****Lots of new parts in this chapter so I haven't gone back and edited. Just trying to keep the momentum of submitting chapters as my computer continues to crap out on me****
"Rahnka, can you hear me?" Umar yelled over the side of the ship.
Rahnka, still awestruck, stammered. "Y-yes, Papa."
Umar exhaled, hammering his fist twice on the railing at the sound of his daughter's voice. "Are you and Fai-sahl alright?"
Rahnka's long eyelashes fluttered as a smile crept up her face. "Come see for yourself!"
Puzzled, Umar and Shiou looked at each other. Umar took hold of Shiou's hand and transformed them both into sand. The wind swept them off the side of the ship and onto the desert floor, until loose particles gathered to form bodies of solid matter once again. Their mouths quickly fell ajar as they witnessed the magnitude of Fulbright's strength. Umar chuckled in disbelief as he ran his hands through his thick molasses curls.
"The boy did it! He did it!"
Shiou's smile grew upward like ivy reaching for the sun; his eyes disappeared behind his sun stained cheeks. "Very good Oli-ne," he whispered softly.
Umar was practically giddy. "I can't believe he's been holding back this whole time!"
Shiou stroked his chin. "I don't think he knew he was holding back."
"Eh?" Umar studied Shiou's thoughtful gaze. He knew better than to question his wisdom and connection with the Light and ceded his speculation to Shiou's deep understanding. He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted,"Fai-sahl! You can lower the ship now!"
Fulbright did not stir.
Umar grew nervous. "The dock patrol will be here any moment, Shiou. How are we going to explain a ship hovering above the dunes with a busted hull?"
Shiou snapped his fingers. "The boy is in a heavy trance, Umar. We should have the crew take over and lower the ship with sand and wind."
Umar relaxed his face. "Oi! Good thinking, brother!"
Above, Rahnka watched as her father shouted commands and corralled an organized formation of her shipmates. Together they began to shift the dunes below, summoning the sand to encircle the base of the ship. Rahnka turned to Fulbright and cooed.
"Fai-sahl. Fai-sahl. You saved us. You can let go of the burden now."
Still entranced, Fulbright responded to Rahnka's tender request and slowly relaxed his hands along the splintered beams of wood until he was no longer attached to it. His eyes immediately lost their white glow as he crumpled inside of his harness. Rahnka slipped her arms around him once more, feeling the familiarity of her power return to her. The weight of the ship quickly sank down into the harness of restless sand. Visibility had decreased substantially as the amber singed edges of the horizon faded into deep lavender blues of the evening sky. Dunes and crags below were difficult to distinguish from above, but the desert nymphs managed to nestle the ship just outside a cluster of jagged rocks.
With the ship now safe and stable on the ground, Rahnka closed her eyes, focusing on Fulbright's heartbeat and hers, until the two became a harmonious cadence, morphing into one body of shifting particles of sand, and slipping through the leather harnesses that bound them to the ship. When they materialized, Fulbright moaned as his knees buckled from the physical strain on his body. Rahnka struggled to quickly bolster his weight onto her tiny frame, and was relieved to have her father and Shiou reach out to support his arms over their necks like a heavy yoke. Fulbright's head rolled to the side.
"Did I do it?" he groaned.
"Yes, yes you did," Rahnka smiled warmly.
The bridge between the mysterious realm of Light that possessed Fulbright had not quite synced to reality. His speech was slurred and incoherent. "Voices. All I heard were voices," Fulbright murmured.
Rahnka and Umar both looked at Shiou for confirmation. He nodded solemnly.
"Well, we can't risk raising suspicions with Xian authorities. Let's get Fai-sahl comfortable over there by those boulders until he returns to us," Umar sighed. "I hate to say it, but as much as he has been a great help to us, our journey has been--"
Rahnka interrupted. "Don't say it, Papa."
"Challenging from the start. And if he has managed to hear the message of the Khurag-Hetyth, then I question whether his majesty's presence is a misfortune to us all."
A low, burly hum from a distance shattered their conversation. The three looked up and saw red and gold flags flapping alongside the soft glow of toggling lanterns. Umar and Shiou lifted Fulbright's long elfin frame further up onto their shoulders as they staggered toward the cluster of boulders. His toes dragged through the dunes, leaving a pair of trenches following behind him. Rahnka came behind them, erasing his trail.
The sound of the procession grew louder, and the abysmal hum vibrated the airwaves once more. The dock patrol appeared, carrying the crimson flags with a golden emblem of the Xian province stamped in the center, along with paper lanterns lit from within. Behind them, marching in a tight formation was the aerial distress unit, known for providing aid to shipwrecked travelers, transportation and relocation of the ship, and repair of any damages.
Their presence also meant interrogation. As familiar as Umar and Shiou were with the unit, Umar was not keen on having to explain the newcomer to his crew. Umar urged Rahnka to help the others unload the ship as he and Shiou slid down the side of the dunes to meet the unit. The highest ranking official sat on the back of a black and white slothful looking bear, his gold armor gleaming against the soft hues of light emanating from the paper lanterns. Shiou and Umar extended out their left hands and slapped them across their chest.
"Good evening, General Tao-tsu," Umar replied.
The general was taken aback. "Umar? You are the last person I expected to be rescuing. What happened?"
Umar transitioned from the salute, running his hand through his hair as he scratched his head. "I am not quite sure, General. One second we were taking in the beauty of Xia, and the next second we were pounded by a fierce wind."
The general studied the large hole, partially healed by Fulbright's touch. "Are you sure it was the wind? You know Xia barely gets a breeze in the summer and this does not look to be the result of wind. This looks to have come from inside the ship."
"Like I said, I am not quite sure what happened, let alone have any time to assess the damages before your unit arrived."
General Tao-tsu raised an eyebrow. "How did you manage to avoid other damages upon impact?"
"My men jumped ship and once a few of our crew were able to slow it down, we were able to collectively stop it from crashing."
General Tao-tsu, still examining the hole, lit a fire with his hands. The small flame hovered above his palm as he scrutinized the portions of wood that had begun to knit themselves back together. He closed his palm, extinguishing the light. "Well, that is a relief. I will have the unit begin to help load your belongings onto the caravan of podami we have provided for you."
"Thank you, General Tao-tsu," Umar nodded his head respectfully.
"I will have my unit transport your ship just as soon as you have unloaded everything you wish to take with you and begin repairs immediately."
Umar sighed. "How long?"
"The repairs are minimal, so three days. Can you afford to stay in Xia that long?"
Umar winced. "I am afraid not. The Festival of the Dragons is in three weeks, and I must be back in Parsha no later than the beginning of next week. Is there anything we can borrow for the time being that I can return to you after the festival?"
General Tao-tsu shook his head. "I am sorry, all of our ships are still out on trade routes. I can send you up to Peor with our fastest caravan, where I am sure you can rent a clipper to get you to Parsha in time."
"Those dinky clippers aren't meant to carry so much cargo. We'd sink in the ports."
"Then, might I suggest you adjust your trade route, and lighten the load along the way."
Umar could sense his responses were less than flattering to the general. "I am sorry. I am grateful for your assistance. Truly I am."
"It is my pleasure and my debt to you for keeping my younger brother out of harm's way," he bowed, finally addressing Shiou. "Although, I would hate to see what Odessa has planned for you if you are late for your own anniversary celebration."
"Then stop delaying us with your interrogations," Shiou scoffed.
The general smiled.
Umar quelled the tension. "Shiou, how about you go and help the others finish loading the cargo on the caravans? We don't want to make Odessa worry."
Shiou, who never showed signs of bristling animosity toward anyone, said nothing more to his brother as he straightened his robe and departed. The general chuckled behind his brother's back, unaffected by Umar's stern gaze.
"By the way, have you heard the news?"
"What news?" Umar asked.
"I have heard from other traders that the prince of Ackerely escaped to the Oberon Sea."
Umar's jaw tightened. "Yes, I had heard news of that while we docked in Jarra. Have they found him?"
General Tao-tsu shook his head. "Not yet, but there are rumors that he may make landfall soon and head to the desert."
"Rumors?" Umar arched an eyebrow. "The General does not strike me as someone who acts on rumors."
"We cannot have the king of Ackerley, an Alodian for that matter, sending his men to the desert to search for a prince. The king may get the rotten idea to extend his kingdom into the western lands. We can't have that. Not again..." the general trailed off.
Umar drew in his breath. "I'll keep an eye open for anyone...suspicious."
The general nodded and dismissed Umar with a slothful, one-fingered salute to his brow. Umar casually made his way back to the ship, taking care not to turn around until he was sure he was out of General Tao-tsu's sight. Shiou was coming down the plank with a small crate of Jarran spices and herbs. Umar stopped him.
"You alright?"
Shiou set the crate at his feet, gasping from the weight of it. "I'm sorry. That was out of character."
Umar shook his head gravely. "That's not what I asked."
"My brother thrives on disrupting the peace for me. I don't know why I let him get to me."
"Because he is your brother," Umar chuckled. "And he cannot understand how you are content with your life without position or power like him to prop you up. He is jealous."
Shiou was flustered. "Why? He has access to the same contentment I do. We all do."
Umar pursed his lips, observing Shiou unravel. "Tell me, is your brother still looking this way?"
Shiou subtly shifted his glance over Umar's shoulder. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
"He was extra skeptical of how we received the damage to our ship. I honestly do not know why or how it happened, but I assume my honesty wasn't enough for him."
"Don't be too offended. He mistrusts everyone," Shiou snorted.
"He also mentioned the missing prince."
"Great Spirits!" Shiou murmured.
"We have got to figure out how to get Fai-sahl on the caravan without your brother noticing," Umar stated coolly.
"And how do we do that?"
"We give him what he wants," Umar grinned. "A flustered little brother that's fed up. Here, I will take the spices to the caravan. You go and put on a show."
Umar picked up the crate and left Shiou standing at the bottom of the plank, unsure if he was willing to degrade himself to preserve the identity of Fulbright. Umar glanced toward the boulders, hoping that Fulbright was conscious enough to remain quiet. He stumbled over the loose sand as he made his way over to the wagons hitched to the lackadaisical panda munching on bamboo leaves. He spotted Rahnka standing in one of the wagons, helping to receive and arrange cargo by trading points.
Umar slowly hoisted the crate over his shoulder and pushed it onto the edge of the wagon. "Jarran spices. Please tell me I can put them here," he grunted.
Rahnka hunched over and dragged the crate onto the floor of the wagon. She straightened herself and wiped her sweaty forehead with her forearm. She watched as a red faced Shiou trudged through the dunes toward his brother.
"Aio!" Rahnka exclaimed. "What's got Shiou so ruffled?"
"Nevermind him," Umar dismissed the fabricated altercation with the flick of his hand. "Word has been spreading that the prince is missing and Shiou's brother is on high alert now."
Rahnka lifted a hand to her mouth in both disbelief and concern.
"This is getting serious, Rahnka. Maybe we should--"
Rahnka choked on her whisper. "No, Papa. We can't just--"
Umar raised up his hands and gently hushed his daughter. "I was going to say maybe we should reconsider letting him out into public places, at least until we get to Parsha. People like General Tao-tsu keep an account of everyone that comes into this province and Ful--Fai-sahl is definitely a fresh face to Xia that will definitely raise suspicion."
Rahnka cast a glance at General Tao-tsu and Shiou arguing then back at her father. She closed her eyes, catching the thick disdain lodged in her throat, and swallowed hard. Then she quickly hopped off the wagon, slicked back any loose hairs on the side of her head, and straightened her attire as best as she could. Umar looked at his daughter, confused at her preening exercise. He raised an eyebrow.
"What are you about to do?" he asked, grabbing the arm that still had an intact sleeve.
Rahnka winked. "You leave that to me, Papa. You just figure out a way to get Fai-sahl onto this caravan without anyone seeing him."
With his lower jaw clenched, Umar stared at his daughter as she strutted away from him and toward General Tao-Tsu and Shiou. As she drew closer to the altercation between the two brothers, Rahnka lifted her chin a little higher, catching the attention of the general. She stopped and placed her fist in the air and then pounded it on her chest as she bowed.
"General Tao-tsu. Papa has sent me to inform you that we are nearly done with loading our belongings on the caravan, but he--"
The general's eyes grew wide with delight. "Rahnka? Rahnka is that you? But you were a little child the last time I saw you. And now you are--"
"Still a child, Tao-tsu," Shiou growled.
Rahnka cleared her throat, feeling awkward and indignant all at once. "Papa says he is concerned that it will delay Shiou from making it home in time for his celebration."
General Tao-tsu scratched his bristly chin. "Why not just come back in the morning?"
Rahnka bit her lip, replying hastily. "There isn't time," then added coolly with a smile, "You know Papa. Always has to make good time."
The general returned her smile with an eely one. Rahnka drew in her breath, masking her repulsion as he fixed his eyes on her for one agonizing moment. Finally, he clasped his hands and rubbed them together like a gluttonous housefly.
"Very well," he chuckled. "I will inform my unit of their departure and leave behind an extra panda for you father--"
Rahnka relaxed her face into a heartfelt smile. "Oh thank you, General!"
"And..I will stay behind to provide cover for him. It will give us a chance to.." his eyes slithered up and down her frame. "Catch up."
Rahnka tried to hide her immediate disappointment, but her slumped shoulders betrayed her.
"You had a better suggestion?" General Tao-tsu probed.
Rahnka hesitated briefly, then gave him a Parshan bow. "Thank you, General Tao-tsu. I will alert my father at once of your proposal."
Rahnka swiftly turned on her heels and began to walk away, internally writhing at the way General inhaled her presence with his eyes. She gave him a final lingering gaze to bait his interest. He rolled his fingers at her in a flirtatious gesture. She turned and quickened her pace toward her father who was anxious for her report. He was puzzled by her contorted face of disgust.
"What happened?"
Rahnka made a gagging noise. "Remind me to take a long shower when we get to Shiou's house."
Umar looked at Rahnka with confusion. "Why?"
"Shiou's brother. Has he always been this slimy?"
Umar muffled a laugh. "So, what did he say?"
"Unfortunately, I think I made it worse for you. The general agreed to allow most of our party to venture to Shiou's house, while you stay behind to finish up disembarking any remaining goods. He offered or rather insisted that he accompany you."
Umar buried his face into his hands. "Great Spirits."
"I'm sorry, Papa. For coaxing you into all of this mess." Rahnka's eyes darted back and forth along the wrinkles in the sand, trying to conjure up a solution in her mind. Sand. Rahnka smacked her forehead with the heel of her palm. "Of course!" she groaned.
"What?" Umar moaned back.
"Isn't it obvious?" Rahnka exclaimed as she kissed her father on the cheek and disappeared into the hedge of thickets and boulders, leaving her father bewildered.
With hardly any light left to see, Rahnka groped along the jagged rocks, straining to find where her father had placed Fulbright. In the distance, General Tao-tsu gave the order for his unit to begin leading the caravan back into the city. Rahnka's pulse quickened as she frantically searched for any trace of Fulbright. Suddenly, a pair of clammy hands reached out from the shadows and pulled her into the darkness behind the boulders. She resisted and twisted her way out of the stranger's grasp. She was about to respond with an attack, when she realized it was Fulbright.
His face was pale and Rahnka could tell he was struggling to stand straight up. "Fai-sahl!" she whispered.
"Where are we?" Fulbright grunted.
"On the outskirts of Xia. Come! The caravan is about to leave."
Fulbright grabbed his forehead and noticed that he was still wearing the goggles over his face. He was too weak to tug them off.
"My head," he bellowed.
"Keep your voice down!" Rahnka hissed. "Here, give me your hand."
Fulbright looked down at Rahnka's small brown hand and slid his hand into hers, taking in the warmth and softness of her touch. She pulled him into her body and closed her eyes, muzzling any excitement that would betray her. In a moment the two were sinking toward the earth, the air passing through them and around them as they began sliding over rocks and thickets. They rolled past the feet of the general and Umar making their way to the ship and swirled toward the middle of the departing caravan. The ribbons of whirling sand slipped behind a torpid moving panda, transforming back into Rahnka a Fulbright.
The two fell into stride with the beast, until Rahnka felt she could scurry up the large beast's shoulders without slipping off. Again she reached out to Fulbright. Still weak, he clumsily grabbed her hand and scrambled up onto the bear's back and took a seat behind Rahnka, fumbling to center himself on the heap of black and white fur. Fulbright felt himself starting to slip and instinctually grabbed onto Rahnka's waist as he gripped the panda's wide frame with his thighs and knees as best as he could. Startled by his touch, Rahnka chose to ignore the impropriety of his actions along with any desire that may have been sparked within her because of it.