Since we do not have forty-five spare hours, I suppose I could tell you a small piece of one of Sekhema of Sekhemas Orbala's adventures. Her second adventure took place three moons before her dance with the scorpion. She was not a Sekhema at that time, not even a {dekhara}. Word had not spread of her first adventure yet, either, for only her sister knew of the bandit-chase for Solerai's Spear that ended with Stridevolf in flames, so at that time she was still unknown. For that reason, she initially said nothing when a visiting Vaal dignitary insulted her mother. He was a devotee of Arakaali, and wished to indulge in unmentionable activities. When Orbala's mother rejected him, he spoke vile words, then departed. Orbala could not let this stand. She crept from her home in the dark of the night, tracking the dignitary's entourage through many unfamiliar forest roads. She found him bathing at the foot of Keth's second river, Halani. Aiming true, she struck him through the throat with a single arrow. It was then that his entourage appeared and explained that he had merely been a Maraketh spy playing a role, and that his insult had been intended to spread his reputation ahead of his passage. Orbala was given a choice: to face the justice of the Plains for her slaying of this important agent, or to don his clothes and fulfill his mission, masquerading as a Vaal dignitary in his place, so that the Sekhemas might assess threats on the border between the two peoples. She succeeded in her ruse through many dangerous and humorous situations, although this adventure also ended with Lira Vaal in flames.
