Epilogue
The dry winds of the desert whipped the sands around the great dunes in a swirly dance as the giggling of two young girls was heard in the distance.
"Agrabah isn't too far from here, Jasmine," the older girl told her younger sister. Jasmine sighed and rested one rosy cheek on her tiny hand.
"I'm tired, Sadira. I want to get there now," Jasmine pouted. The young girls were riding on a camel through the Great Desert of Arabia. Their parents rode separately in front of them while their royal guard followed them closely behind. Sadira tightened her grip on the reins, her face screwed in concentration. Being twelve years of age, she wanted to prove to her parents that she was capable and mature enough to ride separately from them. Though her mother pursed her lips in a disapproving manner, her father laughed heartily and allowed her to do so. Her younger sister Jasmine, age ten, had insisted upon riding with Sadira. They were returning home from a trip to Egypt and still had about 20 miles to cover before they would arrive back to their palace in Agrabah. Sadira, though tired, continued on concentrating, her ice blue eyes narrowed against the glaring Arabian sun.
"I know, Jas. I'm tired too, but we can't go any faster. We'll be there soon, I promise," Sadira said in her best and most mature voice. Jasmine sighed loudly behind her. Sadira shook her head. Jasmine was still so young and immature, but Sadira did not blame her. One day, Sadira thought to herself, Jasmine would grow up just as she did.
"Girls," Their father called behind to them, his majestic red cape billowing behind. Their father was a strong and tall man with ink black, cropped hair and a close shaven beard. He was the perfect man to represent Agrabah as king; handsome, regal, and courageous. Their mother also looked back at them and smiled. She was riding side-saddle on their father's camel, her thin white dress blowing gracefully in the wind and her long dark tresses falling freely down her back. She was still quite young, only about 30 years of age, and she was the most beautiful and royal-esque woman in Agrabah. She lifted her thin wrist and waved delicately to her two daughters, blowing them a kiss. "We'll be able to see the palace once we pass over this large sand dune," their father grinned at them, pointing ahead. Sadira nodded cheerfully.
"Mommy and daddy look like the people in my story books," Jasmine giggled. Sadira nodded. They did look very picturesque, like how every king and queen should always look.
"One day, we'll marry princes and be just like mom and dad," Sadira said to Jasmine in a wishful tone. They were approaching the top of the sand dune. Sadira sat up a bit more on the saddle, craning her neck to try and spot the palace. Jasmine remained quiet behind her. She tightened her arms around Sadira's waist and let out a quiet whimper.
"Sadira... I feel scared," Jasmine said softly.
"Can you see the palace yet, girls?" Their father called. They were approaching closer and closer to the top of the dune.
"Not yet, dad!" Sadira called. She then lowered her voice worriedly and addressed Jasmine. "Why are you scared?"
"I don't know!" Jasmine whined. "I just feel scared."
"You're probably just dehydrated. Do you want some water," Sadira asked. Jasmine shook her head. Sadira rolled her eyes and looked back forward. She squinted as she spotted a dark figure stagger over the top of the dune and then fall face first onto the sand. She saw her father pull the reins on his camel and stop it. Their mother looked back at them worriedly, her lips pressed together tightly. Sadira quickly stopped her camel. The royal guard sped up and raced over to the fallen man. The King dismounted from his camel and walked quickly over to the man.
"Let's get him some water," The King said firmly to the guard. The guard nodded and pulled out his canteen. The Arabian sun continued to beat down upon them. Sadira wiped a thin film of sweat that began to gather on her upper lip. She shifted uncomfortably on the saddle, watching her father and the guard kneel over the man on the ground. The man lifted his head wearily. The King and guard stood back. The man climbed slowly to his feet and straightened up. He was covered in a film of dirt and his baggy clothing was ripped and stained. He had a scraggly beard that almost reached his chest and his hair was greasy, while his forehead was slick with sweat. He turned his gaze onto the Queen and smiled, showing off his rotted, yellow teeth. The Queen looked away uncertainly. The King stepped forward and cleared his throat, blocking the stranger's view of his wife.
"Weary Traveler, do you need aid on your way to wherever it is you are journeying to?" The King asked. The stranger looked at him, still grinning, and shook his head.
"I have friends coming," he rasped. The King and guard exchanged a suspicious look.
"When will they be arriving?" The guard asked loudly. The stranger looked off into the distance, over the dune.
"Oh... right about... NOW!" The man shrieked excitedly and dove to the ground. The King and guard looked up just in time to see a flurry of arrows come up from the other side of the dune. Sadira and Jasmine shrieked.
"NO!" Their mother gasped as their father and guard fell to the ground, arrows protruding from their chests.
"Father!" Sadira screamed. Jasmine began sobbing. Their father began coughing up blood, weakly trying to get up. The guard was dead.
"Sadira! Take Jasmine and hide behind one of the dunes!" The Queen was cut off when group of three men appeared over the dune, their bows and quivers thrown over their shoulders. The man from before jumped up from the ground and ran to the men excitedly. Sadira quickly yanked jumped off of the camel, yanking Jasmine down with her. Jasmine shrieked as they landed on the ground, but Sadira quickly pulled her up and ran clumsily through the sand. She dove under one of the dunes, dragging Jasmine along like a doll. One of the men, began striding over towards the Queen.
"The King is going to be dead!" He cackled gleefully. "That was easier than I could have ever imagined!"
"I want mom!" Jasmine jumped up. Sadira gasped and stood up as well, pushing Jasmine roughly back onto the ground. She was about to crouch back down, before she saw the man walk over towards her mother. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched her mom struggle to pull their father's sword out of its sheath that was hanging on the side of the camel. The man, however, was too fast and he reached the Queen before she had time to uncover the sword. The Queen gasped as the man grabbed ahold of her arm and pulled her roughly off of the camel. The Queen fell to the ground and moaned. The man laughed down at the Queen. Sadira's watched with wide eyes, knowing that she could do nothing.
"Lookie here, men. The rumors are true. The Queen's beauty truly does surpass all," The man yelled to his cohorts. "It's a shame that this beauty will have to go to waste."
"You're a coward!" The Queen spat at him. He laughed again and grabbed ahold of her hair, jerking her up. She winced in pain. Sadira choked back a sob as she watched him man-handle her beloved mother. The King let out a groan of protest, choking back blood.
"Should we kill him now, or make him watch as we murder his wife?" The man with the beard asked excitedly.
"Make him watch," the man who had ahold of the Queen roared. He produced a knife from his back pocket and held it to the Queen's delicate throat. Sadira gasped as the man quickly slit her mother's throat and tossed her haphazardly to the side. The Queen laid in a limp pile on the sand, her pure white dress stained with the angry red color of her spilled blood. Sadira cried out and sank to the ground, right before the men finished off their father. She reached out and hugged Jasmine to her chest, sobbing quietly. The two girls huddled behind the dune, shaking from the shock of what had just occurred. Sadira raised her blood-shot eyes to the sky, but not before she caught a glimpse of the silhouette of the majestic Palace of Agrabah.
Chapter One
6 Years Later
Jasmine awoke in her feather to the sound of hustle and bustle throughout the large palace. She quickly kicked off her silk covers and jumped out of her king-sized bed excitedly, pushing the gold net canopy aside.
"Ah, Princess Jasmine! I was just about to awaken you. Today is a very big day indeed! Sadira has returned to the palace!" Her hand-maid Aneesa smiled warmly at her. Jasmine grinned.
"Thank you, Aneesa. And Yes, I know! I'm so excited to see Sadira again! It's been almost two years since I last saw her," Jasmine said in her lilting voice. She pushed her dark, silky tresses out of her face and rushed to the out of her bedroom. It had been six years since the deaths of her parents and two years since Sadira went to Egypt to study abroad. Jasmine missed her family dearly and was happy that at least she'd see Sadira again very soon. She'd been incredibly lonely and bored in the palace without Sadira. Her days were filled with her royal lessons, etiquette training, and meetings about war strategy. Once in a while, the palace would house balls, in which Jasmine had to dance with a plethora of snobby, entitled princes. Her Uncle and Aunt had taken over control of Agrabah for the short while after her parents had died, but Sadira and Jasmine were the true heirs, whose duty it was to step in once the royal council deemed one of them fit enough to rule.
"SADIRA!" Jasmine squealed, once she rushed down the marble stairs and saw her sister standing in the foyer, chatting with their Aunt and Uncle. Sadira looked up with her icy blue eyes, just in time to be tackled with Jasmine's hug. Sadira stumbled back a bit from the force. "Sorry," Jasmine giggled and stepped back. Sadira was dressed in an elegant, blue silk dress that exposed her tan shoulders. She stood an inch taller than Jasmine, who was already 5'7. Her blue eyes were lined with black kohl, which gave them an even more piercing effect and her black hair was pulled back out of her face in a half-ponytail. She looked regal and much more mature for an 18 year old, but breath-taking, nonetheless.
"Hello, Jasmine," Sadira said in her low voice. Her blue eyes scanned her younger sister. Jasmine had grown up to be a beautiful young lady at sixteen. Her dark tresses fell over her shoulders and down her back in soft curls and ringlets. Her eyes were a golden brown color and sparkled happily. She was very thin, but still managed to maintain curves. She was still dressed in her white night-gown. "You should probably go change into proper clothing before brunch. We have a guest coming," Sadira said. Jasmine's smile faded slightly.
"A guest? But you just got here. Why would we have other company?" Jasmine asked, knitting her eyebrows together.
"Jas, you'll see why in a little while. Sadira is right, you should go upstairs and make yourself more presentable," her aunt said kindly. Jasmine widened her eyes, but obeyed. She slowly went back up the marble steps, looking back once hopefully at Sadira. Sadira did not meet her gaze, and instead continued on chatting with their uncle about foreign politics. Jasmine sighed in a melancholy manner and continued back up the steps.