GLN:6:14 Hurmanetar thought and said, "No, I will not go before the king, for he does no good in my sight. Do not the people murmur against him, saying, "Woe for these days. The hand of the king rests heavily upon us, his pride knows no bounds and no maiden is left virgin for her husband. Neither the daughter of a man of blood nor the wife of a prince walks freely in the city. Are not all its doors shut like the doors of prisons?"
GLN:6:15 The woman thought awhile, then said, "Who tells these things of the king? Are their words established? He is the great king; a mountain licked by ten thousand tongues, the king whose whisper fills the judgement hall, whose voice echoes a thousand leagues away. He is the glorious king, a man perfect in strength and proportion; his body is one to delight the eyes of any woman. None other has his wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, men talk against him, for it is the nature of men to be jealous of those who so much excel.
GLN:6:16 "Let us go; let the king see you face to face and rejoice, for you are alike. O come with me to where each day brings new delights, where the young women are gaily robed and the young men wonderful to look upon. Come to where breezes are filled with sweet smells, where beds are soft and rooms perfumed. Come to the place where life is enjoyed. Come, serve the king; as you are now, so was he in his youth, but youth departs, albeit slowly. He is the never resting one, the son of The Lady of Battles. Come and do not fear; all will be made ready for you; even now the wise men tell of your coming, and men wait to escort you in peace."
GLN:6:17 Hurmanetar was swayed by her words and said, "So let it be; where you go, there go I." Then Hesurta gave him a necklace she had brought and led him to the tents of the hunters. But when they saw him face to face, they were afraid; such was the light held in the eyes of the stalwart, wide striding one. Yet they recognised him as a man like themselves, and their fear passed. So it was that Hurmanetar went with them and with the woman, came to the city and went before the king, and the king looked upon him with favour. He gave Hurmanetar wine, and he was drunk; and oil for his body, and he was anointed. He was arrayed in three robes, he became a man of rank; he was given a house and servants and he was given a watchman. He became captain of the guards, and none was like him.
GLN:6:18 To the woman of pleasure, the harlot, the king gave bracelets of gold and sent her away, saying, "Go to your proper place, for you have completed the thing required of you. There, you will be great among women, while here, you will be degraded among them." Hesurta departed in sorrow, for even a harlot can feel faint stirrings of affection through the oft soiled, winding cloth which enwraps her sordid spirit.
GLN:6:19 Hurmanetar learned the ways of the palace and walked as he willed, but soon he became restless, for his thoughts turned towards Hesurta. He missed her ways. Yet, many women cast their glances towards him, but behind these was the threat of the sword. He was not a man of smooth and subtle ways, being unskilled in the deceit which flourishes under the shadow of kings. Though favoured by the king and safe under his mantle, he was a man alone in the palace and courtyards. He set out to find Hesurta, seeking her at the temple of pleasure within the temple gate, where she had served as a harlot, but the priest said, "The woman is no longer here, for a harlot, given gold, thinks herself a queen, and the women have driven her out." Hurmanetar sought her throughout the city, but she was nowhere to be found. Persisting, he eventually found her at a harlot's post beside the river, among wineskins and men of the waters. There was one who sat with her, and he was a man of blood; therefore, armed. So when Hurmanetar came up to them seeking to talk with the woman, he drew his sword. When the man of blood saw that Hurmanetar was undismayed by this and prepared to settle the issue, he mocked him, saying, "Why should men fight when women are plentiful and we have half a measure of corn?"
GLN:6:20 Hurmanetar bought the woman from those who grow rich on the defiled bodies of women and established her in his house. The men about the king murmured against him, speaking poisoned words in the ear of the king. The women of the palace also turned from him. Meeting Hesurta on the street, they caught her and tore her veil off her face, while men of subtle ways who served the king mocked behind their hands. The men of blood serving the king set their faces against Hurmanetar, while in the city, men said, as he passed, "There goes the great one who bathes in dirty water." Therefore, Hurmanetar departed from the city, going to dwell without its walls among men who tilled the soil.
GLN:6:21 It was not long before the day came when the woman saw that Hurmanetar was downcast, and so she said to him, "O man of might, when my eyes rest upon you I am raised above all women, and now my heart is cleansed of all that polluted it, my body rejoices in freedom and my life is a song of gladness. Yet, I am saddened because my heart tells me you are sorrowful and not at ease within yourself, that half your heart remains in the mountains. Therefore, hear what I say, go there once more while I remain here to await your return, perhaps this time you will find Yadol." Her words made Hurmanetar sad and he said, "How can I go away and leave you here? Who will protect you? What man can I place over you who will not know you? Yet go to the mountain, I must, therefore you shall come with me."
GLN:6:22 They departed, crossing by way of Hamrama, and came to the mountains high standing and steep-sided. They searched many days, but Yadol could not be found, neither would any bird or beast approach them. They wandered the mountains, they searched the valleys and they grew weary in the search. They returned to the foot of the mountains, below the place where shepherds dwelt and into the tillage, where there was a city. It was the time of Akitoa, and Sharah, chief of the city dwellers, was to be married. Being invited to remain in the city as guests, they stayed there. When the days of feasting commenced, men came in from the mountains and tillage, and there was much dancing and singing. Hurmanetar and Hesurta were made welcome, taking their places among the guests and storytellers, eating and drinking their fill. There was strong drink brewed from corn and wine from the palm, and Hurmanetar became overfilled with these and, drunk, he fell asleep. While he slept, a man came upon Hesurta and seized her, saying, "Come, let us be together, so I may have pleasure, and you may have silver. I know you are a woman of many pleasures, a servant to the vices of men." When she denied him his desire, he sought to take her by force, but she drew a knife and slew him, for a woman cannot be taken by man, except she surrender herself to his needs.
GLN:6:23 Hearing the clamour, men came and, seeing what had happened, they seized the woman. Others took Hurmanetar and both were brought before the headman, who delivered them to a place of confinement. When the feasting was over they were brought before Pitosi, one who sat in judgement. Pitosi said to Hurmanetar, "You have come among us as a guest and a man of good standing; therefore we know not whether you have been wronged or whether a man of this city has been slain unjustly. If you have been wronged, then also establish the standing of this woman. It is said that she is a harlot without standing, this being so, then you shall pay the price of he who is slain to his kindred and no more will be required of you."