By six the next morning, Salim had arrived to take up his post guarding the Princess. By six thirty he was sound asleep. Razoul nodded and dropped a blanket over his friend. Then he called in through the door opening. "Are you ready, Princess?"

She stepped through the door in a grey robe with a dark scarf just like she'd worn before. She turned for his inspection. "Do I pass?"

"For the most part except for a couple of things." He pointed at her feet. "First, the sandals are too rich for this outfit. They scream you're rich. Second, I'm afraid you can't wear those expensive earrings. They shout just as wildly"

She took off her earrings and then looked down at the sandals with their richly worked leather designs. "Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Wait a moment." She disappeared back inside. Over in the corner Salim snored on.

She came back, lifted the robe a bit, and held out her foot which now had a worn sandal with scuff marks. "Now do I pass?"

He gulped as he viewed her well-formed ankle. He'd always been a leg man. "Yes." He whispered. "Now, as long as we're in the palace and could be discovered I'll walk behind you. I may be able to talk our way out of trouble if we're discovered. But once we're outside you must walk beside me."

"Why?" She asked as she stepped out ahead of him.

"Because walking ahead of me, screams you're royalty when you're outside. Also, it's easier for me to protect you if I can see where you are at all times and be able to react to get you to safety if trouble develops."

"Are you expecting trouble?" She did not turn her head but kept walking towards the kitchen which impressed him. He'd not expected her to know where it was. Chalk one up for her intelligence which was no surprise to him.

"I always expect trouble. Ninety nine times out of a hundred it doesn't happen but the time it does you'll wish you'd been ready for it."

She nodded. "I'll remember that."

They encountered no one as most of the staff was at breakfast and the kitchen workers were all busy cleaning up. One waiter looked at him questioningly. "My niece." He told the man who grinned and went back to his tray of food.

A minute later they were passing through the trade man's entrance and dodging around the barrels with fresh garbage in them with fingers pressed tightly to their noses. Then they were out in the street.

She looked back at the door. "That was too easy. Is security always this lax here?"

"Only if you know its weak points." He touched her arm as she started forward. "Remember, Princess, you walk by my side now." She nodded and dropped back.

"I think you'd better not call me Princess now that we're outside." She said as she walked with him. "What name will you give me for this little outing?"

"Mary sounds nice." He said. He smiled at her. "It was my Mother's name and is common in my family and for our little excursion I'm your uncle."

She smiled back. "I'm honored, Uncle."

As they walked he noticed her eyes were roving everywhere, watching the men and women scurrying about with their daily routines. Children ran by screeching in play and receiving understanding smiles from most of the onlookers who remembered when they'd been young.

"What are all these people doing?" She asked. "I never imagined there were so many in the city."

"Mostly heading to work so they can earn their bread for the day for them and their families. Some of the women are heading to the market to shop for food before the day becomes too hot and the food is still fresh. The younger children just run everywhere while the older ones may be walking on to school or heading for work."

She frowned. "Children work? Aren't they a little young for that?"

He sighed. Her sheltered life was showing. "Some families have many mouths to feed and if the children did not work, then many would go hungry and that's worse." He remembered days growing up when food had been scarce and his stomach had never ceased its growling.

"Oh." She said and turned to watch a little girl run by them with an older boy in pursuit. "I never even considered that. Food is always just there when I want it." She shook her head. "I'm glad you're showing me this. It seems there's a lot I don't know."

"And hopefully that'll make you a better ruler when you become Sultanas." He told her as he stirred them towards the baker's quarter from which delightful aromas were drifting on the breezes.

"You mean my husband who'll be Sultan someday." She grimaced. "Women don't rule. I know that much."

"There have been Sultanas who ruled alone in the past. Maybe you'll be one." He told her.

"Maybe." She conceded. "But I doubt it. Not if Daddy and Jafar have their way."

He grimaced. She was right. That was going to have to change. He stopped before narrow stairs leading up to a rooftop and a smile curled up his lips. "Here's Hasim's place. He's one of the best bakers of rolls and pastries in the city. Come on. I'll introduce you."

Meanwhile back inside the palace Jafar decided to check out how well the Princess was being guarded. He strode down the hall to the entrance to her rooms radiating magic from his snake staff. There was no one there. How interesting. He started to step through the doorway when he felt a sharp stab in his side. He looked down to see a spear point pressing up against his right side. His gaze followed its wooden shaft up to Salim's rigid face.

If ever a man had a triangle for a face it was this one and right now there was fierce determination written all over it. "The Princess has expressly forbidden you from disturbing her, Jafar." Salim growled. "Go back and apply for an appointment." In emphasis the spear point pushed a little deeper.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Jafar snarled and brought his staff to bear. The eyes glowed red but Salim's expression did not soften; if anything it became grimmer. Jafar realized with disgust that Salim was immune to his powers of magic. Another idiot who would meet his maker soon enough.

"I know that you're a dead man, if you take one step further." Salim told him and thrust hard enough to draw blood.

Jafar decided this was too public a place for this confrontation and not worth it. "You'll pay for this." He turned and stalked off.

Salim watched Jafar go with his magic glow and as the magic forces receded with

Jafar his expression relaxed. When they were gone he turned and went back to his corner, arranged himself comfortably and fell asleep again.

Razoul led the way up a flight of stairs and as they climbed the scent of fresh-baked bread laced with cinnamon and other spices grew in intensity. As they emerged on the roof a heavy-set man with a well-trimmed black beard looked up at them, frowning, and then his face broke into a big smile. He dusted off his flour covered hands and hurried forward. He embraced Razoul and then stepped back, holding onto his arms. "My friend, it's been too long since you've graced my humble quarters."

Razoul grinned back as he cuffed Hasim on the shoulder. "It was only last week and you know it, my friend." He turned to Jasmine who was watching them with a smile. "Hasim, I want you to meet my niece, Mary. I've been telling her about your cooking and she had to experience it to believe it."

Hasim made a bow. "Welcome, Mary, to my humble bakery. Your beauty enhances everything here."

Jasmine blushed. "I see flowery comments are dispensed here as well as rolls."

Hasim laughed. "I like her, Razoul. She has a cents of humor."

"Don't get him started, Mary." Razoul warned her. "He's one of the puniest men in the kingdom."

Hasim put his hand to his chest and staggered back. "Mortally wounded by one I called a fiend."

He abruptly turned and rushed back to a large brick oven. "Here now. You almost made me burn the last batch of rolls." He opened a metal door and inserted a flat plate of metal attached to a wooden stick and pulled a steaming batch of rolls from the oven and set them on a stone table. He then liberally sprinkled them with powdered sugar. "You're seeing one of my secrets. The rolls are hot and the sugar melts to form a glaze. A Hasim specialty." He took another smaller paddle and deftly placed two of the rolls on a plate and held it out to them. "My compliments." He declared.

Jasmine took one of the rolls, juggled it a moment because it was hot, and then tentatively took a bite. Her face lit up. "This is one of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever tasted, Hasim."

Hasim grinned. "Everyone says that and who am I to tell them they're wrong." He paused and then frowned. "Everyone but the Grand Vizier. He told me he wouldn't serve them to a dog."

Jasmine frowned as she swallowed another bite and then retorted. "He's crazy."

Razoul nodded. "So you refused to pay his bribe so you could service the palace, did you?"

Hasim spat on the floor. "You work at the palace, my friend. You know how things are supposed to work. I expect to pay a bribe to the Grand Vizier for his permission but I expect it to be within reason. Jafar wanted fifty percent. I would be broke in weeks if I paid that."

Jasmine frowned. "Why do you pay bribes?"

Hasim shrugged. "That's the way it has always been and the way it will always be, Mary. I expect the open hands. I do not expect ruination and that's what our greedy Grand Vizier is going to do to Agrabah. Taxes have tripled since Jafar became Grand Vizier and still he demands more."

Jasmine frowned and looked at Razoul. "I thought you told me the Sultan had declared an austerity program, Uncle?"

Razoul was impressed with her intelligent way of using the information she had to hide her identity and still get her questions answered. "I did." He replied and then turned to Hasim. "It's as Mary said; the Sultan has cut staff and claimed taxes are insufficient."

Hasim sputtered in anger. "That's crazy. The whole city groans under the ruinous tax burdens and the Sultan has no money? Where is it all going?"

Razoul picked his teeth with a toothpick he found on the table and then asked his own question. "Where do you think?"

Hasim shook his head. "I'll be talking to the baker's guild and they will be in touch with the other trades. Jafar had better not walk down any dark alleys anytime soon."

"Be careful, my friend." Razoul informed him. "He's not an ordinary man. There's the stink of dark magic about him." He looked up at the sun and got to his feet. "I thank you, my friend, for the enjoyable breakfast, but I have to take Mary back and then I have my city patrols to perform."

"I don't see how you do it." Hasim said as he shoved several rolls into a small cloth bag. "You guard the palace at night and the city by day." He handed Jasmine the bag and shook his hands in negation, indicating he wanted no payment. "Enjoy with my compliments. Next time you pay." He turned back to Razoul as the two started for the stairs. "Seriously, my friend, when do you find the time to sleep?"

Razoul laughed. "What's sleep?" Then he grew serious for a minute. "When I can, my friend. When I can." Their last sight was Hasim turning back to his table to knead the dough ball lying there.

Jasmine was silent for half the trip back to the palace and then she growled. "Jafar has got to be stopped."

He nodded and then looked over at her. "He has so much power; so the big question is how?" And for that she had no answer.