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The Tale of Kareem al-Malak, Friend of Sinbad: Part Two
- The Tale of Kareem al-Malak, Friend of Sinbad: Part Two -
Nulah was uncommonly beautiful, being a reincarnated Jinn princess in the body of a human child of twelve years of age. Her eyes were as black as night, a trait she inherited from her mother, and she had skin as dark brown as the richest earthen soil. Her eyes would glow with a bluish light whenever she so felt the ancient powers bottled up within her beginning to manifest, but then they would return to their black shade soon afterwards. This fortunately never occurred in public, and so nobody ever imagined in truth that she was anything other than what she appeared to be, a normal little girl. She had hair that to see it, it was as black as her eyes and she wore it about her shoulders but no longer than that. Her hair, it was very, very curly, and extremely soft to the touch, which her husband found to be a delightful thing to do. Earlier in that year, upon the very day of her twelfth birthday, when she came to be of the lawful marriage age of those times in which they lived... the famous merchant prince, Kareem al-Malak, took her to be his wife and the couple so consummated their union as passionately, lustily, and decadently as their whims bade them to do. She was a slender girl with a nice shape to her body that was becoming as she approached the onset of her teen years ever more pleasing to the eye. And Kareem never failed to so remind Nulah that he found her endlessly pleasing to him. He dressed her in the finest silks, and treated her like the princess she in fact once was. This delighted her, and made her content to grant him pretty much anything that he desired of her, not that he ever asked anything of her that was beyond her ability to do. She had the sort of personality whereby she lived to please others, and was agreeable in doing all that was asked of her, no matter her own feelings about the matter. But with Kareem, she found it easy to be his dutiful wife and indeed in many ways his obedient pleasure slave. She derived a kind of slight perverse pleasure in the acts she performed in the bedchambers with him, and it was not as if they had exactly waited until she was of marrying age to indulge in their respective appetites for carnal delights. Indeed, she had shared this man's bed ever since he took her in when she was eleven years of age, just one year previous, and there was not a single night in which Kareem did not take his pleasure of her. A curse of a Jinn child was that they could never produce a child of their own, and so in the years to come she could never become pregnant from the lovemaking she did with her husband. Which was perhaps in a way just as well since they enjoyed the intercourse they shared, but neither of them were ready to be a parent of a child of their own. Kareem was used to the life of luxury, indulgence, and ease that he had... in the recent years of his life... decided was preferable to the hardships of his youth. He was fifty years of age... well, fifty years and one as of the year when Nulah turned twelve... and yet in his mind he was perhaps even more of a child in many ways than the little girl he took to his bed each night. He was not the most handsome of men, but women found him comely enough. He had a friendly round face, upon which was usually a ready smile upon his small mouth. He was polite, gentlemanly, and kind to all that he encountered, yet he had a dark and sometimes twisted side to him that came out when he told some of his stories of his past adventures. He had done things incomprehensible to men of true faith, and yet he praised Allah dutifully and had a compassionate nature and an essentially goodly soul. He kept his face and head shaved except for a high ponytail that he kept up from his head with a gold hair cone. It was not a common style in Baghdad, either during the reign of the current caliph or in any time that did come to the recollection of the folk who called that grand city home. Rather, it was a fashion he picked up during his travels in his youth, and he took a liking to it. Most thought he looked more like a woman than a man due to this, for most men during those days worse beards, but people respected him for his reputation and his good nature, and so if they believed he was eccentric or strange they never said this to him out loud. His ponytail was silvery, with hints of former color to it still. And he had the blue eyes of a foreigner, which he had inherited from his mother when he was born into this world. He had rather pronounced cheekbones, and an aquiline nose. He looked regal, was of average build, and he was soft in that build mostly due to it having been some time since he had to do any strenuous varieties of labor.
In that respect, he was little different from any other wealthy merchant or nobleman of Baghdad or of most other kingdoms known to human beings in that same era of history. Harun al-Rashid was currently the presiding caliph of Baghdad, and his subjects regarded him as a goodly and competent leader. Thus, the backdrop of the tale to come has been established! One day, whilst Nulah was dancing gracefully... and of course seductively... for her husband, Kareem was busy watching her and licking his lips in that way which let her know he was well pleased with her dancing, and with her in general. This was in the gardens outside of the mansion in which they lived, in the city of Baghdad itself, in a part of town that was oft known for being a pleasing location for people to come to dwell once they came into wealth or nobility. It may as well have been an earthly paradise, for Kareem and his young wife! The musicians who played whilst Nulah danced were of a quality whereby their artistry bordered on being angelic to listen to. A little girl was singing, her voice melodious and magical, weaving a spell of beauty that did much to enhance the performance that Nulah was putting on today for Kareem's pleasure. It was not at all uncommon for him to pleasure himself whilst watching her dance, but on this day he was restrained in his actions by something that he had been thinking about. He called his wife over to him once it had been that she was finished with her dancing and the music and singing had ceased for the moment. She came to him, and seated herself upon his lap whilst throwing her arms about him lovingly. “What is it that you wish of me, husband mine?” she asked, and he replied: “Today it is very late in the springtime, with summer approaching, and the flowers in these gardens are in their full blossoming and bloom. In all of this beauty surrounding me beneath the canopy above us and beneath the blue of the skies beyond that canopy... I have but one desire, and that is to gaze into your eyes.” She giggled, and then said to her husband in a cheerful and easygoing manner: “Ha! That is a simple wish to grant. For see? My eyes are before you, as are my lips if you desire to kiss them.” And those full lips of hers were welcome indeed, as Kareem did bestow a passionate kiss upon the girl's eager mouth whilst his hands fell upon her in all the ways that reminded her that he found her body a source of endless delights. Once he had bestowed upon her this compliment, he said to her: “Beloved! Have I ever told you the story of my return to the sea following my first voyage? It may prove to the listener, to be easily the equal of any legend that has come to be attributed to my old friend Sinbad. Would you find such a story agreeable to hear... or, ought I to save it for another time, should you wish to indulge in more sensual activities with me?” She wore her softest silken dancing pantaloons, purest white against her dark skin and though not transparent the garment was thin enough to feel as if she was wearing nothing at all. And those, she had paired with a blouse of a similar silken material and color that was tucked into them. The blouse had long, very puffy, sleeves and a low cut to the neckline. She had cast away her headscarf and veil during her dance, along with as well her slippers, and because she did this for her husband it was not immodest nor improper at all. This was the outfit she loved to wear the most for Kareem, and he found it beautiful upon her. Also, he took no small delight in molesting her whilst she wore it, as he was doing whilst waiting for her to reply to his question. She was taking her time, thinking it over, enjoying what he was doing with her. At last, her breath quickening with excitements of several varieties, she said: “Yes, my great master! I truly do think it would delight me to hear you tell me of it. Unlike the first such tale you spun for me, now it is a private audience of merely myself that you shall weave it for. I shall listen raptly, and will not be of a mind to protest should you desire to continue doing as you presently are with me whilst you tell your story.” The sound of birdsong was in the air, and insects of the sort that frequent gardens delightedly in the present season, and the scent of Nulah's perfume was intoxicating to Kareem. He took a drink from a cup of water he had on a table at his side, there also on that table being a pitcher of it brought from the kitchen. A second cup was next to it, for Nulah to partake of if she wished. She did so, and once the two put their cups down Kareem resumed lavishing attention upon his wife. As he did as it pleased him to... he said unto her: “Very well, my delightful little Jinn! Let me so tell you of my second mad adventure.”
'It had been of my desiring, following the events of my first taste of voyaging at sea in the company of the renowned Sinbad, to retire from further such adventures and enjoy a life of contentment in Baghdad rather than to pursue foreign shores, exotic ports, and perils unknown to me. But if I must be honest, in many ways I was cut from the same cloth as Sinbad himself and so I sought him out and asked him if at all he had a need for me among his crew. For, word had reached me that he was preparing for a voyage to a new location ripe for trading, and I longed to be a part of that venture. I purchased some goods of a sort conductive to commerce... being sure to purchase only things that had a high value in foreign lands yet which were affordable here at home. That, as you know, being the secret to a merchant's success! In short order, we prepared a goodly ship that was newly made ready for sailing and upon coming aboard we did pray and commend our fortunes to Allah. Once we set sail, we journeyed south and westward in a direction much the opposite in many ways from that which we took during my first voyage. As before, we had set sail from Basra only this time we had gone southward for a very long time prior to turning to the west. We had plenty of supplies for such a lengthy journey, and it would be easy to obtain more as soon as we reached a port to trade at. After some time, we reached the land of the Somalians by way of the gulf that leads there, and we stopped to make landfall to trade our goods at several ports in that part of the world. Along the way, we visited several islands... some large, and some small... where we made the acquaintance of the local peoples who were glad for the trade we brought to their isles. After that, it occurred to us to journey out from the gulf and thence southward for a while with a mind to explore the coasts that lay in that direction. However, a great storm was raging in the distance, and it made it more needful to turn back and resupply our sloop. Once we had returned to Somalian waters, we did exactly that prior to deciding to cross the Bab el Mandeb, which means the Gate of Tears, and so pass into the Red Sea by that means. The day was bright, the weather nice, and the sun warm as we began upon our way across the Bab el Mandeb. The first islands we passed were a collection of small isles known as the Seven Brothers, at which we did not feel the need to stop to look at closer. Instead, we sailed on in the direction of the Red Sea, at the last reaching it safely. There are many islands in the Red Sea, and in the distance we spied one on which there were many fruit trees growing. However, the island on which we spotted those trees was mostly uninhabited by either man or beast, at least that we could notice. We had a mind to come ashore and pick some fruit to take back aboard, and I volunteered to go along for such a task as this. As you know, I am not a tall man... I am of average height at best, if not a bit below. But in my youth, I was excellent at climbing and was not against climbing trees when such was called for, as it was now. The air was fresh and clean, and the fruits proved to be equally fresh and delightful to partake of. We gathered a goodly number of these, and each of us had to climb trees to obtain them, much like monkeys we acted in that way. It may sound silly, but it was a fun diversion that lifted our spirits and in truth also made for a few wagers as to who could collect the most fruit in the shortest time. I did not so partake in that game, since I despise gambling and refuse to engage in it at all. But the other sailors did not have my sense of morality regarding such things, and they made fools of themselves trying to outdo one another in the course of their wagering. Once my work was complete, I brought the fruit back to the ship and went back to collect some flowers which was a pastime I had a fondness for when nothing else was required of me. This, one of the older sailors, a big and gruff man, said was womanlike or childlike of me... and I ignored his teasing, for that is all it was, and I focused instead on the gentle task at hand. I had brought with me a wine skin and some provisions, and I ranged about that small island searching as was my way for only the prettiest of flowers. I would take take them and weave a crown from tall grass and use the flowers to decorate it with. And this, I would sometimes save and present to willing women or girls at some of the ports we visited. Occasionally, just for a joke, I would wear the crown myself and take my ponytail down in order to done it correctly. The gruff sailor who teased me then said: “Ah! You do make a comely maid. Come, give me a kiss!” and once, only once, I surprised him by obliging him.'
'That was one of the ways in which I created little diversions for myself on long voyages, and this did begin during this my second major voyage. It was all very silly, but it kept my spirits bright and served to endear myself to my fellow crew members. Sinbad said that in many ways, I was the heart and soul of his crew, and that I brought a certain light and levity among them that was otherwise lacking. I have always loved to compose poetry, and I would oft be moved to poetic verses whilst at sea. Never once in those moments did I have to keep this to myself either, for Sinbad and the others of his crew aside from myself all loved to hear me recite my poetry for their enjoyment. It was not always very good poetry, I must admit, but there were sometimes when I felt compelled to write my verses down on parchment to save. I still have a modest collection of my poetry in the library here at the mansion. And more, back in my other home as well! Once we were back aboard the ship and the fruit was all collected, as much of it as we had room to take with us, we set sail once more and eventually came to a great many more isles... realizing that the Red Sea was a far more diverse body of water than it appears to be at first glance. Not all of the islands were uninhabited, and we never truly knew what we might discover each time we did decide to take a look. Upon one large island, there we found several small streams that looked as if they were in the process of drying up due to the heat of the day. Many high trees, rose up amid the streams... but they looked unhealthy, and the feeling was that this particular island was suffering from what so did seem to us to be a drought most severe. Things only got worse the farther up the Red Sea we sailed, for any islands towards Egypt were more oft than not barren and almost lifeless, not worth even bothering to stop at briefly. We kept to the left, which was westward, and the coasts along that way became little more than desert after a time, beyond what vegetation lay nearest to the shores. We despaired of finding any ports to trade at in this direction, and before long we started to consider going back the way that we had come. However, our lookout spotted off one stretch of coastline a peculiar structure in the distance. “What is it, Akim?” asked Sinbad, and the lookout with his keen eyes replied: “It looks like a temple or a palace of some kind, captain! Should we investigate it?” Then, one of the other sailors suggested in an eager manner: “Sinbad, we should see what it contains! It may hold treasures within it. I have heard of the wonders of ancient Egypt... perhaps we will find gold or jewels.” But Sinbad explained: “You are in the assumption it is uninhabited or unguarded. If it does contain treasures, those within the structure... if anyone living is there... might object to us laying claim to what is rightfully theirs. We are not thieves to steal from the locals! But I think we should investigate, just to be sure. After all, if no one has called the place their home in countless generations then there is no reason we should not help ourselves to what wealth we might find within. However, I shall personally cut a hand off of any man who steals form any who are living!” Then, the captain told me that I should be in charge of this expedition since I was the most honest member of his crew, and he could be sure that whatever I told him would be the truth. I can never say with honestly that I have not ever stolen at all, but Allah is my witness in that I strive mightily to be an honest man and to do what is right in so far as I am able to! And so, I made a solemn vow to so report to the captain faithfully and true any misdeeds on the part of the man whom he was placing just under my command. We made landfall at the coast, our anchor finding its' place of rest as we made our way across the barren landscape towards the structure the lookout had spotted. It took a long time as we journeyed by foot, and the heat was brutal upon our brows. There was not a single oasis to be seen, not in any direction that we gazed in, and what plant life there was appeared to be the same which one may expect to behold in the desert. The man who had been eager to find treasure was among those who were in my care at present, and he complained the most about the heat once we were halfway to our goal. He would be trouble, I suspected, and many times I wanted to smack him into silence if only so as to spare the rest of us the noise of his complaining, which became irritating to hear after a long enough while. In due course, we drew close to the strange structure and saw that it resembled a mighty domed fortress of a sort that should not have been in the lands of Egypt... for it resembled Indian architecture a great deal.'
'It was as white as alabaster in color, the structure before us. The bottom of the temple, for indeed a mighty temple it was, was square in shape and surrounded on all four sides by slender columns of the most delicate design. They were less to support the roof above them than they were for the purpose of decoration. The dome of the temple rose up from the square, and it was of a prodigious height, this so being the aspect of the temple that the lookout had spotted from the water. Four tall minaret towers did rise up from the four corners of the temple itself, which was also of a monumental height. However, the minarets themselves were only half the height of the massive dome. At the peak of the dome was a tall golden spire topped by the symbol of a silver crescent moon. Various designs were upon all the walls of the temple's exterior, save for the dome which was as bare as it was smooth. There appeared to be not a single window to the entire building, and no door or gate of any kind either. There seemed to be no way to enter it! And we circled around the temple several times, slowly, just to be certain. This took a while, but we were at least sure that our eyes were not deceiving us. The men had nothing to say of any note... they muttered about the size being so enormous, and wondered about what people might have built this sort of a place. I kept silent, until I noticed the way that the designs looked upon one of the walls most definitely resembled the vague outline of a door. “Wait here!” I commanded the man, as I strode forth to examine this more closely. “What are you doing? There is no door there, Kareem!” said the man who so had been our biggest annoyance since setting forth. I ignored him, and placed my hand upon the wall to touch the design. I pushed it with all my might, and it went inward a little when I did so. I motioned for the men to come forward, as I said: “Come! Help me with this... this wall, is a false wall. It is the door we are seeking.” And swiftly, with the aid of the men, I managed to at last gain us entry into the temple. The wall pushed inward and slid to the side on its' own, once we pushed it far enough. The noise of the wall sliding was grating to hear, but it allowed us passage inside. The interior was lit by oil lamps, and was dim but not dark by any means. The intricate designs of the temple's walls on the outside were if anything even more intricate within. They looked like vines covered with leafs, blossoms, and flowers of many varieties. The artistry by which this was made, was quite exquisite and agreeable to look upon. There was the sound of water, this coming from fountains at the center of each of the four interior walls of the building. These were in shape like unto wide square basins, with the heads of stone lions above each basin. The water poured forth from the lions' mouths and on down into the basins. From out of the basins, the water overflowed into pools in the floor from which a deep channel was cut that ran to the very center of the floor of this colossal chamber. In the precise center was a round hole into which the water flowed. Whatever the water's source, that was its' destination. The walls of the temple were thick enough that they could likely have contained pipes for the fountains, and the water logically was from a reservoir of some kind below the ground somewhere. All of this made sense to my mind, and not one of the men appeared to give it even that much thought. They were too busy marveling at the grandeur that lay about us, to truly care about the how or the why of things. The high ceiling above us was flat, and I saw that stairwells in each corner of the temple led up, likely into the base of each of the four minarets. But also, they had to stop at landings on the upper floors of the temple first. There would have been no way to access the interior of the dome otherwise. Columns similar to those outside, lined the walls of the interior just the same, with soaring archways between the heights above each one. Statues of beings with many arms and three faces each sat in meditative positions beneath several of the archways, and I noticed these statues were strikingly Indian in design. I had seen similar such things during my time in India in the court of the maharajah who had favored me during the latter events of my first voyage, and I was intimately familiar with this style, though the subject of these statues was not known to me since they were different in many ways that those I had seen in the past. Garlands of flowers were about each statue's neck... and I was reminded of the flower crown I still had upon my head. I had been wearing it, ever since putting it on as I related to you before, and I had not yet had the opportunity to so remove it.'
'One major difference was that these statues, unlike those in India I had seen, had wings emerging out from their backs, four pairs of wings each. And the faces of half of these statues were like those of only the most ferocious of beasts, rather than the beautiful gods and goddesses whose likenesses graced the statues I would have preferred to see in such a place as this. The floor was covered in colorful mosaics depicting abstract patterns colored blue, but the floor and walls were otherwise as white as had been the temple's outside, dome and all. I told the others with me that we should explore one of the stairwells to see what lay above, but the annoying fellow whom I mentioned before decided to have a closer look at the round hole in the center of the floor, into which all the water was flowing. “Be cautious!” I warned him, but the fool was as heedless of reason as ever, and as he drew too close to the hole, he managed to slip on some water that was spilled nearby and he toppled face first into the depths below. I felt that had this man but listened to me his fate could have been avoided... but sadly he ended as he had lived, and it is to my shame that I could not feel sorry for him. At that point, the others decided to actually heed my advice and we headed for the nearest of the stairwells and climbed up to the next floor, which led us to the interior of the temple's great dome. Within, was a depiction of the night sky, stars and moon and all, and the stars actually through some magic were shining as if they were real, the same with the moon. It was a brilliant and shocking sight to behold, and even more shocking was the sight of a massive bird as could only have been a legendary Roc, which was chained by its' legs whilst it sat within a gigantic nest in the center of the floor, which itself was covered in mosaic designs exactly like the ground floor of the temple had been. I had heard tales of this mighty bird! And what sailor has not heard them? But never in all my days did I imagine that my own eyes would bear witness to such a creature. It appeared calm, and seemed to be watching us to see what we might do. I marveled at this sight, but saw that some of the others with me were terrified and at least one man screamed and nearly fainted. I told him to calm himself, and failing that... to go back downstairs and splash himself with some water. An attempt at a bit of humor on my part, to help ease the tense situation. Some of the men laughed a bit at my jest, and the frightened sailor soon calmed himself down. Within the nest were a variety of jewels and valuables, a veritable treasure hoard, but it occurred to me that we should not touch any of it. However, the men I was in the company of were not all as wise as I... and several of them rushed forward at the sight of the treasure and began to help themselves. The enormous bird then pecked at them with its' beak and got up to slash at them with its' talons until the men who tried to rob the Roc's nest all lay dead and bloody on the floor of the chamber. The bird then glared at us and settled back down upon its' nest. “It would thus appear that this bird is the guardian of that great treasure.” I explained, adding: “So long as it lives, we should not touch a single jewel! But I worry that if we do manage to slay the beast... we might so anger whoever the master or mistress of it may be, which could imperil us more.” One of the other men was in agreement, and he stated: “You are correct, Kareem! And besides that... however would we slay any monster so gigantic as that?” I stated that we should leave at once and get back to the ship, and as the lot of us began to walk away we were surprised to hear the monstrous bird speak in a clear and human sounding voice akin to that of a mature woman. And the Roc said unto us: “Halt there a moment! You seem wiser than your unfortunate fellows. How came you to be in this place?” And I told the bird the story of our adventure thus far. The animal then said unto me in reply: “You have come a long way, to merely leave this place with nothing! I will allow you to take a single treasure from my next for each of you who stands there before me. I count a small number of you, and these valuables I guard are indeed great enough in number that granting you this boon should not inconvenience the one I serve.” As we approached the next, careful not to walk over our slain brothers, I asked the monster curiously: “Might I ask, whoever could it be that is mighty enough to chain a creature such as yourself, and by what magic did they create this wondrous place?” I selected a brilliant sapphire for myself, which I tucked into the pouch I had hanging from the sash about my waist, whilst I waited for the noble animal to answer me.'
'And so, the animal did reply: “I serve a mighty Jinn, one that dwells in the watery depths beneath the temple in which you do find yourselves. She walks in the guise of a mortal sorceress, and it is she who so keeps me chained here during the day. But... when I have a need to hunt and feed, and to do anything as nature demands, she unchains me and then transforms the image of the heavens upon the dome into whatsoever skies above the world that could best bring me to a place best suited to what I require. She is kind to me, and of a goodly nature, and because my kind is not numerous in the world... she ensures my safety so that in return I can continue to guard her treasure. I would advise that you do not descend into the depths to disturb her, since although good in nature she can be quick to anger if crossed, and it is a truth that you do not desire a vengeful Jinn as your enemy.” I then told the Roc about the fool who had fallen into the depths, and I asked the great bird if his doing so may have roused the Jinn to anger. By this time, all of my fellow crew members had selected the treasure of their choosing, and they did so wait only on me at present. The Roc then said, concernedly: “You would be wise to leave this place at once now! For my mistress' magic is mighty and her eye is observant. She will have surely noticed the man who tumbled below into her domain, and she is likely on her way up to investigate. She despises a thief, and even more a fool, and that man you spoke of sounds as if he had it within him to be both of those things. But even if she was not so quick to come to wrath... this temple, once a day every day at a different hour, vanishes from its' present location to another elsewhere in the world. Indeed, yesterday... we were in distant India! Tomorrow, only Allah knows for certain what our destination may be.” With that said, I thanked the Roc for its' generosity and its' mercy towards us, and I told the men it was time to go back to the ship whilst we still could. But, as we descended the stairs back to the ground floor, the interior was shaking violently as if a great tremor rocked the very ground on which the grand temple so presently sat. It had to have been a very mighty tremor indeed, since not only the temple but the depths beneath it clearly moved unto a different location when the magic that governed that miracle saw fit to transport the place elsewhere. Of all those with me, only half of them managed to get back through the temple's entrance at my side. We had run for our very lives, and those left behind never again saw those sands on which the temple had just vanished from. It was as I had suspected... even the underground of the temple was gone, there was no hole in the desert where the temple sat only moments before, and no sign of water anywhere to be seen. We hastened back in the direction we had first come, and arrived at length back at our ship where the captain asked us what had just happened. Sinbad had felt the tremor even from the shore, and the lookout had witnessed the disappearance of the temple. I told him the full account of our exploration of the temple, and when I mentioned the great Roc and the Jinn it served, he had a twinkle in his eye as if he was remembering something from long ago. When I finished my tale... all those who remained of the men who had accompanied me attested to the truth of my words. Sinbad then said: “I was at the mercy of a great Roc myself once, during my second voyage! How ironic is fate, that you Kareem should encounter one in yours... it appears that Allah has a sense of humor most bright and profound.” and he chuckled a bit after saying that, before his humor darkened as he stated: “Those men we lost, it will be needful to tell their families that the men perished during the voyage... I will just have to think of some reasonable explanation for their deaths and disappearances that will be believed. In this case, telling the actual truth will simply not do! But, this is far from something I have not had to do before. Let us dwell upon death and loss no further at present, however... we must journey back unto more hospitable shores than these are, if only to see what price those baubles you lot have brought back with you might fetch. They look priceless, to my eyes!” I took off the flower crown I had on, and I then put my hair back up into its' usual style whilst we got underway. “I have but one question to ask of you gentleman.” Sinbad said to us once we had set sail properly, adding: “However did you manage to have all of that happen in only a brief moment? You were not gone long enough for the events that you thus described to me to have taken place.” So, I realized that time had no meaning within the temple's walls.'
'I told Sinbad as much, and he exclaimed: “Allah! Never have I before, heard of a magic that can halt or bend the flow of time to such a degree. But not one of you has ever lied to me before, and I know all too well that strange things can happen in certain parts of the world. I believe your tale! Let us speak of it no further, though, lest my brain hurt from trying to comprehend what occurred.” We sailed on back, following the identical route from which we had come to get to Egypt, stopping by to trade what of our goods we had remaining to trade... and being certain to sell those treasures we had been gifted from the merciful Roc. The sapphire I had chosen was worth a great sum, and no sooner had I sold it than there was within me a deep sadness the source of which I knew not. After a long time at sea, we arrived back at Basra and I stayed the night at a comfortable inn before having to make the journey back to Baghdad the following day. As I slumbered, I fell into a peculiar dream the like of which I had never had before. In the dream, I walked upon a series of slender arching bridges in a subterranean kingdom of a beauty and magnificence most unearthly to behold. Enormous crystals did poke out from cavern walls, and all manner of mansions, palaces, and other structures were built into the rock of those walls wherever no crystals could be seen. A faint bluish light emanated from the crystals, which illuminated this realm as brightly as if it were a clear and pleasant day. Water flowed down from the heights above, and I could see high above me an enormous hole in the cavern ceiling, that being the source of the water. Gigantic pipes ran vertically up some of the cavern walls at precise intervals, and the sound of rushing water did echo form within them. Beneath the bridge, I could see endless depths and I thought I could make out a deep underground reservoir far, far below. Strange creatures swam in it, and stranger still was the fact that the people who lived in this realm had skin of a deep blue color, and hair of a pale light bluish sort of shade. They wore silks of silver and sea green, with elaborate patterns upon their garments, and all of them had the unmistakable presence of nobility to them. The women were of an otherworldly beauty so as to make my breath quicken to look upon, and the men were almost as beautiful as those ladies. And their children had the brightest smiles and eyes that were filled with boundless joy, so that I knew that here there were no sorrows like unto those that mortals know. For these were no mortals like myself! I knew in my heart that I was in the presence of a tribe of Jinn who were attuned to the elemental spirit of water. One of their number escorted me to the grandest of all their palaces, and there he bade me kneel before she who was their queen. The same, who was the mistress of the temple and the Roc who nested beneath its' dome. Her skin was as deep blue as all the others of her kindred, and her face somehow to my eyes more beautiful than all of them taken together! Her eyes glowed faintly with a pale bluish light that was a match for her long wavy hair's color, and her body was voluptuous and splendid, attired in a costume fit for an empress. That consisted of a pair of sparkling silver pantaloons, and a matching top without sleeves that was short and bared the middle of her incomparable body. She wore over all this, a transparent white scarf that was big enough to be worn across her body and over one of her shoulders. The scarf was covered in tiny sapphire jewels that sparkled like innumerable stars. She had in her ears silver looped earrings, and in her nose was a smaller looped ring. Many rings adorned her fingers and the toes of her bare feet, and a necklace of sapphires was worn around her neck. She reclined upon a throne made of the rarest ivory which was further decorated with pearl, her feet resting upon cushions of deep purple color, which had silver tassels. The palace in which she held court was like no other my eyes have beheld, and it put the palace of the wealthiest maharajah of India to shame. I cannot speak of its' wonders and splendors! Only to say, that here was a place surely not of this world at all. This great queen of these watery Jinn, she was eternal in her beauty and she spoke with the voice of a woman still in full possession of her youth. She said unto me as I fell to my face upon the palace floor before her, so looking up occasionally despite this in order to feast my eyes upon her glory: “Kareem! And yes, I have the power to know your name... tell me why you did not keep the sapphire that my pet allowed you the opportunity to take from out of my private collection of treasures.” I knew she so desired only the truth.'
'I said unto her, my voice somewhat nervous and my manner as humble as I could possibly be: “Great queen of the watery Jinn, I am but a humble merchant by trade and I thought to profit from selling that sapphire, since I could imagine no other use or need for it otherwise.” And the Jinn matriarch then said unto me, her tone of voice betrayal no hint of emotion: “Kareem, know you that the sapphire had other properties beyond being a simple jewel. If you had kept it, then in your dreams you would have sooner or later been shown the means of using the jewel to summon forth one of my people to be your servant. And the service of a Jinn is no small thing! Our honor demands that we serve those most in need of us, and of the things we can offer.” She sighed, then paused for a moment before saying: “Knowing this, as you now do... tell me honestly, whether or not you regret selling that sapphire.” I thought about it, very deeply, for a moment before saying honestly: “I can think of nothing, honestly, that a Jinn could grant to me that I could not already obtain for myself. I am a wealthy man, oh queen! And... I have all that could ever give me pleasure. I have two great mansions complete with beautiful gardens, and loyal servants to do my bidding. Men to do as I command, and women to tend to my every need. I have those in the both of my houses who are able to cook and prepare the most delicious of meals and tasty treats for me... and for both of my households... to enjoy. And, I have both boys and girls to bestow upon me endless carnal delights, and they are beautiful like unto angels sent from Paradise. I have workers to tend my fields, I have animals to bear burdens too heavy for any in my employ, or myself, to carry... and in my mansions I am surrounded by works of great beauteous art, and music played by the most gifted of musicians and singers, which I am able to call upon at my pleasure. I live a life fit for a king! And I am as goodly unto all those who serve me, attend me, and who work for me as they are to me, seeing to their desires with as much kindness and duty as they see to mine. Whatever could I possibly desire more? I, can think of not even one single thing that I lack.” I then fell silent after that, and the Jinn queen took a moment to consider my words. She then said unto me, in a compassionate and caring tone of voice: “Kareem, you are a goodly man! Far better than others who have been brought before me under similar circumstances as those that brought you to my attention. You do not ask for more than you are content with, and this is the way of a man who deserves great things from life. It is also why Allah has seen fit to grant you all of those things that give you pleasure. For Allah wants only good things for those who revere that high and glorious one! You are not greedy, despite your trade being one plied oft by greedy men and women less noble in spirit than yourself. I cannot scold you, and I cannot find fault in anything that you have said. I do have the power to know your name, but I cannot read what is in your mind or know what is in your heart. But I do like the answer you gave to the question I put before you! Because of that... I shall grant you a single boon, but it will come in a time of my choosing and in a manner of my choosing. Do you, noble merchant, find this bargain agreeable?” and I told her that I found it most agreeable indeed. Then she snapped her fingers and I awoke from my dream in a tremendous sweat, my breath coming to me so quickly as to have at first been of a concern. Yet, after a drink of water and some time to calm myself, I felt better and knew that this had been no fanciful dream imagined by my slumbering mind. I had made a bargain with a queen of the Jinn, and I did not know then the form that her boon would take. But now, with you my beloved wife at my side... knowing as I do that you are the reincarnation of a Jinn princess of the same tribe as that glorious queen who had so favored me... I realize that you are the boon that she saw fit to bestow upon me. Perhaps it was her will that guided us to meet, which in turn allowed us the opportunity to fall in love! We can never know for certain, but that is what I choose to believe. And this proves to be true, something I have long believed in my heart with equal certainty... that love is truly the most precious of all treasures, and the greatest gift that almighty Allah can bestow any of us with. For it is truly said that there is nothing that befalls us that is not of the will of Allah, and the high one works in truth through many agents both of human and Jinn kind alike. As for that sapphire I sold... it should not surprise me, if it came into the possession of a man or woman who lacked the wisdom to use it wisely.'
As soon as his tale was told in full, Kareem kissed his young wife lovingly and held her in his arms, as tightly as it gave him joy to do. She smiled knowingly, for she knew quite well that it had been that great queen of the tribe to which she once belonged who had arranged all to end up being as now it was. But she had always kept her knowledge of this to herself, and still she said nothing, preferring to simply lose herself in the blissful moment that surrounded her. “Wisest of all, is the man who is content with all that Allah has blessed him with!”she exclaimed in between further kisses places upon her lips. And Kareem then proceeded to untie the strings that kept Nulah's pants on her, before pulling them off of her in order to partake of her in all of the ways that he had been considering during the telling of his story. Her undergarments were removed next. She gasped as he placed her flat upon her back, parted her legs, and then after getting between them so taking her as vigorously as was his want. He had made certain to remove his own garments first. Her cries of pleasure mixed with the singing of the birds in the gardens, and the servants who tended those gardens smiled, knowing that their master was enjoying himself with his wife again, not one of them realizing that he was in doing so enjoying the boon that the queen of the watery Jinn had bestowed upon him. Some Jinn were of the water, some of fire and smoke... some were of the earth and some were of both wind and air. The natures of these elemental Jinn were tied to those things as are found in nature itself, and it was the way of the watery Jinn to be the most passive and the most submissive of all the tribes of their kind. Which was why it took a great deal for the queen of that people to become roused to anger and wrath. Nulah took after the nature of the watery tribe to which in a previous existence she had belonged, and so whatsoever her husband wished to do with her... she took immeasurable delight in it, always willing and ever eager to please him. When he sometimes brought to their bed other another girl, or two, she enjoyed their company every bit as much as he did and never so complained about him sharing his love with them. It was not that he was a lustful man... but rather, that he had been so lonely in his youth at one point, that he needed love and was addicted to carnal delights in much the same way that a man who has long been hungry or thirsty is in need of food and drink to be healthy once again. And so did Allah never find fault in him for this, for he was good to those he took to his bed, and they loved him as greatly as he loved them. After he and Nulah had finished with their lovemaking in the gardens, they decided it was time to savor a good supper and to have some music be played for their enjoyment whilst dining. It was late afternoon, and the time they had spent outside was good for them, for in the beauty of the gardens, and lost in the sharing of stories and the making of love, they had gotten a taste of Paradise that made them feel at peace in a way that defies easy description. As the moon could be seen in the skies above, and the first stars of the evening showed their light, supper was cooked, prepared, and served in the dining hall of Kareem's mansion. As ever, Nulah sat next to her beloved husband, at his left hand side. There was no one sitting to the right of him on this singular eve, and the rest of the inhabitants of Kareem's house had already eaten by the time he and Nulah were at the last ready to dine. The musicians played at the far end of the hall, and a little girl sang a delightful song. There was joy, laughter, love and peace in that house, and those within were fortunate to be blessed by having come to be in the employ of so gracious a man as was Kareem al-Malak. A wide vase filled with a selection of colorful flowers was in the center of the dining table, the fragrant scents of which mixed with the perfume and incense that made it pleasing to breathe in the night air in that dwelling place. “If I was ever granted the chance to wish for one thing further, I doubt I could think of a single thing either. To me, this is my idea of Paradise!” exclaimed Nulah, who had been thinking about Kareem's story all throughout the afternoon previous, only to finally find the right words to comment upon it thoughtfully and meaningfully. “Well said, my little angel of Paradise.” Kareem replied, and every time he saw fit to call her those delightful things that he always did, it made her blush and fill with joy. She may have, in truth, been a Jinn bound in a human body, but it was her husband who was most truly her most devoted of servants, even as she served him. “Perhaps, in a way... we are all Jinn beneath the surface.” she said.
Kareem smiled to hear her say this, even if he did not know what caused her to say it. He never felt a need to pry into her deepest, innermost thoughts. It was enough that what he knew of them pleased him. And somewhere out in a distant village in far away China, an older merchant who had in his youth saw fit to purchase a certain sapphire during a trading expedition in the Middle East regarded the little Jinn boy who was his ever devoted servant with a loving look in his dark eyes. The boy was beautiful, even beyond the beauty of women, and was attired in a luxurious gown of sea green colored silk that seemed to flow about him as he moved. The boy had deep blue colored skin, and hair of only the lightest shade of blue to match the color of his eyes, which glowed faintly with a light which was of that hue. His hair was long and wavy like the waters of the sea in its' waves, and he was almost elfin in how he looked for the most part. He was a little Jinn in the full possession of his powers, and he used those powers to halt his aging so that he could remain a child forever. His gown was decorated with delicate ribbons, and his waist had around it a silver sash covered in tiny precious sapphire gemstones. He smiled, as he regarded the man who was more than merely his master. The Chinese merchant was handsome still, even on into his mid forties, and he had a shaven head and a pleasant face that always made him appear cheerful. At present, he was every bit as happy as he often seemed to be. He himself was wearing a comfortable jade green robe with gold trim that was belted at the waist with a scarlet colored sash. He liked his luxuries, and his comforts, very much. But never once, had he used the Jinn to obtain such things... never once in all the years since he came into the magic sapphire's possession had he used the Jinn to grant him even a single wish that he could not have granted for himself. Instead, he wished only for the inhuman boy to remain his companion and his lover for the rest of his days. He was lonely all his life, and that was all a man such as he could ever desire, to have a companion that would never leave his side. Over time, that Jinn boy had gone from serving him without question to loving him beyond all reason. “It is not simply my duty to serve you, master, but my pleasure to please you!” he always reminded the man he had thus come to love so selflessly and passionately. He reminded his master... his beloved... of this now, and the merchant said unto him in reply: “Tariq, I may be your master... but it is ever and always your love that continues to command me. Even as your beauty enchants me! Come, give me a kiss my lovely boy, so that we might pass a few hours in the bliss of each other's arms. That is all I wish for, at present.” And as soon as this was said, the boy hurried into the older man's arms and said unto him with a look upon his face that spoke of wanton desire and unbridled passion: “Your wish is my command, my beloved.” And the two kissed passionately, whilst they tumbled unto the bed behind them laughing and content in the promise of what sport awaited them. It seems that the merchant had been wise with his use of that artifact after his dreams showed him how to make use of its' powers. Never once had he squandered it, and if any man could be said to have truly needed it... it was this man. That is why the queen of the Jinn of the water allowed him to keep it, and was pleased that Tariq had found meaning in his service to that person who had summoned him in his loneliness, desperate to have his fondest wish of all granted. For it is truly a fact, that out of all the things a man or a woman may desire the most in this or any life... out of all of the things that one may covet, want, or have need of... love, compassion, and companionship it must be said are the very best of all things, and the purest. Whilst the name of Allah was not known to that merchant from far and distant China, the man knew him by another name and revered him greatly. So it was, that Allah smiled upon that man, and blessed his remaining days upon this world with no end of happiness and joy. Never again did that merchant know the pain of loneliness or the agony of grief... for his Jinn companion remained ageless and in perfect health up until the day when the man breathed his last and passed into Paradise whilst holding the blue skinned boy in his arms and smiling. The boy would never forget that smile, and no matter who else he would go on to serve... that man would have a special place in Tariq's heart, as one of the few masters whom he had ever allowed himself to truly love. It is said that when this Chinese merchant died, the queen of the water Jinn wept for Tariq's loss of him.
Nulah was uncommonly beautiful, being a reincarnated Jinn princess in the body of a human child of twelve years of age. Her eyes were as black as night, a trait she inherited from her mother, and she had skin as dark brown as the richest earthen soil. Her eyes would glow with a bluish light whenever she so felt the ancient powers bottled up within her beginning to manifest, but then they would return to their black shade soon afterwards. This fortunately never occurred in public, and so nobody ever imagined in truth that she was anything other than what she appeared to be, a normal little girl. She had hair that to see it, it was as black as her eyes and she wore it about her shoulders but no longer than that. Her hair, it was very, very curly, and extremely soft to the touch, which her husband found to be a delightful thing to do. Earlier in that year, upon the very day of her twelfth birthday, when she came to be of the lawful marriage age of those times in which they lived... the famous merchant prince, Kareem al-Malak, took her to be his wife and the couple so consummated their union as passionately, lustily, and decadently as their whims bade them to do. She was a slender girl with a nice shape to her body that was becoming as she approached the onset of her teen years ever more pleasing to the eye. And Kareem never failed to so remind Nulah that he found her endlessly pleasing to him. He dressed her in the finest silks, and treated her like the princess she in fact once was. This delighted her, and made her content to grant him pretty much anything that he desired of her, not that he ever asked anything of her that was beyond her ability to do. She had the sort of personality whereby she lived to please others, and was agreeable in doing all that was asked of her, no matter her own feelings about the matter. But with Kareem, she found it easy to be his dutiful wife and indeed in many ways his obedient pleasure slave. She derived a kind of slight perverse pleasure in the acts she performed in the bedchambers with him, and it was not as if they had exactly waited until she was of marrying age to indulge in their respective appetites for carnal delights. Indeed, she had shared this man's bed ever since he took her in when she was eleven years of age, just one year previous, and there was not a single night in which Kareem did not take his pleasure of her. A curse of a Jinn child was that they could never produce a child of their own, and so in the years to come she could never become pregnant from the lovemaking she did with her husband. Which was perhaps in a way just as well since they enjoyed the intercourse they shared, but neither of them were ready to be a parent of a child of their own. Kareem was used to the life of luxury, indulgence, and ease that he had... in the recent years of his life... decided was preferable to the hardships of his youth. He was fifty years of age... well, fifty years and one as of the year when Nulah turned twelve... and yet in his mind he was perhaps even more of a child in many ways than the little girl he took to his bed each night. He was not the most handsome of men, but women found him comely enough. He had a friendly round face, upon which was usually a ready smile upon his small mouth. He was polite, gentlemanly, and kind to all that he encountered, yet he had a dark and sometimes twisted side to him that came out when he told some of his stories of his past adventures. He had done things incomprehensible to men of true faith, and yet he praised Allah dutifully and had a compassionate nature and an essentially goodly soul. He kept his face and head shaved except for a high ponytail that he kept up from his head with a gold hair cone. It was not a common style in Baghdad, either during the reign of the current caliph or in any time that did come to the recollection of the folk who called that grand city home. Rather, it was a fashion he picked up during his travels in his youth, and he took a liking to it. Most thought he looked more like a woman than a man due to this, for most men during those days worse beards, but people respected him for his reputation and his good nature, and so if they believed he was eccentric or strange they never said this to him out loud. His ponytail was silvery, with hints of former color to it still. And he had the blue eyes of a foreigner, which he had inherited from his mother when he was born into this world. He had rather pronounced cheekbones, and an aquiline nose. He looked regal, was of average build, and he was soft in that build mostly due to it having been some time since he had to do any strenuous varieties of labor.
In that respect, he was little different from any other wealthy merchant or nobleman of Baghdad or of most other kingdoms known to human beings in that same era of history. Harun al-Rashid was currently the presiding caliph of Baghdad, and his subjects regarded him as a goodly and competent leader. Thus, the backdrop of the tale to come has been established! One day, whilst Nulah was dancing gracefully... and of course seductively... for her husband, Kareem was busy watching her and licking his lips in that way which let her know he was well pleased with her dancing, and with her in general. This was in the gardens outside of the mansion in which they lived, in the city of Baghdad itself, in a part of town that was oft known for being a pleasing location for people to come to dwell once they came into wealth or nobility. It may as well have been an earthly paradise, for Kareem and his young wife! The musicians who played whilst Nulah danced were of a quality whereby their artistry bordered on being angelic to listen to. A little girl was singing, her voice melodious and magical, weaving a spell of beauty that did much to enhance the performance that Nulah was putting on today for Kareem's pleasure. It was not at all uncommon for him to pleasure himself whilst watching her dance, but on this day he was restrained in his actions by something that he had been thinking about. He called his wife over to him once it had been that she was finished with her dancing and the music and singing had ceased for the moment. She came to him, and seated herself upon his lap whilst throwing her arms about him lovingly. “What is it that you wish of me, husband mine?” she asked, and he replied: “Today it is very late in the springtime, with summer approaching, and the flowers in these gardens are in their full blossoming and bloom. In all of this beauty surrounding me beneath the canopy above us and beneath the blue of the skies beyond that canopy... I have but one desire, and that is to gaze into your eyes.” She giggled, and then said to her husband in a cheerful and easygoing manner: “Ha! That is a simple wish to grant. For see? My eyes are before you, as are my lips if you desire to kiss them.” And those full lips of hers were welcome indeed, as Kareem did bestow a passionate kiss upon the girl's eager mouth whilst his hands fell upon her in all the ways that reminded her that he found her body a source of endless delights. Once he had bestowed upon her this compliment, he said to her: “Beloved! Have I ever told you the story of my return to the sea following my first voyage? It may prove to the listener, to be easily the equal of any legend that has come to be attributed to my old friend Sinbad. Would you find such a story agreeable to hear... or, ought I to save it for another time, should you wish to indulge in more sensual activities with me?” She wore her softest silken dancing pantaloons, purest white against her dark skin and though not transparent the garment was thin enough to feel as if she was wearing nothing at all. And those, she had paired with a blouse of a similar silken material and color that was tucked into them. The blouse had long, very puffy, sleeves and a low cut to the neckline. She had cast away her headscarf and veil during her dance, along with as well her slippers, and because she did this for her husband it was not immodest nor improper at all. This was the outfit she loved to wear the most for Kareem, and he found it beautiful upon her. Also, he took no small delight in molesting her whilst she wore it, as he was doing whilst waiting for her to reply to his question. She was taking her time, thinking it over, enjoying what he was doing with her. At last, her breath quickening with excitements of several varieties, she said: “Yes, my great master! I truly do think it would delight me to hear you tell me of it. Unlike the first such tale you spun for me, now it is a private audience of merely myself that you shall weave it for. I shall listen raptly, and will not be of a mind to protest should you desire to continue doing as you presently are with me whilst you tell your story.” The sound of birdsong was in the air, and insects of the sort that frequent gardens delightedly in the present season, and the scent of Nulah's perfume was intoxicating to Kareem. He took a drink from a cup of water he had on a table at his side, there also on that table being a pitcher of it brought from the kitchen. A second cup was next to it, for Nulah to partake of if she wished. She did so, and once the two put their cups down Kareem resumed lavishing attention upon his wife. As he did as it pleased him to... he said unto her: “Very well, my delightful little Jinn! Let me so tell you of my second mad adventure.”
'It had been of my desiring, following the events of my first taste of voyaging at sea in the company of the renowned Sinbad, to retire from further such adventures and enjoy a life of contentment in Baghdad rather than to pursue foreign shores, exotic ports, and perils unknown to me. But if I must be honest, in many ways I was cut from the same cloth as Sinbad himself and so I sought him out and asked him if at all he had a need for me among his crew. For, word had reached me that he was preparing for a voyage to a new location ripe for trading, and I longed to be a part of that venture. I purchased some goods of a sort conductive to commerce... being sure to purchase only things that had a high value in foreign lands yet which were affordable here at home. That, as you know, being the secret to a merchant's success! In short order, we prepared a goodly ship that was newly made ready for sailing and upon coming aboard we did pray and commend our fortunes to Allah. Once we set sail, we journeyed south and westward in a direction much the opposite in many ways from that which we took during my first voyage. As before, we had set sail from Basra only this time we had gone southward for a very long time prior to turning to the west. We had plenty of supplies for such a lengthy journey, and it would be easy to obtain more as soon as we reached a port to trade at. After some time, we reached the land of the Somalians by way of the gulf that leads there, and we stopped to make landfall to trade our goods at several ports in that part of the world. Along the way, we visited several islands... some large, and some small... where we made the acquaintance of the local peoples who were glad for the trade we brought to their isles. After that, it occurred to us to journey out from the gulf and thence southward for a while with a mind to explore the coasts that lay in that direction. However, a great storm was raging in the distance, and it made it more needful to turn back and resupply our sloop. Once we had returned to Somalian waters, we did exactly that prior to deciding to cross the Bab el Mandeb, which means the Gate of Tears, and so pass into the Red Sea by that means. The day was bright, the weather nice, and the sun warm as we began upon our way across the Bab el Mandeb. The first islands we passed were a collection of small isles known as the Seven Brothers, at which we did not feel the need to stop to look at closer. Instead, we sailed on in the direction of the Red Sea, at the last reaching it safely. There are many islands in the Red Sea, and in the distance we spied one on which there were many fruit trees growing. However, the island on which we spotted those trees was mostly uninhabited by either man or beast, at least that we could notice. We had a mind to come ashore and pick some fruit to take back aboard, and I volunteered to go along for such a task as this. As you know, I am not a tall man... I am of average height at best, if not a bit below. But in my youth, I was excellent at climbing and was not against climbing trees when such was called for, as it was now. The air was fresh and clean, and the fruits proved to be equally fresh and delightful to partake of. We gathered a goodly number of these, and each of us had to climb trees to obtain them, much like monkeys we acted in that way. It may sound silly, but it was a fun diversion that lifted our spirits and in truth also made for a few wagers as to who could collect the most fruit in the shortest time. I did not so partake in that game, since I despise gambling and refuse to engage in it at all. But the other sailors did not have my sense of morality regarding such things, and they made fools of themselves trying to outdo one another in the course of their wagering. Once my work was complete, I brought the fruit back to the ship and went back to collect some flowers which was a pastime I had a fondness for when nothing else was required of me. This, one of the older sailors, a big and gruff man, said was womanlike or childlike of me... and I ignored his teasing, for that is all it was, and I focused instead on the gentle task at hand. I had brought with me a wine skin and some provisions, and I ranged about that small island searching as was my way for only the prettiest of flowers. I would take take them and weave a crown from tall grass and use the flowers to decorate it with. And this, I would sometimes save and present to willing women or girls at some of the ports we visited. Occasionally, just for a joke, I would wear the crown myself and take my ponytail down in order to done it correctly. The gruff sailor who teased me then said: “Ah! You do make a comely maid. Come, give me a kiss!” and once, only once, I surprised him by obliging him.'
'That was one of the ways in which I created little diversions for myself on long voyages, and this did begin during this my second major voyage. It was all very silly, but it kept my spirits bright and served to endear myself to my fellow crew members. Sinbad said that in many ways, I was the heart and soul of his crew, and that I brought a certain light and levity among them that was otherwise lacking. I have always loved to compose poetry, and I would oft be moved to poetic verses whilst at sea. Never once in those moments did I have to keep this to myself either, for Sinbad and the others of his crew aside from myself all loved to hear me recite my poetry for their enjoyment. It was not always very good poetry, I must admit, but there were sometimes when I felt compelled to write my verses down on parchment to save. I still have a modest collection of my poetry in the library here at the mansion. And more, back in my other home as well! Once we were back aboard the ship and the fruit was all collected, as much of it as we had room to take with us, we set sail once more and eventually came to a great many more isles... realizing that the Red Sea was a far more diverse body of water than it appears to be at first glance. Not all of the islands were uninhabited, and we never truly knew what we might discover each time we did decide to take a look. Upon one large island, there we found several small streams that looked as if they were in the process of drying up due to the heat of the day. Many high trees, rose up amid the streams... but they looked unhealthy, and the feeling was that this particular island was suffering from what so did seem to us to be a drought most severe. Things only got worse the farther up the Red Sea we sailed, for any islands towards Egypt were more oft than not barren and almost lifeless, not worth even bothering to stop at briefly. We kept to the left, which was westward, and the coasts along that way became little more than desert after a time, beyond what vegetation lay nearest to the shores. We despaired of finding any ports to trade at in this direction, and before long we started to consider going back the way that we had come. However, our lookout spotted off one stretch of coastline a peculiar structure in the distance. “What is it, Akim?” asked Sinbad, and the lookout with his keen eyes replied: “It looks like a temple or a palace of some kind, captain! Should we investigate it?” Then, one of the other sailors suggested in an eager manner: “Sinbad, we should see what it contains! It may hold treasures within it. I have heard of the wonders of ancient Egypt... perhaps we will find gold or jewels.” But Sinbad explained: “You are in the assumption it is uninhabited or unguarded. If it does contain treasures, those within the structure... if anyone living is there... might object to us laying claim to what is rightfully theirs. We are not thieves to steal from the locals! But I think we should investigate, just to be sure. After all, if no one has called the place their home in countless generations then there is no reason we should not help ourselves to what wealth we might find within. However, I shall personally cut a hand off of any man who steals form any who are living!” Then, the captain told me that I should be in charge of this expedition since I was the most honest member of his crew, and he could be sure that whatever I told him would be the truth. I can never say with honestly that I have not ever stolen at all, but Allah is my witness in that I strive mightily to be an honest man and to do what is right in so far as I am able to! And so, I made a solemn vow to so report to the captain faithfully and true any misdeeds on the part of the man whom he was placing just under my command. We made landfall at the coast, our anchor finding its' place of rest as we made our way across the barren landscape towards the structure the lookout had spotted. It took a long time as we journeyed by foot, and the heat was brutal upon our brows. There was not a single oasis to be seen, not in any direction that we gazed in, and what plant life there was appeared to be the same which one may expect to behold in the desert. The man who had been eager to find treasure was among those who were in my care at present, and he complained the most about the heat once we were halfway to our goal. He would be trouble, I suspected, and many times I wanted to smack him into silence if only so as to spare the rest of us the noise of his complaining, which became irritating to hear after a long enough while. In due course, we drew close to the strange structure and saw that it resembled a mighty domed fortress of a sort that should not have been in the lands of Egypt... for it resembled Indian architecture a great deal.'
'It was as white as alabaster in color, the structure before us. The bottom of the temple, for indeed a mighty temple it was, was square in shape and surrounded on all four sides by slender columns of the most delicate design. They were less to support the roof above them than they were for the purpose of decoration. The dome of the temple rose up from the square, and it was of a prodigious height, this so being the aspect of the temple that the lookout had spotted from the water. Four tall minaret towers did rise up from the four corners of the temple itself, which was also of a monumental height. However, the minarets themselves were only half the height of the massive dome. At the peak of the dome was a tall golden spire topped by the symbol of a silver crescent moon. Various designs were upon all the walls of the temple's exterior, save for the dome which was as bare as it was smooth. There appeared to be not a single window to the entire building, and no door or gate of any kind either. There seemed to be no way to enter it! And we circled around the temple several times, slowly, just to be certain. This took a while, but we were at least sure that our eyes were not deceiving us. The men had nothing to say of any note... they muttered about the size being so enormous, and wondered about what people might have built this sort of a place. I kept silent, until I noticed the way that the designs looked upon one of the walls most definitely resembled the vague outline of a door. “Wait here!” I commanded the man, as I strode forth to examine this more closely. “What are you doing? There is no door there, Kareem!” said the man who so had been our biggest annoyance since setting forth. I ignored him, and placed my hand upon the wall to touch the design. I pushed it with all my might, and it went inward a little when I did so. I motioned for the men to come forward, as I said: “Come! Help me with this... this wall, is a false wall. It is the door we are seeking.” And swiftly, with the aid of the men, I managed to at last gain us entry into the temple. The wall pushed inward and slid to the side on its' own, once we pushed it far enough. The noise of the wall sliding was grating to hear, but it allowed us passage inside. The interior was lit by oil lamps, and was dim but not dark by any means. The intricate designs of the temple's walls on the outside were if anything even more intricate within. They looked like vines covered with leafs, blossoms, and flowers of many varieties. The artistry by which this was made, was quite exquisite and agreeable to look upon. There was the sound of water, this coming from fountains at the center of each of the four interior walls of the building. These were in shape like unto wide square basins, with the heads of stone lions above each basin. The water poured forth from the lions' mouths and on down into the basins. From out of the basins, the water overflowed into pools in the floor from which a deep channel was cut that ran to the very center of the floor of this colossal chamber. In the precise center was a round hole into which the water flowed. Whatever the water's source, that was its' destination. The walls of the temple were thick enough that they could likely have contained pipes for the fountains, and the water logically was from a reservoir of some kind below the ground somewhere. All of this made sense to my mind, and not one of the men appeared to give it even that much thought. They were too busy marveling at the grandeur that lay about us, to truly care about the how or the why of things. The high ceiling above us was flat, and I saw that stairwells in each corner of the temple led up, likely into the base of each of the four minarets. But also, they had to stop at landings on the upper floors of the temple first. There would have been no way to access the interior of the dome otherwise. Columns similar to those outside, lined the walls of the interior just the same, with soaring archways between the heights above each one. Statues of beings with many arms and three faces each sat in meditative positions beneath several of the archways, and I noticed these statues were strikingly Indian in design. I had seen similar such things during my time in India in the court of the maharajah who had favored me during the latter events of my first voyage, and I was intimately familiar with this style, though the subject of these statues was not known to me since they were different in many ways that those I had seen in the past. Garlands of flowers were about each statue's neck... and I was reminded of the flower crown I still had upon my head. I had been wearing it, ever since putting it on as I related to you before, and I had not yet had the opportunity to so remove it.'
'One major difference was that these statues, unlike those in India I had seen, had wings emerging out from their backs, four pairs of wings each. And the faces of half of these statues were like those of only the most ferocious of beasts, rather than the beautiful gods and goddesses whose likenesses graced the statues I would have preferred to see in such a place as this. The floor was covered in colorful mosaics depicting abstract patterns colored blue, but the floor and walls were otherwise as white as had been the temple's outside, dome and all. I told the others with me that we should explore one of the stairwells to see what lay above, but the annoying fellow whom I mentioned before decided to have a closer look at the round hole in the center of the floor, into which all the water was flowing. “Be cautious!” I warned him, but the fool was as heedless of reason as ever, and as he drew too close to the hole, he managed to slip on some water that was spilled nearby and he toppled face first into the depths below. I felt that had this man but listened to me his fate could have been avoided... but sadly he ended as he had lived, and it is to my shame that I could not feel sorry for him. At that point, the others decided to actually heed my advice and we headed for the nearest of the stairwells and climbed up to the next floor, which led us to the interior of the temple's great dome. Within, was a depiction of the night sky, stars and moon and all, and the stars actually through some magic were shining as if they were real, the same with the moon. It was a brilliant and shocking sight to behold, and even more shocking was the sight of a massive bird as could only have been a legendary Roc, which was chained by its' legs whilst it sat within a gigantic nest in the center of the floor, which itself was covered in mosaic designs exactly like the ground floor of the temple had been. I had heard tales of this mighty bird! And what sailor has not heard them? But never in all my days did I imagine that my own eyes would bear witness to such a creature. It appeared calm, and seemed to be watching us to see what we might do. I marveled at this sight, but saw that some of the others with me were terrified and at least one man screamed and nearly fainted. I told him to calm himself, and failing that... to go back downstairs and splash himself with some water. An attempt at a bit of humor on my part, to help ease the tense situation. Some of the men laughed a bit at my jest, and the frightened sailor soon calmed himself down. Within the nest were a variety of jewels and valuables, a veritable treasure hoard, but it occurred to me that we should not touch any of it. However, the men I was in the company of were not all as wise as I... and several of them rushed forward at the sight of the treasure and began to help themselves. The enormous bird then pecked at them with its' beak and got up to slash at them with its' talons until the men who tried to rob the Roc's nest all lay dead and bloody on the floor of the chamber. The bird then glared at us and settled back down upon its' nest. “It would thus appear that this bird is the guardian of that great treasure.” I explained, adding: “So long as it lives, we should not touch a single jewel! But I worry that if we do manage to slay the beast... we might so anger whoever the master or mistress of it may be, which could imperil us more.” One of the other men was in agreement, and he stated: “You are correct, Kareem! And besides that... however would we slay any monster so gigantic as that?” I stated that we should leave at once and get back to the ship, and as the lot of us began to walk away we were surprised to hear the monstrous bird speak in a clear and human sounding voice akin to that of a mature woman. And the Roc said unto us: “Halt there a moment! You seem wiser than your unfortunate fellows. How came you to be in this place?” And I told the bird the story of our adventure thus far. The animal then said unto me in reply: “You have come a long way, to merely leave this place with nothing! I will allow you to take a single treasure from my next for each of you who stands there before me. I count a small number of you, and these valuables I guard are indeed great enough in number that granting you this boon should not inconvenience the one I serve.” As we approached the next, careful not to walk over our slain brothers, I asked the monster curiously: “Might I ask, whoever could it be that is mighty enough to chain a creature such as yourself, and by what magic did they create this wondrous place?” I selected a brilliant sapphire for myself, which I tucked into the pouch I had hanging from the sash about my waist, whilst I waited for the noble animal to answer me.'
'And so, the animal did reply: “I serve a mighty Jinn, one that dwells in the watery depths beneath the temple in which you do find yourselves. She walks in the guise of a mortal sorceress, and it is she who so keeps me chained here during the day. But... when I have a need to hunt and feed, and to do anything as nature demands, she unchains me and then transforms the image of the heavens upon the dome into whatsoever skies above the world that could best bring me to a place best suited to what I require. She is kind to me, and of a goodly nature, and because my kind is not numerous in the world... she ensures my safety so that in return I can continue to guard her treasure. I would advise that you do not descend into the depths to disturb her, since although good in nature she can be quick to anger if crossed, and it is a truth that you do not desire a vengeful Jinn as your enemy.” I then told the Roc about the fool who had fallen into the depths, and I asked the great bird if his doing so may have roused the Jinn to anger. By this time, all of my fellow crew members had selected the treasure of their choosing, and they did so wait only on me at present. The Roc then said, concernedly: “You would be wise to leave this place at once now! For my mistress' magic is mighty and her eye is observant. She will have surely noticed the man who tumbled below into her domain, and she is likely on her way up to investigate. She despises a thief, and even more a fool, and that man you spoke of sounds as if he had it within him to be both of those things. But even if she was not so quick to come to wrath... this temple, once a day every day at a different hour, vanishes from its' present location to another elsewhere in the world. Indeed, yesterday... we were in distant India! Tomorrow, only Allah knows for certain what our destination may be.” With that said, I thanked the Roc for its' generosity and its' mercy towards us, and I told the men it was time to go back to the ship whilst we still could. But, as we descended the stairs back to the ground floor, the interior was shaking violently as if a great tremor rocked the very ground on which the grand temple so presently sat. It had to have been a very mighty tremor indeed, since not only the temple but the depths beneath it clearly moved unto a different location when the magic that governed that miracle saw fit to transport the place elsewhere. Of all those with me, only half of them managed to get back through the temple's entrance at my side. We had run for our very lives, and those left behind never again saw those sands on which the temple had just vanished from. It was as I had suspected... even the underground of the temple was gone, there was no hole in the desert where the temple sat only moments before, and no sign of water anywhere to be seen. We hastened back in the direction we had first come, and arrived at length back at our ship where the captain asked us what had just happened. Sinbad had felt the tremor even from the shore, and the lookout had witnessed the disappearance of the temple. I told him the full account of our exploration of the temple, and when I mentioned the great Roc and the Jinn it served, he had a twinkle in his eye as if he was remembering something from long ago. When I finished my tale... all those who remained of the men who had accompanied me attested to the truth of my words. Sinbad then said: “I was at the mercy of a great Roc myself once, during my second voyage! How ironic is fate, that you Kareem should encounter one in yours... it appears that Allah has a sense of humor most bright and profound.” and he chuckled a bit after saying that, before his humor darkened as he stated: “Those men we lost, it will be needful to tell their families that the men perished during the voyage... I will just have to think of some reasonable explanation for their deaths and disappearances that will be believed. In this case, telling the actual truth will simply not do! But, this is far from something I have not had to do before. Let us dwell upon death and loss no further at present, however... we must journey back unto more hospitable shores than these are, if only to see what price those baubles you lot have brought back with you might fetch. They look priceless, to my eyes!” I took off the flower crown I had on, and I then put my hair back up into its' usual style whilst we got underway. “I have but one question to ask of you gentleman.” Sinbad said to us once we had set sail properly, adding: “However did you manage to have all of that happen in only a brief moment? You were not gone long enough for the events that you thus described to me to have taken place.” So, I realized that time had no meaning within the temple's walls.'
'I told Sinbad as much, and he exclaimed: “Allah! Never have I before, heard of a magic that can halt or bend the flow of time to such a degree. But not one of you has ever lied to me before, and I know all too well that strange things can happen in certain parts of the world. I believe your tale! Let us speak of it no further, though, lest my brain hurt from trying to comprehend what occurred.” We sailed on back, following the identical route from which we had come to get to Egypt, stopping by to trade what of our goods we had remaining to trade... and being certain to sell those treasures we had been gifted from the merciful Roc. The sapphire I had chosen was worth a great sum, and no sooner had I sold it than there was within me a deep sadness the source of which I knew not. After a long time at sea, we arrived back at Basra and I stayed the night at a comfortable inn before having to make the journey back to Baghdad the following day. As I slumbered, I fell into a peculiar dream the like of which I had never had before. In the dream, I walked upon a series of slender arching bridges in a subterranean kingdom of a beauty and magnificence most unearthly to behold. Enormous crystals did poke out from cavern walls, and all manner of mansions, palaces, and other structures were built into the rock of those walls wherever no crystals could be seen. A faint bluish light emanated from the crystals, which illuminated this realm as brightly as if it were a clear and pleasant day. Water flowed down from the heights above, and I could see high above me an enormous hole in the cavern ceiling, that being the source of the water. Gigantic pipes ran vertically up some of the cavern walls at precise intervals, and the sound of rushing water did echo form within them. Beneath the bridge, I could see endless depths and I thought I could make out a deep underground reservoir far, far below. Strange creatures swam in it, and stranger still was the fact that the people who lived in this realm had skin of a deep blue color, and hair of a pale light bluish sort of shade. They wore silks of silver and sea green, with elaborate patterns upon their garments, and all of them had the unmistakable presence of nobility to them. The women were of an otherworldly beauty so as to make my breath quicken to look upon, and the men were almost as beautiful as those ladies. And their children had the brightest smiles and eyes that were filled with boundless joy, so that I knew that here there were no sorrows like unto those that mortals know. For these were no mortals like myself! I knew in my heart that I was in the presence of a tribe of Jinn who were attuned to the elemental spirit of water. One of their number escorted me to the grandest of all their palaces, and there he bade me kneel before she who was their queen. The same, who was the mistress of the temple and the Roc who nested beneath its' dome. Her skin was as deep blue as all the others of her kindred, and her face somehow to my eyes more beautiful than all of them taken together! Her eyes glowed faintly with a pale bluish light that was a match for her long wavy hair's color, and her body was voluptuous and splendid, attired in a costume fit for an empress. That consisted of a pair of sparkling silver pantaloons, and a matching top without sleeves that was short and bared the middle of her incomparable body. She wore over all this, a transparent white scarf that was big enough to be worn across her body and over one of her shoulders. The scarf was covered in tiny sapphire jewels that sparkled like innumerable stars. She had in her ears silver looped earrings, and in her nose was a smaller looped ring. Many rings adorned her fingers and the toes of her bare feet, and a necklace of sapphires was worn around her neck. She reclined upon a throne made of the rarest ivory which was further decorated with pearl, her feet resting upon cushions of deep purple color, which had silver tassels. The palace in which she held court was like no other my eyes have beheld, and it put the palace of the wealthiest maharajah of India to shame. I cannot speak of its' wonders and splendors! Only to say, that here was a place surely not of this world at all. This great queen of these watery Jinn, she was eternal in her beauty and she spoke with the voice of a woman still in full possession of her youth. She said unto me as I fell to my face upon the palace floor before her, so looking up occasionally despite this in order to feast my eyes upon her glory: “Kareem! And yes, I have the power to know your name... tell me why you did not keep the sapphire that my pet allowed you the opportunity to take from out of my private collection of treasures.” I knew she so desired only the truth.'
'I said unto her, my voice somewhat nervous and my manner as humble as I could possibly be: “Great queen of the watery Jinn, I am but a humble merchant by trade and I thought to profit from selling that sapphire, since I could imagine no other use or need for it otherwise.” And the Jinn matriarch then said unto me, her tone of voice betrayal no hint of emotion: “Kareem, know you that the sapphire had other properties beyond being a simple jewel. If you had kept it, then in your dreams you would have sooner or later been shown the means of using the jewel to summon forth one of my people to be your servant. And the service of a Jinn is no small thing! Our honor demands that we serve those most in need of us, and of the things we can offer.” She sighed, then paused for a moment before saying: “Knowing this, as you now do... tell me honestly, whether or not you regret selling that sapphire.” I thought about it, very deeply, for a moment before saying honestly: “I can think of nothing, honestly, that a Jinn could grant to me that I could not already obtain for myself. I am a wealthy man, oh queen! And... I have all that could ever give me pleasure. I have two great mansions complete with beautiful gardens, and loyal servants to do my bidding. Men to do as I command, and women to tend to my every need. I have those in the both of my houses who are able to cook and prepare the most delicious of meals and tasty treats for me... and for both of my households... to enjoy. And, I have both boys and girls to bestow upon me endless carnal delights, and they are beautiful like unto angels sent from Paradise. I have workers to tend my fields, I have animals to bear burdens too heavy for any in my employ, or myself, to carry... and in my mansions I am surrounded by works of great beauteous art, and music played by the most gifted of musicians and singers, which I am able to call upon at my pleasure. I live a life fit for a king! And I am as goodly unto all those who serve me, attend me, and who work for me as they are to me, seeing to their desires with as much kindness and duty as they see to mine. Whatever could I possibly desire more? I, can think of not even one single thing that I lack.” I then fell silent after that, and the Jinn queen took a moment to consider my words. She then said unto me, in a compassionate and caring tone of voice: “Kareem, you are a goodly man! Far better than others who have been brought before me under similar circumstances as those that brought you to my attention. You do not ask for more than you are content with, and this is the way of a man who deserves great things from life. It is also why Allah has seen fit to grant you all of those things that give you pleasure. For Allah wants only good things for those who revere that high and glorious one! You are not greedy, despite your trade being one plied oft by greedy men and women less noble in spirit than yourself. I cannot scold you, and I cannot find fault in anything that you have said. I do have the power to know your name, but I cannot read what is in your mind or know what is in your heart. But I do like the answer you gave to the question I put before you! Because of that... I shall grant you a single boon, but it will come in a time of my choosing and in a manner of my choosing. Do you, noble merchant, find this bargain agreeable?” and I told her that I found it most agreeable indeed. Then she snapped her fingers and I awoke from my dream in a tremendous sweat, my breath coming to me so quickly as to have at first been of a concern. Yet, after a drink of water and some time to calm myself, I felt better and knew that this had been no fanciful dream imagined by my slumbering mind. I had made a bargain with a queen of the Jinn, and I did not know then the form that her boon would take. But now, with you my beloved wife at my side... knowing as I do that you are the reincarnation of a Jinn princess of the same tribe as that glorious queen who had so favored me... I realize that you are the boon that she saw fit to bestow upon me. Perhaps it was her will that guided us to meet, which in turn allowed us the opportunity to fall in love! We can never know for certain, but that is what I choose to believe. And this proves to be true, something I have long believed in my heart with equal certainty... that love is truly the most precious of all treasures, and the greatest gift that almighty Allah can bestow any of us with. For it is truly said that there is nothing that befalls us that is not of the will of Allah, and the high one works in truth through many agents both of human and Jinn kind alike. As for that sapphire I sold... it should not surprise me, if it came into the possession of a man or woman who lacked the wisdom to use it wisely.'
As soon as his tale was told in full, Kareem kissed his young wife lovingly and held her in his arms, as tightly as it gave him joy to do. She smiled knowingly, for she knew quite well that it had been that great queen of the tribe to which she once belonged who had arranged all to end up being as now it was. But she had always kept her knowledge of this to herself, and still she said nothing, preferring to simply lose herself in the blissful moment that surrounded her. “Wisest of all, is the man who is content with all that Allah has blessed him with!”she exclaimed in between further kisses places upon her lips. And Kareem then proceeded to untie the strings that kept Nulah's pants on her, before pulling them off of her in order to partake of her in all of the ways that he had been considering during the telling of his story. Her undergarments were removed next. She gasped as he placed her flat upon her back, parted her legs, and then after getting between them so taking her as vigorously as was his want. He had made certain to remove his own garments first. Her cries of pleasure mixed with the singing of the birds in the gardens, and the servants who tended those gardens smiled, knowing that their master was enjoying himself with his wife again, not one of them realizing that he was in doing so enjoying the boon that the queen of the watery Jinn had bestowed upon him. Some Jinn were of the water, some of fire and smoke... some were of the earth and some were of both wind and air. The natures of these elemental Jinn were tied to those things as are found in nature itself, and it was the way of the watery Jinn to be the most passive and the most submissive of all the tribes of their kind. Which was why it took a great deal for the queen of that people to become roused to anger and wrath. Nulah took after the nature of the watery tribe to which in a previous existence she had belonged, and so whatsoever her husband wished to do with her... she took immeasurable delight in it, always willing and ever eager to please him. When he sometimes brought to their bed other another girl, or two, she enjoyed their company every bit as much as he did and never so complained about him sharing his love with them. It was not that he was a lustful man... but rather, that he had been so lonely in his youth at one point, that he needed love and was addicted to carnal delights in much the same way that a man who has long been hungry or thirsty is in need of food and drink to be healthy once again. And so did Allah never find fault in him for this, for he was good to those he took to his bed, and they loved him as greatly as he loved them. After he and Nulah had finished with their lovemaking in the gardens, they decided it was time to savor a good supper and to have some music be played for their enjoyment whilst dining. It was late afternoon, and the time they had spent outside was good for them, for in the beauty of the gardens, and lost in the sharing of stories and the making of love, they had gotten a taste of Paradise that made them feel at peace in a way that defies easy description. As the moon could be seen in the skies above, and the first stars of the evening showed their light, supper was cooked, prepared, and served in the dining hall of Kareem's mansion. As ever, Nulah sat next to her beloved husband, at his left hand side. There was no one sitting to the right of him on this singular eve, and the rest of the inhabitants of Kareem's house had already eaten by the time he and Nulah were at the last ready to dine. The musicians played at the far end of the hall, and a little girl sang a delightful song. There was joy, laughter, love and peace in that house, and those within were fortunate to be blessed by having come to be in the employ of so gracious a man as was Kareem al-Malak. A wide vase filled with a selection of colorful flowers was in the center of the dining table, the fragrant scents of which mixed with the perfume and incense that made it pleasing to breathe in the night air in that dwelling place. “If I was ever granted the chance to wish for one thing further, I doubt I could think of a single thing either. To me, this is my idea of Paradise!” exclaimed Nulah, who had been thinking about Kareem's story all throughout the afternoon previous, only to finally find the right words to comment upon it thoughtfully and meaningfully. “Well said, my little angel of Paradise.” Kareem replied, and every time he saw fit to call her those delightful things that he always did, it made her blush and fill with joy. She may have, in truth, been a Jinn bound in a human body, but it was her husband who was most truly her most devoted of servants, even as she served him. “Perhaps, in a way... we are all Jinn beneath the surface.” she said.
Kareem smiled to hear her say this, even if he did not know what caused her to say it. He never felt a need to pry into her deepest, innermost thoughts. It was enough that what he knew of them pleased him. And somewhere out in a distant village in far away China, an older merchant who had in his youth saw fit to purchase a certain sapphire during a trading expedition in the Middle East regarded the little Jinn boy who was his ever devoted servant with a loving look in his dark eyes. The boy was beautiful, even beyond the beauty of women, and was attired in a luxurious gown of sea green colored silk that seemed to flow about him as he moved. The boy had deep blue colored skin, and hair of only the lightest shade of blue to match the color of his eyes, which glowed faintly with a light which was of that hue. His hair was long and wavy like the waters of the sea in its' waves, and he was almost elfin in how he looked for the most part. He was a little Jinn in the full possession of his powers, and he used those powers to halt his aging so that he could remain a child forever. His gown was decorated with delicate ribbons, and his waist had around it a silver sash covered in tiny precious sapphire gemstones. He smiled, as he regarded the man who was more than merely his master. The Chinese merchant was handsome still, even on into his mid forties, and he had a shaven head and a pleasant face that always made him appear cheerful. At present, he was every bit as happy as he often seemed to be. He himself was wearing a comfortable jade green robe with gold trim that was belted at the waist with a scarlet colored sash. He liked his luxuries, and his comforts, very much. But never once, had he used the Jinn to obtain such things... never once in all the years since he came into the magic sapphire's possession had he used the Jinn to grant him even a single wish that he could not have granted for himself. Instead, he wished only for the inhuman boy to remain his companion and his lover for the rest of his days. He was lonely all his life, and that was all a man such as he could ever desire, to have a companion that would never leave his side. Over time, that Jinn boy had gone from serving him without question to loving him beyond all reason. “It is not simply my duty to serve you, master, but my pleasure to please you!” he always reminded the man he had thus come to love so selflessly and passionately. He reminded his master... his beloved... of this now, and the merchant said unto him in reply: “Tariq, I may be your master... but it is ever and always your love that continues to command me. Even as your beauty enchants me! Come, give me a kiss my lovely boy, so that we might pass a few hours in the bliss of each other's arms. That is all I wish for, at present.” And as soon as this was said, the boy hurried into the older man's arms and said unto him with a look upon his face that spoke of wanton desire and unbridled passion: “Your wish is my command, my beloved.” And the two kissed passionately, whilst they tumbled unto the bed behind them laughing and content in the promise of what sport awaited them. It seems that the merchant had been wise with his use of that artifact after his dreams showed him how to make use of its' powers. Never once had he squandered it, and if any man could be said to have truly needed it... it was this man. That is why the queen of the Jinn of the water allowed him to keep it, and was pleased that Tariq had found meaning in his service to that person who had summoned him in his loneliness, desperate to have his fondest wish of all granted. For it is truly a fact, that out of all the things a man or a woman may desire the most in this or any life... out of all of the things that one may covet, want, or have need of... love, compassion, and companionship it must be said are the very best of all things, and the purest. Whilst the name of Allah was not known to that merchant from far and distant China, the man knew him by another name and revered him greatly. So it was, that Allah smiled upon that man, and blessed his remaining days upon this world with no end of happiness and joy. Never again did that merchant know the pain of loneliness or the agony of grief... for his Jinn companion remained ageless and in perfect health up until the day when the man breathed his last and passed into Paradise whilst holding the blue skinned boy in his arms and smiling. The boy would never forget that smile, and no matter who else he would go on to serve... that man would have a special place in Tariq's heart, as one of the few masters whom he had ever allowed himself to truly love. It is said that when this Chinese merchant died, the queen of the water Jinn wept for Tariq's loss of him.
Published 16th Apr 2024
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