Ok People, here's another chapter.
Naa, I Wont be dodging any rotten tomatoes. If you do throw them then I'll take them like a lady. (in other words, I'll scream and call my bodyguards to save me) ((They probably wont because I dont think they like me))
But in all seriousness, If you want to throw rotten fruit then try kiwifruit or apples or something. DON'T WASTE TOMATOES!

They stopped and camped two hours after nightfall.
Edward tied Emily's hands and feet carefully so it wouldn't cut off circulation but he tied them firmly so they wouldn't loosen overnight.
He gave her sufficient food and water and a blanket before settling down himself, keeping watch over her.
Emily wriggled into a more comfortable position and looked up.
Her eyes narrowed and she tilted her head to the side, "Is that a sandstorm?" she asked.
Edward spun round and peered into the darkness. "That's a sandstorm." He eventually confirmed.
He yelled to the other scorpions and they got up and rushed into a nearby wadi.
Edward bent down and untied Emily then grabbed his horse and began to lead them both towards the sparse shelter the wadi would provide.
His right foot slipped on a rock and twisted. Edward fell to the ground, yelling for Emily to abandon him and find shelter herself.
But she led the horse in front of them and made it lie down, providing cover for her and Edward.
Seconds later the sandstorm hit.

~H~H~H~

Gilan and Blaze rode away at a canter. Selethen said the Bedullin had camped at an oasis to the east about a day's ride from Al Shabah.
Gilan had studied the map closely and estimated he was now only two or three hours away.
He looked at the sun position and eased the horse to a walk for ten minutes before riding at a canter again.
It was the standard ranger pace, canter for twenty minutes and walk for ten.
Every hour they would stop for ten minutes rest before resuming the canter again.
Two and a half hours later, he arrived at the oasis and was pleased to find the Bedullin were still camped there.
He quickly spotted Umar's tent and, after dismounting, walked towards it, Blaze following close behind.
Umar was sitting under a canvas awning listening to a young Bedullin as he reported activity from the scorpions.
He spied Gilan and held up a hand for the young scout to stop.
Then he recognized the tall figure and jumped up to greet his Araluen guest, somewhat puzzled at Gilan's appearance.
He gestured for the young man to stay and have some food as Gilan explained why he had come.
The young scout sat up straighter as Gilan described Emily's message and disappearance.
"She ran away into the desert?" he asked and when Gilan confirmed the fact he went on, "Brown hair, fair skin and green eyes?" Gilan nodded, "Well, she found the scorpions, or maybe they found her. Anyway, she's now their captive." He told Gilan.
Gilan frowned, "Where are they?" he asked, his voice concerned.
The scout pointed in the opposite direction to scorpion mountain, "They had headed on a mission, now they're coming back, probably to dispatch Emily as a slave or wife for the Shurmel. What they don't realise is there is a sandstorm headed straight for them. It will bypass us but hit them dead centre in the worst part."
Gilan frowned, thinking carefully. "If we followed the sandstorm we could hit them unprepared, then get my sister back and teach these scorpions a lesson at the same time."
Umar nodded, considering what Gilan had said "Alright, but will your sister cooperate?" He asked.
Gilan frowned. Emily could be very headstrong and rebellious at times, and he didn't think she would give up her mission without being forced to.
"Maybe it would be better to capture her and keep her in the dark as to what's actually going on for a few days, then she will probably listen to reason."
Umar nodded. "Good idea, I'd also like to capture the apprentice scorpion. They are always easier to get information out of than the older ones. If we're keeping Emily in the dark you better stay behind. Sisters tend to recognized people easily."
Gilan reluctantly agreed and the Bedullin set of to hunt some scorpions.

~H~H~H~

Edward felt like he was being squashed by a giant elephant.
'At least it isn't making that racket anymore' he thought grimly.
Suddenly everything seemed to be moving and he clung on to something for dear life.
Then some light showed and he realised it wasn't an elephant squashing him but at least two metres of sand.
He fought his way to the surface and was surprised to find it was dark outside.
The moving, he now saw, was his horse escaping from the sand.
The animal shook itself and nudged him for a pat.
Edward laughed and complied, fondling the horses muzzle and whispering softly to it.
The ground beside him shuddered and Emily emerged, shook herself and walked over.
"That was close" she said and he nodded.
He had a strange feeling about this girl and it had grown even stronger when she had helped him to cover before the sandstorm.
"Why did you help me?" he asked.
Emily grew silent, thinking about her answer.
She really didn't know herself, although she would do it again if the opportunity arose.
"I really don't know." She admitted.
Edward frowned.
"Do you regret it?" he asked cautiously, and was relieved to see Emily shake her head.
"Of course not!" she exclaimed hurriedly.
Edward studied her with a quizzical expression.
Emily saw she needed to explain so she did her best.
"We don't just abandon people when they're in danger. If a fellow human needs our help, we do all that's in our power to help them, whether they deserve it or not, it's just the way we Araluens do things." She explained and Edward nodded.
"Of course, we still have our fair share of bandits, thugs and traitors but generally speaking…" she added and Edward nodded again.
Emily changed the subject.
"What's your name, by the way?" she asked and Edward held out his hand "I'm Edward." he said and Emily took his hand.
"Pleased to meet you, Edward, I'm Emily." She said.
Edward smiled and replied "Pleased to meet you, Emily."
She nodded brusquely. "Ok, now that we have that out of the way, what is the plan?"
Edward looked confused "The plan?" he asked and Emily nodded.
"Yes, the plan. We can't ride to Scorpion Mountain in the dark. We don't know any landmarks and, if we did, the sandstorm would have changed everything."
Edward's puzzled expression cleared and he waved a hand dismissively.
"We can camp out and carry on tomorrow." he said.
Emily looked doubtful but she couldn't see a better solution so she agreed.
"I'll keep first watch, you get some sleep." she said and Edward nodded gratefully.
He rolled in a blanket and was soon asleep, his even breathing being interrupted occasionally by a grunt of pain as he rolled onto his sore arm.
Emily kept watch, matching her breathing to his so that a listener any less experienced than herself wouldn't be able to detect more than one person or tell that she was awake.
She looked at the moon and estimated she had about an hour before Edward's shift.
An owl dove at a mouse, and Emily watched the brief battle until the owl flew away, the mouse in its talons.
She watched some other night time animals as they went about their business, some eating food straight away, others taking it home for their young, all too busy to take any notice of the travelers.
An hour passed and she woke Edward and went to sleep herself.
Edward kept watch for a while, and then began to doze off.
He jolted himself awake and shook his head to get rid of any sleepiness.
After a while he dozed off again, and then repeated the process of jolting awake and shaking himself, then dozing off again.
The process happened five or six times before sleep finally claimed him.
He slept deeply, so deeply that he didn't hear the faint rustle and squeak of horse's hooves on sand, nor did he hear as men dismounted and silently surrounded the little camp, closing in and blocking the two people from each other.

Sooo.
I hope you liked that chapter! if you didn't then go read some other people's books. I have some good ones on my favorite list. My favorite authors are people who write tons of awesome books and I cant be bothered adding them to my list individually so yeah, check them out too.