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Diary of a Thief Prince
Part Five
Day Twenty-Four of my Future Plans, Being the Third Day of the Planting Season
I awoke with an aching head. I was terribly thirsty. My tongue felt thick and leathery. My feet were in the warm water of the Divide. Pluto was bathing my head with salt water. I groaned and sat up. Desolate Island was a wretched strip of nothing. Yaron had once been abandoned there too. But I doubted that any Enchantress would appear and offer me a flying chest. That sort of thing only happened once. Although that same Enchantress had offered Xander a flying ship and Waylan a magical map. I groaned.
“Must have water.” my voice sounded strange and hoarse.
My gaze dropped to my red sunburnt hands. The ring sparkled on my finger. Of course, that was the answer. If I did not use my last wish to escape I would die. Surely the Genie would understand. Someone else could have the honor of freeing him. Perhaps I would give him to Waylan or Deborah. I gasped. The wedding was in less then a week and I was trapped on a Desolate Island. My friends were being ill-treated. I could not attend my own triplets' wedding. Oh how could things get any worse? I rubbed the ring.
“You have summoned me to grant me my freedom?” the Genie boomed. I sighed and gestured around me at the sand.
“If I grant you your freedom I will die.” I protested.
“You could command me.” the Genie growled, “But it will not be fair. Every master has chosen to fill their own desires after swearing to free me. But what can I do, but make them pay with their lives?” I sighed.
“How long have you been a slave of the ring?” I asked, “Will one more week make much of a difference?”
“Nine thousand, eight hundred million lives of men!” the Genie rumbled, “Some of my brothers have been even longer!” I straightened up and gasped.
“My troubles are nothing to that.” I said sadly, “Very well, you are free.” There was a poof and a shower of blue glitter. I fell back against that sand and closed my eyes.
“I thank you Prince of the Glittering Island.” the Genie boomed. I jumped and my eyes burst open. The genie was standing in front of me. He was roughly seven feet tall with dark brown skin and a black goatee. The top of his head was shining and bald. He was wearing a blue embroidered vest and black breaches. A blue cape hung down his back.
“Er- hello.” I said standing up.
“My thank you!” the Genie said and snapped his fingers. The magic carpet fluttered down from the air. Then the Genie vanished. I cried.
Day Twenty-Five of my Future Plans, Being the Fourth Day of the Planting Season
The carpet must have been completely dried out for it flew fast and well. Perhaps the Genie repaired it completely. But whatever the real reason was I was heading back to the rescue of Jasmine and her family. The sun had just begun to set when the carpet spiraled around the pinocle of the the Crystal Palace. I leaped off onto Jasmine's balcony and burst into her chamber. It was deserted, except for Ali. The poor parrot was trapped in a gilded cage. I rushed to his side. Surely Jasmine never kept her friend in a cage.
I twisted the door open and Ali fluttered out croaking harshly. He circled the room twice before alighting on a table and gulping some water from a little dish.
“Food and drink I have had none for two days!” he croaked. I raised my eyebrows, “Now quick, downstairs you must rescue my Mistress and her silly father and brother!” I did not need a parrot to tell me that. I darted out the door and down the corridor. There was one twisting spiral staircase that led all the way to the main floor. I leaped onto the rail and shot down it with Pluto clinging to my back. My sliding polished bronze burnt my hands as I flew down.
At the bottom I shot off the rail and crashed into wall. Dazed, I sat up. I was in a kitchen. Cooks in long white tunics were staring at me. Suddenly the door the burst open and Won stormed in. Swiftly, the cooks arranged themselves so they were blocking his view of me.
“What was that noise?” Won growled. He was dressed in the finest silks and looked very pleased with himself. The cooks shrugged and shook their heads. “Mute dimwits!” Won sneered and strode off. The cooks turned back to me, and laid fingers on their lips. Both Pluto and I nodded solemnly. A huge dark skinned cook handed me a long handled knife. I took it eagerly and slipped it into my belt. Pluto snatched up a small chopping knife. A young cook handed me a cleaver.
“Thank you.” I said gratefully, “Your help is appreciated. I bowed. The cooks all bowed back.
Armed with cleaver, butcher knife, and chopping knife, Pluto and I darted down the corridor in search of Jasmine and her family. We came upon them in the anti-room. Blanche was standing erect with one foot on a little cushioned stool. Jasmine knelt at her feet fastening the tiny clasps on Blanche's golden sander. A wave of anger washed over me. How dare they force Jasmine to do such a menial task. Presently Jasper came in dressed in ragged pantaloons and a torn sleeveless jacket. He had a bucket of steaming water and was scrubbing the marble floor. I simply stared in horror. Won was circling the fountain with two huge dogs. The Sultan was following the dogs and scooping up their droppings. I could hardly believe the extent of Won's evil.
I was still seething in rage, when Pluto leaped forward onto my uncle's back. Ciaos filled the room. Won howled in pain as the monkey stabbed him. Jasper leaped to his feet and flung the bucket of filthy water over Blanche. She screamed. Jasper grasped Jasmine and forcefully dragged her out of the way. The Sultan booted Won into the fountain. I would like to say everything was over as quick as that. But no! I darted forward and pulled Jasmine to her feet. She clung to me sobbing hysterically. Jasper cracked his knuckles. Won burst out of the water seething in rage.
“Guards!” he roared. The palace guards burst into the anti-room shouting and waving spears.
“Call them off, Melchior!” I shouted at the Sultan, “They are your men!”
“Not any more!” the Sultan said grimly. He snatched up Blanche's stool, tripping her in the process. But before he could hurl it the dogs leaped on him, dragging him to the ground.
“Make them suffer!” Won snarled as he leaped out of the fountain, dripping wet. I shoved Jasmine behind me and tossed my butcher knife to Jasper.
“Do something with that!” I said. Then I spun the cleaver in my hands. We leaped forward. My cleaver chopped a scimitar in two. The guard stared at the broken blade with an astonished look on his face. I whacked him in the face with the flat of my weapon and he crashed to the floor.
“Genie I command you!” Won thundered. There was a rumble, then the Genie of the lamp appeared in all his blue smokiness filling the room. I sighed.
“You have used all three wishes!” the Genie rumbled. A ray of hope entered my heart. The guards drew back staring at the Genie with fear in their eyes.
“Do as you are told you stinking swine!” Won bellowed, “Or I shall cook you in your lamp! Extinguish your flames in water! And put a gargoyle in the lamp with you!”
“What is your command, Master?” the Genie growled. My heart sank.
“Return that creep and his blasted monkey to Desolate Island and burn his magic carpet!” Won snarled.
“Not again!” I yelled, as the wind began to rush about me.
“Send a hurricane to wipe the island of all living creatures and so give him a slow death!” Won's voice bellowed as the room faded. I sighed. I was right back to square one.
Day Twenty-Six of my Failing Future Plans, Being the Fifth Day of the Planting Season
Morning dawned, hot and grim. I could hardly believe I was right back to where I started. But now the sky was a grim looking. It glared down on Pluto and I. The waves were beginning to swirl and churn. Lightening flashed.
“Pluto, we have to get out of here!” I yelled. Pluto leaped onto my shoulders and clung to my neck screeching. There was a crack. I whirled. A huge palm tree was falling in our direction. I could have sworn that there had been no tree there earlier. Won would not get rid of me so easily. I darted to the side. The tree hit the sand. I gasped as the branches scraped my face and chest. Pluto cried out. Then a huge wave crashed down on us. I darted forward and grasped at the branches. Then there was water everywhere.
The fallen tree burst out of the water with me still clinging to it. I gasped for breath and spat out mouthfuls of water. Pluto was still clinging to my neck. He loosened his grip somewhat, which made it easier to breathe. I looked around for shore, but I could see nothing but empty water. The tree bobbed up and down on the now calm water. I plowed my way through the branches and pulled myself on top of the trunk. As I climbed on, I noticed I still had the cleaver with me. I grinned. How kind of the Genie. I pulled it out of my belt and hacked off a branch. Using the branch as a paddle, I kept the tree moving in the direction I could only hope was Kildimere.
Day Twenty-Seven of my Failing Plans, Being the Sixth Day of the Planting Season
Dying of Thirst! Starving! Aching all over! I could do nothing except crouch in the branches. Sometimes I paddled, and sometimes I just leaned back. What an unpleasant end. Poor Pluto. He was starting to look tasty.
Day Twenty-Eight of my Wretched Plans, Being the Seventh Day of the Planting Season
Still floating! Still Starving! Still wretched! My head feels light. My tongue feels thick and tastes like sandpaper. If only I could drink the Water of the Divide.
Day Twenty-Nine of my Lost Plans, Being the Eighth Day of the Planting Season
Shore! A cried, without shedding tears! I crawled up onto the shore a parched mess. Food could wait! I needed fresh water badly or I would die. Some fishermen dunked me in a horse trough and moistened my lips. It felt delightful. I did not tarry long to thank them. I took one water skin and a crust of bread and hitched a ride with some merchants. I was heading back to the palace. I was so stupid! I should not have been going back there. I would just be killed for sure. My luck certainly was running out.
To Be Continued
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