the lower God
Daco when he stole her from her mate. To thank the warriors she
promised them that for every warrior born, there would be one
special female created specifically for him, a mate. That she would
Join with him and only him, completing the warrior as he completed
her. Together they would discover what was truly important and
would have it for the rest of their lives.”
“That sounds like marriage on Earth.”
“Marriage?”
“It’s what we call it when two people fall in
love and decide to spend the rest of their lives together.”
“That is what the Goddess once promised.”
Kim tilted her head slightly at Wray’s words.
“You make it sound as if she no longer promises that.”
“She doesn’t. Not since Emperor Lucan.”
“What did he do?”
Wray just looked into her clear green eyes
that for the first time held no fear, no pain, or wariness. It
would change once she learned what one of his people had done.
“Wray?” Kim looked at him and saw his
hesitation. What could one male have done, so many years ago, that
still affected so many?
“Since the beginning of recorded time, House
Berto ruled Tornian and the Tornian Empire. Their warriors were the
first to respond to the Goddess’ plea for help.”
“And?”
“Over five hundred years ago Lucan Berto was
Emperor and he….” Wray found his throat tightening.
“He what , Wray?” Kim
whispered and found her hand suddenly on his arm, trying to
reassure him. The eyes that looked at her suddenly made her unsure
she wanted to know.
“He raped his young females, Kim.”
Kim paled and jerked her hand away from him
as if burned. “He….” She found she couldn’t speak as her throat
thickened and her eyes filled with tears. What had happened to her
had been awful... terrible... but to have a father do that. It was
the worst form of betrayal, the destruction of the most-basic
trust. A father always protected his children, he cared for them,
he never harmed them.
"For his crimes the Emperor was executed and
his family stripped of their right to ever rule the Tornian Empire
again. The Assembly of Lords convened and Wyck Vasteri of House
Vasteri was chosen as Emperor."
“Tell me they made him suffer.” The
fierceness of Kim’s tone surprised Wray, as did the hardness that
filled her wet eyes. “Emperor Lucan, tell me his death was slow and
painful, that they made him suffer as much as his females did.”
“They did.” Wray assured her and saw a new
side of Kim, one that was more warrior than female. She would
punish Lucan herself if he were here.
“Good,” Kim nodded. “It couldn’t have been
enough. It could never have been enough.”
“No, it couldn’t have.” Wray agreed and was
silent for several minutes before continuing. “It was believed that
our punishment would appease the Goddess… we were wrong.” He said
tiredly.
“What did she do to the Tornians?” Kim found
it hurt to see him so disheartened.
“She made it so more and more males were
presented.” He told her quietly.
Kim looked at him, trying to understand why
that was such a bad thing. A man… male on Earth always seemed to
want a son.
“Males now outnumber females, two hundred to
one.”
“What?” Kim quickly did the math, at two
hundred to one she would have been one of only two girls in their
graduating class.
“The Goddess decided that since we didn’t
appreciate her gift of life she would remove what presented it. She
did it slowly. So we would suffer the way the Emperor’s females
had.”
“The great infection."
"Yes," Wray nodded, "and it spread throughout
the known universes, affecting every species differently, but its
effects have devastated the Tornians, Ganglians and
Kaliszians."
“Why them?”
“One of the Emperor’s closest friends was a
Ganglian. He guarded the door and watched while the females were
abused. So the Goddess punished them all by only allowing them to
find their release while inflicting great pain.”
Daco when he stole her from her mate. To thank the warriors she
promised them that for every warrior born, there would be one
special female created specifically for him, a mate. That she would
Join with him and only him, completing the warrior as he completed
her. Together they would discover what was truly important and
would have it for the rest of their lives.”
“That sounds like marriage on Earth.”
“Marriage?”
“It’s what we call it when two people fall in
love and decide to spend the rest of their lives together.”
“That is what the Goddess once promised.”
Kim tilted her head slightly at Wray’s words.
“You make it sound as if she no longer promises that.”
“She doesn’t. Not since Emperor Lucan.”
“What did he do?”
Wray just looked into her clear green eyes
that for the first time held no fear, no pain, or wariness. It
would change once she learned what one of his people had done.
“Wray?” Kim looked at him and saw his
hesitation. What could one male have done, so many years ago, that
still affected so many?
“Since the beginning of recorded time, House
Berto ruled Tornian and the Tornian Empire. Their warriors were the
first to respond to the Goddess’ plea for help.”
“And?”
“Over five hundred years ago Lucan Berto was
Emperor and he….” Wray found his throat tightening.
“He what , Wray?” Kim
whispered and found her hand suddenly on his arm, trying to
reassure him. The eyes that looked at her suddenly made her unsure
she wanted to know.
“He raped his young females, Kim.”
Kim paled and jerked her hand away from him
as if burned. “He….” She found she couldn’t speak as her throat
thickened and her eyes filled with tears. What had happened to her
had been awful... terrible... but to have a father do that. It was
the worst form of betrayal, the destruction of the most-basic
trust. A father always protected his children, he cared for them,
he never harmed them.
"For his crimes the Emperor was executed and
his family stripped of their right to ever rule the Tornian Empire
again. The Assembly of Lords convened and Wyck Vasteri of House
Vasteri was chosen as Emperor."
“Tell me they made him suffer.” The
fierceness of Kim’s tone surprised Wray, as did the hardness that
filled her wet eyes. “Emperor Lucan, tell me his death was slow and
painful, that they made him suffer as much as his females did.”
“They did.” Wray assured her and saw a new
side of Kim, one that was more warrior than female. She would
punish Lucan herself if he were here.
“Good,” Kim nodded. “It couldn’t have been
enough. It could never have been enough.”
“No, it couldn’t have.” Wray agreed and was
silent for several minutes before continuing. “It was believed that
our punishment would appease the Goddess… we were wrong.” He said
tiredly.
“What did she do to the Tornians?” Kim found
it hurt to see him so disheartened.
“She made it so more and more males were
presented.” He told her quietly.
Kim looked at him, trying to understand why
that was such a bad thing. A man… male on Earth always seemed to
want a son.
“Males now outnumber females, two hundred to
one.”
“What?” Kim quickly did the math, at two
hundred to one she would have been one of only two girls in their
graduating class.
“The Goddess decided that since we didn’t
appreciate her gift of life she would remove what presented it. She
did it slowly. So we would suffer the way the Emperor’s females
had.”
“The great infection."
"Yes," Wray nodded, "and it spread throughout
the known universes, affecting every species differently, but its
effects have devastated the Tornians, Ganglians and
Kaliszians."
“Why them?”
“One of the Emperor’s closest friends was a
Ganglian. He guarded the door and watched while the females were
abused. So the Goddess punished them all by only allowing them to
find their release while inflicting great pain.”
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