After watching Jebu play for a while, Jasmine fed him and then handed him back to Raena. "I'll be on official business most of the day, Raena. Once the Mennosites arrive, you can bring Jebu in for an appearance. I'm sure Queen Shiara will love to see him, seeing as she's got one on the way." Raena nodded and gave a small bow.
"Yes, Mem Sahib, it shall be done as you say."
As Jasmine walked down the hall, Akumra met her half way. "Ah, My Queen, I was just going to fetch you. King Araden and Queen Shiara have just arrived. I shall escort you into the audience chamber." Jasmine nodded and followed Akumra into the audience chamber.
The King and Queen of Mennosite were seated at the low table, but when Akumra entered with Jasmine beside him, they stood and gave a respective bow, as did Jasmine to them. "May I present Queen Jasmine of Agrabah. Your highness, King Araden and Queen Shiara of Mennosite."
"Jasmine," Shiara started, "so nice to see you again; it's been too long," she said sweetly. Jasmine knew her words were genuine, but her innocent dumbness still unnerved her.
"Yes, it certainly has, Shiara," Jasmine said with her most winning smile. "How far along are you now?" she asked the expecting queen. Shiara smiled and patted her swelling middle.
"Just about four months now," she replied. Araden just smiled as the two women exchanged necessary gossip. He looked around eagerly, wondering where Aladdin was.
Jasmine motioned with her hand and they all sat down around the table, Akumra included. "I trust your father is well?" Araden asked, knowing the old sultan was sick, but did not know the extent of it. Jasmine gave a polite smile.
"He is resting as comfortably as we can make him," she answered, "he has been doing progressively worse these past few weeks."
"I'm truly sorry to hear that, Jasmine," Araden said with an apologetic frown, "I know I am not much older than you are, but your father was a great man and did a lot in his life as Sultan." Jasmine cast her eyes down for a moment as she nodded acceptance of Araden's apology and statement. She knew the small talk was only a precursor to the more serious conversation to come, and it wouldn't be long before he asked about Aladdin's whereabouts.
Akumra sat as still as a mountain as he merely observed what was going on. By all rights, he had the authority to join in, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. He knew Jasmine was probably cooking something up in that clever mind of hers and he wasn't going to mess it up and incur her wrath unnecessarily.
Araden sighed and placed a hand on the table. "Jasmine, I had wanted to prolong this visit a bit, but I'm afraid we'll have to get down to business. I left in the midst of a very pressing matter back home and I would rather not leave it to sit for too long."
Here it comes, Jasmine thought. She still didn't have a real thought out excuse as to why Aladdin wasn't there, so she'd have to tell a half-truth and improvise the rest. She just hoped she'd be able to pull it off with enough confidence that he'd believe it. "Of course, Araden, I understand." She turned to Akumra. "Akumra, send for Raena."
Akumra nodded and stood. "At once, my Queen," he said before disappearing out of the room and down the hall. Jasmine turned back to Araden.
"Now, to business…" She clapped her hands twice and a servant brought in a scroll on a silver platter and set it down between the two monarchs. "These are the agreements we've drawn up, I'm sure you'll find them satisfactory…" Before she could get further, though, Araden held up a hand.
"I am sorry to interrupt, but I was under the impression that Aladdin was going to speak on this." Jasmine nodded an apology.
"Yes, I am sorry, Araden, but Aladdin was called away last minute to attend to something up in Etruskel."
"Something more important than this?" Araden said with the beginning of a scowl as he tapped a finger on the written treaty. Jasmine nearly scowled back.
"I am not the one to tell him what to do and what not to do, King Araden. Yes, I am Queen, but he is the Sultan. If he deemed it necessary to go to Etruskel, then we both must live with that decision." Inside, Jasmine was fuming, hoping against hope that Aladdin had a good excuse to leave her with this. Oohhh, what she would do when he got back…but it was not the time to think about that. She had foreign affairs to deal with.
Araden conceded with a grunt before unrolling the scroll. He skimmed it and nodded a few times before setting it down. "It seems to be in order. A working peace between us, and a temporary arms alliance if something should befall either of us." He nodded again then looked over to his wife. Shiara took her turn with the treaty, pretending to read over it, but both Araden and Jasmine knew that it was just for show; she really hadn't a clue as to the political side of it.
At that moment, Akumra came back in followed by Raena who was cradling a very wiggly Jebu. Shiara smiled and squealed some unintelligible baby talk cooing as Raena came over and sat next to her so she could admire the little prince. While Shiara was busy with Raena and Jebu, Jasmine, Araden and Akumra turned their attention once more to the treaty.
"Aladdin isn't here to sign it, so I trust Akumra, the royal vizier, to stand in his place until he returns to add his own name. Akumra will also stand as witness," Jasmine said authoritatively. Araden smiled and nodded at Jasmine's no-nonsense businesslike approach.
"So let it be," he replied. He snapped his fingers and a willowy man with a long, flowing white beard came in and knelt down beside him. "And I ask my advisor, Tokumatei, to stand witness." Akumra handed Araden a quill and uncorked a bottle of ink. Araden took the pen, dipped it in the ink, and signed his name at the bottom of the treaty and its copy. He handed it to Jasmine and she did the same before handing it to Akumra. "Darling," Araden said to Shiara in an almost condescending tone, "tear yourself away from the child for the moment it will take to sign your name on these."
Shiara smiled, a bit embarrassed, and turned to sign her name on the papers. She placed the pen on the table and turned back to Jebu. "How old is he now, Jasmine?" she asked.
"Two years," Jasmine replied with a smile. Tokumatei took one copy of the treaty while Akumra took the other. "When Aladdin returns, we shall be the ones to pay you a visit," Jasmine said to Araden. He nodded and then stood. Jasmine and the two advisors stood as well.
"I am terribly sorry, Queen Jasmine, but as I said, we left very pressing matters at home…"
"You won't even stay for a light meal? I had the chefs prepare a lovely seafood dish," Jasmine said, knowing it was the polite thing to do. She also hated when people came just for business and left after it was finished; she thought it was rude not to stay at least for a bite to eat. Araden hesitated for only a moment, then sat back down as his stomach growled loudly. Shiara laughed and Jasmine had to giggle herself as she retook her own seat.
"Well, I suppose it would be wise to eat before we left. It is quite a long ride," Araden conceded, a slight blush rising on his cheeks. They all laughed and Jasmine ordered the meal to be brought out.