9-02: Sweltering
"The desert. Beautiful. Brutal. Children born into this sea face many extremes. From blistering heat, to freezing cold. Beasts, men... empires... All rest quietly beneath the dunes. These are the lands of my people." Aviris said, staring out of the carriage window.
Escorting Aviris was Veronica, Cassidy, and Eleanora, while the others busied themselves with other work.
"It certainly looks... difficult to survive here." Cassidy said, as she stared out into the empty sands.
"Survival here requires endurance, faith and verocity. Everyday, hundreds, if not thousands of people die from the desert's harsh conditions. Anyone who seeks to unite and lead our great people must embody these qualites." Aviris trailed on.
The carriage kept rolling it's way along the rough roads built on top of the dunes.
"Driver, careful here. Dark Scorpions roam this area." Aviris passed on to the driver, who nodded in understanding.
"So, why did you need to come out here?" Veronica asked.
"All I know is that my brothers are fighting over inheritance, and my tribe's uh... secretary? requested that I settle it as a non-biased member of the family."
"I see. What would that entail?"
"Typically, it wouldn't happen in the first place, as when this happens, it's solved by the killing whoever is weaker. So, why they want me there, I've no clue."
It took another few hours, but by the afternoon, the carriage finally stopped at civilization. A city built of sandstone, people carrying on woth their daily activities, and a rotten stench in the air.
"I see they haven't done any burnings yet."
"Burning?"
"It how we dispose of our waste. Trash, excrement, bodies, all of it is burned."
"Bodies too?" Eleanora asked.
"Mhm. Only the rich get proper funerals. Everyone else, burned like everything else."
People noticed the girls. And while Veronica does typically attract attention nowadays, she noticed that the people weren't looking at her. Or Cassidy. Or even Eleanora. They stared at Aviris. With disgust, hate, fear...
"They're staring at you."
"I know. I murdered a lot of people. Her son. His mother. That woman's husband. That man's daughter. I remember every single life I took back then."
It was clear that, while Aviris was fine talking about it, it was clearly... off.
Then, a commotion. A man, loudly preaching.
"From the rising of the sun in the South, to it's setting in the North! Our desert fortress is under attack! And our Sultan has grown old and corrupt! You must rise up, sons and daughters of the sand! Be as enduring as the badger, cunning as the shrew, as lethal as the viper. You must LEAD our great people into... a GOLDEN AGE!" He spoke, loud and clear, emphasizing his words. The crowd cheered and rose their arms.
"Well... that could explain part of it. Come, we have no time to dawdle." Aviris said, quickly walking away, and towards wherever she needed to go.
One of many palaces, this one had many guards, a training ground and a rather large armory, all sitting outside.
"This is the Kanhawsa Palace. My... What used to be my home." She spoke with despair, her face unfazed, but clearly she didn't want to go in.
"Halt! What is your busi— L-Lady Avirisajhar! Guards! The Lady has come back!" One of the many guards yelled.
Instead of being greeted like royalty, they were treated as... criminals. Tightly packed together, the girls were escorted to the main room.
"Finally. Our dear sister is here. Now then brother, what did you think this was going to solve?" A man, probably in his late twenties or early thirties scoffed, sipping wine poured from a scantily clad woman in rather unique outfit.
"Guards, release her and her comrades!" A younger man ordered. He was much more modest man, distancing himself from the stench of corruption.
"Rajasthan, Sharan. It sure has been a while, elder brothers."
These two men, who clearly didn't like each other were Aviris' brothers. And, they wanted her do something for them.