Athena
Finn was like an eager child when we arrived back at the school. Even from a distance we could tell that Tristan was sparring with his new friends again.
“He looks so much like me,” Finn said with his eyes glued on his son.
I rubbed his shoulder. “I know, and now we know why.”
Setting his drone on the ground, Finn was quick to get out and this time he made sure to help me down.
Tristan waved at us and Finn gave a loud whistle, signaling for him to come to us.
“Can I stay when you tell him?” I asked, and Finn gave me a don’t-be-silly glance.
“Of course you can; what happens to me happens to you and vice versa.”
I had no experience with being in a relationship like this, but his words still made me warm inside. After seeing the tight bond between Pearl and Khan, I wasn’t sure why men and women had given up on this kind of committed friendship and partnership.
I had always been taught that marriages had been oppressive to women, but from what I’d seen, the men here needed their women and treated them with love and respect. Well, except Magni, who didn’t seem to think women should have a voice in anything.
Still, I paused as I pondered the energy that had pulsed between Laura and him during the strategy meeting yesterday. If I didn’t find it so unbelievable, I’d say that Laura was attracted to Magni. I shivered just thinking about the size and nature of that man. Even I, with my great knowledge of psychology and spirituality, and my abilities to do mind work, wouldn’t know where to start with him. It was hard to imagine that Laura would be able to reason with his rigid ideas about women, but when I’d looked into her eyes, I’d seen bravery and strength. Laura was one of the rarest women in the world, born in the Motherlands and raised among the men of the North. If she was anything like them, she wouldn’t back down from a challenge, and Magni had to be the most challenging man any woman could face.
Tristan stopped in front of us with a happy grin. “I learned the most fabulastic kick in the world. You want to see it?”
“Sure?” Finn swung his hand, signaling for Tristan to go ahead. “But lose the not so fabulastic slang, will you?”
The boy nodded. It looked impressive when he jumped up and turned in the air, stretching his leg and foot.
“Wow,” I exclaimed with genuine amazement.
“Told you it was impressive,” Tristan said with a proud smile.
“Very nice,” Finn agreed. “I have something to tell you.”
Tristan smiled before he looked back to his group of friends, signaling that he would just be a minute. “I know you said we’re going back to the Motherlands soon, but I’m serious, Finn, I really want to stay here.”
“I know,” Finn said. “And I think I know why.”
“Why?” Tristan asked and tilted his head a little.
“It’s because you’re one of us.”
Tristan rubbed his nose looking from Finn to me and back again.
“You’re my biological son.”
A new surge of excitement filled me when Finn told him and Tristan’s eyes grew wide.
“Are you serious?” he asked.
“One hundred percent.” Finn chuckled with an overwhelming joy radiating from him. “I ran the test this morning and you’re looking at the handsome devil who fathered you.”
Tristan broke into a howl of joy and hugged Finn full force. “I knew it! I knew it!” he kept repeating all the while, laughing and hugging Finn.
“What’s going on?” Tristan’s friends came running and so did another group of the children who had witnessed our happy celebration.
Tristan and Finn pulled apart, and the boy dried his eyes and turned to them. “Finn is my real dad.”
“No way!” Solo was gaping. “You’re not serious.”
“It’s true,” I confirmed and the boys were quick to pat Tristan on the shoulders.
“Then you really are one of us.”
“But how can Finn be your dad?” A soft voice made me look to the group of Motlander children and see Willow take a step forward. The tall girl stood like a swan with her straight posture, long silky hair, and the symmetrical features that made her so beautiful. “That shouldn’t be possible?”
“It’s really cold out here,” Finn said, ignoring her question. “Why don’t we go inside and get warm?”
With all the children in tow we walked into the school building where Kya, Archer, Marco, Shelly, and the other children were gathered.
Raven was quick to shout the news to everyone who hadn’t heard already and everyone congratulated both Finn and Tristan.
“I still don’t understand how it’s possible,” Willow said again and I smiled a little because the girl wasn’t going to let Finn ignore her this time. “People in our countries are as different as two breeds of dogs,” Willow said pragmatically. “Nmen father the Nboys and Motlander men father the Motlander children. It’s always been that way.” Willow pointed to Solo, who towered next to her with his six feet two. “That’s why Nboys are tall and strong, while our boys are pretty and gentle.”
“You’re right,” I confirmed. “That’s how it’s always been, but comparing us to a breed of dogs is maybe a bit harsh.”
“Why?” Willow asked. “Humans have produced specific traits in dogs for centuries; it’s the same with Nmen and Motlanders. We’ve been moving in different directions for hundreds of years now, so how did Finn father a Motlander child?”
I chose the truth. “Maybe the selective breeding, as you call it, has been part of the problem. We were just discussing the same thing with Pearl and Khan, and the truth is that in the Motherlands we now have a desperate situation where we need men who can procreate. That’s why some children are now being fathered by Nmen.”
“Was I fathered by an Nman?” Raven asked. “I’m not exactly tall for my age, but I’m strong.”
“It’s possible,” I admitted and faced eight other children who also wanted to know if they had been fathered by Nmen.
“We don’t know, and it’s really only by chance that Finn and Tristan found out.”
“That reminds me,” Finn looked at Mila. “Magni wants me to run a test on you. He wants to know if he’s your biological father.”
Mila lit up. “Is he?”
“No, honey,” I said with a quick smile. “It’s almost impossible. I think Magni got carried away with Finn being Tristan’s dad and all. I can almost guarantee you that he’s not your father.”
“But he could be?” she said in a hopeful voice.
“Yes, theoretically.”
Mila and the other children were debating whether or not it was best to be the child of an Nman or a Motlander.
“Solo,” Archer barked at one point and frowned at the large boy.
“What? I didn’t do anything,” Solomon defended himself.
“Tone it down, will you?” Archer told him.
Solo looked annoyed but he didn’t challenge Archer and my curiosity made me whisper to Kya. “What was that about?”
“It’s Willow and Solo,” Kya whispered back. “Look at them. They’re like two magnets and it’s gotten them in trouble before. He’ll take her hand when he shouldn’t and if we don’t keep an eye on them, they’ll sneak off to be alone. The only time Solo behaves is when Magni is around.”
I looked at Willow and Solomon again, and asked the obvious question. “What’s wrong with them holding hands?”
“Don’t even get me started,” Kya whispered back. “Archer and I have been pretty large-minded about it, and everyone here knows that Solo and Willow see themselves as a couple. The Nmen have all these silly rules and I worry for her. In six months Solo will be leaving and Willow will never see him again.”
I angled my head. “You shouldn’t be so certain. Finn and Tristan found each other, and that was against all odds too. If Willow and Solo are meant to be together, their paths will cross again.”
“How many times do I have to explain it?” Hunter was raising his voice in frustration as the argument continued among the children. “Of course Willow was fathered by an Nman,” he said “We’re twins and obviously have the same parents.”
Some of the other children weren’t so sure about it, and no matter how emphatic he was, they wouldn’t listen and it enraged Hunter, who hissed, “You’re not listening to me.”
Shelly walked by and placed a hand on his shoulder, “Stop arguing about it, Hunter.”
“But I’m right,” he pointed out and just received a sympathetic smile from Shelly.
“I know, but their minds are made up, so there’s no need to confuse them with facts.”
A different argument between Raven and Nero caught my attention when Raven complained with a pout, “That’s rude, Nero.”
“I’m just being honest,” Nero said with an attitude. “I don’t like Motlanders and I don’t like you.”
“But my dad is an Nman,” Raven defended herself.
“Boulder adopted you, that’s not the same as fathering you.”
Raven pushed her jaw out and narrowed her eyes. “That’s mean.”
But Nero, a handsome twelve-year-old Nboy, just shrugged, uninterested.
“You should apologize,” she insisted.
He snorted. “Forget it. But I’ll make you a deal.”
Raven was more than a head smaller than him but she placed her hands on her hips and took a firm stance. “What kind of deal?”
“If you go away, I’ll promise to miss you.” His smirk said that he was lying.
Unafraid, Raven took a step forward. “That’s very immature, Nero. You know, I would ask you how old you are, but I doubt that you can count above five.”
It was Nero’s turn to get mad. “I’m eleven months older than you are, and a lot wiser too.”
“No, you’re not,” Raven argued, biting her lips, trying to find some sort of comeback. I thought about interfering but I wanted to give her the chance to work it out herself.
“Look, Raven,” Nero said and leaned back with a superior posture. “Remember when Solo asked you if you wanted to be in the infantry, and you thought it was where the babies live?” He gave a condescending laugh. “Only an idiot would think babies can be found in the infantry.”
Tears welled up in Raven’s eyes. “We don’t have armies in the Motherlands – how was I supposed to know that Magni’s warriors are in the infantry?”
Nero rolled his eyes as if that was common knowledge.
“So what if I don’t know much about the Northlands yet? I’ll learn, and at least I don’t have so many gaps in my teeth that it looks like my tongue is in jail,” Raven threw at him.
Nero stared her down. “You’re lucky we Nmen don’t beat up girls or I would have whipped your ass by now.”
“What Nman? You’re nothing but a child,” she goaded him, and I stepped in before the boy lost his temper and got physical.
“How about you two take a break for a moment?” I suggested but they kept up their mean-stare contest.
“Did you know that I speak five languages?” I asked to distract them. “It’s true, and you know what I’ve learned?”
“What?” Raven asked and finally looked at me, her manners too rooted to ignore an adult.
“That speaking five languages is great, but the ability to keep quiet in any language is just as important, and you know why?”
Nero shook his head.
“Because words can be very hurtful and abusive. Look at how upset you both are.”
“Nero started it,” Raven said and crossed her arms. “He’s always mean to me.”
He gave a rude shrug. “Because I don’t like you.”
“Listen,” I said, not prepared to let them start another fight. “I once heard a fascinating story about a wise man, and you know what he said?”
Nero shook his head. “No idea.”
“He said nothing.”
Nero scrunched up his face. “That’s a lame story.” The boy was taller than me and when I placed my hand on both his and Raven’s shoulders, he pulled back.
“My advice to you two is to practice the silence. You both want the last word, but notice how fast it escalates into a war of words between you.”
“That’s just because I’m not allowed to beat her up,” Nero said with an attitude. “I would never argue like this with a boy.”
“I’m not afraid of you.” Raven lifted her chin. “One day, I’ll fight you and I’ll beat you. Just you wait and see. My dad is a great fighter and he’s teaching me.”
Nero scoffed. “You’re just a girl. I could beat you with one arm behind my back.”
“Prove it,” Raven dared him.
“Calm down, both of you,” I told them.
“Honestly, you’re wasting your time,” Shelly, who stood next to me, said. “In the beginning, I thought they didn’t like each other, but then I realized that Nero isn’t this mean to everyone, it’s mostly Raven. It’s pretty evident that he’s got a huge crush on her, and since she keeps taking the bait, I guess she must like him too.”
Nero exploded with a face red from anger. “That’s a lie!” he exclaimed and drew everyone’s attention.
“Is there a problem?” Finn moved in on my other side and placed his arm around me in a protective manner.
“Shelly says that I’ve got a crush on Raven and that’s not true,” Nero shouted. “I fucking hate her.”
Raven was blinking from the harsh words and right away Willow came from behind and wrapped her arms around Raven, with more of the Motlander girls moving in like a swarm of bees offering comfort and support.
“Why do you hate her?” I said with interest.
“Because he’s got a crush on her,” Shelly stated matter-of-factly. “I already told you.”
Holding up my hand, I silenced Shelly and focused only on the boy. “Nero, why do you hate Raven?”
With everyone looking at him, and both Marco and Archer crossing their arms with reproachful glances, Nero was under pressure.
“I just do!” he stated but I wasn’t prepared to let a person this young grow hard and cynical without at least trying to help him.
“Come with me,” I said and walked out of the room.
“Where are they going?” Archer asked behind me, but I didn’t stop to explain.
Entering the kitchen, I waited for Nero to follow before I closed the door behind him. “Now tell me.”
“Why should I tell you anything?” he asked. “I don’t even know you that well.”
“Which is why you should tell me,” I said with a soft voice. “This is what I do in my job, Nero. You can vent to me without the fear of being judged or punished, so take the opportunity.”
Nero lifted his hands to his hair and exhaled with frustration on his face. “I don’t know why I hate Raven so much, she just annoys the hell out of me.”
“Was it always that way?” I asked.
“Yeah, more or less, but it’s gotten worse. Whenever she walks into a room I just want to leave.”
“And why is that?”
He looked away. “I don’t know.”
“But if you did know, what would you say is the reason?”
It was a trick question to bypass his filter, and like most times it worked.
“I hate how all the adults pamper her.”
Staying quiet, I waited for him to continue.
“Did you know that Boulder and Christina adopted her?” he narrowed his eyes. “She goes home with them on Sundays and I see her cuddle with them. Getting hugs and shit.”
I nodded my head but didn’t interrupt. My heart was going out to this twelve-year-old boy who hadn’t known the love of a parent since he was three and came to the Northlands.
“It’s not because I’m jealous or anything,” he claimed. “I just don’t like how they pamper her and let her get away with fucking everything. You’ve heard her; she says mean stuff too, but she never gets in trouble for it.” He threw out his hands. “She charms them all with her happy nature, but I didn’t ask to be in a school with Momsies, and I hate their stupid love circles and massage and crap.” He paused but I kept quiet, waiting to see if he had more he needed to vent. “And it’s not just Raven,” he continued. “One time Magni hung me upside down in a tree because I made Mila cry.” He snorted. “It’s not my fault that the Momsies are such crybabies.”
“Would you like to leave the school?” I asked him in a soft voice.
Nero turned away from me and muttered low. “No.”
“Why not?”
His shoulders lifted in a shrug. “My friends are here.” He spun around. “And just for the record they don’t like how all the Momsi kids get special treatment either.” He pointed a finger at me. “Did you know that some of them even sleep with Shelly or Kya sometimes?” With a scoff, he added, “Like they’re fucking toddlers or something.”
“Would you like to sleep with an adult too?” I asked.
He scrunched his face. “No.”
“Would you like to get a hug now and then?”
“No.” He still had a hard expression on his face, but there was a slight softening. In every cell of my body, I sensed the longing in him. This boy needed to be hugged and loved just as much as the Motlander children, but he was too proud to admit it.
“Let me see your hands,” I said and reached out for him.
“Why?” he asked with a suspicious glance at my hands.
“You can tell a lot from someone’s hands,” I said. “Finn taught me that.”
Slowly Nero lifted his hands to mine.
I took them and stepped a little closer, pretending to look his hands over. “Finn said that if a man’s hands are wrapped around another man’s neck, it’s a sign that he’s a little angry.”
Nero’s lips pursed upward a tiny bit. “That’s a good one. Finn is funny.”
“I know, but I don’t always understand his humor. I’m learning, though.”
“It’s because our humor is different than yours,” Nero explained.
“I’ve noticed,” I said and nodded my head to signify how wise he was. “There are many differences between us, but you know what’s the same with every human being no matter where they live, how old they are, or what gender they are?”
“What?” he asked.
“The need for human connection. We all need to feel that we matter, and we all need human touch.”
Nero shrugged and looked down.
“Listen to me, Nero,” I said and moved closer still. “I’m not your biological mother, but if she was here I know what she would do.”
He kept looking down, and chewed on his lower lip.
Opening my arms, I slowly wrapped them around him. “Your mother would love you and hold you, and tell you that she thinks of you every day.”
At first Nero stiffened, but as I continued to speak he eased up a little.
“While your mother carried you in her belly, she sang to you and once you were born, she bathed you and nurtured you. You were her little boy and she cried and cried when she had to let you go.”
“You really think so?” Nero asked and I smiled when he leaned into me a little.
Wrapping my arms even closer, I whispered. “I know so, Nero, and I know she would be the proudest mom in the world if she saw what a beautiful, amazing son she has.”
He pulled back a little to look at me. “How can you say that when you heard me fight with Raven?”
“Raven isn’t your enemy. She’s just a girl who grew up with a mom who wasn’t around. Now that she’s found people who care about her, she’s fueling up on love, but can you blame her?”
He looked away. “Guess not.”
I stroked his chin without commenting on the moistness in his eyes.
“Do you think my mom was like Raven’s mom and didn’t show me enough love?” he asked.
“No, Nero, I think your mom showered you with an abundance of love, and that’s why you feel deprived without it.”
“I would like to believe that you’re right,” Nero said, his anger gone. “It’s a nice thought that my mom once loved me.”
“Of course she loved you. She still does and that will never change.”
Nero didn’t move out of my arms, he just stood there allowing me to gently stroke his back. “Now you’re pampering me too,” he said and almost smiled.
“Everybody needs to be hugged now and then. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Feels funny to be hugged by a woman, though,” he said.
I took his hands and looked into his eyes. “This is my promise to you, Nero. Whenever Finn and I visit the school, I’ll hug you long and hard.”
He smiled a little. “You don’t have to.”
“I know, but I want to so prepare to receive some fierce hugs.”
Nero was smiling. “You’re a strange lady.”
“I prefer quirky,” I said and smiled back at him. “Are you ready to face the world?”
He didn’t answer in words but pulled back and nodded.
“And are you clever enough to see that the reason Raven annoys you has little to do with her, and everything to do with you?”
He frowned. “I hear what you’re saying but it doesn’t change anything. She still gets on my nerves.”
“Only because it provokes you to see how easy it is for her to seek out hugs and comfort. No wonder it’s twisting your heart to see her get what feels out of reach for you.”
“I don’t want to be cuddled or pampered like her,” he protested.
“You might not need it as much as Raven does, but don’t try to convince yourself that you don’t need it at all. It would be a classic defense mechanism, but Nero…” I gave him a concerned smile. “You do need it. We all do!”
Again, I hugged him and whispered into his ear.
“When I’m gone, will you get a hug from someone if you need it?” I asked. “Would you ask Christina or Kya for a hug?”
He stiffened. “That’s a definite no! Archer wouldn’t like it if we boys started hugging his wife and Boulder…” Nero shook his head. “I’m not stupid. That guy would never let us boys touch his pregnant wife.”
“Then how about asking one of the men for a hug then?”
Nero leaned back and wrinkled his nose. “It’s clear that you don’t know our culture.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But at least will you stop resisting the massage and the love circles?”
“But it’s stupid.”
I tugged a strand of his long hair behind his ear. “When we came in to this kitchen you were furious, remember? It was the healing power of a hug and a bit of conversation that made you smile again. You Nmen might be better than us at many things, Nero, but one thing that Motlanders are good at is human connection, and you need to tap into that.”
“That’s easier said than done,” Nero remarked.
“You can start by treating others with kindness, even when they annoy you. And Raven will be the perfect trainer for you.”
A knock on the door made Nero take another step away from me.
“Come in,” I called and Finn opened the door.
“Is everything all right in here?” he asked giving me a concerned look.
“Yes, everything is fine,” I said and smiled at Nero. “Do you feel better now?”
He nodded.
“Think of Raven as a mental trainer. Her job is to provoke you, and you have to grow your muscle of tolerance. The only way to beat her is to not be provoked. Do you think you can do that?”
He nodded.
“If you lose your temper, she wins. If you keep calm and kind, you win.”
“Don’t worry, I’m a born winner,” Nero said with a confident smile and left the kitchen.
“What did you talk to him about?” Finn asked.
“About humor. He thinks you’re funny.”
“That’s a given,” Finn said and snaked his arm around me. “You talked about humor all this time?”
“More or less, and a little about him and Raven.”
Kya came toward us. “What happened?” she asked.
“Would you give me a minute?” I asked Finn and raised myself on my toes to kiss him. “Kya and I are just going to go for a stroll.”
Finn didn’t object because at that moment, Archer called for him and he was distracted.
“Did he tell you anything?” Kya asked when we were alone outside. “Nero is a hard nut to crack. I’ve tried but he’s hard on the Motlanders and he often gets in fights with Raven.”
I told Kya about everything that had happened in the kitchen, and she listened with her full attention.
“Now I feel awful,” she said and rubbed her nose, which was turning red from the cold. “I’ve never pushed myself on the boys because they seem to prefer that I don’t touch them.”
“That’s because they’re afraid of getting in trouble with the men. How could you think that boys didn’t have the same need for connection as girls?”
“Because they make fun of us for hugging and touching too much.”
I stopped walking, angled my head, and just looked at her.
“Oh, you’re right, that should have been an indicator.” She sighed. “I’ll talk to Archer about it. Maybe we can figure something out.”
“Be smart about it; you’ll have to find a way to give them what they don’t think they need without hurting their pride.”
Kya looked thoughtful. “Maybe Shelly has a way. The girl is brilliant at coming up with simple solutions to complicated problems.”
“Good, but maybe you should mention to her that provoking the boys isn’t the way of a Motlander.”
Kya nodded. “Shelly isn’t like other Motlanders. It’s funny, because she’s extremely observant and sees things that others don’t, but when she interacts with other people she often lacks a filter. That’s why Marco loves to mess with her. She’s easy to antagonize compared to the rest of us.”
“I like Shelly,” I said. “Underneath all those sharp replies, she’s got a good heart. I’ve seen her with her sister and the other kids. Shelly is an old soul.”
Kya nodded. “Yeah, I’m going to miss her when she leaves.”
Walking back to the house, I ended our conversation with a request. “Do you by any chance have a wedding dress that I can borrow?”
“No.” Kya looked apologetic. “I’m afraid my wedding was very informal and spontaneous. There was no time to get a dress.”
“It’s okay, I was just wondering.”
“Wait a minute. The wedding will be at the Gray Mansion, right?” She swept her large curly hair back.
“Yes.”
“Then ask to borrow one of Laura’s dresses. Christina told me she has hundreds. She once saw Laura’s closet and it’s bursting with beautiful dresses. It was all she wore before she went to the Motherlands.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and I’m sure Laura won’t mind if you borrow one.”
“I don’t know, she’s much taller than me,” I pointed out.
“At least your waist is small like hers. My waist will grow fast from now on.”
I looked down to her flat belly, before I met Kya’s eyes with a questioning look. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.” Her eyes were shining with joy. “It’s so new and you can’t tell anyone, it’s a secret.”
I gave her a warm hug. “Congratulations dear. And don’t worry, I’m good at keeping secrets.”
“That’s what I thought, with you being a priestess and all.”
“How far along are you?” I asked with excitement.
“Not far, somewhere between six and eight weeks. That’s why we’re not telling the children yet.” She was smiling and rubbing her arms because of the cold. “I’m worried about the baby taking too much time and the students getting jealous, though, but Archer says our child will have a small army of babysitters and protectors.”
“He’s right. Think of what we just talked about. You have at least ten boys in there with an unfulfilled need for hugs and human connection. Your and Christina’s babies will offer a legitimate reason to be affectionate. Archer and Boulder have to show the way and be good role models.”
“Oh, I’m sure they will be. The baby is all Archer talks about when we’re alone, and he’ll be the best dad in the world.”
“Good – seeing Boulder and Archer as loving fathers will bring out the softer side in the boys too. We wouldn’t want them to end up like Magni.”
Kya angled her head. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve taught inner balance for years, and I’ve never seen anyone as unbalanced as him,” I said. “He scares me, Kya.”
Kya shook her head and smiled. “Magni isn’t as bad as he wants people to think. If you’d seen him with Mila you’d know that he’s just a big teddy bear.”
My eyebrows lifted. “There’s nothing soft and cuddly about Magni. The man is irrational and scary.”
“Nah, it’s just because you don’t know him. Magni is stubborn and temperamental, and he says what he thinks, but I like him.”
“You like him?” I couldn’t fathom that Kya and I were talking about the same man.
“I do.” She nodded, hooked her arm under mine, and began walking again. “Back to your wedding, I’m sure you can find a dress to wear in Laura’s closet.”
“I’ll try.” I sighed with a nervous flutter in my belly. “It’s not every day you get married or have to talk to the whole world.”
“What are you going to say?” Kya asked, leaning her shoulder against mine.
“What every wise person has been saying since the time of dawn,” I said. “Kindness isn’t a concept I came up with, I’m just here to promote it and remind everyone about what they already know.”
Kya gave me a smile. “I’ll cross my fingers that people around the world will listen to you.”