Muslak said, "I have been as far as Wast, Great Prince."

The satrap turned his hawk's eyes on Azibaal. "No farther?"

Azibaal spoke up like a man. "No, Great Prince."

"Very well. Listen to me, all of you. South of this land lies another called Nubia. It is not subject to my brother, but is not at war with us. Once it was subject to Kemet, thus the wise men of Kemet," he nodded toward the tall man, "know much of its history. Some even speak the tongue used there. No one here knows much of its state today. No one knows anything of Nysa, the wide land south of Nubia. I govern this land for my brother, and as his satrap it is my duty to know much of the neighboring lands. I wish to send you, with your ship and crew, south as far as the Great River runs. You will find out these things for me, and return here to tell me of them. Is that plain?"

Muslak bowed. "It is, Great Prince."

The satrap looked toward the smaller man of Parsa, who rose and gave Muslak a heavy leather burse. He is short, and like many short men he sits and stands very straight. His scant beard is white.

"There are cataracts," the satrap said. "You will have to carry your ship around all save the first. It will be difficult, but it cannot be impossible. You will have to carry the supplies you buy with my gold around those cataracts as well. Keep that in mind when you choose them."

Muslak bowed again. "I will, Great Prince."

"It may be possible to hire local people to help you. This man," he nodded toward the small man who had given Muslak the burse, "will see to that. His name is Qanju. He will go with you. He will have a scribe and three of our soldiers at his command. You, also, will be at his command."

Muslak said, "We salute him, Great Prince."

"The man on my left is Sahuset, a wise man of Kemet. He too will go with you." The satrap turned to this Sahuset. "Will you have a servant, Holy One?"