The Blue Desert

Chapter Fifteen

The figure quickly whispered, "Shhh, shhh," as if quieting a horse, and then Anan realized that he was trying to quiet Bayen and Vayta, upset first by his presence and then her shriek.

Slowly, the figure turned around. His face covering had been dropped, and Anan recognized him. They stood still in complete silence for a moment until Bayen shifted uncomfortably and the man laid his hand on the horse's neck reassuringly.

"I'm sorry," he spoke, his voice low. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Anan wasn't sure if he was talking to the horse or her. She tried to relax her threatening stance, but her mind was spinning from fear and lack of sleep. "What are you doing here?" she questioned.

The edge in her tone caused Bayen to prance nervously, and she eyed the two of them, watching the intruder with the same apprehensive expression in her eyes as the bay.

"My father did not tell me of your departure until after you had left. I was trying to convince him to let me guide you to Tria, but he would not listen, so I left in the night. It is not safe for you to travel alone."

Anan could see Bayen's eyes rolling and with an exasperated expression, she stalked over and took hold of his reins, laying her hand on his neck to soothe him. She hadn't lost her fear of Silius, but she did not like seeing the fear in Bayen's eyes.

Silius stood there, waiting for a reply, but when she did not give one, he broke the silence again. "I will build a fire, and then you can rest again."

Anan watched him walk away and whispered comforting words to her horse. Vayta stood a few strides away, unmoving but with the same expression of fear as Bayen. To be safe, she walked to him and calmed him as best she could. By the time she turned around, a blaze had begun to burn beneath Silius's hands.

She took a few steps toward him but stopped when he stood and turned around. They stared at each other for a few moments, him questioningly, and her trying to decide if he was trustworthy. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that he had ridden a horse of his own that he had staked a few paces away, where the horse could drink if he wanted to.

"Do you not believe me?" he asked.

"I do not understand you."

His eyebrows raised slightly as he gave a small nod. "You do not understand why I would help you?"

It was a statement that he had phrased as a question, so Anan nodded in reply.

"I have travelled through the land that you will need to traverse, and I, even as a man, was barely tolerated in many places. I've seen what it is like for people to be at the mercy of others, and I won't let that happen to anyone if I can give them aid. I will make sure that no harm comes to you, and when we reach Tara then I will leave you to your business there if that is what you want." He paused and then questioned, "Tara is your destination, is it not?"

Anan nodded while she tried to process all that he had said. Were there people who helped others just for the sake of it? Could she really trust his motives? For the sake of at least appearing to trust him, she approached the fire and sat down cross legged in front of it. He would have left with her the morning before if that desert girl had not become ill; Anan would have trusted him then. He had still come to help her even without the girl though, he must not think it "improper" as his father had called it.

There was no way she could stop him from going to Tara with her, and the companionship and the protection would be welcomed. After a moment, Silius sat on the other side of the fire and trailed a twig through the sand. "You should rest," he said at last.

"I'm not tired," Anan lied, but she wouldn't be able to fall asleep if she wanted to.

He nodded understandably, and they sat in silence, both watching the flames rise and fall in brilliant colors of red and orange-gold.