"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.
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