Chapter Seventeen
Lisa stops just inside the door, taking in the extravagant room that is the female’s chamber. It is a large, open room, filled with Tornian females, each wearing their House color. Many are stretched out on couches in front of the large windows, basking in the sun like lazy cats, ignoring their entrance while others slowly they turn their heads to see who has dared to enter their domain. Squeezing the girls’ hands reassuringly, Lisa moves towards women huddled in a corner, wearing grey Joining capes.
"Lisa!" Rebecca exclaims, standing when she sees them. Lisa’s eyes quickly fly over her friend and other women. They appear fit, seeming to have fared well during the time spent in Torino.
"Rebecca." Lisa gives her a long hug, her eyes filling as she pulls back. If not for this woman, for all these women, her children would have been left on Earth.
"Rebecca...everyone..." She looks at them, wiping her eyes. "These are my children, Carly and Miki." She smiles down at the girls. "Girls these are the women I told you about, the ones that made it possible for Grim and I to come get you."
"Thank you." The girls say quietly.
"Are you okay?" Rebecca demands. "We've heard rumors." She looks over the girls with a critical eye. "What are you doing here?”
"We're better than okay.” Lisa tells her smiling.
“Come on let's sit down. There's a lot I need to tell you." The women make room for them but before Lisa can sit, an insidious voice stops her.
“She is here for the Joining Ceremony, like the rest of you.” Slowly turning, Lisa finds six females have crossed the room, to stand behind her. A tall yellow female, easily six foot, with long black hair and malicious black eyes stands in front, obviously their leader. She wears a silver gown and so many jewels that Lisa isn't sure how she’s standing.
“She is to breed with a worthy male, as you all will.” She continues.
“Hello Risa.” Lisa responds, enjoying the shock in the other female’s eyes.
“You know who I am?” Risa quickly recovers.
“Of course you know who I am.” She looks to the females behind her smugly.
“Of course I do.” Lisa agrees.
“You’re the stupid bitch that chose to join with another when she could have had Grim.” Risa’s smile immediately disappears.
“I am Lady Bertos of Etruria!” Risa stretches to her full height, trying to intimate the smaller woman with her importance. She is the most powerful female in the Empire. How dare this thing in grey insult her!"
“And I am Queen Lisa of Luda!” Lisa takes a step towards Risa, letting her know she’s not the least bit intimidated by the larger female.
“I have provided my King with two female offspring. What have you done Risa?” Lisa taunts looking from Risa to the others. "Except to join with a male from a tainted blood line? My King is the blood brother to the Emperor. He is next in line to rule, while your male never will.” Lisa waits, wanting to know how Risa will react.
“How dare you!" Risa's face turns orange in her anger. "Grim will never be Emperor! He has been deemed unfit!”
“For you he is unfit because you are undeserving of such a great warrior.” Lisa’s anger is heard by all.
“He was the only survivor in a battle of eight against one…a battle you had Bertos arrange.” Risa’s loss of color tells Lisa she’s been right all along.
“Totally pissed you off didn’t it Risa.” Lisa pushes. “That Grim survived. Is that why the skua berries magically appeared on the Empress' plate?” Every female in the room gasps at Lisa’s accusation.
“You know nothing! You stupid bitch!” Risa ignores Lisa's accusation and tries to regain control of the situation.
“You are nothing but breeders!” Her eyes turn to the girls.
“And they will be too.” She threatens, shocked when every woman immediately stands, putting themselves between her and the young females. Lisa’s low growl has her to jumping. It is as menacing as any males.
“Never…” The eyes that bore into Risa’s are deadly.
“Ever…threaten my children Risa, any of you.” Lisa let’s every female in the room see the look in her eyes.
“We defend our young. We never abandon them. We are nothing like you!”
“You are nothing!” Risa yells back, her rage getting the better of her.
“You will never be Empress! You think Grim can save you. He can’t even save himself! Today will show who is truly worthy on Tornian.” Risa spins away, ending the conversation to pound on the door.
“We leave for the Joining Ceremony!” She orders the other females.
Lady Isis, of House Rigel, watches the interplay between Risa and the small Earth female with great interest. She is not an ambitious female, unlike so many in the room, all she ever wanted was to have a male she could care about, and offspring she could watch grow. Something she never heard any other female wanting…until now.
That this one would declare she’s the Queen of Luda shocks her. Oryon had told her about her, told her that King Grim had claimed her along with her female offspring, but said nothing of her being Queen. She'd refused to believe the rumors the males were telling, of her standing up to Grim, especially after seeing the other females cower whenever a male approached. This one though...this one makes her reconsider, especially after they all stood to protect the young ones. Perhaps these joinings would work out after all.
She prayed constantly to the goddess, ask her to provide a good female for her oldest male offspring who would be in the joining ceremony today. He is a worthy male, so much like his manno that it fills her with pride. All her offspring are worthy warriors. If they have a flaw, it is her. For she refused to leave their manno, to give another the gift of offspring. After her first presentation, many had tried to lure her away from Oryon but she truly cared for him and wanted no other. Even now, after twenty-five years with Oryon, a male will occasionally try to coax her away.
Isis wonders at the female's accusation, of Risa being responsible for Grim's attack and the Empress' sudden death. Could it be true? There'd been rumors at the time, with Grim's attack and death of the Adana so close together. If so, wouldn't something have been done? Oryon would have said something to her. They have an unusual relationship in that they actually discuss such matters, especially when it could affect their offspring.
Isis continues to watch the Earth females as the others leave to take their places in the Assembly Chamber. Giving Grim’s female a slight nod, she turns to join Oryon. She has much she needs to tell him.
Lisa watches as the rose-colored female, dressed in an amber gown, gives her a slight nod before following the other females. She is older than the others, had maintained a distance from them and them from her as if she were undesirable. Could this be Lady Isis? The one Padma had told her about. A Tornian female that refused to join with any but her first male, returning her slight nod, Lisa turns back to the women.
“We need to talk.” Lisa tells them.
“Yes we do.” Rebecca frowns at her.
“What have they done to you?”
“Done?” Lisa gives her a confused look.
“Nothing’s been done to me? Why would you think that?”
"We were told you'd been repeatedly attacked.” The others mumble in agreement.
“That if we as much as talked to a male we would be too."
"That's ridiculous! Who told you that?” Lisa demands.
“No! Let me guess.” She looks angrily at the closed doors. “Risa."
"Yes." Rebecca acknowledges.
"If you actually talked to a male, he would probably pass out from shock." Lisa smiles slightly, thinking about how many of Grim's nearly had. "They'd never hurt you Rebecca.” She says turning serious to look at the other women.
“In fact they'd willingly die to protect you."
“How can you defend them?” Rebecca demands.
“I’m not Rebecca, not the way you think.” She sees the growing distrust in the woman's eyes.
“Please...can we sit down? There is so much you don’t know. So much information you need before the Joining Ceremony.”
“You’ve become one of them!” One of the women accuses.
“Them?” Lisa gives her a confused look.
“Yes them! Like this Kim person.”
“You know nothing about Kim.” Lisa fires back.
“She’s the reason we are here!” Another shouts.
“No!" Lisa takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. This isn’t getting them anywhere. "Well yes, she is, but not in the way you think. Please…” Lisa looks at them beseechingly.
“Would you just give me a chance to explain? Please...please…you helped me when I needed it, helped me get my girls, let me help you now.” After every woman finally nods. Lisa gestures for them to sit.
“Empress Kim…she was taken from Earth much the way we were,” Lisa looks to her girls but realizes she can’t hold anything back. "But she wasn’t as lucky as we were.”
“Lucky!” One of the women surges to her feet outraged.
“Were you raped?” Lisa surges up challenging her.
“Were you mistreated? Beaten? Alone?” Every woman looks at her in shock. The woman slowly sits back down.
“Kim was, for weeks. Wray, the Emperor, saved her. Do you understand? She’d be dead now if not for him.”
“That’s no excuse…” Rebecca starts.
“No it’s not!” Lisa cuts her off.
“And Kim did everything she could to stop this but once it was discovered she’d conceived, the other males demanded the same chance to have offspring. You’ve all been given the correct information on that, their civilization is dying.”
“Correct information?” Rebecca asks.
“Yes, but not everything in your educator is true.” Lisa sees their still skeptical.
“Could you tell someone where Earth is?” She demands and receives confused looks.
“What do you mean?” A little blonde asks.
“Can you tell someone how to take you back to Earth?”
“I…” Rebecca looks from the others to her.
“I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“Neither did Kim. Do you understand now? Kim...didn't...know... Wray was able to pull part of it out of the navigation system on the Ganglian ship he found Kim on, but even that didn’t get them to Earth.”
“Then how?” She questions.
“Grim found it...from what Kim did know. Nine planets, one blue, one sun.”
“This is the male you defended to Risa.”
“Yes. Grim found Earth...we are here because of that. It was never Kim’s fault.”
“But…”
“You need to understand, I knew all this before I arrived at Tornian. Grim told me the truth.” Lisa looks at the women.
“And still, the minute I saw Kim, I was enraged.”
“What…” Rebecca looks at her trying to understand and it slowly dawns on her.
“It was programmed into the educators, that we should be angry at her.”
“Yes, by Risa’s male Bertos, so Kim couldn’t tell you what I’m going to tell you now.” She makes sure they are all listening.
“You were all declared Tornian the minute you were taken." She sees their shock. "Because of that you have rights, rights they don’t want you to know about, it was the only thing Kim could do to protect you.”
“Who?” Rebecca demands.
“Risa and Bertos…Rebecca...Luuken is Bertos’ son.”
“Well that makes sense.” Rebecca mutters.
“Yes it does. Bertos wants to be Emperor, Risa wants to be Empress, and she doesn’t care who has to die for it to happen.”
“She’s killed?”
“Yes. She tried to kill Grim. She did kill Wray’s first Empress Adana and Wray’s second son died while in their Region. Now they want to kill Kim and her unborn child.”
“You’re sure of this?” Rebecca demands, anger beginning to fill her eyes, anger at Risa.
“Yes.” Lisa looks from the girls to the women. "There's something else you need to understand. While Kim and I are very happy with our males and have no desire to return to Earth, there's no guarantee any of you will feel the same.” She sees they are all listening.
“Most of the males I've met are good, honorable males that would truly cherish you, but there are a few like Luuken and Bertos that will only use you, as Risa says, as breeders." Several women quietly begin to cry.
"I'm being totally honest with you because you need to understand, there is no way to stop the Joining Ceremony, you have to go through it...but that doesn't mean you have to join with a male."
"What?" Rebecca looks at her confused and before Lisa can explain further the doors to the room open.
“It is time for the Joining Ceremony.” A large green-skinned guard announces, entering the room.
“It will be okay.” Lisa quickly looks back to the women.
“Please...I can’t explain it here, we’re out of time. I need you to listen once we’re in the Assembly of Lords, really listen. You have rights and no matter what you think or hear, Grim will support them, I promise.”
“Females, it is time to leave.” The guard says again, this time more forcefully.
“Girls.” Rising Lisa holds out her hands and they trustingly take them before looking back to the women.
“You can trust Grim.” Carly tells them with the absolute faith that only a child can have.
“He loves us.” Miki chimes in.
“He’s our Grim.”
Risa pauses at the entrance to the area of the Assembly assigned to House Guttuso and smiles. This will be the last time she will ever sit here, looking up to the empty Emperor's area she knows that’s where she belongs.
House Guttuso, while on the same level of the other Houses, sits closest to the Emperor signifying its importance on Tornian. House Luanda of Luda is the only one to sit higher thought still below the Emperor, signifying that whoever sits there is next in line to rule. Risa smiles coldly at its empty seats. Today Grim will finally be destroyed. Today he will stand before not only the Lords but also their females and greatest warriors. For they have all arrived for this unprecedented Joining Ceremony. A ceremony she and Bertos are responsible for, her smile grows.
Grim will stand before them all and have everything stripped from him, his title, his status, and his females, all this by his own brother, just as everything had been stripped from her family so many centuries ago. Still smiling she takes her seat behind Bertos.
"You've made sure the females will do as they’ve been instructed?" Bertos turns in his seat to face her, his black eyes boring into Risa's, demanding the correct answer.
"Of course." Risa gives him a disgusted look. She'd once desired this male greatly. His yellow body had stood tall and strong when she'd meet him at fifteen, here in this very Assembly. He'd come for a Joining Ceremony then too. Risa had snuck into the Ceremony, through a secret passage that ended in this very area, one of the many secret passages she'd discovered as a child. Bertos discovered her but instead of reporting her to her father he allowed her to stay, but it had come at a price, it was on that day she learned the true power a female had over a male. She’d allowed him to touch her were no male had and in return he’d promised to make her Empress.
He failed her, Grim lived, so she had to take matters into her own hands and while she succeeded, Wray had refused her, refused her! Well soon, she’d be Empress and then Wray would know what it felt like to be refused!
Looking at Bertos, she now wonders what she’d ever seen in him. His brilliant yellow color has faded, his strength having left him long before her arrival in his House. If it hadn’t been for Luuken, she never would have been able to give him a second male. Not that either knew. Luuken was weak, while Bertos believed no one would dare to cross him.
“They have no idea they have an option, just as we planned. They will choose a male presented and all will know it is because of you. None will oppose you.” Nodding, Bertos turns back to the Assembly, a smile on his face.
Risa isn’t going to tell Bertos that the female Grim has claimed knows about her killing the Empress. That she realizes he is behind the attack on Grim. Soon it won’t matter, for she shall be Empress and no one touches the Empress, well no one but her.
“Have you heard from Luuken?” Bertos turns back interrupting her thoughts. Luuken was supposed to have arrived earlier that day, explaining in person why he failed to capture the female, sealing Grim’s fate.
"No. Did you try Korin?" Must she do everything? She wonders.
"Yes, he said they were having engine problems and would arrive later."
"There you have it then. Turn around and enjoy the show we have arranged." Risa informs him. Sometimes she thinks he's no brighter than a three year old. "He'll come straight here. He won't want to miss seeing a great House destroyed." Nodding Bertos does as she says.
"My Queen." Agee reluctantly steps into the room, wearing his court uniform and medallion. He doesn't want to do this. "I must now escort you to the Ceremony." Lisa looks at him and sees his distress. The green male from the Emperor’s guard growls at him.
"Of course you must. Don't worry so Agee.” She looks back to the women.
“Ladies, this fine male is Warrior Agee,” She gestures to him.
“He is the Captain of my Elite Guard, a most worthy and honorable male, all the warriors of the Luda’s Elite Guard are."
The green guard watches in disbelief as eleven more warriors from Luda move to surround the females. Did Warrior Agee just address the female as his Queen? Did she just say he is the Captain of the Queen’s Elite Guard? There is no such thing. For there is no Queen. Moving forward he stops Agee.
"You will stand aside Captain. It is our duty to escort these females." He's eyes widen as he sees the medallion on Agee's shoulder. A quick scan reveals that every Guard from Luda wears one. Is that Charoite?
"We will not." Agee growls back. "Our Queen is within this group, as are her offspring. We will not trust their protection to you." Guards from both Houses grip their weapons.
"Gentlemen!" Lisa steps forward, placing a hand on Agee's back. "I believe we all want the same thing here." She nudges Agee, he moves slightly so she can address the Emperor's Guard, while making sure he's able to step in front of her if need be. "What is your name?" Lisa addresses the green Guard that's confronted Agee, the male looks down at her in shock.
"My Queen asked you a question, you will answer!" Agee growls at the male.
"I…I am Warrior Jaqua, of the Emperor's Torino Guard." He finally replies.
"It's nice to meet you Warrior Jaqua.” Lisa gives him a slight nod.
“The Emperor has given you and your men the very important task of making sure we arrive safely at the Ceremony."
"Yes." He acknowledges.
"So you can understand how Captain Agee would feel the same, when his King has given him the same order, protecting his Queen and offspring."
"Yes." He grudgingly admits.
"That being said, I suggest you allow the Queen's Guard to escort us, as my King demands.” She holds up a hand silencing him before he can speak. "While you and your Guard escort the Queen's Guard, as the Emperor demands. That way everyone is able to do their duty."
"It is not what the Emperor requested." Jaqua is startled to find he’s arguing with the female.
"How is it not?" Lisa tips her head questioningly. "Are you not escorting us? You've even doubled our protection, using the Queen's Guard, ensuring our safe arrival. The faith your Emperor has in you is well placed."
Jaqua's green skin begins to darken as he stares at the small female, astonished at not only her logic and compliment but that she would openly speak to him. No female speaks to a male she isn't joined with, could she wish to join with him?
"Jaqua." A male's voice pulls him from his thoughts and he realizes all are awaiting his decision. The female is right there would be no harm if both Guards escort the females.
"You will take your orders from me." Jaqua looks to Agee.
"As long as they don't endanger those in my care." Both males nod.
Isis quietly enters House Rigel's area to sit behind Oryon, who is speaking to Ynyr, their third offspring. Ynyr has been on Tornian for nearly a year now, receiving special training from the Emperor's Guard so that he may train warriors on Betelgeuse. A great honor for a warrior so young but Ynyr has always been more than his years, when he turns to acknowledge her, she smiles.
He is such a good male, always caring, and considerate of her. He has more of her coloring then his manno's but he has Oryon's powerful build and deadly skill with the sword.
"All is well Isis?" Oryon's question pulls her gaze from Ynyr.
"Yes but I wonder if we aren’t all in for some surprises this day." She informs him.
"Why would you say that?" Oryon moves to sit next to his female, letting his fingers graze her leg as he sits. He never tires of touching this female and she allows it, even after twenty-five years. The goddess had truly blessed him with his Isis.
"The female King Grim has claimed was brought to the female’s chamber, along with her offspring."
"Truly?" Ynyr asks hope in his eyes. "She has two female offspring?"
"Truly, still very young but definitely female, she and Risa had words."
"What?" Oryon looks at her concerned. Risa is not a female to be trifled with.
"Risa approached her as soon as she arrived, trying to assert her domination." Oryon looks to House Guttuso and sees Risa looking to the Emperor's area.
"I'm not surprised." He mutters.
"Risa was, by Grim’s female, she did not back down." Oryon looks at her surprised. "Instead she told Risa that she was a stupid bitch for choosing another over Grim and then went on to accuse her of not only arranging Grim’s attack but of killing Empress Adana."
"Truly?" Oryon had always wondered.
"Yes, it was quite interesting that Risa denied neither, choosing instead to threaten the young ones..." Isis looks at Oryon and he sees...respect in his female's eyes. "Every Earth female in the room stood against her Oryon, protecting the young ones even though they weren't their own." Oryon looks at her, considering what she’s said.
"So the rumors we've heard about what has been happening on Luda are true." Ynyr looks to his father.
"What have you been hearing Ynyr?" Oryon demands.
"It's said that she rests with the King." Ynyr looks from his manno to his mother, he knows their relationship is unusual, but he'd never heard of even them resting together.
"What?" Oryon can't hide his shock or the considering look he gives Isis.
"Yes, not only that but that she touches him, sometimes with her lips, in front of others and he allows it."
"That’s impossible." Oryon denies the possibility, yes Isis touches him but it is only ever in private, and only with her hands.
"It is what they say. They also say she speaks to any male she wishes, whether the King is present or not."
Before Oryon can reply the doors to the Chamber open, rising he takes his place as Lord of House Rigel but wonders if Isis isn't right, they may all be in for a big surprise today, he just hopes they survive it.
Lisa smiles reassuringly down at her daughters as they walk besides her, she is so proud of them. They walk besides her, unafraid of what lies ahead because they trust in her, in her and Grim and they won't let them down.
“Nicely done back there.” Rebecca whispers as she moves next to her.
“I try.” Lisa whispers back, as two massive doors open and they are led into the Lords Chamber. The Chamber is built to intimidate, Grim tried to prepare her for it but seeing is believing. The main area is sunken so those in it have to look up, look up to the Lords who sit at its sides then look up even more to see the Emperor who sits at the far end, presiding over the Assembly. The Guards lead them past twelve warriors, each watching them intently as they hold a cape in the color of their House.
“You will remain within this circle until you are ready to select the male for your joining.” Jaqua instructs them then the Emperor’s Guard move to stand before the doors that have closed. Signaling that the females will not be allowed to leave as they've come. Agee looks from Lisa, to the girls, his conflict easy for Lisa to see.
“It will be fine Agee, trust your King.” Lisa reassures him softly.
“And my Queen.” He responds, his arm crosses his chest and he bows to her, followed by her entire Guard. They then move to stand just on the other side of the females, ready to protect their Queen, if need be.
A low rumble moves through the Chamber as the Guard bow to a female, showing their respect for her, before stepping to the side. The blaze of color and glitter of Charoite in their medallions catching the eye of every male. What are Guards...even the King’s Elite Guards...doing with Charoite in their medallions? Why would they bow to a female?
The sound of a deep bell announces the Emperor’s arrival, the Assembly as one stands and turns to face him and to their shock the Empress. Lisa watches as Wray carefully escorts Kim to her seat, a seat that is beside him. She stands proudly at his side, as she looks over the Assembly, her eyes coming to rest on women below. She wears royal blue, Wray’s colors, with a jewel-encrusted bodice and the emblem of the Emperor around her neck, Lisa gives her a slight nod, which Kim returns. The Assembly holds its collective breath as she goes to sit, slowly lowering her swollen body with the assistance of the Emperor. What is the Emperor thinking having her here? Wray personally arranges the pillows on her chair, making sure she is comfortable.
“I am fine Wray. Let’s get this done.” She whispers, rubbing her stomach as the baby kicks again, with a stiff nod he straightens and faces the Assembly.
“Lords, warriors, males of the Tornian Empire,” Wray addresses them.
“We are all here on this historic day for a Joining Ceremony that will change our universe forever…but before this can take place there is another matter that must be addressed.” Looking to a Guard, he nods before sitting, the Assembly follows.