The Expedition: Chapter 11

 Amelia walked in her old clothes and left her new friends behind. The dawn had just started to break, and she walked in the direction the scouts told her to travel to reach her father's camp.

She sighed as the doubts crept into her mind.

She could walk into her father's camp and forget about them all. Her father would welcome her with open arms, and she would never say a thing about what she did with them, how she loved Fayla, and how the tribe of pilgrims took her in as one of their own.

She could return to her old life, her studies, and ask to be sent home and never think of this place again. She wouldn't need to face these truths that plagued her heart.

But what good was this life without living? Without taking action to stop this evil and protect those who couldn't defend themselves from being enslaved and killed? Who would teach those who came later if no one stood up for those being taken by force for slaves or death? What good were her people if they went around the world looting and pillaging?

She knew what her father would say.

If the people of this land could not defend their temples and treasures, his taking their culture as loot and treasure would be the next best thing.

Her father didn't care about anyone but himself. He used his power, wealth, and reputation to bully others until they agreed to whatever he wanted. All to further his cause to keep a rich life, to live with servants doing all the work while he drank wine in the bath and ate like a king every day.

And the life he had, he shared with her.

Amelia walked through the desert, feeling the blood of thousands weigh on her soul. Her thirst for vengeance drove her forward, even though it would take her away from her new friends.

But she would rather fight than walk away. And she would die trying because she saw too much of the world she lived in: an endless circle of death and theft by powerful men backed by soldiers paid to carry out their bidding.

The only difference here was that Hadaj was willing to sacrifice more to change things and protect innocents who could not defend themselves against those who raided and pillaged their way across the world. She did this willingly despite knowing that if she failed, there was no going back.

She could hide behind her father's money and pretend nothing happened or be part of something bigger for once.

Across the vast desert, her father's camp came into sight.

And behind that, a tall mesa topped by one of the most beautiful white and gold marble temples she could ever imagine. Amelia groaned as she realized she would have to sneak into the temple and climb a mountain. It would not be easy. The climb looked sheer and impossible. How would she get up there?

The sun rose higher in the sky, lighting everything around her. Ahead were the tents and fires where her father held court over his army of thieves and murderers, criminals who hid in the shadows, waiting for others to bring them riches they took from other people with violence.

But even these people had lives outside their thieving ways; their wives, children, and family members who never knew their real identities and origins. They went home every night and loved their families, laughed, and smiled at dinner tables while pretending their work didn't exist. In the end, they were all mercenaries—filthy thieves.

She was no different.

Amelia thought of all those men who stole from innocent merchants traveling along the trade routes, taking what rightfully belonged to someone else. Her father did this to increase his wealth to pay off the King so he could live like a king without lifting a finger or doing anything to earn it except using the name he inherited through blood sacrifice. And it wasn't just her father’s blood sacrifice that allowed him to rise above everyone else and become rich. He killed hundreds, perhaps thousands of people, to steal the power that gave him life and prosperity.

And her as well.

The guards outside the camp shouted a warning.

Amelia stopped and closed her eyes.

She knew what would come next.

Her father's mercenaries rushed from the camp on horses as archers kept watch. They asked her who she was, and she told them she was General Von Zinzer's daughter, Amelia. In moments, she was rushed to an infirmary inside the camp, sat on a cot, and was checked by the priestesses who worked for her father.

She kept her eyes closed for most of the experience, wishing for it to all be over.

Amelia felt her hands lift her head gently, checking her forehead and pulse. She opened her eyes slightly to see a beautiful young woman wearing white robes staring at her with dark hair pulled back into a bun.

Amelia nodded, hoping she wouldn't talk since talking brought unwanted attention.

The priestess looked at Amelia's clothes and sadly shook her head. "You were caught up in this mess, weren't you?"

Amelia couldn't help but smile. The girl knew how much trouble she was in but was too kind to show concern or anger. Ultimately, it was still just another job for her to clean up after the crazy general who believed he could bring down the temple by attacking it without realizing that it was protected by the magic of the goddess who watched over it. It made no difference if he tried; he would fail, and everyone would lose everything he held dear and loved. He didn't care about anyone else and thought only of himself and his greed and power.

Amelia nodded again.

"Do you know what your father plans now?" the priestess asked as she started writing notes on a piece of parchment.

Amelia shook her head.

The priestess looked sad, then wrote some more. Afterward, she rechecked Amelia’s eyes and pulse before telling her she would be fine but should rest.

The priestess sighed and offered her more water. "We are waiting for the dragon to arrive."

Amelia blinked and stared at her in shock. "What?"

She nodded again. "Your father decided the temple was unassailable, so he called in an old friend."

"I didn't know my father knew a dragon!" Amelia said in surprise. Her people had always feared dragons, though they never saw one themselves. Their stories told how they destroyed villages, stole food from farms, and even killed priests when they flew over them. Dragons were known to destroy anything they found along their flight path with fire or breath attacks to send messages to others with power or wealth that they must leave the land alone or face death. And yet her father wanted to use the dragon to help him conquer the temple? Why would he want such trouble? Could she stop it all before it got worse?

"A dragon named Sapphire," the priestess explained.

Amelia's eyes grew wide in horror.

"She will attack at dawn tomorrow. I wish you well, child. Your father and your countrymen mean nothing but harm to those who worship the false goddess Kayala and the heathen tribes of the desert nomads."

The priestess turned and left the tent without another word.

Amelia stood up slowly, feeling weak and exhausted. She didn't know what to think or believe; her mind spun out of control. But one thing she was sure about: she needed time away from everyone to get her thoughts together. The stress was too much for her; she hadn't slept properly since leaving home and was losing weight fast because she wasn't eating enough food. After checking her over for wounds or injuries they thought might be life-threatening, she returned to her cot.

She sat on the cot and closed her eyes.

When she opened them, her father was standing there.