Unbound: Slave to the Desert Sands

Faces

    Kaia was surrounded in bodies, they writhed and moved to a music she could not hear. The smooth dark skin of a hundred naked forms surrounded her, engulfed her. All she could make out was the steady beat of her heart pounding within her. Was it just her heart? Or was it all of them, beating together was one. Kaia could not make out any faces of the people around her, just streams of long black hair and rolls of muscles flexing in the glistening light. She couldn't even determine where the light was coming from. It flicked and waned like candlelight, but it was like a haze encompassed them, shrouding its source. It was as though she were stuck in slow motion, unafraid but confused she twisted her head side to side looking for something; an exit, someone she recognized, anything that would help her understand where she was and what was happening. A women near her arched her back in apparent ecstasy. Her face was just a blur, no features visible. Kaia drew back startled and suddenly could hear her name being called softly from behind her. Kaia. She turned to look toward the voice but something caught her eye. Back in the center of the mass of bodies she saw a huge form. She squinted at the naked male form that did not recognize, the face was shrouded in darkness but Kaia could see two glittering black eyes that were somehow familiar to her, starring directly at her. She wanted to move closer, she needed to find out what was happening. Kaia! The voice called again more insistently now. She was distracted, she wanted to know more about this dark figure, but the voice calling her was loud and she turned her gaze to look behind her. There was no one there. She turned back around to look at the dark man once again and realized he had disappeared. All of the moving, naked bodies where gone. She now stood alone in a dark room, with the mysterious flickering light still moving over her. KAIA WAKE UP! Kaia's eyes opened with a start, looking into the annoyed face of Sarah, leaning over her. 

    "For goodness sake, I thought you'd never wake up." Sarah said her arms crossed over her chest. Mary giggled from her spot where she was rolling up her sleeping mat.

    "Oh give her a break, Sarah, it's been a long time since we've had a nice long sleep." Kaia sat up with a start, the sun that managed to shine its rays though the tent walls was higher than usual. She looked around quickly, all of the Kala'ree were already out of the chamber. 

    "What happened? Where is everyone?" She asked confused. Sarah look up at her while brushing her fingers through her hair. 

    "They've already started their day lazybum," She said as though it were obvious, "Naji told me that we could sleep a little more, they've decided to stay another day by the lake." Kaia relaxed slightly but then remembered the events of the previous morning. Had they decided to hold off moving forward because of what had happened to Aseem? She quickly got up and started getting ready, rolling up her sleeping mat neatly. She straightened her tunic and headed toward the chamber entrance.

    "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Sarah asked curiously. Kaia glanced over her shoulder,

    "I have to take care of Azra's horse." She said. Mary clapped excitedly,

    "When you've finished, Pasha's told me there is a good spot in the lake to bathe. One that's private so the men can't see us." Excitement rushed through Kaia, it had been days since she had had a bath. They had cleaned themselves as well as they could with damp linen cloths but the dirt and grime of the road had built up over the journey and she couldn't wait to finally be clean. 

    "Ok! I'll come find you when I'm done!" She said brightly, the two girls nodded and she left the sleeping chamber. She strode across the clearing to Ratee'ka and got to work. As she did she glanced around the clearing for Azra, but the Ma'kala'ree was no where to be seen. Various men and women walked about the encampment with purpose, but the atmosphere had become relaxed once again. Kaia did notice that more guards remained on duty than usual. Ratee'ka seemed just as happy as everyone else for the extra day of rest. He sighed heavily as Kaia groomed, contentedly munching on the lush grass that grew all around them. Kaia smiled, stroking the stallion, she had grown quite fond of their little ritual and the he seemed to have as well. Finally when she had finished and the horse's coat shone brightly in the sun she turned and trotted off to go find the two Creesan girls.

    She strode along the bank in the direction she had seen some Kala'ree walking to and from, looking for signs of the others. As she passed she felt the eyes of Ula'mor follow her suspiciously. They made no moved to stop her however and so she continued on. Finally she heard the high pitched babble of Mary coming from behind a tall patch of reeds and emerged to find the two standing beside a tall, hooded Ula'mor warrior. Kaia stopped dead, startled. Sarah turned her head to greet her.

    "Finally! We've been waiting for ages." She noticed Kaia's distraction and looked at the Ula'mor. "Oh don't worry about him, Pasha sent him with us. This is Carzak." Kaia looked at the man, whose features where mostly hidden by his cowl. He was exceptionally tall, even by Ula'mor standards. She nodded a respectful greeting to him and was surprised when he did the same in return. Suddenly she wondered whether he was here to protect them, or to make sure they didn't try to make an escape. The Kala'ree had certainly allowed them some level of freedom in the camp, but she had not forgotten that they were prisoners here. Sarah threw Kaia a large linen towel and exclaimed,

    "Come on! The waters waiting." Kaia walked off toward the bank, following the two other girls who had already started stripping off their linen dresses. She glanced behind her one last time and saw that Carzak had respectfully turned his back, and although he remained in view, he was facing away from the naked girls as though to give them some privacy. Kaia shrugged, the promise of the clean water was too tempting, and she quickly forgot about their Ula'mor guard and hurried after the others. Mary was squealing and soon Kaia realized why. As she sank into the clear lake she was struck by how cold the water was. The mountain lake was freezing. Ignoring this Kaia submerged herself, engulfing herself luxuriously in the clean icy freshness.

    The girls took their time, splashing playfully and passing around a bar of soap that Sarah had found. The reeds surrounding them gave them privacy from the rest of the lake. This was the most normal Kaia had felt since being taken from her home in Bleakburn. They soon got used to the chilled water and were in no rush to leave it. They chattered contently.

    "Quite handsome isn't he?" Sarah asked nodding toward the bank where the back of Carzak still stood motionless.

    "You think they're all handsome!" Mary chastised good naturedly, "You haven't even seen his face!" Kaia laughed with her.

    "You know he can probably hear you, right?" She warned Sarah. The girl shrugged looking unbothered.

    "He probably doesn't even speak Creesan." Kaia had doubts about that, the Kala'ree were far too smart to leave them with a guard who couldn't understand them, but she was in too good of a mood to argue.  Finally they begrudgingly got out of the water, and got dressed. They brushed out their wet hair before putting on their cowls. Slowly they made their way back to the center of the camp, Carzak marching silently behind them.