Grains of Sand

by Varian Morn

  “Though maybe there's a reward for her capture...?” I asked, and heard a tiny noise come from under the desk from my question.

  Uh-oh, did I just lose a friend?

  “A reward indeed! I bought a tasty snack for Veronica, but the darn girl went and became a criminal... so you can have it if you help me find her,” Sarley said.

  “Wha...!?” a tiny voice came from under the desk, and both Sarley and I smiled at each other.

  Sarley didn't waste any more time, and rounded the desk with haste. A loud thump was heard, and I flinched and hoped Veronica hadn't hit her head too badly.

  Being pulled out from under the desk, Veronica flailed as she struggled to get free.

  Then Sarley tossed her into the air.

  Veronica squealed as Sarley flung her into the air, and I startled when she almost hit the ceiling.

  Groaning as Sarley repeated the process, I had to accept that she knew what she was doing... and wouldn't throw the child up into the roof.

  “Caught ya!” Sarley shouted, hoisting Veronica over her shoulder as if she was a sack of sand.

  “Noooo! Princess Noth!” Veronica begged for help, but there was quite literally nothing I could do.

  “Sorry, I can't even reach you,” I said, stretching my arms out a little.

  The truth was I could reach her. I could reach far enough to grab her legs if I wanted, but there was no point.

  Not only was Veronica in no danger, but I'd not have the strength to free her from Sarley's grasp even if I wanted to.

  “Why would the Princess save you! Criminal scum!” Sarley shouted, her forceful voice becoming deeper as she imitated some guardsman.

  “Gah! My lawyer will hear of this!” the girl yelled, obstinate till the end.

  “What's a lawyer?” I asked her.

  “Noth! Mine is Noth! You'll rue this day!” Veronica yelled, squirming with all her might.

  “Now that's a story! How about we go verify that right now, shall we?” Sarley asked, glancing to me.

  I nodded with a smile, and was glad I could do it without throwing up.

  “Off we go then! Princess Telleya shall be my witness! To the judge!” Sarley shouted strange things, and Veronica joined in as they headed out of the room.

  For a brief moment I paused... instead of following them, I looked back and at the Sand-Tusk nearby.

  “Forgive me...” I whispered, and hoped to all the grains of sand in existence that there could be forgiveness... even for someone like myself.

  Before leaving the room, I hurried over and grabbed the bowl of water. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it yet... but I couldn't afford to leave it in the room with the Sand-Tusk.

  Not now that I knew young children ran in and out of there at random.

  Chapter Thirty Two – Wedding Plans

  “So this is actually happening...?” I asked.

  “Oh yes. It has to. All of the Houses have already been invited... we've already started receiving gifts,” Rivini said, pointing to a nearby corner of the room.

  I didn't even glance at them. I had noticed them upon entering the room... the stack of familiar crates was sick to look at.

  Especially since they were my crates, not theirs.

  Why'd I give them gifts, if they were just going to give them back to me like this?

  Or well, to Telleya... so maybe they weren't for me at all.

  Something told me the House of Derri expected to keep them.

  And although normally I'd argue against such a thing, and want as much out of this as I could get, I decided to just keep my mouth shut.

  I wasn't in the mood.

  “So... what, exactly? I show up, there's a ceremony...? And then what?” I asked.

  “Well, it's not that lengthy if that's what you're worried about. A formal ceremony... then you and the bride return to your House, to finalize the marriage. In your case, it shall be the Line,” Rivini said.

  “Ah,” was all I said.

  “Then, after that night... you are forever bound. And no one and no House can say otherwise. All sand, no matter how unruly, eventually settles,” Rivini said, happily using one of their strange sayings to declare how supposedly flawless this was.

  “So... let me get this straight... In five days, we hold the wedding. I can no longer see her during the night, only the day. And the day before the wedding itself, I can't see her at all. Then after the wedding, she and I are to return to the Front-Line... and that's it?” I asked.

  “That it is. I promise, nothing strenuous is expected of you,” she said.

  No, but you did expect the impossible.

  To think I'd not only have to marry her in rumor, but with a formal process and everything.

  Did they expect me to stand up on stage and kiss her and stuff? Make vows? Propose?

  Although I did want to ask, I also didn't want to bother with it.

  If I heard something ridiculous, I might grow too annoyed and not put up with it.

  “How is your wife?” Rivini then asked.

  Noticing the old woman's smile, I wondered how real it was. It was obviously still fake, since some of her servants were coming and going from the room... but surely it wasn't completely false?

  “Fine. She's enjoying herself,” I said.

  “Indeed? That is good,” she said.

  Sure it was.

  “If there's nothing else...”

  Rivini studied me for a moment, and I wondered if I wasn't hiding enough of my dissatisfaction. I knew I wasn't masking it completely, because I didn't care enough to, but I wasn't trying to be too rude...

  “I have heard you've begun trading with the other Houses,” she said.

  “Per agreement,” I responded.

  She nodded, and didn't seem too annoyed over it. Maybe she was just happy to still be alive.

  “The other Houses have... made an agreement of peace with us, but at the same time have chosen to treat us with silence,” she explained.

  “Peace is good,” was all I said.

  “It is. With peace, eventually the city will return to its proper form.”

  “Glad to hear it,” I said, and actually meant it.

  After all, it's not like I really wanted anyone to get hurt. Or to suffer.

  Too bad I doubted the peace would keep.

  For a moment I was ignored as Rivini gave orders to one of the passing guardsmen. Usually I would have listened, and found it interesting, but I had long since lost interest in her people's politics and methods.

  What joy there was to be found in their odd culture, has long since been squeezed dry with this wedding fiasco. I’d rather watch rocks grow hard and ice become cold.

  “Before the wedding, I'd like to invite you and your wife to a feast. Here in the House of Derri. Your people as well, if able,” Rivini then said.

  “I thank you for the generous offer, but I and my people are rather busy. We have both trade to perform, and repairs to finish. However, if we have a moment of downtime in the next few days I shall accept your offer,” I said politely.

  “Good. I look forward to it. I shall enjoy showing you the true hospitality of the Derri, now that we're able to do so,” she said.

  Although I knew her offer, and most of her kindness, was a simple charade... I could tell she somewhat meant it.

  She most likely really did want to host a feast, now that she and her House were capable of affording it.

  I couldn't really blame her for that then.

  “Then, I shall take my leave so I may try my best to finish my work as soon as possible,” I said, giving her a tiny bow of the head.

  “Travel with the sands, Noth,” she bid me farewell, returning to her own duties.

  Leaving the House of Derri, I ignored the large company of guards who I passed on the way out.

  Not just the House of Derri's, but nearly every House now sent a few of their own personal guards for my escort.

  It was ridiculous; I didn't need twenty odd
people just to walk me home.

  Least of all here. Chances were there wasn't anyone in this entire city who would dare to attack me, or even try to annoy me.

  They were too desperate. Too hopeful.

  Yevin's people stayed the closest to me, and I was somewhat glad Yevin hadn't accompanied me today.

  I wasn't in the mood to be teased, least of all by him.

  Thanks to it being a rather hot day, I spared no time in returning to the Line.

  The heat alone wasn't bad... but there was a strange wind that burned the skin, and scraped it when it picked up enough sand to do so.

  Entering the large open area, which had become something of a storage depot, I noticed that the House of Markith were keeping themselves busy.

  At least two hundred men were shuttling boxes and crates around, stacking them on one side of the wall. A mixture of my own people and Markith's could then be seen sorting, and preparing the crates for loading onto the Front-Line.

  I had ordered my people to make this area into a logistics depot, but in reality all they had done was erect large tents and clear out the rubble that had been here.

  Although simple, it did the job. The problem with this city was that it was surrounded by the haphazardly large wall. And once you reached the buildings, they became cluttered and clustered together.

  Certain Houses... like the House of Markith were on the opposite side of the City of Sand, compared to where we had docked.

  Which made it difficult to transport mass goods from one place to another.

  Luckily for us, the House of Markith was able to overcome such a problem with the power of numbers.

  Being such a large household, and with their strong drive to trade, they were making quick work of the transportation of goods.

  Because of that, even with the distance involved... It, like the trade with the House of Hombil's and Brillo's, was going smoothly.

  Chances were by tomorrow afternoon, all of their goods would be loaded onto the Line and we'd be able to move onto the next House.

  I wasn't sure just how many Houses there were... or at least, ones capable of trading with us, but I planned on getting them all.

  The Front-Line had plenty of room for cargo, and we had more than enough goods to go around in exchange for trade.

  We had stocked for a much larger city in mind, after all…

  Realistically, the only thing I didn't have was time.

  I had no idea how much longer I was going to be able to peacefully trade like this, so I had to get as much out of it as possible.

  Just because the House of Derri said this was going well... didn't mean it was.

  All it would take is one small group, not even a whole House... but just a part of one, to spark the flames of war.

  Something told me that once the major players of the city... like the Hombil's and the Markith, settled with their new wealth... they would go into motion.

  It made sense for them to do it, after all.

  Although I had enough wealth to go around, and was more than willing to trade evenly with everyone... that didn't mean they would allow it.

  Such a thing is what Derri feared the most, and why they had forced such a stupid façade onto me.

  Derri was the only one with that protection, however.

  How many other Households were like Derri? Weak, and broken? Would the powerful Hombil's or Markith Houses allow those weak houses to regain their strength? Would they let them grow up into a force that could compete with them, even if it took years?

  History throughout the rest of the world said no, they would not.

  I doubted a war between the Hombil and the Markith Houses, since such a war between the two major powers would be too costly... but there was no doubt in my mind they'd not devour the smaller Houses.

  My plan was to get out of here before that happened.

  “Yo, Commander!” a shirtless man saluted me as I passed him and his crew.

  The men looked exhausted, but were all smiles. I blamed the dozen or so open crates surrounding them, of which were full of glittering treasures.

  Yeah that'd make me happy too.

  It should have, at least…

  Why wasn’t it? I should be ecstatic over this newfound wealth. It was almost unbelievable, yet…

  It was this faux wedding. It was unsettling and against all I stood for. As if I was committing a disgusting act, for the whole world to see.

  Nearing the wall, and the stairwell we used, I groaned at the group of people near the top of the wall.

  Sarley and her niece were standing near the entrance, alongside my supposed wife.

  They were all laughing at something, and something told me that something was me.

  Maybe I should join those men in sorting the crates... It was hot, but at least I'd be left alone...

  If I'm going to be the butt of a joke, I at least deserve to laugh too.

  Or at least to get the last one.

  “Commander!” a young ensign saluted me as she ran down the stairwell and passed me, seemingly carrying some message for one of the dock hands nearby.

  “Busy, busy,” I whispered, heading up the stairwell.

  Glancing up the stairwell, at the chuckling entourage I was approaching, I opened my mouth to make a stern comment in hopes of staving off the teasing… yet wasn’t heard as the world roared.

  For a brief moment I only took in the sight of Sarley’s shock, and the tears welling up in her niece’s eyes as she clung to her in terror.

  I saw my wife’s eyes go wide, in not just terror… but understanding.

  The wall began to rattle, and through the stone I could feel each grain of sand tremor and rumble. A low growl reverberated, so loudly that I couldn’t hear the screams of shock and worry from my crew all around me.

  “General Quarters,” I said lowly, as the Front-Line released its own roar; and everyone went into motion.

  Chapter Thirty Three – Power Beyond Sand

  Watching the walls pass by in a blur, I glanced to the right at Veronica whose long hair danced in the wind behind us.

  She had wrapped her arms around Sarley’s neck, and was squeezing her eyes shut as tightly as she could. And I didn’t blame her.

  I had to cling to Sarley’s arm to ensure she didn’t drop me on accident, as she carried us with a brisk pace.

  Though I didn’t know yet if I should thank her or not…

  Even from deep within the confines of the Front-Line… the Sand Worm’s approach could quite clearly be heard. Its roar on the other hand, was what made even me flinch and close my eyes.

  Surely the Sand Worm was approaching the Line itself… this was its target. This giant, magical machine. No Worm has even approached our city in generations. Many pass us by, so close that entire homes collapse from the shaking of the earth thanks to their proximity.

  Yet they never seem to care for us… So the only reason for its angry approach now was the Line. As if it noticed an enemy had intruded into its territory.

  “Jamthi! Get your ass in gear!” I heard Noth’s loud order, and looked up to find we were no longer in the hallways… but a giant room.

  Being placed down alongside Veronica, I wasn’t too surprised when Sarley forced the young girl into my arms. “Stay here,” she said with a rush, then hurried away.

  Although I had expected her to fight me, the young girl was more than willing to wrap herself around my waist and use it to hide herself.

  “Ferril’s out of commission. Taking his position as third-lookout!” an older man shouted as he ran passed us, forcing me to back up a little and place my back to the cold wall.

  All around people were running, but quickly things were becoming still as people situated themselves in chairs or what was probably their stations. It was an amazing sight to watch, all things considered.

  Noticing Sarley run up to Jamthi nearby, I finally saw Noth. Standing in front of a large chair, which was all by its lonesome in an elevated area, he was
pointing to the ceiling. “Where is it?” Noth shouted.

  “To our east, sir! Approaching at an angle… and fast!” a woman’s voice rang through the room, and I wondered how she could be heard so clearly… even with the roaring of the Sand Worm, and the odd rumbling of the Front-Line itself.

  While watching Noth wave his arm at an angle, I flinched when suddenly the room became bright. Too bright. Natural light.

  With blinking eyes, I peered through half closed eyelids and watched a huge line of light slowly grow… growing wider and wider.

  As it did, and as my eyes adjusted, I realized that a giant window was appearing. So massive, that it was nearly unbelievable.

  I couldn’t help but stare in wonder, even in this situation, as the whole world came into view… even from my tiny corner of the room.

  What was most amazing, was how I could see nearly half of the City of Sand. Not even from the highest point of the wall that surrounded the city, could I have witnessed such a view.

  I had not realized the Front-Line was so massive…

  Still, the window was fantastic. It was so clear, if not for the lack of harsh wind and the scraping of sand on my skin, I’d have thought there was no window at all.

  How was such glass created…? How did it not crack and buckle under its own weight and pressure?

  “There!” someone shouted, and the whole room went quiet for one moment as everyone present… even Veronica, turned their heads upward as to view the approaching beast.

  Far off in the distance, a great sandstorm was approaching. Or at least, looked it. But everyone knew better. And for those that didn’t, every so often a giant shadow swiped through the cloud with unnatural movement.

  It was indeed a Sand Worm, and judging by the cloud it was creating, it was moving quickly.

  “Get my cannons online!” Noth bellowed an order, and once again I wondered how easily he could be heard. It was almost as if he was yelling straight into my ear.

  With his order, Veronica returned to hiding her face into my embrace. I couldn’t blame her, Noth sounded… strange.

  “Loaded and ready!” a woman shouted.

  “Cannons in the rear, twenty thru thirty unable to fire! No line of sight!” another added.