The Mutant World (55 page)

The young Barratian and the other captives could not reply, only lower their eyes in shame. Everything the prince had said was true. Many of those chiefs who fought Stragg, but had now grudgingly joined him in the end to fight off the Bellasarians, had done so only because they wanted the throne themselves. Naturally they realized that if Stragg was defeated no one would be able to rule. All of Barrat would fall under Bellasarian and female domination. Only two out of five Barratian chiefs actually fought Stragg to avenge the murdered king.

“And that’s another thing,”
said Pantherus.
“My brother and I searched everywhere for the banner of the Simpson clan to avenge our parents, and once we found them,”
Pantherus gave a snort of disgust,
“well away from the main attack force, Stragg himself was not among them. All the kings, queens, and chiefs of the empire are here and accounted for. Indeed, most battling in the very van of their people’s hosts. Where IS your king?!”
snapped the prince. There was silence again at this.
“To think that such a craven should sit on Barrat’s throne! Have you people no SHAME?!?”
Pantherus looked to the Bellasarians.
“Take them away from my sight!”

Not far away, in the remains of the decoy camp, Beral III was now examining Lord Talos’s body for any remaining signs of serious injury. She had thrown off her armor despite the protests of the High Lord and the various attendants whom she then ordered to leave and only a newly sent for healer was present. Guards ringed her tent. The healer, a woman this time, had always wondered how a woman with such large breasts could fight so effectively. She could imagine those monsters bouncing all over the place and in the way. Other top-heavy women of her clan, like her daughter, Miko, could simply transform into their stony or beast forms and this solved that problem. But the empress lacked these abilities. The healer had wondered, but she knew now… lots of bandages. Beral III’s huge rack was firmly wrapped by cloth bandages to
keep
them from bouncing all over the place and out of the way. Her breast plate was also made to accommodate her body shape comfortably and fit well.

Now satisfied that her mate was indeed fully healed, the empress (who noticed the healer eyeing her husband’s impressive body approvingly) gave the woman permission to leave. The healer bowed and exited the tent. Lord Talos closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

“Damn! That was one hell of a fight!” cried Talos. “The best fighting I’ve ever had!”

“Shut your mouth!” cried Beral III hugging and holding him tightly. “Goddess, I might have lost you! If it were not for our daughter…”

“Shush,” said Talos gently, stroking her back. The empress let out a sob and held him tightly. “I wonder what we’ll be up against later,” Talos mused. The Barratians lost a lot of good men and many more were captured.” Beral’s head was pressed against his powerful chest and her hand was now caressing his back. “Unfortunately,” continued Talos, not noticing the signs, “Stragg, had not dared to show his face in the battle. Fahg! I never would have believed that a born Bellasarian leader, human
or
mutant, could be so…He’s as bad as an Earthman!”

“This battle may be the beginning of our troubles…or the beginning of the end for Stragg,” said Beral III, rubbing her head gently against the High Lords chest.

“They will not come again in such numbers and attack us,” said Talos. “Not unless they are absolutely sure. The same trick won’t work twice. We’ll have to take their forts and towns one by one. This will not be easy. Damn that Stragg! If he wasn’t such a coward determined to stay alive to enjoy what he’s stolen, this could be over now.” Talos let out a growl of annoyance and Beral felt the muscles of his body tense. Fear and concern was quickly being replaced by another emotion. Talos felt Beral trembling and her heavy breathing. “Honey, it’s alright,” said Talos, misinterpreting the empress’s body language. Then he caught her scent, but it was too late. Suddenly, Beral pushed him down onto his back and began pulling at his belt. “What?!” exclaimed Talos. “Right now…
here?!
But I thought you were concerned for my health!”

“I…I was,” said Beral. “But you’re safe now and…They almost took you from me!” The empress reached up and untied her long hair, which had been tied up for battle. It fell down her back and about her shoulders. “I saw you fighting to save me! You were so brave! So…Just thinking about it…I can’t stand it!” With that the empress threw herself onto the High Lord and soon bandages and clothes were flying everywhere.

Outside the tent, Queen Bal, Princess Bella and Prince Pantherus were on their way to check on their father and father-in-law. Upon hearing the noise coming from the tent they looked at one another, chuckled and turned around. The guards were smiling also. Clearly the High Lord was alright. Bal and Bella looked at Pantherus and then each other and grinned wickedly.

“My lord,” said Bella, “let’s go back to our tent and rest. The clueless Pantherus nodded and Bal winked at Bella. Each on one arm, they led Pantherus away.

On the battlefield, close to the forested area, the head of the plant manipulator lay quietly. It watched as first the badly wounded, prisoners and walking wounded were taken away and then later, the bodies. Its own body, which was some distance away from the head, was also removed. But this was of little concern to the head. When the time was right, root-like appendages emerged from the head’s base and, slowly at first, it inched its way to the edge of the trees and then shot into the woods, then halted. Quickly it planted itself among some green foliage and soon was completely invisible to the eye. Much later, when the sun had fully set, it crept out of the woods, past the Bellasarian guards, and into the camp. It made its way cautiously among the tents unseen or smelt. If anyone did catch a strange scent they would not have recognized it as human, metahuman or even animal, merely as some sort of plant. The head located the tent of the empress and settled into the earth nearby, then immediately, leafy camouflage sprouted about its head. It listened with both ears and mind as the empress and the surviving queens, kings and consorts discussed the day’s battle and their plans. The great elders, Bellasaris and her kin, were also there. When it was very late and the leaders retired to sleep, the head made its way back into the trees and then tore through the forest until it reached a safe location. There it thrust its appendages deep into the earth and became as motionless as a true plant. But its mind was very much active and it sent out its information to his chief who was licking his wounds deeper in the forest with the rest of his clan.

“Lord Lok,”
said the head.

“Yano?”
replied Lok.
“You’re still alive?”

“Aye,”
said the head.
“Fortunately I was in plant form when the Illyrian High Lord knocked my head from my shoulders. I’m afraid that I was also seriously weakened by his daughter’s venom attack.”

“Melmorian genetics,”
said the Domigodo Chief.
“The Cat mated with Queen Melmore and her sisters two thousand years ago and had many offspring. The trait of the Melmorian Snake Women is not as evident as the Illyrian Cat’s, but it is there. How fare you now?”

The head chuckled ruefully and said,
“Not good. But I did manage to hold on long enough to spy on the Bellasarian command. Lord Cato and Bellasaris the Elder were not pleased that nearly all the rulers of the empire were here in the mountains along with most of the elder princes and princesses. Many were killed or seriously wounded in this battle because they charged in at the front of their warriors.”

Lok nodded approvingly.
“Aye, these people have balls of steel. Hah! Even their women! Worthy enemies indeed.”
Then he spat.
“I cannot say the same for our leader. So, what happened?”

“Well,”
said Yano,
“Bellasaris and the great council ordered most of the princes and princesses home. Then they spoke of us and what they’d do here. My Chief, the empire…Well…The only one they’re really after is Stragg. They don’t even wish to take over. If they can, they’d place one of the dead king’s children on the throne and cement ties peacefully with our people. But they will take every city, every fortress down stone by stone and step over a mountain of Barratian dead to get Stragg and those who aided him in murdering King Roc, their kinsman.”

“I fought for Barrat,”
said Chief Lok,
“and to keep our men from becoming women’s slaves again! I couldn’t care less about Stragg’s skin. I’m going home! The Domigodo have done enough fighting for this bastard who cannot even risk his life for his own ambitions, but will send others to be slaughtered instead. Even his clan is craven. They didn’t rally and regroup here with the rest of our forces, but are still retreating,”
Lok chuckled,
“running. I wonder when and where they’ll think it safe to stop. If they’ve lost the resolve to fight then…”

“I agree,”
said Yano,
“but I cannot join you yet. I have set down roots. I waited and did as much as I could, but I could wait no longer or else I would have died. It will take at least a month in the earth for me to regrow my body and take human form fully again. Obviously, doing so now would be suicide.”

“Join us when you can, Brother,”
said Chief Lok.
“Now rest. I know not what the other clans will do, but I’m going home at first light.”

******

It was a week after the Battle of Cartagena was over and Usurper King Stragg now sat in council with his surviving vassals…and they were not happy. The battle in the valley had seen thousands of their men killed or taken captive. Worse, with the two dead king’s sons actually seen alive and fighting amongst the Bellasarian warriors many clans immediately surrendered and swore fealty to the rightful heirs of the Barratian throne. However, the most damaging thing to moral had been the total absence of Stragg Simpson at the battle. The Simpsons’ had positioned themselves a good distance away from the battle and had struck at the farthest fringes of the camp. Better to attack there than lead the charge into the heart of the camp where the empress’s personal enclosure was, and where the most dangerous and powerful mutants would be protecting her.

Unfortunately, the sons of the Barratian Clan, the Barratian warriors loyal to their house and the Mavie with Queen Bal (now their allies) searched for them. They immediately went straight for the Simpsons’ position once their standard was located, crushing any and all who stood in their way. Some of the Simpson men fought and died, most ran and lived. Indeed, to the shock of all, they ran and didn’t stop running until they were back at the capital.

“Prince Jawara was right!” roared a chief. “Mighty you Simpsons are indeed…when abusing helpless slave girls!”

“How dare you!” cried Stragg. “I’ll have you…”

“You’ll
have?”
laughed the chief. “Can’t you do it yourself?” There was laughter at this.

Stragg slowly rose to his feet. Chief Tod’s eyes narrowed and he exposed his fangs. Like Stragg, he was very fair complexioned and had blond hair and blue eyes. But that’s where the similarities ended. Stragg was powerful and skillful, but stupid. This leader was short and not as strong as Stragg, but he was battle hardened and had easily slain warriors much more powerful than himself. The chief braced himself for battle.

Lord Terrence knew the danger as well as Stragg. Many had already noted that Stragg did not seem so enthusiastic about fighting this man, at least unarmed, but under the circumstances he had little choice. Elder Terrence would have to step in and save the poor fool. Besides…it could go either way and both men’s sword arms were now desperately needed.

“Enough!” cried Terrence. “My King, please sit down. Chief Tod, you forget yourself! Now is not the time for dissention, gentlemen.”

“Hah!” laughed Chief Tod. “Trying to save this craven cur?!” There were angry growls of both anger and approval at this statement from the other chiefs and warriors. Terrence and Stragg both noticed that more men agreed with Tod than disagreed. To be perfectly honest, the elder agreed too. Honestly, if Tod prevailed, a much more capable leader would be on the throne. The only reason he didn’t let Chief Tod kill Stragg was because Tod would not be as easy to control or manipulate as Stragg. Indeed, he might just clean house and that could mean real trouble for Elder Terrence who everyone knew was Stragg’s chief supporter.

“No,” said Terrence, holding up a hand for peace. “I feel that if we are at each other’s throats only the Bellasarians will benefit.”

Another chief angrily shook his fist at Stragg. “You ambushed and murdered King Roc and raped then murdered Lady Ayala. You claimed the king was weak and his sons unworthy. Yet I saw his sons battling with honor in the very midst of the fight. Where were YOU? Where were your sons? My son was slain along with four of my nephews! I lost a brother as well. Hundreds of my tribe dead, yet you sit here in safety fucking your tragic slaves, drinking and stuffing yourself in comfort on the throne you stole, while
we
fight for you to keep it!” Again there was a roar of outrage from the assembled Barratians.

“Brothers,” cried Terrence, “please! The king, that is former King Roc, was like a son to me. I have served his family since the time of Barrat himself. But Roc was going to set this nation back down the path to female domination. Many of you do not remember what it was like under Mavie rule. Well, I do. The empire had seduced the king into a dangerous mentality and was bribing him with gifts of technology and promises of other comforts unneeded by our people. Not only that, but the Mavie had their claws into the royal family. One of the King’s sons had bonded with Queen Bal.”