Chapter 4
There was almost no warning for what happened the next night.
"His Highness has been poisoned! He's already lost consciousness! You must hurry!"
The walls of the corridor were a blur as he burst from his chambers and raced toward the other side of the palace, swinging himself onto Carpet the moment his friend caught up with him. He ignored the frightened servants and hapless guards who scrambled to the sides of his path, focused entirely on his destination, the royal dining room. Yet in his mind's eye the only thing he could see was Jasmine's harrowed expression, full of secrets and fear of some vague threat she alone knew about.
Almost no warning indeed. The past two weeks had been full of glaring signs that something was wrong, but he hadn't done anything except back off from them! Gritting his teeth, he shoved down his fury for now. There was no time to waste.
"Genie!" he shouted before he reached the open door, jumping off the carpet and hitting the floor at a seamless run. He spun past Razoul's hulking form and took in the scene before him. The sultan lay pale and unmoving on the floor, one hand limp over his chest.
"Reporting for duty!" Genie appeared in a dark green outfit and gave him a jaunty salute.
"The sultan's been poisoned, you have to save him right now!"
The outfit and helmet vanished in an instant as his friend reacted with supernatural speed. The sultan's body was surrounded by a dull blue glow, and a soft mattress materialized beneath him. Aladdin knelt by the old man's side. He was completely still, eyes open and unseeing.
"He's not breathing," he said with dread.
"Don't worry, it's just my magic," Genie explained somberly. "I'm keeping him frozen so the poison can't spread."
Aladdin nodded in relief and stood to his feet when Razoul grabbed him by the shoulder.
"The sultan's advisors!"
He turned and noticed for the first time the two other figures sprawled beside the dining table. He recognized one of them as the royal historian, a kind old man who'd always treated him with respect. Before he could say anything, magic shot forth from Genie's hands, casting a brilliant glow over the polished floor. But the streams of light fizzled and disappeared before they even reached the men's bodies. Genie's arms fell to his sides.
Aladdin rounded on him. "What are you doing? You have to save them!"
His friend shook his head sadly. "They were gone already. I can't do anything for them now."
"No…" Aladdin wrenched his eyes away, hands tightening into fists. Two men had just died right in front of him, men he could have saved if he had just gotten here a little faster or noticed them sooner. He had to physically step back under the crushing impact of that knowledge.
Razoul cursed beside him, looking down in grave concern at the sultan's still form. "Get a hold of yourself, street rat. We have no time to waste! The sultan is still in danger."
For a moment, the air seemed to condense and slow around him, blocking out the sounds of Razoul barking orders to his guards and rushing out of the room, Genie's attempts to ease his guilt, Iago's shocked outburst as he and Abu arrived. He should have seen this coming. He should have been able to stop this before the poison had even entered the palace, before two men had died right in this room. The sultan had almost been the third.
Almost.
"Genie, how were they poisoned?"
"The wine." Genie gestured at the upturned goblets among the other fallen tableware on the floor. "It was pretty strong stuff. Has the feel of dark magic."
He felt his blood chill.
"Jasmine," he whispered.
A second later he bolted toward the door, terror shooting through him with each step. What if the assassin had gone after her next? He had just been standing around stupidly, not realizing the danger she might be in!
She burst through the door before he reached it, flanked by Razoul. He halted at her sudden appearance, heart still pounding but now filled with blessed relief. On instinct he shot forward to catch her when she tripped. Her hair fell over her distraught face and she looked up at him for a frozen moment, eyes wide with fear. Then she wrenched away from his arms and ran toward her father's still form. He followed her, gut twisting at the sight of her anguish.
"Jasmine, it's alright. He's alive, Genie's not going to let him go." He reached her side and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
She didn't look at him, staring down at her father's ashen face. Her eyes traced the blue glow surrounding his body, and Genie answered her question before she could voice it.
"Magical poison. In the wine. I'm keeping the poison from spreading, Jas, but I can't get it out of his system. I'm already pushing the line here with mixing magics."
"What kind of magic is it?" she asked, kneeling down. She was shaking. Aladdin knelt beside her. He could feel the barely contained panic just beneath her tense countenance, and gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"Dark," Iago said. "The high grade, 80 proof type."
She didn't react at all, simply continuing to stare down at her father.
"We don't know who did it," Aladdin began, eyes narrowing at the thought of their unseen enemy. He had a few guesses as to who it could be. "But we'll find out for sure, and they'll get what's coming to them."
He stood and drew her up with him. Iago flapped up to his shoulder.
"Come on Al, how many bozos do we know who throw around this nasty brand of magic?"
"One too many," Aladdin said tightly, not looking at the parrot. "This isn't like any of them, though, to just poison the sultan and not show up to gloat or attempt a takeover."
"Genie, how long can your spell last?" Jasmine said steadily. The initial shock of the scene seemed to have worn off.
"For an indefinite time. But someone has to be here to guard him. Mr. or Ms. Wannabe Sultanicide probably won't be happy to know that the poison didn't instantly kill him."
"There must be an antidote," Aladdin said, letting go of her shoulder. "I'm not going to sit around waiting for the assassin to show up while I could be saving the sultan's life."
"Two possibilities," Genie said. "The Tree of Renewal, and the Elixir of Life."
"Oh, this is going to be a swell adventure." Iago covered his face with one wing. "Two of the hardest places to get to without becoming lake monster chow, dog chow, or worm chow in the process."
Aladdin ignored the short argument between Abu and Iago as he turned toward Jasmine. There was frighteningly little hope in her eyes. She looked haunted, as if she'd finally reached the end of her line. Had she known something like this would happen? Had there actually been a good reason for her paranoia? He shook his head and didn't let himself dwell on it. He would berate himself later for his shortsightedness and anything else that was his fault, but now he had to act.
He grasped her hands in his own. He wanted to restore her hope, to promise her that everything would be fine. "I'm going with Genie. You'd better stay here."
He touched a finger to her lips when she tried to protest. "You have to stand in for your father as the sovereign of Agrabah."
"But—"
He shook his head and she quieted. They both knew his limits and his strengths. He couldn't run the kingdom at this point. He simply wasn't ready. But he could definitely retrieve an antidote for a magical poison.
"Go," she said to him then. "Genie, call Eden—"
"Already here, sweetheart." Eden appeared with Dhandi, surveying the situation with a serious frown. In a second she was wearing the same kind of dark green outfit that Genie favored in many of his jokes. She regarded him and Genie sternly. "Off you go, men, on the double! We ladies'll hold down the fort here! Hup two!"
Aladdin let Abu and Iago accompany him as he stepped onto Carpet once again. Genie predictably saluted to Eden, dressed in the same clothes as before.
"Yes sir—er, ma'am! Let's roll out, boys!"
He caught Jasmine's gaze and held it for a brief moment, imparting a strong promise without words. He'd save her father. Whatever would happen after that, however they would confront the secrets she had been keeping, they'd have to handle when they came to it.
The light blinded him momentarily as they left Agrabah in a flash of Genie's magic.
"Let's move," he said shortly once their surroundings became clear. There was no room for mistakes.
...
Eden surveyed the living room after Dhandi had finally fallen asleep. With a sigh she zapped the several broken windows and shattered television into brand new condition, and levitated all the picture frames back into their proper places on the shelves. She shook her head in self-rebuke, not too keen on the rest of the cleanup job. Teaching Dhandi to play golf inside the house had definitely been a bad idea. Next time she'd have to stick to mini-golf, if anything.
She was about to launch into an extra-speedy cleaning frenzy when Genie's voice rang inside her head.
Eden!
"Whoopsie daisy!" She jumped in surprise, dropping several 9-irons and putters. The loud clang made her jump again and then groan in exasperation. The racket had surely woken Dhandi.
"G-man, what's the matter with you? Can't you see a lady's busy—"
Someone just tried to assassinate the sultan with poison! You're needed here right now!
"Eden, are you okay?" Dhandi called from her room.
"I'm fine, sweetie," she said distractedly, the fallen golf clubs completely forgotten.
Al and I are leaving to find a cure. We need you to guard the sultan!
She snapped her fingers, changing out of a maid's outfit back to her usual attire. "On it!"
She swept into Dhandi's room and snatched the bewildered girl right out of bed.
"Sweetie, no time to explain, we're going to the palace now!"
"Okay," the girl managed to squeak as they vanished together in a cloud of dust.
They arrived in one of the dining rooms, and Eden automatically tightened her grip on Dhandi's hand at the scene before them. Their friends were all there, gathered in half-shock around the sultan. He lay pale and unconscious on a low mattress, his incapacitated form surrounded by a blue glow. Eden looked at Genie with unspoken alarm on her face, and found the gravity in his gaze unnaturally chilling.
"Go," Jasmine was saying. "Genie, call Eden—"
"Already here, sweetheart," Eden interrupted gently. She took one glance at the princess and felt something prick at her heart. The young woman was barely holding herself together, but she was still desperately trying to be strong for everyone else. Aladdin saw Eden and nodded, drawing back from his fiancé and stepping onto Carpet.
She frowned deeply, feeling real anger for the first time in a long while. She had expected an immediate confrontation with the assassin, where she could jump right into the action and set things right. But that was clearly not the case. The harrowed expressions on her friends' faces told her no one knew who or where the assassin was.
Their priority was saving the sultan, of course. She touched Genie's forearm as he moved toward Aladdin, signaling that she knew what needed to be done.
"Off you go, men, on the double!" she barked, transforming into a battle-hardened soldier. "We ladies'll hold down the fort here! Hup two!"
Despite the hidden solemnity in his eyes, Genie responded accordingly, giving her a crisp salute. "Yes sir—er, ma'am! Let's roll out, boys!"
They were gone in a second, leaving behind a glittering trail of magic. Her army uniform vanished and she immediately went to the unconscious sultan's side with Dhandi in tow. There wasn't a place for humor now.
Kneeling down, she looked into the princess' fearful eyes and spoke in a soft tone. "Don't worry, your father will be alright. I won't let this spell break. And we can count on our guys to fix up this situation in no time."
"Yeah, Aladdin and Genie always save the day!" Dhandi chimed. She settled down next to Eden and gave Jasmine an encouraging smile. Eden felt a burst of pride at Dhandi's show of compassion despite the fear she had to be feeling in such a situation. The girl shouldn't have had to see all of this, but Eden felt much safer with her at her side than at home alone, especially with an unidentified assassin on the loose.
"Thanks," Jasmine said, her voice drained of strength. She didn't look at Eden, staring at her father with an air of helplessness.
Behind them, the head guard coughed to get her attention. "Princess Jasmine, my men stand ready and awaiting your orders."
Jasmine seemed to recover from her trance momentarily, snapping out a list of orders as if she had them memorized.
"Have them search the palace grounds for intruders. If it was a human assassin, they could still be in hiding somewhere nearby, waiting to escape at the first chance they get. Also, dispatch some men to block off all the kitchens; don't let any of the cooks or servants there out of sight, but make sure no one is harmed. We just have to cover all our bases in case there are agents or hired hands working among them. Station a few guards outside this door, but most of your men should be scouring the palace and looking for the perpetrator. And find out where this wine came from."
"Understood, your Highness," the guard said, and left immediately to carry out her commands. Eden was impressed, but no less worried.
Jasmine turned back to her father and tentatively placed a hand on his forehead. Eden reached forward as well, drawing on her power to add another layer to Genie's spell. A green glow suffused with the blue, and Jasmine looked up questioningly.
"Just reinforcing Genie's spell," Eden explained. "Your old man's tough, don't worry. And so's our magic. It'll keep him suspended in this state indefinitely."
The doubt didn't leave her eyes. "Will the Tree of Renewal really cure him though? Or the Elixir of Life?"
Eden was a little ashamed that her magical knowledge was rusty. She would have to add a few magic almanacs to the parenting books she was planning to get on her next library trip.
"They're called the Tree of Renewal and the Elixir of Life for a reason, honey," she said, trying to sound certain. "At least one of them should do the trick."
Jasmine's lip trembled slightly, and for a moment it looked like she might break down. She sat down heavily and covered her face with her hands. "I wish I could do something. But I'm just sitting here helpless!"
"That's not true!" Eden said. "You've got some major responsibility on your shoulders, missy. Namely your father's authority over the kingdom!"
Jasmine did not raise her head, merely drawing up her legs and resting her face against her knees. Eden hated to see her like this. No one deserved to see their parent on the brink of death, not knowing if they could be saved. Dhandi had been in Jasmine's position once, a year before Eden had turned up in her life. It had taken the girl a long time to open up and talk to her about that fateful night when her mother had passed away in front of her eyes and left her parentless and homeless. Eden blinked away the wetness in her eyes and let her thoughts turn elsewhere, somewhere she could be useful. Who was black-hearted enough to try to kill the sultan? And with dark magic, no less?
"I'm willing to bet one of our old pals is behind this," she said. She latched onto the one enemy she knew who had harmed her friends with dark magic before. "Maybe that Mozenrath fellow, the little punk who drained me and Genie of our power!"
Jasmine still didn't move. "Maybe," she said without conviction.
"Or maybe it's someone we haven't faced yet. It seems every evil soul that roams the Seven Deserts eventually tries its hand at taking over Agrabah. Maybe we should be flattered?" Eden said with a rare dose of sarcasm.
When Jasmine stayed silent once again, Eden suddenly made the connection. A tentative connection that sent her mind racing and a heavy shot of guilt into her bloodstream.
She was almost afraid to ask. "Could this have to do with…" She glanced at Dhandi, but decided the child's presence was no reason to hold back such a crucial question. "…the last time we met?"
Jasmine reacted quickly this time, shaking her head.
"No, that has nothing to do with this," she answered. "Trust me."
Eden frowned. The princess was a poor liar. "And you still won't tell me what you did there?"
"Sorry, Eden," Jasmine said simply, all but affirming her suspicions. "I can't."
She rose, clearly putting an end to the conversation before Eden could protest. Taking a few slow breaths, she seemed to draw up an invisible wall between herself and all the terror and uncertainty surrounding them, as if gathering her strength and mental poise before going out to face their unseen enemy. But Eden knew the princess' duty was to her people first. She had to stand in for her father at this pivotal moment because no one else could. Exhaling calmly, Jasmine turned toward the door, and Eden had to cheer her on despite her doubts.
"Go get 'em, girl! Make momma proud!" A transformation followed, one she'd always wanted to try but hadn't gotten a chance to because Dhandi was allergic to powder makeup.
Dhandi added her own encouragement, and Jasmine smiled back at them both, showing a hint of amusement at Eden's overweight housewife impression. Then she continued on her way without another word, moving with purpose and urgency. A few palace physicians had the misfortune of crossing her path, and Eden had to hide a laugh as the group of old men cringed under the intensity of their princess' glare. She fired off another salvo of orders and brushed past them without a second glance.
"She's really something," Eden mused as Jasmine vanished into the hall.
Dhandi nodded in admiration. "I wanna be just like her when I grow up!"
Eden mussed her hair. "That's certainly a high bar to set, but I know you can do it! Now, what do you say we get to work and help the princess?"
"Yeah!" the girl exclaimed. "What should we do?"
One of the old physicians answered her question. "We need to move the sultan to the infirmary," he said, wringing his wiry hands in apprehension. All of them were apparently greatly unnerved by the sight of a green female jinni.
Eden chose to act normally for once so none of them had to join the sultan in the sick room. "Tell me where it is and we're there."
...
Even from this distance he could see that something was off. The feeling of wrongness only grew as he flew at breakneck speed through the lush valley, shielding his eyes from the glare of the setting sun. He stared straight ahead at the vast tree in the center of the plain, its wide shadow stretched like a canopy over the grass. There was still enough light to see the problem.
There was no fruit on the tree.
"Around," he said curtly, and Carpet swerved without curbing his speed, flying a tight circle under the inner branches. He scanned the mass of leaves and rough bark above his head and saw no trace of the plump pink fruit, not even premature buds.
"Gardener should have used pesticide?" Genie offered unhelpfully, coming to float alongside him when he stopped the carpet.
"Does the tree change with the seasons or something?" he asked, not moving his gaze.
"Nope."
"Then why isn't there anything on it?"
"Hmm…my guess is organic magic as potent as the Fruit of Renewal takes a while to grow back after it's harvested."
"But last time it restored itself almost instantly after Mirage destroyed it," Aladdin said, frowning.
"But she destroyed the tree, she didn't take the fruit. Might make all the difference," Genie pointed out, and Iago cut him off before he could launch into one of his scholarly lectures.
"So basically this means someone was here before us, and they took it all," the bird concluded. "Hm. Sounds like something I'd do."
Aladdin glanced around them, suddenly wary. Was it just a coincidence? Or was it a trap? The idyllic meadow was still, the sun continuing its slow crawl into the horizon. Nothing stirred except a slight breeze of cool dusk air.
"Whoever it was needs to learn how to share," Genie said, pouting at Iago. "Never made it through kindergarten, did you?"
"We still have the other option. Let's go," Aladdin said quickly. Coincidence or not, they had no time to waste. At the moment he had no way to tell if it was all a trap, but they'd surely find out once they reached the Elixir of Life. "Let Jasmine know what's going on."
"Right-o!" A small contraption appeared in Genie's hand, something he referred to as either a 'phone' or an 'eye-phone'; Aladdin couldn't tell the difference. With his other hand he conjured a swirling portal and swept Iago and Abu into it carelessly, ignoring their indignant protests. Aladdin flew in on his own, and Genie followed, closing it behind them.
"Quick update, Jazzy. A bit of bad news. The fruit's all gone and we don't know why."
They landed in a chamber full of sand, the interior of an ancient temple. The loud echoes of Genie's voice against the walls and ceiling only brought out the hollowness of this place. It was a far cry from the fertile meadow they had just left.
"The Tree is empty, Jas. No fruit on it at all," he repeated, as if she hadn't understood the first time. "Can't tell how long it's been this way, either. We're going to get the Elixir of Life instead. We're going there as fast as we can!"
The device vanished from his hand. "Report completed. Now, forward!"
Aladdin looked around at the high stone walls and the multiple doorways on each side, all leading to similar rooms, vast and completely empty. The place already made him tense with its ominous silence. It was the type of stillness that was filled with an invisible consciousness, as if something dark and lethal lay waiting and watching their every step. There was indeed something waiting, as they all knew from experience, in the innermost chamber.
He didn't need to tell Carpet to move fast. They passed through countless identical rooms, heading toward the patch of sunlight just barely visible through the array of open doorways in front of them. He felt Abu's tiny paws cling more tightly to him in apprehension. The monsters that guarded the Elixir were no easy obstacle. He'd succeeded in getting past them last time largely because of Mozenrath's power.
"Should I ask if you have a plan?" Iago said, breaking the unnatural quiet. "Or am I better off not knowing?"
"Genie, give me a flask," Aladdin said. His friend obliged quickly and he tucked the small container into his vest. "We'll get in and get out fast. The monsters won't have time to react. And they won't bother us if we just leave the cup on the pedestal."
"Here's hopin' those overgrown worms don't remember our faces. Might not be so lenient the second time," Iago gulped.
Aladdin ignored the parrot's usual pessimism as they entered the final chamber. The ceiling arched high above their heads, and sunlight filtered in through a large hole at the highest point, illuminating the tiny golden chalice on a raised column.
"Okay. Genie, get ready to distract the worms when they come out. Abu, Iago, you guys can stay back."
He flew toward the column, not looking down at the innocuous plain of sand surrounding him on all sides. Somewhere underneath the surface, four sharp-toothed beasts lay dormant, waiting. He shut his eyes briefly and calmed himself. Taking the flask from his vest, he removed the stopper with sweating fingers. Timing would be everything.
"Ready when you are, Al!" Genie said cheerily. He drew out two huge projectile weapons and aimed them at the ground. "Let 'em at me!"
The chalice was a few feet away. "Go, Carpet!"
In a concentrated burst of speed, Carpet cleared the top of the column, and Aladdin snatched the cup in his right hand, tilting it quickly but carefully over the opening of the flask.
A low rumble began deep underground, shaking the walls and the very air around them. Aladdin all but ignored it, simply staring at the cup in his hands.
It was empty.
"Genie!"
"I'm ready, Al! This jinni ain't scared'a no overgrown fish bait!"
"No, the Elixir's gone." His hand tightened on the chalice, and he flew back to the column, setting it down on the rock. The quaking only intensified, and he finally looked down at the roiling sand, anticipating the confrontation.
"Don't move yet, Carpet," he ordered, drawing the sword from his belt. "I'll help Genie."
It was all he could do to stop the pervading sense of helplessness from dragging him down further. Their two options for saving the sultan were gone. Genie didn't know of any other ways to cure him. What else could they do?
It had to be a trap, he realized, tensing as large swells began to form in the sand. The worms shouldn't be attacking now that he had placed the chalice back on the pedestal. And the precious liquid inside it was gone, anyway. There was nothing left for the monsters to safeguard.
But he was ready. He was ready for whatever invisible enemy had chosen to lead them on this tortuous, dead-end chase. He was sick of being toyed with. Shifting his grip on the sword, he directed Carpet downward for a point-blank strike at the first beast.
He stopped in mid-flight at the sight of what emerged from the sand.
Skeletons. The massive skeletons of the guardian worms, rotting flesh still clinging to some of the bones. A foul stench immediately filled the chamber, making him gag.
"Holy mother of Thundra!" Iago squawked. He and Abu edged up against the wall, trying to put as much distance between them and the carcasses as possible.
Genie's weapons disappeared as he pinched his nose fastidiously. "Looks like the fish bait expired. Whew, that reeks!"
Aladdin forced his eyes away from the appalling sight beneath them. "This isn't supposed to be happening."
"What, you wanted a fight with these things?" Iago said incredulously. "Gross as this is, I'd prefer them in their current state to alive and snapping!"
"The Elixir's gone," he repeated, flying down toward them. "Not a drop left. Genie."
His friend took the cue, but was at a loss for an explanation. "I don't know, Al. It's supposed to refill itself as long as it's left in the proper place. Maybe it'll take a while, just like the tree?"
"That's not good enough," Aladdin said, grip tightening on his sword. He sheathed it with vicious efficiency. "How are we going to save the sultan now?"
He had to fight to keep his temper in check as all of his friends were silent, unable to offer any help. They were at a dead end.
"Someone planned for this to happen," he said quietly. "They knew we'd try these two routes."
"I don't know about that," Genie said dubiously. "The worms look like they've been dead for a while. Whoever killed them is long gone."
Aladdin didn't respond, merely stepping off Carpet to pace back and forth restlessly, struggling to think. "What can we do now? We can't go back to Agrabah without a cure. There has to be something else."
Seconds ticked by, the thick odor of death still threatening to suffocate them.
"Tell Jasmine and Eden," he said resignedly, "and ask them for ideas."
The somber mood preempted any superfluous magical antics. Genie merely concentrated, furrowing his brow. Aladdin could hear his voice echoing in his own head.
The Elixir's gone too, Jas! The cup's empty, and the guardian worms are dead!
There was a weak mumble in response; they had caught her while she was sleeping.
Jas? Jas, can you hear me? Did you just say something? Genie said.
She was silent. Aladdin frowned, wondering if she had fallen back asleep. Why was she even resting at a time like this?
"Jasmine?" he ventured, and a nod from Genie told him his voice could be heard through the mental connection. "Jasmine, I'm sorry, but we couldn't get the fruit or the potion. Something weird is going on, I think this might have been a setup. We'll find a way, though, don't worry. How's your father doing?"
Continued silence.
"Jasmine?"
Genie shrugged at Aladdin's questioning look. "Uh, I guess she's tired?"
GENIE!
The booming interruption of another female voice nearly knocked them off their feet. Aladdin steadied himself and replied quickly.
"What is it, Eden?"
The sultan's okay! He's been cured, he's alright now!
"Hooray!" Genie pumped a fist in the air, accidentally shooting a blast of magic into the ceiling. Abu quickly scampered out of the way of the falling debris.
"You cured him?" Aladdin said in relief, taking a seat on Carpet.
Um…no, actually. I don't know how it happened. But the sultan's perfectly fine now, not a trace of poison in his system!
Aladdin's smile faltered slightly. "That's strange…well, as long as he's alright now. Maybe it was a temporary poison or something?"
Just haul your butts back here and we'll talk about it then!
"Right," he said, a full grin spreading on his face. The connection faded and Genie readied another instant transportation spell. "Looks like we got lucky somehow."
They were whisked back to the palace in a heartbeat, and Aladdin felt the tension within him dissipate at the sight of the sultan sitting up in bed, looking a little disoriented but otherwise completely healthy. Eden and the palace physicians were tending to him, bringing him water and a cool towel for his face.
"Thanon and Waqar are dead," the old man said sadly, waving off their assistance as he stepped down from the bed. "How can this be…"
The sultan noticed Aladdin's arrival at last. "So you've returned, my boy. Do you know who is behind this despicable crime?"
He shook his head. "No. But I'll find out for sure. For now it's just a relief to see you're well, Sultan."
The sultan did not smile, his expression grave. "Two valuable councilors died by this assassin's hand. This is worse than what our enemies have done in the past, Aladdin. Though they threatened our lives many times, they did not kill those close to us."
"I know," Aladdin said. He turned to his friends; they had already gathered around him, waiting expectantly.
"Now that the sultan's safe, we need to find who did this. Bring him out of the shadows." A rudimentary plan materialized as he spoke. "Genie, inspect the wine bottle the poison came from. Figure out who made it and how it could have gotten in the palace. Iago and Abu, stay with him in case you need to look up something in Jafar's lab. Eden, I think you should guard the sultan. We don't know if the assassin has plans to finish the job somehow."
He paused. "Where's Jasmine?" Her absence was a sudden glaring hole in the room.
"She's resting. After you guys left, she got Razoul to put the palace on lockdown, and met with the rest of the councilors to keep order. But I've never seen her that tired and stressed. She should be in her room now," Eden said, sounding worried.
"I'll go find her, then," he said. "You guys get started here. I'll be back."
Instead of taking the winding route through the halls, he flew outside and around the wide spires of the palace towers, heading for her balcony. The doors were open, the wind swirling the curtains about the entrance. He ran straight inside.
"Jasmine, your father's alright—"
He skidded to a stop and found himself alone inside the dark, empty room. Her absence was now more than just a glaring hole. The feeling of wrongness returned full force as he strode toward her bed, noting the freshly rumpled blankets. The sheets were still warm to the touch. He had just missed her.
Where was she?
His heart beginning to pound, he whirled toward her dresser, barely able to make out the outline of several thick books and scattered parchment. He picked them up and peered at their covers in the semi-darkness, wishing Genie were here to provide some light. A moment later, Carpet offered him a lit oil lamp.
The splash of black ink on the dresser caught his attention immediately. The ink bottle lay on its side, its contents soaking through a thick sheaf of parchment. He gingerly picked up the stack, careful not to tear any of the pages as he peeled them apart. The ink was already half-dried.
Princess Jasmine. Daughter of Hamed, twenty-seventh Sultan from the founding of Agrabah. Daughter of Princess Asima of Ulaidar.
"What?" he whispered.
The entire page was information about herself. Her lineage and her childhood, and all the people she knew.
He leafed through the parchment quickly, mind racing to figure out why she had written all of this, when he caught a glimpse of his own name. He stood there in frozen disbelief as he read the page.
Aladdin.
My fiancé. Chosen by my father to be his successor.
A commoner; born on the streets; orphaned at a young age.
Met him when I was almost sixteen. I ran away from the palace and wandered into the marketplace, accidentally stole fruit for a hungry child. He stepped in to stop the vendor from cutting off my hand.
There was no humor in the familiar old story now. He looked with alarm down the rest of the page, where the story of their lives together was summarized in concise, matter-of-fact language, with simple descriptions of his traits as she perceived them. Kind. Humorous. Rash at times. Quick on his feet. Loyal.
The words ended at the wide blot of the ink spill.
"What were you thinking?" he said softly, placing the parchment back on the dresser. "Why did you do this?"
He thought back suddenly to the crumpled note he had found here several nights before. The Rose. Forget who we are, then take over.
The threat now seemed frighteningly real. Had she been afraid to forget herself? Had she suspected someone would use the Rose on her again?
Or had she just been paranoid enough to write down everything about her life as insurance against the vague possibility of a threat, just as she had launched a massive construction project to protect the people against some unforeseen disaster?
"Jasmine," he said, hands tightening into fists. He whirled again toward the empty bed, holding the lamp high. Carpet was circling frantically, searching the room in vain.
"She's not here," he said, voice hardening. "She's not here. Where is she?"
...
A/N: It would be helpful to have some feedback on the following points:
1. Jasmine's characterization so far. Since many of the narrators' interactions with her are directly taken from Antiphony, I'm afraid those parts are stilted, and Jasmine doesn't appear consistent.
2. Are the various characters' reactions to Jasmine's strange behavior realistic? (i.e. Aladdin, Eden, Carpet)
Thanks!