Summary

Almeyda arrives in Palmares with a group of new women, unsorted as to their status as free or captive. After signaling that she is literate she is immediately declared a free woman. Palmares has long been the place of her dreams, where she imagines no one is captive. But her first real encounter is with a woman named Nobrega, who identifies herself as Almeyda’s slave. She explains that this is because she has not chosen a husband. And no one has chosen her. Almeyda is greatly confused as to Nobrega’s true agency and her social status.

Nobrega explains that a man already chosen Almeyda to be his wife. Almeyda continues to learn more about Palmares through Nobrega. She learns that adultery is forbidden but that King Zumbi has three women for himself, one of whom is white. This intimidates Nobrega and fascinates...