The Rule of Women: A Utopian Novel

By Deidre Stonewall

Six centuries after the collapse of civilization due to global warming and pandemics, women have established a peaceful society on an island in the northern Atlantic. Their society is based on female dominance with men related to the status of workers and second-class citizens without rights. Men who rebel or show signs of defiance are cast out into the ocean. Judith, the daughter of the island's ruler, is about to come of age and choose a mate. However, she is increasingly full of doubts about true nature of the society she is part of. Her chosen mate, Obed, is rebellious and has a dangerously independent mind. Can Judith find a way to tame him or will he drag her into a suicidal revolt against the authorities led by her own mother?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098354718

Book preview

587

Chapter 1:The Year 585 since the Great Collapse (2603 AD)

From the Book of the Sublime Messenger: In the beginning, there is and ever was One Creator, the source of all, whom we call Mother Earth. She rules over all and determines all thing according to Her laws. All life is born of Her, nurtured and suckled by Her, sustained by Her and returns to Her. Under Her sovereignty, all creatures, all plants, all organisms are created to live in perfect balance. From Mother Earth sprang forth all manner of creatures, large and small, of infinite variety, and among them, the human, the Female and the male. The Female brought into the world love, goodness, charity, grace, compassion and kindness. She is the natural daughter of Mother Earth. She nurtured her children and our planet. But the male took for himself power and abused it. He is Her ungrateful offspring. The male brought into the world violence and hatred, death and destruction. Under the rule of the male, the Sublime balance of Nature was destroyed and the world fell into disharmony. And Mother Earth became hot with anger against the male who had so abused her and her wrath flared against him.

Judith was nervous. Actually, she was terrified. Finally, it was here, the day of the summer solstice, the holiest of holy days when light reined supreme and darkness retreated. In just a few hours, at midnight, under light of an endless Arctic day into which night could not intrude, the clans of her town and all the settlements of the Enlightened Community would gather at the Cathedral of the Messenger in the Valley of Truth for a night of prayers and festivities. For days, women had been coming from far and wide for the ceremony. The well-to-do crowded the taverns of the town, where the ale was already flowing freely. Their prime spots in the great amphitheater were already reserved. The less wealthy camped out and ate food they had brought with them. Their males were herded into special enclosures where their basic needs were met. They too would witness the ceremony – on their knees.

Tonight, the entire Enlightened, Gentle and Perfect Community, rich and poor alike, would hear once again the words of the Sublime Messenger, may Her Name be praised. Backed by an enormous choir and the hypnotic beat of scores of drummers, the High Priestess would chant from Her Holy Book. It was a transcendental ceremony. All would hear how males had almost destroyed the planet. Then, five centuries ago, Mother Earth’s anger had flared and they themselves were brought low and destroyed.

As many openly wept and wailed, they would hear, as they did every year, how the Sublime Messenger had been summoned by a great cry of anguish from Mother Earth Herself and had responded by gathering her elect around her. After an epic voyage on two rickety sailing ships, a blessed remnant had made landfall on this remote northern island. Here, they had undertaken the sacred task of redeeming and rebuilding humanity in accordance with the immutable laws of Mother Earth.

The solemn recitation, which lasted almost two hours, would be followed by the Swearing of the Daughters ceremony. This was when all the young women coming of age, who this year included Judith, formally accepted the responsibilities of adulthood. It was a moment of sublime joy for them, their mothers, their clans and the entire Gentle Community. It marked the passing of another generation of young women into adulthood. Soon, most would take unto themselves a male to rule and with whom to build their own families. But for Judith, it threatened to be a moment of dread.

She tried to savor her last few moments of peace and gird herself for whatever might happen. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on her breathing and to find her quiet center. It was natural to be nervous -- but not like this. She should not have been filled with such foreboding. Everything about the ceremony was carefully choreographed. It would unfold the way it had for hundreds of years. Nothing had ever gone awry. Yet, her mind was not at ease. For Judith had come to learn that nothing was certain. Everything was unknown.

She tried to thrust aside the disturbing thoughts that had recently beset her. Soon, she would have to start getting ready. Her father, Duty, had built a fire in the adjoining bathhouse and would soon begin heating water for Judith’s bath of purification. Duty worked in the forest, one of the most trusted jobs a male could have since it involved using metal cutting implements. When not being used for work, these axes and knives were kept strictly under lock and key. Judith’s twin brother, Low, had worked alongside his father from an early age, cutting off branches and stripping away foliage until he was old enough to fell trees. Right now, he was carrying out water from the well, bucket by bucket. Later, he too would he participating in the ceremony – but in a very different way.

Tonight, Low would be Claimed by Jochebed who had once been Judith’s closest friend. He would pledge to serve and obey her and to be her mate. Judith ought to have been overjoyed that someone she knew so well was Claiming her brother. Instead, she felt deeply troubled. She knew that Jochebed didn’t love Low. He certainly had no love for her since his heart belonged to another. But there was no stopping the match now. Soon, Low would leave to make his own preparations for the ceremony. Judith knew she had to say goodbye to her twin – but she didn’t quite have the words. It wasn’t that she would never seen him again. He was only moving a few streets away. But he would belong to a different household, subject to Jochebed’s authority. He would never be permitted to address his sister again without the permission of his wife-owner and Judith would have no reason to ask it for Jochebed to grant it. After all, what would they have to talk about?

Low, come here, Judith commanded.

He presented himself before her, a handsome, upright young man with the same dark curly hair and blue-gray eyes as her.

I just wanted to say farewell and to wish you good fortune, Judith said, extending her hand to stroke a stray curl away from his eyes. Her mouth felt as though it was full of ashes. She knew there was scant hope that her wish would come true.

Thank you lady. And to you too. Whatever may happen.

What did he mean? Did he feel the same uncertainty that gripped her? Judith wondered if she should hug him. Despite being born together, they had never been close. Brothers and sisters rarely were on their island. They had such different upbringings, such different fates. And for Judith and Low, there would always be one horrible evening that hung between them, an unspoken trauma that overshadowed all of their interactions.

I wish it could have been otherwise but I do believe that Jochebed may yet be a kind and gentle owner. I’m sure you will satisfy her with your labor and service and she will provide for your material needs. I pray that you will accept your fate and that you will eventually find contentment in her hearth, Judith said, knowing that every word was most likely a lie. Low loved another woman, Ofra, and she loved him. But they could never be together.

Low didn’t answer; the silence between them stretched out until it became taut with things unsaid – things that could never be said between a female and a male.

Well, be off with you, Judith said at last. I’ll see you at the Claiming.

Judith had her own preparations to make. She would be washed in fragrant water by the women of the house led by her mother Jael. While she underwent the ritual cleansing, they would chant prayers, invoking the Sublime Messenger, may Her Name ever be honored, asking that generosity, compassion, strength and power be bestowed upon her. Judith’s body would be oiled and perfumed, her long, dark tresses washed and twisted into ringlets. Her head would be adorned with a garland of wild flowers and she would be clothed in a garment of virgin white trimmed with gold.

Judith had been dreaming of this day for years. From the age of 12, when she was finally allowed to attend the ceremony for the first time, she had imagined how it would feel to finally step on to that stage herself beneath the benevolent statue of the Sublime Messenger, may Her Name always be praised and revered. In her imagination, she was always filled with radiance and joy at this moment. But now that the day was here, she was laden with thoughts she knew were forbidden. She had tried to banish them from her head but could not.

Soon, the newly adult females would file into the massive open space and take their places before the community. Each in turn would be called forward to take the oath. They would promise to wield power gently and responsibly. They would rule their males strictly but fairly. They would pledge to love and cherish their partners, whether woman or male, and to serve the Enlightened, Gentle and Perfect Community. They would solemnly vow to do their part to nurture and replenish Mother Earth. Each would be given, as a symbol of authority, a thin, supple cane made of ash. This they would use throughout their lives to administer justice and enforce discipline within their families and this in turn would maintain the strict social structure of the Gentle Community.

Then, as huge kettle drums beat out a solemn rhythm, the newly-mature males, Low among them, would be brought in, walking slowly in single file. Barefoot and clad only in loin clothes, they would parade down the center of the amphitheater and through the ceremonial Great Gate – a wooden structure elaborately carved with motifs from Mother Earth. Finally, they would assemble beneath the massive rafters where they would kneel and face the aged Head Priestess. This year, there were almost 300 males reaching the age of decision, the most solemn moment of their lives.

Complete silence would now reign in the giant natural auditorium. Only the whispering breeze and the soft breathing of the assembled masses would be heard. Then, one of the senior priestesses would address the males collectively:

"In the name of the Sublime Messenger, may Her Name be ever revered, I address you. I speak on behalf of all of the Earth Mother’s Daughters whose task it is to rule this Gentle Community. Males, today you have arrived at the moment of manhood – and also a moment of decision. This is a dangerous time when you are reaching your full physical strength. It is dangerous for you – but even more so for us, for our Enlightened Community and for the entire world. In the words of the Sublime Messenger, may Her Name be revered, the male is wicked, violent, greedy and destructive by his very nature. The male is a natural predator. He kills, destroys and oppresses. He is cruel and heartless.

"To live on Mother Earth under the rule of the Mother Earth’s Daughters, you must accept this truth. You are evil and your evil urges must be curbed. You must be strictly controlled and brought to heel. In the word of the Sublime Messenger, may Her Name be ever honored: ‘The male almost destroyed Mother Earth. He must never again wield power. To live among us, he must be docile and obedient. His instinct toward violence must be tamed. He is allowed no opinion, for from his mouth issues only lies. He is allowed no thought, for from his imagination issues only evil. He will not be educated for he uses knowledge to promote hatred and destruction. His will must be broken; he must be harnessed, yoked and bridled. His strength must be channeled to serve the Perfect Community. It must be used for honest labor and toil. If he transgresses, he will be punished. If he persists, he will be Cast Out from our midst. This is the fate of the male within our Gentle Community.’

Oh cursed males, each and every one of you carries within the blackness of your male soul the seeds of sin. This is proven by history beyond any shadow of a doubt. Yet, despite your wicked tendencies, we offer you a place at our hearth. We offer you the warmth of our fire. We offer you food, shelter and love within our Gentle Community of women living in peace. We open our arms. If you accept your destiny, you will be welcomed and cherished. You will be given the privilege of service. This is your time. You must look into your hearts and you must choose. Today, and only today, each of you is free to decide. The women of our Enlightened and Perfect Community have generously granted you this moment, though you do not deserve it. As an adult male, you are invited to take your divinely-dictated place among us. By doing so, you will accept all of our laws, commandments, rules and values. You will be subject, from this day until the day of your death, to the rule of women – above all the woman who will take you as her mate. She shall be your wife and your owner. You will be beloved but you will also be subservient. This is the role of the male in our Perfect and Gentle Community. It is the only way you may remain among us.

For males, this was their moment of truth. Of course, they had been born and raised to accept the rule of women. It was the only reality they knew. It had been drummed into them by word and deed from the moment they were born. Still, now they had to actively affirm it. It was the only significant decision they would ever make. If they took the oath, all of their actions henceforth would be determined by the women who would choose them as mate. It was an easy and natural transition that they had been groomed for years to embrace. Judith could not remember a single male who had ever voluntarily decided to be Cast Out. It simply never happened – and for good reason. Casting Out meant almost certain death in the raging ocean. Even if they survived the sea and made landfall somewhere, there was little chance of sustaining life outside the island. On most of the ravaged continents of Mother Earth, unending tribal warfare and mayhem still reigned – or so they had been told since birth.

The Enlightened Community, living on their isolated Arctic island, was almost completely cut off from the outside world. Most of its citizens had never met an outsider and never would. They were taught that they represented the sole remnants of human civilization. While they remained healthy, the outside world was beset by diseases. Pandemics ran amuck. The air and water of many regions were poisonous. Much of the world was too hot to inhabit. Former great cities were underwater. Swarms of insects ruled the sky; vermin and scavengers roamed the land. On entire continents, tribes of humans had reverted to prehistoric times. They viciously competed for scarce resources; their lives were nasty, brutal and short. Civilization had disintegrated five centuries before into anarchy and chaos – an event known to history as the Great Collapse – and it had not recovered.

A select few of the leaders of the Perfect Community knew that this was not the entire truth. There were some other city-states that had arisen from the ashes of the Great Collapse –pockets of civilization where humans had tried to pick up the pieces and begun the work of reconstruction. Some had made significant technological advances. But even these city-states were not immune from male savagery. They competed for goods and resources, tussled for strategic advantage, struggled for dominance and occasionally fought wars against each other, proving that males had fundamentally learned nothing from the Great Collapse. Only the firm, nurturing, comforting rule of women offered safety, security, tranquility and peace in a land that had banished violence – a society that was coming ever closer to true perfection.

Though the Enlightened and Gentle Community protected and embraced its isolation, it was not fully self-sufficient and was forced to permit a limited amount of trade with some of these city states. These interactions were rigidly controlled. Sailors arrived on set days once a year bringing valuable items the women could not or choose not to manufacture themselves, such as writing paper, ink and metal objects, including knives and axes. In exchange, the islanders provided them with semi-precious stones they excavated. They also traded dried fish and in good years surplus grain. Trade was confined to one small port and conducted by a small coterie of trusted women appointed by the Supreme Council. Traders were not allowed to mix with or even be seen by the population, and especially not males who could easily be corrupted by contact with their own kind from the outside world.

Back at the ceremony, as midnight approached the Priestess would now raise her voice so all could hear. A vast choir of women’s voices joined her for the final part of the ritual.

Blessed Messenger, as You in Your wisdom have decreed, now is the sacred moment of decision, she intoned.

The moment of decision, echoed the choir.

Now is the moment of pledging.

The moment of pledging.

Now is the night of judgment.

The night of judgment.

The choir would fall silent as the Priestess continued, looking directly at the rows of males before her. This moment was carefully choreographed. The sun was at its lowest point, near the horizon, and its rays shone brilliantly through a carefully constructed gap in the walls of the cathedral, bathing her in an unearthly radiance.

Males, let me be very clear. You do not have to take this oath. The choice is yours. It must be freely made and can never be revoked. But know that if you refuse, there is no place for you here. You will be Cast Out to the outer darkness beyond. Do you understand?

The males would respond in a low rumble: We understand.

The Priestess then stated in words that had been set out by the Sublime Messenger Herself, may Her Name be extolled, many centuries before: It is not your fault that you were born male any more than it is the fault of a wolf to be born a wolf. The wolf is a vicious creature who cannot be controlled. He must live in the wild, far from humans. But the dog is a friend and beloved companion. The dog is dear to us -- loyal, steadfast, hard-working, obedient and treasured. There can be no place for wolves in our peaceful society of women. But for dogs, there will always be a place is shelter, a warm hearth, food, kindness and love.

Kindness and love, echoed all choir.

So what say you, oh cursed males of the Gentle Community? Are you slavering, savage wolves or are you beloved dogs?

We are dogs, the males would respond.

Let it be heard, the congregation would chant.

Are you wolves or are you dogs? the Priestess asked again, her voice rising. Tell me true. Are you wolves or are you dogs?

We are dogs.

Let it be heard, sang the chorus.

And a final time, thus spake the Priestess: Are you wolves or are you dogs?

The males unleashed the full power of their base voices. We are dogs, we are dogs, we are dogs. Let all hear. We are dogs.

Let it be heard, sang the chorus.

Do you accept your place with full hearts and without mental reservation? The Priestess intoned.

To which the males would respond, With full hearts and without mental reservation, we accept our place.

And do you submit to the authority of women

We submit.

And do you each as individuals submit, completely and utterly, to the authority of the one woman who will Claim you, to your wife-owner?

We submit completely and utterly to the one who will Claim us.

Then you are pledged. The Claiming can begin.

It was at this point in the ceremony that the young women stepped forward one by one to Claim their mates. These arrangements had been negotiated and agreed between families in the months leading up to the ceremony. Mothers of males traditionally paid dowries to ensure the best possible matches for their sons. Wealthy families formed alliances and established dynasties lasting generations. They were the ones who wielded power in the Perfect Community, dominating the eight-member Supreme Council as well as local and regional authorities, the judiciary and the Priestesshood. They alone learned the secrets of history and were allowed to read from a small number of books written before the Great Collapse which had been carried by the first settlers to this island. These texts described the evil that dominated the world when males had ruled. A very select few knew other secrets too dreadful even to utter.

Judith’s mother Jael, the daughter of Bathsheba, led the Supreme Council. Her mother had served before her. The family’s wealth came from logging. It controlled a large forest where its males, and many others, worked. Over centuries, the forest had been carefully managed so there were always trees in every stage of growth -- enough to meet the island’s needs.

From the ranks of the elite also sprang famers, ship captains and the officers of the Watch who maintained law and order and guarded the shoreline. Other joined the Peace Officers, a shadowy, subterranean organization that handled internal security. Its members wore no uniform or insignia and their identities and activities remained closely-held secrets.

Judith had known from an early age that she was destined for high office. Already, she had begun her training to enter the elite. Jael spoke openly of her daughter as a future President of the Supreme Council, although such a position could not be passed on. It had to be earned through hard work and high intelligence.

Jochebed, who would soon be Claiming Low, came from a less wealthy family but was already establishing herself as a composer and musician. She came from an artistic line. Her mother designed clothing and jewelry which was in high demand among the elite. The family was comfortable and well-regarded but it was still a big concession when Jael consented to Jochebed’s request to Claim her son, Low.

But we believe in equality after all, Jael had explained to Judith. It will make us look good – more democratic, less elitist. We don’t want a rigid class system in our Perfect Community. It damages unity among women.

Judith had been present at a few of Jochebed’s concerts at school and also in the town square. She’d tried hard to love the music but, frankly, she’d found it boring and uninspiring. Jochebed had tootled around on various pipes with great skill and many flourishes but the end result had sound like a flock of demented birds squabbling over worms to Judith’s uneducated ear. She thought that perhaps she lacked a musical sense because all the other women had burst into rapturous applause at the end of the piece and crowded around Jochebed to congratulate her on her virtuosity. Only once had she managed to produce a work of real power and beauty – and that had turned out to be a fraud.

Jochebed had been thrilled when she was told she would mate with Low. It means so much for my whole family, she told Judith. To have a male like Low – a dream come true.

Do you really like him? Judith asked her friend.

Really like him? Can one really like a male? He’s well-formed and not stupid. He’ll help me create wonderful daughters. I suppose he works hard – and if he doesn’t, I’ll soon teach him how. I know how to wield my ash. What makes me really happy, Judith, is that we’ll be sisters. Her narrow, pinched features widened into a tentative smile and she’d reached out to give Judith a bony hug.

That was before the dreadful day that had destroyed their friendship.

Despite Jael’s wishes, there was rigid class system in the Enlightened Community. The middle class dominated trades like haberdashery, carpentry, barrel-making and construction. They were millers, weavers, brewers, drapers, cobblers and chandlers. They graded wool, dyed fabrics, designed and made clothes and jewelry. Many were also drawn to the arts and became minstrels, poets, artists and makers of the gorgeous tapestries that decorated all the fine homes on the island. Some were attracted to wood carving and constructed the delicate, lacy fretwork and filigrees that adorned the homes of richer citizens.

Poor women worked in more humble though still honorable trades. From their ranks sprang nurses, laundresses, cooks, cheese and butter makers, papermakers and wet nurses. They were often employed by the elite, looking after their babies and the aged and working as maids and domestic staff.

As for males, they were permitted to do manual labor, always under female supervision. They built roads and walls, tanned leather, felled trees, made charcoal, dug ditches, built boats and crewed the fishing fleet. Males kept the streets clean, emptied latrines, disposed of garbage and made sure that hearth fires were burning. They planted and sewed crops and brought in the harvests. There were no horses or mules on the island; males pulled the plows through the fields. Males picked fruit and vegetables, tended to sheep, pigs, cows and chickens, cured leather and drew and carried water.

Since there was never an exactly equal number of males and females at the Claiming Ceremony, there would always be some males left Unclaimed. Sadly, this meant there was no longer any place for them on the island. They would be provided with small boats and a few days of provisions and Cast Out. This was always a somber occasion. Casting Out ceremonies always happened on stormy nights when gales blew and the sea raged. The males were brought down to the shore, some resisting, others pleading for mercy, others stoically silent. Their arms were untied and they were bundled into a small boats, two to each vessel. Then, they were pushed off the shore. The voices of the males were quickly swallowed by the wind and waves. Often, the bodies of those Cast Out washed back to the shore within the next few days. Judith did not know if any males ever survived a Casting Out. It was a few hundred miles to the nearest inhabitable landfall. Certainly no male ever returned to the Gentle Community after being Cast Out.

It was tragic in its way but it had to be done. Males could not live Unclaimed. For each male, there had to be a wife-owner. If a woman died, her male was given three months of grace during which