At last it is time for another Faylinn short story! And I thiiink you guys are going to be pleased with this one. *grins*

Let’s get to the info first.

For Newcomers

Each month Arielle posts a prompt on her writing blog that goes along with Fairy Tale Central’s monthly featured fairy tale. I’ve been writing short stories for it of a continuing story about a wingless fairy and banished prince, Raylinn and Finn, or “Faylinn” as is their designated ship name, and their tag along sassmaster, Zayd the genie.

The Previous Stories

For a while each story was more or less one contained story, but starting with Royalty is a Cold Business, I chose to make a more overarching plot.

You can find each story below:

• Deal or No Deal (A Rumpelstiltskin-inspired story and the first introduction to these characters)
• Let Down Your Hair? (A Rapunzel-inspired story)
• It Ain’t Easy Having a Genie (An Aladdin-inspired one, and Zayd’s first introduction. This story connects pretty heavily to today’s story, fyi.)
• Frogs and Bears Make Great Boyfriends (A The Frog Prince and Snow White & Rose Red crossover story)
• That’s Definitely Not Granny (A Little Red Riding Hood one that dives into Finn’s story a bit.)
• The Genie Can Dance (A Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling in which we discover Zayd’s history.)
• Royalty is a Cold Business (A The Snow Queen inspired story. This one would be a good place to start if you haven’t read the others.)
• The White Lion (A The Wounded Lion inspired story.)

And today I’m back with another ridiculous title because last month’s title was just way to boring. Pffft. (And yes, this title is totally ripping of Frogs and Bears Make Great Boyfriends because why not?)

There’s also a Pinterest Board!

Last Time…

Just a quick refresher of where we left off.

Raylinn, Finn, and Zayd returned to Finn’s kingdom, only to discover Finn’s sister, Trayla, has allied herself with Kellen, the king of the fairies. Kellen has surrounded the kingdom in a magical icy dome and turned the soldiers into his own mindless ice army. All because he and Trayla believe the queen of the fairies is about to attack the kingdom. They also think Raylinn is behind the attacks.

In a fight, Zayd got impaled with an icicle and Raylinn, in a panic, used some magic on him that made him disappear.

But where oh where did the little genie go? WELL. You guys asked and today we’re finding out. *grins*

The Prompt

This month’s featured fairy tale over on FTC is…

PRINCE AHMED & THE FAIRY PARIBANOU

Which is an obscure Arabian tale of which you can read HERE. And I totally recommend it because it is fantastic.

I’ll also be referencing it quite a bit in today’s story for fun. So if you have read the tale, let me know if you caught all the references!

The Prompt

You can find the post with the prompt HERE and join in yourself! Just write a piece and add the link in the comments of the post any time!

I changed the wording just a teeny tiny bit to fit my story but, for once, I’m actually more or less following the prompt! ‘Tis a miracle!

Enjoy!

GENIES DON’T MAKE GREAT BABYSITTERS

Pain. So much pain. Oh, storming sands, it hurt.

A scream pierced into his unconsciousness, stirring him back awake.

Raylinn?

Light swarmed around him and magic pulsed from the air like static. More light blazed, more pain ripped into his abdomen. With another crackling burst of magic, the icy hold of the guards on each side of him disappeared.

“Oomph.”

Zayd’s back cracked onto solid ground and the overwhelming light dispersed. Shouts and pounding feet surrounded him. He tried to look, but his vision spun in a tornado of colors and bile rose in his mouth, forcing him to squeeze his eyes back shut. Pain spiked in his abdomen. Every gasp of gurgling breath felt like knives sliding across his lungs.

But he had to get up, get away from Kellen’s moronic henchman. His fingers curled into what felt like…carpet?

Voices surrounded him, piercing his ears like needles.

“What did you do, Ahmed?”

“I didn’t do anything! I just found him here!”

“Is that blood?”

“It wasn’t me, I swear. I saw a flash of light and he just appeared.”

Were these children? Zayd forced his weighted eyelids up. Three faces swam in his blurry vision.

“He’s waking up!”

“Wait, wait. Are those fairy markings on his arms?”

Gasps resounded around the room.

“Is that Papa’s genie?”

“Should we get the lamp?”

“Are you kidding? Papa would disown us!”

Zayd gasped another dagger shredding breath. “Lamp?” he croaked. This couldn’t be… But the ceiling, swirling in his foggy vision though it was, did look familiar. Could Raylinn have done that? He curled his fingers deeper into the rug. “Need…lamp…”

“Look, he’s giving us permission!”

“But…”

“He’ll die without it. Just go!”

Pattering of feet sent the floor shaking, jostling Zayd’s wound. He shut his eyes again, pleading the insides of his stomach to stay put.

The pounding feet returned, along with lots of arguing, muffled under his ever-fading consciousness. Was this what it was like to die? Ugh. It was not pleasant. After over a hundred years of life, he was not about to let an icicle do him in.

He forced his lips to form words. “Wish…healing…”

The voices continued their incessant, high-pitched argument, something about who got to use the lamp, and didn’t even seem to hear him.

He dug his nails into the carpet. “Healing! Now!” Pain ruptured from his abdomen, up his spine, and through his skull. His grip on reality slipped slowly by, darkening, darkening…

And then a voice.

“I wish he was healed!”

The familiar spark of the magic running through his veins warmed his insides, sizzling, demanded to be used. And he welcomed it like an old friend. Grasping the tingling sensation, he poured it into his wound.

Consciousness returned, the gasps in the room sharpened, and—oh, glorious relief—the pain subsided until it disappeared, snuffed out like a flame. He drew in a long, wonderful, pain-free breath. When he opened his eyes, three young male faces, clear as day, hovered over him.

“Shoo!”

They scattered like bottles as he sat up. Head aching, he took in the bedroom—the ornate red carpet, the four poster bed, the extravagant paintings. This was his room. His room in the Mamlaki palace, given to him after Aladdin married Princess Amira.

Raylinn had sent him home.

Stars, she was powerful. Teleportation magic wasn’t for the faint of heart, and he hadn’t even taught it to her yet. How did she possess so much skilled magic for a common fairy, and a wingless one at that?

Questions later. Right now he had to… Drat it all.

More pain lanced in his head as the past events crashed through his skull. Kellen, the ex-king of fairies, and his ice zombies were currently terrorizing Raylinn and Finn and here he sat with…

He looked up.

Three pairs of wide dark eyes stared down at him. The tallest boy, looking no more than twelve, hugged an all-too-familiar oil lamp to his chest.

Zayd leapt to his feet and marched forward. The boy backpedaled, but it didn’t even matter. The second Zayd reached for the lamp heat seared his fingers. Hissing, he pulled his hand back. Right. He couldn’t touch his lamp as long as another human held it. And whoever held it was his master.

Storming fig trees. This child was now his master?

“Where did you get that?” he snapped, flapping a hand at the lamp.

The tallest boy tightened his grip on it as the other two crowded around him. “It’s papa’s.”

“Excuse me? What happened to Aladdin?”

The second oldest rolled his eyes. “Aladdin is our papa.”

“WHAT?!”

The boys ducked at his outcry and he shoved them out of the way to look out the window. Far below, the crowded buildings of Mamlaki stretched far across the desert, the streets buzzing with colorfully clothed people, adding color to the sandy city. Nothing looked any different from when he had left with Raylinn and Finn some eight months ago.

He swerved back around to the wide-eyed boys. Eight months. It had only been eight months. How did Aladdin have children? Did Raylinn send him forward in time? She may be powerful, but no fairy was that powerful.

He pressed a hand against his head. “It’s impossible…”

“What’s impossible?” The youngest, looking seven or eight or something—he never really understood human aging—stared at him with owl-like eyes.

“You! All of you! Aladdin and Amira have only been married for a year. They can’t have had three children!”

The boys all glanced at each other with gleaming eyes, giggling.

“What?” He did not have time for giggling children.

The second oldest puffed out his chest proudly. “Mama and papa adopted us. We’re princes now.”

“We lived on the street before.” The youngest twiddled with the end of his tunic. “Urchins.”

“Not urchins,” the oldest said, pressing a hand on the youngest’s shoulder. “Just…um…adventurers.”

“Adventurers!” cried out the middle, brandishing a pretend weapon.

Ah, orphans. Zayd let out a breath. He wasn’t in the future, thank the stars.

He took in the three boys before him—the youngest, head low, wrapping and unwrapping his tunic around his fingers, the oldest clutching the lamp in one hand and his youngest brother with the other, the middle flailing around with a pretend scimitar. This was just like Aladdin, the softie. Gets himself a palace and immediately adopts the first orphans he sees on the streets.

Probably had to do something to fill the void of sending away his genie.

Zayd snickered and marched toward the door. Oh boy, was Aladdin going to be mad to see who had returned. He couldn’t wait.

“Where are you going?” one of the boys called.

“To see my dear ol’ friend Aladdin.” He waved a hand over his shoulder. “Bring the lamp.”

“Stop! I mean, um, I wish you would stop!”

The tingling warmth of magic returned, forcing him to reach for it and use it on his own legs, freezing them in place. He curled his fingers into fists. Oh how he hated how his magic could only be used by others commands.

He shot a glare over his shoulder at the oldest boy. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Houssain?” The youngest also looked up at the eldest boy, enormous eyes filled with questions.

The eldest—Houssain, apparently—stroked a shaking finger across the lamp. “We can’t let him go to papa.”

The middle boy nodded vigorously. “He’s right. If papa knew we stole the lamp he’d put us back on the streets for sure! I heard him talking just yesterday about sending us away—this would be the last straw.”

If possible, the youngest’s eyes grew even larger. “He’s sending us away? Why?”

The oldest squeezed the boy’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, Ahmed. He probably just wants some peace and quiet for a little while is all.”

The middle boy snorted. “If we do get thrown back on the streets, it’ll be your fault.”

“My fault? The camel incident was your idea, Ali!”

“Yeah, but you two helped! And you’re the one holding the lamp!”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Zayd clapped his hands to divert their attention back to him. “Someone unwish my legs frozen. Now!” His neck ached from trying to see them over his shoulder. And he really didn’t have time for a bunch of bickering children. “Aladdin!” he screamed through the opened doorway. “ALADDIN!”

“I wish you were silent!” Houssain cried.

“Why, you little—” His own magic stopped his tongue from finishing the sentence.

The youngest—Ahmed, was it?—darted forward and slammed the door closed. “We have to do something! Papa’s going to be furious.”

Rushed footsteps pounded from the hall.

All three boys shared horrified looks.

“Um…uh…” Houssain spun around, his gaze landing on a great tapestry hanging on the wall. “I wish we had a tapestry that will take us anywhere!”

Magic coursed hot through Zayd’s veins at the elaborate request. His insides twisted and seared as a tapestry materialized out of thin air and plopped down on the floor in front of the two oldest boys.

“Pile on!” Houssain said, jumping onto it. “You too, genie!”

Zayd shot him a glare.

“Oh, um. I wish you were on the tapestry.”

His legs loosened, and he found himself marching toward it. Gritting his teeth, he forced his legs to move as slow as possible. The boy didn’t wish him to move fast, after all. Unfortunately, Ahmed gave him a push from behind. He stumbled, landing on hands and knees onto the tapestry.

Whoosh!

In a rush of wind the bedroom disappeared. They plopped onto sandy ground, the great wall of Mamlaki City looming behind and the stifling desert stretching out seemingly endlessly ahead.

Movement a good many yards away in the desert caught Zayd’s attention. He squinted. Half a dozen camels loped through the thick sand, with a couple of men chasing after them. And was that…ribbons and jewelry decorating the camels’ fur?

The camel incident, perhaps?

He didn’t even want to ask. Not that he could, being as how he was mute.

He glared at the boys, but they paid him no mind, being as how the two oldest were currently tumbling around on the tapestry in a fight and the youngest sat cross-legged sniveling.

“That was a stupid wish!” Ali cried, pulling on Houssain’s hair. “How did this help anything?”

“I just needed time to think!” Houssain shoved his hand into Ali’s face.

“You’ve had your turn, give me the lamp!”

“No, I’m the oldest!”

“Older doesn’t make you smarter!”

“Stop it!” Ahmed scooped up some sand and hurled it at the other two.

Zayd leaned his head back and let out a long, long, long sigh. Dealing with Lavena and her eleven sisters had been more pleasant than this. Children. Why oh why did it have to be children?

Thanks a lot, Raylinn.

In her defense, sending him back where someone would use his lamp did save his life. But still. Death by icicle was suddenly looking more and more favorable than his current circumstances.

He just wondered what her and Finn’s circumstances looked like right now…

“Ow!”

Houssain’s cry pulled him from his thoughts. Ali had his teeth clamped in the other boy’s wrist. The lamp tumbled onto the ground and Ali snatched it up. Houssain dove for him.

“I wish for a telescope that lets me see anything!” Ali let out in a rush, ducking under Houssain’s reach.

With another long sigh, Zayd twirled a finger and the item materialized in Ali’s free hand.

Houssain huffed, rubbing his bitten hand. “What good will that do?”

“So we can see how mad papa is,” Ali said, tucking the lamp protectively under one arm and holding the telescope up to his eye.

Zayd had to admit, these boys were inventive. Aladdin had always merely wished for food, gold, new clothes, utterly boring nonsense. Of course, they could just wish for Aladdin to never be able to know they took the lamp, for him to forget about the camel incident, or any number of much simpler tactics. But he couldn’t suggest any of it thanks to Houssain.

“Can you see him?” Ahmed asked, scrambling up to his feet.

“Yeah! He’s back in our room. Mama’s there too.”

Their room? So Aladdin had given Zayd’s room to them? Rude.

Ahmed’s eyes moistened again. “Do they look angry?”

“Well…um… There’s a guard in there too. Mama’s face is all scrunched up funny and she’s pointing at the window.”

“Give me that.” Houssain snatched the telescope away.

“Hey!” Ali jumped for it, but Houssain shoved him off with one hand and peered through with the other.

Houssain gasped. “It looks like mama’s…crying.”

Ali stilled, eyes wide.

“Papa’s arms are flailing around, and oh! He’s bringing in more guards. I think…I think he may be searching for us.” Houssain pulled the telescope down and all three brothers stared at one another, jaws slack.

“Do you think we should go back?” Ahmed asked in a near whisper.

“But he’ll still know what we did and will just send us right back out,” Ali said.

“Then we’ll bring him a present!” Ahmed snatched the lamp right out from under Ali’s arm. “It’s my turn to use the genie anyway!”

Use the genie? He wasn’t a toy.

Zayd flopped down on his back as the boys burst into another insufferable argument.

“A present won’t do any good, he’s always had access to a genie!”

“I just thought it would be nice!”

“Give it back. Houssain made a bunch of wishes, I’m allowed at least three!”

“No, you have your telescope.”

Zayd folded his hands behind his head, watching a tiny, thin cloud drift lazily in the otherwise blue, blue sky. Warm wind sent sand fluttering around his head. He hadn’t realized he almost missed the warmth of the desert. It was certainly better than that ice cube kingdom Kellen had turned Talgaria into.

He winced.

Right. Talgaria. He really needed to find a way back.

“Ahmed, you’re too young!” Houssain was shouting.

“Am not! I’ll show you. I wish for an apple!”

“An apple!” Houssain and Ali groaned in unison.

Zayd snorted as a twinge of magic popped in his fingertips. He gave them a flick, not even looking as the apple appeared in the youngest boy’s hand. Well, that was easy anyway.

“That’s a real nice gift, Ahmed.” Ali’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “He’ll be sure to forgive us now.”

“Well, you two were pressuring me! I can make it better.”

“Ahmed, just give the lamp back,” Houssain said with a sigh.

“No!” Ahmed pattered over to Zayd and plopped on the ground right by his head, as if he expected Zayd to protect him.

Zayd just peered up at the boy, raising an eyebrow.

Ahmed hugged the lamp and bright red apple against his chest, his short arms barely able to keep a hold of both of them.

“I wish it was a gold apple, with gems all around.”

Zayd raised a hand, but the boy kept going.

“And…um…and it smells good!”

Magic tingled up his arms.

“And and and it, uh, it cures sick people.”

Warmth coursed through him.

“With one sniff!”

Zayd wrinkled his nose. All right, the boy had an imagination, he’d give him that. As magic surged inside him, he had to sit up. This was going to take more than a flick of his fingers. That was the problem with being a genie. Wishes had to be granted, within the abilities of fairy magic, but he still felt it, every bit of it. And if he didn’t grant the wish, the magic would burn him inside out and end in, what he expected, would be an excruciating death. Queen Fairy spared no expense when it came to her curses.

Of course, being as how he still had some semblance of control with the magic process, he could twist the wisher’s words around into something more fun. Like when Aladdin asked for riches and he took the sultan’s treasures to give to Aladdin, which resulted in Aladdin being accused of thievery and almost getting beheaded. Ah, good times.

He could do something like that now. Not make the apple artificial perhaps, so it only lasted a little while before rotting. Or twisting Ahmed’s form of “cure all sick people”, where it covered them in salt like curing meat. Now that would be entertaining.

Grinning, he reached into his magic, focusing on the apple. Ahmed turned toward him, wriggling in glee. He held the apple out, owl-like eyes watching with hopeful anticipation. Hoping a simple magic apple will keep him from having to return to a life as an orphaned street urchin…

Just before the spell released, Zayd shifted it. A searing burst of magic exploded through his skull as the powerful spell struck the apple. Ahmed gasped as the apple transformed from red to gold, jewels glimmering all the way around it. A sweet, fruity scent wafted from its core.

Ahmed’s huge gaze glittered in pure delight. “Mama and papa will love it! Does it really cure sick people?”

Zayd nodded. Because it did. It would heal all ailments, with a single sniff, just like the boy asked. He sighed. Ah well. It was more fun to alter Aladdin’s wishes anyway.

“All right, Ahmed, that’s enough.” Houssain reached down for the lamp.

“Wait!” Ahmed scooted back, clutching the lamp. “I also wish the camels were back in their pens.”

Zayd peered at the decorated camels still dancing around the men’s reach. Shrugging, he focused his magic on the camels and pop! they vanished. He grinned at the very confused men standing in the camel-less desert. The men turned and faint shouts drifted in the wind as they seemed to have spotted the genie and three children lounging on a tapestry outside the city walls.

“Oh dear!” Houssain squeezed his eyes shut.

Woosh!

Another rush of wind and a jostle as they smacked onto more solid ground.

Screams exploded through the air. Swords were drawn, orders were shouted, the boys scrambled in circles, shrieking.

“Wait, stop! It’s the boys!” Things quieted at the female voice.

Zayd blinked, trying to get his bearings as the many people in the room stilled. They had returned to his former bedroom, which now stood with half a dozen armed guards, and two other additions.

“ZAYD?”

Zayd grinned and opened his mouth, only to remember he couldn’t speak. Sighing, he had to be content to wave at his old (sort of current?) master.

Aladdin stomped forward. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Boys, get away!” Princess Amira rushed over and ushered the three boys off the tapestry. “Where have you all been? We heard banging and yelling in here, but then the room was empty when we opened the door! I thought something awful had happened!”

“Mama!” The boys rushed into her arms, sniffling and babbling over each other.

“What have you done to my boys, Zayd?” Aladdin demanded.

Six scimitars flashed and surrounded Zayd. Rolling his eyes, he shoved up to his feet, ignoring the pointed steel and muscled men that held them.

Aladdin put both hands on his fists, attempting a stern stance but, prince or not, his hair still wasn’t combed right, his royal clothes hung loosely on his thin frame, and his shoulders hunched forward. A year of royalty and he still hadn’t quite shaken off that peasant boy inside him.

Zayd smirked.

“Well?” Aladdin asked. “What do you have to say for yourself? Did we not make a deal that if I hid away your lamp, you’d not ever return? And now you come here and terrorize my children!”

Zayd shrugged and pointed at his throat.

“Oh, right. I wish you could speak again,” Ahmed murmured, still hugging the lamp.

This was one wish he definitely wasn’t going to alter. He happily let the warm magic course around his throat. He opened his mouth, but Aladdin beat him to it.

“Ahmed! Where did you get that?”

The boy winced. Shuffling out from Amira’s hold, he approached Aladdin, head down, and held up both the lamp and apple. “I’m…I’m sorry, papa,” he stammered, sniffing. “I brought you a gift. Please, please don’t throw us back on the street.”

Aladdin blanched. “Throw you on the street! Whatever gave you the idea I’d do such a thing?”

“Because we always fight and cause trouble and…and we let the camels loose and and and…we took the lamp!” More tears choked up the boy’s words, and it seemed to be catching, because Houssain and Ali both burst into sobs as well.

Sighing, Zayd sat back down to wait. The guards shuffled around him, seeming unsure what to do.

“Boys, boys!” Aladdin reached down and lifted Ahmed into his arms. Both the lamp and golden apple plunked to the floor as Ahmed wrapped his arms around Aladdin’s neck and buried his face in his shoulder. “We weren’t going to send you away,” Aladdin assured, looking to Amira for help.

“Of course not!” Amira clung to Houssain and Ali. “Whatever gave you such an awful idea?”

Ali sniffed and swiped an arm across his nose. “I overheard you telling mama this morning that you were thinking of sending us away.”

“Oh, that?” Aladdin shook his head, chuckling. “Ali, we were just discussing sending you to your grandmother’s house for the afternoon. Mother has been saying for a while she wants you to visit, so you can get to know her better.”

Ahmed pulled his head up, owl eyes rimmed red. “You’re not going to get rid of us?”

“Of course not! You’re our sons. You’re not going anywhere.”

Another three-way bout of sobs burst through the room.

Zayd massaged his temples. “If I could get a word in?”

All eyes turned his direction.

“You!” Aladdin addressed him far differently than he had Ahmed. “What are you doing here?”

“Aw, Laddie, I missed you too.”

“Don’t give me that! You come here and terrorize my children!”

“It’s not his fault, Papa,” Ahmed piped up. “We were the ones who took the lamp and made him grant us wishes. But I got him to make you that apple—it’ll cure all sick people!”

“And I have a telescope that’ll show you anyone or anywhere you want it to!” Ali cried, waving his treasure high in the air.

“And the tapestry will transport you anywhere in the world!” Houssain looked from Aladdin to Amira with anticipation. “You can keep it. All of it!”

Aladdin gasped, just now seeming to acknowledge the lamp on the floor. He set Ahmed down and snatched it up. “Boys! I’ve told you how dangerous genies are! The tapestry will probably dump you in the ocean or the apple is laced with poison or any number of awful things. Why ever would you take the lamp?”

Ahmed’s lip wobbled.

“In their defense,” Zayd said, jumping to his feet before another sob-fest took place, “they only got it to heal me. I was sort of dying and all that.”

To his credit, Aladdin looked mildly alarmed at this. “Dying?”

“Yes, dying.” Zayd motioned to the tear and bloodstain in his tunic, a reminder of the all-too-real events happening just north of here. How much time had passed? What were they doing to Raylinn? Things were a mess when he left that place. “I’ve been trying to get to you this whole time.” He shot a pointed look at the three boys. “I need you to wish Raylinn and Finn here.”

“Those two? They caused all sorts of mayhem last time they came. We all agreed that none of you would return.”

“Yeah, well, things have changed.”

“No way. No way am I letting the three of you bring yet more havoc now that I’ve formed a nice life here.”

Zayd huffed. “We’ll leave the second you finish your wish, but I need you to do this.”

“Why don’t you just leave and—”

“Make the wish, Aladdin! Now. Right now.”

The scimitars drew closer, one nearly poking his neck.

“Don’t you dare talk to his royal highness in such a manner, genie,” one of the guards barked.

Zayd ignored him. Heat swelled in his chest and, unfortunately, it wasn’t magic. “I have given your children everything they asked and, no, none of these things have any negative side effects, thank you very much. But my patience is running thin. Just make the wish and bring my friends here!”

Aladdin’s head drew back. “Friends? Since when do you consider anyone a friend?”

Zayd opened his mouth, but no comeback presented itself. When did he consider those two his friends? “Will you just do it? Please?”

Aladdin’s eyebrows lifted. “You’re saying please now too? What is going on, Zayd?”

Zayd huffed. “If you must know, Talgaria has been overtaken by the king of the fairies, and Raylinn and Finn are trapped there.”

Gasps resounded around the room. The guards murmured amongst themselves.

“Talgaria?” Amira breathed.

“Yeah. So if someone would wish Raylinn and Finn here, that’d be great.”

“All right, all right.” Face now ashen, Aladdin lifted the lamp. “I wish Raylinn and Finn were here.”

Zayd pulled in a breath as heat exploded inside him. This was going to take an immense amount of magic, but he could do it. He had to. Reaching deep, deep inside him, he mustered up as much of that tingling energy as he could and—

“Argh!”

He doubled over, nearly impaling himself with one of the scimitars but the guard had the good sense to pull the blade up before it struck. Zayd dropped on hands and knees, taking in rasping breaths as the burning pain eased.

“Storming royal fairy magic!” He pounded a fist into the tapestry.

“Zayd?” Aladdin called, and it almost sounded as if his voice shook.

Sighing, Zayd pushed himself up. “It’s no use. Kellen—the king of the fairies,” he quickly said as Aladdin raised an eyebrow, “has put a shield around Talgaria, and his magic is far stronger than mine. I can’t get in or anyone out.”

Houssain bounced forward. “What about the tapestry?”

Zayd glanced down at the magical item underneath his very feet. Huh. It was a thought. And hey, a dozen guards also stood on it. They could be useful. He closed his eyes and thought of Talgaria.

Nothing. Save for a slight painful twinge in his abdomen.

He shook his head. “It was a nice thought, Houssain, but my magic made the tapestry, which means its magic still isn’t powerful enough to penetrate the King’s shield.”

Aladdin watched him as if he had grown a second head. “You mean, the tapestry really does what it’s supposed to? No negative side effects?”

“Yes.”

“And you really are just trying to help Raylinn and Finn?”

“Pretty sure I’ve made that clear.”

Aladdin blinked. Once, twice. “You’ve changed, Zayd. Perhaps for the better.”

“Have I?” He wrinkled his nose. “Ugh. I knew those two goodie goodies were a bad influence on me. Maybe I should just leave them where they are.”

Aladdin’s face fell. “Never mind.”

Amira cleared her throat. “Right now I think we need to discuss other matters. Father will want to hear about Talgaria. It is an allying kingdom.”

Zayd straightened. That was a point. In fact, Talgaria had quite a few allies amongst the kingdoms. And friends. Friends could be useful right now.

Drat it all, Aladdin was right. He had been making friends.

“The Princess is right,” he said, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. He carefully shoved aside one of the scimitar blades and marched forward. “We need to talk to the Sultan and then, since I hate to take away Houssain’s nice treasure here, I’m going to need you to wish me to another kingdom, Aladdin.” He grinned. “I have a gaggle of brothers and sisters I need to visit.”

I hope you enjooooyed! Being as how basically every comment on the last story went something along the lines of “BUT WHAT ABOUT ZAYD??!?!?!!??” I figured I should appeal to the masses. 😛 I also decided to do something more lighthearted this go round since the last few were kinda heavy.

And how perfect that this month’s featured fairy tale was an Arabian one? Because I was planning this whole time for Zayd to return to Aladdin’s kingdom. It all worked out fabulously!

Also, I apologize these aren’t always coming monthly anymore. Lately I’ve been struggling to get one written every single month. I may have to do a more one every couple of months or so schedule. But NO FEAR. I don’t plan on ditching these magical dorks any time soon. They’ve kidnapped my heart, and there’s nothing I can do about it now. Ah, the life of a writer…

LET’S TALK!

Did you enjoy this latest addition? NOW YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ZAYD. Is everyone happy??? (JK! I adore the Zayd love. And I was PUMPED to write another story in his POV!) Any guesses as to what the genie is planning next? Any guesses as to what’s going to happen next? Because I have no idea myself. *nervous laughter*

Don’t forget you can join in the prompt yourself HERE!