Author's Note: I am back with another chapter for you guys. Two chapters in one month is pretty amazing for me. If I keep it up, you might expect regular updates. There weren't any votes for the last chapter but there was a request for a chapter about Desiree which is what you guys are about to read.
Special Thanks: Thank you to niccunningham for this chapter's plot idea.
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or its characters; Butch Hartman does. *sigh*
If you are interested in tales of princesses and fairies, this is not the tale for you. If you enjoy a happy ending where the girl gets the boy, this is also not the story for you. But, if you are interested in a story about jealousy and greed so strong that it becomes the cause of one's madness that destroys them from the inside out, look no further because you are in the right place.
There once was a small kingdom not far from Saudi Arabia. Although this kingdom was small, it was incredibly prosperous with its wealth stemming from its wide array of spices and rare gems. When you first entered the kingdom you were met with a multitude of gold and silver statues of past sultans.
This kingdom was located in the middle of a desert but you'd never know because the kingdom itself had been built around the few sources of water around for several hundred of miles. There were lakes and a small river that was located just outside of the gates of the kingdom. You could often find children giggling and playing around in the lakes on hot days. The water also allowed for lush patches of greenery and vegetables to thrive in the harsh environment.
The current sultan was a wise man who cared for his people and did everything in his power to make sure that all was well within his kingdom. He encouraged schools to be built to educate the children even if they were not from wealthy families. He made sure that water and food was plentiful so that even the smallest bellies could be filled. He visited all around his kingdom to make sure that everything was in order and he would sometimes invite citizens to reside within the palace in exchange for their loyalty and labor.
This sultan was kind, but he also had flaws that got the better of him at times. One of these flaws was his vulnerability to a pretty face. Yes, he was married but sometimes he couldn't help himself and he would end up adding another girl to his harem. He treated them all well, and his wife didn't mind as long as they all knew their place and respected her authority over them.
His newest addition to the palace was a young maiden named Desiree. She was by far the most beautiful woman in the palace and he wanted to make her his. She had beautiful, black hair that was soft and reminiscent of the silk that their kingdom took pride in. Her piercing green eyes held so much fire and confidence behind them. He was practically putty in her hands.
Desiree was aware of her beauty and used it to her advantage whenever she was given the opportunity. She was indeed grateful that the sultan had taken her into his palace; it was everything that she felt she deserved. Under her gorgeous exterior laid a horrendous monster that existed only for greed. As time passed, Desiree slowly concocted a plan that would ensure that she would get what she wanted: her very own kingdom.
The sultan's wife had been wary of Desiree ever since her husband had brought the girl in, but she dared not to say anything because she could very well be replaced. She enjoyed many benefits from being the sultan's wife, so she decided that as long as she went with the whole façade all would be well for all parties involved.
The sultan would often call for private time with each of the girls of his harem as well as making time for his wife, but upon Desiree's arrival many lost this time with him. He began to call for Desiree far more often he would any of the girls of the harem and after a little while, even more than his wife. Many felt so indebted to the sultan for his kindness that he bestowed upon them that they didn't mind this change in routine, but there was one who was very unhappy with this new development. She was seething every time she saw the two of them together or when she heard him ask for that girl.
It had been nearly a year since Desiree joined the palace. She decided that she would try her luck and see just how far the sultan would be willing to go for her. At the commence of their special private time she began to dance, swaying her hips in such a fashion that she was sure the sultan would be mesmerized and much more willing to give in to her demands. Unknown to the two of them, there was a third person who was just outside of their room listening in on their conversation.
As she finished her performance, Desiree sat on the arm of the chair that the sultan was seated in. Leaning in, she looked him straight in the eyes and asked with a small grin, "Did you enjoy that? I've been practicing just for you."
"Why yes," stammered the sultan, "I enjoyed it very much."
"I'm glad that you liked it," Examining her hands and appearing slightly disinterested, Desiree replied with a smirk, "I was wondering about something but I think I'll ask another day."
"What is it that you'd like to ask," the sultan curiously inquired.
"Well, you say that you love me, but how can I be sure of that," Desiree's eyes peered at him almost as if she was searching his soul, "Prove your love to me."
The hidden figure outside of the room slightly gasped. Surely the sultan had confessed love to many of the other girls as well but never acted on his words. He appeared to slightly waver at first and then smiled at the girl before he complied with the request.
"I will give you your very own kingdom," the sultan responded with a hearty laugh, "That is what you desire, correct?"
"Of course, it is," Desiree gasped, slightly surprised at his willingness to give her what she desired most.
"Then that is what I shall give to you," the sultan beamed, "I have business that must be tended to, but arrangements will be made when I return in a few weeks."
This can't be. There is no way that I will allow for this to happen. thought the hidden figure who made their way out of the vicinity of the room.
It had been only a few days since the sultan's departure and the palace had a dreadful atmosphere about it, one filled with greed at one end and jealousy at the other. The women possessing these auras had two very different agendas on their minds. The one filled with greed was gleefully planning of all the exotic things that she would fill her own palace and kingdom with. The other plotted to rid herself of the threat to her livelihood, the girl who had won her husband's heart.
It was on the fifth day that the sultan's wife decided she would banish the girl from the kingdom. She called all of the harem into a room and pretended as if she had been given orders from the sultan herself. She began to tell each girl what their tasks were until the sultan returned, leaving only herself and Desiree in the room once had finished giving tasks.
"What is my task," Desiree questioned the woman with a glare, "Or do I not have one?"
"You are to leave this kingdom this instant and never return," the wife declared, "You are hereby banished on behalf of the sultan on the basis of stealing from the palace."
"I did no such thing," Desiree fired back, "I demand to speak to the sultan about this when he returns home."
"I can have it arranged that instead of banishment, you face death," replied the green-eyed monster within the woman, "I suggest you pack your things and leave immediately."
Desiree was left fuming as she watched the woman exit with a devilish grin on her face. If the sultan truly loved her he would send out for her and bring her back or sentence this dreadful woman to death for banishing her. She left her room with a small grin of her own as she packed her belongings.
She had never left the kingdom before and wondered what it was like outside of its walls. She was met with sand everywhere and scorching heat that beat down upon her unforgivingly. She walked and walked, hoping she would find some shelter from the harsh elements. Several days had passed until she found a small village of some sort. She was low on supplies and decided that stopping here would be the best course of action.
The village was quaint at best. There seemed to be fewer than 100 people that lived there, and she could see straight across from the entrance of the village to the exit. She decided that since the village was only a few days from the kingdom that the sultan would find her there fairly quickly.
She had found a few odd jobs here and there, but the small community was not keen on having an outsider around. She was often met with hostility when she asked for spare change or food. It had been several weeks without any contact from the sultan, and she was running out of food and money.
She decided that she would travel a little bit further and hopefully find a more welcoming environment. She had passed through much of the desert but never heard any word of her sultan searching for her. She would stay in one place for a few months to a few years, but she never settled in one place permanently in hopes of being brought to the kingdom that her sultan had once promised her.
The years passed by and she grew older, less beautiful with each passing year. It became harder for her to trudge through the desert. She felt betrayed as she had watched her life pass by, leaving her with only meager scraps of what others had declared unfit for themselves. She was beautiful and deserved better! How dare he forget about her and his promise to her!
As she shuffled through the current village that she was in, she overheard some young men talking about a magical lamp that could grant a person wishes. They spoke of it being hidden in a temple that was not too far away. It would be a dangerous trek and possibly for naught, but she was willing to risk anything to get her kingdom.
She took what little belongings she had left with her and started her journey across the desert that very night. It was much cooler and easier for her to travel then if she had waited until the day, but she lost the advantage of light and being able to see clearly. Her feeble body moving through the sand, sometimes losing her balance and falling to her feet. She continued for hours until she finally saw a large shadow. It appeared to be the temple that the young men had described.
She cautiously moved toward it and examined the exterior. It was a fairly large temple made of stone and decorated with gold and bronze. It looked stable given its age, having very little cracks and chips visible to her old eyes. There was a large door that had spiderwebs over it hinting at just how long it had been before someone had entered.
Desiree pressed on the door with all her strength, but it didn't budge. She stepped back and realized that there would be no human strong enough to push a door of that size open, and there had to be some other way for the door to move. She looked at the stone blocks that made up the temple and began to push each one, hoping for one to trigger the door's mechanisms. After a pushing a few, there was a loud groaning that appeared to come from the door and seconds later the door slid open.
As she entered the temple, she saw that it was still very much intact. There appeared to be an opening at the top which allowed the early light of day to illuminate the inside. There were many precious treasures and trinkets that were inside as well as gold coins laying all over the ground. She walked further into the temple and stumbled upon a seemingly vacant room holding only a lamp.
She walked closer to it and picked it up. She grinned knowing that this must be the lamp that the rumors were about. Holding it in her aged and wrinkled hands, she began to rub it. A stream of blue smoke came out of the lamp, and a voice filled the room.
"You have awakened me," the djinn (genie) bellowed as he gazed into Desiree's eyes, "What is it that you seek?"
"I desire my very own kingdom," Desiree replied with a small grin.
"Only the pure of heart may have their wishes granted," the djinn warned her, "There will be grave consequences if you continue and are not pure-hearted."
"Grant my wish," Desiree hissed, "That is what you are meant to do, isn't it?"
The genie nodded and waved his hands as he followed her commands. There was a loud rumbling sound from within the temple, and the walls soon began to cave in. The genie's lamp cracked and in its place was a new lamp. Desiree's eyes scanned the room for the genie but he was nowhere to be seen. Her chest began to tighten, and she crumpled to the floor.
"You old fool," the djinn's voice echoed throughout the room once more, "Your heart is full of anger and greed. There is nothing pure about you. Instead of granting your heart's greatest desire, you shall grant the desires of others."
The temple collapsed, crushing Desiree's body while she struggled to move. She felt her soul leave her body and escape into the lamp. Her lamp survived the collapse and magically appeared in a lake not too far away from her sultan's kingdom.
A young woman was swimming in the lake and spotted something gold glistening under the water. She reached down and found that it was a lamp. She rubbed it to dry it and out came a green wisp of smoke, and Desiree appeared as beautiful and youthful as she had been at the time of her banishment.
"Is it true that you grant wishes," the girl asked, "Will you really grant a wish for me?"
"Indeed it is true," Desiree smirked, "Your wish is my command."
"I wish for no more royal duties," the girl grinned, "They are far too tedious."
"Your wish shall be granted," Desiree cackled as she waved her hands.
The girl watched as a large sandstorm came in the direction of the kingdom and she rushed inside to seek shelter. There was no refuge from this sandstorm. The sand pelted against the skin of those outside leaving bruises and burns from the intense heat. It tore through the buildings, destroying everything in its path as the buildings crumbled to the ground from the massive force they had suffered from.
Desiree laughed as she watched the chaos happened. Destruction had ravaged the kingdom that had wronged her. Little did the girl know that in order for there to be no royal duties, there couldn't be a kingdom. Desiree felt no pity for the girl for she was a descendent of the two who had thrown her aside. She was the granddaughter of the man who didn't keep his promise to her and of the woman who had her sent her away.
Now after hearing this tale, be sure to avoid any lamps you may see because you never know which one Desiree may be within. She is a woman who is not to be taken lightly, a woman born from greed. A woman who risked her own life for a kingdom that she felt entitled to. But, if you do happen to meet her. Remember this one thing: Be careful of what you wish for.
Author's Note: Welp, this came out longer than I had planned. I really hope you guys enjoyed it. Please let me know if there are any errors that need to be fixed or if you liked it/hated it.
Also…please vote for who you'd like the next chapter to be for or request someone. You can vote between Skulker, Klemper, and Ember or send me suggestions for someone else. Let me know in a review or PM.
One more thing, if you'd like a story with a character I've already done I can totally do that too. These don't all have to be about death, they can be silly as well.
Question of the Day: Pancakes or waffles? (I'm more of a pancake person myself.)
