The plan was underway. Soldiers trained with vigor in the scorching Assab sun, the clang of weapons and barked orders blending into the salty air of the bustling port town. Rows of refugees and freed slaves lined the makeshift shelters as aid trickled in.
Assab, once a quiet port town, had swelled with the influx of refugees and liberated slaves. Different languages, customs, and fears clashed beneath the surface. Khisa had sensed the tension brewing and knew it would boil over if left unchecked.
Princess Azenet moved with grace and determination through the town, her white linen robes billowing gently in the sea breeze. She had accepted Khisa's request to oversee internal affairs, and though daunting, she approached it with a resolute heart. The town's population had tripled in just a few weeks, with survivors from raids, freed slaves, and merchants flooding the port. Different tribes and languages clashed. Tempers flared over food, customs, and even places to pray.
