Page 93 of The Pacifist
It’s like getting approved by the biggest alpha of the pack.
The thought was ridiculous. I was a man, not a wolf. And yet the constant teasing comments from Nmen about us Motlander men being feminine and domesticated had always stung, as if I knew there was a grain of truth in them. For four hundred years, we Motlander men had carried a guilt complex about what our ancestors did to almost destroy our planet.
Enough!
Hearing Magni say that he respected me empowered me to stand up. I couldn’t sit down any longer when my spine suddenly felt stronger and straighter.
Enough!
The word kept repeating in my mind, and forcefully, I hammered my fist on the red button in front of me. A red light shone, symbolizing that I had asked to address the Council.
Like a collective beehive, the white noise died down and everyone sat back in their seats with their focus on me.
I didn’t look at any of them but kept my eyes on Isobel, the leader of our council.
“It looks like we’re ready to resume this meeting, and I see that Jonah wishes to speak. Is this classified or can we open up the transmission again?"
"By all means, open it up."
"Good." She waited ten seconds before she continued, "We are now back to the public part of the hearing and Jonah Cervici has asked to speak. Go ahead, Jonah.”
Holding my head high, I spoke from my heart. “One point six billion people live in the Motherlands. Over one hundred million of them are men. Let me repeat that. One hundred million! And yet, I’m the only one ever given the chance to have a vote in the Council.
“I love women. I respect women, but on behalf of those one hundred million men, I have a message for you.
“Enough with the mental war on young boys and men to make them feel inferior. We are not – and never were – inferior!
“Enough with the guilt you place on us men because of what happened four hundred years ago. We are not our ancestors and it’s time for you to acknowledge that.
“Enough with the arguments about whether or not men and women are different. We are!
“Enough of we men having to fit into societal rules created by women to fit the needs of women.
“It’s time you listen to us men. It’s time you respect what we have to offer.
“Men and women were never supposed to suppress one another. We were created to complement each other. Did you know that there’s a great deal of mythology in our collective history concerning the union between man and woman? Wisdom passed down from the ancients of different cultures and eras spanning many millennia. It’s said that the idea of woman, deriving as it does from the word man, celebrates the notion we were once just one being. Neither man alone nor woman alone. Rather, a unisexual creature of some kind, an entity with both masculine and feminine energies swirling about like dust storms in a prairie wind. In these beginnings, through whatever story you prefer, the end result was that we were separated. The masculine parts of this being divided from the feminine. Woman from Adam’s rib was one example, not that she was derived from him or is subservient to him, the masculine. No. It’s that they both came from Mother Nature as a oneness. We were once one being. The whole of our goal as men and women is to reunite this force, to meld the great masculine and feminine energies of our original existence into a power greater than each is on its own.”
I squared my shoulders. “Athena Kelly, celebrated as one of our wisest priestesses, understood this and chose to marry an Nman. So did hundreds of thousands of other women including strong personalities we’ve all heard about, such as Christina, Kya, Willow, Salma Rose, my sister Emanuela, and even former Council member Pearl and our greatest genius Shelly Summers.
“Are you going to dismiss those women and many more as hopeless romantics or are you going to acknowledge that they have been right all along?
“Our heroes should be people who stay positive and rise above fear. I’m talking about the few who remain focused on what unites us rather than what divides us. People who are brave enough to open their heart even when there is a chance of rejection and disappointment. If you know someone like that, I hope you respect them, becausethatis true courage.” My hands began shaking a little. “Being loved by a beautiful romantic who sees the best in you is the greatest gift that can be bestowed on anyone. I had that happen to me, and I screwed up and lost it. Don’t make the same mistake!
“I would love to serve on this council and help shape the future of the Motherlands, but I don’t want you to cast your vote in fear.” I held up my hand. “If you’re thinking about letting me stay, you need to know that as soon as this meeting is over, I’m going to fly to the Northlands and fight for the woman I love. If that makes you think less of me, so be it. The beauty, depth, and richness of Mila Aurelius is worth it!”
CHAPTER20
Suicide Mission
Mila
I gaped at the screen.
“Holy fuck, did Jonah just say that he’ll fight for you in the tournament?” Solo looked as baffled as I felt.
I was at Willow’s house and sitting with Solo’s and Willow’s cute toddler, Nora, on my lap.
