Chapter 4
1768 Words
4
I kicked my heels into the animal's sides and was nearly dismounted. The awkward trot of the camel transformed into the smooth sprint of the jackal. I fell forward and wrapped my arms around the smooth neck of the creature as we careened down the hill. The reins fell from my hands and hung loose in front of the hadab's chest. My hair blew behind me and strands whipped at my face.
"Stop! Stop, you stupid animal!" I yelled.
Xander came up on my side. He sported a wide, devilish smile on his lips. "Would you like some assistance?"
I glared at him. "I'd like to get off this thing!"
He leaned down between us and grabbed my reins. A quick pull back and my beast slowed to its rough trot. I pushed myself into a seated position and wiped away the strands of hair.
"Why didn't anybody warn me that that button does that?" I growled.
The rest of our group caught up with us. Spiros had the same teasing smile as Xander. "My Lady, I have never seen a riding style such as yours. Do you have a name for it?"
Darda frowned at him. "That is quite enough from you, captain. Do you not know she could have been maimed or killed?"
Spiros chuckled. "Our Lady would not allow such a beast to do her in." His hadab threw its head back and snorted. Our group broke into laughter. Even I cracked a smile. Spiros patted the side of the beast's neck. "I meant no offense, my friend."
Xander trotted a few steps ahead of us and nodded at the dark shapes on the horizon. "Shall we continue?"
We continued our journey across the sand dunes toward the mystery. As we grew closer I could make out that there were a half dozen large shapes some twenty to thirty feet high. They looked like narrow rafts that curved down on either side and were attached to large water skis. Each had a single mast in the center with a large sail attached to it. The flapping cloth seemed to mimic the winding heat waves that arose from the desert floor. A mess of ropes led from the sail to a single upright post in the back. I didn't see a rudder.
A couple dozen men moved around the rafts. Some tightened the ropes, others lashed the posts tighter together with ropes. One of them looked up and turned in our direction. He pointed at us and shouted something unintelligible. The others leapt to their feet and swung around to face us with their hammers and long, curved short swords.
Xander stopped us ten yards from the group and held up his hands. "Tahiati, friends."
One of the men stepped forward. He looked to be about eighteen with sandy black hair and piercing brown eyes. His skin was darkened and leathered by the rough environment, but he stood tall and wore a chain of gold tightly wrapped around his neck.
He raised a hand. "Tahiati, friend. What brings you to us?"
Xander smiled and nodded at the strange boats. "We merely wish to look at your wonderful miraj. They are very well made."
The young man bowed his head. "I and my men thank you for the-"
"You should really drop the elegant talk. It doesn't suit you," Tillit spoke up. All eyes turned to the sus who leaned over the horn of his saddle and grinned at the leader. "How have you been, Sinbad?"
The young man grinned at the sus. "I was better until I saw you were in their company, Lord Sus. I thought I could trust these newcomers-" he swept his arm over us, "-but I see that with you among them they cannot be counted on to hold a pebble."
Tillit chuckled. "Oh, you can trust them, but I don't know if they can trust you." He nodded at the weapon-bearing men behind Sinbad. "I don't think you've ever given some visitors such a warm welcome."
Sinbad looked over his shoulder at his men. "There is no need to worry. You may resume your work." The others lowered their weapons and turned back to the sailing vessels. He returned his attention to us and bowed. "My apologies if I startled you. I meant no disrespect."
"Sure you did," Tillit teased as he slid off his hadab. He led the animal over to Sinbad and looked over the rafts. The sus rubbed his chin and nodded. "Not a bad group of miraj. You might place this year. That is-" he glanced at Sinbad with his eyes twinkling, "-if you don't crash again."
Sinbad stretched himself to his full height which was nearly a head taller than the sus. "I will not crash. I have sworn to Alihat Dhahabia and Alumu Aleazima that I will place the leaf upon their alters of my home and bring glory again to our village."
Xander slid off his hadab and looked the young man over. "You are Sinbad of the oasis of Rimal Talamue, are you not?"
Sinbad turned to Xander and nodded. "I am, but I do not know your name, friend."
Xander bowed his head. "I am Xander of Alexandria, and these are my traveling companions."
The young man's eyes widened. His imposing manner shrank a little before the shadow of my dragon lord. "Xander, Lord of Alexandria?"
Xander smiled. "I hope my being a lord does not change our new friendship."
Sinbad gathered himself and shook his head. "No, but you must know that being a dragon lord brings you no great perks here. The desert and its sands rule over this region."
Tillit laughed and patted Sinbad on the shoulder. "You forget how much older My Lord is than you, young dragon. He was skiffing across the sands side-by-side with your father."
The young man arched an eyebrow and took a step toward Xander. He tilted his head a little and his sharp eyes studied my dragon lord. "You knew my father?"
Xander nodded. "I did. He was a fine Alfurasan Alriyah. I hope to see that you have inherited his gifts."
Sinbad straightened and gave him a crooked grin. "I would very much like to test my skills against yours, Xander, Lord of-" Xander held up his hand.
"I am Xander to my friends, so I would like you to call me that," Xander requested.
The young man walked backwards and gestured with one hand to the boats behind him. "We shall see if we are still friends after a race, dragon lord." The challenge caught the attention of the men behind him and everyone stopped their work to listen. Sinbad jumped onto one of the vessels and grabbed hold of a rope that ran down from the top of the mast. He leaned forward and let the rope hold him in the air. "That is, if you accept my challenge."
Spiros glanced at Xander. "My Lord, I believe the whelp means to be thrashed."
Sinbad grinned. "There is no glory without danger, unless your lord here does not face danger."
Xander closed his eyes and chuckled. "I would rather not, but I accept your challenge and shall let my wings speak for me."
Xander removed his shirt and revealed his wings. Their long shadows stretched across the sands and engulfed our small group. The eyes of the men behind Sinbad widened and many whispered among themselves in their native tongue.
Sinbad smirked at Xander. "Your long wings will not assist you here, dragon lord, as you will soon find out." He stooped and pressed his palm against the ground. Everyone was quiet as they watched him. His smirk widened as he stood and swung around to face his men. "Prepare the two fastest miraj, and quickly! We race this day!"
A cheer went up from the men and they hurried to finish the final preparations on two of the rafts. They closed the sails and lashed the ropes tight to the rear poles.
Xander claimed one of the crafts for himself while Sinbad hopped aboard the other. The weathered lad removed his shirt and allowed his wings to push from his back. His leathery wings were half the length of Xander's, but the skin was twice as thick. He flexed them with an agility that made one think they were another pair of arms or legs. They curled up so they were nearly perpendicular with his body, or they tucked in so the bottom tips tickled his sides.
I looked to Darda. "Why are his wings so short?"
"The heat of the desert meant the dragons could never fly, so their wings are now short and useless," she explained.
Xander crouched down at the pole with its mess of ropes and folded his wings against his back. They looked so delicate compared to those of Sinbad. He grabbed the ropes in one hand and held onto the pole with the other.
Sinbad did the same and glanced at Xander. "Once around my ships and back here should be plenty of exercise for you, old dragon lord."
Xander smiled. "I will endeavor to keep up with your youth."
I turned to Spiros. "So what exactly is going on?"
"They mean to race across the sands in those two miraj," he told me.
"So how do they sail without water?" I asked him
He tilted his head back and nodded at the sky. "They sail on the winds and the narrow runs to slide over the sands."
I looked from left to right. The desert was as calm as it was hot. "But there's no wind."
Tillit leaned toward me and winked. "Not yet."
Darda grasped my arm and tugged on me. "We should move back. These are very reckless races."
"Only if you don't trust the drivers," Tillit argued.
Darda glared at him. "I trust Xander's skills, but I know nothing of this young man."
Tillit glanced at the young lad and smiled. "You don't need to worry about that young lady. His dad taught him everything he knew, and a little more."
Half the men grasped either side of Xander's raft and the others took hold of Sinbad's vessel. They slid the rafts forward and to a mark in the sand set by one of the men. The tow-men stepped back. A lone man climbed to the top of the tallest sail. In his hand was a straight horn some two feet long.
The pair of sailors stared ahead. All was silent. Everyone watched the limp sails.
I looked around. "So what are we-"
"Shh," Spiros whispered.
I frowned and opened my mouth for a smart-alack reply, but a soft rumble caught my attention. I looked to our left at the rear of the fleet of ships. My eyes widened as I beheld a wall of sand and dust some fifty feet tall coming at us at a quick hadab trot.
- Writer
