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The SUN KING
By GASTON DERREAUX
The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin. But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....
Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was dividedinto three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya. There wereother less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in thenorth, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and SouthGuatama.
Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, laya mighty city, named Oas. It was the capital city of the Arabin'yannation called Par'si'ya.
Its Temple of Skulls was the greatest known to any traveler, but thetemples built to the god, Mazda, and his son, Ihua'Mazda, were empty andunadorned--the people had forgotten God.
So-qi, King of Oas, sent out his armies throughout Jaffeth (China),conquering and slaying, bringing back ever more skulls for the Golgothatemples, more gold and more slaves for the enriching of King So-qi. Hisharem was the greatest of buildings of the mighty city, and his wivesbeyond man's ability to count.
* * * * *
Too-che was one of the finest ornaments of the city of Oas. Too-che wasslim, her breasts were two mounds of magic, her eyes were pools ofmystic green depths, her legs were subtle, sinuous beauty.
But Too-che was a virgin, and in all that city of a million sinfulsouls, she alone held aloof from the sins of the flesh.
When the soldiers of the city Oas saw that their King hadnot the backbone to enforce his own decree when it hurt himself, theyone and all took up stones, and they stoned King So-qi to death.]
Which was very strange, for Too-che became big with child, though shehad not been with a man!
Which came to the ears of So-qi, upon his great black throne supportedon a tower of human skulls, in his palace of Gran, across from the greatGolgotha, which was built entirely of human skulls--the skulls of peopleconquered by the armies of Par'si'ya, over which the city of Oasreigned.
So-qi shook his big belly under the lion's skin, let slip his serpentskin headdress, and let the battle axe that was his symbol of officedrop from his hand as he shook with mirth at the great and thumping lietold by Too-che.
"I suppose her child was fathered by Mazda, peering into her womb withhis All-light," laughed So-qi, for in Oas it was not the fashion toworship the God Mazda anymore. The great skull temples had their priestsand their sacrifices, but no more did people bow down in the temples ofMazda, or have anything but ridicule for those few who did still worshipin the old way.
His serpent skin headdress and battle axe scepter, too, were relics fromthe past. Just as the belief in Mazda. But more _potent_ relics, by far.With them he was the Sun King, Lord of Battles, Master of Life andDeath, Creator of the Universe, Lord of Souls, Maker of the Law, etc.Without them he was just old So-qi, getting fatter and more stupid everyday.
"Bring this harlot before me, to see if she can produce a miracle toprove her child is not a common one. If she cannot, she will be stonedto death at once, do you hear! I have no time to be bothered with thelies of every sinning woman who seeks to hide her bastard's origin."
* * * * *
Asha, the philosopher who had told his king of the birth of the child,nodded his head sadly and left the presence. Why did kings have to getso blown up as to be inhuman? He sympathized with the girl and herpredicament. If it had been his to say, he would have had the childproclaimed divine a thousand times in preference to shedding one drop ofher blood. But then, he had seen Too-che sauntering home from the well,with her water jar on her head, and her hips the focal point of all eyesin the street. Asha smiled, and took his grey-headed, bent, unnoticedfigure down the back streets to the house of Too-che.
As he went, he pondered gloomily on the fate of this great city underthe heartless and ignorant So-qi. Surely something dreadful would happento Par'si'ya, lying as it did at the juncture of the lands of the threemightiest kingdoms of the world. Jaffeth (China), Shem (Africa) andArabin'ya. Any one of them could crush them, did they get themselvesorganized for it. And So-qi preyed upon them all ruthlessly, knowingthey could never stop warring interiorly long enough to attack him.
Old Asha thought of the future, which his star studies were supposed togive him power to foretell, and of the great flood that was to come andwipe out all the old boundaries and nations. He thought of the peculiargrey-blue sky, which the Wise men had taught him bore up within itswhirling self vast oceans of water, waiting for the time to drop thewhirling water-shell upon them all. He thought of Uropa, the great landin the west, and all her peoples. He thought of Heleste, that mighty andgracious land in the North, and all her beautiful and strong andcourageous people. And he thought of the two great lands of the farwest, called North and South Guatama. And he was sad, for they were allto die in the great deluge to come! But the time was not yet come.
Sadly he pushed among the stalwart copper-colored men of Oas, gazing alittle wistfully at the women's proud breasts and the strong young thewsof their lovers beside them. If only he were young again.... Ashasighed, and knocked upon the low, rude door of the house of Too-che.
* * * * *
The smile of the beautiful Too-che made him welcome, very proud to havethe wise man from the court inquire after her child.
"He worries me, wise Asha," said Too-che, moving slim and supple as apanther to sit protectively beside the little cradle of bent ash bowslashed together with strips of hide. "He talks like a man grown, and himnot yet weaned!"
"Hmmm." Old Asha looked down upon the over-large infant solemnly lookingback at him. He nearly fainted when the tiny red lips opened, and astrange, small voice, cultured and adult, said:
"I am not the child you see, but your God, Mazda, speaking through thechild's lips!"
Asha pondered for only a moment, then turned in anger upon the woman,Too-che.
"I pitied you, harlot, because the King has ordered your death if youdid not produce a miracle. But I did not think you would hide a manbehind the child's cradle to befool me, old Asha! What do you take mefor?"
Too-che broke into tears, bending her graceful neck and sobbing to hearthat the king had decreed death for her. But the peculiar voice cameagain from the child's mouth.
"Take me in your arms, Asha."
Feeling very foolish, but unable to refuse for some mysterious reason,Asha bent and picked up the child.
"O man, temper thy judgment with patience and wisdom."
Asha knew now that it was the child's voice truly, and at last asked:
"Why do you come in such a weak and helpless guise, O Lord Mazda? I hadhoped to see a God appear in stronger shape."
"Nevertheless, through this helpless child in your arms, this city shallbe overthrown, yourself made King of Kings, and I shall deliver all theslaves and strike off all the bonds from the old time. Mazda will havethis city for his own, or it will be destroyed forever."
Now Asha was filled with wonder, and asked the babe of many abstrusethings, receiving answers beyond his understanding. So, at lastconvinced, he put the babe down, turned to Too-che.
"Listen, maiden who in my eyes is without fault. I cannot go to my Kingand tell him one word of what this child has revealed, for I would onlydie with both of you as a liar and worse. You must take this child andhide him away from the eyes and the ears of the men of this city. You inyour innocence do not understand the ways of kings and courts andwarriors and such things. Flee, for if you are here tomorrow, you willdie and your child will die with you."
Asha took himself out, then
, and made his way sadly along the crowdedstreets to his home. There he packed up a few belongings and left to gointo hiding himself; for he knew better than to try to tell So-qi anysuch cock-and-bull story. Yet if he went at all to So-qi, he had to tellsomething, and either way someone would be doomed, if not himself.
Too-che took up the babe and fled through the city by night to the homeof one Chojon, a maker of songs. This man had long made love to her withhis poetry and his voice from afar, and she knew he would hide her andprotect her. Her heart was in her throat, because she wondered if hewould believe in her virtue now that she had a child, or in her love forhim when he felt that another had given her child when he had beendenied the privilege.
* * * * *
Slender and dark-eyed and handsome he stood in his doorway, looking uponthis girl who had come to him with her babe in her arms. A babe byanother! His heart was hurt, tears came unbidden