The Curse of Zohreh

by Sophie Masson

  ‘Let us speak these words,’ said Soheila, and she said, ‘Oh, Recorder, we ask you, in Zohreh’s name, to end the curse on this house. It is Zohreh’s wish that the sorrow and bitterness be ended forever, and her spirit be allowed to rest. We ask you this as a daughter of the house of Zohreh, and a son of the house of Kassim.’

  Khaled repeated them, then with Soheila.

  Solemnly it was said, but with great joy – and that joy was also in the hearts and minds of all who watched them. Then it seemed to everyone in the room that a figure appeared between the two children – a figure tall and flickering as a white flame, with a veiled face, and a book in one hand and a long quill in the other. They felt a sense of great power, of a power that was as mighty as it was good. The veiled face bent over the book, the quill wrote, and a ghostly voice intoned these words: ‘It is done. The curse of Zohreh is ended.’ The figure rose to its full height, flickered once, then was gone. Only the echo of its words remained, hanging on the still air.

  Epilogue

  Mahmoud was not caught by the Prince’s investigators. He had vanished utterly. An alert was put out for him, but he evaded all checkpoints and frontier posts. Though the kidnappers’ camp was searched, the bodies of the other men and the cars were too badly burnt to provide any form of identification.

  The Mesomian ambassador was summoned by the Prince of Ameerat to explain the whole incident, but he refused to accept any responsibility or knowledge of anything. Indeed, he became angry and impatient at the mere idea. ‘Why are you seeking to impute to Mesomia the evil plots of kidnappers whose nationality is not even known?’ the Ambassador said haughtily.

  The Prince had no choice but to let the matter slide. The only other option was to provoke a full-scale international diplomatic incident, and everyone knew The Vampire would use that as an excuse to go to war. Ameerat most certainly did not want war with its huge and dangerous neighbour.

  The Shayk would have liked to hammer the Mesomians but he was forced to admit that there was little the Prince could do in the circumstances. Besides, as Gur Thalab had flown away on the carpet to seek the Enchantress who had woven it, and find his own destiny, it was quite clear that the Mesomians would have little interest in the al-Farouks any more.

  For it seemed to be the carpet they had been after, probably for the same reasons as Gur Thalab had been so excited to discover its true nature. Perhaps they had known about its deeper message and had somehow tracked it all the way from the Marshlands it had been stolen from. Or perhaps they had simply followed Khaled and Husam back from the Carpet Bazaar because they wanted to know how and why a wealthy Ameeratan family had obtained a Mesomian magic carpet.

  In any case, there was a great deal else to think about in the palace of the al-Farouks these days. As soon as possible, a messenger had been sent trekking into the mountains of Parsari to deliver a message to a modest house in the village of Sholeh. There, a poor couple and their son, who had wept every tear in their heads for their vanished daughter and sister, Soheila, discovered, for the first time in their lives, the meaning of happiness and hope. In a very short time they would be on their way to Jumana to be reunited with Soheila, and to seal the end of the curse of Zohreh and the beginning of a new day for the Melkior clan.

  It would be a momentous meeting, for it would close the circle that had begun a century ago, when Zohreh the Akamenian had so fatefully set foot in the city of Jumana. Many celebrations and feasts were planned and the palace was in uproar, with the gossip coming out of the servants’ quarters reaching great levels of frenzy. According to Ismail – who, newly promoted to apprentice chef, had by now been let into nearly all the secrets – Soheila and Khaled were to be betrothed at this meeting. He was pleased to see that no-one contradicted him, only blushed and looked at each other with a little smile.

  Husam and Kareen would be staying for the festivities, of course. Now the shadows had lifted from the palace they were enjoying themselves. Husam went out on hunting trips into the desert with his old friend the Shayk. And his red-headed companion had been seen by some of the House-Jinn heading towards the Fountain of the Skyflowers, and the company of Ebon Zarah. Many of the House-Jinn breathed a sigh of relief at her absence; she was altogether too spiky and difficult and uninhibited a spirit for them to ever feel comfortable around. Only two missed her and waited for her return with anything like impatience, if such a term can be used of immortals. Hamarajol, the Bathroom-Jinn, missed the gossip and bustle and general topsy-turvying that Kareen had brought with her.

  And Farasha, of the Repository of Forgotten Books, missed her too, though he would have been hard put to say why. In recent days, his domain had been freshly painted, shelves constructed in it, the dull books taken out of their boxes and honourably displayed on them, and a formula dedicated to him painted above the doorway of his domain. There was a sense within the House-Jinn caste that he had most definitely been promoted in the hierarchy, and Bikaj himself had condescended to pay him a personal visit and examine the new conditions in his domain. But for some reason, Farasha felt an odd restlessness. On certain nights, very late, when no-one, human or Jinn, was stirring in the house, he crept out of his fine domain towards the smelly realm of Hamarajol. There, hovering a little anxiously above the doorjamb, he would have long, circular conversations with the sardonic bathroom spirit and the Alhindi Jinn master Sharib, who had also stayed on in the palace. And then the restlessness would fade, and the little Moth-Jinn would be unaccountably happy, and return to his Repository quite refreshed, very pleased with himself and the whole world.

  Glossary

  Adhubilah – a sacred formula in the language of Al Aksara giving protection against evil spirits such as afreets. Usually written up above doors.

  Akamenian – the ancient religion of Parsari until the Mujisal conquerors came. Most Parsarians are now Mujisals but a few cling to the old religion. In modern times Akamenians have suffered persecution by the Parsarian Government and fanatics. The religion takes its name from the name of the Akamenians’ God, Akamenia, who is often represented as a pillar of fire, and sometimes as a burning star. The prophet of the Akamenians, the Truthteller, wrote the sacred book The Realm of Akamenia. Astronomy is very important to the Akamenians and their high priests, the Magvandas, study the paths of the stars very closely.

  Al Aksara – the Great Desert. This huge peninsula is the heartland of Dawtarn el ’Jisal. The Mujisal religion began in Al Aksara, as did the Aksaran language, in which the Book of Light is written. Its most sacred site is the House of Light, in the great city of Umalkurrah, in the kingdom of Riyaldaw. It was here the Messenger, prophet of the Mujisals, lived, and it is also here that the Heaven Stone is kept. Al Aksara, whose economy in modern times is built on oil, gold, banking, and trading, is dominated by the vast oil-rich kingdom of Riyaldaw, but also includes many smaller countries, such as the principality of Ameerat. To the north, Al Aksara has land borders with Mesomia, Masrikhan and Levantian. To the north-east, across the Gulf of Parsari, lies Parsari; to the west, across the Narrow Sea, lie Faraona and Aswadd; and to the south lies the great ocean, the Shining Sea. Aksaran is spoken in all these countries except Parsari.

  Albalhol – mythical monster from the deserts of Faraona who in ancient times was reputed to lie in wait for lone travellers and ask them riddles; if they could not answer, the monster ate them. Albalhol was finally turned into stone by a magician-prince, and this stone monster can still be seen near the ancient Royal Tombs at Teban in the Faraonan desert.

  Alhind – huge country to the south of Al Aksara. It has a Dharbudsu majority, and Mujisal, Nashranee and Akamenian minorities. Once a very rich and powerful empire, over the centuries it has grown poorer, though it is still a force to be reckoned with. There are many Alhindis working in the oil-rich countries of Al Aksara. The Alhindis are renowned for their magical skills and their cleverness. Jinn mastery is a particularly Alhindi skill.

  Afreet – powerful evil Jinn, usually living
in Jehannem under the rule of Iblis. May also be enslaved by human sorcerers and used to accomplish difficult tasks.

  Ameerat – the principality of Ameerat is a small but wealthy country of Al Aksara. Its capital city, Jumana, is the richest in the region, and the centre of the gold trade. As well as Jumana, there are three other large cities in Ameerat, but much of the country is desert, camel farms and date-palm oases. The head of the government is the Prince, who rules as a hereditary monarch, with a council of noblemen, each the head of great families. Abdullah al-Farouk is one of the Prince’s councillors. There are people from all over the world living and working in the cities of Ameerat. Tribal nomads still roam the desert, though they have become less warlike than they were in the past.

  Arga – traditional title for a prince of the green Kirtis Mountains in the north of Mesomia.

  Aswadd – large country to the west of Al Aksara. Most Aswaddis are Mujisal, though there are also many Aswaddi Nashranees as well.

  Dawtarn el ’Jisal – The countries in the world that have a majority Mujisal population are known collectively as Dawtarn el ’Jisal, or Lands of the Mujisals.

  Dharbudsu – once the majority religion in Jayangan, until the advent of the Mujisal religion. Its sacred writings are contained within the Book of Life. Some countries in the world, such as Alhind, are still dominated by the Dharbudsu religion. These are known collectively as ‘Dawtarn el ’Budsu’, or Lands of Dharbudsu.

  Dhow – a type of wooden Aksaran trading ship that has sails but also, these days, an engine. It is used for short trips, such as across the Gulf of Parsari.

  Ebon Zarah – a Jinn who is the spirit of the Fountain of the Skyflowers, a beautiful oasis in Ameerat. Unlike many Jinn, he has the power to speak to the dead. Emerald Mountain of Kaf – a mystical spirit-mountain that exists outside of time and space. It is the realm of the powerful Jinn known as the Recorder.

  Faraona – a large kingdom to the west of Al Aksara, across the Shining Sea. Faraona has a very long history. Centuries ago it was a very powerful empire that stretched into Al Aksara and beyond. Relics of this once-great empire, such as the stone monster Albalhol, and the Royal Tombs at Teban, remain.

  House of Light – the most sacred place in Dawtarn el ’Jisal, where the Messenger gave his first teachings, and where the Heaven Stone, token of God’s love, is kept in a sacred shrine. The House of Light is in the capital city of Riyaldaw, Umalkurrah, and every year hundreds of thousands of Mujisals make a pilgrimage there.

  Ghoul – a type of evil Jinn that haunts graveyards and cemeteries. Ghouls are flesh-eaters and are very dangerous. Like all Jinns, they are shapeshifters, and can present themselves as beautiful women. They also manifest as hyenas and other scavengers.

  Iblis – Lord of the evil Jinn. His realm is Jehannem, place of torment and eternal fire.

  Jayangan – an island far to the east of Al Aksara. In Jayanganese, the name of the island means ‘dwelling place of the gods’.

  Jehannem – the realm of Iblis, lord of the evil Jinn. A place of torment and eternal fire.

  Jinn – one of the Hidden People or spirit people of Al Aksara and many other places in the Dawtarn el ’Jisal. Jinns can be good or bad or in-between, male or female in appearance, or even present as animals. They can metamorphose at will and have various magical powers. They were created from fire and are immortal. Some live in tribes and clans, others are lone spirits.

  Jinn master – a type of magician from Alhind who is able to make minor Jinn perform useful tasks. Jinn masters are forbidden to use bad magic, so they are not regarded as sorcerers.

  Kalfkat – a small saltbush that grows in the northern deserts of Al Aksara. Known as the ‘herb of forgetfulness’, its leaves can be dried, powdered and made into a stupefying concoction that gives a similar effect to drinking wine. The leaves can also be dried and smoked.

  Kirtis Mountains – high mountainous region in the north of Mesomia. Kirtis is very different from much of Mesomia, for instead of being flat, hot and dry, it is a region of green pastures, small stone villages, rushing streams, deep oak forests and high snowy slopes. The Kirtis people are not Aksaran. They have their own language, and though they are mainly Mujisals, there are also Nashranees and Akamenians amongst them. They are renowned as fighters and singers.

  Magvanda – high priest in the Akamenian religion. As well as officiating at religious ceremonies, the Magvandas study the stars. The Magvanda priesthood is not hereditary.

  Masrikhan – country to the north of Al Aksara, bordering Mesomia as well. It is famous for its lace and roses.

  Mesomia – country to the north of Ameerat. Its capital, Madinatu es Salam, was once the seat of powerful kings, and a place of great learning and culture. Mesomia is now under the direct dictatorship of a ruthless tyrant called Haroun bin Said al-Alakah, better known as The Vampire, who murdered the last king and seized power decades ago. The Vampire is a ruthless oppressor and has a feared secret police force who have killed thousands of Mesomians. The Vampire is also reputed to have evil magical powers, which keep his people in thrall.

  Messenger – the great prophet of the Mujisals.

  Mujisal – the majority religion of many countries in the world, including Al Aksara, where it originated. Its sacred writings are contained in the Book of Light. A small section of the Mujisal population practises the ‘Pumujisal’ variety of the religion, which is much stricter than the general variety. The countries in the world that have a majority Mujisal population are known collectively as Dawtarn el ’Jisal, or Lands of the Mujisals.

  Nashranee – one of the world’s great religions. Though it is a minority religion in the countries of the Dawtarn el ’Jisal, it is a majority religion in many other places, such as the Rummiyan Empire. Countries where this religion is practised are collectively known as ‘Dawtarn el ’Ranee’, or Lands of the Nashranees. Its sacred writings are contained in the Book of Love.

  Parsari – large country to the north-east of Ameerat, over the Parsari Gulf. Like Alhind and Faraona, Parsari was once a mighty empire. These days it is still a very important country but it has become quite poor. It had a hereditary emperor until a few years ago a fiery Pumujisal preacher overthrew him and became ruler. Parsari has been at war with Mesomia many times. Unlike most countries in the region, Parsari is not inhabited by people of Aksaran origin. It was once dominated by the Akamenian religion, which originated there, but has been Mujisal for centuries now.

  Pumujisal – small, strict sect of the Mujisal religion. Frowns on pleasure of all sorts, believes in work and study only. Its adherents usually dress in pure white, and are often opposed to other religions.

  Riyaldaw – vast desert kingdom bordering Ameerat. It is a vastly wealthy country due to oil exports and pilgrimage tithes. It is not as peaceful as Ameerat, with rebels in the south and north seeking to overthrow the royal family. Its capital city, Umalkurrah, is the most holy city in all of the Mujisal world, and the House of Light is located there.

  Sambuk – a type of large Parsarian wooden sailing ship.

  Shayk – honorific Al Aksaran title for a great nobleman, meaning ‘lord’.

  Shining Ones – another name for angels, who are made of light and are messengers of God.

  Truthteller – the prophet of the Akamenians, who arose thousands of years ago to proclaim the message of Akamenia.

  Zummiyah water – water taken from the sacred well near the House of Light in Al Aksara. Can protect against evil spirits.

  Acknowledgements

  The author wishes to acknowledge the support of the May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust, in whose Adelaide studio The Curse of Zohreh was first planned and sketched out.

  Thanks also to Dr Raghid Nahhas, who gave me Farasha’s name and set me on the way to creating a favourite character.

  About the author

  Sophie Masson was born in Indonesia of French parents and was brought up mainly in Australia. A bilingual French and English speaker, she
has a master’s degree in French and English literature. Sophie is the prolific author of numerous young adult fantasy novels as well as several adult novels. She lives in Armidale, New South Wales, with her husband and children.

  Extract from Snow, Fire, Sword

  One

  How tiring this journey was! Why did they have to walk, rather than go by car or bus? Why go around the long way rather than use the main roads? Why, oh why, spend uncomfortable nights sleeping in forests and ditches instead of comfortable guesthouses? Grumbling to himself, Adi trudged along the muddy dirt track behind his master. Before they left, he’d been so excited at the prospect of his first visit to Kotabunga, the great capital city of Jayangan. It was more than excitement at the prospect of seeing the city, seat of the Sultan of Jayangan. It was also because this was a great moment in Adi’s life.

  After two years in Empu Wesiagi’s workshop, working at all kinds of tasks, Adi had been allowed to help his master create an important new kris, from beginning to almost the end: carefully shaping and tempering the curved skystone blade, decorating the metal and leather scabbard with delicate tracework. Only right at the end did Empu Wesiagi take over, for that was the time when the sacred, magic formulae were said over the weapon to dedicate its spirit to its new owner, who was to be none other than the Sultan himself!