Chapter Twenty-one: A Watery Death

Despite the late night, Aladdin woke with the dawn. He shaved and washed his face before dressing in a cream ensemble very similar to what he wore yesterday. He quickly combed his hair before heading out of his chambers. He turned at a chittering just above his head. He looked up and smiled to see Abu.

"Have you been behaving yourself?" he asked, holding up a hand in invitation.

Abu scampered down and settled around Aladdin's shoulders. He chittered a question.

"I'm hoping to meet Jasmine in time to invite her to break fast with me," Aladdin said as he started down the hall. "If so, I plan to tell her everything that I didn't tell her last night. If I don't catch her in time, I'll invite her to a morning tea. I want to tell her everything before the sun sets today. It's too dangerous not to tell her everything."

He came to a halt as two guards stepped in front of him. Abu scampered down with distressed chatter. "Um, morning?" he offered to stoic guards.

"Morning."

Aladdin bit back a groan as he looked back to confirm that Hakim was indeed behind him. He forcibly sighed, rolling his eyes. "Not again," he muttered under his breath. Pulling himself together, he asked, "Something I can do for you, gentlemen?"

"The vizier desires your presence in his private chambers," Hakim answered.

Aladdin forced a smile. "And if I already have some hopeful plans for this early in the morning?" he ventured.

"He would appreciate you changing them to accommodate him," Hakim said.

"Alright," Aladdin said. "For a few minutes." He fought to keep his princely manners about himself. "Though I may suggest that next time he just send an invitation instead of a trio of guards."

"We will escort you to his chambers, Prince Ali," Hakim said.

Aladdin walked with them, even as Abu scampered back to his guest chambers. He knew that he would notify Khaleel, just in case this was more than a "friendly" talk. And while he hoped that it would be nothing more than Jafar trying to gain an ally, as scary a thought as that was, he had a distinct feeling that this meeting was meant to be something more sinister.

A few minutes later, Hakim opened half a set of double doors. "He awaits you inside," he said. "I will be returning to my duties."

Aladdin nodded. "Thank you for your escort, Captain Hakim," he said. He stepped inside, letting his eyes roam around the rich yet oppressive room. Did Jafar really have an aversion to anything beyond black and red?

Too late, he realized that the other two guards were still behind him, one shutting the door. And far, far too late, he realized that these guards were not of the sultan's soldiers, they were Jafar's.

He whirled round, only for a guard to stuff a rag in his mouth, ensuring that Hakim would hear none of his cries. He struggled as they dragged him by his arms to a simple, unadorned chair. They forced him down onto it as they wrench his hands over the back. He cried out as the high back dug into his armpits while the guards tightly bound his wrists with harsh cords. As they turned their attention to his ankles, he managed to spit the gag out, drawing in deep lungfuls of air as he fought through the pain.

"You don't have to do this," he said, trying to reason with them. "There's no reason–" He was cut off as they lifted the chair with a jerk, jarring his breath out of him. He fought to keep himself calm, to think rationally.

A moment later, they entered a more open room, full of items related to the study of mystic arts. Items necessary for a traditional vizier if they wished to interpret dreams or look into the future. But also items that served sorcerers.

Instead of setting him on the floor again, the guards moved him to a table. "What are you doing?" he asked. "What–oh." They roughly set him on top, roughly enough to send him tilting back to reveal that he was only one good shove away from falling into the ocean below. Reason with them, his mind screamed. Talk them out of this madness! "Please, please," he said, as they settled him firmly on all four chair legs again before turning to double-check their knots. "Gentlemen, I think that there has been some sort of misunderstanding. I don't think you know who I am."

"Oh, no, no. I know who you are," a gratingly smooth voice said, "Aladdin." Jafar came out of the shadows from the other side of the room.

Aladdin drew as much dignity about himself as he could in his position as the guards straightened to stand on either side of the small table. "Aladdin?" Ali asked, even as the vizier's squawking parrot flew over and landed on the chair back, inches from his face. "I don't know who that is. I'm Prince Ali–"

"Street rat," the parrot squawked.

"– of Ababwa," Ali finished.

"A prince from a kingdom that doesn't exist," Jafar said, looking at an open book.

Ali's heart skipped a beat. Despite already knowing that Jafar was a threat to Agrabah, it still terrified him that his own people would have been at risk from this man.

"Who now possesses a Magic Carpet from the Cave of Wonders," Jafar continued. "Seems the only way that's possible-"

"Where's your monkey?" Iago squawked in Ali's ear. Ali cringed a little, wishing he could dislodge the bird from its perch without sending himself over the railing.

"-is if you found a certain treasure." Jafar turned, eyeing him with confidence and no small amount of malice. "My treasure." Ali remained unmovable as the vizier turned back to the book again. "Where's the lamp?"

Ali had to stall. Everything could hinge on this.

Khaleel had fondly rolled his eyes when he saw that Aladdin was already up and out of their rooms. He knew the kid was anxious to speak with his lady love. Considering he had been bitten by the love bug himself, he could understand the feeling.

Dressed and cleaned up for the day, he headed over to the basket they'd hid the lamp, and thus Genie, in the night before. But before he could catch the lid, the door swung open with a chittering monkey.

"Good morning, Abu," Khaleel greeted with a smile. The smile dropped as the monkey started gesturing wildly, just a few short decibels away from screeching with fear and concern.

"Jafar's guards have him?" Khaleel asked. Even as Abu chattered the affirmative, the former genie grabbed the lamp from its hiding place. "Carpet!" He leaped on, Abu barely a step behind.

Khaleel feared there was little he could do. But he couldn't allow anything to happen to his friend, arguably his favorite of the Ababwa royal family for more than one reason. He could only hope that they got there in time.

Ali took a deep breath around his awkward position. "There's clearly been a misunderstanding," he said, mind racing on how he could prove it. "I'm Prince Ali."

"If I throw you off of that balcony," Jafar said casually as he crossed the room, "and you are who you say you are, you will die a watery death."

Ali struggled against his bonds, trying to find some wiggle room. He had managed to slip out of rope before, even managed to unlock manacles. But never where he risked falling backwards to his demise. That fact kept him from struggling with his full strength and determination. One wrong move and he wouldn't have a chance outside of a miracle or genie wish.

"If you survive," Jafar continued, now barely within arm's reach, "it can only be because of the lamp. In which case I will have my answer."

Aladdin dared look over his shoulder. There was no winning this one, and Jafar would never believe the truth because he firmly believed the lie Aladdin had crafted as a street rat.

"For the last time," Jafar said. He raised his staff, planting the end firmly against Aladdin's right chest.

Aladdin bit down his panic. Forced himself to breathe deeply and exhale slowly.

"Where is the lamp?" Jafar demanded.

"Listen to me," Aladdin said, trying one last time, "I am not who you think I am."

"Goodbye, Aladdin," Jafar said.

"No!" Aladdin cried out, sharp and desperate as the vizier plunged him over the edge. But his second cry was one full of fear and despair. He would die, Agrabah would be destroyed, and Jasmine would be unprotected from the monster within her prison.

Khaleel swore that his heart stopped as he saw Aladdin hurtling toward the sea, bound to a chair. They'd never make it in time. Carpet travel magic only worked long distance, not short distance. Genies were forbidden to make wishes from their own kind. And, curse his foolish mind, he never thought to learn how to swim as a human. It had never been a necessity before his freedom, and he never thought to pursue lessons during the past three years.

Magic Carpets lost their powers if they encountered salt water. Meaning that Carpet was as powerless as he.

Abu didn't have the size or strength to pull Aladdin to safety, even with water being a help.

The last available wish would have to be used. It was the only way. Even if it meant the loss of their last safety net.

Jafar peered down at the water below. The only evidence that anything had happened was a spot of bubbles like a patch of sea foam. And even that was dissipating.

He honestly wasn't entirely sure if his theory was correct. If the boy was indeed the street rat, he would receive the answer within a few minutes to within the hour. Then all Jafar would have to do was reacquire the lamp that was stolen from him.

If the boy was really a prince of some elusive kingdom, then Jafar had rid himself of a very real threat to over taking Agrabah. It was apparent, despite the uncertainty of their parting at the Harvest Festival, that the Shehrabad mouse favored this prince. A little too much.

So really, it was a win-win for him. Either he'd have his lamp and three wishes, or he'd be rid of a viable threat to his control and revenge.

The water was undisturbed now, save for the rhythmic waves. And no sign of genie magic. "Hm." All that he required now was a convincing story as to the prince's disappearance. And with the sway he held over the Sultan, even without the full power of the Cobra, he knew he could convince the Sultan of his words. And then, his plans would regain momentum. All he would need to do was discover how to either revive the Cave of Wonders or research where else he could find a genie's lamp.

Aladdin had barely managed to grab a lungful of air before the waves closed over him. The chair shattered from the impact, floating around him as he sank to the sandy floor below. He struggled against the ropes binding his hands and feet. Already the salt water was tightening the cords, making them near impossible to move.

No! Things couldn't end this way! They couldn't–

He paused as a shadow floated over him. Carpet? Then something fell off, splashing into the water. The lamp! Genie! All he had to do was reach the lamp, rub it to bring Genie out, and then he'd be out of here no problem.

As the brass lamp settled to the sandy seabed, Aladdin did his best to swim those remaining few feet. He scowled as he exerted more effort than usual to move that short distance. Provided that he indeed made it out, he'd have to practice swimming while tied up for the future. Finally, he was roughly above or beside the lamp. He reached back his hands, blindly groping for the ornament. He grunted with frustration as he failed to find his target.

His lungs burned for air. Darkness edged his vision. His fingers grew numb from the swelling cords. He could no longer stay up, his strength leaving him. Then he felt it, just at his fingertips. Exerting the last of his strength, he grabbed the lamp, rubbing the smooth surface. A swath of bubbles invaded his vision before he succumbed to darkness.

Author's Note: Okay, first, sorry that this was late. Had a slow/fast day that kinda got wrapped up with what happened with my dog a week ago. :-( But, coming through now.

So, the dreaded confrontation with Jafar. The serpent struck out with his fangs. Shall the bite prove fatal? Or, might a genie miracle happen?

Admittedly, I think I threw my brain through a couple loops. Because, while the scene between Jafar and Aladdin is basically the same from the live action, the perspective is slightly off. Because in this story, Aladdin and Ali are still the same person, but the street rat is the facade instead of the prince. And, my brain is currently malfunctioning and getting tripped up. Yeah, basically what Aladdin figured up there.

I added more lore to Magic Carpets, since, again, I found people who considered it a plot hole as to why Carpet couldn't rescue Aladdin. Now animated, Carpet was tied up in knots around a tree if I recall. Live action . . . I suppose it could be a plot hole? So, there was my explanation. And then I had to add in Khaleel's reason for being unable to rescue Aladdin. Hopefully it all made sense.

Now, is my cliffhanger cruel? Or is it mild? Do you think Aladdin managed to rub the lamp? Will it be enough? Come back next week for the answers. :-) Love to here any of your thoughts or theories.