Niq - New Adult

Chapter 3

My mind floats back to my earlier conversation with Onrhi.  We’d been discussing his mother.  Her name was Sharlot, he messaged.  She lived here in the city, close to where I grew up.

She lived near me 2, I replied.  She was actually my neighbour from across the road.  I remember seeing Sharlot briefly when I was a little girl.  Like most Queens in the Harvest years, she was perpetually pregnant, gaining weight with every baby.  Eventually, she barely left the house, needing a wheelchair and a strong man to move her anywhere. 

After her final pregnancy, she entered early menopause, and Parliament granted her permission to relocate.  Last I heard, she was living in an island city, still gaining weight.  Vix follows her on SoshallShare and says every pic shows her wallowing like a hippo in her pool while a new generation of desperate young men cater to her every whim.

That’s not the kind of thing you tell someone else about their mother, so I followed up with, How do you feel about her?

I don’t feel angry towards her.  Parliamentary law states that baby boys must be raised by male parents, and my dads are awesome.  I would never have wanted them to miss out on their chance to raise a child when so many people will never have the opportunity.  But I do wonder if she misses me, or if she remembers being pregnant with me specifically, or if we all just blended together?  Did she cry when they carried me away?  Does she ever think of us?

Sharlot had 34 pregnancies in total.  The idea that she might remember Onrhi specially seems doubtful, but I did have inside information that might give him some hope.  Did you know it’s the Queen who names each baby?  It’s the last thing she does before the baby is relocated.  I’m sure she remembers her little Onrhi.

There were several seconds of dead air, then the words crawled slowly across.  I didn’t know that.  Thank you.

You’re welcome.

I’ll have to tell my brothers – there’s a Sharlot offspring group I’ve just joined.  What about you?  Who was your Queen?

Without thinking it through, I responded with the truth.  Antwonnet.

Antwonnet from this city?  I thought she only had the one baby – wasn’t it a girl?

No no soz, another Antwonnet, I scrambled, praying there was another one somewhere.  Different continent, my dads moved me here when I was little.

Cool.  What continent?  I’ve been on all five now…

The conversation moved on.  Back at the pool table, so has Vix.

“…So, there’s one hundred spaces on my shortlist, which I plan on filling over the next few months.  My final thirty will be selected and the lucky boys will receive their Mate notification on the eve of my 21st birthday.  Any one of you could well be my future pleasure instrument!  All you need to do is impress me.

“Well, my adoring males, Vix needs to replenish.”  She gives a royal wave to the camera and swipes the screen off.  Scooping up her crystal goblet, she sinks back into her chair, drained.  “Lordy, what a day!  I snuck out the sex suite while all the boys were snoozing, and they just about caused a riot when they woke up and found me gone!  Sameson had to drag them out by the hair.  I did find two particularly talented individuals for my shortlist, so not a complete waste of time.”

A drawling voice calls to us from the patio.  “Viqtoria, my little princess!  I just caught your latest address!”

“Save me,” said Vix, as her mother appears.