Three Wishes: Cairo (22 page)

“Genie… Genie!”

Aladdin had to admit that even now; when he'd witnessed this display numerous times, he never grew tired of the supernatural lightshow of smoke and crackling atmosphere that accompanied the appearance of his friend. The Genie was starting to look more comfortable appearing on the scene. His first few ‘materializations’ had looked a little off balance and awkward, but it seemed that he was adapting to his new life situation.

“Aladdin, it’s so nice of you to call. To what do I owe this honor?”

“Good morning to you as well, my friend. You look very well-rested. I trust that your chambers were more comfortable than the dog belly I rested my head on?” That reference brought forth a bark and hunger whine from Darius.

“I slept quite well, indeed. But I guess you'll never know about the comfort of my quarters unless you choose to spend your final wish on a trip inside the lamp?” He smiled as well.

“No, unfortunately, I have promised my final wish to a friend who has saved me from death twice now.” The Genie nodded in appreciation. “I was hoping to convince you to help me search for Enna as well as for clues to your friends and your past. I am concerned about her safety and I would appreciate your opinion as I go about trying to locate her. I know you have your own course to chart, but…”

“I'll hear nothing about leaving this tale before I know the ending, Aladdin. My past life has been running for quite some time on its own and without my participation. We'll find your Enna and then we'll start trying to fill in the large pieces of my story that still remain a mystery.”

“I wish there were some way you could stay in this form. A second set of eyes could be quite helpful in both of our quests and with you trapped in the lamp; I fear I could walk right by important clues and never even know I've missed them.”

“I think that my presence outside the lamp would cause you much more grief than our current setup. Though you've grown familiar with my current appearance, I fear that others would not be quite so accommodating. But perhaps we could find a compromise. Rather than burying the lamp in your traveling pack, what if you were to tie my lamp to your waist? I have managed to secure a place in the lamp where I can view the outside. It became necessary on all of the occasions you’ve gotten yourself into trouble. It would not raise any eyebrows, yet we could converse easier and also, my eyes could be put to some use?”

“That is a great idea. I wish I had thought of it earlier!” Aladdin began to rummage through the straw and limited flat surface areas of the shed. Darius barked excitedly as he was sure that whatever conversation his two masters were having must certainly have something to do with securing some breakfast. Soon, Aladdin found a short piece of twine which he looped through the leather strap on the lamp's handle and then secured to his waist.

“I think this part of town is going to be waking up soon, and I’m not really sure we were supposed to be in here. We'd better get going so as to not arouse any suspicion.” With that, the Genie just disappeared back into the lamp with a slight crackle of atmospheric particles which quickly filled the void he had just recently occupied.

“Come on Darius, let's find some food.”

Darius never needed real encouragement to be excited, but his tail started all the same and the three companions set off to continue their quest for answers in a city they'd never seen before.

Enna's body continued walking. Alchemy had no real need to rest or sleep, so he continued to push on. The girl he held captive within her own body was currently exhausted and sleeping fitfully. He knew that he had pushed her body to its breaking point, but had trouble working up any real sympathy on that matter. There were plenty of suitable 'donors' he could jump to when this one was used up. He'd also noticed a distinct difference in the fight she had presented once they had passed the young man lying by the road. She had almost overwhelmed him at that point but seemed to have lost her will to oppose him once he regained control and forced her to walk by without stopping.

Alchemy was actually invigorated by the thought of completing some checks on the checklist that was The Plan. He would simply continue scanning the town and asking questions in the voice of his captive.

He would use this body today and then discard it for something more suitable. For now, he should make the physical appearance more presentable. Then, when the crowds hit the marketplace, he could begin to ask questions and hopefully track down the clues he needed to find the seat of power here. If luck was on his side, he might just find clues to Ameerah’s whereabouts as well.

As they passed a tiny inn, there was a portly gentleman who was doing some work in preparation for the day. At first, Alchemy was shocked by the way the older man looked at him, but he quickly realized that this man was admiring the form of the young woman whose body he currently inhabited. Alchemy had never really had any interest or experience with the romantic arts, so he just smiled politely at the man. That simple act encouraged the man to approach.

“My dear, you look absolutely exhausted. Are you okay?” he said with genuine concern.

“I haven’t slept in a few days as I’ve been on the road from Altanan,” said Alchemy. He tried to bat his eyes seductively, but it came out looking more like a bug had flown into his face. “You don’t think I could possibly use a basin and perhaps clean up a bit in one of your rooms, do you?”

True to Alchemy’s beliefs about the human male in general, the man’s eyes lit up at the mere suggestion that this pretty, young, filthy-looking female had shown a flicker of interest in spending some time with him. He could not get to her side fast enough. “Of course young lady, I have some extra rooms available and I have a wash room that has a basin where you can clean up and wash the dust off of your tired body.”

Alchemy smirked. “Humans were so predictable,” he thought.

Then the old man continued. “I might even have some clothes you can try on. My daughter has moved out of our house, but we still have some of her things. She is having my grandchild, so she won’t have need for her old clothes for quite some time. I’m going to be a proud grandfather soon.”

Without even knowing it, the old man had shown compassion for a young female who reminded him of his daughter. He had no ulterior motives. Alchemy nodded and thanked him as he gratefully took the clothing and headed into the wash room.

He quickly cleaned up the young girl, washed her hair and simply let her hair hang naturally. This was the best he could do. He never understood the complicated machinations that females went through to make themselves beautiful. But, as he checked the results in the mirror, he was quite pleased with himself.

As he made his way back into the main chamber of the inn, the keeper also asked if he'd be interested in some breakfast. Though he wasn't really hungry, he accepted the food and drink in hopes that he would be able to keep the body going throughout the heat of the day. He was amazed at just how kind the older man treated his human female form. Though he really felt ridiculous chatting with the older gentleman as a young female, he realized that this private chamber was an excellent place to practice, making ready for today's events.

“This is such a beautiful city and so big. How do you keep track of where you are?” Alchemy smiled.

“You'll get used to things after a while. I was born here, so I'm quite familiar with the workings of a city this large. I also give advice to many foreign travelers so my job requires me to know things,” the Innkeeper said importantly.

“So, you're important enough to know leaders and government officials… even the King?” Enna smiled.

“Egypt has no king, my dear. We are ruled by the gods and by a council of men and women.”

“You mean that women are allowed to rule in Egypt?” Alchemy almost allowed his enthusiasm to get the best of him as his voice lowered for just an instant. He covered it by coughing. “I apologize; this dry air has really affected my breathing. Please tell me more about the ruling council.”

The Innkeeper smiled sympathetically. “My dear, our leader up until recently, was one of the most powerful women in the history of the world. Her name was Cleopatra and she ruled for many years. She was a descendent of Isis herself. She was a great politician, a brilliant strategist and she helped modernize many of the systems we use in our government. When she died, her son Caesarion ruled in her place. After her son died, the void of leadership was filled by a council of elders from many different walks of life. But that’s a lot to take in when you haven’t rested in a few days.”

“I want to know about the members of the council,” said Alchemy bluntly. “Tell me about each member… especially the women.”

That pointed question wiped the smile off of the older man. Alchemy had pushed one step too far and now he had raised suspicion. But he didn’t really care because he had things to do and napping wasn’t on his agenda. “Please tell me what I need to know,” he said with more force behind his words.

At this point, the old man paused and looked down at the young woman with concern on his face. “It seems like you've had quite an ordeal, my child. Perhaps you should lie down for a bit and rest. When you are rested and fed we can discuss all sorts of things.” He reached across the table to help her stand. But at this point, his arm began to cramp terribly. Though he didn't want to alarm the young girl, the pain in his arm was agonizing and he wasn't able to move it. “Oh my… I seem to have a cramp. I cannot move my arm. Please child, go and fetch my wife for me!”

But the young girl seated across from him made no attempt to stand or even move. She just smiled innocently. “Now, we’ll start again. Please tell me more about the members of the ruling council.”

The crowds grew larger as the city crawled toward noon. Aladdin walked through the busy streets just waiting to hear the Genie yell or for Darius to bark. He knew that finding one person in a city this large was going to take an incredible amount of good fortune. But in reality, he was fortunate to be alive, even more fortunate to find the dog that found the Genie that was currently watching over them and… one step further, even more fortunate to be searching for his true love. Could the gods provide one more measure of good fortune, or had he exhausted his allotment?

The trio made their way slowly from the east to the western edge of town and arrived at the banks of the Nile. In the distance they could again see the intimidating outline of the temple and the huge lion that guarded the pyramids and also protected the southern end of the city. Aladdin marveled at this creation. “Have you ever seen anything like this, Genie?”

“No, but I’ve certainly heard about it,” came a voice from below. “It is truly amazing what motivated beings can do when they're not killing each other or trying to squabble over land that will still be here long after they have passed. We all have precious little time to be alive. I was once a king and now, I spend my days strapped to a belt around the waist of a boy. And in the grand scheme of things, the world wasn't much different with me or without me.”

“There I must disagree with you Genie. You had such a profound effect on those around you that tales still are told about you today. According to the stories, those to whom you were the closest still search for you, though by all rights, you should be dead. I'd say for them, the world has changed dramatically since you departed.”

“Don't misunderstand me, Aladdin. I am not feeling sorry for myself, rather, seeing that amazing creation just reaffirmed how small we all really are in the grand scheme of things. It has not diminished my desire to find Ameerah or Enna one bit.”

All through the day, the trio continued scanning the crowd. They moved slowly and observed hundreds of faces just hoping to find one that registered as familiar.

Finally, with no real discussion or forethought, they made their way to the temple at the base of the lion and simply stood, again basking in its brilliance. They rested and continued to monitor the people that passed them.

“It is some sort of chamber,” said Aladdin as he noticed that some of the people were disappearing through a door at the base of the lion between the two massive paws. From a distance, they didn’t see this opening, but now that they were close, they were starting to get the full picture and were seeing light from torches illuminating the entryway.

“THERE! I know those faces!” said the Genie. Aladdin had never known the Genie to raise his voice, so his adrenaline immediately kicked in as well. Darius sensed that something had changed so he began barking and wagging his tail excitedly.

Aladdin had grown used to having the genie on his back, so he was a little disoriented and on instinct, he spun around. But then, he remembered that his friend was facing exactly the same way he was. So he quickly spun again. To those who didn’t hear the Genie’s voice, Aladdin just seemed to be doing some strange sort of dance in honor of the lion.

“It’s the two men, heading into the lion!”

Now a little dizzy, he finally saw two older warriors entering the opening to the great lion and disappearing into its unknown depths. Aladdin immediately sprang to action and sprinted toward the opening. As he grew closer, he quickly became aware that the entrance to the lion was guarded by two huge guards. Neither of them reacted in the slightest manner to the fact that he was quickly closing in on their position. That is, until he got within striking distance. The guards reflexively closed the gap he was shooting for with their massive bodies, leaving Aladdin to bounce off harmlessly like a bird flying into clear glass. He was stunned and reflexively rubbed his mouth to remove the taste of sweat and muscle.

Without changing their expression; even one iota, the guard on the left spoke, “No one shall pass.”

Aladdin rose to his feet and, though both his pride and his chest were starting to ache, he managed to speak. “I think you might be mistaken because two of our friends just walked by you. I didn’t hear a peep from either of you. Now we need to get through so we can speak with those men.”

There was still no reaction from the guards, who didn't even bother to make eye contact.

Finally, Lefty spoke again, “No one shall pass.”

“But I must beg to differ. See, you say
no one shall pass
, yet I've just witnessed two men passing. I'm thinking that two alert guardians such as yourselves could not have missed two full grown men walking right by your line of sight!”

The guard now looked stoically at Aladdin's forehead and said, “
You
shall not pass.”

“Okay, now we're getting somewhere. It is only I who shall not pass. You seem to be letting folks in left and right, but you've chosen to block my route. Might I ask why?”

Again, Lefty spoke directly to Aladdin’s forehead. “Only the council enters. You are not on the council.”

“Well, that's much better. You probably should have lead with that on our first encounter. It might have saved us all from this sparkling conversation. Can you tell me when the council meeting finishes for the night? I have urgent business with two of the members. It's a matter of the utmost importance.”

“No one shall pass,” replied the guard.

“Well, you've certainly been quite helpful then.”

Aladdin and Darius turned to walk back to the anonymity of their original position.

Aladdin broke the silence as it was obvious that the Genie was in deep thought.

“So, who were we chasing there? If it was Ameerah, I am forced to comment that time has not been kind. The love of your life has turned into an old man.”

“Your humor never ceases,” said the Genie.

“Never ceases to amaze?” corrected Aladdin.

“Never ceases,” re-corrected the Genie.

“Well, please fill me in. I've just run headfirst into a very tall and very solid individual and I'm feeling a little sore. Please tell me I did it for good reason.”

“You've just seen my two oldest and dearest friends, Aladdin. Both Atiene and Rorgue are alive. The Gods be praised. They seem so…” the Genie paused.

“Old?” finished Aladdin.

“I know it's been years and I know I've been cursed, but, I don't know; seeing those two hobbling into the mouth of that beast, I guess reality has finally arrived. I only remember the two men they were: warriors, young and spirited. I still feel that burning right now.”

“I'm sure they are all of those things, my friend. But now they likely are also fathers, grandfathers, and businessmen. Forty years can do many things, but don't judge the shells you see. I'd venture a guess that when you talk to them, you'll see those years melt away and the men you remember will return.”

The Genie was silent and then added. “If Ameerah is still alive, will I recognize her at all?”

“Trust me, my friend, you will see her with the same eyes you witnessed her with all those years ago. She will not have changed one bit.”

“I worry, because she is not with them. If something happened to her, I could not live…”

“Genie," Aladdin interrupted. “You are twenty steps ahead of yourself. Let us celebrate that your two oldest and dearest friends still breathe air and are above ground. Anything else will be a bonus.”

“Of course you are right, Aladdin. I am deeply pleased that Atiene and Rorgue still roam this plane of life. It's just a little shocking to see that they are different from what has been stored in my memory all this time.”

“Well, don't forget, you have changed a wee bit as well, Genie. There is a good chance that they don't remember you glowing and such.” Aladdin joked.

“Your humor never ceases.” replied the Genie.

“So, what is the plan?” said Aladdin.

“I think that we should find a way to enter that lion.”

“Yes, we tried that. I’m sure those walls of men wouldn’t do much damage to a genie, but they are quite formidable to a flesh and blood human such as myself. I think I might have actually swallowed a chest hair.” He spit reflexively.

“Perhaps we can find another way in that isn't as well guarded?” the Genie said.

“You should join me as a man at this point,” said Aladdin. “As you know, I have one wish left and I'd like to spend it right now. You know your friends are alive, I think you deserve to meet them as flesh and blood. I wish…”

“WAIT!” the Genie shouted. “I realize that we should be celebrating, and with the Gods as my witness, I am indebted to you for the wish you want to use to free me from these chains. But now is not the time to wish for such things.”

“But Genie, I have no more needs and I want to set you free.” Aladdin looked a little hurt.

“My freedom will come in time, my friend. But to be honest, I don't really know what will happen once I'm granted that freedom and, there are many questions right now that we simply don't know the answers to. You have not yet found Enna and I have not yet found Ameerah. It always seems like danger has been lurking around the corner. It might be wise to hold onto that wish one more day until we have some answers. In one week’s time, I have used magic to save your life. . . twice! As a mortal man, I have no such power. Will I age when I become mortal? Will I return to another time? I have no such knowledge and we still face unknown elements. Plus, I like being carried around.”

“Your humor never ceases,” finished Aladdin.

“Let's find a way into this beast.”