"Who is this Prince?" she asked.
"He is the leader of our group. His father is a great noble. We are shalaran, fighting men, unmarried warriors. We protect the borders of our lands from the other tribes, and from people like your green soldiers, like the warriors in white."
"How long do we travel?"
"Half of the sun’s passage across the sky."
"Your Prince, will he let me go."
Jehral laughed. "No," he said.
There was no further conversation.
The horses ploughed through the dunes, the sand tossed into the air like foam. Ella could now see nothing but white sand in all directions. She felt like she was adrift on an endless white sea, the sandy crests and troughs frozen in time, the waves perpetually on the point of breaking.
She wondered how they managed to find their way — they didn’t seem to use anything like a seeker. Then she saw Jehral looking at the sun’s position in the sky, then take a bearing from a stony peak in the far distance. He altered their course slightly.
The heat was oppressive. She longed for water. Any moisture that might once have been in her mouth was long gone. A wind started to blow, the air hot and dry. It took the tops off the dunes in a line of white spray, blowing the fine sand through the air. Ella was forced to cover her mouth with a corner of the robe after it kept entering her mouth, getting into her eyes. She raised the robe’s green hood over her head and used it to protect herself.
After a time, they started to encounter strange formations of rock, sprouting out of the desert like bizarre plants from soil. Some of the shapes reminded her of mushrooms, others of animals or trees. One had an incredible mass balanced on a tiny stem. She couldn’t believe it hadn’t broken.
Jehral handed her the bottle again. "Finish it," he said. "We are almost there. If the Prince orders you killed, you might as well be well-watered."
Ella eagerly accepted the bottle and drained its contents. There were only about two mouthfuls but she instantly felt rejuvenated.
They rounded a long formation of stratified rock, and suddenly Ella could see signs of settlement.
There were perhaps a score of black tents, each nearly indistinguishable from the other. Ella could make out the figures of men moving about. One of the tents in the middle was perhaps twice the size of any other, it had gold cord entwined about its ropes and was fronted with what appeared to be a carpet.
Surely this couldn’t be the residence of a Prince? Perhaps they were at a way stop to gather water?
"We have arrived," Jehral said.
The six warriors straightened in their saddles and slowed their pace to a prancing canter. The desert men in the camp looked up as the newcomers approached. Ella saw that some had dark eyes, but others’ eyes were blue or green. Their skin was a universal dark bronze, smooth and unlined. They all wore billowing black clothing above high boots. They were all men.
The other riders peeled off to the sides as they rode in, answering greetings from their friends. Rashine stayed with them.
Jehral came to a halt outside the largest tent. He leapt lightly to the ground and then lifted Ella from the waist, setting her down with surprising gentleness.
"Wait here," Jehral said. "I will see the Prince now."
"I will guard her," said Rashine.
"That won’t be necessary," said Jehral. "Where can she go?"
Rashine scowled. "She has powers. I will guard her."
Jehral sighed but didn’t argue. Rashine took Ella by the arm, gripping her, hard. She kept a smooth face, not showing any sign of discomfort.
Two guards at the door of the tent moved the sides apart as Jehral approached. He nodded at them and entered.
Ella waited outside, ignoring Rashine. There was something about the big man she didn’t like — he seemed to have some kind of vendetta for her. Perhaps he had been slighted when she hadn’t gracefully allowed him to remove her head from her shoulders.
She tried to listen intently but the tent muffled the sound. Looking around, she saw the camp had been carefully chosen, situated away from the wind in a position where it would receive the most shade from the sun’s rays.
Some of the warriors looked at her curiously as they passed. Her shimmering green silk robe covered with silver runes certainly drew attention. She felt an unfamiliar tugging and turning she found Rashine rubbing her pale blonde hair between his fingers, looking at it curiously.
"Remove your touch," Ella said in an ominous voice.
Rashine jumped and plucked his hand away, and then frowned when he realised he had shown weakness.
"What is in this bag?" he pointed to her satchel.
Ella shrugged, "The tools of my trade."
~
JEHRAL strode out of the tent, looking at Rashine, and then at Ella. "The Prince, he will see you now."
"She is dangerous," said Rashine.
"Are you saying the Prince can not take care of himself?" Jehral said.