Of Magic and Sand

Chapter 1

"Believe, and what was impossible becomes possible what at first was hidden becomes visible."

― Tahir Shah

 "Stop right there, you little street rat!"

A young woman, holding a loaf of bread underneath her arms, skidded to a halt on top of a building. She had shortly cropped scarlett hair that was secured out of her face by a faded purple scarf, and a small button nose. The tan colored cotton dress she wore had been pulled up to form pants, the fabric secured with a frayed red sash. She wore a vest of the same shade of purple as her scarf, the vest was primarily made of pockets where she held her many coins, trinkets, rocks, cat treats and treasures. Her clothes, while faded and tattered were clean and there wasn't a single flea on her. The most unusual thing about this girl though was her eyes; one was a starling shade of emerald, and the other one was a milky grey white. She nearly dropped the bread, as she looked behind her to the guards, the lead one pulling his sword from its sheathe.

"I'll...I'll have your hands for a trophy stand, Ziana!"

"All this just for a loaf of bread?" She asked, looking between the bread and the guards. Before the guards could do a thing, she jumped from the building, landing on several clothes lines.

"And she sticks the landing! Which is exceptionally brilliant for someone with only one working eye!" She announced, doing a fake bow before gracefully landing on a pile of fallen clothes and wrapped a yellow shawel around her.

She glanced up, grinning at the guards still on the roof. She heard a few laughs behind her. Some of the local women were watching her, and looking rather amused.

"Good morning, ladies! What's the morning gossip today?" She asked, walking over to them and leaning on one of the barrels.

"Well, word out of the dunes is that another princess is coming today as a suitor for Prince Jenssin." One of the ladies whispered quietly.

"Another one? That must be the fifth one this month." Ziana responded, quickly wrapping the shear yellow shawl around her slender body.

"It's a shame that his mother and father died Sultan Akim was a fine ruler. And now the Grand Sultan isn't getting any younger,"

"He has to be at least seventy by now, it's about time he retired and allowed his grandson to rule,"

The Prince's parents had died twelve years ago, so the prince's grandfather had taken over the duties as Sultan until the prince came of age and married.

"I heard that this one was the last of the offers. If he doesn't accept her, then for the first time in over two hundred years Argubah will be without a Queen....a proper Queen" a women dressed in dark purple said as she daintily folded her handkerchief.

"He looks too much like a foreigner, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. Akim never should have married that woman from the west," another women hissed under her breath as she sorted dates into bags.

"You know, I don't think I have ever seen him. Isn't he allowed out of the palace?" Ziana asked.

"Of course he isnt, he sticks out like a sore thumb!"

"I heard that the Grand Sultan won't let him outside the palace walls."Well, I heard that nobody has heard Prince Jenssin speak a word since his to-be wife was killed by thieving marauders six months ago, Poor boy, to lose his parents and then his fiance like that. No wonder he hasn't chosen another bride yet," another woman chimed in.

"I have a friend who works in the palace, and let me tell you that is not true. The Prince speaks all the time he just doesn't care about his people. He would rather sit up there all high and mighty than care about the poverty in his own city," a fourth woman said, shaking out her laundry.