Iliana opened the narrow window of the rest house and was immediately greeted by the sounds of the waking market below.
Vendors were already calling out to passersby, announcing the prices of their goods and trying to attract the attention of early customers.
The street appeared surprisingly crowded for such an early hour, with people moving between the stalls and shops as though the day had already been underway for hours.
"People here wake up early," she murmured to herself.
She stood by the open window for a while, allowing the cool morning air to dry her damp hair. Once it was nearly dry, she turned away from the window and reached for the cloth bag she had brought with her.
Inside was a dress she had carefully kept aside for special occasions. It was modest but considerably finer than the clothes she usually wore, and she had brought it knowing that today was an important day.
