“I will never forgive myself for leaving you unprotected Isis…”
“Stop! I wasn’t unprotected, you ordered Zev to stay with me and he did.”
“Yes but…”
“No buts, you did what your honor demanded Oryon. You, Ull, Vali, Ynyr and the rest of our House defended the Emperor. Never have I witnessed such a demonstration of skill, strength and honor against so many unfit males. House Rigel stood tall and proud showing all that it’s Lord truly is a fit and worthy male, even the Emperor was forced to recognize it.”
“Emperor Wray has always shown me respect Isis.”
“Perhaps, but not enough and not until after you supported him so strongly and that is because of me.”
“Isis…”
“You know it is truth Oryon. The Emperor said as much when he dissolved the Joining Ceremony.”
“Perhaps, but I would change nothing that has kept you with me Isis, for without you, my life would be meaningless.”
Isis gave him a gentle smile. “Nor would I, but our universe has changed Oryon. When we left here, I had not one female that I could call a friend. I was forced to watch my offspring grow from afar and was considered an oddity by my own people. Now, not only do I have female friends but one is the Empress and the other a Queen. I can now openly speak to not only my offspring but to whomever I need. I realize that is going to take time for some to accept this, but I am certain your males eventually will.”
“Our males, Isis,” Oryon told her and she rewarded his words with a brilliant smile.
“Our males.” She agreed then frowned. “What else is bothering you?”
“What?” Oryon looked at her in shock. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. It just seems you are so vehement that you would change nothing. What could you have possibly have changed that you didn’t?”
Oryon was saved from answering by Vali knocking on their chamber door.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Isis smiled up at Vali as he walked beside her through the halls of House Rigel. Vali was her second male, barely twenty-four he wasn’t as broadly built as his manno and brothers, but that in no way meant he was weak. She had actually seen Vali outmaneuver Ull in practice because with that lack of bulk came greater speed and agility. Vali had never bested Ull, but Isis believed that was because Vali refused to do so fearing others might then question Ull’s right to be their Lord.
“How are you handling all these changes Vali?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” Vali replied giving a hard look to several males that stared at her for a little too long.
“Well, Ynyr is now a Lord. I have yet to hear your opinion on that.”
“I will always support my Emperor’s decisions,” he told her stiffly and received a sharp look from his mother before she grabbed his arm.
Isis couldn’t believe how cold and distant her second male was being. There was a time when she would have allowed it, thinking she had no choice, no longer. Pulling him into a side room she slammed the door shut before rounding on him.
“What kind of answer is that?!!” she demanded angrily.
“Excuse me?” Vali asked straightening to his full height.
“Oh no, you won’t ‘excuse me’ in that tone young male. I am your mother and when I ask you a question, I expect a real answer and none of that ‘Tornian male’ attitude you just gave me. I presented you into this world and I can take you out of it.”
Vali could do nothing but stare at his mother in shock. Who was this female that dared speak to him thusly? Who was standing up to him so fearlessly? He hadn’t believed his manno about her keeping her offspring with her for as long as she could. No female did that, but Ull had said he remembered the scent of ardaighs. Vali didn’t. Why did he have no memory of that early time with her if it had happened? Had his manno been wrong? Had she had not kept him with her as long?
“What is troubling you Vali?” Isis asked, watching as the dark rims around the outside of Vali’s brown eyes thickened ever so slightly, even though his body remained totally relaxed, revealing none of his inner tension.
“Why would you think anything is troubling me?” he asked.
“Because when you are upset your eyes darken. They’ve done this from the moment you were presented.” Isis gave him a small smile as she thought back. “I remember being so worried after your presentation, your eyes were nearly black, but then you were very upset at being forced into this strange new world. It was only once you were bundled up tight and feeding from my breast that they began to turn the beautiful brown of your manno’s.
Vali found himself blushing at his mother’s comment. Surely, a mother shouldn’t speak of such things to her offspring. Then what she was saying hit him.
“You remember me? Presenting me?” Vali couldn’t stop himself from asking.
“Of course I do.” Isis frowned at him. “Why would you think I wouldn’t?”
“I…” Vali flushed, not sure if he should continue.
“Vali, please… speak freely.”
“Manno told us on Tornian that you kept each of us with you for as long as you could before the questions grew too loud.”
“Yes I did.” Isis nodded in agreement.
“Ull recalled the scent of ardaighs, that whenever he smells them now, it comforts him.”
“He did?”
“Yes.”
“And this bothers you.” Isis could see that it did.
“Yes because I don’t have that memory. Manno said that your rooms have always been filled with them, the ardaighs, so if they are why don’t I remember them?”
“Because you were presented in a different season.” Isis could see that Vali didn’t understand. “Ardaighs only grow in the gardens during the three months of the warmest season. Ull was presented two months before they bloomed and for some reason we had an extremely long warm season that year. The ardaighs bloomed for over six months. You were presented just as the ardaighs finished their last bloom. That year the cold season never seemed to end and the warm… well I’m not sure we had one. It was then that your manno decided to have a warm season house built. He said he did it so we would always have fresh foodstuffs but if that were true then why is so much of it restricted for the sole growing of ardaighs. Your manno did it for me. So I could have them year round.”
“Like he moved the training grounds.” Vali said.
“He told you about that?” Isis asked surprised.
“Yes.”
“Your manno is such a good male Vali, but that is not what you are asking, is it. You want to know why you don’t have a special memory of me if your manno thought you would.”
“Yes.” Vali choked out.
“May I touch you Vali?” Isis asked stepping closer to him.
“What?” he asked shocked.
“While I know you are my offspring, you are still an adult male and I have no right to touch you without your permission.”
“Why do you want to touch me?’
“To show you that while Ull had the scent of my ardaighs, there is something you had that he didn’t.”
Nodding stiffly Vali braced himself for what was to come, for him not to feel anything, but the minute he felt his mother’s fingers touch his temple, felt the back of them run down his face and jaw, felt them reverse and return their journey. As soon as he felt that, he was swamped with the memories of love, of safety, and of mattering.
“You were always my most difficult offspring Vali,” Isis said softly. “Not because you were difficult but because you were my quiet one, you never cried out when you were hungry or when you were wet. You would just look at me with your beautiful brown eyes and expect me to know what you needed. It drove me crazy, until I finally realized that the rim around your eyes would darken when you were upset. After that things became easier.”
“No one has ever noticed that before.”
“Who have you ever let that close?” Isis asked.
Va
li suddenly realized he let no one that close and found his forehead coming to rest on her shoulder as she continued to stroke his cheek.
“Is that all that has been bothering you my Vali?” Isis asked softly.
“No,” and Vali found himself telling her how concerned he was about Ull. About Ynyr. About their Empire.
“What concerns you most about Ull?”
“That he’ll never come to terms with being over shadowed by Ynyr.” Vali lifted his head and Isis could see the darkness circling his eyes.
“Is that how he sees it?” Isis asked.
“Yes. First the Emperor chose Ynyr for Etruria and then Abby chose Ynyr because of it.”
“That’s not why Abby chose Ynyr.” Isis corrected him.
“I know this is what has been said and after meeting Abby I agree, but Ull will never see it that way.”
“Because our females always chose the male by his status and what he has accumulated to give her.”
“Yes.”
“Yet Abby chose Ynyr when he literally had nothing to give her, not even a cape.”
“That won’t last long, for Ynyr is now the Lord of the most prosperous and powerful House in the Empire.”
“A House that is in total disarray.”
“Truth, but that too won’t be for long, not with Ynyr in charge.” Vali said confidently.
“You have that much faith in your younger brother.” Isis was surprised at the level of admiration she heard in Vali’s voice.
“Of course, Ynyr was always meant for more than serving Ull. The only thing holding him back was being…” Vali snapped his mouth shut as he realized what he was about to say.
“A third male,” Isis finished for him. “My third offspring.”
“I’m sorry mother. I should not have said that.”
“Why? It is truth. I know I have been a great burden not only to this House, but also to my offspring. It was never my intention when I refused to leave your manno that you would suffer for my decisions. Perhaps I was wrong.”
“No!” Vali instantly denied.
“Vali…”
“You have never caused any of us to suffer, have never been a burden. Yes, others have been critical of our House because you stayed, but their opinions do not matter.”
“Even the Emperor’s?”
“Especially his, especially now when he has come to realize you had it right all along. You held onto your beliefs and honor mother, when no one else supported you.”
“I had your manno,” Isis whispered.
“Yes,” Vali nodded in agreement, “and the two of you are now showing every Tornian male what he could have… if a female were to choose him, even a Tornian one.”
“You make that sound like a bad thing.”
“It is.” Vali’s eyes became thickly rimmed as he looked at her. “Because it is something the majority of us will never have.”
“But you can have that Vali. You all can.”
“There aren’t enough females, mother. Even with the ones from Earth and the new young ones.”
Isis felt her heart break for her offspring. “You do not think one would choose you.”
“I do not think I have the right to ask. Not when there are others who will need offspring more.”
“Others like Ull.”
“Yes. He is a first male. He will one day be Lord of Betelgeuse. He must have a female for our family line to continue here.”
“And your offspring would not do the same thing?”
“They would but if there can only be one…”
“You would sacrifice for your older brother.”
“For my future Lord.”
Isis reached out and touched Vali’s cheek. “You are a good male Vali, fit and worthy, your brother is lucky to have you as his second.”
Vali felt his cheeks flush at his mother’s heartfelt words.
“Together we will all do our best to help Ull see that Ynyr’s being chosen as a Lord and Abby’s choosing Ynyr, no way reflects on his fitness as a male or future Lord.”
“That maybe a difficult task mother.”
“Then let us start now with showing him the beauty of the House that he will one day rule.” Slipping her arm through her offspring’s, they went in search of Kaspar.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“You…” Kaspar looked at Lady Isis in shock. What was she doing approaching him like this? Why was she speaking to him? Why was Vali allowing it? “You what?”
“I said, I wanted to know why House Rigel’s rooms haven’t been properly cleaned.” Isis repeated herself.
“I personally oversaw the cleaning of your chambers my Lady,” Kaspar told her stiffly.
“I wasn’t talking about those rooms Master Kaspar. I was referring to the rest of House Rigel. Why are the windows in the entrance hall streaked? Why are the floors dirty? The furniture not properly polished?”
“The entrance is as my Lord desires it.” Kaspar responded through gritted teeth. Who did this female think she was, Lady or not, to question him!
“You are saying that my Lord directed you to leave dirt on the floor? To not have the windows cleaned?”
“Of course not!” Kaspar snapped.
“Then why aren’t they?” Isis demanded and Kaspar could do nothing but silently stare at her with blazing eyes. “Gather your males Master Kaspar,” Isis ordered, “and meet me in the entrance hall, there is work to be done and I am going to make sure it’s done properly.”
“I… you…” Kaspar finally stuttered out unable to believe she thought she could order him around. “You need to return her to her chambers,” Kaspar ordered, turning to Vali.
“Lady Isis is here with the full approval and support of Lord Oryon, Master Kaspar.” Vali said in a hard, cold voice letting the smaller male know just who was in charge here. “She is the Lady of this House and her orders are to be followed. Unless,” Vali raised an eyebrow at Kaspar, “you wish to explain to your Lord why you have disrespected his Lady… and my mother.” Vali ended on a growl.
“No! Of course not!” Kaspar instantly denied.
“Then gather your males!” Vali growled.
“Yes, of course Warrior Vali.” When Kaspar would have spun around and left Vali’s next words stopped him.
“You are leaving without showing your respect for your Lady?”
Turning back Kaspar found Vali’s hand gripping the hilt of his sword and realized the seriousness of his offense. “Pardons,” he quickly said, bowing to Vali then shifted to bow to Isis for the first time. “Pardons my Lady, I will gather my males and meet you in the entrance.”
“That will be fine Master Kaspar.” Isis, while gracious at Kaspar’s slight, made sure he knew who was in charge. “I’ll see you there in ten minutes.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“Thank you for your support Vali.” Isis spoke quietly as they walked towards the entrance hall.
“He had no right to disrespect you so.” Vali growled his anger at Kaspar’s slight, who did that male think he was? “You are his Lady and my mother!”
“Yes but it will take time for everyone to adjust to all the changes, not only here but throughout the Empire. There are going to be… misunderstandings.”
“That was not a misunderstanding. That was Kaspar totally disregarding your position. You are Lady Isis of House Rigel. He is only the Master of it. He is here to do your bidding, not question it.” Vali looked down at his mother and gave her a slight smile. “I was impressed with how you forgave the slight, and yet you still let him know who was in charge.”
“It is something my manno told me many years ago. He told me that when dealing with Tornian males I would need to speak softly but carry a big stick.”
“What?”
Vali’s look had Isis chuckling. “You need to know my manno to understand.” She paused looking at Vali. “I wish you could have known him.”
“He died not long after you Joined with manno, didn’t he?”
/> “Yes, shortly after I presented Ull. There was some sort of accident in his shop. It was never fully explained to me, but he was alone and somehow injured so severely that he died before a Healer could reach him.”
“His shop? What kind of shop?” Vali quizzed.
“My manno was a master cabinetmaker.” Isis said proudly then frowned at Vali. “You did not know this?”
“No.”
“He loved the feel of adhmad beneath his hands, loved to cut and carve it, to sand and polish a piece until it revealed what it was always meant to be.” She paused in the doorway of the entrance hall and looked around the sparsely furnished room. “I have several of his pieces in my chambers. They would fit perfectly here in the hall.”
“You wish to bring female furniture into the entrance hall?” Vali asked in disbelief.
“What’s female furniture?” Isis asked trying not to laugh at his aghast expression.
“I… well… small… dainty… fragile… poufy….”
“Is that how you really see females? Even after this last week?” Isis tipped her head to the side giving him a considering look.
“I… well no, but your furniture…”
“I think you will be pleasantly surprised and once this room is properly cleaned I will show you the pieces your mother’s manno made and then you can tell me if our males will find them comfortable.”
As Isis finished speaking, ten males stomped into the room. It was obvious from their annoyed expressions that they weren’t happy to be there and Isis knew exactly who to thank for that and he was following directly behind them… Kaspar. Well, she wasn’t going to let him control her dealings with the males in her House. No one would, not any longer.
“Good morning males.” Isis stepped forward letting them know that she was in charge here. “I am Lady Isis, as I am sure you are well aware,” she smiled at the stunned looks that she was receiving for her speaking directly to them. “As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, drastic changes have occurred in our Empire during the last weeks. Changes, such as a female speaking to males she has no wish to Join with.” Ignoring their shocked gasps, Isis continued making sure her eyes met each male. “I do not yet know all your names… but I will.” She let that hang there for a moment. “Not, as I have already stated, because I wish to Join with you, but because you are part of my House. Part of my Lord’s House and he has chosen you to be here. He believes that not only do you belong here but that you are an asset to his House.”