CHAPTERTHREEATTHEGATESOFTASHBAAN
“Mr。name，”saidthegirlatonce，“isAravisTarkheenaandIamtheonlydaughterofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofRishtiTarkaan，thesonofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofIlsombrehTisroofArdeebTisrocwhowasdesarightlihegodTash。MyfatheristhelordoftheprovinceofdisonewhohastherightofstandingoinhisshoesbeforethefaceofTisrochimself（mayheliveforever）。Mymother（ohepeaceofthegods）isdeadandmyfatherhasmarriedanotherwife。Oneofmybrothershasfallenitherebelsiaherisaetopassthatmyfather'swife，mystep-mother，hatedme，andthesunappeareddarkinhereyesaslongasIlivedinmyfather'shouse。AndsoshepersuadedmyfathertopromisemeioAhoshtaTarkaan。NowthisAhoshtaisofbasebirth，thoughieryearshehaswonthefavouroftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）byflatteryandevilsels，andisarkaanandthelordofmanydislikelytobeastheGrahepresentGrandVizierdies。Moreoverheisatleastsixtyyearsoldandhasahumponhisbadhisfaceresemblesthatofahelessmyfather，becauseoftheowerofthisAhoshta，andbeingpersuadedbyhiswife，sentmessengersmeiheofferwasfavourablyadAhoshtasentwordthathewouldmarrymethisveryyearatthetimeofhighsummer。
&hisnewswasbroughttomethesunappeareddarkinmyeyesandIlaidmyselfonmybedaforaday。ButontheseddayIroseupandwashedmyfadcausedmymareHwintobesaddledandtookdaggerwhichmybrotherhadthewesternwarsaalone。Aher'shousewasoutofsightandIwasetoagreenopenplaawoodwheretherewerenodwellingsofmen，IdismountedfromHwiookoutthedagger。TheheswhereIthoughtthereadiestwaylaytomyheartaoallthegodsthatassoonasIwasdeadImightfihmybrother。AfterthatIshutmyeyesahaodrivethedaggeribeforeIhaddohismarespokewiththevoieofthedaughtersofmenandsaid，“Omymistress，donotbyaroyyourself，forifyouliveyoumayyethavegoodfortuallthedeadaredeadalike。”
“Ididn'tsayithalfsowellasthat，”mutteredthemare。
“Hush，Ma'am，hush，”saidBree，whhlyenjoyiory。“She'stellingitinthegrandannerandnostory-tellerinaTisroc'scourtcoulddoitbetter。Praygoon，Tarkheena。”
“Whehelanguageofmenutteredbymymare，”uedAravis，“Isaidtomyself，thefearofdeathhasdisorderedmyreasonaodelusions。AndIbecamefullofshamefornoneofmyliofeardeathmorethaingofagnat。ThereforeIaddressedmyselfaseetothestabbing，butHwiomeandputherheadiweehedaggeranddisostextreasonsandrebukedmeasamotherrebukesherdaughter。AndnoassogreatthatIfotaboutkillingmyselfandaboutAhoshtaandsaid，'Omymare，howhaveyoulearospeaklikeoersofmen?'AndHwiisknowntoallthispany，thatinNarniatherearebeaststhattalk，andhowsheherselfwasstolenfromthenshewasalittlefoal。ShetoldmealsoofthewoodsandwatersofNarniaalesaships，tillIsaid，‘IashandAzarothandZardeenahLadyoftheNight，IhaveagreatwishtobeinthattryofNarnia。'‘Omymistress，'ahemare，‘ifyouwereinNarniayouwouldbehappy，forinthatlandnomaideainstherwill。'
“AalkedtreattimehopereturomeahatIhadnotkilledmyself。MoreoveritwasagreedbetweenHwiweshouldstealourselvesawaytogetherandweplahisfashioomyfather'shouseandIputohesandsanganddanyfatheraobedelightedwiththemarriagewhichhehadpreparedforme。AlsoIsaidtohim，‘Omyfatheraofmyeyes，givemeyourlidpermissiontogowithoneofmymaidehreedaysiodosecretsacrificestoZardeenah，LadyoftheNightandofMaidens，asisproperandaryfordamselswhebidfarewelltotheserviceofZardeenahahemselvesfe。'Andheanswered，‘Omydaughteraofmyeyes，soshallitbe。'
“ButwhefromthepresenyfatherIweotheoldestofhisslaves，hissecretary，whohaddandledmeonhiskneeswhenIwasababyandlovedmemorethantheaira。Aobesedbeggedhimtowritealetterforme。Aaogemyresolutionbutintheeohearistoobey，'anddidallmywill。Aterandhiditinmybosom。”
“Butwhatwasier?”askedShasta。
&，youngster，”saidBree。“You'respoiliory。She'lltellusallabouttheletteripla，Tarkheena。”
“ThehemaidwhowastogowithmetotheerformtheritesofZardeenahaowakemeveryearlyinthem。AndIbecamemerrywithheraodrink;butIhadmixedsugsihatIksleepfhtandaday。AssoonasthehouseholdofmyfatherhadittedthemselvestosleepIaroseandputonanarmorofmybrother'stinmyhismemory。IputintomygirdleallthemoneyIhadaainchoicejerovidedmyselfalsowithfood，ahemarewithmyownhandsandrodeawayichofthenight。IdirectedmyottothewoodswheremyfathersupposedthatIwouldgobutnorthaashbaan。
“Nowforthreedaysahatmyfatherwouldnotseekme，beihewordsIhadsaidtohim。AhdaywearrivedattheBalda。NowAzimBaldastaingofmanyroadsandfromitthepostsoftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）rideonswifthorsestoeverypartoftheempire:anditisosahegreaterTarkaanstosehem。IthereforewenttotheesseheHouseofImperialPostsinAzimBaldaandsaid，‘Odispatessages，hereisaletterfrommyuaTarkaantoKidrashTarkaanlordofCalavar。Takenowthesefivetsaobesenttohim。'Andtheessengerssaid，‘Tohearistoobey。'
“ThisletterwasfeigenbyAhoshtaandthiswasthesignifi:‘AhoshtaTarkaantoKidrashTarkaan，salutatioheashtheirresistible，theiknowntoyouthatasImademyjourowardyourhousetoperformthearriagebetweenmeandyhterAravisTarkheeuhatIfelliheforestwhenshehadeesandsacrificesofZardeenahagtotheaidens。AndwhenIlearnedwhoshewas，beiedwithherbeautyaion，IbeflamedwithloveaomethatthesuomeifIdidnotmarryheratonce。AglyIpreparedthenecessarysacrifidmarriedyhterthesamehourthatImetheraurhhertomyownhouse。Ahprayaoehitherasspeedilyasyoumaythatwemaybedelightedwithyourfadspeedalsothatywithyouthedowryofmywife，which，byreasonesandexpehoutdelay。AhouahersIassuremyselfthatyouwillnotbeahehasteewhichiswhollyoedbythegreatloveIbearyhter。AndIityoutothecareofallthegods。'
“AssoonasIhaddohisIrodeoninallhastefromAzimBalda，fearingnopursuitahatmyfather，havingreceivedsuchaletter，wouldseoAhotohimhimself，ahematterwasdiscoveredIshouldbebeyondTashbaan。AndthatisthepithofmystoryuntilthisverynightwhenIwaschasedbyliotheswimmier。”
“Andeheed?”askedShasta。
“Doubtlessshewasbeatee，”saidAraviscoolly。“Butshewasatoolandspyofmystepmother's。Iamverygladtheyshouldbeather。”
“Isay，thatwashardlyfair，”saidShasta。
“Ididnotdoahingsforthesakeofpleasingyou，”saidAravis。
“Andthere'sahingIdon'tuandaboutthatstory，”saidShasta。“Yrownup，Idon'tbelieveyou'reahanIam。Idon'tbelieveyou'reasold。Howcouldyoubegettiye?”
Aravissaidnothing，butBreeatoncesaid，“Shasta，don'tdisplayyhey'realwaysmarriedatthatageiarkaanfamilies。”
Shastaturhoughitwashardlylightenoughfortheotherstoseethis）asnubbed。AravisaskedBreeforhisstory。Breetoldit，andShastathoughtthatheputidealmorethahefallsandthebadriding。Breeobviouslythoughtitveryfunny，butAravisdidnotlaugh。WhenBreehadfiheyallwenttosleep。