text: I awake in the morning without my clothes on. My wife in pressed against me. I arise from my bed and put on my clothes. I look back to her. Her eyes are open.
  
  "I apologize for waking you, Tirzah," I say.
  "No, I was awake before you awoke," she stands. She is already dressed.
  "You went back with me into my bed."
  "Yes, would you rather have me not do that anymore?" she asks. Her face almost appears to pout. She looks younger now, and my stomach sinks.
  "No, that is fine, but how old are you?"
  "Does that matter?"
  "Not unless you are still supposed to be playing." I put on my clothes.
  "Your eyes deceive you. I have long since passed marriageable age."
  "Your youth is with you still."
  "I will take that as kind words." She smiles. "What are your customs with wives? With my people, I am to be proper, dreadfully and horribly proper, in all manner when with other people. I may be myself in personal settings."
  "I only see my father's wives and concubines being proper, but I do not speak to them in private," I say.
  "What about your mother?" Her face is puzzled.
  I scratch the back of my head and say, "She was poisoned by my father though none will admit such things. He grew tired of her, so he killed her instead of sending her to some house, for she had grown very fat."
  "Darius, I..." she pauses. "Do you remember your mother's death?"
  "Yes."
  "I remember the body of my father after he was retrieved from the battlefield." Her face is resolute, but I see a tear on her cheek.
  "You may say whatever you like in my presence. When I am king, you may say what you like to whomever you say."
  "Your words are like the sweet dew of the morning."
  "Come, I shall show you many wondrous things, for my home of Baskent is a pearl in a clam."
  
  We exit the tent, so I say to a guard who still stand father away, "Bring Ashich to me if he is available. We have spent too long away from our households, thus we should depart today."
  The soldier leaves without further prompting. I look at the sun rising, and red bleeds from the fiery circle. I feel a hand touch mine. It is soft than mine, but the grip is powerful. I turn my head, and Tirzah looks to me with a trepid gaze. I do not force her hand away.
  
  "I am captured by a foe who I cannot defeat," I say to my wife.
  "Yes," she says. "My Lord works in mysterious ways."
  "Will you see to it that he will find favor in me?"
  "I can do only so much, for He is a jealous God who wishes for you to worship Him alone."
  I nod.
  
  Ashich comes to us and says, "My thoughts were with you during the night. You wish to leave? Indeed, the men are almost ready. If you wish, I have secured a large wagon for you which is to be pulled by two horses."
  "Yes, take us to it."
  "Follow me," he says.
  We follow Ashich, and he takes us to the wagon. I cannot tell if it for a peasant or for meager traveling, yet I say, "This will do. I have much I wish to explain to my wife."
  
  He leaves us, and I say, "I will help you up onto the wagon."
  "Such an offer is kind, but may I show you something instead?"
  "I thought you have shown all to me last night."
  "I am not referring to our copulation," she says as her cheeks blush slightly. "Watch this."
  
  She grabs the side of the wagon, for the bed is at the height of her chest. Then, she hoists herself onto the bed almost as if she floated upon it.
  
  I say, "Truly truly, what you have done is most surprising. You have beauty and strength. Is there not any flaw that you possess?"
  "I have many flaws, for all do," her head turns down to look at her feet. "I do all to not show them to you."
  I climb up to her and say, "I will know them after enough time passes. Why do you not tell me now?"
  "May I lie my head on your shoulder in public?"
  "I see that as fine."
  "Thank you." Her head then lies upon my shoulder. "I question why my Lord allows such things to occur like what happened to me. I have lost my family, so no worth is given to me. I was sold... perhaps married would be more fitting word, to a heathen who caused my beloved father's death. Truly, I had no substantial say in the matter. Yet, here I am about to ascend into power beyond that of almost any woman. Why must my God do such things? I know you cannot answer, yet here I am in a hidden turmoil."
  
  I do not know what my lips should say, so I sit there as her head rests upon my shoulder. Soon, a man comes up in the cart with me, and he takes hold of the horses' reigns. We depart with the rest of my army as Tirzah falls asleep. My mind cannot help but wonder if she does so to make me like her more.
  
  The rhythmic rolling of the cart soothes my mind. My eyelids become like stone, for they grow heavy. Sleep takes hold of me, but before I surrender myself, I am awakened by a voice.
  
  "Darius," says my wife, yet her voice is distant. Her eyes are open, but her body looks asleep. Her face is like that of her prophet when he prophesied of my marriage. Are these even her words that come from her lips?
  
  She continues, "You shall love the Lord, Ancient of Days, with all of your heart. Thus, the Lord will bless you abundantly. Do you not believe?" She sounds far away, yet her head is on my shoulder. "As proof, your father shall die as he orders death upon Tirzah your wife, a faithful servant. Love her dearly. Then, you shall know that God is god and the only god."
  
  Her eyes close. She appears asleep as if nothing had transpired, yet the words ring in my ears. I am troubled in my soul.
  
  > Will See If What She Said Is True
  During the entirety of our ride, my soul is troubled. I have always been a faithful servant to the gods. Savos has been my protector. Now, this god of the Insanlar seems to desire my love. Too much has happened to not be the handiwork of deity, yet which one is it? If the prophesy comes true, am I to convert?
  
  When Tirzah rises from my shoulder, we talk, but neither of us mention the prophesy. Instead, I speak to her of my city and prepare her for meeting my father. I make her excited by the delight one can find and the sunsets that I have gazed upon.
  
  When we reach the city, Tirzah and I step off from the wagon and walk. flowers are thrown upon my army as we travel through the gates and into the streets. The crowd cheers, "The Great King has slain his hundreds, but Prince Darius has slain tens on thousands!"
  They glorify me. They worship me. Therefore, I say to them, "Do not worship me, for I am but a man. Cheer for all of the men here."
  Thus, the crowd changes their cheer to, "The Great King has slain his hundreds, but the army of Prince Darius has slain tens of thousands!"
  
  Ashich and some of my finest warriors march ahead clearing a path so that I may step through. I feel great jubilee, for I am home. How could my father, even in his inanity, deny me my ascension? I have the favor of the people, for our wealth will soon increase even more than now. Our chests will be full of riches and our barrels will be overflowing with wine... Yet, the prophesy said he would deny me.
  
  We reach the gate of my father's palace. A sliver of dread pierces my chest and into my hearT. I do not let such a feeling be seen by others.
  
  "Look," I say to Tirzah, "This will be our palace. Inside is a garden that is the envy of all nations. The rooms house all that we need. We will stay at the top where we would be the first to see the sun rise in this city. The domed roof is more advanced than any roof that has ever sat upon a building."
  She nods.
  "Are you worried?" I am worried.
  "This is all new to me, for these things were not among the people of my home."
  "Soon, this will all be yours," I say as I lay my arm on her shoulder. "Tirzah, the concern on your face makes you appear innocent and beautiful beyond compare like a white rose amongst a thousand red roses."
  My sweet words make her smile, and I feel her happiness.
  
  We enter the garden. I see a mold on the garden which causes it all to rot. I say with anger, "See this? Such is the kingdom under my father. I will take away the rot at my ascension." I turn to Achish and my finest warriors and tell to them, "Come with me and my wife while we go to our Great King." Thus, they walk with us.
  
  We enter the palace and walk up the stairs. My wife takes my hand and says, "How can one live among such wealth. Do you not see the tapestries of such vibrant colors? Look at them. Why must only our eyes see them?"
  "But, these are delicate. They would be destroyed if we let it out where a thief could steal it in the night."
  "What about the dome? It is a marvel of construction as you say, but it does not sit upon any other building here."
  "I hear your words. I will consider this, for the people will be jubilant to see and experience such marvels."
  
  We reach the top of the stairs. We sit on a wooden bench that shines when light lays upon it. Until my wife and I are summoned, we must wait, so I speak to Ashich and Tirzah about ruling this kingdom. I still do not mention the prophesy.
  
  After the sun has moved from one spot to another across the sky, the door opens. Through it is a fat man who is garbed in an adviser's clothes. He says, "The Great King wishes for Darius, the prince and son of our Great King, and his wife to present themselves before him."
  "May we take our men?" I ask.
  "No." His round body and face which would look distasteful on an ass's rump disappears back into the doorway. Tirzah and I enter. Around my father are many guards and advisers. He sits upon a throne covered in gold, but sprinkles of red dot the gold. The king lets out a cough like that of a vulture and covers his mouth with a piece of white cloth. When he sets it down, it is red.
  
  I do not see the one who sits on the throne as a god nor king nor even my father. He is a sick man in both the body and the mind.
  
  Before either of us could say anything, my father cackles, "Wrong! You are unworthy to even stand in my presence, you harlot from barbaric lands!"
  Before I could open my mouth to retort, my wife speaks to him as if she is possessed by the same spirit that she spoke before but now with a fiery rage, "How dare you say such things to me. You are but an uncircumcised decrepit waste for life. You were the king when your nation invaded my land. I place the death of my father and the death of my brother upon your soul. May God strike you down where you are and may worms eat your flesh!"
  "Ki-", he man coughs again, "Guards k-."
  
  Then, worms burst from his skin. All back away as the man screams. Then, he collapses to the floor and dies as the worms emerge from his gut like a torrent of water. Blood seeps onto the ground. Then, the worms all die.
  
  "Lord God of Tirzah, what you say is true," I whisper.
  
  I look at the guards to see if they move against me, but they bow instead. My wife, still breathing heavily, cries silently. She takes a firm hold on my hand. I say, "Do not bow before my wife, for she does not wish it. Neither do I. Have someone burn the body, for it is diseased flesh. None shall touch it."
  
  I pause for a moment. I am king. I look to my wife, and she smiles. My heart falters from her. No, I am not king. There is a Greater King of this land now.
  
  I say, "Ashich, come in." Thus, Ashich enters along with the other men. I say to them, "Have an altar be built so that my wife... and I may worship our God. Ashich, please let all know that they can convert, for this God is more powerful than any other God. He has prophesied what happened through the mouth of Tirzah, and His love is upon us. Gaze upon the body of my father to see."
  
  My wife leaps up and wraps her arms around my neck in a loving embrace. In her face I see pure joy. I suppose she sees the same emotion in my own face.
  
  > Epilogue: Glory
  The Book of Songs
  
  A song by Darius and Tirzah
  
  Shout unto the Lord all of your jubilee
  You have multiplied our love and given us many children
  
  Your grace overflows from Your cup
  You lead our nation into Your glory
  You have forgiven our trespasses against our brethren
  Glory, glory to You forever!
  
  Your promises are true
  Your blessings are sweet
  My nation is cared for
  Like a shepherd overlooking his flocks
  
  You are my shield in the battle
  You are my shoulder to cry on
  
  Glory, glory to You forever!