Interviews with the characters from SPFBO 10, with a little help from the authors that wrote them.
In this case Some political Science Fiction from Aimee Kuzenski
Name (and title if appropriate):
Berenike. Once a member of the Fingertip Order, once wed to a Karanlik nobleman. Most call me ‘slave’ or ‘traitor’ these days.
Written by:
Books you appear in (links welcome)
In no more than 5 words explain your ambitions:
Revolution, revenge, belonging
Favourite place and why?
Favourite? Really? No place gives me pleasure in my captivity. I am perhaps most comfortable in the back rooms where I train my recalcitrant daughter in the way of the knife. She must be perfect if she is to win the war her brother and I lost ten years ago.
Knife. Short blades are quick, brutal, and easy to disguise. And while I prefer knives, I know ten ways to kill you with that pen that you hold so tightly.
When my daughter held her knife to the emperor’s neck. You can see why I hold such fondness for the weapon.
Leontios the Unbending, ruler of the galactic elven empire of Foss-Karan. He had my husband killed, orchestrated the duel that killed my son, deprived the spacers of the right to have children. And after the war, his ‘kindness’ has softened my daughter’s heart to the point that the cause matters to her not at all.
I don’t remember much of my early childhood. The Order takes great pains to shift those memories and allegiances to itself when initiates are brought to the stronghold in Skotadi. I remember the girls who worked and trained beside me. I remember my mentor, Theodora, who had great plans for me before I betrayed the order to help the spacers. It was not a gentle childhood. One might not call it childhood at all.
That is a cruel question. I commend you for it. If I had made better choices – for example, if I’d been the one to fight the duel instead of my son – we would be celebrating the tenth anniversary of our triumph over Leontios. We would be celebrating the ninth birthdays of many, many children.
I thank you for giving me space to think and act. I curse you for forcing me to commit to actions I regret.
If we do not help those who cannot act for themselves, then we are worthless. Stand up for what is right. If you choose not to do what is right – keep an eye open for someone like me.
