Chapter 6

Kelly stood right behind Mother's left side as she gathered all the governors, mayors, and minor officials of the Nine Plains. Very few knew of the lovely woman clad in a silvery golden gown with long gloves past the elbows, her hair fixed the night before when she dined with this gracious woman and her makeup looked like it was done by the greatest artist in Sheland. Like Marion, she had her hands folded and clasped at her lap. She looked at Marion standing like herself but dressed in a yellow gown. She thought the woman looked lovely.

Mother's short speech of her mortality brought shock to all. Mother stepped back and permitted the gathering speak in hushed dismayed whispers that they were going to lose the greatest ruler of all. Her popularity was at its peak and no one, absolutely no one could ever take her place.

After several minutes Mother signalled for silence. A gong was lightly hit by someone offstage. This brought about the end of a brief mourning for her.

"I have wonderful news for you," Mother smiled. "I have appointed a Daughter who will become your new Mother upon my passing. Her name is Kelly Gordon but from this moment on, she will be known only as Daughter. " Mother took Daughter's hand and had her step at her side. Applause broke out as she was introduced to the Nine Plains. If beauty were brains, she would be a genius. As it was, Daughter had the whole of yesterday with Mother learning things she felt Daughter needed to know right away. Daughter turned beet red at the length of the multitudes of accolades. She glanced back and saw that Marion was also clapping her hands enthusiastically. She turned to the side and saw Patrick applauding too. Miffy was in one of the seats of honor thrilled at the love shown toward Daughter, her lover.

"Daughter will become Mother not when I am dead. But when I lack the capacity to lead," Mother proclaimed. "In the meantime, what time we have together, I will be teaching her how I have governed hoping she can be as wise as you believe I am. I am only a woman who was born to rule. Now it will be Daughter who will be taught how and when to rule. There are some problems that if given time, will resolve themselves. Others will need her attention immediately. I would ask General Wayne to come up before us."

A heavy set balding man of about fifty stepped forward and knelt before Mother.

"General, will you please kneel before Daughter. For his age, the general was up and before Daughter. "Now General Wayne, will you repeat this oath after me. It is the same as you pledged to me when you were Captain Wayne!"

Mother waited until he was settled. "I, General Wayne, do pledge my honor and trust upon Daughter as the supreme commander of Sheland's army."

General Wayne repeated the pledge with his fist over his heart. Unexpectedly Daughter stepped forward and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek as to acknowlege his words for her. Mother started the clapping for something she had never thought of doing. 'Good, ' she said to herself. 'May this become a tradition from now on, ' she thought with a wide smile.

Mother turned to the multitudes of her citizens and declared this a new holiday which would be observed on the calander. "This will not be a time for mourning because our best physicians state I have as long as two years to live. Let us make this a time of joy. Joy we have in a new Daughter and future ruler of our land. Let us celebrate and make this a wonderful day. Come dear," Mother stretched out her arm to allow Daughter into her embrace.

"I need to talk to you," Marion led Daughter to the side so their talk would be private.

"Gladly," Daughter smiled, she just wasn't into crop yields from a circle of farmers. But the concern on Marion's face showed that the pleasant girl had a very important concern, "What is it you need?"

"I have to know that once you become Mother, will I have a job?" Daughter could see the worry in the woman's eyes. She looked tired and Daughter noticed her eyes were glassy from being up these last several nights.

"Do you like your present position?"

"Oh! Yes! I do. Very much!"

"I have no intention of getting rid of good workers like yourself. No one that does their tasks has to worry about losing them. I'm not that kind of a person. If you do well, I might even promote you. I wouldn't have Miffy be my secretary if she couldn't do it as competently as I have faith in her. We may be the best of friends plus a bit more. If she can't do the work, I would look for another.

"Marion, I want you to stay on your present position. Only you can lose it. If you find a man or woman you wish to keep that person close to you means you would have to leave your position, that will be your decision. I like the way your maidens are trained and how they perform their duties. You are very good at what you do. So don't worry yourself about your work. I will need you in the days, weeks, months ahead." Daughter embraced her. Marion stiffened for a second than returned to being hugged.

She noticed the large breasts of Daughter mashing into her small ones. Also Daughter had a distinct pleasant odor that made being close was a pleasure. She felt so grateful that she thoughtlessly kissed Daughter's soft cheek. She shocked herself and sought to move away. Daughter held her tight. "It's okay," she told Marion. "I think you are beautiful and the kiss was very nice." Daughter returned a chaste kiss of her own.

"The bitch is dying," Teddy told John, the chief of chiefs.

"Who is dying?" John wanted to know. His brothers Bobby, Ted, and he were brothers and the head of the Beast Nation. The Beasts called themselves, The Nation of Male Superiority which held in their creed that men were better than women in all things. The trio of brothers still felt the sting of being defeated by Shelanders two decades ago. Since then the Beasts waited for the best opportunity to get their revenge. They thought that day was coming.

"The head Sheland Bitch," Teddy exclaimed.

"When is she going to die," John hacked up a thick oyster and spit it near the feet of Ted. His voice was irritatingly a low growl that most of the other Beasts used.

"Two years at the latest," Bobby said, walking in. He was the smartest of the brothers and seldom flew off the handle unlike John and Ted. All beasts mutilated themselves from self abasement. Cutting themselves with sharpened knives, arrowheads, razorlike rocks; plus flagellanting each had to endure twice a year as a means of showing obedience to their past leaders to their nation, and to each of their fellow warriors. Bobby was the intellect of the nation and highly intelligent. Almost always reading a book or carrying one.