In the end, Iris had some urgent business to attend to and left the task of purchasing new clothes for me to her brother. Adrian accompanied me to Eriden's famous shopping arcade, a covered walkway lined with shops on both sides. The floors were covered with smooth stone bricks. High above us was the ceiling made of iron and glass, allowing sunlight to penetrate and illuminate the walkway. We passed by a local apothecary, an emporium, a bookstore, a bakery, a cafe, and a variety of other shops.

Adrian stopped in front of a dressmaker’s shop, which displayed two bustle dresses and matching stylish hats behind the shop window. When we entered, we were greeted by the shopkeeper who gave us cloth samples and sketches of dress designs to choose from. I selected one design closest to my current dress and a maroon cloth for its outer material. After settling the details and payment, the dressmaker took my measurements and told us to come back after a week to pick up the dress.

When Adrian and I left the shop, we saw someone dash past us.

"Stop! Thief!" The baker from the shop next door shouted as he tried to chase after the person.

I was about to run after him when Adrian pulled me back.

"Aliciel, no. You are not to attract any attention, are we clear? Captain Dietrich will whisk you away again if you cause any disturbance."

"But he's getting away." I glanced at the retreating figure.

"I will take care of this. Wait here."

Before I could protest, Adrian took off and ran to catch up with the thief. After a minute of standing, I decided to follow them in case Adrian got himself caught up in a troublesome situation.

When the thief entered the crowd, it was getting harder for me to keep track of where he and Adrian were. It wasn't long before I lost them both in the sea of people eagerly waiting for the local emporium's sale to begin. Everyone around me moved about, never allowing me a moment to stand still.

I took refuge in an isolated alley while waiting for the crowd to disperse. I failed to notice someone standing close behind me.

"Don't move." A knife was pointed at my throat.

I turned my head immediately and saw the thief. He was a boy around my age. His clothes were very different from the ones the people of Eriden wore. He was wearing simple robes of earthly colors, an attire well-suited for a hot climate. He wore straw sandals on his feet, far simpler compared to the sophisticated leather boots of the people roaming these streets.

I was intrigued by his unusual style of clothing. It reminded me of Master's tales about the land of sand.

"Where are you from?" I asked curiously.

"Hand over your money and I will let you go," he threatened me. His accent was foreign.

"It is wrong to force people. You shouldn't hurt anyone." I took hold of his wrist and pulled it away from me. He was unable to break free from my grip. The knife dropped to the ground with a clatter.

He was shocked. "What are you?"

"My name is Aliciel. Are you from the kingdom of the sand?" I continued holding his wrist. I was insistent on having a chat. Master said having good chats with strangers makes you more open-minded.

"If you mean the Kingdom of Zar, then yes."

"Master told me many stories about your kingdom. Is it true that you have the biggest bath house in the world? And a large dome-shaped building covered in blue glass that houses a garden with flowers from all over the world?"

"That sounds like the Garden of Sophia. Why are you interested in the Kingdom of Zar?"

"I heard it is a very beautiful place."

His eyes widened at my words. After a few seconds, they turned into sadness. "The Kingdom of Zar you heard about and the real one are very different. It is far from beautiful."

"Did something happen?"

His face was filled with anger. "A mad ruler took the throne and oppressed the people. Anyone who opposed him was kidnapped, tortured, and killed. One of them was my sister, who was providing medical supplies to the rebels. I heard from someone that she survived and was sold as a slave in this kingdom. I'm looking for her."

He did not look like he was lying.

"What is your sister's name?" I asked.

"Dariya."

"I will help you look."

All traces of anger were replaced by surprise. "Why would you help me?"

"I'm looking for someone too. It's hard looking by yourself, especially in a foreign land."

"You're not from here, are you?"

"I also come from far away, but not as far as your kingdom. I'm searching for my Master."

He paused for a moment, probably deciding whether he should trust me or not. "Dariya is a few years older than us. She has a mole under her right eye. On her forehead is a tattoo of the moon. She has the same hair as mine. If you see her, tell her I'm coming for her."

I reached into my pocket and gave him enough money to survive a day or two. "Don't hurt anyone. You will be no different from the king who oppresses your people. It might be hard, but this city has some kind people too who can give you work. They might also help you." I let go of his wrist.

He stared at the gold coins on his palm. "Thank you. I'm sorry for what I did to you."

"Aliciel!" I heard Adrian's voice and turned my head instinctively.

"Your name is Aliciel?" the boy asked. "I'm Sina."

He held out a hand. I shook it.

"You better get going. Until we meet again." He smiled and waved before disappearing deeper into the dark alley. I stared at the spot where I last saw him.

So it's not just this kingdom that’s being plagued by war.

I left the alley and went out to meet Adrian.

"Aliciel! Thank goodness. I thought I lost you," he said in relief.

"Did you catch the thief?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, I lost him. He should be easily recognizable with his foreign looking clothes. It’s very unusual to see people from the eastern kingdom roaming these streets.” He fixed his clothes which were in disarray from all the running. “We’re done here. Let’s go home, Aliciel.”