Dark Princess: Shadows (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance #89)

28. Morelle

28

MORELLE

T he storyteller painted pictures in Morelle's mind of a world different from anything she had known. She had listened to many of his tales over the past few days, but this one captured her imagination in a unique way.

"The founding fathers knew they were creating something unprecedented." The storyteller's voice carried the passion she had come to associate with his most engaging tales. "They gathered nearly two and a half centuries ago to design a framework for governing that would stand the test of time."

She was fascinated by the concept.

Two and a half centuries were less than a blink of an eye in the lifespans of societies. How had a document written not too long ago effected such a change so quickly?

On Anumati, laws were handed down by the monarchy, and they had been established for many thousands of years.

"Most of them were young men, but Benjamin Franklin was not young at the time of the crafting of this document, and he wasn't healthy either, suffering from a number of different ailments, but he was a brilliant human and my favorite. He knew how crucial this document would be for future generations."

Morelle wondered why there were no women in that group. Had it been by chance, or had women been intentionally excluded?

In either case, she did not approve.

"They debated every word, every concept," the storyteller went on. "Some wanted a stronger central government. Others feared centralized power. The small states worried about being overwhelmed by the larger ones. It took compromise and wisdom to find solutions that would work for everyone."

Questions burned in Morelle's mind. What were those states that the storyteller was talking about, and why did they want to combine into one large country?

Had they faced a common enemy and needed to unite to defeat it?

How had they enforced those compromises?

What happened when some of the states disagreed and refused to comply with the document?

She wanted to ask all these questions with a burning passion, but her body remained frustratingly unresponsive.

"The Constitution they created wasn't perfect, but it was revolutionary for its time. It established checks and balances, divided power between three branches of government, and most importantly, it allowed for amendments as society evolved."

The gods' laws were absolute and unchanging, and the Kra-ell were equally stubborn in their ways.

Had been , Morelle reminded herself.

Everything might have changed over the thousands of years she had spent in stasis. For all she knew, Anumati could have been destroyed by either a natural disaster or an enemy more powerful than the gods.

It was also possible that another rebellion had obliterated the old ways and established a new order.

"They believed in the power of reason and discourse," the storyteller continued. "The ability of people to govern themselves through representation and the rule of law rather than the whims of a monarch or tyrant."

That one energized Morelle's blood. On Anumati, everything was up to the Eternal King. Her mother supposedly had autonomy over the Kra-ell, but she couldn't do anything without the king's approval. Even the settler ship had belonged to the gods and was loaned to the Kra-ell.

No wonder it had exploded.

They had probably given her mother the oldest clunker they had.

"Of course, they didn't get everything right." The storyteller's voice took on a warm tinge. "The original document had serious flaws, particularly regarding slavery and voting rights. But they built in mechanisms for future generations to correct those mistakes through amendments."

Slavery?

The gods were slavers, and in the past, they had enslaved the Kra-ell, but that was a very long time ago. Hadn't they abolished the abhorrent practice on Earth?

She had to know how such a thing had been allowed and whether it was still practiced.

Focusing all her will on opening her eyes, she pushed against the weight that seemed to press her lids down.

"The First Amendment, for example, protects freedom of speech, religion, and assembly," he was saying. "These weren't just abstract concepts. They were hard-won rights that the founders knew were essential for a free society."

Of course they were. Even when they were still slaves to the gods, the Kra-ell had been allowed to practice their own religion, and they could speak freely, even against the gods. The two things they had not been allowed were access to advanced technology and higher education, which would enable them to create their own advanced technology.

Although, to be fair, even if the gods had not limited the Kra-ell's access to education, she doubted there would have been many takers. The Kra-ell liked to roam free, hunt, and quarrel among themselves.

They were not studious people.

Did the storyteller know all that?

Oh, how she wished to discuss those things with him, to see what he looked like, and maybe indulge in some of those things her mother had told her she should.

He was such an interesting male.

Concentrating all her will on lifting her eyelids, Morelle didn't really expect them to respond, and when they did so, she was euphoric even though she managed to lift them only a fraction. Light pierced her vision, but all she could make out was a wall. She didn't see her fascinating storyteller, and the effort drained her, but she felt triumphant.

It was the first voluntary movement she'd managed since becoming aware of her surroundings, and if she could do that, she could do more once she gathered her energy again.

"The Second Amendment was about maintaining militia for the common defense," he continued, unaware of her small victory. "Though its interpretation has been debated ever since..."

He hadn't seen her crack her eyes open, hadn't witnessed her victory.

Disappointment washed over Morelle.

She wanted to see his face, to match a physical presence to the voice that had become her companion in this twilight state.

Was he young or old?

Did his features reflect the wisdom and knowledge he shared so eloquently?

Did his eyes light up with passion when he spoke of human history and progress?

"The Constitution became a model for democratic governments around the world," he said. "Even today, it continues to guide and shape our society."

Drained by the effort of lifting her eyelids, even for that tiny fraction of a moment, she was starting to drift away. Morelle wanted to fight it and keep listening to the fascinating story, but exhaustion was pulling her under.

Perhaps after she'd rested and gathered her strength, she could try again.