"That's a different name. I've never heard that name before," the boy said.
"It's an ancient Greek name. I think only a few people have it. My father used to love old folk stories. He even memorized them by heart to tell them in the councils," the girl replied.
"My name is Abu Bakr," he said, before remembering his father's warning not to tell anyone his name on this trip.
"Abu Bakr," the girl repeated, her eyes moving as though she were trying to recall something.
"Yes, he was carried by the friend of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him." Then they began to talk about everything. This time, the boy felt more at ease, even sharing about the small box he was carrying.
"You traveled all this way for this box? And what could it possibly contain?" she asked incredulously.
"I don't know. My father has always been interested in forgotten pieces of artifacts. Maybe this is one of them," he replied. He continued, telling her how he was about to set sail to fulfill his dream, but this trip had delayed him.
The girl marveled at this. She had always thought Egypt was everyone's dream, and due to its cost, few could visit to see the great river and the pyramids, which were said to be much higher than the temple walls.
"What could you wish for more than a trip to see a country like Egypt?" she asked.
"A journey into the unknown," the boy answered. Then, feeling he had spoken too much about himself, he added, "Tell me about you, Artemis."
Her name sounded beautiful on his tongue, and she spoke endlessly for hours, forgetting the books, the market, and even the desert itself. But the darkness eventually interrupted their conversation. They exchanged books and parted ways, leaving their conversation unfinished, as if there was much more to say.
Later that evening, the boy found himself near some councils mostly made up of caravan merchants. They were exchanging news, talking about their sales, and sharing stories that no one truly believed—stories they themselves didn't fully trust. Among them, he overheard two men speaking.
"…The Grand Prince must be overjoyed. He's about to rule the greatest kingdoms of this age," one said.
"If I were him, I'd be happy too. No one above me, no more tiring caravan journeys," the other responded, laughing.
"I heard the king is on his deathbed. His days are numbered," the first man said.
"Yes, he was loved in the beginning of his reign. He gave a lot to the poor, but he should have handed over the rule to his son Moses before making these foolish decisions because of his old age and illness."
"You mean to send those ships to their fate?" the second man asked.
"Yes. Many people in the kingdom hated him after they lost their sons, especially the sailors' families," the first man replied.
Abu Bakr listened with shock, feeling as if the ground beneath him was about to swallow him under the weight of the news. He gathered his courage and asked them if what he had heard was true. They explained that a caravan had just arrived from the kingdom and that they had heard the news from them.
The boy quickly gathered his things, took his bag, and started asking about the leader of the caravan. After a short search, he found him. They spoke briefly, and it wasn't long before the caravan leader began calling out loudly, "The caravan will leave early tomorrow! Gather everything!"
He repeated this over and over, ensuring everyone could hear. Some people questioned the sudden departure, since they had only been in the area for two days and hadn't had their full rest. The leader explained that Prince Abu Bakr himself had ordered it.