Our Kingdom Come | KingdomCraft

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ xᴠ - ғɪᴠᴇ ɢᴏʟᴅ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇs

THE DESERT KINGDOM

"Oh, this guy is perfect!" Shelby squealed, wrapping her arms around the beach seal of her choice. It was smaller than most, but that only meant he was agile and swift.

Meghan and Joey stayed away from the animals, finding them to be quite strange. And honestly, disgusting. They flipped around in the wet sand, making their skins scratchy and dirty, not a great combination. But how could Meghan complain? She lived in the Swamp. She was the Swamp Queen. It didn't necessarily ring 'clean'.

"We don't have much time before the race. We should hurry to the tracks," Joey suggested. Shelby bobbed her head. As much as she wanted to stay and play with the sand seals, she much rather get answers. And winning the race was one step in that direction.

The tracks began at the peak of a large sand mountain, leading down to a dune then circled around the tiny village and back to the peak. There were a handful of villagers spread out as an audience. Shelby attached her sled to the seal's harness and dropped the goggles, provided by the race organizers, to cover her eyes from the miniture dust storms she was sure would form when the race starts. Sand in the eyes isn't good for anyone.

Meghan cheered her on from the sidelines. Joey looked at her weirdly. "The race hasn't even started yet!" He pointed out.

Shelby grasped the sand seal's reins, making sure they were customized to her preference. As her eyes fell unto the crowd, as she spotted Meghan's pink hair and Joey's dirty blonde, a shiver ran down her spine. And shiver wasn't a word the Desert Queen used often. She hoped she could accomplished what seemed impossible. Win the race and earn the five gold pieces in order to secure a boat for their mission to the Volcano Kingdom.

A local ran up to a small platform beside the starting line. "Now remember, three laps to complete to win the five pieces!" They announced, waving a small white handkerchief. "Ready?!" The crowds cheered at the word, jumping up and down in pure excitement. "Three! Two!"

Shelby placed her hand on her seal's side, her mind running through possible names to give the seal.

"One!" The crowed echoed the countdown.

She swiped at her hair, pushing the blonde strands behind her shoulders. She silenced her mind, focusing on the task at hand once more. Shelby took a deep breath.

"Go!" The white handkerchief dropped. The multiple seals jumped to the sky and dived for the ground, digging in deep, dragging the sleds with them. The race was under way. Shelby urged her seal to start but alas, the animal would not budge.

Joey sighed, but Meghan continued to watch with hope. Shelby gave the seal another pat, one of reassurance.

"I know this must be scary for you. I realize this must be your first time in a race," Shelby whispered. "I haven't been seal sledding in a long while. I am afraid too."

Shelby paused as she glanced back towards Joey and Meghan. "But they're counting on us. They believe in us. And I believe in you." She affirmed. The seal snorted affectionately. He leapt to the air and dived, dissapearing in the sand, tugging Shelby behind him.

"Yeah! Let's go," Shelby cheered, she zoomed forwards, passing by racer after racer. This seal was fast. She had a large grin plastered on her face. As they slid down the mountain, they gained more speed, she could see the tails of the leaders in the distance.

She tugged the reins to the left, in order for them to stay on path. She guided the seal away from a large rock and down the dune. It was an intense race already, and it was only the first lap.

Like dolphins rising for air, the seals jumped from the sand, soaring through the sky, before returning to the depths of the desert. It was a wonderful sight.