Never in her wildest dreams did she think her brother would leave her. They had been through so much; yet, he had left her with nothing but a letter of his goodbye. No matter how hard she cried for him at night; nor how much she wished to the gods to bring him back to her, he would not return. Everything she knew and loved was taken away by his desires and she would never know why. People would see the girl walk around and wonder where her brother had gone and over time they had completely forgotten that she was by herself. As time passed she stayed alone questioning the only thing she received from the absent sibling. The letter that would set her journey into motion.

       She stood looking out on the rolling hills. These hills were not the green hills that flourished with life, instead they were grainy and stained yellow. She was so far from the place she once called home, but to her home is the place where her brother was right now. A hot breeze rolled in kicking up the golden grains, and brushed off a tattered hood that shielded the girl’s head. Even through the strands of black from her head and the golden grains the girl looked out on the sea of yellow; as if she were looking for something in the distance.
       “Rosalind!” called a voice behind her. She turned away from the endless hills of sand to face the sound of the voice. As she turned the radiance of the sun blinded her making it hard to see who summoned her.
“Rosalind!” the person shouted again. The girl, Rosalind, shaded her eyes trying to see who the voice belonged to. A man no older than eighteen with a bronze complexion was walking up to her waving one arm in the air. She could see the sweat from the man slither down his darkened skin making him dazzle in the light. He had a bandage wrapped around his head but it was slowly coming undone as it blew in the settling breeze. “Amon…” Rosalind said with a hushed breath.
“There is a caravan willing to take us near the border of The Forgotten,” said Amon as he wiped away the sweat from his brow. Rosalind nodded slightly at Amon, who came to a stop in front of her.
“Hey? You ok?” he asked bending down to look in her face. Amon was a man who traveled around doing anything for money, but because of an encounter he had with Rosalind he decided to accompany her on her journey.
After they stood in silence for a bit, Rosalind placed her hood back on her head and silently walked down the mound of sand discarding his question. Amon watched her in curiosity as she walked passed him without even a glance in his direction. He sighed and followed behind her not even bothering to start up a conversation, because he knew that Rosalind probably would not talk back. Amon knew very little about Rosalind which is why he chose to follow her. Amon is the type of person that if something interested him, he would follow it until it no longer did.  The only thing he knew about Rosalind, was that she was trying to get to The Forgotten. Why she was heading to such a place?  He didn’t know.  He was determined to find out what types of secrets this strange young girl holds close to her heart and what mysteries, discoveries, or fortune would unfold on their journey.
       The two walked quite a distance until they saw the caravan standing still in the heat of the desert.
“Oy!” a shrill voice called out. A woman, no taller than Rosalind, jogged up to them, “We are going to depart soon. Are you going to join us?” asked the woman. She was a woman with brown hair, which had been wrapped in a light cloth to keep it from sticking to her. Her skin was as dark as Amon’s but her eyes were a dark brown and his were as golden as the sand they stood on. Amon then looked to Rosalind for confirmation, but he only saw her staring down at the caravan.
“Rosalind?” he questioned but she utterly ignored him. Rosalind walked away from the woman and Amon down to the where the caravan was. Amon sighed and looked to the woman, “Sorry about that, she isn’t one of many words.”
The woman snickered, “I see that. You know it is strange to see you traveling with such a young one. What are you planning on doing Amon?” The woman gave Amon a suspicious look.
Amon sighed again and started towards the caravan, “Nothing Amata, she is just a mysterious one.” The woman, Amata, walked next to Amon with a grin on her face, “Is that so...You and your curiosity, hopefully it won’t be the end of you.” Amon groaned at Amata, hearing her say that.

       Rosalind sat in the back of a wagon with Amata staring out the side watching the endless hills of sand pass by. Nothing has changed in the scenery expect that the sun was now fading in the distance.
“So,” Amata said, breaking the silence that had engulfed them hours ago. “Amon told me that you are trying to get to the “The Forgotten.”  Rosalind held her gaze out towards the hills of the barren land. It wouldn’t be long until she found what she had been longing for.
Amata watched Rosalind’s quiet figure as if she were trying to read her thoughts, “Why are you going there?”
Rosalind did not stir at hearing what Amata had asked, but in her head an image of her brother appeared and she could feel a lump of pain in her chest. The thought of her brother always made her feel sick. She would remember all the times they spent laughing and looking out for each other. But-- when he felt her that dark morning, he changed her; she no longer had someone she could laugh, cry and enjoy being with.
        Rosalind's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden jolt of the wagon and the shouting of Amata. “Sorry about that,” yelled a voice coming from in front of them. Amata crawled over to the side Rosalind who it was. Amon rode up next to them on top of a camel, “A member up there was hit with heat stroke, so we are making a stop.” Amata and Rosalind looked to the front and saw a group of people getting some supplies of the wagons in front of them.
“Might as well stop anyway,” Amata said stretching, "It’s getting dark.” Amata jumped over the edge of the wagon and landed on the sand below. “Amon you’re employers are getting worse by day. Seriously, even if it is for money you should at least find one with a decent attitude,” she said walking away.
Amon huffed at Amata, “I already told you, I am doing this on my own!” Amata waved her hand in the air dismissing what Amon had said. He then turned back to Rosalind closing his eyes as if he was trying to collect his thoughts once more.
"Amon..." Rosalind said looking at him as the sun was releasing its final rays.
"Hmm?" Rosalind hesitated for a second before speaking to Amon, "I-- I'm going to keep going."
Amon looked at Rosalind like she was crazy, "Rosalind, that's not a good idea! This desert doesn't take kindly to lone travelers, trust me."
"Bu--"
"No buts! As your guide I won't allow you to go." Rosalind stared at Amon. He knew nothing of her. But right now, to Rosalind he is keeping her from pursuing her goal; bring her brother back to her. Rage flared up in her but instead of screaming at Amon, Rosalind jumped over the edge of the wagon and landed onto the slick grains of the desert.
"Why..." she said staring up into his golden eyes. Amon looked down at the girl from atop the camel he was on seeing a fierce spark light her dark brown eyes. Amon hopped off of the camel and looked deeper into her eyes.
“I just told you, as your guide--”
“I never paid you, I never even asked you to follow me, and I did no such thing as make you my guide. I’m going to The Forgotten with or without you,” Rosalind hissed at him also cutting him off. She walked away from him toward the others in the caravan.

Rosalind hopped on top of a camel with the help of the others in the caravan. They had supplied her with enough food and water to get to the border of The Forgotten.
“Are you really going? We could take you there tomorrow,” said a man strapping in the bags on the back of the camel. Rosalind nodded silently and placed her hood over her head.
The man sighed and patted the back of the camel lightly, “I would tell you what the other would say but I am sure you have a valid reason for going to such a place. Just a friendly warning, don’t lose yourself chasing what was in the past. Once you set foot in that place it will try to keep you there.”
Rosalind looked down at the man seeing a soft smile on his face. She lowered her head to avert her gaze. “Thank you,” she whispered. The man chuckled and sent Rosalind on her way.

Amon sat next to a fire that had been set up to combat the cold the night of desert brought.
“Are you really going to let her go on her own? Isn’t she your employer?” asked a woman behind him. Amon sighed sticking his hands out towards the fire. The image of Rosalind yelling at him stained his memories.
“I already told you Amata, I was not working for her. I was merely following her.”
“That sounds like you were stalking her.” Amata said taking a seat next to Amon.
“I guess it does,” Amon laughed to himself.
“Amon...you should go after her.”
Amon looked away from the fire and to Amata. She sat there staring at him, giving him a look that said she meant what she had said.
“Why should I? It’s not like I am gaining anything from it,” Amon sighed while shrugging his shoulders slightly.
“Then why did you follow her in the first place? You and I both know that from the very beginning you weren’t getting anything from following such a mysterious girl. But, we also know she won’t last even an hour out there on her own,” Amata retorted.
He looked over to Amata who did not return his gaze. “This is the reason why I broke up with you… you give up too easily,” Amata mumbled under her breath. Amon clenched his teeth at hearing what Amata words. He knew what Amata was saying reflected the truth, but it still didn’t make up for the fact that he let Rosalind leave. He knew very well she could be killed by something out there.  Guilt and fear settled into his stomach at the thought of something happening to Rosalind.
Amon stood up next to Amata taking in a deep breath and letting out a long stream of air. “Well, I won’t deny that. Although, if you really wanted me to chase after her; you could have just saved some time saying you were going to pay me.” Amon smiled lightly at Amata and she looked up at him and smiled back.
“You can take a camel, the guys and I will be fine with the ones we have,” she said leaning back a bit.
“I’ll be taking some food too,” he said with a grin on his face.
“Have at it.”
Amon laughed to himself and walked away from Amata.

Rosalind leaned against the ruins of what seemed to be a fallen city and silently looked up at the moon and the stars. She had managed to make a small fire enough for her to somehow keep warm in the cold of the desert night. She was back to traveling on her own, just how she started out. Even though traveling this way is what suited her best, she felt as if something was missing. Amon was missing. His voice, his rambling, and just his mere presence by her side was missing.
The thought of the harsh words she had spoken to him were burned into her memory. The memory replayed itself, as if it were trying to make her feel guilty. He had done so much for her yet she left him with nothing in return. Rosalind shook her head of the thought and tried to focus back on finding her brother.
It was only a matter of time before she would find of his reason for leaving her. Just the thought of seeing her brother again, being in his warm embrace she has wished for, brought tears to her eyes. With thoughts in her head about her brother she fell into a slumber.

“Brother! Where are you!” screamed a younger girl. The girl ran through the streets of the town with tears flowing from her eyes. She was desperately searching for he lost sibling. Her feet were scratched up from running. Her clothes in tatters from being picked on by con men. Her hair was unruly and tangled from the days of sleeping on the cold ground by herself.
“What a poor girl. Her yelling hasn’t stopped for three days now,” murmured a lady.
“Didn’t the child have a care taker?” asked someone else.
The girl kept run through the streets wailing our cries. “I heard the boy died and she thinks she is missing,” said a man.
“I heard that the boy got sick of taking care of her,” whispered another.
Rumors had spread far and wide but no matter how hard she cried, or how far she ran, the girl could not find her brother. Months passed and slowly one by one the rumors of a girl who had lost a precious person died out. They had all forgotten, forgotten about a boy who left his sibling to fend by herself. The girl now sat alone in her own shadow with no one to love.

Rosalind opened her eyes slowly seeing the fire slowly diminishing in front of her. She rubbed her eyes seeing the sun slowly rising in the distance.
“Good morning,” said a voice to the right of Rosalind. She turned her head and looked up seeing Amon hovering over her. She huffed and looked away from him.
“That’s rude. Not even bothering to say Good morning back,” he said walking over to the fire and stomping on it. Rosalind stood up patting the sand grains off of her.
“Why are you here?” She asked placing her hood back on her head.
Amon smiled lightly and placed his hand behind his head, “I thought about what you said to me, and yeah you’re right. I also know I am not getting money out of you by ‘helping’ with what you may be searching for in The Forgotten. But-- I find you interesting, so I will continue to follow you until you stop appealing to my mind.”
Rosalind stopped her movement and she did not turn to face Amon. She had let the words sink into her head. Rosalind dropped her hand from her head and made a fist at her side.
“How…” she whispered to herself. “How am I appealing to you!” she yelled turning to face Amon. Rosalind couldn't tell if the emotion swelling inside her was angry towards him or sadness that he is wasting himself on such a lonely girl. 
“You know nothing of me...You know nothing of why I travel out here...Why waste your time on me when you could be going for money elsewhere,” she cried lowering her voice.
Amon looked at her with shock first but he soon softened his face with the same smile he was wearing before. “Because I choose too. Mysterious things captivate me. And so far, Rosalind, you are the most mysterious being I have ever met. I don’t care if you don’t speak to me, look at me, or even acknowledge my existence. Although if you do that, it leaves me wanting to know more about you. I won’t ask questions and I won’t interfere with your journey, just allow me to stay by your side and let me figure out your mystery you try so hard to hide.”
Rosalind could feel the tears trying to fall from her eyes. She lowered her head so she wouldn’t have to face the look from Amon’s golden eyes. She unclenched her fist and brought her hands up to her eyes. She wiped away the tears that stuck in her eyes and took in a deep breath from the desert air.
“Do as you please,” she said turning away from him once more. Amon nodded and headed towards the camels. Rosalind stood in the same spot and sighed, she had not expected him to return, let alone say such words to her.

The sun no longer allowed the cold of the night stay so it brought its ungodly heat down on the two. They had roamed the desert till a black wall was before them. Even though nightfall had been taken out by the rays of daylight it had seemed like it missed a spot.
“Are you going in there?” asked Amon pointing at the wall.
Rosalind gulped and nodded slowly, “Yeah…”
Amon laughed lightly but there was a hint of fear behind it, “I wonder what would drive you to go into such a place.”
Rosalind nodded agreeing with Amon, but she knew her brother was in there. Her gut was telling her that; what she was searching for she would find it and along with it answers.
Amon hopped off his camel and took all the supplies off of it. He helped Rosalind do the same and they sent the camels off on their own.
“I think that's all we will need, let’s hope there is food in there,” Amon said packing items into a single bag. Rosalind looked once more at the vast wall of black; she was ready to face what lied in wait for her. She brought her gaze back to Amon watching him pat sand off of himself.
“Ready?” he asked slinging the back over his shoulder.
Rosalind nodded and the two of them took the first step into The Forgotten.