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She nodded, filing the information away. "Did you know this master personally?" she had noted that he seemed to speak of the man with familiarity, even if he couldn't remember the name of his nemesis.

"I see." she nodded, filing away the information. Her violet orbs on Mozenrath were calculating. "Was this master... jealous of what they had? Or was his spite random?"

She was genuinely interested, and was slowly piecing together a small story. "I see." she was fascinated. "Does... the master, the princess... names?" her english was breaking, curiously.

She nodded. And without saying goodbye, was already wandering off. Destane was... boring. Her mind was working overtime, and she was lost in her own stories. But then she turned. "Do you like stories, milord? When you were told them, if you were, did you listen to the stories between them? Did you ever think.... about the people who heard them, and how truly difficult it is to piece them together?" she bowed her head, turned, almost tripping on her veils in her eagerness to leave behind this reluctant story-inspirer. Already, the roles, the names, the situation was being changed. Fitting pieces of a puzzle in her brain, a story that had been haunting her since she woke in these lands with naught to her but her name.

She blinked at him. "Oh no. You did a wonderful job." she assured him, as one would assure a child. "It was a pleasure to meet you, milord Mozenrath. And, for your rival... what do you think of the name Aladdin?" It had a nice ring to it.

Since Destane really -was- a boring name for a sorcerer, she would stick with Mozenrath. The other stallion didn't need to know small little details like that though.

She grinned, innocent. "I just think it's a very nice name." she tilted her head, thinking about her own very vague, barely remembered past. "I remember hearing a story about a man named Aladdin once. And the name fit." she tossed her head saucily and grinned. "He was a poor boy, down on his luck... Interested in the story, my lord?"

She laughed and took a seat. "The tale I heard long ago went like this. There once lived a poor tailor, who had a son called Aladdin, a careless, idle boy who would do nothing but play all day long in the streets with other little boys much like himself. This so grieved his father that he died; yet, in spite of his mother's tears and prayers, Aladdin did not change his ways. One day, when he was playing in the streets, a strange traveler asked him if he were not the son of the tailor. 'I am, sir," replied Aladdin; "but he died a long while ago.' On this the stranger, who was a famous African magician, hugged and kissed him, saying: 'I am your uncle, and knew you from your likeness to my brother. Go to your mother and tell her I am coming.'

Aladdin ran home, and told his mother of his newly found uncle. 'Indeed,' she said, 'your father had a brother, but I always thought he was dead.' However, she prepared supper, and told Aladdin to find his uncle, who came with wine and fruit. He fell down and kissed the place where Mustapha used to sit, telling Aladdin's mother not to be surprised at not having seen him before, as he had been out of the country for years. He then turned to Aladdin, and asked him what his job was, at which the boy hung his head, shamed, while his mother cried. On learning that Aladdin was idle and had no work, he offered to take a shop for him and stock it. Next day he bought Aladdin clothes, and brought him home to his mother, who was overjoyed to see her son so well-dressed.

Next day the magician led Aladdin into some beautiful gardens a long way outside the city gates. They sat down by a fountain, and the magician divided between them a fine meal he pulled from his pack. They then journeyed onward till they almost reached the mountains. Aladdin was so tired that he begged to go back, but the magician led him on in spite of himself, tempting him onward with fine tales. At last they came to two mountains divided by a valley. 'We will go no farther,' said the magician. 'I will show you something wonderful; only do you gather up sticks while I kindle a fire.'

When it was lit the magician threw on it a powder he had, at the same time saying magical words. The earth trembled a little and opened in front of them, disclosing a square flat stone with a brass ring to raise it by. Aladdin tried to run, but the magician caught him and gave him a blow that knocked him to the ground. 'What have I done, uncle?' he whined; so the magician said more kindly: 'Fear nothing, but obey me. Beneath this stone lies a treasure which is to be yours, and no one else may touch it, so you must do exactly as I tell you.'

At the word treasure, Aladdin forgot his fears, and reached for the ring as he was ordered, saying the names of his father and grandfather. The stone came up quite easily and some steps appeared. 'Go down,' said the magician; 'at the foot of those steps you will find an open door leading into three large halls. Go through them without touching anything, or you will die immediately! These halls lead into a garden of fruit trees. Walk on till you come to a terrace where stands a lighted lamp. Pour out the oil it contains and bring it to me.'

He drew a ring from his finger and gave it to Aladdin, bidding him prosper. Aladdin found everything as the magician had said, gathered some fruit off the trees, and, having got the lamp, arrived at the mouth of the cave. The magician cried out: 'Hurry, the lamp! Give it to me!' But Aladdin refused to do so, not until he was out of the cave. The magician flew into a terrible rage, and threw more powder on the fire, cried something, and the stone rolled back into its place.'"

"The magician left for ever, which showed that he was no uncle of Aladdin's, but a magician who had read once in his magic books of a wonderful lamp, which would make him the most powerful man in the world. Though he knew where to find it, he could only receive it from the hand of another. He had picked out the stupid Aladdin for this purpose, intending to get the lamp and kill him. For two days Aladdin remained in the dark, weeping, wailing, catterwauling. At last he clasped his hands in prayer, and so doing rubbed the ring, which the magician had forgotten to take. Immediately a genie rose from the earth, saying: 'What want you with me? I am the Slave of the Ring, and will obey you in all things.'"

Scherazade stopped, thinking, and lowered herself to the ground, reaching out for a drop of grass. Her mouth was growing dry. "Tell me, Milord Mozenrath... what would you desire? Cold, hungry, alone in the dark, believing your uncle had betrayed you and left you for dead? You are nothing but a poor boy, used by those with power, education, after all." her violet eyes watched Mozenrath, unblinking. "Not that he deserves pity. He brings it upon himself with his sloth."

She nodded. "And that is exactly what Aladdin wished for, milord. Aladdin replied: 'Deliver me from this place!' And the earth opened, and he found himself outside. As soon as his eyes could bear the light he went home, but fainted before he could make it all the way inside. When he came to, he told his mother what had happened, and showed her the lamp and the fruit that he had gathered in the garden, which were actually precious jewels. He then asked for food. But his mother said: 'Alas! child, I have nothing in the house, but I have spun cotton and will go sell it for your meal.'

Aladdin bade her keep her cotton, for he would sell the lamp instead. As it was dirty she began to rub it, that it might fetch more of a price. Instantly a horrifying genie appeared, and asked what she wanted of him. She fainted, but Aladdin said boldly: 'Fetch me food!' The genie returned with a silver bowl, silver plates containing meats, silver cups, and bottles of wine. Aladdin's mother, when she woke, said: 'Where did this splendid feast come from?'

'Do not ask, but eat,' replied Aladdin. So they sat at breakfast till dinner, and Aladdin told his mother about the lamp. She begged him to sell it, and have naught to do with the devils he had encountered.

'No,' said Aladdin, 'since chance has made us aware of its virtues, we will use it and the ring, which I shall always wear on my finger.' When they had eaten all the genie brought, Aladdin sold the silver plates. He then had recourse to the genie, who gave him another set of plates, and thus they lived for many years.

One day Aladdin heard an order from the Sultan proclaimed that everyone was to stay at home and close his shutters while the princess, his daughter, went to and from the bath. Aladdin was seized by a desire to see her face, which was very difficult, as she always went veiled. He hid himself behind the door of the bath, and peeped through a c***k. The princess lifted her veil as she went in, and looked so beautiful that Aladdin fell in love with her at first sight. He went home so changed that his mother was frightened. He told her he loved the princess so deeply that he could not live without her, and meant to ask her hand in marriage. His mother burst out laughing, but Aladdin at last begged her to go before the Sultan and carry his request. She fetched a napkin and laid in it the magic fruits from the enchanted garden, which sparkled and shone like the most beautiful jewels. She took these with her to please the Sultan, and set out, trusting in the lamp.

The grand-vizir and the lords of council had just gone in as she entered the hall and placed herself in front of the Sultan. He, however, took no notice of her. She went every day for a week, and stood in the same place."

She took another deep breath, and glanced around. Odd. The sky was still bright, but she trembled. It had been too long since she told a tale like this, though it were as ingrained in her mind as breath to her body. "But I am sure, milord, my story grows to bore you. Romance is such a silly thing. If you would like me to end, I will."