Novel: At the Persian Bazaar

Chapter Four: The Frenzied Bazaar, the Eve of Madness

1. The Opening of Chaos: The Vendors’ Roar

Only a few hours remained until the hour of prophecy.

The air of the bazaar was no longer made of oxygen,

but of powdered spices and the heated breath of tens of thousands.

“Hey! Move out of the way!

Do you want to wait for Allah’s judgment right here?!”

The learned merchant Danesh, usually calm and rational,

was red-faced and screaming at the top of his lungs.

From his shop, precious ancient manuscripts had been hastily cleared away

to make room for piles of silver bells meant to welcome the Princess’s palanquin.

“Danesh! The bells aren’t loud enough!

If they don’t ring like they’re tearing through the sky,

how will the Princess ever notice us?!”

At the neighboring stall, the normally composed Inaz

was piling sacks of saffron and cumin in near-madness.

Golden powder swirled around her, catching the sunlight,

making her appear like a spirit forged from gold itself.

“Inaz, calm down!

…but you’re right! Today isn’t business—this is a festival, a holy battle!”

Danesh grabbed a nearby customer by the arm

and forced a vial of the finest perfume into his hand.

“Take it! When the Princess passes, scatter this scent into the air!

Not a single drop wasted—understand?!”

2. Crawling Devotion: The Beggars’ “Cleansing”

From the bazaar gate to the central square stretched the main avenue.

There, hundreds of beggars led by the elder Kabir

were crawling across the ground, performing their “task.”

They were no longer asking for alms.

“Polish it! Not a single grain of sand left between the stones!”

Kabir’s rasping voice rang out.

They soaked their tattered cloths in water

and scrubbed the stone pavement the Princess would pass over

until their fingertips bled.

“Kabir… we’re starving.

But it’s strange—just knowing the Princess is coming makes me forget the hunger.”

A young beggar whispered.

“Of course,” Kabir replied.

“We are building the most beautiful stage in this city.

When the Princess casts her shadow upon these stones, our lives will be redeemed.

Polish it! Polish until it shines like a mirror—

until it reflects her beauty perfectly!”

3. The Mad Feast of Performers: Shahab and Jarre’s Sorcery

At the center of the square,

the serpent charmer Shahab had already whipped the crowd into rapture.

The sound of his flute was no longer music—

it was a pulse that vibrated directly through the listeners’ veins.

“Look! My partner—the cobra—has begun to glow gold,

feeling the hour of prophecy!”

As he spoke, the massive serpent slithered from its basket,

responding to the crowd’s fevered heat.

Its scales shimmered eerily as it raised its hood toward the sky.

Right beside them, people pressed in around the tent of the seer Jarre,

stacked atop one another in desperation.

“Jarre! It’s true, isn’t it?!

At noon today—the clock really stops, doesn’t it?!”

Jarre had fallen into a trance so deep

she could barely support her own body.

The crystal she pointed at had turned cloudy white,

as if glowing from within, reflecting every explosion of preparation

unfolding throughout the bazaar.

“…It comes… everything melts together…

the ferocity of the desert, the beauty of the palace,

the lament of those beneath the earth…

all of it becomes a single miracle in this market…!”

4. The Desert’s Death March: The Return of Cyrus and Shaheen

At the main gate of the bazaar—

just as the guards moved to refuse entry,

a thunderous cry split the horizon.

“Stand aside!

The caravan of Cyrus—who crossed the desert and cheated death—returns!”

Shaheen charged forward astride a camel,

raising a sword caked with sand high above his head.

Behind him followed a herd of camels burdened with heavy cargo,

on the verge of collapse—yet their eyes burned with the light of victory.

“We made it in time!

Danesh! Inaz! The promised silk and incense!”

As Cyrus leapt into the bazaar,

a roar like an earthquake erupted from the waiting crowd.

“Cyrus is here!

The Hawk has returned with his prey!”

Men fought to unload the camels’ cargo,

while women unfurled the silk and draped it across the market walls.

The bazaar now pulsed like a single colossal living being—

throbbing, roaring, screaming—

and waiting for that moment.

5. The Countdown to Silence

And then—

The instant the sun reached its zenith

and all shadows vanished beneath their owners’ feet—

The clamor of the bazaar stopped abruptly,

as if someone had seized its throat.

“…It stopped.”

Danesh looked up at the clock and whispered, trembling.

The massive gears locked together with a harsh clack,

and the ticking of seconds ceased.

Yayoi—please look.

Just as in that image:

the golden air solidified,

and the domes in the background stood frozen within shimmering heat haze.

The people of the market forgot how to breathe,

overwhelmed by expectation.

Then, from deep within the bazaar—

kata… kata…

The slow sound of wheels approached.

It was the palanquin of Princess Nilfar.

Protected by the handmaiden Inji,

with the guard Hosein leading the way

and Lady Irem lifting her chin in proud satisfaction—

Everything was ready.

The destiny that had long held itself back

now drew the curtain

and stepped onto the stage.