Part 9
Later that evening…
The Guardians Citadel "Il WasiQal'a"
Lady Dareejah's private solarium
A thousand candles had been lit as if to dispel the gloom but the constant flickering and fluttering of the flames made garish shadows and shapes dance across the walls of the room as if alive. A cold wind occasionally blew in through the open doors, and billowed out the sheer curtains, drawing them into thin panels of fabric shaped like skeletal fingers…
…fingers that seemed to be reaching for Dareejah as she studied the worn page of a manuscript.
Clouds skittered across the face of the full moon, and periodically, bright spikes of light would shine through the doors, casting an eerie glow on the carpeted floor. It was if a great battle was being waged between darkness and light within Dareejah's room and as she allowed herself to be consumed with the thirst for more power, the shadows grew in size and strength.
Mirrianna, Dareejah's faithful handmaiden, stood off to one side and kept a nervous but vigilant eye on her mistress. In her slightly trembling hands she held a tray of partially eaten food, and she quickly blinked away the tears that a sharp reprimand had produced. Blindly devoted, Mirrianna would stay until her mistress had need of her, or until she was overcome by exhaustion, the latter happening more often than not over the past several weeks.
The oppressive sense of evil that hovered in the room almost constantly now made Mirrianna shiver in fear, and the containers on the tray rattled slightly. Fearful that her lady would scold her again for her carelessness, Mirrianna was saved from apologizing when one of Dareejah's personal guards hurried into the room.
"Counselor Thias to see you, ya sitti" the guard announced nervously as he gave a deep bow, his gaze averted so he would be spared from seeing his mistress' anger.
"That is the fourth time you have announced him," Dareejah mused as she turned the page of the worn manuscript, absorbed in trying to decipher the location of a certain book she now needed for her plans. She pursed her lips and arched an eyebrow as she leisurely turned another page. "One must wonder how many times you will announce him, especially when I have given strict orders not to be disturbed."
The guard swallowed nervously and glanced over at Mirrianna, as if seeking her assistance; his face paled when she quickly looked away. "He is determined to be granted an audience, and…" he started to quickly explain.
"And I will not be denied an audience, Dareejah. You, of all people, should know me well enough by now to realize that what I want, I will eventually get," Thias stated as he marched into the room, his movements agitated as he started pacing in front of Dareejah's writing desk that was littered with papers.
"Of course." Dareejah blessed Thias with a dazzling yet indulgent smile as she dismissed the guard, and then began shuffling the documents on the table. And she took great pains to hide the books dated from a future world that she had every intention of exploring, and conquering, especially since she had stolen them from their hiding place.
However, Thias was quicker and before she could stop him, he snatched up the literature she had been reading, and quickly scanned the contents. He stopped reading halfway down the page, and looked at the woman sitting before him in astonishment. "Have you gone mad?" he roared as he shook the paper in a clenched fist. "Why in the name of Allah would you wish to obtain the Book of the Dead? Is it not enough for you to have stolen my slave, now you desire to resurrect the priest and add that to your growing list of sins!"
"Leave us," Dareejah crisply ordered Mirrianna and turned back to a fuming Thias, her mind feverishly trying to think of a way to placate her old ally. However, arrogance and pride in her accomplishments over the past several days overrode any sentimentality for her old lover, and Dareejah clasped her hands as she coldly assessed him. What had she ever seen in him, this preening, and power hungry peacock? "Are you done shouting at me, or do you wish to continue, further embarrassing yourself since I am most certain even the Elders can hear you?"
Thias' mouth snapped shut and he threaded his fingers through his hair in frustration, struggling to control his temper. Suddenly he decided to try a different approach. "What are you doing, maHabbi?" he asked softly, beseechingly and for the effect of it, he held out his hands as if in entreaty. "I thought you and I shared a vision of our world in a future where there are no Elders, no Guardians, and no one to stop us from being in complete control. You and I were going to rule two worlds and…"
"You bought a slave to warm your bed," Dareejah peevishly interrupted. She walked over to a looking glass mounted on one wall, and immediately smoothed back a few errant tendrils of hair from her face. Realizing that Thias was watching, she surreptitiously let her hands wander down the slim column of her neck, her fingers lightly dancing across her collarbone before slowly drawing them down the fragrant valley between her lush breasts. The sheer fabric of her night clothes drew taut from the light pull of her hands and cleverly accentuated her womanly figure until they finally came to rest by her side. A feline sense of pride overcame her when she realized Thias had been enthralled by her display and she tilted her head to one side and pouted very prettily for her old lover, confident in her charms. "Did you honestly think I would not find out?"
Thias refused to mop the perspiration from his brow even as his eyes greedily drank in the delicate vision of Dareejah standing before him. She had take great care in choosing her attire for the evening, knowing the fabric and style of the dress would emphasize her mature beauty, making Khori's youthful appeal fade in comparison. And then Thias' eyes widened when he realized Dareejah was jealous. "She is…or was supposed to aid me in my own ambitions; nothing more, nothing less. You disrupted all of my carefully laid plans by poisoning Ardeth and Ralon, ruining what chances I may have had of a successful rebellion!"
"A rebellion that would have lasted all but a day or so before the warrior sect would crush it like a ripe melon. I chose to get to the heart of the matter, and removed two obstacles which in turn immobilized the warrior sect," Dareejah stated in rebuttal and flounced back to the table, furiously gathering up some of the papers.
"Your 'removal' of said obstacles was indeed most unexpected, and while I am certainly delighted by the ensuing chaos among the Elders, I loathe pointing out the obvious flaws in your daring little plan," Thias purred as he walked around the table, a loving and indulgent smile on his face. "You should have consulted me first and then perhaps we would be having a different conversation in the royal forum rather than in your quarters."
"My plan has no flaws," Dareejah snapped as she shoved some of the papers into a lopsided pile. "Name one of them."
"Kedar Ishaq," Thias stated with relish as he came around and stood by Dareejah's side.
The mere mention of the commander's name sent an inner tremor of fear racing through Dareejah, and she leaned forward, placing her hands on top of the table as she struggled to contain her composure. The sting of his rejection had greatly wounded the confidence she held in her feminine wiles, and she desperately latched onto the anger and frustration that always fueled her actions. Feeling an icy calm sweep over her, Dareejah stood up and faced Thias, her face a cool mask of indifference and poise. "A small oversight that can be easily rectified."
Thias snorted in disbelief. "A rather loud oversight, if I may express my opinion, since in a short period of time he has managed to rally the Warrior Sect from such a tragic loss. But I know that you took their undying loyalty to their chieftain and his family into consideration and were quite prepared for the Helper Sects' intervention. How fortunate it was for them to come to the aid of the warriors, do you not agree?"
"Kedar's untimely appearance at the dining hall that night was a slight miscalculation of timing," Dareejah stated, glaring at Thias.
"Miscalculations, oversights, poor timing. Tsk, ya maHabbi, you have expended so much energy in the pursuit of the throne, so I know the Elders' hesitation in granting your petition must be frustrating. Even with the absence of the Bay family and its influence over those old men, they still cannot decide on whom to appoint as a new ruler."
"And I am most certain that you have gladly offered them several suggestions of your own, dear Thias," Dareejah said as she abruptly gestured for him to move and sauntered past him towards a small table holding a tray of refreshments. "All of them, which I know, the Elders graciously denied. I can imagine your level of annoyance must equal my own."
"Your knowledge about the Elders' indecision is impressive, considering your absence from court," Thias grudgingly admitted. "And you and I are at an impasse yet we both struggle to achieve the same goal. Can we not put aside our differences for the moment, and dare I suggest this, but once again work together? It would be like before, only better because now our dream is only moments away from being realized."
Dareejah pretended to be preoccupied in preparing a cup of tea and finally turned around to acknowledge Thias' ludicrous suggestion, a sly smile on her face. "La," she simply replied and took a delicate sip of the steaming brew.
Thias arched an eyebrow in astonishment from Dareejah's reply. "I am certain I heard you incorrectly, did I not?" he asked quietly.
Dareejah took another sip of tea and smiled, greatly amused over Thias' bewilderment. The time for play had come to an end, and so had Dareejah's patience with Thias. She walked over to him and began walking around his body, weaving her web of deceit. "While you have been playing with your new pet, and trying to sooth the Elders into believing you are the perfect candidate for chieftain, I have been preparing for a more daring strike," she whispered in a venomous voice as she continued walking. "As you expound on the injustices of world and how tragic it was for us to lose Ardeth and Ralon, I have investigated the circumstances of that night and am close to learning the truth. I do not need you any more, Thias. You have served your limited use for me, and will serve a new purpose as an obstacle between myself and the Elders."
"You are denying my suggestion?" Thias asked incredulously, his arrogant mind unable to comprehend just how powerful and daring Dareejah had grown over the past several weeks. "Without me you are nothing! I have been the one whose honeyed words have soothed the Elders, diverted the attention away from you…I have done…"
"You have done nothing but allow your manhood to think for you," Dareejah replied softly as she ran the tip of one finger around the rim of the cup, delighted that he followed her as she finally walked away from him and back to the table. "Your judgment has been clouded by a mere slip of a girl who would gladly plunge her knife into your treacherous heart in lieu of her loyalty; your lust has blinded you to the truth. Therefore, I have engaged her services and found her most suitable for a new task which she is completing now even as we speak."
Much to his eternal horror, Thias was reduced to a sputtering fool as he watched Dareejah slowly walk away from him, her body swaying enticingly with each step. "Y-y-you cannot…I will not….this is an outrage….I will…" he said as he ran after her.
"Do whatever I order you to do, and if your performance is satisfactory, your rewards will be most fitting," Dareejah declared and when the poor speechless councilor stopped in front of her, she gave him an tolerant smile as she reached up, gently stroking his face. "Poor Thias-still clinging to your misconceptions about all that was once familiar and comfortable to you; it no longer exists. I stand on the threshold of complete power, and I alone control the forces at work, both human and…inhuman. If the Elders are too frightened and incompetent to grant my petition, then I shall revert to my original plans, and seize the throne as I should have done months ago."
"The rumors are true then," Thias whispered as he staggered back from Dareejah's cold touch, and felt the color drain from his face. His eyes were wide with horrible comprehension and to his revulsion, a grudging respect for the woman standing before him who had dared so much. "They whisper that you are in control of…these beings, neither living nor dead, that exist only to serve your foul purposes. Our people hide each night in their homes from the fear that your minions will come and drag them off to do your bidding, never to be seen again. They murmur about the pockets of black magic you have released into the kingdom, causing further confusion and chaos…ya Allah, what have you become?"
Insane laughter bubbled up from Dareejah's black soul and spilled out, the sound both chilling and maniacal. She extended her arms out to the sides and threw her head back as her mirth eventually subsided. "What have I become, dear Thias?" she asked as her head snapped down, revealing the unholy gleam in her dark eyes. "I have become…stronger, more confident…and aiwa, oh hulu Allah aiwa, I control the Soulless ones." She spun around and fumbled for the paper containing the incantations for the mask shards. Lovingly she spread the pieces across the table top and waved a hand over them as the spell eagerly tumbled from her lips. She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment, aware that Thias was watching her every movement in captivated silence. Only when she felt the familiar rush of power race through her body, heralding the Soulless Ones' impending arrival, did she turn back to her old lover, blessing him with a malicious smile. And for a moment she marveled that he was cowering to one side.
"The rumors are true," she announced with a deep throaty laugh. Her mercurial moods switched as she shook her fist in the air and her lips curled back in a defiant sneer. "It is time to silence the disbelievers, and bring the mighty hierarchy to its knees! I want them begging me to become the new ruler! It is time for a small demonstration of the power that I hold within my hands, and you," she swept out one arm and pointed to him, proclaiming him responsible for her drastic actions. "You are to blame for their downfall, Thias. You are the one that goaded me into doing this!"
"Me? Ir-raHman Allah, did…did just you summon them?" Thias croaked as he felt the fine hairs on his neck rise. A sense of foreboding swept through his body, chilling him to his soul and Thias swore that the woman he once loved no longer existed. In her place was a woman who had gladly shown him the depths of her desire to become the new ruler of the Medjai. The thirst for power had corrupted and purged any goodness from Dareejah, leaving in its place a stranger with an insatiable appetite for more, always more. She was like the succubus that he had heard Kedar once call her, and for the first time in his career as councilor to the Elders, the arrogant bravery that had always served Thias in the past suddenly crumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust, leaving the man shaken and very much afraid.
Dareejah's face contorted into an expression of sublime pleasure as she felt the Soulless Ones draw near and she gestured at Thias with one claw-like hand. "You may leave me now and wait for further orders. By dawn, you will hear news of the Warrior Sect being eradicated and if I am feeling generous, you may join in me in celebrating the beginning of a new era for our people."
Thias' mouth dropped open when he saw several apparitions appear behind Dareejah, their earthly manifestation no longer consisting of skin and bones. A cold wind suddenly whipped through the room, and the ghostly tendrils of the undead floated around Dareejah's body, swelling the ends of her gown until both entities seemed joined. She seemed oblivious to the price she would have to pay for harnessing the power of the Soulless Ones, and Thias suddenly lacked the fortitude to inform her.
He fled from the chamber as if a swarm of locusts were after him, and he didn't stop running until he found Itosh. Then with his loyal friend by his side, Thias composed himself and frantically tried to determine the next best course of action that would ensure he triumphed over a mad woman.
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"It looks like…hummus, bread, goat cheese, and some fruit," Jamie announced as she looked over the containers of food that had been brought earlier. "Are you in the mood to eat anything or does your stomach still feel queasy?"
Cecelia had been leaning against the wall near the window and been mildly fascinated with the moon rising, its low berth in the dark sky somehow reminding her of home. Memories of a happy childhood spent gazing at the moon during a hot summer night had temporarily lifted Cecelia's spirits, but in the process it also made her extremely homesick. And with the homesickness came the doubts – had she done the right thing in coming here? Would Ardeth even remember her? Would there be something beyond the physical attraction she felt for him, or would they only be granted that brief moment in time?
With a sigh, Cecelia adjusted her borrowed veil, tucking the ends of it behind her ears, and walked over to Jamie, curiosity about the food driving her actions more than hunger. "They seem to be treating us well, despite the present accommodations," she murmured as she sat down next to her friend. She noticed her hands were shaking, and her gaze flew up to meet Jamie's knowing one; immediately she dropped them into her lap.
Jamie reached over and patted Cecelia's forearm in silent understanding, and then pulled apart the bread. "We're just tired, that's all," she said as she offered Cecelia a small piece.
"You know, lying on a beach somewhere in Greece doesn't sound so bad right about now," Cecelia teased, her eyes sparkling with a rare display of humor. "I can just imagine Sharif walking around in nothing but a thong bikini, all that muscular skin a dark golden bronze, and looking like Adonis while you're wiping your mouth with a beach towel."
Jamie giggled. "Sharif would so not wear a banana sack, and since when are you fantasizing about my warrior? Fantasize about your own."
Cecelia grinned as she nibbled on the bread. "So you admit that if he were to wear swim trunks on the beach, you would still be wiping your mouth rather than cavorting with him in the ocean?"
Jamie playfully pinched Cecelia's arm. "First of all, I don't 'cavort' and second, I have no problem whatsoever if Sharif wants to wear swim trunks. Although I'm kind of partial to the ones that just happen to slip down the waist a little, exposing those indentations on the side…you know the ones I'm talking about."
Cecelia's smiled faded as she wondered if she would ever think of Ardeth beyond the limited memories that her troubled heart and mind kept producing. The two women fell into a companionable silence as Cecelia thought about the past several days; they were exhausted and simply craved nothing more than a long hot bath and the chance to sleep in a comfy bed for a few days.
The four day ride towards the check point that Zayn had chosen had seemed interminable, and the sweltering heat of the day coupled with the chill of the night had rapidly drained what remaining strength Cecelia and her friends had. Zayn eventually apologized for setting such a harsh pace, stating that they were unused to this climate and that this was his world, his time; they were blissfully ignorant that the desert was a harsh but beautiful mistress.
The hours were idled away with lessons from Zayn on how to survive, both in the Sahara and as part of the Medjai; his impromptu instruction turned out to be a blessed distraction. They helped stem the endless flow of questions and jokes from Eric, and had unwittingly served to bolster Cecelia's sagging confidence, affirming that she did indeed belong in this world. Jamie was simply acting like a sponge, as Eric had aptly called her onenight, absorbing everything in the hopes that her transition would be an easy one.
Time had passed pleasantly enough but their arrival in town at the predetermined location had unsettled the small band of travelers, and foolishly Zayn had decided to wait an additional twenty four hours in the hopes that his contact would arrive. What came instead were several small groups of men, who seemed to have little patience and liking for their task. Astonishingly enough, all of them were kidnapped in broad daylight and quickly transported out of town, arriving at the ruins of an old fort by nightfall.
Separated from the men, Cecelia and Jamie had been firmly guided to what would serve as their room for the nights to come, or as their prison cell as Jamie had bleakly called it. The hours of the day were spent trying to remain cool and coaxing their taciturn guard to talk to them, hopefully revealing some much needed news about Eric and Zayn. The nights were worse as the temperatures dropped once the sun set, but their captors took the necessary precautions to ensure that the women were warm and comfortable for the night.
Cecelia dropped the rest of the uneaten pita onto the tray and climbed to her feet, resuming her vigilant position by the window. If she stood up on her toes, she could see across the courtyard and wholeheartedly believed that she would see someone come through the gates very soon…someone dressed in black, riding a prancing stallion…someone whose dark eyes would be alight with happiness as he rode closer…someone who had saved her before, and would undoubtedly save her again.
"Behold a dark rider," she murmured. Dejectedly Cecelia rested her forehead against the cold stone wall near the window as she peered out into the gathering darkness, wishing with all of her woman's heart that Ardeth would miraculously appear…
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A brief note: a recent review from an anon. person read, "poisoned tea? Pigs blood? Has someone been reading Harem Nights recently?"
To reply in the most honest and sincere way possible, yes I have and how could I not be inspired? I emailed Nakhti in regards to this matter, and we're cool so props to her and her magnificent story, "Harem Nights" for inspiring. And to pay homage to the classics, props out to Stephen King's "Carrie" and "Arsenic and Old Lace" as well. I could ramble on a bit further about this but I believe that's not allowed now. Feel free to email me if you wish...and of course, thanks for stopping by and reading.
