She had to get away from the feast and that leering duke. He was of the peoples below. He understood nothing of the Wind Steppe. He was here to acquire an item. And this was the fifth time in two years he had come to the Wind Steppe to treat with the Khan in an attempt to buy Anara’s hand in marriage.

She felt nervous every time he came. But now she was beginning to feel that he would never persuade her father to give her hand in marriage to him. But not because he didn’t want to let go of her. No, Anara was the first born—practically useless in light of having six other siblings.

Bored and annoyed, the first born daughter of the Iizuhlian Khanate had left the banquette and made her way through the skies to the Thithian temple dedicated to the goddess Lolita. They must have been a very sexual as a race indeed, the Wind Steppe Princess thought. To have dedicated so many statues to the erotic arts was proof of that. Of course, not everything about ancient Thithia was of this nature.

She circled the ruins of this particular temple, her pegasus flapping her wings in powerful gusts. The cool night air was a blessing in her hair.

The ruins were still largely intact even after thousands of years. The Thithians were an ancient, long-dead marvel to her. Most of their knowledge had been lost in the Shattering. Experimenting with magic in a never-ending quest for progression for progression’s sake had lead them to their own eventual destruction. The once glorious Thithia suddenly came to an end in a magically enhanced storm that ended in a world-shattering earthquake. The lands were broken and raised into the skies. These physical remnants of the Thithian Empire were now called the Wind Steppe by the Khanates.

Ancient history of the Thithians was interesting, but Anara hadn’t come here this night to think about history. Her long braid fluttered behind her. The stars were bright, the night warm. The Iizuhlian Khanate princess descended with something particular in mind.

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Young boys and girls were often forbidden to visit this place. The statues in their erotic poses and explicit overtones attracted many adults to this place. At twenty-five years, Anara could not be forbidden by either her father or mother to come here, though she always came in secret anyway.

In a beat of air, Raizha’s hooves touched down on the ancient marble at the center of the courtyard. Anara looked about, found no one else there. This late into the evening there never was.

Her eyes roamed the statues on the outer edges of the courtyard surrounding the empty pool. They must have been a wicked people indeed, to be so dedicated to their sexuality, and to display it openly in this manner.

The goddess Lolita was at the far end atop her throne. She was so young. Her robes parted to reveal her bare breasts as she gazed upon the pool in languid satisfaction with her palms raised upward toward the sky. Were there supposed to be streamers of water that fell from them?

Urging her mare onward, Anara’s gaze came to the various other statues of men and women, all captured in moments of hedonism. Wine or sexual acts upon themselves and others was what she expected to see when she came here. Most of the pairs seemed to be self-contained, and yet all part of a single group.

Her imagination was stirring. Some people believed that latent magical abilities could burst free through certain kinds of exploration. Could Anara’s weak magic be stronger than everyone believed? Was the magic in here lying dormant, just waiting to be released, or was she truly weak?

If she were magically competent, she’d be worth more to her parents. Perhaps they would keep her. Magic in the Wind Steppe was a valuable asset, though sometimes traded off to the foreigners bellow. Individuals with magical abilities were often valued by the tribes. It was a way of shoring up power and protection against outside forces.

Raizha whinnied softly. Anara bent over to pat her on the neck. “Shhh. It’s all right, girl. Nobody’s here.”

She swept her eyes about just to make sure she was alone in the pale moonlight. Because of the white marble, the light of the moons seemed brighter than normal. Of course there was no one here but her. She continued to wander, looking upon the various statues. After a time with the carvings and her own secret thoughts.

Anara enjoyed her visits to this place. She caught herself smirking like a little fool. The Wind Steppe Princess stilled her features and licked her lips.