Hassan Fatih, prince of the kingdom of Al Fatih, left his home having rescinded his princedom to protect Lusala and Sahib, his personal bodyguards, from exile. The gods blessed the young prince that day as he journeyed into the vast, unending desert; the skies above were smattered with clouds that helped protect him from the sun's harsh rays as he made his way southward.
"Africa," Hassan spoke to Zubair, the solid white stallion that was faithfully carrying him into the arid wilderness. "That'll be our new home, boy. Lusala told me all about how everything is green and there are all kinds of beasts like the ones Father's seen!"
Hassan suddenly felt a lump in his throat as he thought of his last moments with his father, Asad Fatih. Their final words had been born out of years of anger, resentment, and sorrow. But he couldn't go back to mend those wounds this time. He refused to even consider the possibility that his father had changed his views and would welcome him back home. He pushed those thoughts from his head and urged Zubair onward. That part of his life was over and now he would live his life free from the chains of princedom.
Though the clouds brought him protection, the prince began to feel the effects of a lack of water. In his haste to leave the kingdom, he neglected to bring provisions in the hope that his quest would be over quickly. The heat of the day quickly sapped his already tired body. He leaned on Zubair and draped his arms across the stallion's thick neck. As though knowing what was happening to his master, the horse sped onward, his eyes looking around for any sign of life among the dry sands.
Hassan drifted in and out of consciousness. He hid his face in Zubair's white mane as his mouth and lips began to dry out. Before he finally passed out, the last thought that flowed into his mind were of Lusala and Sahib and if he would ever see them again.
