The tale of the Genie who lost her lamp has been told as a bedtime story for kids for a long time.
The story narrates, that the Genie was beautiful. Her last master fell in deeply love with her, asking her to become his wife. The genie didn't feel...
Ali pushed past a few people, almost stumbling on the merchant's stall. Idris followed, steadying him. Ali looked down, pretending to observe the fish. Idris did the same. Both their ears were strained, listening to the man talking. "Yes, apparently a rich merchant found it in a small cave near his villa." The man said, starting to cut the fish again.
Ali grimaced, hoping they would be able to get out of there soon, so he wouldn't have to see the fish's intestines—too late. Ali sighed in disgust. Idris didn't move, waiting for more information. The man the merchant was with opened his mouth. "Which merchant? There are many in the south. Most of them make their fortune with the silk that comes from Zoajing."
The merchant nodded, trying to recall the name he had heard. "I might be wrong, but I believe it was Merchant Ziyaad el-Kazi."
The man on the other side of the counter nodded. "Of course it would be him. He has had such a huge luck. First, his father dies when he's at the peak of his fortune, and Ziyaad el-Kazi inherits everything."
"Then, he marries the most beautiful woman in the south and has a large harem! I believe it's around 43 wives, right?" The merchant said.
Ali's eyes widened in both shock and disgust. "How can someone say he love every one of them?" He whispered, memories of his younger days flashing in his head. The way his mother would look destroyed at night, staring at the moon with tear-filled eyes. He felt a cool hand on his wrist, tugging him away from the conversation. The last words Ali heard were, "I wonder if he beds all of them at once..."before the loud noise of the market crashed over them, swallowing their voices and hiding them in the cacophony.
Idris was pushing through the crowd, dragging Ali behind her. She didn't say anything, but her back seemed to be taut with excitement. Her grip on his wrist was warm. The sunlight seems stronger. In almost no time they reached hotel, slipping inside. As they stepped in through the doorway, Ali seemed to notice a dark stain on a wall outside, but he shook his head, thinking someone had tripped and spilt something.
They reached their room, Ali closing the door behind them. The air was still for a minute before Idris clapped her hands in excitement. "We have our first lead!" She yelled, turning around to face Ali, her earrings tinkling.Her eyes were wide with excitement, shimmering, and her smile was almost intoxicating. It was filled with hope. Ali couldn't help but grin as well, her happiness contagious.
Idris started flying all over the room, grabbing the few things they had left around and stuffing them inside her bags. Ali watched, not sure how to help. Even if he didn't want to destroy her innate happiness, he needed to ask her if she had a plan. Tentatively, he stepped closer to her. He was afraid her happiness would shatter in a thousand pieces, so he softened his voice. "So...do...do we start going now?" He asked, trying to look in her eyes.
His question didn't seem to faze Idris and she kept packing. "Yes. I've been to Sibbafira before. I know the rout. There's a short walk through small villages and then through the desert. We're going to be there in 4 days maximum. It's not too far." She said, her smile widening at the idea.
Ali nodded, glad she already knew what they had to do. "Do we need anything for the trip?" He asked, sitting down on the bed. Idris stopped for a minute, her mind twirling as she passed by a mental list of things, checking if she had them or not. "We need water, and food. Do you think you could go buy something from the fruit vendor? It's near the hotel." She said, grabbing the money bag and giving it to him.
Ali nodded, slipping it underneath his robes to hide it and not be robbed. "Yes. I'll go." He said, walking out of the door, his step light.
As Idris closed the door behind him, she stopped, realizing she had given him all her money without hesitation. She had never trusted someone that much. For a moment, she was tempted to rush after him and yank the money bag from his hands, but it didn't feel right. Ali wasn't the type of person to run away with her—their money, Idris told herself, resuming the packing. • • • Ali came thirty minutes later, holding large bags of food and water. He approached the door, not knowing how to open it, his hands filled. He knocked on the door with his knee, hoping it was loud enough. He sighed in relief when Idris opened the door. She instantly took a few bags, and walked to the bed. She plopped them down on it, grunting. Ali grinned, his hair sticking to his wet forehead. "Thank you...I think I took everything we might need." Ali panted.
Idris quickly checked everything. "Yes...it's perfect." She said, glancing at him with happiness.
Ali straightened his back. Next to Idris' travel bag, another one stood proudly in the shadows. It seemed to glimmer. He blinked, confused. Idris noticed he was looking at it and approached him, quietly, her body almost pressing into his. "I got it when you were out. It's your travel bag." She said, their hands brushing for an instant.
Ali's words disappeared, dissolving in the air. It was beautiful, and it felt like Idris had finally accepted him as her partner. It almost made his eyes wet, but he coughed, trying to hold the tears back. "Thank you..."he said, gliding his hand over it.
Idris watched, feeling warmth spread in her chest. She suppressed the smile on her face, grabbing a handful of things. "Hey, I didn't just get it for you to look at it. Put these things inside." She said. Ali took them, still not saying much. He started filling his bag, knowing their adventure was a wisp of smoke away.
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