Kore was not what he expected, but perhaps this was a good thing. She was polite, even eager, and if he had to guess, she was either not from a desert torn apart by senseless wars or feuding factions or she was well-insulated from them. Yet it’s precisely this attitude that endears him to her. To thrive in the desert and keep some semblance of dignity was a feat just as impressive as being known as an accomplished warrior.

They had arrived near sundown. The clouds embellished the sky above the endless waves of sand with broad, wide strokes of warm colors, and as the sun sank toward the horizon, the light shone brightly upon their damp coats while the ocean glittered at their backs. For all the trials this land offered, it could also bestow great beauty upon those fortunate enough to understand it. Kore admitted as much, the delight in her voice as evident as the smile upon his lips.

“Yes,” he affirmed. “And you’ve no need to thank me.” Not for this, he added silently. Maslakhat believed she might have found this place on her own eventually. All he did was provide a push in the right direction. If anything, he’d saved her some time, and he supposed he could accept her gratitude for that. Time was a finite resource that not even he could control.

“I make my own luck,” he retorted with a sly grin. “And yes. Now, it’s yours too.” Indeed, for all the golden bay stallion’s beliefs, he never thought of himself as a ruler. He simply wished to ensure the sanctity of this land and all who were capable and worthy enough to live here. This would surely include others like them in time—and so far included the white-nosed Teke who had arrived almost immediately after him.

He followed Kore’s gaze toward the sunlit dunes, and he too felt the magnetism of their long shadows pulling him in. “Maybe I’ll tell you,” he began again. “If you can best me!” And with a kick of sand, the Akhal-Teke launched into a spirited gallop toward the center of their new home.


MASLAKHAT

ateş düştüğü yeri yakar