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Inside the warmly lamplit Persian palace reception hall, Saba and Soraya kneel at a carpeted low table, arranging pomegranates, watermelon and bowls of nuts. Rose steps through an ornate arch, waving, as laughter glints off tiled walls.
Yalda night wrapped the warm Persian palace. Princess sisters Saba and Soraya arranged nuts, pomegranates, and watermelon. Guests arrived—Rose with little Even, and Rayan with baby Mino. “Salaam!” they chorused. Laughter sparkled.
By the fire-lit low table inside the palace, Saba frowns at the sparse fruit plates while Rayan stands nearby, gently rocking sleeping Mino in his arms. Shadows dance on patterned walls and scattered pistachio shells.
At the low table, Saba blinked. “Oh no—there isn’t enough fruit!” Soraya whispered, “Before Mama and Baba notice, let’s find more.” Rayan straightened. “I can help,” he said, rocking sleeping Mino.
In a torch-lit stone corridor of the palace, Rose, wrapped in a patterned scarf, tiptoes forward while Even clutches her hand and glances nervously at the dark archway leading outside. Tasseled carpets soften their quiet steps.
Rose brightened. “I heard about a secret garden behind the palace.” The friends grabbed scarves and tiptoed away. Even clutched Rose’s hand. “I’m scared,” he peeped. “Big sisters protect,” Soraya promised.
On the moonless palace courtyard, Saba stands by a stone fountain, her silhouette barely visible in the inky night. Rayan leans toward a dark arch where a faint silver jingle drifts from the shadows.
They slipped through long echoing hallways into the courtyard. Night felt thick as cocoa. No moon, no stars—only darkness. “How will we find trees?” Saba asked. Then, from shadows, a soft jingling.
In the snow-dusted courtyard garden under black sky, a silver unicorn lowers its glowing horn like a lantern, illuminating swirling sparkles. Saba kneels, giggling, as the creature gently sniffs the small pouch of nuts in her hands.
A unicorn stepped forward, silver mane swishing. Its horn glowed like a lantern, sprinkling sparkles on snow. It sniffed Saba’s nut pouch. She giggled and shared. “You like Yalda treats?” Saba asked.
In the palace garden, the unicorn’s radiant horn paints a glowing gold path over fresh snow. Rayan gestures forward while Rose squeezes Even’s hand; the shimmering track reflects warm light onto their bundled scarves.
The horn brightened, painting a golden path across the garden. “It wants us to follow,” Rayan whispered. Rose nodded. Even squeezed her hand, taller. “I’m trying brave steps,” he said. They followed.
In a hidden grove deep in the garden, watermelon vines and pomegranate trees glow like jewels beneath the unicorn’s soft light. Saba and Soraya stare upward, snowflakes sparkling in their hair as fruit glistens around them.
The path ended at a hidden grove. Watermelon vines and pomegranate trees shimmered, fruit gleaming like jewels in winter. “Magic!” Saba breathed. “Thank you, friend,” Soraya whispered to the unicorn. Snowflakes twinkled.
In the moon-lit grove, Rayan stretches on tiptoe to pluck a ruby pomegranate from a branch while Saba hefts a striped watermelon beside him. Rose steadies a woven basket on the snowy ground, ready for the harvest.
Rayan reached high, picking ruby pomegranates. Saba and Soraya teamed up to carry watermelons. Rose steadied a basket so Even could hold it proudly. “We’ve got this,” Rose cheered. “Together,” everyone answered.
At the torch-lit palace doorway, the unicorn bows low on sparkling snowflakes before dissolving into swirling light. Saba waves enthusiastically while Even stands beside her, eyes wide at the fading glow on the carved wooden doors.
Loaded with fruit, they followed the golden path home. At the palace door, the unicorn bowed gently. Sparkles swirled, and it vanished. “Thank you!” the children waved. “Our shining secret,” whispered Even.
Inside the fire-glowing palace salon, a tapestry-backed fireplace lights Mama and Baba as they sit reading a Hafez book. Between them, the low table overflows with freshly gathered pomegranates and watermelon while guests clap around the room.
Inside, the low table overflowed again. Guests clapped and cheered. Mama and Baba smiled by the firelight, reading Hafez lines. “You worked together beautifully,” Mama said. Baba nodded, eyes twinkling. The palace glowed.
In a quiet corner of the lamplit hall, Saba kneels to hug Soraya, both sisters smiling softly beside embroidered cushions. Candlelight flickers over their faces and the distant celebration.
Saba hugged Soraya and whispered, “I’m glad you’re my sister.” “Together we are stronger,” Soraya said. Rose kissed Even’s forehead. “Because you were with me, I felt brave,” he said. Rayan touched Mino’s tiny hand and promised, “I’ll always protect you.”
Within the dim palace hall, Saba and Rose sit cross-legged beside tall candles whose flames throw dancing shadows on carved walls. Outside the window, winter darkness presses, yet inside, fruit plates gleam and a faint distant jingle drifts.
Outside, the night stayed long and dark. Inside, hearts were bright and warm. Candles flickered, stories and poems danced. Somewhere, a distant jingle drifted. “Next Yalda, we’ll help again,” the friends promised.
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