Magic Misplaced

Chapter 4

Xena recovered from her shock quickly.

"All right. I want to know what's going on here."

Her strident voice echoed with the anger of finding herself in this situation. Forces outside their control had manipulated Xena and Gabrielle to do their bidding. And Xena didn't like being forced. For anything.

"Yes, and who are you and what is Djinn?" Gabrielle asked as she stood next to Xena.

"As I said, I am Darius. The Djinn is my race. My people."

He turned penetrating eyes of emerald green in Xena's direction as he answered, "I apologise if I angered you. I have been trapped here in this temple for some time. I needed two very special people to release me from my cage."

His eyes glowed with amusement.

"You have no idea how hard it is to find two women, one of war and the other of peace, traveling together. Then get them to come here. And then have an open mind."

Xena was still suspicious. No matter how good looking or how harmless he seemed, the truth could be another matter entirely.

Gabrielle was having a hard time concentrating on his words. Real hard. Hmm, she mused, he must be the handsomest man I've ever seen. What am I thinking? He IS the handsomest man I've ever seen!

Xena couldn't help but notice Gabrielle's distraction. And it was obvious what the reason for it was. The man was built like an Olympian stallion.

Biting the inside of her cheek before her thoughts wandered any farther, Xena looked aside and asked, "Before we go an farther," she inhaled, "would you mind putting something on? It can be difficult to cnverse with someone..." she left off mid sentence.

Unselfconcious of his unclothed state, Darius gestured regally before himself.

"You had only to ask. Is this more to our liking?"

Blue and green fabrics in rich jewel tones swathed his legs and torso in loose but talored clothing, fitted snugly at the waist by a golden link belt. A cape was dashingly thrown over one shoulder, held by an exquisite gold clasp at his throat.

"Magic." Gabrielle whispered.

Xena's gaze narrowed.

"Better. Now explain yourself. Did you or did you not draw us here? And did you force us into releasing you just now?"

The djinni crossed his arms over his chest and spread his legs in an arrogantly relaxed pose.

"No, I did not draw you here. I have not the ability. However, I did send you my thoughts during your resting state. It was both of your spirits that made the decision to free me and acted accordingly."

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Gabrielle asked impatiently.

The djinni looked at her and said, "You didn't ask."

That was the second time he said that, Xena thought. Why?

"Tell me, why don't you simply tell us what we want to know or do anything you need to do without us asking you first?"

Darius was visibly reluctant to answer. After he told these two the secret, everything would change. But he knew he must tell them. He wasn't permitted to say otherwise.

"It is the nature of the bound djinn. We may only provide what is requested."

Djinn, Jinn... Does he mean Genie? Gabrielle was stunned. She had heard of the legenedary Genie's while in India, but she had never thought to meet one.

"You're a Genie, right? You can give wishes to whomever holds your lamp, right?"

Darius grimaced. Not another one of those pathetic oil lamp followers!

"Many of your kind call us "Genie", as they cannot properly pronounce our true designations. And we do hold the power to grant our keepers desires, or wishes, as you call them. But never, not even from the dawn of time, has a Djinni resided in a small, smelly lamp."

Well, that was obviously a touchy subject, Xena decided as she went back to salvaging what was left of their food. Obviously, Darius was not a threat at the current time, and her stomach was sending a message loud and clear of it's demands.

Gabrielle joined her, and soon the few pitiful scraps they had left was gathered together before them. Gabrielle sat back and looked at their meager fare in regret.

"Well, it's not exactly a feast anymore, is it?"

Xena pushed her fingers thru the crumbs and replied, "It never was. But now it's little better than scraps. I wish this was a real feast. I'm hungry enough to eat an elephus. I guess it's all this ritual stuff..."

Xena and Gabrielle gasped as the crumbs became sweet grapes. The moldy cheese and bread transformed into platters of vegetables, perfectly prepared chicken, bowls of honey and pickled quail eggs, one of Xena's favorites. A caraafe of fine wine also appeared to complete their morning repast.

"As you desire, lady."

Xena stared at Darius for a moment, a little overwhelmed by the bounty beore them. Darius continued to tower over the two women, looking all powerful but very lonely at the same time. Xena guessed that Daruis would hide that emotion if he knew how it showed.

"You'll join us, won't you Darius? Such delights shouldn't go to waste, and there's far too much here for Gabrielle and I to eat."

Darius grinned at Xena and her heart sommersaulted. He leisurely lowered himself between her and Gabrielle and picked up a handful of grapes.

"My thanks." he murmered softly.

Watching him devour the succulent grapes with pleasure, Xena came to realize the danger this man held for her. And Gabrielle too, she wryly noticed, as her friends eyes were glazed and fixed on his firm lips.

She forced her own attntion back to the matter of eating and reached for a leg of chicken. The meat was the best she had ever tasted, and said jokingly, "We just may have to keep you just for your cooking talent."

The Djinni's wicked grin entranced them both.

"Yes, I can heat up many things."

***************

Darius liked these two. His previous keepers had been cruel, ugly human beings with no love for life. But these women were different.

They hadn't beseiged him with demands the moment they learned of his gift, and honestly seemed to care for each other with more than typical devotion.

He drew forth his special senses and felt the bond between them. Tightly woven, it had withstood many hardships to be forged into unbreakable strength.

Yes, I feel I may be able to trust these two.