"No person can neglect a child in danger.
Even if that child is not their own."
"Dalia! Dalia wake up, you're late!" A squeaky voice gained her attention, opening her eyes, blurry at first, to look down to the source of the voice. Lian? To her sheer pain she met eyes with Zara's nine year old brother, Batal, who stood staring up at her. She guessed he hadn't been allowed to know all of what had happened because he began circling around again when she didn't move. "You're late, Jasmine has a meeting with Orieon's Sultan!"
She shook her head slowly. "The meeting is cancelled." Her voice was hoarse, her throat felt dry. Batal was Adil's trainee and he seemed to notice, his jumps halting as he wandered off to a corner before returning a moment later with a cup of water. "You should drink. Adil told me to find you but I think you need to stay here longer." Dalia held back the urge to push him away.
Batal's eyes darted around the room. "Where are Lian and Omar?" He whispered. "Are they in your chambers?" Dalia felt the numbness creeping over her once more. "They drowned in the water." The words made her feel sick, the sounds replaying in her head before they were cut off by a squeaky gasp. Batal's eyes grew wide. Dalia let herself slip back to her original position. "Leave me alone." She thought she had successfully sent him away until he spoke again. Dalia sighed, turning back to look at him. The young boy gazed sincerely at her. "I.. I'm sorry about what happened. Eden saw what happened but I hoped you were all okay."
Dalia stood from the bed with a jolt. She had been right. "Eden was watching?" She felt rage swell inside her head until the sounds from outside drowned away, replaced with the sound of violently flowing water.
The young medic looked scared. "Yes.. she followed you to make sure you left. She said you tried to save them."
"And yet she did nothing?" Dalia rasped. "They were helpless! How could she have watched them drown?!" Batal was beginning to back away. "She must've thought they were okay.. She said the patrol was not far behind."
"They were not okay!" Dalia snarled, her fist slamming down on the wooden cabinet beside them. Batal jumped back, turning to look at her once with widened eyes before racing away. She felt a twinge of glee at the fact she had scared the child away. If her own children could no longer see her then no others should be able to take their place. All of this was Eden's fault. If she had never left with us this never would have happened. The feeling of ice was spreading through her faster than sand in a wind storm. If Eden escaped punishment with more lies then what justice would be served for her children?
She assumed Adil would be returning soon. She didn't wish to be stopped by him so she slipped over to the doors, scanning the large hall before starting to make her way out of the wing. Wherever Eden was, was where she needed to be. Dalia guessed Jasmine would be in the same place as Eden and she couldn't miss the chance to reveal Eden's lies. Every breath Eden took was a breath stolen from her children. If they were doomed for death, Eden deserved no respect from the kingdom she had so desperately asked to join. Dalia would assure Eden would be treated worse than a prisoner.
"Why are you asking this? Eden couldn't have been there when this all happened." Sunil stepped forward, taking Eden's hand and nudging her slightly behind him.
Jasmine narrowed her eyes, she didn't pay any attention to the crowd of Hakim's guards or the watchful eyes of Zara and Liyla. Nor to her own husband standing to her left behind her, though Aladdin could see by her expression she intended to treat this as if Eden was on severe trial. "I want Eden to tell us herself."
He seemed to cower for merely a blink before he stopped Eden from replying again, tightening his grip on her hand and turning to glare subtly at the guards in the room. "This was all an accident. Eden has no need to be questioned."
"Are you forgetting this is Dalia who we are discussing?!" Jasmine snapped, her voice was husky with emotion, though the burning hatred in her eyes never moved from Eden. "If you were involved, Eden, you should know that you almost killed her. Not to mention the two children that have died." Hakim scoffed from across the room, catching Jasmine's attention. She knew that Dalia and him had never seen eye to eye, but she was a sister to him. "She's broken the code. Again."
Eden flinched at his added word, pushing closer into Sunil's side and giving a low sigh. The air in the room was so thick that she couldn't catch her breath. Slowly, she nodded. "It's true." Jasmine only stared on, Eden guessed she wanted a clear confession, swallowing the air lodged in her throat. "I decided to stop her from leaving when I realised I should never have told her to. I got there too late and the water was too dangerous. The patrol was on their way so I thought she would be okay."
"Liar!" Zara spoke up. "Adil told us Dalia said she felt someone push her further away from them!" Liyla simply nodded sharply as her sister finished.
Aladdin seemed to step forward, though Sunil spoke again before the Vizier could say anything. "Jasmine, there is no person more worthy of Agrabah's trust than Eden. If you send her away, you are no better than the mistake she has made."
Jasmine stepped down and stood infront of Eden, her voice soft with menace. "You cannot possibly expect my forgiveness." She stepped back and raised her head. Her gaze flickered for a moment as the doors swung softly closed, catching a glimpse of Dalia moving to stand with Hakim. "You have betrayed the code and our kingdom. You were not welcomed openly from the beginning and you have made nothing better."
Jasmine turned to lock eyes with Hakim for a moment, seeming to give him a silent command before her voice lowered further. "You may stay in the city." Even Rajah seemed to growl at the sentence, unsheathing his claws from where he layed behind Aladdin. Sunil gave a breath of relief before Jasmine continued. "Eden is no longer welcome in the palace. She is to be treated as the traitor she is." Eden gulped, her eyes wide with alarm. "Be glad I have not executed you myself for what you have done. If you do not leave now, rest assured Hakim will have your blood on his sword."
Eden glanced to everyone in the room, searching for some sympathy. Aladdin's face held nothing but confliction: Jasmine had just turned away his friends wife, he couldn't choose to defend both. The only sympathy she found was from Sunil still standing by her, glaring at Jasmine as fiercely as a tiger hunting prey. He glanced at Dalia once before locking his eyes to her, hand still grasping hers. "I'll go with you." Eden shook her head swiftly, pushing him gently away from her. "No! You won't. I'll still see you every day as much as I can. I knew that meeting with you would come back with karma one day. It's just happening sooner than I thought."
She felt a hand wrap around her wrist and pull. She didn't need to see to know it was Hakim. She looked back to Jasmine once and then to Dalia as Hakim led her out. She wanted to speak, to yell at the ruler who had just turned her away, though she resisted. It would only make things worse for her.
The tension in the room was thinning as the guards followed Hakim and others left. Jasmine smoothed her dress, taking a deep breath before turning to Aladdin. He lifted his head from where he was staring at the floor as she tapped his wrist. He gave a smile before placing a kiss on her cheek. "You did good." Jasmine seemed to relax at his reassurance, giving his hand a squeeze before turning away with a small smile. He knew who she would approach next.
Dalia felt both calmness and anger scratch at her heart as Jasmine came into her view. Jasmine was always lucky, she seemed to come out of everything unscathed. If you had stayed the outcome would have been better! Nevertheless she stepped over and allowed Jasmine to pull her into a gentle hug, muttering the now typical apology a couple of times before pulling away. "I looked for you last night, where did you go?" Her voice was quiet, though Jasmine understood every word, lowering her head slightly. "I wanted to stay with you. Hakim wouldn't allow it. Adil said you fell asleep so quickly last night he didn't get a chance to explain."
"I'm not the one that needed the help!" She snapped, the sudden change of her voice caused Jasmine to flinch. Dalia stepped back before muttering a sorry and turning to leave the room. She felt Jasmine's eyes on her but she refused to look back. Lian and Omar seemed to hover at the corner of her vision, as though if she turned fast enough she'd be able to see them both. The sound of water rang in her ears again, followed by familiar cries and the two of them calling for her help. I can't help you, I'm sorry little ones.
Eden may have been forbidden to enter the Palace, though no person could stop her from finding wherever Eden had went. She'd overheard Hakim talking about how she had left the city gates and gone back to the water. Eden would be alone, unprotected by any people who were stupid enough to listen to her lies and false doom-mongering. The time had whistled by through her make-believe trial, night was falling and the people in the city would be safely tucked away in their homes, unable to hear anything from the water's edge.
The life that she had come to know was over. If she was to be punished for mistakes she had never made, then she would dedicate every beat of her heart to avenging the deaths of her children. The guards that had allowed her to leave with them in the first place. Eden for the cruel stunt she had pulled during the storm. And Sunil; for every lie and every drop of pain he had caused her from the moment she had met him to right this moment that he had dared to betray her trust further.
If Allah is to punish me for Eden's mistakes. Then the stars may burn for what they have done to me.
Dalia hid out of sight behind an old wreck of a boat, watching for any sign of movement at the beginning of the trail to the water. Suddenly a dark shadow appeared from just over the small dune of sand. Eden was here. Dalia gripped the side of the boat, ignoring the feel of rotting wood gathering under her nails. A squawk of a falcon came from overhead and she looked up for a moment to spot it. Eden would lose the breath she stole from Lian and Omar. Every drop of her blood was a drop of theirs.
Dalia braced herself to step out to catch Eden's attention, but then she stopped. What would attacking her here do? What satisfaction would she get out a simple ambush? She should follow her down to the water and tackle her there, exactly where she had taken everything from her. She waited until Eden was further ahead to trail after her. The moonlight seemed to vanish, replaced with thick black shadows and the sounds of the water replaced with the wails of her children. Her heart raced at the caving darkness before the cries grew louder and her thoughts clouded with rage once again. What justice was banishment if you weren't even welcome in the first place?
Eden stopped at the water, her head bowed slightly. Dalia rolled her eyes at the sight, stepping out from where she was with a sharp laugh, Eden turned, seeming to choke on her own breath. "Dalia!" Eden seemed to know something was going to happen, cowering back a few steps and her voice shifting to that of fake pleas. "What-" she swallowed. "What are you doing out here so soon?" Dalia narrowed her eyes, savouring every hint of fear in Eden's voice. "Avenging the death of my children."
The past genie cowered back further, holding her hands infront of her as if it would make any difference. "I don't want to fight you."
Dalia smiled, a snarl in her voice and her eyes now brimming with tears. "No." Her expression shifted to that of pure anger, everything except the tears in her eyes was unreadable to the Genie across from her. "You prefer watching children drown." She had nothing more to say, stepping forward to push Eden down to the sand. She caught a glimpse of Eden's eyes, glowing blue in the moonlight and wide with fear, before Dalia pushed her under the waves, feeling her pathetically clawing at her wrist to release her force as she tried to move for a breath. After a moment Eden's struggles died down before stopping altogether.
Dalia swore she saw Omar standing above Eden's unmoving form as she stepped away, his head held high in triumph. "We did it mama! It's working now!" Dalia sighed. "Not long now, little ones. Soon this will be set right."
The falcon she had seen from earlier squawked from overhead, prompting a twinge of amusement from Dalia. She turned her gaze to the bird, who was circling the area now. She knew that a patrol would find Eden soon, but such injustice would never be suspected on her part. Here's your kill. Dalia watched the bird for a few more seconds before turning away, the sound of the water had returned and was making soft, comforting sounds as it lapped against the shore. What did I do to deserve a storm, when this monster receives such calm waves?
Dalia stopped before she had stepped out of eye view, staring down at her hands and seeing traces of rotted wood still under her nails. Wordlessly, she wandered back over and allowed the water to rush over her hands, stinging the previous cuts and new scratches that travelled up her arms. Eden would rest forever in a place where there was no stars.
Adil rushed up to her as she entered the palace from the courtyard, his voice sounded urgent. "There you are! I've been asking everyone where you went and never thought you'd be out by the fountain. I need to check your head wound, it was deeper than I expected."
She hadn't noticed until now but her head was still thudding at every heartbeat, she knew now that what she had been questioning had indeed been blood. Dalia hoped nobody had seen her leave earlier, the blood in her ears was rushing as Adil began rapidly scanning her arms. She hadn't expected the weak scratches from Eden to be so visible. For a moment Adil looked as though he was going to say something, but instead turned to silently ask her to follow him.
Dalia breathed a sigh of relief. She heard Lian's voice from beside her, much happier than she had sounded before and a proud tone to her small voice. She understood. Eden was dead and her death had started to help free them, free them so they could escape from the replay of the storm. If justice was what it took, then she would continue serving it her own way.
Adil's steps were so light she was able to hear guard's voices from down the hall, yelling about something by the water. She didn't need to hear the rest to know what. The pain this would cause Sunil would no doubt show him how she had felt the night before. The grief he would experience at the death of his lost lover would be only the start of making their situations even. He had lied to her, used her and ran off with a girl who had happily abandoned her kingdom and in turn ruined returning to theirs. They would pay for the pain they'd shamelessly caused her.