Desert Siren

Seven

Last Meal was a very subdued affair. Some of the Raptors had returned earlier, bringing with them a small supply of water. They told the General that there was very little life to be seen, mostly buzzards and other carrion eating animals that scattered at their approach. The General set his men to digging through the surrounding sand and any carcasses unearthed were inspected. Many had already begun to rot but some were still edible. A smell of death permeated the air as the dead animals were uncovered and Jayza drew her head scarf across her nose and moved downwind. Water was severely rationed, each person only receiving a half a cup, and Jayza did her best to make it last. With no extra water, there was no bread and the amount each person received of the roasted carcasses barely made a dent in their hunger. Jayza knew it was going to get worse unless they found food and water soon and she struggled to remember everything she had learned about surviving in the desert.

After a quiet dinner, the men sat around the campfires, talking quietly and dicing or playing Pinchka, a game using small beads or stones of differing sizes. Deceptively easy, the rules were simple, but the game required deep thought and effective strategies to master. Jayza was slightly surprised to see the men playing it considering how much thought was necessary to play well. The sight of rough military men concentrating deeply and making each move with care was surprising. And a little funny.

"Why are you smiling, little one? Has one of my men suddenly taken your fancy?" The General spoke quietly, once again sounding amused.

"Scorched Sands, no. I just find it a little odd that your men are playing such an involved and challenging game." Jayza refused to be baited and her voice remained calm.

"Why? Because it's a thinking man's game?"

"Yes. And because it requires patience. And a lot of forethought."

"And Raptors are incapable of that, am I right?"

"No," she answered, drawing the word out. "It just seems at odds with what they are. What they do."

"Raptors are much more than brute assassins, little one." The General sat back, waving an arm at his men as he explained. "They are all highly educated, knowledgeable in history, geography, political diplomacy, and of course, military strategy. Under previous Emperors, they were often used to escort members of the royal family either to or from the Emperor's residence, assist dignitaries and ambassadors with negotiating treaties, and called upon to assist the Scholars with expanding the Imperial Library. It's only under the current Emperor that the role of the Raptors has been reduced, even though they are still required to master these things even as they are learning to become elite warriors."

Jayza continued watching the nearest game, noting where the one Raptor made his fatal mistake. When his opponent swept through the opening, overtaking the strongholds and eventually the main fortress, the first Raptor smiled grudgingly, turning over a handful of scrip.

"I knew it." She sat up straighter, her voice dripping with scorn. "I knew they didn't just play for fun. They turn even such a prestigious game into a gambling opportunity."

"Of course, they do," General Enyo said, frowning. "Everyone bets on Pinchka. Even the Emperor does."

"Really?" Jayza forced her gaze away from the games, turning to him in disbelief. "In Kif Aljar, they only played for fun."

"That you saw. But Pinchka is not only a thinking man's game, it's a serious one as well. Entire fortunes have been won and lost over a single game. Many lords and high-ranking officials have lost everything, reduced to almost beggary playing it."

"Do you play?" Jayza was curious. He seemed disinterested in the games currently underway, and she wondered if it was because he wasn't any good.