Chapter 1: Amira
**Recommendation:** A tale about **Xo'tak Hotun (or Hotun)**, a princess who brought peace to Bukhara for several years by defending her land from Arab invasions. While some events touch upon historical references, most names and incidents are fictional, and the story is not strictly historical. Only certain parts draw inspiration from Ho'tak Hotun's life.
**Characters:**
* **Amira:** The protagonist, a strong, wise, and beautiful princess raised amidst war.
* **Umar:** Amira's future husband.
* **The King (her father):** Wise, nurturing, and devoted to his people.
* **Ilmu Fattoh:** Amira's mentor.
**Additional Notes:**
* **Qomar (Arabic: Moon)**
* **Shams (Arabic: Sun)**
* **Kusuful Shams (Solar Eclipse: the joining of sun and moon)**
History remembers countless kings, amirs, khans, and commanders, yet few know the story of one woman… a great queen who defended her people, her homeland, her faith, and her honor… Amira.
From the age of 13, Amira's homeland, **Qomar**, had been at war with the neighboring state of **Shams**. Was she forced to grow up amidst war? Or was it to protect herself? No. It was because she was the sole heir. Her father preferred to teach her the arts of war, strategy, and diplomacy instead of painting and music. From Baghdad, he brought his closest friend and scholar, **Ilmu Fattoh**, to guide her. Unlike other princesses confined to palaces and art, Amira was raised under the shadow of madrasa doors and the tutelage of swords, mastering knowledge and combat.
By the age of 18, the neighboring kingdom proposed a peace treaty. The previous king had died, and the throne was now held by his eldest son, **Umar**. The kingdoms of Shams and Qomar agreed to unite under peace. To strengthen the alliance, Amira was to marry Umar, a man she had never met. Together, they would rule the newly united kingdom, **Kusuful Shams**.
The day Amira was to leave Qomar for Shams, her father called her aside:
*"My daughter, I speak not as a king, but as your father. You are about to enter a foreign land, among strangers. But there will be one person there you can trust and always rely on. He is your future husband…"*
Amira interrupted him gently:
*"No, father. Do not say such things. I consent to this marriage of my own will. Whatever happens in my life, I will not blame you. This is my destiny. If this union can bring peace to both our peoples, then I have no right to oppose it."*
Hearing his daughter's words, the king kissed her forehead. No parent could find it easy to send their only child to a foreign land.
And so, that day, **Amira left her homeland of Qomar and journeyed to the kingdom of Shams**, ready to fulfill her destiny.