Three Square Meals Ch. 116

Gaenna went very quiet, studying her perceptively. "No, of course not; your outward manner is nothing alike. You're almost maternal with the Young Matriarchs and you've been... pleasant... with the rest of us, something I never thought you even capable of." Her gold-flecked magenta eyes narrowed as she continued, "But I've seen flickers of your old strength lurking behind this facade. You might have fooled the others, but the force of will that always drove you is still there... and more potent than ever."

"It's not a facade," Edraele quickly replied, surprised but intrigued by Gaenna's impression of her.

Gaenna's expression twisted into a cynical sneer. "Oh, come now, Edraele! I'm not some wet-behind-the-ears girl like Kali. You can't honestly expect me to believe this benevolent act is actually genuine?!"

Staring directly into the other woman's eyes, Edraele quietly repeated her earlier words, "Being intimate with John will have an impact on your personality as well your body."

"You're actually serious!" Gaenna blurted out in shock.

"I wouldn't joke with you about this," Edraele said firmly, shaking her head. "You must have seen the recordings of Baen'thelas in action against the Kirrix and the Kintark, so you know how powerful he is. We're like putty in his hands, Gaenna. He can give you back those last 200 years in a matter of days, but you'll also be a kinder, more compassionate woman at the end of the process."

She squinted at the Maliri Queen suspiciously. "Why are you telling me this? Surely Baen'thelas could just change me in the way you're implying without my even being aware?"

"He would never allow you to make that choice without being fully informed of the consequences." A disarming smile appeared on Edraele's beautiful face as she added, "Besides, for all I know, you might really like being a callous bitch..."

Gaenna stared at her for a second then laughed for the first time that afternoon. "It's certainly been effective for keeping fractious daughters in line." Her smile faded as she looked at Edraele with fresh eyes. "You've given me a lot to think about today. Thank you for being so forthcoming."

Edraele held the other woman's hands and said softly, "There's one last thing I'd like to say before we part company." She took a deep breath, then continued, "I used to scoff at the very idea of love and friendship, consumed as I was by the relentless pursuit of power. It turned me into a hollowed-out shell of a woman; bitter, angry, cruel, and so very lonely. I couldn't go back to that terrible existence now, the very thought of it makes my skin crawl with revulsion. Baen'thelas delivered me from that nightmare and I'll be eternally grateful to him for doing so. I'm happy now, Gaenna... and you could be too."

Shaken by Edraele's sincerity, Gaenna could only manage a wide-eyed nod.

They rose from the sofa and Edraele led the stunned matriarch to the study door, wishing her well as she departed. Closing the door behind her guest, the Maliri Queen leaned against the wall and exhaled deeply, feeling mentally drained after the intense conversation.

*Are you alright, Edraele?* John asked with concern. *You feel pretty tense...*

*Sorry to disturb you, John, it wasn't intentional,* Edraele replied, chastising herself for accidentally sharing her emotional state with him. *I just had an interesting conversation with Gaenna Baelora, discussing the possibility of us acquiring trade distribution rights for Vrysandral Spice.*

*Let me guess... she wants to relive her youth?* John asked, a pensive note to his voice.

Edraele walked over to the crystal windows lining her study wall, where she gazed out over the gleaming spires and crystal domes of Genthalas shipyard. *The Maliri are a long-lived species by Terran standards, but we are far from immortal. A girl becomes a woman at 30, then we stay in excellent health until we reach the end of our third century, at which point we face a rapid decline as age finally takes its toll. Gaenna is 236 and has started to feel death's shadow falling over her.*

The Maliri Queen watched a trio of sleek, golden-hulled House Loraleth cruisers slowly emerge from three of Genthalas' yawning docking bays. The colossal ring-shaped space station had hundreds of identical hangars lining its vast interior wall, the majority of which were now being used for the sole purpose of upgrading Maliri spacecraft with all the new technology John had acquired. The cruisers made good use of their newly enhanced retro-thrusters and engines, pulling away from the drydock with fluid grace and closing into formation as they returned to their fleet. On their way, they passed three House Perfaren vessels awaiting their turn to be refitted, those ships appearing to move in slow motion by comparison.

A mere 6 months earlier, the sight of House Loraleth and House Perfaren warships in orbit around Genthalas would have filled Edraele with dread. The second and third ranked Maliri Houses had long been her deadliest of enemies, so the presence of their fleets deep in House Valaden territory would have heralded her imminent and grisly death. Now the sight filled her with joy, with Kali and Tsarra integral members of her close circle of friends, lovers, and stalwart allies.

*What's Gaenna like?* John asked after a lengthy pause, sounding troubled. *Is she as bad as Emandra Holaris?*

*She's a malevolent despot. During her 150 year reign as Matriarch of House Baelora, thousands of Maliri have been executed or assassinated on her orders,* Edraele said, leaning her head against the clear crystal. *But she's a matriarch, John. To attain that title and survive for any length of time in Maliri society, meant a long and bloody history of cruelty and slaughter.*

John sighed as he said, *To give Gaenna back her youth feels like I'd be rewarding a monster.*

Edraele sent him a sympathetic smile. *I'm afraid there's no easy options here, John. You could choose to rejuvenate the existing matriarchs, but you'll need to make dramatic modifications to their personalities, which I know you're uncomfortable with. Morally, the simpler choice would be to select one of their daughters to take their place, much as I did with the Young Matriarchs.* Before he could object, she quickly added, *No, I'm not suggesting you murder the existing matriarchs, but convincing them to peacefully abdicate will not be easy by any means, even for you.*

*What about letting Gaenna stay in power until she dies of old age?* John suggested, trying to find an alternate solution.

Shaking her head, Edraele turned away from the view of Genthalas. *While that decision might seem to be a reasonable one, remember that Gaenna rules over millions of Maliri in House Baelora. Those people will not see any real improvement to their lives until she is dealt with one way or another.*

John went quiet for a long moment as he mulled that over. *What would you do, Edraele?*

She smiled wryly to herself. *We already know the answer to that question, my Lord.*

His dry chuckle echoed through her mind. *Alright... let me rephrase that. What would you do if you were in my position?*

Edraele picked up her glass and took a sip of the rich crimson liquid. *If you'll indulge me, I'd like to ask you a question instead.*

*Fire away.*

*Which do you consider more important? Punishing the existing matriarchs for their long histories of dark deeds, or taking advantage of their extensive leadership experience?* She gave him a moment to consider that before continuing, *Every single one of the remaining 14 matriarchs has ruled their house for over a century; they have all the necessary skills to rapidly implement the changes to Maliri society that you want to make. If you were to give them the right outlook, they could transform the lives of the people under their rule with minimal supervision from either of us.*

*But wouldn't I be punishing them anyway if I radically reshape their personalities?* John asked. *I've spent months trying to convince you and Irillith that you're not the same people since I changed you both. Using that same logic, wouldn't I be effectively eliminating the old matriarchs if I alter their personalities and turn them into nice people?*

*Perhaps we've stumbled across an ideal solution,* Edraele mused, toying with the glass before leaving it on the table. *You can punish the matriarchs by wiping out their old personalities, while simultaneously retaining their experience to better the lives of their people.*

*But that doesn't address the morality of me quite deliberately reshaping them into completely different women,* John said in frustration.

*Unless they asked you to do so,* Edraele said quietly. *Take it from someone who knows; fear of your own mortality is a very powerful motivator. If you'd been present for my meeting with Gaenna, it wouldn't have surprised me if she dropped to her knees and begged you to make whatever changes you like in exchange for a new lease of life.*

She could sense his reluctance over their connection as John said, *You're suggesting I exploit their fear of death to manipulate the matriarchs into becoming benevolent rulers? I'm not sure I'm particularly comfortable with that.*

*Punishment, utilitarianism, and compassion all in one elegant solution,* Edraele gently teased him. Her tone turned sombre as she continued, *Unfortunately, the morally unambiguous choice risks political upheaval and the possibility of hardship for millions of Maliri. I wish there was a perfect alternative, but whatever choice you make will have drawbacks and consequences.*

*Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown...* John muttered. *I had no idea how true that expression was.*

*These choices might be difficult, but I believe that's a good thing,* she said quietly. *If making decisions like this ever becomes easy, that might be the time to start worrying.*

Edraele listened to John's thoughts, his troubled mind eventually settling.

*I'm glad we spoke about the matriarchs,* he said with gratitude. *You've given me some difficult things to think about, but I've got some time to make a decision before I return to Maliri Space.*

*I'm delighted to hear it was a productive discussion. Would you like me to make similar overtures to the rest of the matriarchs?* she asked, sensing that the conversation was over. *I won't make any promises on your behalf.*

*Yes please. I think you're right about dealing with this now rather than dragging it out for years; we'll resolve the problem as soon as I get back to Genthalas. Whether we keep the old matriarchs or replace them, I want to make sure the Protectorate is stable for centuries to come...*

Edraele felt her heart lurch in her chest as she understood perfectly well what he was implying. The only way the Protectorate could possibly be unstable is if he was no longer there to rule it... but the thought of losing John and living centuries without him was too agonising for words. Thoughts of a distraught and bitter Valada flashed through her mind, Mael'nerak's matriarch never really recovering after he cast her aside. Edraele clamped down on her connection to John to make sure he couldn't feel her anguish, not wanting to upset him too.

Alyssa's soothing voice swept through her mind an instant later. *Don't think about it, Edraele.* The blonde's words carried a tense undercurrent, but the Maliri Queen was oblivious to that as she tried to calm herself. *Just focus on enjoying John's retirement on Valaden; he's holding you in his arms and caressing your pregnant belly, whispering how much he loves you...*

Taking a deep breath, Edraele leaned heavily against the doorframe and managed to slow her pounding heartbeat. *Thank you...*

*You're welcome,* the blonde replied with sympathy, then quickly changed the subject. *So... bonding with Tsarra... it's about time!*

Edraele blushed as she left the study. *Truthfully, it slipped my mind. Tsarra joined us later than the Young Matriarchs, so I always planned to give her more time to settle in... but you know how easy it is to get distracted by events.*

*Tell me about it!* Alyssa said with a groan. *It feels like I haven't been able to even catch my breath for weeks! The Brimorians, the Vulkat, rushing back to Terra, taking out the Kintark armada, rescuing Jehanna, dealing with the Kirrix... my head's in a spin!*

*I honestly don't know how you keep on top of everything,* Edraele said with admiration, as she walked along the corridor through her suite.

*My life's so much easier than yours, that's why,* Alyssa objected. *You've got all your girls to worry about, but you're also trying to prepare the Maliri Protectorate for war and keep it from falling apart. How you keep your patience dealing with all those snippy old bitches in the matriarch council I've no idea! All I have to do is look after John, take care of my girls, and deal with any bad guys that get in our way. Besides, I've got Jade helping out now too.*

A coy smile appeared on Edraele's face. *Perhaps we should hold our own council of matriarchs when you come home?*

*Mmm, now you're talking...* Alyssa purred, sending a sultry caress through the Maliri's mind that made her nipples tingle. There was a momentary pause, then Alyssa added, *And Jade can't wait! She thinks it's an amazing idea.*

Edraele paused by her bedroom door. *Thank you, Alyssa.*

*No problem.* The blonde blew her a loving telepathic kiss. *You were wrong earlier by the way; you should have warned the matriarchs that if anyone comes after you, they'll have to deal with me...*

The Maliri Queen smiled, savouring the feelings of camaraderie as she glanced at the optical sensors built into the door. It slid open without further prompting and she entered her bedroom, finding Tsarra Perfaren and Leena Ghilwen lying on the bed engrossed in conversation. They looked up and greeted their matriarch with warm smiles.

"I'm sorry for the delay," Edraele apologised as the two young women sat up. "Thank you for keeping Tsarra company, Leena."

"It was my pleasure," the House Ghilwen Matriarch replied. The lovers shared an affectionate look, light and dark green eyes connecting for a brief moment as they unclasped their hands. After giving Tsarra a quick kiss goodbye, Leena slid off the bed. "I'll leave you two to talk. We'll prepare dinner for you later."

Tsarra made no attempt to move from the bed, watching Leena enjoy a fleeting hug with Edraele before she left the room. "Alyssa said you had a tough afternoon," she said with sympathy, patting the bed beside her in invitation.

Edraele looked at her in surprise, then smiled wryly as she sat. "I wasn't expecting Alyssa to contact you directly; I rarely speak to her girls that way."

Moving behind Edraele, Tsarra began to gently massage the Maliri Queen's shoulders. "Would you like to postpone our... union... until tomorrow? I'm sure Luna would be eager to help relax you."

After closing her eyes in bliss, Edraele shook her head. "No, I've put this off for too long already."

Tsarra leaned in and kissed her matriarch's earlobe, then whispered, "Shall we do this clothed or naked?"

Edraele turned to look at the beautiful young woman over her shoulder, the playful smile teasing her lips reflected in her purple eyes. They both quickly removed their long dresses, then slipped under the covers so they were lying facing one another. Placing a hand on Tsarra's hip, Edraele stroked her flawless blue skin, enjoying the pleasant feeling of that silky softness under her fingertips. She followed the contours of Tsarra's body until she was caressing her toned stomach, her breath catching as she thought about the life growing within the young woman... John's first child.

"Have you been experiencing any sickness or discomfort?" Edraele asked, reverently stroking her.

Shaking her head, Tsarra traced a circle on her own midriff, a beatific smile on her face. "No, nothing like that, quite the opposite in fact. I've been feeling elated ever since I was with John... although I can still barely believe that I'm pregnant, let alone that Baen'thelas chose me to be his first!"

"John fell for you as soon as you started spending time together; I know he greatly admires your intelligence and spirit," Edraele said, gazing into her eyes. "I never doubted for a moment that we made the right choice in asking you to join the Young Matriarchs."

Wriggling closer, Tsarra slipped an arm around the Maliri Queen. "I'm so grateful that you invited me into your inner circle. I've never been this happy before, Edraele. I didn't think it was even possible to feel this way."

Edraele felt Tsarra's mental defences falling away as the young woman opened her mind to her matriarch. The connection felt warm and welcoming, like a natural extension of the trust and friendship that had bloomed between them. Edraele could have begun the bond there and then, but held back for a moment, Tsarra looking at her quizzically as she felt it too.

*You're such a wonderful girl, Tsarra,* Edraele said sincerely, hugging her tight. *You've fit in so well with the Young Matriarchs. I've grown to care about you just as much as I love them.*

*I can feel it!* Tsarra gasped, pulling back to stare at her matriarch in astonishment. Her startled gaze softened, tears filling her eyes. *Oh, thank you, Edraele! Thank you so much!*

With a sigh of delight, Edraele felt those feelings being reciprocated, their minds enveloping and merging with one another. It took a huge amount of trust to lay yourself bare to another person like that, but in the sharing they both grew stronger, fortified by the knowledge that they were loved and accepted without reservation. Edraele had bonded like this with her assassins and the rest of the Young Matriarchs, but the difference this time was that Tsarra was already pregnant and head-over-heels in love with John. A tidal wave of euphoria crashed over Edraele and she gasped in ecstasy as she was swept away in that sea of bliss.

***

Faye walked along the corridor and smiled as she passed Perl's room, hearing a faint gasp, quickly followed by giggles. For the last several hours, Kelli and Perl had been teaching their enthusiastic students everything they'd learned about how to please a man in the bedroom, their lessons proving equally fascinating to the curious sprite. Unfortunately, Faye Primary had no spare avatars to monitor the video feed, as they were all busy supervising the maintenance bots. She was limited to taking brief peeks, but as soon as the Valia Gate colonists had all been treated for Kirrix egg infestation, Faye was determined to give the recordings the meticulous scrutiny they deserved.

Stopping outside the door to Tony's quarters, she hesitated for a moment, unsure of the correct etiquette in this situation. Faye knew the ganger was distraught after hearing of the Karron colonists' tragic fate, but dealing with someone suffering from loss was somewhat outside her area of expertise. Following Dana's advice to Kelli, she had left Tony alone for a few hours, but he was still upset and she wanted to try to help.

Raising her tiny hand, she considered knocking on the door, the way Kelli and Perl had the previous evening. Remembering Tony's reluctance to talk to them, she shrugged and opened the door with a blink. Padding inside, her luminous eyes flicked to the large Terran, who sat slumped in a chair, his head in his hands.

"Hello Tony," she said softly, walking over to the grieving man. "I saw how upset you were when you left Perl's room... I wanted to check you were alright."

He turned away. "I just wanna be alone."

"Are you sure?" she asked, kneeling beside him. "From what I've observed, talking about feelings of grief and loss is an important part of the healing process. However, if you'd prefer to speak to Kelli and Perl instead, I understand and I'll leave you in peace."