This chapter's epigraph is from a poem by the famous poet and metabaron, Metabaron. The poem is about a man who is about to be killed by the metabarons, and it is written by the protagonist, a man named Milady. Milady is the daughter of the protagonist's grandfather, who was killed by a castaka in battle. The protagonist is furious at Milady for killing him, and he demands that Milady give birth to his daughter, who will be called "aghora" , meaning "deeper than deep." Milady promises that she will raise her daughter as if she were a man, and she will kill her daughter if Milady does not.