Golden Bird

“This is fun.” she announced, proud of her accomplishment.

“I tried to tell you so.” Rashid said, laughing. “Now are you ready to ride out into the desert?”

“Well, I guess so, but what’s out there?” she asked, her curiosity peaked.

“That my love, is a surprise.” he said with a grin and a wink.

Rashid’s steed was a black stallion, and he looked resplendent as he rode, his white robes billowing out behind him. They passed through the tall gate in the great wall surrounding the palace. Armed soldiers stood at attention on either side as they past. And on the other side, Sara saw the squat yellow brick buildings, mud huts, and black tents of the Bedouin village. She could hear the sounds of animals, and babies crying, and people shouting.

Rashid reined in beside her. “My people.” he said simply. “Tradition keeps them in the last century. It is hard to teach them otherwise.”

Sara studied him. This was a different side to him. She saw the compassion in his eyes and reached out to him with her hand. He gave her fingers a squeeze, then headed her in the other direction, and off they went. In silence, Sara followed his lead across the dunes. He tried to stay with her, but his steed pranced and snorted his impatience at such a slow pace, so Rashid would race him ahead, and then back again to keep the animal happy.

The setting sun was an orange ball of fire, being devoured by a red sea of sand, and up in the distance, Sara could see a dark speck. She imagined it was a lone ship, its sails billowing in the breeze, but as they drew closer, it became obvious that it was a group of large black tents.

When they reached the encampment, Sara waited for Rashid to help her dismount. He reached up, and she slipped into his arms. A turbaned servant emerged from inside the largest of the tents, and led the horses away. Then another appeared to hold open the flap for Rashid and Sara to enter.

Once inside, Sara gasped. It was like a scene from the Arabian Nights. The sides of the tent were draped with sheer silks that rustled faintly as they passed. The ground was covered with a thick woolen carpet, and in the center of the room was a low table covered with food. There was a large bowl of fruit which included grapes, figs, and apricots, a small silver bowl filled with dried almonds, a dish of spicy stuffed eggplant, a platter filled with pieces of meat that had been skewered and roasted over a fire, and of course a plate mounded with steaming rice.