Sitting in his tent in the forest surrounding the Emperor's house Danta was talking with a small friend. The creature was so small that Danta had to hold her in the palm of his hand.

"Thank you. I appreciate the danger you went through." Danta said to his small friend.

He set her down gently. As she scuttled off Danta called out softly and a variety of animals and birds came to him.

Danta stayed up for most of the night talking with his friends. After about two hours sleep Danta sat and composed some poems and meditated.

The Emperor did not call for Danta all that day or the next. Danta kept busy with his poetry and prayers. He also entertained a steady stream of his friends.

Danta also thought about Kalin. He could see her sitting against the wall in the cramped prison. Danta could feel her despair. He could understand. He was in his own prison.

It would be just a short time. Kalin would soon be out. His plan was near completion.

The Emperor called for Danta on the third day. Four servants carried him on a litter. He was like a prince coming into the court of a great Emperor.

The table was spread with food. All of the food was made of vegetables, fruits or grains. There was a big jug of water and one of wine. Danta had two goblets, one was gold and the other was silver.

As Danta reached for the wine, a servant grabbed it. Danta stared at him. The servant started to pour into the gold goblet, but Danta stopped him. "The silver one." He said.

Before the servant could reach for the water Danta took it and filled the gold goblet three quarters full. He then took the wine glass and poured some into the water. He poured the rest onto the stone floor. The wine stained the stones as some of it seeped into the cracks.

The Emperor watched as Danta did this - his mouth open. Danta said "A sacrifice, a symbol of blood."

"And blood is important to you?" asked the Emperor.

"It is our life. Don't you have blood sacrifice?"

"Yes we do, but it is not a symbol."

"You are correct and you don't just spill a little blood - you spill all of the life."

"The gods must be satisfied."

"Aren't you the god?"

"I am above all gods."

"Not all."

"What do you mean by that?" The Emperor was showing some anger.

"You know more than anyone that there is a greater god than you."

"You know that I could take your life?"

Kalin sat up with a start. "Danta!" she said out loud, startling some of the people around her.

"We spoke about that didn't we?" Danta said quietly - in a whisper - forcefully. "Maybe we could speak of other things.

"That would be wise." The Emperor said after a pause. "The place you come from, is it far?"

"Far enough."

"You seem to be avoiding all of my questions." The Emperor said, "What are you hiding?"

"My people are private."

"Who are your people?"

"We are the beginning of all people - suspended in time." Danta said, "We are what you used to be. Our people are covered in time. Until recently we have not even known the sun, but our time has come."

"Do you mean the time of your end? Asked the Emperor?

"No, I mean the time of our beginning."

"Do you mean to conquer us?"

"We do not conquer. We are a peaceful people. Yet we do not even know our destiny."

"Then you will be conquered. You will be conquered by me."

Danta sat and stared at the Emperor. He then poured some more wine into the silver goblet. He held the goblet, and then he poured most of it onto the floor. Danta drank the rest in one drink.

Danta stared some more at the Emperor - looking straight into his eyes. "You do not know how much that is true. After you have suffered a great defeat you will conquer many more lands. At the end you will finally find my land. You will only rule my people for a short time. Another will know the fruit of your labor.

"You must be a prophet. You cannot resist mixing the good with the bad." The Emperor said.

"I only speak what I am told. I only reveal what I see."

"You see too much."

"I cannot take back what I have said. Would you have wished that I had not spoken?"

"You have come at the right time. My seers are all fools. You seem to be a man of great wisdom. I have asked them for guidance, and they all lie to me. It is only the true prophet who will tell me the good and the bad."

"Or a lie." said Danta.

The liars are all afraid of me, so they will not tell me anything that is bad." the Emperor sat and ate for a few moments. He slowly savored each bite. "I suppose I could get used to this food. It is not the food of Kings though."

After sipping his wine the Emperor looked at Danta. "So who is this that will defeat me?"

"You will not be able to stop this even if he were sitting at table with you in your own house."

"So it could even be you."

"The on who will serve you this defeat does not want to rule in your place. He will attack you in a way that you will never be able to foresee."

"And you cannot tell me who it is?"

"I am not given the freedom to reveal everything."

"You reveal more than you know."

"I measure every word I say. I know what you understand."

"You are a bold young man. I don't know whether you are a fool."

There are no wise men - only fools who seek wisdom, and fools who seek their own ways, which they perceive to be wisdom."

"So speaks the poet and the prophet."

"Your sarcasm is not so subtle."

"And yours is a sharp knife. You pierce my heart." The Emperor took two deep breaths and then held his breath for a moment. "You had better go before you feel my wrath."

"I can feel it now." four servants came in and carried Danta away.

Danta sat in the opening of his tent. He looked up at the stars and saw that the time was almost upon them.

Danta had not missed the company of any person before. He longed for Kalin. When he closed his eyes he could see her in the cell. He looked on her face with his minds eye.

"How is it that you can reveal the future to me but not reveal my own heart? How could I not see how I feel for her?"

Over the next several weeks Danta spent many days in the presence of the Emperor. Often he would listen as the Emperor held court and pronounced judgment over many of his citizens.

Sometimes the Emperor would turn to Danta for his opinion. Danta could easily tell the Emperor the motivation and the heart of the people.

When Danta was not with the Emperor, he would be at his tent and entertain his own visitors.

Danta was sitting with the Emperor. They hadn't eaten together since their first vegetarian meal. They sat and ate in silence. The Emperor picked ate his food and ate little.

"I could find nothing about your people." The Emperor finally said.

"We are well hidden." Danta said without looking up.

"So why did you come here?"

"To protect my people from you."

"If you have been hidden, why do you need protection?"

"Nothing remains hidden forever."

"How would you protect your people?"

"Only a fool gives away his secrets."

"You are here. You have revealed yourself."

"I have only told you what you already know." Danta said, "You know of us, but not much else."

"And what else?"

I needed to know the mind of the enemy. I could not be your enemy unless I had good reason."

"And you don't fear declaring to me - your enemy?" asked the Emperor.

"You are the Emperor. Everyone is your enemy - especially the ones who are closest to you." said Danta, "I see no advantage in hiding the truth."

"We all have something hidden in our hearts - even you. Your greatest secret is your fear."

"And what is that?"

"That is too easy - you fear for your own throne. This is not really your fear. You are afraid to be kind."

"You do not know me."

"I know you. I see it in your eyes." Danta stared at the Emperor. "You are trying to hide it, but it is too late."

"I suppose I could trust you with my secret. You have no credibility here."