* * *
A little earlier, right after making camp, one of Emperor Euphrates's
Captains of Fifty had approached and thrown himself down before Emperor
Euphrates, to complain loudly to the dust under his nose that Si'Wren's
beauty was exceeding distracting to the men because of the way they
could not help watching her while she consumed her food. He also
alleged she was coquettish in her manner and playing the flirt to his
men. They could not bear it, he said, and had voiced numerous and
bitter complaints to him about such an unconquerable distraction.
Further, he declared that they were justified in their protestations,
for behold, were they not all under enforced celibacy because they
could not bring along their accustomed camp prostitutes on the long
forced march to Noah's land?
Si'Wren, of course, could say nothing in her own defense, but expected
that her Emperor might, because he already knew that she was sworn to
such higher callings as precluded by their very nature the rottenness
of character necessary for her to act in the manner she stood accused
of. It was simply beneath her dignity, not to mention her calling.
Besides which, her suitably modest behavior did not seem to have
displeased Emperor Euphrates or Borla in the past, and this was the
first time she had ever heard of such complaints.
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