Fatima slipped her fingers tighter around the leather strap of her meagre sack, full of a few days food, a book of poetry and a few belongings, and stepped carefully off the gangplank before inhaling in excitement. She’d never been on a boat before! She hadn’t even gotten seasick, like the books said she would. It had been thrilling to be at sea, surrounded by water with the wind and spray against her skin, but now she was finally here – energy pulsed through her, and she looked out with wide eyes across the sights stretching out before her. Thank the Creator! She had never seen such a big city in her life, nor so many wonders, and even now the journey was just at its beginning.
Before the Farfolk woman could be drawn towards the enchanting aromas and sounds of the bazaar, she blinked in surprise as she realized she’d nearly bumped into a strange man approaching her, with a large, welcoming smile. Oh, damn... her common tongue wasn’t the most common, so to speak. As she narrowed her eyes up at him and processed the strange language he spoke, Fatima straightened herself up somewhat and stood tall. “Ah! Many thanks, may peace be upon you. Forgive us our poor speaking. Adventure, wealth, aspiration... well...” Fatima smiled behind her headscarf, the only thing visible being her eyes, full of bright delight. She may not entirely trust this strange man, but even her wariness combined with excitement to make her declare a bit defiantly– “Why not all three, habibi?”
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