She and Allan

In this intimate memoir, the seasoned explorer Allan Quatermain reflects on a bewildering episode from his younger days, when he stumbled upon the ruins of the lost city of Kôr. There he meets a striking woman known as Ayesha—also called Híya or the “She‑who‑commands”—who claims ancient origins and formidable powers. Their early encounters are filled with enigmatic talismans, cryptic warnings, and a sense that the desert holds secrets far beyond ordinary mortal experience.

Quatermain’s narration is marked by his usual candor, as he admits to being both fascinated and deceived by Ayesha’s magnetic charm. The first part of the tale follows his uneasy alliance with her, the gathering of strange messengers, and a daring hunt that thrusts him into a world of mythic danger. Listeners are invited into a vivid landscape of sand, forgotten temples, and an ever‑shifting sense of reality, all filtered through the weary yet observant voice of a man trying to preserve the truth of his extraordinary encounter.