*POV* Coral Sparks
Sand. Sand was all I could see for miles in front of me. "What?…" I questioned the quiet desert. The whimpering of a child made me turn slightly, the whimpering multiplied.
I shifted in the mud, my mouth dropped open as my eyes landed on a white blanket now soiled with mud laying two feet away from a baby. I scrambled forward on hands and knees and stared in disbelief at my little girl.
"Oh.." I grabbed the blanket and carefully wrapped her up. "It's alright." I Soothed, panic built up in my chest as my eyes frantically searched the area once again.
I stood on shaking legs and stumbled out of the mud onto scorching sand that I could feel through the thin souls of my flats, my wet skirts stung my bare ankles as I began my search.
"He has to be out here somewhere!" I told myself. As I searched the scorching land my thoughts drifted. "Is this a dream? Is this the place we go when we die?"
A dog's bark stopped my heart for half a second. I turned from the direction I had been walking and saw far out in the distance what looked to be a cloud of sand heading my way. I searched even more frantically.
A cry alerted me and I ran towards it solely focused on him. I slid to a stop beside him and knelt quickly. He was still wrapped tightly in his blanket, but his face was hot and red with rash.
As soon as I had him in my arms my ears were filled with the deafening sound of horse's hooves, I stayed on my knees unable to move as I sheltered my twins from the sun. I waited for the riders to overtake me.
I need someone to help me, there was no way I was going to be able to survive on my own. The clattering came to a halt not far away, as the dust settled I watched about a dozen figures dismount and head my way.
"Excuse me?!" A strong male voice called out to me, I turned towards them. He had an accent that I didn't recognized, the only desert I knew of was in Elesor but for some reason I had a feeling I was not in Elesor or even Hilldren.
A man moved forward, he was tall and I had to crane my neck to look at him, but even then the sun blinded me. "What's your name?" He questioned.
He squatted down to my level, he wore odd clothes that covered him from head to toe. A cloth mask covered his mouth and neck. All I could see was his eyes, eyes of such a deep brown.
I scrambled back an inch as his hand reached for my arm which was holding tightly to the white blankets. "Whoa.. you will be alright. Let's get you back to the fort." He said in his accent.
His words seemed less thought out, I stared at his eyes once again, I wondered if I should trust him. "Where am I?" I questioned him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, where are we right now!" I snapped, holding my precious bundles close, I stood up and glared at the other people around us.
He stood and straightened, coming at least half a foot taller than me. "Well to answer your question," he motioned around us. "We just so happen to be in the Myana desert, two weeks' journey from the Vast river."
None of the names he mentioned were familiar to me. "Where?" I started to ask again when the twins took up howling, they had been quiet until now.
I reached for the blanket and pulled it back. 'It was probably best if I went with these people. I had no way of caring for my twins out here anyway.
"Is that a child?" The man questioned moving closer to me, I took a step back and realized everyone was staring at me. "Yes…" I said hesitantly.
His eyes widened and widened even more when I pulled the covers back. He seemed to take a whole different approach as his demeanor changed from anonymous to curiosity.
"I am Captain Randell Franklin the 2nd, I am the leader of this band. Could I get your name please, miss?"
"Nice to meet you." I gave an odd curtsy like thing. "I am Quee-… I am Coral." He eyed me for a minute. "You will have to forgive me, I did not realize that you had children with you." He put a hand to my back and started to lead me towards the tall horses that stood waiting.
"There hasn't been a child born in this land for years, after the-." He was stopped as someone gave him a cloth. "Many I?" I stared up at him as he motioned towards my head, I watched him but gave a slight nod.
He wrapped the thin cloth around my hair and face leaving my eyes a window to look through. "It helps with the sand." He explained to me, even though I had already figured that out.
"Could I get another cloth?" I asked him as I juggle my twins a little. "Oh sure." He motioned and a second later he handed it to me.
"If he hasn't seen a child in years.!' I thought to myself with a smirk. "Here hold him." I told him and moved to place him in his arms, but to my dismay he pulled back. "No, I can't… Lieutenant!" He shouted, a woman came over her head covering around her shoulders.
She saluted, The Captain waved a hand towards me. "Oh. Oh my!!" She exclaimed as she stared at my arms.
She held out her arms immediately, I smiled to myself as I instructed her on how to help with making a back and front sling. It took a bit but soon I was placed in the saddle, The lieutenant tied the horse I rode to hers.
I wondered what was in store, but maybe this was my chance to restart over and lead a normal life.