IMPORTANT A/N – This story is written with the assumption that you have seen the Aladdin live action film, I think you'll be mostly fine if you haven't but I am going to be "skipping" some scenes that would be the same as the movie. I'm trying to write the "scene skips" for lack of better word in a way that flows nicely without feeling choppy. I think it transitions nicely, so feel free to speak up if you disagree.
Chapter 17 - Betrayal
The sun was almost unbearable after so many hours trapped within the dark cave. If the aches and pains had not been so furious, Aladdin would still have been wondering if he was stuck in a dream. Especially since he now stood between a floating carpet playing in the sand and a magical floating giant. The thief turned his gaze from the vast desert to stare at the genie, who had begun rambling once more about the tragedies of being locked away in a lamp.
The thief couldn't help but smirk at the dramatic antics of the genie. Hardly even an hour had passed since the creature emerged from the lamp, yet already Aladdin felt a great affection for the giant. After all, the unique blue man held the power to heal the princess. His fingers tensed around the lamp as he turned his attention to the glimmer in the distance that was Agrabah.
"How do I know she's safe?" he asked.
"Because you wished for it," the being responded.
"So I'm just supposed to take your word?" His anxiety swelled inside of him, despite the promise.
"I am appalled that you refuse to trust me!" The genie flew his arms up dramatically, before casting a cloud of smoke with his large hands. In them, he produced a mirror before presenting it to the thief. Aladdin gasped lightly at the sight of Jasmine lying lifeless in bed, before her eyes opened in an instant. As Jasmine rose on her own feet, his heart finally relaxed. "Satisfied?"
Aladdin smirked before nodding in appreciation. "Thank you."
"No thanks required, it cost you a wish!" Genie reminded.
"Whatever it cost, you saved her life." He met the giant's eyes before repeating his gratitude. "Thank you."
"Yeah that's true," the blue man tossed away the mirror before lying on a couch formulated from nothing; sipping a drink that he wasn't even sure was real. "So, what else are you going to wish for?"
"I don't know, I haven't thought about it," Aladdin shrugged.
"You know, as far as masters go you are quite strange," the genie noted.
"I have no interest in power," he chuckled; recalling the long list of warnings that the great being had given him regarding such wishes. The thief thought carefully, knowing that he only truly had one wish remaining. He glanced once again at the shackles around the genie's wrist and recalled his promise to set him free with his last.
"So, where are you from, kid?" Genie asked while biting into an apple.
"Agrabah," he answered before stuttering. "Well, and Ababwa. It's complicated."
"Oh Ababwa! So, the city's still standing then?" the genie admired.
"You've been there?" He raised his brow in surprise.
"Of course I have!" Genie chuckled. "I created it."
Aladdin smiled without thought, before his heart came to a sudden halt. The thief's gaze locked to the genie, but the "all-knowing" being appeared confused by his expression.
"You… You what?"
"You really should wish for a new pair of ears since you seem hard of hearing," the genie mocked before exaggerating his speech. "I… created… it."
"No, no. You have to be mistaken," he shook his head furiously. "Ababwa is real. I grew up there, Waleed told me…"
"Ah, Waleed! How is the old man?"
Aladdin's mouth fell open as he failed to recover from the shock. He swallowed nervously before the answer came out in a whisper.
"He died months ago," Aladdin answered.
"Oh," the genie's features softened as he gazed sympathetically to the thief. "Sorry, kid. Though a thousand years of life isn't all that bad."
"A thousand years?" His head began to spin.
"Does everything surprise you?"
"What did you mean you created Ababwa?" He repeated with a bit less patience.
"I guess we'll slow this down for you since you can't listen with your mouth wide open," Genie simply feigned aggravation while using his magic to force the thief's mouth closed. Aladdin was far too surprised to care. "Step one, Waleed rubbed the lamp. Step two, Waleed wished for a perfect kingdom. Step three, there is no step three! He lived happily ever after. Well, until recently I suppose."
"So you think Ababwa is just some fairytale?" Aladdin shook his head in disbelief.
"What I think? Boy, if I were a lesser genie I would have smacked you into a whole other world."
"Genie, you're mistaken. I grew up in Ababwa," the thief explained. "I ate the food that I grew in my own garden, I spent hours sharing stories with the kids at the orphanage, I even healed my broken bones with their medicines."
"Let me guess, this medicine was referred to as Djinn blood?" Genie raised his brow knowingly. Aladdin watched him carefully while his heart pounded beneath his chest.
"Yes," he whispered reluctantly.
"More accurately, my blood! Waleed's final wish was to possess a substance that would keep him alive for a couple centuries." The genie smiled proudly. Aladdin however, felt his knees give away as he collapsed into a chair. "You alright kid?"
"So, my adopted mother; the queen?"
"Was conjured by magic."
"You said you couldn't create people?"
"No, I said I couldn't kill anyone," Genie rolled his eyes.
"But, I grew up with all those people," he argued. "They all have stories! They all have parents, grandparents, great great grandparents. They have personalities, they have…"
"Magic!" The genie spread his arms proudly. "They all have magic. Well, figuratively. They were all created by magic."
"You mean… It's all fake? They are all fake?"
"Well, that's one way to put it. All except Waleed. Oh, and that weasley brother of his," Genie glared into the distance. "I lost count of the number of times he tried to steal the lamp, I was almost grateful to return to the cave."
The thief shook his head in disbelief, trying to refute the genie's tale. However, his mind failed to produce anything of value. His heart fell into the pit of his stomach as he reflected on his past. He remembered playing games with some of the orphans growing up and occasionally sneaking a cookie from his favorite stand. And now, he was simply supposed to accept that the moments never truly happened.
"You ain't lookin' so good, perhaps you could wish us both some cocktails."
"I," Aladdin quickly closed his mouth to refrain from vomiting. A terrible ache pounded in his head while he continued his struggle. A glance at the great city in the distance was nearly enough to tear at his heart. He was not a prince, he was as he'd always been; a nobody.
"Kid?" Genie adjusted his tone while shrinking to meet at his level. Perhaps later, the thief would appreciate the gaze of sympathy, however it failed to touch him in his misery.
"I should get back," he finally whispered; wiping a tear before it could fall. The genie nodded lightly before faithfully walking at his side.
Aladdin felt unnerved walking the same streets he had as a kid; seeing no difference now then when he was an orphaned boy. A thief, a slave, a liar. He glanced up to see overarching walls guarding the palace. The same walls that had once been a beacon of comfort; beckoning him forward with its powerful glow. Yet now, he found himself ducking into an alley in shame.
"Where you going?" The genie asked behind him. His human façade seemed real enough as they passed countless commoners and no one even spared him a second glance beneath the well-crafted mask. Aladdin didn't know why he came to the very spot where his journey began, but his legs didn't falter until he found himself staring at the same whip that had nearly claimed him years ago.
It was almost a curse that the place had been left abandoned after his master's death; leaving it lie almost exactly as it had that fateful day. Taunting him with the reminder of what he truly was. Aladdin began to toy with the ring at his finger. The same ring Abbas had given him when promising the throne. A throne that didn't even exist. He recalled the hopelessness of the moment he finally collapsed after countless strikes and how ready he had been to give up. He remembered stealing the apple for a younger pupil and not bothering to regret the act when his punishment began. He especially didn't mind after the torment led to meeting his princess.
Aladdin's heart lurched in pain as he thought of the princess; his wife. What would Jasmine think when he told her the truth? That everything he had worked for had accounted for nothing. He had done it all for her; building his body until he could protect her, studying his books to maintain an education worthy of a ruler, fighting for a chance to share Ababwa's accomplishments. All of this he had done simply for the slight chance that Waleed might one day name him king, crafting him into a man worthy of a princess. He, a useless thief, had married a princess. And what's worst he had finally managed to steal her heart and now he must return it as damaged as it was when he had sought it.
"Kid?"
"I don't think I can go back," Aladdin spoke quietly.
"Sure you can. It's easy, you just walk through those big sparkly doors and whisk your wife away on a magic carpet."
"It's not that simple," he shook his head. "The law requires her to marry a prince."
"Right, but you're already married."
"And what happens when they find out?" Aladdin practically begged for an answer. "They won't let me near her."
"So, your solution to being told that you can't see your wife is to not see your wife on your own terms?" Genie challenged. The thief sighed in irritation, waiting just a moment before revealing his true concerns.
"What if she doesn't want me?"
"You could always wish for a queen," he shrugged.
"I'm serious, Genie," he narrowed his gaze as his irritation grew. "My entire life has been a lie, what does that make me? Even if they somehow changed the law, she doesn't deserve this."
"You're right, I guess she deserves one of those grand princes you told me so much about," the genie folded his arms. "You're fooling yourself, kid. It's not every day the cave grants access to visitors. Whether you fail to see it or not, you are worth more than you know."
Aladdin quickly blinked away a few tears before sighing deeply. The genie's enormous smile was contagious enough to make him smirk. Hiding his gaze to the ground, the thief finally whispered. "Thank you, Genie."
"Anytime, kid. Now come on, you have a wish to spend!" He clapped his hands together excitedly and Aladdin shook his head with a chuckle.
"Alright, but after we see Jasmine," he promised.
"Ooh, I see how it is," Genie smiled playfully. "Can't do nothing without the lady's permission?"
"She'll know what to wish for," he smirked through his blush.
"Hmm, you really aren't that guy," the man admired.
"I already have everything I want," Aladdin smiled; ignoring the genie's dramatic adoration. Together, they had prepared to step from the alley before noticing the man blocking their path. Aladdin waiting for him to pass, until the man stepped into the sunlight and Aladdin nearly gasped in recognition.
"Abbas?!" He raised his brow in amazement. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh my," his uncle's eyes widened at the sight of the man beside him. Genie shifted nervously beside him, making a noise of obvious displeasure. His uncle's mouth fell open as he whispered, "I knew it. I knew you were the diamond."
Aladdin flinched at the comment as he recalled the genie's tale. His heart twisted, both from the pain of his betrayal and the surprise of seeing his uncle outside of their kingdom.
"When were you planning on telling me that my whole life has been a lie?" Aladdin asked.
"A lie? Oh, my boy. As long as the blood remains, Ababwa shall stand. It is very real." Abbas shook his head.
"You and I have a different definition of real," he narrowed his gaze.
"You were nurtured on our fruits, trained and strengthened by our men. I would call that real." He explained tiredly. "But, Ababwa was not meant for people like you. You were too old when Waleed found you, but he insisted that you stay. But, you already know how that story ends. Your persistent bickering got him thinking about life before our kingdom, it was because of you that I had to kill him."
The words did not resonate immediately. Uncertain whether it was by his own will or simply from exhaustion. When he finally understood, his mouth fell open in shock as his heart moved to mourn his adopted father once again.
"Wow," the genie whistled beside him. "I mean, I knew you were crazy, but I didn't realize you were that crazy."
"You killed him?" The thief could manage no more than a whisper.
"I had no choice!" Abbas grumbled. "He was using the blood too liberally. It should have lasted us centuries, but you ruined the balance. The fool gave you everything; more food, every animal imaginable, a mother. You poisoned our entire plans."
Aladdin's fist balled tightly as his anger outweighed the offense of his claim. His emotions ran rampant as they almost became too much to bear. If they hadn't controlled him, he would have leapt upon the man before giving him a chance to continue.
"But, I will fix all our problems," he glanced at the genie. "Where is the lamp?"
"You cannot bring him back with a wish," Aladdin taunted through a cloud of fury.
"I don't need Waleed," he scoffed. "With the lamp in my possession, I can make the wishes this time. I will build our kingdom thrice the size. I shall live forever."
"You think living a lie will bring you happiness?"
"I shall have infinite treasures, surrounded by beings of my own creation. I love you, my boy." Abbas sighed before his gaze narrowed. "But, like my brother, I do not need you."
The hairs at his neck stood up as he heard the shift behind him. Abu scurried off his shoulder and before the thief could manage to move, a large snap filled the alley. Aladdin dropped to the ground in a heap of pain. He wasn't sure if his inability to move was due to the torture or if the haunting memories of his childhood were to blame. He curled on the ground like a cowardly child, waiting for the next strike.
"I must admit, I quite enjoyed that." Jafar's voice lingered from above as he twirled the end of the whip playfully in his palm.
"That's enough," Abbas threatened. "We agreed not to kill the boy."
"You lack vision, my friend," Jafar sighed dramatically while sifting through the thief's pockets. Aladdin could do nothing as the vizier pulled the lamp from his satchel. The genie tensed the moment a new set of hands grazed the brass. "At last. I knew you were alive, the moment she woke, I knew."
"Give it here Jafar. We had a deal."
"Calm yourself, Abbas. You shall have your treasure, after I have made use of my own wishes." Jafar stated calmly. "Tie him up, since you refuse to end him."
Aladdin finally began to recover from his trauma as he felt his arms being pulled behind him. The thief attempted to free himself, but the pair of guards already prepared the shackles. With a quick glance at the genie, he begged for his aid, however the man simply watched him sorrowfully. Holding out his shackled wrists, Aladdin sighed at the reminder of his limits. The key was thrown at his uncle and Abbas swiftly caught them.
"You'll have to enjoy the show from a distance," Jafar smirked before turning on his heel. Abbas glanced at the thief sympathetically, as if he had not just declared his entire existence to be a nuisance.
"I shall return to free you, my boy." He stated while pocketing the key. The man groaned in frustration before turning to follow the vizier. Aladdin began fighting against his shackles, before noticing the monkey hanging off the uncle's bag. As his paws emerged from the pockets holding the keys, Aladdin smiled in relief.
"Good monkey."
A/N – So I am beginning to lose steam in my writing, I hope it's not too obvious of (at least what I feel) a dip in quality but I am starting to rush a bit more in an attempt to ensure this story gets finished. The next chapter should be a big one, at least the concept in my head seems like it will be a long chapter and the last one will be a shorter but hopefully suitable end. I will guarantee a finish at this point, given that we're so close but if we pass a week without an update, know that it will come. If at the end I get the urge, I will revisit these final chapters to bump them up to normal quality. I hope for those still reading, I haven't slipped too far but I know it's certainly nowhere near where I'd like it to be. However, I do not want to leave the dedicated fans of the story hanging, so I'm doing my best to at the very least get the story finished.
Review Replies:
Arrowlan – I am very glad that you are enjoying the story! Your mentioned moment will be explored next chapter :) Thanks for reading!
Uia – Aladdin wished it so :) Thanks for reading!
Jellybean – Thank you very much! I am enjoying it for the most part, though I'm starting to miss some activities that I dropped to write this story. Hence the slowdown. I'm very glad that you're enjoying the story and thanks for reading and reviewing!
