This story will now be updated every Friday so it may not inconvenience you guys nor me. This chapter is a bit short, but it's only the calm before the storm. Enjoy! And happy Thanksgiving! Good luck to you all Black Friday shoppers.
The next day, the streets were more crowded than usual. Less people hovered around stands and instead were taken like moths to an unseen attraction.
Aladdin was not happy about this, irritated that there are less distractions he could use to his advantage in his next expedition for food that day. He decided to take a look at what everyone was flocking toward, sliding gracefully between people toward the front of the crowd. He questioned aloud, "What's going on?"
A familiar voice replied, "One of Princess Barika's suitors are coming."
Aladdin's swiveled his head to the shorter person beside him so fast that he could've gotten whiplash. "Abu!"
"Oh, uh, hi." Abu looked embarrassedly at the elder boy, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
"You're not supposed to be out. It's not safe."
Abu shot Aladdin a dirty look. "You're not the only one who can take care of us. If we work together during the day, we have a higher advantage."
Aladdin couldn't argue with that, but he only begrudgingly agreed with Abu's conclusion. He turned his attention back to the cleared path on the street, "So, a suitor? Isn't Princess Barika a bit young? Prince Jasim is the heir to the throne, so this marriage ordeal shouldn't be a worry now."
"Well, Prince Jasim hasn't shown any interests in anyone and he's almost nineteen now." Abu replied thoughtfully. "So, the sultan is worried about his legacy after Prince Jasim, so he's placing his hopes on Princess Barika for the grandchildren."
"He really doesn't have much faith in Prince Jasim." Aladdin commented.
"No, but he seems to believe Prince Jasim would be a capable sultan. He already made Prince Jasim the general."
"What?" Aladdin stared wide-eyed at Abu in both shock and horror.
Abu raised an eyebrow at Aladdin. "You don't seem to have faith in him."
"Of course not. I wouldn't trust anyone related to the sultan." Aladdin scowled.
"A little faith won't hurt you, Aladdin." Abu stated.
"That little faith I used to have only made things harder on me." Aladdin shook his head. Abu looked sadly at the elder before looking back at the cleared space when someone exclaimed, "He's coming!"
A man dressed in silken greens and a turban decorated ostentatiously with gold rode in on a high, sleek black horse whose coat shone blindingly in the sun. His head was held high, not sparing a single glance at the surrounding crowd.
"He seems typical. A bit old though." Aladdin commented. Abu snickered. "What is he, 30?"
"That sounds about right." Abu agreed.
Suddenly, two children darted out from the crowd in a game of tag, cheerfully laughing. The horse the man rode on reared back, startled.
"How dare you get in the way?!" The man scowled, pulling his arm back with a whip in his hand. Aladdin, recognizing immediately what the man was going to do, saw red. The next thing he knew, he was blocking the children from the man and an rupture of sharp pain came from his back when the crack of a whip reached his ears. He bit down on his tongue, refusing to cry out in pain and give the man the pleasure.
"Aladdin!" Abu shouted, running to his side immediately. A disturbed murmur came from the crowd, several of the citizens looking outraged at the mistreatment.
Aladdin turned to the man seething, his hands balled up into fists. "How dare you come into Agrabah and attack its children?"
"You are but a common street rat, peasant." The man narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You have no place to speak."
"And you are a foreigner. You have no place to speak here." Aladdin retorted.
"I believe you are due for punishment, you worthless rat." The man snarled, ready to lash his whip out again.
"You really seem to be overcompensating for your impotence with that whip, sir." Aladdin spat.
The crack of the whip came again, but the pain Aladdin was expecting never came. A tall young man donned in blue had placed his muscular self between Aladdin and the man, the whip wrapped around his hand. The young man's face was impassive, but disapproving.
"Who are you?" The man's scowl deepened as he openly glowered at him. "Another peasant coming to this one's defense?"
"I am General Jasim of Agrabah. As the crown prince, I am here to escort you to the palace." The young man replied amiably with a smile, letting go of the whip. "I have to end this current situation, and I apologize. Here in Agrabah, we have laws against physical assault and I'm afraid you are not exempt from them. I trust the city is to your taste?"
'Jasim?' Aladdin mouthed in shock to Abu. The younger boy nodded, wide-eyed.
The man's eyes widened briefly before he hesitantly nodded, "I… Thank you for your hospitality, General. The city is fine, aside from its…" He looked in mild distaste toward Aladdin, "Citizens."
"That is good. Come with me, the sultan and my sister are waiting." Jasim replied, making his way toward the gates on foot. As he passed Aladdin, he firmly grasped the youth by his forearm, looked into his eyes with compassionate eyes, and inquired softly, "Are you alright?"
Aladdin nodded speechlessly in affirmation as he looked up at Jasim. The warmth from Jasim's hand disappeared and the general led the suitor through the palace gates.
"General Jasim seems nice." Abu spoke pointedly.
Aladdin frowned, strangely feeling warmer than usual. "He's awfully tall."
"You're just short." Abu patted Aladdin on the back in ingenuine sympathy before he began walking down the street in search of a vendor to steal from.
