Chapter Six: The Gifts
Over the next month, Calvin would continue his training. Taking Hobbes' advice, he dedicated every spare moment he could toward deep breathing and emptying his mind. Every few days or so, Hobbes would take him back to the nexus. And while there, Calvin could definitely notice the fruits of his labors. It happened one day as Calvin sat upon the peak, focusing on his breath flowing in and out. He heard a distant thumping, much like a drum. It sounded distant at first, but as Calvin focused on the sound, it grew ever louder, constantly beating out a steady rhythm. Calvin was lulled in by the sound, entranced by the hypnotic thump-thump. Calvin couldn't be sure when he had come to the realization, but when Hobbes had roused him, he knew; the sound he had heard was his own heartbeat. When he told this to Hobbes, the djinni was ecstatic. He told Calvin that the time would soon come when he could start practicing actual magic.
Actual magic… Calvin contemplated the prospect as he was manning the stall one day. What all would it entail? Hobbes had said that magic was all about exerting your will over the world, but what exactly did that mean? Was magic just wanting a particular outcome so hard that the world shifted to accommodate it? And what about hand motions? Hobbes had said that gestures weren't really necessary, yet Calvin had seen Hobbes make all sorts of gestures when doing magic; weather snapping his fingers or waving his arms. If they really weren't needed, then did Hobbes use them as an aid to help visualize what he wanted? Or did he use them just because it looked more impressive that way?
As Calvin was thinking on these things, something caught his attention. Out in the crowd, he saw a glimpse of a feminine figure with whisps of brown hair peeking out from under her headdress. SUSIE! Calvin excitedly called out to her, but when she approached the stall, his face fell.
It wasn't her.
Careful to not let his disappointment show, Calvin managed to sell the woman a garment and she went on her way. And Calvin continued selling his wares - though his spirits were now considerably lower than they had been previously.
Calvin returned home that evening and plopped himself on the couch. He let his head slump against the wall, heaving a deep sigh.
"My, that was a long suffering sigh." Calvin turned his head to see Hobbes had appeared beside him. "Something on your mind?" the djinni asked.
"Aw, it's nothing." Calvin groaned. "It's just… I thought I saw someone in the market today,... but it was someone else." he looked back toward Hobbes and startled.
The djinni was floating before him, laying front side down. His fingers were interlaced beneath his chin, his mouth spread into a wide, sappy smile. "Sooooo,... what's her name?"
Sometimes it unnerved Calvin just how easily Hobbes could read him. But figuring it would be less of a hassle to just be honest with the djinni, Calvin answered. "Susie. I've only met her once, but I feel like we made a connection. I keep hoping to see her again, but so far it hasn't… Hey, wait! Do you know of any spells that could locate someone?!"
Hobbes stroked his chin in thought. "Hmmm, there is one spell I know that could work, but it requires a certain object - some item belonging to her, or at the very least, something she touched."
Calvin thought about that for a moment. "Oh! I actually sold her something that day!" he said, reaching into his coat pocket "She paid me with this!" he said, brandishing the one coin he had kept.
Hobbes took the coin, giving it a once over. After a moment, he said "Yeah, that should work." He handed the coin back to Calvin, saying "Now, lie down, clutch the coin tightly and concentrate on the person you want to locate."
Calvin did as instructed, laying himself out on the couch, held the coin firmly to his chest and let his eyelids fall as visions of Susie's smiling face flooded his mind.
"One last thing." Hobbes' voice spoke from off to the side. "No matter what may happen, you must absolutely not panic."
Calvin nodded in understanding; his mind still focused on Susie's dark brown eyes. He sat there for a time, but didn't feel like anything was happening. Curious, he opened his eyes to see the ceiling above him - only the ceiling looked much closer than it ought to have. Driven by morbid curiosity, Calvin turned to look down. He saw the couch sitting in its normal place on the floor; and laying on the couch, Calvin saw his own motionless body.
Calvin jolted awake, his breathing coming in deep, rapid bursts. Looking up, he saw the ceiling was at its proper distance once more. He sat up, moving his arms about and clapping his hands against his chest and shoulders to confirm was, indeed, back in his body. He heaved a sigh of relief before jolting again as he turned to see Hobbes with his arms crossed, staring harshly at him.
"What did I expressly tell you not to do?" The djinni asked, irately tapping his finger against his arm.
"... Panic?" Calvin sheepishly answered.
"And what did you do, immediately?!"
Calvin made a nervous gulp "Panic."
Hobbes gave his head a slight, disappointed shake. "Shall we try again?"
Now that Calvin knew what to expect, the second attempt went much smoother. Once again he found himself floating in the air above the couch. He scarcely had time to process this when he felt a force tugging at him, as though he were being pulled along by some invisible cord. This force pulled him through the wall and up into the air. Calvin watched in fascination as the city drifted by far beneath him. He watched as the people scurried about their business, hawking their wares, haggling prices, watching street performances.
But now wasn't the time for sight-seeing. SUSIE! He needed to focus on locating Susie!
So Calvin kept the image of Susie firmly in his mind and let the invisible thread carry him where it would. And it pulled him along, steadily taking him in one continuous direction. As he drifted along, Calvin realized the mysterious force was leading him toward the palace. Calvin was confounded. Why would Susie be at the palace? Was she a servant there, or something? Thinking back on their first meeting, Calvin supposed it did make sense - if she were a servant in the palace and had been away without leave, then it would make sense that she wouldn't want the guards to see her.
So Calvin was pulled along toward one of the many palaces many towers. And he drifted up, up and up, until he reached a great window. And as he got closer, Calvin could see a figure seated at the window, gazing out upon the city below. Susie! He cheered to himself. But wait, was that Susie?! Calvin focused on the seated figure. As he got closer, the figure turned its head, giving Calvin and unobstructed view of the face. It was Susie! Calvin gawked in dumbfounded shock. The first time Calvin saw Susie, she had worn a simple linen robe with little in the way of adornment - much like any other commoner would. But now, she was clad in richly embroidered silks. A golden, jewel encrusted necklace sat atop her bosom with a matching pair of earrings. There was an assortment of elegant bracelets and arm bands. Upon her entire figure, only one garment seemed out of place - a sash around her waist made of common cloth. The very same cloth, Calvin realized, that he had sold her.
Calvin opened his eyes to find he was back in his house, once again laying on the couch. His head swam a little as he rose to a sitting position. He looked up to See Hobbes staring at him expectantly. "So? Did you find her?" he asked.
"Oooooh, I found her." Calvin replied, shakily rising to his feet. "Hobbes,... she's the princess!"
"... Well, that complicates things." Hobbes hummed. "So,... What'll you do now?"
"Hey, mom!"
"Hmmm?" Calvin's mother paused her sewing to look up at her son, standing in the doorway.
"Y'know how you're always saying I should find a nice girl to settle down with?" Calvin said, stepping into the room. "Well, I, uh, might've found one."
His mother blinked at him, processing what he had just told her. When she fully realized what he said, her eyes lit up and a wide smile spread across her face. "Oh Calvin; That's wonderful!" she cheered, crossing the room to pull her son into a hug. "Who is she? Where did you meet?"
"We met at the stall." Calvin said, giving the easiest answer first so as to ease her into it. "And her name is Susan."
"Susan?" his mother repeated. "That's a good, respectable name; a name that sounds dependable and dignified… Come to think of it, isn't the princess herself named Susan?"
"Yeeeah-heh-heh-heh." Calvin nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, about that…"
His mother turned to face him and her mirthful smile melted into the look of horror. "Ooooh, Calvin, you can't be serious."
"Really, mom?" Calvin sighed. "After all the years you've been pushing me to get married, then once I actually take interest in a girl, you start back tracking?"
"I wanted you to marry someone closer to your own station, not the PRINCESS!" she argued, falling back into her chair. She massaged her temple, asking "How did you even meet the princess in the first place?!"
"I told you, she came to the stall!"
"Why on Earth would the princess come to a commoners stall?!"
"I don't know, but she did!" Calvin smiled to himself, thinking back on that first meeting. "We really hit it off too." He stepped over to sit across from his mother. Taking her hand in his, he said to her. "Call me crazy, but I really think this will work! There's a connection between us, Mom, I just know it!"
His mother lowered her eyes to the table. "Suppose there is a connection between you and her." she said. Then raising her gaze to meet his, she added "Do you honestly expect the king to accept a commoner as a son-in-law?!"
To her surprise, Calvin smiled. "You think I haven't thought of that?" he asked. Rising to his feet, he continued. "Really, it's not as bleak as you make it out to be. Anyone of wealth and status can marry into royalty; we have the wealth, now we just need the status!"
It was at that moment there came a sound of a clearing throat at the door. Calvin and his mother turned to see Hobbes standing in the doorframe. "It's ready." the djinni said with a bow.
"Oh, great! Perfect timing!" Calvin declared.
His mother rose, eyes narrowing at the djinni "What's ready?"
The reception hall of the palace was a sight to behold. Great columns of vibrant blue patterned with gilded designs rose to uphold the high, vaulted ceiling. Wood paneling, dyed in vivid colors wove intricate latticeworks across the walls. Bright tiles formed zig-zagging patterns across the floor and walls. Light poured in through tall, stained glass windows. Every wall and column was accented with gold plating. And at the head of the hall, stood an ornate throne where the king held court.
Calvin's mother looked around the magnificently decorated room, wondering to herself just how her son had talked her into this. All she could clearly recall was Calvin showing her the gift he had prepared and before she knew it, that djinni had presented her with a new robe - fancier than anything she had ever owned, with jewelry to match. Before she could even question it, Calvin had urged her to don the new outfit, saying she needed to 'look the part'. Now, here she stood, pushing a large cart with an ornate box set atop it into the king's court. She sighed wearily, nervously drumming her fingers on the carts handle. She could feel the stares coming from the other people in the room. These people had come with real issues to present before the king; disputes and affronts all waiting for the king's adjudication. Yet here she was assisting her son's harebrained scheme to butter up the king in an attempt to get with his daughter.
One by one, the cases brought before the king were presented and judgement passed. Soon, Calvin's mother was next in line. She pushed the cart forward, and there she got her first proper look at the king, seated on his throne, wrapped in his resplendent robes. A golden medallion glistened on his chest. His head was crowned with a jeweled turban. The royal scepter was firmly clutched in his right hand. He stared down upon her with a stern, but not unkind expression. Behind the king stood a line of burly guards armed with scimitars. And standing to the right of the throne was a tall man whose robes and adornments, while not as magnificent as the kings, were still splendid in their own right. She assumed he must be an advisor, of sorts.
It was this advisor who spoke as she pushed her cart forward. "For what purpose have you appeared before his majesty this day?" He asked, looking down at her through narrowed eyes.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Calvin's mother bowed her head low as she spoke. "Your majesty,... on behalf of my son, I have come to offer you this gift." she gestured to the large box atop her cart.
"Gift, eh?" said the king, raising a curious eyebrow. "A little unorthodox, but I suppose I could accept it."
"I'm not certain that would be wise, sire." the advisor said. "It could be a trap."
"Oh come now, she looks harmless enough." the king argued.
"The most insidious traps always look harmless!" the advisor countered.
The king and the advisor then exchanged a series of words Calvin's mother couldn't make out. After a time, the advisor finally cried "Alright, fine! You there!" he pointed to one of the armed guards. "Go and remove that box! And you." he pointed to the next guard in line. "Stand by. If anything suspicious happens, anything at all, be ready to apprehend her."
Despite the fear that had gnawed at her since she arrived, Calvin's mother let out an indignant huff at the man's completely unwarranted suspicion. Still, she made no motion as the two muscle bound guards approached her cart. Though as the one guard grabbed the box, she did manage to say "Oh, do be gentle. It is quite delicate."
The guard noted her words before slowly lifting the box straight up. And as the contents were revealed, everyone gaped in amazement. The king rose from his throne and he and his advisor stepped down to get a better look at what appeared. Sitting atop the cart was a miniature replica of the palace. It was highly detailed; every brick in the walls was rendered, every stone on the floor could be seen, every leaf on the big tree in the courtyard was visible, there were even little people milling about the courtyard. But what was most impressive was that the entire sculpture was made out of glass.
Calvin's mother could recall the first time she had seen the sculpture. She had asked why her son had chosen glass as a medium. The djinni then explained that, just like any other craftsman, he required raw materials in order to make something - and in the desert, there was an abundance of sand.
The assembled men spent several minutes looking at the sculpture; walking all around, taking view of every angle, pointing out details to each other, all in rapt fascination. Finally the king approached Calvin's mother. And though he wasn't much taller than her, his presence made her feel small as a mouse. The king nodded to her, and with a soft smile said "Your son is quite the artisan. I will gladly accept this gift."
She looked up at the king with a smile full of relief. "Oh thank you, your majesty! Thank you ever so much!" she cried, clasping her hands before her. She then left the reception hall, heaving great sighs of relief and wiping tears from her eyes. She then started for home to give her son the good news.
Princess Susan strolled through the lengthy corridors of the palace. She had been gazing out upon the city whilst enjoying the cool evening air and was now winding her way back to her chambers. As she strode down one particular stretch of hallway, a soft murmuring of voices caught her attention. Turning toward the sound, she found her mother and father, along with a handful of court officials, all huddling around a pedestal, looking keenly at whatever was placed upon it.
"Ah, Susan!" her father called after spotting her. "Come look at this."
So she walked toward the small gathering of people, who parted to give her a clear view of the object. And when Susan saw it, her eyes widened in amazement. "My goodness." she breathed, looking at the little glass replica of the palace. "This… this is exquisite! Such intricate detail… It must have cost a tidy sum."
"No." her father replied. "It was actually a gift."
"A gift?" Susan turned to her father, eyebrows arched. "From whom?"
"Ah, some woman appeared while I was holding court today." the king explained. "Said she had come on behalf of her son."
"Her son, eh?" Susan mused, turning back toward the glass sculpture. "Well, her son certainly possesses incredible skill. I can only imagine how long this must have taken… Oh! We should do something to properly thank them for this gift."
At this suggestion, Susan was surprised to see her father look rather bashful. "Ah,... I confess that I neglected to get any names."
"... Oh." Susan sighed, her countenance falling.
Seeing his daughter's saddened expression, the king was quick to reassure her. "But if they ever present us with another gift, I'll be sure to get their names!"
Susan offered her father a soft smile before turning her gaze back to the elaborate work of art. She let her mind wander, pondering just who this skilled artisan might be. Wondering if she might ever get to meet him in person.
Calvin looked over the lines in the sand, brow furrowed. His eyes ran along every line he had drawn, critically scrutinizing every detail - only to deem it unsatisfactory, run his stick through it and start again.
He turned to the side as a stirring of air heralded Hobbes' appearance. "So, what's all this?" The djinni asked, observing the drawings in the sand.
"Well," Calvin tapped his current attempt with his stick. "The first gift was a success. But we're gonna need something more impressive for the next one."
"Ah," Hobbes hummed, bending over for a closer look. "So, what is it? Some sort of box on wheels?"
"Well, I was thinking more like a carriage, actually."
"Ah, I see; a grand carriage, gilded to the nines, studded with gemstones of every color imaginable, its interior furnished with the softest cushions and the finest silks!"
Calvin stared agape at Hobbes' description. "Okay, that does sound pretty awesome. But I was thinking of something with a little more… oomph."
Hobbes cocked a curious eyebrow. "Such as?"
"Well,... what if the carriage could move… without the use of horses?"
The djinni stared at Calvin "A carriage that can move by itself? What would you even call such a thing?"
"I was thinking, Calvin's Automated Rolling Transport." Calvin answered with a self-satisfied smile.
Hobbes stared back at him with a flat look. "C.A.R.T?"
Calvin thought about that for a second. "We can workshop the name. So, think you can pull it off?"
Hobbes crossed his arms "It's… asking a bit much, don't you think?" he asked, finger tapping against his arm.
"Oh, c'mon, it can't be that difficult!" Calvin argued. "I fought a skeleton that was moving by itself!"
Hobbes narrowed his eyes at Calvin. "It's one thing to enchant bones to behave the way they would in life. It's a far more complicated matter to instill an entirely new set of directives into an inorganic contraption. And even if I did manage to accomplish that, the carriage would still need something to actually move it - some sort of power source… a heart, for lack of a better word."
Calvin turned back to his drawings. "Yeah, that's the part I've been trying to figure out." turning his gaze to the sky, he said "I keep getting drawn back to the sun."
"The sun?" Hobbes turned his own gaze to the shining orb in the sky.
"Yeah!" Calvin cheered. "The sun's always shining; always burning! I figure it could be an immense source of power!... If only there were some way to harness it! Like, I dunno,... rocks always absorb heat from the sun… and dark colors are always hotter than light colors… so, maybe some giant slab of black stone that could absorb sunlight and somehow convert it into energy."
Hobbes placed a hand on Calvin's shoulder. "You have quite the vivid imagination, but I doubt even magic could pull off what you're describing."
"I know." Calvin grumbled, scuffing the lines in the sand with his boot. "I just want to show the king something really impressive! Something no one's seen before."
He turned to Hobbes to see the djinni looking pensive. After a moment, he said "Well, if you want something no one's seen before,... I just might have an idea."
Hobbes flew Calvin far into the wilderness, mentally probing as he went. When he found what he was looking for, he set Calvin down facing a large cliff face and instructed him to wait there. He then flew up to the top of the cliff where he raised a fist into the air before slamming it into the the ground at his feet. The entire cliff shook from the impact, falling to the earth in great sheets of rock, kicking up enormous clouds of dust as they fell.
Calvin shut his eyes, pulling his coat over his nose and mouth as the dust clouds flew past. And when the dust cleared, Calvin looked up and startled at what the displaced rocks had revealed. There, embedded in the cliff, was what was unmistakably a skeleton. But this skeleton belonged to a creature that Calvin had never seen before; it was huge, two legged beast, easily the size of an elephant. It bore a long tail, with arms and legs that ended in sharp, lethal looking talons. Its head bore a great similarity to that of a crocodile, featuring a long, narrow snout, filled with pointed teeth. All together, the bones brought to mind the image of an enormous, terrible lizard.
Calvin stepped closer to the exposed bones. He looked up in awe at the figure which lay unnaturally twisted, as though writhing in agony. Looking at it, Calvin couldn't help but hink back to the skeleton he had fought back in the cave. As Hobbes floated down to him, Calvin asked "Is,.. is this a dragon?"
"There are some who speculate that these animals might be the dragon's ancient ancestors." Hobbes replied. "But no, this one and others like it weren't actual dragons."
"'Others like it?'" Calvin repeated. "You mean there are more things like this?"
"Oh yes." said Hobbes. "Millenia ago, creatures similar to this lived the whole world over. They came in every shape and size and filled every type of niche nature provided." Turning to look at Calvin he asked. "So, what d'you think? Impressive enough to show the king?"
Calvin tapped his chin, looking the bones over with a critical eye. "Well, I think it's awesome!... And the king would probably be interested in seeing it… It's all a matter of logistics, really."
"Logistics?" Hobbes asked.
"Well, yeah! I mean, look at the size of this sucker! How're we supposed to bring it to the king?! We'd have to assemble it inside the throne room! I just can't think of a way to present it to the king without revealing that a djinni did it!"
Hobbes hummed in thought. "Well,... what if you just took the skull?"
Calvin turned to Hobbes, aghast. "Just took the… Oh, wait… you might be on to something."
And so they returned home with the skull in tow. Though Calvin wasn't content to present it to the king as it was. While certainly fearsome to behold, one did have to admit it looked a lot like a bland, boring rock. So first, Calvin instructed Hobbes to coat the skull in a thin layer of plaster - changing its appearance from a dusty brown to a pristine white. Next, the teeth were plated with gold; and more gold was set all across the skull, forming swirling, decorative lines. As a final touch, two blood red rubies were set into the eye sockets. Then it was a simple matter of mounting the skull on a firm base, then it was ready to be given to the king.
By the end of the week, the entire city was abuzz with rumors of a monstrous skull on display in the palace.
As time passed, Calvin prepared even more gifts for the king; There was a scimitar enchanted to cut through any material, contained in a jewel-encrusted scabbard, there was a life sized sculpture of the royal family, carved from white marble, Calvin even went along with Hobbes' idea of the grand carriage. He still couldn't work out how to make it move without horses, but with Hobbes' magnificent craftsmanship, Calvin deemed it was still a gift worthy of royalty.
But at long last, Calvin felt it was time to present his coup de grâce.
"So Hobbes," Calvin asked after dinner one night. "Think you could a palace overnight?"
To Calvin's chagrin, the djinni openly laughed at the suggestion. "I could build a gazebo overnight, but nothing as grand as a palace!"
"Okay,... so, what's the shortest amount of time it would take you build it, then?" Calvin prodded.
"That depends on a lot of factors." Hobbes said, ticking off his fingers. "The size of the building, the material it's made from, the amount and style of decor…"
"Alright, alright!" Calvin drummed his fingers on the table as he thought. "Okay,... so then, once the palace is built, do you think you could transport it to a different place overnight?"
Hobbes thought for a moment. "Again, it would depend on the size of the building… and travel distance; but probably."
"Great!" Calvin whooped. He ran off to a nearby shelf and returned carrying a quill and some parchment. "Now then, let's get to designing the thing!"
Hobbes hummed in thought. "Does it really need to appear overnight, though?"
"Of COURSE!" Calvin answered. "It's all part of the spectacle, you see! Just imagine what the king will think when he wakes up in the morning, goes to look over the city and sees a building that hadn't been there the night before!"
"... I suppose that would confound most people." Hobbes conceded.
"Exactly!" Calvin said, drawing lines over the parchment. "Now, let's see,... it'll need to be bigger than any building in the city, but not as big as the royal palace. It's gonna need…" As he was drawing, something on Calvin's hand caught his attention. "Hey Hobbes, How'd you like to have an extra set of hands to help you build?"
"Well, sure, that'd be great." Said Hobbes. "But where would you find someone to… help… with…"
Hobbes' eyebrows arched as he watched Calvin run his fingers over the heavy ring he wore. Immediately, glittering jade smoke began billowing off the embedded jewel. The green cloud continued to swirl and grow until it dispersed, revealing a second djinni. This new apparition bowed to Calvin and in a smooth, velvety voice said "Greetings master. What do you wish… of… meeeee…" she then turned to look at Hobbes, her verdant eyes growing wide. Taking in the sight of him, she gulped, choking out a strained "O-o-o-o-o-h my."
Grinning, Calvin spoke up. "Hobbes, this is Ursula. She got me out of the cave I found your lamp in."
Hobbes stared at the new djinni for a moment before realizing he should say something. "Uuuh,... pleased to meet you." he muttered.
"D-delighted." Ursula squeaked in response.
Wearing a nervous little smile, Hobbes turned to Calvin, saying. "Can I have a quick word with you… in private?" Not waiting for a response, Hobbes ushered Calvin into the next room. Once they were alone, he turned to the young man with a hardened expression. "I can't believe this, Calvin!"
Calvin was bewildered by Hobbes' odd behavior. But thinking back on what had brought about this peculiar change, he supposed he couldn't really fault Hobbes after learning he had another djinni serving him. "Don't worry, Hobbes; I'll set Ursula free too. Honestly, though, I haven't even summoned her after that one time, so it's not like she's been-"
"Never mind THAT!" Hobbes snapped. "You had that gorgeous nymph serving you this whole time and I'm only finding out about this NOW?!"