"Desert Rose - Chapter VI A" by Lindsay Verde

She knelt again before the flames, blue eyes transfixed by those staring tranquilly out from the fire. Shadows flickered and danced to the crackling cadence and within the opal depths Epona swore she saw something: a room, but one that was encased within no walls. From a floor of polished white marble rose thirteen crystalline chairs trimmed in gold. As Epona peered closer, she noticed that each chair-back bore a slightly different pattern. They were so breathtaking that Epona was afraid to touch them as her feet involuntarily brought her closer.

One image in particular held her attention. Woven with thread so fine it sparkled, the scene depicted a horse rearing on the edge of a lakeshore, its mane and tail flying behind it in the wind. The embroidery looked so real she had to touch it and her fingers glided over the image as if it were made of silk.

"Would you like to sit there?"

Epona whirled, hand rushing up to cover her mouth and smother the yelp that escaped. Standing as if he had just materialized out of the shadows was a tall, muscular man. Two antlers rose from the chestnut curls atop his head.

"I - I, n-no, I - don't -" Epona stammered, backing away.

"No need to be alarmed; there is plenty of time for adjustments." His kind voice wrapped around her like velvet, soothing her frayed nerves. "Do you know who I am?"

Epona's dream-self nodded. "You came out of our fire on the night of the crescent moon."

She found herself staring into the depths of his dark eyes. A promise was hidden there and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out what it was.

"Yes." A shadow, something akin to sorrow, passed over his face. "Why did you hide them?"

An image of the glowing bracelets came to mind and Epona blushed. "You saw that?"

An unhappy smile shaped his features. "Did you not wish to go to the festival? I thought that was what you wanted - to find your sister."

"You know who she is?"

He nodded, holding up a hand to stall any further questions as her mouth dropped open. "I'm not permitted to interfere in this matter but I can tell you that she's an exceptionally beautiful dancer and she loves horses."

Excitement fluttered in Epona's stomach. They already had a common interest. Smiling to herself, she felt the room begin to shift as her dream faded. The image of Dalgeth standing behind the horse-embroidered chair with sorrow drenching his eyes was the last thing she saw before everything drifted back into darkness.

The day was bustling with activity. Vendors stood in front of their tent-booths at Haluri, hawking their wares. Women and children walked from booth to booth admiring the jewels and craftsmanship on display while men chatted in groups about the upcoming races.

Epona stood at the end of an alley of open-fronted tents, staring in awe at the splendor around her, her dream of that morning forgotten. Never before had she seen so many wonderful things or people in one place; it left her mind reeling.

She had started off her day by visiting the horse pickets out by the raceway to get an idea of the caliber of the upcoming races. There were many fine horses out there and she was particularly envious of one groomsman who handled a blood bay stallion. The horse had gorgeous conformation and judging from the pedigree the groomsman cited, an attitude to match. She certainly wasn't going to miss the opportunity to watch him race. He was sure to be a winner.

Heat waves could already be seen rising off the hot sands as Epona sought out the shade offered by the nearest vendor's booth. While crossing the street, she bumped into an unknown woman who had come up behind her. The woman paused as she apologized and, for an instant, hope flared in Epona's chest. Did the woman recognize her, find her somewhat familiar? If Epona had met her before, there was no recognition by Epona; but she still searched her face, looking for any small slope or curve that she could identify as her own. The woman continued to stare at her before she gave Epona a puzzled look and vanished into the crowd.

Epona couldn't keep a small sigh from escaping as her shoulders drooped. Even though she had told herself many times that she wasn't expecting to find her sister and wouldn't get her hopes up, she had come to realize that was exactly what she had done. This morning she had fully expected to walk out of her tent into the welcoming arms of her sister.

She could see Matin waiting for her down at the brewer's tent and headed over. When she made the decision to go to the Samhain festival and find her sister, Matin had asked to go along with her. She had only relented when he agreed to accept that it was just as friends and nothing more. Since that understanding a great friendship had awakened. Epona didn't know if it was from his kindness or from not having to worry about his intentions but she no longer found him as unbearably annoying as before.

"Have ya had any luck yet?"

"I don't seem to. For a second I thought - but I was mistaken." Epona took her seat.

Matin ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Well, I do hope you'll be findin' 'er for yer sake. What did ya make of the racers?"

Epona's eyes lit up as she leaned forward. "The gray stallion has good muscling but he's too short in the leg to be a contender for the cup. The roan looks like he has some speed, but I'm betting on the chestnut mare or the blood bay stallion. Both of them look to be Hitana bred and even you've heard the rumors of their speed. I'm not sure which it will be between the two of them. The stallion is longer of leg, but the mare has a greater depth to her that could give her edge enough to win."

Matin smiled at her enthusiasm. "I'll make ya a wager. Pick yer favorite, and I'll put ten dubles against yer bet."

Epona took his proffered hand. "Deal." Thinking about it for a second, she settled on the stallion.

The races were held three hours after midday, just as the worst of the heat began to wane. Matin and Epona picked a sand dune that afforded a view of the entire course and settled down to watch with anticipation.

The roan had been in some of the earlier races, showing off a beautiful jump at the start that put him in the lead for the first two-thirds of the race. Unfortunately, he had the habit of petering out at the end.

There was a black mare Epona hadn't seen that proved pretty impressive. She was a slow starter, following the pack for most of the race but she had broken out at the end on two occasions to pull off a win.

There had been an hour break for the horses during the worst of the heat and now they were lining up for the final and most important race of the day. Each day offered a different event. There were short and long distance races and cross-country. Following that was eventing, with horsemanship and jumping skills. Heats were run the entire morning with the finals for the cup in that event being held in the late afternoon.

If you had to lose in the finals, it was better to come in dead last than second or third. One of the rights the winner of each of cup maintained was the chance to keep either of the two closest contender's mounts. Many owners would pull their horses up at the last minute rather than have them cross the finish as one of the top four. Epona had even overheard a rider being told to jump if it looked chancy, for a riderless horse was automatically disqualified.

The Hitana tribe only ever bred their horses for speed, so theirs were surely the ones to beat in every race. They rarely, if ever, sold any of their animals, so the only way to obtain one lay in beating them on the track, which was not an easy feat by any means.

There were five horses at the start for the final race. The blood bay stallion and chestnut mare were there along with the black mare, and the roan and palomino stallions who had come out of nowhere in the last race.

Epona sat eagerly eyeing them up. Her pick was still between the chestnut and the bay. As the flag went down they shot off the mark and raced down the flatway toward the bend. True to form, the roan was in the lead, followed by the bay and the chestnut.

The pair of Hitana horses seemed to be evenly matched, hardly aware of the riders on their backs. If the roan continued running as he had in the previous race it would be a close call between the two of them. The black mare seemed to have gotten off to an even worse start than usual, falling so far behind the pack that there wasn't a hope of her catching up. The palomino looked as though he was in danger of following her.

The chestnut and bay came out of the last turn neck and neck as they raced for the finish. Epona's voice grew hoarse from cheering by the end, when she was astonished by the mare pulling ahead in the last quarter mile to win the race. The speed she had put out at the end was astounding.

Epona willingly handed over the ten dubles as they headed down to talk with the riders at the finish line. She gave the chestnut's rider a congratulatory handshake.

"I thought for sure the bay would have had you until the end there. I'm surprised, I'm usually a good judge of horseflesh."

The jockey smiled as he gave the bay next to him a pat. "In another couple of years he'll have no trouble beating his dam. For his first race he did wonderfully."

He grinned at her shocked expression.

"His first race!" Epona's admiration for the Hitana horses increased immensely.

She chanced a look at the bay and was startled to see the woman from that morning talking with the jockey. As if sensing Epona's gaze, she glanced up, meeting her eyes with an uncertain smile. Epona tried to smile back but her lips wouldn't cooperate. There was something about the woman that just seemed off. Turning, she addressed the jockey. "Do you know that woman?"

"I've never seen her before."

"Epona?" Matin questioned, his eyes flickering between her and the mysterious woman until she shrugged.

"I don't know."

Etain's excitement from the races that afternoon carried over into the evening as dusk fell and the campfires burned low. Long-poled torches could be seen from across the sea of grass as they were lit around the dance square. Excitement hummed everywhere in the air as dancers got ready, donning their garb as proud family members looked on.

Etain's skin trembled in anticipation as she fingered the fringes of her etah nervously.

"What if I forget the steps?"

Rhiannon wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. "You'll do fine. Just listen to the beat and let the music take over as it's always done."

"I wish I had your confidence." Etain gazed back and up into Rhiannon's eyes with a smile.

"I'm just as jittery as you. I just hide it better."

"There are so many people," Etain remarked in awe as they waded through the small grassy field to the dance square. Alori, Timo, and Setana had left ahead of them, leaving the girls to get ready together.

Those who had reached Haluri first had gone about preparing the oasis for the event, shearing the grass for a dance area and setting up temporary corrals for the hakkau and some of the less high strung horses. Others had gone about marking where the tribes would make camp, the market tents, and the eventing courses.

Families traveled in groups toward the flickering torchlight. Giggles and hearty laughter punctuated the cooling air as Etain and Rhiannon stepped from the waist-high grass into the light, their eyes adjusting as they took everything in. Singers congregated at the east end of the square, their feet shuffling nervously as they talked amongst themselves. Rhiannon gave Etain's hand a quick squeeze before heading over to join them, her eyes sparkling above her taren.

As everyone settled around the outskirts of the area, the drummers took up their posts, hammering out the beginning beats that called the dancers to their places. The humming of the singers joined the throbbing drums and the cadence skipped up a notch.

Etain, absorbed in the swelling crescendo of the music, missed her first steps as the singers burst into song like a flock of birds arrowing for the Heavens. Face flaming, she jumped into action before the dancer alongside her could trample her. The opening dance was always a fast one but the steps were easy. It was used to liven up everyone's spirits and warm up the dancers as it drew the pleasure of the Gods.

Etain quickly found herself out of breath as she let the fluidity of the movements take over. Feet flying, she cast a glance at the other dancers and found the same joy suffusing their faces to the point that they glowed in the light of the rising moon. All around the square bracelets shimmered into life as the audience answered the singers' supplication in a breathtaking harmonious chorus.

The finale came as a shock to all assembled and there was a split second of silence before the crowd recovered and roared their approval. Accepting congratulations and hugs from those around her, Etain moved out of the main thoroughfare to stand with Rhiannon while a small group of singers and dancers moved to the center of the ring. Theirs was a dance of bravery and prowess for the days of old. It told of bandit fights, drought, and famine. The dancing was superb, the three males light on their feet so they complimented the fluidity of their female partners.

The night went on and on, each different group bringing something unique to their performance. Some had exquisite voices, their tales new and unusual from the last festival. Others were so graceful and elegant in their dancing that you couldn't take your eyes from them as they spun about.

Everyone was sorry to go when it came time to extinguish the torches and seek their warm beds. Alori left early, as Setana was still too young to stay up into the late hours of the night. Timo had carried the sleeping child to the tent and returned in enough time to catch the final few dances.

The next morning Etain woke to the sound of raised voices. Pulling back the tent flap, she was faced with the entire camp in uproar. Adults were hurriedly striding about while small children wrapped in blankets raced to keep up with them.

The air still had a chilly edge to it as Etain wrapped a blanket around herself and stepped out. The sky was just turning a delicate shade of purple as she recognized Janine from the Hitana tribe and hurried to catch up with her friend.

"Morning, Janine."

"Etain!" Janine stopped to envelop her friend in a hug. "How have you been? Still with your family?"

Etain smiled into her friend's welcoming face. You could always count on Janine to be cheerful no matter what hour of the morning it was.

"Yes but what about you? Are you still sharing a tent with your cousins?" Etain halted as Janine's face split in a wide grin and a blush stained her cheeks a rosy pink. "No!" Etain exclaimed in excitement. "Really?"

Janine nodded bashfully as a small laugh escaped her lips.

"Who? Do I know him? You've got to tell me everything! Wait," Etain forestalled as she realized it would probably take a while to get it all out of her. "Tell me what all the commotion is about and then we can sit down to breakfast and you can tell me all your news."

"Oh, it's horrible," Janine exclaimed, her eyes widening as they moved back toward Etain's tent. "They think a framleth got into the corral with the hakkau. They found five of them dead."

"Five?" Etain gasped in shock. "Is that even possible?"

Janine shrugged. "I don't know but they're moving the corral and they're going to post guards in shifts. Oh, and that's not even the really disturbing part."

"There's more?" Etain asked apprehensively, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"The carcasses weren't even touched. It was as if the framleth just did it for the joy of killing them."

"Framleths don't kill for nothing," Etain chided.

"That's what has everyone worried."

"Could something have scared it off?"

"If it had been one, maybe, but five is a bit of a stretch."

"They could use Oisin to guard if they'd like."

"I'm sure they'd appreciate the offer. You can go talk to them but only after you've had some breakfast and dressed."

Janine pulled her inside the tent and they set to work quietly making breakfast, for Setana and Rhiannon were still sound asleep. Alori and Timo were both light sleepers and had probably gone to see what the commotion was about when it first happened.

The porridge was well on its way to being finished when Setana's wide green eyes poked out from beneath her blankets.

"Morning, sleepy," Etain called, smiling.

"You're up. What are you doing up?" Setana asked with a yawn as she crawled over from her bed.

"She felt like cooking you up a nice breakfast," Janine replied.

"She's never awake early enough to make breakfast." Setana stated as she smiled in greeting.

"Shush you and go wake your sister, I'm sure she'd like to eat too."

"I don't know about that, it is Etain's cooking we're talking about," Rhiannon laughed from where she hid under her covers just before Setana sat on her, causing her to emit a loud oof!

"Get off, you! You're heavy and my bladder is full!"

Setana scrambled to escape as Rhiannon set about tickling her.

"Serves you right for what you said," Etain said as both girls came up gasping for air. "Now, get over here and eat this before it gets cold. Janine was just about to catch us up on all the news." Etain smiled at her friend as Rhiannon and Setana giggled and hurried over.

"She's got a lover," Etain informed them and was rewarded with gasps of excitement.

"Do tell," Rhiannon encouraged, helping herself to a bowl of porridge.

"Is he handsome?" Setana asked, starry eyed. Her bowl lay empty and forgotten on her lap until Etain picked it up and filled it.

"I think he is. His name is Hiraj and he's a hunter from my tribe."

"So you didn't even have to leave your tribe, you're lucky," Rhiannon sighed wistfully.

"Etain's going to be just as lucky," Setana remarked, giving Etain a sly sideways glance as her sister choked on a mouthful of porridge and Janine's face lit with delight.

"You are? Oh, that's wonderful!" Janine leaned over and enveloped Etain in a hug.
"A bit premature, wouldn't you think, Setana? Considering he hasn't asked me yet." Etain glared daggers but Setana just shook back her hair with a smile.

"Timo likes you no matter what the two of you pretend."

Janine gasped. "Timo! I had no idea the two of you were -" her voice died and Setana jumped in to fill the silence.

"And just think, they wouldn't even have to move tents or anything. I'll bet that's better than you did, Janine."

"Setana, don't be rude," Rhiannon warned. "And I don't think there'll be enough room for them to share a tent." Rhiannon wiggled her eyebrows at Etain with a smile.

"What are you talking about, they already share our tent and there's plenty of room!"

All three older girls burst out laughing and were unable to tell Setana what was so funny when she asked.

"Fine, I'll go talk to Aster. At least she explains things to me." Setana stomped out of the tent, sending the girls into fresh rounds of giggles.

"So," Rhiannon said while pushing her mussed black hair from her face. "Tell us about this handsome Hiraj. Is he tall?"

"Taller than I am and he has eyes so dark you could drown in them."

"I've always preferred their smile myself."

"When did he ask you?" Etain wanted to know. "The last I remember, you were still sweet on the boy who lived in the tent next to yours."

Instant silence fell and Etain knew before she even asked. "Janine?"

"He died. About two years back our tribe came across a rotting taurin carcass at a waterhole. It was one of the biggest any of us had ever seen. The thing was half in the water so some of the men got out ropes and dragged it out so it could rot without contaminating the river. We didn't want to risk drinking the water so we moved upstream and made camp. A couple of weeks later one of the senior warriors said he thought a framleth was stalking the camp and they made plans to send out a hunting party in the morning. They set out shortly after breakfast, Madu among them, and came back just after lunch. They had to carry Madu on a litter, he was so badly injured. It was beyond all of us, even our healer couldn't figure out a way to help him." Janine wiped a tear on her cheek, keeping her eyes on her lap. "The warriors went back to check on the taurin carcass and found it torn to pieces. They think something bad was in the meat and they burned it. When they killed the framleth they burned it too, just to be safe."

"Janine I -"

"It's alright. He wasn't lucid at the end and it somehow made it easier to bear, knowing that he wasn't conscious of the pain. Now, enough of this sad talk. You and your sister hurry up and get dressed. I want to hear all about you and Timo while we go see if they can use that handsome hound of yours."

Epona was among those who had discovered the hakkaus earlier that morning. Unable to sleep because of an upset stomach, she had gotten up to go visit the horses and instead found herself inexplicably drawn to the dance square. She had been wandering the perimeter of the cut grass when she noticed an awful smell and went to investigate.

The herd of hakkau was huddled against the far side of the pen lowing in distress, affording Epona a clear view of the corpses. It hadn't been a pretty sight. The desert sun had already been up in the sky for an hour, baking their hides. She had still been standing there, rooted with shock, when the first person came out to check on their animals.

Epona stood in the paltry shade offered by a few stunted trees, watching as the men worked to clear away the remains of the hakkau. They had laboriously tied animals together and were just now looking ready to drag them out.

"Hot out, isn't it?"

Epona turned to regard the newcomer, studying him wearily before deciding he wasn't a threat. He was tall but somewhat thin for his height, with leaf green eyes and curling black hair cut just short of his shoulders.

"Are you from the Faylen tribe? You have their coloring but I've never noticed you with them before now."

"And do you have such a great memory that you recognize everyone upon sight?"
"I pride myself on at least having the feeling that I've seen someone before and I don't get that with you."

"You wouldn't. I'm a gypsy."

Epona watched as his eyebrows shot up in surprise and waited.

"Huh."

"That's it? I tell you I'm a gypsy and you say 'huh'?"

"Well, it's surprising, I'll admit. You don't look like a gypsy."

That was all the opening Epona needed to pour out the bitterness from her so far failed search. "Well, I guess my parents didn't read history when they decided to keep me," Epona said, angry. She needed some outlet for her frustration and this stranger was the perfect target.

"Not many do. My sire never did learn that the back end of a stallion is just as dangerous as the front and it killed him. I'm assuming your parent's scroll misreading didn't have the same consequences."

"I wouldn't know, I never knew my parents. I was raised by gypsies."

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"About you not knowing your parents."

"But not about me being raised by gypsies?" Epona asked, eyebrows raised.

"Are you sorry?"

A small smile curved the corners of her lips as her anger began to dissipate. "No, I'm not sorry at all, they're good people."

"Exactly. I've met a few on some of my travels and I've found them to be just as decent as the next person."

"Ah but most people would use the circumstances of my upbringing to judge them."

"That's a mere fact of life. Not everything in life goes as planned and you have to make do with what you are given. Well, I'd better be getting back. Some of the women need help setting up their stalls. It was nice meeting you." He gave a small bow and turned to leave.

"Wait, what's your name?"

He smiled. "Timo."