Kayla kept herself low upon the rafters in the hope of not being seen. The familiar act was oddly calming despite the nature of it. She watched as the nobleman and his children were brought into her father's study. The smell of musty tomes and old parchment floated up to Kayla, accompanied by the subtle whir of mechanical devices and experiments her father was working on as those gathered below made themselves comfortable. This was the only building in the portside village of Home that had such things- most others weren't properly equipped to protect the fragile paper from the sands. The Duke sat on a two person lounge next to his daughter, and his son stood behind and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. They waited patiently as Kayla's father and the Leader unwrapped themselves.

  "That's quite the grab your people wear," the Duke commented. "Is it all necessary?"

  "Very," replied the Leader in his deep voice as he hung up his headwear. "The sands of the Shaking Reefs are laced with metal particles. This fine dust is enough to cause metal poisoning on windy days and rips right through most mainland wear. I will supply you and your people with proper garb during their stay."

  "I have to dress like a mummy?" scoffed the young man. "I'm wearing leathers. And the guards have plated armor."

  "Plated armor becomes unbearable in the heat, and the metal in the sand can interfere with straps and joints. Our wrappings, while they don't seem like much, allow breathable free movement and are easily repairable. If you do not wish for your fancy wear to be shredded, then..." the Leader didn't feel he needed to finish, and the young man had the tact to look scolded. "If it reassures you, you only need to wear the outer coverings. Most of us wear simple leathers or linens underneath but it is the outer layers that do the protecting."

  Kayla pinched her own leathers in thought. Bel Dais women wore the leathers more often than not for the support it gave, almost like a bodice without the pinching. Although, it didn't look like the daughter of the Duke wore a bodice. Sailors who go between the mainland and the islands told the in-trend styles on the continent by their wares, and they always had a stock of bodices that went untouched by the Bel Dais.

  The Duke nodded and politely accepted the offer. "But you probably do not wish to meander too much in light talk, eh?" he offered. "Let's get down to why we are here. We as in my people, that is. I greatly apologize for the lack of communication before our arrival. We had only heard about you and your Island with just enough time to head out. The Shaking Reefs are quite far from the mainland, as you know."

  "That does not explain what brought you here, though," Kayla's father interjected.

  The Duke furrowed his brow. "I'm sorry but who are you, exactly? I thought you were a servant of some kind." He said. Kayla's father furrowed his own brow and grew slightly red. The Leader stepped in.

  "This is Haxan, mayor of this village and the best engineer on the reefs. I do not have a servant. In fact, I consider myself a servant of the Bel Dais people."

  The Duke apologized. "I did not mean to offend," he claimed. Haxan puffed out his chest a little at the praise of the Leader.

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  "Which reminds me, we have yet to do introductions. This whole scene has me mixed up. I am called Zealous in your tongue. The Bel Dais have elected me their Leader. Haxan here you now know."

  "Yes, a pleasure. I have introduced myself, and this is my lovely daughter Elizabeth and my son Cornelius." Elizabeth gave a bow of her head, and Cornelius raised his hand in response. "As I said, word of your race has reached my ears back home in Thophis; a small duchy ruled by the Great King of the mainland. My son here was greatly intrigued by the idea of such a race and all but demanded I take him here." The Duke smiled at his son, who was playing with his fingernails. "He has been in many different competitions back home but none of them seem to have scratched whatever itch he suffers from. If you would allow out intrusion, I request his entry into your event."

  Kayla almost fell from the rafters in surprise. An outsider join the race? What... foolishness! Did they not know how dangerous it was? Apparently the Leader was on the same level, for he voiced this same concern.

  "Especially for someone unfamiliar with the desert. The Shaking Reefs are home to some of the most deadly fiends in the sphere."

  "My son has studied these creatures, like the packs of canines, the insects, and those very interesting wroms we hear about on the mainland. What?" The Duke looked between the amused expressions of the Leader and Haxan. Kayla was trying not to laugh.

  "With respect, honored Duke, the worms are a myth. No more real than, say, the boogeyman. The sand worm is part of a common fairytale we tell our children. But, If your son is set on racing then we can make accommodations. Haxan, your daughter has competed before, correct?"

  Haxan nodded. "She is about the same age as your Cornelius. She could teach him what she knows."

  Kayla silently cursed her father. How could she train if she had to babysit a noble boy?

  "However," Haxan continued, "an important part of the race is providing your own mode of transport."

  The duke smiled. "Yes, we were made aware of this before coming. In fact, how we came to know of your race concerns my son's chosen steed. A merchant had passed through out port with a very curious machine built specifically for traversing the sands of your home back during the Great War."

  Haxan perked up. "You acquired a Sand Dragon?"

  "Is that what it's called? How very like the period. So many dragons, wyverns, and other mystical beasts were used to name things then. But yes, that is what we have brought with us, and we'd like your best technician- I suppose that's you, Mr. Haxan- to make sure it is in functioning order."

  "I would be honored," Haxan said with a bow. "Is it aboard your ship? I could look at it now."

  "Wonderful. Cornelius, please show Haxan the Sand Dragon. Cornelius stood straight and bowed.

  "Of course, father." he turned and headed out, but Haxan stopped him and offered up a linen cloak and mask. While he was delayed, Kayla scurried backwards and out the window to where her friends were waiting. She almost forgot to seal the window and ignored the barrage of questions as she barreled down the route and back onto the street, just in time to see her father and the nobleboy walk out the building and onto the street.