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Suddenly the caged birds stop their chirping and the young woman senses something is wrong. She raises her tear-streaked face and catches sight of you standing near the entrance to the antechamber.

‘Who are you?’ she demands, hurriedly wiping away her tears. ‘Are you one of Sesketera’s lackeys come to taunt me?’

You tell the young woman not to be alarmed—you have no wish to harm her. The unexpected shock of seeing you gradually fades and she becomes curious. ‘How did you enter this hall?’ she asks. ‘And why are you here?’

Sensing that she, too, is being held against her will, you decide to confide in this young woman and tell her everything that has befallen you since you first arrived in Ghol-Tabras. When you have finished your sorry tale, she smiles sympathetically. She then tells you of her own sad predicament.

You learn that her name is Oriah. She is the daughter of Khazullo, a Vassagonian Funtal who rules the city of Fio Fadali. Her father is a rich and ruthless man and it is his wish that his only daughter should marry Sesketera, the ruler of Ghol-Tabras. Oriah has no desire to become the bride of a cruel overlord, but this is of no interest to her father. He lusts after the political power that her marriage will afford him. He has no thought or concern for his daughter’s happiness.

With the help of her friends, Oriah attempted to flee her native city in order to avoid the marriage. But she was hunted down by Sesketera’s men and brought here, to his citadel, against her will. She is to be kept imprisoned in this hall until her wedding day, one month from now.

‘Let us escape from this place together,’ you say, but Oriah merely shakes her head.

‘No … no, it cannot be. Sesketera is holding my friends. They are his hostages. If I leave the citadel before our wedding he will put them to the sword. I cannot leave here. But I will help you to escape. Come, follow me.’

Turn to 78.