A/N: Hey guys! I realize it's been a little while, sorry about that. But I promised myself I would post at least one more chapter before the end of the year, so here it is! (Yeah, I'm cutting it a little close. Oops.)
I hope you enjoy!
And thank you so much to WarriorsCre3d for the idea for the name of our Sentient Magic Wish!
According to them, the name I chose, Hamia, means Protector in Arabian, which I thought was very fitting.
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
Things seem to have calmed down, by the time Jasmine arrives in the infirmary. Aladdin is lying on a cot with Aziz and Abu sitting beside him and the Healer just finishing up wrapping his chest in bandages; Jasmine makes a mental note to have the Healer record the injuries he found on Aladdin, so as to serve as proof at any future trial against Jafar.
Jasmine hurries to a free spot to his side and grasps his hand. "Oh, Aladdin. Are you okay?"
He smiles at her, and she admires how calm and unshaken he appears. "I'm fine Jasmine. Ge- Aziz got to me fast enough, and as long as I don't do anything too strenuous while my ribs heal I should be fine. You were amazing, by the way, when you stood up to the Sultan and the Vizier. My hero."
She feels herself flush at his praise, unused to being complimented for her forwardness, but doesn't allow herself to become too distracted by it. She had noticed Aladdin's stutter when saying Aziz's name, and she has questions not only about that but also about how the man had done something she would swear would be impossible. She just needs to wait for the right moment. Until that moment, she will ignore the matter. "Thank you. I certainly could not allow this grave crime to go unpunished. Speaking of, I should send a missive to your Council apologizing for the incident. It would not do to appear as though we were trying to cover it up."
"You don't need to worry about that," Aladdin interjects. "Abu was actually about to return to our rooms so he could write to my advisor about what happened. You didn't do anything wrong, so there's no reason you need to take responsibility, I'll make sure that's very clear."
Jasmine raises an eyebrow and looks at him sternly. "Regardless of how you feel, it would be irresponsible of me to do nothing. I know my father is still skeptical of Jafar committing any crimes, and I fear he will not do enough to rectify matters. I don't want our nations to grow apart, both for professional and more...personal reasons." She softens her expression for a moment, before regaining her stern countenance. "Now, I shall leave to write my missive, and will meet you in your quarters to send it, as well as to speak with you about something. I will see you there."
She nods to everyone regally and sweeps out of the room, determined to write the best letter in the history of the Sultanate.
Aladdin watches Jasmine leave the room in awe, utterly besotted with how strong and stubborn she is. He hears a chuckle from beside him and blushes as he turns to look at Genie. He finds himself once again thrown off by Genie's considerably less blue appearance, but it doesn't change the sense of safety he feels as he looks at the being who saved his life (in more ways than one, if he were to get introspective about the last few years of his life, but that's for another time).
"You okay buddy?"
Aladdin takes a moment to take stock of how he feels; his head still aches vaguely, his chest feels like it's on fire, and he is doing his best not to let out the cough that is building up in his throat so he doesn't jostle his ribs too much. All in all, he isn't in the best shape, but he's been worse, and he's getting professional medical care, so he can honestly say that "Yeah, I am. Been better, but been worse too. I just want to sleep in my bed and forget today happened, at least for a little while."
"Well, I think I can help you with one of those things. Doc, he good to return to his room?"
The healer speaks up for the first time in a little while, having been quiet so as not to disturb his royal patient. "If you could find a way not to jostle his ribs too bad during the return trip, I would say yes, though it would be best if he stayed still for a while longer yet."
Genie nods, then turns to pick up Aladdin. Aladdin braces himself for pain, and is surprised to find he feels none. As they begin to head back to his rooms, he realizes Genie must be using magic to ensure he doesn't hurt Aladdin. He feels a flash of fondness for his blue friend, and relaxes into the soft hold.
After watching its charges for so long, it has learned quite a bit about how humans behave. As such, after a little while thinking it decides it shall call itself Hamia - Protector. It is fitting, it thinks, for its entire purpose for existing is to protect its charges. That having been decided, it turns its attention back to its main charge, The Prince, who it is desperate to never see injured again. If it had a heart, it thinks it might have broken at seeing its Prince injured as such.
Finally, the Creator brings the Prince back to the safety of the rooms it has been slowly fortifying since the Prince arrived in the palace. Now, it feels, is the appropriate time to reveal itself.
So, in a break in the conversation between the Creator, the Prince, and the Not-Monkey, it decides to show itself.
"God, Aladdin, I was so worried about you! I thought you'd died!"
"I'm so sorry Abu. I didn't mean to worry you."
"Actually, that reminds me. Al, something was odd when I rescued you. I didn't get to you in time - as much as it pains me to say it, I should have found you already drowned. Instead, you were actually in pretty good shape. I can't explain how or why, but some magic independent of me saved your life."
There is silence in the room as the three ponder it, then, "I do believe that is my doing."
The three jump at the voice that appears out of nowhere with no clear source, the Creator and the Not-Monkey quickly moving to protect the Prince. It feels proud of them for being so prepared to protect the Prince, but hurries to reassure that there is no reason to protect the Prince from Hamia.
"There is no reason to be alarmed. I am here only to help. I have been helping since my creation many years ago, and I will continue to do so until my demise."
"Where...are you? Who are you?"
"I call myself Hamia, for I am the Protector. I have always been here, Prince, but I have no physical form for you to see me through. My apologies."
The Creator speaks up, seeming to have had a realization. "You're one of the wishes I created, aren't you? I thought the magic that saved Al was oddly familiar, but I couldn't explain why until now. How...how did this happen?"
It feels a flicker of approval. "Indeed, my Creator. I call myself Hamia because it is what the wish that created me intended." He changes his voice, which to this point had been that of an older gentleman from Diaus Biaraa, to that of the Prince's for a moment. "'Genie, I wish that the great nation of Diaus Biaraa will forever and always be prosperous, that no matter the hardships, people will stay kind and good and strong in the face of darkness, shining through to the light.' I am the result of that wish, and until this point I have been willing to be passive in aiding my charges. But to have such a thing happen to my dearest charge, the Originator, the Prince...I refuse to have it happen again. Thus, I have revealed myself to all of you at last."
Aladdin is reeling. Today has been a very long day for him, and honestly he just wants it to be over. Unfortunately, he knows that won't be happening for a little while longer, so he braces himself mentally and turns his attention to the magic being who apparently he helped create. Hamia, it (he? they?) is calling itself, and Aladdin admits it is fitting. Before anyone can move past their shock enough to respond to Hamia, the door to his room opens, and Jasmine strides in.
She pauses at all their startled looks. "I did knock, you know. But no one responded, so I decided to drop off the missive I wrote and then return to the infirmary. Now, what on earth has you all so shocked?"
"I believe it is me, Princess, that has them so shocked. I am Hamia. It is a pleasure to meet the Prince's love."
Jasmine jumps at the voice, but seems to try and maintain her calm. "The feeling is...mutual? If I may ask, who is speaking? And is this related to how Aziz here is clearly some sort of Magician?"
Aladdin tenses up, and immediately regrets it as his ribs protest. He relaxes his body, but his mind - still shocked from the rest of this disastrous day - is basically a puddle of confusion. Jasmine...knows? Of course she does, she's so smart. What do I tell her? Should I tell her anything? I didn't prepare a cover story, because I'm an idiot. What do I do? What do I do?
Aladdin is aware that Abu and Genie are trying to stutter something out about how Genie is no one special, etc., but he is watching Jasmine's face and he can see how unimpressed she is. He doesn't want to lie to her anymore, because he can already feel the affection he has for her slowly morphing into love, and he doesn't want to lose her trust, so he opens his mouth and interrupts his dearest friends.
"I was born Aladdin no-name, on the streets of Agrabah. I never knew my parents, and grew up hungry and alone. One day, I met a beautiful woman in the marketplace, who I later found out was the Princess. I was arrested, and a sketchy old man tricked me into going into a magic cave to get a special lamp. I found the lamp, was betrayed by the old man, and made friends with a Genie. He helped me out, and my first wish was that I were a Prince. I woke up as Aladdin Ali of Diaus Biaraa, two years in the past, with new memories that conflicted with the ones I'd had all my life."
He looks and sees a look of shock on Jasmine's, and closes his eyes as he continues his confession. "I was no longer someone who grew up alone, powerless and hungry. Now, I was someone who had parents, and a dear friend, and I was now the Prince of a great nation. I was shocked, but decided to not take the amazing situation for granted."
He hopes she doesn't hate him, after he's done.
A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this and it made sense and stuff. I've been stressed and busy, but wanted to get this out, so admittedly it might be a little rushed.
You guys are all so awesome, and I hope you have a Happy New Year!