"Your time will indeed come, my Odhainat," said the fearless
girl, with proud looks and ringing voice. "See, even thus our
omen gives the proof," and she pointed to the net, beneath whose
meshes both eagle and lion, fluttering and panting, lay wearied
with their struggles, while the cheetah kept watch above them.
"Now make your peace with Hairan, your brother; return to Palmyra
once again, and still let us watch and wait."
Three more years passed. Valerian, Emperor of Rome, leading his
legions to war with Sapor, whom men called the "Great King," had
fallen a victim to the treachery and traps of the Persian
monarch, and was held a miserable prisoner in the Persian
capital, where, richly robed in the purple of the Roman emperors
and loaded with chains, he was used by the savage Persian tyrant
as a living horse-block for the sport of an equally savage court.
In Palmyra, Hairan was dead, and young Odhainat, his brother, was
now Septimus Odaenathus--"headman" of the city and to all
appearances the firm friend of Rome.
There were great rejoicings in Palmyra when the wise
Zenobia--still scarce more than a girl--and the fearless young
"head-man" of the desert republic were married in the marble city
of the palm-trees, and her shrewd counsels brought still greater
triumphs to Odaenathus and to Palmyra,
In the great market-place or forum, Odaenathus and Zenobia
awaited the return of their messengers to Sapor.
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