Another councilwoman spoke. “I also understand that their governments, well our closest kin there, the Americans, are resisting the clean energy options we’ve introduced. They’re using the need for further testing as an excuse.”
“What?” said Lady Noor. “We are the proof! We’ve been using these methods for centuries! Don’t they care about their own health, their children’s or their planet?!”
“No, all they care about is money and easy solutions to get it!” snapped a woman. “Our energy solutions would put their dirty industries out of business and take away immediate convenience. They also don’t like the idea of giving up plastics and other unhealthy and planet poisoning goods. Indeed, they don’t like the fact that we won’t allow them to import such goods here.”
The empress raised her hand for silence. “Yes, there is much truth in what you say, but let’s take another look at the situation.” The women looked at the empress.
“We’ve wanted to put a stop to the brutal treatment of the Barratian women for a long time now,” said Beral III. The only reason we didn’t make all-out war was because our men would have revolted and many would have fought with the Barratians. The Mavie, who were the cause of all the trouble to begin with, were no longer a problem. But everyone knows that when they were the real power and oppressing the men we did nothing to stop them. Indeed, we even supported them at times in war. Change had come to Barratia under King Roc, but even he would only move so far and the hardliners wouldn’t budge another inch even if he wanted to. Sooner or later, we would no longer be able to turn a blind eye to the Barratians and there would have been war anyway. However, in that case, we’d be up against a unified Barratia and rebellious lords and kings within the empire as well. The death toll and consequences to our society would have been terrible, much worse than now. The Earth people and great summit changed everything.” The women looked at each other.
“That elder, Terrence!” spat a woman in disgust. “Imagine, plotting the murder of his king and hoarding disgusting forbidden weapons!”
“Thanks to the events at the summit,” said the empress, “the Barratian conservatives crossed the line in such a way that we could make total war with the full support of our men. They even exposed the rats in our own barn. We quickly rooted them out and nicely had them all dealt with. They’ll supply no rebels anywhere ever again. Anyway, even the Barratians, many of them at least, joined us. Many of those who didn’t still fought the usurper and his master. Their internal divisions were a blessing for us. As tragic as what happened to my kinsman King Roc and his mate Lady Ayala was, that animal Stragg did us a favor. Ironically, because of that and other developments, the very thing the usurper and his master, Elder Terrence, feared most came to pass. With Roc dead and his sons either taken into other houses or disgraced, the only blood heir to the throne left was Princess Sandra. A woman has now been placed on the Barratian throne and many brutal practices in that country have begun to be abolished.” There was applauds at this.
“Furthermore,” continued the empress, “Queen Bal and the Barratian Prince bonded. Many of her ranking women who came east with her to the summit also found mates among the men here. Peace was achieved with them even before Roc’s murder. So, two birds were finally killed with one stone because of the reopening of relations with Earth.” The councilwomen looked at each other and began to applaud again. The empress held up her hand and smiling called for silence.
“Thanks to the war,” said the empress, “our path to the tribes beyond the Barratian Mountains is open. And from what I’ve learned from my new kin, there are many, many tribes and nations beyond the ones we’ve encountered so far. We know of the three great nations who have been joined to us by marriage and treaty and there are at least five major cities out there that they either rule themselves or who are allied with then. Queen Atepa, Coahoma’s mother, tells of mighty nations further beyond. I’ve heard of vast grasslands and herds of wild ceerius, similar to our forest ceerius, that nomadic hunters live off. I’ve heard of great lakes and rivers.”
“Our drones could just have easily given us this information, Empress,” said a woman dryly.
“But where’s the fun in that,” laughed Beral. “That is why Queen Bellasaris the Great, stopped using drone exploration after enough habitable land was settled and mapped centuries ago. Besides, drones only give so much, just an aerial view of land masses. When you’re a few hundred years old you’ll appreciate the excitement and thrill of seeing new places and people firsthand. I promise you.”
“I don’t have advanced regeneration,” said the other woman, dryly.
“Then I guess you won’t,” said the empress curtly.
“And what of the people on Earth?” asked someone.
“The greedy may fight change to hold onto their advantages and privileges,” said the empress, “but the masses have already seen the results. They will force their leaders to comply. If all goes well, we’ll be happy to help them clean up their planet. After all, it’s our original home too. As for new mutant immigrants to Bellasaria, we will be careful of whom we allow to come. Children and youths are always welcome. They adapt quickly. Boys in their teens and twenties never complain or want to leave.” There was chuckling at this from the women.
“Some young females adapt well too,” continued Beral. “It is the older mutants that would be a problem. They’re too set in their ways, unwilling to assimilate and pushy with their beliefs and ideals of morality. But there have always been exceptions to this rule. We will make it very clear that this is our home and that the natives don’t have to change to please them. They are the ones who must conform to our ways. Anyone who doesn’t like our culture can move to Akkadia…or go back to Earth. I will not allow them to establish new Earthlike nations here. One is quite enough. Also, I’ll make it clear that if anyone starts any religious shit here or try to force our people into bowing down to any of their gods, I’ll have their fucking heads chopped off and their religious leaders impaled on blunt stakes!”
“That reminds me,” said a councilwoman. “What of Lord Luther?”
“Oh, him,” laughed Beral. “The humans have taken quite a liking to him here.” Then the empress winked and said, “Us mutants too. He’s such a likable young man. People like him are more than welcome. I intend to make him our personal relations man with those delegations coming here from Earth.”
“What will the American President say about that,” asked Lady Blanca.
“She wants to be on good terms with us,” said Beral, “so she’ll play ball. Besides…I think he wants to stay anyway.”
“What of Lord Jawara?” asked Lady Megara. “He’s still thinking of his mountains and beyond? I think he planned to be the one to explore those places. A boy like that could have founded an empire.”
“I know,” said the empress, “which is why we all know I couldn’t let him escape. He has other things on his mind now. You know how it is with young Bellasarian women, especially those of high lineage. Fortunately for him, he has a superior bloodline himself or he’d be in pretty bad shape now.” Several women laughed. “But still, even Father Cato himself needed a break now and then and his descendant is no different. He and our ancestor took off the other day with a group of other men so the boy could rest. I understand that my daughter and her new sisters are most anxious for his return. Also, the house of stone has been strongly petitioning that he takes Lady Trina as a mate. The girl wants him in a very bad way.”
“Is that wise?” asked Megara. “The boy has his hands full already with your daughter and Coahoma, not to mention the other four.”
“I assure you, the boy is very strong. Besides, the Great Mother Gorgo herself has requested it and I have agreed. Between his word, his women and his new obligations here in the capital, I don’t think he’ll be leaving for adventure on the frontier anytime soon. He’ll be too tired!” Again there was laughter. “And
if he does at some time go back west to work with people there, he will be doing so as a Bellasarian Prince, not a Barratian renegade. He is now tied permanently to the empire. He will be our man, not his own.”
“I feel a little sorry for him,” said one of the women.
“Oh, I have a feeling he’s starting to enjoy living here,” laughed the empress. “He even enjoys his married life and wives. He just needs to develop a firm hand and figure out a system. They all do…eventually.” The women all laughed again.
“One last thing, Your Highness,” said a woman. “What of the Barratian Prince, Tidor?”
“What about him!” snapped a woman before the empress could respond. “He’s a tasteless fool! He is nothing to even waste thought on!”
Many of the women angrily agreed. The empress however had a different view of the disgraced prince. “Yes,” she said, “he behaved foolishly, but yet bravely and exhibited extreme loyalty to his mate.”
“A human girl!” snapped a woman. Again there was angry shouting.
“Yes, I agree,” said Beral again. “He lacked good judgment in this case, but wise men attain wisdom from being foolish boys and Tidor was in every other way a capable warrior and administrator. His father believed him capable of ruling in his stead while he was at the summit and even after he was no longer king.”
“Not alone,” said a woman. “Prince Jawara was summoned from his domains to supervise his little brother.”
“True,” agreed the empress, “but everyone admits, even Jawara himself and now ‘Queen’ Sandra, that Tidor was a very capable boy. Jawara was only there in case he was needed for advice. The human girl will not last. In a mere twenty years she’ll be looking like his mother. A few decades longer and she’ll be looking like his grandmother.”
The women looked at each other. Tidor was of a very long line of mutants with advance regeneration. He wouldn’t age perceptibly from what he looks like now for a few centuries. Time would almost certainly break the bonding. The human girl might even come to her senses and leave even if he didn’t.
“You know what the end results of this tale will be,” said Beral III. “Once the human girl is in the ground, or even well before that, Tidor will be a free and a much more practical young man. One just as capable of founding a state as his brother…and by now far more motivated. I’ve seen his face when being ridiculed. He doesn’t fight or display resentment, but it hurts. He will try to regain honor for himself and his house. That is why I have kept him here close to elbow where he could be watched and groomed in the right direction. In time, I’ll find him a mate. Believe me, once the human girl is out of the picture that won’t be hard. If managed right, he’ll be a good, happy and useful member of the Bellasarian Empire and imperial family, just like his brother.”
“Uh, by the way, about that,” said a councilwoman, “we have been talking. The name ‘Bellasarian Empire’ gives the wrong impression to people. We really need to do something about that. One of the reasons people are hesitant to join us, and even fight us, is because they think they will lose their freedom as independent peoples.” Many of the women nodded at this. “I suggest changing our name to something more accurate, like the ‘Bellasarian Alliance’ or ‘Bellasarian Union’. This is less threatening sounding and would encourage other tribes and nations to join us for protection and the advantages of our civilization. Of course, you’ll still be empress of the Illyrian Empire, but it will be clear that your power beyond Illyria is not absolute and those who join us are not losing their cultural identities or freedom.”
“Believe it or not,” said the empress, “I have had this same discussion with Great Bellasaris and the other great ancestors. It won’t be a problem. The high council has always had the final say in matters of politics. The other queens, kings and their lower councils, Illyria’s included, have always done as they pleased anyway with impunity where their internal affairs were concerned. So long as certain shared traditional values and laws were observed, of course. I declared war on Barratia in the name of Illyrian honor and the other nations and the councils supported me. I didn’t demand their aid. They rushed to offer it, and you ladies gave everyone your blessings. If you had wished it, Illyria alone would have been fighting the Barratians or certainly a much smaller allied host. I’m Illyria’s hereditary ruler, and to a lesser degree, the empire’s symbolic leader. That’s why we have a prime minister. He is really the elected leader of the entire empire, no? The name of the nation will change, but it will be business as usual.” There was a sigh of relief from the women and the motion was passed.
Jawara arrived back at the capital a few days later much rested and reenergized. It was a good thing too. His women had been eagerly waiting for him. He wouldn’t be seen again outside his chambers for five days.
******
Washington D.C, A Month Later
The Bellasarian Prime Minister and his wife were welcomed warmly by President Chambers and First Man Barry Chambers. The irony that the Bellasarian, a man from a world ruled by mutant women, was both human and a man, while the President of The United States was the first woman elected to the office in the country’s history, was lost on no one.
“Prime Minister Landau, it is a pleasure to finally get the chance to play host to you,” laughed the president. I do hope that one day even the empress might pay us a visit. Perhaps even Bellasaris herself. Do you know how many people here were shocked to discover that she was still alive?”
“Probably as many as on Bellasaria,” replied Landau, chuckling. “With so much happening on Bellasaria I can’t say when or if the empress will be able to come to America any time soon. But one never knows what the future might bring.”
Landau knew that the chance of the empress going openly to America was very slim. The chances of the Great Bellasaris herself, whose forces sacked Miami, burned down the white house and caused all kinds of damage in the country, not to mention its territories in the Caribbean, during the Bainian or Mutant War, was nil. Indeed, she had once intended to go after she defeated The Republic of Paolo, but treachery was discovered early and she escaped one step ahead of her enemies. This final act led to the Bellasarians recalling Bain back into their own realm and cutting off all ties with Earth for thirty years (Earth time) and two thousand years, by their time. In both wars, the humans had started the conflicts, but that didn’t mean that Bellasaris could safely expose herself to these people or was stupid enough to do so.
“Please come this way,” said President Chambers.
The prime minister paused only a moment for a picture with the president and then he and his wife accompanied them inside the White House. His entourage followed. Frank P. Landau had a strong feeling of discomfort as he couldn’t help thinking that this was actually the third White House and one rebuilt after his people destroyed the last one.
His face and thoughts must have been easy to read because the president chuckled and said, “Don’t look so nervous. The first White House was burned by the British during the War of 1812, but we’ve hosted their prime ministers here many times. No hard feelings.”
Landau doubted that this was true for many Americans, but he felt it sincere from the president. However, he also had another reason to be nervous. Landau’s wife was a mutant, something else that surprised many. She looked around in curiosity and was cordial to reporters and others who approached and spoke to her, but she was a little nervous too. She was just better at hiding it than her husband.
With the prime minister was one of Prince Jawara’s wives, Princess Coahoma. She was wearing much more conservative clothing of western design and many immediately marked her as an Indian. However, when conversing with this girl a translator was needed because she only spoke Americ and her own native language which was quickly marked as mostly Muskogean with other elements. Some weren’t even Native American. Coahoma had wanted to see the land her ancestors had come from, but there was
another reason she was in America as well, one known to the prime minister and his wife and indeed all in their party.
“I thought Bellasarian women were all hot,” whispered an aide to the president, nodding to the seemingly plump Indian girl. “I mean, she has a beautiful face, but she’s kind of chubby.”
The president chuckled. She had made this exact same conclusion about Empress Beral III when she saw her in her formal robes of state when they first met. Later, when seeing her in much more revealing attire, she learned just the opposite and every man in her party (including her husband) was drooling. Indeed, Coahoma was much the same height and shape of the empress.
“I have no doubt,” said President Chambers, “that beneath that dress is a body that will stop a train. Trust me. If she has any of the Bainian mutant strain in her veins, and she probably does, you can count on it.”
******
“I can’t eat this food,” said the empress. “Ambassador Shaba said it had him on the toilet the entire time he was here!”
“Don’t worry, Your Highness,” said Landau. “The president was informed of that and, after eating our food herself on Bellasaria, quite understood. Meat and produce has been delivered from Bain and will be prepared with ingredients from there as well. Already the superior quality of our meat has been noted here.
“Bainian meats are becoming popular and expensive here,” said a man. “But they pay.”
“I guess we’ve found yet another export these people will pay highly for,” laughed Landau.
“How can these people eat this poison?” said the empress. “Their meat is full of steroids and many of the vegetables seem…They don’t taste right. These drinks are like -”
“Sugar is in almost everything in excessive amounts. Also, pesticides, additives, artificial preservatives and lab engineered grain are used extensively here,” said Landau shrugging. “In Europe, such crops are illegal. They have been proven to have very little helpful nutrients, and in fact, have been proven to cause obesity and cancer in rats…and therefore people.”
The Mutant World Page 56