Desert Commander

27

Fatima rose from her prayers. She had prayed for hours, since her brother's departure three months ago. Her knees had become rough from kneeling, but she had made a vow to God: keep them safe, and she would pray five times as long.

She stood up and bowed down again, rolling her prayer carpet. She went to her room, got her needlepoint supplies, and sat near the window. There was little to see outside except a massive wooden door that was mostly locked from the outside.

***

It all happened so fast after that. But instead of attempting to attack him, they lunged forward and aimed their swords at the invaders.

Oman observed the men; they had their faces covered with a Black cloth and seemed wild. As If they don't belong to any principality.

"I guess it's your lucky day, commander," one of them said the next moment as the soldiers laid there.

Dead.

"Who are you?" he asks after a brief period of recognition. The deep voice of Oman rumbled. They said nothing but knelt in front of Oman, showing a gesture of honour.

Tara had seen people falling to their knees and bowing down in front of Oman, speaking prayers and good wishes before. However, looking at those deadly men falling to knees was a different site.

It showed, his dominating aura and prestigious personality can make anyone bend down before him.

Oman's features drew taut with tension as a man with dark skin and equally tall as Oman spoke with harsh features.

"I am Rasid and we are followers of Kasim."

"You mean Kasim of A'rihat?" A proud glint showed on their faces.

Oman then realised who they were. They were men of the infamous bandit aka 'kasim of A'rihat'. They belong to the Wandering Clan and the Demonstrators. They claimed to be Khorasan warriors. Among them, a man's standing and reputation are judged by the number of men he has killed and mutilated.

Each kill entitled the warrior to wear a distinctive ornament, such as an ostrich feather or comb, in his turban or bracelet. It was possible to tell at a glance how many men anyone had killed.

Sultan was known to take wives by force the same way he took the throne by force.He has controlled his country by imposing heavy taxes on the people. At such times, kasim the bandit had risen up in rebellion against the sultan, he laid great ideas of equality, of prosperity and wealth for poor people.

A wife range of citizens supported him and decided to strike down those above them. But after so much effort kasim was still not able to reach at the gates of khorasan and was stuck into the abandoned lands of desert. Over the decade, he has seized an important trade route.

In past, Oman had encountered his men frequently. But the question was what they wanted from him.

His eyes remained narrow with suspicion. "Why did you help me?"

"Our chief summoned you. As soon as he found out that you entered his territory, he wanted to meet you and here we found you struggling" Rasid explained.

"How did you all know I was here?"

"Rumours and news travel faster than the wind itself" undoubtedly, he was bad news himself.

"And whole khorasan knows what you have done. Not to mention, shahbaz's men are looking for you everywhere. If someone finds you alive, he will receive five thousand gold coins in exchange"

Eyes into eyes, Oman angled his head.
"If I don't go with you?"

"Well, you see. You don't have any choice. Ex-commander" his tone was sarcastic.