Disclaimer: I do not own Red River. Mostly cuz I'm not Japanese.

"Talking"

'Thought'

'Sound FX'

Emphasis or Sarcastic


Peeling my eyes open I was blinded by light, scrunching them tight again I blinked away the bright spots that swam across my vision. Feeling like a load of laundry I gingerly turned on to my back and sat up right hoping to find myself in Los Angeles medical center's ER or heaven, which ever place I ended up in…

Still a bit disoriented I took a quick look around, and I concluded that I was in heaven not in a hospital. Mostly because the sky was colored with red, orange and golden hues and the surrounding buildings were very old looking, like bible kinda old. The buildings reminded me of those places you find in history books about ancient Greeks and stuff.

Moving to look at the small buildings around me closer, I stopped when I felt a cold splash hit my waist. Looking down I saw my legs were knee deep in a small square pool of water. Feeling much more awake thanks to the sudden shock of cold I pulled myself out of the water and sat on the still warm ground. 'Where exactly was I?'

Frowning, I now knew my earlier assumption of being dead was wrong, my head hurt way too much for me to not be alive. Reaching back into the pool for my sunk back pack I cringed when I hauled it out of the water, thinking of all my ruined essays that I would have to rewrite, a few of my expensive library books that I haven't returned yet and my parents gifts. Sighing, I wondered how much the school would charge me for water damaged books.

Looking around again I was more than confused on where I was and where to go. Figuring the blondes decided to drag me to some remote place as a prank while I was incapacitated I shrugged in to my pack and decided a small walk around wouldn't hurt.


Detached Palace

"Is that her milady?"

Nakia said nothing as she surveyed the girls wandering through her small basin of enchanted water. It had been difficult to say the least, keeping her actions completely secret and free of Juda's scrutiny, it had been very tricky indeed. But her ingenuity had proven superior in the end, but that was the least of her problems, getting the girl here undetected had been more than a handful. Not mention she couldn't use much of her power for fear of being detected by anybody experienced in the ways of magic. The red haired girl had proven to be hard to obtain even with her carefully applied magic but it was whatever spell that was previously invoked that allowed her to bide her time and the girls idiotic decision to get near a large amount of water that let Nakia grab her once and for all with almost no effort on her part.

She remembered when the child first came to her attention all those days ago while she bathed. The magical touch had been surprising; it had been unfamiliar and new to her but as soon as she was able to see what exactly the awareness was, she had been put out. The girl was obviously a good and untainted child, still innocent of much of the darkness from the world she lived in. A vile reminder of that wretch Yuri she had summoned to Hittite.

Then she had seen the metaphorical light, what better way to extract revenge on those who hurt her than to destroy them in the way she had originally intended, using katashiro. It would certainly give their untimely demise a sort of poetic irony she thought, so she had taken the opportunity as a gods send and thanked them profusely for their gracious gift of vengeance.

"She's rather an unsightly thing isn't she?"

"Yes, she's much to pale and what an unusual color of hair! Have you ever seen such a shade? Its color borders on crude! It absolutely alarms my eyes!"

"Are we sure she's a she? Her body's so small, thin and flat she could pass for a young boy!"

As her favorite maids prattled on about the girls appearance she was busy trying to find away to get the girl here. Karkemish wasn't heavily guarded like Hattusa. Though the city wasn't without many guards, the security wasn't so lax that a foreigner could easily enter the exiled queen's unattached palace without notice. Especially one as otherworldly looking as she was. It had been pure luck the girl had come through an isolated well in one of the rarely used temples.

Coming to a decision Nakia interrupted their idle talk, "Find her as quickly as you can. Do what you must to bring her to me and remember no one must see you or the girl." She snapped icily.

The two women bowed deeply to Nakia and made a quiet exit from her suite.


Feeling hopelessly lost in this reddish brown stone maze I sat in defeat on the ground. What kinda place did those beach bunnies put me in? It looked like a museum or something, maybe an empty Hollywood set? Pouting, I got to my feet and tried the heavy wooden doors that lined the large stone hallway. My footsteps echoed creepily and despite the hall having no lights the suns evening light filtered in through the small windows made at the tops of the corridors walls.

Empty room after empty room, it went on like that for the next fifteen minutes. Each door I opened led to a dark vacant room. Leaning against the wall I sighed, it was like this place was deserted or something, wherever this place was…

I was startled when I heard the sudden scrape of wood on stone. At the end of the hallway two women stood in the doorway of the last door. Feeling relief I ambled over to them slowly.

"Thanks for finding me. I had no idea what'd I'd do if I couldn't get outta here." I groaned happily.

One woman was tall, had dark brown hair and I thought she was kinda pretty while the other was shorter and had dirty blonde hair and I found her just a tiny bit prettier than the other. Both had their hair up in pony tails and were wearing some kind of dress that looked similar to a long tunic. As soon as the statement left my mouth they gave me quizzical looks.

The dark haired lady opened her mouth to say something but instead of English out came a different language all together. I looked to the blonde for a translation but she was just mugging me like every other girl I knew. 'What is it about me that everyone seems to hate?'

"Uh, I don't speak-" 'what was she speaking?' "I only speak English and a bit of Spanish, so… sorry?" I shrugged.

The dark haired one mashed her lips together in a tight line and glared at me. I was about to apologize for offending her again when she made a swift arm movement and the blonde tackled me to the floor.

"Hey! What the he-mmf!" Blondie sat on top of me while the other pinned down my arms. The blonde then shoved a small blue bottle in to my open mouth, turning my head to the side to spit out whatever flooded in to me the blonde then clamped on to my nose and shoved the bottle in harder. Holding my breath as long as I could, I gasped for air when I couldn't take it anymore and gagged on the fluid that rushed down my throat.

Both ladies got off me as I flipped over to dry heave on my hands and knees. Looking up to glare at them, the brunette grabbed my hair tightly and pulled me to my feet. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts!" I yelled.

"Shut up peasant! Lady Nakia requires your presence." she spat.

Ripping her hold out of my hair I asked, "You speak English? What the heck was the whole tackle and suffocating thing for huh?"

"Silence girl! Your disobedience will not be tolerated!"

"Peasant? Disobedience? What the heck are you talking about?" I asked bewildered.

'SLAP' I gingerly touched my stinging cheek and felt tears well up in my eyes. Blinking them away I glared at the blonde who dared slap me. "What the hell are your guys' problems? You don't go around slapping people!"

"Silence!" The blonde screamed.

I shut my mouth on a shocked impulse rather than actually listening to her. "I'm somewhat glad this girl will be dead when Queen Nakia rips out her throat." The blonde muttered.

My eyes went wide in surprise, hitting was one thing but threats were a whole different thing altogether. "Alright, who hired you huh? Did some girls do it? Are they really so obsessed with a boy they'd resort to pranking me?"

The brunette scowled and said, "You should feel honored the gods led you to Lady Nakia. She will give you an end befitting for one such as you."

"Look, how much did these girls pay you? If you stop I'll double it."

"Enough of your rambling! Come Nakia wishes to sacrifice her as soon as possible."

They both grabbed my wrists and began to haul me out of the hallway, "Hey I just sai-"

The brunette whirled on me and I felt the tip of something sharp poke my side, "Make anymore fuss and I will wound you so you bleed but don't die." She hissed.

I felt fear crawl up my spine and a huge stone settle in my stomach, 'what was going on here?'

"Cover yourself with this." One of them threw a brown piece of cloth as large as three yards of fabric around my shoulders and wrapped it around me tightly making sure to cover my face.

Swallowing, I glanced down to my right side to confirm if the brunette still had a knife against me. She did. Trying to think quickly I asked, "Where am I?" A harmless enough question, I hoped I would know where I was and be able to run for the police.

The blonde lady was the one who answered, "You're in Karkemish of the Hittite Empire."

What? They led me out side and I expected to see the sunset over L.A. but instead I found a beautiful sunset over a city of red brown stone. Crap, this can't be good. They pushed and pulled me through alleys and empty buildings and threatened if I didn't stay quiet old brunette would shank me between the ribs.

"Hey, you three!" A man's voice cried out.

I turned with the two of them slowly to face him while the taller one shielded me mostly from view and pressed the blade of her knife under my rib.

"Hello, what can we do for you soldier?" The blonde asked sweetly.

"Ah, you're Kammani, the exile's servant." The man sneered exile's, "What are you doing about in these parts of the city?"

The blonde who I now know whose name was Kammani answered, "Just a trivial errand for the banished queen I assure you."

"It must be hard to deal with a traitor. You and Sinada would have been better off as slaves for a noble than a lady in waiting for a deported queen."

"You have your duty as a warrior for Hittite and we have ours as maids attending to the ex-dowager queen, this was the task assigned to us by lord Juda himself." Sinada I had guessed, stated in a clipped tone.

The soldier stiffened as if he had been struck and said, "Yes. Of course, please forgive my insult. But if I may ask, who is that person behind you?"

Now it was my turn to go still. "Uhhh, this is um, this is…" Sinada couldn't make up an excuse fast enough and the soldier suddenly got suspicious.

"You there, take off the cloak." He gestured to me with his sword he held in his hand. Eyeing it warily I was unsure of what to do.

"How dare you show your sword to us?" Sinada stepped forward in outrage and I felt the knife leave my clothed body. The man merely glared in answer.

"We'll report you to your commanding officer if you persist in delaying us!" The blonde stepped forward also.

Seeing my chance I slid my arm out of one of my back packs straps and gripped the other strap still on my shoulder tightly with both hands. I backed up a few steps slowly but then I sent a small stone skittering backwards which snapped the three of them out of their argument.

"Where are you going?" Sinada lunged in my direction and I swung my pack as hard as I could towards her incoming face. She fell on her side and I turned on my heel and ran from them as fast as I could.

"Halt! I said halt!" I heard the solider scream from behind me. Speeding up to a flat out sprint I ran down random alleys and a few crowded streets making sure to keep the shawl wrapped tight around me as I tried to disappear in to some of the crowded places.

Rounding a dark corner swiftly I ducked in to a small niche in the wall and watched as the two chasing me ran by. Letting out a tired breath I rearranged the cloth like I saw a few of the women arrange their shawls. Slipping out of the small niche I slowly backed out of the corner.

"Found you!" A small but rough hand clamped hard on to my mouth and I felt the too familiar edge of a knife press against my throat. My suppressed tears welled up and spilled down my cheeks. I didn't want to die yet. I still had so much to offer the world and it me. Hell, I haven't even gotten my first kiss yet! The grip on my mouth tightened and then a sharp blow to the back of my head was all I felt before I passed out again.


'Drip' 'Drip' 'Drip' Feeling sick and tired I opened my eyes for what felt like the millionth time today. The room I was in was dark, damp and smelled musty. The only thing I could distinguish around me was the feel of cold and hard stone underneath me. The only light I had came from the starry and moonlit sky in the window next to me, and it wasn't much. I reached to touch the back of my sore head and found I couldn't move my arms. Tugging them I realized they were tied with rope on a small wooden pole behind me.

I didn't know what to do. I wasn't in Los Angeles, which was pretty obvious, was I even in California? Then I'm kidnapped by a bunch of psychotic ladies and they want to sacrifice me or something. I frowned, if this was a prank it was going too far. The opening of a door in front of me stopped my musings.

"Look who finally woke up."

A woman I did not recognize walked in to the patch of moon light near me. She had a severe no nonsense kind of face plus with her blonde hair pinned up she looked even more intimidating. And to add to that she was tall and over all a very attractive looking lady. Looking closer she was dressed in what appeared to be a long purple tube top with a long white trailing skirt and matching shawl.

The women reached out a cold, slender fingered hand and grasped my chin to tilt it upwards. "How peculiar, your hair…its shade is uncommon here."

I glared, "Who the heck are you and where am I?" I wasn't about to take crap from a stranger.

The woman narrowed her eyes, "Careful with the way you speak to me, I hold your life in my hands now." She paused, "You are in Karkemish in the land of Hittite."

"Where the heck is Hittite?" I hissed now even more annoyed.

"I would not think a girl from a different world would know of Hittite, I see I was not disappointed."

My mind whirled, a different world? What has this lady been smoking? "Are you on dru-?"

"Enough, you're mine now and there's nothing for you to do but accept that." I was taken aback with that particular statement. How could I be hers?

Her grip tightened on my chin and she continued, "Such a young child, you can't be older than fourteen." She sighed," But the gods weave fate as they will. Tomorrow you will be the cause of a great occasion," I swallowed tensely as I felt her trace the line of my throat "your spilt blood will help achieve my greatest desire and for that I am thankful to you…so I will make your death as quick as possible." She smiled coldly and abruptly left me in this dank cell.

I shivered in fear when the bang of the door resounded in the room. It didn't matter if I was in a different world or not, murder was murder and that woman was planning to slit my throat. My eyes burned with unshed tears and I choked on a dry sob, I was going to die tomorrow…

I let the torrent of tears rack my body and watched my vision blur. I clenched my fists until my fingers were sore and let the misery of my impending death wash over me. I cried for myself, for my home, for my parents, for the siblings I would never get to meet and everything I would never get to experience. I imagined putting on my graduation gown that sat in my small closet at home. I could see myself walking across the stage and getting my diploma; going to college, getting a job. I even tried to imagine what it would be like to kiss a boy. And with each fantasy I felt my heart tighten painfully.

By the time I stopped bawling the sky had lightened to a dark bluish purplish pink color. Taking a good look around I figured this would probably be the last thing I would get to experience in my short life. I stared out at the horizon and longed to see the familiar Hollywood sign on top of the abundant green hills in the distance but to no avail. My head lolled on my shoulder and was greeted by the familiar sight of my back pack near my foot.

I grimaced; I had thought they would have taken that away. Using my foot to grab the nearby strap I pulled it over til it rested between my ankles. Now what? I shifted into a more comfortable position to sit in and winced when the rope bit in to my aching wrists. I felt like I was in one of those old black and white cartoons where the dude is all chained up and he uses a hidden lock pick to-that's it! Using my legs to drag the pack over fully to me I gripped it between my knees and pushed my legs up as I bent my head down. Trying to find the zipper for the small front pocket with my teeth was a lot harder than I thought but I managed it in the end, diving back in to the pocket I used my mouth to feel around til I found my metal nail file I used when I broke a nail.

Success! I felt the rough cool metal against my lips and quickly secured my lips on it. Making sure I bit it tightly between my teeth I unbent my head and stretched my face towards my bound hand. Pulling against the restraints harder I managed to brush the file with the tips of my fingers. Stretching my head and hand as far as I could go I was able to get my nail file between two of my fingers. Twisting the file so my hand was gripping the handle I slowly bent my appendage backwards and sawed at the rope that held me.

Within a few minutes I was able to saw halfway through and I snapped the remaining rope with little effort. Ripping the chaffing material off my wrist, I did the same with my other hand and found myself free. Jumping to my feet and pocketing my file I decided I would celebrate my escape later. Snatching up my back pack I tip toed to the door and opened it a crack. There were a few ladies walking in my direction and I quickly shut the door, no need to alert the crazy lady's cronies to what I was doing.

I half ran to the window to see how high it was and was relieved when I saw it was about one floor higher. Sitting on the ledge I eased myself over the side. Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, just breathe…yeah just breathe. I hung on to the ledge and let myself droop with the force of gravity, one-two-three and I squished my eyes tight and let go of the windows ledge.

'BAM' I hit the ground hard on my side. Cradling my arm I staggered to my feet and held on to my knees for a little bit before continuing on wards. God, I hope no one heard me eat dirt. The nearest exit was through this big wooden door across the small courtyard I landed in.

Hurrying over to it quietly was no biggie but the guards standing on the other side were a different matter. What to do? I scanned the courtyard and saw a large piece of purple cloth hanging out a windows ledge and a small wicker basket next to it.

The cloth was a bit thin, like a bed sheet and I prayed it would be able to disguise me. I wrapped it around me like cloak and kept my pack on my back so I looked hunched over and elderly and made sure to keep my face hidden from view. I then perched the wicker basket on top of my head and kept it steady with a hand.

Walking through the door quickly, I kept facing forward. Each step felt like an eternity and my palms were slick with sweat, I was sure the two of them could hear my racing heartbeat but they didn't even spare me a glance. I kept going til I reached a bend in the road but I didn't stop to breathe for fear of being discovered. Rounding a corner I tightened the cloak around me and ditched the basket. I decided the best thing to do for now was to get out of harm's way and lay low.


On the other side of Karkemish

"The same! Why are all slaves the same! You can never find any exotic ones around here! And I thought this place was supposed to be more prosperous than Egypt!"

"You're upset and drunk so I won't take what you're saying seriously, Aswad."

The man named Aswad peered up at his companion, "Like you would even dare, Maskini."

Maskini gritted his teeth. He knew Aswad was right, he would not dare. Maskini was a slave to the man he currently strolled with, and even though he was fit from hard labor and was a patriot for his country, he knew he could not raise a hand to the man who provided for him. Even if the provisions were meager.

Aswad on the other hand was short and a bit on the heavy side, besides he had no reluctance when punishing his slaves severely for disobedience. Aswad was a very wealthy slave trader and was currently on the lookout for more exotic…merchandise. Thus he had been led to the Hittite kingdom that boasted the rumor that their women were the best in all the orient.

"There was an abundance of young girls and many of them were beyond merely good-looking, master." He attached the honorific on deliberately.

"Yes, but they weren't what we were searching for."

"And what exactly are we searching for?"

"We're searching for something foreign; something rare…native slaves don't fetch a hefty enough price at the market these days especially the female ones. Everyone wants something new to look at; I'm simply trying to provide the means for my customers' new entertainment."

Entertainment meaning Aswad's clientele purchased slaves for their own depraved activities. No local servant would stand for such treatment unless purchased for that sole purpose but strangers didn't have much of a choice if they wished to survive. This is why Aswad travelled so far from home to get such slaves and most he did not even purchase…

"Then what will you do if you cannot find those types of girls among the traders here?"

"Simple. We keep searching until we find some, even if it means searching the entire region! Tomorrow at dawn we set out for Aleppo!" Aswad chortled at what he thought was a brilliant plan and continued on with his servant to the inn they were staying at.


Making sure I wasn't followed I made my way to what looked like a big wall that gated the entire city. It was a little after dawn and I didn't see any one out and about yet. Slumping against the somewhat warm stones I decided it would be okay to take a break.

I sat on the ground and hugged my knees to my chest before thinking to myself. What a day…I wonder if anyone has realized I'm missing yet. Would anyone really even care?... I exhaled heavily; how did this even happen? One minute I'm drowning the next I wake up in some strange place called Hittite! This is one for the scrap books don't you think? 'Sigh' What was I going to do?

The sound of muffled voices drew me out of my gloom and I immediately ran in to the shaded alcove in the wall. Two men holding spears and dressed in short sleeved belted tunics walked by me and were chatting happily with each other about someone called Ish-tar and a newborn. I watched as they carried on their conversation and I pressed myself flat against the wall until they walked a considerable distance away.

I sagged in relief when I saw the two of them round the far corner and pressed a sweaty hand against my rapid heartbeat. I bent my head backwards and banged my head on wood. Wood? Turning around I nearly wept tears of joy when I saw that there was a huge wooden door behind me. This must be an entrance to the city. I pushed the heavy door with all my might and only managed to open it a small gap. Figuring I could squeeze through I shoved my back pack out first and then held my breath and tried to squish myself through. It took a little bit of effort but I was able to get out with only a bruised rib cage. I bent to pick up my pack when I heard a heavy slam and felt a hard tug that had me stumbling backwards in to the door. I turned around to find the stupid door shut and the trailing cloth of my impromptu cloak had gotten caught in its crack.

Gritting my teeth I shouldered my back pack and grabbed the cloth between both hands. I pulled and tugged for all it was worth and just when I was about to give up the dumb cloth slid easily out of the crevice and I landed on my bottom in a pile of warm sand.

Turning on to my hands and feet I felt them sink into hot sand, I pulled them out quickly and dusted them off. Where the hell was I? The horizon was a rocky landscape covered in fine beige sand, the sky was a beautiful cerulean blue and it was slightly breezy.

Oookay, I was in a desert, there was a desert in California right? Why was I trying to convince myself I was still home? Didn't these people already say I was in some alternate world or something? But then again I do question their sanity but still…arggh I'm getting a headache. 'Sigh' Okay if I really am in the California Mojave desert then I should be able to find some kind of hiking trail, right? Maybe I'll be able to find a reservation or ranger station by it?

I was hesitant to start walking mostly because I didn't have any water with me and no directions to point me in the right direction. Deciding it was more dangerous to linger here than out in a desert I chose to get walking before the sun got any higher, so wrapping my purple cloth around me again for protection against the rising sun I headed out to what I knew would be a long and very tiring walk.


Aleppo's Desert Trail

It was around midday when a small caravan stopped for a break. Aswad and his handful of man servants had been traveling at a slow and leisurely pace since dawn. Their master was in no rush to get to Aleppo, mostly because the traveling nomads had beautiful women in their groups and he was sometimes able to convince a few to accompany him on his journey before enslaving them and then bartering them off.

"Would master care for a cup of wine?" questioned one of the men.

Aswad simply waved him off and resumed his review over the small number of new acquisitions he made. The few girls he had captured from merchant families were pretty young things undeniably, but he doubted anyone would realize their missing from their homes before supper. Spoiled girls from rich families but not so rich that they would be searching high and low for them; he was careful not to kidnap women from noble families with the only exception being they were simply too exquisite to pass by. He smiled perversely; perhaps he would sample his new wares to make sure they were up to his customer's expectations.

A small girl who couldn't be older than ten shivered at Aswad's leering. She had been with her sister and nanny in the market just this morning when only for a moment she and her elder sister had wandered away from their nanny to see an Egyptian stand of commodities. It was then the Egyptian man's men had snatched them up into their arms and carried them off to this small wagon kicking and screaming all the way here. She remembered how she had kicked up such a fuss, her mother and governess would blush with overwhelming mortification and shame. Aswad's gaze wandered over her small figure and she whimpered in fear. She still had the feel of harsh hands tying her up and gagging her fresh in her mind.

"Why you're a pretty little creature, aren't you?" Aswad murmured. He had yet to learn the child's name. With long flaxen hair that resembled dark honey, large eyes the color of high quality lapis lazuli and her light beige skin made her a near exceptional find in this god forsaken country. It was unfortunate she was just a child… if she had been a couple years older perhaps he would have kept her for himself but regrettably he would have to sell her. He frowned; it's too bad her young supple body would have to see hard labor before she was old enough to be taken as a concubine.

"What's your name?" He demanded. He watched as she clung to and cowered behind an older olive skinned girl with captivating almond shaped dark brown eyes and long wavy hair as black and glossy as polished obsidian. The older girl merely mashed her plump lips in a fine line and gave him a defiant glare.

Thoroughly amused with the girl's idiotic show of bravery he whipped out his hand to grasp the girls face in a bruising grip. "I wish to know you and your sister's name child."

The girl bit the hand holding her and in anger Aswad slapped her so hard she tumbled out of the wooden cart and in to a small heap on to the hot sand. "Next time I won't be as merciful." He spat.

"My lord…?" Maskini spoke softly, ignoring what had just transpired.

Aswad scowled, "What is it?"

"There is something I think you will be most interested to see." Aswad, uncaring of the young girls weeping, gestured for Maskini to lead the way and left the girl and other women in the hot arid desert with his other slaves while Maskini led him to a small rock out cropping a ways away. There in the small amount of shade a large boulder provided laid a petite outline covered in a purple cloth head to toe and sprinkled with a fine layer of sand.

"Why does a dead body interest me Maskini?"

"It's no dead body sir. On the contrary the girl is just unconscious."

"Girl?" Aswads eyebrows climbed up his forehead. Maskini nodded and gestured for him to take off the cloth covering the girl. What he saw underneath the fabric stunned him, a young girl with the fairest skin he's ever seen and the strangest color hair that resembled red copper.

"Who is she?" he muttered. He'd never seen a girl with such colorings, he wondered where this child had come from? He frowned when he tucked the fabric back over her to obscure her from view, the cloth was a fine fabric and dyed a beautiful vibrant indigo with golden thread lining the edges. Such luxuries were only available to the highest ranking nobles and royals. Perhaps she was a senator's daughter or concubine? He doubted she was royalty, the royals currently in power here were of Hittite descent and their precious foreign Queen is rumored to have black hair not red. Besides their queen lived in Hattusa and had just recently given birth, there was no way she would be wandering the desert.

"Should we just leave her here my lord? She is after all very unusual looking." Maskini said.

Seeing a wonderful opportunity Aswad decided since she was just abandoned in the hot desert he would shelter her for now and once they reached Petra he would sell her for his highest price yet. "Your right Maskini, we go straight to Petra now that we've found what we've come for!" he rubbed his meaty hands together just thinking of all the gold he would come into with just this one girl. "Put her in the cart with the others. "He ordered.

Maskini frowned thinking that wasn't what he meant to convey to his master at all. He was worried that some ill fortune would befall them if they took this flame haired young woman. After all, she was abandoned in the desert with no one in sight for miles. Obviously she was unwanted. Sighing he called out to a few of the men and watched them load her in to the cart of the other goods his master collected before mounting a nearby camel.

Aswad walked over to his own camel happily and hummed an offbeat tune, yes, indeed he would be a wealthy merchant by the end of this trip.


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