One Day

By: Susan

Disclaimer: I don't own Disney's Aladdin, nor am I making any profit from it.

Summary: On her twelfth birthday, Princess Jasmine is painfully confronted with what could one day be her future. All her thoughts about true love seem to vanish until she sees something extraordinary. [ONE SHOT]

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A warm breeze caressed the relentless tears streaming down her face. It danced across her balcony and through the drapes, and met her tiny sobbing face inches from the bed.

This was Princess Jasmine's twelfth birthday, a day that everyone in the kingdom and the lands around it had chosen to celebrate with fervor. Jasmine had awoken happily and jumped down the marble staircase to see her father, but the day had ended leaving her desolate; a lonely child whimpering, with no one around caring to lend her any comfort.

She'd been pampered all her life, never truly spoiled, but it was beyond her comprehension as to why, at this point in time, when she really, truly needed someone, no one was there for her.

She stood and edged her way to the mirror, viciously rubbing the tears in her dark eyes away. If things were going to be like this from now on, it wouldn't do well to cry any longer. She would have to face these things as a woman, and women did not cry.

Her first suitor had arrived today. Arrogant and seventeen years her senior, with a terrible, crooked smile, this man was not what Jasmine had thought would be coming to Agrabah to seek her hand in marriage.

Her mother had always told her stories of the handsome, intelligent men sent to woo her, and despite those things, she'd never responded until she met Jasmine's father. From her reminiscing of her early romance with him, Jasmine assumed it would be easy to find the man she would want to spend the rest of her life with. How could it not? It seemed just natural that the man she was destined to be with would be lurking amid the many intelligent and sociable men, not the kind of man that had entered the palace today.

There was a deep stench of alcohol following him, which easily made her sick to her stomach. He referred to her as "the girl," and never once did he make a comment to her, only to her father that she would be quite easy to marry off. "Any man's looking for a young woman to bear him children," he had said, and then he had smiled crookedly at her. Perhaps what had disgusted her most about him was when he took her own hand and wrenched it toward his own slimy mouth to kiss it. He was possibly the most gruesome and arrogant man she'd ever laid eyes on, and he wanted to marry her.

It wasn't as thought she didn't want to marry; of course she did. But she was still a child of twelve. She knew it was custom to marry young, but was this too young? Marriage was something she knew was in her future. But a marriage to a man that would love and care about her? The idea of marrying someone who would hold her tightly and protect her forever was a fantasy that had seemed so close, so tangible. And then, seeing this pigheaded man that believed her thoughts and feelings were trivial…the idea of a marriage filled with love and happiness seemed to fade away from her slowly. She wished that she could turn the day back, wake up again, where this dream was just around the bend, but never really far to reach out and touch. She'd been so excited for her twelfth birthday, believing it to be a milestone in which she would enter the search for true love. And now, here she was, twelve years old, and her dream had vanished like a drop of water on the desert sand.

How many years of this would she have to go through to find a man whose smile and wit could sweep her off her feet; whose consideration and love for her could make her tingle straight down to her toes; whose loyalty and courage could make her too feel stronger than ever before? How many years would find her love?

She peered back in the mirror at her reflection. Her wet red face curtained with long dark hair stared back at her. She knew that the only way to avoid being hoodwinked into believing love was just around the corner was to become a woman overnight, something that seemed entirely impossible. But women didn't cry, and strong women didn't let any action of a man, good or bad, affect her. She wiped the tears from her face once more, knowing full well that life would be a struggle from now on. The one thing she wanted and needed would not be handed to her on a silver platter like so many other things were.

But this was her last night as a child, and she needed to let these tears out, these last tears as a child. She needed to cry one last time. Her life would be a road that she'd never traveled before, and no road that she'd ever traveled on had ever been similar. This was a road that only a woman could face. The search for true love amidst the vanity and riches. Was there a man to be found that wasn't self absorbed and uncaring?

She focused on her eyes in the mirror, knowing she might use the rest of her life to answer this one simple question. Her dark eyes were glistening with tears still, but she wiped them away once and for all. Eyes were a window into someone's soul, her mother had always said. And looking at herself right now made her feel like the soul that was hidden inside her was terribly pathetic. Her eyes showed intelligence and a longing for companionship underneath the tears, and she wouldn't allow the sadness for assuming that finding that companion would be simple to be discerned just by looking at her.

Suddenly, Jasmine noticed something moving in the corner of the mirror. Something on the bed behind her. She whipped her head around, her long dark hair trailed her like a cloak. She knew full when she'd locked the door, how could people possibly have entered her room?

There was a handsome, dark-haired man seated on the bed, arms wrapped around a beautiful girl that seemed incredibly familiar, like a friend Jasmine had when she was little, but long forgotten. The girl smiled and laughed, letting the handsome young man plant kisses on the neckline of her dress.

Jasmine blushed. Certainly, if one of these people were her, she wouldn't want to be disturbed by a crying, confused girl in a moment of passion. She watched as they kissed again, wanting to turn away and leave them to their kissing. But she stood, transfixed, staring at the happy couple. Something in her could not make her eyes turn away from them.

Suddenly, the girl turned on the bed turned and looked directly at Jasmine, and Jasmine thought she recognized her. But it couldn't be…But that white smile, that long, dark hair, those eyes? Those were her features…That girl, being kissed so fervently by that handsome young man…that girl was her.

A voice inside of her scoffed. How could that possibly be? But the resemblance was extraordinary, and the girl was still staring at her, slightly inclining her head as if to say yes. Jasmine shook her head. Was it the tears that brimmed her eyes blurring the figures before her or something else?

The girl…herself, smiled kindly at Jasmine, then let out a whisper to the man.

"I love you, Aladdin."

Jasmine smiled. If that girl really was her…she was happy. The man…Aladdin, smiled at the woman…herself. He had a smile full of bright white teeth, and turned to look at Jasmine, who took a step back. He had handsome features filled to the brim with distinct boyish charm, but it was his eyes that were most attractive to her…handsome, trusting, loving eyes that settled on her. Then he turned back to the Jasmine he was holding so tenderly.

It had only been a split second that his eyes had rested upon her, but Jasmine closed her own eyes and could still picture them…the love, the courage, the happiness…So many emotions swirling in the man's handsome eyes.

"I love you too, Jasmine," he whispered, and Jasmine was finally convinced that the woman on the bed was indeed her. How it was possible, she didn't know, but she saw them with her own eyes, slightly blurry and misty, but it could've been because of the tears, this time of happiness that had entered her eyes.

Jasmine smiled as the two talked quietly to one another…she didn't bother to listen, she knew she would hear the words that the handsome young man spoke one day in the near future. Aladdin, his name was. She would be looking for him forever. This would be the man she would marry.

Still looking at them, she felt a sudden pang of sadness amid the joy that had crept into her heart. How many years would she wait for love? She watched them for a moment longer, then settled on the sofa near the wall, not wanting to disturb or embarrass herself and Aladdin with her staring. They hadn't seemed to notice her presence except for the split second each of their eyes had lingered on her.

Jasmine covered herself with a silk blanket and closed her eyes, her heart telling her that one day, that would be her, happy, with that handsome young man. She settled herself on the sofa and began to drift off to sleep.

Perhaps love will not be so easy to find, she thought drowsily, images of what would one day be dancing in her head, but I know it will always just be lurking around the bend.

And another comfortable breeze drifted into the room, taking with it an image of two lovers that would one day be.

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