Page 70 of Raven's Dawn

All that to say, I agreed, but I had a feeling she was only giving me part of her perspective here. “The Fae Realm?”

“Makora,” she said. “Caeda is insistent that this place isn’t patriarchal, but it is. She arranged all this, but her husband is who handles the politics. Her husband sets the laws, and she just signs off on them. Her husband rules, and she just sits back and lets him. And whatever. The town is doing well. Who am I to argue? But the premise is true. Her husband is better with politics, so she lets him handle them. She doesn’t care to learn about the laws, so she just lets him. On Earth, when a man tells a woman what political decisions to make, we call that misogyny. Just because it’s working out okay doesn’t mean it isn’t sexist.”

I agreed. But it did make me wonder… “And you don’t feel that way about women who rule without a husband?”

“That it’s sexist?” She shrugged. “Depends on why. When me and Nix ruled, we were both aware of every decision made. We played a part in each one. Even if we didn’t agree, it was equal. We’d argue until we agreed. We still do now. But, if I were still queen, my title would mean more than his because my genetics decide the next ruler of my land. Not his. The rulership wouldn’t be dependent on me marrying, though. It wouldn’t be dependent on me having a child. And that’s why matriarchy doesn’t mean the same as patriarchy. Our rulership is about guiding the people, while patriarchal rulerships are more about power.”

Ehh… I wasn’t so sure that I agreed. “You don’t think that it’s sexist at all? That only women rule here?”

Gazing down at the pond, exhaling deeply, she shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess my perspective on it all’s different than most.”

“Still didn’t answer my question.”

“I don’t know this world.” Eyes meeting mine, a frown tugged at the corners of her lips. “Not like I used to. It wasn’t always like this.”

“What was it like?”

“Morduaine. The world we came from.” She propped her hands behind her and leaned back. “That world, no, it wasn’t sexist. It truly wasn’t. Women were the heads, but men could rule. Problem was, oftentimes, when a man rose to power, he’d start shit. Cause feuds with neighboring queendoms, occasionally start battles, and then he’d get overthrown before any real harm was done.”

“That happened with every man who ruled?”

“No, of course not. But way more frequently percentage wise than it did with women and nonbinary rulers. Our people just realized over time that, on average, women were excellent leaders. A good balance of strength and empathy. So it was the norm for women to rule, but it wasn’t a requirement.” She gazed into the water again. “Morduaine was… It was a utopia. There was no real suffering. Everyone—and I do mean everyone—was cared for. No one was homeless. Everyone had food. There was no such thing as poverty because we all took care of each other. Capitalism didn’t exist either. We had bartering systems, sure, but everyone had what they needed. If they didn’t, the queens helped them get it.

“The horrible things that happen on Earth simply didn’t happen there. Sexual violence didn’t exist on Morduaine. We’d heard horror stories, but they were demonized to the extremes. No one dare commit it because we were all so in touch with each other. It’s hard not to be when we can read one another’s minds. Maybe that’s what made us so empathetic toward one another.

“Death was something that came naturally, too. Murder was so rare. Not once throughout all of Morduaine’s history did we have a war. Occasional spats, sure, but never war. The only threats we faced were from the evils of the land. The ones created by dark magic.” She nodded to the kelpie. “That’s how they came to be. Creatures like them? They experimented with spells until they became the monsters they so desired to be. Now, maybe they’re born, but creatures like this, in my time, created themselves into these things.

“Fae… We didn’t hurt one another. No one was subjugated based on their sex, or gender, or sexuality, or race, or anything else. We truly were a peaceful people. Until one man was angry that he didn’t have enough power. Just like this guy, or his ancestors were, at one point. They turned themselves into monsters because they wanted to be an enemy. Then he created the maalaichte cnihme, and gradually, over time… Things just changed.” She gazed around slowly. “The Fae Realm, it’s inspired by Morduaine. But it’s far from a mirror image.”

Ah. So I wasn’t alone. This place may’ve been better than Earth in a lot of ways, but neither of us were disillusioned enough to call it a utopia. “That’s what caused it? The maalaichte cnihme?”

“Yes. And no.” A long, heavy sigh. “The maalaichte cnihme are the root of most of the suffering here. But they didn’t cause it all. The war did. The Angels did. Lux did. Our deaths did.” She spoke it all with a straight face, but there was pain in her eyes. “I think that’s why people hate Caeda and Ailas. It’s not because they’re our world’s definition of patriarchal. It’s because they’re so far from who we once were. Power is important to them. If it weren’t, they wouldn’t harbor hundreds of souls within them. By now, they should be ready to turn their thrones over to their children. They haven’t, just like Lux hasn’t passed his throne to the son of his most deserving.”

If she wanted to talk about term limits, I wouldn’t disagree. But… “Iliantha hasn’t given up her throne either.”

Another deep, billowing sigh. “I know.”

“Don’t you think she should?”

Another heavy sigh. “I do. And she will. As soon as the war’s over, she will.”

“How do you know for sure? If she hasn’t yet?—”

“She will.” There was a look in her eyes that brokered no argument.. “But we have till sunrise. So let’s?—”

“Son of a fucking cunt!” Amara’s voice.

My eyes met Laila’s, and we were both on our feet in a second.

Laila ran through the opening on my right, avoiding the pond. I almost fell right into it, but I caught myself and took off after her. We were only a few dozen steps into the pathway when it came into view.

Amara, on the ground, just outside the pond. The kelpie stood over her. He lifted his hooves to pounce onto her chest, and she rolled to the side. Blade in hand, she jammed it towards the kelpie’s leg. She missed.

Maybe I was wrong about my peak having passed, because that horse looked so much bigger than Amara.

I held the shrubs for stability, moving as quickly as I could around the swamp to get to her. Probably should have used the air again, but I didn’t consider it until I was almost at her side. Supposed that sort of instinct would come as I got more comfortable with Graham’s abilities.

Only a foot or two away from her, I summoned the air beneath me. Flying onto the kelpie’s back, I readied my dagger. This method had worked the last two times, and it would work again.

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