The sentiment brightened them somewhat and everyone grinned.


    “Eat,” Evan encouraged, patting my back, “this is good for you.”


    The broth was thick and creamy, the meat chunks in my meal were certainly Paterian. I remembered my Grandmother had often spoken about the sweet potato and how healthy it was. Patting my belly, I hoped she was right.


    After lunch Damien went to find the man with assignments. The men weren’t sure where they should be.


    “Mating,” the man told them simply, “you are go to the arena area and wait.”


    I was dropped in our rooms to sit by myself, but that didn’tst long. Nu-reeh came and handed me a bag with knitting needles and fine feeling yarn. The deep blue hue of the material was lovely and it would make a warm, soft nket.


    My jacket and gloves were reced so I would be cozy and I went with Nu-reeh. She walked with me to the area the men mated in. Several cushions were on the tform for me to rest on. As I sat beside her I felt like a prized poodle.


    Knitting with the gloves on was difficult, but I did what Nu-reeh seemed to want and kept them on. Much like the men, I’d do whatever I had to in order to keep her happy. I was lucky not to have fully experienced it, but I understood her anger could be brutal.


    My reason for attending this afternoon event soon became apparent. Nu-reeh didn’t like leaving me alone. Humans neededpanionship and mypanions had not arrived, yet. My health was her highest concern and being left alone was not good for me.


    The women talked as they watched the men down below. I listened carefully, but tried not to be obvious. They were discussing the rebel females.


    “Another female wasunched,” Tosu said to Nu-reeh, “her female-breeder wore beads and her male-breeder is not named.”


    Nu-reeh growled, got up, and paced a moment. Her ws seemed to dig into the floor as she walked. The big woman was livid.


    “Do they harm them?” Nu-reeh asked hotly. “How do they breed so fast with our stolen men?”


    Dinah said she didn’t know and then Tosu spoke softly.


    “You have heard the ims Nu-reeh, they say the men that live without fear of us have a more potent essence.”


    The liberal cursing Nu-reeh did had me cringing against my cushions. If I could have run away I would have. Sitting very still, I just prayed not to be the outlet for her frustration.


    “You are scaring your human,” Tosu said lightly and Nu-reeh crouched before me.


    I’d never heard Nu-reeh speak gently. When she did, it terrified me. It was like the calm before the storm, but the storm never came.


    “Little ve, I will not hurt you. You are here for your health, agitation is not good for my male offspring. Sit and do your work, but do not fear me.”


    “Yes, Mistress,” I whispered staring up at her.


    The answer satisfied Nu-reeh and she went back to the conversation with her Sisters.


    “What proof do we have they do not hurt our men?” she asked. “How many times were the boys forced to breed to create these offspring? What threats do they lie at their feet? There are no strong women to protect them. They could suffer anything…”


    Tosu motioned down into the pit before us where my family was being beaten and mated.


    “They say this does not happen,” she said. “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.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    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.


    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.