“What news, Kari?” I asked.

“Much, Lord.  Hearken.  Disguised as a peasant who had come into this country to barter wool from a village near to Cuzco, I joined myself to the train of the Inca Upanqui, among whose lords I found a friend who had loved me in past years and kept my secret as he was bound to do, having passed into the brotherhood of knights with me while we were lads.  Through him, in place of a man who was sick, I became one of the bearers of the lady Quilla’s litter and thus was always about her and at times had speech with her in secret, for she knew me again notwithstanding my disguise and uniform.  So I became one of those who waited on her when she ate and noted all that passed.

“After the first day the Inca Upanqui, he who is my father and whose lawful heir I am, although he discarded me for Urco and believes me dead, made it a habit to take his food in the same tent or rest-house chamber as the lady Quilla.  Lord, being very clever, she set herself to charm him, so that soon he began to dote upon her, as old, worn-out men sometimes do upon young and beautiful women.  She, too, pretended to grow fond of him and at last told him in so many words that she grieved it was not he that she was to marry whose wisdom she hung upon, in place of a prince who, she heard, was not wise.  This, she said, because she knew well that the Inca would never marry any more and indeed had lived alone for years.  Still, being flattered, he told her it was hard that she should be forced to wed one to whom she had no mind, whereon she prayed him, even with tears, to save her from such a fate.  At last he vowed that he would do so by setting her among the Virgins of the Sun on whom no man may look.  She thanked him and said that she would consider the matter, since, for reasons that you may guess, Lord, she did not desire to become a Virgin of the Sun and to pass the rest of her days in prayer and the weaving of the Inca’s garments.

“So it went on until when we were a day’s march from Cuzco, Urco, my brother, came to meet his promised bride.  Now, Urco is a huge man and hideous, one whom none would believe to have been born of the Inca blood.  Coarse he is, and dissolute, given to drink also, though a great fighter and brave in battle, and quick-brained when he is sober.  I was present when they met and I saw the lady Quilla shiver and turn pale at the sight of him, while he on his part devoured her beauty with his eyes.  They spoke but few words together, yet before these were done, he told her it was his will that they should be wed at once on the day after she came to Cuzco, nor would he listen to the Inca Upanqui who said, being cunning and wishing to gain time, that due preparation must be made for so great a business.

“Thereupon Urco grew angry with his father, who both fears and loves him, and answered that, being almost Inca, this matter was one which he would settle for himself.  So fierce was he that Upanqui became afraid and went away.  When they were alone Urco strove to embrace Quilla, but she fled from him and hid with her maidens in a private place.  After this, at the feast Urco took too much drink according to his custom and was led away to sleep by his lords.  Then Quilla waited upon the Inca and said: