Huang Kung-wang, who never mastered the art of thinking of himself as Hanley Wang, was saddle sore. Very saddle sore. But apart from his restless shifting he didn't complain. Mary was on her own horse just a little further ahead on the road. If such a rutted dirt track could be called a road. His lover wasn't sidesaddle now that they were on the run. Instead she sat like a man with trousers and everything. Her long brown hair left loose trailing out behind her. From the tilt of her shoulders Kung-wang could tell she was deep in thought. According to the map they were using they should have reached the town of Iron Hills yesterday. They didn't. Kung-wang sighed. They were lost.

"We're not lost." Mary snapped out at his sigh. "We're just..." She struggled for a word. "Not where we're supposed to be."

Mary then sighed and hunched over. Kung-wang spurred his horse up to hers and wrapped an arm around her. "Will be fine." Kung-wang told her. Despite the years he had spent in America he still had a hard time with speaking the language. Hus comprehension of the spoken language was far better. Of course his literacy for English was non existent which was why Mary was navigating. 

"Road is highly used." Kung-wang pointed out. "And very recently. Must be people around somewhere." 

The small thankful smile Mary sent him warmed him from the inside. Kung-wang feel back as they continued. He wanted to ride side by side with Mary but it wasn't practical. If anyone knew they were together they just might not stop at killing Kung-wang like Mary's father. They might decide to kill her too, or worse. So the two rode on as if they were near strangers. Him her manservant and her very much a lady on hard times.

The hot sun continued to rise as the two continued their long journey across the harsh desert. The two stopped frequently to water their horses and themselves. Neither voiced what would happen if their water supply ran out. Dying alone in the desert might sound romantic but it wasn't. They needed to find a town by nightfall or they'd have to turn back and hope they had enough rations to make it back to the last town they passed.

Hope. That was what everything was riding on now.