One might easily imagine the jealousy that erupted in Leila once Kira expressed her affections for the young suitor. Leila delved deep into her store of forbidden secrets, and the love of Kira and her suitor was sorely tested in Leila’s attempts to drive themapart.
But despite the odds against them, despite the pitfalls laid across their path, the couple’s love was of such magnitude that they overcame every challenge. Leila lied and cursed. Her attacks on Kira becoming more overt, but that golden child stepped through the worst calamity unscathed. Each failure made Leila yet more bitter, and she dove deeper into the shadows of arcane sorcery, but to noavail.
It could be said that her spells only strengthened the bond between Kira and her suitor, for a good match faced with adversity will grow stronger tosurvive.
Meanwhile, the wedding was planned and no expense was spared. Gifts came from far and wide for the happy couple, and the twin’s father, Azzam, built a palace for the newlyweds. It was graced with the gifts and the love of all in the community. It was claimed that Kira’s smile brought the sun into the central courtyard on the most cloudyday.
Leila, not to be outdone, built a palace so fine that it tugged at the heartstrings of all who came near. Men were drawn to her palace’s beauty, like sailors to sirens upon rocky shores, but Kira’s beloved was immune. He remained in his new home, preparing for his nuptials, and doting upon hisintended.
Leila was infuriated that he spurned her lavish palace. She threatened to cast spells on those who attended the wedding, or those who sent gifts. She cursed a man in the marketplace after he commented on her sister’s beauty and that man never uttered a word again. Similarly, those who gazed admiringly upon Kira from afar found themselves blinded shortlythereafter.
When Leila’s actions were no longer hidden and could not be denied, the mother of the twins knew that the battle had to stop. Azima knew more than most of the extent of her daughter’s stubborn nature. From the beginning, Leila had been a child bent upon her own satisfaction, regardless of the cost to others. Fearing that her spawn might not be amenable to change, however artfully the idea was presented, Azima planned for theworst.
She had hoped to never implement her plan, but Leila had driven her toit.
A djinn goldsmith fashioned a bottle at Azima’s demand. He dictated that any djinn released from the bottle would be obliged to grant a gift to whoever was responsible. The resulting decanter was blacker than black, yet impossible tobreak.
Azima took the vessel home, her heart heavy with what she had to do. She planned to visit Leila in her palace, but Leila would not receive her mother’s messengers. Invitations were ignored and even Azima herself was not greeted at her daughter’shome.
Fearing disaster, Azima instructed Azzam on the role he must play, should anything go amiss on the day of Kira’s nuptials. As soon as Leila dove into the bottle, he was to put the cork in as firmly as he could. Azima reminded Azzam of their responsibility as parents, and made it most clear that all their love would never be enough to control one like Leila should she choose to ignore their appeal for reason. Azima made her spouse swear an ancient oath of uncommon strength to ensure that he would keep hisword.
Then she kissed him with great affection and he wondered at the cause. Perhaps even then she knew what wouldtranspire.
On the morning of the wedding, Azima was well prepared, though she hoped Leila would stay away and all her plans would be for nothing. When Kira stepped into the carriage summoned to convey her to the nuptials, Azima darted into the carriage just before it pulled away, even though Kira had asked to ridealone.
Azima found Leila holding a dagger to her sister’s throat. Her plan was to substitute herself for the bride, and to cast a spell over the groom so he did not notice the difference until their vows were exchanged. Azima tried in vain to sway her daughter from this foul deed. Leila was resolute and Kira’s eyes were wide withterror.
Knowing she had no other choice remaining, Azima pretended to surrender the argument. As they rode, she remarked that she had a decanter at home into which no djinn could fit. Leila scoffed at her mother’s inadequate powers, declaring that she would certainly be able to enter the decanter. Azima challenged her to prove it, offering to let whichever daughter could slide into the bottle marry Kira’ssuitor.
Leila accepted the offer without hesitation. Kira protested, but her mother waved her to silence. The carriage turned around at Azima’s dictate to stop at the home of Azima and Azzam. When the women arrived, Azzam fetched the bottle at his wife’s bidding and set it in the courtyard. He kept the stopper hidden, as if the bottle did not haveone.
Now Kira had been pinched by her mother and understood that she was not to attempt this feat. She walked around it, considered her path, behaving as if the matter were more complicated than it was. Leila, impatient, pushed her aside and slid into the bottle with a cry oftriumph.
Azzam revealed the cork a moment too soon and Leila guessed his intent. She tried to leave the bottle, but her mother pushed her the rest of the way in. Leila was overpowered by her mother’s determination to save Kira, but, in the last moment, her hand locked around Azima’s ankle. To the horror of all, Azima was hauled into the decanter along with her evildaughter.
Azzam hesitated, then recalled his oath and jammed the cork into the bottle with shaking hands. The wedding was held as arranged, for all knew Azima would have desired as much, but the day was less than celebratory for Azzam andKira.
Despite Azzam’s hopes, no one could figure out a way to let one djinn free while the other remained trapped inside. Heartsick, Azzam hid the bottle away, unable to look upon it without guessing what his beloved wife suffered within its confines. It was not long before he died, as a djinn seldom does, his heart broken by his part in thetragedy.
Though Kira looked for the bottle after her father’s death, wanting to ensure that Leila was guarded responsibly, it was never found. Kira and her husband lived long lives, then chose to follow the other djinn to their new realm. Leila’s palace continued to thrive for a time, drawing people to it seemingly against their will but never allowing any of them todepart.
Over time, the world grew less tolerant of djinns and their kin, forcing those wrought of smoke to hide from mortals. The possessions of the wondrous house built for Kira and her husband were scattered and the house was occupied by mortals. Leila’s palace became a source of legends, though the path to it was lost. The story of Leila and Azima passed into legend and no one ever saw the dark decanteragain.
It was thus, it was not thus, in the oldness oftime.
* * *
It wasthe only tale in thebook.
There were many painted illustrations, presumably of Azima and Azzam, Kira and Leila, and Kira’s beloved. Annelise found an enormous image of a palace with gardens, a palace which looked much like the one sheoccupied.
Was it the samepalace?
How similar were palaces in theeast?
Perhaps this palace had been made to resemble the palace in thebook.
Annelise closed the book, her heart chilling with a sudden thought. Could this be Leila’s palace? Had Leila given it to Annelise’s husband? Why? It said little good about Annelise’s spouse if he had won the favor of a djinn as malicious as Leila. That could not beit.
