The Luck of a Good Mood

The trek through the desert following the mysterious woman led us to a strange rocky outcrop that jutted out over the dunes. 

She elegantly hopped over some of the boulders that led up the outcrop, and I followed carefully in tow with the siblings in my arms. 

"We're here." She spoke, motioning over to what was hidden behind the outcrop. 

It was a village, there were a handful of major huts constructed by what looked like adobe and various smaller tents that were scattered around. I could see people moving around, active in the night-- even children were playing carefree under the freezing moonlight. 

"Wow." I blurted out. It was a real-life fantasy desert town; something that you'd see in a JRPG come to life.

"What? Are you mocking my home?" She crossed her arms, anger in her voice.

"No no of course not, this is just... wonderful." I told her truthfully.

"I-Is that so? Hmph, I suppose outsiders aren't such brutes." She sounded happy enough as she waved my compliment off.

She pointed to one particular adobe hut that sat in the middle of the village, it looked larger than the others; it had an air of regality to it. 

"We shall go there, I must explain your visit to Pa-- Ahem! T-The Chieftain." Her voice went up in pitch as she recovered from her mistake. 

"Do not speak to any of the others, or I will-"

"Kill you? Yeah, I figured." I cut her off. 

"You learn quick, outsider, let's go." She chuckled as she took the first step down the outcrop leading into the village.

---

Walking into the village, I was immediately met by the gawking stares of its many inhabitants. 

And unlike the veiled woman, I could see their faces. 

Under the moonlight, I could make out that their skin tones were vaguely blue, and that they all shared a single horn right in the middle of their foreheads; I recognized what race they were from the game. 

"Desert Ogres." I muttered under my breath, careful to not let the veiled woman hear me. 

The Desert Ogres were a nomadic desert-faring race that you could recruit mercenaries from in the game. I didn't recognize the name of "Zepar" however, as this land was called by the veiled woman. 

"Mama, what is that." One of the village children said, tugging at her Mother's skirt. 

But she wasn't answered, rather she was taken away back into her tent led by her Mother's brisk hand. 

We were now at the foot of the door leading into the Chieftain's hut, it was made of sturdy wood; probably a rare luxury for them, reserved for only the most important of people.

Without much fanfare, the veiled woman opened the door and led me inside.

As I entered the hut, I was immediately greeted by the strong scent of sweet tobacco. In the middle of the hut was a fire pit, I could feel its heat touch my skin but I didn't feel any more warm than I already was; it was likely very stuffy inside of here. 

"Ah, Daughter, you've returned-... what is this?" A man spoke up as he was sitting atop a mountain of colorful and finely decorated pillows at the far end of the hut. He looked old, fine grooves of skin ran up and down his face, and a magnificent white beard stretched down his chin. 

But this wasn't no ordinary old man, rather, I felt something ominous come from him; his eyes were like that of a ghostly vulture.

"Chief, I've brought an outsider here-- he has two children in tow." She kneeled down to one leg, and at last, removed her veil. 

She had a long silvery-white braid of hair that ran down her back, and her eyes were the color of the moonlight; the same as the Chieftan. 

"Daughter, you know what is the rule when it comes to outsiders." The Chieftan rose from his pile of pillows and removed his long robe that covered the upper half of his body. 

Built like the outcrop, he had the body of a warrior-- scarred from likely decades of combat; it betrayed his apparent age. 

"Chief, I am aware." 

"Then you know that he is not allowed here, especially so under Lunarsa's glow. You've willingly brought danger here into the village." A swelling anger had begun to grow in his voice.

"Look, I just need to--" 

"Silence!" The woman cut me off, she was furious I had spoken up. 

"A barbarian, Ashari, you've brought a barbarian who does not know our way of life into our sacred land." The Chief scolded her. 

So that's her name, too bad I had to learn it through such a tense circumstance; suddenly, I felt some movement in my arms.

"Mmm... w-where are we?" Tesera was the first to open her eyes, the heat inside the hut had warmed her up from the cold sleep. Rayji only weakly blinked, but thankfully he was still alive.

The Chief looked over at me, his eyes were like daggers as they tore into my spirit; but they softened at the sight of the siblings in my arms. 

I guess they're softies when it comes to kids-- like Father, like Daughter.

"Outsider, bring the children closer to the fire." The Chief demanded as he began to walk over to Ashari. 

I wordlessly followed his instruction as I inched over to the firepit, gently putting Tesera and Rayji down onto some blankets at the flame's edge. 

"We'll discuss this later once the children have recovered their strength. They can sleep in here. But for the grown Outsider, he will stay at the trading tent." He spoke without looking at her, as he swiftly made his exit out of the hut. 

We were left alone as he shut the door behind him. 

Ashari's stout kneeling was immediately replaced by her letting out a long-drawn sigh of relief. She looked a little shaky as she used her spear to hoist herself up. 

"You're lucky." She told me.

"My father was in a good mood." She looked over at the siblings sleeping soundly by the fire. 

"That was a good mood? I don't want to imagine what a bad mood would be." I replied.

"He would've killed you and taken the children." She flatly said, there wasn't a shred of humor in her eyes. 

"Follow me, I'll lead you to where you'll be staying for the night." She moved on as she opened the door, motioning me to follow. 

I looked back at Tesera and Rayji. Was it really such a good idea to leave them in here, alone?

"Do not worry, Pa-- AHEM!" She abruptly cleared her throat, blushing a little under the hut's warm light.

"The Chieftain would never let a child die under his protection." She smiled. 

I only nod as I follow her back into the village heart.