I am going to move this story to every other Thursday. So next chapter should come about October 1st. Sorry but I have reasons. I will still be updating though. I'll be wrapping up the arc a bit later than, but it will be done by the end of October.

Act Nine
'Jafar'

Against my will really, I was dragged to the throne room. The walk there was only about five minutes, but those five minutes were horrible. Jasmine remained silent as Lalita pulled me along. Jay continued to stare daggers at me. I wanted to snap at him to stop looking at me – oh how I wanted to snap at him – but the off-chance of him figuring out I was not who I claimed to be made me stay quiet. I just bit my lip as I held back all my thoughts from escaping my mouth.

The throne room was huge… and completely empty. I had thought with as many people "preparing" the room, it would have more to it. All there was to it were the dark, blood-red walls and the golden throne. And the only people inside was the four of us.

Where are all those servants? I wondered. And what were they doing in here?

"Where's Dad?" asked Lalita.

"Like I would know," said Jay. "We just need to wait."

Jay leaned against a nearby wall and continued to look uninterested. Jasmine looked at me, obviously wanting to say something, but remained silent. She wouldn't be able to say anything anyway, not with Jay and Lalita so close by. Lalita let go of my hand and walked over to the wall beside Jay. Despite him being so cruel, she always looked at him with such adoring eyes. I didn't like him. I don't know how Lalita could look at him so affectionately. I guess it was because he was her brother, but if he was my brother, I would still probably hate him. I just stood there, not knowing what to do.

"Benama, why are you just standing there?" asked Jay – well more like snapped.

He looked over at Lalita and I realized what he meant. I don't know why he was telling me this, but he was telling me to stick close to Lalita. I didn't wish to argue with him, especially when he was giving me good advice – for some reason. I walked over and sat down on the floor beside Lalita. She didn't really notice; just continued to look at Jay and was trying to mimic his behavior.

Suddenly a side door crashed open and the man I definitely did not want to see. The wicked man… Jafar strode in. He didn't notice me at first, putting all his attention on Jay at first.

"Good to see you have arrived on time," Jafar said, smirking at his son.

"Of course," Jay said. "I finished my work, by the way."

"I suspect everything has arrived safely in the storage room," suggested Jafar.

They spoke in hushed voices, so low that people like Lalita and Jasmine – people with normal hearing – would not be able to hear them. I had built up my hearing after straining for so many years to hear people's secrets, trying to plan when to strike, or footsteps of those trying to sneak up on me.

"I got everything you asked of me," said Jay. "No one even knew I was there. They will be surprised when they cannot find their stuff."

I held back a gasp; causing my lip to bleed from the force I was biting it at. Jay was a thief, something I was surely not expecting. I don't think anyone would think a royal would steal stuff, while at least not literally speaking. From the way Jafar sounded, it made me believe like Jay was stealing much more than money, but people's actual valuables. Jay said this stuff to Jafar with a flat expression, not showing any emotion like he had with Jasmine, Lalita, even to me.

Jafar's eyes wandered however as he spoke to Jay and met mine within an instance.

"Who is that?" asked the sultan.

He glared at me, causing me to shake a bit. I could only hope he didn't see my tremor.

"That is Lalita's friend, Benama," Jay responded.

I could hear him follow it up with a whisper, "And a friend of mine to… She helps."

Jafar raised an eyebrow to this information. I couldn't tell if he believed this or not. I could assume he didn't, but really there was a chance he might. It was only based on his interpretation of Jay's excuse.

"Lalita," Jafar called out.

"…Yes?" Lalita said following a long silence.

She didn't meet Jafar's strong glace. I kept facing her, trying to give her strength, but it seemed like she wasn't gaining anything. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jasmine looking away, terrified.

"You know better than to bring someone in the palace without permission," Jafar lectured. "I will allow this Benama to stay for now, but you will be punished."

Lalita nodded and looked down. I wanted to shout at him for those lies. He knew that Jay was just as much to blame for me as Lalita was, based on Jay's story. Yet he put all the focus on Lalita. It irritated me that someone so young as Lalita was being acted as the scapegoat.

"Benama," Jafar said, causing me to look at him. I looked him in the eyes. Mistake. "You shall remain here for now. You are trusted by Jay, so that means something."

I nodded, receiving a smirk from Jafar in response. I caught a glance at Jay, who looked at me with a worried expression.

"We are having a party today!" Jafar suddenly exclaimed.

Jay looked at his sudden chipper father and a look of concern spread across his face.

"May I ask as to why we are celebrating?" he asked.

Jafar looked at his son with much energy. The sultan was happy so much that it was terrifying. I want to look away, but I was afraid what he might do if I did so. He looked that menacing.

"I finally will win," Jafar responded.

He gestured to a soldier who had at some point appeared in the throne room without a sound. The soldier opened a hidden door, which allowed for a body to be dragged in. I held my breath when I saw the body. They were still breathing; thank god. I held back tears as I saw my father being dragged in.

There is the end of this chapter. Again, I won't be updating next week, but the week afterwards. I will still be updating "The Lost" and "The Struggle of the Fiends" weekly however. Also, the chapter question is back!

This chapter's question… What do you think Jafar is planning to do with Aladdin? Also, what will Aleena [Benama] do now that she is so close to her father?