The caravan that carried the barbarian people to the people clan of Tor moved at a brisk pace. It was a pace that would severely hurt the animals that they used. The camels and the mules would be hurt at the end of this trip. Their flesh would probably be used to feed their tribe once they returned. However, the most important of all was that their cargo was to be dropped off at the clan of Tor.

Korta Suvari, the leader of this mission of vital importance was of two minds. He was the leader of the clan of Suvari, one of the so-called barbarian tribes. He was also related to one of the clans who had once been in an alliance with that of Tor. The two sister clans with the sisters being the spiritual leaders of both of the clans so had been from the start of their history. His mission was simple. He had to let his daughter get married to a man of Tor however old or useless that man was. They needed an alliance of the might of Tor with Suvari for the months to come. The tribes and clans of the North knew of this while the clans out here in this paradise were kept in the dark. The reason was simple; the Sooth Sayers of the North were far more accurate while the softer clans simply would not accept that war would come to their homes. There were visions of war to come and there was only slaughter and death.

People, true people, the ones born in the desert would be the ones to die. That was a loss that the clan Suvari could not accept. The clan of Tor was small but the might of it was like having an army at their beck and call. Of all of the clans and tribes, the clan of Tor was most loyal and most wrathful at betrayal.  This way, some of the backlashes of war would not come to them as even the most warlike feared a single member of Tor. One man of Tor injured could very well cause the whole tribe to come and ask for blood in return. Tor was small, that was a fact but the vengeance that they wreaked against their transgressors was the stuff of legend. Even a fraction of that might would be enough. So, clan Suvari wanted an alliance. Thus, the Suvari gave this mission to Korta. His daughter was not ideal but no other woman could be matched to another so soon. The others were either too young or too old. And they needed an alliance based on blood now. Material benefits would not be enough to ensure that the clan Tor would help the clan, Suvari. So they had to give Korta’s daughter up and that was no easy task. There were problems with this child as well. They would have to be smart about this. Open deception would backfire on them and he needed some degree of deception to complete his mission.

He was covered from head to toe in loose covering robes to keep out the sand. This sand was something he didn't like much but something that, if absent he would not be comfortable in. His lands in the north had sand but the north was not merely sand, it was also freezing cold and harder grounds. There were no oases to feed the animals or their people. However, even though some of his people looked down at the ‘softness’ of these people he knew that this was not the truth. The people like the sand here were was moist and only deceptively weak. The sharp point of death unseen came hidden here.

Maybe that was why he didn't like the softness of this land at all. It was entirely strange that such a 'soft' land could breed a clan as fierce as the Tor. He was conflicted about this mission and it showed in the furrows on his forehead. Seven days he had thought as he travelled to this soft land and seven days he could not think of a good answer to his questions. On one hand, he had to marry off his daughter to ensure that his clan would stand a fighting chance. On the other hand, he knew that his daughter was never meant to be married. It was a truth that he knew and on that, the elders of his clan chose to ignore at this junction. His daughter was in a palanquin raised atop a magnificent camel. It was a great, beautiful beast and one that had been chosen to expand her prestige. He had seen his daughter today as well. It was indeed a pity that she was allowed to raise her hopes so high. What if her groom was an old male? Korta sighed again. He didn’t know how to face her, he really did not.

The woman inside of the palanquin was flushed with excitement. It had taken sleeping potions to get her to sleep on some of the days they travelled here. She was excited. After all, she would finally be able to be out in the sun and laugh and do as she liked without any rules bothering her. She had some worries but none could make her enthusiasm dim. She was out of the clan Suvari. Best of all, she was to be wed out of her clan. Surely she would be able to find common ground with another, not of the clan?

Korta’s worries kept rising little by little. Already, one of the two watchers of Tor was riding with his people and the message was sent. The orders for a wedding were already given. Usually, it wouldn't be done so fast but this was the order. He was to return at once, once the wedding was done. The preparations for war would not wait. So it was with a deep sense of regret that Korta Suvari kept on his course. This night would be the hardest night that he had to face after the death of his beloved son. He wondered idly if no one qualified would accept his daughter. After all, she wasn't the perfect bride that any tribe or clan would want. She had lots of inadequacies. Still, he had a feeling that the leader of Tor would not pass up on such an opportunity.

The woman seated within the palanquin had no fears. Only a deep sense of anticipation she was finally out of her open prisons. She knew that love was not for her. However, she would serve her husband well. She would do her duty and most of all she would keep her true nature a secret from all. Maybe her husband might even look good. She knew that her chances of marrying a man suitable for her age were difficult because they would have brides that matched their promised worth. Her worth was already less than any other due to her age and if her secret was out, it would be even smaller than before. It was her only fear which she crushed underneath her feet with the emotion of anticipation. Her joy was rising. Soon, she would be free of her shackles. She would be wed.

  Her bride price was already laden on several pack animals behind her. She was sure that a small clan like that of the Tor would not refuse such a princely bride price. Unknown to most of the other tribes and clans, the tribes of Suvari had enough wealth and food stored to rival any of the larger nations of men towards the southern, softer lands. Even with this bride price given, the store wasn't taxed in the least. This was a small amount taken to ensure that their mission was as successful as they required it to be. She had no illusions about the fact that she was merely a political tool in the hands of the clan. She didn't mind. One was born always to serve the good of the people. Or so it was taught to her. She couldn't stray from that lesson. Not one of the members of the people could stray from that lesson. It had been seven days and eight nights of unceasing travel to reach the lands owned by the clan of Tor. Sleep had been done in shifts and the animals rotated from pack duty to those being ridden. As such, there was much haste in their movements. It was said that if they delayed some opportune moment would pass and would not come back in a hundred years. It was said that this moment was important because it would lessen the impact of her secret on her marriage if this moment was considered. So haste was the prime mover here. The watcher from the clan of Tor didn't know of the haste and only knew that Suvari was here. The watcher, like all others of Tor, thought that these people had travelled the customary month to reach here. It was almost inconceivable that an offer for marriage would be so important as to use the spells of fortitude and speed on both beast and human to reach the place within the week. Because it seemed so ludicrous, it wasn't even considered by any of the tacticians on every other tribe and clan in the area. So no other tribe knew of this ploy by the Suvari to obtain a shield. This alliance made Suvari a clan-tribe of overreaching strength and would not suffer if a war broke out any time soon. This was understood by one other person and it was Sister Tor and she alone comprehended that these people were under the spell. Her people were worried because of the sudden appearance of these people while she was far more concerned with the reasons for rushing here.

Sister Tor was waiting in her compound for the delegation from Suvari. She could already sense some of the turmoil in the maelstrom of everything around them. She didn't have too much of a vision for the future but her analysis of the situation surrounding the clans gave her this insight. She knew of the need for an alliance and welcomed this offer of a wedding. There were, however, plans that she had that no other living soul knew. It was for these plans that she lived for and till those plans entered into fruition, she would live and endure. Her plan was like her, old and withered but still as strong as a mountain. She would change her world of hers. The sands would bend to her will. She would do this not as a conquering madwoman, but as a mother of a storm.