Description
Evie was in the town one day when she found a little girl running in the markets of Cairo. She had stolen a loaf of bread from the food stand and the man trying to catch her was coming fast and being a clever and kind woman she said, "Sorry for my niece, she tends to wander and I told her we were looking for bread to take home. I had not given her money and she was looking for me." The man not questioning what amount of money she gave him, which wasn't much, let the child go and gave them the loaf. "What's your name little one?", she asked. At first the little girl was quite surprised, many would've let her get beaten for being caught stealing. Shyly she said, "My name is Zia." Soon the sun began to set and the breath of his mother became more faint, she pleaded her brother to take in her son and he agreed without hesitation. With her last breaths she said goodbye to her son, telling him that both his parents will be watching over him, to be a good boy, and to listen to his uncle. When her hand fell limp and cold Ardeth took his nephew in his arms as they grieved for the loss of a sister, the loss of a mother. With silent tears running down his face he vowed, "I shall watch over you, Akil, in the name of your mother and in the name of Allah."
Prologue
