Chapter 5

The next days were no easier, the sun was taking its toll on them all and even his once so mighty war steed had started to falter in her steps. If he had had the eyes and flight of a falcon he might have found reason for hope, seeing as that stony desert was coming to an end just a couple of days ahead. But as he didn't, he now had started to doubt if they were going to survive this journey at all. To be honest he didn't really care any more, it was just the cravings of the flesh that now and then disturbed his inner reflections, and the plight of his horses.

They had come a long way to die here he thought, but on the other hand, is that not true of us all. You never know where your next choice might lead you. That step outside your door to throw out your trash might end anywhere. Even to here, he thought, sunk into a black mood as he continued riding, as if in a trance, steadily step by step eating the miles away. That night he gave the horses the last of the water. He had tried to shelter himself and them from the worst of the heat by waiting in the shadow of a old ravine for dusk. Now he knew that it was time for that last attempt, if they didn't find water and shelter in a day or two they were going to perish here.

So he rode straight through the night, trusting in his horse to find the right path, never giving in to his exhaustion. Following Beltherus, shining so steadfast in the skies, trusting it to help him going in the right direction he found himself, as the dawn slowly moved in, almost at the edge of the desert. Not that he knew it though, there was noting proving it to be so from where he could see. As luck would have it they found a small natural well coming up from under the stony ground, creating a steady trickle of water. They all drunk their fill and for once he could relax some, he now had to decide if they should wait out the day or continue their march.

He Looked at his steed Eila where she stood, she seemed almost impatient to continue he thought. Maybe she knew something he did not, "so what do you think girl?" he asked. "Should we press on, or should we wait." At least we have water here, he thought. But Eila seemed to be of the opinion that they should keep on moving, It was easy to see as she pranced around, moving impatiently. And Anne's steed jinn also seemed to wanting to keep on, so in the end he decided to trust to their sense of survival. If it had been only him he would have waited for the night behind some small outcrop, but there was no rock large enough to offer his horses any shelter from the sun. And water or no water he could still see their ribs standing out under their skins.

So they marched on, this time though he didn't have the heart to ride her, Eila wouldn't complain, but he knew that they all were at their ropes end here. So they walked through the simmering heat with dust and heat as their only companions into the evening. He offered the horses what water he had left and they rested as the evening came. He had stopped sweating under the day and that, as he knew, was a sure sign of his body's imminent collapse. Now, as the cold came as the dusk crept in he found himself starting to shiver violently.

He collected the horses and forced himself to start walking again, knowing that he no longer would have the strength to keep going if he stopped to rest. The canopy of stars lightening his way made him feel as if he was walking inside a mighty cathedral, he didn't know it but he had started talking to himself. "Anne." He mumbled to himself. "How I miss thee." His voice cracking from the lack of water he could only whisper. "We will meet soon enough my love."

Saying so with the conviction of the newly saved or the nearly delirious. As the night proceeded so did his delirium, somewhere under the night he had stopped walking, falling down without noticing it. He had crawled the last miles on his hand and knees, somehow succeeding in finding a shelter under a bush, hiding himself in some sort of primal reaction against foes, as well as the sun. The horses, that faithfully had followed him through the night even as he no longer could stand, had now split up.

Jinn had proceeded toward the smell of water but Eila remained to steadfastly guard her friend. As the night moved into morning Eila saw her friend and master slowly stop shivering. She bent down to smell him and neighed softly, but he didn't seem to notice her anymore, and no movements were to be seen. She seemed to stand still thinking, as if undecided for a moment, then she turned towards the smell of water and whinnying a last time she set of at a brisk pace.