FIVE DAYS IN AGRABAH

Day Two




The day was beautiful. The sky was cloudless and of the deepest blue. It wasn't a really hot day either, just warm. Sadira woke up early with the noises from the marketplace. Everyone was getting ready for the wedding. She opened her eyes and stretched herself. It was still early but she knew she had to get up and get ready.

"Aladdin and Jasmine are getting married today." It was her first thought. "It's amazing... I cannot believe the big day finally came!"

She turned around in bed to rest on her side. It was when her eye was caught by a beautiful dress that was resting on the only chair in the room. Sadira's eyes opened wide and suddenly she didn't feel sleepy anymore.

"That dress...? Bassel... it wasn't a dream then."

A little smile appeared in her face and she closed her eyes. For a moment she remembered all the things that had happened the day before.

"Could it be?" She thought.

She left her bed and she started to get ready for the wedding. It was a special occasion and she wanted to look good. She knew that a lot of important people were going to attend the wedding. Even Sultans, princes, princesses and ambassadors from other kingdoms were in Agrabah. It was going to be a day to remember.

"And with this dress," Sadira smiled. "I'm going to look like a princess!"

Sadira wasn't really used to that kind of fancy clothes and it took her hours to get ready. She took a bath and she perfumed herself. Then she put the dress on and she marveled at it. Not only it was beautiful but it also was perfect. It was as if it had been made just for her. The fabric was soft and the dress was very comfortable.

She stared at her image in her broken mirror for a long time, looking at herself in every possible angle. Then the real challenge came: her hairdo. It took her hours to get her hair to cooperate, but after a lot of work it finally stayed in place. Sadira smiled at her reflection in the mirror and she put her shoes on. Finally she completed the picture with the necklace and the earrings Bassel had given to her.

"Wow!" She said when she saw the final result. "Not bad at all!"

She was still looking at her image in the mirror when a loud noise startled her. Someone was knocking on the door and she went to answer it.

"Yes...?" She said as she opened the door, only to discover Bassel standing there.

Bassel couldn't speak. He was staring at her, unable to utter a single word. For a moment he even forgot how to breathe. He was in total awe before Sadira, who looked like a princess.

"Allah!" He murmured. "It's... amazing!"

"It's a beautiful dress." Sadira replied softly.

She was blushing under Bassel look but she liked it. Somehow she felt she had dressed up for him. And the look in his eyes was so eloquent that she didn't need anything else.

"I—I just..." Bassel stammered, not knowing what to say.

"Yes?"

"I... I came to give you this." Bassel said as he put a beautiful wooden box in Sadira's hands.

"What is this?" She said getting into the house and motioning him to follow her.

"Well, it is something I thought would be a nice wedding gift for the Princess and her husband."

"It is a book." Sadira said, opening the box and smiling. "A beautiful book!"

"Not just any book." Bassel smiled. "It's the Holy Qu'ran."

"Oh..." Sadira blushed. "You must think I'm so ignorant but... I never—"

"That's fine." He smiled. "What do you say? You told me they were going to get lots of jewels and treasures. Well, I'd say THIS book is the ultimate treasure. Look at this edition... it's just beautiful, worth of a Sultan."

"It really is." Sadira was paging through it. "But... where did this come from?"

"From Baghdad, of course. I got three of these... this is one of them."

"But... those were for you... for your family, perhaps."

"I'm thinking about giving one of them to my mother. The other one is for my brother and I wanted to keep the third one. But that's fine, because my mother and I live together so..." He shrugged. "What do you say?"

"Oh no Bassel... I really cannot take this..."

"Please! This is a perfect gift. I thought about it the entire night. I know they must have copies of the Qu'ran written in golden pages there in the palace... but this is very beautiful too. They could keep it in their chambers... or they can use it to teach their children how to read. I think they'd like this gift."

"I know they would... but Bassel, this must be so expensive and I—"

"Never mind... I got this one for me. And if you like, you can give this gift to your friends in your name... and in my name too."

"Really?" She smiled. "Well... I don't know what to say..."

"Trust me." He closed the wooden box. "They will love this gift."

"How can I repay you for all you've done for me? I mean, this dress... the gift..."

"Don't worry!" He smiled and waved his hand. "Of course if you really want to repay me..."

"Yes?" Sadira smiled.

"You could... maybe... have dinner with me tonight?"

"Tonight?" She smiled. "Sounds great!"

"I don't know if there's going to be some sort of banquet in the palace but..."

"It probably will. But I am going to have dinner with you... in fact, Bassel why don't you come with me? To the wedding, I mean."

"Me? To the palace? Oh no..." He smiled shyly again. "No... I don't think so."

"Oh, come on! I'm sure Aladdin and Jasmine won't mind it... I'm going there alone and..."

"Sadira... look, I appreciate it but... I can't." Bassel took Sadira's hands in his. "You see, I have work to do. I'm here for business, I can't forget that... besides I have to start packing things."

"Oh..." She was clearly disappointed. "When... when are you leaving?"

"In two days."

"I see..."

"But you go to that wedding and have fun... and I'll see you tonight."

"Alright." She smiled up at him. "Thank you, Bassel."

"You're welcome."

Bassel smiled tenderly at her and he let go of her hands. He turned around to leave and he sent her a last, loving gaze. Then he left her humble house.

"Oh wow!" Sadira smiled when she was alone. "I think he liked me with this dress!"

She didn't have much time to think about it, though. There was a big noise coming from the marketplace then. It was music. Someone was playing a loud song in the distance and she could hear people cheering and applauding and then some kids running down the street screaming: "They're finally getting married!"

"They're finally getting married!" Sadira repeated happily, coming out from her short trance. "And I'm not going to miss it!"

She grabbed the wooden box and left her house, closing the door shut loudly behind her in a very unlike behavior for a lady. She ran all the way to the palace, which was not that far away from her home. The streets of Agrabah were full of people in a way she had never seen before. It took her a while to make her way into the palace, where she was inspected by one of the guards.

She finally was allowed inside the palace and she went to the gardens, where the Sultan had built a wonderful pavilion for the wedding. She barely had time to go to the place where all the gifts were being stored. She wrote a little note in a piece of paper for Aladdin and Jasmine, wishing them happiness and a long and prosperous marriage, and put it in the first page of the book. Then she left the room and walked into the wedding pavilion itself, where Aladdin was already waiting for his bride. She smiled, amused at the memories of her almost marrying Aladdin... even if she knew he didn't remember it.

"It was only a teenager craze, just a crush." She thought as she was going to her place, among all the personalities in that room. "I'm glad I got over that crush. And today I am very happy for you, Aladdin... for you and Jasmine."

Then some wonderful music filled the pavilion. The door opened and Jasmine appeared there, dressed in her wedding dress. Sadira was breathless. She always knew Jasmine was a beautiful, gorgeous woman... but that day she looked like a goddess. The princess of Agrabah walked down the aisle. She never turned her head around to look at anyone in the room. Her eyes were set on Aladdin, and his were set on Jasmine. Sadira smiled and nodded. Now she knew what was between Aladdin and Jasmine was the real thing.

Finally Aladdin received his bride and the ceremony of the royal wedding started.

T he sun was setting in Agrabah when Sadira was walking slowly through the alleys of the city. Everything was silent. The mood of the city was nothing like it had been in the previous days, when everything had been music and celebrations. That night Agrabah was silent. It was as if no one lived there. The streets were empty, the marketplace was empty. There was no one in the streets. Everyone was in their homes. Agrabah was like a ghost town that evening.

"Sadira!"

She turned around and found Bassel coming to her. She faced him and tried to smile. Even Bassel looked shocked.

"Bassel, it's you! I was going to find you later tonight... I just went to change my clothes and I was just going for a walk. I was—"

"I heard what happened." He informed her.

"You did?"

"Well... at least I've heard the version people is telling in the marketplace... that the legendary Forty Thieves broke into the ceremony... that they tried to steal the wedding gifts... that the wedding was cancelled."

"Yes." Sadira said as she sat down on a step of a nearby building. "It was chaotic. I was very scared."

"But... what happened? How? I mean, the Forty Thieves attacking THE palace during a Royal Wedding? With all the people in the room? The Royal Guard and everything? What did they want?"

"I don't know... I know nothing. Those thieves interrupted the ceremony... there was a big fight... everyone was running, screaming... I didn't know what to do. I wanted to help but some guards were taking us out of the palace... I couldn't do anything."

"But are you alright? Didn't they hurt you?" He asked, sincerely concerned about her well being.

"I'm fine, don't worry... I'm just sad for Aladdin."

"Why? What happened?"

"Well... I didn't abandon the palace. I wanted to know what was going on... I tried to talk to Aladdin or to Jasmine but I couldn't reach them. They didn't want to see anybody and I can understand them. But I overheard a conversation between Rasoul, the Captain of the Royal Guard and one of his guards."

"What did they say?"

"They said that the Forty Thieves were after a magical thing... an Oracle of some sort. They couldn't steal it, though. But Rasoul said that the Oracle was summoned by accident... and that she told Aladdin..."

"What?" Bassel asked interested. "What did she say?"

"Well... I don't know what to believe. But Rasoul said the Oracle told Aladdin about his father."

"Oh..." Bassel didn't really knew what to say, for he knew nothing about Aladdin's past. "Is that a good thing... or a bad thing?"

"I don't know." Sadira sighed. "Aladdin is an orphan... he always was alone... and now after all these years he finds out he HAS a father? I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing... it's complicated."

"I know." Bassel said sympathetically.

"I don't know what's going to happen... and I feel sorry for Aladdin... it's so tough to live your life alone and then... suddenly someone tells you that you have a father... I don't know if I could handle it."

"May I ask you a question?" Bassel asked politely.

"Yes?"

"About your parents... what happened to them?"

"I wish I knew." Sadira shrugged. "I never met them... I'm an orphan just like Aladdin... that's why I feel his pain."

"You never met your parents?" Bassel asked intrigued. "But that's... that's sad."

"Well, I've learned to live with it." She replied without any kind of emotion in her voice. "I've been living my life alone... taking care of myself. It's not been easy but... I get by."

"But... did your parents die?"

"I really don't know... I know nothing about them. I never got to meet them. I don't know whether they are dead or alive... I don't know who they are or were... or why they abandoned me like this. All I know is that if they were alive somewhere... I definitely wouldn't want to know."

Sadira was silent for a long moment. Bassel didn't know what to say or how to comfort her. He wanted to do something for her, to make her feel better, but he didn't know what. He just moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Are you feeling well, Sadira?"

"I will." She replied softly.

He held her close to him and he rested his cheek on the top of her head. He was feeling that closeness, that kind of connection with her. Impossible to explain but it was one of those things that just cannot be explained; that don't need to be explained because against all the odds, they simply exist.

Sadira didn't realize what was happening. She didn't notice it until she already was in Bassel's arms and for some reason that physical contact really comforted her. At that moment she really felt like crying. At that moment she was not Sadira, the strong, independent woman. She was Sadira, the little girl who always needed some comfort, a little love, a little understanding. She moved closer to Bassel and rested her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and she felt safe and protected. It was something she had never experienced before. Something new. A whole new kind of feelings were waking up in her heart at that moment.

Could it be possible? Could it be that after a lifetime of solitude she was –for the first time- trusting someone like that? Because she was allowing him to hold her, to comfort her and for the first time in her life she was not afraid of let someone in... she was not afraid of showing some weakness in front of someone. In fact, she felt she needed to be comforted and reassured by that man. She felt she needed to be protected by him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked quietly after a while.

"No... not really. I don't have much to say."

"I need to know if you are going to be fine, Sadira. I know this is affecting you. Not only Aladdin is your friend... but also I think somehow you're reflecting yourself in what's happening to him right now."

"Maybe... just to think this was supposed to be such a perfect day for them... and how everything ended in a big, messy disaster. I just don't know what to think."

"Not everything ended up in disaster." He whispered almost for himself.

"What?"

"Nothing..." He smiled. "Are you hungry? Do you want to go and eat something?"

"I'm not really in the mood... I'm not really hungry."

"I can understand that, but you have to eat something... I bet you haven't eaten anything today."

"Well... after I left the palace I went home to change clothes and all... I did eat something there... but then I needed to think... I took a long walk around the city. Everything looks so lonely and empty. There's tension in the air, can't you feel it?"

"I can'" Bassel admitted. "It's not at all like the happy feeling there was yesterday... when we met in the marketplace."

"We did meet only yesterday, didn't we?" Sadira smiled. "Amazing!"

"I know!"

"Bassel..." Sadira pulled away and looked at his face. "Do you think Aladdin is going to find his father?"

"Well... I wouldn't know."

"Do you think they can bond? Like father and son? After all these years... I mean, if he's alive and he's out there, then why he never came to find his son? Isn't that just... awful?"

"It is." Bassel nodded. "I lost my father when I was very young. But my father was always there for me... he always cared. He always loved us. He always provided for us. He was a good man, a good husband to my mother and the best father to my brother and I."

"Do you miss him?"

"With all my heart and soul. Sometimes I still wish he could be here with me... and then I think that when it's my turn to be a father, if Allah wishes so, I'm going to do my best. I am going to be a loving husband and a responsible father."

"I'm sure you are going to be a wonderful father." She smiled. "And an amazing husband as well."

"If I ever get married, that is." He returned the smile. "When I find the right woman."

"Have you even been in love?"

"No... not yet. What about you?"

"Oh man!" Sadira laughed for the first time that evening and Bassel felt his heart fluttering. "I don't think I've been in love... but I did have a major crush on Aladdin."

"Aladdin?" Bassel laughed good-humoredly. "Really?"

"Yes... I was young and I was lonely. He was the first person who ever cared for me. So I developed a very insane attraction to him. It was crazy! Now it makes me laugh, but back then I used to spend the nights crying in my bed, just thinking about Aladdin."

"What happened then?" Bassel asked interested.

"Well, I got over it. I realized how perfect Aladdin and Jasmine are for each other and besides I grew older and I understood a lot of things... about life and about love. Now I'm happy for them. That is why I feel so sad right now. I know they had great illusions; this day was going to be THEIR day... and those thieves just ruined everything."

"I know... thieves are bad people."

"Well... not all of them are... I was a thief, you know?"

"What?" Bassel smiled.

"I was a street mouse... and for a while I was learning magic too... the ancient secrets of the Witches of the Sand... I'm telling you, I was a complete mess when I was younger... I'm glad I got over all of it."

"Sadira, you REALLY have to tell me all about it. I'm interested. I want to know!"

"Really?" She smiled.

"I'm positive!" He stood up. "Look, I don't want to leave you alone now because I don't want you to be sad. I want to distract you. Come on, let's go to the marketplace. We'll grab something to eat and you can tell me all about your past. It sounds so fascinating!"

"Bassel..." Sadira said as she was standing up. "I can tell you EVERYTHING about my past... but I'm afraid it could scare you away."

"I'm not going anywhere... and I want to know everything about you, Sadira. Let's get something to eat. We have a long night ahead of us and I want to know everything."

And so they did. They went to the night market, where only a few food stands were open. Even that place was empty that night, but it was good, for Sadira and Bassel could have some privacy. They went to one of the food stands, bought their food and went to sit down near a fountain in a little square not far from the marketplace. They ate their meal there and they spent a lot of time just talking.

Sadira told him everything about her life and her past. How she had been living in the house of an older woman who was always rude to her. How she had escaped from that place not long ago and how her life in the streets had been. She told him how she needed to steal her food if she wanted to survive. How she actually learned to survive in the streets of the city. It hadn't been easy, especially being a woman. But she had fought for her own rights and for her own survival. She confessed that she had been very scared at first. She spent so many nights crying, hiding in a dark corner of some old, abandoned building. She had been scared and lonely. She had to survive day after day, facing all the dangers of the life in the streets... and she had made it.

She also told him about the time when she met Aladdin and Jasmine and how she also found by accident an old underground building that once was the palace of the Witches of the Sand. She had to laugh at Bassel's expression then. It was obvious that he didn't quite believed what Sadira was telling him then. How she learned to control the Magic of the Sand and how she lived in that old building for a couple of years. She told him how bad her crush on Aladdin had been then and how she had used every spell in the books to try to steal Aladdin away from Jasmine.

Bassel was laughing, amused by the adventures Sadira was telling him. He didn't know whether those were true or just the product of her fertile imagination, but either way those were funny stories, especially because of the way she had to tell them. He couldn't take his eyes off her. The way she moved, the way she talked, the sound of her voice, her smile, that mischievous sparkle in her eyes. Everything was fascinating to him. He thought he could spend his life time just listening to her.

She finally told him about her last adventure, when the Witches of the Sand had been freed by accident and how they almost destroyed the city. She had almost been killed that time. Aladdin and Jasmine left her alone and she had to save the day. She didn't blame them, though. She knew she hadn't been in the best position then. When they tried to help her, it was too late. Aladdin couldn't save her and she had to save herself. It had been a major boost to her self-confidence. After that day she had decided to start a new life. If she had survived the Realms of Mists, she'd be strong enough to survive anything.

"The underground palace was destroyed, of course." Sadira was telling him. "And I was homeless. Jasmine allowed me to stay in the palace for some days, but I wanted to start a life of my own, you know? I didn't want to depend on them, to be always under their shadow. Now don't get me wrong, they are my friends and I love them. But I understand they have their own lives to live. So I went to find a place to live. And I found that little hovel you already visited. It's not much, just a little room. But I need very little to survive. And besides I know I'll do a lot better soon."

"And what you do to make a living?"

"Well, I do what I can. I do not steal anymore." Sadira smiled. "Well, except for that dress, the shoes, the necklace, the earrings and the wedding gift I stole yesterday from you." She winked. "But usually I do not do that anymore."

"So I should feel honored then." Bassel smiled.

"I guess." She smiled again. "You are a nice merchant, Bassel. Not like most of the other merchants I've met in my life. They're always rude and they were always chasing me around... I mean, I know I stole things from them... but... just some fruits every now and then... or a spoon."

"A spoon?" Bassel laughed. "What for?"

"Well..." Sadira shrugged and tried not to laugh. "Anyway... would you be mad if you were selling apples in the marketplace and then someone stole one of them?"

"I wouldn't be mad it that someone was you." Bassel smiled sweetly.

"Oh..." Sadira returned the smile and for some reason she felt blush in her face. "Well, that's good to know."

"So, you never told me what you do to make a living."

"Anything I can... usually I help a little in the marketplace. I do not really have a job, but I'm trying to learn things... I learned to write and read when I was little but that's pretty much all I know. You must think I'm so ignorant... this morning when you gave me the Qu'ran and I didn't know what it was... but I never had anyone to teach me things... not even the basics."

"I don't think you're ignorant." Bassel replied sincerely. "I think you are an amazing woman. Very strong and very intelligent... and I really don't know what to say because I'm just... well, amazed by you."

"You are so nice." Sadira replied softly, unable to look at his face.

"And you are beautiful too." He said in a low and very tender voice.

Sadira turned around to face him. Her blue eyes were wide open and she was speechless. She didn't know how to reply to that because it was the first time in her life that someone had told her that she was beautiful. Bassel was staring at her with a look full of tenderness and Sadira understood that he was being sincere.

"I—" She stammered and tried to smile. "I've been talking about me for hours... I'd love to... uh... hear something about your family now."

Bassel smiled and nodded. He had been taken by surprise by his own statement but he didn't regret it. For him Sadira was not only the most beautiful woman he had ever met, but also the most interesting and fascinating person that had ever crossed in his path. The most he knew about her, the most he wanted to know. But he also wanted to share with her. He wanted to tell her about his life and about his family.

"Well, I'm from Alexandria as you know." He said. "I live there with my mother. I also have a brother named Sahid who is married to Nadia. They have two boys, Hakim and Amir. My father died when I was very young and I had to take care of my mother ever since. When my father died I still was a school boy. But then I had to start working for my mother. I was only fourteen when I traveled alone for the first time. I joined a caravan and I started to do what my father did. For the past 10 years I've been my mother's support."

"Your life hasn't been easy either."

"Well, maybe not. But it definitely hasn't been as rough as yours. I've been leading a good life. I mean, we're not a rich family by any means but we live well. We have what we need and most of all, we're a very close family. That means a lot to me."

"That must be so great... to have a family."

"Yes... it is. When my father died my brother was already married, so I had to take care of my father's business and my mother. She's always telling me that I should have some fun... that I work too hard... that I need to distract myself a little."

"Well, I think your mother is right. I've known you for two days and you really seem to be a very hard working man. If you like, maybe you and I could spend the day together tomorrow... you know, visiting the city... I can show you around."

"Do you want to do that, Sadira?" He smiled happily to her.

"Of course! It's the least I can do for the man who's been my guardian angel for the past couple of days... besides, when you're back in Alexandria at least you can tell your mother about the things you saw in Agrabah."

"My mom LOVES when I come back from my travels and I tell her about the things I saw... besides, I don't think tomorrow is going to be a good day for business, seeing how things are right now in the city."

"I know."

"And I've plenty of merchandise and some nice profit after my travel to Baghdad... and also with the things I sold yesterday in the marketplace... I think I can use some rest... and if you want to show me around... even better."

"This has been a long day for everyone!" Sadira stood up. "I think we should go and have some rest."

"What's going to happen with the Royal Wedding then?" Bassel followed her as she was already walking away.

"I don't know... but you said you're going to stay until after the wedding, don't you?"

"Well, it's not my decision. We have a chief in the caravan and it's his call."

"Oh... well, I hope he decides to stay here for a while." Sadira's voice was sincere.

"I really hope so too!"

Bassel walked Sadira to her house and they continued talking about hundred of different things. Once they were there, they said their good nights.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow then." He said.

"Come early, so we can make the most of the day!"

"I will."

"Bassel... thank you!"

"Why?"

"For all you've done for me..." Sadira spoke quietly. "No one has ever been like this before... you're so nice and so good to me. And I had never, EVER in my life talked to anyone the way I talked to you tonight... in fact I don't think I had ever spend a better evening in my life. Thanks for listening to me... I really had a great time... I feel good tonight."

"I do too." Bassel smiled that sweet smile of his.

Sadira looked up at him and she found him staring lovingly down at her. She smiled and she stepped forward, placing her arms around Bassel's torso and she hugged him tight. It took him by surprise. He opened his arms when Sadira stepped forward. But when he had her close to him like that, he closed his arms around her tiny body and he embraced her softly.

Sadira's face was buried in his chest and Bassel rested his cheek on top of her head. He was smiling dreamily as he was holding her. She wouldn't let go and he was praying to Allah for her to stay like that for as long as possible. They were feeling warm and relaxed. There was something between them that made the dark alley glow as if it was illuminated with the light of a hundred candles. Bassel's heart was beating fast and then a thought that had never occurred to him before came to his head.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." He thought.

Sadira finally stepped back slowly and Bassel released her from his embrace. They looked into each other's eyes and they noticed they were blushing, but they didn't comment anything about it.

"Have a good night, Bassel." She almost whispered to him.

"You too, Sadira. Sleep well."

She nodded and smiled. Bassel returned the smile and he turned around to leave. Sadira stayed outside her house until Bassel disappeared around the corner. He turned around to send her a last smile and she waved her hand to him. It was a silent and dark night in Agrabah, but for Sadira it was the most beautiful night of her life.

She was still sad about what had happened at the wedding. She was still preoccupied about Aladdin... and yet she was smiling. Something was happening in Agrabah that night. Something she couldn't quite understand but she didn't want to think about it. She just went to bed and as soon as she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.