“The women track everything they can, including me. The women knew I would being before I got there. I am ‘Hannah, from the T’stan mountains, Nu-reeh’s daughter by a second’.”


    I didn’t know what to say to that and she continued to talk.


    “They haveputers, Mama, but not like on Earth. Theputers are living things. The technology the women have is amazing.”


    I was a little shocked as we sat down next to each other. “So this is an advanced world? I got the feeling it was still wild,” I mused.


    Hannah continued to exin. It was mostly uninhabited. The women had only tamed the mountain homes they lived in, they left the world mostly to it’s natural state. She had seen amazing things as she flew.


    “It looked like what you would call a dinosaur,” she told me. “I talked to the other girls and one of them told me how the women had cleared the dangerous creatures away from the equator, away from the men.”


    “They let the spaceships near the men,” I said quietly.


    “Yeah,” Hannah grunted, “cause the aliens are afraid tond anywhere else on this crazy. The ces theynd have been cleared by the women and they prefer to deal with men, because they aren’t as scary. Once or twice they tried to take the men, that was an act of war. The women tear apart anyone that takes their precious, little boys.”


    “Don’t be angry at the men, Baby,” I soothed.


    “How could I be, Mama? They are like children. I’m mad at the system, angry at very, and upset we can’t be together. This whole world is so stupid!” she fumed.


    I wanted to cry and agree with her, but I didn’t.


    “It is your world now and it isn’t stupid, just different-” I started to say and she interrupted me by rolling her eyes.


    “An entire system built on very, Mama. It is stupid and you know it. The men’s talents are wasted the way things stand now. They are raised and farmed by powerful women like Nu-reeh. Still even the most educated man isn’t really allowed to think and reach their potential. Stupid, stupid, stupid…” she said shaking her head.


    I didn’t want to waste our time being upset, so I encouraged her to talk about her traveling. Hannah seemed content just to sit and hold my hand, telling me about the moon cycle she’d spent traveling. It was interesting and reassuring. My daughter did know how to take care of herself.


    “I’ve learned how to listen and let the other girls tell me things I should already know,” she said smiling. “It is actually really easy once you get the hang of it. You’ve always been a good listener; I just tried to be like that.”


    The sun got higher in the sky and I started to get nervous. Damien and his Brothers would not care if Hannah was here, but the other family would be upset. Before I had the chance to say something I heard Nu-reeh’s roar outside.


    “Great,” Hannah said rolling her eyes, “the mega bitch is here.”


    “Don’t say that,” I scolded gripping her hand. “Go outside and apologize,” I ordered getting worried.


    “She just wants me to leave, Mama,” Hannah said standing. “She doesn’t care about apologies.”


    I hugged Hannah tight and she nearly bruised me in her crushing embrace.


    “Be safe, Hannah,” I said fighting the tears.


    “I promise, Mama,” she said turning to leave. “I swear I will keep you safe one day. Just survive until then, okay? I’ll see you again, but I don’t know when.”


    “I love you, Hannah. I’ll be in thepound and safe, I promise. Be careful, My Girl.”


    Hannah crossed the floor in three quick strides. She opened the door and looked back at me.


    “I love you, too, Mama,” she said and was gone.


    I looked out the small windows and saw Hannah fly off. Nu-reeh flew behind her, but veered off when it was clear Hannah was leaving. Within moments they were gone and I was alone again.


    Christof found me sitting on the floor in my nket and staring straight ahead. He knew something had happened as soon as he walked in. Bane followed him closely with his sword drawn. They both looked tense and the rest of the family was not with them.


    “Men saw women flying away from this area,” Christof whispered in my ear when he pulled me to stand.


    “Hannah and Nu-reeh,” I whispered back quietly.


    That seemed to rx the two of them and Bane sheathed his weapon.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    The men were d Nu-reeh had stayed outside. She obviously had no problem hurting me, as long as I was still fit enough for them. They seemed neither happy nor upset that Hannah had visited.


    “She’s doing really well, I think,” I said while we ate. “Damien should be happy to know his daughter is faring so well.”


    The identical nk look I got from the two of them wasical.


    “On my,” I exined, “a male breeder would worry about his offspring.”


    Bane took another portion of meat and seemed to be differing the conversation to Christof.


    “You didn’t know your male-breeder,” Christof said thoughtfully. “You only knew men from your female breeder’s line.”


    That flustered me. Of course Christof would have pulled from my memories something that seemingly insubstantial.


    “A good male breeder,” I said trying to get back to the argument, “would worry about his offspring.”


    Christof offered me a piece of meat and grinned. “Why would he worry about Hannah? She is a woman and she learned from him. He is the best. If she learned well, she will also be the best.”


    I opened my mouth to argue and realized he was right, in a way. Damien was supremely confident because he was the best. Obviously any offspring of his, especially one that learned from him, would be fine. It would seem illogical to him to worry about Hannah.


    That train of thought did make me feel a little less worried about my daughter. She was female, which obviously denoted power. She was Damien’s daughter, which again denoted power. That made me feel better, too. I grinned at Christof and thanked him.


    Bane looked at me quizzically as he stretched, “You are a strange creature, little Sister,” he said.


    They told me that the shopkeeper was supposed to be returned after they “found” me. Bane didn’t think this would go on much longer.


    “Unless the damned shopkeeper got himself lost wandering in the mountains,” he grousedining about the shopkeeper’s ability.


    “We will have our time with Ciara,” Christof interrupted patting Bane’s back. “This will end soon.”


    My men left me, but voices returned fairly quickly. I heard the shouting and hollering as someone celebrated outside. It was voices I recognized fromst evening. They burst in the door and I huddled on the floor in my nket expecting the second family.