The Dying

1

Many years ago, before my time, the alien conspiracy theorists were proven correct. At least that was what I was told. I was never on Earth, my mother was.

You see, when the aliens came they came looking not for conquest, although they had means to do so, they came looking for people. Females actually. The Lockhearts, the alien race, were a dying race. They live incredibly long lives and managed to have about an equal amount of birth to death rates, but then war broke out.

That and something even darker. They didn't care for their females. From what I've been told they were rather careless about them, until it was too late. They were harsh and suppressive, the men were in charge and made sure that the females knew it. Quite often the females weren't given the proper care when carrying children and so they died in child birth.  Even more were freely killed in the wars that raged. Then once their king suppressed the wars and brought peace to the land, many killed themselves. 

The  males didn't realize the impact this would have on them at first. Many had already turned to other males for their loving. Males had slowly taken over the roles that would have been that of the females, if there had been some. No, it wasn't until they realized that they were a dying breed once the last of their own females died that they realized their folly.

It was only then that they sent out a ship to Earth. They had found us earlier and it was found that our DNA, although not a perfect match, was close enough that under the right conditions, whatever those might be, that they could have viable children.

So their king went to Earth and talked to the rulers of the countries and made them a choice: they could willingly give up some of their people, mostly females, but they would also need some males for farming and other work their warriors had no idea how to do. Or, they could be destroyed, all save a few they would be taking back with them anyways.

Given the choice the leaders asked for volunteers to leave with the aliens. From what I've since learned, some of those volunteers were volunteered. But in the end it didn't matter if they came willingly or not. The females were all pregnant before the trip started or they were artificially inseminated early on the trip. By the time the transport ship arrived there were nearly double the amount of people that had started. Some of the females had had multiple births and some had been impregnated a second and even a third time.

My mother was fourteen when she had me. She died giving birth to me. I was told that I look just like her as my daughter looks just like me.

I was young and terrified. Leaving the ship for the first time in my life on a strange world, where the people look like incredibly beautiful humans, but aren't human at all. I was taken by a male and found out later that I was married by their traditions. I had no idea what they were saying, I had no idea what was going on. The next thing I know, I'm taken to a bed chamber.

I had never been kissed let alone anything else and I was roughly introduced to the more intimate nature of married life. It wasn't even private since my new husband believed in their ancient practices of having witnesses of the consummation.

That hurt. That was the one and only time my so called husband had sexual relations with me. Not that I was complaining mind you. I never again wished to have that much pain. I was later told that what I experienced isn't normal. Most of the males wished for females and so were more respectful in taking them to bed.

At least my husband did one thing for me, he gave me my daughter. My beautiful Margaret. He never did bother to see me after her birth. Never bothered to have any say in her name. When we were in a room together it was like I was invisible. 

That was fine with me. At least we were left alone.

Then my husband was killed in what I learned years later was an insurrection against the king. My daughter wasn't yet a year old at the time.

Life changed, a bit. I was never really comfortable there, but at least we were left alone. It was strange really, had I thought about it. Here there were males that had no female, not all of them preferred other males, yet I was left alone. Their race was dying and they should be trying to propagate, and they left a female alone to wander about.

Until the fateful day when the new king took the throne. My friend, one of the few that I had made, she was crowned queen, but she didn't look all that thrilled to be so. 

The new king made my flesh crawl so I didn't feel envious for my friend. No, instead I commiserated her on her luck. She confided in me that he had many  lovers and mistresses. She didn't mind since it kept him from being in her bed.

As you can tell we had little choice about accepting a male that wished to be with us. Only if we were married would we have any protection.

Most of the females weren't married. Only the ones of the ruling family were married. So even though I had no idea just what rank my husband had, I know that he was fairly high. I was called Lady by those in the castle and treated with respect by those that served us. Those that were of my rank ignored me and my child. Our needs were met and that was all.

The other humans that were in the castle would try to meet, but most of them had a tighter rein on them than I had. I took my Maggie with me everywhere. She was given tutors and so we both learned the language of those that held us.

When my daughter was twenty years old I was informed that the king had decided that I would be one of his mistresses. I was to report to him that night in his bed chamber. Failure to do so would mean that I would be punished, my daughter would be joining us and we would both become his mistresses.

The thought absolutely sickened me.

The queen had a few loyal people she absolutely trusted. They were more than a little disgusted by the current king and were willing to brave his wrath to spite him. They took my daughter to safety and gave me a vial to add to my drink.

This is where my life truly began.

.............

The rest of the story is in third person narrative.