The Djinni & The Royal

❂ The Child ❂

The Djinni was called with a pull at her navel. That's how it always worked. She'd feel a pull and follow it through space until she found the summoner. She set down her quill and sat back in her chair, closing her eyes. It was cold when she traveled this way. At first it had terrified her. The ice that filled her bones and chill that stung her face.

And just like that, it was over. The Djinni found herself standing in an old cellar in front of a woman who couldn't have been more then thirty. She paused looking around distastfully. Was being called to a tropical island really to much to hope for? The woman suddenly stepped back, cowering away from the powerful girl and moving something behind her back.

"Why, hello there." Djinni smiled her sharp toothed smile, making the woman shiver. The Djinni glanced behind her curiously. She saw a young girl no older than eight. She hid behind her mother, staring with large sea eyes.

The woman stuttered, her voice shaking. "Djinni?" She asked, as if to confirm.

The ginger haired girl let out an annoyed growl. "Why does everyone ask that? Who else would appear in a cloud of black smoke when you call The Djinni?" She demanded. The woman's eyes filled with pitiful tears. Djinni rolled her eyes. "What do you want? Get on with it, I'm a busy woman." She snapped.

The woman clasped her hands in front of her. "I-I-I- want... A man to love me." She sniffled, looking dejected. Djinni studied the woman a long moment. Pitiful.

"I can't make someone fall in love." The sudden sob that escaped the woman made the girl pincher nose in irritation. Tonight she'd do just about anything to shut up the bawling this woman was doing."I can't, BUT I can give you a potion. Say, if your hand were to slip over his tea every morning, spilling a drop of this- " She reached into her apron and held up a small vile of purple liquid. "-in it. He would be feeling very in love with you. However, you will have to make him really fall for you before ten years. That's all I'll give." She crossed her arms, allowing the woman to take in the information before making a choice. The woman dried her face looking down a moment, gathering her thoughts. She sniffled again, her hand reaching behind her to push the curious child back again.

Djinni was again distracted by the child hiding behind her mother. The young girl had dark wavy hair and tan, clear, angelic skin. What's your name, child?" she asked, bending at the knee. The child tried in vain to move forward, her mother holding her back firmly.

"Najwa." The girl whispered. Braver than most of her clients. They studied each other, both at a loss for anything else to say. The girl seemed intelligent, big eyes looking directly into hers without fear. Finally someone without fear. The Djinni straightened from her stooped position and looked back at the woman.

The woman finally looked up at her. "Yes, I'll do it." She agreed in a weak voice. "What is your price?" Djinni looked down at the girl then up.

"I'll take......" Her finger waved in a circle, eyes wondering in thought. A minute passed as she seemed to consider her price. "That." Her finger came to a stop, pointed directly at the blue eyed girl. The mother gasped, looking down at the child.

"My daughter?" She moaned and covered her face. More tears.. pitiful, useless tears..

"Yes, your daughter. Or six hundred shekles, take it or leave it." The ginger nodded, knowing the answer before the woman spoke it.

"Would she be cared for?" She asked in a broken whisper. The child gasped and grabbed her mother's skirt. Tiny fists knotted in the fabric.

"Mam, no!" She cried in alarm. Her mother ignored her, staring at the ginger intently. Her hand again went to push her back.

"By the very best. A warm home, a meal thrice daily, an education... What else would a mother want for her child?" Djinni looked back at the wide eyed child. Oh, Edna would love this one. Young, cute, yes this would get her back in the old womans good graces.

The woman suddenly knelt to her daughter. Djinni waited as the mother whispered in her daughter's ear, as the girl began to cry. "Mama no! Please? I'll be good. I'll never disobey again! Please mama, please!" She sobbed, her sweet face streaming. She hugged the woman's neck tightly, her lips in a pink pout as tears soaked the woman's shoulder.

The woman held her away gently, shedding tears of her own. "Will I ever see her again?" She asked. Djinni shrugged.

"If she wants to see you, she'll be free to when she's of age. I'm not a monster." The mother held the girls face. "We'll see each other again, when we do, perhaps you'll have a sister." She whispered, excited at the thought. The idea that she'd have everything she wanted, a loving husband, nice house, children...

Realization seemed to dawn on the child. Her mother had a choice, and she was choosing herself over her daughter. The girls tears stopped. She obediently walked to the Djinni, her face down cast in fear and mourning. The Djinni grinned at the woman. "A drop of blood here. A vial there." She dropped the vial into the woman's hand. "The bottle will refill its self for ten years." She stepped back, her hand on the child's shoulder.

"We'll be together again." The woman promised. The child sniffled again, just nodding.

"I love you Mama." The mother stepped back silently, grasping the vial like it held everything dear to her heart. And, now that her daughter was gone, it did.

Cold washed over them and the child shed silent tears. The Djinni felt the tiniest pang of guilt, but if the mother could sell her daughter, Edna couldn't be much worse. "It'll be fine." She whispered, not one for comforting. The girl squeezed her hand in response.

Edna was waiting when The Djinni returned to her castle. The woman gasped at the sight of the child. "What is this?" She demanded. "Where did you find her?"

Djinni smiled, obviously very pleased with herself. "This is Najwa. Her mother sold her to me." She said, as if she'd scored on a sale. Edna gapped at her.

"Why would you do a stupid thing like that? You don't want a child!" She scolded. Djinni rolled her eyes.

"Eww, no. She's for you." She gave the girl a gentle push toward the woman. Edna caught the child, staring at the ginger haired girl like she'd lost her damn mind. In all honesty, she had a long time ago.

"What?" Edna exclaimed in confusion.

Djinni stood tall and planted her fists on her hips with pride. "You miss raising up children. Her mother was obviously not qualified. So, ta-da!" She threw her hands up. "For you!" She held a hand out, pointed at the child.

Edna looked from The Djinni to the child, in flabbergasted silence. The Djinni clapped her hands together and marched to the stairs.

"Jasper, I'll take my tea in my chamber!" She yelled. The butler rushed out in surprise.

"Yes my Lady! Anything else?" Djinni paused on the stairs.

"Yes, cake would be good. Get the kid some too." She waved a hand at the wide eyed girl and continued to her room. Now Edna would have another doll to distract her.

Edna looked down at the child clinging to her. Her face turned from one of confusion to one of disgust. "Patsy, draw a bath." She yelled to the maid. The girl looked up at her.

"What will happen to me? Will I be sold as a slave?" She breathed, tears forming in her eyes again. Edna frowned.

"No. Of course not, child. You will take a bath, have dinner, then go to bed. I will explain everything in the morning." The girl nodded a little, sniffling again. Edna knelt to her, like her mother had, not an hour before. "I will promise you this, Najwa; You will be safe here. You will be cared for." She whispered. The child looked into the woman's eyes and nodded slowly. Oddly enough, for the first time in her life, she believed those words.

"Now," Edna stood up. "Come along. Patsy will bathe you. Tomorrow, you start an education."

R&R