The Genie's Curse

Chapter 21

"I said something wrong, didn't I... I'm sorry." Keme sat down again with his head hanging low, "I Ugh..."

Silence drowned the room, neither would say a word to the other. Keme felt terrible each time he glanced at her empty expression, through her eyes he could see how hurt and even disturbed, she felt with what he said. He had reached out to grab hers, freezing when she spoke.

"I'm jealous of you."

Her words came out of sincere, she had slightly looked over at him before her head hung low again. He didn't know what to respond to her.

"How many more years do you have left?" She asked referring to how long he still has to be a genie still. From her own being beyond forty thousand, she wondered how much he screwed up like her.

He bit down on his lip pondering the question, "Around for thousand years."

Tsuru snickered, "And I was starting to think you'd be around longer."

"Well, how many do you have left, last I heard you were around ten thousand."

Tsuru laughed at the measly ten thousand years he mentioned, "You can double that number and you're still nowhere near the real one."

He smiled mischievously, "Come on tell me."

She shook her head and did something unexpected, she stuck out her tongue to him, "Don't push it... lets just put it like this. I'll be out living a few more eras."

"A few... well i might have to make some mistakes and join you."

Shaking her head at his nonsense, "We should really get going."

"I know.... Just, let's talk a little longer. What's the rush?"

"The tickets are my rush." She said.

"Those are already ordered. And yes, before you say it i know I'm pushing it, but would you want to go shopping." She raised an eyebrow at him, "It's to a mythical place called a mall, where dreams come true."

"Sure sounds magical." Her face demonstrated fake excitement, "How does it work?"

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know..."

He smiled again, "But still, it's magical and we can buy anything you want."

She scrunched up her nose but gave him a smile, "This better be good."

Standing up, reaching the door to stop and look back to see him still on the bed, moving when he saw her eyes on him. A few steps away from the door Allon was leaning against the wall, waiting for them to come out.

"Didn't mean to overhear, but the mall? Really?" Allon asked as soon as he saw her out.

Tsuru nodded, "Yes, is it that bad?"

"Eh, you'll have to decide on your own. Some people like them, others hate them." Allon explained as his eyes drifted to see Keme walk out the room.

Tsuru tried walking ahead of Allon only to have him like a tail beside her, "How will we get there? By car?"

"Yep." keme said, walking them down a hall into a garage, "We'll be there a while, it'll be fun. You can get all the girly things you've ever wanted."

Stepping in the car, Tsuru sat in the passenger seat besides Keme, while Allon was left in the back. Having access to all the buttons she'd seen in her previous times in a car made her curious.

She'd always sat in the back so this change was something new.

A silent ride can resurge deep memories that at times are better left forgotten

Tsuru walked side by side with Bilal through the castle. All looking as perfect as it should, but the man before her stomped on the ground angry and annoyed.

Like a child on a tantrum.

"I'm sure you'll get your immortality tomo-"

"Silence Tsuru." He didn't bother looking over at her continuing his angry ramp through the caste. Guards stood at every inch of the place. While she held her head low floating behind him like his stray mutt. Bilal was so angry that even when she was silent it annoyed him, "I wish for an army of fearless soldiers, ones whose blood runs cold."

Her trembling fingers snapped when he finished, the clanking of footsteps outside so loud the ground below them would shake. The man chuckled indifferently at the sound, his walking had slowed and his expression calmer.

"What do you want an army for?" Her question brought his menacing face over to look at her.

"For war, what else can an army do?"

"Oh, wouldn't you much rather do something else, I mean really a war can be dull and boring. Why bother with one? Besides your going to be an immortal death isn't really in the whole ordeal."

"What do you suggest then?" He stopped in his tracks crossing his hands over his chest.

She stammered, "Well... uh, how... how about, how about making a.... making a new city and traveling the oceans."

"So you're suggesting I become a ship captain?" he looked at her questioningly.

"Of course! All the wonders you could see, treasures to conquer and other things."

"So a pirate? Instead of being the king I am now? Why would I possibly make such a stupid trade?" He rolled his eyes at her and walked off while she continued to look down at the floor in regret.

If only she had chosen different rules, maybe things would have turned out better. But she chose to be generous and not set a number for people so they could have anything they wanted, well almost anything. And that brought her already her first master, a big regret. She murdered innocent people because it was demanded of her, she brought an army because it was demanded of her, and she brought a king that would bring nothing but chaos, because it was demanded of her...

"What are you thinking about?"

She looked down at him, "Nothing."

"Tell me, don't make me have to wish obedience from you."

Biting her lip she obeyed, "I don't like you."

"I can accept that. But know this, life's unfair Tsuru, that's just the way it goes. I too would hate myself if it hadn't been for the cruel years that have beaten me down. You're still aparently a child, you don't understand what life is really like." he said, looking at her and walking in a room, "Tsuru... what exactly have you lived? And tell me in all honesty what that is."

"I was taken by the lamp a night ago... I used to live not too far from where you found me..." her confession made his stern expression change.

"Is anyone around to take care of you?" he asked, a remorseful look on his face.