The events leading up to this chapter in the story are found here:
Emad attempts to sabotage Bunter's relationship with Caprice.
Wimsel-Vale Wedding
But he pays the price for that ...
Once a Beast, Always a Beast
... only to be rescued by Caprice herself.
Her Nurturing Nature
Then Emad tries again to steal Caprice from Bunter.
Trust and Truth
_____
Having stood bravely up to Emad, Caprice thinks about what she does and does not know about the two Djinn in her life. She sensed that some of the things Emad said were true, but her intuition told her the facts were distorted. Marvin may have kept secrets from her, but Emad was spinning stories too.
Caprice: Bless, I don't know what's going on. Why are these brothers fighting like this?
Bless: Well, I'm not a Charisma Dragon, but both those Djinn sound like smooth talkers to me. Watch your heart, fairy girl. And keep an eye on their auras. Auras don't lie.
Caprice: Very good advice, Bless!
Bunter's aura was in a bit of a flux by the time he got home from his crazy rat quest. His first reaction was annoyance at the waste of time. And yet, Bunter had felt touched by the old man's defense of his ugly dogs and their strange devotion to him. Was there some odd sort of love to be found in that crumbling shack?
Love! He was being sentimental again. That was his problem. Always had been. Mushy minded. Wishing for things he couldn't have. Hadn't centuries of being locked in a lamp taught him enough about who grants wishes and who receives them?
But Bunter HAD forged a true friendship with His Lordship. That was real. Did he dare hope for a relationship equally lasting with Caprice?
Bunter thought about his brother. Now there was a lasting relationship he could live without! He had to deal with Emad more effectively now that the wedding was over. He glanced over to the aquarium beside him.
That's when Bunter realized matters had suddenly gone all wrong. Emad, that slimy Cephalopod, was missing!
And as he stared dumbfounded, wondering how Emad had escaped, Caprice stepped up between him and the aquarium. She seemed ... angry.
Caprice: Looking for Emad?
Bunter: What?
Caprice: Well, he's gone. I freed him. Not that I knew I was pulling your BROTHER out of that tank. I thought it was just an unhappy octopus wanting the sea again. Imagine my shock when Emad materialized.
Bunter: Caprice! Are you all right?
Caprice: A little late to be asking me that, isn't it Mr Bunter? Good thing Emad didn't decide to take revenge on ME for what YOU did to him!
For a moment, Bunter couldn't speak. Bloody Hell.
Then he recovered his wits.
Bunter: It--it's not what it looks like! Honest. I don't know what Emad told you, but I guarantee he was lying! I had to put him in a--a safe place for a short while, until after the wedding.
Caprice: A safe place, Mr Bunter? Using fire magic to trap him?
Bunter: It's just that too much was happening, and Emad was causing trouble. I needed to protect the family! Caprice, you've got to believe me.
Caprice looked at the glow of colors radiating from the man before her. Shades of red, black, yellow. His emotions and thoughts were all erratic, a swirling tirade. Angry, destructive, but surprisingly, afraid. ... She hesitated.
And Bunter immediately rushed on. Cajoling.
Bunter: I'm so sorry you got mixed up in this. I would never have exposed you to any danger. Far from it! I was trying to shield you from, uh, worrisome unpleasantness.
Caprice: Worrisome unpleasantness? That's what you call this? Really, Marvin! You have to stop hiding things from me. I mean it. I can't be with you if you keep this up!
Caprice saw Bunter's aura blaze bright yellow, then violet. Yes, that was definitely fear she saw. But he was also summoning inner powers. He was trying to get a sense of HER feelings, read HER thoughts. Why, of all the nerve!
Marvin was going to schmooze her again! The man was so predictable!
Bunter reached out to Caprice. If he could only touch her, she'd remember her feelings for him. It was the only thing Bunter could think to do. He'd made a real hash of things.
He had to get Caprice away from the scene of his crime. Then he could set things straight. ... Caprice loved the outdoors. Yes, that would soothe her. All right then! Bunter cleared his throat.
Bunter: Let's find a quiet spot in a garden somewhere, luv, under the moonlight. I'll explain everything, I promise.
Caprice: Very well, Marvin. But make your mind up right now. It's the whole truth ... or we're finished.
Again Bunter's aura flashed bright yellow. He had finally gotten the message.
_____
Bunter and Caprice sat beside each other in the library park. Things weren't too cozy though.
Bunter: I hardly know where to begin. I guess you want to know about me and my brother. ... We're only half-brothers, for one thing. Different fathers. All Djinn though. Emad's father Hadi Faraz and our mother Ava were married. Entertainers. Faraz was a magician. Mother, a singer. Emad became an acrobat.
Caprice: What about you?
Bunter: Well, I did some acting. But our family was fated. It actually broke up before I was even born.
Caprice: What happened?
Bunter: My mother had an affair with a warrior passing near their camp. This was back in 1250 Persia, you remember. Maman told Emad's father about her lover. She was going to run away with him and take Emad with her. Instead, she received word that Rahim Bahador had been killed in battle.
Caprice: Oh no! Your father?
Bunter: Yes. And then Maman discovered she was expecting me. But it was too late. Faraz would have nothing to do with her. He took off, and Maman was left alone to provide for herself and two sons.
Bunter: Djinn are natural beings of fire, but I also inherited my father's enhanced fire and warrior blood. My real name is Majid Bahador. And make no mistake; I was a little devil.
Bunter: Emad's a water genie. Conflicting aspects there, water with fire. Growing up, he was even wilder than I was. But Maman was air. Adaptable and clever. She was a survivor, so we made out ok, despite us boys.
Caprice: Your mother must have loved your father very much, risking everything to follow him. I'm so sorry he died.
Bunter: The truth is, Caprice, I'm illegitimate--a bastard. But Maman accepted and loved me. I reminded her of my father Rahim, you see. She always said I looked like him, same ways about us.
Caprice: You are your mother's child of love, Marvin. Not a bastard! She never thought of you that way.
Bunter: ...No. But every year, Emad grew more and more jealous of me--and resentful of losing his own father. He didn't blame Maman. He blamed me.
Caprice: That's unfair!
Bunter: Oh, he wasn't always so mean. And most of the time, I was too spoiled to notice. I must have been an annoying little brat! I idolized Emad though. He was my big brother ... and my stand-in father. But that was a heavy role for someone like Emad.
Bunter: There's more to this story, Caprice. I want you to understand who Emad and I really are. The rest of our history isn't easy to share, and I'm afraid you won't be able to accept it all. But it has to be told. ... First though, I have something else to say--about us.
Caprice focused her attention on Bunter's aura. It was blue with gold and green threads shining through. The light was clear and unwavering. She knew Marvin would tell her the truth. They moved closer together.
Bunter: Caprice, I love you!
Then he kissed her. And for a time, dark secrets were forgotten.
Emad attempts to sabotage Bunter's relationship with Caprice.
Wimsel-Vale Wedding
Once a Beast, Always a Beast
Her Nurturing Nature
Trust and Truth
Having stood bravely up to Emad, Caprice thinks about what she does and does not know about the two Djinn in her life. She sensed that some of the things Emad said were true, but her intuition told her the facts were distorted. Marvin may have kept secrets from her, but Emad was spinning stories too.
Caprice: Bless, I don't know what's going on. Why are these brothers fighting like this?
Bless: Well, I'm not a Charisma Dragon, but both those Djinn sound like smooth talkers to me. Watch your heart, fairy girl. And keep an eye on their auras. Auras don't lie.
Caprice: Very good advice, Bless!
Love! He was being sentimental again. That was his problem. Always had been. Mushy minded. Wishing for things he couldn't have. Hadn't centuries of being locked in a lamp taught him enough about who grants wishes and who receives them?
But Bunter HAD forged a true friendship with His Lordship. That was real. Did he dare hope for a relationship equally lasting with Caprice?
That's when Bunter realized matters had suddenly gone all wrong. Emad, that slimy Cephalopod, was missing!
Caprice: Looking for Emad?
Bunter: What?
Caprice: Well, he's gone. I freed him. Not that I knew I was pulling your BROTHER out of that tank. I thought it was just an unhappy octopus wanting the sea again. Imagine my shock when Emad materialized.
Bunter: Caprice! Are you all right?
Caprice: A little late to be asking me that, isn't it Mr Bunter? Good thing Emad didn't decide to take revenge on ME for what YOU did to him!
For a moment, Bunter couldn't speak. Bloody Hell.
Bunter: It--it's not what it looks like! Honest. I don't know what Emad told you, but I guarantee he was lying! I had to put him in a--a safe place for a short while, until after the wedding.
Caprice: A safe place, Mr Bunter? Using fire magic to trap him?
Bunter: It's just that too much was happening, and Emad was causing trouble. I needed to protect the family! Caprice, you've got to believe me.
Caprice looked at the glow of colors radiating from the man before her. Shades of red, black, yellow. His emotions and thoughts were all erratic, a swirling tirade. Angry, destructive, but surprisingly, afraid. ... She hesitated.
Bunter: I'm so sorry you got mixed up in this. I would never have exposed you to any danger. Far from it! I was trying to shield you from, uh, worrisome unpleasantness.
Caprice: Worrisome unpleasantness? That's what you call this? Really, Marvin! You have to stop hiding things from me. I mean it. I can't be with you if you keep this up!
Caprice saw Bunter's aura blaze bright yellow, then violet. Yes, that was definitely fear she saw. But he was also summoning inner powers. He was trying to get a sense of HER feelings, read HER thoughts. Why, of all the nerve!
Marvin was going to schmooze her again! The man was so predictable!
He had to get Caprice away from the scene of his crime. Then he could set things straight. ... Caprice loved the outdoors. Yes, that would soothe her. All right then! Bunter cleared his throat.
Bunter: Let's find a quiet spot in a garden somewhere, luv, under the moonlight. I'll explain everything, I promise.
Caprice: Very well, Marvin. But make your mind up right now. It's the whole truth ... or we're finished.
Again Bunter's aura flashed bright yellow. He had finally gotten the message.
Bunter and Caprice sat beside each other in the library park. Things weren't too cozy though.
Bunter: I hardly know where to begin. I guess you want to know about me and my brother. ... We're only half-brothers, for one thing. Different fathers. All Djinn though. Emad's father Hadi Faraz and our mother Ava were married. Entertainers. Faraz was a magician. Mother, a singer. Emad became an acrobat.
Caprice: What about you?
Bunter: Well, I did some acting. But our family was fated. It actually broke up before I was even born.
Bunter: My mother had an affair with a warrior passing near their camp. This was back in 1250 Persia, you remember. Maman told Emad's father about her lover. She was going to run away with him and take Emad with her. Instead, she received word that Rahim Bahador had been killed in battle.
Caprice: Oh no! Your father?
Bunter: Yes. And then Maman discovered she was expecting me. But it was too late. Faraz would have nothing to do with her. He took off, and Maman was left alone to provide for herself and two sons.
Bunter was silent for a minute, then continued his tale.
Bunter: Emad's a water genie. Conflicting aspects there, water with fire. Growing up, he was even wilder than I was. But Maman was air. Adaptable and clever. She was a survivor, so we made out ok, despite us boys.
Bunter: The truth is, Caprice, I'm illegitimate--a bastard. But Maman accepted and loved me. I reminded her of my father Rahim, you see. She always said I looked like him, same ways about us.
Caprice: You are your mother's child of love, Marvin. Not a bastard! She never thought of you that way.
Caprice: That's unfair!
Bunter: Oh, he wasn't always so mean. And most of the time, I was too spoiled to notice. I must have been an annoying little brat! I idolized Emad though. He was my big brother ... and my stand-in father. But that was a heavy role for someone like Emad.
Bunter: There's more to this story, Caprice. I want you to understand who Emad and I really are. The rest of our history isn't easy to share, and I'm afraid you won't be able to accept it all. But it has to be told. ... First though, I have something else to say--about us.
