Chapter 17
It seemed to Dae as though the weather and her mood had fallen into perfect harmony, growing warmer and brighter with every passing sunrise. She could taste the coming of spring in the air. The mornings felt crisp rather than cold, and fewer rain clouds marred the sky. Warm breezes would flow through the valley from the north, carrying the scent of the first blossoms of spring into the camp. Being able to snuggle up with Zafirah beneath a blanket of warm furs made the nights feel full of promise and passion once more.
Richard provided Zafirah with maps to help her better navigate a path back to the desert, and the two spent hours together charting a path that circumvented the more heavily populated regions and allowed them to avoid any river crossings which might have been flooded by the last swell of winter rains. But there was still much work to be done before they departed: Falak’s scouts focused on hunting as much game as they could find, the defensive trenches were filled in and the shield-walls dismantled for fuel. Dae emptied half the contents of her bedroom, determined not to leave anything behind which she might later decide she wanted to hold on to. Every morning, another small camel train was loaded up with supplies and departed for the west, taking with them an escort of guards, horse-masters, and scouts. Slowly but steadily the Jaharri camp began to shrink.
One day, with clear skies overhead and the warm air filled with a musical chorus of birdsong, Dae joined her mother and father on an excursion out to Lake Everwood, just as she’d done many times as a child. In the past she had always traveled with her mother and handmaidens in a gilded carriage drawn by four horses, but this time Dae rode beside her wife and her father, proudly showing off her newly acquired equestrian skills. Kaylee and the two pleasure-servants accompanied them, along with an escort of scouts, spahi, and Everdeen soldiers. They spent the entire day roaming the fields and forests around the placid, mirror-smooth waters. It was a surreal experience for Dae, to walk openly hand in hand with Zafirah through the lush green wilderness of her homeland, watching Kaylee teach Nasheta how to skip stones out across the surface of the water as the two splashed barefoot through the cold shallows.
Both of her parents commented on how different Zafirah seemed in her company…how much calmer and more carefree her demeanor. Dae was also pleasantly surprised to see the mutual—though still cautious—respect that had formed between her father and the Scion, and even her mother made an effort to engage Zafirah in conversation. The fact that they were both trying, both willing to work towards embracing their relationship, meant more to Dae than she could express with words.
Cass and Tricia left the reformatory together, accompanied by Emily and Joss. As a token of gratitude for the friendship they had shown her Consort, Zafirah offered the women a pouch with enough gold to purchase supplies for their journey, along with a small wagon and a pair of draft horses to pull it. Dae and Kaylee rode with the group as far as the outskirts of the nearby village, where they said their final farewells.
“We’ll make our way to Sailsport, up on the north coast.” Cass told her, giving her a fierce hug and a kiss on the cheek. “If Micaela isn’t there, she should have left word for me of where I might find her. If her father can still get us work on a merchant ship, there’s a good chance we may find ourselves passing through El’Kasari someday. Perhaps we’ll see each other again.”
“I hope we do. I promise there’ll be a room for you both in the palace any time you wish to visit, and it would be an honor to show you around the city.” Her smile turned slightly salacious, and she leaned closer to whisper, “If Micaela is open to the idea, perhaps the two of you might join Zafirah and I for a more…personal…tour of the palace grounds. The view from the Scion’s bedchamber is particularly splendid.”
Cass laughed, and said, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
A few days later Lyric joined them in the Jaharri camp, having gathered what few personal possessions she’d brought with her to the reformatory. Dressed in her ivory-and-azure finery, she looked decidedly out of place among the Jaharri, a flash of pale silver among the darker forms of the desert folk. Her nervousness was revealed by the fact that she made no comment or complaint that her delicate shoes were immediately caked with mud. Nevertheless, her features were set in an expression of grim determination; having made her choice, Lyric intended to see it through.
Inaya was quick to offer the young woman a place to sleep in her tent with Nasheta and Kaylee, but Lyric turned the invitation down. Perhaps she was still hesitant to explore her desires further with the other girls, but Dae suspected it was more that the high-born lady was just unaccustomed to sharing her personal space so intimately. The Jaharri provided her with a tent of her own, which theyhelped her to set up beside the larger one occupied by Kaylee and the two pleasure-servants.
One morning while taking a stroll with Zafirah through the fields, Dae witnessed a curious sight: a group of Jaharri were standing in the stream, water lapping around their knees while they thrust their hands into the chilly water, searching for something. It took her a moment to realize they were pulling stones from the streambed and inspecting them. Most they tossed back, but some they tucked away in leather satchels they wore around waists. For a moment she wondered if they were searching for precious gems or crystals.
“What are they doing?” she asked, pointing the men out to Zafirah.
“It is an ancient custom. They gather stones from the furthest lands they have traveled to. When next they pass by the cairn of a loved one, or of some fallen hero held in admiration, they shall add the stone to the pile. Some of the larger cairns are built from the granite bedrock of Ach’Shir, or red brick taken from the ruins of fallen temples in the lands of the Tasurik. It is a way to honor our ancestors, for we bring the memory of every journey undertaken with us back to the desert.”
Dae watched one of the men pull up a stone the size of a hen’s egg. He ran his fingers over the surface, examining it with a critical eye before returning it to the stream and feeling about for another. “They seem rather particular about their selection.”
“Likely they seek the smoothest stones, my love, polished by the endless flow of water. Such things are not so commonly found in the arid lands beyond the Thunder Peaks.”
When their day of departure finally arrived, Dae’s parents came to see them off. The tears they shed at their final parting were heartfelt and bittersweet, but Dae was glad she could at least embrace her mother and father with the hope that soon, she would see them again. Richard promised again they would visit her in El’Kasari within the next year, and she did not doubt he would keep his word. Simone, struggling to hold back her tears, even approached Zafirah and took her in her arms…embracing her as a daughter, albeit a tad uncomfortably. The gesture was more than Dae had ever dared hope for. She saw her mother whisper something to her mate, and Zafirah took her hands in her own and replied with a sincere, “You have my word.”
Later, when she asked what her mother had said, Zafirah told her, “She asked only what any mother would ask of the one their child takes to heart—that I promise to protect that heart with every breath in my lungs.”
* * *
Dae rode beside Zafirah at the forefront of the army, enjoying what would likely be her only chance to give her partner a tour of her homeland. She pointed out various features of the landscape and environment; the fruit trees which lined the roads, their branches already adorned with budding flowers, which would soon provide travelers with a ready source of food…the curious tall houses built on stilts which dotted the flat planes wherever the rivers would flood…the shallow-keeled barges that would travel the winding riverways, transporting people, livestock, and resources from one place to another. They made swift progress along the well-travelled roads, the miles falling behind them steadily as they made their way west and north. The maps her father had provided saved the scouts from having to press their advance slowly, and the improving weather conditions meant they were less hampered by muddy, water-logged paths.
The common people who had hidden from the barbarian army when they first marched across their lands now ventured from their hamlets to watch their passage with expressions of curiosity and wonder. Parents brought their children out to see the desert Scion leading her army back to the dunes, knowing it was a sight none of them were ever likely to witness again. Rumors of what had transpired between the Jaharri and Lord Everdeen were likely the juiciest gossip any had enjoyed in living memory, though Dae suspected most of what they’d heard was wild speculation held together by sketchy facts.
As winter’s grip on the land gave way and the weather grew mild, Zafirah sent Dae with an escort into one of the larger settlements to donate back the winter clothing her warriors would no longer need in the desert. The gift was well received by the people, and Dae heard them whispering among themselves how strange it seemed to receive such generosity from the greedy desert folk.
As they approached the foothills of the Thunder Peaks, Dae heard sighs of mingled relief and regret from almost every man and woman around her. All eyes turned back to take a final look at the green vista behind them, bidding farewell to the forests of giant trees and trickling streams…the lakes and wetlands and villages of wood and stone. Dae knew none would ever forget the alien beauty of the watered lands, or the wonders they had seen along their journey.
It took their long caravan another four days to make it through the mountain passage, leaving the Heartland behind them. The sight of the horizon line stretching end to end, the mournful sound of the wind blowing up from the west, carrying with it the subtle scent of wide-open lands and the heat of the desert, was a balm to the Jaharri who had not seen home in many months. Dae also felt her spirits soar when the skies cleared of winter clouds, and the temperature turned from mild to hot. Before long it was too hot to march through the days, and they began the familiar routine of resting under more lightweight tents during the hottest hours of mid-day.
Raised among horses all her life, Kaylee proved herself almost as good a rider as the spahi. She spent a good deal of the journey chatting and laughing with the soldiers and scouts, all of whom seemed to find her every bit as adorable as Dae did. Even the camels took to her with ease, and she seemed just as at comfortable atop the tall creatures as on horseback. Had she demonstrated even the slightest instinct or talent for the warrior arts, Dae suspected the spahi would have tried to recruit the girl into their ranks.
High-born, Lyric found the experience of riding long distances each day far more daunting. She refused to allow her fear of the horses to show, however, and offered few complaints despite the discomfit of saddle-sores and stiff muscles. Inaya was sympathetic and took to riding alongside the young woman so she could distract her with conversation. Initially Lyric remained guarded, but over time Dae saw her defenses start to weaken in the face of the Jaharri girl’s gentle overtures of friendship, and she began to relax a little and contribute to the conversation. Ever the temptress, Inaya inevitably steered the subject of their discussions in an erotic direction. The formidable yet contained carnal aura surrounding Lyric seemed to intrigue her greatly, and she did all she could to tempt her into opening up about her sexual history, and the deep desires she still seemed hesitant to unlock and embrace.
It took some time, but one evening Inaya managed to earn an invitation to share Lyric’s tent. Though the silver-haired girl set her tent up a short distance from the others, Inaya’s cries of agonized rapture were loud enough that they rang out late into the night. The next morning, Inaya sat her horse rather gingerly, and Lyric’s expression was one of smug self-satisfaction. Dae guessed it wouldn’t take long for her to embrace her desires fully among the sexually liberated Jaharri, or to begin exploring new, more adventurous, expressions of passion.
Both Lyric and Kaylee looked a little daunted when they reached the outer edges of the true Jaharri lands and the paths vanished underfoot. Neither had ever seen the desert, and the sight of so much barren, rocky wastes was clearly a shock. Dae saw them exchange nervous, uncertain glances a few times, and guessed they were both having second thoughts about their decision to make this journey.
“Not as romantic as you envisioned it, is it?”
Lyric wiped her glistening brow and looked around in awe, studying the eerily beautiful formations of sandstone escarpments that rose out of the stark white sands like sweeping, graceful waves of rock. “It’s like something from a fever dream. Is it…is it all like this? So eerie and desolate?”
“It’s a hostile land, true…and I can tell you from personal experience it seems even more so when you’re being dragged across it on foot and chained to a slave caravan. I’d never imagined anyplace in the world could be so hellish when I first came here. Dry and desolate it may be, but there are places—secret and fiercely guarded places—of unique beauty out there.” Dae reached over and patted the young woman comfortingly on the thigh. “Do not fret. When we reach El'Kasari and you see the palace, you’ll feel a good deal more at ease.”
Lyric raised an eyebrow skeptically. She was still wearing the clothing she’d brought from the reformatory, light cotton and silk which protected her fair skin from the sun. Inaya had given both girls the traditional desert haik to shield their faces from the harsh, blowing sands, but doubt was audible in her tone. “I heard fables of the city as a child, Dae…along with stories of fairy kingdoms concealed by mushroom rings. After agreeing to come with you on this journey, I hope there will at least be a minimum level of comfort to be found at the end.”
Dae only smiled mysteriously and said, “You will see. No city in the Heartland can compare to the magnificence of El’Kasari…and the palace is truly a wonder to behold.”
By the time they reached the Kah-hari oasis their horses were beginning to tire, so Zafirah allowed the army a full day and night to rest by the refreshing waters, giving their weary mounts a chance to recover. Kaylee played with Nasheta and Inaya through the lush desert palms and grasses, splashing about in the deep spring and looking for all the world as though they were already back in the seraglio gardens. It didn't take much for the three to draw Dae into their game, and even Zafirah shed her regal demeanor and joined in. Dae watched her new friend bond with the two pleasure-servants and her wife, feeling utterly at peace.
At sunset, they gathered near the outer edge of the oasis to watch the sky shift through a spectrum from blue to red, pink to purple, and even Lyric could not deny the view was inspiring. They startled, however, when an alarm call sounded from their left and they turned to see robed figures striding out of the deepening gloom. Kaylee shrank a little behind Dae when she stood to face the intruders, who each stopped in front of the Consort and performed a solemn salaam before removing their haik's. Their leader—an older man with skin toughened and creased by a life in the open desert, and a wiry beard that gave his face a scowling appearance—bowed again to Zafirah when she joined her wife.
“Rehan,” the Scion greeted, nodding for Dae to approach. “I am certain you remember my Consort.”
The man smiled, and Dae was confused, certain his face was unfamiliar. He quickly answered her unspoken question. “I was among those who dispatched your captors the day the Scion saved you…though you were surely in no frame of mind to remember me. I am Rehan Al'Carin, leader of the Tek and cousin—distant cousin, mind you—to your wife. Glad I am to hear you have returned safely to the desert.”
“I’m honored you would come out to welcome me back personally,” Dae said quietly.
“Alas, I fear I am also here to offer apology,” Rehan said, lowering his gaze humbly. “The men who stole you from the Herak camp passed through the oasis on their journey west…and I fear I may have offered them unwitting guidance in their quest to find you. I did not believe their mission intended you harm…but I should have been more cautious with my words.”
Dae smiled and touched the sheikh on the shoulder comfortingly. “You have nothing to apologize for, Rehan, I promise you. If you saw no malice in Jarod's face then you judged him well enough, for he only sought to ease my father's heartache. It may have taken some time and caused some hurt along the way, but I'm happier to have walked this road than one shorter and less complete.”
The grizzled nomad blinked at her a moment, clearly surprised, but then he grinned toothily and said, “Spoken like a true Jaharri!”
The men all cheered, and Dae laughed.
Zafirah insisted the nomads stay, so Rehan and his tribesmen joined their meal that evening, eager to hear tales of their adventure and showing appropriate expressions of amazement and disbelief at the descriptions given by the spahi. Though Lyric and Kaylee eyed the nomads a touch warily, Dae found that Rehan reminded her a lot of Jestart, his Herak counterpart. Most of the young men and women who had been with her in the slave caravan had been taken into the Tek tribe to serve a term of indenture before they were released back to their lives—Dae understood this was no more than Jaharri custom—and she found herself wondering about them for the first time in a long while. The Tek, as one of the tribes charged with guardianship of the precious Kah-hari oasis, sounded like an interesting tribe; she made a mental note to ask Zafirah if they might visit it soon.
Falak's scouts rode ahead of the main army as they left the oasis for the open desert again, carrying news of their imminent arrival on to El'Kasari. Still, there were more nights spent riding under a blanket of sparkling stars before they finally got their first sight of the city. Shimmering through the heat-haze, the towering spires of the city might have been just another mirage. Dae was surprised at the strength of her emotions that flooded through her at that first glimpse of the city; that sense of coming home she had not felt when she returned to her father's estate. Kaylee and Lyric squinted against the rippling heat-haze rising from the sand and rocky plains to bring the image into focus, both extremely curious and relieved that the end of their journey was so close. But distances in the desert were deceptive, and when they voiced their relief Zafirah gave them a wry smile.
“We have another long night in the saddle before we reach the city,” she told them grimly. “But do not be disheartened; tomorrow you shall fall asleep under silken sheets, your body washed of travel-dust and perfumed with oils. What sacrifice is one more night?”
When they finally reached their destination, the citizens flocked to welcome their arrival, a great crowd surging out onto the desert plains and cheering the return of their beloved Scion and her Consort. Riding beside her mate, Dae was overwhelmed by their cheers and cries of welcome, their joy almost frenzied. But the horses cleared a path through the masses with cool efficiency, accustomed to the chaos of battle and bothered little by the pressing crowds. They had a moment to collect themselves and brush the dust and sand from their clothing when they made it back to the barracks, where the jubilant citizens couldn't follow.
“Everyone seems pretty excited,” Kaylee remarked unnecessarily, looking around with great interest at everything she could see. “I guess they're glad to have you back.”
Dae nodded, guessing the detour back to her homeland and Zafirah's heroic incursion to get her back was contributing more to the celebrity welcome than anything else.
“It will not be so crowded once we reach the palace,” Zafirah assured them. “Just stay close, and you will be safe enough.”
They left their horses in the care of the spahi and continued through the streets of the city on foot. Dae walked arm in arm with the Scion, copying Zafirah in reaching out to brush her fingers against the hands of those who reached out to touch her. The people were in high spirits, but despite their numbers they never seemed in danger of being crushed. Dae glanced behind her to watch Lyric and Kaylee's faces as they approached the center of the city, where the palace rose above all the surrounding buildings. The two young women were craning their necks back to stare in awe up at the towering spires and parapets of the magnificent structure, their jaws slack with shock and eyes wide. She laughed, not at all surprised by their reaction.
“Well, Lyric…what do you think?” she asked the haughty blonde with a big grin. “A humble abode, I know, but you should be comfortable enough.”
Lyric, whose unique beauty was attracting a considerable number of admiring looks from both men and women in the crowd around them, could not conceal how impressed she was at the sight of the palace. “It's enormous!” she marveled. “King Gerald himself cannot boast a palace to rival this!” When they passed over a sweeping bridge and under the palace entry arch, she paused to run her fingers in awe over the thousands of semi-precious stones set into the marble in a stunning mosaic.
Dae watched her expression with some amusement; the casual display of such wealth had stopped her in her tracks the first time she'd seen it, too. But she tugged Lyric along with a smile and said, “Don't be too quick to judge the true treasures of the Jaharri; freedom to pursue your passions without judgement will outshine those pretty baubles.”
Lyric, glancing back over her shoulder at the archway, didn't argue.
They wound their way up into the palace, the two newcomers wide-eyed at the wonders around them and slowing their pace now that the crowds weren't blocking so much of the view. At one of the hallway intersections, the two pleasure-servants halted and turned to Dae.
“Nasheta and I shall return to the seraglio,” Inaya said, giving Dae a long hug before she left them. “The other’s must be eager to hear we have returned safely…and I do not care to wear these rags any longer than I must. It will be a relief to let my skin breath freely once more.” As she withdrew from the embrace, Inaya stroked her fingers tenderly over Dae's face and gave her a warm smile. “Come see us soon, okay?”
“I will,” Dae promised. She was exhausted from the long journey, and wanted little more than a wash, a change of clothes, and to fall asleep in her wife’s arms, breathing the sweet scent of incense and spice. But as soon as she’d rested, Dae fully intended to visit the seraglio and see her friends once more. It had been too long.
Inaya's expression shifted to something more seductive, and she leaned close to Dae's neck and whispered. “Do not forget, little one, there is yet one more ceremony to be completed before you are truly the Scion's Consort in the eyes of all your subjects…one which has been delayed far too long already. When you have settled in and seen to the care of your new playmates, hafl al’iilkhlas multahab awaits you.”
Dae swatted Inaya's butt playfully as she turned away, giving her a scolding look. “You shouldn't tease,” she scolded without much heat.
After all the suggestive teasing from her friend, Dae had formulated an idea of what the mysterious ceremony might entail…of how the other pleasure-servants might be likely to offer their pledges of devotion and commitment to her union with Zafirah. What she had in mind was both thrilling and somewhat daunting, and Dae wasn't certain whether she hoped her guess proved accurate or not. Time would tell, she supposed…and if indeed events played out as she believed they would, she felt a good deal better prepared to face the ceremony now than she had been prior to her journey out to the Herak camp.