"How extravagant!" a man wearing a golden robe exclaimed from the top veranda of the king's pavilion. He observed the event unfolding inside the Aurora House. For normal people, it would be impossible to see from such a distance, but he was far from ordinary.
"Prince, do we really need this alliance with the Aurora family? It is only a rich family, not even holding the baron title, just a local merchant family," a dissatisfied voice came from behind the man.
"Marcus, how old are you?" the man asked, instead of answering, his gaze fixed on the Aurora household, particularly on the camels.
Marcus, taken aback by the unexpected question, still felt compelled to answer, "Prince, I turned 36 last month."
"Well, aren't you a big boy," the prince chuckled.
"Aren't you a child then?" Marcus grumbled in his mind, refraining from speaking aloud.
"Marcus, once we return to the capital, you must visit the royal library. I'll arrange for a history teacher to guide you," the prince said, trying to maintain a serious tone.
"Please, spare me, Prince. I have no desire to interact with those grumpy scholars," Marcus pleaded.
"Denied. I can't have my guard remain ignorant," the prince declared, finalizing his decision.
Hearing the prince's verdict, Marcus became dispirited and cursed his luck.
Observing people mounting the camels, the prince inquired, "What do you think of those camels, Marcus?"
"Well, they seem slightly smaller than other camels I've seen before," Marcus tried to impress the prince, adding, "Perhaps they couldn't afford larger ones. These seem more affordable and easier to maintain. How can this small family afford fifty expensive camels?"
"Prince, I believe it's time for Marcus to attend toddler's school," another voice approached from behind the prince and Marcus.
Marcus grew furious, turned to face the voice, and shouted, "You old beggar! Do you want to fight me?"
A hunchbacked old man, dressed in simple yet clean white cloth, emerged from the room onto the veranda. While approaching, he calmly responded, "I wouldn't dare. You would only hasten my journey to the grave."
Unperturbed by their argument, the prince turned to the old man and inquired, "What have you discovered, Grandpa?"
"The third son, accompanied by his wife, five affiliated merchants from the Aurora family, along with the rest being bodyguards and mercenaries. Among the fifty camels, eight carry expensive items and garments as gifts for the Sultan, while the others are for trade," the old man reported his findings.
"And what are your thoughts on this trade?" the prince asked again.
"If the Aurora family succeeds in this trade, it will undoubtedly be advantageous for them. But, I'm unsure what my old friend is thinking, sending his third son with his wife this time. I think the Piccolo family may interfere with their plans, but the Life Temple is surely send their elite members. Opportunities like this will be scarce in the future," the old man expressed his thoughts, adding, "And, as usual, the Merchant Association may resort to hiring assassins."
"Sigh! I wish I could send some aid to assist them, but the Sahama Desert is too unpredictable," the prince lamented the situation and commanded the old man, "Inform our people not to oppose the Aurora family this time."
Seeing a man and women holding each other's hand walked towards a camel, the prince mused, "Love is cruel, isn't it? I wonder, had I not been bound by these shackles, would she have chosen me." His gaze fixed on the woman attempting to mount a camel with the assistance of the man.
The old man and the boorish Marcus remained silent.
"I shall retire for a while," the prince broke the silence and walked towards the room. The other two slightly bowed to him and followed suit.
From the gates of the Aurora family, people on camelback emerged one by one. Onlookers on the streets gazed at the camels with curiosity and excitement.
As the caravan passed by the king's pavilion, curious faces poked out from the pavilion windows. Observing the orderly procession of camels from one window, a woman sitting with others around a table asked, "Is everything in place?" With affirmative nods from the others, the woman focused her attention on the same woman the prince had noticed earlier and murmured, "It's time to remove the temple's disgrace."
The camels continued their steady walk and soon reached the western gate of the city. Familiar with these particular camels, the guards opened the gate. When the rider from the lead camel saw the sandy terrain just 100 meters ahead, he shouted to the others, "Cover your mouths and heads! We will increase our speed from here on. We must reach our first destination before nightfall." He was the guide of the caravan, this time. After delivering his instructions, he tapped the camel's body twice with his legs, and the camel quickened its pace. The other camels followed suit. Once the caravan had vanished on the horizon, a guard in the watchtower signaled below. Upon receiving the signal, the guards at the gate closed it, and the western wall was fortified once again.
Although they could have reached Marsei Oasis in a week, they planned to take two additional weeks to reach their destination. Along the journey, they wanted to engage in trade with different people at each oasis along the path and add variety to their collection for the Sultan's gift. This would also help maintain relations with the scattered sand people of the Sahama Desert.
The journey to Marsei Oasis went smoothly. After three weeks, they finally caught sight of their destination. The sun hung high in the sky, so when the people riding on the camels saw the trees and small stone structures ahead, a sense of relief washed over them. Despite the fatigue from the long journey, smiles adorned their faces.
The guide lightly tapped his camel's hump twice, bringing it to a halt. The other camels followed suit. Holding a pole with a black flag attached to its top in his right hand, the guide waved the flag for a brief moment. Embroidered on the flag was a golden representation of an Aurora family camel. After ceasing his waving, the guide made sure the pole stood upright, showcasing the dignity of the flag and family. It fluttered slowly in the gentle breeze that emanated from the oasis.
After waiting for some time, the guide spotted two figures approaching rapidly from the oasis. As they drew closer, their features became discernible. Two individuals mounted on wolves neared the caravan. They nodded at the guide and, after a moment's observation of the flag, turned around. One of them waved his hand, signaling the caravan to follow them.
Responding to the signal, the guide tapped the side of his camel twice and followed the wolf riders.
As they entered the oasis, the members of the Aurora family were taken aback by its opulence, surpassing that of any other oasis they had visited. The area was abundant with trees of various species, well-organized stone buildings, and a pleasant temperature compared to the previous oases. People were strolling along hardened streets, engaged among themselves in lively conversations and laughter. Some were bartering with stall owners at the side of the street. Everyone wore lighter clothing, revealing their faces, hands, and legs. When the people on street noticed the caravan, they waved joyfully. Children flocked around the caravan, jumping and chanting. It was a vibrant and lively environment, a stark contrast to the harshness just beyond the oasis.
Observing the wolf riders bring their movement to a halt, the guide signaled his camel to stop as well.
"Well, well, isn't it Andy!" a loud voice exclaimed from the front of a building on the left side
of the road. Recognizing the familiar face, the guide named Andy dismounted from his camel. "Long time no see, Babar," Andy said, removing the cloth covering his mouth. Babar, the man approaching from the building, walked closer. As they neared each other, they embraced warmly. After exchanging greetings, Babar said, "Let me guide you to your assigned place." With that, Babar began to walk, and Andy walked alongside him, holding the rope of his camel. The rest of the caravan followed suit.
Upon reaching a flattened grassy arena, Babar announced, "This is the place. The rules remain the same as before. You have until evening. Our Sultan has arranged a party for tonight. I will come to pick you up at evening. And remembar, you can only bring five others with you. See you later." With those words, Babar departed.
Andy signaled to the others, and the members of the caravan dismaunted, started working diligently. Within half an hour, the scene transformed completely. The camels sat in a circular formation, maintaining a distance between them to create a boundary. Temporary stalls were set up on the outer circle for bartering with the locals, while a few tents were erected in the inner circle for resting. Some people arranged goods on the stalls, others tended to the camels, and a few took a moment to rest. They had some time as it was still early for trading; the real battle would commence during the night.