Stormhaze

Chapter 19: The library and river

Gillien felt his entire body ache. In a cloud of hazy memories, he could remember Zenobia's private guards carrying him away from the infirmary, up through the palace, and inside a large two-story library he had never before seen. Zenobia herself—now the Supreme Anax of Erylon—had been leading them, flanked by Doctor Verigan and General Xianwei.

The soldiers had carefully helped Gillien lie down on a lounger before marching out the door, joining a large squad seemingly tasked with protecting the grand library. With Gillien veering on the edge of unconsciousness, Verigan had taken responsibility to tell the Supreme Anax everything. And Gillien, in short waves of clear-headedness, told everything he knew about Kilas and Tarian's secret deal.

Zenobia, Xianweil, and Verigan formed an arc around the lounger, taking in every word.

"General Xianwei," Zenobia said to the eastern woman after a while, "we need to end this disgusting practice once and for all. I've had it with this old system of coercion. How many concubines do we have in the palace? I want them freed."

"Roughly five hundred, among a total of three thousand officials."

Zenobia's face paled even more. "Five hundred concubines?"

"They are housed in the east wing, in a facility right underneath where the officers and magnates live, and they will not give up their privileges easily."

Zenobia sat down on a chair, leaning on a tall stack of books beside her. "It was already an effective web decades ago, and Kilas seemingly perfected it to suit his needs. He knew how to play the game. He still does."

"Indeed," Doctor Verigan added, glancing at the pale form of Gillien on the lounger. "I saw it all in Mizdrak. The concubine system served—and continues to serve—as an intricate network of dependencies and loyalties. Once a chieftain gets the taste of it, they will do anything to keep it. And fight anyone that threatens it."

"An effective, albeit a reprehensible strategy," Xianwei agreed stoically.

"It is a chain of slavery," Zenobia said, "we must dissolve it."

"Agreed," Xianwei said, "but we must be cautious. It won't be easy to dismantle such a system, especially considering it's been in place for over six decades. The tentacles go deep, and they all lead to Kilas now. There will be aggressive resistance from all sides if you act too quick."

"Aggressive resistance can be quelled," Zenobia said, "what concerns me more is how we convince the concubines themselves to accept it, to learn to live independently outside the palace. And in the state Argead is now, I would not blame them for staying within the safe confines of the palace."

"There will need to be resources for them." Gillien said with a weak voice, though, with words still powerful enough for everyone to turn their heads. He shifted on the lounger to sit up a bit more. He leaned back, however, the pain lingering even while his mind was clearing.

"Gillien, you should rest..." Verigan started, but he shook his head.

"Resources," Gillien said again, "they'll need to learn skills to support themselves. Stable work, education, shelter, proper clothing, and financial aid—all of it will be essential."

"We must also find a safe way to distribute it—a way that protects the supplies and the women themselves," Zenobia said, delving deep in thought. "I don't trust the soldiers or their officers. Just like the corporate magnates, they will resist everything that threatens their current way of life. Sending hundreds of disgruntled Etherion soldiers to aid hundreds of freed concubines will eventually lead back to the exploitative system Kilas created... or worse."