In the Gardens of Sand

[Margrave]

Luis de Luit, Lord of the Marchar, trusted Confidant of Sarah Tintagyl, and all around good guy, was bored. He was enduring a slow day today, the work all being handled by his much more intelligent subordinates. A thought seemed to worm its way into his brain; what happened to training Sarah? It was his job as her personal bodyguard (although he hadn't been allowed to fulfill that role in quite some time) to make sure she was safe; and with all her changes (A state secret, of course), he felt it was time to put all that strength and ability to good use.

Walking quickly from his office, he strode over to hers, and casually ignored the press of people clamoring for her attention. Walking up to her desk, he smiled at her as she gave him one of those frazzled "Save me before I go mad" looks that were the unfortunate burden of rulers and kings everywhere. He reached for the small bell that was beside her desk and struck it with the tiny attached mallet, making a sound that was strangely larger than one would expect. The clear ring of the bell cut through the chatter of the diplomats and aides, and they filed out of the room quickly, not wanting to get what was coming.

They had worked it out a few months ago; De Luit bought Sarah a bell, and then when anything "Gravely Important to the State's Safety" came up, he would ring the bell, and thus clear the room for the high-level diplomatic conversations that must surely be going on. The truth, however, was far less innocent; during working hours, with only a locked door and shaded windows to protect them, they perpetuated one of the most vile sins known to princes and presidents alike;

they goofed off. These sessions had come to be their sanctuary against the stress of their business, and while they were always ready to serve their country, he was glad to know that occasionally they could crack open a few beers (Root beer, usually; he loved the stuff), put on some radio or television show, and just unwind and talk to one another like people.

Today, however, would be different. With a much less military posture than normal, he took a seat in front of her desk and cracked his knuckles, getting himself into "Training" mode. "Sarah...I know you have been seeking training for quite some time, and I think it's time we went and did some. I was thinking we would go and do a desert hike, after the fashion of my people, and spend some time getting you to know the land you love so much. What do you think?"

[Sarah Tintagyl]

The meetings were almost always the same when senators and diplomats filled her office, sometimes to the breaking point. So when the bell rang this time when Luis was entering, Sarah grinned as she watched the senators finish up their last few notions of discussion and begin filing out the door. After the door closed all that was left was Luis and Sarah staring at each other with smiles on their faces. As the young Marchar walked over to her desk, Sarah leaned down and brought out a bottle of whiskey, two glasses, and a few cans of pop to begin their almost daily, unwinding time.

But today was different indeed. Sarah had asked about being physically trained a while ago, after her divorce with Larsa to be exact, as something to take off the sting of a failed marriage. So that perhaps she would be able to focus on more uplifting things for a bit. Getting in shape was one of those ideas and while she hadn't really done much on the way of physical and strength training, she didn't feel exactly like a push over. However, given the frequency of her adventures, the training would probably come in handy eventually.

"A hike? Really?" She scratched her face as she popped open a can of orange soda and let it wash down her throat. "Well I used to do some hiking when I was younger. But nothing in a desert, so this would be really new to me. But I mean I would be up for it. I'm always looking for an excuse to leave the office really. When were you thinking of leaving?"

[Margrave]

De Luit motioned to the duffel bag he'd brought in unnoticed. "I took the liberty of talking with you secretary, your chief of staff, and Lady De Lune, all of whom feel that they can run things here without you; although Clair almost tore my head off when I told her no Lillians were to come. I think she forgets I used to do more than sit behind a desk. And there just so happens to be another of those nice, designer cars our very patriotic automotive companies keep giving you in the vain hope of getting a photo of you sitting in it, and that car just so happens to go really, really fast. We could always go by Limo, if you prefer..." He grinned at her, knowing she couldn't resist a fast car.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

The small smile on her face began to curve up slightly into a grin and then into a full fledged beaming of her white teeth as she ran out from behind the desk and grabbed Luis' arm as she yanked him down stairs towards the parking lot. The duffel bag in tow behind him. It wasn't hard to spot the new car, a classy corvette that hadn't been in the parking lot of the Diet in the morning. She turned to Luis. "Do you have the ke-" And almost instantly, he pulled a set of brass keys from his pocket, jingled them in front of her face for a moment before she pulled them out of his hands and jumped into the car. Within seconds, Sarah and Luis were out on the main freeways heading towards the residential portion of the city.

"You're going to have to give me some time to change." Sarah said, still wearing her suit jacket and skirt from working down in the capital. "And if I'm going to be out in the desert, I'm going to need sunscreen and a whole lot of it. This isn't going to be like the beach, where you can just jump in and cool off." She buried into the gas pedal as they arrived at the gates to Solidor Manor. Sarah jumped out of the car and told Luis to wait for a split second while she went up to change. She came back down a few minutes later. Tank top, khaki shorts, and an old safari hat that belonged to her grand father which didn't really match her present get up, but it really didn't matter. Climbing back into the corvette, she popped the clutch and drove off back onto the highways heading towards the Australian outback.

The drive was long, but for Sarah it was extremely enjoyable as she kept her foot buried on the gas pedal for most of the trip. Luis, unlike most of her guests and friends, didn't seem to mind riding with her in personal cars. He almost seemed like he enjoyed it and that was nice. Honestly, she was happy that he was around her most anytime she asked. As of late, Sarah had found herself thin on good and close friends, but Luis made her feel much safer. Besides Larsa, he was the first to find out about her 'transformation' in Niflheim, especially considering she hadn't intentions of telling him but after he had seen her crush a piece of stone in her fist, she realized she had more explaining to do. But nevertheless, he was always there for her, thick and thin and there was nothing that she could appreciate more.

"You hear that engine?" She pushed down on the gas. "This is a really nice care Luis, very nice." The scenery around them had changed a great deal as grassy hills were replaced by sandy barren plains. "Where am I really supposed to be going?"

[Margrave]

The small smile on her face began to curve up slightly into a grin and then into a full fledged beaming of her white teeth as she ran out from behind the desk and grabbed Luis' arm as she yanked him down stairs towards the parking lot. The duffel bag in tow behind him. It wasn't hard to spot the new car, a classy corvette that hadn't been in the parking lot of the Diet in the morning. She turned to Luis. "Do you have the ke-" And almost instantly, he pulled a set of brass keys from his pocket, jingled them in front of her face for a moment before she pulled them out of his hands and jumped into the car. Within seconds, Sarah and Luis were out on the main freeways heading towards the residential portion of the city.

"You're going to have to give me some time to change." Sarah said, still wearing her suit jacket and skirt from working down in the capital. "And if I'm going to be out in the desert, I'm going to need sunscreen and a whole lot of it. This isn't going to be like the beach, where you can just jump in and cool off." She buried into the gas pedal as they arrived at the gates to Solidor Manor. Sarah jumped out of the car and told Luis to wait for a split second while she went up to change. She came back down a few minutes later. Tank top, khaki shorts, and an old safari hat that belonged to her grand father which didn't really match her present get up, but it really didn't matter. Climbing back into the corvette, she popped the clutch and drove off back onto the highways heading towards the Australian outback.

The drive was long, but for Sarah it was extremely enjoyable as she kept her foot buried on the gas pedal for most of the trip. Luis, unlike most of her guests and friends, didn't seem to mind riding with her in personal cars. He almost seemed like he enjoyed it and that was nice. Honestly, she was happy that he was around her most anytime she asked. As of late, Sarah had found herself thin on good and close friends, but Luis made her feel much safer. Besides Larsa, he was the first to find out about her 'transformation' in Niflheim, especially considering she hadn't intentions of telling him but after he had seen her crush a piece of stone in her fist, she realized she had more explaining to do. But nevertheless, he was always there for her, thick and thin and there was nothing that she could appreciate more.

"You hear that engine?" She pushed down on the gas. "This is a really nice care Luis, very nice." The scenery around them had changed a great deal as grassy hills were replaced by sandy barren plains. "Where am I really supposed to be going?"

"There."

Not too far from the road, there was a station...one that the Marchar had set up for just this purpose. The training regime of some of the military forces of the Marchar were classified (Even the Protector wasn't aware, although this was more of trust in De Luit than any denial of information), but a great deal of training went on here, which was why he was glad he'd cleared it of any troops beforehand. As they pulled in, they approached the one shack that marked the landscape (avoiding the underground entrance to the slightly larger dwelling there, a safehouse and training area he'd had constructed awhile ago), and grabbed some jerky, two light packs with the bare essentials, a walking staff for the both of them, and a compass that he didn't intend for them to use. He did ensure that they had plenty of water, however, regardless of the fact that they had several watering holes along their route; he was sure of himself, but he did not know how far her strength went as of yet, and he would not be responsible for her getting dehydrated out there. Twirling his staff, he exited the place and gestured grandly to the desert.

"Well, Shall we get going?"

[Sarah Tintagyl]

*Four Hours Later*

The world just seemed to drag on, the clouds didn't seem to move, the ground stood still and her feet didn't even feel like they moved anymore. Sweat dripped from Sarah's body like rain from the sky, her shirt stuck to her skin, her shorts were wrinkled, her arms rubbed against her torso like a finely oiled machine, and her hair stuck to her back and crowded around her eyes so that every few steps was almost her stumbling over herself. The desert was definitely not her friend. She always blew through her canteen and at the watering holes, she made Luis stay at least an extra ten minutes just so she could dunk her head under the water to try and stay cool. But even the water was kind of warm. It was just a sickening feeling all around.

As the pair came to a hill, Sarah stopped and leaned against her walking stick. "Oh Luis, I don't think I can do this anymore. I have to rest again. I'm dying out here." She opened the canteen and dumped water over her head and down her back. "Goddamn its hot out." Her hat lay slung over her back, bouncing up and down as she went. "How much further now and where are we even going?"

She didn't want to feel like a failure or anything, but this was just too much. She just couldn't be out here in the desert like this.

[Margrave]

*Four Hours Later*

The world just seemed to drag on, the clouds didn't seem to move, the ground stood still and her feet didn't even feel like they moved anymore. Sweat dripped from Sarah's body like rain from the sky, her shirt stuck to her skin, her shorts were wrinkled, her arms rubbed against her torso like a finely oiled machine, and her hair stuck to her back and crowded around her eyes so that every few steps was almost her stumbling over herself. The desert was definitely not her friend. She always blew through her canteen and at the watering holes, she made Luis stay at least an extra ten minutes just so she could dunk her head under the water to try and stay cool. But even the water was kind of warm. It was just a sickening feeling all around.

As the pair came to a hill, Sarah stopped and leaned against her walking stick. "Oh Luis, I don't think I can do this anymore. I have to rest again. I'm dying out here." She opened the canteen and dumped water over her head and down her back. "Goddamn its hot out." Her hat lay slung over her back, bouncing up and down as she went. "How much further now and where are we even going?"

She didn't want to feel like a failure or anything, but this was just too much. She just couldn't be out here in the desert like this.

In Marchar training, a recruit who wasted water was considered a damned individual before God and man alike; so Luis cringed as he watched her empty half her canteen to cool herself down. "M'lady, you must be more careful with the water. We've covered alot of ground, even with all the stops, but right now we're still an hour away from the half-way mark, and then if we don't keep it up we'll be pitching tents out here and standing watches throughout the night. You're learning, Sarah, exceptionally well; I'm mostly convinced you would be able to find your way back...if it was still light out and you didn't get disoriented from stopping too long at each watering hole. This is your first lesson, Sarah, and as you wish your last; a small taste of the life of a soldier on the farthest ranges of the battlefield, the man who belongs to that small unit who would have been spotted if they'd entered the territory on anything but foot. My ancestors traveled in this fashion, and theirs, and my sons will come to learn and love this way, the art of walking, of counting your paces so you know for yourself how far you have gone, of measuring your steps, of keeping a stirring song up as a cadence for your feet. Take all of this in, m'lady. If you can learn that basic respect, you will be on your way to being a warrior who rules warriors, and the respect that you will be given in return is the kind that Prince's sacrifice their firstborn for and Emperor's beg from God."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

She could only sigh and she fixed up her backpack again, tried to brush off her shoes from the dust and plant her walking stick into the ground for another step. The heat was horrible, but she wanted to try and impress Luis as much as she could. He didn't even look like he was fazed by the heat or the sand or anything, he looked fine. "How are you doing this Luis? I'm like dying over here and you look like you're strolling around in a park." But the Marchar were different from the Hanseatics and Luis was vastly different from Sarah, it wasn't the fact that she couldn't do it, or that she wasn't strong enough. It was that she hadn't be geared to that lifestyle. She was a pampered girl, she had always been and Luis and his people were warriors. The transformation from the Lady Protector to a woman that would be able to fight on the front line with her troops would be strange indeed and truthfully it would never happen. But the ideas were still in the girl's head and they kept her going. After all, Sarah had been through a great deal of adventures already, this was just another one to add to the list.

Picking up her feet she tried to push harder to get to where Luis was walking, but he always seemed to be a little further ahead, a little bit out of reach.

[Margrave]

She could only sigh and she fixed up her backpack again, tried to brush off her shoes from the dust and plant her walking stick into the ground for another step. The heat was horrible, but she wanted to try and impress Luis as much as she could. He didn't even look like he was fazed by the heat or the sand or anything, he looked fine. "How are you doing this Luis? I'm like dying over here and you look like you're strolling around in a park." But the Marchar were different from the Hanseatics and Luis was vastly different from Sarah, it wasn't the fact that she couldn't do it, or that she wasn't strong enough. It was that she hadn't be geared to that lifestyle. She was a pampered girl, she had always been and Luis and his people were warriors. The transformation from the Lady Protector to a woman that would be able to fight on the front line with her troops would be strange indeed and truthfully it would never happen. But the ideas were still in the girl's head and they kept her going. After all, Sarah had been through a great deal of adventures already, this was just another one to add to the list.

Picking up her feet she tried to push harder to get to where Luis was walking, but he always seemed to be a little further ahead, a little bit out of reach.

"It is my duty to keep walking, Sarah. There isn't a question of why, or what, or how; it is a simple law. I must keep moving, so I do." He shook his head, not sure how to explain it. "You aren't Marchar, so it is hard to explain it to you...but you must understand, so that you can understand both us and yourself. You might not become a front-line soldier, but there are many paths for a warrior to walk, and we are on such a one right now. We'll never have you out in the thick of the fight, putting rounds into a weapon, rallying troops like a young lieutenant , cursing and barking orders. But you will come to understand the soldier and his fight, and so when an issue pertaining to them comes up, you will be able to speak, and know the validity of your words. And when your men hear you speaking, and know you understand, they will see you as one of their own, not just the untouchable and holy Lady Protector but more, a sister, their friend at the top, the one who will hear their concerns and and care for their problems. Once that happens, my lady, there will be no force on earth that will break them."

He'd talked for awhile, standing somewhat apace from her, encouraging her to catch up.

The last thing he could be sure of was the movement he'd spotted from the corner of his eye. Sarah would later tell him that he bounded forward, faster than she'd ever seen, and dived, his body flying through the air until it skidded past her, a flash of motion, a hiss, a cry of pain. He would be found a moment later writhing on the ground, the snake's jaws like a vice on his hand, the snake's venom-filled fangs emptying themselves into his body. With a cry of terrible pain, he wrapped his fingers around the jaw and squeezed, finally being rewarded with the sound of cracking bone, the snake writhing abouth as he crushed it's mouth in his hand, the fangs breaking into pieces...some still inside his hand. With his other hand, he pried the top part away, and then ripped the head off, every ounce of strength he had focused on killing the snake. He waited till it finally stopped squriming, then tossed it over his shoulder with a curse. So much had gone wrong...so much could happen...his mind raced as he felt the poison slowly shut his system down, the calming techniques he knew slowing his heart-rate, keeping him from a panic that would kill him quickly.

He suddenly realized he was flat on his back, a very worried Sarah looking down at him, the sun shimmering through the canopy of her hair. He couldn't quite make out her face, but wasn't it a face he knew well? And yet...

He blacked out, unable to finish the thought.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

It all happened so fast, so unbelievably fast that the snake, Luis diving in front of her to shield her from the bite and him writhing on the ground in front of her all seemed to happen within seconds of each other. The heat and the grime and the fatigue all disappeared for a moment as Sarah went to the ground and checked his body over. "God dammit Luis. Are you all right?! Can you hear me?!" No answer. She punched against the ground. "Why the hell would you bring us out here in the first place?" She held his face and shielded him from the sunlight what was now beating down on her back with the strength of the fires of hell. Running her fingers across his face she opened his eyes, his pupils were dilated and the color of his skin was also turning to an unhealthy pallor. There really wasn't much time.

Going back to her backpack she rummaged through the supplies looking for anything that might help them out here. Nothing, nothing at all. Throwing hers aside she pulled his close and began pulling out the supplies that Luis hand brought with him. "Aha!" She screamed happily. A tourniquet! Taking it out of its case she held up his hand where the snake had made the wound, applied pressure and bit down, trying her best to follow the instructions on the case to draw the poison out from his body. To be honest Sarah couldn't tell in the slightest if it was going to work or not, but even with the tourniquet, he still needed medical attention. Taking out her phone, she opened it and then instantly scowled. Of course they weren't going to get service out here, it was stupid to even think about getting it.

"$%&@. Four hours." She frowned, looking at the footprints that they had made on the way across the desert. "Well there's a way station maybe an hour from here so maybe." She kicked the dirt. "Damn it all...it'll be okay Luis, I'll get you back. You'll be okay."

People say that during times of great need, a person's strength is increased almost fully by adrenaline. For Sarah, who had that, plus a few other advantages up her sleeve, it would be much easier. Her biceps bulged as she bent down and lifted the young man up, one arm around his shoulder blades and another around his waist. He was heavy, but there wasn't any other way. So without another care in the world she began to stagger back, Luis in her arms to a way station for help.

[Margrave]

A man's mind was filled with all sorts of things they didn't see on a day to day basis; stray thoughts, repressed hopes, forgotten dreams. Poisons, particularly those meant to induce deliriousness, were wall-breakers and mind-openers, and so it was that a very confused Luis De Luit hung between reality and dreams, memories and nightmares.

He was a boy again, his father a knight fighting for Acre, when Khendon had reigned as king there. He trained alongside young Arab, Jewish, and Latin boys, all who had no greater desire than to join the Traveler's Order, the men who had taken to defending the shrines and ruins that men oftentimes called holy. And when Acre was abandoned, he remembered the long travels, the unceasing roadways, the dark paths across the continents where he'd come of age...and then that few years of fulfilled dreams and hopes when they'd come to New Zealand, and founded a country for the lost, for the travelers, for the displaced ones..."Camberlain"...

He slipped again into his first meeting with Sarah; the daring declaration, his heartfelt plea for a place in her land, the festival...and his oath to her. Had he fulfilled that oath yet? He'd fought for her, bled for her, sent men to die for her...but it was not yet complete. A Marchar payed his debts, and his debt here, his oath, was not fulfilled...so then how could he die? His heart thumped hard in his chest, his resolution becoming firm, his will rallying....before he forgot it all in the fading colors behind his eyes...save a name.

he held that name tightly with arms he couldn't feel, he spoke it with a mouth that wouldn't move, and in that name kept the fire of his life burning, a low fire that would not give out....

"Sarah"

[Sarah Tintagyl]

The way station that had been an hours walk away, finally came into view over the next rocky hill. As it came into her vision, it blurred at the top of the hill and she felt her arms give way as her legs sank down into the sand. She could hear voices coming from the station as the occupants could see her from the ground below.

"Good God! Its the Lady Protector! Get out there!"

Sarah swayed back and forth on the ground trying to say awake after the grueling walk to the station. Her energy gone, her skin burned, and her appearance destroyed. Her clothes were ripped and she looked like hell, but she looked down at Luis and smiled. "We made it Luis, you're going to be all right." She said as the last of her energy drained away. Sarah fell to the side, vomited on the ground, something she had eaten in the morning and collapsed. Her head banging softly on the sand as the men running up the hill shouted that everything would be okay.

---

The room was white and there was a mechanical beeping sound coming from beside her. Pushing open her eyes slowly, Sarah realized that she was in a hospital room. Finally the shock set in as she jumped up in the bed. "Where am I? What's going on?"

The doctor who was keeping her under close surveillance smiled seeing her awake. "You were suffering from heat exhaustion milady. But you should be okay now, just another day in bed should be fine. If you wanted to go home, that would be okay too."

Sarah nodded. "What about Luis? Is he okay?"

"Lord De Luit is down the hall if you'd want to g-"

Sarah was out the door before the doctor could finish the sentence as she looked at the name tags along the doors before finding Luis' room. Opening the door, she ran in and looked at him still laying peacefully in the bed.

"Luis?"

[Margrave]

Lord De Luit was supposed to be the quietly impressive man who ruled the Marchar and the many military and intelligence divisions of the Hansa with a firm hand. He was supposedly a peerless warrior, a world traveler, and a famed survivalist.

He was not a pale, weakened man locked into a hospital bed, his body cringing, his veins standing out from his white skin.

The doctor in his room exchanged a long look with the Lady Protector. "He's not well, Ma'am. We're administering anti-venom and everyone here is doing what they can, but there is only so much we can do. Right now, it's up to him. If you would like a moment alone with him...."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

She nodded and walked over to the side of the bed, her hospital gown dragging at her feet. The doctor left the room and once the door clicked she sat down on the bed beside him and ran her hand across his face.

"My knight in shining armor reduced to this." She said aloud. "I know you can't hear me Luis, but I know you've always been there for me and that's what makes sitting her looking down at you even harder than I ever thought it would be. I should be there for you more and I know I'm not, you're always the one that sits above my head and tells me what I do is normally wrong and you fix it for me. I can't imagine the amount of political problems that I would have caused if it weren't for you and now that you're laying her, I...I just can't look at you." She leaned down and kissed him on the lips. "I wish you knew just how much I cared about you. You my knight in shining armor, my protector of the Hansa, my..." She couldn't finish. The tears were just too much. Honestly, she just wanted to sit beside him all day. Her turn to protect him, but the doctors would be back and they would take her to her room.

She leaned down again and kissed him. "Please don't die. I don't know if I could continue without your help."

She got of the bed and opened the door to head back to her room...

[Margrave]

The bed was oppressive, the blankets and comforters were a heavy cloud, and the IV drip feeding him anti-venom and painkillers silenced his lips and numbed his tongue. The pain that wracked his body wasn't even a clear one; like the bite of the bullet, or the cut of the blade. He heard a voice beyond himself, speaking words he couldn't quite understand...but even his pained-numbed brain couldn't mistake the light press of lips against his as anything but a kiss. Who would do it though? The absence of a wife, a lover, anything of that sort ruled out the normal circumstances; he was painfully aware of how distant he was from everyone. So who...

His unseeing eyes widened under their heavy lids, and his mouth worked out his frozen tongue to speak one word:

"Sarah."

He feebly attempted to raise his hand, but it was useless. His whole body...his feelings, all of it, useless. Tears would have come to a lesser man; but then what rights could he claim when the woman he loved was so ignorant of his heart?

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Before she left the door she heard his voice and turned around to see his eyes staring back at her. They were weak, but there was a strength behind them. Slowly she walked back over to the bed and watched as he followed her movements. She paused and looked down at him and smiled. "I'm here Luis, I'm here. I'll always be here."

She ran her hand across his forehead and smiled softly. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise."

[Margrave]

A few weeks later...

*Brisbane, The Great Hall*

It was almost certainly not the wisest decision, walking around as soon as the last of the poison was gone from his body. Of course, neither was the visit to the tattoo parlor he'd made last night, tattooing an image of the snake that had big him curling around his right wrist and hand. The press would have a field day with that one...he'd say it was a mysterious Marchar thing and let the Marchar laugh about it as other people scratched their heads.

He had worn a simple robe today, a simple silver circlet on his brow. He breathed in and out, just once, and knocked on her door. Hearing no resistance, he entered the room, his head bowing slightly as he took a seat in front of her desk. He assumed his military posture...just barely. It was a very quiet moment, and for the life of him he didn't quite know what words to say.

But the silence had gone on for too long, and he couldn't allow the communication between them to cease; too many people depended on them working together as a team, as one body. So he tried to speak. "Well...I'm feeling better. I'm afraid Lady De Lune won't allow me to be taking you on any more private trips, but all in all, I think the trip was a success."