Banou stay in the caravan quietly for a few days. She counted the number of men around. She watch what they do almost everyday. The direction where they are heading is unclear. According to Bardiya, they will take another thirty three days to get to the border of Egypt. That will be too late for her to do any escaping. Banou waited till dinner is over. She waited till most of the men are asleep. She creep out slowly and quietly. She is hungry but the desire to escape is stronger. She see there are two men by the camp fire. They are drinking later Bardiya join them. They are laughing non stop. The time passes as the fire gets bigger. Somehow the men fell asleep beside the camp fire. Banou get up and slowly walk around to see if there is anything she can take. She sees a flask with leather wrap around it. She take a whiff and close it. She strap it around her body. Next she take a piece of meat and wrap it with a cloth. The horses and the camels, no one is looking at them. Thus, she release most of them and take a horse for herself. Tonight, she starts a journey by herself... in this no man's land.
After three days of walking with the horse. She did not know where she is heading. The sun is always high up her head. The water in the flask is given mostly to the horse. While she drink little of it. When she is tired, they will stop by a tree that is out of no where. Somehow there is always little grass for the horse. She is happy to see it have something to much and Banou will eat the meat that she stole the other day. Her skin feels like its on fire, burning and pain develop all over her body. Her Chinese Tang garment is not able to block from the strong sunlight. She have to endure it. At night when its cold and windy, she hid behind the horse. She did not get a good night sleep. The heat in the morning makes the ground seems to move. She knows she is now in the heart of the desert. If she choose the wrong direction to walk, She will probably end up somewhere dead.
Banou come across an oasis, quickly she and the horse drink up the water. The horse even dip itself into the cool water. For a long time Banou did not laugh nor smile but what the horse did actually make her smile. However the smile comes with pain as her skin is cracking under the hot sun. She sits under the shade for along time till the sun is gentle. Banou begin to wonder if she make the right choice to escape from Bardiya. Did she make the right choice to sneak away that night. If she did not do so, she probably still with Bardiya and reaching Egypt soon. Maybe will live a comfortable life. However Banou do not wish to live with Bardiya. He is emotionally unbalance. He can be nice and can be evil at the same time. Banou sit under the tree for a long time. From a distance, she see a group of men on horses. Inside her heart, she begins to panic. There is no where she can hide thus the only option is run. She gets up and drag the horse by it's reins. Lucky for her, the horse is accommodating. She hurry to get on the horse. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by the riders. Banou tell herself no to panic and breath. She watch them approaching and starting ride in circles. She closed her eyes as the dust is raising. Finally they stop and the sand and dust settle down.
"Lady Banou, do you remember me?"
Banou who have her eyes closed open and look at the face of the leader.
" I am Li Ning's husband, Abd al-Karim."
He bow with a hand over his chest. Banou sigh and tears fall from her eyes.
"My wife told me that the family is informed that you are missing. They are searching for you high and low."
"Prince Abd al-Karim, praise god!"
"Come follow me, i will escort you back to Uyghur. Li Ning is waiting for you there."
When Banou hears that name, she cry. She never thought that she will hear that name again. Abd al-Karim don't know what to say or do but watch and wait for Banou who is crying on the horse. He waited till she stop and ask her to follow him.
They ride in a comfortable speed for Banou who is learning to ride on her horse. When the sun is setting, she see from far a settlement. It takes another hour for her and the riders to reach the residence of Li Ning and Abd al-Karim. Unlike Tang, this capital is fill with dust and sand. However it's better than not having a home to shelter from the desert storm. Other than that, the walls are alike Tang, built upwards with with stones. The streets are laid with stones like every city of civilisation she knows off. The main streets are fill with vendors selling food of all kinds. They walk past many vendors, Banou is hungry so is her horse. Both of them are staring hard at the delicious roasted meat that they have pass by. Many stalls have a simple cloth laid over it to shelter from the sun. A lot of little stools and tables are for the customers to sit down. The tea shop seems to be busy with endless people going in and out. The small business establishment have wooden structure around it. Similar to a Chinese tea shop.
They walk through many lanes and finally to the biggest house on the alley. Outside the big wooden door hang a cloth with similar words to Arabic written on it. Banou enter in happiness knowing this is a safe place to be in. Prince Abd al-Karim is the third prince of Uyghur. His home will be one of the safest place to be in.