STORIES
208-Your Servant
Washi. Usagi
Saturday evening ...
WASHI:
… I've been thinking about the theft of my family's genie.
USAGI:
You told me you were certain Zyfan took it.
WASHI:
I kept him ignorant of the lamp's magical properties.
He had no reason to take it.
USAGI:
Perhaps he acts innocently, to be successful at deceit.
WASHI:
No. The day I left, I was packed and ready to leave before he knew of my departure. Had he not come back early, I would have missed him completely. Someone else took the lamp. Someone who would benefit from its loss.
USAGI:
Do you have a suspect in mind?
WASHI:
I believe my wife arranged for it to leave my hands.
WASHI:
… Only you had something to gain. You knew I would lose face with my Clan and be cast out by my brother, the Sheikh, forever. Do you deny this?
USAGI:
No. The loss of your genie was instrumental in getting you to place
your loyalties where they belonged – with me and my Clan.
WASHI:
My wife is a master manipulator. I would be in awe of her except
for one flaw – the genie is now in the hands of the humans.
Why not keep it for our future use?
USAGI:
I have no need of a genie. I have my own magic. I only wanted to ensure it did not return to the Shiehk. I never intended for Zyfan to have it, but it all worked out in the end.
WASHI:
All these years you let me believe Zyfan stole that lamp.
USAGI:
In order to keep my honor, I had to act the part of not knowing you shared
your bed with him. Do you see what happens when you wrong your wife?
WASHI:
And now the genie is the hands of the humans!
USAGI:
Where it shall remain, here and out in our realm. Your
concern will be short-lived, they plan to free it from its lamp.
WASHI:
They - what? That cannot be true.
USAGI:
But it is.
WASHI:
How do you know this?
USAGI:
The girl-child, Grace, told me. Perhaps you remember her?
She kicked you when you last threatened her genie. I am to tell you
she will to do it again, if you make a second attempt.
WASHI:
Bah.
USAGI:
As for the genie - I have studied the history of its kind. Have you
never wondered why your Clan possesses no magic of its own?
WASHI:
We do not need magic, genies do our bidding.
USAGI:
No more, but once there was magic for all. Your ancestors bound their
enslaved humans to objects, such as lamps, to prevent them from
escaping. In the process they accidentally transferred their
powers to them, exhausting all magic from your people.
WASHI:
How do you know more of my Clan than me?
USAGI:
Our Clans have been warring with each other for centuries.
Your warriors may be better skilled but we are the strategists.
We searched and searched to find vulnerabilities ...
USAGI:
Then we sought your genies - just to set them them free. In doing so,
we neutralized your Clan so it is no longer a threat to us.
Isn't it true that this genie is the last of its kind?
WASHI:
I have heard as much.
USAGI:
Which means the Shiehk has no magic when waring with any longer.
When our Yana becomes Empress, she will rule over both our Clans.
The Shiehk will surrender to us or be no more.
WASHI:
It appears I'm fortunate to be on the winning side.
USAGI:
It is good you see it that way. And although you will never be Sheikh to
your people, our daughter will rule over them just the same.
I should think this will satisfy you just the same.
WASHI:
You know me well. But what happens when these humans free the genie?
USAGI:
It was a human slave made into a genie over a millennia ago.
Free the genie and free the magic, without the magic, the slave will
age and turn to dust right before their eyes.
WASHI:
The genie dies? Have you shared this knowledge with the humans?
USAGI:
They have not asked me, and I see no reason to volunteer my findings.
WASHI:
I am very impressed, very impressed indeed.
Hence forth, I shall be your loyal and willing servant.
~ O M A K E ~
