“I am your Crown Prince and these are my men.”
The ancient man bowed, and a wave of excitement passed through the fellow villagers. “Crown Prince Ammad! It is an honour! What brings you to Urakbai?”
The courtesy puzzled Ammad, he was expecting defiance. His guards bristled behind him, they wanted blood.
“Water and food are what we require. Immediately!”
“Of course, Crown Prince. We will gather as much as we have and prepare a meal for you and your men.” The old man clapped his hands and started to give orders. “Let us care for your camels, Crown Prince. Please, come and rest in our humble village community hut.”
The sweltering hut was in the middle of the dwellings, the one distinguishable landmark in the ramshackle village. It stank. The Yuurnan wore scratchy camel-hair cloth a
