Desert Roses

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian felt himsefl floating as the magical energy flowed through him like a gentle river, cleansing him inside.
Maya, being a hybrid, can focus the magical properties of her unicorn blood and infuse her master's pendant with the energy it needed, Such stones needed vast amount of power, and the Knights of L'yria found ways to harness such power.
The elf's hair and finger nails glowed with a soft light. Even his eyelashes and eyebrows shimmered.
Maya snorted and stopped the energy flow. Surprised, Eladrian blinked, and looked about searching for the cause of the interruption. He spotted Ialu standing there starring. He let his hand drop. Maya on the other hand startled and jumped away, nervously. This was one of the first times they had been observed.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu had been entranced, unable to stop watching. But when the glowing stopped and Maya jumped away, the spell was broken and he seemed just as startled as the magical creature, stepping back, his face red, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt! I'll just wait inside the tent."

Sadiki glanced at Maya nickering as if to scold her, his own body tense. Ialu glanced over to him, "Sadiki! I haven't fed you all day..." He stepped back in the tent, grabbing a bag of grain and emptying a good bit into a large bowl, setting it outside the tent. The stallion trotted over with a slight whinny, his nose bumping Ialu's cheek affectionately before leaning down to begin munching.  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian smiled in amusement, he picked his pants and pulled them on, tiring them closed as he walked over to his friend. He put a hand on Sadiki's back. "It's all alright...it's called 'communion' it's our way of recharging these stones. " he explained. "Unicorns are natural to magic, and they can bless a stone with magical properties. The more pure the stone the stronger the magic." He run a his hand over the horse's coat. "Recharging them, takes one of unicorn blood, so that's is why most Knights have a mount like Maya. We can use her magic for our uses in battle. Thus our bound..." He trailed off patting Sadiki's neck. "When We have become fully bounded, then I won't have to recharge the stone's magic in this matter, it will be done automatically."  

[lack_luster_soul]

The strong, rock-hard muscles in Sadiki's neck relaxed slightly under Eladrian's touch and the horse's eyes swept open, glancing up at Eladrian peacefully. Ialu stroked the stallion's neck on the other side, "Oh, I see... I thought it was something like that, with what you told me about the jewels. It was... Well, it was beautiful to watch."
He glanced to Maya, calling softly to her, "Sorry, my friend. I didn't mean to intrude." He looked back to Eladrian, "I was going to wash my hair. I thought you were already bathing so I wanted to come do so quickly."  

[Claude Faustus]

Maya slowly walked forwards, nuzzling Ialu's shoulder then dipping down to take a share of the grain.
"I'm done with my bath," Eladrian looked up at the deepening twilight sky. "I should feed some of the other horses too, thought I'm glad that we'll soon be at the next city to buy more grain."  

[lack_luster_soul]

Sadiki glanced at Maya, startled at first, but he relaxed again and moved back in to eat. Ialu took a moment to empty more grain into the bowl to satisfy both of the creatures, smiling broadly from the simple contact from Maya. Just knowing that the half unicorn would voluntarily touch him made him smile. Slow and gentle, he stroked her neck as he glanced to the other horses, who were mulling around, eying the grain longingly, "You're right. We bought a good bit of grain, but it won't last too long with this many horses." He looked to Eladrian, "I am rested, Eladrian. I don't know if you slept while I did, but I know I'd be strong enough to travel through the night. It will be cool as well, and easier on the horses."  

[Claude Faustus]

"Yes, I agree. " Eladrian nodded. "But how do you feel? any pain at all?"

Later that night ,after they had watered and fed the horses, they packed up camp and set out, Ahzizi's load lightened by Sadiki and Maya. The Hybrid carried both Humans, those carried some of the equipment. The other horses followed along obediently.
Eladrian shivered in the dessert night, it got cold as autumn at night, he was grateful that Ialu agreed to ride double with him.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu rode peacefully, finding the cool desert air to be comforting. And the moon was so bright and large that it bathed the sand in a deep blue light. Maya was strong, he knew, to carry them both so easily, and he patted her flank with appreciation. Sadiki kept good pace with them, every once in a while nickering up at them as if trying to hold a conversation.
Which, of course, meant Ialu spoke back to the horse, "Of course, my friend. There will not only be grain in the city, but plenty of wonderful fruits and vegetables for you. Crisp golden apples, sharp radishes... You'll love it all, Sadiki." The stallion snorted and Ialu laughed, "I know, Ahzizi hates his name. Maybe we should call him Mkhai, since he fights back against everything"
The camel behind them groaned and Ialu chuckled, leaning into Eladrian's shoulder affectionately, forgetting their earlier awkwardness.  

[Claude Faustus]

"Sounds alright to me." Eladrian said, " thoushgt I think the name 'Soup' sounds more right for that animal."
Maya flicked her ear back, listening, her pace was steady, not fast nor too slow. but march that conserved the waning energy of the rest of the horses.

It was early in the morning just as the glow of the dawn appeared at the horizon that they spotted somethign strange.
It was another camel, walking along, dragging somethign behind it.
Curious, Eladrian urged Maya closer. as they came closer, they could now see that the camel in fact dragging a body behind it. The elf gasped. "Is that man dead?" Maya hurried to catch, up. They stopped the camel and dismounted.
the man was dressed in black, with head coverings covering his face. he was very dusty and one foot had caught in a strip preventing him from become separated form his animal when he fell, The rider appeared to be unconscious.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu slid from Maya's back quickly after Eladrian, trotting over to the dusty body, squatting down. He was hesitant, then slid his hand beneath the man's burqa. Finally, he seemed to calm somewhat, but he quickly reported, "He's alive! Quick, we need to get his foot loose. It's probably broken."

After a tense, careful extrication of the rider, they laid him back on the sand, pulling his hood back. Ialu blinked, trying to figure out if he had seen the man before. He couldn't place it. He looked to Eladrian, "Can you help him?"  

[Claude Faustus]

"Let me see...." Eladrain unslung his water bag and carefully poured a little water into the man's face.
it was the whole dessert suddenly burst into bloom, the man's eyes snapped open and he came to life. "By the gods!" He snatched the water bag and drank deeply.
Eladrian sprang backwards, completely taken by surprise, the man's eyes where silver! Not the plain silver gray color of some of his people but actually silver! they reflected the moonlight like tiny mirrors flashing here and there.
The elf smothered a gasp and hurried to cover up his face.
Beyond the first surprise, he peered closer, his skin was paler then Ialu's. His hair was shorter, and was a soft black. He frowned under his cowl and Pulled Ialu aside, whispering. "That man, he has the eyes of my people, not just my people but the very purest of noble blood."
He quickly explained to Ialu in quieted tones that Pure blooded nobles can be told apart by the hue of their eyes, blue,green and lavender was usual for lesser born knights, but the pure bloods had eyes that reflected the light like Jewels or deeply colored metal. not only that there was one other way to tell a pure blood apart. Pure bloods also have wings.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu let Eladrian pull him aside, shocked by the suddenness of it all. He listened carefully, his eyes widened as he glanced back to the man. His hand gripped Eladrian's wrist, wondering about how another elf, let alone a pure blood, was out in the desert. He whispered fervently, "Eladrian, this is insane! Do you know who he is?? I mean, how many pure bloods could there be??" He watched the man, then pulled from Eladrian, concerned.
The elf guzzling the water, while okay and conscious, still looked beat up. He knelt beside him, "Sir, are you alright?" He watched the man drink, "Whoa, whoa, slow down." He pulled the water bag away, "You'll get sick that way. I know you are thirsty, but trust me. I've lived my whole life in the desert. Take slow sips. Now... My name is Ialu. Can you tell me your name?"  

[Claude Faustus]

"Oh forgive me, They call me 'Amal' I would like to thank you and your master for saving me." The man looked better after the water. "have you've seen my other camel? it had all my supplies for my journey north...." When this questions was answered, he sighed. "Thought so, Uhm, do you have any idea where we are?"  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu glanced up at Eladrian, noting the elf was still keeping his distance. Inside, Ialu wondered if Eladrian was fearful for this new stranger for some reason. Or if he even was a stranger to Eladrian. The Egyptian slave sat down on the sand, pulling his bag closer to retrieve a bit of bread and dried meat, handing it to the elf, "Here. Eat slowly, alright?" He thought for a moment, "Well, we've had a few distractions of our own journey, but we're a couple hundred miles north of Aswan. We are en route to Odessa. Though I am my Lord's guardian, I have never traveled to this area before...." He glanced to Eladrian for guidance, unable to read his body language.  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian stood nearby, listening but not so close that 'Amal' would discover him so easily. He was suddenly self conscious about the way he stood. so he crossed his arms, patiently waiting.
"Odessa? That's great! I was heading to the city on my journey and must have gone the wrong way." The wanderer accepted the bread and dried meat, chewing thoughtfully. "I am a scribe by trade and I sell my services to nobility, working my way slowly up north."
"Why are you heading north?" Eladrian asked,By this time he had become curious.
The dark haired stranger took a bite and chewed before answering."Isn't obvious by now? I'm half Eldern, I want to see how my father's country is like."
Eladrian blinked, So other elf had come down south before?