Chapter Ten
The first thing Aladdin felt when his eyes first rested on the city of Dukan was an immediate sense of inadequacy; the grandeur it radiated could be felt on the boat, miles away and made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His mouth agape and limbs frozen since the instant he saw it, he stared helplessly at the location where his own fate was to be decided. The oceanfront palace that greeted incoming sailors and ships was also the pinnacle and effervescent point of the city, the highest focal point most emphasized above all else along the palmy and tropical shoreline. The metropolis beneath the monumental palace was clean and stark white which created a pale and yet brilliant milky glow across the city with the reflection of the sun beating off the rooftops. It was remarkable, breathtaking, stunning . . . and dismaying to even imagine what the rulers had or were deciding about his own life.
Samirah glided Sapphire across the sea and closer towards the city with each passing moment, her own anxiety closely creeping upon her, despite her halfhearted attempts to ward off the oncoming dread. Her knuckles where white and stiff, her muscles tense and tight across her body. It wasn't fair! Why did she have to love and lose again? Where was it written that she couldn't be happy, couldn't find someone to love her and only her? Her mouth was a thin, taut line, pursed as she nervously tucked her tongue in her cheek. Samirah wanted to be alone. More than anything at that moment she just wanted to drop Aladdin off at the pier, give him her farewells and wish him luck. But she knew deep within her heart that she couldn't even do that if she wanted to, she had already promised him that her and Hamal would help him in the city and be there if he needed assistance. As if he could read her thoughts and wanted to defy them, he broke away from his trance and joined her on the bridge. A long, awkward silence followed.
Finally it was Samirah who broke the uneasiness that rested between them thickly. "I hope you've enjoyed your trip aboard Sapphire." She remarked cooly, her voice brisk but somewhat sullen. "Now that we've accommodated you and . . . delivered you to your destination, there is the matter of your bill." She never looked at him for fear of breaking down into tears. Keeping it casual and businesslike was the best way to handle the rest of their short relationship. 'You know . . . the Counsel may have decided not to let them be together . . . giving you a wide opening to fill.' The devil inside her whispered, urging her to forget about his fiancé and turn the boat around and run away with him. She nearly laughed at the absurd, yet tempting thought.
"Sure." Aladdin's voice was dark, Samirah noted, almost angry. "Here." She held out her hand and still refused to look at him, keeping her cool eye in front and on the ocean waves. The several clinking coins in her hand would never, ever fill the void he would leave in her heart if he decided to be with his girlfriend, no matter how much she purely wished him to be pleased and do what he desired. He was staring at her, she noticed from the corner of her eye as she dropped the coins into her pocket and felt their weight heavy her soul. He crossed his arms and leaned against the back railing behind her, simply watching her intently, waiting for her to say or do something.
"As long as you're just going to stand there, you could make yourself useful and go wake Hamal and let him know we're almost there." Again her voice was crisp and impersonal, almost detached. 'Why does this have to be so hard?' She thought miserably. 'Why can't I just get started with trying to get over him and move on, just forget that this trip ever happened and the fact that I fell in love with a man that was already in love with a beautiful, rich and charming princess of a distant land? A man living the fairy tale every commoner can only dream of.' When he didn't answer her or compel her request, she finally turned and looked at him questionably.
"What?" He shrugged when her perplexed expression seemed to inquire why he hadn't proceeded to do what she asked. "Oh . . . that. I don't see why I should listen to you now. After all, the business between us is done." His heart was breaking, but if she wanted to keep this unemotional and aloof, he'd grant her request. She wanted to sever whatever connection was beginning to grow between them and he didn't seem to have it in him anymore emotionally to deny her attempt. Perhaps it was better for him to just be alone altogether to keep from hurting anyone else. "You got me where I needed to go and I paid you. Now, all that remains is to deliver me to a dock in Dukan and go along your merry way." He gave her one last, cold look over his shoulder before descending down the steps and onto the deck. Samirah took him by surprise when he realized she was only a step or two behind him.
"Who do you think you are!?" She shouted, grabbing his shoulder and whirling him around making them face to face, bodies only mere inches apart. "Who the hell do you think you are!?" She repeated, placing both of her hands on his chest and shoving him backwards. He stumbled a few steps before regaining his footing and bracing himself as she approached him again. "I put my heart on the line and even though I said I'd get over you, I know I won't, so who do you think you are, Aladdin? You think you can just play with girls' emotions and their hearts and just go with whoever you feel is better for you at the moment, whoever is more convenient for you? It doesn't work like that. If that's all you're after then you're very sadly mistaken because a girl like me doesn't stand for that. You can't just walk all over me and Jasmine and whoever else you've probably strung along over the years. This all may be one big game to you Aladdin, but I can assure you, I'm not playing anymore." She shoved him again in the chest, her anger reeling and temper nearly bursting from her heart. Aladdin stumbled back again, cornered between Samirah and the starboard railing of Sapphire. It felt so good to let it all out, to vent all her harbored emotions she had been to timid and reserved about to voice before.
"Look." Aladdin began, still taken aback by her sudden fiery outburst and onslaught against him. "I never wanted this to happen. I didn't plan for it. It was never a game to me. And the very last thing I want is to hurt you in any way." He reassured, calming her steam a bit, relieved when her face softened a little. Yet, the anger still simmered beneath her cooling eyes, warning him to be cautious. "But it did happen . . . and now everything is complicated. I don't know what to do. I love Jasmine, I know that I always will." He sighed, glancing quickly at the approaching city before taking his gaze back to her. "But I also know that I love you as well in a completely different way and there's nothing I can do to stop those feeling for you or her."
"Well what the hell are you going to do then? Because I am getting sick of waiting for you to finally make up your mind and decide to take the princess and live your fairy tale and break my heart. So please, just get it over with and do it!" She cried out, her heart pounding and knees shaking, tears burning her eyes and throat as they threatened to develop. "Just break my heart, Aladdin. Go on and do it!" She demanded, watching his lost expression as he tried to think of the right thing to say. "Damn it, I said do it!" She screamed and shoved him again. Taken by sheer surprise, Aladdin lost his footing as she pushed him backward and as he lost his balance, he tumbled over the railing and plunged into the tempestuous waters below. Samirah's anger abruptly fled from her and was just as rapidly replaced by reverence and guilt as she covered her mouth in surprise as she heard Aladdin's startled outcry before his voice was cut short as he hit the water. "Aladdin!" She screamed as she ran to the rail and peered over, watching his ripples billow out from his point of impact and the bubbles rapidly rise to the top as Sapphire continued to sail on. "Oh Allah, what have I done?" She muttered to herself, sprinting to the bridge and agilely turned the ship around. "Hamal!" She screamed, keeping her stare around the area he landed in, waiting and watching for him to emerge from below.
Hamal exploded from below moments later, groggy with sleep yet alert and ready, dashing to the bridge, surveying for any damage or danger that would have made Samirah scream for him suddenly. "What is it? What happened?"
"Man overboard." She replied, letting him take the wheel as she grabbed some lose rope and began to fasten at lasso. When he looked at her incredulously, she shook her head and tightened her knot. "Don't ask."
Aladdin broke the surface of the water, gasping and panting for air, water running down his face and in his eyes. Distorted and still in shock, he looked around wildly for Sapphire and was relieved to see her coming towards him, Samirah at the bow with a rope snugly in hand. He was even more relieved to see concern rather than bitterness on her face when she saw him. It only took a few minutes to drag him out of the water securely and onto the ship before turning her back around and continuing on towards the city.
"Aladdin, I am so sorry." She said once he had calmed himself down and began to attempt to dry off. "I lost my temper, I didn't mean to . . ." She broke off once she noticed Aladdin was laughing, full wholehearted laughter. Water was dripping from his hair and clothes, pooling on the deck while his vest and pants hung limply off his body, drenched and heavy with water. He wrung out his fez while he continued to laugh and Samirah watched him in a daze. "I must have missed something. I don't see how this is funny." His laughter subsided slightly as he looked at her, small bubbles of chuckles rose every so often. He looked like a drown rat, underfed and exhausted, his eyes were dark and ragged and yet she somehow discovered she had never been so attracted to him before.
"How is this not funny?" He laughed, shaking his head to be rid of the water that soaked his hair. "This is something that only happens to me. I fall in love with a girl . . . and she throws me over the side of a boat. Go figure." She then began to laugh as well, taking in his drenched look and finding the humor in the situation that had frightened her only moments before. "I hope you got all your anger out because I don't feel like taking another swim." She nodded, her eyes full of mirth and for the first time in days he saw pure joy return to her, not burdened down by the anxiety, jealousy or loneliness that had previously constantly followed her. "I think you deserve this." He grabbed her quickly, entrapping her in a crushing hug despite her frantic attempts to escape.
"Stop!" She shrieked. "You're soaking me!" Samirah wildly squirmed in his arms, giggling and screeching as he twisted and turned, covering her completely with his wet clothes, leaving her damp with water head to toe.
"Oh, it's just a little water. You should try going for a swim!" With Samirah still in his arms, he strode over towards the same rail he flipped over and dangled her over the edge. She screamed primitively, kicking and wriggling, playfully begging him to put her down.
"No! This isn't funny Aladdin!" She yelled, yet her voice was light and flirtatious."I mean it! Put me down!"
"Oh? I'll put you down." He loosened his grip just enough so she slipped a few inches, closer and closer towards the choppy waters below.
"No! That's - that's not what I meant and you know it!" She looked from the water to Aladdin and then back to the water below again. "I already said I was sorry!" She giggled, looking at his wet and tousled hair again that was plastered against his head and across his face. Aladdin too began to laugh, savoring her reaction and the feeling of her body tightly snuggled against his to prevent from falling.
But the moment came to a sudden and instant end when a voice above them sounded, abruptly stopping Aladdin's laughter and hesitantly dousing away Samirah's. Looking over his shoulder, Aladdin peered into the sky as a shadow hovered above them, blocking the sunlight.
"Aladdin!?" Jasmine called out incredulously, shock in her voice mixed with the faint twinge of jealousy at the sight of Samirah in his arms laughing and flirting. "What are you doing out here?" She asked as Carpet lowered them onto the deck of the ship. Aladdin quickly put Samirah down, introductions aside, the guilt quickly returning and replacing the merriment in his eyes. Samirah felt instantly awkward and shamed, even out of place on her own boat. From above, Hamal steadied the ship and watched the scene unravel before him like a drama.
"Al! It really is a small world after all!" Genie called out at the sight of his friend, but soon felt the uneasiness and uncomfortable atmosphere aboard the ship and decided to simply watch the scene and keep his comments to himself.
"Well . . . I --" His mind raced frantically for the answer to Jasmine's question, for some reason he couldn't focus on why he had joined up with Samirah instantly; it took a few seconds and an attempt at pushing her out of his mind for the minute to allow it to come back to him. "I hated waiting at home," Aladdin began, the memories all flooding back. "So I decided to come to Dukan and find out what was going on for myself." Nearly forgetting Samirah was standing beside him, he approached Jasmine and felt the inadequacy return to his heart. Clothes still soaked and hair mussed and ratty, he went up to his Princess feeling more like a street rat than he had in a long time.
Samirah stood back, watching the lover's reunited and seeing her hopes and dreams walk away with Aladdin. It was so strange to feel so in love and then so utterly lonely within a matter of mere seconds. Still, she held her ground and her tongue, letting Aladdin and Jasmine deal with their issues without her butting in and defending her right to be with him. Tempting as it was, she kept from running into his arms and dragging him away. Yet, at the sight of the beautiful and powerful Princess, she felt meaningless and weak, knowing the competition was perfect and impeccable. Who would dare take on a Princess over a man she had just spent days defending?
"We were just on our way home." Jasmine motioned to Genie and Carpet who stood behind her, surveying the view.
"So you met with the counsel?" He asked with urgency, the hope and fear raced back down his spine simultaneously, chilling his soul and burning his heart. His pulse began to race and sweat began to accumulate across his body as a rush of dread and wonderment spread through his blood and ignited a fire of anxiety in his stomach. She nodded, looking from Aladdin to Samirah and then back again. He took another step closer to her, his eyes frantically searching her's for the answer he had been waiting on for what seemed a lifetime. "Jasmine," He began, inhaling sharply. "What did they decide?"
To Be Continued . . .
Please R/R!