The Orient Connection

The Orient Connection​

Enjoy our story of intrigue, magic, power and fate... as always PM's are encouraged to let us know what you think, and offer suggestions. Have fun!!



Loraniece had thought it odd that she had been summoned so soon after dealing with the marauders. Her Master had told her he had no use for her and she could go about her normal activities until he summoned her again. She had been enjoying her bath of lilies and violets when she felt her home being moved. Her genie magic weaved a protective barrier around her and she remained unharmed by the jostling. When she had completely formed she rolled her eyes to the heavens and looked at the woman standing before her holding onto the silver bottle. Its diamonds glittered in the light as did the other various jewels of red, green and blue.

“What now?” she asked the Sultan’s wife.

“Leave,” she whispered.

Loraniece sighed and flecked a bubble from her shoulder. “We’ve discussed this. I can’t leave. I am his Genie not yours. I can not follow your orders.”

The woman held up the amulet. “I have it now. So you are mine.” The amulet glowed a bright yellow and seemed to radiate a powerful heat that pulled at the gold bracelets on Loraniece's forearms and ankles.

“Yes Mistress,” she sneered in disgust. “Your wish is my command.”

The woman’s face glowed with happiness. “You have made my life a living Hell… He only speaks of you, only cares for you. You have made him forget me. Even the women in his Harem were never a threat like you are. I despise you.”

Loraniece glared at the woman, “I had no choice, but to do as he commanded and you knew this.”

The woman shouted back, “What do you want then? He is a great man, a wonderful lover and a magnificent leader. What does a great and powerful woman like you want? Your freedom? Is that it? If I give it will you go away forever?”

“I can never be free… well you can't grant it.”

“Then I have no choice but to dispose of you.” She pulled another bottle from behind her back. It was old, dusty and dented. It bore no markings or jewels. It was just an old bottle that had once contained some type of liquid, its contents now long forgotten. “This is your new home and you will not stir until your new Master finds the amulet to control you,” the woman watched as Loraniece closed her eyes and returned to her home.

The jealous female capped the bottle and walked out into the night. She went to the old woman of the palace and watched as the woman sealed the bottle with a thick layer of wax. Next she took the bottle and placed it in the bottom of a chest, then covered it with soft silks before shutting the lid. Then moving quietly she opened another chest and dropped the amulet into the left corner of the container holding the fine porcelain. These wonderful goods were to be loaded up before the sun would rise.

The Sultan’s wife returned to her husband’s sleeping side and kissed his drug-induced form. She held him to her and finally felt at peace, as the Sultan’s armada of Chinese ships crossed the China Sea. Eventually she knew the precious cargo would make its way to the Ceylon, Arabia and East African borders for trade. The armada would trade for spices, ivory and medicines. As well as rare woods and pearls, treasures the Sultan enjoyed emensely.

The jealous woman slept into the next morning while the fleet, escorted by dozens of supply ships and water tankers began its journey. She slept as the transport ships for cavalry horses and the patrol boats followed along with the beautiful red haired Genie. When her husband realized what she had done, her dreams continued for weeks as she recovered from his fierce punishments. For months she was haunted at night, plagued with the haunting spirits of 27,000 sailors and warriors that had drowned during a violent storm as they tried to return home.




The sunken treasure of the powerful Sultan rested at the bottom of the sea until 560 years later in 1999 when a reporter was traveling off the coast of Kenya and met villagers from an island called Pate. While he visited there he learned their history. He heard stories from the elders that spoke of a great mass of ships that had wrecked after trading with Africans. The few survivors made their way to the little island, where for the past 560 years their descendents have lived.

After the journalists returned to the states and wrote his article for the New York Times, treasure hunters went out in search of the priceless artifacts. Now in 2005 an amulet rests in a box in the attic of an old library, its worth hidden deep within a web of magic. A worn copper bottle is tucked in a pile of junk about to be tossed into a trash bin. The two items linked through great powerful forces are never far apart. But they have also never been found together since that night, when jealousy and spite controlled the fate of a nation and a woman.




On a dismal rainy day, a day that was like any other there was a man named Joseph quietly reading in the attic of an old library. He was a simple man, only interested in the next great novel or looking for an original copy of a Classic. He could often be found pouring over old copies of leather bound books; but on this day he heard something, a noise that had been overlooked for several years. It was similar to a soft hum that was only heard if one were to take the time and embrace the silence of the air around them.

The handsome man stood, his head cocked to one side, and his ears listened closely. Soon his eyes sought out what his ears had heard. The thirty-four year old gentleman found the source after several boxes were moved and shoved aside. His lips rose in a soft smile that brought an inquisitive look to his face. In his hands he held an amulet. The plain looking piece seemed to radiate a soft heat. Joseph studied it and soon the quiet man was digging through different books. He absorbed the information from various sources concerning ancient symbols and markings, looking for answers to a mystery he had decided to try and solve.

Joseph

“Care for some hot tea?”

Joseph looked up from the book he was studying to see the Librarian heading his way. Having left the dusty attic and returned to the main floor he had picked several good books from the shelves and was deeply engrossed in their information. He smiled at the olive skin and almond eyes he knew so well. “Yes, Id’ love some, Amy.” He told her. He used her first name even though she was twenty years older than he. She had insisted on it the first time his mother had introduced her to him when he was just a child, and he had addressed her that way ever since.

“Find anything interesting in the attic?” she said amicably as she poured the tea and sat down beside him.

“Just this.” he said trying to hide his enthusiasm until she had a chance to look at the amulet and access its importance. He carefully removed it from his jacket pocket and handed it to her.

While she studied it, he let his gaze and his mind wander, Outside the open window, the Pacific ocean gnawed away at the beach as the tide receded. Out beyond the frothy cresting waves the sea changed to rows of shimmering blue green hills and valleys and then on the distant horizon became as smooth as silk.

The amulet had made him think of the land beyond, the orient, and wonder if it had come in with the tide some time back and if some beachcomber had found it lying on the beach and rescued it, and why it had come to be here.

He knew why he had come here. It was part his yearly pilgrimage to make his way down the coast from Portland to reconnect with his roots. San Diego was his birthplace and nine months before that, the place of his conception. He smiled as he thought again of his mother and how she had told him, when he was old enough to understand, about that first moment. About the feeling of love and joy and peace she felt and then added laughingly “And one hell of a beach party.

She didn’t tell him much about his father except that she had only met him that night and she never saw him again or told him about the baby she was carrying. “It was better that way” she said abruptly. “And better for you Joseph,” she added.

He hadn’t thought much about who his father was as he grew up with his mother and her friends and lovers, with lots of love and attention in a commune near San Francisco, and even now had no desire to know him as he visited his mother’s grave and the beach where his life began 34 years ago. Time had sped by. He had been too busy to marry. Before her death, his mother had taught him about unicorns, the joy of living for the moment and free love. His grandparents had left him with an inheritance that meant he could avoid that four letter word called work. and he had become a professional student.

“It’s a wish amulet.” Amy said breaking the silence after she had run a soft cloth over the textured surface, brushing off the dust. “The characters are very old and not exactly the same as I am familiar with but I’m sure that’s what they mean.”

“Don’t rub it too hard or we’ll have a genie to deal with.” Joseph joked.

Amy giggled It’s not that simple. You must wear it of course. See this little hole at one end, a thin cord was once attached here. No doubt time has rotted it away. As far as wishes are concerned, one must have patience and perseverance. Sometimes it takes more than an amulet to make the magic happen.

“It’s made of amber. See how the light catches it bringing out a yellow glow from within. When you held it did you feel its natural warmth?” When Amy nodded her consent he held it up to her nose.

“It smells like pine she said softy “And it feels soft, even though it’s surface is firm and unyielding.”

“It’s fossilized amber. No doubt billions of years old, so we have no idea of how old this amulet actually is; or where it came from and how many fingers it has slipped through.” Joseph examined the hole. “Is there a string or something I can make a loop with around here?

“Look in the trash can over there.” Amy pointed to the corner where a can overloaded with junk stood.

As he moved across the room, the amulet held tightly in his hand, he noticed again its warmth so warm in fact that it was uncomfortable to hold. Once again he heard a strange hum and the amulet seemed to be vibrating “Must be the sunlight it gathered as it sat on the table and my excitement.” he thought. Not wanting to drop it he returned to the table.

Once it was safe on the table he returned to his rummaging and found a thin stout cord about the right length to go around his neck. Back at the table he fastened the amulet to it and making a loop pulled it over his head and dropped it under his shirt. “Gotta run” he told Amy as he looked at his watch “The tide is out and I want to see what treasures it left.”

“Can I join you?” Amy asked. “I’ll close up early. Meet me out front after I lock up.”
After Joseph left she noticed the debris he had scattered on the floor when he had rummaged through the trash. She shook her head “Always picking up after that kid.” she said to herself as she began cleaning up the mess. When her hand touched a copper container she was surprised to notice that it was very warm. Setting it to the side she filled the trash can and then picking up the vase she set it on a shelf not really knowing why she choose to save it except maybe it would be of some use, maybe to hold flowers.

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As they walked along the beach they talked about old times and shared warm memories. Joseph would be heading north in the morning and he promised Amy he would see her in a year.

“Find out more about the amulet Joseph,” she said softly “I think it has a special meaning for you if you learn more about it.”

“I will.” He promised, though he knew he would have anyway. He had felt the magic too. After recieving several warm and maternal hugs, Joseph returned to his motel room. He soon found himself reminiscing about the days events. The amulet was warm against his bare skin and the scent of pine relaxed him He thought again of the wishes and decided he had none that he couldn’t make come true by himself. “Then again it might be nice to have some female company in this big bed on a rainy night in southern California.”

Awakening

“Then I have no choice but to dispose of you.” She pulled another bottle from behind her back. It was old, dusty and dented. It bore no markings or jewels. It was just an old bottle that had once contained some type of liquid, its contents now long forgotten. “This is your new home and you will not stir until your new Master finds the amulet to control you,” the woman watched as Loraniece closed her eyes and returned to her home.


“NO!” the scream echoed around the chamber, then Loraniece awoke from her nightmare. She opened her eyes, felt the heat of the air surrounding her, and fell to her knees. “It is over,” she cried, her face buried in her hands, as tears fell hard and fast down her pale cheeks. Loraniece lay there for hours, her body wracked with sorrow, and fear. She could still hear the voice of the woman who cast the horrible punishment of prison on her. The words were still locked inside her now awakened mind and body.

Loraniece wanted revenge on the woman. She prayed that her new Master would be evil, one that would allow her to help in destroying the female. Hate burned inside the beautiful genie and she hoped that soon her new Master would call for her. She could feel the power in her slowly beginning to stir and she closed her eyes, welcomed the energy back as if it were an old friend, a friend that would help her destroy the human.

She rose from the floor and wiped away the tears of relief, sorrow and anger. This was the first time she was able to look inside the bottle that the woman cursed her too. It was dark, but soon that was remedied with a snap of her fingers. Loraniece’s eyes clenched tight at the brilliance of the light, and she blew a wisp of warm air from her lips, bringing the light to a dimmer shade. She stared around and sighed, “It is very small.”

The cursed wish forced Loraniece to live in complete darkness, a genie’s worse nightmare come true. Her mind stayed awake, but her body was locked upon a bed of magic. When the Sultan’s wife commanded Loraniece to “not stir until your new Master finds the amulet to control you” that is exactly what Loraniece was forced to do. Her powers were locked, her body was froze and nothing but her mind worked. “How long?” she asked herself.

Suddenly she felt the familiar vertigo that came when she was lifted from a resting place. She steadied herself with her powers and waited for the shifting to end. When it did, she smiled, knowing she would be out soon. Her heart filled with joy as she looked forward to making the horrid woman pay for her final wish. Loraniece increased the light, and began to prepare herself for meeting her new Master or Mistress, whichever the case would be.

Her magic now flowed evenly through her, allowing her to improve the surroundings of the bottle. The walls were soon lit with various shades of lighting each one brought forth their own magical music that eased Loraniece’s mind, and helped to put the nightmare far into her subconscious. She knew it could return, but she hoped once the Sultan’s wife was dealt with, then Loraniece would feel no more of the woman’s hatred spill into her.

The bottle no longer looked dismal inside, its outside only changed by the temperature its appearance never wavered. She flicked her fingers and soon Loraniece was garbed in the finest silk skirt and bodice that was available at her disposal. “I wonder where I am and what time?” she asked herself, then a thought occurred to her. “What if the arrogant female is dead?” Loraniece felt another bout of anger assail her, “No, surely that would not be justice. She must still live, if not . . . then I will extract my revenge on her offspring.” Loraniece nodded her head in satisfaction. “Yes, her offspring will learn from the vile creatures mistake.”

The beautiful red-haired genie sat down on her newly formed plush cushion and waited for her Master to call her, as she waited, thoughts of revenge poured through her and she longed for them to come true.

The Search

Joseph slept fitfully conscious of the warmth of the amber amulet next to his skin and the need he felt to discover more about it. In the wee hours of the morning he rose and went to his computer. Logging on to the hotel internet, he began his search. Recalling Amy’s suggestion that the script used to define it’s purpose to grant wishes was similar to the modern style of oriental writing but different enough to suggest that it may be very old. A few keystrokes and he discovered that it was indeed very old and another interesting fact was that it was rare for amber resin to be used to make amulets of this type. In fact the practice had been discontinued over 550 years ago when an infamous Sultan had supposedly decreed that no more be made. The details of this decree were vague, but Joseph’s interest grew the more he thought about this event and the connection it might have with his amulet.

Myths and Legends fascinated Joseph. A legend, whether it was true or not might be more helpful than any history book could be. Fortunately he had practically every website that pertained to myths and legends bookmarked on his computer.

It was late in the day when he discovered what he was looking for. The complete story of the infamous Sultan and his jealous wife. How a beautiful genie had come between them and how the wife in a fit of rage sealed the genie in a bottle and cast her in a chest to be taken from the kingdom. Joseph doubted that the genie named Loraniece actually existed. More than likely, the truth of the matter was that the wife was jealous of one or more of the many women he had in his harem, and in a fit of anger had simply sent off to sea two of his most prized possessions, a jeweled bottle, and an amber amulet. That, later as the story was retold in order to make it more interesting the myth of the genie was probably added. One website had several illustrations of Loraniece to prove her existence and her great beauty. As he clicked on the thumbnails provided, he caught his breath, finding each one more and more erotic. Her face framed in dazzling red hair revealed intense green eyes her mouth soft and inviting held a hint of mischief and the cleft of her throat led provocatively to a valley between two firm full breasts half hidden by translucent silken colorful veils of cloth that flowed around her lithe body creating an array of light and shadow that revealed as much as it concealed. Joseph found himself aroused as he ran the slide show he had made of the series of pictures that portrayed her many physical attributes. His eyes followed every curve of her soft sensuous body, from her neck to her long legs and dainty feet. Her ankles were decorated with bands of gold. Bracelets, gold also adorned her wrists. Her long slender fingers seemed to reach right out of the screen as if to try to touch him. Her eyes seemed to be begging him to summon her from the jewel encrusted bottle she was imprisoned in. He found himself wishing that somehow he could have met her maybe even been her master. He was sure that she would have pleased him very much and he would have pleased her also. Maybe they even could have been lovers. Sharing the magic that she possessed. Joseph smiled. “Of course he said that’s one sure way to keep the legend alive. Create a very sexy lady to make an indelible mark in ones memory. Make her so irresistible that every male alive would want her and believe that the myth was true ” Then he spotted footnote at the bottom of the screen. Newspaper article, New York Times, 1999 claims ancestors of survivors of ill fated trading Armada exist today on the Island of Pate, off the coast of Kenya.

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The tiny charter plane from Kenya bounced onto the dirt runway on the island of Pate. Joseph was aboard and anxious to find out more about the sultan his armada and the story of the amulet and the bottle. It wasn’t long before he found the home of a wizened old man considered to be the expert on the subject, who related much the same tale that Joseph had found on the internet and swore on his mother’s grave that the legend was true. His eyes sparkled when Joseph showed him the amulet. “Just like my grandfather and his many grandfathers before him had said it would be. They were afraid it was gone forever. “But what about… the bottle?” Joseph asked anxiously.

The old mans eyes twinkled. “I have it in the cupboard. It’s a beautiful thing, it is.”He got up and gingerly brought the bottle back to Joseph. “Careful” he said “This bottle is over 500 years old.” I hope your not looking for the genie, my son.” he added “I’m afraid she’s found another home. See, the stoppers missing, go ahead, look inside.”

Joseph gazed in awe at the bottle studded with gemstones of every color and hue. He peered inside and then caught the scent of something inside. “Smells like lilies and violets he said A fitting bed for a genie, but you’re right my friend, no one is home.”


On the trip back to the states Joseph felt disappointed about the outcome of his trip, but then when he considered it again decided that he hadn’t expected any thing else than to learn more about the legend. Realizing he had been caught up in the wonder of the myth and the beauty of the vivacious Loranice he smiled at his own gullibility. And that, of course was what he had done, Fallen in love with a myth. Still it would have been interesting if, as the legend said that the owner of the amulet would become the master of the genie in the bottle… A genie who could grant his every wish. He fell asleep with that thought in mind and was surprised to wake up just as the plane was landing in San Diego where his car was waiting for him. He would drive up to La Jolla and tell Amy what he had learned. He knew she would be interested.

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Amy had spent the day cleaning up and puttering around the library. Noticing the curious looking copper bottle she had retrieved from the trash, she decided to shine it up a bit. It was tarnished even though it was covered with a thick layer of wax, and so she set to work with a cloth and cleaning supplies and soon it was bright as new. She looked at the narrow top and seeing it solidly capped shrugged her shoulders. There seemed no way to remove the stopper without damaging the edge of the neck. “So much for making a flower vase she remarked to herself.”

She heard footsteps in the hall and turned to see Joseph entering the room. “I thought you would be in Portland by now.” she said. “What’s happening?”

Joseph told her the whole story and she listened intentively. “So there’s no genie, for you.” she giggled. “Or if there is one out there ready to serve the owner of the amulet, who knows where she might be.”

Amy looked at her watch. “Oh Shi… I’m due at the beauty parlor in ten minutes.At my age it’s important. Be a dear and hold down the fort for me for an hour.”

He heard the door slam and Settled into a chair with some information he had printed out from the internet. He noticed the genie's name and whispered it to the silence of the room.

“Loraniece," an unfamiliar name, but one that rolled nicely off the tongue. "Loraniece" he said again this time louder.”

Nightmares and Awakenings

Loraniece had felt the amulet leave her perimeter of magic as soon as the man Joseph boarded the plane and headed around the world in search of its origins. The young man hadn’t known that the two items were always supposed to be relatively close together. He had no idea that as he flew over land and sea, a woman grew weak and felt herself once more being carried toward a deep sleep. Loraniece fought the dreaded darkness; the one beauty’s true fear next to the horror of being placed in the unmovable state was the dark. She hated it, and as she used as much magic as she dared to keep her dingy bottle lit her terror began to consume her.

As the weeks past, the woman inside the bottle was reliving the nightmares of her past. She would take long deep sleeps and during those times the dreams would come. Her horrors were lived over and over, the deaths of thousands she was commanded to take replayed in her mind. Her heart broke as she killed innocent men, women, and children just because her Master or Mistress commanded her to.

She recalled the young Viking boy who she had been ordered to find, and destroy. Loraniece dreamt of his face for several days. The beautiful blue eyes, blonde curls and happy smile would grace her dreams until the blood of his wounds and the scream from his lips pulled the woman from her deep sleep. Often Loraniece would rise up from her bed, waste her weakening magic and light up the inside of her entire bottle, making the outside of it hot to the touch.

Her pulse would calm and she’d return to her rest, the lights dimmed and her mind clear until the infant she was forced to kill inside his mother’s womb cried to her. Loraniece hated the dreams, she fought to stay awake and soon the beautiful genie was afraid to sleep, afraid to close her eyes, and only wished to die a quick death.

When the bottle was moved, and Loraniece was tossed about she was unable to keep herself steady in the bottle. While Amy cleaned, polished, rubbed and pried at the waxy lid Loraniece was thrown against the wall scones, tables, chairs and decorations she had used to try and brighten up her dismal home. When the woman had finally set the bottle back down, Loraniece was exhausted and fell into a long deep sleep, her body finally losing the battle and the dreams now constant.


When Joseph landed back inside the city limits, the woman stirred. As he made his way home, and back to his friend at the library Loraniece was stronger. She had felt the arrival of her amulet, and as it drew closer to her, she pushed away the horrors of her past. Fear shot through her when she felt the power of the amulet. The new owner of her life was closer; she could feel the heat of the amulet warming the bracelets of gold on her ankles and wrists.

“Please… don’t go away again,” she cried. She feared the dark, the dreams and the loneliness. Her whole body grieved for companionship, and she wanted desperately to be needed. “How long had she been left alone? How long had she slept? When would he or she have need of her?”

The amulet's power stayed close to her throughout the day and Loraniece healed her body of the bruises, cleansed herself using her renewed energies and just as she donned a green shimmering material she felt the pull of her Master.

Her name filled the bottle, and she looked up as the wax began to melt away from the top. She closed her eyes, felt the mist consume her, and twitched slightly as it turned to a soft silver gray. A shiver ran through her as she pushed away the lid, and emerged out into the room. Loraniece became whole; her eyes were wide in fright, until they settled on the aura of the amulet. “You summoned me Master,” she stated quietly as her eyes scanned the room searching for enemies, hoping to see the narrow-minded woman that had cast her to her deathlike sleep.

Revelations

Something had tugged at the edges of Josephs mind trying to get his attention, not a sound or an image, nothing he smelled. More like a sense of being touched a warm touch on his chest where the amulet lay against his skin. Along with that was a feeling that had attempted to lure him from the document he had been studying. When the feeling had finally invaded his consciousness he had looked up.

He had been was so astonished that he found it impossible to speak. He could only stare at what appeared to be an apparition standing in front of him. An apparition because when he returned his gaze to the printouts he had made earlier of the illustrious genie Loraniece, he found the resemblance of her and this image, that nowhad appeared before him, strikingly similar. The same flaming red hair, matching green eyes and egually stunning body. Some of the artists over the years had embellished on their work, he realized, posed her in a number of very erotic ways and dressed or undressed her in order to attract attention to their interpretation, but there was no doubt that this woman with him was very real and very much standing in front of him. Not Loraniece the genie of course, that would be impossible, but was someone who could be her identical twin. Maybe her ancestor if she ever did exist. “Get a grip” Joseph had told himself. “This woman is just someone who happened to walk in the backdoor when he was preoccupied and no more than that.”

Now, hearing her speak added to his affirmation of the reality her existence, but confused him in a different way. Even though she spoke impeccable English her first words. “You summoned me, Master.” made little sense to Joseph. He had expected no one and he certainly wasn’t this girls master. Her manner of dress may have been a little far out for his way of thinking, but in California he had learned to expect to see just about any unusual attire. He studied her face and judged her age to be in the midtwenties and yet there seemed to be an ageless quality about her skin tone and general appearance. He saw no sign of her being drunk or on drugs but then again he knew little about either one of these conditions, or for that matter someone suffering from some sort of mental condition. Deciding to be cautious and not wanting to upset her, he smiled and began to make ordinary library conversation. She seemed to be a little confused, like she wasn’t where she thought she should be and not with those she thought she should be with.

“Were you looking for a book, maybe I can help you he said amicably I’m just filling in while the regular librarian is gone, she’ll be back in an hour. At any rate look around if you wish. I was just about to make a pot of coffee. Or we have hot water for tea. Make yourself at home, I’ll just slip into the kitchen...”

For some reason Joseph needed to be alone for a few minutes. Maybe it was the way she was looking at him comprehending everything he said but expecting more from him than just idle chatter. He didn’t really know why but he had to get out of this room, even if just for a few minutes.. He excused himself and disappeared into the next room.

As he puttered around the kitchen he tried not to compare this woman in the other room with Loraniece and the strange coincidence of the situation, but to no avail. His mind would just not let it alone. If the legend were indeed true then where is the bottle that this “genie” had appeared from. And why here and now? True he had the amulet that was supposed to summon her but her bottle home was on the island of Pate not here. Was it like the old man had said that she had found a new home? Josephs head was reeling. Should he confront her, ask her if she was Loraniece the genie. He laughed, she wouldno doublt think he was crazy if he even mentioned anything about a genie and the myth that surrounded her. No, he’d better play it cool, maybe look for the bottle before he jumped to conclusions. One thing he did know or thought he knew was that when he got close to it the amulet would get warmer the old man had told him that and it seemed to be true the amulet was very warm today when he returned to the library He took a deep breath as he entered the other room and stopped for a moment to collect his wits.

“What the hell are you doing!" He yelled. "Those are my personal papers and you sure made a mess of those history books! He looked into the startled face of the woman and wished he hadn’t spoken so rudely, but he was really pissed. He couldn’t help it. On the big library table a dozen books, mostly on Asian history were scattered about half open and carelessly strewn about, a couple even on the floor. His documents about his personal quest and the printouts of the genie were strewn about as well. Joseph was beside himselfWith anger.

"Young lady." he said trying to control anger. "You have no right to treat these books that way and no right to examine my material with out my permission!" He paused took a deep breath and looked around for more damage. Suddenly the color left his face and he felt faint. Struggling to get the rest of his message across he continued. "I’m going into the other room. When I get back I’d better see this mess cleaned up and wherever you cam from I want to see you gone!"

He stumbled to the kitchen and found a chair. Slumped forward, he regained his composure realizing it was not only the mess that he had reacted to, but when he had looked for more destruction he had seen the bottle. A rather strange bottle perhaps but nevertheless, a suitable container for a genie… and the stopper had been removed... and a silver gray mist rose from its interior, smelling vaguely of lilies and violets.

Confusion

When her Master said nothing to her, Loraniece did not worry. She was used to the reaction that she was now seeing displayed by her new Owner. She smiled softly, waited for him to speak and while she did so, she too stared at him. His clothing was tight and confining, she almost itched to give him something more comfortable, but she had not yet been allowed to do anything, so she did nothing to ease his comfort. His eyes were welcoming and intelligent. He looked to be healthy and she didn't sense any anger from him, curiosity but not fear. Her gaze ran over the room, and when he spoke she focused her eyes back on his.

As Joseph's words emerged from his throat the amulet wove its magic into her sealing her with him. The bands of gold heated her flesh, as if it were welding her to him, tethering her to her new Master. She felt the chains of power locking her mind with his. She would now know when he called her mentally as well as when he said her name out loud. As long as he owned the amulet, he owned her.

When Joseph gave her the wish to look around she almost threw herself against him. She never received her own wish, granted he had told her what to do, but it was still a wish. She was allowed to look at whatever she wished, and she felt the history of the room swirl around her. She could feel others like her hidden in the pages of books and she struggled to contain her sudden giddiness and excitement at finding out how they faired. Before she could thank her Master for the fine gift he was leaving her alone, mumbling about tea. She watched him disappear fearing nothing, for the amulet was still strong as he moved about the other area of the structure.

Her eyes drank in the walls of books and she studied the statues and models that graced the property. She looked at pictures on the wall, carpets of thick lush fabric caressed her soft feet. Finally something caught her attention and she looked at the table that her Master had been standing near. She went to the chair and sat down, her fingers caressed the papers. Images that were of her seemed to capture her in different poses. Some she laughed at, others she felt a shiver of fear run up her as if someone had captured her soul.

With a shaky hand she picked up one of the books that lay open. Closing her eyes, she held her hand over it, absorbed the words and allowed them to flow over her. She dropped it immediately when she read of the death of her enemy, then her eyes flew to the shelves and she began to rip from the walls the information she sought. Soon the table was littered with old and new books. Her hands covered two at a time and pages flipped open by the power she pushed through them. Loraniece learned where the woman's blood line lay and she was about to pull another book from the shelf when she heard the violence in her Master.

She jumped in fright and felt her body trembling waiting for the blow of his hand against her. She had been wrong, she had misjudged him and the kindness she sensed was just a cover for the evil he was spewing at her now. “Permission,” she thought to herself. “He gave me a wish...” she couldn't speak her thoughts, fear was clouding her and when he disappeared she quickly repaired the room, organized his papers and returned to her bottle.

Once there she capped herself in and hovered in a corner. The brief dream that had been her wish was gone, in its place was sadness, for he was not a kind Master. She could still feel his presence, she pleaded with her Gods that he not call for her. Her heart was still reeling from the precious gift he had ripped away from her. “Please... let my service to him be short and swift.” Loraniece curled into a ball on her bed, and waited for the first orders of destruction to begin, for his anger was thick in the air mixed with disbelief.

legend about to become reality

Returning to an empty room Joseph looked cautiously around, afraid of what he might find, or not find. He let out a sigh of relief and felt his body relax, his anger and contempt leave his mind. The table had been restored to it’s neat appearance, all the books had been returned to their correct places on the shelves .His papers were in the same order as he had left them when he first went into the kitchen. And the intruder was gone.

His next feeling was one of regret. Regret for being so hard on the poor girl. After all, he had given her permission to look around. How many times had he become exuberant in his search for knowledge and forgotten his sense of tidiness. What right did he have to chasten her for seeking knowledge. He began to wish she hadn’t left and looking around to see if perhaps she was hiding behind one of the many book selves discovered no one. Crossing in front of the shelf that held the copper bottle he felt a warm tug that now had become familiar. He shuddered and backed away remembering his last frantic glance at the bottle as he had left the room not long ago and the sudden realization that the legend of Loraniece was possibly true. He was relieved to find the stopper in place and no sign of silver grey mist coming from it. Perhaps he his imagination had gotten out of control because of his ire about the books. Again he relaxed, more curious now, than fearful of the possibilities his mind had suggested earlier. There was however still this strange occurrence, this apparent connection between whatever was in the bottle and his amulet. More than a connection but a magnetic field of sorts that seemed to magically lock together the two objects. The fact that this occurrence supported the hypothesis that the legend was true no longer upset Joseph. If there was a genie contained in her bottle and hewas indeed her master he could keep her there until he wished to summon her.

He grinned, as he started to like this idea more and more. He had nothing to lose and every thing to gain if he believed. Maybe believing made it possible. Wishes did come true he knew that,and this is would be the ultimate of wishes. He had the amutle the key to his future. Any time he chose he could make his wish as long as he was the owner of the amulet. He was in no great hurry. For one thing the public library was no place to bring a genie out of a bottle and for another he needed time to think about the responsibility involved in owning a genie.

Amy would be back soon and he would share the afternoons experience with her and see and hear her reaction. He could trust her not to make fun of his observations and speak honestly about how she felt. Joseph slowly and carefully removed the bottle from the shelf. Making sure not to tip or jar it. He found a comfortable chair, sat down and set the bottle in his lap. He let his mind wander, not to far however, he didn’t want to accidentally summon Loraniece by wishful thinking. Instead he recalled again just how beautiful she was, her sparkling green eyes her vibrant red hair and how when he first saw her he was instantly attracted to her. Not the images he got from the internet but the living breathing genie, who had by some quirk of fate come into his life. He was careful not to make any wishes to see her, instead he remained content to imagine her where she was, perhaps curled up on a soft bed in some corner of the bottle. Again, he remembered the lilies and violets. He drew in his breath trying to catch her scent and his mind thought soothing thoughts about her as his hands stroked the surface of the bottle.

He was just about to give in to his desire to summon Loraniece when Amy walked in to the room. He chuckled when she inquired as to the meaning of his contented look. He held up the bottle.” This is the genies new home” he told her. She gasped in surprise and after he had told her the afternoons events she nodded her head knowingly. “ I take it you have not tried to intentionally summon her yet?” she inquired, as she watched him carefully place the bottle in a box filled with cushiony packing material.

“No” Joseph replied, “I need to think carefully about this before I do, and I need to be somewhere where this first real meeting will be uninterrupted.

Amy held the door open for him and then caught his arm giving it a gentle squeeze. Life will be different for you now, Joseph.” she said softly. “Make wise and gentle wishes.” She leaned towards him and kissed him gently on the cheek. “And don’t forget me.”

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As he left for his hotel room he thought about when and where he would release Loraniece from her captivity. He was full of excitement but wanted to wait until he felt the time and place would be right. He packed quickly and headed north to Portland Ore where his cabin in the woods awaited. The drive would take all night but he couldn't sleep anyway. Through the darkness of the night he drove north, soothed by the steady hum of tires on the road ahead. He thought again about Loraniece and the responsibility he would be asuming when he released her. As her master he would need to be in control. He would need to remain calm and not upset her.He knew that she would do his bidding regardless of her personal feelings but it would be so much better if she complied to his wishes willingly and with as much enthusiasm as he. But what would he wish for? He had no idea at this time, perhaps he would think of something when the myth became reality.

What ever happened to the Sultan???

Loraniece hovered in the air, her body no longer trembling. She felt her world shift gently and she wondered if perhaps another person had picked up her home, but her thoughts were stifled as she felt the power of the amulet stay with her. She was still his. She still belonged to the man that yelled at her, frightened her, and worried her. Her eyes closed and she concentrated on the powers that connected them, she could sense only his presence and it radiated a calmness. Loraniece thought for a moment that perhaps she had misjudged him, but just as quickly she recalled the cruelty he delivered when he took away his gift.

She sighed and pushed back her hair. She had no sense of time when she lived in her bottle so she could only gauge where she was from the knowledge she'd absorbed from the books. Her mind focused on facts and she learned that over 500 years had passed since she was forced into her deep sleep and that mankind had fought great wars, discovered new lands and made new weapons. She shook as she replayed the history she'd learned, and she knew that some men must have had Genies on their side when they made weapons that would take out a country. Her mind recalled the years that a great war began and ended. She immediately recognized the works of one of the most vilest of Genies and she knew that the man from Germany hadn't acted alone. She shuddered at the violence of the world, and for a moment considered forgiving her enemy and not taking her revenge out on the offspring of the foolish woman. However her mind changed when she recalled the dead feeling her body had while she slept those 566 years and she vowed her revenge.

Loraniece would need to find and learn how to work the thing called computer so she could track the woman's family. Genies were only as powerful as the surroundings they were familiar with, right now Loraniece felt useless. If her Master asked for something and she was not able to deliver it quickly enough, she feared what wrath may be fall on her. As she stayed in her home she thought of the pictures the man was in possession of and she wondered why each one was of her. Why was she so important? She thought back to the book that spoke of the Sultan and she remembered the words she read there.

The Sultan's armada disappeared in a storm, killing thousands, and it was rumored that his wife went mad after he punished her repeatedly for ridding the palace of an great treasured artifact. Some of the books claimed a priceless bottle, others a jeweled statue of his favorite Harem girl, but others spoke the truth and told of the beautiful Genie that was used to improve the Sultan's wealth. Once the loss of the armada reached the Sultan's ears as well as the ears of his enemy, he was set upon and his lands were battled over. Without Loraniece there the fate of his country began to fall on his shoulders once more, he'd not been able to protect his villages and when the wars began to drift closer to his home he knew all was lost.

Loraniece felt a tear trail down as she remembered her last Master's children. Several died, many enslaved, but a few she learned, from the brief moment she had with the books, survived a trek across the dessert to a land where they were treated as slaves until life changed for them. The Sultan was killed, his body divided and sent to his enemies. His wife died soon after, her body used repeatedly only driving her mind further into despair, until she took her own life. It was those words she recalled reading that brought her revenge back to her mind. Perhaps justice was served already, and perhaps she would allow the woman's offsprings that had grown through the years to live. Loraniece would wait, she would see how these others that had sprung from the seeds of evil behaved and then she would decide if her powers would meddle in their lives. For now, she could only wait to be summoned, perhaps she could use the anger of her Master to twist him into helping her... if revenge was her final decision.

Wishful thinking

The sun was just rising when Joseph turned down the gravel road that led to his property hid among the tall pines near the coast of the pacific Ocean a few miles west of Portland Ore. It was fortunate that he had this secluded place to introduce himself and his world to Loraniece. He stopped the car at the entrance to his private driveway, stepped out of his car and unlocked and opened the gate. He closed and locked the gate behind him and drove the final mile to his cabin. Perfect, he told himself no one could come near who would interrupt this first encounter and perhaps create a problem that neither one of them could handle. After all people just didn’t believe in Genies anymore. Except little children and maybe adults with a lot of imagination. He was a man of imagination so it seemed possible in his mind and now he was soon to find out. If his imagination was all there was no one would know if when he called for Loraniece and nothing happened he would be made fun of or worse yet considered some kind of crack pot. He was glad that he had a friend like Amy he knew she would say nothing to anyone without his permission. For now he knew when he summoned Loraniece and she appeared they would be in the solitude of the woods. Together they would make a plan of how they would deal with people who didn’t believe and those who would try to steal her away from him. He knew he had to trust her as well as himself to do what was best for the both of them.

More important than that he had to be in control for if she had been in that bottle for over 500 years she would know little of how the world was today. He needed to show her how the computer worked and how to gather information. He had a ton of books at his cabin and he would answer any questions she asked. Most important they would need to spend several days alone. He knew he would need to be gentle, kind and patient. His first wish would be for her to be happy with her new master and content to be in this place he had brought her.

The breeze from the ocean caressed his face as he stepped out of his car and unlocked the cabin An owl hooted in the distance. The morning birds were greeting him with their first songs of the day from the forest’s edge and the meadow that fronted the ocean became alive with bees and butterflies seeking out the cool nectar hidden in the dew laden flowers that waved their vibrant colors midst the tall grass.

A perfect place for meeting the woman, the Genie, he had spent so much time pursuing these last few weeks. He went to his car and carefully removed the box that held the bottle. He set it on the picnic table in front of his cabin. Gingerly he opened the box and removed the bottle mindful of it’s precious contents. As he handled the bottle he felt the warmth of his amulet against his chest and the familiar tug that he knew came from the beautiful creature inside of the bottle. That tug that had made a believer out of him in the library now created a longing for her presence that made his lips move without his conscious knowledge. Loraniece, my Loraniece I desire your presence.

He felt the bottle getting warm and watched the wax that held the stopper melt. Softly he set the bottle down and waited.

The powers of a Genie and the stipulations...

She couldn't fight it; deep down inside she didn't want to go to him. She feared him. She'd been told once how silly that was -- to fear something -- she was after all very powerful. But fear him she did. Loraniece however could not stop fate, or the power of the amulet, or even the mindless thought of a Master. She felt the change take place. The weightlessness of her body began to take over and soon she was nothing but a fine wisp of smoke. It slid up the narrow stem of the bottle and cascaded down, as well as ascending upwards, around the wax and lid. Once the smokey haze was completely released it gathered into the form known through the ages as Loraniece.

Her eyes searched out the amulet and she found it. She hovered in the air for a moment, before settling herself down onto her knees. She rested herself on the wooden plank beneath her and she looked up into the eyes of her Master. He stared back at here as if he didn't quite believe she'd appeared. They studied each other for a moment. Loraniece gave him time to accept that she was there not a figment of his imagination. As the wind swept around them and animals made noises she took in the shape of his face, the color of his hair, the cut of it, even his scent was imbedded into her mind. As the amulet throbbed and the connection from earlier was enhanced Loraniece absorbed as much about his physical appearance as she could, judging him to be a rather pleasant looking Master, though his temperament was something to be desired.

She took a deep breath and quietly spoke to him, hoping she'd not alarm him. “Hello Master,” she said, waited for his greeting. A simple “Loraniece” fell from his lips and she nodded her head softly. "I apologize that I looked at the books and studied them. I shalt not do that again."

“I over-reacted,” he said. Joseph still couldn't believe he was sitting here talking to a woman that was hovering in the air a mere quarter-inch above his picnic table. “I am sorry I shouted. I was... shocked.”

Loraniece swallowed her fear and spoke again, "I understand. All is forgotten then. I will not think of it again." She looked at the bottle and cringed.” Such a horrid piece,“ she muttered. "I do miss the other... do you perhaps have it?" she asked.

Joseph eyed the bottle and shook his head no. "It doesn't matter in the end does it. I'm here to serve you, not myself." With that she focused her attention on the man, her new Master. "I am Loraniece, your Genie. I can grant you most any wish... yes most," she said.

She had seen his questioning glance so she continued her explanations. “I can give you riches, heal wounds, save lives. I can demolish your enemy, kill their offspring, topple the trees of this forest. I can control the weather, the seas, and any mortal you wish to have to you will... I can not be forced to love, like, or enjoy things. I can not bring back the dead. Once the last heartbeat has left the body, I can not heal the person."

She brushed back her hair and took another breath before concluding her words.
"I will obey you in all things you ask. I will do everything I can to give you want you want..." she told him. With a heavy sigh she added, "Nevertheless... this world is new to me and I'm only as powerful as the knowledge I have and I did not get to read all the books in that place. If you'd have given me perhaps more time... another 10 minutes I had read them all. But as you know I didn't get the chance."

Loraniece lifted her head back to him and asked, “What do you desire Master. Your wish is my command."

Josephs first wish

Once Joseph over came the initial shock of Loranieces appearance he listened carefully to what she had to say. It wasn’t difficult for him to understand the situation. His knowledge of the various myths and legends that had been passed down since time began hadn’t necessarily made him a believer but also he had never been a doubter of their possible existence. Now he could honestly say he was a believer in one such legend, the legend of the genie. He had no problem accepting Loraniece’s existence or understanding her power and this new relationship that he was about to be part of. He welcomed it with an open mind and heart, not only because he realized how much he could learn about a dimension beyond which most people were able to see much less even comprehend. But that this woman who represented this possibility was a very beautiful and desirable companion, beauty that went beyond her physical attributes but included her honesty compassion and genuine desire to please.


Even though he realized that he was her master and that her purpose was to serve only him, he felt a desire to please her. Her candid admission that he could not ask her to put something in her heart that wasn’t of her own choice was not unusual to his way of thinking. In his world this was an everyday occurrence. One couldn’t really make someone else feel something they didn’t want to, and Joseph wouldn’t want it any other way.

Her thirst for knowledge had made his heart skip a beat, this was one thing he could do for her. His computer and his internet connection in the cabin. The present past and projected future was at her fingertips, but first he realized that he needed to respond to her with his first wish.

“I understand all that you have told me Loraniece, and I believe in your great power. He turned away from her to look out over the ocean. To be quite honest with you I have no desire for you to turn the tide." He pointed up towards the tall pines in the distance. I have no desire for you to destroy these beautiful trees or change this lovely meadow. I know that you could easily turn the simple cabin behind us into a castle before I even turned around if I asked you to, but these would not be my wishes. Nature provides me with an ever changing panorama of beauty that never ceases to amaze me and my simple cabin is, in my mind, my castle.”

Joseph turned and looked at Loraniece, seeing in her eyes the need to please, watching the morning sun shine on her face realizing now why her beauty was ageless. The breeze caught in her hair and suddenly he wanted to run his fingers through it or at least touch her hand. He reached out and took her hand and suddenly he knew what his first wish would be. Even as he thought it he said it. “Take me to the Island of Pate” he said quickly “there’s someone there I’d like you to meet.”

The Island of Pate

Loraniece listened intently to her new Master. She had not yet learned his name, but to her that was not a point to cause concern she was simply Loraniece and he was Master. She heard the sound of his voice, the calmness of it. As he spoke of the things he did not want her to do she began to wonder what he did want her to do. The area she was in was very lush, it reminded her of Master’s she’d served in the past, usually her bottle tumbling into sand and being dug up by the hands of a child only to be thrust into the hands of an adult. His back faced her for a short time and she took those moments to further study him.

Her Master showed a stance of power and strength. Some saw those characteristics as one and the same, Loraniece knew they were not. Power was something that showed you would not be controlled and would fight to thwart your enemy. Strength was all together different. It could be broken into different stages of a man or woman. Mental. Physical. This man seemed to generate a firm mixture of both. She felt herself relax somewhat when he finally turned to face her.

She saw his eyes and for a moment was lost in them. There was a spark that seemed to leap between them and for a moment she felt her breathing catch in her throat. She blinked several times, licked her lips, and when his hand touched hers, her eyes flew to his and locked. The thought was there and the magic wove itself as he finished the sentence. She tightened the hold on his hand and moved her other arm out in front of her.

“As you wish,” she said. Her curious nature was piqued and she tried to still her anxiety. He’d already taken one gift away, what evil trick was he up to now. The loss of the books had stung, now she stilled her wants for whatever cruel trick he was planning. As her hand swept in front of them the view changed. If an outsider had been near, watching them, viewing the couple talking and chatting they would have only seen a blur of two people suddenly fading away into nature. However what Loraniece and her Master saw was completely different.

She continued to hold his hand and for the first time, she felt a sense of comfort caress her skin. The times she’d even felt remotely close to safe was when the children found her bottles. She loved it when a child found her gift. As the beautiful trees and melted away a path appeared. “Come with me,” she told him. They walked together for the span of one mortal minute and emerged on the outer edge of a village.

“The Island of Pate, Master,” she told him. Loraniece released his hand and stepped away. “The village is known as Faza.” Loraniece did not violate an unwritten rule of her own. She could have easily forced his thoughts to escape him, many of the Qareen genies would have, but Loraniece was not of that clan so she did not use her power against her Master.

As she watched him take in the beauty of the village. She too gazed upon it. She’d never been to Pate, it was however on one of the vast maps of the world that she’d studied in one of the books from the library. They were located off the northern coast of Kenya, Africa south of the island of Lamu. The people her Master would learn spoke Swahili, though a select few spoke the native tongue of his people.

The village stood on porous sand that had been densely packed with coconut palms through hundreds of generations trampling over it. There were mango trees hovering over new growth of their fallen seeds as well as low shrubbery. “We are at the village Kizingitine, if this is not the village you wish there is one other on this island, its name is lost to history. Its people slowly shrinking away to either move to this tiny place or to the neighboring island of Lamu where much western trade is growing.”

“Is this the place you wish to be Master?” she asked him. The wind caressed them both, the heat surrounded them and she could see the humidity affect her Master’s comfort. She took his hand, squeezed it gently, forcing a cooling affect to course through his veins. “It is my job to care for you at all times.” She then released him, knowing that while they were in Pate, the stifling heat would not affect him.

The surprise

Joseph hesitated before he answered. He wasn’t all together sure and the experience of being in one place one minute and then being halfway across the world in the next had left him a bit unsettled. The firm touch of Loranieces hand soon relieved him of this feeling. The mere physical contact not only grounded him, gave him a sense of conection to where they were, but also seemed to cool him. He could tell by the way the sun sent shimmering waves of heat across the sandy beach that it was very hot and yet he did not feel it. “Of course she had done that for him she had said as much that she would take care of him and of course she could easily do it. She was a genie was she not. He took a deep breath, realizing that she could probably read his mind as well as sense his physical needs, she undoubtedly could control his mind as well. Some how he knew better than to believe she would, at least not without his knowledge or permission, or to protect him from grave danger. The simple fact was that he trusted her. Not because he had to but because he wanted to. That even though he was her master and her purpose was to please him by granting his wishes he wished to please her also and mutual trust would be a very important part of this new very unique relationship.

“Thank you” he said softly as he touched the back of her arm to show her that his skin was cool and his body quieted. He watched her give him a curious look. Perhaps she wasn’t used to being spoken to so courteously. He wanted to tell her more about how much her touch meant to him, that her desire to take care of him made him feel unique. But of course, why should it not, after all he had his own personal genie. Not many mortals could say that. Obviously she knew about touch even though she had powers beyond his that conveyed feelings, she was aware of this basic method of communication.

He saw that she was still waiting for his answer, perhaps he should try harder to be the master, and there was much for both of them to learn. “The person I would like you to meet must live near the village that has no name. When I was here before I was taken up into the hillside where an old man who tended goats lived. He was a very learned old man who spoke fluid English and believed in a legend I was studying. His ancestors came from far away and he told me the story of where they came from and how they arrived here. I know you will be interested in hearing all of this and so that is why we are here.”

“We could ask someone to take us there...or if what I told you is enough for you to move us to his home, that would be even better.”

“Your wish is my command.” Was Loraniece’s response and in a twinkling of an eye they were at the door to the old man’s humble home. The bleating of a goat announced their arrival and the old man appeared in the doorway.

“Come in Joseph, and bring your friend as well.” The old man bowed from the waist and then stepped to the side. It’s good to see you again so soon... and to be blessed with the company of such a young and beautiful lady.” He took Loraniece’s hand and raising it to his lips kissed it softly. “What can I do for you today.” He added when they were seated on large pillows placed on the floor.

Joseph was amazed that the man who he barely knew had remembered his name. But then he recalled that he did have a sharp memory in spite of his age.

“I see you are still wearing the amulet, Joseph” The old man said amicably, noticing the yellow glow where Joseph’s shirt was opened in front. “Did you ever find Loranieces new home? He glanced at Josephs companion and without blinking an eye he added “I guess you did.”

Joseph saw Loraniece look apprehensively his way, he could feel that she was uncomfortable as if she thought he had led her to some danger. He reached out quickly clasped her hand in his and said softly “It’s alright, I have brought you here because this man can tell you about some events that have transpired while you were held prisoner in the bottle. He believes in you as much as I do and will cause you no harm.”

The old man gently took her other hand. “Joseph is right Loraniece I know more about you, the Sultan and his wife, than any person alive today.”

Joseph felt the tension in Loraniece’s hand return when she heard the old man say her name but when he took her hand she relaxed again. and he heard her say slowly “Tell me…please.”

After he told her what he had previously told Joseph adding when Loraniece asked, that as far as he knew, the Sultans family had dispersed probably to all parts of the known world and his descendants could be anywhere; east to China, Japan, maybe even the Americas. West to Europe, Africa, North to Russia, who knows after all it’s been over 500 years. 25 generations at least.” His eyes twinkled as he added. "None of them are here however and I’m afraid we’re a dying breed. It’s a shame there are no beautiful young women such as you among us here to give us babies and keep our race alive… Alas all we have is the stories of our past.” His eyes had began to tear up and Loraniece squeezed his hand to comfort him.

That’s about all I have to offer you he said “Except….” He quickly rose and went to the cupboard and took the bottle his people had safeguarded for so many years. He walked slowly over to Loraniece and handed her the bottle. “I believe this belongs to you.”

Loraniece was just about to show her appreciation for this gift when she heard him clear his throat. “I have only one favor and although I know you can’t grant me any wishes perhaps with Joseph’s permission you could tell us about your past. It’s always been a great mystery as to where you originally came from. Even Genies have to start some where. Obviously because of your hair color and fair skin it’s not from the orient. Heritage is very important, if I knew I could add it to the story that I already know and make the legend much richer.”

Joseph nodded his assent and said softly “I would like to know also if you would grant me this wish.”

Loraniece's Very Long Story - The beginning...

Loraniece had sat there listening to the man and holding her Master’s hand. She tried not to think of how warm it was, or how her skin seemed to flame up when he squeezed it. Each time he did something unlike the first time he’d greeted her she found herself liking him. She wondered what he expected of her and she found herself curious as to the reasons he kept wanting to touch her. When the old man rose up and offered her the gift wrapped in a soft, worn leather cloth she found herself chewing on the inside of her cheek.

She opened it and her lower lip trembled. He’d given her the second gift she’d ever been given. The first he’d taken back, but she know knew deep down that it was just the shock of meeting her the first time. Now he’d taken her to a place where another gift was given to her. She couldn’t speak for a few minutes, only run her fingers over the bottle. It was her home, most all the gems were there, she wanted to be inside it. She wanted to be home. Her home. Loraniece looked up to her Master and smiled softly, she was about to whisper her thanks when the man began to speak. Her eyes left those of her Master’s and she looked to the old man.

His request was a painful one, one that she would have denied him had it not been for the man that held her hand so gently. The way he said it, the way he asked was a wish, but she had this feeling it wasn’t one that he was forcing on her, but he was giving her a choice. Her heart skipped a beat, another gift, she wouldn’t hope or pray for more, she’d only cherish each one, for one never knew when someone would discover her and steal her from him, she hoped they’d not. She was learning to not judge someone by the first impression. She squeezed his hand and turned back to the old man.

“Thank you for my gift. I will tell you of my heritage, where I come from and how I became a genie.” She leaned back on the balls of her feet and took the cloth that had covered her bottle for so long. Loraniece spread it out on the floor and smoothed it flat. As her hand swept over the worn leather a painting appeared. It was a living painting of rich colors. Brillant hues of green, blue, reds, yellows. Thousands of colors were blended together, there were birds flying in the sky, clouds slowly moving along the top of the cloth. It looked as if you could slip into the picture and walk the path that trailed through the deep foliage.

“This is my home,” her finger pressed gently to a spot near the center of the cloth. “This manor is part of the lands that belong to my liege Lord at the time the Pictish king, Bridei. It is the year 565 and over here,” Loraniece lifted her finger, the manor stayed in place. She moved her hand to an upper corner of the cloth and a castle appeared where her finger pressed. “This is Castle Urguhart on Loch Ness. Columba, a magician my King used on occasion came to visit the King. While he was there another visited as well. He was a man that Bridei did not trust. He came demanding that Ana, the King’s only daughter wed him. Bridei refused the Lord’s request and ordered him away from his lands. That man was my father, Lord Buchane. My father had been wooing Ana in secret. I was her friend and helped my father meet with her. They were very much in love.”

She swept her fingers over the center, the manor house disappeared. In its place stood a man and a woman. “Father kidnaped Ana. They rode away and were found later, dead. Father’s steed had been startled by something... a snake, a pack of wolves... we know not. It is believed the animal raised up and father lost control. Ana was found with her neck broken, my father was found a few feet away from her, a sword in his chest.” She swallowed the pain taking a deep breath she continued her story.

“Columba was still there, he’d offered to travel with the group that searched for my father and Ana. When they found them and took them back to the castle, I was summoned. I knew I was in danger. I was scared and feared for my life, but I went. I would do as my King commanded me and when I was pushed to the floor and forced to listen to him spew words of hate at me I knew I would not see my freedom. He ordered my death.”

Loraniece no longer explained the pictures that swept across the cloth. They showed the story as she told it. “Columba came to my side and told the King that death was to easy. That I was the last of the Buchane’s and I should serve the King so he could punish me daily. He agreed and so I was taken in as a slave.” Scenes played out showing her servitude, the servitude that was forced upon her, none was pleasant and she closed her eyes on the pain her body endured. “When the King died mysteriously Columba returned. He was a Saint and all believed him. He told them I had killed him because I felt I was to important, to beautiful to be a slave.”

She looked to her Master. “I did not kill him. He was old, unhealthy, drank to much, lazy... I did not kill him.” A tear fell, she wiped it away. “They were going to kill me, but Columba stopped them. He pulled a bottle from his robe and placed it on the table. Everyone, but I and the King’s brother were ordered from the room. The bottle was black as night. It’s stopper was rimmed with gold as was its base. I watched him. I knew that something evil was in that bottle. I could feel it. Columba told the new King that I needed to be a slave forever, remind myself everyday that I wasn’t worth anything but to please others. Bridei’s brother agreed, but asked how? Columba opened the black bottle and called out the name Riko.”

Her eyes looked down at the clothe. She shuddered at the site of Riko, she could see him and he looked right back at her as she finished the story. “Columba order this man that emerged from the bottle to make me a slave to the amulet. I tried to run. I tried to hurry and escape, but I couldn’t move. Gold bracelets were suddenly on my wrists and ankles, they burned as if they were just forged. I turned and looked. This bottle rested on the table an amulet rested in the new King’s hand. ‘Loraniece’ he said to me. I went to him... I didn’t want to. I wanted to run again, but I couldn’t. The amulet in his hand glowed. I stood there staring at him. “Yes, Master?” I said to him. The words were just there, I had no choice but to say them. ‘In the bottle’ he told me. I wanted to laugh at him. How was I going to get in that bottle. But suddenly I felt as if I were nothing. As if I were the smoke lifting in the wind. I looked down and my body was fading again I was so scared.”

She watched her past unfold and clenched her fist. “I went into that bottle. Served him for several years, until Columba tricked him. Took his amulet and...” Loraniece said nothing else as the scene of her killing her first Master unfolded. Once the story ended, the cloth became brown and worn and Loraniece looked worn and drained herself. “I served Columba along side Riko... There is more to me... more horrible things... but there are good things. Many good...,” she whispered. Quietly so low, they would have to have strained to hear her; she added, "A man should never have two genies."

Home again

As Joseph listened to Loranieces story he began to wish he hadn’t wished for her to tell it. He could see it was a painful and heartbreaking experience for her to recall the past. The pictures only added to the torture she was putting herself through. Yet he knew the story had to be told as that part of the legend had not been revealed until now.

As she finished her story he began to realize that this was Loraniece’s way of releasing the pain and suffering she had gone through. Knowing that there were good things that happened to her softened the pain he was feeling with her and he realized too that this was her way, to get rid of the pain so that the happiness could come through. In his mind he thought that he would never ask her again about those difficult times and that he would be patient and let her reveal the pleasure and happiness in her own time and through her own wishes.

For now what she needed was his comfort and understanding. He rose and took her in his arms. For a while he rocked her as if she were a child, thinking while he felt her relax and share the softness of her body with him that even though she was more powerful than any mortal man or woman she still needed his strength to share the fears she might have that would cause her confusion and anxiety. He knew that there were aspects of her world that he didn’t understand and that she had to deal with them even while she served him, but he would be there for her to give her comfort and reassurance. He would give her this not because he was her master but because he felt something more than a sense of responsibility. A feeling beyond that which he could understand, only feel, and know that it made him happy.

The quiet warmth of the moment was interrupted by the old man’s gentle words “I will preserve your past but will speak to no one about your present or speculate about your future. This I swear on my mothers grave. No harm will come to you because of my words or actions.”

Reluctantly releasing her from his arms he kissed her forehead and with his hand pushed back a wisp of hair that had fallen across her cheek. “It’s time to go home” he whispered. And then he bent down and retrieved the bottle and wrapping it in the leather cloth, tucked it securely under his arm and closed his eyes, knowing that Loraniece would understand his wish and bring them both home.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Once again in the yard if front of his cabin Joseph caught his breath. It would take him some time to get used to changing places between heartbeats. He was glad to be back home and without taking the time to look around he led Loraniece directly to the cabin. “It feels good to be home he told her as he unwrapped the the jewel encrusted bottle and placed it carefully in a cupboard. Leaving The cupboard door ajar, he turned to Loraniece who stood watching him and said firmly. “I’m home, it feels good and I wish the same for you Go home Loraniece. It’s been over five hundred years since you have been held in the comfort and safety of your home. Go there now and remember that I will be near and that I will keep the amulet against the warmth of my body until I need you again.”

“As you wish, master.” she said just as decisively but Joseph knew she wished it as well. He watched the stopper rise from the bottle and turned to see that Loraniece had become just a wisp of grey smoke that rose from the place where she had stood and drifting into the cupboard was swallowed up by the bottle. The stopper filled the neck of the bottle sealing inside its precious contents. For a moment Joseph just stood there over come by the deepest sense of lose he had ever felt and then he smiled as he knew that all he had to do was say the words and Loraniece would be by his side again.

Thinking about her warmed more than his heart. A feeling that he wanted her to be here right now, in his arms, a warmth that grew the more he thought about it and became so intense that it spread throughout his whole body and created a need to do more than hold her, his arms and hands ached with the desire to touch more than her shoulders and her back. They trembled, anxious to explore the other soft and warm places that he knew were hidden under her gown.

“Get a grip Joseph” give her a chance to rest and take care of her personal needs maybe take a bath Immediately he remembered the scent of Lilacs and lilies. And his imagination led him to create a vision of Loraniece naked, her soft sensuous body languidly immersed in a bath of sweet smelling water her flaming red hair wet, clinging to her shoulders, her throat, her breasts. Her green eyes shining with the joy of being home again.

“This kind of behavior is unacceptable.” he told himself as he felt his body responding to his fantasy It’s time for a cold swim in the ocean.” He stripped off his clothes in spite of his burgeoning erection and sprinted toward the water. As he plunged into the incoming tide his physical problem shrunk considerably and after he had spent twenty minutes challenging the power of the oncoming waves his thoughts had changed to more practical concerns. His desire to summon Loraniece for the fulfillment of his own selfish sexual needs now appeared repulsive and even if she granted his wish he knew that if she didn’t feel these same needs he would hate himself afterwards. His wish for her to experience the same feelings that he had would go unanswered as she had already so firmly stated. He could not make her want him. That was the long and the short of it. There was no reason for him to even think about going there. As he walked back to the cabin he stopped for a minute to rest at the picnic table. “What! He exclaimed as he saw the copper bottle he had left before the left for the Island of Pate was missing. Someone has been here, but how?. The gate, a mile down the driveway was securely locked. He had told no one he was coming here not even Amy. And if someone chanced to be walking down the beach why would they take a beat up old copper bottle? Joseph shivered, Something was very wrong here. But what… who… why? He had no answers but he knew he needed to find out. This was more than a simple theft of an old bottle, someone knew or thought they knew what the bottle contained . He instinctively reached for the amulet and sighed in relief when he felt its smooth warmth in his hand. Should he summon Loraniece now and tell her or should he let her have her peace and quiet for a while longer. He knew they had to leave this place that soon the thief or thieves might come back. He looked around for tracks for any sign of the direction they had come from. It was then that he saw the tire tracks in the driveway one set in, one going out. He headed for the cabin, he needed to warn Loraniece and they needed to leave right away.

But first, he needed to get dressed. He chuckled to himself and then wondered how he could, amidst all this keep his sense of humor. He dressed quickly and then going to the cupboard, Carefully took down the bottle.He said simply and calmly in case she was sleeping and did not wish to alarm her with the news “Loraniece, I need you”.

The jewels of the bottle and a bath...

Loraniece slipped into her bottle, the one that had been her home for so long, yet had been taken from her. Her eyes teared up as the sense of coming home filled her, but though she was inside she felt lonely. Her new Master was kind it seemed and she wanted to please him now more than ever. He had given her more in a day than she’d been given in her lifetime as a Genie. Her home was as beautiful inside as it was from the outside. The gems that her Master saw were stained glass windows to Loraniece.

Each gem told a story of Loraniece’s life, it was like her own history book. As a new master came into her world a gem became a map to her life. Only someone inside could see the stories and then only if Loraniece allowed it. She saw the black pearl. It represented the years she slept. There was a diamond that showed when she’d been the Genie for a poor family who by the time they lost her had brought her many years of joy and laughter. The blood red ruby showed one of the bloodiest moments in her life and she cringed as she recalled the screams of the innocent lives she had to take.

There was an emerald she knew what story would be there and though she didn’t want to recall it she went to the gem and touched its smooth polished surface. It glowed and heat radiated through her as the image of her last Master’s wife appeared. The words of jealousy raged through the precious jewel and Loraniece felt the anger building up in her. She saw the woman’s jealously, felt her bitterness, and she felt her own disbelief at being ordered to remain still and unmoving.

Her fingers moved to black pearl and she felt it’s smoothed surface. It was cold. There were no images here, no warmth, no hate, or love. It was just a gem. It was just a dark black pearl that rested inside the otherwise beautiful inner workings of the bottle. She left the stories of her life behind, she would reflect on them later, right now she only longed to rest inside her home.

With a great flourish Loraniece produced her silver tub and erotic scented oils and lotions. Soon the red haired Genie was covered in the bubbles and rolling steam. Her eyes closed and she thought of her first day with her new Master. How it had seemed one way and had turned out to be another. She grinned to herself and recalled the name the old man in the village had called him. “Joseph,” she whispered his name. It rolled off her tongue, she leaned back closed her eyes and said it again.

Loaniece laughed outloud, “How wonderful it would be to call him and have him appear.” She chuckled softly as she spoke to herself, the need to hear something anything surrounded her. She’d been with her new Master only a day and she found herself craving his company and wanted to hear his voice. “To have company in my little home. To let him see the stories himself, to let him watch me change things in this little space.” She washed her arms and legs and thought of his touch upon her skin.

She left the tub and snapped her fingers. It disappeared and she settled onto the small stool that appeared it its place. The bottled of lilac oil tilted up and poured into her palms then it hovered in the air and was soon gently placed down on the table beside her. She smoothed the substance over her skin, wondering what it would be like to have Joseph touch her. To run his fingers over her feet, tickle her toes, or to slide his hands along her calf muscles. As she covered her body with the fine sheen of oil she felt her skin begin to heat.

“Oh my,” she whispered. Her fingers quickly ran over her skin as she tried to block the image of her Master touching her. She’d been taken before, but never had she wanted so much to be taken by another. There were times she was forced to accept the touches of her Master as well as any that he told her to please. There were times she enjoyed the feel of her Master’s touch and there were times she feared it. Once she thought she was in love with a Master, but she had learned that she was not his true love so she never knew the true destiny that awaited one when they were loved by another.

She had heard stories. Stories of how wonderful a woman can feel when she is given pleasure, but Loraniece had always given it and it was nice when she was able to give it willingly then she was able to enjoy it a little to. She wondered if her new Master would allow her to please him, or if perhaps he would just expect it. Something told her that she was going to enjoy having him for a Master and she hoped he would have need of her for a long time.

“Joseph,” she sighed just as she started to flick her wrist to get dressed. She heard her name and looked down on her glistening form. “Oh No!” she gasped, but it was to late, she had to respond immediately. The smoke overtook her and it seeped from her bottle.

“Master.... I... umm,” she blushed. Not in over a thousand years had Loraniece blushed, but she was now feeling the flames of red rush over her to blend with her hair. “Yes Master?” she asked. Loraniece would have loved to have her own Genie at that moment, so she could wish herself some clothes on. “What is it you wish?”

oops

Revealing thoughts, revealing images, and a little humor

Joseph had turned around away from the bottle as he made his wish. A sound coming from outside the cabin had startled him. He knew what it was as he heard it, “only a startled Jay in the nearby woods but yet it was enough to distract him from the bottle and the prospect of seeing Loraniece again. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he did look for here was his genie just as she promised ready to grant his next wish…but stark naked, not a stitch of clothing on, nothing except her wrist and ankle bracelets As awe struck as he was he kept his composure. She seemed surprised herself that she had left herself so vulnerable, but other than her blush she maintained her composure also. He looked in her eyes first and saw her surprise along with a lingering hint of arousal as if she had been thinking of a lover or had been lost in a fantasy just before he had called her name. His eyes wandered lower to her throat, her neck where the pink flush of her natural reaction to her exposure was beginning to reveal itself. She was beautiful more beautiful than the drawings and images he had on his computer, more beautiful than he had imagined. Her soft red hair tumbled down around her shoulders partially covering her breasts. A coral nipple protruded enticingly from each half hidden globe, making Joseph want to reach out and gently brush her hair to the side tuck it back behind her shoulders, and circle the round soft curves of white flesh with his hands cup them gently, hold them for a moment his fingers splayed, the center of his palms caressing the tip of each nipple.

Reluctantly he kept his arms and hands to his side , but his eyes he could not control. He needed to see more to view the total beauty of this vision before him, her narrow waist, the soft protrusion of fine red hair below her navel, that created a triangle mound of silken curls, encircled by creamy white thighs and, as his eyes wandered down ward long supple legs and dainty feet. As his eyes moved up again he caught his breath when she shifted her weight and a shaft of light appeared between her thighs and much to Josephs delight a narrow slit of pink flesh revealed itself. He felt a sudden heat invade his own flesh and the arousal this erotic sight was creating in his groin. He quickly. Looked up intending to look her straight in the eye and tell her to put some clothes on, but he was distracted again by the sounds of the forest he had heard before. He turned to the window, and took a deep breath. He needed to look back at her, but he knew if he did he would probably not be able to control his emotions or his motions. For
Right now he wanted to touch as well as look and he knew better than to go there.

“Go back in your bottle Loraniece he said firmly go back in and come back out after you get dressed.”

“Yes master” she said, understanding perfectly what was happening.

“Wait a…He wanted to tell her more but it was too late she had already disappeared in a puff of grey smoke.

Hoping she could hear him form inside the bottle and having her naked beauty tucked away from his sight he was able to continue. “What I need to tell you is this. We need to leave this place right away. The sounds I hear in the woods are sounds of alarm made by the Jays. It may mean that someone is near by watching or it may be just a false alarm. Either way we must be cautious. When you return from the bottle I wish you to be wearing something that a young beautiful lady such as yourself would be wearing if she were going to spend the next few days traveling in my company. We must not let anyone know you are a Genie. We must be careful how we talk to each other when we are not alone and you must not use any of your powers when other might see us. When you are properly attired you can come out and we will leave. I’ll make a soft place in one of my suitcases and I’ll put your bottle in it along with some of my clothes. I’m sorry that you did not get to spend more time in your home, but we must act like we are both mortals for the next few days, while we figure out who is looking for you and what their intentions are. We need to talk to Amy as she is the only connection I can think of between us and the copper bottle that was taken from the picnic table. We will be driving down the coast in my car pretending we are just tow people enjoying the scenery on vacation. Do you understand me?”

“Yes master.” came a voice inside the bottle.”

Joseph sighed in relief knowing that she had heard him. He waited a few minutes and then began packing for the trip He looked apprehensively out the window and made sure all the shades were pulled down. He paced the floor made a pot of coffee and filled his thermos. Glancing every now and then at the bottle in the cupboard. "Surely she must be ready by now". he thought and then said softly. “Loraniece are you ready to come out.”

“I cant decide what to wear, Master.” Came a desperate cry from within.

Just get dressed ok

“Yes Master.”

“And don’t call me Master, my name is Joseph.”

“Yes, Ma…err Joseph.” He heard her giggle, and he grinned in spite of his impatience.”

“Can I come out now Joseph.?” He heard giggle.

As long as you’re not naked, Loraniece.” He stifled a giggle himself.

“I’m properly dressed.” she announced primly.

Joseph sighed. “Loraniece,... please come out.”

He waited… “Well…” His patience was wearing out again

“Joseph?”

“Yes.”

When I come out, and we go on this scenic vacation pretending that we are both mortals… Will we be friends…or lovers?” Again the familiar giggle.echoed from the bottle.

“Whatever, just get your gorgeous butt out here!"

What's a girl to wear and an enquiring mind wants to know...

Loraniece rested in her bottle, her eyes full of a mixture of confusion as well as indecision. She had materialized clothes from every walk of life she’d seen in books as well as those from her memory. She closed her eyes and thought of the images and when her Master called to her she was startled. She didn’t realize that the thoughts of clothes had been pushed away and she had wandered to thoughts of her new Master. She had seen his eyes take in her naked flesh. Her eyes had traveled over him as well, even now she could feel the heat of his gaze on her skin, and it brought a flutter to her stomach.

When he called for her to get dressed and to be quick about it she began tossing clothing everywhere. He told her that they would pretend to be mortal, that she could not use her magic. She thought he could not be serious. Surely he did not mean for her to not use it to please him. What if he was hungry, or ill, or worse yet, he got lost? How could she make him safe and comfortable if she did not use her magic? She gnawed on her lower lip in between asking him questions and picking things to wear.

Finally she chose something that she hoped was familiar to the era she lived in. She knew as a Genie she would find the panties and the bras confining so she did not use them. Instead when she emerged from the bottle she was wearing a skirt that rested mid thigh and flowed gently when she hovered a few inches in the air. Its hem had a pink ribbon woven through it, and its white pleats lay softly against her skin. Her breasts felt confined in the pale pink T-shirt that stretched across her chest. She looked down on it and then back to her Master.

“Mas... Joseph,” she nodded her head when he raised his hand to stop her from saying Master. “I hope this will meet with your approval.”

She grinned up at him and watched him look her over. She hovered patiently above the ground.

Joseph stared at her, drinking in the mass of flowing curls that ran like a river over her shoulders. His eyes took in her smile, noting it was one that sought for approval. “It is perfect,” he said. His eyes moved down the T-shirt, over her hips, and down the long legs that seemed to go on forever.

“Umm... Loraniece?” Joseph said.

“Yes Joseph,” she asked patiently.

He sighed and said, “You can’t hover...” He looked up at her with a raised brow.

“I can’t hover!” she exclaimed. “I have to walk!”

Joseph bit back the grin that threatened to show behind his serious expression. “Yes... we are pretending to be mortal. We can’t hover.”

“Oh you are not pretending Joseph. You are mortal. I didn’t tell you... I can’t grant that. I can’t make you immortal. I can help you hover though. I will show you,” she smiled, wanting only to see to her Master’s comfort.

She flicked her wrist and soon Joseph was hovering a few inches from the ground. “Now your feet will not be sore.” She grinned wider.

“I,” he paused. “I mean we both need to walk. You need shoes.”

“Oh Joseph,” she pouted. She set him down and when her feet landed on the floor she was wearing tan-opened toed sandals with pink seashells over the band.

“Thank you, now no magic, unless I tell you,” he told her.

She gasped. “But Jose...,” she stopped when he looked at her sternly. “No magic... unless it is to save your life. Please?” she asked a look of concern evident in her face.

“To save my life... yes,” he agreed. “Let’s go. I need to talk to Amy.” He took her jeweled bottle and protected it with layers of clothing he had in his suitcase. Joseph took her hand and led her to his vehicle.

“Joseph,” she asked.

“Yes?”

“You did not see my butt earlier. How do you know it is gorgeous? And who is Amy? Is she your...” hesitation was evident in her voice. She bit her lower lip. "Is this Amy your wife... lover? Sister?" She stressed great importance on the last word, not wanting to hear him claim a woman as a lover or wife. Perhaps she is one of his harem girls. She didn't like that thought either.

Her head tilted to the side and she waited patiently for his answer. Perhaps Joseph had magic in him and could bend time and space to see around things and that was how he saw her butt... oh what a great Sultan he would be with harem girls and a Genie to please him. The jealous monster creeped into her.

On the road again

Joseph wanted to tell her that he hadn’t exactly seen her butt (not that he hadn’t wanted to, he would have loved to see her do a quick pirouette), but if it matched the rest of her titillating body, he was sure he would have thought it gorgeous. But that sort of discussion could lead them both in directions that he felt he couldn’t go right now.

“There are lots of things we need to talk about and we have lots of time to talk he said once they were settled in the car and headed down the driveway. It’s a five hour trip to San Diego.”

“If you wished for it we could be there in the twinkling of an eye, Joseph.”

“That’s true Loraniece, but you never know who might see us arrive in a puff of smoke when we get there and we don’t want to blow our cover. I wish you had a pair of shades to wear?” He took a pair of dark glasses from the dash and put them on. When he looked back at Loraniece he saw that a pair of sunglasses had appeared on her face, and he was about to admonish her for using her magic when she said again with that charming giggle. “Be carefull what you wish for, Joseph.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, by the way. I do love what you’re wearing”. He was actually thinking about what she was NOT wearing for he had noticed that she was braless and the pink t shirt hid little of what was beneath it, Her long slender legs and short skirt made him want to reach out gently place his hand on her bare thigh.

“We both look like a couple of average every day people on vacation without a care in the world.” He said suddenly as if to break the tension he was feeling at the moment.

They arrived at the gate and found it open. A lone set of footprints told them the lock had been cut and whoever had been her had left in a hurry. Joseph reached over and took Loraniece’s hand after they had turned on to the main road and headed south. They traveled in silence for a while lost in their own separate thoughts.

On the way out of the cabin Joseph had grabbed several trade, beauty, fashion, movie and entertainment magazines from the table. And last weeks newspapers. “if you want to catch up on what’s happening? He said as he took them from the dash and set them in her lap.



He wasn’t surprised when she leafed through each of them quickly. He knew of course her magic would allow her to memorize every detail.

A few minutes later she looked up and smiling, leaned over and gave him a thank you kiss.

He knew it was time for him to answer some of the questions she had asked him back in the cabin.

No he had no magic that he knew of, that he had not seen her butt that it was only a figure of speech, that she probably realized after she had read the magazines. He told her about Amy that she was like a mother to him that he never knew his father but that as he grew up he had many mother figures like Amy. Amy was his favorite though and he loved her dearly, so dearly in fact that as they headed for San Diego, he worried about her safety. As much as he wanted to be there with her right now he would wait. It would give him time to get to know Loraniece better. And for her to find out more about him

He told her about his childhood and how he came to be where he was, that he was a single man that he had had lovers in the past and had friends who he enjoyed spending time with, but at this time there was no one special in his life except the woman who was riding in the car beside him. No harem girls, no wives, just his genie.

As he talked he held her hand that was resting on her knee, he was feeling contented and at peace just to have the miles rush behind them. Content to just be with her.
*************************************************
“Did you bring a swimming suit?" Joseph asked suddenly. He had seen a sign that said Big Sur. Next exit, one mile. As he turned off the freeway he told her that he had spent many wonderful days here when he was younger and that there was a great place to eat. “Oriental cuisine,” he said “the best in the country. She just had to try it” His speech became antimated as he continued “We can swim in the ocean. It’s great!”

Real wishes and not real wishes...

Loraniece grinned at his sudden change of manor. He had gone from serious to childlike in a blink of an eye and she laughed at him. When he'd asked if she brought a swimsuit she furrowed her brow and pictured the image in her mind. "I can create one, but Mas.. Joseph I did not bring anything. All I have is yours. I do not bring things." She looked at him as if she were concerned. She touched his brow. "You are not fevered. Do you not know the workings of Genies? Joseph... I own nothing. If you wish me to wear this bathing suit then I shall."

She read his thoughts and she smiled within a snap she had pulled the royal blue bikini from one of the fashion magazines and sat beside Joseph in it. The thin straps were tied around her neck and her back, and the soft material covered her breasts. The small string bottoms were tied at her hips and she had replaced her pink saddles for blue ones. "Remember... I can read the wishes in your mind as well."

She turned toward him, the belt he had insisted she wear to lock her in place ran down the middle of her cleavage. Loraniece tilted her head and smiled. "Does this meet your approval," she asked.

Joseph looked back at her, then the road, then her again. He swallowed the lump that rose in his throat and wished the one in his slacks was not becoming a distraction. She'd just simply changed for him. He thought for a moment and tried not to stare at the nipples that were evidently becoming more pronounced as he stared at her. He quickly shook his head, angry at himself for once more devouring her with his eyes.

"I remember you said you can do that... but you mustn't. There will be times I wish for something but I really don't want it," he said, pulling his eyes back to the road.

Loraniece had enjoyed the heated glance she saw him give her and she felt herself become more flushed with excitement. Her new Master liked her. She grinned wide, but when she heard him declare that he would make wishes and not really want them she was confused again.

"Joseph you are a troubling man. You will make wishes you don't want?" she crossed her arms and faced the front window. "I do not see the point of having me around then. I am useless to you."

She pouted while he drove them to the sandy shore and found a quiet secluded place to park. She thought they were going to get out of the car, but when he unbuckled his belt and then hers, she turned to look at him. "Yes Joseph?" she asked.

"Loraniece... you can not pout. In my world... in this time... people think to themselves they say," Joseph paused. "Loraniece people say things in their heads, because people can not invade their thoughts like you, so they will say... I wish I had a million dollars." Before he finished the sentence Joseph had a black bag in his lap full of green American dollars.

He pressed his fingers to his temples and rubbed them. "This is what I mean... I really didn't want a million dollars I was just giving you an example. I may get angry with someone and wish something terrible to happen to them," he quickly raised his hand. "I do not really want something to happen to them."

The beautiful, red-haired, bikini-clad Genie was at a loss for words. She'd never heard of someone making wishes they didn't want.

"You are not allowed to read my mind," he told her.

Her jaw dropped. "Joseph....," she couldn't speak. "Not read your mind!?!"

"You can not read it because you do not understand the difference between real wishes and thought wishes that I don't really want," he told her. He could see she was upset. He touched her cheek and said, "Just for a little while... I'll try to find away to help you understand."

She tried to read his mind, to cheat at his command, and all Loraniece got was a painful headache and a black abyss of nothing. "Yes, Joseph." She felt so disconnected.

wishes coming true

“I’ll be right back.” he said as he opened the door of the car and slipped from the driver’s seat. His voice was emotionless, no anger, no sadness, not joyful or happy, no sign that he was at peace or felt content. No emotion, no feeling whatsoever. No passion or excitement, no sense of arousal, desire, yearning or longing, no aspirations, no affection or tenderness. No friendliness or camaraderie. No sympathy, empathy, or understanding.

Her nod was just as noncommittal it was if she was void of feelings the same as he. It was no wonder, they both had lost the connection. The only thing that held them together was the amulet and the bracelets.

Joseph needed time to think. He knew that words would not help until he had a chance to think about what had happened between them and what, if anything, he could do about it. It was up to him, yes, he was the mortal and Loraneice was the genie. She had the power to make things right but she was powerless without his input. It was up to him. He spotted a rock on the beach, flat on top and large enough to become make a chair to sit on. Close to the edge of the water, so that the incoming tide was lapping at his feet as he sat down to think. He put one hand under his chin to support his head and gazed out at the endless ocean. He vowed he would sit until he found a solution to this problem or until the waves rose and pulled him out the sea, to drown.

Loraniece had left the car, also, She had walked a distance down the beach, and looked out to sea. She glanced briefly in Joseph’s direction when his one hand fondled the amulet, but her face showed no sign of emotion, nor did Josephs as he began to ponder the events of the last few long and torturous minutes.

When did the trouble begin? he asked himself and realized at once it was long before he had requested that she not read his mind. It began when he became so obsessed with his sense of safety because he did not trust his Genie and her power to take care of him. It began when, because of his fears and insecurity he made decisions with his head instead of his heart. He knew she was happy to meet his needs and to please him in everyway possible, to watch out for him and keep him healty and safe. When he wished her to stop doing these things to act mortal, he made her feel unnecessary, useless .Instead of sharing her desire to share he rebuked her by giving her gifts and refusing the ones she offered in return. What a fool he was She tried to please him in every way she knew how. She wanted to share his thoughts and when she found out how much pleasure was in these thoughts…more than pleasure, desire, intense arousal, erotic imagry of how much he craved her … how… seeing her nude and being aroused by sight of her beautiful naked body…made him want to take her in my arms and make love to her…He knew now that she must have been happy that she could give him such pleasurable thoughts and then when he told her that she was no longer allowed to know his thoughts …that must have devastated her. Why did he do this? Make this wish for her not to know what was in his heart. Why did he think it was a bad thing for her to know what he was feeling and why did he think that he would want to hide his feeling from her? What a fool he was.

The tide was rising, it was up around his knees. He had to do something quickly. He looked again toward Loraniece knowing it still was up to him. He just thought, i...f he had a clue. The sun shimmered off the water giving hi a surrealistic picture of her He thought of a painting "The Birth of Venus by Botticelli " He blinked his eyes and shook his head Before his very eyes, Loraniece had become the Godess of love, naked and unadorned, her beautiful red hair billowing around her head and shoulders. Her naked body revealed in all its splendor as she was carried ashore by a seashell. Holding her one hand over her creamy white breasts the other in front of her silken mound, she seemed to be hovering much like he had seen Loraniece do earlier. Joseph breathed her name “Venus" he said and then stronger louder he said "Loraniece." The vision changed, Loraniece stood knee deep in the water. A windsome longing look on her face.Her mind searching for and not finding his.

Joseph had the answer. It just needed doing. Doing, testing and trusting. First he had to undo the wish that he had made, what difference did it make if Loraniece could read his mind. He knew already that her intuition told her more than his thoughts or words expressed. That she could sense what his feelings were by just observing his actions and reactions. What difference did it make if she knew she was turning him on, that she knew how much he desired her? It could be a good thing and certainly if he was the man he thought he was he could choose to do what he wanted with those thoughts and feelings. If she knew what was in his heart it would make her feel good too. That knowledge would please her and maybe even turn her on. How much better could it be than that. He would stop worrying about the negative consequences and consider the wonder of the positive ones. He looked down the beach to where Loraniece had turned and walked out into the water. The water lapped at her knees and then her thighs as she headed seaward. Joseph held the amulet, his fingers caressing it’s warm smooth surface. He could feel it getting hotter as it tried to make a connection to the beautiful woman in the water. He thought of the soft nest of curls that lay beneath the tiny triangle of cloth. Of how much he would like to caress this place with his fingers… his tongue. He could almost taste…and he could… almost feel… What he did feel was his body reacting to his thoughts and he remembered how Loraniece had reacted to his thoughts earlier. How her nipples had become hard and her eyes flushed with excitement when he looked at her in her blue bikini. Now was that such a bad reaction? Shouldn’t she be happy knowing that she had given him such pleasure? He smiled even broader as he made another observation. The arousing thoughts he was having was causing his feelings become more than obvious. His cock had gotten so hard it strained against his slacks threatening to burst the seams. Another observation he made was that he was not ashamed of his erection, in fact he was rather proud of it. It was showing Loraniece that the mere thought of her turned him on.

He was ready to wish again. Loraniece, It is my wish that you read my mind again. I want you to be able to know what I feel. I know that it gives you pleasure and I will make it my pleasure too.

Suddenly he felt as if a great burden had been lifted from him. He looked up to see her smiling and as he continued to gaze at her marveling at how the spray from the waves made her suit wet and cling tightly to her body accenting the soft roundness of her mound. Beneath the crease in the blue cloth that defined her slit and below and behind that, a picture of what his mind fantasized… the deep coral, moist opening to her sex.

He knew she had read his mind for she bent over and scooping up some water splashed it between her legs, and on her face as if to cool off and then in the next handful playfully dashed the space between her delicious breasts, her hands momentarily cupping the cloth and forming a v of soft voluptuous flesh between them. He could see the laughter and joy in her eyes and feel the pleasure it was giving both of them. It was his turn and he stood and made a wish. A bathing suit for him instead of slacks and shirt, a blue one something as sexy and provocative as she had chosen for herself. One that would accommodate his family jewels, tight but with the elasticity that would allow for expansion.

He felt rather than saw this wish occur as his eyes were locked on the beautiful red haired Genie walking slowly towards him. He had been afraid before, afraid that if he wanted her too much and she knew it, he would wish for more than she was ready to give. He knew now that he didn’t have to be afraid. He knew that they could take this moment of sensuous delight and do what they wished with it. They could frolic like children innocent and free. They could spend the whole day chasing seagulls, they could have a picnic, fall asleep in the sunshine, hold hands or hold each other,...make sandcastles or make love; passionately and hungrily or slowly and patiently all afternoon and halfway into the night. They could be friends or lovers… or both…

On the edge of pleasure

His thoughts suddenly washed over her, coating her skin, soaking into her flesh. Loraniece closed her eyes and savored the healing touch that surrounded her being. The water no longer existed. Time no longer existed. She was home again. Her purpose for being was returned to her. When she took a deep breath it was as if she were breathing for the first time. The darkness lifted away from her. She opened her eyes and her soul took flight, connecting with his again. “Joseph,” she whispered seconds before she saw the erotic images he was projecting.

Her eyes met his and she felt the heat of her body radiate through her. She smiled softly and began the walk toward him. She could feel her excitement growing. Her tongue snaked out and she licked her lips. They trembled. She licked them again. The power of the amulet glowed, but stayed warm, soon it was no longer shining, but its heat was still present. Her braclets and anklets did the same thing. Her pulse ran faster.

“I am glad I please you,” she told him. With timid, yet reassuring fingers she slipped her hand to his neck. Her fingers toyed in his hair. She could feel his aroused state pressed against her and she moved closer. Using her other hand she traced her fingers over his throat, ran her nails up the side of his neck, along his jaw until she came to his lips. She tilted her head to one side and studied his face. There was not only desire written in his eyes, but he also showed in his mind the images of desire... not only desire to be one with her, but desire to give her pleasure as well.

Loraniece pressed her lips to his and ran her tongue over his upper lip. She traced its shape, her eyes still holding his. She could feel his pulse beneath her fingertips. His heart beat against her breasts, she pressed deeper. The tip of her tongue slid along the seam of his lips and he opened them for her. His snaked out and joined hers. They tasted each other for the first time and Loraniece found the taste to be one she would hunger for more and more each day.

She slowly pulled away from him, her eyes moved to his lips, the reached out with the tip of her tongue and licked the moistness that rested on the full mouth. She shivered. Her body was burning inside and she wanted to feel him against her. What little clothing they had on was to much for Loraniece and she felt as if she were on fire. "Joseph," she moaned. Her lips trembled with want.

Loraniece stepped back and ran a long fingernail down his chest, her eyes following the path it made. It crossed to his left nipple, teased it slowly with the sharp weapon, and then she moved it to the right. Her breath became more ragged as she caressed the twin peak and watched it rise for her viewing pleasure. Her fingers moved lower, her eyes following the new trail she was forming. The paused over the waist band of the small fabric that was doing little to hide his aroused state from her.

The outline of his sex was tantalizing and she moaned over the wish to remove the flimsy garment that blocked her path. "Joseph," she smiled up at him. Her eyes showing not only want, desire, need, and passion, but they also showed the need to hear him tell her what he wanted. She knew she could invade his thoughts, but she longed to hear him ask her to please him. She wanted nothing more than to have him surround her with his essence and be one with him.

The ultimate wish

Joseph didn’t need to be able to read Loraniece’s mind to know what she wanted and he knew that she sensed his need as well. They were both more than ready for this momentous occasion to take place. They would need no magic to experience the pure pleasure of each others desire to please and be pleased. The magic would flow from one to the other and then back again once the decision was made.

Perhaps it had already been made, certainly it showed in the aroused state of their bodies, in their eyes and on their lips as they faced each other in the knee deep water. Surely it could be felt in the beating of their hearts, the pounding of blood as it coursed through their heated veins. Certainly it could be heard in the ragged breaths they had began to take, the unconscious moans from hungry lips. All that remained was a signal from Joseph. He was the master. He needed to say the word. He paused for a moment, while she waited expectantly.

Joseph smiled mischeviously he had one more mental wish before he spoke the words they both knew were in his mind.

He turned to face the beach where they had entered the water. The vast expanse of sand shimmered in the sunlight making him see in his mind an oasis. A beautiful oasis with tall green palms softy swaying in a gentle breeze, a cascading waterfall tumbling into a crystal clear pool of fresh water. soft green grass as far as the eye could see. The sound of birds singing in the distance, the aroma of honey, and spice and dew drenched flowers. A pure white cloth enclosure with a spacious door faced the pool. Inside, multicolored pillows were scattered haphazardly about.

He no more than imagined this fantasy than it materialized and when he turned to face Loraniece, he saw beneath her passion, a smile of satisfaction. He spoke aloud as he looked longingly into her eyes and pointed towards the shore. “ I want to take you there, carry you to that place where we will make love. I want you to see all of your naked beauty and I want to be naked for the pleasure of your eyes.”

He stepped toward her and gathered her up in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and together they left the ocean and made their way toward the waiting pavilion. It was if she were weightless in his arms her breasts pressed against his chest his face nestled in her hair.

They entered the pavilion and he gently set her down noticing that she was now naked and that he was also. He stepped back basking in the beauty that was his to enjoy. She was beautiful and now that he had he seen what he wanted, he wanted more. He wanted to touch her everywhere, taste her everywhere. Give her pleasure in every way he could. He wanted to hear her moan and cry out for more.

He saw her taking in his nakedness, and stood silent his erection hard and proud. and he wanted her to touch him, hold him, stroke him, taste him and make him cry out his pleasure. As one they came together, finding each others mouths, wrapping each other in anxious embrace. His hardness against her stomach her breasts embedded in his chest. Immersed in the pleasure of each others bodies they forgot to breath, until they reluctantly pulled apart. Their breathing was ragged, and uncontrolled and they fell together onto the pillows.

“Joseph?” She said hesitantly after she found her voice. Does my body please you?

“Yes, Loraniece.” Was Josephs answer as his hand found one soft breast and fondled it, his eyes concentrating on the coral nipple and how it changed color and texture when he ran his thumb over the tip of it. His hand’s motion was slow and purposeful as it circled as if by its own design, exploring the circle of soft flesh, his fingers splayed trying vainly to gather it into his grasp.

He heard her moan and thrust her chest forward as if she wanted a more intimate contact. He responded by lowering his head and touching the tip of her other breast, took the nipple between his lips and pulling it inside his hungry mouth began suckling it.

“Your body pleases me too,. Joseph.” she let out a sigh and rose above him letting him continue to nurse as she held his face close and urged him to lay on his back. His free hand clutched at her hair, as he continued to voraciously nibble at her breast. “Mmm” was all he was able to say when he felt her hand on his cock.

He arched against her stroking hand as she slowly brought him to a greater hardness and then teased the tense flesh with featherlike caresses, running her fingers up and down the veined shaft, exploring the round mushroom head, the tender flesh along the underside, and the suspended sac containing his testicles below. Her hands were soft and gentle but persistent as she continued to play with him, in this maner, occasionally leaving the area that heightened his arousal to caress his thighs, his stomach, and thread their way upward to tug at his chest hairs and tweak his nipples. For a moment she was still, as if pondering where to tease him next. Feeling her hesitation he stopped too. His lips pursed against her breast, his hand motionlessly holding her other breast. He could feel her heartbeat, or was it his? She pulled her breast away from his mouth and lifted her head to look down at him. Her eyes wandered from his face downward to where her hand still held him, tight now as if she didn’t want to let him go, as if she wanted more. His mouth opened involuntarily as if he wanted to taste more of her. He looked up between her thighs as she crouched above him and saw her pink slit, wet with her arousal, her swollen pussy lips begging to be touched, parted, explored. The scent of her arousal filled the air and he licked his lips. He moved to bring his mouth to that delicious place at the same time she made her move to taste him.