Desert Commander

22

She wanted to be a woman, his woman. But it seemed like he never once looked at her as a mature woman. Whenever she tried doing something to impress him, it just felt insufficient, as he just scolded her and even told her not to do something that she could not do.

The desert shimmered silver in the starlit night as many thoughts ran through her mind.

She was sitting on the highest sand dune and was looking at the burning fire at a distance through the stillness of the night. A silhouetted figure was sitting in front of that fire, blocking the light.

Not even once did he come for her search, like he didn't care at all.

She was just a burden on him. He wouldn't even care if she went lost in this desert or worse, died.

She felt a squeeze at her heart. A need burned inside her to make her aware that Oman was only hers.

She loves him so much that it makes her heart yearn for him. She wants his eyes to only look at her. She burns with jealousy whenever the thought of some other beautiful woman in his arms comes to her mind.

She was just a mere girl. while he looked not less than a Sultan. No doubt he was so rude to her after their marriage. like he didn't want a small girl like her. He never once glanced her way. He used to ignore her; like she meant nothing to him.

But slowly, things started to change. During their journey, they came close. He started caring for her. But part of her was still in doubt. That what if he only thought of her as a burden on his shoulders.

He didn't tell her how he got injured and behaved like she couldn't understand anything even if he would tell her. She felt embarrassed about the fact that she was his wife for name's sake.

Tears started to fall down her cheeks. Soon, she started to sob, looking at the shining moon. The wind howled, making her shudder with cold. She wrapped her arms around herself.

She would never go back to him. She would just sit there on this high dune, and in the morning she would watch him depart with the mighty horse he had stolen from his friend's house, leaving her there in the desert.

"Why he is so mean" she told herself. She was used to talk to herself. It was a habit she'd acquired from being so much alone, and now it felt quite natural.

She made up scenarios in her mind and kept weeping.

On the other hand, Oman was well aware of her sitting on the high-altitude dune. In every five minutes, he would turn his head back and notice if she was still there. Thanks to the moon's bright glow, he could easily see her small figure sitting there.

She acts so immaturely. He didn't know how he would handle her further.

But she should understand that he is trying to do what is best for her. Her cute tantrums only make him desire her more. He was just worried for her safety; that's why he shouted at her.

She raised the irrelevant topic that she was also a woman. He went behind her and told her it was time to sleep. But she was so stubborn that she slapped his arm away in anger.

He snapped at her and told her not to come close to him. Since then she had been sitting there. When he knew the wind was quite cold, he again looked back to check on her, but she wasn't there.

Sudden horror crept into his head. Hurriedly, he got up and, taking a lantern with him, ran towards the direction of the large dunes.

"Tara," he shouted at the top of his lungs.

The desert, a sea of sand stretches endlessly to the horizon. There was no sign of her.

He shouted her name again.