"After you are fitted for your wedding dress, you have to run over and pick the jewelry you are going to wear so they can get it fitted for you."
"After that you have to go and take a bath before meeting the new suitor."
"And remember; be nice, your father will kill you if you harass another suitor!"
"Ladies, ladies!" I shouted to the older women bunching around me. I stopped and was run into by the women behind me. "Now I understand what I have to do, but please let me be for a moment. I need to use the bathroom." I excused myself to my room trying my best not to run from the old minis. Once I closed my door I gave an exasperated sigh, before running to my closet and throwing it open to get my raggedy old robe. Today was the day. Today was the day I was going to run off and live a life of normalcy. Not to be followed by people who tell me what to do or what to eat or what to think. But go to a place where I am just me and nobody expects more or makes me more. Just me.
I climbed down the wall from my window, like the thousands of times before, but this time I had more of a bounce from my pure giddiness. I already felt free as I walked to the gates of the palace and walked pass the steady guard and out to the streets of the market place.
My first task was to get some beggar clothes so I wouldn't be wearing such a hot and heavy robe around all day. I scanned the streets for some left out clothes; I knew people would hang them out to dry during the day, since my bedroom window looked over the main streets of Agrabah. I walked up and down three streets before I saw the first clothes line full of clothes. But to my misfortune the only thing I could possibly fit in was a flimsy skirt that was basically a scarf you tie around, and a mini shirt similar to the one I had on. But I knew this was going to be best for now, so I looked around and was glad to see barely anybody there so I quickly walked through the closes line and yanked the clothes off as I went by, stuffing them in my robe as quickly as possible.
I stopped at an empty well and made sure no one was around before I slowly peeled off layer upon layer and put on the skimpy outfit. I sighed in relief as I reveled in the feel of the cool breeze against my dry hot skin. I piled my clothes up and threw them into the well before I left to the market once more.
I smiled at the people as I walked by, knowing I'll have to find shelter from the cold night soon before it's dark, but I felt so nice being one of them and just being passed by without someone barking an order at me. I stopped and saw a poor boy looking envious of a ripe apple that lay upon a street urchin's table. I smiled at the young boy as I approached. He looked at me with such pity my heart grew heavy.
"Are you hungry young boy?" I asked him as gentle as I could, afraid he'd scare off. He just barely moved his head up and down, confirming my suspicion. I nodded yes as I looked around for a beggar, not seeing one, I slowly picked a apple off the table and handed it to the boy, but before the boy could get it an hand grabbed my arm so tightly I could almost already feel the busies forming. I yelped as I was pulled back and was forced to come to face with a large man with a stead glare.
"THEIF!" He bellowed out as he pushed me back against his tables almost knocking all the apples off. "THEIF! Do you know what the penalty is for thievery?" He yelled, making my ears quake. He roughly pulled my arm down on the table as he pulled out his large sword. I froze to the spot. Never have I seen this in the market place. I quickly pulled myself together and let panic sink through me. I wiggled against his grip as he began to land his sword but for the first time in my life, I had great luck. A mans hand stopped the beggar from cutting my arm off. I sighed loudly as the man stood between me and the beggar.
"Now please kind sir, if you don't mind, that is my sister and she is quiet a catch isn't she?" The man said looking back at me and my position across the table, almost pushing my skirt up past my waist. I blushed at his meaning. "But you see she's quiet crazy. Mother died so young and my sister was very traumatized by it. She hasn't been well since. But you see here's you apple," He handed him another apple from the cart without notice and handed it to the beggar. "Now if you please, I must take my sister off to see the doctor once more." He babbled as he grabbed my good arm gently and lead me away quickly in the opposite direction. The poor beggar didn't know what to think of the whole thing. Nor did I.
He led me far into the city until we were alone in a small dark alley. He pulled me against a wall and cornered me. I was still so shaken up from the incident that I barely flinched. He starred me in the eyes for a long time waiting for my response. I finally blinked and sighed heavy.
"You're not from here are you?" Was the first thing he said. I froze to the spot as I tried to come up with a story. But of course I just blurted out the first thing that came to me.
"I am, my mother just died and I was forced to live on the streets." I lied. He gave me a perplexed look at my answer.
"You don't go out much do you?" He asked. It was my turned to look perplexed.
"Why?"
"Well everyone knows not to steal from Judah. He shows no mercy what-so-ever." He informed me. I smirked.
"Nah really?" I joked, he gave me a crooked smile, I then noticed how perfect his complexion was and how his dimples showed when he smiled. I then noticed his features, his dark black curly hair and the goofy looking cap on his head. His open purple vest that showed off his ripped muscles and his cut up pants. He screamed street rat. But in my mind, I couldn't imagine him any other way. He looked perfect in this. The smile he gave me made me somehow weak in the knees. Like I was standing on a loose floor board. I was glad I was leaning on the wall so he wouldn't notice the weird things that were happening to me.
"So you're a newbie to the street rat community?" He joked, giving me that smile again. I bit my lip as I nodded yes.
"If you hang around me, I'll show you the ins and outs of the street rat way of life." He offered. I smiled and nodded yes viciously. He smiled wider and nodded also.
"Um, can you…" I trailed off feeling embarrassed. He lifted an eyebrow in question.
"Can I what?" He pushed. I blushed as I looked down.
"Um, can you, maybe, let me go?" I whispered. He looked at his arms and saw that he was cornering me. He gave a nervous laugh as he pushed away and turned away from me.
"Sorry about that," he chuckled and he brushed his mass of curls away.
"It's fine, um so, um, can you, maybe, help me find a place to stay the night?" I asked as I rubbed my bruised arm. He turned around with an ingenious grin. I gave him a skeptical look.
"I have room in my loft if you want." He offered, I smiled at his generosity.
"That's nice, but, I couldn't." He stopped me with a shake of his head.
"I insist. I rarely have company other than the guards that chase me." He joked. I smiled at his jest.
"You're too nice." I told him as I rolled my eyes and walked up to him. He stopped for a second and just smiled at me. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I couldn't help but smile back at him as our eyes met. I felt my knees go weak once more as I tumbled backwards. I yelped as he caught me just in time. I sighed as I met his eyes. I felt myself freeze once more. My heart began to beat as he slowly righted me on my feet.
"You okay?" He asked concerned. I looked at him dumbfounded as I nodded yes. He smiled as he took hold of my hand as he lead me away. I shook my head and cursed at myself for being so foolish, I really had no idea what was going on with me, why aren't I hating this man to the core like all the other suitors I've met. The only man I have ever spoken civil to was my own father. I stopped chiding myself as he led me to a tall building. I looked up as he came to a stop in front of the wall.
"Now I know this is going to sound scary, but if you just hold my hand, I'll try and help you up the wall." He instructed me. I gave him a bewildered look of shock.
"How?" I asked exasperated. He smiled at my response.
"Just trust me okay?" He asked. I don't know why but I felt myself say yes automatically, before he climbed each windowsill and pull me up with him. I closed my eyes as he steadied me on each windowsill. I wasn't afraid of heights, but some of the windowsills were cracked and crumpled and I just knew in the back of my mind, that we would stand on one and it would give away immediately. But before I knew it, we were standing on the roof of the building with him standing in front of me holding my sides. I felt myself tingle at his touch as he gave me a concerned look.
"Are you okay?" He asked me worried. I gulped before nodding a yes. He pushed strand of my hair back as he smiled at me.
"We're almost there." He informed me as he took hold of my hand and lead me to the side of the roof. I felt myself inch closer to him as I took hold of his arm lightly.
"Scared?" He asked lightly. I bit my lip as I nodded a yes once more. "I won't let you fall." He told me reassuringly as he took my hand from his arm and gave it a squeeze lightly. I smiled at him softly as he walked away to retrieve a long board and laid it between the buildings. He leveled it just so before he took hold of my hand and lead me across.
"Just don't look down." He told me as he began to walk backwards so he could face me. I felt myself stiffened as I slowly put one foot in front of the other; he chuckled, grabbing my attention.
"Here." He whispered as he came towards me and took hold of my waist lightly. "Look at my eyes, I'll guild you, just keep my stare." He instructed me. I met his eyes and felt myself let go of reality. I found myself standing on solid ground with him still holding once again. I smiled wide.
"Thanks." I told him as I pulled away from his hold lightly; I was too scared of my action if I stayed in his arms. He nodded as he led me to a small tower and lifted a holly rag that was barely called a screen. I smiled as I walked in with him close beside me. He lifted some beams as we walked up a steep and empty staircase that hasn't been used and cleaned properly in years.
"I found this years ago." He explained. "I was just running around on top of roofs when I saw this place, and trust me, it was worse back then. Well it was still better than my coot in a hole in the wall. So I moved in with my pathetic blanket and miniature pillow." He joked. I chuckled as he stopped at the end of the stairs and removed another screen to show a small and messy room with a small cushioned cot and a couple of blankets.
"You improved, I see." I joked. He smiled as he led me to another screen, he removed it to show the palace. My smile fell.
"Isn't it great?" He asked not bothering to look at my expression. I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, just peachy." I told him as I sat down against a wall. He looked at me bewildered. I froze to search for an explanation.
"My mother worked there and they treated her like dirt." I lied once more. He nodded as he slid down next to me.
"What's your name?" I asked him softly.
"Aladdin." He answered.
"Jasmine." I slipped out before I cursed myself. I prayed he didn't recognize it.
"I've heard that name before." He answered lightly as he thought about it. I panicked.
"You probably heard about me and my mother on the streets." I lied. I prayed he wouldn't probe the subject. He nodded as he took my arm lightly and observed the bruises.
"Tomorrow it should swell to twice its size." He informed me, I sighed sadly. "So I'll go and get food tomorrow, I'll show you around the city in two days so it can heal first." He continued.
"You don't have to do that." I told him as I pulled my arm out of his grasp. "I'll be fine, I've had worse before." I slipped up once more, cursing myself yet again.
"How?" He asked with a bit of anger. I closed my eyes as I answered.
"My father, he left not to long ago." I could feel myself carry the sin. He took my hand lightly this time and traced it absently as he dazed off. I could feel my cheeks turned hot as my heart pounded in my ears.
"Where will I be sleeping?" I asked him softly. He closed his eyes as he continued to play with my hand.
"On my bed." He answered.
"But where will you sleep?" I asked exasperated once more.
"Here." He simply answered as he slowly stopped tracing my hand. I smiled as I realized he was falling asleep. I waited a second to make sure he was asleep before I gentle tugged him to lie down so that his head was on the pillow, but his body was on the floor, I then climbed onto the cot and laid my head next to his. I don't know how, but I found myself facing his face, gazing over his features. I felt my hand itch to touch him, to know that such a face could be real. I imagined him being one of the faces carved into marble like the royals from Greece have been known to do. His strong chin and nose with such soft eyes and lips. I blushed as I found myself staring at his lips feeling something in me heat up. I closed my eyes as I drifted off to sleep with his cheek next to mine.