The Earthman liked what he saw, so when the big woman passed his table he struck up a conversation.
“Excuse me, miss. But I thought people without money weren’t turned away on Bellasaria.”
The big woman looked at the newcomer and grinned. “By your terrible accent, I’d mark you as an Earthman,” she said. “Your yellow eyes tell me you’re a mutant too. Listen here, little man. If you’re a stranger who’s hungry, thirsty or needs a place to sleep, that’s one thing. Booze is another.”
“Oh, I see,” said the man nodding. “Look beautiful, my name’s Carlos. I’m assuming you’re Vivian?”
“You’re not shy are you?” laughed the big woman. “No, I’m not Vivian. But you’re kind of cute…for an Earthman. The name’s Katie. Maybe I’ll come back for you later. For your sake, I hope you’re as strong as you look, honey.”
With that the woman laughed and walked away. The Barratians began laughing and slapping the Earthman on the back in approval. A waitress walked over and asked what the men wanted to eat and drink.
“You’re lucky that wasn’t Vivian,” chuckled the waitress. “If it was you might have been the next guy tossed out on his ear. She doesn’t care for men at all. Originally she was of the Mavie.”
“Ah, that explains everything!” laughed one of the Barratians.
“Has a taste for women, does she?” laughed another man.
“Well, I…wouldn’t say that,” said the waitress. “She doesn’t seem to be interested in any-”
“Shari,” snapped Katie. “Others are waiting to be served.” The waitress apologized and quickly took the men’s order and left.
In the back a small shapely blond woman was going over some figures, when the big woman entered. She looked at Katie and shook her head.
“What was that commotion?” asked the blond.
“Oh, just that human, Bart again,” said Katie. “Trying to get boozed up for free again.”
“You did the right thing,” said the blond woman. “I understand his kind of pain, but booze won’t make it go away, I know. What was that with Shari just now?”
“Oh, nothing, Viv,” said the big woman. “She was just talking too much with a crew of Barratians that wandered in here.”
The blond made a face that at once changed from anger to sadness. “Barratians, eh?” she said.
“Aye,” said Katie. “They even have an Earthman with them.”
The blond snorted in contempt. “What would a human from Earth be doing in the company of Barratians?”
“No, he’s a mutant,” laughed the big green woman. “I like him. I like his smell. He seems feral and up to the job. I’ll grab some girls and head over to their table around closing time. It’ll be fun. If that guy plays his cards right, he’ll get lucky tonight. If he can take the riding…Well, he is a stranger here. I think I’d be a better guide and influence than those Barratians, right? Besides…I haven’t found the right mate yet. Maybe this might be the one.”
The blond chuckled and said, “Good luck, Sister.”
The big woman looked at the blond sadly and said, “Sister, I…I know it’s none of my business, but aren’t you a little lonely? Why don’t you come over to the table with me later, huh? Most of those guys are youngsters, but there is one man there who seems to be around your age. He’s very handsome…even though he is a redhead.”
“No thank you,” said the blond.
Katie knew better than to push and left. Vivian had settled in this town in northern Illyria about a hundred years ago. When she was raped, she was fourteen and her full mutant gifts had not yet developed. However, by sixteen her ability to regenerate had manifested, along with greater than human strength. She had left the Mavie after the deaths of King Barrat and Queen Maya. Their duel had ended the war (for a while) and Maya had made her daughter, Princess Dalia, queen before taking her own life to atone for her own shameful misdeeds. But Vivian couldn’t stand the sight of those people any longer. Not after what was done to her and the other two girls. Not to mention what she herself had done to the later proven innocent Barrat in misguided revenge. She had even lost someone very special because of those twisted bitches. She couldn’t stay.
So she wandered around, living here or there for a time and moving on. Back home war erupted again between Mavieland and Barratia, as she knew it would, and again, and again. Every time peace was made and things looked hopeful, the Mavie or certain Mavie would see to it that it ended in murder and war to protect their twisted society. By the end, it wasn’t looking so good for them. Good riddance had thought Vivian. Of the other two women victimized to frame Barrat she knew that one had died centuries ago. She didn’t have rapid regeneration. Of the other girl, she knew she was taken east by Queen Shoko II and Bellasaris to see if she could be made able to walk again. After that, she had heard no more.
Finally Vivian settled in this border town in Illyria and opened this Tavern. When she saw the news and heard that a Barratian Prince had bonded with Queen Bal of Mavieland she had little doubt that it would end as it always did…in bloodshed. The fact that the empresses’ daughter, Princess Bellasaris, was also his bonded mate did little to change her mind. The Mavie fanatics were morons. They could be counted on to do something stupid. She had poured herself a drink and toasted the end of the Mavie because she was sure war was coming…and she was right.
The news of the latest war was not shocking to Vivian. But how it started and who started it was. When the war reached its even more shocking conclusion Vivian merely shrugged. Former Queen Mavie was suffering? Good! Let her live in this world miserable, alone and riddled with regret for centuries like she had. The Mavie had finally learned something? That was nice. It only took a few centuries and the deaths of thousands for that to happen. As for the Barratians, she was happy that they had finally put down their swords and began reforming their social structure. Personally though, she wouldn’t mind never seeing another Barratian or Mavie again so long as she lived.
But that would not be the case. After the war and real peace achieved, she found herself up to her eyeballs in Mavie at times. Many came to trade. Others came for mates. Mavie women were coming over the borders into the Great Forest Kingdom and even Illyria steadily now. And sometimes they passed through her town and entered her Tavern.
Barratians, once feared greatly by women in the empire, were now being seen increasingly in eastern towns too, and like now, they sometimes came into her establishment. Surprisingly, they were usually respectful and well behaved.
The night was wearing on and many of the local townspeople had now come in. Usually, at this time the tavern was closed to outsiders, but the Barratians were asked to stay. The tavern also doubled as an inn and their rooms had been prepared. Now several girls were at the table including Katie, but one of the Barratians had gotten up and was sitting at the bar alone quietly drinking.
He was a large red-haired man, a couple of centuries older than the other young men. Despite this, he looked like a young man in his late twenties.
“Uncle Andy!” shouted one of his companions, an Illyrian girl on his lap. “Come! Join us!”
The other man smiled and shook his head. “Maybe later, Illyrian girls are real beauties, but I’m fine with this Illyrian ale for now.”
The other men laughed and so did the girls. They didn’t notice Vivian coming out of her office at the sound of the man’s voice. She eyed the big man. Several of the locals called to her, pleased that for once she’d come out to join them. She nervously smiled and mingled, but she never let the red haired man at the bar out of her sight.
The Earth mutant looked at one of his companions and whispered, “What’s wrong with him? We’re up to our chins in girls and he’s not even interested. Is he gay?”
“No, Brother,” said a youth. “He loved a girl, a long time ago and…Well; the bonding is sometimes a curse when it is
n’t mutual.”
Carlos and Katie looked at the man in pity. It wasn’t her place to say, but Katie knew someone just like him.
It was now getting very late. The locals had gone home as well as most of the staff. The Barratians and the Earthman had gone upstairs to bed and not alone. However, one of the Barratians was still in his own world at the bar. Oblivious to the laughing and other sounds coming from upstairs or the one or two people cleaning up the tavern, he continued to drink.
The bartender was tired and a little annoyed. When was this guy either going to pass out or go to bed? He had been mentally told by Lady Vivian to serve him until he was satisfied. Vivian herself sat quietly nearby. She didn’t speak or try to approach the big Barratian. Predictably, the man at the bar, finally feeling the buzz, began to talk to the bartender. She didn’t speak, but listened carefully.
“Hey, kid,” said the Barratian.
“I’m not a kid,” said the bartender, without anger.
“Oh?” said the Barratian grinning. “How old are you?”
“Forty six,” said the bartender. He was a mutant, but he didn’t have accelerated healing, so he did indeed look forty six.
The Barratian laughed. “You’re just a cub!”
The bartender knew the man was finally a little drunk, so he took no offense. Also, he had heard the man addressed as “Uncle” by his comrades despite his appearance, so he knew that to him, he probably was just a kid.
“Fair enough, Pops,” said the bartender with humor.
The Barratian laughed and then became serious. “My name’s Andy, boy,” said the Barratian introducing himself.
“Cato,” said the bartender.
“Good name,” said the Barratian shaking his hand. “Do you have a mate?”
“I have a wife,” said the bartender, wishing he was curled up with her now.
“That’s good,” said the Barratian. Who then looked into his cup and extended it for a refill. “It’s not good to be alone.”
“Hey, friend, cheer up,” said Cato, refilling the mug. “You’re in Illyria now. As you can see, our women are famous for their looks and they aren’t shy. Hell, this tavern is even close to the Melmorian border. Those beauties are always passing through here from the north. Stick around long enough and you’ll have company that could screw you into a coma!” The Barratian let out a small laugh. Nearby, Vivian’s eye twitched in irritation.
“Nice try, boy,” said Andy. “Are you and your woman ‘bonded mates’?” The bartender shook his head. “Then you wouldn’t understand. I am cursed.” For a long moment neither man spoke. Cato wasn’t bonded, but he was Bellasarian. He knew what that meant. He didn’t know the details of how this man lost his mate, but he had a feeling he was going to find out.
“I met him, you know,” said the Barratian.
“Who?” said Cato.
“Cato,” said Andy. “Cato Curtis, the ‘Great Cat’ himself. It was a long time ago. King Barrat had escaped from the Mavies’ dungeon and we rallied to his side. There was war. Finally, that bitch, Queen Maya challenged the king to a duel and the empress herself and all the powerful queens and kings of the empire came to watch. Then he showed up. Fully transformed and snow white. He was already over a thousand years old you see. Barrat was his son.”
“I hear they mutilated Barrat and murdered his young son,” said the bartender bitterly, forgetting that his employer was once Mavie. “I hear they did many terrible things to the men of that land.”
“Their women too!” snapped Andy jumping to his feet. “They raped her,” said Andy, sinking miserably back onto his stool. “They set a female shapeshifter to attack women in the guise of our lord to frame him. She…I didn’t know her very long but…From the moment I saw her I loved her. After what they did to her she changed completely. She wouldn’t see me again. Then she…She and the others, they mutilated my lord.” Vivian, knowing her part in those events couldn’t look at the two men.
“Goddess!” gasped the bartender. “She was one of the women who castrated King Barrat?”
“I never believed our lord had done those things,” said the Barratian. “But I also knew Vivian wouldn’t lie.” Cato looked at Vivian, realization now all over his face. Her appearance the moment she heard the Barratian’s name and voice, and her behavior after seeing him, made it clear that this name was no coincidence. But neither Andy nor Vivian was looking at him now. Both were in their own world reliving their painful memories. Vivian was even crying. “I knew that the queen mother was somehow behind it!” growled Andy. “Everyone knew that Mavie wasn’t pleased by the way things were changing. When our lord escaped, when we saw what they did to him and his son. When it was finally revealed who it was who raped my woman and the others, and who was behind it…I would have my vengeance. I never tired of fighting them. But now there is peace!” Andy spat the word “Peace” out like a bad tasting thing in his mouth.
“Whatever happened to the girl?” asked Cato, looking at the crying Vivian.
“Last I heard she had fled Mavieland after the truth about who really raped her, and who was behind it, was learned. I searched for her, but I never found her. I searched for a long time, but finally gave up. She wasn’t a very strong mutant. She was much like a human in many ways. She also didn’t have rapid healing ability. In all the years I looked for her she would probably have been an old crone or dead. In any case, I was probably forgotten even if she was alive by then.” Nearby, Cato saw Vivian crying and shaking her head. “My kin have been after me for years to find a mate and forget her,” continued Andy. “But…I just couldn’t. Fighting Mavie was the only thing that gave me purpose. But that’s over now. I didn’t even have the satisfaction of seeing Mavie’s head on my spear. Old Cato and a pack of folks a lot older than me showed up in Barratia along with the Bellasarian empress and more kings, queens and warriors than I could count if I lived to be five hundred thanks to that damned fool Stragg. We fought them, but the writing was on the wall when the dead King Roc’s bastard hit us in the rear with thousands of warriors from west of the mountains. Elder Terrence disgraced himself and Stragg was killed. He was a fool, but at least he died better than he lived.”
The Barratian made a face of disgust, downed his drink and continued. “I still fought the Bellasarians though. Not for any love of Terrence mind you, but because I hated the Mavie who were fighting with the empire. I expected to die well in battle and finally be free of my pain, but that didn’t happen. Peace was made and that bitch Mavie was let off from her crimes.”
“I don’t think letting Mavie live was mercy, Mr. Andy,” said the bartender.
The Barratian grunted and was silent for a moment. Then he said, “Excuse me. I need to piss!”
Andy stood up again, but all that ale must have finally hit him because he staggered, tripped over one of the chairs and fell hard.
“Andy!” cried Vivian, rushing over. “Andy! I…Goddess! Are you all right? Speak to me!”
It took a moment for Andy to register who the woman over him was. “Vivian?” he said uncertainly. The sobbing woman smiled and nodded. “Vivian…but how?!” cried Andy in disbelief.
“I never forgot!” she cried. “In all these years I’ve never forgotten you! I love you!”
The two embraced and cried for a moment. Then Andy said, “Vivian, I…”
“I know,” said Vivian. “I heard everything.”
“No,” said Andy. “I mean…I really do love you. But…”
“But what?” said Vivian, worry suddenly all over her face.
“I don’t want to ruin the moment,” said Andy, “but I’ve been drinking ale all night. I really need to pee.”
Vivian quickly helped Andy up and hurried him to the restroom. When he came out she told Cato and the other remaining staff they could leave, she’d lock up. Before leaving, Cato turned and looked at the two, now sitting
close together at one of the low tables, and smiled. He’d hear an earful from his wife because of the time for sure, but the story he had to tell her would more than make up for it.
******
Five Years Later
Heidi Perez had arrived in Bellasaria a day ago and had arrived in the town of Haller this morning. She couldn’t believe how quick it was to travel from someplace like Gath on the southeast coast, all the way to this place in the north. If she had traveled by means other than the air-shuttle it would have taken longer. If she had the clout, teleport would have gotten her there last night…or sooner.
Her younger brother, Carlos, had come to this world five years back to do volunteer work in Barratia and also to learn a bit about the Bellasarian people. Uncle Jorge was certain that Carlo’s real motivation for leaving the island and going to Bellasaria had less to do with humanitarian work or the pursuit of knowledge and more to do with those gorgeous, voluptuous, half naked and hot-blooded Bellasarian girls. Time would prove him right.
Then, about four and a half years ago, the family had gotten word that Carlos was getting married. When Uncle Jorge saw Carlo’s fiancées picture he roared with laughter. “I told you!” He had said. He put that woman’s picture in a frame right away and put it on his wall, all the men and boys drooling. Auntie Carol and the women quickly took it down. Heidi was sure he still had it though hidden away somewhere.
So here Heidi was at a shuttle terminal out in the boonies, waiting. Because she was a mutant with above human strength, she didn’t feel the difference in gravity as acutely as a human would, she barely noticed it.
The Mutant World Page 61