Chapter 6
1235 Words
6
We climbed onto our impatient hadab and continued on our way. I sidled up to Xander who's hands were now bandaged. "So is that what they do out here for sport? Race rafts on sand?"
Xander nodded. "Yes. It is an ancient sport and also a rite of passage for many of their men."
"So how was that race supposed to end Tillit's story?" I asked him.
Tillit trotted up beside me, and glanced past me and at Xander. "I believe I shall finish this story, My Lord."
Xander smiled and bowed his head. "As you wish."
Tillit readjusted himself in his saddle and cleared his throat. "As I was saying, one of the men inside the city was a sailor in his youth, so he devised a plan. Most of the wood was already burnt for cooking, but he got just enough to make a small raft. The wealthy women of the city donated what was left of their extra dresses for a simple sail-"
"And that's how the first sailing raft thingy was made," I finished for him.
He wrinkled his nose. "They're called miraj, My Lady, but yes, that was the first one. The residents strapped the most precious books onto the raft and the sheikh himself had his own naqia brought out to supply the wind."
"What's a naqia?" I wondered.
"Did you see the shadows in that dust storm?" he returned. I nodded. "Those are naqia. They create the wind and the dust storm to protect themselves as they travel from oasis to oasis. But as I was saying, the soldiers at the main gate readied themselves. Archers hid behind the rampart walls ready with their arrows to distract the invading army."
I arched an eyebrow. "He was going to go out the main gate?"
Tillit smiled and pressed a finger to his lips. "Be as patient as the city, My Lady. They waited until dusk when the sun would blind their foes. Then the sheikh gave the signal. The naqia created a great gust of wind that enveloped the whole of the city in a dust storm. The invaders watched in horror as the dust spilled over the walls. They'd never seen anything like a city being swallowed by a dust storm from the inside. That storm was the signal for the archers. They jumped to their feet and shot at anything that moved. It was chaos in the dragon lord camp. That's when the main gates were opened." He looked up into the sky and swept his arm across his front. "The raft flew out the gates and into the main camp of the enemy. Their foes thought they saw an image of magic, a false picture."
"And that's how the raft got it's name," I guessed.
He smiled and nodded. "Yep. The first miraj sailed past them and into the desert, never to be seen again. The dust storm subsided and the city surrendered, but they had still won. When the priests entered the library they found all of the volumes were gone. What hadn't been taken by the sailor was hidden in the city so the invaders wouldn't set fire to it. Doing so would have destroyed those stowed books." He leaned toward me and winked. "To this day they still find a few loose books in hidden cupboards."
"But what about the rest of the books and the guy on the raft?" I asked him.
He straightened and shook his head. "Alas, My Lady, I nor any other storyteller know what happened to him. He disappeared into the desert on the wings of the storm and was never seen again, nor were any of the books ever found."
I slumped in my saddle and frowned. "That's not that great an ending."
"Not all of history is as neat as a story, Miriam," Darda scolded me.
Xander studied me with a teasing smile on his lips. "Perhaps one day the books will be found, but our purpose for coming here lies elsewhere."
I straightened and sighed as I gazed out on the endless desert. "You really think Apuleius can help us?"
Xander followed my gaze into the distance. "We shall see."
I drew my lower lip out and glared at him. "Do you have to be so moody? Couldn't you have just said 'we'll definitely get the answers you want!'?"
He tilted his head toward me and smiled. "We will definitely find the answers you seek."
I sat up straight and nodded. "There. Not quite my accent, but that's the spirit I want to hear. Now let's get going!"
I made the mistake of clacking my heels against the sides of the hadab. The beast shot off down the desert. I clung to its neck and shut my eyes. My 'friends' were so concerned they laughed before they followed me.
We trod across the desert toward our goal, but night threatened to fall before I glimpsed a clump of shadows far in the distance. I nodded at the shapes. "Please tell me that's where we're going to stay."
Xander smiled. "That is where we will stay for the night."
Tillit trotted up beside me and leaned over to give a wink. "I think you'll like Wahat Alrraei."
I arched an eyebrow. "The what?"
"Wahat Alrraei. It means Oasis of the Shepherd," he told me as he waved a hand at the shadows ahead of us. "You won't see the likes of that place in any fancy city."
"Or a reputable one," Spiros spoke up with a sly smile.
Tillit coughed into his hand. "Perhaps, but I can guarantee that it will be a memorable night."
Xander glanced at Spiros with his lips tightly pursed. "We had best be on our guard."
Spiros's good humor slipped from his face. "You mean the warning of something amiss from Tajir?"
My dragon lord nodded. "Yes. The traders of the desert do not pass along unfavorable rumors that would hurt business unless there is some truth to them."
Tillit glanced between the men with a sly smile on his face. "You gentlemen believe the Red Dragons are up to no good, eh?"
Xander stared ahead of us with his brow furrowed. The shadows came closer and I could make out tall, lush trees. "From the far north to the east we have fought against their plans. I would not be surprised to find them among the traders of the south."
"Any idea what they might be up to?" he persisted.
"What are the aims of faithless dragons but to be faithless dragons?" Xander philosophized. He gripped his reins hard enough to whiten his knuckles as his eyes narrowed. "But whatever their purpose, I will stop them."
I leaned over and set my hand atop his. He looked at me and I smiled back at him. "We will stop them."
He returned my smile with one of his own. "Yes. Together."
"'We' would also like to reach the oasis before nightfall," Spiros spoke up. He kicked the sides of his beast with his heels and spurred ahead of us before he glanced over his shoulder. There was a sly smile on his lips. "If my slow friends prefer to remain in the desert all night I will go ahead and partake of the entertainment in your place."
Xander chuckled as he glanced at me. "Shall we?"
I grinned and nodded. "Let's do this."
"Xander! Miriam!" Darda scolded us.
"It is merely a race, Darda. Nothing worse than that," Tillit replied.
She glared at him. "What will the sheikh say of such an entrance?"
Spiros laughed and kicked his hadab so the beast sped forward. "That we are late!"
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