Chapter Thirty-one: A Whole New Life
Mozenrath eyed the cobra that lingered round Jafar's lamp. As soon as Aladdin's wishes started to take effect, he retreated into his mind, grabbing the serpent before it could coil to spring.
"No!" it screeched. "That man is mine! You won't take him from me."
"Yes, we will," Mozenrath said. "He is getting a new chance, and I won't allow you to wreck it. You are all vileness and wickedness. That is no way for an innocent child to start."
"But he isn't innocent, is he?" it taunted. "You want nothing more than to wring his neck for what that man has done."
Mozenrath could already feel the genie magic altering his memories ever so slightly, but he clung to his old memories just long enough to finish his task. "I am ensuring that he receives a fair chance at a new life, and that means that you need to be new too." Fire sprouted from his hands. The serpent screamed as the wizard slowly and carefully burned away each skin. But he wasn't finding an end.
He started to panic. The wishes were surely almost finished with the transformation now, and he had no desire for this new chance to be tainted by horrible pain. "Allah," he prayed, "I know I rarely speak to you, at least not like this. If Jafar is truly to receive a new chance, his daemon must be moldable and without lingering evil. Please, help me. Tell me what to do."
Scarred hands covered his own, mingling blood and water with his fire. The serpent's scream died to a whimper and then a gentle coo as the body shrank. Mozenrath followed his guide's hands in cupping them to reveal a fluffy phoenix chick.
"For his new chance at life," a warm, roaring voice whispered in his ear. "Follow me, my son."
Mozenrath turned but saw no one. But, he felt that he had much to think on.
Aladdin smiled down at the squirming, naked baby in his arms. Dare he consider that he saw bits of himself and Jasmine in the boy's face?
"You can't just leave him to the elements with delicate skin like that," Jasmine said walking up to him.
He turned to her. "Would you happen to have a blanket on hand?"
"Something that can count as the next best thing," she answered, shrugging out of her sleeveless coat. She softly kissed Aladdin's cheek. "We'll protect his secret together."
He met her eyes. Pain wavered in them, pain she was purposefully setting aside. Together they were to be the only ones, or part of a handful that would know the truth.
She gathered the baby up, gently swaddling the boy, shushing him as he cried. "It's alright, little one. You're safe with us. No one's going to hurt you with us and your new family around you."
"I feel confused," the Sultan said approaching. "What exactly has happened just now?" He sank onto the fountain edge. "And I have yet to learn how my daughter fell for a prince dressed as a street urchin."
"We met in the market," Jasmine answered, tucking the last corner round the babe. "I lost something and he snuck into the palace to return it since he managed to find it."
Aladdin winced as he clarified, "I didn't really find it, I accidently stole it."
"Correction, the monkey stole it," Jasmine countered.
"He's my monkey," Aladdin said.
"He's still just a monkey," she said with a shrug, almost laughing.
Aladdin stared at her, mouth agape. She had proposed a second time. Within two hours! Or had it been just one?
Oh, and she knew it too. There was no missing that coy, mischievous smile or that twinkle in her eye. And it made her all the more beautiful as she cradled the baby boy in her arms.
Khaleel cleared his throat.
Aladdin bit back a groan. And of course, he couldn't accept her proposal this time either! But then, no one but the two of them knew. So he couldn't really blame his friend. He turned to the former genie.
"A final wish remains," Khaleel said, holding out Genie's lamp.
Aladdin nodded, accepting the lamp and turning to Genie.
The big blue guy alternated between fretting and bouncing up and down. "I don't know what to do!" he said. "Is this real? Or an impossible dream? I don't know anymore!"
"Let me make it real," Aladdin said. Giving the lamp a rub just to assure his mastery for the moment, he said, "Genie, I wish for your freedom, a freedom that can never be taken away without your consent."
Genie sucked in a great breath, turning to Khaleel. "Did he really wish it?" He grabbed Khaleel's shoulders. "Please, tell me I didn't just imagine it."
Khaleel grinned broadly. "You didn't imagine it, funny guy."
"Genie," Aladdin said, "you're free." The lamp floated out of his hands, magic swirling up from the spout to encircle Genie up to his waist. Yet another thing that differed from genie to genie, how the magic worked to free them. It was always a joy to see. Even better was watching their faces as they realized that they never had to be a slave again.
Jasmine slipped up beside him, tucking her hand around his arm. A quick look showed that she was smiling.
Genie's tail disappeared and his armbands snapped off, dissolving from his wrists. Then the lamp fell with a clatter. Genie slowly picked the dull, brass lamp up. He looked between his former prison and his bare wrists. "I-I'm free. I'm free." He leaped to Aladdin's side, pressing the lamp into his hands once again. "Quick! Ask me for something outrageous! Say the Nile. Wish for the Nile. Try that wish for the Nile."
Aladdin bit back a laugh. "I wish for the Nile."
"No way!" Genie yelled. He burst out laughing as he bounced around crazily about the pillars and trellises. "Oh, does that feel good!" He spun Mozenrath around, much to the wizard's protest. "I'm free!" He did a victory spin with Khaleel and Dalia. "I'm free at last!" He zipped several feet into the air to pull a suitcase out from nowhere and proceed to pack it with items plucked from thin air. "I'm hitting the road! I'm off to see the world! I'm—" He paused, turning to meet Aladdin's eyes.
Aladdin smiled even if it was sad. "We'll miss you while you're gone," he said.
"Me too, Al," Genie said, floating down. "Even if you were nothing but a peasant boy who struck it lucky, you would still be a prince in my eyes." He pulled Aladdin into a tight hug which Aladdin returned. "I can honestly say, you are the first master I felt I could call friend."
"And you are a friend who will always find a welcome in Ababwa," Aladdin promised.
"Also in Agrabah," Jasmine added. "I'm sorry we couldn't have met under better circumstances, but I hope that we can get to know each other properly in future."
"I hope that as well, Jas," Genie said, releasing Aladdin. "Uh, can I call you 'Jas'?"
"You'll be the only one who can," Jasmine answered.
"So," Aladdin said, turning to Khaleel. "One freed genie is planning to see the world. Do you have any plans now?"
Khaleel cleared his throat, shuffling a bit. "Well, um," he looked at Dalia. "Actually, there is this certain handmaid that I would love to see the world with." They met each other's eyes, both their cheeks dusted with pink. "If she'll have me?"
Dalia turned to Jasmine.
Aladdin grinned as the princess gave a slight nod.
Dalia immediately returned her gaze to Khaleel, catching his hands. "When do we leave? Also I want children."
"Yes," Khaleel said. "At least one of each if Allah would so bless us."
Dalia nodded in delight. "They'll worship us both and you'll entertain them with stories and songs."
"We'll have a boat," Khaleel said.
"A large one with multiple levels and magnificent sails," Dalia said.
"I was thinking more of a smaller one," Khaleel confessed.
"Perfect," Dalia agreed.
Aladdin whispered to Jasmine, "And my people claim I'm the unorthodox romantic. That is the most untraditional proposal I've ever witnessed."
"Ah-ah," Khaleel said, waving a finger at him, because of course he'd hear. "You have no room to talk until you made your own proposal."
"Well I've been a little busy," Aladdin defended himself. "And for your information, I have received two proposals from my princess within the last one or two hours."
"And you haven't given your answer yet?" Khaleel asked, appalled.
"I would have, if I hadn't gotten interrupted both times," Aladdin returned. "The first time, an oversized parrot ruined the moment. The second time, you interrupted."
"Admittedly for a good reason," Jasmine said.
"Agreed," Aladdin said.
"So when will the wedding be?" Genie asked.
"We'll have to work out those details," Aladdin said. "But there is no need to postpone your world tour until then. There are a few other genies not in Ababwa who we'll need to invite. We'll just add your name to the guest list."
"Okay then," Genie said. "Time for me to blow this popsicle stand. But first: Big group hug!"
"No!" Mozenrath protested. "I am not being pulled into a—"
"Come here, little grump boy!" Genie said, pulling Mozenrath in first. Khaleel and Dalia followed. Then Carpet and Abu. The Sultan. Then with care for the baby, Jasmine and Aladdin.
After a couple tight squeezes, they all waved goodbye to Genie as he flew off.
Aladdin kept an arm around Jasmine's waist. He had a wonderful feeling that they were all on the brink of a new chapter in their lives.
Author's Note: There Genie goes without even the slightest threat of ever being entrapped again. And Jafar is getting a fresh new start. Hm. I really came to like that idea, just in case you didn't pick up on it.
*Genie pops in* Where did you get the idea for that struggle between Moz and Jafar's daemon?
Princess: Ach! Don't scare me like that. Well, honestly, I was somewhat inspired by one of the most beautiful scenes in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It is when one of the characters in transformed into a dragon, and he wishes to shed his skin. But no matter how many layers he scrapes off, he is still a wretched, ugly beast. It isn't until he allows Aslan to tear into his skin that he is finally free of the dragon skin and ready to be restored.
Genie *grinning happily*: And you just couldn't pass up a good analogy.
Princess *shrugging*: Well, when it presents itself, I'm certainly not going to bypass it. So, satisfied with your happy ending? Have I passed your criteria?
Genie: I loved it. You can be sure that I'll be whipping by if ever you call on me again. I just hope that I'll be making it to the wedding.
Princess: Don't worry, you'll be there. There are actually just two more chapters and then an epilogue left. There is also a bonus chapter that I'll be posting alongside next week's. More details on that next time.
So until then, what are your thoughts on this chapter? Anything you maybe hope to see as I wrap up this happy ending with a bow? I would love to hear your thoughts and reactions.