Page 14 of The Ruler
My dream was to see the borders between the Northlands and the Motherlands being torn down and have everyone live in peace. It was a long shot and probably out of reach for generations, but all journeys start with a first step, and I was prepared to walk the first mile in hell to lead people into the light.
Enlightenment, tolerance, and inclusiveness were our values. They didn’t mean much here,yet, but I had seen the way Boulder looked at Christina and that gave me hope.
Yes, he was a barbarian who had a large disgusting beard, but how could he not be? These men arrived here from the Motherlands at the age of three only to be indoctrinated with an old-fashioned misogynistic view of women. They were trained to think men were superior to women and to look down on us. No wonder they were skeptical of our ways, but if Christina had managed to get under Boulder’s skin in a few weeks, then why stop there?
I wanted to reprogram them all to open their eyes and realize that aggression, profanity, and violence didn’t belong in a modern society. A flat hierarchy, based on fairness for all, made a lot more sense.
Boulder had looked at Christina almost apologetically after I greeted him officially today. It was only a brief flash, but enough for me to catch it and conclude that her opinion of him mattered to Boulder. Why did it matter?
I lowered myself to the sofa and leaned forward, placing my elbows on my thighs.Why is he willing to risk his neck to help Athena escape? Why is he so…I searched for the word in my mind.…concerned about Christina? No, it’s more than that… connected to her, maybe?
Puzzled by this unforeseen development, I tapped my lip. If my good opinion became important to Khan then I was in a good position to change the world.
I’ll make him want to join us, somehow.
Whatever Christina is doing, it’s working, and one Nman probably isn’t so different from the other. I just need to find out how Christina got under Boulder’s skin and do the same.
With a new sense of optimism, I straightened my back and waited until I was called to dinner.
Two guards followed me and although I wished them peace, they didn’t even smile at me. Both of them carried weapons and it confirmed to me that I was a hostage, not a guest.
“Step closer,” Khan called when I walked into the dining room. It was a rectangular room with active walls and he spread his arms out. “What are you in the mood for? A city view, waterfall, mountain ridge? Or are you more into dinner by the beach?”
I smiled softly. “Anything from the Northlands would be nice. I don’t expect to see much with my being held hostage, so I would be pleased to get a glimpse.”
He chose a forest theme that made me look around in wonder. The four walls around us lit up with the green lushness from moss and trees of different types. Above us the ceiling provided ambient light streaming down through the image of tree branches.
“How nice,” I said and watched the leaves sway in the breeze.
“This is less than half an hour from here,” Khan explained. “The creek is called Cold Creek.”
I watched the water run and enjoyed the musical sounds it made. A large moss-covered stone a way down the stream looked like an island forcing the water to choose a side to go around it. A leaf fell quietly and was whirled down the clear stream. For a moment, it was easy to imagine that I could walk closer and dip my toes to see if the creek lived up to its name.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” a dark voice said behind me and I turned to see Magni walk into the room with a woman behind him. “Cut the crap and turn this shit off.”
“Magni,” the woman said in a reprimanding tone. “There’s no need to be rude.”
Completely ignoring her he walked right past me to the table and kept his eyes on the food already set out.
“I was showing Pearl some of our beautiful local nature,” Khan said and waved the woman closer to us. “Mother, please come and meet Pearl Pilotti, our new… ehm… guest.”
The woman had on a very nice long dress in green colors that enhanced her figure and bosom. I looked down to see why her steps were so noisy and widened my eyes when I saw she was wearing high heels.
No one wore high heels anymore. They were in the same category as corsets – a torturous invention of the past that had served to make men desire women and caused women nothing but sore feet and broken ankles.
“Nice to meet you, my name is Erika,” Khan’s mother said in a friendly fashion and reached her hand out to me.
I looked puzzled when she shook my hand up and down quickly before letting go.
“May peace surround you,” I said politely but didn’t insist on taking both her hands.
“Please excuse my younger son. He’s forgotten his manners, it seems.” Erika shot a worried glance at Magni, who sat passively by the table.
“What’s for dinner?” another man’s voice asked, and I leaned to my side to see behind Erika, who was also looking back.
“Finn,” she said as the man strode in. Unlike the others he only had stubble, and looked less “wild” than the rest of the Nmen I’d seen.
“Hey,” he said when he spotted me but instead of coming closer he walked quickly to join Khan at the table. I know his low mutter was meant for Magni only, but I heard it when he complained. “Fucking Momsies everywhere.”
