By morning, the camp had recovered from the storm—
but Ayisulu had not recovered from her dream.
She moved quietly, hoping no one would notice how tense she felt.
Unfortunately, people noticed her for other reasons.
---
Ayisulu Accidentally Impresses Everyone (Again)
Kanykei stood over a pot of travel porridge, frowning like the porridge had personally insulted her.
"It's ruined," she declared.
Temir tasted it.
He gagged. "Yep. Tastes like disappointment."
Ayisulu took the spoon.
"Let me try."
Kanykei snorted. "You can't fix burned porridge."
Ayisulu didn't answer.
She just reached for a few things in her pouch—
a pinch of dried mint, two crushed berries, a twist of salt.
She stirred, smelled, adjusted, added a little water, stirred again.
Then handed the spoon back to Temir.
He took a cautious taste… his eyes widened.
"THIS IS AMAZING. YOU'VE PERFORMED FOOD MAGIC!"
Kanykei grabbed a spoonful.
Her eyes widened too.
"Impossible," she whispered. "How did you—?"
Ayisulu shrugged.
"It's just knowing what something wants to taste like."
Bair (the cheerful traveler) clapped.
"Incredible! You have the instincts of a master chef!"
Temir nodded sagely.
"She has the instincts for everything."
Kereg, of all people, added:
"Correct."
Ayisulu blinked.
Compliments from Kereg were rarer than rain in the desert.
Arslan stepped into the camp at that exact moment.
He saw everyone gathered around Ayisulu.
He saw the porridge.
He saw Temir hugging the pot like a sacred relic.
And his brows knit in suspicion.
"What happened?"
Temir pointed dramatically. "She FIXED the porridge!"
Arslan stared at the pot. Then at Ayisulu.
"You fixed… that porridge?"
Kanykei nodded reluctantly. "It tastes good now."
Arslan picked up a spoonful, tasted it, paused—
And gave Ayisulu a look that said What else have you been hiding from me?
Ayisulu quickly looked away.
---
Ability #2: Weather Sense (That Makes Everyone Love Her Even More)
Later, as they packed up camp, Ayisulu felt a sudden prickling along her skin.
Not a vision.
Not a dream.
Just instinct.
She looked to the west.
"Rain will come again this afternoon," she said.
Temir blinked at the perfectly clear blue sky.
"What rain?"
Ayisulu lifted a shoulder. "Just… be ready."
Kanykei laughed. "There isn't a cloud anywhere."
Bair agreed. "Not a single one!"
Arслан, however, didn't laugh.
He watched Ayisulu's face carefully.
"What makes you think so?"
She hesitated.
"I can feel it."
Arslan looked at her for three long seconds—
the kind of look that meant he believed her more than the sky.
Then he turned to his men.
"Pack waterproof covers."
Kanykei stared at him. "Seriously?"
Arslan said, without blinking,
"Yes."
Temir whispered to Kereg,
"Again. Poetry. They're doing poetry again."
Kereg: "Weather poetry."
Two hours later—
A huge dark cloud appeared out of nowhere.
Then it rained.
A lot.
Kanykei's jaw dropped.
Bair gasped.
Temir cheered.
Kereg nodded as if confirming a theory.
Arslan just… smiled.
Not a smirk.
Not amusement.
A quiet, warm smile directed only at Ayisulu.
"You were right."
She flushed.
---
Ability #3: Human Radar
When the caravan road forked, the group stopped.
Two paths:
Left — shorter, but rocky.
Right — longer, smoother.
Arslan looked between them.
"Which route do you think the caravan took?"
Kanykei folded her arms.
"The smoother road, obviously."
Bair agreed. "Merchants hate bumps!"
Ayisulu frowned slightly.
"No… the left one."
Arslan turned to her. "Why?"
Ayisulu closed her eyes for a moment—
not dreaming, not seeing visions,
just… feeling.
"Because the right road smells like old grain dust. Too quiet. No fresh tracks. But the left one has… energy. Movement. People passed recently."
Arslan stared at her, impressed.
"You can sense that?"
Ayisulu shrugged awkwardly. "It's nothing."
"It's not 'nothing'," Arslan said. "It is extraordinary."
Kanykei rolled her eyes so hard it was audible.
Temir, meanwhile, whispered to Bair,
"She has people-sensing powers. It's terrifying."
Bair nodded solemnly.
"And beautiful."
Arslan's head snapped toward him.
"What did you say?"
Bair raised his hands innocently.
"Just admiring talent!"
Arslan's expression said he would admire Bair out of a cliff soon.
---
Ayisulu Helps a Stranger (By Accident)
They reached a small waystation with an injured old man struggling to lift a basket.
"Let me help," Ayisulu said.
Arslan immediately stepped forward, "I can assist—"
Ayisulu was already helping.
She steadied the basket with one hand, supported the man with the other, and spoke to him kindly, asking about his pain, his home, his needs.
Within minutes she had:
fixed his splint,
calmed his donkey,
reorganized his supplies,
and made him laugh.
Arslan watched, silently amazed.
The old man smiled and whispered to Arslan:
"You're lucky if she's yours."
Arslan choked on air.
"She's not— I'm not— we're not—"
Temir leaned in.
"Just say yes, Prince."
Kanykei muttered, "Say no, Prince."
Ayisulu pretended she heard nothing.
But when she walked past Arslan, she caught the way he looked at her—
Like she was becoming someone he couldn't ignore even if he wanted to.
And she wasn't sure if that thrilled or terrified her.
---
The Evening Fire (and Uncomfortable Realizations)
As night fell, everyone gathered around the fire.
Bair played a small flute.
Temir ate his fourth serving of stew.
Kanykei braided her hair aggressively.
Ayisulu sat slightly apart, staring into the flames.
Arslan approached quietly and sat beside her.
Not close enough to touch.
But close enough to feel.
"You helped a lot of people today," he said softly.
"I just… noticed things."
Arslan turned toward her.
"You notice what others miss. Routes. Weather. Danger. People."
His voice lowered.
"And me."
Ayisulu's breath hitched.
Arslan hesitated—he rarely hesitated—but this time he did.
Finally he asked:
"Ayisulu… do you realize how rare that is?"
She swallowed.
"I don't think it's special."
"I do."
The fire crackled between them.
Warm.
Dangerous.
Pulling them closer without touching.
For the first time, Ayisulu wondered:
Was her ability to see the future…
any match for what Arslan made her feel right now?
She wasn't sure.
And that made everything more frightening than any dream.