Excerpt
Save the Realm of Djin
By Achouri Fethi

Chapter I
Kamalaya, in djinean language “Between the rivers and the woods”, was one of the earliest centers of the parallel world civilizations. The need for self-defense and irrigation led the Kamalayans to organize and build canals and walled settlements to protect their towns and consequently the palace where Sultan Takfa the Great lived with his happy family.
The richness of Kamalaya made it attractive for the underworld Afarite, and its lack of mountains made it difficult to protect against invaders. Hence, there were numerous invasions through the history, and many times did Karamate, the elders of Kamalaya, replace the existing rulers. Few dynasties lasted more than a few hundred years. The threat from that vile race of djins, was another reason for establishing the cities: The cities could be fortified and defended.
However, about 2000 years ago, the Realm of djin had been conquered by the gigantic army of the Dark Afarite, led by Asmodio the superpower-terrifying wizard of the underworld race of djin that spread panic wherever they existed. Fortunately, Takfa the Great was there to save Kamalaya and prevented them from getting not more than the sea for he managed to sink their ships near the shores by using the strategy of the Giant Catapults. The army of Takfa had been hurling large stones and spears, and helped by thousands of slingshots that propelled billions of small stones exterminating thus the majority of Asmodio’s soldiers.
Now, because Takfa became sicker and sicker and his demise was at hand, it was whispering here and there that Garda his witch Consort and the wizard Asmodio were preparing in the heart of darkness the great attack. The worse was that Garda lived within the Royalty and had almost a better idea about when and how to strike. Yet, the worst was a different ball game, because Garda had only Houriate around her since Teymour was not in Kamalaya. It was said that he had left the Realm since ages to seek his presumed love, Mirza.


"Laila, my darling" Sultan TAKFA murmured taking his last breaths. "I want you to be potent and strong. Don't forget that you will be the new ruler of KAMALAYA and…"
"No Father!" Maya yelled, "I won't be the Queen because you will last forever and because Djins never die! You must be strong enough to take your rightful place as King of KAMALAYA once again. The fairies of Djins need your sureness, thus, there is no one here who can give them confidence. Karamate, the Elders of Djins, need your wisdom. I need my Father." Laila blubbered while TAKFA was leaving his world and moving to the hereafter where he would meet the God, whom he never disobeyed.
TAKFA looked into his daughter's eyes and contemplated her uncommon beauty. Layla was unbelievably young fair maiden with golden star like eyes, and gold and brown hair that was falling onto her perfectly formed calves. Her face was also uncommon with a fine pointy nose, full lips of a gorgeous pink rosebud and high cheekbones. TAKFA was, however, at once worry and sorry about her beloved daughter because he thought that her beauty was not strong enough to protect the Realm of Djins from the AFARIT' threats.
"Soraya, my beloved wife. How I long for you. In my last hour, my love, I will think of only you"
Not knowing the sorrow and the secret that haunted her father's heart, Laila held his hand and silently sobbed. She could not bear losing her father with whom she had been living for centuries. She could not also bear her sister Racha's absence at the agony of Takfa. She was suffering from the unexplained absence of her unique brother, Teymour. Her father had devoted his last years to find him but in vain. Layla seemed to remember all whom she loved because she thought she was left alone by those who were said to be at her side.
Garda, Laila's stepmother, was also there but she dared say nothing for she knew that if she did, none would pay attention to her. Garda had been, since she came to the palace the wicked woman that hurt everyone and that thought only of herself. She should have been happier because of her husband's death. Takfa was the only one who could prevent her from causing harm to the other. Garda approached Takfa's golden bed, leant on Laila, and told her with a softly tricked voice;
"He'll be alive, don't worry my daughter!"
"I'm not your daughter naughty woman!" Laila answered angrily and too far neglected what she said.
Laila got up and started walking up and down. She was felt so much frustrated because she knew once her Father would have passed on, and because Garda was still young enough to reign as Queen of Kamalaya. Although Laila was the rightful heiress to the Crown and none could remove her from the throne, she was almost certain that Garda would do anything to stay in control and to dominate all over Kamalaya. Laila knew too that her stepmother had had alliances with the Dark Afarit.
As a Houria, Laila thought that it would not be appropriate for Her Majesty, Garda, Consort of Sultan Takfa and the future ruler of the Realm of Kamalaya to have relations of any sort with those underworld blighters. However, Garda did not mind Laila's fears and her husband's orders, and instead went on smirching the Sultan's good reputation by visiting, for several times, the satanic underworld where she was said to ask for advice from Asmodio, The naughty wizard of Afarit.
Quivering with dread for her Realm and fellow Houriate, Laila turned to see her sickly father sleeping peacefully.
"Oh Father. If only you could see Garda's past great beauty. Then you will see what she was traitress to you and to our Realm. »
Although, Laila had once sought to wise up her father what she doubted about Garda's misdeeds and indecencies, Takfa paid no attention to her, and instead he continued to love Garda more and more. The only thing that prevented Takfa from offending her daughter Laila was that she really resembled to her defunct mother.
The few last minutes had been so harmful to Laila for she could not bear seeing her father in that morbid and half-deadly state. She soon got out from her father's room and went up to the tower where she used to go when she felt worse. Before she reached the tower, she met Jumana, her father's personal servant and a lovely Houria that the whole castle respected and loved, in the throne hall.
"Your Majesty the Queen of djins" Jumana said softly while Laila was about to enter the hollow chamber leading to the tower passageway.
"I'm not your Queen!" Laila shouted. "Please try to understand that my father won't die"
"I'm sorry to annoy your highness but Haman wishes to talk to you in the Pavilion."
"Of course" Laila replied. "Don't mind my lovely Jumana. As you know; these days are not mine. My father's disease has rendered me upset and irritated all the time."
"You are welcome your Highness! None dares feel upset of you. Such a person never exists in the world of Djins"
"Thanks, Jumana. Your words make me always happier"
She walked down the palace passageway, her striking ivory dress moving with the breeze coming though the windows.
Laila's claim to fame was that she never depended on her father's rule nor did she brag her position in the realm as its veneered princess. Although she was pretty known throughout the Realm for her elegant sense of style, Laila intended often behaving very humbly to not to hurt her people. Her dress was high cut and luminously adorned with different kinds of glowing gemstones on the hem and top of the gown, with a golden garland on her head. The garland was the emblem of royalty in Kamalaya and the pureness of the heart. Entering the pavilion, Laila noticed that Hamann was apparently busy searching solution to stand against the Dark Afarit's attacks.
"Greeting, Hamann! Tell me. What happened? Have you got ill? » Laila heaved a groan of despair as if she knew that something of horror was at hand, and rushed towards her friend. Laila put her hand on the wisir's shoulder and longed gazing into his big bleu eyes. Hamann too looked into her eyes and wanted to tell her lots of things but by uttering no words.

"Welcome Your highness, I am really unquiet and highly worry. Our dearly loved Sultan is not healthy at all. Therefore, I'm afraid that our adored Realm would slip out of the family's hands and into Garda's; the evil scorpion.” Hamann said.
“She will undoubtingly ruin and demolish us all, won’t she?” Layla asked.
“Yes, we both know she has used wiles and treachery with your father to spouse her. Her only reason being to gain control of Kamalaya.”
“Yes! And don’t forget Hamann that Garda knew that he was not well and that his days were countable.” Layla replied.
“ She knew also that after your dear mother had died, Sultan Takfa became heartbroken. Never believe her tricking kindness for she is tempting to win your confidence and love"
Hamann, the Sultan's first Vizier and preferred advisor, was looking older than his 10 centuries. Laila threw a warm glance at him, and then fleetly looked away, afraid that he might see the tears in her golden eyes. She sank into a deep thought mourning her fate, her defunct mother, and her lost family.
Oh Mummy, how I miss you.
You were so young with your innocent eyes
You were as wonderful as angels
You never showed your anger in your face
You're the greatest mother of this Realm
All the djins loved you
Oh Mummy would it really be 10 years?
Yet I still feel your hands caressing my forehead
Your smooth fingers cuddling my long hair
And your lips fondling my little ears
Meanwhile, Hamann was gazing her with his glittering blue azury eyes as if he was trying to read her eyes and entered her mind to clean it from all her fears and pains. In vain, Laila was too aware and knew well that if Hamann got her blues and sorrows he would not be able to help her rule the Realm.
"Tell me Your Highness?" Hamann asked hesitatingly while Laila was trying to hide her perturbation. "Why do your eyes glitter when you evoke your mother?"
"How did you guess my thoughts?" Asked the Princess but with a somehow surprise.
"I beg you pardon your highness, but you have been living with me since ages and I can easily read all your thoughts.
Laila's mother memory brought all the tears of the world to her eyes; she wiped away and took a deep breath. She did not want to display her tears to Hamann for she wanted him braver; her tears might render him weaker. Instead, she regained control of her emotions and walked towards the pyritous framed window.
Out from the window she took a long while looking outside at the expanse of her Realm but at once she felt a burning pain invading her chest. She felt that pain because she realized that her kingdom was about to be handed over to the ever worst Houria. Not even a royal one but was from the lowest part of Kamalaya society.
It was said that Takfa never loved Garda but he only gave her back an ancient debt she had given him when they were children. That debt was not money or something else for none dared imagine that king might owe money to that sort of people. Some said that the Sultan Takfa had been about to drown in the dark river when Garda's father saved him guaranteeing from him that if only he became sultan, he would marry his daughter. Garda was born to Margos and Izerva from the country of Iznovour.
In fact, Garda felt ashamed of her parents and usually prevent talking about them or at least visiting them. Margos was pink unicorn-slayer and acted like a yahoo in the presence of djins. Some said that he might not be a djin but one of the Afarit because he was born to Houria and Afrit; a hybrid that resembled more to his father. He abused Izerva and she took it out on Garda. However, Laila felt great pity for Garda because of her unfavorable and severe childhood. Yet, Laila thought that she still had the choice to make something of her life. She chose the dark way. Izerva eventually got over of supporting her husband's violent treatment and one night, she got rid of him by slaughtering him in his sleep. Izerva was executed because of the austere laws in Iznovour implemented the procedure of beheading criminals and barbarian. Unlike Iznovour, Takfa was unarguably against the law to execute criminals in Kamalaya.