Chapter Ten

S-son?! "You're lying, old man!"

"I'm not an old man, and I'm not lying."

Well, he certainly looked like Aladdin, especially with that frustrated look in his eye. And it explained why Iago was hanging around him, sort of… but…

"If you're his father, why did he have you thrown in the dungeon?"

Cassim smiled a bit, a twinkle in his eye that he never recognized in Aladdin. Was that… mischief? "He didn't. The guards caught me outside the gates. I suppose I wasn't being very sneaky considering I'm the King of Thieves."

Shock number two of the evening. Mozenrath blinked, it settling on him with an onset of confusion.

"You're the King of Thieves too?"

"I can be both," he said with humor. "Well, I suppose since the forty thieves disbanded, I'm not really the king of anything."

Mozenrath frowned. This man was full of surprises. The biggest surprise of all was that he didn't like him any less considering his relationship to his sworn enemy - not that the man was his son or anything.

"I suppose that makes sense. Your son and you share that desperate need for justice or whatever it is he's always talking about."

"If I had known you were going to be a threat to my son-"

"You probably would've done it anyway," Mozenrath finished, smirking. "Trust me, old man. I know people like you - Aladdin would have saved me too. You're both saps."

Cassim bristled. "I'm not my son, boy. You'll watch your mouth around me."

Why? What are you going to do? Come over here? You're chained to a wall!

"Fine, fine. I was just making a point." He sighed. "Not that it matters anyway. We're both trapped down here."

The man softened a bit. "I imagine it must be tough for you, being shoved back into a dungeon after being freed."

"You have no idea."

"How long were you trapped down there, boy?"

"I… don't really remember." Why am I talking so much? "I lost count. I'd say by the growth of my hair maybe… a year? That's all I can really go by."

Iago looked at Cassim with an annoyed look. Mozenrath was thankful the bird couldn't squawk for hours on end. That would turn his imprisonment into full on torture - not that he'd make light of it after going through a genuine amount of it.

"Well, I was certainly hoping you wouldn't get yourself thrown into another one so quickly."

"Speak for yourself, old man. I was unjustifiably thrown in here. Your boy tricked me."

"Tricked? That doesn't sound like Aladdin."

Given… I was tricking him first. "Well, he did. He made me believe he trusted me then tossed me in here to shrivel up and die."

"Did you give him a reason to trust you?"

Mozenrath looked at Cassim with wide eyes. Well… this man is definitely… confident. "I…" he paused, thinking on it, then shrugged. "I have no idea. I did warn him about these crazy sorcerers trying to take me down. They'll take Agrabah with no issues." Another pause. "I like you, old man."

"I imagine I'd like you more if you didn't call me that," Cassim replied, though his lips were twisted into a smirk that was oddly warm and inviting.

…

"I don't know, Jasmine," Aladdin sighed, "I… feel bad."

Aladdin and Jasmine sat alone in her room, Aladdin draped over her bed limply, lost in his own thoughts. Jasmine sat at her vanity, brushing her hair and listening to him voice them quietly and regretfully. After her headband had shattered into millions of pieces, she had to bathe and get the glass out of her hair. Now she combed softly, gingerly, for fear a few fragments might still be in place.

"You couldn't trust him, Aladdin."

"But… I gave Iago a chance! This-"

"Is different," Jasmine cut in, comfortingly. "Iago… worked for Jafar. Mozenrath made his own clear choices on what to do with Agrabah. You did the right thing."

"But he didn't have the gauntlet. He was… helpless."

"Aladdin, Mozenrath has abilities that I don't think even he understands." Jasmine stood and stepped over to her husband, sitting next to him and placing her small hands on his shoulders. He leaned toward her out of instinct, cradling his head in the small curve of her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair lovingly. "Until you can make sure Agrabah will be safe, it's better that Mozenrath remains in the dungeon."

He didn't seem to accept the news very well. "I don't know, Jasmine. Something seems wrong about it. What if he's the only one that can help us fight these sorcerers?"

"Do you really think he would by choice?"

Aladdin sat up, serious. "Mozenrath only does things out of self-interest. With his life being threatened, I don't see why not."

"Aladdin," Jasmine replied, worry etched upon her features. "I think you should… think about it awhile."

"It's all I can think about, Jasmine. I don't know… it just doesn't feel right to me."

"Do whatever you think is best, Aladdin."

…

Mozenrath shifted uncomfortably. The chains were pinching at his wrists painfully, and the entire atmosphere still shook him up a bit. He looked down at the chains.

"The guards won't tell Aladdin they captured you. He'll want to get you out."

Cassim sighed. "You're probably right."

"…Well, you're the King of Thieves aren't you? Why don't we get out of here?"

"Escape? No. I came here to warn Aladdin about you. Helping you escape would completely defeat my point."

"Please, old man! Do I even look mildly threatening?"

Cassim raised an eyebrow, examining him. "I'd have to say so, boy. It's not your physical strength that worries me."

Mozenrath blew a hair out of his face, annoyed. Well, this is just great.

"They won't tell him. Aladdin helped me escape last time. I suppose my crimes have gotten me in over my head this time."

Mozenrath glared. "You're just going to waste away then? I thought you had more nerve than that. Ugh, if it weren't for these annoying… chains!" Suddenly the chains around his wrists and ankles exploded into a poof of smoke, falling slack to the ground.

He smirked. I suppose these uncontrollable powers are useful in some cases.

"That's what I was talking about, boy," Cassim said.

Mozenrath stood, dusting himself off and rubbing feeling back into his wrists.

"I owe you a debt, old man, for getting me out of that prison. I suppose I can do the same - but if you get me captured again, it'd render it pointless, don't you agree?"

Cassim was dubious. "I'd say you were right, but you can't just get angry at my chains and have them blow off of me just like you did to yourself."

"Please," Mozenrath drawled, reaching into his cloak and kneeling next to him. "I do know how to use a lock pick. I just wasn't able to reach it."

"A lock pick? I didn't expect it from a boy like you. Where on earth did you learn to use one?"

Mozenrath shrugged. "I don't remember." Then the locks clicked and Cassim was free.

"We should let the bird go as well."

Mozenrath eyed Iago with contempt. "Really?"

Cassim snatched the lock pick from him and undid Iago's chains with grace, then tossed it back to Mozenrath. "Yes, really."

"Are you kiddin' me?!" Iago spouted as soon as the cuff fell to the floor, relinquishing his beak for multiple arguments. "We can't trust him, Cassim! This kid's evil!"

"Hey," Mozenrath said, sneaking up the door and yanking the hood over his head. "We're not all perfect."

With that, he slipped out the door stealthily. Cassim watched, impressed.

"You know… I think I like this kid too."

"WHAT?!"

…

Now… I've got to find the gauntlet. Where would they keep it? Mozenrath crept into a small crevice, hearing the murmurs of guards nearby. I certainly hope the King of Thieves won't get caught so easily.

"Ah, it's definitely a good day, boys," Razoul said, smirking with an undeserved confidence. "We'll send the King off to execution before Aladdin has time to stop it."

Well, that's particularly cruel, Mozenrath thought. Something I would do, maybe… but not to him, of course. That is… unless I could use it against Aladdin…. He didn't believe that completely though.

He also knew if they went back to the cell, they'd catch Cassim and his blasted bird. Mozenrath frowned. I suppose… he could owe me another debt… He honestly wasn't sure why he liked Cassim, but there was something about his nerve, his confidence, that leveled with him. He was different than Aladdin. He didn't see only good - a bit more of a realist perhaps.

He pulled the cloak around his face and jumped out in front of them, taking off at a run.

"Hey! He escaped again!"

My cloak is close to his. Good, they think I'm him. Wait… THEY THINK I'M HIM! Mozenrath mentally slapped himself. He didn't have the agility that the King of Thieves probably had. I probably should have thought that through…

He was fairly sure he wouldn't find the gauntlet with a group of guards chasing him. He didn't know the Palace dungeons very thoroughly either. He skidded around a corner, bolting down a hallway littered with dirt and chains and bones. And they were following - a bit belatedly, but following nonetheless. If he hit a dead end, he would be out of luck.

You owe me, Cassim! He really hated that he'd even made the decision. He wasn't particularly sure why he had decided on helping him so quickly. He wasn't exactly friendly by any means. If Xerxes had been captured way back when, he probably would have left him in pursuit of his own ideals.

I certainly hope this human body hasn't changed me.

"There he is! Get him!"

Mozenrath looked up. Chains were hanging down the walls, and he could see that some particularly lead to the top of a staircase. He smirked. Convenient.

He grasped the chain and began to pull himself up as quickly as he could. His muscles protested angrily, but he continued to work through the pain. If he could get away from them, he could get the gauntlet. He fought the pain in silence, slipping up the chains with more speed than he could have expected. He gasped for air as he reached the top, listening for the guards voices as they made the loop back to the stairs, echoing off the walls.

Stealthy, he thought sarcastically. No wonder they never capture anyone.

He yanked on the door to find it locked. He cursed inwardly, ripping the lock pick from his cloak once more and twisting it in the lock. They were catching up. The lock gave way and he yanked the door open, slamming it behind him. Gotta find a place to hide.

He rushed down the marble floor, then jumped through the first door he saw - an old wooden looking door that stood out among the rest. He locked it behind him, falling back against it, letting out a long breath. Yeah, that old man really owes me. The footsteps of the guards went rushing by, screaming demands. He rested his head against the door, then opened his eyes to finally examine his surroundings.

He was sitting on another staircase, gazing down upon a stone room, dark and cloaked in crimson. Shelves wrapped around the dome, littered with bottles of potions and old magical texts.

Mozenrath smirked. My lucky day.

He'd found Jafar's old hideout.

End Chapter Ten