“How’s the preparation for the expedition?” The boy asked.

A sigh could be heard from the hooded man, and he raised his head, letting the boy give him a glimpse of his facial features. His skin tone was dark like all other natives living in the desert, and his eyes were sharp, making him seem unapproachable to others. “We have some issues procuring the supplies. Our usual supplier, the old Steward, has suddenly jacked up the prices.” The man explained, lowering his head in shame, hiding most of his facial features from sight.

“I suppose he wants to meet with me. Very well, I shall make sure the expedition is not delayed.” The boy replied with a frown. He nodded and remarked, “Nonetheless, Wasifi, I must thank you for your hard work.”

“It is not a problem, Mehmed.” Wasifi bowed once more before taking his leave.

Just as he was a couple of footsteps away from the door entrance, Mehmed asked,” Wasifi, when will you show me your face? As a Steward, it is rude for the lord not even to have a glimpse of your face.” Wasifi turned around to face Mehmed and pulled down the top of his hood, even more, making it barely cover the tip of his nose.

“When you ascend to the role of a lord, then I will allow you to have a glimpse of my royal face.” Before it quickly disappeared, a slight grin could be seen under the hood.

“I will respect your wishes, your majesty.” Mehmed played along, chuckling as Wasifi left the room. Once footsteps grew softer and softer, Mehmed’s eyes furrowed.

Alkhadra was a city on the outskirts of a desert. It sits by a nearby oasis that provides the city with water that allows it to survive. Population numbers obtained from the latest census were 5000, subject to change.

Rudimentary roads made from hardened mud lined the streets, allowing the people to move about. A young boy stopped in front of an establishment made with hardened mudbrick. Holes on the wall which allowed air to flow throughout the building gave passer-bys a look into the building. Tables and chairs with patrons eating and drinking could be seen with a glance. Due to it being a couple of hours before dinner time, the only ones in were the eccentric ones. As Mehmed took a couple of steps to the entrance, a man was flown out of the establishment. He raised his upper body and struggled to gain momentum to push himself off the ground.

Mehmed peeked into the door and could see a seemingly drunk individual standing menacingly by the doorway. He turned back to face the man tossed outside, finally standing up. The man ignored the boy by the door and hollered, “You fool! Trust me; I found gold!” He rushed back into the building, and the commotion increased as the sound of fists increased.

“That’s a fool’s tale for fools like you to come to this place!” Another voice shouted in return, and furniture being moved about muffled the rest of the sounds. Mehmed took another peek into the door, and he saw an individual walking away from the bar to the two men fighting.

“No fighting in the establishment.” The bartender gently warned, but the two men continued to brawl. His eyebrows scrunched up, seeing the men who did not heed his warnings. He sighed and revealed his scabbard hidden under his robe. Unsheathing his blade, he pointed it at the rowdy men. Seeing the blade, the two men began beating a hasty retreat, making Mehmed end his sightseeing. Mehmed watched the men run with their tails behind their backs, not even looking behind them. The same bartender walked out of the establishment, returned his blade to the scabbard, and studied the newcomer.

“Mehmed? Looks like you’ve been growing up. Last time I saw you….” He remarked.

“No need for pleasantries, Nadim. Tell me why the prices of supplies increased. I have been keeping track of the continent’s news; there was nothing of note.” Mehmed brusquely asked, causing the old Steward to walk back into the establishment. The heir apparent followed behind him, watching the other patrons minding their own business. Cards scattered around the ground as tables and chairs were overturned in differing positions due to the earlier brawl. A worker was cleaning up the mess made by the two men earlier, grumbling about the extra labour that they had to take on.

Nadim led Mehmed to his office, where many items were neatly arranged. He grabbed a nearby tea set and poured two cups of tea as Mehmed took a seat in front of him. The two looked at one another, waiting for the other party to begin the conversation.

“Mehmed, tell me. Why do you want to lead the expedition?” The ex-steward asked an unrelated question, causing Mehmed to bite his lip in annoyance.

“As the old steward, you should know it the best.” Mehmed smirked, before continuing,” Alkhadra is exceptionally undeveloped, and little will change that fact. The crown pays more attention to the arable lands in the north, so little can be done to change our current situation. While we might have found gold, I think it is a hoax by the former lords to stimulate business. That is why we can only rely on exploring the desert and perhaps find something that can reverse the situation.”

Nadim placed his teacup onto the table and studied the gloating expression on Mehmed’s face, looking as if he had explained his case perfectly. “This is all based on the fact that there is something in the desert even worth pursuing. For all we know, all of this could be a giant sinkhole that will not net anything in return. Hundreds of men have perished in our expeditions; I want you to understand that your life may be in danger. I’m sure being cooped out in the castle all day must be dreadful for a young boy like you, and you would like to see the world. But this isn’t a game; you will be responsible for the men under your care.” Nadim watched as doubt visibly entered Mehmed’s expression, and he began filling up the teacups once more.

“Besides, it seems your information network is weak. Bandits have appeared on the nearby roads, briefly blocking all trade. The Alwaleed-Duchy has quickly dispatched troops to handle them, briefly stabilizing prices. Nonetheless, current prices are much higher than before.” Nadim brought the teacup to his lips and enjoyed his tea.

Mehmed clenched his teeth and looked downwards, not wanting to look at the smug grin that Nadim probably had on his face. Clink! Nadim placed his teacup onto the table and interlocked his hands together. Resting his head against his hands, he said,” On account of our relationship, I will sell you the goods you need for the expedition at the usual prices. But it will be just for this occasion. I hope you will be able to take away a few lessons from this conversation.” Mehmed raised his head to see Nadim give him an amiable smile.

“Thank you, Nadim. I will take note of these words.” Mehmed nodded his head and bid Nadim goodbye, leaving Nadim sighing in his office.

Mehmed watched from the castle’s second floor as soldiers loaded up camels with supplies. Horses munched on procured hay, and servants heaped buckets of water in troughs for the animals. Mehmed went back to his living quarters and studied rudimentary maps created from previous expeditions. Much of the mapped areas had little things that were noteworthy, just kilometres of endless sand. Yet there was an area circled in all of them labelled as “Do not enter.” He had endless questions about its origin, but it seemed few knew why. It was supposedly a tale from one of the first few expeditions, where everyone perished except one or two survivors who lived to tell the story. Mehmed didn’t know why, but he felt as if something in that area probably contained something that would reverse these lands’ poverty.

Slotting his feet into the stirrup, Mehmed hoisted himself up onto a horse. Turning around, he observed members of the expedition getting everything into order. Nervousness, anxiety and anticipation could be seen on some of the faces of the group. Steward Wasifi stood by the side, still keeping his face hooded. Wasifi glanced at Mehmed, who gestured towards Wasifi’s hood. The mysterious Steward shook his head, making a slight tinge of annoyance show on his face. Once everything got into order, Mehmed urged his horse forward, causing the rest of the group to follow behind him to the endless oasis.

At first, the expedition went ahead at a steady pace. Mehmed occasionally glanced at his map, checking the group’s route. He constantly confirmed it with the explorer he rode by his side. Naturally, he asked about the giant no-go zone on the map, but the explorer shifted his eyes to the side and explained using justifications already known to the boy. Nonetheless, the beauty of the dunes as the golden rays of sunlight basks it in golden colours was striking. Steps in the sand left behind the group left the only traces of life in this desolate land. The only sounds to be heard were the sound of occasional winds bringing temporary relief interspaced with the chattering of the group.

While it was fun at first, the endless similar sights and sounds eventually stopped bringing novelty to the boy. Mehmed’s mind slowly became dull, and he increasingly looked at the map brought with him.

They sat up camp as it was getting dark, and Mehmed felt alone as he felt no connection to the people around him. He watched as people made merry and ate their meals as he sat alone. “Expeditions are boring, ain’t it?” The explorer sat by his side, causing Mehmed to shift a couple of paces to the right.

“I suppose. How should I address you?”

“Call me Basil.” The man shifted the posture of his back and grinned at the boy.

“Basil, how do you do this for so long?” Mehmed asked.

“The anticipation of something new. And, your family is paying rather handsomely to look at some sand.” Basil remarked.

“Have you gone into the zone?” Mehmed reached out for his map nearby at pointed into the no-go zone. He observed using the light from the fireplace as Basil’s pupils shook. Seeing that Basil kept his mouth shut, he asked once more, albeit louder,” Have you gone there?” He tapped on the parchment. Basil’s lips twisted and distorted at Mehmed’s line of questioning. It opened and closed, with no words coming out.

A weak smile appeared, and he brusquely said,” All I can say is that you must not enter that place, young master.”

“You know that makes me want to go there, right?” Mehmed sneered and dismissed the fellow. Basil hurried away, seemingly relieved to escape from further questioning. Mehmed watched as his back grew smaller and smaller into the distance.

The two chatted to pass the time as they continued their track. Every so often, they would spot a cactus or two. Men would grab their shovels and begin digging for underwater reservoirs while the others went to harvest the liquid inside. Basil always kept Mehmed entertained by teaching him how to harvest the juice from the cactus safely. He used a small straight dagger to peel off the skin unharmed. Mehmed tried once, but he got injured soon after, causing him to storm away in frustration, much to the delight of the rest of the group. Mehmed then tried digging for underground water reserves, and he took on the task. It was hard work, but at least he was not bored sitting by the side doing nothing. And so that was his assigned informal task, as no one dared to give the future Count of the land menial labour.

“Truthfully, Basil, what kind of riches do you suspect are in these lands?” Mehmed asked one day.

Basil chuckled, “Shouldn’t you ask your family why they bother to search through these wastelands?” He stopped and narrowed his eyes,” In my professional opinion, this is a massive sinkhole with not profitable results. But as a speculator, who knows? I’m being paid here, so keep speculating, young master.” Mehmed frowned but continued looking forward, hoping to find something to soothe his boredom.

How many days have passed? Mehmed didn’t track. But on one of those days, Basil opened his mouth,” Young master, we should probably head back the way we came. Our supplies would not be able to last any longer if we continue forward.”

“Forward.” Mehmed stoically replied. Before Basil could issue a protest, he placed his index finger to his dry lips, causing Basil to bow with a certain glint in his eyes.

“I understand, young master,” Basil replied, and the group continued.

“Urgent rationing will have to be done if we go back the way came. Mehm – no, young master, you may be my superior, but even your supplies will have to be rationed. We may have to starve or lack water for some days.” Basil coolly explained.

Mehmed turned around to see the worried gazes of the men behind him; they seemed unruly and sent hostile looks his way. The boy turned to face Basil, who smiled, “I don’t think we should take any step further.”

“I have a brilliant idea. We have passed by the outer rims of this.” Mehmed pointed at the no-go zone before continuing, “And I saw nothing. We can proceed with our supplies of consumption as usual if we...” Mehmed pointed at their current approximate location, which Basil sketched out on an updated map. He dragged his finger down on the parchment towards the city of Alkhadra in a straight line. “We must go through here. Anyone opposes my decision?” Mehmed put on a pleasant, friendly smile.

Half of the men sighed in resignation, while some showed curiosity at the zone specifically meant for no one to pass. “Those who disagree can take a percentage of our supplies.” Mehmed continued his gentle smile, which seemed more like a demon’s grin to those who disagreed. “You will have to ration your supplies, of course. This young master must have three meals daily and drink water paired with those meals.”

Basil dropped his head low and murmured,” I knew something like this would happen.” He looked towards Mehmed’s overbearing gaze and sighed. “Well, it isn’t too late for the young to learn a lesson.” He thought to himself as he guided his horse to Mehmed’s side. He nodded and announced,” We shall follow young master’s orders! Let’s go!” The group began taking a 180-degree turn and started making their trek back in a straight line. Naturally, this led them through the no-go zone passed down throughout the ages.

Foolish fools.