Of Magic and Sand

Chapter 14

Sal sat on the floor of the golden cage and shivered against the cold wind that was now whipping through the palace. He watched helplessly as Savina sat down on his throne, and then pulled his grandson closer to her by the golden chain that tied his hands together. In the bright light, the scars on his arms and chest appeared even darker and Sal felt the familiar pang of guilt in his chest. How could he have let this happen? How could he have let her take control like that?

He watched as Jen struggled silently against her, at least he was still putting up a fight. In a weird way, it was good to see him fighting for something. He had become so quiet and distant over the past few months. Sal remembered back to that horrible night when they had brought him home after killing the thieves. His arms were a bloody mess and he was shaking so hard the healer had to give him a sedative and then the weeks afterward it was like he wasn't there. He was a ghost of his former self.

Savina crossed her legs and leaned back on the throne and Sal felt a surge of angry roll over him. He couldn't let her do this!

"Well, now that I have your attention fully there is something I have to come clean about. It has been on my mind for ages, and now is it finally time that you knew." Savina said, and then she patted the top of the Prince's head.

Jen jerked his head away from her hand, and she in return yanked the chain hard, forcing him to move closer to her.

Sal gripped the bars with his hands and watched helplessly at the scene unfolding in front of him.

"I was the one who tipped off the Thieves of OlnemKarp to your location that night, and I paid them handsomely to make sure that neither of you made it home. But it seems that they liked to play with their food before they ate it. They were supposed to kill both of you, and then I could swoop in and marry your poor, childless grandfather. But then you survived and I had to change my plans." She said, and she gave a low laugh.

"Good. For. You." She said, tapping his nose lightly with her finger. Jen glared and then swiped angrily at her with a muffled yell. She pulled the chain. He lost his balance and fell to the floor next to her feet.

"No no, none of that now."

Jen remained on the floor, "Good prince."

Savina looked over to Sal, "But it's all worked out for the better. Now I don't have to marry such a mewling quim of a Sultan."

Sal glared at her through the bars, "It was you?"

Savina answered by laughing again, "It was all too easy. Now, I think I would like to see something that will amuse me."

She snapped her fingers, and Sal felt the bars of the cage melt away from his hands. There was a slight pop, and he found himself dressed in a frilly gold and red jesters costume. Savina snapped her fingers again and he flew towards her. His arms went up and he started dancing, his arms and legging moving on their own accord. He helplessly twirled around the room as Savina laughed and clapped her hands. It seemed to last forever as he felt his joints pop and crack with the pressure of the movements.

"Look at your grandfather go, now that is entertainment."

Sal was starting to become dizzy and he closed his eyes as his body continued to dance. Flashes of the past few months popped into his mind's eye of Jen sitting motionless by the windowsill his arms covered in bandages and a bowl of uneaten soup in front of him. Of the door slamming in his face every time he tried to enter Jen's room, Of Jasmine's pale life less face burning during the burial ceremony. This was all because of Savina.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he heard the snap of her fingers and he collapsed to the ground, shaking and sweating. There was another snap, and he found himself back in the golden birdcage. He opened his eyes and glared at Savina. She was still sitting on his throne, and Jen sat on the ground next to her feet. His face was pale, and his eyes were blank. Sal knew enough by now to know that Jen wasn't seeing any of this, he was trapped in the darkness of that night and it was all because of Savina. All the work he had done to pull his son away from the darkness, all the times he had sat motionless by his bed until finally finally Jen had reached for him were gone.

"I think I shall have some wine," Savina said. She snapped her fingers and Sal watched as Jen was lifted off the floor to standing, a jug of red wine in his hand, and a golden glass in the other.

"Pour the wine." She demanded, and when Jen remained motionless she yanked the chain. He flinched away from her, but then poured the wine.

"It just pains me to see you reduced to all this," Savina said to Jennsin, pulling him closer to her so she could accept the wine glass from him.

"You should really be on the arms of the most powerful woman in the world."

Jen's eyes flashed with anger and he threw the wine at her face with a muffled grunt.

Savina bolted up from the throne as she growled angrily. "I'll teach you some respect!"

She raised her hand, about to strike him, and immediately Jen flinched away from her. Then she stopped mid-motion, and her face suddenly softened into a smile. She lowered her hand and then very slowly pulled a silky handkerchief out of her bosom and dabbed at her wet face. She smiled pleasantly at Jen, then reached up to touch his chin. He struggled against her, pulling at the chains.

"Maybe I am not taking the right approach to this. I can see now that you are never going to submit to me."

She let go of him and he took a step backward away from her. Savina then reached with her free hand—the one not holding the golden chain—for the lamp sitting on its ruby studded pedestal. She gently traced one red fingernail over the intricate golden swirls and the Genie reappeared.

"Yes, master." She said in a dull, monotone voice.

"Genie, I've decided to make my final wish: I wish for Prince Jennsin to fall desperately in love with me."

She waved her hand, and the metal gag covering his mouth disappeared.

At this, Sal sprang to his feet and hit the top of the birdcage with his head. He pulled at the bars, desperate the be free.

"No! No please, no!" He shouted, but his cries landed on deaf ears."Savina, please. We can make this work. You don't have to wish, Jen will—-."

But then he stopped, for he saw that the Genie had hesitated.

"Well you see, master, there are a few rules—-."

"Silence! Do as I say, make my final wish!"

"I can not—-."

But then the Genie stopped as Jen suddenly reached for Savina's hand. He pulled her towards him and gently kissed the top of it. Savina smiled.

"That's better."

The Genie spun around and winked at Sal. She gave him a quick thumbs-up, but then turned around again before Savina could see her.

Sal relaxed a little bit. For some reason, Genie had been unable to cast the last wish. Jen was playing along...but why would he do that? Sal watched as Savina turned his throne into a small love seat and they sat down together. And then Sal saw her, Princess ZiZi—no—Ziana sliding quietly down one of the long red drapes. She had somehow come back! And he let out a breath. They were saved!