The Lampmaker Ch. 11

Susan spoke up. "As someone who initially was against Master taking me, I can say that having a genie that is potentially hostile is a dangerous thing. I have noted many things I could have done to bring this household down or cause it great harm. I have done none of them, but have informed the Grand Vizier so we can cover them for the future. But I fear I have not thought of everything, and if this one is to be in charge of the Master's mental state I have much more fear. Especially now, Master is fragile."

Grand Vizier Ali listened and then spoke. "Genies, I feel that Lacey means well and does trust this woman's expertise and skill. But this Jewel is certainly an unknown factor. Lacey, you will contact her and determine her intentions while I scry and we all observe."

The genies all looked thoughtful and all eventually agreed. Ali used the speaker system and spoke to Master Rick. Once he had explained everything and his recommendation, Rick thought for a few minutes in silence. "Very well. Lacey we will look at your recommendation. Grand Vizier, we will scry this meeting and observe. Furthermore, I think we need to try a different approach this time. Lacey, meet with her and schedule me for an appointment at her office after this first meeting. I want you to explain nearly everything about us here. The facts that I have become massively wealthy, handsome, powerful, and have a harem of loving slaves who are all exceptional beauties, tell her everything. Leave out the genie part, but given what you have explained about this woman I think she will be interested enough to see me of her own free will."

All the assembled genies and Ali agreed. Lacey was able to hide her annoyance at being scryed on while talking to Jewel, but still figured Jewel would be enough of a gold digger still to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

NEXT TUESDAY

Rick shook hands with the woman he had come to meet and silently gave a wolf whistle.

Dr. Jewel Chambers; brilliant psychologist, author of two best sellers (one being her work while a stripper), considered to be a genius by many, early graduate of both undergrad and Masters Programs, and a very discrete sex therapist to the rich and famous.

And a stunningly hot woman. She stood 6 foot even, great shape, hourglass figure, nice tan, a perfect 36-24-36 measurements all natural and brilliant red hair done up in a bun. She could easily have any man she wanted and she was looking Rick over with an appraising eye.

Rick was flattered but not surprised as his genies had all been adding personal touches to him as he made his wishes. He was pretty much a perfect Greek sculpture come to life and he knew it. But there was something else in that look that Rick couldn't quite place but seemed familiar.

Lacey's meeting had been interesting. Jewel hadn't been mad at all, but had instead surprised Lacey with a bottle of her favorite wine and had cleared her calendar so they could have a few hours to catch up. They had ended up eating out together and Lacey had given her the whole story, excepting the genie part. It had been obvious that Jewel had been intrigued by her request for aid.

"I think that she is more interested in the man who can not only claim me but can make me share him. I was not someone who was known to share men as a mortal Master." Lacey had said when they had talked afterwards.

Jewel's pretty voice brought him back to the place at hand. "Well Rick, I can certainly see why Lacey is so smitten with you. I have many movie star clients, but I will say you are probably the most handsome man I have ever seen."

"Thanks, I hope that won't be a problem for us working together. If you don't mind me saying, you are one of the most beautiful women I think I have ever seen. And as cheesy as it sounds, that is saying something." Rick replied

Jewel snickered. "Oddly enough I consider that a compliment and I also believe you. Lacey is a hottie and her descriptions of your other women certainly doesn't leave much to the imagination. I took the liberty of going some research and I must say you have quite a collection of girls. Please sit and let's talk."

Rick sat down in a comfortable chair and he began to talk about his women and the problem as he saw it.

"I'm a pretty easy going guy, very deliberate, and I try to make sure I am always thinking the angles through before I do anything. In my previous job it helped a lot. I also didn't have much drive to be anything other than comfortable and to be able to indulge in my hobby of collecting..."

Jewel listened for the next hour as Rick told her the whole story of the lamp, his wishes, and how he had taken Lacey, and then Bridget, Heather, Nicole, Susan, Lotus, Samantha, Evie, Ada, and Dominika. Jewel listened as he described the sex, wealth, the changes to his body and mind, and the simple power he now had at his beck and call. She became very interested as he described his breakdown at the Halloween Ball.

Jewel normally would have marked this guy down as a freak and insane but there were a couple of things. One, he obviously believed everything he said. Two, her research had turned up all sorts of odd things about him.

He had become fantastically wealthy in a few short months. He truly did have a harem of beauties that were all highly skilled and talented in their areas of expertise and each one of them had given up careers, dreams, and jobs to literally serve him as a full blown slave. And very oddly, no one seemed to think anything strange about it. For a bit the paparazzi had hounded him and his women (especially Lacey) and then once he hired Samantha to handle his press, it all went away. It was if everyone suddenly accepted that a brand new millionaire (now Billionaire) who openly stated he was in an open relationship was nothing strange.

Jewel had really felt funny about that. She had initially gone "Oh, of course." And had moved on, but it had bugged her and nagged her. After a bit she would go back and review some of this, but as soon as she got to one of Samantha's press releases she would immediately go back to thinking it was no big deal. She had finally read everything up to that point, and then NOT read something from Samantha and realized that the oddity stayed with her. What was odder was that after that nearly everything available for reading about Rick's life and his women was sole sourced with Samantha being that source.

That alone was enough to get her professionally interested. But in reality she was seeing Rick because of something else.

Jewel hated Lacey with a passion.

She had nearly destroyed everything she had worked for over a lap dance with some schmuck that she would drop like a hot rock in another week when the next big spender hit town. Lacey's behavior had been odd when they had met, acting like she was being watched (which if Rick was telling the truth she had been), but trying to hint to her that if she played along there was a big payoff in it for her.

The girls at the club had a bunch of internal sayings and lingo, kind of like a pig Latin, so they could talk about things in front of customers, and Lacey had dropped some while trying to explain what she wanted.

Jewel had played along because she wanted to pay back Lacey HARD for nearly wrecking her life. And Rick might be just the ticket.

Rick however was enjoying the talk. He found it was putting his mind at ease to be speaking with someone normal, someone who wasn't jumping at his every command or putting forth the effort for a big tipper. As he relaxed his mind started to clear and he found himself able to think clearly for the first time in a month, with no odd voices or weird feelings. And Rick got an odd feeling that Jewel was truly not under any influence and even seemed somewhat resistant to his charms.

After he had finished, Rick looked at Jewel who was giving him a poker face. He smiled and said "Yeah, I'm crazy right?"

Jewel snorted at Rick's comment and caught herself. "Very funny. I'm not going to say that, but you do realize how that sounds. Genies, harems, Djnn advisors, wealth, power, and you coming to see me because your harem of supernatural beauties wants your mind healed so you don't try and enslave all of Beverly Hills at your next party? And the fact that they are determined to get you some mortal women so you can have heirs? Not a normal conversation."

"I figured as much which is why I brought along some proof."

Rick pulled out a lamp and rubbed it. Smoke poured out and Jewel found herself staring at a tall man dressed in a Middle Eastern garb. The man bowed low to Rick and then her.

"Good day Master, I, Ali your Grand Vizier, am at your command."

"Proof us against any scrying by the other genies. I want this to be private." Rick commanded.

Ali bowed and then spoke a strange word. "It is done Master."

"Ali, assume your smoke form." Rick ordered. Ali let his lower body turn to smoke and floated over Jewel who was staring open-mouthed. Rick had Ali levitate Jewel in her chair, turn her desk into a hot tub and back, had him conjure her a full set of Ruby jewelry, and then a silk dress with slippers. He then had Ali turn her chair into a divan in which she was reclined, dressed and perfumed and resplendent in her jewels.

Rick smiled at the stunned Jewel and said "Believe me now?"

Jewel stared at her reflection in the mirror by her desk. She looked like an Arabian princess, she felt amazingly sexy and powerful, and she knew right then how she was going to get back at Lacey.

"Rick, can you please turn me and my office back to normal? We need to talk." Jewel said with effort.

Rick nodded to Ali who changed everything back with a wave of his hands.

Jewel gathered her thoughts for a minute. "Mr. Sanford, you were not kidding and I'm about ready to pass completely out from shock. I need to clear my head and we will discuss how we will proceed in your next session."

Jewel stood and let out a breath. She walked over and opened her door. "Thank you."

Rick looked at Ali who shrugged and then disappeared in a poof. Rick walked past Jewel and then paused. "You know, you look like you could use a drink."

"I could use several. Several of my major beliefs in life just got shattered, run over and then tossed off the edge of the Grand Canyon."

Rick nodded. "Yep, that is about how I felt when Ali appeared. I didn't have a drink then, and I'm thinking maybe I should have. So the way I see it, I'm owed a drink and you need one. I saw a bar across the street; I'll buy the first round."

Jewel looked at him and they locked eyes. "Damn, this woman has some backbone in her. Her eyes are practically flashing." Rick thought.

Jewel was thinking "Wow, he has some strength to him. But more than that, he has compassion, but also some other things, nasty things. Things that don't belong there..." Jewel's thoughts trailed off and she let out a little sigh.

Jewel reached out and took Rick's arm. "Gin Martini, with an olive."

Rick returned to the Palace later that night and was mobbed by his genies. "Master! We were so worried! You disappeared from our magical sights!" Lacey had babbled as she leapt into his arms and kissed him.

"Whoa, hold on! I'm fine, I'm, watch your hands Ada, it's not your night, I was just talking with Jewel is all. I just had Ali..."

Rick blinked and then rubbed his eyes. "Crap sorry, I told Ali to proof us against scrying and spying and I forgot to turn it off. I'm sorry."

Rick had to kiss and hug all of his genies before they were calmed down. Rick ate a fine meal and relaxed a bit but noted how fearful his slaves were. "They were afraid I had a breakdown. They were terrified. Even the plants were scared." Rick thought.

"I am the Lampmaker. These genies are mine, but I am responsible for them. They serve me, but I must be a good Master to them and care and protect them from everything that could harm them. Even myself."

Rick stood up and his harem quieted. "I had my session with Jewel today. I will keep seeing her as I think she is trustworthy and can help me. But I am going to do this right. None of you will have any contact with her at all. NONE OF YOU. Aside from Ali, only I will. I will be driven there, I will be escorted up, but none of our servants will enter her office with me. No one will scry; no one will spy in ANY manner."

Rick looked each of genies in the eyes. "I know all of you love and care for me. But that is part of the problem; each of you does so in their own way. I must sort this out with Jewel's help alone, no biases, and no slants. You must all trust me on this and you will obey my commands."

All the genies responded with a "Yes Master."

THREE WEEKS LATER

"Checkmate."

Ali frowned and then sighed. "You are very skilled doctor. Not many mortals can best me, and only Master has beaten me in normal play a few times."

Jewel giggled and Rick smiled as he looked at her. After the initial meeting Rick had booked her every other day (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for the full afternoon. They had started as normal lying on the couch, tell me about your mother kind of head shrinking, but it had rapidly moved on. Rick had shown her his acquired skills in art, finance, combat, and other things and Jewel had rapidly figured out Rick was a lot more than just a rich guy with a sex problem.

Under Jewel's questioning Rick had been slowly shifting his personas and had allowed her to see each one. He had even slipped into the raving madman once but Ali had knocked him out before he could order him to enslave Jewel and make her kneel. That had scared Jewel, but she was even more scared when she saw the footage of the real Halloween Party that Ali showed her while Rick was out.

"My God. Could he have done that? Enslaved everyone? It seemed like his genies were at their limit of power."

Ali had looked away. "Yes, I think so. He could have given other orders that could have made the genies freeze people, turn them into stone, or hold them in place until Master could have them brainwashed. He could have had them all turned into mindless zombies. Or he could have simply picked a lovely woman, and turned her into a genie and then wished it. And then with a single command the entire city would become his slaves. And I think if he had done that he would have been lost forever."

Jewel still got chills remembering that moment, that madness in Rick's eyes. "I need to fix him. Dear God do I need to fix him, or what might happen is to horrific to think about." She thought.

She glanced at Rick and blushed just a bit. Rick smiled more and she blushed deeper. "Stop that Mr. Sanford."

"I'm just looking at you Doctor."

"If you don't stop looking I'll call it a day."

Rick looked away quickly. One of the ground rules was that Jewel could call it a day at anytime, for any reason and Rick couldn't argue. Rick had agreed and Ali had "helped" him to remember several times.

Jewel was glad for that. Regardless of how he got his looks and body (and his personality), Jewel was having an incredibly hard time keeping this professional. Rick had taken her out for a drink after their first meeting and she had a lovely time. They had simply had a few drinks, and talked about nothing. Jewel had really enjoyed it and in her mind THAT Rick, the somewhat shy, nice, kind, and caring one was the real Rick. The one that needed to win. That one had strength, but also mercy. That one was just, and noble, not power hungry and arrogant.

Jewel wouldn't lie though; she saw why Lacey and some of the other genies loved the "Strong" Rick. A real old school "man's man" who took what he wanted, someone who had raw overwhelming power and lust and passion. Almost a barbarian, someone who would carry away the Princess and ravish her in a far away cave. Jewel definitely saw the attraction to that, but the old Rick was better in her mind, calm, rational (mostly, the guy made genies for crying out loud), just, caring, someone who didn't want to crush everyone and lord over them but simply enjoy what he had.

But she was definitely falling for him. She wouldn't deny it, she could tell and she was way too professional to lie to herself. Which was why she wanted to get this done and get him away from her.

"I won't be another one of his women. I won't. Damn it, I will not accept being another conquest and merely being a genie of a harem, who answers to Lacey, so if that means I break my heart then so be it." She thought.

Rick was talking with Ali about some items and Jewel blinked and said "I'm sorry, got lost in thought. What were you saying about the other genies?"

"Doctor, I think it might help if you spoke with the other genies one by one. Ali will put up a barrier so nothing over heard. I think I'm not the only one who needs help. The genies magically interact with me every day. I think this might be having an effect."

Jewel blinked. "Full privacy? Hmmmmm, actually that is not a bad idea. I am thinking we are getting to a point where we need to shift our efforts and this seems perfect. When can we begin?"

The next Monday Jewel gaped as she was led by Nicole into the Throne room. She stared around at the splendor and then did a double-take as Rick sat on his throne with his genies all reclined on couches on his dais.

Jewel approached and Nicole stopped at the foot of the dais and said "Master, the Doctor Jewel is here as commanded." Jewel frowned at that and Nicole grinned at her when she straightened up. "Heh, no offense."

Jewel muttered about genie slaves as she looked around. She pulled out her notepad and then started writing while Rick looked at her expectantly and the other genies looked a bit puzzled.

"Okay everyone. I'm Doctor Jewel Chambers. You will refer to me as Doctor Chambers or just Doctor, even if you knew me as a mor...from before." Jewel shook her head at the whole situation again and continued. "I have been treating Mr. Sanford for three weeks now and he is making very good progress, but we need to move to the next step and that is his interactions with you. For today I will be shadowing him and seeing what a "normal" day and night is for him. Then I will interview each one of you privately, you will be protected from scrying and no one save me will know what is said. Questions?"

No one spoke and so Rick stood up and Jewel was barely able to maintain her composure at Rick standing there in his robe looking like a Prince out of a fairy tale looking at her like she was the Princess. She shook her head and had a dark thought about kicking him in the balls if he kept that up, which vanished as soon as he took her by the arm and led her to breakfast.

Lacey kept her face smooth but inside was relieved. She had desperately trying to figure out how to get some private time with Jewel so she could find out if Jewel was in on her plan or not.

Evie also kept a smooth face (Ada had been working with her on her poker face), but was also happy. "That bitch Lacey won't be around for a while, and that means I can finally speak with Master about some very important things I have found out."

The next several days were pretty mind boggling for Jewel. She damn near fainted twice when Rick's magical servants showed up when she wished out loud for something. She did actually faint when she was walking in the garden and happened upon the Bengal Tigers. She came to and screamed like a banshee when the biggest tiger licked her face. What was worse was that the damn thing took a liking to her and followed her around. Then she accidentally sniffed the Dream Flower bed and woke up twelve hours later in a massive bed being fanned by another servant with the tiger purring by her feet.

She decided to start minding the warning signs after that.

And she named the tiger "Kitten".

She had full access to everything and several times during that time period she had to step out of the palace and go down the hill to a mall for a few hours because she would start to develop a nervous tic when trying to square everything going on that bent the known laws of reality.