“The rebels say the mene to them willingly. They protect the men with the same fierceness we
would, but they do not make them suffer. The beaded ones im men are intelligent and can help run
the society. Men are powerful in their own way and they do not need to be sequestered away.”
The conversation went round and round. I learned that there had been many girls born to the rebels.
Several sons had been brought to gatherings to pair them with their families. The rebels were certainly
breeding.
“They must continue to bring the little boys to the gatherings,” Nu-reeh said cursing again.
“It will kill our own if the families are notpleted.”
Tosu and Dinah agreed. It was generally epted that if a woman with beads arrived with a son, she
must be treated with care. A woman that could breed sons must not be wasted, even if she did steal
men. In addition, the stolen men must still be alive to have created offspring. Killing their captors would
surely result in their death.
They would have to meet and decide how to deal with these women. For now, women like Tosu would
speak to the beaded ones and perhaps persuade them to give back the taken men. This was certainly
a time for negotiation and not brute force.
The stolen mens’ owners, like Nu-reeh, had been scouring the looking for their stolen men or at
least signs of them. They had found nothing. No one was sure where or how the men were kept. ALL
that Nu-reeh did know was that they were healthy enough to breed. Thatforted her somewhat as
she searched.
I was surprised Listening to the women. Nu-reeh was a leader, but I had assumed her power was all
the result of her physical strength. It seemed Nu-reeh’s position was based on political prowess as
much as anything.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.
ninjanovel
As I sat and knitted I thought about it. These women were truly mothers to this. They weren’t just
giant, controlling beasts. When a gentle hand or thoughtful consideration was necessary, they could do
that. It was enlightening for me.
The matingsted the prescribed amount of time and I was relieved to see my familying toward
me. I rose and met Damien with a gentle kiss. Kisses for the rest of the family followed and I realized
the women were watching us greet one another.
“This is your breeder?” one of the women Damien had mated asked,ing toward me.
Quite suddenly I found myself staring at Nu-reeh’s wings as she stepped in front of me. The
conversation was polite, but the warning was clear. No one approached me without the big woman‘s
express permission.
I caught Bane’s eye and he looked as surprised as I felt.
“Go bathe and take your evening meal,” Nu-reeh instructed Damien pointing to the exit.
“If you wish to y your games in the stadium the ve sits very near you in a warm,fortable
ce.”
Damien responded with agreement. I would not be left out of their sight.
We walked back to our rooms and I told Christof in whispered words what I’d heard. He found it as
interesting as I had. The women’s dealings with the beaded ones was something we were just
beginning to learn about, we all found it very interesting. Soon enough we expected Hannah and
Kennedy to be earning their beads.
Talking of Hannah made the family tease Damien quietly. His daughter had promised retribution.
Knowing Hannah’s temper as they did, everyone wondered what she would do.
We walked back to our quiet quarters and I washed the men. The women this time had really enjoyed
fighting with them and they were beaten up. My hands rubbed softly, trying to avoid the sore ces.
“Perhaps a game after the evening meal would be good,” Banemented stretching his back.
The evening meal cameplete with a bowl of strawberries for me. Everything was quiet and normal
until two women we knew very well stalked though the men toward our table. Hannah looked livid and
her eyes were settled on Damien. Ra followed, but was looking around carefully.
A step before Hannah made it to our table I heard Nu-reeh call her name. Hannah wanted to hiss and
spit, I could see that much from her, but she refrained and called politely back to Nu-reeh.