Artemis woke up that morning to the sound of pigeons nesting in the ceiling. Most of the birds in the temple were either pigeons or crows, but Artemis felt fortunate to occasionally see more colorful birds sold in the market. She had once bought one of them—a bird decorated with colors that captivated the eye. However, she felt sorrow when she saw it locked in a cage, so she decided to give it to one of the women in the caravan, asking her to release it once they reached the Kingdom.
Determined to finish her work early, Artemis set about her tasks. Her work involved removing the color from old fabrics, which were then sent to the Kingdom to be re-dyed and sold again. It wasn't a job that earned her much money, but it was enough to meet her and her mother's needs.
That day, Artemis was particularly happy. She felt as though she had finally found someone safe to talk to—someone who could possibly deliver news about her father, who had been away for so long. She was hopeful that the boy she had met might be the one to bring that news.
As she finished her work, she prepared some food to give to the boy in exchange for his services. She then set off for the market. The road seemed long and endless, but after a short while, she arrived at the familiar place—the spot where she had sent thousands of letters and tears over the last two years, hoping for news from her father. Every time she arrived here, the weight of longing made her want to cry, but not today. The place no longer felt dark or lonely to her. She felt as though something had changed in the last two days, and perhaps, she might finally hear from her father.
Reaching the spot where the boy had been selling books, Artemis was surprised to find no trace of him. She waited for a while, thinking he might have been delayed, but the boy didn't show up, even after hours had passed.
"Young lady," a voice called out. It was the textile seller whom Artemis had seen nearby in the last few days. The woman came closer, and when Artemis approached, she said, "Early this morning, a boy who was selling books near me asked if I had seen you talking to him yesterday. He asked me to give you this piece of paper along with some money." The woman handed her a small bundle.
Artemis was puzzled. "Didn't he say when he would return to the market?" she asked.
"Maybe next year," the woman replied. "His caravan left this morning."
At that moment, it felt as though the colors drained from the world again, leaving the place dark and empty, despite the sun being high in the sky.
Mandine stopped reading there. Her heart felt torn, and she set the book aside, planning to read it later. She went to sleep, overwhelmed by the story.