I've been writing off and on the last week or so, in between a freelance gig and other things. I've been thinking about a bit of worldbuilding and trying to figure out head canon for a minor character...

Here is the opening:

The day had just begun but the sun already shone hot and bright above the land barely an hour after dawn. Every whitewashed wall and tower and silver dome was painted in shades of gold for miles along both banks of the river. The water below and between the banks sparkled like diamonds or stars against a deep blue liquid fabric that rippled downstream and towards the mouth of the river. Many boats of various shapes and sizes bobbed up and down while the ropes that kept them tied to the piers swayed gently as the vessels rocked against the shifting currents.

Peridan raised his hand to his temple, shielding his eyes from the glare of the strong light as he scanned the opposite bank for any unusual movement. He wish he brought a spyglass but knew it would draw even more attention to him than he wanted; the appearance of a "Northern Barbarian" outside the city gates at such an hour already attracted a few curious glances—if not questions—from the sailors and slaves that were working nearby.