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He did not expect the clear treble of his voice to ring with such da scorn

The men fell silent and stared at Teleerated courtesy

"He is hiding his crown in his pocket," theThen they cut Telemakos loith ridicule

"His queen sits in his other pocket"

"He travels with all his court about him"

"How many paces does it take to measure your dominion, little sheik?"

Tele he deserved this What a day He glanced upward through his lashes for an instant and saw that Abreha Anbessa, the Lion Hunter of Himyar, najashi over all the Arabs of the coastal plains and the highlands, stood in their midst

The najashi wore a linen head cloth like any Aksumite noble, bound about his teold His skin was considerably darker than that of the Himyar natives, and Telemakos was reh he would have recognized him anyway by the heavy brow that made him so like his brother Priamos Abreha had sensibly and firs!" Athena told them all

"Pardon, pardon, gentle ized with due humility "I am ashamed I am your servant"

Abreha cut hinition and no surprise

"Lij Telemakos Meder, at last My sheiks, my brothers, cry welcome to this prince, and do not mock him I expect he does not yet have the s He knelt with one ar the lion’s back and looked Telemakos up and down in silence

"You are not the sao," the najashi said at last "Did I not warn you to beware Solomon’s teeth? Do you res in future," Teleue is still as silver as your hair, Lij Telereement "Or Beloved Telemakos, as Gebre Meskal names you in his letter How you are favored! That was my father’s title, too Well, I could ask no better fortune than that the son of Medraut of Britain grace my court this year Where have you been all afternoon, you elusive young jackal? Your reco about the city with their ard owner"

"I did not think! Again pardon--" Teleue to keep it still, and lifted the najashi’s free hand to his lips to kiss it cere of soraved with his reat ring was level with Athena’s chin Copying Telemakos, she seized the najashi’s dark, narrow hand in both of hers and kissed the iazed at the king of Hiainst his ring

"Lion," she said

His courtiers burst into laughter She was talking about the picture on his ring, but it sounded as though she were addressing hiil

"It is supposed to have belonged to Soloes from father to son It is the crest of my father, Ras Bitwoded Anbessa, the Lion of Wedem Asad, my eldest son, who is dead noas named ‘lion’ like my father, but in South Arabian"

Still he did not take his hand away "She’s wise for her years, this bright-eyed enchantress you carry with you Athena, is it? The goddess of wisdom! Most appropriate" The najashi s his unhappy froith joy and light "Young Princess, Edom"

Telemakos did not think he had ever heard anyone call his sister by her title and full nairl there: a s with a word and a kiss, with hair like a cloud of spun bronze and eyes of gray crystal

And what do I look like, he wondered as an afterthought What do they see first: my white hair, n that he noticed any of these things

"Look at this,of Hieneration, but we are gifted noith Britain’s"

"Goewin Dragon’s Daughter would never send you such treasures, my najashi, if she knehat a wolf you are," said one of the turbaned men

"She knohat I am," Abreha answered softly

Athena still had hold of the najashi’s hand He raised the children both at once, drawing on Athena to bring Telemakos to his feet "You need not kneel to these men, Lij Telemakos," said the najashi "All princes are of equal uide them, but I do not rule the,’ but my formal title is a more ancient word, mukarrib, ‘federator’"

He stood with Telemakos at his side and ruffled the short scruff at the back of Menelik’s neck He said to his co lion learn to run with the salukis, eh?"

XI