Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera #3)(38)

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, and the enforcement of civil law, it was left to the elected Senate to create and administer those laws.

Slavery had been a civil institution since its inception, and the Senate had the power to pass new laws regarding slavery-or to abolish it altogether. The Dianic League considered it the first step toward gaining legal parity for the women of the Realm.

Isana frowned. Though Lady Invidia had always been true to her word and her obligations as patron, Isana harbored no illusions that she had any personal interest in emancipation. Even so, it was difficult for Isana to resist the inherent lure in the accomplishment of such a dream, the destruction of such an injustice.

But then, she was hardly in any condition to think with the cool, detached logic required by politics. Not with a reunion with her loved ones so near at hand. Isana wanted nothing so much as to see Tavi again, whole and well-though the uncomfortable silences resulting from slips in conversation, when one of them mentioned something loosely related to politics or loyalty, made it a somewhat bittersweet proposition. She wanted to speak with her brother again. Between running the steadholt and the infrequent but regular voyages from her home on behalf of Invidia Aquitaine, there had been fewer and fewer opportunities to get together with her little brother. She missed him.

The irony in traveling halfway across the Realm to break bread with them again-and taken there by the Aquitaines, no less-was not lost on Isana. Neither was the sobering reality that she had brought it all upon herself, by allying herself with her current patron, one with ruthless, ambitious designs upon the Crown.

Even so, Isana forced herself to push her family from her thoughts and regard the situation with detached intellect. What did the Aquitaines have to gain by outlawing slavery?

"This isn't about freedom," she murmured aloud. "Not for you. It's about crippling Kalare's economy. Without slave labor, he'll never profit from his farmlands. He'll be too busy fighting to remain solvent to rival your husband for the Crown. "

Lady Aquitaine stared at Isana for a moment, her expression unreadable.

Isana did not let her eyes waver from her patron's. "Perhaps it's just as well that many in the League do not perceive as much as I do."

Lady Aquitaine's expression remained detached. "Do I have your support-and confidence-in the matter or not?"

"Yes. As I promised," Isana said. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes again. "Nothing I do can stop you from scheming. If some good can be accomplished along the way, I see no reason not to attempt it."

"Excellent," Lady Aquitaine said. "And practical of you." She paused for a thoughtful moment, and Isana could feel the sudden weight of the High Lady's full attention. "Hardly a freeman in the Realm would be able to recognize the situation for what it is, Isana. It makes me wonder where you acquired the necessary perspective for these kinds of politics. Someone must have taught you."