Chapter Twelve- Returning to Agrabah

Agrabah's streets were bustling, just as Savannah remembered it. She would make a point to visit the baker and take care of a few errands before leaving again. Although, she really wasn't a thief herself, never having undergone the initiation; however, Cassim would never let her leave now that she knew things others in Agrabah didn't. He wouldn't let her leave his sight, and even when she snuck away, he caught her.

They hadn't drawn attention to themselves as they had last time as a caravan that barely blended with the remainder of the wedding parade. Cassim removed his hood, Aladdin assuring his safety, although he was truly uncertain of how much power he had, unofficially a royal and all.

Treading carefully, the horses clopped against the dirt roads that Savannah, Babkak, and Omar called home. Babkak and Omar absorbed how much had truly changed since they were last present, palling around with Aladdin. The old stomping grounds hadn't changed much, and they could see the cloth that billowed from the hovel Aladdin maintained.

Aladdin felt at ease being back in Agrabah. This was home to him, even though the sea breeze felt good to him and the cooling temperatures were a pleasant change, there was nothing like the comforting heat of home. Looking up, he took in the palace. He thought about how far he had come to reach this point in his life. Not too long ago, he was scrounging for his food and now he was eating the finest Agrabah had to offer.

"How are the people faring?" Savannah asked, her eyes shifting to Aladdin's as he basked in reverence.

"Happier than can be, thanks to your guidance."

"My guidance?"

"I told you, you were born to be an advisor. The people couldn't be happier. There's always fresh water, food, the children have clothing. Look at them thrive, Savannah. Children playing in the streets instead of begging, the citadel is in full bloom."

"And the whorehouses?" Babkak waggled his eyebrows.

"Still here, less conspicuous," Aladdin replied with a roll of his eyes.

"How about the Baker?" Savannah asked on top of Aladdin's answer.

"Well provided, I made sure of it." He grinned his boyish grin and followed it with a genuine smile, the kind that made her melt. She returned his grin with a smile and nodded gently.

"Just wait until you meet Genie," Aladdin continued. The three males gasped, glancing at one another.

"Did you use all three wishes!?" Cassim asked eagerly.

While the men listened in awe as Aladdin recanted the tales of him and Savannah's adventure meeting the Genie, she sighed softly with relief and sat side saddled now they were making slow tread along Agrabah's grounds. They were nearing the palace, as the buildings seemed newer and the air cleaner. It was a slow process, this transition. But, now that she carefully examined her home, things had changed for the better, and it was all thanks to Aladdin's word as a future leader.

"Al! You're back!" Genie gushed and embraced his friend, suffocating his airway and swung him to and fro like a playful ragdoll. He chuckled and set him down, ruffling his hair and inspecting him.

"I knew you'd be back! But, you need a bath." His nose upturned. Aladdin chuckled and attempted to thumb over to Savannah and the others, but Genie distracted his friend once more.

"And now you're back," Genie continued, "I'll need you to approve Jasmine's wedding selections, although, let me tell you, since you've been gone, she's been moo-dy." Genie rolled his eyes. "Women, am I right? It took forever to get all these choices out of her. She seems…distracted."

"Distracted, huh? I'll have a talk with her. Say, you remember-"

"But, the theme was changed to 'Under the Sea' what do you think? Too much?" he snapped his fingers, changing everything to dark blues, greens, bubbles coming from everywhere and nowhere, Flounder and Sebastian swimming by, eyes wide and blinking in surprise. Cassim clasped his throat as did Babkak and Omar, until they realized they could breathe in this makeshift water scene. Highly convincing, they admitted to themselves.

"And you even have a wedding singer!" Scuttle screeched and squawked as he tried to sing, wing up to his throat before spreading them for applause.

"But, not just that," Genie prattled on. "Security had been advanced since you left. No King of Thieves is going to waltz in here like he did last time." Genie was proud of all that had transpired since, and there was still more he had to say until Aladdin caught his attention, he sucked in the air he had been waiting to release to spew more thoughts to him, rolling out the ideas.

"Genie! There are people I want you to meet!" Aladdin hollered above Genie's magical entourage of entertainment. "And someone you should be reacquainted with." Aladdin grabbed hold of Savannah's wrist and pushed her forward.

Genie and Savannah stared at one another. Genie saw right through her, so there were no feelings she could hide from him. Genie was the person Savannah needed in her life that did understand and made sense of her nonsense, or so what she felt was nonsense. He smiled widely and opened his arms as she ran into them and hugged him tightly.

"I've missed you so much."

"Ditto, kiddo," Genie pulled away, looking into her eyes as though reading her. There was something awry that he just couldn't put his finger on.

"Genie, my best friends, Babkak and Omar," Intimidated by such a being, each just offered Genie a salute and rocked back on their heels.

"And my dad-"

"King of the Forty Thieves," Cassim grinned proudly, hands upon his hips as his cape swished back. Savannah, Babkak, and Omar shook their heads. Why, oh why, did he have to cause trouble? He was just bringing unnecessary attention to himself.

Genie reacted, his eyes bugging and multiplying into dozens of soldiers to secure the perimeter of the palace, weaponry attached to every angle and orifice of their big, blue bodies. "Code red!" they cried in unison. Aladdin laughed off the antic and pushed Genie's arm down.

"No, no, he's not. I mean, he is, but he's my dad. I found him."

"Al, I don't know if this is going to fly by with King Daddy-o and the Little Mrs." Genie glanced at them uneasily.

"It'll be fine once we smooth things over. You'll see. All of these issues are just one big misunderstanding. This is what I'm supposed to do, right? Smooth issues over? I've got this. It'll be great."

"Aladdin?" A smooth female voice created an addition that made Savannah bristle.

Aladdin turned around to see Jasmine in the doorway. His lips formed into a smile and scooped her up into his arms. He saw in her eyes something was wrong. Something was wrong on both ends. He knew he was fooling himself in trying to think this would work, but maybe this was just pre-wedding excitement.

"I'm glad you're back. Things weren't the same without you," Jasmine said, voice hushed, although did seem comforted at his return. It almost appeared mechanical to him. She smiled, but it was transparent. Rather than aiming for her lips, he kissed her forehead when he set her back down.

"Jasmine, there are some people I want you to meet." Aladdin went through the introduction of Babkak, Omar, Savannah and Jasmine were reacquainted, and Cassim bent down on one knee and kissed the back of Jasmine's hand.

"My son has truly struck treasure. Why, I haven't seen such treasure since Aladdin's mother." Each of Cassim's cronies perked their eyebrows at this new display, even including Jasmine.

"You found your father?" Jasmine turned her head to Aladdin who nodded.

"I was kidnapped by the Forty Thieves. They beat and chained me." Jasmine's face fell at this. To her, no one could make that kind of brutality up.

"Let's talk to Father at once, I'm sure he'd love to meet you."


"So, ya see, yer Highness, I didn't want ya head," Babkak explained at the feet of the Sultan. "I wanted yer treasure. But not yer head."

"An honest thief, I see," the Sultan said. "And what is your reasoning for wanting my treasure?"

"We were hungry down there. Things then aren't like what they are now. They're better," Omar chimed in. "You're fortunate to have some insight from a man on the inside of the operation. You guys have it made here, your majesty."

The boys wove their story, admitting to sneaking in, but on a fictitious person's orders, stealing only money for food to survive. The Sultan appeared unconvinced until Cassim chimed in, and then distracted the Sultan from their woven tale to his own. Savanna never knew how good of storytellers they were.

"It was dark and desolate in their prison. My only companions were skeletons from men they'd forgotten about and left to die. I was fortunate enough to have…oh gods, it's too painful. My only wish was to return to Agrabah to be with my wife and son, but, my brother had given my name instead."

"You truly are a brave man," Jasmine said as she stood beside her father's throne. "Welcome home."

Cassim kissed the back of Jasmine's hand and looked up into her eyes. "My son would be a fool to let you go. A woman with a heart of gold should truly be cherished like the treasure she is." He bowed his head into the hand in which he kissed.

"Well, that settles it. Prepare rooms for our guests. We'll resume the wedding at once!" The Sultan commanded.

Jasmine descended from her father's throne and over to Savannah, where she took the woman's hands into hers. "How did you escape?"

"If it wasn't for those men, I'd have died. Jafar sent me to the desert. I'm just glad it's over." That was all Savannah wanted to say, she felt she was explaining herself too many times in terms of Jafar. She had nightmares about him, and did not wish to relive it each time someone else wanted to hear the story.

Jasmine understood the hint and let her go, taking her place beside Aladdin. "I'll join you shortly upstairs."

Aladdin nodded, watching maids take Savannah and his friends to their guest rooms. His father stood there, changed in noble dress by Genie's magic. He was hopeful that this would be the turnaround Cassim needed to be the family man he claimed he wanted to be. He would have a chance to start all over again, but with grandchildren. They couldn't make up the time they'd miss together, but they could try to pick up from here and move forward.

Genie had disappeared, now in the room with Savannah as she had changed into the clothes provided for her by personal maids of Jasmine's. She smoothed her hair out, tying it back loosely, dressed in deep tones of purple. She looked out the window before turning to face Genie.

"You know, kid, you shouldn't be making these sacrifices. You've been doing it this entire time."

"Genie, my mother once told me a story just before she passed away. That story taught me to not take what didn't belong to me."

"Al is not property, Savannah. He's not something you can steal, or put back. There's no such thing. He's a human being with feelings; a man who knows what he wants. I want you to consider that. I've seen relationships come and go from master's before Al, believe me when I tell you I've seen things, and they ain't pretty."

"Can you stay out of my head?" Savannah asked sharply.

"I know you want to honor your mother's memory, but I think she'd want what you want out of life. Not her. Before I couldn't say anything, but now? Just don't make a choice you're going to later regret. If you don't make the right choice, you're going to live in jealousy for the remainder of your days and you know it. You can still honor her and be happy for Savannah."

And just like the time on the island, when Genie transformed her into something aside from a street rat, she gazed into his reflection from the mirror as she pressed a pin into her hair to taper it down.

"I don't know why you'd want to push everyone you love away. It makes for a lonely life. You've never had a friend like Al, but you're going to lose Al if you keep this up."

Babkak wandered from his room, bathed and dressed, walking alongside Cassim as they wandered down an empty hallway. "Whaddaya got in mind?" Babkak asked.

"I want that Oracle. It's here somewhere."

"But what about Aladdin?"

"I'll take it and put it right back. He'll never know."

Babkak made a face before following his leader; it was all he knew to do. Take orders and follow them. If Aladdin found out his father had lied, he'd be fuming, or worse, betrayed.

"You're gonna do it now?" Babkak asked with an exasperated sigh.

"No, nightfall when everyone is asleep. Now is too obvious."