"Aye, he stands beside her," Robur declared.
"Who sponsors this woman?" Magur inquired.
"I, Robur of Aphur, her cousin—child of the sister of her who gave her life."
"Come then in the name of Zitu," Magur said, and advanced to face the arena, back of Naia and Croft.
"Naia of Aphur—thou woman, and being woman, sister of Ga, and hence priestess of that shrine of life which is eternal, the guardian of the fire of life which is eternal—is it thine intent to pledge thyself to this man, who stands now at thy side?"
"Aye," said Naia of Aphur clearly, and looked not at Magur as she answered, but into Jason's eyes.
"And thou, Jason, known as the Mouthpiece of Zitu, whom Zitu has inspired with his wisdom, even as no other man, do thou accept this pledge, and with it the woman herself, to make her in the fulness of time thy bride, to cherish her and cause her to live as a glory to the name of woman, to whom all men may justly give respect?"
"Aye, so I pledge, by Zitu, and Azil, giver of life," said Jason, gazing on the woman as he spoke the words.
"Then take this, maid of Aphur." Magur drew from his robe a looped silver cross and placed it in her hands. "Hold it and guard it, look upon it as a symbol of that life eternal that you shall be kept eternal, and which, taken from the hands of Azil the angel, shall be transmuted within thee into the life of men."
Turning, he took the two goblets from their bearers and poured wine from one to the other and back. One he extended to Naia and one to Croft.