Chapter 5

Ali took a deep breath after Jasmine and Raja both came close to him and held him. Jasmine held his hand tight with both her hands next to him. Raja jumped where they were sitting and laid his head in his lap. He smiled at them both before closing his eyes before speaking.

"It's a bit of a long story." Ali said nervously as he smiled sadly.

"Take your time, we're not going anywhere." Jasmine replied as she took Ali's face in one of her hands and made sure she looked right into his eyes. "You can trust me."

Ali gave a big grin that she returned. He was still nervous but he didn't feel scared to tell the truth anymore.

"First of all, I used to get lessons as a kid on how to act like royalty. How to behave, and how to act with people who were "beneath me." Ali said with his head down.

"And I was like that for a time. I was never allowed of the palace by my parents. So, I didn't see anyone or have anyone else to confide in."

Jasmine kept holding his hand as she processed this information. He was like those snotty, no good princes that tried to win her hand by treating her like an object? But he doesn't act like that all in the time she spent with him. What happened?

"However, one day, I acted like a spoiled kid and snuck out because I was mad at my parents at the time. But that was the best thing that could've happened." Ali said smiling brightly.

"How come?" Jasmine asked. Raja looked up Ali as he waited for him to speak.

"Well, I saw the kingdom. Or well, the slums of it."

Flashback

Ali had just found the poor part of the kingdom. He had never been here before. But he didn't hear his parents talk about too often. So, it should be fine right? He was dressed like he was poor anyway.

But as he continued to walk around, he saw plenty of people begging for food and money. Eventually he took the money he had and gave it to them. But as he continued to walk, he saw more and more people struggling.

"Ex-excuse me young man, can you please spare some change. My family and me haven't eaten in days and we don't have anything much."

Ali looked down on the poor man and his anger began to swell. He didn't realize how good he had it! Why was nothing be done for any of these people. Didn't anyone in power do anything?

He started to take out money and maybe look for a food stand to get him and his family a decent meal, but he was out of money! He looked down at the man and felt nothing but anger towards his family and anyone back in Ababwa with power. But he shut it away before speaking.

"I'm sorry. I don't have any money or food to give you. Please forgive me." Ali said sadly.

"It's quite alright young man. But please come in, we can help you however we can." The man said as he walked inside his home. Ali was about to protest but he followed.

The building the man and his family stayed in was falling apart and very damaged. If Ali didn't know better, he thought it was just rubble.

"Honey your home!" A lady came out and embraced the man. "Daddy!" 2 boys came out and embraced the man. Ali felt his rage with his parents and anyone who held a leadership position with Ababwa growing. They always bragged about their kingdom and its riches and how its people were thriving! This is the people thriving? What a joke!

"And who might this be?" The woman asked as she looked at Ali.

"You can call me Aladdin." Ali said. It felt like a longer version of his name and it wouldn't arouse suspicion.

"Well Aladdin welcome to our home. It isn't much but it's all we could find to stay in. I'm Joni. And my husband is Theo." The woman said sadly. The boys then came to him and started talking with him.

"What's your names?" Ali asked them. The kids were a couple years younger than him. Maybe they could be friends!

"I am Abdullah." The older boy said with a smile.

"I'm Ameer!" The younger one said jumping up and down. He could finally play with someone aside from his brother!

He talked with them for a bit and played with them happily. He never had anyone in the palace who did anything like this with him! After a little while, he heard Joni call them. "Dinner you guys!"

As they walked to the small table they had, he wondered what he would do now. He fit the role of a prince perfectly. He stayed quiet in the meetings, maintained an emotionless persona, and acted the part perfectly. He never stood up for anything. Could he do that now?

"Here's dinner!" Joni said with enthusiasm but her smile was forced as she looked down and what they had.

The table had plates and water, but all that was there were a couple dates and a small fruit! This was dinner? This wouldn't even be considered a snack in the palace.

"Yay fruit! We haven't had it in weeks." Ameer said happily.

"What have you guys been eating?" Ali said in shock. He thought the home and begging were one thing, but not even being able to afford food?! Forget thriving, their people were suffering. And they stood by and let it happen.

"Not much." Theo said meeting Ali's shocked expression. "All we really get are enough to get dates and maybe some fruit. Sometimes we get 2 meals a day if we're lucky.

Ali felt his hand turn into a fist underneath the table. Damn his image. Damn what anyone in power thought of him. And damn all of them to hell for feeding him all those lies that the people were living great lives! He would change everything.

He kept talking to them during dinner but he noticed the small things that showed their hardships. They chewed every bite as long as they could to savor the taste. He noticed how sunken in their faces were, the ribs that showed, how the kids had bigger portions than the parents. They tried their best to make sure the kids got their portion at the cost of their own. And even then, this was hardly considered a meal.

After dinner he got up and thanked them for the meal before getting up to leave. He intended to leave the palace just to spite his parents. But after seeing this, he was glad he left. He was done being pompous and he would do everything he could to help these people!

"Thank you for dinner and taking me in tonight." Ali said before doing what no royalty would ever do. He bowed low before them before turning around to leave and head back to palace.

"Will we see you again?" Ameer asked as the family all came to the door to see him off.

"I'll be around. I'll see you real soon!" Ali said with a smile as he ruffled Ameer's head as he was pulled into a hug. Soon Abdullah joined the hug. Ali got a little dirty but he didn't care. He would repay their kindness someday.

Eventually he pulled back and smiled at the family. He turned around before they saw his tears and left. But before he left, he heard them saying goodbye. He looked back and heard Abdullah yelling something towards him.

"You better come back or we'll hunt you down you hear!" Abdullah yelled before being chastised by his mom. Ali held his fist up and kept it there long after he was out of sight as a silent promise. He would be back, and he would help them.

End flashback

"That's how I met my guards." Ali said looking at Jasmine waiting for her reaction to the start of his story.

"Wait those 2 guards you appeared close with were…" Jasmine said before Aladdin interjected.

"That's right." Ali said smiling again. "They were my first friends."

"So, what happened next?" Jasmine asked. She wanted to know more about Ali and his past.

"Well I snuck out as much as I can to give money and food to everyone there who needed it. But that family gave me more than that royal status did." Ali said.

Raja who was listening peacefully felt something dripping on top of his head. He looked up and realized that Ali was tearing up. He started licking Raja's face and tried to get him to stop. Jasmine realized it and held him even tighter and laid her head on his shoulder trying to comfort him.

"What did they give you Ali?" Jasmine asked as she look into his eyes. The tears made them sparkle beautifully and she couldn't help but be mesmerized by them.

"A reason to fight." Ali said as his tears stopped and the fire that she saw before was there again. "Ever since then, I studied hard. I learned about everything I could. Trade routes, peace treaties, and most importantly, what was being done to help those in need."

Ali paused to pet Raja with a small smile. He needed a moment to compose himself. He didn't think he would reveal so much right away.

"I went on adventures since then when I snuck out. That's how I met my friends. Abu met me after I met Ameer and Abdullah. He was a circus monkey that was being abused. I freed him and left before I got caught. But he ended up following me and stuck around. He's very intelligent. Just like you Raja." Ali said looking down at Raja who grinned up at him.

"But why are you starving? Can you please tell me that?" Jasmine said worriedly. He still looked very pale and it was getting worse.

"I'll get to that. It goes into this story." Ali said before continuing. "I kept sneaking out and then eventually I wanted to learn how to fight and defend myself. So, I joined a boxing gym under a fake alias and became a boxer."

"Wait is that how you got all the wounds I saw on your photos." Jasmine asked. That would explain he was always wearing bandages. But why is he not eating?

"Yes. But I'm actually pretty strong. I fought 8 times now at bantamweight and won every fight. I still have a long way to go." Ali replied as he closed his eyes with a sad smile before continuing. "That explains the bruises. But that's also why I'm starving."

"What? How?" Jasmine asked confused. She didn't know anything about boxing. She just thought 2 people fought in the ring until someone got knocked out. There was more to it?

"The weight limit. I need to reach 118 pounds for each fight. And it was no issue. I could eat what I wanted and train normally and I would hit the weight. Prior to a year ago."

"What happened a year ago?" Jasmine asked looking right at Ali who looked back with a glare. But it wasn't directed to her. He was just angry.

"I hit a growth spurt." Ali said angrily.

"But why is that bad?"

"Because my weight shot up with it."

Jasmine stopped talking stunned. He wasn't eating because he needed to reach the weight limit for each fight?

Seeing Jasmine silent he continued to speak. "My natural weight was near the bantamweight limit. But I grew about 4 inches the last year. That made me gain about 12 pounds. And due to my low metabolism, losing weight is hell. I have to cut back on meals and willingly starve myself."

"But why?" Jasmine asked worriedly. "Why can't you switch weight classes or stop boxing."

"No." Ali said immediately. "I won't stop boxing until I have my answer."

"What answer?" Jasmine asked.

Ali looked at Jasmine with the same fiery look she grew hypnotized by. "What does it mean to be strong?"

Jasmine looked on. She couldn't say anything. For as long as could remember, she didn't have a purpose. She was suddenly jealous of Ali. He broke free of his confines and found purpose in his life. Even as a someone who faced the same hardships she had, he overcame them and became more than what his title held.

"Until I have that answer. I won't stop boxing." Ali said with conviction.

"Then why not fight in a higher weight class?" Jasmine asked curious.

"Because a historic world champion is within reach if I can keep winning. He hasn't lost ever. He might have my answer. And if I can beat him, I can get it." Ali replied. Raja stirred beneath him and settled into his lap.

"But why?" Jasmine said trembling. Ali noticed it and waited for her to speak.

"Why suffer just for that. Just to fight someone strong. Is it worth it?" Jasmine said as Ali put his hand underneath her chin and lifted so she could see his eyes.

"All this time prior to sneaking out, I lived without purpose. I aimlessly lived for no reason. It felt like every day was the same boring thing. I didn't have a goal all that time. But that day I snuck out and found that family, was the best thing that happened to me. I found a reason to fight for others, and I found a goal to strive for. It's worth it for me." Ali said as he moved closer to Jasmine.

Jasmine's usual instincts would tell her to pull back and sic Raja on any prince who forcefully wanted kiss her or anything like that. But Ali was different. She trusted him. In this short meeting, he was honest with her, kind and pleasant. Everything she could ever want in a man. He wasn't pompous or self-centered in anyway. She put her hand on his face and came closer as well.

Their lips met in bliss. Jasmine noticed that Ali didn't deepen the kiss or push it further. He respected her boundaries. She liked even more now.

As they separated, they both laid their foreheads against each other and smiled. Until Raja came up and started licking both of them on their chins and laid his head next to theirs.

"Usually, I don't kiss when I first meet someone just so you know." Jasmine said. Her smile was growing wider."

"Oh? So am I special?" Ali said teasing her. His smile was growing wider as well.

"Don't get too cocky now." Jasmine said with a mock glare. But her smile was still present.

Ali didn't say anything and gave the biggest grin he could. Jasmine returned it. They didn't feel like royalty or this being a prince courting princess. They felt like little kids being near their crushes. They were interrupted when Raja started to licking them both.

"Hey knock it off." Ali said smiling as Raja did that. His stomach then growled. His smile went away as he stood up. He grabbed his cape and put it around him as Jasmine and Raja looked at him questioningly.

"It's time for dinner. We've been out here a couple hours at least." Ali said answering their questioning gazes.

Jasmine eyes widened when she realized it had been quite a while. Time just flew by when she was with him.

Ali offered his arm for Jasmine and she stood up and accepted it as they walked to the dining room. Raja put his head down and sadly walked away. He stopped when he heard Ali call for him.

"What's the matter Raja, aren't you coming?" Ali asked.

Raja looked at him questioningly. He was never allowed to eat dinner with Jasmine and The Sultan since he scared one of the princes off when he ate and growled at him. He would always go to a separate room and get his food. It was lonely and he wished he could just eat with Jasmine. And now he wanted to be with Ali too.

"He isn't allowed to eat with us. He scared off a prince at the table and ever since then, he's been banned as long as a prince is here." Jasmine said sadly. Raja was really her only companion. It was lonely being without him during that time.

"I don't mind." Ali said as Jasmine looked up at him and Raja came walking up to him. Hope in his eyes. He would get to eat with them? Not get his meal in a lonely room and be all alone?

Ali let go of Jasmine's arm and bent down at Raja's level. "Come on, let's go eat together. Plus, you get to make sure I eat since you're so worried about me." Ali said as he pet Raja on his head.

Raja smiled and jumped on Ali and licked him all over. Ali only smiled and kept petting Raja as Jasmine looked on with a smile. Ali really was a great guy. She really hoped it continued like this.

"I'll tell your father I want him there. Let's go." Ali said as Jasmine latched herself onto his arm. Ali looked down at Raja mischievously and offered his arm for him too. He grinned when Raja jumped up and held himself with 2 legs as best as he could. Ali just shook his head as held them both close and started walking towards the dining room with them. They all smiled bright together.