Awakened abruptly by a substantial kick from the baby, Jasmine shifted in Aladdin's arms, attempting to adjust herself to find comfort once again. Detecting the moon still casting an illuminating glimmer across the room, she inanely pondered how much time lingered until dawn. Her mind still groggy as she stirred, she felt the tug of sleep begin to pull at her as she relaxed against Aladdin's chest, the sounds of his low slumber hushing her eyes to close. Peering lethargically into the shadows cast across their chambers, her drowsy eyes strained, perplexing her senses as her heart began to thump heavier. As her mind formed the image of a stranger covertly moving towards them, Jasmine froze, incapable of movement or sound. Panic gripped her, its ominous coils encompassing her heart as fear swelled across her body. As her eyes fleetingly caught sight of the dagger in the stranger's hand, her fear expanded to sheer terror as her heart threatened to spring from her chest. Unaware Jasmine was awake, let alone watching him, the figure continued to progressively approach their bed.
Aladdin shifted, detecting Jasmine's unexpected and intensified distress, and instinctively pulled her closer, half-asleep in his dozy daze. "Mmmm," he mumbled dimly, feeling her nails harshly beginning to dig into his bare chest in alarm, "What's wro-"
Before he could ask the question, the figure lunged at the bed, diving on to Aladdin and precariously angling the dagger against his throat. With a crippling cry in horror, Jasmine leapt back, assessing the attack as her eyes tried to focus in the darkness. As shadows cloaked the figure in blackness, Aladdin was unable to detect the man gnashing on top of him as he thrashed against his assailant. Covered in heavy, dark robes he was unable to distinguish any features to help him see who was attacking him. Feeling the blade pressing stiffer against his skin, Aladdin attempted to rear back for space to allow him purchase against the bed. "Jasmine!" He grunted, his hands on the wrists of the attacker, shuddering as they constrained, keeping the blade from slicing his skin, "The lamp!"
Sprinting towards the table near the balcony where Genie's lamp perpetually rested, her hands had nearly clasped the artifact when a pair of arms suddenly enclosed her and drew her back. "No!" she wailed out in fright, arms outstretched as she tried in vain to grasp the lamp. "Let me go!" she commanded, a second attacker pulling her back and restraining her struggle. "Guards!" She screamed, her eyes on Aladdin and his aggressor as they battled for the dagger.
On his back, Aladdin was mindful of the scuffle Jasmine was enduring as he combated the man straddled on top of him. Grunting in pain as the edge of the blade pressed gradually into his neck, he felt the warmth of blood as it began to radiate and flow from the fresh wound. Ignoring the piercing pain searing from the slash, Aladdin's mind rapidly searched for an advantage. His assailant was stronger, but Aladdin was smarter. Winding his own leg between his attacker's, Aladdin was able to yank on the man's hip, offsetting his balance and sent them both tumbling over the side of the bed. With an excruciating crash they landed, the knife loosened in the assassin's hand, allowing Aladdin an opportunity to knock it free. As it clanged against the marble and rolled away, they wrestled intensely as they both attempted to reach it, tussling as they fought on the floor.
Jasmine persisted to batter against her captor even with her arms pinned behind her back, squirming and writhing to yank herself free. As she panicked at the sight of Aladdin's neck laceration, she detected with dread the lack of assistance from their guards. Her eyes darting around the room, she searched hopelessly for Carpet, Rajah, or Abu, yet was left in despair when she realized they were absent from the chambers. For a moment her vision was drawn to a burlap sack left near the balcony, weighted down and tied with sandbags. Incapable to contemplate it further, her attention dithered desperately as she watched the bout, urging Aladdin's success as he stretched unsuccessfully for the dagger positioned just out of his reach.
Aladdin's fingertips grazed the hilt of the dagger as he strained, mere inches from being able to accurately clutch the weapon. His attacker swiftly yanked him back, pulling on Aladdin to give himself a few sustained seconds to make a jump for the blade himself. As he attempted to leap over Aladdin, he was sent reeling to the left as Aladdin's knee made sudden contact with the assailant's gut. With a groan, he tumbled to the side, clutching his abdomen in pain from the unanticipated and direct blow. Aladdin rolled, agilely springing to his feet as he plucked the dagger from the floor and stood threateningly, his eyes now on the man who held Jasmine. "Let her go," he demanded darkly as he stepped forward, "Now."
Jasmine felt the hands gripping her loosen, yet not release. Her captor dragged her back, moving away from Aladdin's advances and using her as a shield. "Aladdin, look out!" Jasmine managed to warn as his aggressor dove at him, tackling him back to the ground. Again they wrestled for the dagger, their hands clutching at one another as they growled in desperation to overpower the other. With a quick, agile slip of his hand, Aladdin gripped the dagger tightly and plunged it into his assailant's chest. Collapsing on top of Aladdin, the body of his assassin fell limp against him, pressing him to the marble floor. With a hard shove, Aladdin heaved the man over and rose once again to face Jasmine's aggressor, a significant amount of blood now dripping from his hands.
"Your majesties!? Sultan!?" Razoul shouted from outside their door as he pounded desperately against the panel. "Your highness, are you all right!?" He implored, obviously aware of the peril they were in. As Aladdin glanced back towards the door and realized it was tightly latched, Jasmine's captor flung her heedlessly towards him as he attempted to flee. Catching Jasmine readily in his arms as she was thrown, Aladdin helped her regain her balance before dashing after the escaping attacker. Snatching Genie's lamp from its perch and the weighted sack they had dropped prior to their assault on the royals, the second assassin sprinted out on to the balcony and skidded down a prepared rope secured to the balustrade with his items. Aladdin reached the railing in time to see the mysterious figure escape swiftly through the gardens below and smoothly scale the palace wall and disappear into the maze of streets outside the barrier to the city.
Snapped back to the situation as he heard the sudden split and crack of the doors to their room burst open, Aladdin rushed back inside as the guards materialized and hurried to him and Jasmine. Taking her into her arms, Aladdin held her close as she trembled against him, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks.
"It's okay," Aladdin soothed as the guards entered, "Everything is okay. It's over. Are you hurt?" As she shook her head, he knew her injuries transpiring from this went deeper, and would last longer; the fear from being attacked in the single room she once felt safe in would linger. Wiping away her tears he tried to calm her and reassure her they were safe. As he placed a hand over her abdomen and sensed a moderate flutter against his palm, he breathed with relief.
"Your majesty!" Razoul exclaimed, panting as his eyes adeptly examined the room for any remaining threats, "Are you okay?" Observing the blood covering Aladdin and the motionless assailant crumpled on the floor, he was beyond relieved to see his monarchs seemingly unscathed. The only item of clothing Aladdin was currently wearing was a pair of his old pants and even they were saturated with dark, murky blood. Fasal and Hakim groaned as they entered, clutching their temples in a futile effort to subdue the welts rising on their heads where the assailants had bashed them and rendered them unconscious.
"Yeah, we're fine," Aladdin began with a sigh, continuing to hold Jasmine securely against himself. His pounding heart was beginning to slow, yet his hands continued to quiver, shaking as he felt the sticky, slick blood of his attacker against his skin. Never before had he taken a life so brutally, yet, after being attacked so mercilessly the last thing he would feel was guilt.
"No, you're not," Jasmine shook her head, leaning back to examine the wound across his neck, "Aladdin, you're bleeding."
"Get the royal physician in here, now!" Razoul demanded to his men as two went running off into the corridor in search of the specialist. Lighting sporadic lanterns within the room with torches, the remaining guards extended out and did an encompassing examination to secure the room. "Search the palace," he ordered another group of men, "Make sure there were only two of them." As the room became irradiated with the flickering light, Jasmine was revolted by the concentrated amount of blood splattered throughout their chamber.
Tenderly placing her hand against the slit in his throat, Jasmine winced as she saw the depth of the cut and examined the severity of his wound. He grimaced and flinched at her touch, the stinging pain slowly searing outward from the incision. His own hand reaching to inspect, he warily felt the three-inch cut extending out on the right side of his neck from his laryngeal prominence. Jasmine tore a blanket from their bed, ripping at the seam and tearing a piece free. Carefully she rolled it and held it against Aladdin's injury, allowing the fabric to soak and staunch the flow of blood. "You should sit," she recommended, leading him towards the divan. Abu skittered into the room, bounding through the guards as he hurried to Aladdin, scampering up his leg and onto his shoulder where he intensely surveyed his friend's abrasion. Having been locked out of the room, he had tried frantically to rouse the unresponsive guards as he overheard the brawl inside Aladdin's room, and had suffered in wait until Razoul had discovered the insentient sentries.
Taking the temporary gauze from her, Aladdin held it himself and pressed it tightly against the opening. Determined to remain focused on their altercation, he glimpsed transitorily at the form across the room. Two guards had turned the body over and were inspecting the figure for more weapons. Glancing towards the table where the gilded lamp once sat, he frowned. "The other one took Genie," he murmured sullenly, "… and I'm pretty sure Carpet was in that sack."
Her own gaze falling upon the empty table, Jasmine felt a heavy weight settle in her stomach. "Odd. Don't they know the lamp doesn't control him? Why would they take it? … It's pretty obvious who was behind all this," she initiated, sitting beside Aladdin.
"And the coward didn't even have the courage to face me himself," he muttered dryly, his attention turning back to the static figure slumped on the floor, "… he sent someone else to do his dirty work." Rising, Aladdin stepped forward towards the assassin's body as the guards backed away, giving their sovereign space. With one hand continuing to hold the provisional dressing on his neck, Aladdin bent down and used his free hand to remove the hood from his attacker's robe, revealing his identity. With a gasp, Aladdin nearly fell backwards as he exposed the assailant's face, "Khalid!?"
Jasmine inhaled sharply behind him in disbelief as they peered down at his lifeless form. "How could he!?" she questioned with bafflement. "He's been one of Agrabah's top advisors for years."
"Yeah, well, we've seen how quick advisors like him seem to betray the city," Aladdin mumbled curtly, referring to Jafar. Sneering at Khalid's empty expression staring blankly at the ceiling, Aladdin returned the hood of his robes back over his face and stood just as the physician entered, wheezing for breath as the guards ushered him inside the chamber. Adeptly, Aladdin's neck was inspected and treated, prudently cleaned and stitched as the palace sentries removed Khalid's body and began cleaning the disheveled room. Staring down at his hands, Aladdin furrowed his brow as he turned up his palms and inspected them, 'There's so much blood,' he analyzed impetuously, 'I don't even know what is mine, and what is his.' There was blood completely covering his hands and arms and the entire front of his chest where the wound from his neck had poured, glossing his skin with a crimson tint.
"Sire, if I may say … you are quite lucky," the physician commented incredulously as he finished Aladdin's suture. "A little more to the left and your carotid artery would have been severed … and those men would be carrying out two bodies instead of one."
Jasmine bit her lip as she squeezed Aladdin's hand tightly, suppressing the tears that were quickly forming at the physician's words. She had been powerless to stop the onslaught of Khalid's attack against Aladdin and had been forced to watch as he assaulted and nearly killed him. The identity of the man that held her was still unknown to them, yet she realized it really didn't matter. The two most important people in her life were safe, at least for the time being, and she knew she had to focus on that solitary, imperative thought. The physician completed his work on Aladdin's injury and finished bandaging the area before gathering his things. Abu sat patiently, attentively watching the events transpire before him, offering sympathetic chittering remarks. After a sufficient check of Jasmine and the baby, the doctor was resigned to leaving with the promise of returning for a follow-up within a few hours. The remaining guards exited into the corridor, explaining to Razoul what they had witnessed or heard as they started to gather evidence and begin piecing together what had occurred. Irate at the invasion and second assassination attempt, Razoul was furious with the situation and demanded answers to how the attackers had been successful at getting the royals alone.
At Jasmine's request, a servant timidly brought a large basin of water and a clean, damp cloth for Aladdin. Wringing out the towel, Jasmine began to nimbly clean him of the blood his skin was soaked in; his own and Khalid's. Brushing the moistened fabric along his arms, she watched in aversion as the water began to turn cerise as she washed him. She precisely cleaned the area around his wound and the trail it had created down his chest, idly bewildered how he managed to only sustain one injury during his encounter with Khalid. 'It could have been worse,' she thought with dread, 'much worse.'
Gathering Jasmine into his arms once she finished wiping him down and briskly dried him, Aladdin could sense her need to connect with him, to be reassured he was intact. "Hey, I'm okay," he whispered as he felt her begin to cry, tears tumbling freely as she finally let go of the distraught emotions she had been suppressing since she first saw the shadowed figure approach their bed. "I'm okay, you're okay, and most importantly, so is the baby." As Jasmine's embrace on him amplified, he continued to protectively hold her, leisurely rocking as he comforted her.
"Aladdin, I didn't know what to do," she wept, incapable to cease the sobs beginning to wrack her body, "… when I saw the blood … all that blood … I just froze. I thought that was it." Clutching him against her, she cried, grateful to have him, to hear his steady heart beating beneath her touch, to have the father of her child alive and able to return her embrace. "You're the other half of me, Aladdin, I don't know how I could survive if something happened to you." Buckled by her devastating and overwhelming emotions, Jasmine wrapped herself tightly around him and allowed the tears to stream, a surge of grief emptying from her soul.
Uncertain how to calm his wife and reassure her of his wellbeing, Aladdin simply continued to hug her and run his hands through her hair, offering what support he could as her reaction overpowered her. "Shhhh," he calmed softly, "It's okay, we're all okay," he repeated as he wiped away her cascading current of tears. "I'm here Jasmine, and I promise, I'm not going anywhere." Lightly, he kissed her, delicately pressing his lips to hers. "I love you."
"I love you, too," she whispered as the sobs began to diminish.
"Sultan!" Razoul interrupted, hastily brushing past the congregation of guards posted outside their door, "Sultan, you need to see something," he urged. Mindful of Jasmine's current and evident emotional state, he chose his words carefully so as not to upset her further. "Please, I need you to come with me."
As Aladdin nodded wearily and went to stand, Jasmine continued to hold him, unwilling to break away. "Jasmine," he began compassionately. "I'll be right back. You need to get some rest." Halfheartedly, he noted the tousled and shambolic state of their room and knew she would not find any rest there. "Why don't I have some of the guards take you back to your old room and you can get some sleep? I'll be there as soon as I take care of this situation with Razoul." As her gaze pained at the thought of him leaving, he urged, "Jasmine, both you and our son need some rest, especially after what happened. I promise I'll be there as soon as I can."
Reluctantly, she went with three guards and ambled back to her old quarters, resigned to following his request as she realized he was right. With Abu curled tightly on her shoulder, she felt at ease with his presence, grateful for his unwavering support. Upon entering her previous room, she found a groggy Rajah slowly withdrawing from an apparent drugged state having been locked in the unused room. With a hug and stroke of his fur, appreciative he was also safe, she curled up on her childhood bed and compelled herself to unwind. Running her hands through Rajah's pelt she listened to the resonating sounds of his deep breathing as she closed her eyes and fixated on the good, on what she had. Caressing her abdomen she yawned, exasperated with the evasion of sleep, but satisfied by the feeling of relaxation and letting go of the emotions she had been stifled by. With her mind barreling in countless directions, she knew rest was not going to come until Aladdin was in her arms again, yet for her child's sake she was willing to patiently wait for his return.
"In here," Razoul directed, opening the door for Aladdin as they entered, leading him in by torchlight. Immediately overpowered by the pungent and nauseating smell of death, he stumbled backwards. Covering his mouth and nose with his hand, Aladdin's eyes fleetingly went to Razoul in inquiry, who simply motioned across the room.
As they entered Aladdin's study, the sign of struggle was more than apparent. Scrolls littered the floor, papers were strewn about and furniture was tossed and overturned recklessly. He wavered as he cautiously wove himself through the room, observing the slashed pillows and stray feathers scattered about. A chair was broken in the corner, books were inverted, parchment paper was in tatters; ripped, slashed, and torn. Ink was splattered across his table and dripped from the edge, collecting beneath in an obscure, obsidian puddle as it drenched the rug. As Aladdin stepped closer to the table, he noticed a figure beside it, still and stiff. Pausing, Aladdin willed for the strength to continue forward as his eyes fell upon Haroun; the advisor's eyes gaping vacantly upward as Khalid's did barely an hour before. His body paled and rigid, Aladdin's eyes fixated on the deep, crude slash across Haroun's neck where his life had been drained and pooled beneath him.
Turning away in repugnance, abhorred by the sight of his lifeless counselor, Aladdin turned back to Razoul, "What happened?"
"I'm not sure," he shook his head, his eyes resting on the deceased advisor, "but it looks like Khalid's doing."
"I was in here, just a few hours ago with Haroun. He said he was finishing up some work," Aladdin noted in disbelief, replaying the recent conversation in his mind.
"Khalid and his partner must have been looking for you, and found Haroun instead," Razoul speculated as he began to survey the damage in the room. Frivolously, he picked up an overturned chair and righted it, setting it down casually where it belonged.
The nausea was swelling as Aladdin fought back a wave of repulsion. Two of his council members were dead, one at the hands of another, and he was baffled trying to discover reason. Everything was beginning to accumulate, to build and worsen, as the events had now taken a dangerously fatal turn. Achmed and Javeer had gone from idle threats and sloppy conjecture to hired manslaughter. Now that their plan had ultimately failed as he, Jasmine, and their baby still lived, it was clear to Aladdin they were on borrowed time until the next impetuous attempt at their lives.
"I'll have my men clear the room," Razoul muttered as he stepped towards Haroun's body. Aladdin nodded appreciatively, unable to remain in his study any longer as his senses began to plague him, deluging his mind with the repulsion of Haroun's murder. Upon exiting the room, Aladdin took a deep, measured breath and paused momentarily in the corridor as he gathered his thoughts. Realizing dawn was approaching as the soft hue of daylight began to brighten the hall, he made his way through hordes of guards heading towards his study to assist Razoul in cleaning. As the torrents of shock began to diminish, Aladdin entered Jasmine's old chambers and saw her resting and was reminded of all he had to be thankful for; all he had to fight for.
As he went to her and collected her into his arms, she snuggled against him, eager to feel his warmth beside her. "What are we going to do?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper, fearful she already knew the answer.
Unwilling to share the recent developments of Haroun's murder with her until the edge of their attack wore off, he shook his head dispiritedly. "What we have to do. They've pushed us too far, Jasmine. They've pushed me too far. We've tried everything, we've been patient, we've been diplomatic … and where has that gotten us? Agrabah's streets are deserted. Two assassination attempts. Murderers in the palace. At least one spy on the council. We can't continue to sit and do nothing and hope for the best. We don't have any other options at this point," he sighed dismally, his eyes wandering out to the balcony as his mind formed the image of Sarutaan's waiting army. "We have to end this. We have to go to war."