Something Fairytale-ish

Something Mulan-ish Part III

"Take a seat," Harith said, motioning towards a cushion on the ground. Huriyah sat down. Harith went into another room and came back with a tray that had a coffee pot and two coffee cups. "Please enjoy the coffee," he said as he placed a tiny coffee cup in front of Huriyah. She smiled and thanked him for his hospitality, sipping the hot drink carefully.

As she drank the coffee, she studied the room. It was big enough that two people could move around in it comfortably. The walls were dark grey, the two windows carved into it being the only sources of light, and a few small tapestries were hung to add some color to the room. Shelves full of scrolls and books surrounded the room. The floor was covered in small rugs and straw mats. There was another cushion besides the one she sat on, which Harith occupied, and the two were separated by a small wooden table. Huriyah nodded to herself.

"Not bad," she thought. Harith cleared his throat.

"It's extremely rare to find a literate person. Who taught you language?" he asked her, gazing at her curiously.

"A merchant," she said. Harith looked surprised.

"A merchant? How?" he asked, intrigued. Huriyah shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"When I was little, a merchant came by our town," she began as she recounted the story.

~~~~~Story Time~~~~~

Huriyah clutched her mother's hand as they walked through the marketplace. It was her first time shopping, so she gazed at everything in wonder.

"Stick close to me Huriyah," her mother ordered. "This place is big and you can easily get lost."

"Okay Mama," the little Huriyah replied. Her mother stopped at a coffee stall.

"I need two mudd of coffee beans," she told the stall owner. As they waited, something interesting caught Huriyah's attention. She stared at the stall owner next door, who was focusing intently on a scroll. Huriyah wondered what he was looking at. She started fidgeting, trying to get a closer look at the scroll. The stall owner looked up and saw her curious gaze. He smiled.

"Would you like to take a look young lady?" he asked her kindly. Huriyah blushed and hid behind her mother. She looked back at the stall owner. He was next to them. She would still be close to her mother, right? Huriyah slowly let go of her mother's hand and tentatively walked towards the merchant. His eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched the little girl make her way towards him.

"What are you looking at?" she asked him with her small, childish voice.

"I'm reading," he corrected her as he brandished the scroll for her to see. Huriyah's eyes squinted as she looked at the strange shapes.

"Reading?" she asked, the word sounding foreign on her tongue.

"Yes, reading," he answered. "It's when you look at these shapes and know the words that they make," he explained. Huriyah's eyes grew big.

"I want to learn how to read!" she exclaimed. The merchant chuckled.

"I can teach you if you'd like," he offered.

"Really?" Huriyah asked.

"Mhm. But maybe some other day, your mother is waiting for you," he said as he motioned towards her impatient mother with his head. Huriyah turned to leave.

"Goodbye mister," she bade him. "I hope I can see you again soon." The merchant chuckled as he waved.

...

The following week, Huriyah and her mother returned to the marketplace once again. Huriyah was very excited to see the merchant again. He had promised to teach her how to read, and she was really looking forward to it.