Chapter 10: The Mighty Al-Shairan
Jessie and the four knights that followed her carefully guided their horses to the top of the dune nearest the Labyrinth. A soft, warm wind blew across the sand. The night was warmer then expected and was eerily quiet. Sir Hugo urged his horse to move beside Jessie's.
"Sir, where are these Shaitans?" Sir Hugo asked in a harsh whisper.
"Move back" Sir Jessie said. She pulled out her horn. "I'll call and see if we get a response."
Jessie raised the horn to her lips and blew. A long steady tone came from the horn. Jessie blew again and let the horn fall back to her side. The wind had picked up, but the desert remained calm.
"How did they appear when you were last here?" Sir Aulus asked.
"They just showed up" Jessie said. Taking a lung full of air, Jessie bellowed "I demand to talk to the Shaitans! I am Sir Jessie Cardemus of the Labyrinth!"
The wind simply blew sand at the horse's feet.
"That worked wonders" Sir Drake said in a sardonic tone. He adjusted his green leather tunic and stared out at the dunes.
"Perhaps they desire an offering" Sir Sasha offered. She was dressed in leather armor, but wore a helmet that was much like Sir Jessie's.
"Water?" Sir Aulus asked.
"Try it" Jessie said. Aulus held up a leather canteen. Jessie called out again. "We come bearing water if you will allow us diplomatic passage so we may talk to your king!"
The wind blew.
"I don't think that worked eith—AH!" Sir Drake said. The ground below the knights rumbled as if something great moved under the sand.
"We need to speak to your king! It's very important!" Sir Jessie yelled. A wave of sand moved towards them and stopped a grand five feet from the horses. Two womanly figures emerged from the sand.
"Ama'sovai, you have returned" The figures hissed in unison. "Our king does not wish to talk with you."
"Please, I must speak with him" Sir Jessie said. "It's of dire importance. It will indefinitely affect him."
The two figures seemed to think about it and they flinched as if they heard a voice. After a moment, the sand before the knights parted to display two large doors. The doors opened and the two females gestured for the knights to enter.
The knights passed through the tall doors and into the intricately tiled, large foyer. The Shaitan females followed them into large foyer, changing from a sandy form to a very reddish-tan human form.
"You must leave your horses here" The females said.
"Will they be safe?" Sir Aulus asked.
"They will remain here until you come for them" The females replied. The five knights dismounted and stepped away from the horses with their gallon-size water canteens. Another Shaitan female came from around a corner and opened a large door.
"Straight through" The female said. She gave the knights a large, sharp-toothed smile. She gestured with her bracelet clad arms.
The knights walked straight through the long hall and through a set of open doors until they found themselves before a very large throne and a very large king. His skin was not reddish like the Shaitans, he was a rich turquoise. His long black hair was fixed into a long, thick black braid. About his neck, ears, and wrists were hordes of gold jewelry with thick glass beads. He stood as the knights approached his throne. His rich clothing rustled with the heavy sound that curtains make when rustled.
The knights strained to look up at him since he stood at a grand eighteen feet tall. The turquoise man blinked with his strange, sideways eyes and after a flash of bright light, he stood at six-foot eight.
"I am King Al-Shairan" The man said. The knights immediately knelt before him until he simply stated "Rise."
"Your Majesty" Sir Jessie said. "I am Sir Jessie Cardemus from the Labyrinth."
"Yes, I heard" King Al-Shairan said. A mortal size throne had been moved out from somewhere, or perhaps it had gone unseen before. Al-Shairan sat in it. "I also heard that you bear the gift of water."
"Yes, sire" Sir Jessie said. She moved her water canteen to the floor. "We are only carrying one gallon a piece, but you may take our water if you will hear us."
"You are the Halfling that I was told about, aren't you?" Al-Shairan asked. He leaned forward, obviously leering at the knight before him. His eyes, which would have looked normal had a person been tilting their head horizontally, blinked again and were a rich gold. Al-Shairan gave Jessie a toothy grin, exposing his sharp pointed teeth. He suddenly leaned back in his throne, tapping his fingers together and resting a foot on the edge of his chair. "Take off your helmet and allow me to see who I am speaking to."
Jessie took off her helmet after receiving a nod from Sir Aulus.
"Your Majesty, we need to talk to you about—" Jessie began.
"I want the water before me" King Al-Shairan said. Jessie moved her canteen onto the bottom step before the throne. The others started to move, but Al-Shairan held up his hand. "Give the canteens to the Halfling."
The knights stopped moving and handed their canteens to Jessie, who put them next to hers.
"Your Majesty, our news is very—" Jessie started saying.
"I only want to talk with you" Al-Shairan said pointing at Jessie.
"Yes, sire, but—" Jessie said.
"No" Al-Shairan said. He stood up and a door in the wall slid open. "Come with me. The rest of you may stay here. We will be back."
Al-Shairan led Jessie through the door and down the long hall. When they reached the end of the hall, Al-Shairan opened a door and guided Sir Jessie into the waiting room.
"This is ridiculous" Sir Aulus said. Several Shaitan men and women had come out and had started socializing with each other. Sir Drake watched as Hugo and Sasha talked with a Shaitan woman.
"I most agree, Sir Aulus" Sir Drake said.
"Why did he take her into that back room?" Sir Aulus whispered. "He paid us of no mind."
"I trust that Sir Jessie has been a diplomat before" Sir Drake replied.
"She has" Sir Aulus said. The woman that Hugo and Sasha were talking to laughed loudly.
"Then I trust that she will make the right decisions and win some allies for us" Sir Drake said. He pat Sir Aulus' shoulder and moved forward to introduce himself to the Shaitans. Aulus sighed and followed Drake.
Jessie watched as King Al-Shairan lounged on a large round bed of pillows and blankets. The dim room was lit by subtle lanterns and smelled of myrrh and frankincense.
"Your Majesty, I do not understand why we are in your bedroom" Jessie said. "I am here to report of a future war, not bed side manners."
"I was told of your temper" Al-Shairan said with a smile in his eye. He moved so he was kneeling on the bed and, even then, was taller then Jessie. "I was told of this future war by my soothsayer." Jessie made to say something, but the king spoke before she could say anything. "I was also told about you."
"By the soothsayer?" Jessie asked. Al-Shairan nodded.
"I want to know what you want for this war and what I get in return" Al-Shairan said.
"We ask for your help during this war" Jessie said. "If the dwarves of Modsognir take the Labyrinth, then they will surely try to take your kingdom as well."
"Perhaps the Labyrinth is a disorderly kingdom" Al-Shairan said. Jessie's expression turned into a sneer.
"I assure you that the Labyrinth is only suffering in manpower, not in skill" Jessie said. Al-Shairan reached out a hand and pulled Jessie in towards him.
"Let's say that I help out during this war" Al-Shairan said. "I will keep the dwarves from crossing through the desert and I would allow you to take some of my finest warriors. What would I get in return?"
"What would you like, King Al-Shairan?" Jessie asked. Al-Shairan pulled at the tie holding Jessie's cloak along her shoulders and it fell to the floor.
"Water" Al-Shairan said. "I want an aqueduct to run through my kingdom."
"Then you will have your aqueduct" Jessie said. She moved to step backwards, but Al-Shairan's hand gripped her belt, holding her in place.
"That is not all" Al-Shairan said. He moved his other hand out to pull her head close to his. "I was told that you would be mine."
"Excuse me?" Jessie said trying to pull out of his grasp.
"An hour of your time and I will help you" Al-Shairan said. His knuckles brushed her cheek and Jessie's jaw dropped open.
"I am not a courtesan" Jessie whispered as her anger grew. "I am a knight, a general!"
"And I am a king" Al-Shairan replied. He smiled and pulled one of her hands up to his shirtless chest. Jessie's fingers reacted to the heat that radiated from Al-Shairan's chest. "One hour."
"I want an open trade route from beyond your desert to the Labyrinth" Jessie said. "If I am to accommodate your wishes, then give me a trade route as well."
"You are demanding, aren't you?" Al-Shairan said. He leaned towards her, teasing her by kissing her jaw and chin. "I will give you your trade route for one hour of your time."
"One hour" Jessie repeated. Al-Shairan's eyes grew to a dark honey brown color. He pulled her close, his lips barely touching hers. "But" Jessie said in a light whisper. "I also want all of your promises in writing and sent out to the others."
Al-Shairan pulled away from Jessie and snapped his fingers. A scroll appeared in the air with everything that he had said. He flicked his wrist and a pen appeared. He signed the paper and it folded up. Al-Shairan handed it to Jessie, who stuffed it into a belt pouch.
"I want you to take pleasure in this" Al-Shairan whispered into Jessie's ear. He waved his hand before her chest and her leather became undone. The metal pieces clanked to the floor. Her belt with all of its weapons, hit the floor unceremoniously.
"Your prophecy of us together" Jessie said. "Tell me of it."
"Dear Knight" King Al-Shairan said moving Jessie's hands to his shoulders. "It simply said that we would share a few nights together, tonight being the first."
"I will be back?" Jessie asked. Al-Shairan's fingers nimbly began to slide Jessie's leather armor off of her. Al-Shairan gently laid a kiss on Jessie's lips. He pushed her leather armor to the floor and guided her hands to the edges of his brocade coat.
"Only one hour" Al-Shairan whispered before adorning her neck with kisses. His coat fell from his shoulders and his bare upper body was like a turquoise sculpture. Jessie's hands ran down his chest and started to fumble with his sashes.
The two remained quiet until they were both naked before each other. They had taken their time undressing each other. Al-Shairan moved to recline along the bed with his elbow propped up on a pillow. He gestured that Jessie join him, which she did.
"You have yet to protest that we are going too far" Al-Shairan said with a smile.
"If you want me to protest, then I will" Jessie said. "But, I am doing this for the kingdom."
"Am I that unattractive?" Al-Shairan asked.
"No" Jessie said. "It's not that." Jessie stared into his honey brown eyes and felt more welcome than she ever had with Jareth. "There is…someone else. I am being courted by another."
"And?" Al-Shairan asked. He took her hand and kissed her palm.
"And he is King Jareth" Jessie said. Al-Shairan nipped at her wrist.
"You sound like you have a dilemma" Al-Shairan whispered licking the inside of her elbow.
"I feel welcome here, but I do not know you, sire" Jessie said. Al-Shairan looked up at her. "With King Jareth, it is the sheer opposite."
"Then feel welcome here. Enjoy what I have to offer you" Al-Shairan said. He moved so Jessie was on her back, looking up into his turquoise face. "We will get to know each other in time." Jessie was about to say something about Jareth, but Al-Shairan put a finger to her lips. "King Jareth will have his turn at wooing you. All I ask for is this one hour with you." He trailed a hand down her body. "If you don't want to come back after this one hour, then you will never have to."
"Okay" Jessie said. The king gave her a warm smile.
"Call me Shairan" The king whispered before kissing her. He snapped his fingers and the lanterns all went out.
An hour later, Sir Jessie and King Al-Shairan came back to the throne room. Jessie clutched the treaty and went to stand next to Aulus. King Al-Shiaran stood before the knights and smiled. He grew to his standard height of eighteen feet and sat on his large throne.
"I thank you for visiting my kingdom" Al-Shairan said. "I will look forward to the next time that we meet, knights of the Labyrinth." Al-Shairan pulled on a long cord that hung beside his throne and a Shaitan woman brought out a large bag. "Take that bag of sand. Spread out the sand where you want my men to appear from. They will be there when battle starts."
"Thank you, Your Majesty" Sir Aulus said. All the knights bowed.
"Now, hurry back to the Labyrinth and deliver that treaty" Al-Shairan said.