Foreword: Sometimes to make sense of the current destination a glimpse of the past, even the ancient past, might be in order. This is the Pourquoi Story. Here goes.

In the epic battle waged between the Greeks and the Trojans King Memnon of Ethiopia marched 200,000 men through the ancient Persian capital of Susa to help his Trojan ally.

When Memnon arrived with his army, he refrained from all puffery and boastful talk. Memnon was modest and the Greek god Zeus loved him for that. He told the gods of Olympus: "Keep out of the fight."

Ha!

In the course of battle Memnon lost his dearest comrade Aethiop to Antilochus's sword. Memnon in turn slew Antilochus. And Nestor, the wise king of Pylos, too old to fight and avenge his son's death, challenged Memnon. But Memnon on principle refused to fight an old man. So Nestor demanded that Achilles avenge the death of his friend Antilochus.

All manner of gods and men had a vested interest in the outcome of this particular fight. The goddess of dawn for sure. And perhaps a vampire shaman from Thracia.

Reflections from Usha, Vedic Goddess of the Dawn. Also known as Eos by the Greeks.

The battlefield echoed with the sound of Nestor screaming at Achilles to kill Memnon to avenge the death of his son Antilochus. But my Memnon honored the great age of his enemy's father. He would not set his arms against Nestor.

"Kill him! Remember your duty!" the old king pleaded to Achilles.

Zeus loved the gentleness of Memnon and the brave people of Ethiopia. He also honored the wisdom of Nestor. For Zeus loved Antilochus. Zeus waited, knowing, as we all did, what would happen.

I was the princess from the Median Empire. From us the Magi were born. I was dressed in my finest embroidered saffron robe with helmet and sword in my hand. I was the goddess of beauty and the bringer of light and the dawn. I had come to protect my beloved. So I rushed to his side. And as he pushed me away, the mighty Achilles stabbed him through the heart.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh!

Memnon and I cried as one.

The bloodied battlefield cleared. Memnon lay crumpled on my lap, as I tried frantically to wash his blood spattered face with my flowing bronzed hair and dewy tears.

"Let me help."

I looked up . It was Vladimir, the Thracian priest, guardian of sacred sanctuaries. An ally. He had flaming red hair, but his icy fingers warned me that he was a bringer of death.

"No! Stand back!" I screamed.

He lapped up Memnon's blood like a cat laps up milk. My stomach churned. I knew what he was.

"No!"

"But I can offer him immortality."

I smiled bitterly. What cruel words. My brother Mithras stepped forward. We regarded each other in silence. I felt my lover's heart slowly come to a stop. Mithras had nodded to Vladimir, I guessed, because I didn't see anything except Memnon's rich brown skin, the color of his precious Nile River soil, now transformed to the color of ashes.

I felt the Thracian picking up my lover's wrists and piercing the skin with his teeth. When I looked up he had vanished.

"We must prepare the final rites. You may stay with him until it is time."

I heard my brother's words, but they were only sounds. Memnon, so alive and vibrant just moments ago, was now deathly still.

In the tent we had prepared for Memnon, I gazed upon my beloved and saw how beautiful he was, free of all blemishes and scars. He was young as I had never seen him before. Like me. He smelled divinely of honey, so sacred to the Egyptians and the Ethiopians. And of the lotus flowers that adorned his chariot. I smiled with hope. Had I succeeded in bringing my beloved back to the light?

But lo, he remained still. And cold. I pressed my lips softly against his. I could sense him. Brother sun was about to ascend into the sky and his soft rays made Memnon's dark skin sparkle and shimmer like a river in moonlight. I glimpsed my sister Venus in the sky. I touched Memnon's black curly hair and I was overcome with love.

I lay with my lover. He was not dead. Only asleep. I thought of the times I would awaken him in just this way. ..

Mithras gently lifted me away from Memnon's side. Hours had passed. The sun now hung low in the sky.

"It's time, Usha."

"What?!"

"The rites."

"But he's not dead. Can't you smell him?"

Mithras's noble face grew stern as the very soldiers Memnon led into battle held me back. Mithras performed the rites and then Memnon's body was placed on the funeral pyre. I watched in horror as his body drifted to sea, ablaze in flames.

"I hear him!"

Mithras stood motionless, a single tear rolling down his cheek. My brother loved Memnon too.

"Where's Vladimir?"

"He's gone. He left with his companion. The war is over. The Greeks will triumph. It is written."

I fell to my knees, weeping. I felt my brother's hand on my head and my shoulders. I thought, for a moment, he was comforting me. But lo, I heard him cast a binding spell. A spell?

"Child of light and the land of scorched faces touched by darkness. Conceived in blood, battle and love. You will vanquish the scourge of the blood-seed."

I laid my hand on my abdomen in wonder as, beneath it, my womb stirred.

Authors Note: The full Chapter 11 will resume from where we last saw Jasper and Bella in Chapter 10 where they were discovering the wonders of Memphis, Tennessee. The adventure continues...