Moroccan Rhapsody Ch 6

Summer lowered her roof and the seven of us climbed in, Shelly sitting in the driver's seat with her fins.  Summer drove us, which surprised Mr. Olan to no end.  A short drive past the mill and near a waterfall which was powering the mill and seperating into irragation ditches, Olan pointed to a round structure that was on the left and overlooking the vale.
"That is my home.  You may park here..." Olan hesitated.  "Can you join us inside, Summer?  Without destroying my home?"
"Yes, Mr. Olan.  The sun is responsible for my transformation.  You see, I transform into Summer when I become too warm, and I can change back when I cool.  As long as I'm out of the sun, I should be okay."
Olan turned to Shelly.  "Do you require water, Miss Shelly?  I have access to a washtub."
"Water gives me fins, Mr. Olan, but I can dry off and remain human for as long as I wish," Shelly replied.
Olan gave a nod.  "Then, I am happy to welcome you all inside.  I hope you will allow me to find you lodging for the night as well, for we have much to discuss."
"You wish for us to understand each other, Mr. Olan... I hope that by the time we leave this village, we will not only understand one another but be close friends," Hawkeye said.
While Hawkeye carried Shelly, I cooled down Michelle.  We then went inside.   Olan's house was surprisingly well decorated.  It was a large circular hut, partitioned into different rooms and uses.  A kitchen was in one corner, but there was a basin and a fire pit that vented to the outside rather than what might appear to be a western style kitchen.  A low table with several stuffed floor pillows for seats entertained guests.  A more open visiting space for discussing and sharing tea was at six o’clock from the kitchen.  Finally, a bed, wardrobe, and walled off lavatory filled the remaining floor space.  It was a bachelor’s pad, and everything seemed very self sufficient.  The only other unusual feature in the room was a ham radio and the necessary aerials for broadcast.  A wire lead outside, perhaps to a solar collector.  Lanterns and a stock of candles were also nearby, as well as an area near the kitchen where more wax candles were cooling on racks.  It should also be noted, a number of glass lamps and Arabian style brass lamps were on display here - perhaps with more to choose from, it would be more difficult to discern which lamp contained Olan’s magical essence.
Hawkeye placed Shelly down in the seating area, and I sat next to her as the rest of us gathered around.  Olan went into the kitchen nad put on some water for tea.
“The tea will be along momentarily, though I apologize that I am unable to keep it very cool.”
“Thank you, but I will pass on the hot tea, Mr. Olan,” Michelle said.
“My apologies for not having any ice, Miss Michelle.  But if you prefer, I also have pomagranite juice.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Michelle replied.
“May I also have that?” Anabelle asked.
“You may.”  Olan went to work.  “I have many duties in the village, but since my wife passed away many years ago I have remained a solo act in her absence.  As village elder, I consider it an honor to serve my guests, and I continue to do so even without assistance.”
“We are honored to be here, Mr. Olan, and thank you for letting us visit,” I said.
“Please, call me Olan.  We call each other by our family names here, and even in formal meetings, rarely are we so formal.”  He came by with a few ceramic cups filled with purple juice, to which he offered to each of us.   “The tea will be along shortly, but you may indulge in my finest juice.  I have been fortunate to have quite a crop from my little tree this year.”
I sampled the juice.  Tart, to be sure, but it was wet and cold enough.  Not bad.
A moment later, Olan sat down in the largest chair in the area.  “I suppose we should get to buisness.  Anabelle... may I call you that?”
Anabelle nodded.
“You among your companions seem to be the least surprised of our village here.  Am I correct that you have granted a wish to prevent your own memories?”
“Yes, I have.  I do not know how long the Emerald Tide had me in their control.”
“There was a ceremony to discover past wishes granted by our kind, but it is an art long forgotten to those of us here in Morocco.”  He turned to Jeanette.  “You are a genie as well, Miss Jeanette?  Surely you did not grow up in Seattle?”
“Saudi Arabia,” Jeanette replied.  “A hidden oasis south of Abu Dhabi.  There is a larger array of solar panels for electricity, but otherwise we were well off the grid like yourselves.”
“Regretably, it remains very easy to enslave our kind.  That is why we choose to live apart from other humans, even if it means living like our ancestors.”  Olan paused to sip from his own cup of juice.  “A person learns what luxuries are important and which luxuries aren’t worth risking one’s freedom.”
“Is there any way that she could restore her memory?  Even with a wish?” Shelly asked.
“No, we agreed,” Michelle raised her hands.  “We agreed we wouldn’t do this with wishes.”
“Is that so?” Olan smiled.  “Your friends are more honorable than I had thought.”
“They are good people, Mr. Olan.  I consider them the finest friends I have ever known,” Anabelle replied.
“I can at least tell you what I know, and tonight when the stars are high, I shall try to communicate with Mayna of the Wandering Mumbu tribe.”  He took Anabelle’s hands into his.  “Those are the people you were taken from, I am sure.”
“You are?” Anabelle asked.
Olan nodded.  “They took you from their ranks eight months ago, and have been looking for you ever since.  They know this in Saudi Arabia...” Olan paused to look at Jeanette.  “They know this in Malaysia.  And in India as well.”  He motioned towards the ham radio near his bed.  “We typically limit our conversations to late at night and only the new moons, but we know each other well.”
“Incredible, how many genies there are in the world,” Shelly said.
“And mermaids, Miss Shelly,” Olan said with a glint in his eye.  “I shall convene with Mayna and tell them you are found, Anabelle.  Hopefully, we can discover where Han has been taken.”
“Thank you,” Anabelle kissed Olan’s hands.  “I would owe you everything.”
Olan smiled.  “For now, you owe me nothing.”  He looked over to his gas stove, where the tea was ready.  “Tea is ready, and I can have a stew ready for each of you within the hour.”
“Only if you allow me to help in the preperation,” I said.
He nodded.
“Though I will pass on the tea again... I can certainly help with the preperation as well,” Michelle said.
“We’ll all help,” Hawkeye said.  “For your hospitality, Olan.”
“And for not skewering us with those pitchforks,” Jeanette said.
“We must defend our little village... but I think we’re on our way to finding that understanding we discussed, friends.”

By the time we cut up some vegetables and brewed up some broth, Shelly’s fins were gone and all of us were fed.  Michelle filled up on bread as she let her stew cool, and some time later, we began to tour the village.
The mill operator was welcome to have extra help for the afternoon, and though she couldn’t help much, even Michelle was able to help with the mill work.  Sure, we hadn’t bargained on working while here, but I felt a strong connection with these people, who chose to live like the Amish, like people from the forgotten age long ago before electricity and earlier times, just to hide their wishing abilities and maintain their cultural identities.  Plus, it was refreshing that Hawkeye had came out and given his real name, John Carvel.  Agent Carvel might not have been our leader officially, but he and I did our best to keep a level of understanding between the Bouskarans and ourselves.  
We must’ve done a good job, because that evening the whole town came out with kindness.  As the sun set and the heat of the day faded, the village gathered around the well and fed us well.  Someone had slaughtered a pig that morning, and it became the centerpiece of what was a fantastic meal.  I could tell that the villagers were very communial - this was so well rehersed and organized that I later learned that every Wednesday this was the custom.  The village would bring their preserved dates, their freshest greens, or their freshest livestock and share it with their neighbors.  
There were no bank accounts, no property lines, no fences or locks.  Neighbors traded with one another, and neighbors served one another.    
Nobody seemed to have a toothbrush, but we had just about everything we needed to be comfortable.  They even set us up with a vacant house with three seperate bedrooms and six beds that we all could be cozy in. Neighbors outfitted it with spare cots and blankets, as well as a barrel of fresh water.  
That night, we sat through a gathering with several villagers who had gathered at a bonfire.  They were telling stories of the outside world, and though I found myself defending my way of life, despite comments of confusion, incredible banter, and surprise.  Even Michelle told a few stories, which was a good trick considering she had given her secret away to the entire village - a first for her.  
Someone broke out a lute and began to strum.  A few villagers began to dance.  I slapped a nearby barrel for a drum, but ended up dancing at the hand of an older woman.  Shelly joined me later, and so too did Michelle, who was dancing with one of the young men of the village.  Jeanette and Hawkeye danced, and Anabelle smiled for the first time since I’ve known her.  It was a grand time for all.

Once the festivities died down and all were finally reposed for the evening, I went outside to gaze at the stars.  However, it wasn’t long until Shelly joined me.
“Thought you wouldn’t miss a view like this,” I said, gazing up.  
“Just like being on the sea, isn’t it?” She kissed me.  “You did wonderful today.”
“So did you.  When was the last time we danced?” I asked.
“At our engagement.”  She sat down on a bench and crossed her legs.  “Were you going to marry me someday, or just vow to do so?”
“This summer, we’ll make it official,” I said.  “In front of my family, friends, and yours.  We’ll make it happen.”
“Even Raine and Orchid?  They said they wanted to come,” Shelly said.
“That’s up to you.  I have a few people I have to invite, but you get final approval on the guest list.”
“I want to get married on our beach... Emerald Bay.  At sunset.  How does that sound?”
“Can we have a reception at home in Minnesota?” I asked.
“Of course.  When we get home, we’ll start making the arraingements.”
“Agreed.  I figure maybe a hundred, hundred and twenty, in the wedding.  Who do you have in mind for a wedding party?” I asked.
“You and me... Michelle can be the Maid of Honor, and maybe Dr. Chase as the best man?”
I chuckled.  “Think he’ll go for that?”
“I’d be in a wheelchair if not for him.”
I nodded.  “Okay, who else?”
“Emina and Nauridia will want to be in it, Tony, your friend Brian... Megan, maybe your friend Gary...”
“That’s a good crew... what about Jeanette?”
“Yeah, of course... and Bret or Alex, we can invite them too.”
“Well, sure, we’ll invite them, but ten people in the wedding party?” I asked.  “Thought this would be a small crew?”
“I’ll discuss it with Michelle,” Shelly said as she stretched back and leaned back towards the open bench, almost falling backwards before catching herself.  “Four bridesmaids and groomsmen is enough, right?”
“It depends if we end up inside or outside.  Surely Michelle and Bret won’t want to be out in the sun, and then there’s the worry about weather...”
“Maybe Jeanette will allow us to grant a wish about that.  After all, they won’t be the only ones.  Kris, Collette, Tiffany... they’ll want to come too, won’t they?”
“It’s your party,” I confessed.  “We’ll find a way to pay for it later.”
“What about my parents, though?  They won’t be able to come...” Shelly sighed.
I realized quite quickly that she was right.  “That’s another wish, though I don’t know if Gunther or Ceylara will agree to it.”
“There’s so much to organize, Greg... and when we finally get everything organized, what then?  Will I be able to keep this cherade going?  Me, a mermaid, living on land?”
“You’ve made it this far,” I replied.  “Why not?”
“Why... why not,” Shelly began.  “There’s so many why nots.”
“Michelle will help you figure it out.  I can help too.  We’ll find a way to make it happen, you know that.”
Anabelle came outside.  “Oh, am I interupting?”  She was wearing an afghan for a coat.
“Trouble sleeping?” I asked.
"I thought I heard you both outside.  I'm sorry if I'm interupting."
"You're not.  What's on your mind?" Shelly asked.
"I heard you talking about using wishes, when you've said thus far that you weren't going to use any."  She sat on the grass next to us.  "Why would you do this?"
"Not use wishes?" I asked.  "Too easy, really."
"But, shouldn't using wishes make life easy?" Anabelle asked.  
"Look around you, Anabelle."  Shelly waved her hand towards the other houses in the village.  "This is a whole city of genies.  They built this place from the ground up, and maintain it without genie magic."
"And the rest of the cities we've been to also," I added.  "London is easily a thousand years old... Casablanca was probably settled in the early fifth century... all these places were built by hands.  By workers."
"Though they could've wished for it," Shelly muttered.
"Yes, how would you know if they had?  Genie magic is only easy to trace by other genies," Anabelle said.
"The point is," I stressed, "is that we don't believe that friends should take advantage of each other.  Just because you can grant every whim doesn't mean..."
"What about Michelle and Summer?  All we've done since I've known you is ride around in her," Anabelle said.
"That's a good argument..." Shelly began.
"And you, Shelly.  We've breathed underwater because of you... or Megan... or Eva... and your pearl, Greg... you didn't find that on your own..."
"No, I didn't."  I looked over to Shelly for advice.  "I owe her a lot for it."
"And as for Michelle... well, she lets us ride in her, I guess," Shelly began.
"Yeah.  Yeah, she does," I added.  "Besides, if she drove a regular car and began to change, then what?"
"Actually, she has done that a few times, and it hasn't ended well..." Shelly began.
"So some abilities are okay to take advantage of, then?" Anabelle asked.
"No, of course not!"  I might've been getting a little defensive.  
"Greg, calm down."  Shelly patted my hand.  "Anabelle, did we do something that took advantage of someone?"
"I just want to know where you draw the line with your friends.  You're so very defensive of your abilities... and I suppose you should be... but at the same time, I want to aid you as much as I can to find my son.  I have to aid you as much as I can!  Perhaps I do not wish to wait for as long as it takes..."  Anabelle sighed and began to tear up.
"We made a promise..." I began.
"Yeah, we promised we'd find your son, without use of magic if need be," Shelly said.  "And we will hold that promise."
Anabelle rose to her feet.  "Perhaps that promise has been fullfilled already.  We're here, in a village with my people, though they are not my neighbors.  You have been true to your word... but perhaps now we have reached the moment when we all can do our part to aid the cause.  Jean wants to help me too, I asked her before she fell asleep... she said she will grant any wish she hears, just as I can... and wants to do so to find my son."
"I need something..." I gazed up towards the starry sky.  "Let me make you one more promise, then.  I wish there was a shooting star above us."
Anabelle nodded, releasing a bit of blue smoke.  Above us, Shelly, Anabelle and I watched as we followed the trail of a shooting star across the heavens.  
"Now leave this one for that star, Anabelle.  I promise, on that shooting star, that I will find your son in 48 hours.  Deal?" I asked.
"And though they're asleep, I know they're with me in saying that Michelle and Jeanette, and for as long as he's here, Hawkeye, will do their part as well.  And you have my help also," Shelly said.
Anabelle smiled slowly, before falling to her knees and hugging us both tightly.  "And I know you will be true to that promise.  I just know you will."

Though I might've stayed awake thinking of just how I was going to complete that new promise I had made, all of us managed to get some well deserved sleep.  The amenities may not have been as comfortable as the hotel in Casablanca, but we slept well despite leaving all of our luggage in town.  I might even go so far to say it was more peaceful here than anywhere I've slept thus far.
A breakfast of quiche and fruit later, we met with Elder Olan and discussed his findings from the ham radio meeting that occured last night.
"There was much to discuss on your story, my friends."  Olan poured us all a cup of tea as we gathered in his hut.  "All were eager to hear of your plight, Anabelle."
"I'll bet they were happy to hear she was safe," Jeanette said.
"Very much so."  Olan hesitated to pour Michelle a cup, but did so.  "They know, as well as I, that anytime one of our own has their power captured, that our very exsistance, as well as the fate of the world, can be forfiet in a moment's notice.  Though we know that not all normal humans are as ambitious as some, we are still cautious."
"And I don't blame you," Michelle said.  "All it takes is a few wishes to swing the pendulum of power and governments can fall like dominoes."
"Well aren't you poetic," I chuckled.
"I thought you were going to say something about the hot tea," Shelly giggled.
Michelle gave Shelly a sly smile before sliding the tea away from her.
"At any rate, I did speak to Yolanda of the Mambu... she is an assistant to Mayna and has given me a report from the Shah, a prince of sorts who lives west of Casablanca."  Olan took a seat at the end of the table.  "She did not say if your son had been brought there, Anabelle, but she did know that the Shah had put out a warning about the Emerald Tidesmen and that their headquarters was known to be in the area."
"We should go there and take a look," Hawkeye said.  "Any chance the Shah might meet with us?"
"Perhaps, but you six hardly have credentials to meet with him on such short notice.  I know he has many guards and does not frequently meet with the commoners," Olan said.  "But as you have shown, you are quite resiliant folk and will have a plan, I am sure."
"Your hospitality has been very grand, Olan, and I thank you for everything."  Michelle rose and took his hand.  "We could not have had a more wonderful experience."
"Are we leaving?" Jeanette asked.
Michelle nodded.  "Didn't you tell Anabelle that we'd find her son in less than three days, Greg?"
I might've mentioned it during breakfast.
"Besides, I've been thirsty for hot tea for a long time."  Michelle picked up the steamy cup and chugged the contents, quickly placing the clay cup on the table as her hands curled up and turned into tires.  "I'll be outside."  She rushed towards the exit.
"I guess we're done here."  Hawkeye rose, and soon we were all standing.  "Elder Olan, we are very appreciative of your hospitality.  I regret we cannot offer you anything in return."
"Oh, you can, but we're not allowed to grant wishes that directly benefit ourselves.  It's an unwritten rule of sorts," Olan smiled.
"I can at least do this," Anabelle said before coming over and hugging Olan tightly.  "It means so much to me."
"Um, one more request..." I began.  "Can someone move that gate by the road?  Summer can probably jump it, but..."
"I'll ride with you to the gate.  I have the key," Olan said.  "If I might have one wish of my own, it would be to ride in a convertable along the ocean someday."
"You're welcome in Seattle anytime.  I've got a client who owns a BMW convertable that's very fast," Jeanette said.
Olan bowed with a nod.  "Lovely."