak. “No! Please!” She moved about a foot and slumped over on the bed.
A soldier walked into the room and took the newborn.
I turned and headed out. “And kill this servant. She was not permitted to speak.” As I marched down the hall, I could hear Audrey screaming at me in the background.
“One day, Emily! One day, someone will make you pay for this savagery!”
I heard the buzzing sound of a laser, and right after, a quick blast echoed through the hallway.
That night, I arrived at the preservation camp in our region to check on the infants. To assist the caregivers, I had ordered every available citizen and soldier in our region to help nurture them.
To be reasonable, I had created a rotation system that would allow the participants to have a lengthy break between their days of providing assistance.
The preservation camp was a long, wide building with six floors. I walked through the main entrance and went into the massive room on the first floor. Giedre and Isabella were there with about twenty other caregivers and hundreds of helpers.
From my view, there appeared to be well over a thousand newborns on this floor. I walked over to Giedre and stood beside her as she looked over an infant. “Hello, Giedre. How are they doing?”
She smiled. “Excellent, My Ruler.” She took out a wooden bottle and fed the infant.
The insistent crying was giving me a headache. I quickly moved along and found Isabella. She was feeding a baby, too. I walked up to her and smiled.
She turned to me and did a bow. “Hello, Great Emily.”
I studied her carefully as she went on with her task. “How are you feeling, Isabella?”
She sighed. “A little overwhelmed.”
I nodded. “I understand. It’s been a long day—for all of us.” I got a little closer and gave her a smile. “Listen, why don’t you and Juozas stop by and have dinner with me when you’re finished here. I understand you two are an item now.”
She beamed. “I would like that.”
“Excellent.” I walked to a cart and grabbed a bottle. “In the meantime—I will lend a helping hand.” I moved to the newborn across from Isabella and fed it the formula. As I carried on, I couldn’t help but pause and grasp the magnificence of my plan. “Isn’t it amazing, Isabella?”
She blinked and gave me a confused look. “Forgive me, My Ruler. I do not understand.”
I smiled as I looked around the room. “Take a moment to appreciate this. Just look at them, Isabella, and feel the tremendous supremacy of our kind. You see, these infants will be raised with no knowledge of human history. They will be trained to believe that being servants and slaves is their purpose in life, and when they are ready, we will kill their parents. As a result, human history will be lost forever. A new history of servitude will begin—and our way of life will be preserved.”
Chapter 33: Juozas
I put on one of my best outfits and headed downstairs to the dining hall. I saw Mother sitting at the table and walked over to her. I stood beside her and smugly glanced at my fashionable attire. “Hello, Mother. How do I look?”
She leaned back and looked me up and down. “Very nice, Dear.”
I smiled and took a seat. “Isabella is on her way.” Before I could go on, I saw a servant roll a cart into the room. I recognized her, but Audrey was Mother’s primary servant, and I couldn’t remember the last time she hadn’t served her at dinner. I watched carefully as she came forward. “Has Audrey been relieved this evening?”
Mother chuckled. “No. She’s been relieved for good.”
My heart rumbled. No, not Audrey. She was such a nice woman. On the outside, I held back my true feelings and smiled at Mother. “It was a good riddance, too.”
She smiled back with a wicked look in her eyes.
Audrey, I wish I could have saved you.
Moments later, I got a message on my sija from Isabella, telling me she had just arrived. She came into the dining hall shortly after, wearing a lovely blue dress.
Mother and I stood up.
“Hello, Isabella. Welcome to our home,” Mother said.
She smiled and gave her a bow. “Hello, My Ruler. Thank you for having me.”
Mother returned a smile and held her hand out. “Please, have a seat.”
Later on, after eating, Mother had the servant bring us a drink she called wine. She explained that it was derived from a plant on Earth called grapes.
Isabella and I tried it at the same time. It had a bitter-sweet taste that was actually quite pleasant.
I glanced at Mother, nodding. “I like it.”
Isabella beamed and patted her lips. “Yes. It’s delightful.”
Mother raised her cup to us. “I knew you would enjoy it.” Then she pulled it back and took a swig. When she set it down, she leaned back and folded her hands in her lap. “You two are an adorable couple.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Mother.”
“I am honored by your approval, Great Emily.”
Mother released a soft, cheery giggle. “Tell me, Isabella. How did you meet Juozas?”
I playfully tried to cover her mouth. “No. Please don’t.”
She laughed and pulled my hand down.
Mother leaned forward and put her elbows on the table. “Go on, Sweetheart.”
Isabella started off with a teasing stare at me, blinking her eyes. “Well, Juozas wasn’t feeling well.”
I quickly covered my face.
“So he came to the academy for a checkup. After examining his blood, I found qwze in his system.”
I uncovered my face and let out a long exhale.
Mother crossed her arms. “Juozas. You promised me.”
“Forgive me, Your Greatness. I swear it won’t happen again. Especially after Isabella explained to me the damaging effects of further usage.”
Mother smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. But the real moral of this story is: everything happens for a reason.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What do you mean?”
“If you had never used qwze, you would never have met Isabella.”
I grinned and nodded. “That’s true.” I looked at Isabella and put my hand over hers. “That was the finest rule I ever defied.”
That is, until we remove you from power, Mother.
The next day, Isabella and I went for a walk through the forest. The sun was just coming down when we came upon a small, grassy meadow. We decided to stop there and found a spot at the center of the field.
I was wearing my regular soldier outfit, and Isabella had on a beige, loose-fitting dress. We cuddled and lay back in the grass. I reached dow
n and pulled her dress up. Then slowly and firmly, I slid my hand between her legs.
She closed her eyes and moaned. “Juozas.”
I gently leaned my head against hers and sniffed the fresh scent of her hair. “I love you.”
Isabella turned and crawled on top of me.
I smiled as she gradually rubbed my bare chest. “You will be a great Ruler one day.”
She bent down with a smile and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around her and rolled on top. Isabella reached down and undid my belt. She carefully pulled it off and threw it to the side. I kicked my boots off and rose to my knees. Feeling slightly self-conscious, we watched each other get completely naked.
I dropped back down and brushed Isabella’s hair. “I can’t live without you.”
She put her hand on my cheek and gave me the most arousing stare. “I’ll always be yours.”
I got in position and went inside. Isabella grabbed my back and closed her eyes. A cool breeze whooshed over us as we carried on, making the sensation even greater. Then, when the sun finally set, I climaxed and released a deep, long sigh. Isabella groaned and opened her eyes. I climbed off and we got face to face. Our bodies were sweaty, and we had dirt and grass stuck to our skin.
I rested my hand on Isabella’s hip, and she did the same to my side. I couldn’t help but smile as we stared at each other. “You’re the most beautiful creature in the universe.”
She blushed and chuckled. “And you the most handsome.”
Adoringly, I took her hand. “But more important is our quest to make the universe a better place for all. And if not for you, Isabella—I wouldn’t have the strength to carry on.”
She smiled, and her eyes got teary. “Your faith in me warms my heart.”
We paused for a moment and shared a peaceful silence. Then I cleared my throat and shyly looked at her. “I want to sing you a song.”
Isabella’s face burst into excitement. “Really?”
“Yeah. But I’m not very good, so don’t laugh.”
She laughed. “Your bashfulness is adorable.”
I playfully grumbled. “But you’ve already laughed. Now I can’t do it.”
Isabella rubbed my side. “Come on, let me hear it.”
I exhaled. “All right. It’s called, ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’.” I took a moment to remember the pattern of the humming melody the slave had sung. When I got it down in my head, I hummed it to Isabella.
Finally, I began, and sang about the river and the tent. Right away, Isabella’s eyes grew wide with glee. As I went on, I slightly moved my head with the words and ended with that powerful phrase: “A change is gonna come.”
At the end of the song, I took a deep breath and smiled. “So, did you like it?”
Isabella stared at me in awe. “That was stunning. I’ve never heard anything like that.”
“Yes. It’s truly amazing.”
“Where did you learn it?”
“From a slave. He told me it was sung by someone named Sam Cooke—at a time on Earth called nineteen-sixty-three.”
Isabella sadly shook her head. “I will hail the day when the slaves are free.”
I strengthened our grip and released a solemn groan. “As will I.”
Chapter 34: Emily
I was in Europe to visit a dying Mamluk named Petras. After reading the report on the way over, I learned that he was one of the oldest Mamluks in our society. When I arrived at his building, a soldier guided me to his room. Petras was lying on his bed with a caregiver sitting beside him. I walked to the bed and stood over him.
Struggling to move his head, he looked at me and smiled. “Great Emily, I am privileged to see you in my final moments.”
I bent down and touched his hand, feeling his sandpaper-like skin. “I wish I had met you under better circumstances, Petras.”
He began to cough as he gently took my hand. “As do I. Still, with this gesture, I can die at peace.” His eyes flickered and his hand slipped down. Then he breathed out for the last time and slowly died.
I stood up straight and released a single, slow-moving tear. Everyone looked on for a moment, then I wiped my eye and turned toward the entryway. “Prepare the community for the ceremony.”
Later on that day, when the sun began to set, we took Petras’ body to a building located near the Black Sea. I waited inside as soldiers and citizens flew in from all over and formed long, parallel lines that led to the shore.
It was foggy outside, and from afar, I could hear the water slush with the wind. Then, when everyone was set, we removed Petras’ clothes and a soldier carried him outside. First, I walked down the line and met his mate at the shoreline. Her name was Ona. She had long gray hair with a few wrinkles on her face and a hunchback. I kindly took her hand and stood next to her. We looked down the line and watched as the soldier carried Petras to the water.
I cried again and exhaled deeply. Then, when the soldier got to the shore, he bent down and gently placed Petras in the water. All at once, everyone turned and faced the sea. I walked forward with Ona, and the soldier moved aside and kneeled.
I strongly gripped her hand and held my other hand out toward the sea. “Petras, our dear friend. Become one with the planet Earth. Fly with the sea. Let your soul escape the flesh and return to the source.”
I let go of Ona and stepped back. She kneeled in the water and watched Petras float away. We stayed there until we couldn’t see his body anymore. Finally, Ona rose and turned to me. She took my hand and I carefully led her down the line.
“I cherish your grace, My Ruler.”
Even as the leader of our society, I was humbled by such praise. “It has been an honor to be with you during this difficult time, Ona.”
When we got to the end of the line, I said goodbye and had a soldier take her home. Then I turned to the crowd and waved before heading to my ship. They all dropped down to a knee and bowed their heads as I left.
Farewell, My People.
I stayed in Europe for the night and enjoyed the scenery of this part of the world. I hadn’t been since a trip I had taken for school when I was in the seventh grade. Then, in the morning, I flew back to my region and headed to the security room to meet with Juozas. Apparently, he had some important information he wanted to discuss with me.
I arrived and found him looking over the holographic monitors. “Hello, My Champion.” He turned and gave me a bow as I came forward. “What’s going on?”
Juozas went back to the monitors. “A few days ago I detained a group of slaves and returned then to their duties. During the apprehension, I learned some troubling information.”
I listened carefully as he carried on.
“It appears the runaway slaves have been migrating to the northern ice lands.” Juozas pressed a button on his sija that made the screen zoom in on a snowy terrain. I watched closely and saw a group of ships scanning the area. “As you can see I’ve already sent a team of soldiers to the region. However, this situation is extremely critical to our safety. I wanted to inform you that I will be joining them to seek out any runaways.”
I glanced at Juozas and nodded. “That seems like the best thing to do. Who knows how long this has been going on? There could be hundreds, if not thousands of slaves up there by now.”
“Exactly, Mother.” Juozas quickly put the screen back to normal view and moved to the entry. “I will return as soon as possible.”
I looked at him and flashed a smile. “Very well, My Champion.”
He gave me a quick nod and headed into the hallway. I waited a moment and listened to him walk away. When the hall was silent, I looked at the screen and watched the ships again, even more intently than before. They were all moving in the same direction, at the same speed. It seemed a little odd, and it made me wonder if Juozas was trying to fool me.
I lifted my sija and sent a private message to London that read, “Come to my building at once and meet me in the conference room.”
He responded within seconds.
“Right away, My Ruler.”
I marched out of the security room and headed to the conference room. When I got to the stairs, I found Mr. Buttons sitting on the first step. He was holding a leaf in his tiny yet chubby fingers and nibbling on it like a rabbit, looking ahead with a blank stare. I smiled and picked him up. “There’s my sweet baby.” I hugged him close and rubbed my nose against his furry head. “Come on; let’s go see what Juozas is up to.”
At the conference room, London arrived promptly and gave me a bow as he came forward. I was sitting at the table, leaning back in my chair with Mr. Buttons in my lap, reading Juozas’s report about the northern ice lands.
“Welcome, London.”
He stood tall and held his hands behind his back. “Great Emily.”
It was a pleasure to see how much he had grown. Unlike Juozas, he had been totally committed to the Mamluk way of life from day one. Secretly, I was jealous of his mother Bridget. She had raised him the right way. Now, I wished that I had done the same with Juozas.
I closed the report and started petting Mr. Buttons. “Have you read Juozas’s report on the North?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Does any of it seem strange to you?”
London gave me a sly look and stepped forward. “Actually, My Ruler, it does.” He stopped in front of the table. “I sent a memo to the ships in the north, asking for an update, and...none of them responded.”
I nodded. “That was a good idea. Did Juozas have anything to say about this?”
London shook his head. “No. I haven’t asked him about it yet.”
“Good. I don’t want you to. In fact, send a private message to all the soldiers on Earth. Tell them to stay out of it and let Juozas handle it.”
He smiled. “You wish to assess his dealings.”
“Yes. And I want you to spy on him.”
His eyes intensified. “I would be honored to take on such an assignment.”
I smiled. “I know you won’t disappoint me.”
London’s face reddened with excitement as he bowed his head. “Certainly not, Great Emily.”
