Farsala Trilogy:
Soraya rode along a crowded highway on a Hrum pack horse. She went against traffic. Away from the capital which was filled with delegates come for conferences about the new government being formed with the Hrum. She simply sat straight backed and distant, apparently oblivious to the chaos around her.
Her straight black hair was tied in a bun and if she let it down it would be around shoulder length. It had taken nearly a year and a half to grow back from the short boy's cut that Kavi had given her. She was slim and of average height, having grown a bit in the time since the fall of Sendar Wall and the Farsalan army. Now 18, she had given up on growing anymore and had accepted having to look up to most people other than children and the Suud. Soraya's hands had become soft from the time spent in Mazad and Stesafon without hard labor.
Beyond all these physical changes in the years of the war she had changed in other ways as well. Soraya herself wasn't aware of how much. Those who knew her before, like Kavi and Jiaan, had seen the difference and knew that the changes were for the better. Nearly two years from the day he rescued her from the Hrum camp, the peddler had still not explained to her exactly how she was different from before.
Besides that, she had made her peace with Kavi, knowing that he had fought for the people of Farsala more than even she had in the beginning. She also knew that however incompetent she thought her brother was he did deserve her respect, and she gave it to him in her own, nonverbal way.
Why was Soraya leaving? There was no war to fight anymore. Sorhab didn't need a Storm-Bringer. The planning for the new Farsala to become a Hrum territory began and their system didn't require Deghans and the inefficient system of the old Ghans. No longer tied down by the resistance, Soraya returned to the Suud as soon as possible, wishing only to see her adoptive tribe and real home.
Subada and Merdas were fine, as well as her cousin Pari. It was a relief, but as much as she loved them, Soraya could never go back to being a lady. Her mother had simply shaken her head when she heard Soraya's story of life at the croft, with the Suud, as a slave and working with Sorhab. It was not the Deghass way, Soraya knew Subada was disappointed and proud at the same time, but she would marry well and become another officer's wife, likely Hrum. That is the Deghass way. She told Soraya that she was welcome to visit and keep in touch. Subada even reluctantly invited her to come back home, but Soraya refused.
The Suud had shown her Shilshadu, taught her character and gave her more love than Subada had in Soraya's entire lifetime. No, the desert was home and finally after weeks away from Maok and the clan, Soraya was returning. She had a pack horse which carried letters of thanks from the peddler and Jiaan, her change of Suud robes, and a satchel of beans and dried fruit, the same as she had brought to the tribe when she first joined them.
Soraya dismounted at one of the new towns that had formed in between the trade road and the Suud's desert. It was a trading post that the Hrum insisted on to connect the nation. Now that the Suud were no longer scorned and feared by the Farsalans, trade with them had become more acceptable and frequent. She wouldn't need the horse in the desert and sold it at the stables in the town. The money she used to buy extra grains and seeds that the Suud could plant this coming winter.
From the post she walked the 3 miles to the desert cliffs and thought only of Maok and eating jackal for the first time in half a year. Her heavy pack didn't bother her. She didn't notice the scorching heat. Once at the trail Soraya practically ran down the narrow Cliffside and near the bottom she called out in Suud "It is Soraya, I wish to see my sponsor Maok, Proud Walking Clan" She received no answer and expected none until she had reached the canyon floor. She knew that the Suud would confirm her identity and find a proper guide before they would make their presence known to her. Soraya found a fissure in the rocks where she could fit. She pulled her white Suud robes out of her pack and changed out of her bright peasant trousers, vest, and tunic.
Less than half a mark later a single white figure slid around one of the huge rock formations. Little more than the eyes of the person were exposed, the rest he kept wrapped up to avoid being burnt by the sun. As Soraya approached the person, who she thought was male judging by his height and gait, he spoke. "Hello jackal girl!" He said with a laugh. "Abab!" Soraya thought she recognized the cocky swagger of the young man. She strode over and put her hand on his shoulder in greeting.
She was overjoyed to see that he hadn't grown anymore since they had last seen each other and they were still of equal height. Though at 19 he was no longer the gangly and awkwardly tall Suud boy she had first met.
"So are you staying Soraya?" Abab asked her in Suud. "I hope so, although there are some people I may have to visit once in a while. How is Maok? Can I see her or is she tracking?" Soraya asked eagerly. Abab shook his head, "She is at camp, I hope you have been practicing your Shilshadu speaking, she expects you to be an All-Speaker soon."
They began walking, Abab in front and Soraya carefully placing her feet in his footprints. She sighed "I can speak to all Shilshadu but rock. It is stubborn like you, I hear it but can't speak to it yet, I can't make it listen." Abab laughed, "Why do you compare me to rock? And you could never disappoint her, she has missed you too much to scold when you return." Soraya was relieved and very happy to finally be able to speak about her Shilshadu after so much time hiding it from the Hrum and Farsalans. Abab had always been a good listener when they weren't arguing.
"Yes, I missed her." Soraya said. "You won't admit it but you missed me too." Abab teased, she glared at him and pushed him to walk faster.
In an hour they got to the camp amidst a crowd of children who gathered around and stared curiously at her. Soraya pushed off her hood and the scarf wrapped around her face to show them it was her and was greeted by happy squeals. Maok emerged from a hut and Soraya ran into her arms and gave her a hug. She opened her Shilshadu to Maok to let her feel how much she missed her and felt Maok's motherly sprit touch hers.
Soraya settled back into the Suud's evening routine rather quickly. She was too excited about seeing everyone to even feel slightly tired. Sulib demanded that Soraya carry her for half the night. She had barely grown at all and was light on Soraya's back. Elid greeted her happily and shared news about the tribe. Soraya was in such a good mood that she even managed to be civil to the fat, rude, pockmarked cook, Rumok, who had always mistreated her. The whole time she greeted people, she made time to return to Maok who sat contentedly by her fire pit. The whole night Sulib's little legs held tight around her waist and her bright, chiming voice chattered into her ear.
After midnight, the coals of the fire pits had been spread out on the sand. Maok danced first. The flames rose and seemed to leap up to her hands. She saw Soraya and called her to the group. Clan members grinned and clapped as they stepped aside for her to pass. At the pit Sulib grumbled about losing her ride. Suddenly she squealed and her legs and arms released their strangling grip on Soraya. Turning, Soraya saw that Abab had a hold of the girl by her armpits. Sulib giggled, dangling in his grasp. He grinned and looked pointedly at Maok in the fire.
She took a deep breath and instantly her vision sharpened and she felt the hungry flames pulling her in. I am you and you will share my joy. She commanded the fire. Soraya stepped on the papery coals. She felt light and warm inside, her happiness seemed to flow from her fingers and toes. The flames grew to lick at her fingertips. She raised her arms up as she danced in the coals. The orange tendrils followed her hands as they waved gracefully around her. She laughed out loud.
After what felt like hours, the crackling of the fire was replaced by the Suud's cheers and drums. Slowly, she stepped out of the pit. Maok grinned mischievously, "She is Luik come back to us." She said to Rumok who grunted and stormed away. Soraya laughed at Rumok's anger. The fat cow could never speak fire as well as her. "Who is Luik?" Soraya asked Maok curiously in Farsalan so that they could have privacy. "Luik is my sister, the one you remind me of. Rumok don't like her either. You two have strong, free Shilshadu. You do me proud tonight. No one want to go after such good dancing." Maok said.
Just as Soraya grinned at the compliment, she heard a cheer from the pit. Looking over the generally short crowd, she could see Abab and his good friend Lakka. They danced with the drums and each time they stepped the fire flared up. "He has improved." Soraya said reluctantly. "Before he had difficulty with fire. He must have been practicing to be better than me I suppose." Maok smirked, "And why did you want to talk fire so much in the first place? I remember you get frustrated one time. You say, if Rumok and Abab talk fire, you will too. I think you both have been practicing much." Leave it to Maok to put someone in their place again.
The dances ended near dawn. Soraya sat cross legged by Elid with their backs against someone's hut. Abab walked over carrying Sulib on his back in the same fashion that Soraya had. "You have created a little monster." He said with exaggerated tiredness. Sulib squeezed between Soraya and Elid on the ground. "No," Soraya told her firmly, "The sun will rise soon and you will be cooked through. Go home." Sulib groaned as she stood up but Soraya held up her arms and Sulib turned and gave her a hug and a sticky kiss on the cheek.
Elid laughed softly, "You should let her stay angry with you and you could get more rest." Soraya smiled and nodded mid-yawn. Elid left to her tent. "You should go to bed too." Abab said from above her, leaning back against the hut while standing. "I don't want to get up." Soraya grumbled. "Well I'm not helping you up, I had to carry Sulib for you most of the night." She snorted and then laughed, "I carried her half the night too and I'm not a man. Anyways, I'm not Suud so I think I'll just sleep all day out here in the sun." He grinned and shrugged before heading off to his hut.