"We stand before the
Lords of Life and Death. The life you gave was yours, and I am
unworthy to kiss the feet of the Queen. Our lord will return and
his son is saved. The House can be rebuilt. My son and I were
waifs washed up from the sea. Another wave washes us back to
nothingness. Tell him my story and he will loathe me."
"My lips are shut," said the Queen. "Should I betray my sister's
honour? When he speaks of the noble women of old, your name will
be among them. What matters which of us he loves and remembers?
Your soul and mine have seen the same thing, and we are one. But
I - what have I to do with life? The ship and the bed of the
conqueror await us. Should we await them, my sister?"
The bright tears glittered in the eyes of Sundari at the tender
name and the love in the face of the Queen. At last she accepted
it.
"My sister, no," she said, and drew from her bosom the dagger of
Maya, with the man's blood rusted upon it. "Here is the way. I
have kept this dagger in token of my debt. Nightly have I kissed
it, swearing that, when the time came, I would repay my debt to
the great Queen.
Pages:
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258