there were none, of course. who would refuse a boon to one who would undergo such an ordeal for the city?

"and who will be the partner?" i asked.

"in all honor, could xeon allow melia to surpass him in courage? it shall be he," rocsates said. and with his word the two entered the hall and stood, noble and naked.

rocsates gestured to the table, and melia started to climb upon it, but xeon stepped forward.

"my lords," he said, "would not better results be obtained were we to conduct the experiment in the fields before the oracle of delni, that the gods may help us?"

his glance reached into my soul, and i was proud of xeon. a true friend, he thought even now of the comfort of melia. the marble table was indeed hard, and from rocsates' description it seemed that melia's position would be as uncomfortable as it would be undignified. the soft fields might be some slight help.

i voiced my assent, and the entire conclave adjourned to the fields.