Disclaimer: I do not own Aladdin. I also do not own the Arabian Nights.
Back in her tower, princess Jasmine shed her tears. She definitely did not want to marry a vagabond with a dubious background just so her father could have new toy. However, Jasmine knew that she would still have to marry as her father was desperately trying to find a suitor for her. Sighing, Jasmine walked to the balcony. The stars in the desert sky were beautiful, just like diamonds. Princess Jasmine could see the whole of Agrabah from her balcony. She wondered about the lives of ordinary citizens, as she was not allowed out of the palace, she wondered how different their lives were. She was suddenly startled by Aladdin on his flying carpet. "Wanna come for a magic carpet ride, princess?" Spellbound, Jasmine could not resist the chance of studying the carpet up close and being able to ride it. If she had momentarily forgotten whom she was going with, it was not long before she was reminded.
"Oh, gentle princess, do not be alarmed," said Aladdin after he subtly maneuvered the carpet to nudge the princess closer to him. Jasmine simply glared at him before continuing to enjoy the scenery. The golden domes of the palace gleamed. All the lights in the houses of Agrabah looked like pinpricks in the darkness. Listening to Aladdin go on about himself was boring so she tuned him out, enjoying the night breeze instead. She noticed a curious emblem embroidered in gold thread. It was an eagle with open wings.
"…and she told me I was such a handsome man, but of course I turned her down. I knew that my heart belonged to a someone else, when I saw you, I knew that you were the one..." Aladdin blathered on. Jasmine rolled her eyes. This romantic date was beginning to lose its magic. As if sensing her boredom, Aladdin swooped low and plucked a flower for her. The princess smiled until Aladdin ruined the moment by trying to kiss her. Immediately, the princess demanded to return. Fuming, she did not even stop to look back at Aladdin.
Aladdin was desperate. This was not turning out the way he planned. He had other women, albeit wealthy and older women, clamoring for him. He didn't even have to bring them on a carpet ride. This princess was harder to get than he thought.
The following day, princess Jasmine went out for a walk in the garden alone as was her usual routine. Suddenly, she felt the presence of another person in the garden. "Go away, Aladdin!" She turned to find that the person was not Aladdin; it was Jafar, her father's vizier. "Princess, forgive me for startling you." Jafar was reading a book when he came to the garden. "No, forgive me for disrupting your reading. I thought you were someone else." Jafar quirked an amused smile. Jasmine blushed; she didn't know why the vizier's smile had such an impact on her. Her heart raced. To cover up her blush, she quickly pointed to the book in Jafar's hands.
"What are you reading?" She saw the book's title: Alf layla wa layla. The thousand and one nights. It was the very same book she read last night, before Aladdin came and she suddenly had a suitor to deal with.
"The thousand and one nights. My favorite story is the story of The Three Princes.
There was once a prince of Yemen by the name of prince Hussain. This is the very same carpet that prince Hussain was looking for when he traveled west to the underground city of Petra. He wandered through the underground market looking for the most precious thing in the world, eventually finding this carpet. You see, it is no ordinary carpet."
"It is said that the carpet owner showed him the carpet and its abilities, but while Hussain is about to purchase the carpet for 30 gold pieces, he was accosted by the carpet owner and several cronies. They declared that they only sold it to him to see how much money he had, and now they would kill him, take his money and keep the carpet. Hussain escapes and awakens the magic carpet. He flew through the market, past the henchmen and out of the ruins. He escapes Petra and returns home to Yemen."
"Jasmine, Your Highness, what's wrong?" Jafar was concerned when he saw Jasmine's stricken expression. Jasmine was overcome by a wave of dizziness. Jafar unconsciously held out his hand to steady her. "Nothing." "Truly this nothing of yours is worrisome. I have just returned from al Kharid and will meet your father this evening. It is now my time of leisure hence I will be around to assist you, princess."
"Have you not heard from the court? A man came bearing a flying carpet; in exchange for it he asks my hand in marriage. Knowing my father, he likes curiosities and wondrous things. The carpet is definitely one of them. Now my father has him as my suitor and he's staying in the palace."
"And I suppose his name was Aladdin, this Aladdin who has caused your ire." And there it was again, that quirk of his smile that set her heart racing. "Princess, if he keeps up his good work, you have no need to fear that you'll fall in love with him." Jasmine laughed, it was so funny to think of her ever falling in love with Aladdin. "On a serious note, let me tell you what happened in court while you were away."
Jafar was pleased to see that he managed to make the princess laugh; she lost the tension in her shoulders, making her look beautiful. However the news she brought was mind-boggling. "The emir of al Kharid killed by a flying carpet? What manner of nonsense has befallen Agrabah's royal court?" mused Jafar. He had just returned from al Kharid and never in its history did it ever happen that flying carpets made of camel hair became a popular and common method of transportation around the Kharidian Desert. The flying carpet was another matter of concern. Where did Aladdin get his carpet? Finally, it was time to meet the sultan.
"Your highness, I have returned from Al-Kharid. The emir sends his regards and wishes to maintain diplomatic relations with Agrabah." Jafar bowed low before the sultan. "Oh Jafar, this delightful young man has been such pleasant company. Jafar, this is Aladdin. Aladdin, this is my royal vizier, Jafar."
