Valencia did not have long to relish the shade before she heard the swish of hooves across sand. She waited until the sound was closer before emerging from her shelter and turning to face her captor. She watched him intently with her bright, brown eyes as he approached: he was a chocolate colour, but his hair was as blonde as her own; he was about the same size as herself, although perhaps a little leaner.

As he grew nearer, she stepped forwards to meet him by the bank of the oasis, but otherwise ignored the command he gave her. Before she spoke, Valencia glanced around herself once more and spotted another horse, who had crept up on the scene, not far away. Assuming, from her sheepish behaviour, that this stranger was the other mare from the Peak, Evrona, she offered the other mare a small smile meant to reassure her before turning back to Badr.

“Badr, I presume.” She said bluntly, phrasing it as a statement rather than a question. It was highly unlikely that there was some other stallion running around the Dunes, waiting for her. She met his gaze confidently and spoke as matter-of-factly as ever, only breaking eye contact to turn momentarily to the mare watching them to shoot the same phrase in her direction, this time a little more uncertainly: “And Evrona?”

Returning her attention to Badr, Valencia had only one thing she wanted to know. And, as ever, she did not beat around the bush in asking for it.

“What do you want?”

Badr could name his price as high as he liked. Only then could she decide whether she was willing to pay it.

tell me your secrets and ask me your questions