The rain came so often in the land of Khuria, soaking deep into the soil, that sometimes it would patter the streets for days straight. Children would wait by the windowsill, bored out of their minds, while their parents would complain about having to miss certain engagements due to the constant rain.

It was times like these that encouraged the people to take full advantage of the rare sunny days, whether it be having a family picnic, visiting the nearby zoo, or taking their children to the market.

The market was probably one of the most exciting places in Khuria, as people from all over the land went there to trade their goods with one another.

On one of those sunny days, two sisters decided to explore the great plaza where the nearby market stood. For a five-year-old girl and her three-year- old sister, it was the first time they had ever been to the market, and such a place was fascinating.

Looking down at the younger girl, she found her gurgling happily, and pointing to a sculpture of a regal woman at the corner of the street. "Look, Ajah, a princess!"

The older girl smiled, showing a missing tooth, and took the younger girl's hand protectively. The word Ajah was just a part of the secret titles in their family. Their mother was their Amah, their father was their Apaa, and she was the Ajah, a word that labeled her as the younger girl's protector. Such a responsibility could not be ignored.

Looking over at the statue, the girl stopped thoughtfully. "No, Shali, I think she's a queen!" One of the woman's features caught her eyes, and she giggled. "Look, she has purple eyes, like you!"

"Really?" The girl called Shalikea, nicknamed Shali, ran up to the sculpture and looked carefully. "Purple!" The two girls fell to giggles at this exciting discovery.

"Firs' time ya girls been here?"

The older girl whirled around to see a small man approaching them. He wore torn rags, and his face was dirty. The Ajah knew, however, that this man was not poor. His hair was combed, and his teeth were pearly white.

Looking the man bravely in the eye, she lisped, "Our parents are close by."

The man chuckled, as if he knew what a lie that was. "Don' worry, I ain't gonna hurt ya, I jus' wanna offer ya these." He extended out a dirty hand to her. In the center of his hand was a small pile of white powder.

Poisonous herbs, the older girl thought. Papa told us about them. Only bad people sold them.

Looking back at the man, she took a step back, dragging her sister with her. "I'm sorry, we don't want any. They're bad for you."

The man stood slowly, as if he understood that he wasn't going to find a willing customer here. Suddenly, his hand shot out, grabbing the older girl's collar and lifted her off the ground. The back of her dress dug into her neck painfully, and she started to cry.

Seeing that she was trapped, the girl screamed to her younger sister. "Run, Shali! Run as fast as you can!"

Shalikea dropped her sister's hand and burst deep into the tangle of people within the plaza.