The Khan Desert

The red burning sand felt like glass on my feet as I lifted my hand to see better from the glaring sun. Nothing but the towering dunes surrounded us, I turned a full circle but found nothing useful.

"Khalsi is getting weaker Dhila," a coarse voice whispered, sighing I look over my shoulder to see my niece slumped over my horse, Khalsi was indeed getting slower and weaker. She didn't have long, I frowned thinking of losing my best horse. We had gone through many adventures and battles together. I walked up and patted her neck softly. Nickering answer me as I touch her brow with my own, "Should I get off?" Sah asked.

Flicking my eyes up I found her golden ones looking at me, "No, she can hold for a few more days then we'll let her walk on her own." Khalsi had gotten me through the desert before, but this was three times longer and in the height of summer.

"Here, you haven't taken your turn today," Sah said as she swung her leg up and over the saddle.

"No, you can stay on for a little longer," I could handle the pain of the sand for a bit more, being the youngling she is she wouldn't last for more than a few hours. Gripping the reins I guided them along the top of a dune carefully, one wrong step could send us tumbling down the side. That would hurt.

The pain quieted as we walked, my thoughts going to the reason we are in the desert. Being a rather powerful noble family to the Empire we were one of the first targeted by Chlan's army. My brother had overly underestimated the sheer size of it, our walls lasted two days before it was breached and everything went to shit. Their main focus was the Eindah family, they found every one of us. They weren't taking prisoners.

I tried to save my own son but he had gone down holding the front line. Sah and I barely made it out, we took nothing important but our waterskins and my spear. Sah's water ran out yesterday but she took the rest of mine. I didn't mind though as she was more important, I had to make sure she survived. If I fell she would be the last of the Eindah house.

A few hours later we scaled down a dune to a cave I spotted, I winced as the sand burned my feet. I was sure my skin was tearing and bleeding. Sah was so weak I left her on Khalsi for the rest of the day, the cave would do us well from the cold but I was relieved as the sand was slowly but surely cooling.

The Khan desert was unbelievably hot in the day but cold at night, it is a very dangerous desert to be lost in.

The cave felt like an oasis from the shade and cold, the rock stung my feet but the coolness felt delicious on my sweaty skin. After a few minutes, I had a fire started and managed to keep my feet up, using my drained magic to heal a little of it.

"Where are we going?" Sah asked as she sat beside me, Khalsi was resting against the wall as the sun fell down across the horizon.

"We are trying to get to the Vahnd trading post, they're neutral and I have a friend so we can get more supplies and rest. After that, we are going to the Witch kingdom where we will request assistance from the Blakar." Sah didn't know much from the alliance and debts we had as being the youngest she still has much to learn. I would make sure she was taught properly.

As the cold of night set in she moved closer and got snug in my lap, I slung my arm over her shoulder as I slipped off my cloak to cover her. I promised her mother that I would protect her in the chaos of the attack. Sah was the rightful Lady of the Eindah house, she had to survive.

"Can you sing it?" she whispered and I smiled, I took a breath and began to sing the Danseer, a lullaby that her mother and grandmother sang. The ancient words filled the cave, she smiled and even the fire seemed to dance and come alive. After I finished she fell into a deep sleep quickly, I tried, I really tried to stay up and watch but the exhaustion took me hard and fast.

The panicked neighing of Khalsi woke me, I sprung up to fight Clahn soldiers surrounding us and tieing my bucking and fighting horse. Panic set into me as I swirled to find Sah but she was gone, snarling I lifted my spear. I had fought in many armies a thousand times before, I was the Serpent of the South. A pained sob sounded from the group as they parted slightly for me to see Sah with a knife at her throat. I faltered slightly but it was enough for the ropes to grip my wrists and ankles.

"Let her go you Gladorsk" I snarled as they sneered, tightening the ropes. My magic flared but too late, the iron collar was clamped around my neck, stopping any flow of my magic.

I searched for Sah but...

I gaped as she strode to me, a small but sad smile on her face. The bastards around me did nothing to her, she was not at all hurt or bound like me. I realized why when the famed commander appeared beside her.

Before the war, she and her brother had gone to the Chlan palace as a way to make peace. The commander stood too close to her to be anything but lovers. I showed my fangs as the scent between them lingered, they were mated.

"I'm sorry Dhila, but this is what needs to happen." Sah did look sincere but I only spat at her feet. They knocked me out before I could say anything.