One Thousand and One Nights
Story One- Zein ul Asnam and the Jinn King, Part II
When the sun glanced over her closed eyelids, she was roused from sleep. With a yawn that shook her down to her bones, she stretched and stood. The candles were burning low in their sconces, their small flames flickering with the little bit of wick they had left. She padded on bare feet over to the cabinet built into the wall and pulled new candles from inside. She walked around, blowing each out and replacing them as she went.
The small table in the corner of he room was covered in different food stuffs, each looking expensive. She sighed and plucked an apple from a pile, biting into it with vigor before wiping the juice on her sleeve. She chewed quietly before noticing he rather large box hastily shoved through the door.
Her eyebrows rose and she strutted quickly to the box, yanking the top of and peering inside. Bundles of plush fabric were folded compactly inside, their bright colors almost making her eyes hurt. She grabbed the top dress, its extensive beading causing the dress to rattle in her hands. She gave a soft smile and moved to stand before a floor length mirror. The dress was bold and she frowned when it seemed to look much too grand for her plain brown hair and simple features.
She tossed the gown onto the bed and reached for her bag, the worn fabric of one of her dresses making the tightness in her chest ease a bit. She looked in the mirror once more, her face frowning when the dull green skirt swirled about her ankles. She huffed in annoyance, she was the Lady of the West, she was strong!
"Oh bother, if that man spoils me anymore, I'll be similar to him!" She smiled and yanked on the door handle, the smooth wood feeling cool in the warm room. When she opened the door, she was met with the eyes of a child. The girl smiled and laughed. Kagome kneeled to look more closely at the child who was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "And who are you?"
"Mi'Lord's ward!" The girl cried, her hair slipping out of the intricate knot her flustered caretaker must have done. Kagome reached out and undid the poorly clipped style, choosing instead to pull a slice of hair out of the child's face and into a small tail. Again, the child squealed, throwing herself at a surprised Kagome. "You're perfect!"
"For what, may I inquire?" She chuckled when a servant wandered past to watch the Lord's ward tackle his new bride. The man looked flustered and looked both ways before hastily racing off down an opposing corridor.
"My new mother!" Kagome's gut squeezed when she watched the child's eyes light up. Did the public know that their beloved Lord'd had an illegitimate child?
She stood, gabbing the girl's hand and walking with her, listening to the child talk animatedly about everything and everyone her little mind could think of. Kagome nodded at the appropriate intervals and gasped when one was called for. Overall, the child, who's name turned out to be Rin, was sweet and Kagome was quite taken with her.
It was late into the evening after a small meal that she found her way to his study. The massive doors rivaled those of his chambers and when she knocked politely, she caught the flash of silver as he raised his head to greet the new arrival. To say he was slightly taken back was an understatement.
While she was enamored with the works of art that decorated his walls and the books that were neatly arranged on the shelves, he watched her with stark interest. She trailed her fingers across the spines and smiled quaintly when a single tome caught her eye.
"You are welcome to my library," He stated and was rewarded with a laugh. She nodded and spun around to show him the cover of the book she had plucked from his collection. It was a ridiculous painting of a woman and a dragon. "A child's story book?"
"This book was the first book I ever read," She moved silently to sit on the side of his desk. He wondered if she realized how close she was. He watched as she ran her hand down the cover, as tho finding a hidden meaning in the curling script that the rest of the world had somehow missed.
He noticed with annoyance that she wore a drab gown that was in no way befitting of her new status. He was about to demand an explanation when she opened her mouth, the words of the book sounding hauntingly beautiful when coming from her lips. He had read that particular story a few times when Rin refused to sleep but coming from her mouth, he wondered of he could ever read the story the same way again. She reached the middle of the story and stilled, as if realizing he was next to her.
"You have a nasty habit of stopping things. Maybe I change my mind, what say you to my killing you tomorrow, after you finish your story?" He asked, genuinely curious to how she would respond. This woman was strange and enticing.
"Oh my dear Lord," She stood, closing the book with a decisive snap before placing back into its place on the shelf. With dainty steps and clasped hands, she made her way to the door throwing over her shoulder, "that's what all the villains say."
He couldn't stop the satisfied smirk that pulled at his lips.
()()()()
Kagome walked the gardens a bit, thinking over the rest of the story and deciding how she would end it. The Lord seemed to like battle and gore,so she could just kill the man off, but then the point of the story would be lost. She pondered a while longer, her shoes held in her hands so her feet could feel the grass underfoot.
A servant raced across the yard, her bound hair popping out. Her labored breathing inhibiting her ability to talk. Kagome simply waited for the girl to relax and deliver her message. As the girl explained that the Council wished to speak to Kaogme, she could feel her blood run to ice. She straitened her back, her spine protesting. Her lips tightened into harsh lines and her chin was thrust forward.
She was the Lady of the West and no one, especially a gathering of elderly men, were going to demand anything from her. She smiled when the pride she had often seen of the faces of men flooded her system. It was little wonder why The Lord was so content with himself.
"Take me to them."
()()()()
"Lady Kagome, please stand," The leader called, his pipe smoke curing around his bald head. He smiled and eyed her up and down. She could feel the eyes of many other members of the Council and only one, her father's, made her feel any relief. "You made the correct choice coming."
"I rarely make incorrect choices," She lifted her chin in an act of defiance. A few men scrunched their noses and a few others seemed even more attracted. She could feel the vomit rolling around in her stomach but she clamped down her panic. If these men saw weakness, they would exploit it. "You asked me here for a reason, one I rather doubt has anything to do with my correctness."
"Quick wit on you," The leader placed his pasty lips over the pipe before blowing out. The smoke swam around her face but even when here eyes started to water, she only blinked and raised a brow. "We came to inquire your connection to the Lord."
"By which you mean if I am with child?" She could feel her blood boiling and her face must have shown that because a sympathetic member tried to convince her that was not what they meant. The Leader simply laughed, his large stomach bouncing. "Frankly, it is neither your business nor your problem."
"Lord Sesshomaru requires an heir and as of now, it is your sole duty to provide him with one. If you can not, you shall be killed for treason," The leader watched her with half-lidded eyes. She realized with sickening dread that she hadn't anticipated that he would need an heir. The forgotten tears threatened to fall but by sheer will power, she blinked them away, her stance shifting from one of defense to one of attack.
"My interactions with my husband are of no concern to you and your men. We are new to each other so if your expectation is that I am already with child then you are not only stupid, but also ignorant." She strode from the room, her back strait and her face forward. Her father watched his daughter march away and wondered how he had missed just how powerful his daughter was.
"She will not last a week," One member called, his gruff outburst made him cringe. He held back his rage. The leader watched her walk away, it eyes trailing her around the corner in a way that had his blood curdling. "If not the day. She is not a noble nor a royal."
"That is the difference. You were trained to be a noble," Her father smiled at he men with a smirk that had their blood running cold. "She was born to be royal."
He smiled when a few men agreed.
()()()()
Kagome folded her clothes into a neat pile, moving on to the Lord's. He was carefully untangling himself from the complex robes he had been forced into by the Council. They remained silent, neither wanting to shatter the carefully crafted treaty that was between them. Even now, late into the night, the hustle of the servants outside the door was loud.
Kagome pressed her hands to her flat stomach to hold down her quivering meal. She chastised herself and reminded her traitorous body that it was not to be her last. When she felt the brush of another's breath on her neck, a small smirk curled her lips. At least this was not uncharted territory. A man's desires were easily seen even when they wished to remain hidden.
"The story?" His growl was directed at her throat and she simply tilted her head a breath and listened as he chuckled. "What a strange woman you are."
"Where was I?" She ignored his last comment, choosing instead to strut to the open window. She placed a finger to her chin and waved to the bed when he moved to follow her. The Lord, patron and god-like entity to thousands, snorted as he followed the directions given to him by a girl barley into her twenty first year. "Oh yes, the hordes of jinn.
"Sadly, he was coming to the King of the Jinn to seek the ninth image. You do remember the story, correct?" She looked over she shoulder and smiled when he nodded. "He dressed himself in silks and jewels so he marveled even the sun that rose hight in the sky. He called forth by the name of his father and with him he brought a man who could speak to the Jinn, one who sung out calls to keen ears. Through raging torrents they stood before a voice so strong and sure that it rivaled even the Creator, spoke.
"He told the young prince of his dealing with his father, of his deal that he would grant him protection. Strength," She moved forward and unraveled the drapes from their poles. The thin fabric blew into the room and hid her form from view. Her voice rang out strong even in the mass of fabric. "He granted him the ninth image on one term."
With that, she slipped between a sheet so that her gauzy image could be seen behind a single slip. He leaned forward, putting little room between their bodies. She looked up and caught his molten stare while he watched her eyes glow in the lowlight. Her cheeks were flushed with fear. Or excitement.
"The Jinn king demanded a girl of only fifteen years with beauty that made gods weep. She was to be pure as a desert flower with no lust to her soul. That was the payment the King of the Jinn required and it 'twas that Prince Zein ul Asnam was resolved to find," For a single moment, she refused to breath, wondering if he had grown tired of the story. With mental tact she used more often as of late, she revised her story, skimping the things she found dull and adding a dash of adventure. "He traveled for miles in every direction seeking out the fairest of the fair and purest of the pure.
"He found his desire in a small town with the help of a devote man who revered the Jinn King," She tilted her head to the side and left just a breath-length between them. With careful delicacy, she let the fabric billow around them. "The girl was pure as the sun, her hair holding a thick and heathy shine, her eyes gleamed with mirth, and her aura in the mirror shone as brightly as a polished stone."
Sesshomaru almost lost his resolve and reached out. His bride's voice had dropped to a whisper, her detailed description swirled around his head. The woman thought herself plain, her drab dresses and thin-soled shoes placing her below were she belonged. His mouth pulled into a smirk. She belong by his side.
She had twisted her way to his side, made a man predisposed to receiving everything he asked for and more into excepting something he never knew he needed. It was a shame she would die tonight. After she finished her story and the plot ended and the characters were given reprieve, he would hand this woman over to his guards and she would be beheaded. He wondered why this though gave him pause.
He never really wished to kill them, but he must, otherwise they would betray him. This thought also gave him an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. Focusing instead on the minx who had found her way into his bed, he let his worries slip between his fingers, and let he words she spoke twist their way into his mind.
"She was married to a man under a false name. She was cheerful to be wed to such a mighty man!" She threw her arms up in a sort of triumphant gesture. It made him think of her in warriors' garb. She could easily had looked the part of a warrior. "Sadly, she lamented the lost when she found she was not to be married to a Prince, but a King of Jinn. For days, she cried into the night, her voice lost in the endless dunes."
"But as all good wives, she persevered. She attempted asking for help for the prince which only resulted in her being crushed when he denied," She looked over her shoulder, her deep eyes showing the sadness she felt for the fictional woman. With the drapes fluttering around her along with the flapping of her night dress, she looked to be a ghost. "The woman raised her head when she was placed before the King of the Jinn. She silently cried when he told her of her beauty and how perfect she was. She knew what she was."
He knew this was a barb, cleverly hidden in a story of her creation. She caught his gaze.
"She was strong," It was not a question but a fact. One blink and the vision was lost. She turned to face the door and moved about the room quietly, her slipper clad feet scuffing on the wooden floor. She circled the room and crawled on the bed. He suspected she might try to seduce him like many before her, but she chose instead to plant herself at his back. Her shoulders felt warm pressed to his spine. "So she watched with solemn eyes as the man once proclaimed to be her husband left her."
All was silent, her words swirling around the room. He wanted to ask if that was the end of the story and if she was ready to die but he held his tongue. The way she stated them was almost a pause, not an ending. He waited for a minute before his patients ran short.
"Is that all?" He could feel the disappointing twitch in his heart that the tale ended in such a mundane way.
"Oh heavens no. I paused for dramatic effect, good no?" She glanced over at his growl before sighing in what sounded to him as exasperation. "The prince felt overwhelming guilt, that was to be expected, I suppose. He cried over his previously unknown love for a woman he had handed over to the King of the Jinn.
"His solecism cost him the one thing he wanted. The beautiful lady had slipped from his fingers like sand, and he expressed his sorrow through sonnets and poems, crying out to an unhearing woman. Telling her in words on paper, that he loved her," The woman went quiet behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to catch her fiddling with her hands in her lap. He looked up and he watched the skin around her eyes crinkle as she smiled slightly, making her tanned skin shine with a flash of bright teeth. "When he grew angry at himself for believing he had given his only desire for a simple image, he cried to the heavens to give him his prize, the ninth image."
"His wish, was it granted?" He lowered his voice, feeling unsure if he would like the ending to this story. He reasoned it would make deposing of the woman easier.
"The thunder that followed shook the building to its core. The tiles shattered on the ground, pillars cracked and splintered. Wooden beams snapped and the palace was sent into chaos. Only a select few realized the thunder had not come from the sky, but the ground, deep within the vault beneath their feet.
"Prince Zein ul Asnam raced to his vault, his few loyal servants and his mother trailing behind. They found the room bathed in the light of Jinn, their light setting the precious stones in the walls alight. They parted and forward walked the woman, her hair a shimmering blue from the reflected powers of the Jinn. Her face was bare of its covering, allowing her beauty to shine forth, uninhibited.
"You see, she was the ninth image, too beautiful to capture in a portrait. She was to be his bride seeing as he had done everything asked of him by the King of the Jinn. He had fallen in love with her during their journey but placed the King before himself. The King determined this to mean he was just as great a man as his father before him, and granted, once again, his protection over the future King of Bassora." She stood with delicate steps and moved over to his folded pile of clothes. She ran a hand over the fine fabric. "He granted him the one thing he wished for, the woman who had stolen his heart."
He stood as well, moving between the long lengths of cloth. He wondered how she traversed them so easily while being so clumsy elsewhere. The room was still in shadows and he could see the hollow of her throat constrict as she held back what looked to be tears but when he stood before her, she was dry-eyed.
"They married and after his mother passed and they morned her properly, they became the rulers of the kingdom granting mercy when others saw prosecution, hope where others saw hopelessness. Love where only hate bloomed."
She looked over her shoulder, her face becoming sharp planes and angles in the candlelight. With the breeze, the flames flickered and were constantly shifting the look of her face. Her white dress flapped around her ankles and the gauzy fabric wrapped around her body.
"The end." She finished, her voice almost silent in the night. He moved forward and marveled at how not an ounce of fear flashed behind her eyes. She never moved, never wavered, and simply waited until he stood before her, his dark golden night garb clashing with her light.
She expected harsh words and biting grips but was unprepared for the gentle touch he used to lead her to the bed. He sat her on the bedside and kneeled before her, careful slipping her slippers from her feet. He looked up to see her inquisitive stare.
"It may come to a shock, but I am capable of kneeling," He smirked and she smiled slightly, her teeth flashing under her lips before she reached her hands out and cupped his cheek. She ran a finger across his jaw and down to the column of his neck.
"There once was a King of the Fey who had hair as silver as moonlight. Tho this eyes were said to be a deep green, their hue similar to moss," She caught his eye and realized she was giving him a chance. He could refuse to listen, not allow her to tell her story and spin himself any deeper into her web.
It was then he noticed the desperate edge to her face. Her mouth was tight and her eyes were narrowed. She was not worried for herself, but the women that would come after her. That might share his bed. She had thrown out a lifeline for him to catch or refuse. He clutched it tightly.
"Did he wish for a bride as well?" He asked and her joyous laugh resonated in their chambers.
()()()()
When he awoke the following morning, he looked over to the woman clutching the blankets to her chest. In the morning light, he wondered how such a small girl could ingrain herself within his life in such a short time. He couldn't find it in his mind to be angry with her, she was too clever for him to be angry. If anything, he should amend her on her ability to manipulate him to such a degree and still come out from it such a pure creature.
He stood and walked to the wardrobe. He opened the large doors and was unaccustomed to the long row of women's dresses that lined one always empty wall. He mused that it seemed fitting. He reached for his saddlebag and began filling it with things he would need while out fortifying the border.
He looked over his shoulder at the woman warming his bed. It was a strange feeling knowing he would have someone to return to. His fingers stilled as they ghosted over a particularly beautiful gown. It was one of the lesser gowns he'd had bought for her but as he let the fabric settle in his hands, he knew she would appreciate the care placed in every needle stitch. He draped it over his arm before laying it out on a chair beside the bed.
He grabbed a quill from his desk and wrote a small note to her, if only because she had been so clever last night. He smirked at her relaxed brow and a chin too square to be called classically beautiful. This lead to him admiring her other features. Her eyes were too far apart and her nose was pert and delicate, throwing off the rest of her face. He was surprised about how he preferred her that way. What a strange woman.
As he walked from the room, he wondered absentmindedly if she was a Jinn.
()()()()
The room was flooded with light when she woke. Her muscles ached and her neck was burning from keeping it tilted for so long. When she stood, her feet were greeted with cool flooring. Her eyes saw the flash of green from the corner of her eye.
She smiled when the dress came into view. It was plainer than the extravagant others he had gifted to her and she ran a hand across the stitching to the side. The dress settled nicely to her form and as she spun to look at her reflection in the mirror, the fluttering of paper. Made her look down.
A handwritten note contrasted with the floor and she reached out to read it. Her eyes scanned the words, scrawled quickly but still remained beautiful. Her mouth open in a silent awe. Her bare feet raced from the room and tore the door open, startling the maid about to hesitantly knock.
Kagome sprinted past the halls and doors and people until she reached the large doors, marking the end of the palace. With much tugging and a little assistance from two helpful guards, the doors opened and she flashed forward. Once firmly placed atop the staircase, she spotted the mass of men gathered in the palace square. Even from her high perch, a flash of white hair was visible. She could feel the air rush from her lungs as she stood there, fruitlessly trying to regain her breath.
She wanted to franticly wave but chose instead to wait. She needn't wait long.
He glanced up at her and when he stilled attaching his saddlebag, the other soldiers halted and followed their Lord's eyes to the wide staircase. A few gasped but most just looked on in awe at the woman that towered above them all.
Sesshomaru applauded himself for the dress choice. The green mixed beautifully with the setting sun and gave a halo to her rich hair that tumbled, unbound, down her back. If anything, she looked the part of the Fey Queen with a dress made of moss and hair as wild as the wind.
He watched her every move and noticed as she looked up to the moon, a slightly visible orb in the sky. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon and he knew he would have to leave if they wanted to reach the forest before sunrise. He nodded once, assuring her he would not forget, before tearing their eyes apart and moving to fluidly mounting his grunting horse.
His men reluctantly looked away from the riveting sight she created, following their Lord's lead and mounting. Many looked back at her.
Sesshomaru refused to look back, focusing on the wide gate doors that opened with a loud groan. He moved forward at a brisk trot and knew he would savor hearing the ending of her story.
"Will you miss her?" One man asked and the others in his unit shot glares in his direction. The boy shook in his boots at the Lord. Sesshomaru just smirked, watching the people swarm around their party as they walked the streets. A few where lucky enough to catch view of their new Lady and he was surprised to hear the cheers that she produced.
He looked back once, her wide hair flapping behind her as she saw him off. The reigns bit into his palm as he answered the curious man's question.
"I think I will."
She took a few steps back. Her bare feet were red from the cold and she was swarmed with maids as she reentered the palace. The jeering remarks made by disgruntled maids caused her mouth to set into a grim line. She swatted them away when they tried to tie back her hair and cover her bare shoulders. She was not some delicate doll in need of protection.
With a resolute glare, she raised her chin and marched forward, looking for the man whom they told her had everything she needed to do as Lady. They asked her to rest, telling her she needed the sleep and the rest if she was to provide a child. They seemed aghast when she snorted.
She was in no need of their rude remarks and their glares.
She was strong.
()()()()
Dear Lady Kagome,
Sleep well in our bed and think of many stories to tell me when I return from squelching a rebellion to the East. Also, please wear the dress, it will match the eyes of this Fey King, don't you say?
Yours Truly,
Lord Sesshomaru
This has been a long time coming but finally, I'm done with this chapter! This story will have quite a few time skips because there is no way in hell I can write 1001 stories.
Read and review!