It was a magnificent little city. Forged from stone and marble, it gleamed like a rare jewel in the center of this vast expanse of grassland. Its architects were influenced by the mighty Essyrian peoples in the south and as a result, much of the buildings in this city resembled their desert counterparts. And yet, this city had its own identity, seen in the sleeker, more graceful colonnaded palaces and open column pavilions. Even in the most mundane of buildings, there was care was given in erecting them. The small, yet proud city of Dareetia has stood for little more than a generation; hopefully, it would stay strong for many more.
The afternoon sun was at its zenith in the sky as Dareetia's Grand Bazaar bustled with activity. The busiest sector in all of Dareetia, the Grand Bazaar was a street of shops where goods and services could be exchanged or sold. Commodities ranging from food, jewelry, and even male slaves could be found here. Traders from all over the world but mostly from the neighboring lands of Essyrn and Adela converged here to exchange not just goods but also ideas and news. If a Dareetian wanted to learn about the outside world, then she would go to the Grand Bazaar.
However, news was the last thing Princess Shula Husniyah wanted to hear after arguing with her mother, the queen, all morning. Recently, the barbaric tribes of the plains have been disrupting trade in the region by assaulting trade caravans. In fact, to see the Grand Bazaar so busy today was indeed strange. Shula proposed that the Dareetians immediately declare war on the savages but her mother would have none of it. War, the queen argued, would only prove costly to Dareetia by jeopardizing its very existence.
Shula tried to forget about the politics for a moment as she browsed through the various jewelry booths, trying on bracelets and rings. However, none of them seemed to catch her eye. She sighed, moving onto the next booth as nearby Dareetians respectfully bowed and gave her a wide berth. She turned around and smiled back at them. They were her sisters after all and someday she would rule over them as their matriarch.
