Disclaimer: Love the books. Bored at work, starting writing a short journal entry. Quite happy with it, so I'm going to be updating a couple chapters into a short story. Its an alternate world to the books, one where Neeman doesn't need to bother making a pointless entrance, Claidi and Argul can have juicier moments, and we the readers can be happy. As usual, all story rights belong to the real author, I am merely borrowing and paying homage to the author's brilliance!

Forgive me if certain details are missing. I'm planning to re-read the first book for names and culture references in order to do the next chapters proper. But for now...

An Elephant Ride

Hi. My name is Claidissa Star.

And I'm a fugitive. Currently. Just a few days ago I was a House Slave, if that makes any difference to you.

I know. Glamorous life I lead, eh?

Two days ago I slept in a castle with marble floors and silk curtains, with lush gardens. As a slave in the eyes of the court, I had been fed well and kept pleasurable to look at.

Today I sit writing this atop a sand dune. My skin is burnt from constant sun exposure. My dress - a simple yet elegant affair - is torn and dirty and utterly soaked with sweat. I'm hungry. No, I'm starving! No, even more than that, I am so god-damn thirsty!

I would do something about that if I could, believe me. But, as mentioned above, I am in a desert. The Waste, to be more precise. There is sand to my left, to my right, and as far ahead as I can see.

I can't even think about looking back, behind me. If I turn back to the House, I will most certainly die.

You see, I did something bad. Very bad. Something so bad, I fled for my life. And since I had nothing to lose, I grabbed you and took you with me. You, not a water-jug. That's how smart I am.

Sorry. That's my stomach talking. Stealing you was not my big, hideous crime. Although you are a fine object, with your blank pages, blue cover and gold leaf embellishments. No, my crime was much, much worse...

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Not really sure I want to tell you. Is it really necessary I confess to you? I may die out here, with you clutched in my hand. Alone and unloved. Perhaps it would be permittable for me to own my own short memoir, here in the desert.

I probably will die out here. From what I've heard of the Waste, it is rumored to stretch to infinity.

My mother and father were turned out into the Waste to die, I've been told. A punishment for having created yours truly. Kindof poetic I may be joining them afterall.

I've walked a whole 'nother day. I can feel my strength ebbing. But I seem to keep trying for just one more dune.

I'm stubborn, did you know? Not the best trait for a House Slave to have. My temper has gotten me into trouble before.

You may be asking yourself how a House Slave could write so well. Don't know. Just can. Somehow my brain just seemed to connect the dots between what words my masters spoke, in their perfect prose and metaphors, with the written words from their letters and banners. I borrowed books at night or whenever I knew I wouldn't be caught. My dirty little secret.

It least whoever finds my dried-up corpse will be impressed with my skill. Hopefully they can read.

Ha. How funny would it be if they couldn't read my final thoughts? Such a Waste. Ha.

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I think the lack of food and heat is messing with my sense of humor. And my head.

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I'm sitting now. Sitting seems nice and easy. Think I will die now. Its okay. It is not that worth it, anyway...

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Well. I'm not dead. I'm...

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I'm on an elephant.

Yes! And elephant! ME!

I saw one once. The House had a captured one brought in for a festival, and it ended up being kept in the Garden Zoo permanently due to popularity. Like a pet, not a wild animal. I always felt sorry for it, in a way only one slave could feel or understand for another. I knew elephants were nomadic, free creatures - he wasn't meant to be locked up in a cage, with his foot chained.

The one I ride now is much, much happier than that one was. I will have to explain more once I have the strength. I can only seem to master writing in spurts these days.

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So, where was I...

I was dying.

Just sitting in the sand, letting the wind howl through my hair, the sand stinging my skin as it disappeared from between my feet. I was kind of out of it, so I was suddenly surprised by a large, long, rough nose of a snout suddenly sniffing my face.

I started, falling backwards onto my side, my hands covering my face instinctively.

I'd frightened the creature who the nose belonged to too, for he suddenly reared up, making a trumpeting sound of alarm. I froze, staring up at the wide, dinner-plate sized feet looming above my face. The legs were attached to a massive gray body, which suddenly bore down, big feet planting themselves with a boom into the sand on either side of me.

I cringed, not daring to look away as the large creature's big black eyes surveyed me in curiosity. It had large canopy-like ears, with flapped, creating their own little wind. The large nose unwound itself from its earlier retreat, stretching out to sniff at my terrified face. I closed my eyes, not sure if it could smell my fear over my days of sweat and grime. His nose blew out a warmth onto my face, and then he was suddenly stepping away from me. As if disinterested by my overall appearance.

I watched him start to amble away, long tail sweeping back and forth at sand flies that tried to invade its rear end as it left my presence.

I slowly got to my feet, shaky from the incident. Oddly enough, the fright from the elephant had flooded me with an emboldened energy. I suddenly wanted to try and live again.

I started following the elephant. He turned to look back at me, and seeing I kept a distance, seemed to not care if I did or not. I followed him for almost a full day. I didn't know what else to do, really. This elephant was the only sign of life I had seen in days. I hoped, maybe, he would lead me to water.

I clambered over a dune, my gaze was so tired I was more following the large footprints in the sand over anything else. The sun had just set, but the moon was already out and lighting up the night. At the top, I stared down at the magical place my elephant had led me to and felt my dreams crash.

He had led me back to his herd. A group of 30 or so elephants. My elephant sauntered up to an elephant double his size - quite alarming really - and nuzzled noses. Not sure if it was my imagination but she seemed quite put off with him.

Great. My rescuer was a baby elephant.

The elephants all began singing together, and as a group, started walking.

I collapsed in the sand, my hopes crushed. I lowered my head into my hands and started hiccupping. Then bawling. I was so tired. I had used the last of my strength to make it this far. I could do no more. I really would die here. In this plane of sand filled with elephant dung. How fitting!

I might have been crying for a few minutes. I don't know. Suddenly though, I felt a warm and familiar breath blow across my forehead, followed by an impatient sounding trumpet with a mewling tone of comfort.

I raised my tear streaked gaze to see my elephant was back. His ear fluttered in excitement when he saw my attention had been granted. I watched in confusion as he bent to one knee, his back end raised up high and inviting into the night sky. His massive head was still larger than me.

I got to my feet, understanding washing over me. I tentatively touched his forehead, right between his eyes, the same place he had touched me. "Thank you," I whispered between cracked lips. In my mind I projected my thought with more dignity.

He seemed to hear - his eyes took on a dreamy, smiling look. His ears flapped.

It took me a moment to get on top of his back. He was a big guy, with few hand holds until you reached the top where several skin wrinkles were just perfectly placed. By the time I did, the last of my strength was gone. I laid out flat on my stomach, wrapped my legs and arms around his girth for fear of falling. My eyes shut into exhausted sleep as he rose. I didn't dream. I went away...

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Got tired again. Can only seem to write in rare moments of mental clarity. Still roaringly hungry and thirsty. My sanity is starting to lapse.

I'll tell you how I know. Because I see men on horses off in the distance.

At first I was alarmed. I thought I saw 5 dark shapes surveying the elephant herd from another dune over yesterday. I shielded my eyes and look hard. They were gone. I saw them again just a few minutes ago. Every time I see them, it's like for a second.

It is a mirage. I'm sure of it. I'm hallucinating people. My mind can't decide if it wants to be rescued by these fake people, or if I should fear them. They could be Guards from the House, after all, sent to find me and drag me back.

Yes, they are a mirage of my personified fear. Let's go with that.

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I'm currently ignoring the fact I've seen them just now. Not sure why any real human beings would be out here, following an elephant herd for no reason.

My elephants' head is flat at the top - makes a nice table to perch you on as I write. Also my favorite place to nap, with my legs tucked under his ear flaps for security. I can reach down and scratch his forehead like this too. Which he both loves and appreciates. Sleepy again...

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Perhaps I was meant to live, in order to witness it least this beautiful moment.

The elephants are still walking, by the way. It is deep into the night. I'm lying on my back, one leg balanced over my other with you cradled between.

The stars are bright and luminous overhead! So many! They dazzle me in their brilliance and clarity. I know them, the names and stories behind each connected dot and line. The House nobility's religion was steeped in astrology and ritual regarding the sky positions. But the slaves had their own cultures, their own stories. Not all of them were dogmatic.

It comforts me, the stars, their stories. I'm so on my own out here, but looking up, I can only sympathize with how lonely the universe must feel. I'm as small a piece of it all as the stars, or my elephant. Every piece is so small and insignificant and unique and infinitely valuable because of it.

I can tell from the star placement that the elephants are heading farther into the Waste. I'm not sure if it suits me or not. Could kill me slowly, riding this elephant into thirst and starvation, while I could enjoy a quicker death at the hands of the House Guards.

I wonder if my soul will fly from this elephants back, and as I expel it, float up into the great sky. Maybe once I am a part of the stars, I won't feel so lonely.

Coming Up: Bandits...sexy bandits...