Chapter Text
When Jowan had agreed to go into the cave, he never expected to end up in this position.
“Oh, my head.” He groaned, lifting a hand to carefully feel around it it.
His brain sluggishly recalled the piles of treasure they had discovered, reaching for the lamp at the top of the pillar, and then it had all went to hell when Lily tried to snag a statue of Andraste and the cave decided that they were infidels. Oh, and let’s not forget the lava, almost getting smashed on the rocks or being betrayed and nearly stabbed by the old man, who probably had been working for Loghain the whole time.
He raised his other hand and wiped off the slobber from where Lily had been trying to wake him. There was movement in front of him, and he remembered the carpet. It had been pinned under a rocket when Jowan had fallen and hit his head, but it seemed to be free now.
“Thanks.” He mumbled, sitting up slowly. He looked up to see that the entrance had been sealed in. He was surrounded by stone.
“Looks like we're trapped, guys. That two-faced son of a demon!” Jowan growled. After a moment of deep breathing, he calmed down. “Whoever he really was, he's long gone with that lamp.”
“Woof!”Lily barked, leaving his side for a moment before returning, dropping something down in front of him with a solid thunk. Jowan blinked down at it for a moment before realizing - it was the magic lamp!
“Why, you hairy little thief! Looks like such a beat-up, worthless piece of junk. Hey, I think there's something written here, but it's hard to make out.”
Jowan rubbed the lamp, trying to clear off some of the dirt. Suddenly, purple smoke came out of the hole and the lamp began to shake and glow, but Jowan held firmly onto it. To his amazement, a purple glowing figure came out of it, limbs all spread out in a stretch.
“Ten thousand years, really? Ouch.” The figure was female, and wore golden pants and a vest, a wrap underneath to bind her chest. She had pointy ears, chin-length, black hair that curled slightly around her face and eyes to match her skin.
Jowan feared that he was gaping stupidly, but was saved from blurting out anything too embarrassing (or perhaps just babbling) as she spoke.
“What's your name then?”
“U-um, I’m Jowan.”
“Jowan, huh?” Her gaze swept over his form.
“I must have hit my head harder than I thought.” Jowan mumbled.
“You’re much better-looking than my last master.” The purple figure stepped up to him, and put a finger under his chin, moving his face this way and that as she scrutinized him.
“Wait a minute! I'm—master?”
“That’s right. I’m the genie of this lamp here.” She waved to the lamp on ground, where Jowan had allowed it to fall in his surprise. “And I’m here to grant you three wishes. I hope you don’t think I’m too direct, but after the nth time going through explanations, you learn to cut to the chase.”
“Three wishes?” Jowan parroted.
“Precisely. You can’t wish for more wishes, so don’t even try it, and you can’t take back a wish once you’ve made it.” She said this with the air of someone used to repeating herself.
“Now I know I'm dreaming.” Jowan said to Lily, who was sitting and watching the proceedings with her tongue lolling out of her mouth and panting.
“So? What will it be, master?” This said in a bored tone as she crossed her arms.
“So you’ll grant me any three wishes I want?” Jowan clarified.
“As long as you don’t ask me to kill anyone, make anyone fall in love with you or bring someone back from the dead.” She recited, ticking them off on her fingers.
Jowan shook his head slowly, still in disbelief. He couldn’t believe that just this morning he’d woken up with dog slobber on his pants, already planning what he’d have to do to get some food to eat that day.
“Okay, I’ll deal with that later. For now, I have to figure out how to get us all out of here.”
Carpet flew over to him, floating in midair.
“Oh, hello.” The carpet seemed to wait patiently. Jowan looked between it and the roof. “I suppose it’s worth a try…”
So they all piled up onto the carpet, and when they neared the roof, the genie glowed brighter as the passage through the sand was eased.
“Loghain, this is an outrage. If it weren't for all your years of loyal service... From now on, you are to discuss sentencing of prisoners with me, before they are beheaded.” Eamon rebuked the adviser from his place in front of the throne.
“I assure you, your highness, it won't happen again.” Loghain bowed.
“Alistair, Loghain, now let's put this whole messy business behind us. Please?” Eamon beseeched, putting a hand on Alistair’s shoulder.
“My most abject and humblest apologies to you as well, prince.” Loghain reached out to shake Alistair’s hand, but the younger man put them behind his back.
“At least some good will come of my being forced to marry.” Alistair got into the advisor’s face and growled. “When I am king, I will have the power to get rid of you.”
The prince turned and stormed out.