OUT OF THE BOX

Originally written for the QoS fanfic list weekly challenge.

TRIO: wooden spoon, rosary beads, oriental carpet
QUOTE 1:"It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both. " - Niccolo Machavelli, The Prince
QUOTE 2: "The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with secrecy." - Von Clausewitz

DISCLAIMER: All the characters of QoS belong to Fireworks and whoever will hopefully buy it to keep it going. The immortal is property of Panzer/Davis, or maybe just Davis now, who the hell knows. I know it's not me.

~~~~~

1817 ALTO CALIFORNIA

Vera waited patiently at the door of the casa as Gaspar's carriage came to a stop. It had been weeks since he had left for Monterey and she was glad he was home. Since marrying Gaspar and being brought to the new world with him, she didn't feel at home without him. There were instances when the help didn't think she belonged or deserved to be a Dona. Vera had wondered if they all knew her social position before Gaspar chose her as his wife when she came of age.

Gaspar's presence suddenly brought their hacienda to life. The workers scurried around with extra eagerness, the household staff stood at attention waiting for orders, and Vera felt again that she could breathe. She rushed off the stoop and gathered Gaspar into her arms after he stepped down to the ground. "I brought home many treasures for you, querida," he told her, loud enough for the help to hear. Then he ordered his aides to unload the carriage and put them in the parlor.

~~~~~

The treasures that Gaspar bought for Vera were piled up on all horizontal surfaces and floor in the parlor. He had left her to unpack it all to see what they were and went out to talk to the plantation foreman to hear what he had missed and to make sure that the work had been done properly. He had told Vera before he left that there was one item that she should be especially pleased with but wouldn't tell her which one. She scanned the merchandise like a giddy school girl. The new oriental carpet would be a welcome addition to their bedroom as the old rug had begun to fray and fade with the intense sun filtering through the windows.

As Vera sat on the divan to look at the only wrapped package, one of the younger maids entered holding a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon resting inside it. "Ma'am," she said as she curtsied. "I've just frosted the cake and wondered if you would like to eat the extra? I know how you love chocolate, ma'am."

Vera smiled and said, "Yes, thank you so much. Would you like to join me?"

The young maid blushed and looked around. Then said, "I had better go back to the kitchen, ma'am." Pilar was close to Vera's own age. When there weren't others around, they had been able to have wonderful talks, as much as Pilar would allow. It took a while to ease her into treating Vera like a person, not as her employer's wife. Vera knew that they would probably never have the kind of relationship that Tessa had with Marta, but she hoped they would one day. Vera nodded, a little disappointed, as she would like someone to enjoy her gifts with her, but then realized that all Pilar might feel was envy. "All right. Thank you again, Pilar."

After Pilar left, Vera lifted the wooden spoon from the bowl and licked off some of the soft, creamy chocolate confection, letting it melt in her mouth. She looked at the wrapped package along side her on the divan and pulled at the string bow. It was then that she saw the card that read:

~~To my querida, May this trinket ease the pain of your padre's passing. Love Gaspar.~~

The letter informing her that her father had been lost at sea in his fishing boat had come the month before. Neither he or the boat had been found. Sadness once again pervaded her thoughts at not having been able to see her father one more time, to say goodbye. She was going to wait until Gaspar could be with her to open it, but curiosity got the better of her. She ripped the paper open to see an old wooden box. She lifted it out of the paper and set it on the table in front of her. The box was adorned with carved fish on a hook that ran around all four sides. She remembered her grandfather having one almost like it and wondered if Gaspar had known. Vera was almost ready to cry from the memory of her father, her grandfather, and because Gaspar's gift was so thoughtful, as she tried to open the lock. She searched through the paper wrapping and on the divan, on the floor, but couldn't find a key. Ever resourceful, Vera pulled a pin from her hair and used it to open the lock.

Vera placed the pin back in her hair and then lifted the latch and opened the old, worn box. Suddenly, dust swirled out of it and filled the air. It was hard for Vera to breathe and she sat back against the divan, waving at the air and coughing. She thought she could see sparkling little stars in the soft whirlwind of dust. The air cleared and a tall woman stood before her with a very pleasant smile. The woman had long hair and wide set almond shaped eyes. She wore a yellow sari dress with a purple sash and on her feet were sandals that looked to be made of silk. On each finger were bother silver and gold rings. Even on her thumbs. Vera thought that was very odd and more than a little garish. "Thank you, mistress, for setting me free," the strange woman said in French.

Vera grabbed the wooden spoon and held it threateningly in front of her. "Who are you and why are in my casa?!"

"Ah, Espanola. You do not speak frances?" The woman looked around the room, then out the window. She asked in Spanish, "Where are we?"

"You are in my casa!"

The woman turned back to her. "You have to be more general. Last I knew, I was in Paris."

"Who are you?"

The woman pleasantly smiled. "I am Laminae. I have been in that box for so long that I forgot the procedure. I am sorry. What year is it?"

Vera cautiously said, "1817."

"Oh," the woman was pleased. "Only three years. That is not bad. I was once locked in a box for 82 years." She theatrically shivered. "Ooooo, I hate closed spaces. Anyway, enough of me, this is about you. What is your name, mistress?"

"Dona Vera Hidalgo."

"Pleased to meet you Dona," Laminae sweetly said, outstretching her hand to shake Vera's. Vera only held out the wooden spoon, fully intent on using it. "I am here--."

"My name is Vera, Dona is my title."

"Oh," Laminae excitedly said. "You are royalty."

"No."

Laminae scrunched up her nose and said, "Okay. Vera. I am here only for you."

Vera stood up. "Gaspar hired another maid for me?"

"No, I am better than a maid. I am a Jinniyah. Have you heard of others like me?"

"A Jinniyah? A genie you mean?" Vera laughed. "This is a wonderful surprise! That Gaspar... Are you an actress and you came to entertain me?"

"No. Vera." Laminae turned very serious. "Listen to the words that come out of my mouth."

Laminae gently took Vera's arm and sat her back on the divan and sat alongside of her. Before she could speak, Vera said, "A genie? That is ridiculous. Genie's are only in literature. They are not real."

"Humans are meant to think that we are not real. I am here to grant you three wishs and until you make the final wish, you are my mistress. You treat me right, and I will throw a few extra favors for you. But there are two rules that you must abide by."

Vera stared at the Jinniyah and fearlessly reached out to touch the hoop that was pierced between Laminae's nostrils. Laminae jerked back. Vera asked, "Does that hurt?"

"There are three rules, Vera. Another is, do not touch me. And no, it does not hurt. Are you ready for the other rules?"

Vera clasped her hands together on her lap and listened. Laminae said, "Rule number two, after that other rule of not touching me, is that you have to word your wishs correctly. You must think through what you want before you say the sentence, 'I wish...' because what you say is what you will receive. Nothing more, nothing less. Okay?"

Vera nodded, a smile starting to form. The woman had appeared from no where. The legend was that if you rubbed a lamp, one would appear. Where was the lamp? She seemed to come from a box. Laminae smiled and nodded along with her and continued, "Rule number three, and this is most important one of all, you must never tell another living soul about me or that are Jinniyah in the world or all wishs already granted or that are still pending will be null and void and you will remember nothing of my presence." Laminae gently took Vera's hand. "You do not want that to happen, so remember that. I like you. I can read people very fast. I have had a lot of masters and mistresses and I can tell we are going to get along just fine. Just remember the rules and call me when you are ready for your first wish."

Laminae stood. Vera looked up at her. "Call you? How?"

"My name is Laminae. All you have to do is speak my name."

Vera weakly said, "Laminae."

"I am already here, Vera. But that is right. Just speak my name and I will be here. I have been in that box so long, I have some things do. Think about what you want, phrase it correctly and say 'I wish...' and you will have it. It is very easy. I do not even have to be here. But, for your first wish, since it is your first wish, I should be there with you. Speak my name first and we will do it together. So, forget that there is a word 'wish' because if you happen to start a sentence with 'I wish... anything', it will be your first one whether you want it or not. Think carefully, call me when you need me, but only when you need me because I have things to do. All right?"

Vera nodded. Laminae swept her hand and disappeared. Vera looked around the room, the silence was jarring as that woman had done nothing but talk. She wondered if she was even dreaming the whole thing. She touched the box and felt it's hardness, it was real. She sat on an ottoman, smiled, then weakly said, "Laminae."

Laminae, holding two hand mirrors, one framed with silver and one framed with gold, appeared in front of Vera, shocking her. Vera fell backward off the ottoman, her skirt flopped over her head. Laminae pulled the dress down and offered her hand to help Vera up. "What is it? I was in the middle of bartering for a new hand mirror. I should have known that you would test me. They all do."

"Who all do?"

"Masters and mistresses. They just can not believe their luck. It is true, Vera. You have three wishs. Can I get back to what I was doing now?" She held the two mirrors so that Vera could see them. "That shop keeper in Rome is probably quite upset that I left with two of his mirrors. Which one do you like better?" Laminae held up one and then the other.

Vera judged between the silver and gold and said, "The gold, of course."

"I think so too," Laminae said, with a wink. "I like you. I will go now. All right?"

"Yes."

"You will not call my name for no reason any more?"

"No."

"Okay. Think well about a wish. It can be anything that you desire, Vera. Anything."

"Yes."

Vera was once again standing alone in the parlor. She had a giggle fit, then sat again on the ottoman. She jerked up off of it, not wanting to take another spill. She picked up the box and set it on top of the bureau. Her finger felt the carved fish and her thoughts again went to her father. She hadn't been able to say goodbye. Her wedding was the last time she saw him or her mother. Vera had the feeling at the time that that would be the case, but there was always hope. Then she realized that she did have hope! She had three wishes! She made sure there weren't anyone around and called out, "Laminae."

Laminae appeared with her hands on her hips and her foot tapping against the floor. "This is getting old, Vera. I have things to do."

"I am ready for my wish."

"So soon?"

"Yes. I wish--."

Laminae held up her hand. "Careful! You have not thought this through. Vera, do not waste a wish."

"I am sure of this. I wish that I can see my madre again."

Laminae took a deep breath and paused. She stared at Vera, making Vera wonder if she had in fact done something wrong. Laminae nodded, a little ticked off, and took her hand. "Okay. Come."

"We are going to see her?"

"Yes."

Vera was so happy. "I should tell Gaspar that I am leaving."

"Who is Gaspar?"

"My husband."

"You can not tell anyone about me or your wishes. We will not be gone long. He will not even know you were away."

"Really?"

"What is the name of your madre?"

"Angelique."

"Beautiful name. And where is she?"

"In Barcelona," Vera sadly said. She had the feeling that her wish was not going to be possible.

But, Laminae hooked her hand around Vera's and said, "Okay. Here we go."

~~~~~

BARCELONA

In a dimly lit and solemn church, Vera and Laminae appeared sitting in the back pew. Vera had to catch her breath after the instantaneous trip and took in the surroundings of the church she had gone to all her life, had been baptized in, had been married in. She looked in wonderment at Laminae, who was sitting with her hands folded on her lap and head bowed. The only other person in the rectory was a woman sitting, her head covered with a scarf, in the third row. Even though Vera couldn't see her face, she knew it was her mother. She ran to her. "Madre!"

When Vera stood next to her mother, she saw that she had rosary beads in her hand and was in the midst of prayer. "Madre? It is me, Vera." Vera bent down to her, waved her hand in front of her mother's face, but the woman didn't react. Laminae walked to them and Vera demanded, "What is that matter? Why can she not see me?"

"Vera," Laminae sadly said. "It was your wish. You wished to 'see your mother'. You said it before you thought it through. If you wanted to talk to your mother, to hold her, you should have put that into the wish."

"That is not fair."

Laminae shrugged. "Think of it as a learning experience with your other two wishes. You must be specific about what you want."

Vera sat next to her mother and laid her hand on Angelique's shoulder. It had no effect on her. She looked up at Laminae. "I want to talk to her. To let her know that I am is all right and happy tell her of my life and find out about hers. If I phrase that exactly, can that be my second wish?"

"I will make this a nice visit, Vera. It is your second wish, but I know what you mean and will provide a lovely reunion for you. If you look on the pew, I brought your purse. I saw that there were pictures in there of you and who must be Gaspar that you can show her." Vera looked at her purse with wonder and laughed. The box appeared on the other side of Vera on the pew.

"You may want to show her the box that was your gift, but remember to not tell her how you got here, how you are going to go back home, that this is a wish, or anything about me."

Vera confidently nodded. "I will. Can I say it now?"

"Yes." Laminae stood back to the other section of pews and nodded to Vera.

"I wish that my madre can hear me, see me, speak to me and I can do the same to her."

Angelique suddenly turned and saw Vera sitting next to her. "Vera?! My Vera?"

"Yes," Vera cried out and hugged her mother. "I have missed you so." She kissed her mother's cheek and suddenly had a thought that clearly wasn't her own. She looked over to see Laminae with a towel over her arm and a tray in her other hand, nodding yes, and smiling. Vera turned back to her mother and said, "Madre, a meal had been prepared for us in the café down the street. Let us go and catch up on things."

Angelique took Vera's face in her hands. "How are you here? Why did you not tell me you and Gaspar were coming to visit?"

"I will explain it all, Madre," Vera said, then suddenly Laminae was standing just behind her mother violently shaking her head no. "Okay, I will not explain it." Laminae smiled and disappeared. She looked at her mother. "That does not matter, does it?"

Vera's mother only hugged her girl and cried with happiness. Vera hugged her back and looked up to see Laminae leaning comfortably against the door frame. Vera whispered, 'thank you' to her Jinniyah, then took her mother's hand and led her to the café.

~~~~~

SANTA HELENA
ONE WEEK LATER

Vera and Laminae were looking at rings in the General Market. Laminae's rings on all her fingers ran the gamut from a simple silver band to jeweled gold rings. Vera asked her if the silver band was a wedding ring, to which Laminae wouldn't answer right away. She didn't want to even think about her husband, Diabol, let alone tell that sweet Spanish senora about him. "I am not the important one, Vera. Think only of yourself."

"You have been so nice to me, Laminae," Vera said. Laminae felt a kinship with Vera and had thrown in extras over the last week since she used up two of her wishes to have lunch with her mother in Barcelona. If they would only take her advice and run a wish by her first, they wouldn't ruin a wish. This was the first time they came into Santa Helena together and Laminae had been anxious to explore. Alto California was completely new to her, although Madrid and Barcelona had been her old stomping grounds. Actually, the world had been her stomping grounds, but the last couple of decades had been spent in the service of masters in France or locked in boxes. Laminae noticed Vera's eyes light up and it wasn't because of a ring. She was looking toward the door as she said, "Tessa! I want to introduce you to someone."

Laminae gave Vera a look of caution not to say anything about her Jinniyah and wondered if she should have just been invisible to others as she had been during the week whenever anyone in the Hidalgo household would come around. There were a lot of people in the Hidalgo household. There was one moment a couple of days before when Laminae even wondered if Vera needed wishes, there were more far more needy. But then Vera would mention the lunch with her mother, which she probably would never have had if not for magic, Laminae knew that Vera did deserve her. A grateful and happy master or mistress was the only thing that Laminae desired. She knew Vera would be discreet as she led Laminae to the woman by the door. "This is Laminae," Vera excitedly said. "And this is my friend, Maria Teresa Alvarado."

Laminae smiled to the dark haired woman and took her hand. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Maria."

"Tessa," the woman replied with a welcoming smile. "Everyone calls me Tessa. You are a friend of Vera's?"

"She is a visiting cousin, Tessa, "Vera said.

Tessa looked Laminae over. "You do not look Spanish."

"I am a distant cousin. Vera and I were close when we were children."

"Ah," Tessa said, smiling.

Laminae saw the look in the young woman's eyes, the eyes of someone older and wiser than her years would allow. The Jinniyah was interested to find out about her, but something told her that Tessa wouldn't reveal where her education came from anyway. "I see that the two of you would like to talk in private and I want to look over your little pueblo." She asked Vera, "Shall we meet at the cantina in a little while for dinner?" Laminae turned and placed her hand on Tessa's arm. "You must join us, Tessa. My treat."

"Well, that is very nice of you... Laminae? Was that your name? What an odd name. I would love to have lunch, but I am in Santa Helena with Marta," Tessa said as she pointed outside.

"Marta? Is she a friend also?"

"She works for me, but yes, she is a very good friend."

"She will lunch with us also. Shall we meet at the cantina later, after you purchase things and I explore the pueblo a little?"

Vera nodded and began to talk with Tessa, bringing her to the ring display. Laminae was sure that Vera knew the drill and wouldn't reveal anything so she walked out in the sunshine. A curly haired woman was putting a basket in the back of a wagon. She smiled at her when Marta turned to look at her. Laminae decided to assume that she was with Tessa. She walked to the wagon and asked, "Marta?" Marta cautiously nodded. Laminae was pleased that she knew how to read people. She stuck out her hand as an offering of friendship. "My name is Laminae. I am Vera's cousin. You have a lunch date at the cantina with Vera, Tessa and I. Come hungry."

Laminae saw two military men walking down the stairs of the grand pink house on the other end of the square. She asked Marta, "Who are they?"

Marta said in a not too sunny manner, "That is Colonel Montoya and Capitan Grisham. I would stay away from them if I were you."

Laminae decided that the attitude that came with the first words from Marta's mouth weren't directed at her, but at the Colonel. "He is a little drunk with power?"

"That is a polite way to say it."

Laminae giggled along with Marta and knew that there were a lot of nice people in the colony, but the Colonel did carry an arrogant manner in his carriage as he started to strut across the square. "Excuse me, Marta. We will talk over lunch. I am going to explore now, all right?"

"Sure." Marta stayed by the wagon as Laminae walked toward the middle of the square, looking over the building that the Colonel had come out of. There had to be more about the man then just the military force of the pueblo. Look at that immaculate rose garden! Very well tended. From what Laminae could tell at that distance, the Colonel wasn't wearing a wedding ring, so it must be only for his benefit.

When she saw the erected gallows on the edge of the square, she got the feeling that it had been used, a lot. Laminae shivered, not wanting to think about that. The Colonel had two aspects that seemed to oppose one another. Laminae wondered how he was able to keep them in balance. She stood near the fountain, pretending to pay more attention to it than it deserved, as the Colonel and Captain walked by in the midst of conversation. Grisham chuckled. "The citizens may not love you, Colonel, but they respect you."

The Colonel responded, "It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both."

Laminae couldn't help but audibly groan, and it was heard by the two men. They stopped alongside her. They both stood tall, authoritative. "May I help you?"

"It is better to be loved than feared, Colonel," Laminae told him. The Colonel seemed to pay too much attention to her long dark hair. He looked over her entire body, stepped forward and seemed to be judging her height against his. "What is it?"

"You are new here," Montoya said.

"Yes, I am visiting my cousin, Senora Hidalgo."

Laminae noted the raised eyebrow that Grisham flashed. He obviously knew Vera, and knew her well.

"That's what I keep telling him, but he is charge here, not me," Grisham comfortably said. Laminae noted that he and Vera had a different accent, so they couldn't be related. Vera had been loving to her husband... NO! Laminae shook her head at thinking such a thing. Adulterers were abhorrent! Vera was so in love with Gaspar, so loving with her mother, she couldn't possibly have a lover. Laminae giggled to herself for such silly thoughts. Grisham must have had the indication because Vera was popular and everyone knew her.

The Colonel was more intriguing for the moment. She was going to make small talk with him, but he was still looking her over. Truth to be told, Laminae found his inventory very exciting. "Is there a problem?"

"No," Montoya said. "Welcome to Santa Helena, Senorita... or is it Senora? I see you wear a myriad of rings."

"Si. I am married." Laminae instinctfully covered her ring finger with the other hand. "This is a nice little pueblo you have here, Colonel. Capitan."

Surprising her, Montoya fingered the peacock feather in her hair. She hated to be touched, but his closeness wasn't all too unwelcome. "What a peculiar feather," Montoya commented. "Is that from a peacock?"

"Yes," she said, brushing his hand away and repositioning it in the braid that held up the top layer of her long, dark hair. Her hair that the Colonel just could not stop staring at. Laminae was proud of the silkiness of her hair that flowed to her waist, but his attention of it was strange.

He very seriously asked her, "Do you happen to know the Queen of Swords?" then seemed to gauge her immediate reaction to the question.

Laminae giggled. He didn't seem the type to believe in tarot cards. What a curious man. "No. I do not believe in the tarot, do you?"

"No, but I believe in the woman. You have heard of the dangerous vigilante?"

"Oh, goodness no. My world," Laminae lamented as she fanned herself from the heat. "What kind of place is this?" She was going to say something more, but suddenly, across the square, she saw a tall man who seemed very familiar walk out of the cantina. "Who is that?"

Grisham and Montoya both looked at the gentleman walking through the square to a side street. Grisham said, "That's the doc. Doc Helm."

Laminae waved her hand, dismissing them both. "No it is not." She walked away from them, toward Helm as he turned the block. When she walked around a building and saw Helm turn the next corner and to the door of a building, she looked to see if anyone was around, then waved her hand, making herself disappear.

~~~~~

Helm walked into his office to get his bag, then would make a house call on the widow down the street. He turned back to door and stepped on the toes of a woman. "What? Sorry. I didn't hear you come in. Not one woman knocks in this pueblo."

"Why are you still alive?" Laminae said, "It can not really be you! It had been too many years for mere mortal." She walked closer to him and really looked his face over. That face that had been burned into her memory banks. "It is you. You can not be descendant. I have looked into those eyes before. But how have you lived so long?"

Helm stepped back from her, her closeness and obvious insanity was too much to handle. "Excuse me? Who are you? And how did you get in here?"

"It is me! Remember? I know it has been a long time, but really... Are you a Shaitan? An Afrit? You are not a Marid or I would know it and you are certainly not an angel."

Helm watched her instantly look over the office and look back at him as if she knew him. "Are you hurt? Did you get hit on the head?" His thoughts went through all the women he had encountered during his military days. Could she be a widow of one of his victims? He walked over to open the door in case he had to either throw her out or run for safety.

"It is me. Laminae. How could you possibly forget me? I had the feeling that you do not make a habit of stepping forward to save women in distress, so how could you have forgotten?" She darkened her mood and almost spit out the words, "You are playing with me. I do not like that. Do not do that."

Helm was thinking that she needed help, but not the kind that he could provide. "Listen, Senora? You have me confused with someone else. You must be new here. My name is Robert Helm."

"No it is not!" She exclaimed as batted his outstretched hand away. "Do not do that. You have a perfectly lovely name, why would you change it?" Helm looked again at the door and keep a tight grip on his medical bag.

Suddenly, she started crying. No a slight tear or a trembling lip. No. She burst into tears that ran down her cheeks like a waterfall. He patted her shoulder. "Senora?"

Like the sun had just disappeared behind a mountain peak, she suddenly stopped crying and told him with a shrug of her shoulders, "Okay, it has been years. I suppose that I would remember better than you, after all it was my neck on the chopping block. I still can not believe that I was so confused and depressed that I was allowing them to kill me. That is what men do to you." Helm saw her twist the silver bang on her ring finger. "Diabol," she grumbled. "May you burn in hell," she said to the ceiling.

Helm started to back toward the door. She continued, "In Egypt... in the year... around 60 Before Christ's Birth. I was going to be executed for stealing that box that confined my teacher, Malik, which Diabol had tricked him into going into... you stepped forward and convinced Cleopatra to allow me to live even though you were only a mere soldier... remember? As soon as I was placed into your custody, you told me to leave. That was your first wish... then on your second wish I gave you that night with Cleopatra. Even though you actually didn't wish it, I figured that you would enjoy it. Did you?"

The silence was heavy as they both looked at each other. Helm opened his mouth to speak, but Laminae beat him to it. "You still have one more wish. Are you ever going to use it?"

Helm blankly stared at the woman, trying to think of a competent doctor with a lot of free time to send her to for intense therapy. A little blood letting couldn't hurt. "Senora, you--."

Suddenly Tessa walked through the open door. "I did not knock because it is open." She smiled at Laminae. "Oh, I see that you have met our doctor."

"Yes," Laminae said. "Many times."

"Really?" Tessa looked at the doctor.

He said, "No," as he ushered Laminae to the door. "I have another patient... Laminae... will you excuse us?"

"You want me to leave again?"

"Yes."

She held up her hands in the sign of surrender. "Do not wish it, I will leave. Whenever you get around to that last..." she looked at Tessa. "One... let me know."

"Sure. Fine. Whatever." Helm placed Laminae on the stoop and shut the door. He turned back to Tessa and make the universal cuckoo motion. "She is really far gone. She is nuts!"

"I heard that! Do not think I will forget it!" Helm heard from the other side of the door and instantly opened it. Laminae was not to be found.

Tessa asked, "What in the world? Do you know her?"

"No. Thank God."

"She seemed nice when I met her with Vera at the market. We are having lunch later."

"She knows Vera?"

"They are cousins. Distant cousins."

"I'll have to give Vera a list of men who could help that poor woman."

~~~~~

Over lunch, Laminae kicked herself for 'letting the cat out of the bag' in front of Methos, or who she thought was the soldier who had saved her life, and then was a complete bastard to her. Vera had done a wonderful job covering for her behavior to Tessa and Marta. Tessa mentioned that Laminae had left Dr. Helm stunned and then he had told her what she had said. Laminae was angry at herself and felt like crying. She could not be that foolish. There couldn't be any way that Methos was still alive. That was almost 1900 years ago! The thought of Methos did make her crazy and she hadn't been thinking when she confronted him, or a very good likeness.

Vera had told them that Laminae was an actress with a traveling show, visiting her and Gaspar while they took a break. "Yes," Laminae had told the women with an amused giggle that Vera was so quick. "It is an exercise in the acting trade. You go up to a stranger and come up with a story to see how they react to it, then you can use it in your acting. You will have to apologize to the doctor for me. I think I overwhelmed him."

"Which is not easy to do," Tessa said, then laughed with Marta and Vera.

"Really? He seemed very nervous. Success!" Laminae laughed. She looked out into the square at the Colonel riding by on his stallion. "His is a very powerful man," she commented, almost inaudibly. Then she remembered their brief conversation. She asked the ladies, "What is the significance of the Queen of Swords?"

Marta gulped her lemonade and Tessa kept her fork poised at her mouth, seemingly haven forgotten how to chew food. Vera asked, "Why would you ask about her?"

"The Colonel mentioned her as he was touching my hair."

Vera gasped. "The Colonel touched you? You do not like to be touched."

Laminae shrugged. "Most of the time."

Vera told her, "The Queen of Swords is .... oh what would one call her?" She looked to Tessa and Marta to fill in the word. They both took interest in their food, swirling it around on their plates.

"So she is an actual woman and not just the tarot card?"

"Yes," Tessa proudly said. "The Queen of Swords is a protector of the people. When she sees injustice, she does what she can to stop it."

"Hm," Laminae uttered. "Noble. I have the feeling that Montoya does not like her very much."

Marta laughed, "Oh no. Most of the Queen's work is foiling Montoya's."

"Have you ever seen her?"

Marta and Tessa were silent. Vera said, "Once. From a distance. She is not of good breeding and does not come to social occasions."

"Does she have long dark hair by chance?"

"Yes, she does. Like yours, and Tessa's."

Laminae laughed. "The Colonel must have thought that I was this Queen. He was very interested in my hair. I supposed because I new here. I think he is leery of strangers."

"He is leery of anyone or anything that might come between him and a promotion, the governorship of all California," Tessa seriously said.

"Well, never hurts to plan big."

"But at what cost?"

"I am sorry, Senorita Alvarado. Have I offended you?"

"No," Tessa said with a belated smile. "I am sure it is the heat. Marta? Should we return home?"

Marta was already standing. "Yes, I think that is an excellent idea."

"It was a pleasure to meet you both," Laminae said. "Thank you for joining us for lunch."

"Thank you for lunch," Tessa said. "Will we be seeing more of you? How long will you be visiting?"

Laminae looked at Vera. She would only be in town as long as it takes Vera to come up with her last wish... "Not long, I am sorry to say."

They bade goodbye and Laminae watched them walk out to their wagon in deep conversation. Laminae hoped that she hadn't offended them for asking so much about the Queen. As Marta got into the wagon seat, Laminae wondered if she would need some wishes. Tessa was wealthy, she could have whatever she wanted, but Marta might have hopes and dreams that she would sadly never receive. Laminae went to pay for the lunch as Vera called for their carriage at the livery.

On the way home, they were both quiet. Laminae wasn't used to being bumped and tossed in the wagon, so she looked to and fro and then told Vera to hold on. She waved her hand and the carriage was suddenly at the door of the Hidalgo residence.

~~~~~

A WEEK LATER

Vera had thought long and hard about the one last wish that she would want to come true. She had enough money to live comfortably. She would only have to ask Gaspar for any material possessions. She had the love of her mother, Gaspar, and also Marcus. She would like her mother to move to live with her, but when that had been brought up at lunch in Barcelona, her mother had said no. She loved Barcelona, her husband had died there, and so would she. She had friends, her church, her history. It was her home. The conversation then turned to Vera and Gaspar returning to Spain. They were at a hopeless stand still.

Since Vera was ashamed that she had found and enjoyed a lover outside of her marriage, she wondered if the last wish should be something for Gaspar. When she asked Laminae if that was a possibility, Laminae said, "The beauty of wishes is that they should be yours. Try not to pick something that affects too many other people. If you choose a wish for someone else, it may not be what they want and you would be out a wish."

The two women sat in the drawing room working on their embroidery projects. Vera had thought she was pretty proficient at the craft, but Laminae was a master. She had completed fourteen handkerchiefs since emerging from that box. Vera knew there had to be magic involved. "Laminae?"

"Hm?" Laminae was busy with the embroidery to look up.

"Can I wish for something that is not material, but something in my body?"

Laminae looked up in surprise. "You could, but you have a perfect body, Vera, from what I can tell."

"No, I do not." Vera set down the needle and thread and sat next to Laminae on the sofa. "I am barren. I can not have children."

"You can not have children?" Laminae repeated, starting to cry for the tragedy of it.

Vera sadly shook her head. "Could you do something about that?"

"Of course!"

"You can?" Vera suddenly looked bright and hopeful. "After trying and trying, I have still not conceived." She didn't tell Laminae that she hadn't even become pregnant by Marcus. She didn't want Laminae to be angry with her or think less of her as a person. Laminae had flown off the handle about any impropriety that she had seen during the weeks she had 'visited'. "Gaspar has told me that it did not matter, but of course it matters. He should have an heir."

Laminae wiped the tears from her cheeks. She said, "I am sorry. I get emotional. Of course, Vera. That would be a wonderful wish. Are you sure that is what you want? A child is a lot of work and responsibility."

"Yes, I want a child of my own more than anything in life."

"Say the words. No matter how you phrase it, I will make sure that you receive exactly what you wish for."

"I wish to give birth to Gaspar's happy and healthy son."

"You have it." Laminae smiled, then hugged Vera. Suddenly, the embroidery she had been working on disappeared. Laminae stood. "The next time you and your husband are together, it will happen. Tell him that it is a wonderful surprise. Remember, you can never tell anyone about me or Jinniyah or wishes or they will all go away: the memory of your mother's visit, your child, all the extras that I have given you the past two weeks. They will all disappear, Vera."

"I promise I will not tell a soul."

"I also have to do one more thing. I have to offer you a fourth wish that will negate the previous three. But you do not want that, do you?"

"Madre dios! No! Never."

"I thought not, but had to offer it anyway."

Vera stood up and almost danced around the room from happiness. It all had came from her husband buying an old box at an estate sale in Monterey. If he could only know how that purchase had changed their lives for the better. But she would never tell him. She would never tell anyone. "Gaspar is going to be so surprised. He did not think he would ever be a father."

"When is this little get together going to happen, Vera?" Laminae asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"As soon as possible, tonight. And I will not say why tonight is so important. The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with secrecy."

Laminae laughed with Vera and then said, "I have to go now. My job here is over. You have a wonderful life, Vera, with your husband and son. I would be pleased if you remember me, but do not--."

"Tell anyone about you," Vera continued for her. "I know. Thank you." Vera hugged Laminae and asked, "Do you need to go back into that box?"

"My world! No. I will seek out a new master or mistress, then make sure that I am found. Maybe that Colonel, he seemed so interesting."

"NO! He can not have three wishes! Please, Laminae, stay away from him. He is dangerous already."

"Duly noted. I can just talk to him, can I not?"

Vera smiled and nodded. "But he has a lot of boxes in his office. Do not even be tempted to get inside any of them. For the sake of the pueblo, please. He can not have more power."

"Do not worry. I will not. I also will not see you again, Vera. Farewell. I has been wonderful knowing you and working for you."

With a wave of Laminae's arm, Vera was alone in the drawing room again. She was sad to see her leave, but rubbed her torso knowing that in the matter of hours, she would never again be alone.

THE END