The Emperor's 4th-gen girls rode their horses onto the human-powered ferry in the morning light. They were followed closely by the Honour Guard and a group of consorts and eunuchs who were chaperoning them.
The palace was located on a man-made island in the harbour of the capital. It was formerly the Museum of Old and New Art, a bunker-like architectural gem, located across water from the centre of the capital, and easily defensible. The ferry was the only way in or out. The waters were not safe to swim; they were filled with aquatic Tubiàn which could not be kept out by any Great Wall.
The girls were veiled, and their hair was tightly covered. Infringement was punishable by whipping, so they were careful with the way they dressed in public.
The young guards kept their eyes on the horizon or the ground, never looking for too long at the Emperor's women. The eunuchs were on the watch for such behaviour and would report back to the Emperor, ending a military career before it even began.
Loveday tried to catch her brother's eye, but he studiously ignored her.
She shook her head sadly. Men were brainwashed into believing the royal family's crap about women and their own superiority. There were no men they could trust. Not even their own fathers and brothers… Men would turn in their daughters, sisters and wives for breaking the law. Of course, the most heinous crime was a love affair outside state-sanctioned marriage; punishable by hanging.
The girls joined Consort Cheales and Chief Consort Tong at the front of the boat. The ever-serious Feifei stood guard, making sure they weren't overheard.
"Girls," the Chief Consort spoke quietly, "this is your last outing before you leave. Pay close attention to everything on the route. You never know if a small detail will save your life. We've put everything we have into your training. You're one hundred percent ready. Be confident, be cool, be calm, be smart. Look after each other. Don't trust anyone except a Guerilla Girl."
They all bore fresh tattoos on their upper inner thighs that marked them as part of the rebel group. A tiny ape's head with cursive 'G's' in each eye.
"We'll do our best to send other girls your way to help you, but really, it's up to you now. No one else has the benefit of your years of hard training. And the Emperor will tear the palace apart looking for clues."
Delphi gripped the Chief Consort's hand. They knew the danger this put their teachers and leaders in, leaving them behind to face the music.
"Head for the silos at Horsham once you hit the Mainland. Don't stop before you get there. The Emperor will pull out all stops to bring you back or kill you.
Don't trust any men. They've all been indoctrinated, and even if they have doubts, no one wants to risk their family's safety as a rebel. Do anything you need to do to survive. You know how to honeypot; use it! But keep your head and your heart. You're still virgins. Don't underestimate how seductive sex can be. It will play with your emotions.
Once you've established HQ on the Mainland, it's on you to grow the group. Use the pigeons to message us. If we can answer, we will. We've had some dropped at Phillip Island for you, assuming they manage to survive until you get there…"
The ferry passed a small beach and inlet, lit only by the moon. Consort Cheales nodded towards a dense copse of willows overhanging the water.
"The boat's behind that thicket, covered in branches. We've stocked it with enough food and water for the first leg. There are bows, arrows, swords, shields, flints and lamps in the hold. Delphi, when you leave tomorrow night you'll need to carry the map on you. It's too dangerous for us to leave it in the boat. Loveday, we'll give you the medicine to carry in your handbag. Feifei, you'll take the binoculars in yours."
The girls nodded seriously. Delphi was their leader and captain, Feifei was her 2IC.
The ferry arrived at the dock and the girls lead their horses off the boat and mounted up. Their guards waited for them.
The men looked more concerned to prevent them from running away than they did to protect them, thought Delphi scornfully. She kicked her dapple-grey pony into a canter, taking the lead, with her team falling in behind her, forcing the young guards to scramble.
"Slow down please, Miss Chastain," called Li Kai, bringing his horse up alongside hers.
"Why should I Commander Li?" she asked arrogantly, turning to look at him.
Damn, those eyes! he thought. She was ridiculously beautiful, and that was without seeing the rest of her face. The Chastain family had provided senior consorts to every Emperor, and it wasn't hard to see why. He forced his eyes back to the road.
"We need to protect you and your sisters, and it makes it hard if you take off like that. The guards need to ride ahead of you and behind you."
"I have no doubt you're more concerned with keeping us in your sight than you are with protecting us from some nebulous threat, commander. Are you worried some band of renegade men will try to steal the Emperor's women? They'd have to have a death wish, and for what gain?"
He could think of some 'gains' said group of renegade men might get, but he wouldn't go there.
"You can't be too careful Miss Chastain. History tells us that rebel groups grow in the dark and then take everyone by surprise."
Her eyes widened in concern. Did he know something? Was this a warning?
"Is that so Commander Li," she said flatly. "Well, I'm sure a rebel group would have more important targets to risk their lives for than a group of teenage girls. And by the way, we're not 'sisters'. Only India and Ruby are sisters. We're girls who were taken from our families."
This woman was hard work, he thought. "I was referring to you as sisters as in 'sister wives'," he said politely.
"We're not wives yet Commander. We're seventeen-year-old girls, we haven't even come of age."
She was clearly splitting hairs given this group started to come of age next month, he thought. "My apologies Miss Chastain, I stand corrected," he spoke respectfully.
He couldn't afford to get on her bad side and have her complain about him to the Emperor. Everyone knew she was their Lord's favourite, and he'd been waiting a very long time for her to turn eighteen.
She deliberately sped up, moving ahead of him.
Li Kai shouted orders at his men to change their formation to keep ahead of the girls and work with the headstrong Miss Delphi, instead of against her.
She smirked as she watched them scramble, kicking her pony into a gallop. Feifei, Loveday and the others streamed after her, shouting with delight at the pace.
She could dimly hear the eunuchs yelling behind them to slow down, but she had no intention of listening to those effeminate clowns. The only person in this world who could tell her what to do was the Emperor, and that was because he had shown a willingness to discipline her himself if she overstepped the fairly significant headroom he gave her. She shuddered at those memories. And of course, the GG consorts who had raised them, she would do anything for those women.
"What the fucking, fuck?" yelled Niko to his commander. "Can't you tell that she-devil to slow down? They're going to kill someone riding like that into the city."
"I tired," Li Kai said grimly. "No joy."
"The Emperor needs to pull her into line, she's way out of control the little minx. Her eighteenth birthday can't come soon enough. Let's see how she behaves after she joins the harem."
"He's deliberately let her have her head growing up. He has something planned for her. Do not interfere if you want to keep your head. She's his greatest treasure."
"I don't see what's so special about her. I like blondes with big tits myself."
"Yes, we all know you have refined tastes, Niko. Hopefully the Emperor answers your prayers when he chooses you a wife."
"If he doesn't, I'll just have to earn myself a second one," he grinned.