Nanowrimo 2021 Day 3 - Word Count and Favorite Bit (Patreon)

Yesterday I added 1715 words to Seek the Oasis, bringing the total to 6743!

Aysel spotted the top of the gate before she saw the rest of It -- great beams of wood and metal that bored into the mountain sides. Gripping Sonnak's reins even tighter as she approached, Aysel couldn't help but feel some kind of awe as more and more of the gate came into view. A massive stone wall spanned the gap between the mountains. A small archway, just wide enough for two people to pass through while standing shoulder to shoulder, made for the actual gate part of the structure. But perhaps what shocked her the most was who was guarding the gate.

Two great, towering creatures stood before her as she approached. Their torso was that of a man, but their head and lower half was that of a snake. The larger snake man had scales of a deep green, reminding Aysel of the palm leaves that gave the oasis shores their shade. The smaller snake man had ruddy brown scales whose dull color contrasted with the piercing yellow of their eyes.

The snakes hissed in warning as Aysel drew closer.

"Stop, Sa'a," the larger warned. "What business do you have at this gate?"

That seemed like a strange question to Aysel. Why else would someone come to a gate If not to pass through It. "I wish to travel beyond the desert."

"Why?"

"I seek a sacred site," Aysel said vaguely. "A temple."

"What for?" the smaller snake asked.

Aysel shrugged, hoping that would hide her tense nervousness."For the things you go to a temple for."

The snakes looked at each other, clearly unsure of what to do.

"Do you not get many people passing through here?" Aysel asked.

The smaller snake shook his head. "No. You're the first I've seen."

"Oh, it must be terribly lonely."

The snakes glanced at each other once more before the larger snake answered, "I suppose It does."

Aysel frowned, feeling a bit of pity for these snake men. She could not Imagine what It was like to stand and guard a gate all alone for days upon days like this. She wondered If they even knew why they were standing here.

"Well, my name Is Aysel," she said. Even If she could not stay, she would at least be kind to these lonely creatures. "What are your names?"

Again, the snakes looked at each other. This time, the smaller one answered, "We do not have names."

Aysel frowned. "You don't have names?"

The snakes shook their heads. Now that she pointed It out, they too seemed confused by their lack of names.

"Are names Important?" the smaller one asked, strangely childlike In their curiosity.

"They are," Aysel Insisted gently. "A name tells people who you are. It proves that each of us are loved by the people who named us."

The snakes frowned as well as snakes could, their heads falling. They seemed to contemplate this for a long moment.

Aysel smiled gently, leaning forward and holding out an open palm. "Would you like some?"

The smaller snake did not hesitate to nod, excited about the prospect of a name. The larger one hesitated for a moment, a question in his eyes.

"If you name us, does that mean you love us?"

Aysel did not hesitate to answer, "I suppose It does."

"Why?" the snake asked.

Aysel found the question strange. "Does one need a reason?"

"I guess not," the larger snake admitted.