"I still cannot believe he challenged you. I have half a mind to make a challenge of my own against Timur." Renat was complaining as he watched Mairwen train.

The scientist had taken a break from setting up his laboratory in order to check in on his love. The past two days still felt like a dream, and Renat was afraid that if he did not seek out the princess at least a few times a day, he would wake up and find none of it had happened. This was his excuse for dropping in now.

"Do not waste your energy on Timur," Mairwen scolded after releasing her final shot.

"But did you hear him running his mouth yesterday? You would have thought he invented archery!" Renat had come close to blows when Timur had been bragging about his superior skill.

"He is scared. Even his few followers sense he is nervous. Why else would that one fool, Qulu, spend so much time propping up his ego?" Eira scoffed as she walked away from the pair toward the target.

"Exactly, we cannot let Timur or Qulu muddy our thoughts. I simply need to do my best and let the Fates do the rest." The princess lowered her bow casually and squinted at the target. Her shots had been pretty and perfect even in the wind.

As Eira went to retrieve the arrows, Mairwen pulled down her face covering and pecked the boy on the cheek before the personal guard saw anything.

Renat blushed. Everyone in the camp knew they were together now, yet somehow the kiss was more special because only they knew about it. Or so they thought.

"Are you done so I can turn around?" the guard called.

"Yes, yes," Mairwen puffed her cheeks and smiled at Renat. She replaced the cloth around her mouth and returned to her work.

The wind had begun kicking up sand, making the need for the cloth across their mouths even more necessary than usual. It was not quite a sandstorm, but it threatened to become one at any moment.

"Maybe we should get back to the tents…" Renat took the Princess's hand. "I do not trust the visibility out here."

"The Fate's Dilemma is in three days. I cannot waste time hiding out." Mairwen stepped away from the boy and took the arrows from Eira. After loading them in her quiver, she drew back the string on her bow and shot.

The extra wind and sand teased the arrow off course and brought it down short and off to the left of the target.

"See? The conditions are not safe. We must go." Renat pleaded with her as he tucked the fabric tight around his face and shielded his eyes from the pelting sand. "It's getting worse!"

"Just one more." Mairwen pulled back full draw and aimed off to the right and high to compensate for her previous shot when disaster struck.

The taught bowstring snapped, whipping wildly in two directions as it tore apart. The bow, unable to remain tense under the unexpected release, shattered onto the princess. Blood rushed into Mairwen's eyes and she felt a stinging sensation on the exposed skin of her left wrist.

Her scream was lost in the growing wind, but both Eira and Renat saw what happened. Renat scooped up the bleeding princess in his strong arms, his face full of panic. The cloth wrapped around her head was soaked in blood and getting wetter by the moment.

"Get the bow!" He yelled at Eira as he forced his way back toward the oasis. At least the wind was at his back, pushing him toward his goal or he might never have made it.

Out of nowhere, Junayd appeared. It seemed he had been watching from a safe distance when the storm rolled in and blocked his view. "What happened?"

"The bow broke and Mairwen got hit. We need to get a healer as soon as possible." Renat gripped the woman in his arms tightly, causing her to groan.

"Eira will go ahead. Let me help you." Junayd motioned the other guard to go. She hurried past them and disappeared into the sand over the dunes.

The two men cradled the princess between them. "Any moment this is going to break wide open. I was coming to warn you of the danger," Junayd called over the howl. They started to move quickly with the lady in their hammock-like embrace.

"I told Mairwen I didn't like how the wind was blowing. She really wanted to practice," Renat said as sand filtered through the cloth and into his mouth.

"I'm injured, not deaf." Mairwen peeked open one eye—the eye not covered with blood—but her voice was very weak.

"Hold on and scold me later, my love," the scientist cooed. With a small smile, Mairwen closed her eye and went still.

"Incoming!" Junayd screamed. Sure enough behind them a wall of sand, a true sandstorm, was rolling in to swallow them whole.

"Hurry!" With their running and carrying the princess, their communications were becoming short.

At last the falling dune gave them a view of the oasis. With one last push of energy, they were among the mass of tents. But it was not quick enough. The sandstorm descended with blinding energy, blocking their view of everything. The air was so thick that the men could not speak, only choke as they pushed forward. They were not even sure that they were going in the right direction.

In a split second of visual clarity, Junayd jerked them to one side and the trio came bursting through the flap of a large tent.

"Mairwen!" Devrim hurried to shut the flap behind them. Eira, Orhan and a healer were also inside. Together they carried the princess to a large pile of cushions and lay her down carefully.

"Thank you for the flag at the tent door," Junayd said to the Chieftain. "I was just barely able to find the red during the lull of the wind."

Orhan nodded. "It is an old trick. The red flag is one of the only things that can cut through the blinding sand. I am glad you spotted it."

The wind whipped around the outside of the tent with a howling scream, but the Dunespeople knew their craft. The tent's structure held and only a few grains of sand were even able to push through at the seams. The design was flawless.

All attention shifted to the maiden on the cushions. The Emperor and scientist were hovering as the healer carefully unwrapped the soaked head covering. She took a fresh cloth that smelled of herbs and dabbed at the wound. The cut was just along Mairwen's right eyebrow. It had barely missed her gorgeous blue eye.

"It looks far worse than it is," the healer said with a gentle smile at the two men who looked ready to take over at a moment's notice.

"Are you sure?" Renat asked. "She's lost so much blood!" He pointed at the discarded head covering.

The healer continued to reassure them in a calm voice. "Head wounds have a way of bleeding from the smallest cut. This one is deep, but nothing major was hit." The old woman healer noticed blood on the princess's arm and pulled back her sleeve. "Oh! That is going to leave a mark. Do not worry, this will heal also. Her Highness is not going to feel like shooting arrows any time soon."

"But I have to practice!" a small voice from the cushions protested. The entire tent heaved a sigh of relief when they realized Mairwen was awake.

"Not today," the healer said gently. "The weather and the wounds have decided for you. You need some rest." The old woman cleaned the wounds of sand and wrapped them in clean, white cloths.

Devrim came onto the opposite side of the wounds and took his daughters hand. "I am glad you are ok. Sandstorms are no joke. You are lucky that boy, Junayd and Eira were able to get you here." The Emperor refused call the scientist by his name. The sandy-haired man had gotten used to being called by most anything except 'Renat.'

Mairwen sighed. "I will be more careful, Father. But I don't understand what happened. I have never had a bow break like that before."

"I know what happened," Eira spoke for the first time since the princess's arrival. "You were sabotaged..." The soldier held up the pieces broken bow to be examined. "Look here." Placing the pieces on the raised table, Eira pinched the two broken ends of the bowstring. "It is only a little frayed. The rest was cut. Someone wanted it to fail."

"Who would do such a thing?" the healer could not help but ask. As far as she knew, everyone had a deep fondness for the Warrior Princess.

Orhan's gold-rimmed eyes lit with fury. "I think I know what may have happened, but I very much hope I am wrong."

-------

After a few hours, the storm passed. Aside from the tents being partially buried, no real damage occurred to the camp. Mairwen had a splitting headache, but was able to sit up and eat, which the healer said was a good sign that she was fine.

Timur and a couple of his followers came shortly after the last dust had settled. "Your Majesty," Timur said with a bow to Devrim. He turned to his father and knelt briefly with his fist on his chest. "You wanted to see me?"

"The princess has been attacked by her bow." Orhan motioned to Mairwen. Timur saw the girl's bandaged head and arm, and he was filled with concern.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" He took a step toward the princess, but both Devrim and Renat blocked his path. "What's wrong?" The chieftain's son was confused by their actions.

"Her bow was sabotaged. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" Orhan studied the shocked face of Timur, who shook his head vehemently.

"I deny that I know anything about it!"

The Chieftain's face was a mix of relief and grief, "Then, my son, you have a big problem."