Granada - January 19, 870 AD
After spending months shivering in the freezing lands of the North, the mild January sunlight of Granada was a true blessing.
Al Hakam stepped out of the carriage, he took a deep breath. He was finally home.
He turned back to the carriage and carefully pulled out a massive wooden chest. The royal guards offered to help, but Al Hakam waved them away.
Inside this chest contained lots and lots of blueprints.
"Al Hakam!" A joyful voice broke his train of thought. Al Hakam looked across the courtyard and smiled broadly. Running toward him were his three siblings.
First was Qasim, his older brother, a tall and broad-shouldered man. Behind him was Malik, their younger brother, who was skinny, anxious, and always had ink stains on his fingertips from managing the family's accounting ledgers.
And finally, walking with a graceful but hurried step, was his younger sister, Laila.
