And, at the word mercy, Kai laughed. And the King turned his armies to
the east. Therefore the armies returned to Averon and the heralds
before them cried:

"Here cometh Khanazar, King of Averon and of the mountains and Lord, if
there be aught beyond those mountains, of all such lands as are."

And the King said to them:

"Say rather that here comes one greatly wearied who, having
accomplished nought, returneth from a quest forlorn."

So the King came again to Averon.

But it is told how there came into Ilaun one evening as the sun was
setting a harper with a golden harp desiring audience of the King.

And it is told how men led him to Khanazar, who sat frowning alone upon
his throne, to whom said the harper:

"I have a golden harp; and to its strings have clung like dust some
seconds out of the forgotten hours and little happenings of the days
that were."

And Khanazar looked up and the harper touched the strings, and the old
forgotten things were stirring again, and there arose a sound of songs
that had passed away and long since voices. Then when the harper saw
that Khanazar looked not angrily upon him his fingers tramped over the
chords as the gods tramp down the sky, and out of the golden harp arose