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The wind was blowing, and you could hear many sounds that probably came from wild animals, lurking all around them, without any fear or worry. It was starting to get colder as the night was getting nearer. Today is going to be a cold but bright night, if the full moon in the sky was any indication.
Camels were the only animals Pariya could identify from the chorus of animal calls and cries that broke through the silence of the night. Umar maybe knew more, but right now he wasn't anywhere near her, so she couldn't ask.
The sand that was all around her was changing colours rapidly and without any order, which made the image much more beautiful in Pariya's opinion. If you couldn't expect it, you could take pleasure in watching it unfold before your eyes. She raised her head and started to count the colours she could recognize. Blue (like the sky and the sea), yellow (like the colour of the desert at day), red (from the setting sun, that shined on the dunes of the sand like a loving mother hugging her child), white (like the snow that would never fall) ,brown (from the tress and branches that rarely grow here), black (like the black of the night and the vastness of space).......
The list went on, and even if the light was fading fast, you could still see many variations and shadows that made this scenery really outstanding. Then Pariya moved her head and started inspecting (or really just curiously glancing over), the other people that traveled with them in this caravan or followed them along for many different reasons.
There were merchants, buyers, women, children that were either connected to the traders as family or friends or they were the ones selling and buying. There were many men with different skin colours, with different customs, clothes, languages and purposes. And also different things and bargains they would sell to anyone who wanted it.
The caravan was also followed by a couple of people that were hired as guards and protectors of people's goods and stocks. They were usually men, that were big and muscularly built with different kinds of weapons that hanged on their clothes or were carried in their arms.
Even if they didn't ride on camels, and why Pariya just didn't know, she still felt a bit envious of them. Riding a camel sounded fun the first time she heard about it, but now she wasn't so sure, because riding a camel is much harder and more tiring than it looks at first glance.
At one point she thought she would rather walk, even if the sand didn't make it easier for anyone to do that. Fortunately Umar succeeded at changing her mind, so she still found herself riding on one, and regretting it all over again.
Looking around she called for the person nearest to her and asked if they could trade. "You actually want to walk?", the young man probably in his late twenties asked, raising his eyebrow in confusion and shaking his head, like he was wondering what this poor girl was thinking.
"Yes, I really can't put up with it anymore. You can ride it, until we set camp somewhere, and I would like it if you would return it, it is my husband's camel after all", Pariya warned the young man, who just nodded, helping her get down and slowly climbing up by himself.
"If anyone asks this never happened. I was on the camel the whole time and you never even saw me before, is that clear? Especially if the one who is asking is my husband", Pariya told the man, waving her finger at him, and he tried to hide a smile, but failed at it.
"Sure, it's a deal", he finally answered and made the camel move faster, soon disappearing out of her sight, while Pariya sighed in relief, and continued the journey by foot.
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Later when we set camp, and everyone went to their tents to relax and sleep, Pariya was just outside her husband's tent watching the sky with sleepy eyes, while she waited for Umar to come back. They shared a tent, but sometimes Pariya found herself sleeping by herself, because she was too exhausted to wait for her husband to come back.
He belonged to the group of people who lead this big caravan, and because of that, he occasionally had to attend the meetings where they decided where to go next. Right now it is one of those meetings, and that is why Pariya is waiting outside patiently for her husband to come back, so they could go to bed together.
When Umar came to her one day and asked of her to come with him on this adventure, she of course accepted, and thought they were going to spend most of the time together. In reality they rarely saw each other, because apparently even while riding he was making deals with people and doing business all around.
That is why Pariya waits for him now, yawning slightly and looking up at the stars. They sure are beautiful out here. I don't remember ever seeing so many stars in the sky.
Also the night was pretty beautiful too, with it's full moon and weak winds, traveling and carrying the smells, sounds and the feel of the desert. And sand, small grains of sand that ended everywhere and nowhere, making you feel like you are made of sand, and of nothing else.
Pariya fluttered her eyes, trying to stay awake, and not fall on the ground, when she hears a sound. Turning her head slightly, she can see ( even if it is pretty dark), the form of her husband coming closer, his face being illuminated by the moon, with a clear and warm smile on his face.
He helped her inside both of them sitting down on pillows that were also full of sand. Umar brushed his hair, clapping suddenly to get Pariya's attention and standing up yet again, taking out cups from our bags. "What do you need that for?", Pariya asked, slightly confused at his antics, but not really trying to stop him.
Umar just gave her a beaming smile and said:" You will see", taking out a small bag, that was spreading this weird smell, that was familiar, but right now she just couldn't recognize it. Pariya waited patiently for him to make it, water boiling in the cauldron that was set on the fire.
The silence stretched and none of us, wanted to break the peace of the night with unnecessary words right now. So we just sat opposite of each other, waiting for the water to heat up.
Giving her the bag, Pariya slowly putting it in the cup, Umar scooped the water with a spoon and poured it when she gave him a sign. He did the same to his cup, blowing it slowly, so the tea (of course that is why the weird smell was familiar, it was tea all along!) could cool down a bit, waiting for just the right temperature where he could drink it without scorching his tongue.
Pariya did the same, and when she decided she waited long enough, she slowly raised her cup and drank. The tea was strong and warm, helping her wake up a bit, and making her head pound less. Pariya sighed in delight, meeting her husbands gaze and nodding her acceptance.
"It's good", she says, taking another sip, and sighing yet again. Umar nodded and just said:" Yes, it is", falling into silence immediately after. They could only hear the sounds of the wind outside, and their own sipping of the tea, that somehow made them closer than they already are.
If this became one of Pariya's dearest memories, she wouldn't mind it, because she rarely ever felt this composed and calm in life like she did in that moment, drinking tea with Umar, while in the tent, waiting for the sun to come and for the caravan to wake up.