Chapter 7

Gregory entered the high chief’s tent with Yamal, where his father was sitting on a mound of pillow accompanied by a guard. Fellise slipped quietly around the back before they’d entered, saying to just play along. The men agreed both not wanting to spoil her fun.

“Who is this that you have brought before me?” Hakeem asked his son.

“A rider in the desert farther, they wish to stay with us this night.” Yamal told them, both prince’s working not to look at Fellise who was currently sneaking up behind the chief.

“They?” Hakeem asked, “If there is more than one then where are the others, and why should I give them refuge here?”

Fellise pressed her body against the chief back and covered his eyes with her hands. “Because you told me I could bring who ever I wanted, do you wish us to sleep in the sand?” She all but purred.

The chief stiffened and then smiled as though the sun shown from his face.

“Fellise!” He cried, reaching around and pulling her into his lap. “My dear daughter! I trust your travels where exciting and kept you properly entertained. Tell me of the eastern kingdom, and tell me who is this young man you’ve brought with you.” He looked at Greg. “Tell me you have not broken my Yamal’s heart and married without telling us?”

“Farther!” Yamal protested but Fellise laughed. “I am many things but married I am not.” She told him and winked. “This is my dearest eastern friend, Prince Gregory.”

Hakeem looked at Greg with raised eyebrows.

“Say hello Greg.” Fellise ordered

“Hello.” Greg stammered, distracted by the way Fellise was cuddled into the high chief’s lap like a small child sitting with a beloved grandfather.

Hakeem nodded to the prince and then looked at the girl in his lap. “So you bring the eastern prince to visit us? I hope he finds us to his liking.”

“I do hope so, see I’ve desensitized him of the stuffy eastern ways quite a bit but did you know that they don’t generally allow there women to show their skin other than that of the face and necks?” she asked him.

The chief eyes widened. “If the girl is constricted in cloth then how do they dance?” he asked.

“In a swirly circle, it’s fun for a moment but there is not a lot o real movement, it’s downright unnatural.” She told him while Greg tried to stay quiet.

The chief’s head snapped up to look at his son. “Yamal, show our guest to their tent and then inform the girls that our festivities starts at moon rise. Now that our mother dancer is here we may begin!”

Yamal lead them out of the tent as soon as Fellise disentangled herself from the chief. They stepped out into the light of the day and Yamal grinned. “I don’t know why he wants me to show you, you know where it is Fellise.” He said and she giggled, pointing to the next tent over.

“There, I am on your father’s right and your tent is on his left.”

Yamal grinned. “I don’t suppose there is a chance that you’ll be finding your way into my tent this night?” He asked and she grinned at him. “I didn’t think so.” He laughed.

Greg followed Fellise inside. The tent was large and well furnished with pillows and brightly colored clothe. Both there packs had been set on a small table at one side.

“Where are the beds?” Greg asked, tired from the long ride.

Fellise pointed to a large pile of pillows and blankets. “There, there isn’t a lot of wood in the dessert, so we sleep on bed mats and pillows. It’s very comfortable.”

Greg paled just a little. “There is only one…” He muttered.

“Yes…” and then she ginned, seeing his problem. “But don’t worry my dear eastern prince. I don’t bite…hard.”

“Well there was that one time.” Yamal said entering the tent, grinning. “I still have the mark, do you want to see it?”

“I kinda do…” Fellise told him and Greg leaded forward to see.

Yamal pulled aside the fabric of his dessert robe to expose his muscled chest. There was a light crescent moon shaped scar just under his left collar bone.

Fellise smiled, “Oh yes, I remember that… that was a good night.”

Greg turned bright red and squeaked, it wasn’t at all a manly or princely sound but her words had shocked him far outside of what he’d thought possible.

The other two laughed and Yamal clapped a hand to Greg’s shoulder. “Not to worry my friend, she isn’t normally so aggressive, that was after a bandit attack on this village and more than our share wine.”

“Mrs. Fellise?” Said a small voice and they looked towards the tent entrance. I young girl had poked her head inside.

“Yes?” Fellise asked with a smile.

“My momma says I was to fetch you. She has your dress ready.” The girl told her, looking very pleased.

With Fellise gone the two men chatted together for awhile. Greg decided that he liked the prince very much and was pleased to learn that there was no jealously between them over Fellise. Yamal admitted to being very fond of the girl but she’d made it clear the marriage was not in their future. He’d laughed and said that there physical relationship had been keep to heavy flirting and a few scattered hot dessert nights together.

Yamal even bid Greg better fortune in catching her.

“Fellise,” Yamal said to Greg, “Is like the desert horses. She is beautiful, strong, fearless and untamable. You see the horses in our pen, they only allow us to ride them from the goodness in their wild hearts. In return we offer them food and water. But the fence isn’t high and if they so choose they could return to the desert.”

Greg nodded; it made a ridiculous amount to sense.

“Maybe you will have a better time getting her to walk into your stables, but be careful not to spook her. If you come at her to fast or if you try to close the gate, she’ll turn tail and bolt from your life forever.”

After that Yamal left, leaving Gregory with much to think about. The young man was right about Fellise but Greg couldn’t help but entertain thoughts that she would agree to be his… eventually.

But that could wait, he loved her but his desire to keep her close overrode his want to pursue her any further then the relationship they already had. The prince didn’t think he could handle her disappearing forever.

The sun sank over the desert sands and a bon fire was lit. A boy found Greg, who had been wandering among the tents, and led him to the center of the village. It seemed like everyone was gathered there, sitting in a ring around the large fire; and everyone was in high sprits.

Hakeem stood before the fire, arms upraised.

“And now my people, Let our chosen daughter dance for out desert mother!” He yelled, the crowd falling into a hush. “So that she may know our love for her and send us her rains that breathe life into our crops!”

The people cheered and Hakeem threw a cloth bag onto the flames. The fire engulfed the bag in seconds, turning a bright blue color.

Greg’s eye’s widened, and instruments who’s names he didn’t know started to play. The sound was deep and haunting, winding under his skin with it’s melody. It reminded him of deep, untouched forest on full moon night. The kind of place the fae from the old stories would play in.

All of these things were amazing to him, but they did not measure to the mesmerizing sight Fellise was. She appeared in the center of the ring, her hair was loose but a circle the dripped with crystals rested on her head. The garments she wore he didn’t think counted as a dress. It was made entirely of that same clear gem and fluttery white cloth, an ornate top barely covering her breast and a skirt that was loosely hanging from her hips. It had slits in the sides all the way to her thighs.

He knew it was exceptionally indecent to gaze at her bare skin but he couldn’t take his eyes from her.

Then she started to dance. Fellise moved slowly, her body moving like water flowing in time with the sound haunting the night air. Her bare torso twisted and her long arms coiled in movements that hadn’t even fathomed before that night.

She danced around the fire, twisting and bending, the blue flames glittering on the clothes, it’s light stroking her dark untamed hair.

The song ended and the people cheered. Fellise grinned and bowed to them. Other girls joined in the dancing when the next song started to play, this one much faster and more lively.

Greg watched them dance, drank with Yamal and even let two of the girls drag him into the ring to dance with them. Then Fellise claimed his attention, the two of them dancing steps he hadn’t been aware he knew.

It was well past noon when Greg opened his bleary eyes. At first he didn’t know where he was, but it only took him second to figure it out. He was in his tent, laying amount the pillows. He didn’t remember removing his shirt, in fact he didn’t even remember going to the tent. But there the young prince was, and he wasn’t along.

The man turned bright red when he became aware of what was around his immediate person. Fellise had her head on his shoulder, and was laying on stomach. Another girl was on her other side, her slim body pressed close to his, and there was a third female with her head on his stomach, hugging hid middle. The girls were all fast asleep and from the bare bits of skin peeking out from the thin sheets and pillows they weren’t wearing any clothes.