hey daniel, interpret this

i had a very interesting dream last night for the first time in a while, and i just can't get over the feeling that it might have some deeper meaning.

try to help me out?

i don't remember the beginning of the dream at all, but the part that has stuck with me begins with me riding a horse across campus accompanied by two other riders. one of the riders is someone i know (my arabic professor from the fall semester, nabil) and the other is some invention of my imagination. we're all in arab garb.

we are not moving at a slow pace, either: we are riding as fast as we can go. saladin, an historical figure i find very interesting, is advancing behind us with his army and we have to seek the help of the other sheiks to defend against him. i find it interesting that in the dream i am scared to death of saladin, whereas sitting here right now i think he's pretty cool.

anyway, back to the dream. the sheiks we are riding to are, conveniently, living in the apartment complex on-campus where i am an ra.

the sense of urgency is pervasive and i am apparently not content with my horse's speed, because i am continually beating the horse with my palms . . . hard enough that when i look down at my hands, i am bleeding. the horse, a beautiful white-grey, has (my) bloodstains on his shoulders. despite my beatings, the horse is unable--or unwilling?--to speed up.

we finally reach the complex and dismount, heading towards the office where all of the sheiks are in council. the member of my party that i don't recognize keeps talking and talking about how glad he is that we have nabil there to help present our case because he is wise and highly respected by the entire community.

i'm glad nabil is there, too, because he makes me feel a lot safer. in the course of this dialogue, the first chance the characters in the dream have gotten to talk, it becomes aparent that the nation we need aid for is mine and nabil is just there to act as a helpful intermediary between me and the sheiks.

the dream ends with the three of us tying up our horses outside and making our way to the office. i woke up when i had my hand on the door, about to open it.

so, in case you didn't follow all of that, here is the reader's digest version:

brian and his former arabic professor are riding across campus on horses to get help from a band of bedouin sheiks in defense against an invasion of saladin.

the palm thing seems important to me, as well as the fact that i'm on a white horse being chased. the presence of nabil and saladin is also intriguing.

anybody got anything? i've looked around a bit online at different dream dictionaries, but nothing really seems to hit the spot.

thanks for your help!