The desert is a harsh place.

Even though Halim had lived his whole life here, he cannot help but wince at the chafing sands and howling winds. His mother called them the wails of Zanithe at losing her children. Halim did not believe her. Zanithe was not a desert deity.

He glances up at the woman on the camel. Halim worries more about her and the way she sits stiffly in her seat. She eyes the sands like she expects them to sink below even though he assures her that they will not.

If anything goes wrong with her or the caravan, Al will have his neck. She is afraid of the desert and hides it adequately but Halim has lived his life around liars. He knows.

He attempted small talk at first, to ease her worry. He was once scared and shipped across the desert in a caravan like this although he was in chains and rags. She did not engage in conversation and gave quick monosyllabic answers.

Halim soon left her alone, his job did not involve therapy. He was to make sure Al's caravan made it safely to him and he had not failed for years.

'You are not from here.' Halim is startled at first. Those are the first words that she has said to him voluntarily. She stares down at him, expecting an answer. He nods. His features were enough to give him away. Green eyes were not common among the desert people.

'Have you lived here long?' she leans forward in her seat. Halim, afraid that she would topple off, moves closer to her side and tightens his grip on the swaying beast. He nods again. 'You work for the Emperor?' He shakes his head.

'Sultan. Here we call him Sultan.' He would expect a princess with extensive education to know. She was from the east, a land of silks, spices, teas and pretty women. He glances at her again and can't but notice her exquisite features. The color of  her onyx, almond shaped eyes matches her straight silky hair. Her soft round lips are pulled down in a frown.

'I knew that.' she says with a hint of harshness. He looks forward to hide his smile. Even her name was lovely. Makiro translated to desert lily. Which was ironic with the way she seemed to detest it.

'Do you...is he a good man? Your Sultan?' Halim would not dare say anything bad about Al. Not after all he had done for him. Not with his loyal servants who would report anything that resembled treason around him. He nods.

'You are ignoring me.' Her voice is a mix of  disbelief and anger. He doesn't bother to hide his smile this time.

'It seems you don't like the taste of your own medicine, princess.' she surprises him by laughing a high, tinkling laugh. 'Are all men of the desert so petty?' Halim thinks of the time that Al slaughtered a village because there were rumors circulating there about him. He winces. 'Yes.'

Makiro is silent for a while. 'I don't like here.' she says. 'There are no trees, rivers...' she looks at him, as if expecting him to lamment with her. He shrugs, he cannot grow trees or cry rivers for her.

'You will get used to it.' He says. 'Calistaba is a beautiful place. You will love the mosaics in the bazaar.' she does not seem pleased. 'There are pictures of trees and rivers there. You won't forget how they look.' He tries. She scowls and Halim has to hide his smile again.

'You are mocking me.'

Halim grins. The camel pitches forward and Makiro falls onto Halim with a piercing shriek. They land in a tangle of dust. Men rush to help them but Halim waves them away, bending to pick her up. He is rewarded with a slap.

'You did that on purpose!' she yells furiously. Halim glares at her, his cheek still stinging. 'Why on earth would I want you on top of me?'

She blushes and her eyes widen. 'To spite me.'  His mouth moves to form words but he cannot find words to say. What was wrong with this woman? 'Look at my dress!' she conutines, gesturing at her dust covered robes. 'What will the Emperor think?'

'Sultan.'

Makiro scowls, glaring at him angrily . 'What will the Sultan think of me when he sees me like this?'  though her voice is filled hate, Halim smiles. 'He will think you are tough. Al has always loved a strong woman, for various ... ah... bedroom purposes.' he turns away from her shocked face before she can speak.

'Wait.' she clutches his arm and gestures to the camel. 'I can't get back on it.' she admits rather sheepishly. Halim shrugs, a small smile at the corner of his mouth. 'Then walk.'

She gasps, 'How dare you? I've never been treated this way in my life!'

He laughs loudly, watching her fumble awkwardly to keep up with him. She still clutches his arm, still afraid that she will sink below the sands. 'Welcome to the desert, princess. It's a very harsh place.'

Makiro eyes him coldly. 'You will regret this when I report you to your Emp- Sultan.' her voice becomes taunting and she smiles coldly. 'What will he think when he finds out how badly you've been treating his future wife?'

'What makes you think I would have let you get on anyway? Did you think I'd make my men carry you from Kwanzar?' she scoffs and crosses her arms. 'Then why bring it in the first place?'

'Al has this thing with not letting the common folk gaze on his bride. They're lucky there's not much to see.' he smiles, waiting for her inevitable outburst but it doesn't come. When he looks at her, she is smirking.

'Is that why you have been staring at me since we met? Because I'm unattractive?' Halim feels his face heat up. He stutters. Makiro laughs at his discomfort. 'You are petty. Very petty. Did you think you would offend me with your stupid insults?'

'Just get in the box and spare me.'

Mariko is still chuckling to herself as she crawls into the litter set down beside her. The servants lift her up on their shoulders. She sticks out her head from behind the curtains.

'There is sand in my slippers.'

Halim groans. 'Why don't you empty the damn things out?'  She proceeds to do exactly that. Making sure to get some in his curly black hair.

'I hate this place.' she mutters to herself.

'You better get used to it, oh desert lily.' he says dusting the sand out of his hair. 'Don't put your name to shame by being the exact opposite.' She doesn't answer for a moment and Halim grins thinking he has finally silenced her. Then she calls out in a sing-song voice,

'We are not always a depiction of our names, Halim.' despite himself, he laughs. The Sultan's latest bride was proving to be something indeed.