The Sultana and The Desert Tiger – Chapter 2
Three years earlier…
It was the middle of the night and when Jasmine rolled over she noticed the bed was empty. She looked towards the balcony and saw her husband standing out there staring off into the distance. Tomorrow he had to leave with his troops and go off to Gethestani-Agrabanian border to stop the invasion of Prince Achmed into Agrabah and her allies. Jasmine hoped this dispute would be over soon but in her heart she knew it would be a long time before she saw her husband again.
Jasmine waddled over to her husband since she was seven months pregnant with their second child. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Aladdin, are you alright?" she asked.
"What? Oh sorry Jasmine my head is somewhere else tonight." he answered. His thick black hair rustled in the breeze. He turned around to face his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "It should be right here though." he smiled and pushed aside a hair out of her face. "I hope I'll be back before baby number two arrives. Achmed is a coward but can be stubborn."
"Well no matter what we'll be under the same stars Aladdin. Let's be together as much as possible tonight." Jasmine said as she kissed him. "Promise you'll try your best to stay safe."
"I promise Jasmine." he kissed her back and they headed back to their bed where they held each other and talked for the rest of the night.
Present time…
"So Princess Akayla, are you ready to head out on our quest?" asked Prince Nassir of Gethestan. He was watching her pack before their journey across the deserts.
"Our quest to find your deadbeat cousin before The Desert Tiger does?" answered Princess Akayla of Moldonia as she put her dark hair into a braid, grabbed her bag and made sure she had her extra supplies.
"Remember we are also supposed to find this Desert Tiger too." Nassir added.
"How could I forget? Jasmine needs him to figure out what happened to her beloved street rat." she said dryly. "She should just focus on being Sultana and not worry about him. She should know he is dead by now." She closed her bag with a final slam and headed out the door.
"Stranger things have happened Akayla. Plus Aladdin is or was a very good friend and ally to both of us and our people." Nassir followed her down the stairs to the stables.
"My mother was kind of enough to remind me that about fifteen times before I said goodbye" she said as she appraised herself in the hall mirror. "I don't remember if you recall but he wasn't very fond of me joining in on the war." the princess said as she mounted her horse. "Also he said I was a spoiled brat."
"Well he was right about that." Nassir chuckled. "Who else would have let you stay instead of shipping you back home? Maybe you'll be lucky and The Desert Tiger will be able to tolerate your irrational behavior and overall moodiness." He mounted his horse and started to speed out of the palace gates.
"You better not think you're going to get away with saying that and just riding away Nassir!" Akayla shouted. "If you know what's best for you the sooner we find these men the more likely I won't have to kill you before we get back." she said as they sped pass the city gates.
"This is going to be a long journey." Nassir said to himself.