“Rethais, I demand that you cease your current actions!”
General Vaksavar marched into the council room, blatantly aware that they were interrupting an important meeting. Sitting around the large, circular table alongside the High General were Lepidas, the Vice General, as well as six of the Below Twenty Generals, including Veksar, the Keeper of the Great Library, who was present to archive everything that was going on. Also present was Relkir, the High Advisor, who was always by Rethai’s side.
“Cease what actions?” Kaldoran, the General of Medicinal Affairs, asked. “The action of following the orders of a deity? The action of a better future for later generations of Rethans? I take it you are here to stop us from ending the Bloodline Traditions?”
“That is exactly why I am here!” Vaksavar hissed, pointing a finger at the Rethan responsible for today’s proceedings. Everyone at the table knew Vaksavar was serious, they were wearing a full set of armour, including their spiked helmet and heavy golden gauntlets. “The Bloodlines are sacred to our kind, proof of our purity, our power and, in your case, High General, literal Rethan perfection. And you all want to destroy these traditions?”
Kaldoran nodded, as did several other of the Generals. Hasvik and Lysar, the Generals of External and Hidden External Affairs, both turned to who Vaksavar was pointing at. Kuta, the newly appointed General of Deitic Affairs, was doing their best to not look too nervous, as Vaksavar was clearly calling them out.
“These Traditions are pointless!” Veksar tutted loudly, drawing attention to themselves. “No one cares about them outside of Rethan spheres. I have been collating data on the subject, most xenons do not understand what the Traditions truly are, and many were unaware that we even had the Bloodlines until the Exiled Rethianos blabbed in front of a live audience! And you know what, Vaksavar? Most of the audience left confused, and surprised, but only because they got to see a second fight for free!”
“I do not CARE what the xenons think! This is not about them, this is about being the perfect Rethans that the Traditions provide!” Vaksavar continued to snarl. “And you are all agreeing to this, on the advice of… frankly, something we should imprison and be trying to breed a much better bloodline from. An abomination that no true Rethan could love.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Kuta was well aware that they were not a normal Rethan, but Vaksavar’s words were overly harsh but they were surprised that, out of everyone present, it was Lysar who had leaped up to defend them.
“You know exactly what I mean, Lysar. Kuta here is a freak of nature.”
“So are you!” Lysar hissed. “You are over 3m tall and have weird purple trims. And you were bred to be like that. The Bloodline Traditions are freaks of nature that we tamed, but kept to ourselves. Kuta may be unusual but they are just a valid Rethan as you are!”
“Taking myself and your insult out of the equation here…” Kuta continued, remaining cool and collected. “We are not doing this on my advice. While I do agree with the reasons why-”
“What reasons why?”
Kuta tutted, loudly. Remaining cool was getting hard. “First off, no one cares about the Traditions, as Veksar said. Secondly, they are mostly just pointless shows of power. Thirdly, the ‘pure’ genetics we have bred into you all are useless if we do not share said genetics with other Rethans. Fourthly, it is unfair and cruel to subject members of our society to stricter rules, simply because of who birthed them, and, honestly, the whole ‘killing of extra kids’ is barbaric. Fifthly, the deities themselves requested this. Not just our new matron deity, but Sini, the Allbirther and creator of life, has asked us to spread your superior genetics to the rest of Rethan kind. But that last reason is less important than the other four.”
“Hang on, Kuta, you believe that following the will of the gods is less important?” Hasvik asked.
“When the Thantophor took over as our matron deity,” Relkir explained further, “he specifically said he wished to be hands-off with us, like he is with the Ksithans, Banikans and Skyavok, and that his requests were to be completed in our own time. The Allbirther is… much more against interfering directly.”
Vaksavar took a moment to compose his next few thoughts, then sat down at the table. “I am not satisfied with those reasons. And the spreading of my superior genetics would take centuries to actually have any effect.”
“Perhaps, perhaps,” Kaldoran shrugged. “But right now, Vaksavar, both Rethais and Relkir here are of laying age, they could have two kids each within the next three years, and we could have six youngling Rethianoi if their exiled sibling also decides to have kids. Those four or six kids could have more kids themselves in just twenty five years. And as for your own family, Vaksavar, your grandkid just laid for the first time, but your kids are still just about of fertile age, as is your other grandkid. On top of that, we could have even more spread, should, for example, Rethais decide they want to be both mother and father. Yes, it will take time, but surely it would be nice if more Rethans had the Family of Dawn trait, yes?”
“You want to dilute the bloodlines with inferior genetics!” Vaksavar snarled. “We have bred perfection, we are going to throw it away.”
“We are throwing it away anyway.”
Vaksavar glared at each of the other Generals. “You think I am…” Vaksavar paused, their attention drawn to the freshly promoted new General of Hidden Affairs. Ritlir was smiling oddly. Vaksavar found their colouration unusual. Purple and orange natural plating was hidden beneath their black Below Twenty armour. “What do you want?”
Ritlir glanced at Kuta, their former superior, who smiled back. “Vaksavar, you are making these statements but not listening to our responses. Clearly there is something missing here. Why do you not want to end the Traditions?”
The Master of Generals hesitated. “I… I do not want my own bloodline to become tainted. And I do not want the whole universe to know what we are doing.”
“Tainted by what?” Kuta asked. “Are we beneath you?”
“You certainly are, vrykolak…” Vaksavar muttered. “No, I do not want the Ethranioi or the Rethianoi to be freely mixed. The other Bloodlines… maybe there is potential there. But we are perfection. We must maintain that.”
“Well maybe we DO want the Rethianoi to be mixed!” Relkir snapped back, clearly quite angry at Vaksavar’s assumptions. “Maybe I want to be able to have a partner and kids, if I so desire!”
Kuta tapped their fingers together, ignoring Vaksavar’s insult. “A compromise should be made then. We will end the Traditions except for the Ethranios Tradition, while you discuss with your fellow Ethranioi about what they want to do. This ending will be done quietly, with only those involved being told immediately, until they are ready to go public. Because you have had your cake and eaten it, the majority of the Traditions have not. Is that acceptable, Vaksavar?”
Vaksavar relented. “It is… fine. Now, please excuse me.”
The Master of Generals snarled one last time, then got up and stormed out of the room, slamming the doors shut behind them. With a sigh, the High General stood up.
“I take it the rest of you find this acceptable as well?” Rethais queried.
The circle of Generals all nodded.
“Good. Thank you for this meeting. Since this new declaration directly involves Relkir and myself, Lepidas, please work with Kaldoran and get everything set up, ready for me to sign by tomorrow afternoon. You are all dismissed. Kuta, though, may I have a word with you?”
Relkir and each of the other Generals stood up and bowed, before filing out of the room. Kuta also stood up, waiting to see what Rethais wanted.
“I am sorry, Kuta, for Vaksavar’s words…” Rethais eventually grunted. “That was uncalled for.”
“Do not apologise on Vaksavar’s behalf, Kyr Rethais!” Kuta tutted. “You are not responsible for their actions.”
“I am responsible for the actions of all Rethans. Including the Master of Generals…” Rethais trailed off, their eyes drawn to the open door.
Kuta waved their hand dismissively. “Eh, they are just words. I am a hundred years old, I am very much used to them by now. You though, you should go and speak to Lysar. Sooner, rather than later.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lysar likes you. You like Lysar. And, tomorrow, you will be free of the stupid rules that hold you back. You have a chance now, you should take it.”
“I will… consider your words. However, I have a request for you too, Kuta.”
“Hm?”
Rethais sighed. “I know you speak to Retvik occasionally. Please, do not tell them about this. I… I wish to surprise my middle sibling, when we repatriate them.”
Kuta bowed. “Of course, Kyr Rethais. Is there anything else you need?”
“No. You are dismissed. Have a good day, Kuta.”
“You too, High General.”