smile. “I thought you would appreciate the information. You’d look rather silly sitting there with your eyes closed the whole way.”
“Of course not, my lady,” Isana said. “Why would I do such a thing?”
p. 60 Invidia’s eyes hardened for a moment. Then she said, “I am given to understand that you plan a small reunion with your family in Ceres.”
“After the meeting with the League, of course,” Isana said. “I have been assured of alternate travel arrangements back to Calderon if my plans should inconvenience you.”
Invidia’s cool features blossomed into a small, even genuine, smile. “Hardly anyone fences with me anymore, Isana. I’ve actually looked forward to this trip.”
“As have I, my lady. I have missed my family.”
Invidia laughed again. “I shall ask little of you beyond our visits with my supporters and the League meeting,” she said. Then she tilted her head to one side and leaned forward slightly. “Though you have not been apprised of the meeting’s agenda.”
Isana tilted her head.
“Gracchus Albus and his staff have been invited to attend.”
“The Senator Primus, “ she murmured. Then her eyes widened. “The emancipation proposal to the Senate?”
Lady Aquitaine sighed. “If only the rest of the League perceived the significance as well as you.”
“They should spend time running a steadholt,” Isana said, her tone wry. “It makes one acutely aware of the extended consequences of small but significant actions.”
The High Lady moved one shoulder in a shrug. “Perhaps you are correct.”
“Will Gracchus support the proposal?”
“He has never been a foe of the abolitionist movement. His wife, daughter, and mistresses assure me that he will,” Lady Aquitaine said.
Isana frowned. She disapproved of such manipulations, though it was the Dianic League’s first and favorite tool. “And the Senate?”
“Impossible to say for certain,” Lady Aquitaine said. “There is no knowing what debts may be called in on such an important issue. But enough to make a real fight of it. For the first time in Aleran history, Isana, we may abolish the institution of slavery. Forever.”
Isana frowned in thought. It was indeed a worthy goal, and one that would rally the support of folk of conscience everywhere. Slaves in most of the Realm faced a grim lot in life—hard labor and little chance of ever working their way free, even though the law required owners to sell a slave’s freedom should he ever earn his (or her) buying price. Female slaves had no recourse to the uses their bodies were put to, though neither did males, when it came to it. Children p. 61 were all born free, legally at least, though most owners employed various forms of taxation or indenture for them, which amounted to outright enslavement from birth.
The laws of the Realm were supposed to protect slaves, to limit the institution to those who had been willing to enter bondage and who could, in time, repay their indenture and walk free again. But corruption and political influence allowed each High Lord virtually to ignore the laws and to treat slaves in whatever fashion each saw fit. In the time since she had become Lady Aquitaine’s ally in the Dianic League, Isana had learned more than she had ever dreamed about the abuses slaves suffered in much of the Realm. She had thought her own encounter with the slaver Kord was nightmarish enough to last a lifetime. She had been sickened to learn that in much of the rest of the Realm, his conduct was but marginally worse than average.
The Dianic League, an organization consisting solely of female Citizens of the Realm—those with status, influence, but little actual, legal power—had struggled for years to engender support for the abolishment of slavery. For the first time, they were in a position to cause it to be, for while the High Lords and the First Lord controlled the military assets of the Realm, the criminal codes of Alera,
“Of course not, my lady,” Isana said. “Why would I do such a thing?”
p. 60 Invidia’s eyes hardened for a moment. Then she said, “I am given to understand that you plan a small reunion with your family in Ceres.”
“After the meeting with the League, of course,” Isana said. “I have been assured of alternate travel arrangements back to Calderon if my plans should inconvenience you.”
Invidia’s cool features blossomed into a small, even genuine, smile. “Hardly anyone fences with me anymore, Isana. I’ve actually looked forward to this trip.”
“As have I, my lady. I have missed my family.”
Invidia laughed again. “I shall ask little of you beyond our visits with my supporters and the League meeting,” she said. Then she tilted her head to one side and leaned forward slightly. “Though you have not been apprised of the meeting’s agenda.”
Isana tilted her head.
“Gracchus Albus and his staff have been invited to attend.”
“The Senator Primus, “ she murmured. Then her eyes widened. “The emancipation proposal to the Senate?”
Lady Aquitaine sighed. “If only the rest of the League perceived the significance as well as you.”
“They should spend time running a steadholt,” Isana said, her tone wry. “It makes one acutely aware of the extended consequences of small but significant actions.”
The High Lady moved one shoulder in a shrug. “Perhaps you are correct.”
“Will Gracchus support the proposal?”
“He has never been a foe of the abolitionist movement. His wife, daughter, and mistresses assure me that he will,” Lady Aquitaine said.
Isana frowned. She disapproved of such manipulations, though it was the Dianic League’s first and favorite tool. “And the Senate?”
“Impossible to say for certain,” Lady Aquitaine said. “There is no knowing what debts may be called in on such an important issue. But enough to make a real fight of it. For the first time in Aleran history, Isana, we may abolish the institution of slavery. Forever.”
Isana frowned in thought. It was indeed a worthy goal, and one that would rally the support of folk of conscience everywhere. Slaves in most of the Realm faced a grim lot in life—hard labor and little chance of ever working their way free, even though the law required owners to sell a slave’s freedom should he ever earn his (or her) buying price. Female slaves had no recourse to the uses their bodies were put to, though neither did males, when it came to it. Children p. 61 were all born free, legally at least, though most owners employed various forms of taxation or indenture for them, which amounted to outright enslavement from birth.
The laws of the Realm were supposed to protect slaves, to limit the institution to those who had been willing to enter bondage and who could, in time, repay their indenture and walk free again. But corruption and political influence allowed each High Lord virtually to ignore the laws and to treat slaves in whatever fashion each saw fit. In the time since she had become Lady Aquitaine’s ally in the Dianic League, Isana had learned more than she had ever dreamed about the abuses slaves suffered in much of the Realm. She had thought her own encounter with the slaver Kord was nightmarish enough to last a lifetime. She had been sickened to learn that in much of the rest of the Realm, his conduct was but marginally worse than average.
The Dianic League, an organization consisting solely of female Citizens of the Realm—those with status, influence, but little actual, legal power—had struggled for years to engender support for the abolishment of slavery. For the first time, they were in a position to cause it to be, for while the High Lords and the First Lord controlled the military assets of the Realm, the criminal codes of Alera,
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