Starting 2023 theme with the YEAR OF THE MOVIES

Our first challenge is GONE WITH THE WIND

I would like to thank the WEP team for all their hard work behind the scenes to come up with such brilliant themes, overcoming personal challenges to keep WEP a success. 

Here is my contribution to our first challenge of 2023

TAGLINE:  The world is changing. 

THE RETURN

Fly my beauty

Fly on the thermals

Spread your wings

Soar high

Swoop and feed in flight

Come back to me my beauty

Speed back with the wind in your feathers

Land on my wrist

Bring your message

As I praise your effort

You reward me with sounds of joy

 

Run my beauty

The wind blowing at your rear

Taking me to our destination

Slow your place, beauty

I’ll give you your head

Take me far and wide

Scout the locations

Find the oasis in the desert

The palm fronds wafting in the wind

Gone with the dust of the sand

We will run further

 

AKRAM

Akram was tired, so very tired.  He’d been travelling for four months trading with many people, swapping stories, finding out the world news, some of it quite frightening, he wasn’t sure how safe life was going to be in the future.

His loyal companions had picked him up when he was homesick and feeling down, as he did the same with them. Together they made a brilliant team whether they were selling, buying, importing or exporting, always having each other’s backs.  Not everything went smoothly on this trip, unfortunately some fighting had been involved and he had a few scars to prove it.  He wasn’t looking forward to explaining that when he returned home to Ariana.

A cry went up from the lead horseman who pointed in to the distance.  Akram followed the direction of the finger, there – there was the first glistening dome, if he squinted, he could make out the spires of the beautiful palace.  

As they entered triumphantly through the city gates, marvelling again at the brick structures built by the ancients of old, he felt euphoric but also slightly edgy.  He looked around and could see slight signs of neglect, the maintenance of the buildings was not up to his standard.  How could it have deteriorated within the few months they had been absent. 

The stench became overpowering, drains were overflowing, refuse was piled up in the streets, horse dung and other animal droppings added to the smell.  He would certainly be calling the council the first opportunity he had.

First though, the major thought in his head was to greet Ariana and his son, she would have to wait a little while. He could see her through the upstairs window, looking down at him from their bedroom chamber, she smiled at him, he could feel her love and patience emanating through the air.  She understood he must tend to his horse first, then himself before he would be able to greet her properly.  She would not want to kiss him with the odour of travelling that had seeped in to the fabric of the cloth he was wearing. He would also bathe but quickly, there would be time for luxury wallowing in hot water the next day.

Akram bounded up the stone stairs, he stopped outside the door to their quarters, he was suddenly nervous, a grown man like him, strong, powerful, mighty, the leader of the city, a respected businessman and the thought of greeting his wife had stopped him in his tracks.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, smoothing his hands down his tunic, he gathered his courage and opened the door.

Ariana turned slowly as he entered, her eyes took him in, she drank the very essence of him, he could feel the love pouring out of her heart and in to his.  As he looked, he could see the perfect roundness of her tummy, full of child, her figure encompassing their passion.  A couple of deep brown eyes peeked out from behind her skirts.

‘Eyad, my boy,’ Akram knelt down as Eyad rushed to his father and fell in to his embrace, he picked his son up and moved to Ariana, using his other arm he gathered her to him, breathed a huge sigh of relief as they stood, foreheads together, two united (plus one and one waiting) as their love for each other and their small but growing family emanated from them.

 

ARIANA

He was back. He was back but for how long this time?  Oh, she understood his work, she understood the toll his leadership took on him.  She understood she was his haven, his oasis, his rock, his safe space. 

She understood her job was to keep him happy, to look after their children, to bear more children as and when they were fortunate enough to have more.

She understood the world was changing.  She understood there were wars to fight, diplomacy to negotiate, horrendous acts of violation against races, genders, creeds, too many to mention.  She understood being a woman with her man.  Not everybody understood their way of life. 

She was the power behind the leader, never seen to demean him in public, a smiling, beautiful face with their lovely family.  In their bedchamber, they would discuss all aspects of their lives.  Her perspective gave him new outlooks on ways to approach others.  He was always grateful to her for her guidance and wisdom.

She knew she had what others might call second sight, visions, the problem was knowing a timeframe.  Ariana sighed and snuggled closer to Akram, she felt his arms encompass her as their love for each deepened, became overwhelming at times.

ABDALHADI

Abdalhadi knew the time had come

He had to take Akram away from home

Again, they must journey far and wide

To remain neutral or take sides

To preserve their lands

Travelling through the dust and sand

A fortune to be made or lost

 

 Word count: 931