As Jasmine grew faint beneath the sands, she re-envisioned the day before it all went wrong:
That same night, after Baba had pleaded for his Vizier and daughter to get along, Jasmine and Jafar shot daggers from across the dinner table. Hamed ignored their hostility so long as there was peace. Then, for the second time during their meal, Jafar brought up Aladdin.
"I imagine a feast taking place in the bowels of Agrabah as we speak." His snake eyes settled on Jasmine. "Though I can't imagine the corpse of the street rat is very satisfactory, even for rodents. Then again, if they're hungry enough..."
Jasmine snatched Jafar's glass, tossed red wine in his face, then stormed out of the dining hall with head held high. Jafar flicked a handkerchief from his lap and dried his drenched beard with a complacent huff. Then, pardoning his exit to Hamed, followed the girl.
In the poorly lit hallway, Jafar caught and cornered Jasmine, pressing her to the wall with hands on either side of her heart-shaped face.
"You've tested my patience for the last time, Princess." He barked in undetected whispers. He traced the curves of her body with a cursory glance, entranced momentarily by the rise and fall of her bronze chest. "I have half a mind —."
"To do what Jafar? You can't touch me. You have no power, no authority, no value." A slick tongue ran across full pouty lips as her demeanor shifted. "But go ahead and try. I'll let you this time."
His fingers twitched at the thought of beating the brat. How many times had Jasmine humiliated him for sheer enjoyment? She was no better than him - nor was the Sultan - yet she pranced around the palace as if owning the world. And him. All it would take is a single blow, and she'd be out cold on the floor. Then when she'd awake Jasmine would find herself in chains. He'd teach her a lesson she'd never forget.
"Do it Jafar," her hips rose off the wall and pressed against his groin. Jafar sharply inhaled and her belly tightened. "Teach me a lesson."
Had he spoken that out loud? Surely, he wasn't so careless but Jafar couldn't think clearly; the smell of honeyed perfume and her slender curves beneath him was debilitating. She'd matured into a woman overnight with milky breasts, a pert round ass, and a silver tongue. And just as suddenly as she'd grown, Jasmine used that allure to her advantage; getting whatever she wanted with a fox's smile and angelic voice. Men like her father and the guards never stood a chance. When trying to use those tactics against Jafar he'd put a halt to them instantly. He demeaned her often, fought back and contested her every move proving she had no effect on him. He hated her he didn't lust for her.
Yes, the Princess was stunning, but Jafar would not cave so easily. He'd be damned if a little girl would ensnare him in her shallow trap.
Yet now, with those wide hips and toned belly pressed towards his manhood, Jafar was tripping head first into said trap. Briefly, Jafar imagined her legs wrapped around his waist. It would indeed bring absolute pleasure to have her chained to his bed, writhing in agony as he split her body with his.
"That's what I thought." Jasmine pushed off the wall standing erect, yanking Jafar from dark thoughts. "You'll never do what you genuinely want. Never consume that which you're craving." Her hand pressed against the swell of his chest to shove the older man back. "And you'll always be a miserable old git because you're a weak, coward. We both know who's in charge."
Jafar's fists clenched at his side and around the staff's neck as he bared large teeth, "Keep hiding behind your title, Princess. But it won't protect you forever."
With cat-like finesse Jasmine tightly wound the black curled hair of his beard around a finger then playfully yanked, earning a growl from her toy. "More empty threats Jafar. It's only impressive if there's an actual challenge."
Jasmine smirked like a mischievous woman with a beautiful secret then turned away. She rolled her hips dramatically, sashaying like a temptress. She'd hoped Jafar would be too tempted not to take the bait - in Jasmine's mind Jafar would attack at any second by tossing her to the ground and having his way with her - then she'd scream for the guards and at last have Jafar executed. Jafar killed Aladdin, he deserved a similar fate.
But by the time she'd reached the bedroom door and turned around, Jafar had gone.
Now all that Jasmine could see was a void of black nothing.
An enormous thrust of voltage beat like a rhythmic heart inside his veins. Magic surging powerfully through his core and Jafar drank it in like an oasis in a desert storm. This is what he'd been searching for his entire life. A raw all-consuming power that fed his lungs with venomous strength. Not only had he never been endowed with this amount of potent energy, but years of detestation was finally being unleashed. The mask of humble servitude only egged the uncontrollable malicious fever for revenge. And the street rat was the first to receive a load of pent-up belligerent anguish.
As Aladdin's pulse slowed, and body temperature cooled, the snake-beast hardened. It was delicious taking the life of another; feeling the dead weight of a dying little brute as his eyes bulged and lips turned blue. Cruelty. Now that was a mask Jafar could easily wear. It was liberating, at long last, being allowed the ability to take control of everything he'd wanted.
Jafar hesitated to snap the urchin's neck when a soft sound beckoned.
"Of course, the Pussycat is trapped in her sandbox." He spoke to Aladdin mockingly, knowing damn well the boy couldn't respond; possibly was too unconscious to even hear.
Keeping a focus on his prey, Jafar aimed accurately behind himself with the staff, fire hurling from its mouth, shattering the glass dome. A golden wave washed over the jagged opening dragging Jasmine's body with the tide.
The sound that came after resembled the dead rising from a watery grave; Princess Jasmine heaving slug-like clumps of sand from her mouth as her body trembled violently. Her eyes freckled with white dots as she raised herself up on the palms of her hands. "Jaf—." Jafar peered over, Jasmine heaving once more, clenching fistfuls of sand as her body wrenched. He couldn't help but show a mouthful of fangs as he grinned.
Quivering arms pushed halfway off the ground before sinking back into the sand, brown crystals tarnishing silky hair. Warm sludgy sand coated Jasmine's cheek as she gasped for air, exhausted. All the fight within her had vanished in an instant, her only goal had been to get out of that damn hourglass and save her loved ones. Now she was out, her muscles refused to move, and her vocal chords felt like something had ripped them out. A hollowed laughter rattled her spine then a heavy thud slammed into the ground. Maybe it was Aladdin.
Allah, please let him have let go of Aladdin.
"You gave up quicker than I thought Princess." The 's' of her name sounded strange like he was literally hissing when speaking, "And here I thought you were a challenge."
Her head rose slightly, feeling extremely heavy on her fragile neck, and Jasmine let out a whimper. That was not Jafar. She knew that twisted mean old man, but this thing that stood over her now was anything but him. Jasmine closed her eyes, wishing the image would go away. Instead of getting what she desperately wanted, Jafar ripped her hands from her face, rolling her on her back as he knelt over her.
"I apologize, your majesty. Does this frighten you!"
Jasmine screamed hoarsely as Jafar thrust large yellow fangs at her face, the snake's mouth unhinged and wide over her head.
"Stop it Jafar, stop it!" Jasmine writhed under him, body convulsing helplessly under the weight of terror. This wasn't how he was supposed to play their game. He cheated, going beyond their set limits. This time she couldn't defeat him. Not like this.
Venom dripped, barely missing her brown eyes as she shut them again tightly.
"I'll do whatever you want. Please… Just stop it!" The last three words turned from a sob into another scream, a mixture of anger and fear festering within her.
Momentary silence was deafening and there was a shift in weight above her.
"Come now, my dear," Jafar drawled resuming a dominating stance as if nothing had happened, "I thought begging was beneath you."
When her eyes opened, she saw the familiar rigid face. Jasmine blew out a breath, she didn't know she'd been holding, relaxing only slightly that the snake beast had dissipated. She could play the game with a man. But not with a beast.
"Maybe if your street rat had begged like you, he could've lived."
Sharp cut edges dug into her skin as jasmine rolled onto her stomach in the pile of sand. Jafar was too busy gloating, watching the limp boy along the wall instead of her.
Good. Keep reveling. Pride comes before fall Jafar.
For the first time since out of the hourglass, Jasmine noticed Genie anxiously watching her from by the throne. He gave a slight nod to where his lamp lay and she returned the gesture in agreement.
"If you're a good girl, Princess, perhaps I'll let you dispose of the body—fuck!"
A thick shard of glass protruded from Jafar's shoulder after Jasmine rammed the spike into flesh. The tendons of his neck tightened, Jafar stifling a growl as he pulled out the blade of glass. Sliced flesh fell open as its fibers detached from the foreign object and small spurts of blood cried through his black vest.
That little cunt.
An onyx gaze met Genie's anxious one. Did everyone think Jafar a fool? Nothing would stop him after having come so far. Especially not some spoiled teenager and a big blue lump. Taking hold of his staff, Jafar locked eyes with the Djinn and Jafar whispered a final wish.
"Ha," Jasmine clutched the cold metal to her bosom victoriously and wasted no time. "Genie I wish for Jafar to be powerless!"
Nothing happened. Why was nothing happening?
Time stood still amongst the silence. Then, Jafar stepped into their triangle with callous contentment and looked Jasmine over.
"Powerless, my dear? Mm… I didn't realize dominating me was a fantasy of yours. I'll remedy that," He purred.
"Wait…" Jasmine's crimson breasts rose in heavy pants, sweat glistening on her dark skin. "I… I don't understand."
"Jaz…" Genie held out his arms apologetically. Suddenly, with an unnerving clash, the golden cuffs dropped from his wrists. "Jasmine, I'm sorry. You were too late."
Jasmine went slack.
"I did my best, Princess."
"It's okay." Her eyes darted to a coolheaded Jafar and back to the heartbroken djinn. "It's okay, Genie. You can still help. Take Al, fly him somewhere safe and I'll—Genie… what's wrong? What's happening to you?"
Azure flesh paled, dissipating. as Genie closed his tired eyes. Centuries of devastating heartaches had held his heart captive far too long. He might have been a man before the lamp, but if so, there was no trace of that man anymore. The lamp had taken away all he was, all he'd hoped to be. It stripped him of any joy or serenity of his own; forced to watch every master around him receive their heart's desire until their desires had destroyed them. The horrors of it all had hollowed his core and stolen his happiness.
"What's happening… Genie—" Jasmine whispered, looking again between the villain and the only hope she'd had left.
"I've carried the weight of the world long enough. The chains that bound me…" Genie exhaled through his nose, "Princess, I couldn't have broken them on my own."
Jasmine stepped forward, wanting to reach out and touch Genie to keep him here longer. She didn't know him, had only just met him when Jafar took control of the lamp. But somehow, for whatever reason, she cared about him.
"Genie, I still don't understand. What did he do? What did you do!"
Sparks of light ignited within his soul, his spirit breathing life for the first time.
"I can't stay anymore Jasmine." Deep sorrow and gratitude conflicted across his face. "I'm… free."
Then, like a vapor of smoke, he was gone.
It was the calm before the storm. Jafar waiting patiently as Jasmine readied herself, still holding the brass weight in her hand.
"You did this… Didn't you?"
It was so subtle she barely saw it when Jafar gave a wink. It grated her nerves that Jafar continued to win tonight. At every turn, there the bastard was with that bullshit smirk on his face. He needed reminding of who was the victor in this match. The tiniest moan echoed from where Aladdin laid making Jafar break protocol as he took eyes off Jasmine.
With agility and strength, she didn't know she possessed, Jasmine hurled the heavy lamp at Jafar not looking to see if it hit as she passed. Jasmine turned over the beggar's face in her arms, panting heavily upon seeing he'd survived.
"The street rat is more like a cockroach… Disgusting little bastard just won't die!" Jafar raised the end of his staff aiming towards the urchin's skull.
"Dammit, Jafar that's enough! No one else has to die! I admit it, you finally won. All right? You win, Jafar. I lose. Now just leave us alone!"
He had no intention of that. A brutal scream rocked all of Agrabah as Jafar ripped Aladdin from Jasmine's arms.
"Princess, you should know by now it's not about winning. It never was." Jafar drew back his staff then struck it clean across Aladdin's nose, snapping it in two.
Manicured hands covered her mouth, hot tears lining the dirt of Jasmine's face.
"I told you I would annihilate everything you loved." Another blow to the face, then another at Aladdin's gut, the thickness of the cobra head snapping a rib as it struck.
The boy gasped for air, hunching over as his face contorted in vicious agony.
"And Princess. I'm a man of my word."
The butt of the staff raised high over the back of Aladdin's head, Jafar aiming to kill; one swift blow to sever the skull from the spine.
His golden rod hit hard, its powerful impact knocking loose raven strands as Jafar's victim landed on her knees; thick bountiful locks hiding Jasmine's face. Aladdin curled up in a fetal position, Jasmine slowly rising to full height as she straddled the boy from the marketplace; her lithe body a shield between the two men. A sizeable welt flared at the bottom of pink lips, royal blood topping the gash like a cherry.
He had retracted his attack as quickly as possible when the princess forced herself into the crossfire. The blow much less forceful than initially planned, but her lip had busted all the same. The sight of her dark eyes and bleeding mouth rattled him to the core as he froze.
Black hooded eyes flashed with a featherlike trace of emotion and Jasmine desperately wished to understand the intensity of his stare. But, as suspected, his deep-set eyes became unreadable and cold again. She tried to match his expressions, to block him out of her head the way he did to her; but subtlety eluded her while searching him for a hint of humanity.
"I said, that's enough."
Nothing.
"Now. Let. Him. Go."
Without a blink, the sarcastic narcissism took effect once more. "Your time for making demands is over, Princess."
"No? If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too."
"An option all too tempting I'm afraid," he bit back dryly.
"Not likely, seeing as you need me to rule this Kingdom."
Her valor was amusing. "Go on…"
"The people of Agrabah will never stand for this charade. They will all flee in terror and you will have no one left to rule over. And all of this," she waved a hand in the air, "will mean nothing."
"I believe my ways of persuasion will make them reconsider."
She scoffed halfheartedly, "So you'll sentence everyone to death or prison?"
Jafar seeming to lose interest studied the cobra's eyes, "Trust me, Princess… there are things far worse than death."
"Soon enough you will have an uprising. The kingdom will be torn apart and you'll have nothing, and no one to rule over. Agrabah will fall because of you."
Silence.
"He lives… and I will stand by your side to assure all is well and right. A symbol of peace and unity for Agrabah."
She let out a slow, shaky breath desperately trying to look strong.
"Done."
Spidery fingers snapped together sending Aladdin sliding across the polished floor. Two guards bounded in, huffing as they scooped up the street urchin without pity.
Princess Jasmine gasped in irritation.
What the hell! Razoul and Saeed obey Jafar now!? What traitorous swine!
Jasmine spun around on Jafar stomping her feet as she closed the space between them. "We had a deal, Jafar! You are to leave Aladdin be!"
"I agreed to spare his life. I never said he could stay in my palace!" Jafar snarled crumpling his nose in disgust at the thought of keeping Aladdin as company.
"Look at him! You beat him half to death! If you send him away with no medical care, it's the same thing as sealing his fate!"
Jafar started past her, growing impatient at the childish bantering.
"Jafar, dammit, this is not—."
Jafar swung back around snatching her wrist in his hand with such intensity it made her dizzy. White teeth baring, Jafar growled, his nose practically touching hers.
"I wouldn't push my luck if I were you, Princess!" He hissed, "You can still serve as my Queen even while rotting at the bottom of a dungeon."
"I love him Jafar! I love him and you've sentenced him to death. How can you be so heartless!?" Her voice broke in a high pitch, despite her efforts to sound tough.
Jafar released her with a repulsed look, "What the hell could you know about love after three days? He's a stranger! You'll get over it..."
"I know more about love than a black-hearted beast like you ever could."
Ashen cheeks turned gold under fallen tears, and Jasmine turned not waiting for a response, as she chased after the guards and Aladdin. Racing through the corridor and out to the terrace, Jasmine rushed down the never-ending steps as the night air bit against her watery eyes. She caught sight of the trio in the garden, Aladdin's bare feet dragging against the stone walkway, while carried under his arms towards the gates.
"Wait… Razoul, wait!" The doors were opened as she barely reached the bottom step. "Aladdin!"
Aladdin dry coughed as he sucked dust clouds into his lungs upon falling. Looking over his shoulder, the two robust men dusted their hands clean of him and turned back to the palace. He heard the voice of a dove, long black hair bouncing in waves as the princess, his Princess, rushed towards him. Just as Aladdin thought, she would rescue him, bring him back inside the comforts of the palace and love him with all she had. As he stood to reach out for her the massive iron gates slammed shut, separating them from each other, forever.
Robbin Williams deserved tribute and that's why I wrote off Genie.