[Lyra Greenleaf]

Sammael grinned at the scowling Zasfal. He looked as if he had had a fight with his captain and been sent to the back of the party like a naughty child. With a nonchalant whistle Sammael quickened his pace, leaving Zasfal and his rear guard behind.

Currently they were travelling through desert land, full of patches of pale, wiry grass and parched looking shrubs. It was an inhospitable place, not to mention boring.

"Damodred" he said slowly, barely turning his head "How far is it until we get to where we are going? Much more of this blasted desert and I might end up like that weak minded tribesman, turning to the Priestesses for fun!"
The old man had grown up somewhere in this area. Sammael's geography was pretty hazy but he thought it had to be close.

"There's a village we'll get to in a while" Damodred answered. "Then depending on where the tribes are camped this year, I reckon it'd be two days journey. Perhaps less."

Sammael nodded distractedly, absent mindedly swiping at a bush. Then, with a muffled curse he put his hand to his mouth, where blood had appeared from a number of small cuts.
"It's enough to make you believe something doesn't want us around!" Sammael said, with a faint laugh. Somehow it seemed more forced than it had.

"How big is this village?" he asked Damodred. "Is there an inn? And most importantly how are the serving wenches?"
"Aye" Damodred said disparagingly. "There's an inn, with about three rooms. So unless you want to share with your friend Zasfal and his minions...?"

Listlessly Sammael returned to deadheading the meagre vegetation, this time with his belt knife. He took a certain vindictive pleasure watching branches fall to the ground. Time passed slowly in the desert, there was little conversation, or perhaps the oppressive air of the place made people talk quietly.

Sammael walked in a sort of a daze, little realising what went on around him until Damodred placed a hand on his arm to stop him. Eyes focussing, he saw the outskirts of a small village distantly through the heat haze. They looked to be about 4 miles distant, an hour's walk for every member of the party. He supposed safety meant they could not camp closer, for the sea captain was running around giving orders to prepare the area.

With a smile, Sammael let him. His heavy mood had all but disappeared now they were in sight of civilisation.

After having set up camp, the Priestess Sevora called the sea captain and Sammael to talk about what they would do now. It was agreed that the village would be a convenient place to get supplies and information, especially about the location of the tribes.

"The danger is that we may find it hard to get information from these country people. We need to be discreet." Ghurdan said. Sammael nodded consideringly.
"I know just the way" he said with a mischevious grin.

********

"No" Essenia shook her head violently, calm gone in a matter of seconds.
The man in front of her smiled wolfishly.
"It is your duty" he answered.

Essenia sighed, it was true that she had done this before, with success. It was also true that there was little she would not do for the sake of Umbar- but this? The idea sickened her. Flirting with men in return for help, information... she hated it with a passion. And the thought that they might actually touch her? Her skin crawled. Still she must do as she must. Reluctantly she nodded assent.

"Good" answered the man with the irritating grin, rubbing his hands briskly.
"Now I will go with her, as her brother of course, not a husband or our plan would have litle success"
"Zasfal" interrupted the older man Essenia had heard called Ghurdan.
"What?" asked the smiling man, smile fading. Essenia felt immense satisfaction at the sight.
"You look nothing like her. It should be Zasfal"

There was a heated exchange between the two men, which Essenia did not bother to listen to. She was led away by the man who seved the Priestess Sevora and given a dress from a bundle. Soon she was joined by a young curly haired man.
"I am Zasfal" he told her with a grin that as nearly as annoying as the other man's. "I am your brother. Your name is Zareena. We are travelling to seek the tribes to trade."

Essenia nodded again, loathing in her eyes.
"I am ready" she said quietly.