Private Tales Twin Troubles

[Rasoul Ibn Shahin]

"Very well, I shall see you have the resources you need. The wall repairs must be completed." The Sultan looked to his aide to indicate that the audience was over. There were still a few audiences scheduled for the day but Rasoul ordered them moved. Too much remained to be done but Rasoul had his limits. He had no need to feel guilty as he hadn't left the meeting chamber since morning. His joints echoed in complaint as he finally rose from his seat. He waved off his remaining attendants, heading to his study alone. A pair of guards shadowed him from a respectful distance, far enough to give Rasoul time with his own thoughts.

Recently he had been given a list of names, names that he could not ignore. The Sultan had already made arrangements for some but not all could be dealt with so easily. Some would require a more subtle approach and for others, Rasoul simply needed more information. The value of accurate information was apparent. Yet, he had truly come to appreciate it after his ascension. An incomplete report could readily lead to a fatal error. Rasoul often wondered if he was constantly walking on needles. He could only be thankful that Munnun had seen fit to bless his soles thus far.

Rasoul entered his study, leaving the guards at his door. Now he was truly alone. He looked for a moment at his desk but moved to the window instead. The Sultan propped it open, allowing the salty sea air to permeate his senses. A nice breeze was not the only reason for the now ajar window. It was a signal that Rasoul wished to speak with his wayward spymaster.

The Sultan eventually moved to his desk, knowing that the Djinn would show up in time.

Zafir

 

[Zafir]

From the window poured the many grains of sand. Swept across countless miles until they arrived there upon the sill in a pile. Grain by grain, the pile grew. Collected. Until there was but an eye. Singular and human in its form. It turned to regard the young man who had let the wind into his room.

The hour mattered not. For the Djinn had arrived.

A mouth soon gathered beside the single eye. Lips full with teeth and tongue behind them.

"My master," they spoke. "What is it you wish of me," they asked.

Rasoul Ibn Shahin

 

[Rasoul Ibn Shahin]

The Sultan waited a day and a night before his capricious spymaster arrived. Rasoul did not remain in his study the entire time. Rasoul knew better than to expect the Djinn immediately respond to his summons. What made the man valuable also was a source of frustration. Patience was ever a lesson learned in their dealings. Rasoul wondered if the Six had set Zafir before him as a test. The Sultan, it seemed, still needed to prove his worth.

"Your penchant for-" Rasoul took a moment to find the right word. "the dramatic is still alive and well, I see." The Sultan did not remain wholly undisturbed by Zafir's current visage but pride would not allow any show of unease. A pang of regret always struck whenever he encountered the Djinn. Rasoul could not let go of the suspicion that he had engaged in a dangerous bargain.

Such were the tales of the Djinn that the Sultan could only trust in his own judgement.

"Before we get to matters of moment. Tell me, what is on the wind these days?"

Zafir

 

[Zafir]

The lips and singular eye that were Zafir's form upon the sill smiled. Sure and pleased, with no means to hide it, singular as the entities of sand were. "I live to serve, my master," a second eye manifest below the lips, rolling into its existence shut. It stopped at the ledge of the window, and its sand-skin lids peeled open. There was nothing symmetrical about the visage.

Come the question, the smile fell away, and both eyes rolled about their axis to regard the outside world. The lips, moved to speak. "Birds," they said flatly. "Countless across the lands," the eyes turned again, and this time they stared at the young master. "One such bird speaks to the nestling of the Dragon King, youngest of the clutch, trapped in her tower, asking of freedom," he let the words wander about the wind, lips spread, too pleased. The eyes closed, and the lips spoke once more. "More fly above the trails of troops, and brigands, yet," the eyes opened to regard the young master.

"Do you wish to know there where-abouts?" The show of sand-made-teeth. Proud. Inviting.

Rasoul Ibn Shahin

 

[Rasoul Ibn Shahin]

A smile that set the Sultan on edge. He was glad to see it go.

Rasoul paid careful attention to the djinn's words, knowing they were never repeated. At least never in the same manner. The Sultan was no stranger to word games but Zafir could be abstract in the extreme. Each word a potential trap, each sentence a forked path. He knew the djinn reveled in the game. The Sultan could only accept that such valuable information came at a cost. Munnun's tenet was that of trade, of equity, of price. A knowledge that always stayed close to the ruler's heart.

"Of which do you speak? Dragons? To invite one's attention is to invite danger," Rasoul said after a few moments, his visage pensive. Truth be told, he had not yet discerned if the djinn was being metaphorical. Either case proved enticing but the Sultan remained wary. What wrath would be receive in return for this rescue. He had his hands full attempting to stabilize the city. Rasoul still said nothing more, the djinn could elaborate if he wished.

The Sultan looked to the unnerving grin once more, sighing. "Brigands and troops are another matter, I cannot so easily dismiss them. Surely my esteemed spymaster can provide such information." The edge of his lips curled upward ever so slightly.

Zafir

 

[Zafir]

The mouth of sand that was but a part of Zafir produced a raspy laugh. "History, does provide the answer, my most perceptible master, for the young, as you may know, often find attention theirs, invited or not. Dangers many, but none come more sudden then that blade hidden by schemes, thousands they might be,"

Cold was the wind that howled through the window. Bits of sand sprayed away from the mass of those disembodied organs, swirled about as they blew away, only to come together again, jumbled, mouth above, eyes below, a new orientation, smile returned, wide and gleeful.

A trick. The wind.

"Surely, I can, young master, who invites the attention of many and more," the eyes rolled, and fell from the sill, another gust from the window saw the sand carried to the desk, and gather upon maps. Upon the marker of Seluca, freshly conquered, the eyes did form, but the mouth, it still sat upon the sill. The eyes rolled south and west from the port city. Into the hills, beyond the crest of the range and onto the southern slopes.

"Here, tunnels, once of this city, now harbor souls hungry to earn more with steel in hand," his voice came from the window. He rolled one eye further west, stopping on a wealthy trade route that linked Falahmat and Shtakmat.

Rasoul Ibn Shahin

 

[Rasoul Ibn Shahin]

The Sultan opened his mouth as if to say something and then closed it slowly. He nearly wished that the Djinn simply speak plainly. Rasoul did enjoy their discussions but the spymaster epitomized the concept of misdirection. A game often played in the machinations of normal beings but the Djinn held an advantage of centuries. It was not a match Rasoul could ever realistically expect to win. Still, he sensed that Zafir wasn't also keen on losing his latest amusement too quickly either. "Hopefully it is somewhat less than the potential thousands, lest I fear I may not get much sleep." Words spoken with levity but holding the same anxiety of any new ruler.

Sarcasm was met with dry sand and yet another unnerving display. Rasoul shook off the display as standard practice, instead turning his eyes to the map. He followed the gaze of the Djinn's unholy eyes southwest. There, it appeared, both trouble and opportunity awaited adjoined. The Sultan looked from Falahmat, to Shtakmat, and back to Falahmat. "It would do well for us to deal with these bandits and gain the favor of Shtakmat." He paused for a moment as he looked to the map once more. "I've been told that the twins of Falahmat were supporters of the Oppressor. Though apparently little else has been heard from the castle since then."

He considered the Djinn's earlier words. "Tell me more of this dragonling, what is her disposition?"

Zafir

 

[Zafir]

The lips spread to wide smile. All sand, the teeth glittered with those bits of granule glass that dotted such sifted earth. "You have been told, truly, young master," the eyes rolled toward Falahmat. "The Twins, Kaveh, and Hadam still hold connections to families protected by your walls," the eyes turned once more, and looked back to Seluca, shielded by the foothills and mountains as it were.

Or perhaps, surrounded.

"Gaining favor with the Shtakmat, may cause unrest amongst those jackals hid beneath the shade of palm trees,"

The next request came as little surprise to him. The eyes turned to piles of sand, as did the mouth upon the sill. A zephyr wind stirred through the room, and the sand gathered before the table. Fell, like grains through the glass of hours. After long breath, Zafir stood before his master, fully formed. Cloaked in robes like smoke, his eyes burned like the night stars.

"She is a fiery thing," he smiled behind the black fabrics that hid his face, though his eyes showed his sharp amusement. "A flame trapped behind lamp's walls, just waiting to be let out, hungry for what might fuel her own expanse,"

Rasoul Ibn Shahin