1. The Sand Snake (Danail)

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   The desert is harsh and unforgiving. It has no mercy for the weak. It scorches their souls and drains their bodies, leaving them marked for life, if they survive it by a miracle.

   The endless sea of amber sand radiates heat, although, it's an early morning. It never cools, always ready to burn your feet, if you're foolish enough to step on it barefooted. The rays of the bright, red sun, slowly rolling up on the horizon, are already stabbing the dry land, lighting fires in the very sole of this savage place.

   We are trained to endure it from early childhood. The swelter and thirst do not bother us. Our eyes are used to the shine. Our lungs welcome every searing breath. We thrive in it, feasting on its untamed energy. It makes us stronger, wilder, more violent and victorious. We are part of this world of fire, but it will be the end of us, if the war doesn't end soon.

   This morning is not like the others when I wait, with my mother next to me, for my scouts, chosen among my best warriors, to come back with the life-saving information about the enemy's position. It's different this time. A dreadful scene is unfolded before my eyes. I'm still struggling to comprehend it.

   My mother, the fierce queen of Eleysan, the biggest and richest kingdom on Earth, also known as 'The God's garden', is lying face down on the ground, with her hands buried in the fiery sand. She's howling loudly, chanting pleads for forgiveness. Tears are streaming down her cheeks. Her whole body is shaking in fear. I've never seen her afraid. She's never spilled a single tear from her deep, green eyes. Nothing has ever made her even tremble. She's the queen warrior, spreading terror among our enemies, capable of killing a man, tree times her size, with a single stroke of her dagger.

   This proud woman is begging at the feet of a boy now. He is thin and weak, on the verge of losing consciousness, looking completely out of place in this pit of fire.

   "Who is this?" I bark to my stunned warriors. "Where did you find him? Why have you brought him here?"

   "Forgive me, My Lord!" the squad leader and one of my best friends kneels before me. "We've made an unforgivable mistake! I take full responsibility. The decision to capture him was mine."

   "Explain!" I order, trying to ignore the continuing wails of the queen.

   "We were close to the Desert King's camp, trying to sneak inside. It's set near the God's Eye, right on the lake," he starts concisely. "There were no guards nearby. They knew that no one would come from that side."

   I smile. No one but Tarsaryan, my childhood partner in crime and brother in arms since this damn war started, could dare to approach the Desert King's camp from the side of the lake. I know the oasis. They surely had to climb the sharp-edged, slippery rocks to get closer. One wrong step would've costed their lives.

   "And then we saw him," Tar continues. "He was walking alone, unprotected, not even looking around, as if it was not war, as if it was daylight. We thought it was a girl at first, one of the king's daughters. He was all dressed in silk and gold. His hair was falling down to his waist."

   I sharp jolt of worry dashes through my entire body, making me flinch. The feeling is strange and new. I have never been afraid before. My farther sent me to fight in the desert when I was twelve. I have never felt fear, not even once, for the ten years I've been living in the heart of Hell. But the suspicion of what my men have done, still not confirmed, but almost certain, makes my heart shrink.

   "All on your knees fools!" my mother screams. "Beg! Ask for forgiveness! You've brought doom upon us all. The Earth will perish under God's wrath, if we fail to beseech mercy."

   The warriors don't waste a second, throwing themselves on the ground. The queen's word is the law. No one will hesitate, if she orders them to slit their own throats.

   I'm the only one still standing. My eyes are focused on the fragile creature in front of me. I know who he is. I need only one look into his eyes to confirm my deepest fear.

   His eyes are closed. He is barely standing on his feet. My men have captured him in a sack which is still covering his head. His fine, elegant, royal robe is crumpled and torn. There are bruises on his wrists by the ropes. His long, shining, golden hair is disheveled and slung over his shoulder, covering the bare half of his delicate chest.

   I've never met him before. He's pure beauty, the most bewitching creature I've ever seen. He looks nothing like the tough desert people, but I know he lives here, the only son among the Desert King's twenty six children. I know his name. I'm named after him. We were born on the same day, in the same year. Maybe, the two kings planned for us to be friends. The moment he took his first breath, they knew it. He is Dai Stial, God's Whisper. He has the magic in his soul, the power to create and destroy worlds. God whispered his name in his first cry. He's untouchable. Whatever wars are raging in the world, no one shall ever touch him. That's why he was walking with no guards, in the middle of the night . He is not afraid of anything. He can click his fingers and we'll all disappear in thin air, or, at least, this is what all people believe.

   I was born an hour after him. My father had just received the letter that God has whispered his best friend son's name. He named me Dai Danail, Following God's Whisper, but my name was long forgotten. Everyone calls me The Sand Snake now in admiration and fear. I'm the savage, ruthless warrior, the leader of the North Kingdoms against the desert. I'm the poison, the strike that will end your life, the death itself, dark and unforgiving. The smiling boy was gone long, long ago, leaving only the fire of the desert in his place.

   I'm looking at the pale, small figure, eager to confirm the truth I already know.

   "Open your eyes," I softly utter. He cannot be spoken to harshly. He's so fragile that I want to be gentle for the first time in my life.

   His heavy eyelids, adorned by long, curvy lashes, slowly raise, uncovering two piercing, dark pink eyes with the color of the clouds at sunset.

   I hear God, whispering deep in my soul.

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Photo by Anime M'Siouri from Pexels 

Photo by Andrey Kiselev from Dreamstime

A/N

Hello at the end of chapter 1!

Thank you for reading and supporting my new story! ❤❤❤

It's quite different from everything I've published so far, so I will be very happy, if you tell me how you feel about it. 🤭

Do you think the worshiped prince will bring doom upon his captors?

How do you expect his meeting with The Sand Snake will go?

Share your thoughts, ask questions and criticize, if you think it's necessary.

And don't forget to vote, if you liked the story.

Love: Anny  

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