The Djinni & The Royal

❂ Operation: Protégé ❂

Eight paced back and forth in front of the kitchen table. After their haven had been destroyed, he had decided to take the chance and bring meetings his home. "A protégé?" He stroked his beard.

Nine dropped his forehead on the tabletop. "That's what I said." He retorted. "Thirty times." He added under his breath. Eight stopped in front of the younger man.

"We have to rescue her." He declared. A young woman on the couch smacked her forehead.

"Father-" She started. Nine held up a hand to silence her.

"Should we? She seemed perfectly happy and cared for, to me." Eight pounded his first on the table.

"Of course we should! That demon is teaching her magic! The very thing we've sworn to eliminate!" He collapsed in a kitchen chair, wheezing.

"Father, it's not safe for you. Your illness is worsening. Stay here and let me care for you!" The girl cried.

Eight shook his head. "No, perhaps we'll finally end this evil once and for all. Sarah, inform the others to prepare for battle."

She rolled her eyes. "Father, Andrew and Matt are a hundred miles away and Seven doesn't remember you." Nine snickered in agreement.

Eight paused. "Then Nine and I will go." He decided. Sarah sighed and helped her father up, as a coughing fit over took him.

"Once you're feeling up to it, daddy." Sarah and Nine exchanged a look before she led her father up the stairs.

Najwa hurried down the stairs. She had slept late, resulting in her having a late breakfast and finishing her lessons late. "So late!" She whispered to herself, stopping in front if The Djinnis Study door.

The apprentice patted down her dress, straightened her collar, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "OK..." She breathed and raised her hand to knock.

"You're late." Came a stern answer as she opened the door. Najwa lowered her head, pausing inside the door.

"Yes Djinni, I apologize." She said quietly. The woman let out a huff.

"Let's go, no time to mope." She turned back to her boiling cauldron. Najwa grinned and rushed to her chair by the fire.

It was several hours before The Djinni spoke again."Read the third spell allowed, will you?" She asked, stirring the bubbling liquid. Najwa hopped up and stood next to her master.

"The spell for luck?" She questioned. The woman nodded without taking her gaze from the pot.

Najwa cleared her throat nervously. she'd never said the spell for the potion before. " Fortuna. Vitae. Amant. Sapientiam. I miscere." She paused. "Amen" The Djinni smirked as the purple liquid turned to a bubbling gold. The girls gazed in awe. "Its beautiful." She murmured. The woman snapped. A bottle appeared in her hand. Najwa stepped back as the woman ladled it into the tear shaped glass.

"Perfecta felicitas." Djinni sighed, wishing the liquid around inside the bottle. "Ladle the rest into those bottles there." She ordered. Najwa jumped at the command and hurried to obey, pouring the priceless liquid into the containers. A drop of gold landed on her finger, making it tingle.

"What does this do?" She wondered aloud.

The Djinni glanced at her then back to the bottles. "Grants perfect luck for several hours."

Najwa gathered the bottles and flowed her Teacher to a glass case against the wall. Djinni unlocked it with a swish of her hand. "Third shelf from the bottom, left side." She explained. The child nodded, gazing up at the hundreds of different bottles and vials.

"What do you do with these?" She whispered.

The Djinni shrugged absent mindedly. "Trade them, use them, sell them..." She nodded and stepped back to admire the six new bottles. "Beautiful."

The older girl smiled, surveying them the same way. "Yes... They are."

Djinni shut the doors. "Go on, Edna will be needing you." She dismissed the girl, who obediently turned toward the door. The woman watched as she strode out confidentially. She was getting better.

Edna looked up at the girl as she entered the room. She had grown significantly since the first night she'd seen her. "Najwa." Edna greeted.

The girl turned, startled. "Mistress Edna." She gave a half curtsy.

Edna smiled, they would have to work on her curtsies and manners. "You're nearly twelve. Correct?" She asked, sipping her tea.

Najwa squared her shoulders and gave a nod. "Yes Mistress." The woman studied her.

"You know what happens this year, don't you?" The girl wrinkled her nose.

"Yes Mistress Edna. I am fitted for a corset." Edna laughed and patted the cushion next to her.

"Sit child." Najwa looked from the sofa to her guardian wearily. "Tea?" Edna asked, pouring a second cup without waiting for an answer. Najwa accepted the china cup and saucer. "On your birthday, you will be fitted for a corset and you will have your dresses lengthened time to cover those shins. Twelve is very important. Only four years from being a woman." She explained in a soothing voice, refilling her cup.

Najwa felt her stomachs twist at Ednas words. Four years until she was a woman. "I will be engaged in four years?" She swallowed hard, dread pooling in her gut. Edna put a hand to her chest in surprise.

"Goodness no, child! You will have a Coming Out Ball and let suitors pursue you. Then decide who to let court you." Edna said, sounding scandalized. Najwa relaxed, slouching a bit much for Edna's liking. "Now, a lesson in manners."

Nine rolled his eyes at the man in front of him. Just a month ago Eight had been hacking a lung out, now he was attempting to climb a two story tall tree. "Eight, just let me do it." He groaned, running a hand down his face. The gray bearded man grunted in response.

"No-" He panted. "I- can do- this." He heaved a breath. Nine looked at him in irritation.

"You're barely five feet up!" He exclaimed. Eight paused and looked down.

"Really?" He asked in disappointment. "Is that all?" Nine looked up at him, a laugh escaping him.

"Yes Old Man." Eight glared at him but slowly returned to the ground. "Fine then. You have a go, see if you can do any better." He scowled.

Nine chuckled. "Not a problem."

It was several more hours before they reached their destination. A crack in the brick wall surrounding the Djinni's land; Just big enough to squeeze through. "There." Eight pointed at a tall castle in the near distance.

Nine sighed heavily. "Let's be over with this."

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