I know well what she will answer you, and I hold that this is a judgment upon us, who first made her Baaltis against her will, then threatened her with death because of the prince Aziel, and now would do sacrilege to her sacred office and violence to herself by tearing her from her consecrated throne, breaking her bond of marriage and delivering her to Ithobal." So the leaders of the councillors visited the holy tomb and reasoned with Elissa through the bars.

But they got no comfort from her, for she spoke to them with the phial of poison in her bosom and the naked dagger in her hand, telling them what she had told Mesa--that they had best give up their plottings and fight Ithobal like men, seeing that even if she surrendered herself to him, when he grew weary of her the war must come at last.
"For a hundred years," she added, "this storm has gathered, and now it must burst.

When it has rolled away it will be known who is master of the land--the ancient city of Zimboe, or Ithobal king of the Tribes." So they went back as they had come, and next day at the dawn, with a bold face but heavy hearts, received the messengers of king Ithobal, and told them their tale.

The messengers heard and laughed.
"We are glad," they answered, "since we, who are not in love with the daughter of Sakon, desire war and not peace, holding as we do that the time has come when you upstart white men--you outlanders--who have usurped our country to suck away its wealth should be set beneath our heel.

Nor do we think that the task will be difficult for surely we have little to fear from a city of low money seekers whose councillors cannot even conquer the will of a single maid." Then in their despair the elders offered other girls to Ithobal in marriage, as many as he would, and with them a great bribe in money.