As the Sheikhs bid the Equestrians farewell, both ponies are now utterly silent as they walked away from the tent. Both of the Equestrians could see that the other is visibly unnerved by the way in which Saddle Arabians go about talking about deals. If this is just the talk between two ponies within the same clan, they dared not wonder how it would be if the conversation is between two ponies of two entirely different clans. Especially when the clans really hated each other.
"I do not like this at all Big Mac.....how did we end up in this?" The fact that her job just turned political is against her sworn duty to help all those who are in need no matter who they are and not hurt anyone else, for it appears that her rather simple job had turned into a political power play that could affect the lives of so many ponies. The red stallion could see that the mare is shaken by being part of a talk that almost killed both of them. But they could not get out of Saddle Arabia now even if they wanted to.
Inside the red stallion, the two moral fibers that defines the red stallion are fighting against each other; that of honesty and loyalty. Honestly he just want to go home, but he should never turn on a promise. Likewise, his loyalty is to his family, but he had promised the Sheikh as a friend that he would help him no matter what. The dissonance is nerve-wracking, but Big Macintosh would have to bear with the consequences of his choices.
"Eeyup." Both of the Equestrians are now silent, not wanting to talk anymore about this. Before long, the nurse stopped in front of a tent, causing a little bit of alarm in the stallion.
"Here's my tent. I will see you tomorrow morning Big Mac." Big Macintosh could see that the mare's strength is now out of her, and he could not blame her as the talks are very taxing to the mind. Likewise, he is also rather tired from all the travelling, feasting and most taxing of them all; the drama.
"Eeyup."
"Good night." Nurse Redheart's face is pale, but she still managed to smile a bit for the red stallion before she enters her tent. Big Macintosh did not managed to say his good nights to her, as her tent immediately darkens up. With nothing left to do, the farmpony turns his back on the tent.
"Good night, Redheart." Big Macintosh whispered, before he walks away from the mare's tent.
The next few days are rather uneventful, but the Equestrians are now finding that they are often in each other's company throughout their time at the oasis. Perhaps it is because of their shared Equestrian backgrounds, or perhaps it is because they are on the same boat right now, but they care not. The company of the other is very calming to both of the ponies and they would not have it any other way. Today, they are just sitting at the edge of the lake, looking at the bright blue skies as the birds flew pass the oasis. Their moment of ease was broken with the arrival of the two Sheikhs. As both the Equestrians looked back, they recognized that the two Sheikhs have something to say to them.
"Well Equestrians, we will be leaving by this evening. The journey to Aqqabasta will take another week or so if everything goes well. I suggest that you start packing now." Sheikh Fahd said to both of them before he walks away. Nurse Redheart looks at Big Macintosh before she leaves him at the side of the lake, all alone with the the other Sheikh. Sheikh Abu Hamza puts his hooves upon the red pony's shoulder.
"It will all be over soon."
"Eeyup."
"You had done a great deal for me by following me all this time. Once again, I must say thank you." Before Big Macintosh could say anything, the light brown stallion hugs the farmpony. The Sheikh's warmth seeps through his clothing, and the red stallion could sense his sincerity. The Sheikh lets go of the pony, and then walks away from him. Big Macintosh could only watch as the stallion fades among the tents and other Saddle Arabians. Big Macintosh could only turn back to see the large pristine nature of the oasis, and hoped that everything will be just fine like the oasis that lays before his eyes.
The greenery may be different, but it sure reminded him of home. His mind starts to bring him home where the fields of apple trees span as far as the eye could see, and the air is pure and fresh with the smell of apple fragrance. He could hear the familiar voices of his sisters and also his grandmother calling him back home when the day's chores are done. But alas, he is not home for he could feel the warm and hot air of the Saddle Arabian desert blowing to his face and mane, each gust of wind bringing a little more sand in its gale. The sand trickles from Big Macintosh's face like the sands of a hourglass, counting down the moments where everything will be over and he could really go home.
As he enters into his tent, he notices that only clothing that he have are those given to him by the Saddle Arabians. In other words; he really had nothing much to pack. It was then that he felt something coming from behind him, and he turned around, ready to buck whoever is foolish to attack him. However his expression softens when he realized who it is.
"Big Mac......"
"Hello there, what can Ah do for ya?" Big Macintosh asked with a smile. However the mare's taciturn expression prevented him caused his smile to waver.
"We need to plan something." Nurse Redheart's say to the stallion with much concern in her voice.
"What do ya mean, Redheart?"
"I do not want to end up in a sticky situation, and neither do you Big Mac. We need some plan if things are going bad." The white mare walks closer to the stallion, one step at a time.
"Or worse." Big Macintosh said honestly. The white mare nods in agreement. Both of them then stood there in silence, waiting for either one of them to continue on with the heavy conversation. Big Macintoh decided to become that pony, and speaks up.
"But that saying, do you know anything that could help us right now?" Big Macintosh asked.
"I will be honest, I don't. What about you?" The nurse asked, hoping that the red stallion has something. Anything.
"Nnope." It was then that Big Macintosh decided to walk towards where some of his clothes were laid out and started folding them with his teeth. It was then that a gentle thud attracted Nurse Redheart's attention and she could see the source of the sound; a swirly symbol on a necklace.
"Big Mac......what is that?" Nurse Redheart points towards the necklace. Big Macintosh then takes the necklace with his teeth and wears the necklace over his neck. The swirly symbol is now resting casually upon Big Macintosh's neck.
"Oh this trinket? The Shiekh gave it to me and it a sign of the Sheikh or somethin. Has a magical protection ward on it too..... '" Nurse Redheart's expression changed once Big Macintosh told her about the pendant. She looks at the him for a while, before she walks closer to the farmpony.
As she comes closer, the red stallion's heart started to beat rapidly again. She stopped, just one or two hooves shy from being face to face with the red stallion. As she takes it up with one hoof and started to examine and scrutinize the pendant, Big Macintosh could only try to keep still. He told himself to relax as the last time she came that close to him, she was pranking him with her charm. But this time the mare is now looking at him, her azure blue eyes looking at him with concern. The frown on her face only confirms the fact that this is some serious business.
"Big Mac.....do you know what this means?"
"Nnope?" Big Macintosh sure as hay did not understand what the swirly thing means other than it being a mark.
"You are right when you said it is a mark and it has magic.....but this is a very important pendant for another reason." Big Macintosh was about to breathe a sigh of relief until he realized the other half of Nurse Redheart's sentence. His confidence is now wavering as he his mind went a little wild. Perhaps the pendant's purpose is to act as a fire magnet to prevent any assassination attempt on the Sheikh, Big Macintosh's most paranoid thoughts said to him. Big Macintosh could only muster up the courage to ask to not let his paranoia get to him.
"Why?" It was then that Nurse Redheart pointed at some of the swirly lines that formed the center of the pendant, and now that Big Macintosh takes a good look at it, each of the swirly lines had finely-carved words that looks just as cursive as the swirly lines of the pendant itself. It was then that the red stallion realized that the writing in the center are not carved like the ones at the outer layers of the pendant, but are actually diamonds carved and inserted into the pendant. Big Macintosh could only marvel at the fine craftsponyship of the pendant. It must be mighty hard to put in specks of diamonds into a small pendant like that, especially when they are carved into words.
"These wordings right here at the center and the unique curves of the center.......Big Mac, this is the Mark of the Steward."
"What?" Based upon Big Macintosh's dumbfounded expression, Nurse Redheart assumed that he had no idea what she had just said to him.
"Do you know what a steward is?" The white mare asked.
"Nnope."
"That means if the Sheikh passed away or something happens to him, you will be the pony that will take over his caravan until the one next in line is ready to to take the title of Sheikh." It was then that Nurse Redheart saw the panicking expression of the big red stallion, shaking his head in disagreement.
"Nnope. Nnopennopennopennopennopennopennopennopenope." Big Macintosh inadvertently tried to deny this. He's forced to stay in Saddle Arabia forever if Abu Hamza dies? Buck no, Big Macintosh said to himself. It was then that he could feel something on his cheeks, and he realize that they are the hooves of the white mare.
"Big Mac. Relax. It just means that you are a temporary caretaker of a position, and you are free to leave if you found somepony that could lead." It was then that Nurse Redheart takes her hooves away from his face and then folds her legs under her, sitting down on the floor. The Red stallion followed soon after, breathing a sigh of relief. However, it seems that the nurse is not done yet.
"Big Mac.....You are not realizing the significance of this. This is never given to an outsider, much less another clanspony. This is given to pony that the Sheikh trust with all his heart and soul. When a Saddle Arabian trust you with his life, that means a lot. What did you do to earn that trust?" It was then that Big Macintosh starts to listen, and then he started to think. As he started to think more and more, the more he realized that things are not adding up. Even as he tries to put two and two together, Big Macintosh could only start to think about why did the Saddle Arabian trusted him so much despite only being with the pony for a few weeks. A single battle is not something that one gives a pony the trust over something really important. And then he started to think about Fatimah. If Abu Hamza is gone, she would be the one to inherit the title. Why would he trust a stranger with his daughter's life? What gives? It was then that Big Macintosh thought that this is perhaps too much for one single pony to handle. A sudden clop snaps Big Macintosh from his train of thoughts and he returns to reality.
"Big Macintosh, did anypony else knows about this?" Nurse Redheart asked, with her hooves clamped together. She had to give a clop as Big Macintosh was in the world of his thoughts and she needed him to pay attention.
"Nnope." Big Macintosh answered, his voice a little weaker than before.
"Good. Just keep quiet about this. That pendant is a double-edged sword Big Mac....remember that. I am going to pack my stuff now. Let's meet up in thirty minutes or so at the encampment center." Nurse Redheart then gives Big Macintosh a hug that he did not expect. He was about to ask her what is the hug for, before she lets go and walks out from the tent leaving the stallion speechless once again.
Ah don't get mares at all......., Big Macintosh said to himself, and then he starts to pack his stuff.
Abu Hamza is now looking at the caravan, preparing themselves for the journey ahead. However, he could not help but to think about the tale of the Sheikh from the East. If the al-Dhannam clan is with this Sheikh, then he might have a tough time ahead of him. The Al-Dhannam clan is a proud and martial clan, willing to solve anything using the sword first than using words, and they are mighty enough that they need no allies. Some of the clanspony from the Al-Dhannam are very influential individuals within the Emir's circle, and indeed they are perhaps the most conservative of all the clans in Saddle Arabia. This Sheikh must have offered them a great deal in order for them to be in an alliance, or perhaps.......
No, that fool Ibrahim is not that easily defeated, Abu Hamza thought. The al-Dhannam clanshead is a strong one if Abu Hamza ever saw one, and have more brains than all the other al-Dhannam clansponies combined. Sheikh Ibrahim must have made a proper alliance. Besides, if the Sheikh of Al-Dhannam is dead, Abu Hamza will be unable to do what he want with that stallion.As he thought to himself, his expression darkened on the spot. It was then that he felt something coming at him. His hooves are already on the hilt of his scimitar, ready for anything to happen.
"Milord, is there something bothering you?" The Sheikh turns around, and by his side is his trusted black camel. The equine relaxes his hooves from the hilt and his facial expression lightens up.
"It's alright, Amanar. I am just looking at the caravan. It had grown since our first journey ten years ago isn't it?" Abu Hamza's eyes are hazy now, remembering the good and bad old days, mostly good.
"Indeed. I can never forget how you as a young colt Milord. Always wanting to pick a fight." The camel laughed.
"If only Lily Petal is here with us....she would have been proud of what we had done my friend." The Sheikh is now a little down, remembering that name.
"She will be, especially when Fatimah is such a fine filly now. However........" The light brown stallion is now looking at his friend, perplexed by this sudden hesitation. The black camel then brings himself closer to the Sheikh, and whispered in his ears.
"Is it wise to give the Mark of the Steward to that pony? I know that as a Janissary I am not allowed to hold the title of Steward, but giving it to a pony that you barely even knew for a month is not the wisest of ideas." Soon enough the Sheikh shakes his head, causing the camel to look at his lord with uncertainty.
"An equine who is unfamiliar with our ways may be our best hope my friend when it comes to trust. I trust no one else now among our own people, except you of course.I know it is unfair to lure him here, but it must be done. I can not turn to anyone else....."Their conversation was soon interrupted by the sound of the horn blaring, signalling that it is the time to leave. The camel moved away from the Sheikh, and soon enough he was already shouting out orders to the other Janissary.
If you hear this my Maker, please protect everyone that I love and cherish, and those who do not deserved to have misfortune upon them. Especially the Equestrians....., Abu Hamza prayed from his heart, before he moved on to his duties.
As the sun sets, the rather massive caravan moves as one from the oasis towards the dunes like an army of ants. Before long, both Big Macintosh and Nurse Redheart found each other among the moving mass of Saddle Arabians. Nurse Redheart is now wearing a veil across her face to protect her from the elements, while Big Macintosh is wearing his keffiyeh around his face for the exact same reason. The blowing winds are getting stronger, but it appears that there would not be a storm coming their way based upon the reactions of the other Saddle Arabians. As the caravan moves towards the capital, both Equestrians know that they are now chest-deep in something really bad......