Brother of the Desert Rats

"You too wish to see it."

Zaelan glanced at the Princess. She was riding just ahead of him, her eyes gazing ahead but not seeming to stare at anything. She hadn't spoken a word to him since the night before, except for a few commands. 

The morning had passed in a hurried blur. The camp had been all packed up, until it was as though it hadn't ever existed. And now they were traveling at a steady pace. The horse riders went ahead first, and the wagons of supplies followed behind. 

Zaelan had heard some of the men talking and knew they were trying to reach another camp several hours ahead. It was important for them to keep pace and reach it before nightfall due to the strange creatures that hunted across the sand dunes at night. Zaelan was also beginning to grow aware of how foolish his escapade had been. He had been lucky to have made it so far on his own. And if anything, Ara had actually risked her life to come and fetch him back.

As it turned to afternoon and the sun began lowering in the sky, Zaelan saw rows of rock cliffs across the horizon. His horse, Vym, also began to act out, trying to pull away from the group and head towards them. Zaelan had to fight against the reins to control him.

"The cliffs were his homeland. Vym does not forget things so easily."

Zaelan had not expected Ara to speak, and was startled by her sudden statement. He turned to look at her, and saw she was gazing out across the dunes again. But he noticed the way her eyes flickered, almost as if mentally arguing with herself at having spoken to him.

"Those cliffs," Zaelan asked hesitantly. "Are they the Walls of Rune?"

Ara's brow creased slightly. "Walls of Rune? I suppose you would call them that. But I have always known them as the Walls of Dune."

Zaelan didn't say anything to that. He didn't want to anger the princess by stating that Dune had never been a country in itself. It had always just been a Runen desert filled with rogues. A desert that they tried to declare was their kingdom.

He turned his gaze back to the towering cliffs. If they were truly the cliffs that lined the eastern coast land, that meant the ocean lay just beyond them. Zaelan could not remember the last time he had seen the coast. As least, not properly. The Rune harbour barely counted. He turned away with a sigh, and started back in fright as he saw that Ara had turned in her saddle to stare at him. A strange expression had crossed her face, and her eyes studied him thoughtfully.

"You too wish to see it," she murmured, although it was more like she talked to herself than to him. She leaned forward. "What price would you pay to see it?"

Zaelan did not hesitate this time. "Anything, my lady."

"My grandfather should not punish you since I am your master. But he may do it to try and guilt me. Do you understand that?"

It was a choice. His master was actually giving him a choice, and allowing him the right to refuse. It confused Zaelan as he thought back to the slaves in his father's house. They lived by command only. They were told when they were to work, when to eat, and even when to sleep. Why was it different here? If anything, shouldn't they be all the crueler? Ara was contradicting everything he had ever read of the desert rats. In the history books, they had always been painted as murders, thieves, deserters, vagabonds of all kind. This civilized camp with law and order was not even as cruel as the military camps he had grown up in. Had everything he had been taught been a lie?

"I'll go, master. No matter the consequence."

Ara nodded. "Wait for the sun to set. We will then leave while they set the camp."

Zaelan's eyes widened with shock. He had just been thinking of how the princess had so carelessly risked her life to fetch him the night he had run away, but here she was willingly putting her life in danger a second time. Her words from last night floated back to his mind.