She is formidable, a force only a practiced hand might reckon with, and there was no one more practiced than he. Maslakhat been shaped by strong women his entire life, and it was mostly from Valve’s masterful sculpting that he had emerged into the indomitable stallion standing atop the large dune here today. He thrived among these sands and others for as long as he did because of all he’d seen and experienced—he had no fear and no regrets, only desire and ambition. He knew these sands were always shifting, that as time passed no desert ever remained the same. There must always be something or someone molding it, otherwise the winds would create from chaos. He aimed to quell the chaos, to cultivate a landscape of careful choices, measured by the worthiness of those who resided within it.

Ak Burun was a prime example—like him, she was made for such a task, and Maslakhat knew that two hands were always better than one. His narrow ears flicked toward her, attentive as she spoke, her intentions as unmistakable as the subtle curl of her lips upon her white nose. He cannot help but think of how incredibly convenient this all was, how easily the pieces fell into place, allowing for him to begin this journey from an ideal position. Yes, fortune certainly favored those with a mind for change.

“The dawn of something better,” he answered turning his gaze toward the expanse of land before them, his voice even and sure. He flicked his dark tail, calculating precisely where they could begin. Certainly there were a myriad of others who lingered here and in neighboring lands. The island of Salem he knew was vast, yet there seemed to be more residing here than he initially imagined. It was not typical of those without predisposition for success among these harsh lands to select them for residence. He wondered then if perhaps there was something else at play.

“What do you know of the leaders presently overseeing these lands?” He asked flatly, testing her acumen and her willingness to share information.


MASLAKHAT

ateş düştüğü yeri yakar