Chapter Text
Alistair clenched his fists from his place chained beside the throne, clothed only in tight trousers. The sky outside the window was shrouded in eerie red clouds.
Loghain pulled at the chain, and with gritted teeth, Alistair walked up to him holding a plate of food. Loghain gestured at the apple for him to pick it up.
Eamon was tied up like a marionette, and Dog was sitting across from him, growling. Flecks of drool foamed around his mouth.
“Leave him alone!” Alistair snapped, chains rattling as he unconsciously shuffled closer.
“It pains me to see you reduced to this, Alistair.” Loghain leaned forward and took a bit out of the apple Alistair was holding.
“You know, you remind me of someone I once knew. I could be persuaded to keep you. Maybe I’d even let you warm my bed.“ Loghain laughed mockingly.
Alistair responded by picking up a glass of wine and throwing it in his face.
“Never!”
“I'll teach you some respect!” Loghain raised a fist to him, but Alistair refused to back down. Loghain paused. “No. Genie, I have decided to make my final wish. I wish for Prince Alistair to obey my every command. “
“Master, there are a few things…”
“Don't talk back to me! You will do what I order you to do, slave!“
The genie looked unhappy, but seemed unable to do anything against Loghain. Alistair wondered where the genie had come from. The only thing he knew about them was that they granted wishes.
Alistair looked away, only to glimpse Jowan in the window, motioning for him to play along. Alistair turned back towards Loghain.
“Master, what would you have me do?”
Thankfully, the genie seemed to have a good poker face and just watched to see what he would do.
“That's better. Now, boy, come here and sit at my feet.”
“Yes, Master.” Alistair said agreeably, but inside he was using a few choice curse words he’d heard the guards use when they thought he wasn’t listening.
Jowan’s jaw dropped as he realized how Alistair intended to distract Loghain. He was settling on the ground between the older man’s knees, letting Loghain run his hands through his hair.
“Jowan.” Surana calling out to him in a quiet voice, distracting him from his swirling emotions.
“Surana. I’m sorry.”
“I know. I’m sorry I can’t help you. He truly is my master now.” The genie crossed her arms.
“Hey—I'm a street rat, remember? I'll improvise.“ Jowan gave a wry smile.
He snuck over and hid behind a pile of treasure behind Loghain’s back.
“You’re used to giving dogs a bath, aren’t you? Dog will be needing one soon.”
“Yes, Master.” Alistair seemed relaxed enough, but Jowan could tell that in truth he wasn’t comfortable at all. It was only because he was watching so closely that he saw Alistair’s hand tapping on the ground. Jowan took that as a sign to come closer.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lily grabbing Dog’s attention to draw him away. Jowan mentally thanked her.
“Tell me Alistair, what do you think of the street rat?”
“What street rat?” Alistair asked in an inviting voice, looking up at Loghain with half-mast eyes. Loghain was leaning down over Alistair, and Jowan realized that they were close enough to kiss. His elbow accidentally shot out in his shocked horror and knock into the pile of treasure, causing a pile of coins to ring noisily across the floor.
He froze as Loghain turned to look, but Alistair hurriedly reached up and cradled Loghain’s face, pressing their lips together. Jowan grimaced.
“That was—” Loghain began when they pulled apart, but just then he spotted Jowan’s reflection on a golden shield propped against the wall.
“You! How many times do I have to kill you, boy?” He snapped his fingers and zapped Jowan, sending him flying backwards and into a large pile of treasure.
Alistair rushed Loghain, but Loghain pushed him to the ground. Jowan surged forward to tackle Loghain’s legs, sending the man stumbling.
“Get the lamp!”
Alistair ran for it, but Loghain snapped his fingers and sent Alistair into an enlarged hourglass.
“Ah, ah, ah, prince—your time is up!”
Sand began to fall from the glass, piling up on the prince. Alistair tried to shield his face but as was the nature of sand, it seeped into every crevice it could find.
“Alistair, no!”
Just then, Lily came running back into the room, having shaken Loghain’s mabari.
“Don’t toy with me, boy!” Loghain snapped his fingers and turned Lily into a stuffed dog.
“Lily!” Jowan called out in dismay.
Carpet rushed in and tried to help too, but all in vain.
“Things are unraveling fast now, boy.” With another of those infernal snaps, Carpet unraveled. Jowan desperately lunged for the lamp again.
Jowan’s path was blocked by large conjured swords sticking in the floor. Loghain grabbed the lamp and laughed nastily. Jowan reached forward and pulled a sword out of the floor.
“I'm just getting warmed up!” Loghain sneered, snapping a ring of fire into existence to surround Jowan. Jowan could feel its heat licking at his feet and clothes, just shy of burning him.
“Are you afraid to fight me yourself, you cowardly monster?” Jowan sneered.
“A monster, am I? Perhaps you'd like to see how monster-like I can really be!”
Loghain’s lips curled, and Jowan saw a pair of wicked incisors growing out of his gums. He proceeded to turn into a giant wolf from a child’s worse nightmare, and the fire surrounding Jowan became a part of the wolf, flaming from its paws. The wolf stalked towards him, and although Jowan wanted to run and never look back, he held his ground.
The wolf snapped at him, but Jowan ducked away each time before on the third try, Jowan swung the sword and hit it, more out of luck than skill.
“Nice one.” Surana gave her opinion from off to the side.
“You stay out of this!’ Loghain snarled, jaws snapping and sending spittle through the air.
“Master.” Surana acquiesced with a subtle eye-roll.
Jowan used the distraction to make a break for the hourglass, but Loghain saw him and jumped in front to block his path. Jowan was thrown away, the sword flying out of his hand to clatter noisily on the floor.
“Jowan!” He heard Alistair shout distantly.
Jowan felt more determined than he remembered ever feeling in his life. He rolled to his feet, grabbed the sword back and ran as fast as he could. He rounded a corner, but instead of continuing on, he dug in his heels and waited just against the wall, until the wolf came scrambling around the corner. Loghain ran just past Jowan, but stopped when he realized that Jowan wasn’t ahead of him.
That’s when Jowan leapt forward, jumped on the wolf’s back and stabbed it. While it screamed in agony, Jowan made a run for it. He ran over to the hourglass and lifted the sword to try and break the glass.
“Hang on, Alistair!” But before he could bring the sword down, a heavy, firey paw stomped on him and held him down. Jowan screamed in pain, struggling in Loghain’s hold.
“You little fool! You thought you could defeat the most powerful being on earth!” Loghain laughed hideously. “Without the genie, boy, you're nothing!”
The mention of Surana made an idea spark in Jowan’s head.
“The genie has more power than you'll ever have!”
“What!”
“She gave you your power, she can take it away!”
Surana was looking between her former and current master, obviously wondering what he was planning.
“Face it, Loghain—you're still just second best!”
“You're right! Her power does exceed my own! But not for long!” Loghain finally stepped off of him and turned to circle the genie.
“You know, the shem is a bit crazy.” Surana drawled. Loghain wasn’t listening, clearly intent on his lust for power.
“Slave, I make my third wish! I wish to be an all powerful genie!”
Jowan could see the instant Surana realized his intention. Something in her eyes sparked, though she managed to smother it and put on a blank face. Jowan cheered fiercely in his head and crossed his fingers that his plan would work.
“Your wish is my command.” She zapped Loghain with a purple bolt, making his human form disappear, but turning him into a genie instead.
Jowan looked over to see that only Alistair’s raised hand remained above the sand, until it too disappeared. He ran over and finally smashed the glass. The sand poured out in a hissing rush, along with Alistair. Jowan slogged through the sand and held onto him.
“Yes! The power! The absolute power!” Loghain roared, his huge black form filling the room.
“What have you done?” Alistair shouted at him weakly.
“Trust me!” Jowan pleaded.
A black lamp appeared beneath Loghain, but Loghain didn’t seem to notice, as he was busy conjuring.
“The universe is mine to command, to control!“
“Not so fast, Loghain! Aren't you forgetting something?” Loghain looked down questioningly.
“You wanted to be a genie, you got it! And everything that goes with it!”
Shackles appeared on Loghain’s wrists.
“No! No!” Loghain tried to resist the lamp’s pull, but it was futile. Within seconds, he had disappeared within.
“Let’s see how you like living in a tiny space for a thousand years or so?” Surana peered down at the lamp in malicious glee before looking up at Jowan. “Not bad, for a shem.”
Jowan could have sworn that that had actually sounded like praise.
Lily returned to herself, Carpet re-raveled, and Eamon was free from his chains. Alistair’s clothes changed back. Duncan barked and jumped around his owner in excitement. The castle reappeared where it belonged.
Jowan bent down and picked up the lamp, wondering what to do with it.
“Allow me.” Surana said, stepping forward and taking the lamp. She flew up onto the balcony, raised her arm, and faster than the speeding light she took aim and threw the lamp into the sky.
“It’s his turn to spend ten-thousand years in the Cave of Wonders.” She smirked down at them.
Alistair walked over to Jowan, looking about as upset as he felt.
“Alistair, I'm sorry I lied to you about being a prince.”
“I know why you did.”
“Well, I guess...this... is goodbye?”
“Right, that stupid law. This isn't fair—I l-like you.” Alistair’s cheeks were red and Jowan found it too endearing.
“Jowan.” Surana got his attention from her place against the wall, having flew back down from the balcony. “You still have one wish left. Just say the word and you’re a prince again.”
“But, Surana, your freedom…”
Surana stood for a moment, seeming to be thinking about something before she spoke.
“I know what it’s like to have the connection you two do. I’ve been a slave for a long time, I’m used to it. Who’s to say that my wish is even possible? I…” For the first time since he’d known her, which wasn’t admittedly that long, he saw her stumble over her words. “I don’t know what I would do if I went after what I want and it’s not there.”
Jowan had a feeling that she wasn’t talking about her freedom anymore. There must have been something that she wanted to once she was free, but was scared that it wasn’t possible anymore.
“There’s such potential here, it’s obvious to anyone looking. I wouldn’t take that away from you.”
Biting his lip, Jowan turned back to face Alistair. “Alistair, I do like you, but I have to stop pretending to be something I'm not. “
“I understand.”
They shared one final last look before Jowan turned back to Surana.
“Surana, I wish for your freedom.”
“…What?” She blurted out, standing stiffly.
“Surana, you’re free!” Jowan said, smiling.
Suddenly, the shackles around Surana’s wrists broke off, and the lamp fell to the ground, made useless. Surana bent down and picked it up.
“I’m free…?” She sounded so quiet and unsure of herself, so unlike what Jowan was used to. He felt more than ever that he had made the right decision. Surana deserved to live freely, just as Jowan had always wanted for himself, and as Alistair wanted to.
“Jowan, wish for something, will you?” Surana asked him in a parody of her usual near-mocking tone.
“Umm, I wish for Lake Calenhad.” Jowan picked from the top of his head.
“Hmm, let me think about that.” Surana cocked her head to the side. “How about no?” When nothing struck her down from the sky, she smiled a beautiful smile and shot up into the sky, yelling “I’m free!” and laughing with a tinkling laugh.
Jowan was so incredibly happy for her, but at the same time sad at the idea of her leaving. He felt like they could have been good friends, in time.
“Surana, I'm—I'm going to miss you.“ Jowan confessed as Surana looked down at him from a few feet up in the air.
“I will miss you too, Jowan. You will always be a prince to me.” Surana floated down and kissed him on the cheek.
King Eamon stepped forward. “That's right. You've certainly proven your worth as far as I'm concerned. It's that law that's the problem.“
“Father?” Alistair questioned.
“Well, am I King or am I King? From this day forth, the prince shall marry whomever he deems worthy.” Eamon declared.
Alistair gaped for a moment before he seemed to finally take it in, striding up to Jowan and taking him by the hands.
“Jowan. I choose…I choose you, Jowan.”
“And I you.” Jowan said in return, squeezing the larger hands in his.
They leaned forward for a kiss, but just then Surana cleared her throat.
“Sorry boys, but it’s time for me to go. You can make out all you want once I’m gone.” Her voice held a teasing tone.
“Bye!” Jowan waved as she started flying away. Alistair’s hand slipped into his, and Jowan looked over to see him waving too. Alistair turned and smiled, and Jowan returned it.
Something bumped into their legs, and they looked down to see Carpet urging them to get on.
The next thing they knew, they were flying off into the moonlit sky, and finally, finally sharing a kiss, one without an audience and that last for as long as they could hold their breath.
Fin