....
"Princess Layla! Princess! Look here, I need to show you something!," a tall young boy called out as he ran towards two girls sitting by a fountain.
His dark skin shone with sweat under the sun as he waved some scroll in the air. He ran barefoot on the green grass as he approached the sparkling fountain flowing with clear crystalline water. Flowers danced and petals fell from trees, coating the ground in a sea of pinks, golds, and blues. At the sound of his frantic running, the bigger of the two girls started to turn her head to the direction of his voice before the smaller girl turned her head back towards her and stuck her tongue out at him.
"Ewwww, go wear a shirt you stinky piece of doo-doo!" Nailah plugged her nose as he came closer, fanning the air around her, to get rid of the strong stench of sweat.
"Shut up, gorilla-girl. Get away from my Layla," the boy shoved Nailah onto the grass and took his seat beside Layla.
"What you say, you freak! Get away from my sister!" Nailah pounced at the boy and he fell into the water, "take a bath while you're at it, okay stinky dog poo!"
Nailah went to pull her sister away before the boy slapped her hand away. The two glared at each other and Layla patiently waited for the two to calm down.
"Sufian and Nailah, I won't listen to either of you if you can't be patient with each other."
The boy and Nailah obediently sat on the grass as Layla went back to sit at the fountain's edge.
Her smiling and gentle facade left the two kids in a trance as they gazed at her ethereal beauty. The fifteen-year-old girl was still young, but her aura was that of a regal queen, and her maturity likewise. The wind blew softly through her thick brown hair, rustling her curls around her face. The bangles at her hands and the anklets at her feet jingled rhythmically at every movement she made. Her beautiful green silk sari was wrapped around her body, hugging her curves and lighting her glowing tea-colored skin. Her closed eyes and gentle face remained calm, and she sat unbothered by the stares she was receiving from the two kids. Even though she couldn't see, she still had a heightened ability to sense her surroundings. Layla was three years older than Nailah, and a year older than the boy, which automatically gave her more authority over the two.
Her hands came up and the two kids, dazed by her beauty, didn't know what she was going to do until they felt two bumps of pain on their heads. Rolling around on the ground they moaned in pain, as they clutched their heads.
"I keep telling you two not to fight, but you still keep bickering! Are you guys a married couple?" Layla scolded.
Nailah and the boy gaped at the girl.
"WHAT THE-"
"MARRIED-"
The two started to retch as they had found the words the big sister said to be very disgusting.
"Princess Layla, any words you utter with your beautiful voice soothes my entire being, but please don't say such weird things that foul the ears!" the boy finishes dry-heaving on the side and gazes at his cousin with pleading eyes. He seemed to have aged fifty years by the time he was done heaving.
"APU! What type of nonsense are you saying, huh?!" Nailah also finishes dry-heaving on the side as she looks up at her sister, completely ignoring her annoying cousin pleading her sister from the other side.
"Then, shut your traps and learn to be patient with each other for once," Layla ordered and the two immediately sat still.
"Now, Sufian, you wanted to show us something," Layla waved in Sufian's direction.
Sufian brightened up and opened his scroll. A certificate of honor was painted on the page with gold and all sorts of colors. He knew that Layla couldn't see the certificate so he gave it to her outstretched hands.
Layla felt the bumps and writings on the paper and she smiled, "Congratulations, my dear cousin. You have accomplished succeeding in the 'Magic of Arts' with amazing skill. I'm looking forward to class with you this summer."
Sufian looked happy as he held Layla's hand, "I can't wait to start the advanced classes with you. I hope you can teach me all there is to learn, and more."
He winked up at Layla and then kissed her hand. Sensing what he did, Layla gasped and hit his head, scolding him for being so unruly. Sufian laughed and looked up at Layla, and grinned at the blush that started to form at her cheeks. Nailah always knew that Sufian loved her sister more than what was appropriate as a cousin. Layla treated Sufian like a younger brother, but still, he relentlessly chased after her trying to gain her affections. Layla may have started to reciprocate his feelings but... Nailah shook her head as she sighed.
'But, she's already engaged, you silly cousin,' Nailah thought sadly, as she watched him caress her hands, 'And to that, Buruk Abraha, as well.'
"But, you have to be careful Sufian, you may have to deal with Jinns in this advanced class," Layla cautioned Sufian.
"Damn, I'll be careful so don't you worry. Don't come screaming at me for help when you end up messing with the wrong Jinn, Princess," Sufian smirked as he tucked a strand of her unruly hair behind her ears.
"Hmph, the only person I need help dealing with, is you," Layla retorted as she slapped his hand away.
"Oh yeah," Sufian caught her hand, "so feisty."
He held her hand and didn't let go, even as Layla fumed and her cheeks puffed. Her lips pouted and Sufian stared at her cuteness. Sensing where he stared Layla looked away to hide her reddening face.
He grinned, "Not bad, Your Highness," he caressed her cheek softly as he made her face him, "You look so yummy- "
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW," Nailah burst out, "Someone bring me some Holy Water. I need to purify my eyeballs."
Nailah rubbed at her eyes as she rolled on the ground. 'Out of all the words you could have chosen, you chose yummy?!'
"You brat! You always have to ruin the moment!" Sufian yelled at Nailah.
Realizing what he said his face turned pink and he covered his mouth.
"Princess, it's not what you think-"
Layla's face had gone red as well, and Sufian stood speechless, staring at her.
"OY! Go memorize love words from the dictionary you weirdo," Nailah kicked Sufian's ass before turning to walk away and snorted, "'Yummy'..., pshhhh, even I could flirt better than that."
"YOU-" Sufian looked even more embarrassed as he picked up Nailah and threw her over his shoulder.
"OYY! PUT ME DOWN!" Nailah squirmed as Sufian spun around with Nailah.
Sufian put down a dizzy and confused Nailah on the ground as he finally got the brat to calm down. He looked over at Layla and couldn't still his pounding heart. It throbbed against his chest. He smiled as he gazed up at the sky, images of her, and her sudden displays of kindness played over and over in his head.
Layla sensed Sufian playing with Nailah again. She smiled as she heard Nailah's laughter. As they quieted down, Layla couldn't help but suppress her feelings. Sufian was like a boy at one moment, and a flirty man the next. Her heart started to flutter, and she tried to calm herself by thinking other thoughts. Layla shook her head as she smiled sadly and remembered who she was engaged to.
Suddenly, something pressed down on her chest. Layla tried to stay calm but she knew what it was.
"Hik...you will ruin him Layla….hik hik… go to Buruk and be a good girl okay," the Jinn whispered.
Layla shuddered as the cold hands pressed her roughly. She felt herself freeze up before she tried calming herself. The Jinn ran its hands down her arms and held her neck in a tight grip, before letting go.
Layla turned her head towards Nailah and Sufian, 'Even, if I have to sacrifice myself, I have to protect them, no matter what.'
....