Warlord

soul had been sucked out, I was so tired. I leaned against Greatheart's shoulder and looked at Keekai.
    She shook her head. "There is no help for it, Lara. I will send a message back for Keir, but we must ride hard and fast to the Heart of the Plains. Your safe arrival in the Heart is all that matters now." We rode then, from daybreak to sunset. I lost track of the days in the endless land. All I knew was the unending hours in the saddle, or asleep, with barely time to eat between. So it took me a long moment when we topped yet another gentle rise, to understand what was spread out before me. It was sunset, and I'd thought we'd be making yet another short camp, until Keekai turned to me and pointed. "Behold, the Heart of the Plains."
    The sun was fiery red in the distance, starting to slip from the sky. There was just enough daylight to see the Heart, and I had to smile at myself. I'd expected a city, with some sort of structures. But the Heart of the Plains was a city of tents.
    It was huge, to rival Water's Fall. But instead of marble or stone, there were tents of all shapes and sizes and colors. As the dusk rushed over us, lights began to appear, both inside and outside the tents, making everything glow.
    Beyond the tents, I could see an enormous tent, far larger than any that I'd seen before. And beyond that, there was a shimmer, and I realized that it was water, a lake bigger than I'd ever seen. I stared in amazement. Was there anything small on the Plains?
    Before I could take it all in, Keekai was leading the way down off the ridge, and within moments we were within the city. The horses were exhausted, but they trotted with a lighter step, probably aware that their journey was over. We stayed together, and from all over, people turned to look and point at us. It was dizzying, the sights, the smells of cooking, the endless colors and noise. It was so very strange, and yet not that different from the sounds of the market back in Water's Fall. Exhausted, I clung to Greatheart, and tried to absorb it all. It seemed to take forever to pass through it all, but we finally came to a stop before the enormous tent that I'd seen in the distance. It was really more like a huge covered pavilion.
    Keekai was at my knee, urging me to dismount. "Come, Lara." She took my elbow, and I tried not to lean on her as I staggered forward, legs not used to walking after so many days in the saddle. We walked together into the huge tent and I stumbled a bit over some steps. The floor of this area was solid stone.
    The pavilion was lit brightly with braziers. I blinked at the sight of men and women seated on stools on a three-tiered platform, widest at the top, and narrowing toward the bottom. Three figures were seated at the base, and the one in the middle rose as we approached. He was an older man, dressed in robes of bright red over leather armor, with a multi-colored sash at his waist that held a sword and two daggers. His face was brown as a nut, and deeply wrinkled. There was no welcome there, no smile at all. We stopped, and the man gestured Keekai away from me. I thought for a moment that she would protest, but instead she inclined her head, and went to an empty stool on the second tier, off to the side. I swayed slightly as she moved away, feeling naked and alone.
    Iften appeared next to me. Even he showed signs of exhaustion, but he stood tall and proud. "I was chosen as Guardian by Xylara, Daughter of Xy. I have brought her here, safe and sound, to stand before the Council of Elders at the Heart of the Plains."
    The man nodded his head, and spoke. "You have served well, Iften of the Boar, and the Daughter of Xy is now under our protection. You are released from your duties, with our thanks." Iften spun on his heel, and glared at me with eyes filled with hate. He paused as he stepped past me.
    "You and your poisons made it to the Heart. But we of the Plains can learn to use poison, too. Remember that, Xyian."
    I leaned away, conscious of the threat he posed, but he brushed past and left.
    "Outlander." The Elder in the middle faced me, his voice ringing out to everyone's ears. "You stand before the Council of the Elders of the Plains, to answer the charges that have been brought against you." Charges? I wanted to look at Keekai, but couldn't tear my eyes from the figure in front of me.
    "Outlander. You have lied to a warrior of the Plains. You have brought death and affliction to hundreds of our warriors. You have caused the