The Candle Princess

by Raine Hughes

  “I am not solely of the world of the Djinn. Nor am I of the mortal world. I have tried to be Djinn and even though there is supernatural blood in my veins and I possess some powers, I am not a true Djinni.”

  “I think I am more of your world, Noah. Even though I cannot do many of the things your way, it has nothing to do with blood, I think. While I can accomplish these things using the powers that have been bestowed on me by my Djinni ancestry, I do not wish to return to Mt. Kaf, as a not-quite-failure, to be dictated, too.”

  “You’re not a failure, Jasmine!” He rose up as tall as being down on his knees allowed him, as if being higher would put him in command.

  She silenced him this time with her upheld hand. “I do not possess a full range of powers like my siblings. It is my wish to remain here, to indulge in my mortal heritage, to find out if I belong more to your world. You have given me that chance, to get a small look at what my mortal life would be. Now I must take the next step, to remain here many years so I can truly learn about this side of myself. There is no one else I would rather live my life with than you, Noah.”

  “But—”

  “I wish to finish, please,” she said with aggression.

  She would never have dared say that to any other man of her origins, mortal or Djinn. It was the way of his land and she was learning to take advantage of her rights. He’d corrupted her in the short time she’d been with him. The realization that he’d changed her might well mean she couldn’t return to the Djinn without suffering severe repercussions.

  “Because I am more mortal than Djinni, the usual conditions of a Djinn marriage may not be necessary. There is a way for us to be together, Noah, to marry and to love, even though you are not royalty, but because you are special. The process, it is difficult and unconventional, I have heard, but it is not impossible. Remember my great-grandmother?”

  Hope and relief rose inside him, like a slow rise in temperature on a thermometer, but he couldn’t dismiss the fact that she wasn’t aware of all the details, especially of how he’d ensured that she remain with him by withholding the motorized brass stopper to her urn.

  He opened his mouth to confess only the words that came out weren’t those. He heard himself say, “Why is this process difficult? What is unconventional about it?”

  “No ordinary mortals have ever succeeded.”

  Noah’s entire body sagged. He flung his hands up in exasperation. “Jasmine, I am an ordinary mortal. I have no special gifts or powers.”

  “It is within mortal capabilities,” she countered. “You are wrong about not having powers, Noah. You have a powerful way, to make me welcome at first, then happy to be here. You dispel my dark moments and make me feel good. You have many powers you do not realize. The power of love can be very strong, and I have felt it. I believe you can do it, Noah, because if it is like my love for you, then it is strong enough.”

  He succeeded in leaping to his feet where he began pacing the short distance between the fireplace and where she sat looking up at him. Self-doubt haunted each step he took.

  “But Jasmine… is our love really enough?” Was their love strong enough to overcome barriers that apparently no other common mortal had been able to? “I can’t even speculate on what I need to do. Just what exactly is it I have to do to win a Djinni’s heart?”

  “Oh, you have won my heart already,” she assured him, her voice excited as she rose off the floor in one lithe motion. At least she no longer swayed and undulated before him. “Now you must win the right to claim me. For this, I must summon the King of all Djinni.”

  “Jasmine, we need to—”

  In an instant, Jasmine raised her arms and projected her voice in a summons. A black-robed figure stepped out of the ensuing small tornado that created havoc with everything within the room, themselves included.

  Noah stumbled back several steps as a thundering voice roared, “What is it now?” The King’s stern bearing more than made up for his unimposing dress. And, he’d spoken English! So, was the King already well aware of the man who refused to be called Master by Djinni Princess Jasmine?

  Jasmine bowed low before speaking. She sounded calm and confident, even when the King barked questions at her. It was frustrating to know they were discussing his merits—or lack thereof—because now both of them spoke in their own language.

  The King peered at him from within a dark aura the entire time they were talking. Noah realized he really couldn’t see the King’s face, but that there was an illusion of one dark eyebrow that kept rising as if in disbelief at Noah’s audacity.

  Noah squared his shoulders and stood tall.

  “I must consult Prince Jafar,” the King announced in English, his tone less angry.

  In the next instant, they were joined by Jasmine’s father, also swathed in dark cloth, but at least this time Noah could see the man’s face. Noah had never seen such a fearsome scowl. A pitched exchange followed. It sounded like so much gibberish to Noah that a laugh escaped his lips.

  Abruptly, the two men fell silent and turned to him with unsmiling regard. The King’s aura remained dark as a July thundercloud. Noah opened his mouth to apologize, but instead let out a yelp. He’d backed into the fireplace! Hastily slapping at a pant leg, he put the fire out while the two men regarding him each maintained a dark countenance.

  Great. Now they know for sure I’m not fit to marry one of their kind! Noah suppressed a moan of despair and cleared his throat purposefully. “If you don’t mind, I’d just like to say in my defen—”

  His Djinni guests just as abruptly went back to their argument, ignoring him. It was as if he hadn’t spoken. There was much waving of hands, Jasmine and her father kept bowing, as if disagreement with the King needed apology.

  Then a third figure entered the fray in a shriek of wind, his face set in a sneer. His words sounded haughty as he reached for Jasmine’s elbow. She jerked away then dodged when he reached for her again.

  Noah leaped forward to insert himself between them. “She doesn’t want your touch. Keep your hands off her!” He used his coldest tone to continue, “You must be the rejected suitor, Prince Rasoul.”

  The man’s face darkened with outrage, but before he could point out the misconception of who rejected who, the King made what must have been a final statement because he immediately disappeared in a poof of smoke, albeit a very large and impenetrable cloud of smoke. Prince Jafar similarly disappeared. With a snort that lent an evil look to him, the younger Prince prepared to take his exit, but not before issuing a departing decree to Jasmine in English so that Noah would understand the ramifications.

  “You shall regret giving your life to this mere human. Your place is with us. Once you are finished with this foolishness, I will consider your expectation to join my harem.” Then he flung his hand up at Noah, and with the roar of a windstorm that sucked all the smoke from the room with him, he was gone.

  Noah gaped, speechless, but only for a moment. “Of all the arrogant… Expectation? He’ll consider you… You were right to reject that insufferable man!”

  Jasmine smiled her thanks at the indignant words on her behalf. “I am regretful of the fire, Noah. It was not cold.”

  Of all the things she could have said after the confrontation, that wasn’t what he expected. “I’m fine, just a little singed, really. I have other clothes. Noah, stop babbling.” With a groan he realized he’d spoken that command to himself aloud and clapped a hand high on his forehead. Dumb, Noah, dumb.

  Jasmine once more looked to the clock on the mantel as if there was some significance in the time.

  “I assume the verdict wasn’t favorable.”

  Jasmine turned back to him and unexpectedly grinned in response. Abruptly she dropped down before him with a flourish. “Noah D’Ark, will you be my one-and-only life mate, my zawg—my husband, please? This is how your people make a proposal, is it not?”

  Once again Noah was speechless. It took him many seconds to discover his jaw hanging use
lessly. It took him several more seconds to close it. She was proposing to him! He wagged his head back and forth then up and down. “I’m not royal, Jasmine. I’m just a common mortal, and what about the difficult or unconventional process you spoke about?”

  He was still grasping at straws and he hated that he was doing so.

  “The King has allowed that there are to be only three stipulations. I know you will succeed, Noah, and we will be happily-ever-after.” Her musical giggles and springy bounces betrayed her excitement.

  “You have more faith in me than I do,” he muttered. Louder he asked, “So there are three qualifications for me to gain the right for us to remain together, to marry, without interference from the ex-suitor, your father, or the King?” He worried on that score. “Does anyone else have a say on this? Your brother or mother, perhaps?”

  Jasmine’s topknot swung back and forth vigorously. “Only the King and I will have say. You must grant me three wishes.”

  “I must grant you—?” he hooted, then sobered when he realized she was serious.

  “There were other conditions that my father spoke of, as did Rasoul, but King Solomon insisted that it was enough that you grant me the three wishes I want.”

  Noah was uncertain of what to make of that reversal, either. “You said it wouldn’t be easy, and given our considerable differences…” He tried another track. “If no one, no mortal, has ever been able to grant these wishes, it is highly unlikely that I can grant them.”

  Jasmine continued to beam and bounce, clearly confident that he’d meet the challenge.

  Noah wasn’t so sure but couldn’t stop himself from asking, “What are they, just in case I think I might be that one mortal able to get these three things or perform them for you?” Forever the fool, echoed in his brain. Only a fool would think he could succeed!

  “I cannot tell you, Noah. A Djinni cannot voice this kind of wish. You must determine them and”—she paused, her expression apologetic—“you must succeed or I will have to leave immediately and take my place with my people.”

  His mouth fell open like it had come unhinged. He’d never had so much trouble keeping his mouth shut in his life! This new ultimatum was even worse than he’d thought. Now he wished he had never started this whole thing. In fact, he couldn’t even remember how they got started down this path. They were doomed to be parted—immediately!

  “My wishes are simple, Noah. You are already aware of them, you know them in here.” Jasmine placed her hand over his chest, fingers splayed wide to encompass his heart. “And since I love you, very, very much, too, you will be victorious!” She flung her hands high in the victory sign and this time her feet left the floor with springy motion.

  Noah reached out to still the dizzying up-and-down movement. “Let me get this straight. You can’t tell me what your wishes are? How can anyone just guess what someone else wants?” He released her and clasped his own head in both hands. “Oh, Jasmine, what have I done?”

  Now that the ball was rolling, if he didn’t succeed, she would have to leave. It seemed the choice had been taken from his hands, even though only moments before he himself had told her to return to her people. He suspected Jasmine might be turned over to Prince Rasoul who very definitely didn’t possess an ounce of compassion. God only knew what kind of a life she would have as a member of a harem.

  Of course with Jasmine’s newfound independence, she would probably refuse and he was absolutely certain that would not go over well back at Mt. Kaf. He feared the worse sort of punishment would be bestowed on her.

  It was insane to even try but Jasmine’s very existence relied on him keeping her out of the clutches of the arrogant prince.

  “When you truly love and know someone, you do not have to guess, Noah. You just know,” Jasmine said, breaking into his dismal thoughts.

  Her liquid eyes were like pools pleading for him to leap into their depths, to make love to her. He knew that was her wish—one of them anyway—but he’d never be sure what the other two were! And unless he succeeded in granting all three, the first would compromise her. He had to do things in the proper order.

  He had no idea if divorce was allowed in her culture, but he strongly suspected annulment was. “By the will of the gods, I will be your life mate, Jasmine. We can enter into marriage recognized by the law of my country then proceed with the rest of the wishes, can we not?” He wouldn’t ask what would become of her should their marriage be dissolved. Somehow, he could not let Prince Rasoul take possession of his gentle and loving houseguest.

  Jasmine clapped her hands in delight. “I will not be part of a harem. I will have a husband all to myself. That is you, Noah!”

  He took that to mean that she could marry him under the more liberal vows of his culture, a bonding of the hearts, not an enslavement of body and mind. Noah’s relief came out as more of a not-too-sure kind of snort-laugh.

  “Remember the wishes you know are in your heart already, Noah.”

  The wishes I know… Was she passing him some sort of message? Their love for each other was the driving force behind her taking a chance on him. What more could a man ask for?

  “Lord, help me.” He spoke the quick plea without breaking eye contact.

  How would he live with himself if he failed, knowing that Jasmine had been willing, eager, to stay with him for the sixty or more years of what remained of his life? From the arrogant princely suitor, he surmised that such would not jeopardize Jasmine’s life span. Prince Rasoul would be chagrined to know that his words spurred Noah on. He could no more deny her his best try than he could cease breathing. He was her only chance to remain free of the clutches of a ruthless man in a society that allowed and even expected inequality of the sexes.

  He didn’t know if he was strong enough to survive the pain of self-condemnation if he failed. The task of granting three wishes to his bride-to-be was impossible, yet that was what he once thought about bringing a ferry through the mountains, and they had done it. He’d believed in Jasmine.

  Now the roles were reversed. Jasmine believed he would succeed. He had to believe in himself, too, or he would fail for sure.

  Resolutely, he made up his mind, clearing it of all except the task at hand. Jasmine had made no secret that engaging in the physical expression of their love was one of her greatest desires. It was the only one he knew for sure, wasn’t it?

  He turned his face to the window, raised it to the darkened sky. “Dear God in Heaven,” he softly began a prayer, “You must have brought Jasmine here to me. You must have expected that I would accept this challenge. I’m trusting that You will guide me. I know You don’t use magic and I certainly have none but with Your help, I can. I will,” he vowed.

  Calm spread over him like a blanket. God would help. With that came the realization that he must first reveal what truly was in his heart. He had to tell Jasmine what he’d been reluctant to admit to her and especially to himself. He’d read the frustration in her eyes often, whenever she prompted him to voice a wish. He’d always managed to keep his wishes to himself; he didn’t want to demean her. But his true feelings were tied up with the unspoken wishes and he needed to reveal them.

  His mouth was suddenly Sahara Desert dry. Noah placed both hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed. Was he reassuring Jasmine or himself? He cleared his throat, did it again, and finally the words came.

  “For you, I’d try anything because you are special to me, Jasmine, in many ways and none of them has to do with the supernatural.” He pressed his lips to the tip of her nose before explaining. “There’s the way you wear a perpetual smile like everything around you pleases you. There are all the ways you try to please me—and succeed—even if it’s only some small thing, like using the can opener. There is the way your eyes tell me you love me, not just when awareness strikes us, but every time you look at me. I love the way you move, your body so full of life, so inviting, so endearing.”

  Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and she held the fi
ngers of one hand to her mouth, a very mortal emotional response that told him that she had been waiting long to hear him reveal his heart.

  “I’m sorry that I haven’t told you before, Jasmine. You deserve to know that you’re important to me. I know how frustrated you’ve been with me for keeping my thoughts, my wishes to myself. It’s just that—” he took a deep breath “—I couldn’t allow myself the privilege of falling in love with you, then when I did in spite of everything, well, I couldn’t admit it because of what you are—royalty—and so far beyond me. ”

  Her eyes were mirrors of her inner thoughts and feelings. The love and happiness that shone from the mirrors of her inner soul set him to thinking. Could his pledge, this speaking of his feelings, be one of the wishes she’d hoped he would grant? Could it be this easy?

  “You’ve been waiting a long time for me to tell you what’s been in my heart, haven’t you, Jasmine? I’ve just given you a wish, I think, a wish for me to reveal my feelings?” He gently traced the outlines of her lips with his thumb as he waited for her to reply. Instead of answering, she just looked at him, her gaze open and exuding her love. But, she remained silent. “You can’t even tell me when or if I get a wish right?”

  “Only when all three wishes are granted will I be able to inform you.”

  Even through his frustration, his mind registered her aura. It contained a thousand little lights, like the flames from candles, shimmering all about her. He didn’t think it was a trick of the lighting in the room. He dared to breathe a sigh of relief at her silent message, whether she’d intended to reveal it or not.

  “You have a special gift for handling people, making them feel important and good about themselves. There’s nothing supernatural about that. It’s just an exceptional quality, and I love that about you. Some have it, others don’t.” He was on a roll now. “You are good for me, too.”

  “I am good for you?”

  “In every way, Jasmine.” He dropped a kiss on her upturned face. “You’ve made me feel alive again, Jasmine. I didn’t know that I’d shut down on living until you came along.”