Bridget chuckled.
"I doubt that you are a beader. The slider is a type of beading. You must tie the ends properly and it requires a lot less beads but more threading." Bridget worked with Jacquelyn on making the slider knot.
"This is a macrame knot and you can make many useful things with macrame. Look around you and see what I have made with various kinds of ropes and other threaders." She spoke as she glanced at Caroline who was doing fine with her work.

"The shelves, the various plant holders which can hold things other than plants. I thought out of the box on that one.
Macrame can be used for so many things."

Sura sat on the steps of the Dinsed University, gazing at the people walking by. He was sitting at a near recline, completely uncaring of the risk of being stepped on. Occasionally, the people he gaze at would look back at him, usually with an offended or unfriendly expression, and hastily walk off. This didn't bother him too much.

Soon the wagons were ready to go and go they did. They drove all day except for a short stop for lunch break. It was getting dark when the caravan stopped near the town where Dinsed University was. This was where Sean had heard that this Sura Kafkeh would be around. He debated whether to go into town this very night or wait until morning.

Sura stood up, hearing a familiar low rumble. He nearly ran to the outskirts of the city, and scanned the plains beyond. There it is! A wagon caravan, jumbling down the road. Within residing one Sean and his family of Rose. He rushed out to greet it.

The men were sitting up a base camp while the women were making a simple meal of stew and left over bread.
Several women were watching over the younger children and setting their boundary with a colorful flags that were tied to a rope fence.

Noreene was giving her horses a good brushing and checking their hooves. Leon decided to leave the set of horses that he was tending to alone to speak with her.

"So you think that you are so smart, huh?" Leon smarted off to Noreene.

"Actually, I helped Grandmother with hers before she left us is all. That is how I inherited this pair. Seamus broke them in for per Grandmother's last request. He was well paid enough." Noreene spoke calmly as she began to check her tools.

"Girls shouldn't be allowed to have such a large animal. It would be best if you gave them to someone to take decent care of them for you." Leon spoke. He was still angry with the fact that he was set up by Sean.

"Don't worry for I would not dream of burdening you with my horses if I should happen to decide to let someone help me take care of my horses." Mystique spoke as a vision came to her. She kept her calm and didn't respond negatively to Leon.

"Thank goodness for small favors." Leon spat out in anger for he loved those horses and wanted them for himself.

"Yes, it is indeed. Particularly when you don't take care of the ones that you are assigned to." Jacques spoke as he came up behind them quietly.

Leon turned to Jacques then to the ones that he was to take care of.
"Blast those stupid horses. I'll whip them good this time...." Leon exploded.

"You have been demoted to water boy. Thomas will take those two horses on his list. Now get busy and make sure that the water is good or it is curtains for you, boy." Jacques spoke.

"Keep an eye on that boy. He wants those horses badly." Jacques spoke in a low voice.
"I will, sir. Thank you for the advice." Noreene spoke softly as she pour the water into a trough for her horses.

Sura slowly led his mount towards the nomad camp. He had taken it all the way from his homeland, and the people here tended to gawk at it's arched back and sandy yellow fur. He soon reached the line of wagons, and dismounted. He then handed the reins to a young boy of about ten. "Would you happen to know where I could find a Sean Rose?" he asked.

Leon held the reins as far away from him as he could as he spoke.

"Hey mister.... that thing is not a horse. Dunno what it is but can't take care of that thing. Besides I the water boy."

Jacques came up behind Leon and whacked his head a good one.

"Leon, you will be taking classes in addition to your watering duties. I am so sorry that this Nătâng was so rude and unruly. Sean is over here near where I will place your steed in an excellent care giver.
You boy!" Jacques called out to Leon as he picked up the reins.
"Get the largest tub that we have. Put it in Mystique's area and where she wants it. It will be filled before you eat. Now move it!"

"Please sir, tell me your name so that I may introduce you properly. And we shall walk to where Mystique is."

"Very well then. Sura Kafkeh, at your service," Sura smiled as he bowed slightly to the younger man in front of him. "Show me to this 'Mystique' you speak of."

Jacques smiled as he too bowed to the guest. Mystique was not a handler nor a caregiver for a foreign dignity. But she was the highest ranking handler since she was the daughter of the leader.
"Jacques Rose, at your service, Sura Kafkeh. Mystique Rose is the daughter of Sean Rose. The young ungrateful
brat is my good for nothing, son.
Those two do not get along with each other. I still have high hopes for Leon. He will one day take my place since he is my only son left in the caravan. Of course, Job may come back after sowing his wild seed.

Sean may still held is dreams of handing his place to a son. Mystique has been granted to care for a foreign dignity" Jacques explain the situation as they walked towards a young lady.


Mystique just cleaned up her two steeds. She saw a new creature following Jacques and a guest. She simply began to clean up her equipment as she waited for them to arrive at her station. She was impressed by the camel and mates. She could feel the energy laying about. She knew the dream and that this was the changing point of her life time.

Sura followed the man to where a woman, presumably Mystique, is cleaning two horses. "You must be the illustrious Mystique. Sura Kafkeh, at your service," he said as he bowed and smiled. "I was told you were the one to come to for the purpose of discussing family business." The camel to his right snorted, sending foamy spittle flying everywhere.

"So, eh, when does he arrive? I have a few words with him that I would prefer to speak in private," responded Sura. The camel licked the back of the young man Jacques' head. Sura gave a harsh command in his native tongue, and the camel stopped.

Mystique stiffled a giggled.
"Father should be along soon enough...." Mystique spoke then stepped up on the fencing to look for him.
"There he is coming. I am the first one one to be checked on for a purpose...."

"Friend! How has it been, eh?" Sura exclaimed to the approaching Sean. "You've done quite good for yourself, haven't you! Big family, lots of kids, and apparently lots of free time," he finished, raising one eyebrow at that last comment.

"Sura, my friend. Come and meet my daughter, Mystique. Jacques, have you assigned the camels to her?" Sean asked as he came up onto the small group.

"But of course I did. And here is a book for the book worm. I have Leon hauling the water for them. He was very incompetent. I do not know what to do with that son of mine. He wants the rewards of advancement but none of the responsibility or work that comes with it." Jacques spoke out of frustration.

"Eh, if he can't handle the job, then he can go back to t he younger group of kids. It's no skin off our nose. He just will have to wait until it is time to move that batch of kids up. A bit more money for the coffer. Let us men go sit by the fire for a bit." Sean spoke then led the way to the main fire.

"Please, show me to the fire," Sura added with his usual jolly tone and mild accent. "We have much to catch up on," he said to Sean. "Tell me everything you've seen that you suspect I haven't."

"Eh....Not much beyond work, Sura. I just married off two more daughters and gained one. At this rate I'll not be retiring any time soon. One of the daughters is Bessie. The quiet one, you know. She is the one that I worry about since she is not quite right if you know what I mean. Caroline is a sweet young thing still...... We now have a niece, Jacquelyn. Her parents are gone. Males keep leaving and the females keep coming. " Sean spoke as he stroke his mustache.

Come warm yourself by the fire. Tell me the affairs of the world. You are the one with a camel. You must have seen a few sights since we last met. Kathrynn, get our guest a bit of dinner."

"Oh, yes," began Sura. " I had recently been to the Great Plains, and the grass stretches as far as . . ."

"Ok, I'm going over there," announced Jacquelyn. "I want to know exactly who this Sura guy is." Her imaginative child's mind was already concocting insane theories on who the mystery host was.

Sean saw a small body creeping over to where Sura and himself were sitting. He was sure that the young girl would be wanting to know what is going on. She seemed to have an infinite amount of curiosity about the world around her. If she was to live with the caravan she would need to curb her immediate curiosity and develop a new style. He would try to guide her in this endeavor and called out to her

" Jacquelyn! Come and serve our guest, girl!'

Jacquelyn went into the supply wagon to get some tea for the new guest, but not before gazing at him warily. She poured some into one of the cups hanging around, and went back, offering it to the guest.

"شكرا (shookren)" Sura said with a smile, graciously accepting the cup. "So where was I? Ah yes, the Highfolk."

The man said something completely nonsensical that Jacquelyn couldn't understand. The weather was pretty hot. Was he suffering from heat sickness (stroke)?