Kadin and the Jinni

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Kadin's eyes grew wide with amazement as they passed through the gates that lead to the royal palace. Never in his life had he seen such flaunted wealth. If he hadn't been so awe struck by the sheer flamboyance of the royal yard, he would have no doubt been sickened by it. The way that he had lived his life, often struggling, to secure the basic necessities, food water and shelter, were totally forgotten by royalty. THey never had to work hungry just to buy a bag of grain. They never had to haul water, up hill in the sand, to quench the thirst of a sick loved one. They never had to move in the middle of the night, fleeing from a freak sandstorm. In truth he was assuming most of this, but being born into a life this luxurious was worlds away from his own.

As they were nearing the entrance, his Jinni spoke and Kadin listened, although unsure of his connection to the charm stone. When she pressed his hand against it he got a sudden chill down his spine. He wasn't sure if it was the stone, or the soft feel of her hand over his. Before he had time to decide which it was, he saw. Just for a split second, and just a misty image, but he indeed saw. Everything she described was there, but as soon as he saw it, it was gone. He shook his head

"I thought I saw something for a brief....."

Before he could fully answer he was cut off by a commanding voice.

"Welcome! Lord Caspar I assume." the voice belonged to a man standing near a torch-lit gagte leading to what Kadin assmumed to be the stable, an odd place for a greeter. The man who was dressed in royal garb, bowed his head low enough to let Kadin know he was a 'yes man' serving the royal family, and nothing more.

"Please let us take your mount, we are so pleased to have you with us this evening! There is a banquet and full orchestra...."

Kadin, fitting into his role like a gloved hand, interrupted the man

"I'm sure. Now if you can please stop whatever it is you are doing and help my lady down, also, I wish for an escort to lead us into the ball. Are you listening to me?"

Kadin had been talked down to by royalty in his life, mostly when caravans from Prima would stop in his town for supplies, but still he knew how this man was used to being treated. Little did Kadin know, but he would soon discover, this man was not a servant, despite his over gratuitous nature, he was a blood member of the house. Royalty.

This act only boosted "Lord Caspars" standing, he was not only a wealthy tycoon of the sands, but also had balls.


"Right this way, Lord"
 
Maahealani was helped down off the camel by the man that had greeted them. Though human customs were a bit foreign to her, she did understand hierarchy. That Kadin was playing at someone of great standing, he acted arrogant because it was expected. Taking her cues from Kadin would be important, but she wanted to be sure to give it a feminine touch.

Her feet on the ground she gave the slightest smile to the man, before going over to Kadin, and taking his arm. Their greeter did as he had been commanded, and called for one of the servants to come over and escort The Lord Caspar and his lady. As they walked away, the greeter was left to deal with the camel, who seemed to want in on the act and shook his reigns out of the man's hand. Of course, the camel was a lord himself according to the jinni.

"Lord, Lady, I shall lead you to the ball room as Lord Hassin has directed if you please," the wiry young man in uniform stated. Once he saw this would approved by Kadin, he began leading the way. The hall in which they walked through was painted yellow and cream, though it was peppered with various kinds of artwork, to show off the wealth of Palmira's royal family. It was by human standards opulent, though it bordered on gaudy. The jinni took as much of it in as she could as she walked with Kadin and tried to look in impressed. It was a different world they were both traveling in, but together they made a good show of it.

Then they reached the ball room itself.
 
Crossing into the threshold of the ballroom, Kadin nearly gasped. There was enough gold and jewels in this place to choke a camel! Not counting the ceiling anchored crystal chandlers, accented by platinum veils that hung about 8 feet from the ground. In the center of the ballroom, a highly polished, solid marble slab, flecked with gold, served as a dance floor. However only a few stray couples we're dancing, most still occupied with greeting one another. There was strong influences from the west here, the orchestra being one and the presents of rich nobles from across the sea being the other. This was a meeting of gods among men! Wealthy as the day is long, and twice as vicious when It comes to acquiring said wealth.

Hushed voices and craned necks greeted Kadin and the Jinni as they walked into the room. Whispers of "Lord Caspar" and "his stunning lady' could be heard across a sea of admiring faces. He turned and smiled at Maahealani, taking her hand and moving towards the most exquisite display of food he had ever seen. Three long tables adorned with every meat, cheese, fruit, appetizer and variety of bread known to man, ran down the length of the wall. He was about to eat like he had never eaten before, when a voice sounded to his left.

"Lord Caspar!" Kadin turned to see a stout man with round, red cheeks. His cloths told Kadin that he hailed from the far east outskirts of the Al Kazir, the same place the fictitious Lord Caspar did.

"So glad you could attend, and with your beautiful lady in tote." He reached for the Jinni's hand, bowing ever so slightly as he did so before turning his attention back to Kadin.

"We hail from the same wretched waste of the Al Kazir, it seems. According to the rumors of your presence here, which I have heard from several sources. Lord Caspar of the east, a land baron owning more than the deserts sand in gold. So mysterious indeed, while I have grown up and lived in the east my entire life. So odd....that I can't recall hearing about you until now."

The man straightened up, the buttons of his silk dress shirt crying out in protest against his considerable gut. Kadin noticed that he still had the Jinni's hand, and felt a twinge of anger flare up. The man's voice was laced with sarcasm now and at that moment Kadin realized that the man suspected something.

"So rude of me, let me introduce myself. Lord Hijun, at your service. Be it ever so odd that we have not had the pleasure to meet, being from virtually the same piece of desert, very strange indeed." His eyes were on the Jinni now as Kadin felt a light sweat break out on the back of his neck.
 
Maahealani was watching Kadin carefully. He was being careful, but she could tell the wonders of the palace were foreign to him. How this life differed from his made her curious, but she would suppress it for now. She would ask him later, or so she though, of how he found the palace that night.

Her gaze went past the man to look at the room herself. Her curiosity not on the table of food, or the milling nobility, nor the elaborate decor, but on the music and dancing. Music was music, and yet there was so much variety. She was glad she was getting a chance to experience human music. She hoped she would have a chance to try to emulate the patern of dance at some point with Kadin. It occurred to her a small enchantment to ensure they didn't look out of place might be needed if they did so, but she wanted to learn so she would have to craft it so that she didn't just look like all the dancer, but could build upon tonight!

So when the pudgy man came over to them, Maahealani's mind was not completely on their purpose. Her attention snapped back quickly enough when he took her hand in greeting. That he didn't let go she found rude. Worse yet was what he was saying to Kadin. He knew! Well not exactly anything, but he was still suspicious.

If they didn't do something quickly this could all end before they even had a chance of finding Kadin's enemy, and if they didn't find them Maahealani feared they could get the upper hand on him. "Lord Hijun, it is a pleasure to meet you." She said in a soft voice, looking at him in the face. "I have to admit I have only heard rumors of you. Women's talk." She then let her gaze go down, though still obviously looking at him, then she looked up at him with a grin. She let just a heartbeat pass before she continued. Her tone sympathetic. "I'm sure the stories aren't true though." Maahealani then looked around as if to look for someone. "You don't seem to have a companion though tonight, so maybe they are." The smile she gave him was pure malice as she took her hand back.
 
Kadin caught on to what the Jinni was doing mid-sentence, and could see her plan was working well. Through the feeling of relief he also felt amazement at how quickly she picked up on human mannerisms. Was it her powers that compensated for her lack of time among the earthly realm of humans? In the back of Kadin's mind, maybe after this was all over, he wondered if he might ever get a chance to see her world. He thought not, but was nonetheless intrigued by it.

The stout man stammered, taking a step back. Dropping the Jinni's hand like it was a piece of rotten meat.

"I…I…I see that your customs are far different than my own! No manners at all, none at all…."

"Sir." Said Kadin, lowering his voice and locking the mans eyes "I doubt you and I have anything in common at all."

Just then, as if on cue from an invisible force, the orchestra switched from the drab lifeless melody it had been playing, to a song fit for a grand ballroom. Many couples filled the dance floor, and Kadin wasn't far behind. The stout man and his shortcomings forgotten, he took Maahealani's hand.

"May I have this dance, my dear?" He wasn't sure if she would follow suit or not, but they needed to mesh with their surroundings. Dancing was the perfect way to do so, after that maybe they could find out more.

Kadin had never had formal dance tutoring. In his small village, once a year around harvest time, the elders would hold an event. A harvest festival of sorts, and there would be music played on crude, native desert instruments as well as dancing. There he had picked up a basic concept, and watching how those around them moved, he thought he could wing the rest. Kadin, letting his lady go first, still holding her hand up to the the marble dance floor, and then pulled her close. It was as to not raise suspicion, nothing more. Kadin told himself this but only half believed it.
 
The pudgy lord did not seem to like her or her comments very much. Such a shame! It also seemed that Kadin was more then able to leave his own thoughts. All in all, Maahealani doubted Lord Hijun would be bothering them for the rest of the night. He would spread rumors, true, but that was little consequence. After all only tonight mattered in their plan. What happened here would dictate their next move.

Wth Kadin taking her hand she looked over and smiled at him. "Certainly," it was time to see how well she could adapt. It was with a bit of surprise once they were on the dance floor that he held her. Of course he would, that was the style that the other people were dancing, but she still felt like she lost her breath.

"I thought I could do something so that my unfamiliarity with the customs of the dance would not be noticed," she whispered into his ear. It was not the type of conversation to talk about aloud, but with the music she had to be sure he heard her. There were many things that humans paled at compared to the Ifrit, but the music and dancing was not one of them. It seemed that creativity came in many forms. Though it might have helped that she seemed to have such a pleasant partner. If they were watched or were not it was all the same. They of course were, but Maahealani wasn't paying that as much attention as the music, the dance and of course Kadin.

"I suppose we can only do this a little bit," she said sounding somewhat disappointed. "To learn what truths are in this place we will have to talk, mingle, correct?"
 
Couples danced in droves on the floor, it's marble surface also dancing with light from the many oil laps that burnt brightly in the over head chandeliers. The music was slow and breezy, much different from that Kadin had experienced back home. However, he was quick to adapt and soon was spinning the Jinni like a pro. With her body close to his, the urgency of their mission was fast forgotten, there was no more Lord Caspar and his lovely lady, only Kadin and the Jinni.

As the dancing continued, men wearing all black shmaghs over thier faces gathered in a far corner. Their voices were hushed and as coincidence, or fate would have it, they spoke of the forgotten son. The desert nomad whos father had been killed in an effort to obtain a prize that he unknowingly carried. These men were known, only vaguely, as Ravana's riders. Named so because of the ten original members. They are by no means a typical group of criminals in the sense that they serve a very powerful faction, one that has the ability to gain them access to events such as this very ball.
​

The music picked up in tempo and emotion, bringing forth a climax, at this time Kadin slipped his hand from the Jinni's waist to the small of her back, dipping her low to the highly polished floor. At this moment, his body bent to the ground, the charmstone slipped out from around his neck, but Kadin did not notice, his attention completely absorbed by the Jinni and her beauty. It may have been the light, or the fact that they were roleplaying an actual couple, but in this moment Kadin felt the sudden urge to kiss her.

Across the room, just as Kadin dipped the Jinni, Ravana's riders were on the move. It was no coincidence, and the proof they had been waiting for had shown it's self. The Charmstone, the reason they were here.
​

Kadin smoothly pulled the Jinni back to her feet from the low dip, looking into her eyes, feeling engulfed by her fiery aura. He leaned closer, pulling her body tight against his, their faces only inches apart.

On all sides the Riders approached. Under their loosely fitting black robs were weapons with sharp point for stabbing and maiming. They were only a few feet away now, unnoticed by the infatuated Kadin.
 
Maahealani followed Kadin's lead on the dance floor, adapting to the subtle cues he gave as he followed the music and the custom of dance. The jinni was already admiring the form of the artistry as she felt the human's hand move and a moment later she found herself falling backwards. It was of course a controlled fall, a fall of trust, for if Kadin made a mistake she or both of them would be on the ground. Looking into his eyes, Maahealani could not imagine he would ever let that happen, even as he righted them once more.

Her eyes were still locked on his and for a heartbeat it seemed no one else was in the room with them. If her hand had not ventured from its proper spot, had not touched the charmstone, she could have been completely oblivious. The light touch was enough to send a shiver through her, worse then normal and she looked passed Kadin for a moment. Once spotted the first one she did not need to look around to know the trouble they were in.

Looking into his eyes again, she spoke without speaking. "As soon as I let go, flee. I will keep them from seeing out of the room. I will make sure they are distracted. I will then find you." If there was regret, it was covered by her anger, and that she was trying to not let boil over. She was in a room with many many humans. There had to be a few wizards among them. She knew, just by the taste of the place there were various charms and minor spells in place. She had to be careful, but she needed Kadin to be safe more.

"Now," and to Maahealani's eyes the illusion of Kadin was superimposed upon the real man. The true man no one could no longer see. She moved her hand off his shoulder, and only hesitated a moment to take the other off his chest. "Go!"
 
Kadin eyes shot open like champagne corks being popped, abruptly torn from a moment of passion, thrust into reality, he was suddenly painfully aware of the impending danger. Everything that had happened up to this point, since he had met the Jinni, flashed back into the foreground of his mind. It was all coming together, and no sooner than she spoke the word 'Now' Kadin was sprinting towards the door. He had only a second to hear faint cries and yells of anger as he pushed past two doormen and ran down a brick lined corridor. He had lucked out in picking his escape route, not even passing a single guard or servant in his rushed departure. After several turns and down a dimly lit hallway, he stopped near an opening cut into the brick, serving as a window. Roughly 15 feet below was a canal filled with water that ran under the palace. No sooner than he had stopped he heard the sound of pounding footsteps coming towards him. There was no time to think as he hoisted himself up to the window and dove into the water, praying it was deep enough. It wasn't, and as the warm water touched his skin he hit the hard packed dirt below, the wind was knocked from his body and everything became dark as he floated under the palace into a quagmire of underground, water filled tunnels.

Kadin's world came back to him, a painful bump on the back of his head explaining why he had lost consciousness, but not how he had managed to float to safety without drowning. It was pitch black, wet and he was laying in the middle of the canal, in a spot where the water was only a few inches deep. Little did Kadin know that he had managed to float across the palace to the far north side where boats from the river came to take passengers out to sea. Just on the other side of the wall was the main dock, bordered by the shipping and export docks.

For the moment he could do little more than sit up and pray that the Jinni had made it out safely as well.
 
As if an answer to his prayer a soft glow reflected off the wall of the tunnel for a moment. Somewhere near and ahead was its source, if the brief brush of steam was any indication.

~~~~~​

With Kadin fleeing, Maahealani watched as the black clad men grabbed at her illusionary man. She even fell to the ground as one roughly pushed her away. The fake Kadin tried to fight back, Maahealani made sure of that as she picked herself up, the music had stopped, but the whispers around her were nearly as loud. Still it wasn't enough to keep them from hearing the startled exclamations of the door guards as they were pushed aside.

The ruse was up, as one of the men, a lean fellow with agate eyes looked to the door, then at the man that his people were struggling with. She broke the spell. In fact she broke not just the illusion of a man for these humans to struggle with, but every easily broke enchantment as well. Even as these thugs were picking themselves up, rushing to the door, the ballroom descended to chaos as both illusions and enchantment on guests and the room they were being entertained unraveled. Women screamed as their faces returned to their own, men cursed as their riches were shown to be gaudy ornaments, the food laden tables was not as big as they appeared and the fountains stopped working.

Though most the men went to the door, the man with agate eyes stepped to her, reaching out a gloved hand ornamented with a large ring. If he knew magic, any at all she could be in trouble. Human magic was tricky when cast against the djinn and their like. She needed to get away, but more importantly she needed to get back to Kadin. It didn't occur to her that they'd not been separated since he crawled into her garden. Now she could feel it. She could feel him moving further and further away, and she didn't like the feeling. The compulsion to go to him grew great. Even without thinking of how to find him, she went to him.

Every candle, torch and lantern in the ballroom exploded in flames, then died and with that the Jinni was no longer standing in the ballroom, but outside. She looked down at the water lapping at her legs. She felt like she'd just ran a mile, but Kadin was at least here. Blinking Maahealani looked around wondering why she didn't see him!
 
In the short moments before the Jinni appeared, Kadin managed to get to his feet, walk the twenty feet to where the tunnel ended, and peer cautiously out. Having been born and raised in the sandy, landlocked region of the Al Kizar, Kadin only knew through stories told by passing traders about the ocean and ships. However, there was no question in his mind to as what he was seeing. Lit by huge pillared torches, was a dock where a massive ship stood proudly on the water. It was being loaded with cargo and crew. It was a long shot, but Kadin thought, with the Jinni's help, they just might be able to make it. It was a risky move, but the only one available.

"I'm here." Said Kadin, still weak from the blow to his head as the Jinni appeared.

"Those masked men, I believe they are the ones that killed my father, and are ready and willing to kill me for the charmstone." He took in a deep breath, steadying himself on the wet stone wall of the tunnel.

"There is a dock just on the other side of the moat surrounding the palace, I think we might be able to make it aboard." He motioned with his head "The water doesn't look deep, we should be able to make it to the dock from here."

He took a second to regard the Jinni, briefly reliving the moment before all hell had broken loose at the ball.
 
"Kadin!" The relief on the jinni's face was obvious when she looked over, hearing his voice. Water splashed as she came over to him. She was unconcerned about the water. Her only thought was to be by his side. It was a very strange compulsion, born only in part by the charmstone. Not that the fiery lady gave much thought to the why.

There was much to discuss. What she heard on the dance floor, what she saw. They needed to find out more about their enemy. Their enemy, not his. She had taken to being a part of his quest in every way it seemed. They needed to sit and plan. Maahealani really wanted to sit, and eat too. She was famished actually. A ship was a good of place as any to sit. It had the added bonus of moving away from their enemies. Someday, hopefully soon they would want to go to them. But that day would be under their terms. Today was not that day. "A boat ride sounds like a good way to escape."

"I am glad you were able to get away from them unharmed." Maahealani then frowned. She found her statement wrong and without thinking about, not even to ask if he minded, she reached up with a hand and ran it up into his hair to the back of his head where he bumped himself. The warmth formed in her hand and then spread into his head. It was not unlike a warm cloth wrapped around the entirety. As she removed her hand there was a satisfied smile on her face, even as the warmth of the spell slowly dissipated. "Is that better?" She asked in a soft voice, looking into his eyes.
 
"Yeah." Kadin said dreamily as the warmth from the Jinni's touch melted away the pain. He also noticed the fogginess from being knocked was gone. The healing powers she possessed, whether real of just presumed by Kadin, worked wonders.

"Yeah, that is a lot better." He caught her eyes again, a feeling of almost overwhelming desire flushed his body. What was happening? Kadin's rational side had only a second to deduce that it was the desert magic infecting his feelings. He was powerless, and already, again, felt himself leaning towards her. His face only inches now, their lips practically breathing the same air.

Off in the near distance, soaked with the pale light from a rising moon, barrels and crates were being hoisted aboard a colossal cargo ship. She was bound for the northern continent and into freezing waters where supplies were scarce year round. The crew had already been selected, although a few stragglers were currently boarding, some drunkenly staggering, others notified of last minute changes. It would not at all be hard for a couple more to board, as part of the crew, nearly unnoticed.

Upon the quartermasters deck a hefty, and heftily tattooed, sailor with a bellowing voice cried out.

"Last call to board! Last call for the Desert Maiden! Last call." His voice carrying across the mist, much like the lunar beams of the rising moon.

Kadin jerked his head back.

"Maahealani." Kadin breathed, realizing that he didn't often utter her name, mostly out of fear of mispronouncing it "We need to get on that ship." His hand reached down, found hers, fingers interlocking. He led her towards the ship, without really having a plan in mind, but somehow knowing she would get them aboard. A new page had turned in their adventure.
 
The jinni was lost, and for a long moment thought of nothing but the moment, both an eternity and an instant. Then the spell, which was not a product of desert magic but still partly of her making and partly of Kadin's, was broken. He moved back, which surprised her, but then he said her name and the quick temper of the maiden was mollified. The man did not often say her name, though she found she liked hearing it from him.

The ship? It made sense. They needed to get as far away as possible, and a ship that was about to leave it's dock was the best way to do it. It was unlikely that the men chasing them would be able to discover where they traveled to. In fact at this moment, they didn't know where they'd be traveling to. Not that it mattered, they were getting away and for a moment they would be safe.

Maahealani squeezed Kadin's hand briefly as they got closer to the ship. The best way on board would be similar to how they rode to the palace before. Briefly Maahealani thought about their clothing. She would need to have them better garbed, but she could deal with that once they were on board.

"They will not notice us, as long as we do nothing odd. Many are picking up those crates and bundles on the dock, we should do the same. Once we are below the deck we can hide and we can plan," she whispered to Kadin. As they went onto the dock properly and picked up something to carry the jinni noticed something about the ship, but it was too late to change the plan.

Christening a ship of course was a long standing practice among sailors who saw the many strange, fantastic, and weirdly dangerous things across the globe in the many seas. The blessings were to help to keep the worse of malicious curses off the boat and give the sailors a chance to keep the loss of life to a minimum. Maahealani had never encountered such a spell, but worried about how it would react to her magic. Not that she wasn't worried she could not overcome it or counter it, but she wanted to keep them unnoticed and that meant not letting what she viewed as a charm to activate.

The sailors by and large had an aroma, one that the jinni did not find pleasant in the least and she wrinkled her nose as they past several men to put the goods they carried below deck. This was slowly becoming a worse and worse idea in her mind.
 
It was common for large cargo ships such as the Desert maiden to board, load and depart in the dead of night. One of the few desert towns that wasn't landlocked, heat was an enormous issue. Loading a ship in the blazing sun not only consumed time, but also wore the crew out quickly.

Once they made it below deck, Kadin felt his stomach do a somersault. He had never set foot on a ship, and just the rocking from the tide was almost enough to make him.

"….Guuuurp…." Kadin's eyes went wide as he felt the food from the banquet threatening to make an encore. He turned to the Jinni.

"I don't know if I….."

Just then the quartermaster turned the corner and was standing face to face with the two stowaways.

"What's all this? Get a move on! All able hands to the upper deck! We're about to disembark!" His eyes went from Kadin to the Jinni, lingering for just a second before moving back to Kadin.

"What are you two doing down here? Nothing funny going on?"

Kadin forgot all about his sea sickness as the air around them grew thick. What was the quartermaster insinuating? Did he know they were planning on stowing away?

"Right away, sir" Answered Kadin "Just a spot of seasickness."

The quartermaster erupted into a hefty laughter, slapping Kadin hard on the back

"Feeling a little green are ya? You must be a virgin to the sea! Be that as it may, we need all the help we can get this time of year, huge shipment expected in the north by the end of summer, that gives us a nice stretch at sea for you to grow a pair of sea-legs!" He laughed again before turning to leave. Kadin gave a relived look to the Jinni, before leading her around a rather large stack of crates. He needed to rest, even if just for a moment.

Just above them, on the main deck, sailors and deck hands worked feverishly to get the last of the cargo loaded while the Quartermaster ordered the ship to be untied from dock. Soon the christening ceremonies would ensue.

"We made it this far, now we just have to somehow keep our act up for, what did he say? The end of summer? Three months? That is a long time to be on a ship."
 
Kadin seemed to be ill. Maahealani wasn't sure why, but before she could inquire one of the sailors approached them. The illusion was still working and while he looked at them for too long, it was not with the suspicions she feared. She also learned a new phrase 'sea sick'. As a creature of land and fire, Maahealani could appreate the idea of the sea making one sick. She did not however like the idea that the sea could claim Kadin.

"Sea legs? They plan on metephophesising you before this voyage is over? We don't want that." It was plain to see that the jinni was worried. "We will have to flee before then."

Maahealani then reached over and took and held Kadin's charmstone. "Also, we should put away our fineries. Lord Caspar does not need to be seen here." Her magic wove clothing similar to that all the sailors wore, though without the smell, as the red and gold of Kadin's disguise seemed to be drawn into the charmstone. "Perfect," she said with a whisper before looking up at Kadin.
 
Above deck the final preparations were made. Sailors rushed in a mad frenzy, some knelling before a priest who blessed not only them but also the ship, as others loaded gunny sacks packed with their lives into stow-a-way cubbies located above the dorm like area where they would sleep. Just before the ropes were cut, the ships last life line to land, three deep, bellowing rings from a barrel sized bronze bell exploded into the night, signaling departure.

Below deck

The nervous anxiety Kadin had felt was replaced by shivers of laughter.

"Not literal 'sea legs'. It's a term used to describe one growing accustom to being at sea." Kadin shifted his weight, simultaneously leaning against a near by crate before adding "I have never been to sea, but I have read about it." In all honesty he couldn't wait until his stomach settled and he could walk without feeling dizzy, but for now all he could do was wait it out.

Although they had made a flawless escape from the ball, it still remained to be seen weather or not they could pose as deck hands for the long voyage ahead. It was an enormous amount of time to spend in such confinement, he worried about the Jinni and how she would react to being sea bound for so many long days and nights. Kadin thought, at the very least, it would give them time to experiment with the charm stone. The more they could find out about it before running into the better.
 
Maahealani did not adapt well those first few days on sea. While she did not suffer seasickness as Kadin did, she had difficulty sleeping. For the most part she was use to solitude, her garden in the middle of al Kizar was not exactly well populated and even in the city where there was many sounds, at least Kadin and she had a private room to close off and be away from most of the goings on around them. Aboard the ship there was nothing to escape the noises of people, and there were always people up and about. The worse part was the bell, it was rang every half hour for the watch and it distracted the jinni to no end.


To make matters worse she dared not use much magic, less it be noticed. The meals, if they could be called that, were unappetizing and unimaginative and the jinni longed to improve it, but the kitchen was run by a surly cook that did not like the idea of his position threatened by a woman on board and Maahealani was not welcomed anywhere near the mess except to eat.


Manuel labor was a new experience for the jinni. That she was quick to understanding a task was to her benefit and since she though every task was beneath her, she reacted no worse to being told to swab the deck then climb the rigging. Her souring expressions were ignored by the other men, not knowing the tempest that was nearly to break out.


It was nearly sunset, when Maahealani paused in what she was doing and looked out at the sun and sea. She was exhausted, hungry and irritable. She mulled over the reason to be aboard this ship, on the sea, with all these smelly men. If it were not for the stone around Kadin's neck she would vanish from this vessel. The stone. There was a thought, born of dark brooding to crush it. Nevermind the fact her own life was likely in jeopardy by such an act. Then she shook away the thought. It wasn't a solution. In fact she hadn't even been working on one. Were they not suppose to be working on how Kadin could use the stone? That much magic she knew she could keep from being detected. They just needed a little time away from prying eye.


Eyes were indeed watching her as she glared out at the setting sun. The bosun, unlike the quartermaster, had little sense of humor, and more a dislike for women. It was the first time he caught Maahealani on deck not working and he thought with no one too near to catch his lie. "I said, get back to work," and he let fly his whip directed to her backside.


The sunset, while starting to turn the sky and sea many colors, never seemed to intense as when the jinni snatched the end of the whip. She looked the man in the eyes. Humans, one best not trust them. They were as likely to sting if one was no weary. Maahealani had now a glow about her, as she considered how best to crush this bug.
 
Kadin's seasickness, while still a nuisance in the waking dawn hours, when red light would pour over the glassy water, was mostly subsiding. He was now able to fully appreciate the sea in all its glory, and make subtle comparisons to his desert home. Sand replaced water, yes, but the endless, never changing miles of nothingness was the same. Kadin could understand why so many chose the life of a sailor; also like the desert it was breathtakingly beautiful at times.

The first few days had been hard, and Kadin was immediately recognized for his downfalls. The rigging crew was not for him, as he grew tortuously ill his first time up, sending the contents of his stomach onto the unfortunate sailors below, earning him not only a chewing out, but also a reassignment of duty.

"Well what CAN you do?" Said an angry Quartermaster who had narrowly escaped Kadin's breakfast.

"Well, sir, I do have some experience working on and digging wells, not very handy out here but it did involve the building and construction of many well houses." Kadin almost let it slip that 'on the far side of the Al Kazir, properly made well houses meant the difference between a dry well, and clean water through the long summer months', but he held his tongue before letting anything about his real identity slip. It was key that he and the Jinni remained anonymous throughout the voyage.

"Fine!" Barked the mostly good hearted Quartermaster, who Kadin had yet to address by anything other than sir "You'll join the carpenter team, they need a new laborer." And just like that, Kadin went to replacing rotting boards and stacking lumber below the deck. He was not unhappy to do something that he had experience in, but it gave him even less time to see the Jinni. Their meetings grew sparse, and aside from being discovered, the only thing on Kadin's mind was figuring out a way for them to converse more often.

While Kadin was carrying several long 2x4s on his shoulder one day, he noticed a commotion near the port side of the ship. The head carpenter, that everyone called 'stumps' on a count of the first three fingers on his left hand had been severed by a falling beam when he was still an apprentice, was not on his neck to get the job done today, giving Kadin a few extra minutes to kill. He walked over to see what the commotion was all about. What he saw made his heart jump.

The Jinni had the ship's Bosun by the whip, as it was, and by the look in her fiery eyes Kadin could see she was inches away from blowing their cover, perhaps by setting the Bosun aflame. Kadin had to think fast, but there was little question as to what he had to do. Armed only with an extended shoulder-load of Douglas fir 2x4 and a half baked plan, he quickly made his way over to them, only four feet from where the Bosun stood, facing away from Kadin. In one swift move, Kadin turned quickly, cause the long boards on his shoulder to swing violently, cleanly plowing into the unsuspecting head of the Bosun. He fell right to the ground, eyes rolling back, a red spot on the side of his head already starting to bloom with trickles of blood. With any luck, any one who had seen this would take it for an accident by a clumsy carpenter in a hurry, not at all looking where he was going. Kadin knew this would no doubt earn him sever punishment, even if the plan worked and it was taken as an accident, the Bosun was a bitter man who loved to dish it out. If he was collared as a fraud...the situation would go from bad to worse in a hurry.

"Oh, my gods!" Kadin said in mock surprise "What have I done!"

He took a moment to cast a worried glance at the Jinni, hoping that he had done the right thing.
 
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kadin, the lone human thus far that she thought of in better then nutural terms, but his presence alone wasn't enough to distract her from exacting her wrath. At least it wouldn't have been if he hadn't knocked the bosun out just as she was prepared to do away with him. Watching the man drop before her she blinked in surprise, then she looked up at Kadin. He was acting surprised, but the look he gave to her painted a different picture.

Quickly Maahealani dropped the end of the whip and knelt down over the man. She did not like to be so close to the sailor, who smelled worse then most of them, let alone touch him, but she rolled him over onto his back. Kadin had protected their cover and while a cynical type would say it was to keep himself safe, the jinni was aware that her safety could be at risk as well. There were many men on this ship and the sea was not her natural ground.

As other sailors raced to see what had transpired, Maahealani whispered, "You are a very lucky bastard. Forget what you saw, but when you close your eyes. Then know what your fate could have been unless you mend your ways."

"What's going on!" Demanded the quartermaster looking at Kadin then the jinni with a glare. While he had no love for the ships bosun, he was good at seeing the sailors kept to tasks and was not fond of favoritism.

"He was distracted and ran into the boards." Maahealani said coldly. It might have seemed unlikely to the quartermaster that that was how the event took place, but their was a furry in the eyes of the woman as she stood, sailors taking the bosun now to the bone setter, that suggested there would be more problems questioning the truth. Once more the quartermaster looked at Kadin.
 
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