by Lucy Kelly
“What did he mean when he said you weren’t dressed properly?” Malpha asked as she gingerly lay back down.
“It’s not the custom for KowLer women to wear pants. Children and young women are different. But married women are supposed to wear dresses all the time so their husbands can have easy access to their property. At least, that’s how my mother explained it to me. Thors doesn’t care what I wear. If he wants access, he undresses me.”
She waved a hand at her face in a fanning motion. “In fact, I can verify that pants can give a husband some wicked ideas,” she added, remembering one occasion when he’d bent her over a table and dropped her pants to her knees. She hadn’t been able to widen her legs very far and so she’d been very tight. She squeezed her legs together at the memory of that interlude.
“The method of distributing clothing was explained to me when I arrived. The Seer also said it would be me and my daughters who changed things on KowLer. I chose clothing as my first battle in this war.”
“War?” BianCa asked, her eyes growing wide.
“Yes, although there won’t be any bloodshed in this war. Instead, we will have to use other arguments and persuasions. It’s the main reason I’ve been studying the history of your world. Did you know that every time the ruling king has become more restrictive in the laws regarding women, the suicide rates have increased?” she asked.
“Truly?”
“Yes, and there is more. It is important I provide a great deal of factual evidence to your brother if there is the slightest hope of anything changing.”
“Twelve daughters should help, too. He won’t want to put his children through what I went through. He was against my marriage and would have prevented it if he could have. I think you are correct. He changed quite a bit after his time with Addie and Grace. But you will have the biggest impact on him,” said BianCa.
“I intend to wear him down. Like water dropping on a stone, I will not give up until every KowLer woman has the same rights as any man.”
BianCa could see she meant it. Since it was known, at least amongst the proctors and others in the higher echelons of the government, that Malpha had been queen over her own planet for nearly a thousand years, they had some respect for her.
“The other thing I’d like to offer the women of KowLer, is the choice of taking a husband here, and being under his thumb all her life or emigrating to HeVan and being the one in charge of their House instead.”
“I thought of it myself. The problem is, the majority of our women are uneducated, especially those who live in rural communities. Then there is the problem of the women. Many of them will be scared of change. Many are happy as they are and will speak out against you,” BianCa explained.
“It is why we must move slowly. Glynnis told me of an ancient civilization on Earth. They believed small feet were the mark of a lady. For generations, young girls had the bones in their feet broken and bound in tight wrappings, which were removed and rebound daily throughout their growing years. In effect, they crippled their female children. Millions of women suffered this painful process because it was all they knew. When the government changed their beliefs, they outlawed the foot binding. It took nearly three hundred years to stop the practice all through that country,” she said.
“That sounds horrible. At least we don’t do anything like that here,” said BianCa.
“No, what the KowLer do is much more insidious. They make the women believe they are unworthy and aren’t as smart. They are children to be taken care of,” Malpha stated.
“Well, you have my willingness to help. How shall we start?” BianCa asked.
“I am going to change into a pair of pants and then the two of us are going to take a stroll in the garden,” Malpha told her.
Chapter Five
Later that night, Malpha and Ben were lying in the tangled sheets of the bed. After a moment, Ben got up and came back with some damp cloths. He cleaned up his wife and then put away the toys he’d been using on her. Finally, he released the restraints that held her in place for his sensual pleasures. Pulling her in to his arms, he waited for their hearts to calm.
“May I have some water?” she asked.
Without responding, he got up and walked over to where a pitcher of water and some glasses sat on a tray. Turning back to the bed, he saw the wince Malpha failed to hide as she moved into a more comfortable position.
He took a closer look at her body, worried they had overdone the passion. Her muscles were obviously stiff.
“You need to tell me if you aren’t comfortable or if you’re experiencing even the slightest pain. What we do here in our bedchamber is meant to bring only pleasure.”
Taking the glass from his hand, she drank half of the contents down before speaking. “You’ve never hurt me. My body is only a little fatigued. I’ve been using muscles in unfamiliar ways. I thought I was in good physical condition, but I guess I need more endurance.”
“I haven’t taken good enough care of you. You need a massage with healing lotions. You’re bruised and it is unacceptable. Nothing should mar your perfect skin or cause you the slightest discomfort,” he said in a worried tone.
He went over to a cupboard and took out a small unguent jar.
“Come. Roll over onto your stomach. This oil is very special. It will heal your bruising and make you more comfortable. You should have said something earlier. I saw you in the garden with BianCa and you could hardly walk.”
“You needn’t have so much pride in that fact,” she said, rolling over and causing him to smile. He began with her feet, massaging each toe.
“I heard you dismissed the royal seamstress and offered to send her to HeVan. Would you care to explain your action?” It was one of the many things he’d learned after his two months of frenzy. In another month, the women would be looking to procure new clothes for the hot season and they wouldn’t be able to.
“She is a strong woman who has been unhappy for a long time. She had dreams of a family, which were never realized. She had dreams of a profession and was forced into one of the few allowed women on KowLer. Because of her unhappiness, she became harsh with those around her and more people became unhappy,” she mumbled into the pillow. Ben had progressed to her ankles.
“Do you think she will be happy on HeVan?”
“She will have her Ankida to boss around and see to her every need. She will be given medical care and it will allow her to have children. If she stayed here, it would never happen,” she said on a sigh.
Ben continued the massage in silence. He had reached her thighs and it took all of his concentration to rub the unguent into her skin to heal rather than to arouse. His queen needed rest. After a while, he knew he needed another distraction so he started talking again.
“Are you planning a revolution?” he asked, half-jokingly. He knew his wife could be a formidable woman. She hadn’t done anything in the months since she arrived but he had kept her occupied. He wanted to be her lover, not her opponent. However, he was the king, the law, and she had to respect that.
“I vowed never to lie to you and I won’t. No, I’m not planning a war of blood and casualties. I am planning to persuade you to make changes, for the sake of our unborn daughters and all the other women of KowLer.”
He didn’t say anything in response. He needed to think on her words. She had said she intended to persuade him. He knew what type of persuasion he would prefer but instead of letting his mind dwell there, he kneaded her buttocks. He thought that even with persuasion, he would still make decisions based on his own judgment. Her persuasions would not have him make decisions he wouldn’t have made anyway.
As he moved over all of the muscles in her ass, thighs and groin, he decided to test her. “What is the first thing you would like to persuade me to change?” he asked.
Malpha didn’t answer him—she’d fallen asleep.
He continued his massage anyway, he didn’t want her to wake up in the morning with sore muscles. Before going
to sleep, he left word that breakfast should be left in the Queen’s Lounge and they were not to be disturbed until they left their chambers.
When they were having their leisurely meal the next morning, he was happy to see her movements were once again fluid with no hints of pain. She had not yet donned her choker and chains, but he did not chastise her, as the gown she wore was more transparent than it was opaque. He kept his lust under control and resumed his questioning of the night before.
“Malpha, my love, what is the first item on your agenda of persuasion?” he asked.
It took her a moment to answer. She felt a rush of emotion at his casual endearment. “Clothing. What an individual chooses to wear should be a matter of their own choice. They should not be limited to only having replacement clothing on a set schedule.”
“By wearing clothing that covers their bodies, our women are protected,” he answered.
“In what way does this give them protection? If anything, it gives the transgressor easier access,” she retorted, remembering BianCa’s words of the day before.
“Women should not use their bodies to tempt men. It leads to trouble. I don’t believe anyone is prevented from getting new clothes whenever they feel the need. Your information must be incorrect.”
Malpha explained about the choosing of fabrics and designs and how the clothing had been allotted. It was difficult for her to keep her temper in check. It was vital that she had the king on her side. This first step was very important to her.
“Ben, are the KowLer males so weak and dishonorable the sight of a beautiful form causes them to lose all reason? How a female or male dresses has no connection to morality,” she stated.
“We wear a traditional dress that has been the same for hundreds of years. I think if people wanted a change, they would have made one,” he said.
Malpha stood and went to fetch her DRD. “I have something to show you.”
She turned on the unit and showed him a selection of historical clothing. She didn’t bother to mention the various eras represented, as that wasn’t the point.
“The mode of dress has changed plenty in times past. Is this really such a world-changing idea? I’m not asking that we tell the people what to wear or to wear something different. I’m only asking that we allow them the freedom to make choices of their own. Your people are not such children that we need to dress them; there are more important concerns.”
“I do not restrict them,” he said, though her arguments were good.
He was having trouble with his own position and it was making him angry. He remembered his words to his sister yesterday; she had been hurt by them. But he had said those words because he didn’t want BianCa held up to ridicule. No, he must not give in on this issue. Things needed to stay the way they were.
“I will think on your words. But do not expect me to change my mind. Things are fine the way they are. This is KowLer, not HeVan. You cannot expect us to change our culture to suit you. Next, you will be putting yourself above me.”
He knew his mouth had taken off and words he didn’t mean were spouting from it, but he couldn’t stop himself.
“Go and put on your chains. I want you to remain in your rooms today. Don’t go out without my leave,” he added, getting up and walking away.
He needed to think and being distracted by his beautiful wife did not help him to think clearly. He wanted to take her back to his chamber and bed her until she lost consciousness again. But the frenzy had passed for now. She was pregnant with his babe and she needed her rest. He quickly dressed, sighing as he left.
Malpha lay back on the cushions, shocked and hurt. The hurt lasted for a short time only. She had been around for a long time and she knew how emotional men could be. Growing was a painful process. She would have to prepare herself to take more of his harsh words as he became enlightened. She sighed, men were such children sometimes. It was a good thing they had so many good qualities. Rising from her own chair, she went to take a bath.
Over the next two months, she made no further attempt to persuade her husband. But she did arrange for him to come across various illustrations of what his outdated policies had wrought. The most prominent was the fact that because she had not appointed a new royal seamstress, no new fabrics had been approved and distributed; no new clothing had been manufactured.
With nearly all of the female population pregnant, due to Addie’s influence, those pregnancies were advancing to the point their clothing no longer fit. More and more women were remaining home and not venturing out. They didn’t have clothes that hid their growing bust lines and bellies. Malpha spent time visiting and exploring the palace and throughout the nearby towns. She developed friendships with all the wives amongst her husband’s chief courtiers.
Finally, three months after their conversation on the subject, Ben confronted her.
“What did you do? Did you tell the women not to procure clothing on purpose?” he demanded to know.
“I did nothing,” she said.
It was the truth. By doing nothing, this situation had come about. She had been on KowLer for five months now. She was three months pregnant, BianCa was a little over four months pregnant, but the rest of the pregnant women were heading into their seventh month and their rapidly expanding figures made new clothing critical.
“Then why haven’t our females purchased the necessary clothing for their…their…” he stuttered, making a rounding gesture with his hands in front of himself.
“There are no shops for them to purchase garments. There are no fabrics available to sew garments. They have not been allowed by your law to do anything else but wait. If they act against the law, they risk reprisals and punishment. It’s easier for them to remain at home.”
“Why aren’t there fabrics and shops?” he practically yelled.
Malpha told him again about the only way a female could get clothing and of the limited choices.
“I will order garments made for everyone immediately. This was your failure, Malpha. You should have chosen a royal seamstress. Now I will have to do this for you,” he said, leaving the room.
That was when Malpha realized she would have to take more drastic measures. She went to the communicator and contacted BianCa.
Chapter Six
Ben got back to the Royal Chambers late in the afternoon. He had traveled several thousand miles to settle a border dispute. All he wanted was a long soak in the pools and then a leisurely dinner with his queen. He had waved off all the members of his staff and courtiers who tried to get his attention as he passed through the halls.
It wasn’t until he neared his chambers that he remembered he was going to appoint a royal seamstress and order clothing for the pregnant females of his clan. He ran his hands over his shoulders and neck, trying to loosen the muscles, which had tightened up as the day wore on. He thought how stupid it was that he would have to waste his time on something like clothing.
Groaning, his own thoughts playing over in his mind, he finally understood what Malpha had been trying to explain. He owed his wife an apology. He would speak to her about this issue once again. They would try to come up with a solution that would make everyone happy. Or at least bring peace back to his household.
It took him a few moments to realize that Malpha wasn’t in their chambers. He walked through to her lounge and she wasn’t there, either. Walking back to his own chamber, he saw something glittering on the bed. There on the pillow, was her choker and chains, along with a data crystal.
Plugging in the crystal to the nearest data retrieval station, he watched Malpha’s message.
“I’ve gone to visit BianCa. With the weather becoming so hot, less clothing and lighter fabrics are much more comfortable. BianCa’s country estate is also in a cooler climate zone. While I had plenty in my wardrobe, many of the others did not. We’ve all sequestered ourselves on BianCa’s country estate for some female pampering and bonding where our exposed skin won’t incite unhealthy lust from any weak males w
ith no honor. I’ll let you know when we’re ready to return.”
She blew him a kiss and ended the transmission.
She had a talent for sarcasm and he missed her already. Ten minutes later, when he’d answered the pounding on his door, he was ready to put her over his knee.
When he opened the door, his closest friend and advisor, PetruChio, stood outside the door. He’d been away for several months on a diplomatic mission and had only just returned himself.
“PetruChio! Welcome back, my friend. Come in and we’ll have a drink.”
“Ben, we have a problem.”
“What problem is this?”
“The women have gone.”
“Malpha left me a message that she and her friends had gone to relax and prepare for their coming births,” he told his friend. “Come in, we’ll miss our wives together.”
“You don’t understand. There isn’t a single female in the entire palace or town. From Queen Malpha, down to the smallest girl, they are all gone. There is no one to cook the food. Our sons are begging for their mothers. MarTine can’t find anything, his wife always kept him organized. HarOld is complaining of his aches and pains, his wife and daughter aren’t there to see to his comfort.”
He went on to list chapter and verse the chaos that had ensued because of the women’s absence.
Ben felt like laughing and then shaking his wife. She had set out to teach him a lesson. Perhaps he would teach her one also.
“Have everyone in the palace go to the assembly room. I will speak to them all,” he told his friend, pushing him from the room.
On his way to the assembly hall, he tried to think about what to say. As he made his way up the central aisle, he remembered when he and Malpha had married and started down this same aisle to start their life. Damn, he missed her. He noticed all the children in the audience. Some of the boys were curled up in their seats and others seemed to be running around, their fathers trying to chase them down.