The old City of Gods had been something I could only dream of visiting. Not only out of the conflict my father had with the rest of the Shunamari Lords, but also for fearing my own energy.
Suryadevnahutbal had been purified and modernized in the recent years of Natarjankark and his own grandfather. Yet, I could feel an overwhelming aura of dark magic hovering.
As I caressed a few of the old pavilions walls, I saw a few snowflakes. Decades old. These were crystals, black magic charms. They would be invisible to the Human eye.
"Gods...This should be named the City of Oni..." I commented to myself. "Lady Deviprashanta had no idea Murakami Kensaku had these..."
"Do you wish to take those out?" Von Tifon asked, his rumbling voice an eerie reminder of my own father.
"I have no idea...the city is a beautiful thing, but it wasn't built merely by Humans...While dreaming in these walls, a careless Human could feel trapped, or, seeing their darkest desires fulfilled into dreams."
"So poetic, Hyasuko..."
"It's not poetic if it's true, my Lord."
The moon was clear and the sun was beginning to set as I lay all of my swords and daggers in the hotel's gardens. Even though it was spring, I could feel my own magic protecting me against the heat.
Let's make it a fair fight... I allowed the snowflakes to leave my body as I shapeshifted into a rather normal Human looking man.
I should have classes with one of the young daughters of captain Hafez Allaudin Ben Kur.
A set of piercing eyes seemed to watch us from the dark obsidian walls of the tower-like hotel. It was painted.
This hotel...It's old...centuries old. Why would the Emperor even think of invite Humans to stay in this? This thing was built in the times the name Yasunori was synonymous with death. I thought to myself as I noticed the strange carvings of insects decorating the pillars of the garden.
"Underworld Gods?" A sweet and feminine voice came from behind me. Abir Yammilla was wearing sweat pants and a tank top.
"No...shikigami...Or perhaps, Black Magic insects. You're late, young lady."
"When did you arrive, Teacher? I thought I had heard a limousine park just a quarter of a hour."
"Oh...Let's begin...I hope you aren't too discouraged by the rest of the other young contestants, Miss."
Abir Yammilla Ben Kur had brought her real sword. Curved swords were forbidden in the tournament.
"If anything I'm excited, Teacher...It has been a while since I've shown my skills in public...And in front of so many people!"
The oldest of the Ben Kur sisters…I could only dream about tainting one of them. Even then, these were children…I don't do that kind of stuff. I am more self-controlled than my depraved father!
Her sword movements were graceful, but rough and too slow. It was obvious she had been trained in the ways of sword in New Damascus.
"Don't be so open to your enemies, Miss."
Abir Yammilla nodded, her eyes focused on me, as though I was my father.
Abir Yammilla's bun tied hair was soaking wet with sweat.
"Teacher…I'll never do it in battle…"
Half an hour, I began to stroke faster with my sword, my movements harder to read to Human eyes.
Soon enough, Abir Yammilla began to chant faster than I had heard a female New Damascene officer, a string of Arabic words flowing out from her pommel to the blade. Flowers of purified flame embroidered the blade. I would be in serious trouble if that hit chest….Or at least, if Abir Yammilla had enough power and strength to focus the spell and fight me at the same time.
A sense of awe overcame as I soon realized Abir Yammilla was strong enough to defend herself against low-ranking Yokai.
A strong punch nearly caught me as I dodged it easily.
Chortling, I grabbed easily her right booted foot, hauling her off the ground with ease.
"As I said before…Never let your guard down!"
Abir Yammilla swallowed as I allowed her to stand up.
"Thank you, Teacher…" She panted, her face flushed with both the heat of the battle and something else. Her Human feminine pheromones wafted in the air. Normal Human males would have smelled her wet folds close, only from an inch or two of distance. I could feel them from three feet away.
"Abir….Don't…I am too old for you. Besides, you need a gentleman, not the guy his own father said he was a helpless yokel."
"Sure...Forgive me, Teacher." She muttered that phrase in Ku-naira, unsure whether to say it in one of the many languages of Shunamari.
"You're forgiven, young lady." I spoke in Ku-naira, sheathing my sword, attempting not to think how she resembled, in so many ways, the Duke Von Tifon's intended...Or at least, the woman he tried to woo.
Of course she would resemble Ashrafi Safiyya. They were from the same clan. This class would be less awkward if Roshini was with me. Roshini would try to drill some sense and make Abir Yammilla reason her arousal was not natural...It was only highlighted by the hotel's own architecture.
"Teacher...Padma Lakhlan was the one that restored this place, wasn't she?"
I swallowed. Now the subject of Ashrafi Safiyya was unavoidable.
"Yes...I think Ashrafi was her real maiden name. I have no idea why Padma would have such a fascination for the Immortal Emperor."
"I think she'd respect the history behind the blood...Nevertheless, look at that. There's a Sura passage in Arabic from the Quran. He, who is Allah the One, Allah the Eternal Refuge, He neither begets nor is born, there is no Equivalent to Him, nor there shall be!"
Then, Abir Yammilla began to read the inscriptions in Phetrkaträllam, in Syrian Arabic, and in Arabic. It was the same short story - a retelling of the Rainbow Princess in a Muslim eye.
"I only know the Old Arabic but it's basically a poetic summary of the story of the Rainbow Princess. A small lotus arising from the flames of an Oni, the demons sought to taint the Princess, but the Powers of Goodness destroyed him...A powerful light destroying the diabolical demons."
I hadn't noticed that...Abir Yammilla was certainly a perceptive woman.
For some reason, Padma believed those Qu'ran passages could limit her earthly desires. Perhaps Padma wanted to believe the rumors that Natarajankark was truly a full Human were true. She desperately wished she could believe the Emperor was fully Human. Or else...how could a woman like that pure Deviprashanta be seduced by a monster like my old man?
I sighed, allowing Abir Yammilla some respite from our battle.
Only a teenage woman could believe in fairy-tales and happy endings.
Esther Ben Zazharan sighed.
'Oh, dear Lord almighty! If you do not mind me saying so, the Prince Sanouk is so enrapturing. Sure, his brother looks…less than polished, but I can guess both are such fine young men. '
'Auntie Ben Zazharan… Do you think Prince Sanouk looked at me? I thought, for a second he had looked at me.' Fairuza muttered with a blush.
'I preferred Lord Oahzarsharlanokorn… He was ready to defend Lady Ben Salman's honour as soon as Hyasuko joked about it.'
'Come, my dears! I will show what a luxury the Gardenia Palace sauna is…'
Both Parisa and Fairuza laughed as they hurried along the stairs to the magnificent fourth floor, leading to the outer pool and a tiled green pyramid-shaped sauna house which was as large as any commoner's house. From what Abir could discern in the dim electric light, the sauna had twelve divisions, that competed with the Gardenia Palace itself in opulence and in colourful stained glasses and in fragrant incenses of eucalyptus and lotus flower.
Abir Yammila could not get off her head the picture of the Duke Von Tifon clutching the smoking pipe as he seemed surprised – almost shocked – to hear of her mother's death. Nevertheless, that deep voice was ingrained in her memory. That commanding and bass voice seemed to make her tremble with antecipation.
However, that does not mean I could not have the marriage with Lord Sanouk…He is so kind and polite, just as his father, the Emperor. She wondered why in the world would people call Natrajankark a "madman".
Taking a cold shower within the Gardenia Palace, she wished the small drops of water were cold and caressing fingers of a man.
Small and soft drops echoed as she saw the small face of Lady Shamanarta carved in the bathroom. Blooming lotus flowers were also carved in turquoise and jade crystal and glass walls. Perfumed incense filled with lotus flower scent hovered in the air.
'Dear, would you like some salmon and Bluefin tuna supper soup?' Lady Soukhon's commanding voice echoed from the sauna. 'We also have some cherry ice-cream, watermelon and banana slices. There are a few fried silk larvae…although that is one little treat His Royal Highness, Prince Oahzarsharlanokorn would like you to eat. He is sometimes a little bit of a bumpkin…Forgive me I should not have said that from my lord!'
'It looks great!' Lady Bate Oh-Jangmun assured. 'Oh, Lady Sanouk, fried silk larvae were my childhood nostalgia.'
Dilshad Ayua-Ben Haran giggled, her sweet and kind hoarse voice echoing in a motherly tone.
'Aww, come now, dearest Miss Ben Kur! This helps so much with unwinding from a tiring day.'
'No, thank you, I am full.'
After putting on a natural hydrogel mask mixed with white tea extract, she waited for the sleep to come in that beautiful Western style bed.
A knock in the door made Abir Yammila flinch a little.
'Yes? Who is it?'
'Big sis…' Parisa walked in with a pink dress made for sleeping. 'There was a young mailer who said this note and this rose was for you.'
Abir Yammila's eyes widened at the prospect.
'Who is it from?'
"It's...from a young prince, the same age as we are, a Huehuenetl one at that. Oh, dear his Arabic handwriting needs some work!" Abir Yammilla laughed.
"I'll have a late music lesson via the Damascus Mail app. See you tomorrow, sis."
"Don't stay too late..."
Abir Yammilla began to read:
"I would feel so blessed by all the Gods in all of this universe if thy give me the honor to dine with me, the son of ya-ya-da, son of Qaxitl the Great Lady... Wishy washy! I like poetry but not that much!"
Another knock on the door.
What in the world...Abir Yammilla thought, her face flushing. She had just put in high stereo from her old Natamsar mobile phone a folklore Arabic song so she could do her nightly routine.
A short delivery boy barely looked at her as he bowed.
"A gift for thee, o Vast Eminence of our World!" He said while bowing a second time, the thick Southern Bellanÿ accent making her believe the man was working for the palace. "Please tell him that, o Pearl that Will Please my Lord."
He disappeared at a rushed pace.
Somehow, there had been a mishap. Abir Yammilla shook her head as she opened the box.
A twenty-centimetres long and realistic penis with two large testicles lay on the box, carefully wrapped with what seemed like a kind of green-friendly foam.
It was a sculpture.
Abir Yammilla was trembling with rage, embarrassment and a somewhat guilty excitement.
There was a name signed there. She could barely identify the ancient Onisamatzekaeng characters, but she managed to read them. Adrian Demetrius Von Tifon.
Blood shot up to her cheeks. Taking off the sweat pants, Abir Yammilla began to think on the Sura carved on the hotel's gardens' columns. Yet, none of them held any sway.
Fairuza was asleep...but what about Parisa?! She could have seen this...This...Abir Yammilla had no words to describe it.
A small moan echoed from her as she placed her mouth deep within the ice-cold and long member. She could pretend...It was all pretend.
A vision rushed through her, of Hyasuko underneath her. He was whispering in that velvety voice.
"Keep going, darling..." The thick Lii-saiten accent softer than in the dull reality of her classes with the man.
Abir Yammilla had no idea why she had these fantasies of a man who was probably, judging by Yui Von Tifon's comments, older than he appeared.
Yet, she couldn't keep from imagining him asking her to do these things. Her breath was fast-paced, as allowed the realistic sculpture to touch me. She imagined that deep voice whispering, purring to her. Abir Yammilla began to moan, her "Oh God", quickening in a sweet, shrill urgency. Suddenly, the Amîrani carpet was drenched with a hot liquid.
"You're mine...my little girl..."
Abir snapped out of her reverie, noticing the replica of the "Imperial Bellanÿ Treasure" was stained with her cum.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck...Oh please, tell me I didn't break it!"