*Disclaimer: This is fanfiction.

*I do not strive for accurate representations of a certain geographic's wedding traditions, this is more of like a mix of rituals, stripped down to their essence, for purposes only to suit this fictional story. So if you see anything inaccurate, this serves as a disclaimer.

*I really appreciate your reviews. you guys don't know how much it means to me.

Jewel of the Eastern Desert

Chapter 15

Siege

It was not until the early afternoon when the Northern King felt her stir within her quarters, and so he had to knock on her doors again in hopes that she would open up to him. The only thing that kept him from burning the insufferable wooden barrier between them was the fact that this was not his territory, and even though the Malik had welcomed him as his own, he was still a guest to the palace.

"You and my sister had an excursion last night, I assume. What happened?" Aoshi stared at the golden-eyed Dragon Lord with a gaze that was akin to pity. The poor man looked like he did not have any wink of sleep at all.

"I found my flame," Kenshin opened his palm, and a spark of violet fire roared to life. The mere action had the Malik reel back, the heat was intense and nothing like he ever encountered before.

The Northern King quickly clenched his fist, the fire immediately vanished.

"Well, all the more reason to celebrate!" Scythe-wielding Kamatari chirped brightly. But he then tilted his head in confusion, his enthusiasm was not reciprocated, "Then… why the long face?"

"She rejected me."

There was a long pause.

"She… rejected…" Kamatari echoed slowly, letting the words sink in. And when it seemed like it did, there was a sudden eruption of laughter. "Ha… She rejected you!" Kamatari doubled over, unable to contain his humor. The Northern King glared at the man that had already sunk on the floor, his laughter turning into sobs. "I can't breathe… I can't –"

"It's not funny," The Fire Drake snarled, golden eyes absolutely scorching. Just before his dangerous flame threatened to spark, the Malik wisely stepped between them, he pried the scythe-wielding warrior away from imminent danger.

"You're not the first one she has rejected," Aoshi stepped before her closed doors, and he started to knock. "You definitely won't be the last." He threw a secret glance at the Fire Drake, and Kenshin was growling.

The Malik had to suppress a smirk. Provoking the low-tension Drake was way too easy.

"I have laid my claim on her," The Northern King's tone was vicious, "She is mine."

"You say that, but she does not share the same sentiments –" Kamatari was cut off with Aoshi's warning glare.

"She has rejected many suitors before," Aoshi drawled, stepping back as he heard light footfalls approach, "Why would you be any different? She fears commitment as she fears iron and steel chains." He looked straight at the Northern King,

"It may be selfish of me, but please drop your dejected attitude, at least for the next few days. I don't want any negative emotions lingering, especially at this joyous time."

The doors opened, and out stepped a heavily concealed Kaoru, but instead of her usual Fariq get-up, she was wearing a black and gold thobe. The layers of luxurious cloth did nothing to hide her curves, instead, it draped on her hips, her breasts, and her face mysteriously covered with a scarf and veil—

It only emphasized the otherworldly hue of her eyes.

"Brother," she laughed, tiptoeing up to give Aoshi a kiss on the cheek. Aoshi, holding no restraint, pulled his sister in his arms and embraced her in elation, lifting her from the ground. "There are no words to express how happy I am!"

Kenshin stepped back, all but confused. There was a hushed chatter that was approaching from the hallways, and he turned around to see a group of women dressed in similar robes, whispering to each other excitedly. They held cloth bags filled with gold coins and candy, some held gold-detailed fans, but most of them held bowls filled with what looked like dark green substance.

"There he is!" the women cheered, clapping their hands in jubilation. Aoshi relaxed and nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"What is happening?" Kenshin looked to the overjoyed warrior beside him.

"The Malik's Radwa is coming to a close, after this we will be entering Sahra." Kamatari joined the clapping, "Tomorrow, my dear friend, is a big day for the city of El Qasr.

The Thirteenth Malik is getting married,"

The crowd started moving, heading to the hallways out of the marble palace. Kaoru brushed past her brother excitedly, but she was stopped.

"Kaoru," Aoshi called out. She stopped and heeded, she turned towards her brother.

"Why don't you bring our guest along with you? In that way, he can observe our preserved traditions."

She gave him a stabbing glare,

The towering Malik answered her with a mischievous smirk.

Separating herself from the crowd she stepped before the Northern King, and their eyes met, the burning intensities of their gaze clashing against each other.

The minaret just outside of the palace, the one that held the Eastern part of the blue flame,

It roared wildly amidst the scorching sun.

"You will have to have a change of robes," the Ameera said in haughty regard, "It is inappropriate for the Henna ceremony." She spun her hands as if she was retrieving a veil, she muttered a few ancient words under her breath. She settled the invisible veil on his shoulders, and she blew a fluid breath. Out of thin air, his ordinary robes were transformed into a magnificent silk thobe with gold-thread weavings.

"Better," she said, and her eyes brightened. The Fire Drake recognized that his queen flashed a grin from behind her veil. "Ah, Fire Drake, you're dragging me down!" She suddenly exclaimed, and she laughed as she turned and broke into a run.

"Kaoru!" Kenshin gathered himself, stunned by the djinniya's nonchalance. It was as if nothing happened between them last night…

He turned to the towering Malik, who had his hands crossed in front of his chest. "Are you going to stand there like a lovestruck fool the whole day?"

The Northern King froze.

"Are you not planning to chase after her?" Aoshi raised a brow to drive his point.

Understanding dawned in the Northern King's eyes, and the determination on his golden blaze erupted brightly like a newly lit flame.

Aoshi shook his head and chuckled, as he watched the Fire Drake take off in pursuit.

"Your Highness," Kamatari gaped in shock, and the Thirteenth Malik spared him a sidelong glance, "Did you just give him your blessing for your sister's hand?!"

"The flames on the Minarets," Aoshi pointed out, "They are blazing brighter than ever."

The blistering heat of the desert sun rose from the grounds like a mirage, but no such amount of heat could compare to the passionate woman before him.

Always on his knees, constantly at her mercy… the Fire Drake followed her as she wound through an overwhelming crowd in the midst of a large celebration.

She was running, skip to her feet as she tuned her bounce with the echoing doumbeks from an unseen distance.

This physical chase, at least, was nothing compared to the mental torture she had been subjecting him to. She threw him a glance, vainly checking if he was able to keep up, her sapphire eyes looked feverish against her black concealment.

"I thought I made it clear last night, Fire Drake. I am rejecting you as my lover," she threw him a teasing glare. She dodged a group of burly men who were carrying an entire stake of roasted pig-

Which Kenshin easily evaded, jumping over the same burly obstacle with fluid ease.

"You say that with such conviction, yet the flames on the towers have been showing otherwise." He had to suppress his gloat. It was no secret to him now that the giant tongues of flame were a direct manifestation of the Ameera's emotions,

And since last night, it had been burning unstable, volatile.

A sudden explosion of powdered dye met his shocked eyes, but he was able to weave through the mess of bright colors around him. Still hot on his heels his vision recovered,

The Ameera had just carelessly hurled a tub of imported dye at him, and he saw the selfish djinniya laughing in mirth at his expense.

"The colors especially suit you, My Lord," she teased, picking up her pace. She was now running at an inhuman speed, disappearing and reappearing from her haula of blue smoke and lightning.

She had probably expected to lose him easily, but unfortunately for her,

Her pursuer was a Fire Drake, the only existing Dragon Lord of the North.

He grinned when it seemed that she realized it,

But Kenshin dead halted when a mob of chickens came flying towards him, courtesy of one mischievous Ameera. The clucking chaos of feathers and flapping wings caught him like a whirlwind—

she suddenly appeared before him, dangerously close before him, her lips ghosting oh so close to his.

"Ah, too bad for you, Fire Drake." Her eyes held that familiar, dangerous sparkle, and she brushed her lips lightly against his in an excruciating tease. "Nothing can change this djinniya's mind."

The Northern King shivered in delicious anticipation. It was then that he decided to offer a counter of his own.

"Nothing?" He grabbed her tiny waist, yanking her towards him, "Not even the blessing of your brother?"

She pulled away, shocked, "He wouldn't—"

"He just did." He grinned, relishing at his Queen's stunned reaction. "I told you, I'm the only one worthy of you…" he sneakily pulled her face covering down, "And you… are the only one for me…" without so much of a flinch he pressed his lips against hers, claiming her yet again. "Mine," his tongue slithering against hers in a sensual dance.

The Ameera only scowled at his bravado, and her lips curled downward in a defiant snarl.

With one bold move she bit down the Dragon Lord's tongue, a splay of his poison blood immediately filling their connected caverns. The Ameera then pulled away.

The sight of his toxic blood on her downturned lips sent the Fire Drake's lust into overdrive.

"I belong to no one but myself." She left him in a flurry of blue smoke, in the middle of the bustling crowd.

"Damn it," Kenshin cursed under his breath when she disappeared, and he clenched his hands in restraint from the painful throbbing of his bleeding tongue, and from another round of rejection from his chosen Queen. He looked around, his frustration rising all the more when he realized he did not know where they were headed in the first place.

"Follow the sound of the Doumbek," a familiar voice drifted behind him, and Kenshin spun around to see.

It was Kamatari and the Anti-shocks, clad in their black ensemble and keffiyeh.

"It will lead you to the maiden home of the Malik's soon-to-be bride."

Kenshin nodded and disappeared himself, leaving the group of men in awkward silence.

"Dang," Shikijo broke the ice, "Put two flames of that intensity together… who do you think will extinguish first?"

"No one will extinguish," Kamatari said, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. He stared at the blazing blue flames of the Minarets. "They feed each other's flames."

"But don't you think someone is bound to burn out?"

Kamatari sighed. "You realize you're talking about the innate flames of a Fire Drake and a Marid Djinniya?" He shook his pretty head, "Two of the most terrifying creatures that walked the face of the endless lands."

"Tch," Shikijo chuckled, "Even now they can't seem to keep their hands off each other. At this point, we'll lose our last Karkadann bait."

"Hn, with the Ameera's stubbornness, I'd say it will take the poor fool a few days before he could get that wild hellion to crack." Han'nya shrugged.

"I'd say it's gonna happen before the wedding," Shikijo dared.

"After." Han'nya crossed his arms before his chest, refusing to give in.

"BEFORE." Shikijo countered.

"Hey, nothing is gonna be solved with this petty banter." Kamatari intervened. "How about we just bet on it? I'm betting on the wedding night itself."

The three principal warriors grinned, and they looked at their fellow Anti-shocks:

The group of soldiers only nodded in sly consensus.

There was not such a lavish ceremony that could compare to what met his eyes. When he reached Misao's maiden home, the number of people was too much for a humble street to hold.

The thobe-dressed women, who held the bowls of what he later figured out was henna, were already dancing and chanting around a lavishly-clothed Misao. His eyes searched for one figure that was bound to stand out, and she indeed did.

The Ameera danced with mesmerizing fluidity and percussion, lifting her hips in synch with the women of the Malik's household, trying to blend into the dance of the women around her.

But she simply couldn't, for her movements were too graceful, too enchanting to a fault. He suppressed a growl, seeing unwanted gazes falling onto the figure of his future Queen.

"Wait till the wedding reception, Your Highness." Kamatari butted in, settling beside the restrained Northern King. "You won't believe what she has prepared for the Raqs Sharqi."

Kenshin gave the taunting lieutenant a sidelong glance, having no idea what he was talking about.

They started passing out their bags of gold and candy. The women from the bride's side, and even the jubilant onlookers, started joining in the ceremony. With the melodious beat of the riq and oud filling the scorching desert air, the women with henna bowls presented their gift to the giddy bride…

And Kaoru, along with the women closest to the Thirteenth Malik, presented to Misao a splendid gift of their own: a coffer of rare jewelry, the most valuable of the Mystical land of the East.

The Northern King could not believe the amount of extravagance and wealth around him.

If the Northern King had struggled to comprehend the level of splendor he had witnessed the day before, nothing could have possibly prepared him for the wild exuberance that was set for the Wedding Ceremony itself.

The preparations started at dawn, where Kaoru and the rest of the Malik's kin had set out to the dusty streets of the Port City of El Qasr to collect the bride. Every corner of the city was draped in fine silk and weave,

The ground that the future Queen of El Qasr walked upon was set with fragrant, soft flower petals. All the while a fervent dancing and clapping around the magnificently dressed bride, the Malik's family had finally brought Misao to the steps of the ancient Mosque, where the Thirteenth Malik awaited with bated breath.

It was the entourage that entered first, with bare feet, under the towering marble dome of the eloquent structure. Draped with spun veils and protected with archaic magic, the marble pillars could only echo the amount of power the city itself held,

The Northern King and his courtiers finally realized what made the city of El Qasr unlike any other.

From the lowest of the stone cobblers and tea producers to the highest-ranking official in the palace, all held a certain amount of magic that they can channel and manifest: El Qasr was a city of magic-wielders.

Misao finally emerged from the towering doors, and everyone in the Mosque held their breath. Covered in henna tattoos and a lavish, heavily-embellished dress, she was a truly beautiful bride. Everyone cheered when she finally joined hands with her lover as the ceremony officially kicked off to a start.

The rituals itself was solemn, so deep-rooted in the ancient traditions that in it itself was a cause for Kenshin and his Northern attendants to sit quietly in wonder, stunned and in awe.

A few more ritualistic passages later, the sacred ceremony had come to an end. The Qazi turned to the audience and with a big smile on his face,

"I now present to you,

the Malik and the Queen of El Qasr!"

The whole mosque exploded in jubilation. The Malik leaned over to kiss his beautiful bride, which resulted in more cheers.

Such a happy day it was for the mystical Kingdom of the East.

They arrived at the palace grounds by sunset, after acknowledging the people's well-wishes in the city square. The city itself was set to be under a week-long celebration, the feast and festivities were not constrained to the Royal Family alone. Such generosity only spoke to the wealth of the Malik's kingdom.

Even the arriving airships and galleons on the port held elaborate banners, congratulating the union of the Malik and his Queen.

In the palace awaited a different set of guests: the ones closest to the Malik, his strongest allies from the Far Realms, and members of the Royal Family from far and near Kingdoms. The banquet before them was shamefully excessive, the pile of gifts for the newlywed couple were ridiculous.

There was much dancing and drinking.

Music had saturated the already night air, the torches and candles set for an eerie, golden glow that lit up the palace gardens. At one point the people had the Malik and Queen stand up on their table,

And while they were doing so, the men of the groom hoisted them up to the air, a collective cry of awe filling the atmosphere as the royal couple continued to dance.

The spectacle had finished, and the Northern King thought that would signify a wrap. But the Queen was carefully handed two candles, and another round of dancing began.

"I don't know, Kenshin, Maybe it's because these people are damn magic-wielders," Sanosuke slurred, he was obviously intoxicated. His general started hiccupping, "But man, these Easterners sure know how to party…"

"Ugh, I told you not to drink too much," the retainer Megumi argued, pinching Sanosuke on his cheeks as if he were a little boy.

Kenshin separated himself from his attendants. He was pretty intoxicated himself: the inebriating spirit of strong liquor, constantly poured on his throat, was loosening his inhibitions. Violet eyes that had easily transfigured to draconian gold searched for the one thing that would appease his raging beast:

The sight of his djinniya, his future mate: "Kaoru," he uttered, a desperate need manifesting in his voice.

"So what can you say about our humble El Qasr?" a familiar voice drifted beside him. It was the Lieutenant Kamatari. He held no scythe on his back, he was purely there for the celebration. His eyes were trained on the fluid motions of the Queen as she did her slow dance, all the while balancing the two big candles on her hands.

"Fascinating," Kenshin answered.

The women around her lit candles of their own, filling the center of the grounds with a magical illumination. Taking turns from a line, dancing with the bride, until it was time for the men to do the same. The music carried beat, they hoisted the Malik up in the air,

Everyone around was laughing in a festive spirit.

Then the music started to shift… into a more seductive tone.

"What's happening now?" Kenshin waited in anticipation.

"Didn't I tell you yesterday? The Ameera's Raqs Sharqi." The Lieutenant said with a taunting smirk.

She emerged when the oud and tablah started, in a transparent veil of mystical blue smoke. It crept like living liquid, the sensuous tendrils wrapping around the curves of her body when she started to sway her hips.

"Raqs Sharqi," Kenshin echoed, his voice rough from his suddenly parched throat.

"Or what you Northerners have simplified to the term Belly Dance," Kamatari grinned when he saw the Fire Drake's fangs manifest, in an attempt to restrain his unbridled lust. "I am totally winning the bet tonight," Kamatari muttered in glee.

She was usually almost concealed. Even in womanly silks she was still covered in some form of protection, but tonight was a totally different night. There was no face concealment. Wearing only a bejeweled brassiere that exposed a dangerous amount of bosom, her entire midriff, for everyone else's eyes to feast upon.

Her draping skirt held a scandalous amount of slit, revealing the entire length of her leg when she moved.

She executed a series of staccato movements as the beat of the Doumbek started to build up, louder and louder, her hips lifting, hitting outward, her arms fluidly framing for body emphasis.

It took an overwhelming amount of bodily control to interpret the complicated rhythm into dance. The Ameera spun around, a brief burst of magic exploding in her wake, taking advantage of her red ifrit haula, the magical blue was engulfed in fiery red:

she looked as if she were on fire.

The guests were stunned to silence. Her percussive movements became more and more complex by the minute. She added shoulder and abdominal shimmies to define depth, sensuous infinity loops, and accentuating with drops of her ribcage and undulations to her abdomen…

In the midst of it all, her magical blue eyes threw the Fire Drake a secretive, daring glance.

Kamatari had to physically hold the lust-crazed Kenshin back, to keep him from disrupting the bewitching Raqs Sharqi.

"Losers," he mouthed at the nearby Anti-shocks, who were pounding their fists from their impending loss.

The dance became more dangerous. Her ifrit fire would scorch close to her guests, enough to bring the onlookers a sense of fear. But she knew that with the sense of fear followed dangerous mystery, and that was what she perfectly symbolized that night, dancing so sensually with tendrils of fire and magic.

The music halted to a stop, her oriental dance finally concluded.

Aoshi and Misao stood up and clapped first, and the overjoyed palace people followed.

The guests from the foreign lands, though, were too stunned and rendered breathless at the encounter.

"I didn't know the Ameera has grown to be such a beautiful woman," The Prince of the Far West took her hand and kissed it, making sure his lips lingered. "Why have you kept her hidden, after all this time?"

"A lot of things happened," Aoshi answered, his austere eyes on the hands that still held his sister. "We just thought she was not ready yet, to be introduced to society."

"Couldn't have picked a better time," another fair-haired price flashed a charming smile. Right after the dance, the eligible bachelors immediately came flocking to his sister's side. The Aftershocks were controlling traffic, the celebrations were still in occurrence, and so he had excused himself from his Queen's side to watch over his sister for a while.

Knowing Kaoru and her antics, he was just making sure she won't 'accidentally' turn someone into a pile of excrement tonight.

"Indeed," Aoshi's lips curved upward, seeing a particular person make its way towards them. "Couldn't have picked a better time. I have to go, my wife is summoning me." He quickly slipped out of the looming fracas.

"So," a dark-haired noble, quite handsome to anyone's standards, gave her a lopsided grin, "I heard you are fond of travel."

"She is," a male voice answered, absolutely venomous in intent. "And her betrothed will make sure he fulfills her wishes to her heart's desire."

The guests backed off, for the newcomer's unnatural golden eyes held an absolutely homicidal intent. This man was not human, that they could surmise. Piercing fangs and a fearsome energy, even to the Nobles who were magic wielders, it did not take long before one of the guests recognized him.

"The Northern King?" An older king stepped back, "I thought you perished in the siege—'

At this point, the suitors backed off.

Everyone into the far reaches of the lands knew about the legendary Dragon King of the North,

And they were wise enough to try and ease away from his wrath.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were betrothed to the Northern King," the fair-haired prince bowed in apology to a stunned Kaoru, "Our humble kingdom will be looking forward to your union."

The men left with careful apologies, parting under the pressure of a malicious draconian stare. Satisfied with his work Kenshin turned to his lovely woman, only to find her glaring.

"I don't remember agreeing to any betrothal," Kaoru informed him.

"It was going to happen, anyway. Might as well announce it early." His eager hands reached out to collect her waist, but she disappeared like smoke from his grasp. She reappeared at the borders of the grounds, by the people who were still dancing and celebrating.

"I haven't changed my mind." She said as she slid into the crowd of moving bodies.

He found her swaying her hips, in close proximity with a random man.

The random man, suffice to say, was shoved away… more like hurled to the other side of the grounds. The Northern King's hand shot out, seizing her wrist with a vice-like grip.

"Kaoru," he pleaded.

But the djinniya did not stop dancing. Instead she smirked, and she rocked her hips with the percussive beat even harder, making sure she 'accidentally' grazed her swells against him.

The Northern King could only groan in stifled frustration.

Still imprisoned to the beat of the riq and Doumbek, she pulled him close and whispered, "How can you bring me pleasure, when you can't even dance to the same beat with me?" In a movement concealed with a one-hip infinity loop, she ground her crotch, 'accidentally', against his very obvious, very painful bulge.

"Why do you tease me like this?" The Northern King literally begged.

He would have fallen on his knees and groveled at her feet, but she was a cruel djinn, and she was now mercilessly laughing at his tortured misery.

She slithered out of his grasp and materialized into smoke, reappearing again at a distance away, dancing in the midst of a crowd of spellbound strangers.

The maddened Northern King released a breath of ire. He was about to plow himself towards her yet again, but an unknown hand pulled him from the side. Caught in the suddenness of the action, Kenshin found himself in the attentions of an ardent female guest.

The human woman started engaging him into a dance of her own.

"Harlot." Came a scathing voice, and the befuddled Dragon Lord snapped to the source.

It was an angered Ameera.

"You dare touch the Fire Drake!" She seethed, and with a snap of her finger, the unfortunate woman was turned into a pile of unsightly excrement.

Jaws dropped on the floor, the Aftershocks were doubling over in laughter nearby.

Aoshi came rushing to the sudden scene. "Kaoru," he said, and he sighed in resignation when he saw the brown substance on the ground.

Thankfully the guests had realized what had happened, and they had not trampled on the stinky victim.

Aoshi gave her a condescending look, and the Ameera puffed out an annoyed breath.

"She started it," she snapped, the woman reverting back as human. But the said woman was still covered in poop, from which the Ameera suppressed a mean snicker.

"Kaoru," Aoshi repeated, holding no room for argument.

"Fine." The djinniya waved her hand, removing the nasty waste off the woman's body… but still leaving a generous amount on the woman's face.

Misao, who had been standing beside Aoshi the whole time, exploded into bouts of laughter.

The Ameera gave out a haughty sigh, shrugging her dainty little shoulders in vain. "This is no fun." She drawled, showing absolutely zero remorse. "No fun at all…" she lilted, the selfish djinni disappeared in a puff of magical smoke.

"Proclaiming such grandiose words," the Ameera pouted. She was sitting on the edge of the minaret facing the Eastern Desert, mumbling to the passing Sirocco.

The wind's curiosity arose, and so it lingered to hear the djinniya's distress.

She continued with her rant. "Yes, that infuriating Fire Drake!" She vented to her warm friend, "Dropping such palatial verses, yet he is eager to jump into the arms of the first… floozie… that comes his way."

"I would rather die than do anything to distress you." A familiar voice interjected.

The Ameera looked down from the elevation and her eyes narrowed. She threw her glance back towards the Eastern Desert, deliberately ignoring the Dragon Lord's presence.

"Ameera,"

"What do you think, Sirocco? Maybe I should run away with you for a little while? Ah, just like old times…"

"Princess…"

"Imagine the lands we will discover, the people we will meet…

Maybe we can go back to simpler times. I really do miss the simpler times…"

He was about to climb up to her elevation, but the scent of her tears suddenly assaulted the Fire Drake's nose. Kenshin stiffened.

"And this is why I hate this…" She suddenly said, her tone falling somber. "I hate this, Sirocco… this is why I hate this.

The foreign feelings…

This pathetic vulnerability…

Ah, this is embarrassing to admit… I am ill-prepared."

"Kaoru." He whispered, and the Ameera finally turned to him, locking her dazzling blue gaze against his.

"I am not ready," she simply said,

"Kenshin, this djinniya… is terrified."

The warm Sirocco wrapped the Ameera in comfort, before releasing her and drifting away. Kaoru sat in solemn silence, under the star-riddled dome of the vast Eastern sky.

The djinniya, to Kenshin's surprise, was shedding a few tears.

They remained quiet for moments, but the aggressive Fire Drake did not move. He did not rush to comfort her, he did not scoop her up in a rough embrace.

Instead he stood perfectly still on his spot, ruminating, as the Sand Dunes in the desert groaned with the shifting of the wind.

"…you."

He muttered something but it was carried away by the passing wind. The djinni did not quite hear… she turned to him to see, his eyes were a mesmerizing ocean of violet and gold.

"I love you." His half-hued eyes met hers, his three words finally penetrating a part of her heavily barricaded spirit.

The words felt foreign to his own tongue, for he had never released them to anyone in his years of existence. But saying it to her felt as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and he realized, he regretted not having said it to her sooner.

"You have revealed to me a world that I never even knew existed, and ever since I acknowledged my devotion to you, I knew there was no turning back.

I know that I will never have you completely,

I also know that you belong to no one but yourself.

I love you. I shall wait until you are ready."

No other words were needed at that moment, and the two settled into a quiet lull of momentary silence.

From afar, the groaning sand dunes shifted, bringing in secrets of the ancient sand ocean that probably the Ameera could only hear.

"After this night, I will be making the preparations to retrieve my kingdom," He stole a secret glance at the Ameera, who sat as still as a statue in her spot.

"Once I reclaim my keep, I will re-orient the enclosed apple orchard in the castle. The orchard is enchanted with the most suitable climate to grow fruit trees…" He smiled when he saw that the Ameera was looking at him in the corner of her eyes. "I will be replacing it with persimmon trees. I reckon they are a certain someone's favorite fruit..."

The Fire Drake secretly rejoiced when he saw the corner of her lips curl upward, but she was stubborn, nonetheless. She immediately suppressed it, the selfish djinn not wanting to give him the luxury of her smile, and so he settled with the sight of her seductive body under the flood of the moonlight, and the incandescent glow of her blue eyes.

The wind picked up again, playing with her unbound hair.

Bed with me tonight, his beast wanted to say, and it took all of his willpower to control himself. He promised her he would wait.

But a mischievous smile caught his lips.

He did promise her he would wait, but he did not say anything about trying to control himself when she was around. The Dragon Lord coiled his muscles in anticipation, like a predator positioning himself to pounce on his oblivious prey.

But the moment he was to spring towards her, a horrible ringing filled his sensitive ears—

There was an explosion of red,

And an excruciating burn.

"Your Highness!" Kaoru jumped off of her elevation and rushed into the cloud of dust and debris. Searching blindly she was able to locate him through his energy signature. She reached out to him, he was not lying on the ground: thankfully, he was able to evade.

The dust cleared, and her bored expression immediately fell into one of dread.

The eastern stone wall of El Qasr was completely obliterated. Amidst the rubble, there was a gargantuan meteor-like projectile, burning with a heat unlike any other… the malicious flame held a heavy, ominous hum.

It reminded Kenshin of the sound that filled his ears when his castle was under that wretched siege.

"I know that spell…" Kaoru whispered, and Kenshin held her face, her cheeks were dirtied by the wreckage. "It is from Yukyuzan Anji… one of my Lieutenants in Amberistad." She locked her gaze with the Northern King.

"Ifrits…" She said.

The sky erupted bright red again, there was another ear-piercing screech. They lifted their gaze up, and lo and behold, another giant, blazing meteor was falling from the heavens.

The blue flames of the minarets roared.

It swallowed the entire city of El Qasr, and the meteor came crashing into the magnificent flame barrier. The earth beneath them shook from the impact.

Panicked screams from the people arose from below. The djinniya disappeared from Kenshin's side in a surge of smoke and lightning. Alarmed, Kenshin jumped off the minaret, and he searched in a sea of terrified people.

He found her standing in the middle of the chaos, she had already donned her battle attire.

"Fariq, we are under attack." The border patrol was catching his breath, he was heavily wounded, his arm was blasted off. What kept him intact was his magic, "The rest of my army did not survive…"

"I know the intruders," the Fariq looked at the Malik, "You were right. Ifrits, from Shishio's clan. I will need the strongest magic wielders with me." she threw her gaze towards Kamatari.

"Lieutenant… stay with the King and the people.

Await for my orders through the flames."

She prepared to mount her black stallion. Someone seized the horse's reins,

"You will not go and risk yourself –" Kenshin snarled. Kaoru pulled the reins away from him,

"I am the Fariq of El Qasr, under the threat of war you are under my command." She looked at him, her blue eyes burning. "You will stay. Right here, with the Malik." She proceeded to mount her horse.

"Then I will come with you."

"I will not forgive myself if anything happened to you!" she yelled, the night sky lighting up bright red again. The flame barrier still engulfed the entire city… "Stay, Fire Drake. That is an order."

She prodded her horse and they ran off, half of the Anti-shocks of the Royal Army following. They disappeared out the towering gates of the fortress.

The meteor crashed onto the barrier yet again, summoning another earthquake. And though the tail of dust from the horse's footfalls had not cleared, another black stallion reared, freshly mounted by a warrior.

"Misao!"

Aoshi shot for his bride, but she looked back at him with an iron determination. Kamatari had to restrain the enraged king-

"I will come back, I promise." The dervish kicked her horse and sped off, chasing after the black-clad warriors.

From all the chaos, the Lieutenant looked beside him, searching for a certain red-head that was under his charge.

The Northern King, he realized, had already taken off.

She arrived in the middle of the vast sand ocean of the Eastern Desert, her eyes narrowing to a sight she thought she would never see. There was an army of ghouls waiting for them, and being held by the current of the wind-

The banners of the fake king of the North.

She steadied her horse, and also her breath. Her own troop behind her awaited quietly for her orders-

"Is that you… Princess of Amberistad?" The towering figure said.

"Yes, Anji." the djinniya acknowledged.

"I am glad… that you are safe." Behind them, the city of El Qasr was relentlessly being pounded by falling meteors.

"I'm sorry…" Anji monotoned. There was no emotion on his face… yet tears were streaking down from his eyes.

"Kaoru," another familiar voice said, it was a blindfolded swordsman. "Release us from this subjugation…"

"Usui," the Fariq's steeled eyes widened in horror, as everything finally clicked into place. "You are under the enslavement of Solomon's ring—"

Usui unsheathed his sword, the crisp sound sliced through the tense air. Like the silent Anji, he was crying.

"Release us from this subjugation… even if it is through our death."

His Ifrit flame erupted from his feet, and he lunged towards the royal army.