Hannah told me about the strange animals she had seen and usually eaten. She admitted my weak stomach had been passed on to her. There were certain things native to this planet that Ra could eat, but made Hannah violently ill. Lucky for her Ra understood nausea and vomiting. Hannah's stomach was a secret they kept.

The letter got back to the men and Hannah's irritation showed.

The way the men were kept now wasn't to her liking. Long ago on this world the men would be protected and used by only a few groups of women that they chose. The men were happier and freer then

In the past, men would have been permanent companions of the women that protected them. They would have set up camps and taken care of their own young. Families would have included the women and the children they made.

It was a dangerous existence for the men, though. Men had always been powerful creatures, but still needed protection from some of the things on the planet. The women got sick of finding them dead, so they swept the equator clean and put all the men there many generations ago.

Men were farmed now by women Like Nu-reeh. Sons were sold to women who would care for and protect them. If something happened to a man, there better be a damned good reason.

“Your tutors, Mama, the women had given them explicit instructions not to harm you, It wasn't the first time those men went against their orders. They did whatever they wanted. The women Like the men feisty, but obedient."

I looked up and the men didn't seem upset, so I continued to read.

The women made good use of the natural boundaries of the planet to keep the men contained. Hannah seemed to think they had found a way to make boundaries. She had seen huge, wide rivers that separated the men's land. They didn't look natural.

"Oh," Bane said surprised, "we've seen a place like that, the Great River beyond the barren stretch."

Hannah hated it. The men were kept weak and stupid, she stated bluntly in the Letter. They weren't companions anymore. Men were pets.

I faltered and stopped reading. Glancing at the commentary I tried to skip over it, but Damien wouldn't Let me.

“The women keep us here, we know that. Hannah is right. We will know if you lie and there are no secrets in the family," he stated.

I looked down at the letter and continued to read.

Hannah kept on her tirade for a few more paragraphs. I was so relieved when she switched topics.

Since Hannah was new to the world, she and Ra traveled extensively. She'd been to the North pole of the planet and planned to go to the South pole. It was important to her to check on me periodically, though. During her travels, she planned to stop by this set of mountains regularly.

The letter ended and I sat it on the table. Hannah had sent her love to me and the rest of the family. She hoped the bribe of the tami leaf had been a good idea. Ra had thought that would make the General more apt to let us keep the letter. Hannah had promised to write to me again next time she was close.

I shivered and tears coursed down my face. My little girl was well and strong. She had a Sister who was teaching her the world. Obviously she was bright to have gotten this message to me. It was more than I could have hoped for.

When Christof pulled me close I did need it. Evan stroked my hair and they just waited for me to calm down. It was strange how comforting I found their presence.

“The letter the General saw," Damien finally said, “should be left by the fire. If anyone visits they will expect it to be there.”

Kein used the knife to fix the edges of the original message so it looked clean. He went and put it by the fire. If another family dropped by, it would look Like it was supposed to.

My message the men had me fold and place in a small bag in the closet. It would stay hidden, unless I was reading it.