The Djinn's Chosen
A/N:This is my Secret Santa gift to anonymouscandiedsquid on Tumblr!
I'm having trouble accessing my Tumblr account now but I'm posting this piece anyway. Since both of us are interested in Farangis, I thought I'd write something about her, based mostly on my own headcanons since we don't really find out much about her in the series and I think that's a shame considering she is a very intriguing character and one of the main females as well.
I hope this doesn't seem too far off the mark and that we learn more about Farangis as the series progresses. This is set sometime before she first joins Arslan's group in season one.
Happy New Year and hope you like this!
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The Djinn had always spoken to her.
Ever since she was a child, Farangis had always heard voices, whispering secrets into her ear, sharing knowledge forbidden to everyone else, awakening her mind to worlds beyond her imagining. She had not known what to call them at first but they soon revealed themselves to her.
From these experiences, she learned a great many things very early in life, important lessons that would help her survive the many trials ahead. She learned that she was not to speak of these voices to the people around her, not until the time was right. A small child telling adults about the whispers of the wind and spirits would easily be dismissed as someone merely with an overactive imagination. No one would take her seriously, even when she spoke the truth.
But as time went by and her words became almost prophetic, eerily accurate descriptions of circumstances far beyond anyone's control, people began regarding her with suspicion and contempt. Why would someone like her, a girl of humble origins, be granted insights into the workings of the world? Why would any woman be given so much knowledge in a world that was ruled by vicious, powerful men?
She learned that people were often afraid of what they did not understand. And when people were afraid, they could become cruel. Whispers turned into brazen insults, furtive glances became glares of hatred and disgust. She learned to shield herself from the painful words they hurled at her, to face their angry accusations with grace and dignity. And soon, all of the awful names some of them had called her no longer mattered. Witch, sorceress, demon.
No one dared utter such words the day she became a novice at the Temple of Mithra. All those who had ridiculed or despised her finally realized that she was beyond their reach. All those who had been suspicious of her abilities finally realized that she had been destined for a noble calling. But none of their opinions mattered to her at all. She chose the path the Djinn had offered her and she had no intention of turning back.
She learned to be strong, in both mind and body. For years she trained in various defensive arts and spent countless hours studying divine texts and listening to sacred teachings. Since Mithra was the all-seeing Protector of Truth, all his priestesses were committed to upholding truth and promoting justice even in a wicked world.
She became an expert in using all manner of weapons, not just blades and arrows, but also the subtler arts: stealth, disguise, charm, beauty. She was well aware of the frailty of men when it came to beautiful women and she often used this to her advantage. Since they were often determined to underestimate her, she would use their folly against them. And many came to regret underestimating her only too late.
Although she often looked so assured of herself, even Farangis had her moments of doubt.
"I am not weak," she often reminded herself, "I must be strong so that I can protect others."
She learned that she would have to protect herself effectively before she could embark on a mission to protect others. And she was driven by a desire to protect others, those the world had overlooked or misunderstood, those who were destined for greatness but only needed someone to help them fulfill their destiny.
Despite her cold practicality and ruthlessness in battle, she still had a compassionate heart, one that sympathized with the poor and downtrodden of the world. She would spend hours praying for lost souls or the spirits of the departed for while she excelled at bloodshed, she took little pleasure in it. Fighting was a necessary evil only and she prayed for a world when there would be as little warfare as possible.
And whenever the Djinn whispered to her, she listened. They had saved her life on numerous occasions as well as helped her save the lives of countless others. They sought justice as much as she did and guided her through rough paths and treacherous missions. She had fought bandits and soldiers and other nefarious figures who had believed that she would be an easy target. She had fended off advances of eager, lecherous men who believed that she was a prize to be won. Everywhere she went, she subverted expectations and she enjoyed seeing the surprised look of people's (often men) faces whenever they realized that they had misjudged her.
But she herself was an excellent judge of character, having carefully observed so many different kinds of people all her life. From her childhood to her time at the temple and then during her extensive travels, Farangis made sure that she observed the people around her and learned their ways. She watched and she listened, keeping every detail stored in her memory, a truly impressive one at that. And people found it easy to confide in her, assured that she was someone who could be trusted with their deepest secrets.
The more she saw of the world, the less understandable it became, but she enjoyed the challenge of complexity. After all, a world easily understood would be unbearably dull.
At the end of a long day, she often reflected on life while having a quiet moment by herself, and sipping some wine. As much as she enjoyed solitude, there were days when she longed for some companionship. She had met so many people during her travels but all of them had been fleeting parts of her life, here one moment and gone the next. And yet, most of the time it was easier to be alone on a journey. There were less chances of losing people one cared about. Still, being around others was bound to be interesting and Farangis craved some excitement.
But as she made her way towards her latest mission, Farangis was not worried. The Djinn had assured her that there were thrilling and possibly dangerous adventures ahead and she always believed them. They had never let her down.
Besides, helping a noble young prince claim his rightful place at the throne of a kingdom torn apart by war and bloodshed was bound to be full of surprises.