For the Love of Atlantis Ch. 02

6- Once a marriage arrangement was authorized by The Leader, the male would learn the art of seduction and sexuality by spending a week with his mother's twin or if unavailable, another mother (selected by the council) starting the day after his 19^th birthday at a location provided. This act would be called the men's transition.

7- Since all of the kids at the community were considered the leader's kids, no mothers or fathers would deny the previous rule which would apply to all males notwithstanding identical or fraternal twins."

It took me a long time to understand that. The twins said they felt horrible, probably like me, and didn't like their sisters being called by Papa Andrew. They could not show the same rage I did because of the girls present during the meeting and because the family made a statement about it before handing over the rules.

The twins took a big breath and looked into each other's eyes then looked at me. I caught the non-verbal communication and requested to know what they were not telling me. Sebastian tried to talk once, twice and Collins pushed him by the shoulders. Once again Sebastian took a big breath and I was about to yell or hit him when he said: "All of us have been claimed".

I was standing in front of them when he told me that and my legs were giving up on me so I sat at a stool beside the bed and tried to digest that new information. Collins grabbed my right hand and said: "you and the triplets must give your semen in three months, we will do it in four months".

"No" was my only response. I looked at them both and said: "I won't do it, I won't be married to someone I don't know nor will I let my sister".

They agreed with me and requested that a plan had to be done. We chatted about the rules, how the girls went to their rooms after the meeting and Sebastian hearing them cry.

By the time we ended our chat, the clock indicated 4:00 a.m. I had an hour before the alarm went off and my day at the farm and other chores began. We decided to talk further but to keep it amongst us for the time since the repercussions if someone heard us talking about that or asking other families could be worse than what we were about destined to live.

We still had months to plan and prevent our weddings and that was our goal. Little did we knew that most of our siblings and others disapproved the rules and that there were secrets to be unveiled.

On our nineteenth birthdays, the whole family would celebrate our marriages ...or not?

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Hey there, I am Kareena (Reena) and us, the wives, decided to further explain some things that our community males knew nothing while growing up.

Our time growing up was mainly equal to all males and most of the rules applied to us equally but, as Khris indicated, we attended anatomy courses and other courses that would keep up to certify us as midwives to attend the family births.

What the guys did not know about was that since two of the courses were given by Andrew, he divided the girls from the boys and it was during those courses (obstetric and basics of neurophysiology) that he started to show to us another face. We were being brain washed.

Early during the obstetric courses, Andrew was very explicit as to how a baby's conception and development occurs. We knew how both female and male bodies looked but seeing at first hand their insides at a dummy or video was very hard and more than a learning experience it was somehow a scientific torture, especially since all ladies began their menstrual period at 17 and Andrew repeated constantly the importance of our species in the world.

His teachings were that our species needed to survive the terrible times that were to come and that our type was the strongest of the Acqua species thus his care for us to obtain our best physical condition. His studies had shown that we would survive the problems that our atmosphere would soon begin to suffer. He constantly indicated that our families needed to seek for a husband for us young ladies, and that our compromise with our town was to reach our maximum education to be able to find ways and help our survival whenever necessary.

We were being brain washed and the way he did it was using us females to contain our families and avoid, through fear, that our brothers and family members wanted to leave Atlantis. We feared for the weather, we feared for pregnancies and we feared not being good enough, not learning enough, not worrying for our world enough or our community. Fear was our main thought day and night.

After Andrew's courses every other midwife course was a walk at the park and when we started helping duly trained and experienced midwives, we just wanted to shout the future mothers not to have any other babies! The long hours, the many follow up visits, the complains and shouts. Oh, that was the worst. Yet we wanted to have kids and help our species to survive. Ironic isn't it?

We also lived sad moments during our training. For example: my third patient's delivery in 36 hours back to back.

My first patient delivered pretty fast since it was her eight and she did not call until the contractions were one after the other and her water broke. The placenta came out perfectly and she did well. My trainer congratulated me not only for a good work but for a fast delivery.

My second patient taught me to see things on the macro since we discovered she had an illness and she ended up delivering through C-Section.

Now my third patient was a pain in the ass. Not only did she shout like a cat in season but it was a multiple pregnancy. The babies decided to come out almost 30 hours after the first strong contraction; but one of them had the umbilical cord on the neck and ended up needing medical treatment and the other, a fraternal twin was born with olive skin color and black hair. Really my first dark skinned baby!! After the baby was cleaned and showed to the mother, she rejected her baby and was given for adoption.

It was a sad story for the baby and for me since I learned that we were not perfect and that some mothers, voluntarily, gave up their babies. My life changed that day and my eyes opened up for another View as to what was Atlantis.

As if our life was not complicate enough turning 18 was worst that being called by death itself. The night after turning into a toy for the gynecologist, my father said that it was time for me to start learning some adult responsibilities. He said that it was a tradition for all females that turned 18 in our community, to start learning how to be a woman and wife. I told him that I was not interested into being a wife since none of the boys from our community attracted me.

Dad said that it was time for me to start taking an anti-conceptive and that he would allow me to decide whether I wanted an injection or daily pill. Little did I knew that all he wanted to do was control my period for the time Andrew called me to be his wife.

I know some of you have questions about how it was being called the Leader's wife. Let me tell you our family's situation, as it occurred while my brother was ordered to stay-in at the university.

It was an early evening on December 30^th when Andrew came into our house. It was not common nor uncommon for us to see him home but this time he came with several manila envelopes in his hand. He met with his brothers/husbands at the patio while the wives cared for the little ones and the eldest daughters and sons prepared food.

By the time food was ready, Andrew joined us and thereafter all the female young adults, fathers, mothers and eldest sons and daughters who lived at their own houses met at the living room. Dinner was tense. Some fathers were not so happy but tried to hide it and others looked as if they cared the less.

With a bright smile, Andrew said to all of us: "The time for your kids to turn from Young Adults into Adults has come. All documents were submitted as you know, and claims have been made."

Me being me, asked: "I don't get it, why am I here?"

Andrew smirked at my question and said: "Dear Kareena, your time to turn into an adult has come and these documents indicate that I am claiming you to be my wife".

The gasp that came out of my mouth was covered by my mother's and other mothers. I was not able to talk, tears started raining in my face while my mind ran and ran. One of our mothers talked to me and all I did was run out of there and hide in my room. That night all I did was cry and no adult could make me stop.

Mom and two others came in my room and talked but all I heard was my loud cry and their bla, bla, bla. Later, Zo (Adrian's wife-one of the fathers) came to check on me and said: "At least you won't be forced to please your father but rather your husband. Hopefully, he will please you and be better than the way your fathers are with us." Tired, with headache and no intention to ask her what she meant I fell asleep.

It was about midday on the 31^st when Khris came home. Since morning all the wives tried to talk to me but all they got was my back. Some tried to comment nasty things but since there were minors around all they could do was mutter and bite their tongues.

When I told Khris he felt like I did and he could not hold his pain. He knew how I felt, we are one person in two separate bodies and I know he really understands me.

It was a few months later that all that changed...

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Ok then, we believe that our comments and memories answer all your questions. Hope you were able to see a bit more of our side on that life and be able to create your own judgment. There are still lots of things to tell up until the time we were able to free ourselves, so see ya' next blog!

Reena