Ma'in, the Imperial city-state along the coast of the Arabian Sea
Ma'in's royal palace was located on the highest point of a cliff. Everyone knew that it was heavily secured with gates surrounding its perimeter, but what most people failed to realize was that it did have a vulnerable opening. The breach was the open ledge behind the palace that led down to the shores of the Arabian Sea. Had the royal guards known the true nature of desert-bred Arabian horses, they would have chased Lo'gan and Harabi there instead of assembling on the front gates. But either way, their own horses could not have given chase down the sea cliffs. Only the desert horses possessed the agility and strength to maneuver expertly down the nearly vertical slope and only they would even attempt it, since they would disregard their own fearful equine natures in a heartbeat to follow any of their master's commands faithfully.
Counting on this loyalty, Harabi and Lo'gan crossed the lush gardens and rode right up to the narrow ledges of the steep precipice. Mari realized their plan when they were practically over the edge and horrified, clutched at the arm that Lo'gan had crossed over her waist tightly.
["We'll fall over!"]
Sensing Mari's fear, Lo'gan leaned into her, bring their bodies flush against each other and spoke gently into her hair.
"It's okay, they can handle it. Just hold on to me. Hold on."
Mari gasped as Nayif took another unsteady step down on the craggy rock face and squirmed even tighter against Lo'gan. The surf of the ocean crashed against the rocks at the foot of the cliff sending arcs of spray fifteen feet into the night air. It was an altogether welcome sight to see moving water again, but terrified of the height and the bits of rock that loosened and fell into the surf after the horses uprooted them, Mari could not bring herself to watch. Turning her face into Lo'gan's still bare chest, Mari decided to pray instead. Lo'gan cupped her head and tucked her in even tighter, welcoming the feel of her warmth against him in the cooling night air.
They remained that way for over an hour as the horses slowly secured footing down the steep, winding overhangs; Mari silently reviewing the ancient blessings her uncle Cloarin had taught her while desperately ignoring the sudden lurches and Lo'gan maneuvering Nayif's reins while wondering what exactly he was going to tell his father now that he failed to secure a more reasonable tariff from the Sultan. Eventually those thoughts changed. As Mari felt the incline ease into less of a drop and as Lo'gan's thoughts strayed from politics to the flash of leg he saw every time the wind brushed away Mari's anabbayah, both began to think more of the person they were tightly pressed into.
Mari was the first to react by straightening herself out when she felt Lo'gan's hand shift from where he was holding her at the waist to brush the hair she had flapping in the wind off her face. His hands lingered by her cheek for a second too long and shifting slightly, Mari looked up into his face, immediately regretting the move that now brought his lips into close proximity to hers. Staring into the clear green eyes lined in kohl, Lo'gan smiled and opened his hand to cup Mari's neck. Still rubbing her cheek with his thumb, Lo'gan felt his body coil in anticipation of a kiss and silently searched her face for a sign that he could.
Mari watched the coal black eyes darken a few shades more and stopped breathing altogether. The Bedouin had the ability to look right through her and this close, it was dangerously unnerving. Hesitating for a second, Mari licked her bottom lip and was about to ask something when a sudden lurch forward from Nayif caused her head to bump against his chin. Pulling Nayif's reins to the left, Lo'gan cursed bad timing and watched Mari blush nervously and turn to face forward again with slightly more space between them.
Lo'gan still held her in place and Mari still clutched at him tightly, but she was significantly less afraid than she was before. In little over an hour, they were finally nearing the beach below. Hearing the surf crashing unlike anything she had ever known before, Mari finally ventured a tentatively look down as Nayif carefully navigated the remaining portion of the rocky ledge. What she saw caused her to gasp. Feeling her body tense up, Lo'gan shifted to see Mari's face, but quickly saw that she was not afraid, she was awed. He looked out over the open ocean too, so busy with thoughts of the Sultan and the woman nestled against him, that he hadn't realized how glorious it really was.
The half moon was now high and it lit the seemingly endless ocean magnificently. The surf that crashed below them was remarkable. It was fluid like the rivers and streams of Battavia and as endless as the Black Sea she crossed with Battam and his people. Unlike a river or a lake, however, it recoiled back and struck again with the same recycled power. It was like a wheel, giant and invisible and never missing a cycle. Mari looked up at the rising moon next, the night sky just a slightly darker shade of blue than the ocean. The night was beautifully clear and held just a trace of clouds over the horizon, leaving the magnificent stars on display. Familiar stars. Stars that reminded her of home.
Troubled by a sudden thought, Mari looked down from the twinkling sky to the dark hands that held her. They were bare and roughened and had fought so hard to help get her out of her chains. It was all so confusing. Why would they want her? Why would they risk so much for her? Where were they going and what would be the outcome of it all? Mari thought back to her promise of finding Danea, no matter what the cost. It was the motivation behind her every move since the day her father was killed. Closing her eyes tightly at the remembered feel of his hot blood splattering over her face, Mari suppressed a shiver. When that old queen had taken her bracelet map, she had lost hope, but by a strange twist of fate it was hers again and that had to mean something. It had to mean that the gods wanted her to return. She had to. She was not sure how, but she had to.
Sensing her change in mood, Lo'gan clutched the reins and brought his stallion to a stop. Mari stiffened and blinked back at him. Startled by the intense concern in his eyes, Mari stared at Lo'gan and swallowed hard. Her eyes fell down to his chest, but uncomfortable with them there, she glanced up again when he lifted her chin with his fingers. Mari smiled tightly and looked back over the sparkling ocean. Somewhere below them, she heard Harabi stop too and wanting desperately to get going again, Mari motioned to the open landscape and smiled with some effort.
["Beautiful."]
Lo'gan nodded thoughtfully, not sure if he had just misread sadness in Mari's features and followed her gaze across the silver speckled water lapping noisily to the white shores. Wet sand was not something he particularly liked, but it was familiar. So much like the sands that made up his home and it was beautiful in it's own way. Suddenly understanding what Mari had said, Lo'gan smiled and shifted so that Mari was resting on his shoulder and he could see her face clearly. Keeping an eye on the path Nayif had resumed, he pointed one hand, wrapped in leather reins, to Mari's chest.
"Beeutifoll."
Like the time in the archway, Mari held out all of three seconds before laughing out loud. She giggled despite herself, and almost instantly forgot her thoughts of home. Wondering if the Bedouin understood what he was saying, she shook her head and pointed to the glimmering ocean they were fast approaching.
["No, that's beautiful."]
Seeing his blank expression, Mari pointed at the intricate design of a peacock's tail painted on her left hand next. It was coincidentally the same hand queen Zainab had smashed with her cane.
["Beautiful."]
Then she patted down Nayif's gorgeous mane of black hair.
["He's beautiful too. All three are beautiful."]
Now it was Lo'gan's turn to disagree. Pleased that he had made her smile again, Lo'gan repeated his newly learned word and pointed at Mari again, confident that if she had pegged her henna designs, the ocean and Nayif in the same category, it had to mean something good.
"Beeutifoll."
Her breath catching at the fact that he had touched her skin yet again, Mari blushed and shook her head no.
["No, not beautiful, just different."]
The tinge of pain that Lo'gan imagined seeing just moments ago, flashed through Mari's clear eyes again and Lo'gan paused in his teasing. Jostling slightly in the saddle as Nayif stepped over rocks and clumps of salt resistant weeds, they assessed each other carefully. Lo'gan eventually broke the silence, repeating the word again slowly.
"Beeutifoll."
Mari huffed and looked down in embarrassment. Somehow, the dark Bedouin genuinely believed that. He thought she was beautiful and not just because she was odd, but……well, she didn't know why, but it was sweet of him to think so anyway. He was so far the only individual that even tried to talk her language and she had picked one hell of a word to teach him. Even though she had seen him fight men off ruthlessly all day, he was still gentle and trustworthy beyond words. It was a real shame that she didn't even know his name. Mari sat up a little straighter as an idea struck her. She took the hand that had gone back around her waist and pressed it to her chest. Ignoring how warm and soft the skin there was, Lo'gan raised an eyebrow and stared at Mari's lips, which were pressed together as if tasting something.
["Ma-ri. Ma-ri."]
Lo'gan's face twitched into a half smile. He knew instinctively what that meant and it hadn't even occurred to him until now that he had yet to hear her name. Watching Mari's exaggerated pronunciation a few times, Lo'gan figured he had it and pressed his lips together too.
"Maaaww-ri."
Mari nodded happily and repeated just to make sure.
"Mari."
Lo'gan absentmindedly shifted Nayif towards the right to avoid a large boulder and tried again.
"Maa-rrrii."
Mari smiled and nodded. Pleased with himself, Lo'gan practiced a little.
"Marri, Mari, Mari."
That earned him a little giggle and a blush. Taking advantage of the good mood, Lo'gan took the hand Mari had pressed to her chest over to his. Mari looked down at his still bare chest and blushed a little deeper as Lo'gan pressed her hand in so that her fingers opened completely. Not really breathing, Mari took her gaze from the warm, hard muscle under her palm and looked up to try and focus on what he was saying.
"Lo-gan. Lo-gan. Lo'gan."
Mari blinked and shaped her mouth accordingly, hoping vainly that her flush didn't show.
"lllrrr…"
Lo'gan saw she wasn't doing it right and pressed two fingers to the side of her cheeks. That narrowed her mouth and leaning in real close, he breathed his name out again.
"Lo-gan."
Mari stared at his mouth moving just inches from hers and tried again, Lo'gan's proximity not really helping her concentration.
"Loooo-gaannn. Lo-gann. Lo'gan."
The Jabir warrior smiled and Mari did too, knowing she had finally gotten it right. Then an idea occurred to her and she decided to offer everything else she knew in the Bedouin language.
"Camel, sit, water, please, mutton, tent, good, shut-up, goat…… Lo'gan."
Bursting out into a full, hearty laughter that made Harabi turn to see what was wrong with him, Lo'gan squeezed Mari as he marveled at all she knew. It certainly wasn't much, but at least her pronunciation was good and it was a start. Mari laughed with him, surprised of the grumbling emerging from his chest. The two laughed until Harabi felt the need to shush them from his horse. Slapping a hand over her mouth, Mari giggled even more in childish glee as Lo'gan responded with a grumbled word under his breath that she knew must have been a curse word.
Raising his eyebrow at Mari, Lo'gan settled her in again, knowing that they were soon going to be at the bottom of their perilous journey down the sea side cliffs. Already Harabi was at the bottom and surveying the stretch of beach. Holding her tightly for the last few steps, Lo'gan praised Nayif as they finally stepped down onto solid ground. Relieved, Mari let out a small sigh and smiled at Harabi who walked out to meet them.
"There's a smooth trail up along the beach into the western quarter."
Lo'gan nodded and moved to dismount as well. Giving Mari a reassuring smile, he walked towards the shore with his partner.
"We can move south then, but the tide is coming in, so we have to move quickly."
Harabi looked at the crashing waves and considered them carefully. Wet sand was not something he liked being around. Thinking the exact same thing, Lo'gan looked back to where Mari was cautiously trying to dismount Nayif. Her skirts were everywhere and she was about two seconds from falling flat on her behind. Smiling despite himself, Lo'gan was about to go back and help her, when Harabi gripped his arm.
"What are you going to do with her?"
Lo'gan's smile was instantly replaced by his typical stern look.
"What the hell does that mean?"
Harabi took a cautious step back and tried again.
"You can't take her to the……to your clan, they won't……well, she……"
Lo'gan whipped his head around and faced his partner. Harabi figured there and then that a lovesick Lo'gan giggling at a girl was better than a menacing one about two feet from him. He was tempted to just shut up about the whole thing, but if they were going any further, someone had to say it.
"Won't what? She's mine, Dawasir. They will accept her without question."
Harabi snorted and resisted the urge to look at the girl in question. She had just slid off Lo'gan's horse in the background and landed with an ungraceful thud in the sand.
"Are you so sure? Have you even thought about what she wants to do?"
Lo'gan stopped in his pacing and looked at Harabi pointedly. For a second the Dawasir thief thought he saw a flash of fear across the older man's face. It was brief, but very distinct.
"She'll come, I'll……I'll ask her and she will……you'll see."
Lo'gan flexed his hands unconsciously and struggled with the new concept of his dream woman somehow not ending up his. Regret gnawed at Harabi when he saw this struggle on Lo'gan's face and he approached him again, this time with a friendly hand on his shoulder.
"Just be careful. It must be her choice."
Lo'gan nodded thoughtfully and admitted as much. It did have to be her choice. Somehow, she had to want it as much as him. Looking to the cloaked figure brushing sand off herself and gingerly petting the horses in the distance, Lo'gan clenched his jaw and regarded his partner again. It seemed strange to consider a Dawasir a partner, but he had more than proven so in the last few days. Swallowing the worry he felt over Mari, the Sultan, their escape, and the eminent disappointment on his father's face over his failed mission, Lo'gan kicked at the sand under him and started in her direction again. Harabi followed him, content that he didn't get his nose busted for sticking it into Lo'gan's business and eager to hear what they were going to do next.
"Look, Dawasir, I'll figure out a way to explain to her where we are going. For now, we stick to the plan and make it out of the city before sunrise."
Harabi nodded and watched his guard's sandals sink into the wet sand.
"Why can't we stay at Miznih's? She'll hide us out for certain."
Lo'gan shook his head no and picked up a shell that was partially buried in the sand and glimmering in the moonlight.
"She would, but too many customers have seen us there. The Sultan, or the queen I should say, will most likely place a reward on our heads. Too dangerous. Our best bet is still in the dunes."
"What if they follow?"
"We'll circle the Rub al-Khali for about a week to throw them off if they do. Then return to our clans with the news."
Harabi stopped and looked over at his partner, concern written all over his youthful face.
"What will we tell them?"
Lo'gan grimaced and looked up to assess the position of the moon again.
"Everything. They'll call a majlis council of all the area sheiks and together they'll determine the next step."
Harabi tossed the pebble he had been thumbing back in the direction of the water.
"Embargo?"
Lo'gan shrugged and they both continued their walk to the horses.
"Maybe, but I doubt it. It'll need to be more."
Harabi turned to ask what he meant by that, but the moment was gone. Mari had walked up to them and Lo'gan's demeanor changed completely. The half smile returned and he picked a bit of grass from her hair. Still confused by what Lo'gan had meant by his last statement, Harabi almost didn't hear when he spoke again. But this time it wasn't towards him. The famed ladies man watched with a mixture of awe and concern as Lo'gan started speaking in gibberish that sounded very much like the girl's language. Strange comment already forgotten, Harabi grabbed his horse's reins and shaking his head, took the lead again, hoping against hope that he would at least have enough time to catch up with Miznih at least one more time when they arrived at her place.
Lo'gan meanwhile had been making Mari giggle with his newly learned words. She was teaching him the Germanian word for horse and he was adding to her ten word Bedouin vocabulary with the word for saddle. Mari practiced it a few times and watched with a strange buzz in her head as Lo'gan opened the pack on Nayif's back and withdrew a thin robe of his own. Trying not to get caught staring as he dressed like she had before, Mari walked to the other side of Nayif and slowly led him forward. Lo'gan threw on his outer robe haphazardly and watched Mari from across Nayif's bulging shoulder muscles. When he was done, he reached for the reins too, a perfect excuse to touch her pale hands. Mari stiffened a little, so Lo'gan quickly countered with the one sentence he already knew he could make.
"Mari beeutifoll."
That caused Mari to stop dead in her tracks and stare at the man on the other side of Nayif's long snout. He looked deadly serious and hoping she wasn't as red as she felt, Mari looked down and tried to focus on the sand under her feet as she moved forward again. She wasn't sure why Lo'gan insisted on calling her that, but she tightened her grip on Nayif's reins and kept moving, very aware of the fingers brushing against hers and the intense eyes that followed her every move.
Lo'gan watched Mari try and disappear into her hooded cloak and smiled to himself. After their horses had enough rest, they would ride again and be at Miznih's in just over an hour. There, he would have to somehow ask her. He knew deep inside that Mari was his but Harabi had been right. She was a slave and the last thing he wanted was to deny her a choice to go with him. As desperately as he wanted her, she had to want him too.
Fishing the shell he had picked up earlier from the sand out of his sash, Lo'gan handed it to Mari. Mari reached for it and turned the oddity in her hand a few times before looking up and smiling at Lo'gan, who quickly supplied its proper label.
"Shell."
Mari nodded and tried the word herself.
"Shhhell."
Lo'gan chuckled and Mari blushed, their game of teaching each other their language masking the deep connection both felt of sharing with the other. Pleased that she was happy and they would make good time on foot, Lo'gan eased back into leading Nayif leisurely through the sand while watching Mari out of the corner of his eye and Mari turned the smooth shell in her fingers while trying not to notice.
They remained that way for a long time as they crossed the huge expanse of beach that bordered one side of the city, their thoughts dwelling languidly on the other, while their hands eventually interconnected; dark rough fingers laced tightly with pale hennaed ones, each subconsciously getting accustomed to the weight and texture of the other, refusing to think too far ahead and simply enjoying the feel of quiet company for the time being. The future being to chaotic and unpredictable to ponder, they instead relished each other; present, real and as tangible as the sand under their feet.
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