The story of Ban Nu

Both the girls crouch at the far end of the entrance of the caravan. Aylin is suffering from pain of the beating and whip. Banou is comforting her with songs she knows back when she is young. The wind blowing in doesn't help Aylin with her pain. Later in the day, when the caravan stop at a small oasis, a young man of fair skin like the scholar comes along with a bottle. He shows them to apply on the wounds. Banou says her thanks and apply for Aylin. It is painful and she cry to sleep. Banou keep Aylin on her lap and pat her like a baby. She looks outside when the curtain is dancing gentle along with the wind. The golden sand outside is once her home. Her playground. Her blood. Now it seems like she is moving away somewhere far. 

She is one of the many children of the Sultan. He doesn't know every name of his own children. He only knows who is his crown prince, that is all it matters to him. His harem have many woman. Banou is born from one of them. Her mother died when she is 3 years old. She is raised by her nanny like many of her brothers and sisters. The girls are raise as a political prawn to benefit the royal family. The boys are raise to fight as only the best is chosen to live the life of luxury. The ones who doesn't fight will live a normal citizen with just enough to get through in life. 

She remember that the master said they are on a silk route to China. They are trading and selling there. Banou hopes that life there will be better. She already lost all hope when she was in jail. If god had forsaken her then she decided that she cannot forsake herself no matter how bad the condition is. She have to live to see the sun everyday. Somewhere out there, there must be an oasis that accept her. 

The caravan moves slowly along the wind and sand. Occasionally she turn around to see what the gentle scholar is doing. Either he is reading or sleeping. When the caravan stops, he will exit from the back door to stretch himself. Sometimes, he will lock eye with her. To scare her, he wink. When he is bored with the book, he pretend to read but actually he is looking at her. Her lovely olive skin glow with the sun. Her eyes are bright with golden hue in it. Her hair is thick and curly. It seems like she doesn't have makeup on, her dark eyebrows are design perfectly to enhance her eyes. Those long thick eye lashes filter as she blink her eyes. Her lips now maybe dry but seems to be in berry color with a pout. Her face shape is like a heart and her chin is pointy and fleshy with a line running in the middle down. She is a natural beauty unlike any he have seen before. 

At night falls, they stop the caravans. They had them park in a circle. The men set up a fire place in the center and start to cook. While the other men set up a tent to surround the area hopping less sand will swam them as they eat dinner. Banou watch them while she continues to pat Aylin gently. Even though she is tired and her leg is numb, she felt that she can't wake this little girl up. 

Soon dinner is served and Aylin wakes up apologizing that she make the princess legs numb. While talking that same young man who deliver the cream come up to them with dinner. It is rice and vegetables. Two of them bow and hands on their heart as thanks to him. "Aylin don't eat in a hurry. Slowly eat."Aylin nod but she is hungry. Later that young man brings a jug of water for them. 

The scholar watch from a distance with dinner in his hands. 

"Did they have enough?"

"Yes your highness. They have enough, the rest of the food is cooked with pork. I did not offer to them." 

"Later give them some fruits."

"Yes your highness."

"We did not lost any of those species did we?"

"No your highness. We kept most of it but we are eating into the fruits that we traded for the saddles."

"It's ok. As long is not those precious spice. "

"Your highness will you get rid of that two when we get back to Great Tang?"

"No. I like her. That one. The one in the red dress. She can join my harem. You guys know that i like to collect woman. She will be the 1st foreign woman in there. Won't those Lords be envy me?!"

"Ah yes defiantly! They will be visiting your mansion for a look of that girl!"

Everyone laugh and continue their lewd talk. While Banou and Aylin is busy eating their food. Banou keep eating and watch them laughing. She is somehow worry about tonight. As dinner goes on, the nice young man brings them fresh grapes. He even bring mattress and blankets. Aylin lay down soon after dinner. Banou watch the strange men sing and dance by the fire. While Aylin slow close her eyes while watching. As the night deepens, both of them slowly sleep in the warm cozy environment. Thee scholar walk up to see the women are asleep. He push back Banou's hair. She even look pretty while asleep.

In the morning the two women walk out of the caravan. Banou stretch her body. Aylin couldn't stretch at all. She just walk around. She come running back after a short while.

"Princess! Oh my God, do you know how many carriage is following this caravan?!"

Banou follow her and their surroundings, they are not only surrounded by this twenty caravans but there seems to be another 2 or 3 more circles nearby.

"Thus is a very rich person! Whoever is doing the trading must have lots and lots of money!" Both of them stare at the vast land with all the carriages nearby. Loaded with goods and men walking around to secure it. The scholar spots them standing around he walks up to them using his fan to shade his face. When he got near, he shade Banou"s face. Without a word he lean forward and kiss her.