Kenkenes flushed, and Rameses, recovering from his amusement, pressed his advantage.

“Let me give thee a bit of counsel from mine own store that thou mayest look with braver eyes on life.  Take the world by the throat and it will do thy will.”

“Again I dispute thee, O Rameses.”

“Name thy witness,” the prince insisted.  Kenkenes leaned on his elbow toward him.

“Canst thou force a woman to love thee?” he asked simply.

Ta-user glanced at the prince and the sleepy black eyes of the heir narrowed.

“Let us get back to the issue,” he said.  “We spoke of others shaping the future of men.  You may not force a woman to love you, but no love or lack of love of a woman should misshape the destiny of any man.”

“That is a matter of difference in temperament, my Prince,” Ta-user put in.

“It may be, but it is the expression of mine own ideas,” he answered roughly.

The lashes of the princess were smitten down immediately and Siptah’s canine teeth glittered for a moment, one set upon the other.  Kenkenes patted his sandal impatiently and looked another way.  His gaze fell on Io.  She had lost interest in the game.  The color had receded from her cheeks and now and again her lips trembled.  Kenkenes looked and saw that Seti’s eyes were adoring Ta-user, who smiled at him.  With a sudden rush of heat through his veins, the young artist turned again to Io, and watched till he caught her eye.  With a look he invited her to come to him.  She laid down the dice, during the momentary abstraction of her playing-mates, and murmuring that she was tired, came and sat at the feet of her champion.

“Wherefore dost thou retreat, Io?” Ta-user asked.  “Art vanquished?”

“At one game, aye!” the girl replied vehemently.

Kenkenes laid his hand on her head and said to her very softly: 

“If only our pride were spared, sweet Io, defeat were not so hard.”

The girl lifted her face to him with some questioning in her eyes.

“Knowest thou aught of this game, in truth?” she asked.

He smiled and evaded.  “I have not been fairly taught.”

Ta-meri gathered up the stakes and Nechutes, collecting the dice, went to find her a seat.  But while he was gone, she wandered over to Kenkenes and leaned on the back of his chair.

“Let me give thee a truth that seemeth to deny itself in the expression,” Io said, turning so that she faced the young artist.

“Say on,” he replied, bending over her.

“The more indifferent the teacher in this game of love, the sooner you learn,” said Io.  Kenkenes took the tiny hand extended toward him in emphasis and kissed it.

“Sorry truth!” he said tenderly.  As he leaned back in his chair he became conscious of Ta-meri’s presence and turned his head toward her.  Her face was so near to him that he felt the glow from her warm cheek.  His gaze met hers and, for a moment, dwelt.