I am not alone long. A lean mare, her coat as dark as the shadows beneath my hooves, approaches me with curiosity in her eyes. She is unknown to me, but that is hardly surprising. Change comes fast to these Lost Isles and I doubt any of Bahadir's herd have stayed around to mourn his disappearance. I admire the fine bones of her build, knowing that she, like me, is built to inhabit this arid environment. I will never understand how the heavy horses of the Desert came to lay claim over such a beautiful landscape, but then again, there is much I don't understand of this barbaric land.

What I do know, despite how long it took me to catch on, was that I had insulted the malik of the Dunes in our first meeting. And that despite my haughty self-absorption, he had still seen fit to inform me that others of my kind had come to take residence here. It was not a guarantee they were my people, but I simply had to come see.

I still was not sure what I thought of Maslakhat, but the scale was definitely weighing in his favor.

Pushing aside these thoughts, I bow my head in greeting to the elegant mare and allow my ears to prick forward as she greets me in the same language as the malik of the land. The lilt of the words is familiar, and this time I am able to make sense of her greeting. A smile lifts to my lips, given life by the simple familiarity of her language. Even if it is not my own, it was a balm to my heart to hear it.

"Teşekkürlerim var arkadaşım." I offer in response. My words are not as smooth as her own, but I reckon it is a fair approximation and I am happy that my marbia's lessons have not deserted me.

Her offer broadens my smile and I take a step forward in acceptance. I missed the quiet nights like this, the sprawl of the Dunes surrounding me like a comforting friend. I knew the wildlife here, knew the scent of the sand on the breeze, the anticipation of sandstorms and the quiet of midnight. "I would like that, very much. It has been many moons since I last had the pleasure."

My hooves sink into the sand as I step from the edge of the oasis to follow her lead. A subtle movement from the side caught my eye and I turned toward it, only to spot the lean figure of Maslakhat in the distance. It was evident he was not moving to approach, so I inclined my head in greeting to him and then returned my attention back to my graceful companion. I would not call attention to him if he did not wish it, asI'd already offered enough offense on our last meeting.

"I apologize for not announcing myself, friend. I got caught up in the joy of the moment." A soft chuckle ripples from my lips and I step lightly to pace alongside her, deferring to her judgment as to which dune we would head towards. "My name is Sayyida."

After a few hoofbeats, I offer a question, not wanting to place the weight of the conversation solely on her shoulders. "Have you lived with malik Maslakhat long?"