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(Page 2 of 5) Legends of Atlantis: Sae (ch. 2) by Acton Bell "I will, my Emperor."
It was said that at the Ceremony of the Hair the royal barber cried when he cut the dark curls from Prince Sae's head. It was such beautiful hair. But impossible as it is to believe, Prince Sae was even more handsome after the curls were cut.
The festivities that accompanied Sae's Ceremony of the Hair were grander than those of any previous Prince of Atlantis. The Emperor opened the royal treasury and gave freely to the princes, the nobles, and the commoners. In like way, Tlascopan, as Prince Sae's new guardian, also gave gifts, though his could in no way equal those of the Emperor.
At the end of the festivities, Tlascopan was promoted to Governor of Huitzi. He and his household – including Prince Sae – departed, as the Emperor commanded, for the province of Huitzi. And Prince Sae was five years old when he departed from Atlantis
for the land of Huitzi. And no one save the Emperor and the Counselors Tlascopan and Cirridor knew where Sae had gone.
They passed through the land of Haï, which is a land of marshes and hidden lakes. (The daughter of Tlascopan's fourth wife was lost in a marsh in the land of Haï. She would not be consoled and perished in the land that had taken her daughter.)
Out of Haï came the household of Tlascopan and into the land of Chedorlaomer. In Chedorlaomer the slaves had risen up against their masters and there was war in the land.
Tlascopan gathered his household. "The servants of Chedorlaomer have risen up against their rightful masters and there is war in the land. When we are stopped by the men of Chedorlaomer say ‘We are refugees from the land of Huitzi and seek to return to the land of our fathers. We have no quarrel with the men of Chedorlaomer. Let us pass in peace.' And they will let us pass in peace."
Tlascopan gave Prince Sae into the keeping of the slave Tathere. "If we are stopped, you will say, ‘Lords, this is the son of my old age. I beg you, let him remain with me, for my days left upon this earth are a few and short in number.' If the prince comes to harm while in your care, the gods will cast your soul into the void for eternity."
The household of Tlascopan passed into the land of Chedorlaomer. On the Plain of Misraim, the men of Chedorlaomer halted the household of Tlascopan. "Who are you? Why have you passed into this land?"
Tlascopan answered. "We are refugees from the land of Huitzi and wish to return to the land of our fathers before we die. We have no quarrel with you. Let us pass in peace."
"You are spies!" said the men of Chedorlaomer. "You have come to breach our defenses while we war among ourselves."
The tents of Tlascopan were searched. When the leader of the men of Chedorlaomer came upon Prince Sae and the slave Tathere, such was the Prince's beauty the man burned to take him for his own.
"Do no touch me!" commanded the Prince. "My father is the Emperor. He will flay your skin from your bones and feed your heart to the dogs."
The man of Chedorlaomer was angered and would have struck the prince, but the slave Tathere threw himself on his knees in front of him.
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