Long ago the human colonists of Silistra waged a war so vicious that centuries later the planet has not recovered. Men and women alike suffer from infertility--the deadliest legacy of that deadly war. Because the birth rate is so low, the Silistrans value above all the ability to bear children.and their social order is based on the fertility and sexual prowess. On a planet desperate for population, women hold the keys to power. These are the adventure of Estri, Well-Keepress of Astria and holder of the ultimate seat of control: The High Couch of Silistra.