Raj had other work to attend to and left her at Imad’s tent.
Imad wasn’t there. So riva sat where she had slept. It seemed to be the only thing she could claim as her own. Very, very softly she began to sing, for lack of anything better to do. Switching between her favorite arias and the more secular dance songs.
Imad strode into the tent like a storm of heat and fire.
Instinctively Riva flinched away from him. That flinch seemed to ignite whatever anger he was feeling. In two swift strides he was bearing down on her, his power cracking around him. Where was the control he had flaunted yesterday? Riva squirmed away, the flimsy pressure of the tent wall halting her retreat.
“Where did you go?” He railed chest heaving, face inches from hers.
Riva trembled as she all but whispered. “I went to help beat out the rugs-”
“AND THAT TOOK YOU ALL DAY!?! Why didn’t you return immediately after you had finished like I had ordered?”
He had ordered no such thing, but right now that didn’t matter. Riva searched for an answer but her mouth had gone dry and her mind blank. She hadn’t realized she was breaking his rules.
“WHY ARE YOU DEFYING ME?!” The heat surrounded him rose to be unbearable.
“I’m NOT!” Riva cried in desperation, her voice shrill even in her own ears. “I went with on the of the slaves to look around the camp. I asked him to show me. I didn’t know where anything was and I needed help if I was going to serve you.” Her mind raced, looking for a way to placate him.
The broiling heat around him lessened. “Name the slave. He should have known better. I’ll see that he is punished.”
Raj. “I don’t know his name.”
“Describe him.”
“Black hair, dark eyes, brown skin...” Riva rattled off, knowing she was describing half of the slaves she had worked with that day.
Imad waved a hand dismissively. “Never mind, I’ll just ask. The slaves will know.”
For a moment Riva was torn between self preservation and her fear for Raj. “No!, Please. It was my fault. I convinced him to take me around and show me. He had brought me back several times but I followed him, deliberately disobeying his orders to return. It was my fault.”
Imad was silent, observing her. His heat and turned ice cold, so cold it burned as bad as the heat. He bent to get a better view of her face.
She met his eyes and swallowed in fear.
After a long moment of searching her face he said very quietly, threateningly. “If you ever leave this tent without my permission. I will have you publicly flogged. You are a slave. My slave. Do you understand?”
Riva forced her seized-up muscles to move her head up and down.
“Good.” He snapped and two women appeared from his room. Swiftly he ordered, “Get her ready. We are to see the King.” His cold eyes returned to Riva and she suppressed a shudder. “I want her to look her best.”
*****
Among slaves, the veils were optional. Only when in the presence of other men was Riva forced to wear one. The one she was dressed in now was a vibrant blue, that brought out the color in her eyes. The entire process brought her back to her times as a princess, being pampered and shown off as a trophy.
It made her feel filthy.
She didn’t fully understand the purpose of dressing her up until she saw King Racham’s face.
His eyes were wide and awed, after a few blinks his expression changed to jealousy.
Imad had brought her to flaunt under the King’s nose. Isn’t that a little childish? Riva thought. Imad was a lot of things but a child he was not.
Racham was though, in temperament if nothing else. She could see him struggle to get the right words out. “She looks... ravishing, Imad, you never fail to amaze me.”
Imad glanced back at Riva with indifference. “Really? I must thank you then, your Majesty, for such a fine gift.”
Riva was hard pressed to remain emotionless, pretending that she couldn’t understand a work of the conversation. She watched as Racham too, worked his jaw and fought his emotions. He has to be the worse diplomat I’ve ever seen! Riva thought in annoyance. Any good leader should at least have a semblance of tact. All her life Riva had suppressed her own feelings behind a mask or persona. She envied Racham’s freedom to speak his mind and do as he wished.
Imad ignored Racham’s inner struggle and got straight to business. His cool demeanor in front of the King was a stark contrast to how he had conducted himself in his tent. “The Umed Tribe have responded. We are now free to declare war on Alsteare.”
Riva had never been so grateful that her face was obscured by a veil. Oh, you rotten, horrible, filthy man! You know that I can’t understand your language, so you brought me here so i can hear the beginning to the downfall of my country without comprehending a word of it! Intense hate flared and tears stung at her eyes, she subtly blinked them away.
Racham’s face took on heavy, weary set. For a moment Riva thought she saw a true king, not a puppet. “As you wish, we will hold our first war council tomorrow in the eventing when it is cool. Inform the Tribal Heads.” It was a firm dismissal, one that Riva wouldn’t have expected from Racham.
Imad bowed and turned to leave. Hate for Racham’s weak will and for Imad’s cruel sadism still inhibited all of Riva as she walked stiffly behind her captor. A breeze blew sand in Riva’s eyes and she stopped to rub them.
“Don’t do that, the grains will only go farther in. Here, allow me.”
DON’T TOUCH ME!
Imad didn’t seem to notice her burning hatred as he placed a had on the side of her face and gently pulled her eyelids away. “Look up, down, now to the right, the left.” When he released her the irritation was gone.
Riva swallowed. “Thank you. What did you do?” Her voice sounded forced, stiff but passable.
Imad wiggled his fingers. He was in a good mood. “Magic.”
She pursed her lips to keep from saying anything incriminating.
A whinny broke through the air.
Ettore. Riva turned to the sound, eyes raking over the crowd of tents, people and animals. There he was, struggling against the rope binding him. She longed to go to him, Riva had been willing to give what little life she had for him. They could both feel the effects of that love.
“Stupid horse, doesn’t he realize he can’t break free?” Imad muttered in his own language.
Hate flooded through Riva anew and she willed Ettore break free. As if all he needed was her command, Ettore pulled his picket out of the ground and charged through the tents to Riva.
Riva’s heart and thoughts raced. Leave... She could leave and warn Alsteare or even reach Sealidan and get the army to head back home. Her eyes flickered over to Imad. He wouldn’t let her get far, even if she did get out she didn’t have any provisions...
Ettore skidded to a stop next to her, his powerful muscles bunched and ready to take off. His eye rolled to stare at her expectantly.
Riva turned to face Imad and pulled her veil from her face. “I will never be your slave.” In one swift motion she was on Ettore and bolting through the camp. Riva gripped Ettore’s mane and whooped in glee. Whatever the gelding couldn’t dodge he jumped. When they reached the outskirts of the camp a massive thundering cloud of sand erupted before them, barring their way. Riva leaned to the left, pulling Ettore to the side. Obediently, he broke through the side, taking the brunt of the sand. Open space appeared before them again and Ettore dug his hooves even deeper into the sand.
This time a wall of sand came up at them like a wave coming down on a ship. Riva closed her eyes tightly and held on to Ettore for life, he reared in fear, kicking in the air. The sand slammed down, smothering them. Horse and girl struggled to stand. She reached for Ettore and mounted again, turning him about and then kicking him into a gallop. As they rode Riva spat out sand and shook off what she could.
Air slammed into them from the right. They fell to the hot sand and again tried to stand. Air rushed from her lungs. She fell to the ground grasping for something, anything and only clutching the sand. Panic spread through her, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t taste the air.
Imad’s face came into view and she reached for him, pleading wordlessly. His face was twisted in anger. “Get the horse, leave the girl to me.”
He wasn’t releasing his hold. Riva gaped like a fish, eyes wide, unbelieving. As she thrashed around Imad looked on with contempt. Just as her vision was leaving her, she felt sweet hot air flow into her lungs once more. She coughed several times clearing her throat of sand she had inhaled. With his face nearly touching hers he hissed. “I warned you. Now, you will be punished.”
Fear rippled through Riva, she had acted impulsively and now she was regretting it.
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