//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The fall // Story: The Red Sands // by GnollReader //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash's mind constantly swayed between consciousness and darkness. She remembered Twilight's portal, how it had wavered as she passed through... the force that had tossed her around violently... and the cold air that had hit her face when she exited it. When she had opened her eyes however, it hadn't been Canterlot that she saw. She remember the endless sea of red beneath her that stretched endlessly as far as she could see, and she remembered falling towards a maze of countless little lights that shone like stars as she plummeted towards it. Then... nothing. Rainbow Dash awoke with a start, trying to jump to her hooves but failing miserably as pain shot through one of her legs and her left wing. She let out a cry of pain and fell down again, breathing heavily as the pain started to disappear at an agonizingly slow speed. She looked around herself, trying to make out her surroundings and realizing in dread that she was in what appeared to be a dungeon. Above her, a small lamp gave off a flickering light. Rainbow Dash was positioned on a strangely long makeshift bed, and her front leg and left wing were covered in tight bandages, giving off pain whenever she tried to move them. She eyed the stone walls of her dimly lit cell with fear, the heavy door on the other side of the room seemed far too large to be made by any ponies. A terrifying thought planted itself in her mind... "Where am I?" she whispered. --- "My queen..." he bowed on one of his knees, holding his head low and averting his eyes, "You have demanded my presence?" "Husam al Din..." the queen said with a small smile, "It is good to see that the leader of my Sand Blades is still as punctual as ever." "I live to serve." he replied while keeping his head low. "Please, rise... sword of the faith." she talked with a kind voice. Slowly, he rose to his feet, keeping his head low and his eyes on the floor nonetheless while being careful that the bells on the scimitar at his side didn't give off the slightest sound. "As always, your modesty puts me to shame... please, raise your head so we may talk face to face." "Of course, my queen." he raised his head, the turban and the veils around his face only showing his sharp, black eyes. "You always had the eyes of a hawk..." she said with a sad smile, "Never resting and always vigilant..." her face became serious, "Do you know why I called for you?" "I presume it is connected to the incident of last night." he replied. "What have you heard?" she asked. "My blades have informed me that a strange creature crashed into one of the mosques... by the description they gave me, it seems to be a small and strangely colored pegasus." "And as always you have your eyes and ears everywhere." she smiled, "Tell me, have the citizens taken notice?" He shook his head, "My blades were fast enough to remove the creature from the site. The citizens are unaware of what happened." She sighed, "Good. I wish this to be kept a secret as long as possible. Tell me, what have you found out about our visitor?" He pondered on her question for a moment, "It seems to be female, and it broke a leg and sprained one of its wings when it crashed. Also..." he paused, "It has been talking in its sleep." The queen raised an eyebrow in surprise, "So she is intelligent?" "It..." he corrected himself, "She appears to be. However, we were unable to translate the language yet." "And where is she now?" "After I had her injuries seen to, I had her placed in one of our dungeons, to keep her away from prying eyes. Only the Sand Blades and you have access there." She nodded, "That is well for the time being, but I wish to find out more about our guest and her origin. Go to her, try to communicate with her and find out where she came from." "And if she refuses?" he asked. "Do what you must, but I would welcome a diplomatic approach above all should we actually be faced with an unknown species or country." He bowed, "Of course, my queen." --- Rainbow Dash tried in vain to move again, but just like before she failed due to the pain in her leg. She was sure by now that it was broken. She looked around herself once more, trying desperately to find something to help her, but aside from a small stool at the far side of the room and a bucket there was nothing. She froze when she heard a key being turned in the large lock of the door and the sound of a bolt being drawn back echoed through the room. Quickly, she put her head down and tried to look like she was asleep. Maybe, if she was quick enough she could make a jump for the door on three legs. Rainbow Dash listened as steps so silent she could barely make them out approached her, and she cringed in dismay when she heard the door being pulled shut again. She heard someone pull the stool up to her bed and a sound of something being set down followed it, and then... silence. For what felt like antagonizing minutes, she kept her eyes shut and waited for something to happen, but nothing did. When her anxiety became unbearable, she finally opened her eyes a crack... and looked at the strangest creature she had ever seen. Its whole form was covered in black robes, even its head was wrapped in the black cloth that formed a strange sort of bonnet on what she assumed was its head. A sheathed and curved sword was bound to its side, numerous small bells hanging from the hilt motionlessly. How had it entered without those giving off a single sound? She studied its head, and between the black cloth she could make out a set of jet-black eyes that looked incredibly sharp and capturing. What surprised her was that the creature appeared to be kneeling, a small tray with several bowls was placed on the stool it had pulled up to her bed. But even kneeling the creature was still as tall as she was. For a moment the two just looked at one another, and Rainbow Dash found herself lost as its eyes bore into her own. Then, with a fluid and slow motion, the creature reached out and picked up a small bow in its left hand. It held out the bow towards her, and she recognized there was water inside. ".الشراب. الماء" it spoke with a masculine voice. Rainbow Dash simply stared at him in wonder, she had never heard a language like that before, "What?" He tilted his head, "ألست عطشاناً؟" he held the bowl closer to her, ".الماء" his voice didn't sound threatening and he spoke slowly. For a moment she hesitated, but then she reached out with her undamaged leg and took the bowl from his hand. When her lips touched the clear liquid, she realized for the first time how thirsty she was and drowned the whole bowl in one go. He chuckled as he watched her, "لا تركضي، بل امشي على مهلك." She turned to him as she finished the bowl with a small smile, "Thanks." He nodded, "لا شكر على الواجب." Rainbow Dash frowned as she tried in vain to make sense of his words. But then he reached up with his left hand and laid it flat over his chest, "Husam." he pronounced carefully, "Husam al Din." he patted his chest as he repeated the words. For a moment, she didn't understand but then she realized he was telling her his name, "Hussamalldi?" she tried to repeat his words. "Husam al Din." "Husam al Din." she carefully repeated the words, and his nodding told her she had gotten it right. He pointed his left palm at her, "ما اسمُك؟" Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof at her own chest, "My name?" "Mie name?" he tilted his head. "No." she shook her head. She patted her chest with her hoof, "Rainbow Dash." "Ranbuu..." "Rainbow..." "Rainbow..." "Dash..." He seemed to contemplate her words for a moment, "Rainbow Dash."