"When you said you wanted to marry this Aida, I thought you had found someone worthy of you!"Francisco's mother shouted at him, when she and his father had arrived in Agrabah.
"Keep your voice down, Mother. Someone might hear you."
"My voice down! They probably already know about such a disgrace you've put this family in."
"No one here knows this family."
"And thank heaven they don't."
"Well, will you quiet down, already?"
"No, I won't, until you've come to your senses."
"I have come to my senses."
"It doesn't seem like it."
"Esther…"his father began.
"Oh, be quiet, Ignacio, what you should be doing, is supporting me with this boy."
"I think he's perfectly free to do what he likes by this time."
"Oh, no, not so long as I have breath in my body."
"Mother, look, I can see you're upset, obviously, but that won't make me change my mind."
"You will change your mind."
"No, I won't. No matter what you do. I won't change my mind. And there's nothing you can do to make me."
"How dare you speak to me like that!"
"I dare, all right."
"Maybe we should leave him alone for a while."Igancio said.
"No, no, he's probably more than capable of doing something else. Why are you marrying this girl? Don't tell me you compromised her!"she asked scandalized.
"Of course not! I'm marrying her because I want to."
"What will everyone say?"
"It's of no importance to me what everyone says. They can say whatever they like."
"I always knew this trip was a bad idea. I just had to have done something to make you change your mind. Just look where it's landed us!"
"Maybe you should rest for a while, Mother."
"No, I shouldn't. I…feel faint. Oh, Francisco, how could you have brought this on me? Your own mother!"
She put a hand on her forehead, and her husband led her out of the room. Francisco shook his head. He hadn't expected anything else from his mother, but still, he hadn't given up hope that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't react like this.
"Princess, I think, you should ask that the wedding be quick. I think the sooner your husband takes you away, the better."
"Why do you think that, Haifa?"
"Because, don't you see, I think the Sultan's isn't a good person for a young lady, like yourself to be around. If he was so liberal, to kiss you, just like that, who knows what that man may try to do next! Perhaps I should tell your father. He'll tend to him."
"No. You're not going to tell anyone, or I'll tend to you."
"If Mister Francisco were ever to find out…"
"He will not. That would be just terrible. Francisco has never liked Cassim. He hates him. I can tell."
"And he has a very, very good reason."
"It might end up in a tragedy if he found out."
"Yes. Hopefully that…man ends up dead. Hopefully Mister Francisco shoots him."
"Oh, no!"
"Oh, yes."
"Don't say things like that. That would be horrible."
"No less than he deserves!"
"Don't you let Aladdin hear you say that! Or my sister."
"They would be hearing me say the truth."
"It would hurt Aladdin so much!"
"The truth sometimes does hurt."
"Oh, shut up. Or I'll make sure you hurt!"
Haifa left the room, leaving Aida thinking. She was right in one sense. Perhaps it would be better if she asked that the wedding be held sooner, instead of waiting. Perhaps the sooner she stopped seeing Cassim, the better. But, then, she would probably still see him, if Francisco invited everyone to Dzonot, or they came to visit. It would even be harder then. Maybe she could ask him not to. If he was so willing to make her happy, maybe he could come up with a good reason not to come, and ask them not to visit them. Nahil, stood behind the counter, at his uncle's shop, trying to think of a way to make the merchandize look more attractive to customers.
"This should go in the front,"he would mumble to himself. "This in the back. Arrange this by size, this by color."
Someone walked in and he turned around. He almost dropped the box he had in his hand. You!he thought, looking over the persons shoulder. It's him! He looked around. This man, here, in Agrabah? Why…but…he couldn't leave the shop unattended, but…Agrabah was a very big city, and he had finally found the one person he was looking for. This might be his only chance. Maybe he could follow him. He prayed that his uncle would forgive him. He put the box down, and walked out of the shop. He followed the man down the street. He looked well dressed. He should, thought Nahil bitterly. What else could I have expected from such a person. He followed him all across the marketplace. He had bough nothing, he seemed to be more on a mere leisurely walk, just looking around, not on a shopping trip. He turned towards the Palace, and walked straight to the main entrance. He spoke to one of the guards, who was standing there. The guard stepped aside, and let the man walk in. Nahil couldn't believe his eyes. That same man, in the Palace? He couldn't seem to comprehend it. What could that mean? He couldn't be the Sultan. He had heard that the Sultan was young, but maybe he was the Sultan's father-in-law. No, someone would have recognized him. Besides, the Sultan wouldn't have done what this man did. Maybe he was a friend. If he wandered the Palace frequently, maybe…Nahil turned around, and went back to the shop, thinking.
Cassim walked on and on, not really aware of where he was going, just thinking. Perhaps if he had payed attention, he would have noticed the people around him more, but he was absorbed in his thoughts. What had he done? He couldn't believe he could have actually kissed Aida. A girl engaged to another man. And inside the Palace, where anyone could have walked in, where someone did walk in. The maid. Would she tell anyone. What must she think of him, now? Aida probably thought less of him now, than she did when she found out he was the King of Thieves. And what if Aladdin found out? Hopefully he wouldn't. What if he thought that he was interested in a seventeen year old girl. And when this girl was Jasmine's sister! If he found out one of the maids had seen them kissing! He would probably not want to know anything about him ever again. He didn't think he could bear that. He had spend most of his life alone, wondering what had happened to his family, stealing, leading the Forty Thieves. Now that he had grown used to being around his son, he didn't think he could bear going back to that life. After he had realized what was truly important.
"Now, just this once, Mother."Francisco insisted. "Just this once."
"Thanks to you, I shall probably be seeing that girl for the rest of my life. Not just this once. You could leave a little dignity."she answered.
"The Sultan was kind enough to invite all of us for dinner today. I let her know when you would be here, as soon as I found out."
"What does the Sultan have to do with this?"
"He's her brother-in-law. You see, I didn't tell you before, she's the Princess."
His parents looked at him, speechless.
"You were planning on marrying a princess?"
"Well, why not? I love her."
"Why didn't you tell us she's a princess?"
"Well, I guess because it's not important. It doesn't seem to be so to her. And it's not to me. I would love her just the same if she were just a ragged orphan off the street."
"Oh, dear!"Esther grabbed hold of the table beside her. "How could you say that?"
"At least we have the small comfort of knowing the girl at least comes from a good family."said Ignacio, to try and calm her.
"That doesn't take away the fact that the girl is a Muslim, and she's bewitched my son to give up all my teachings, to give up his religion for her. What will el Padre Jesus say?"
"I'm sure he'll say I did the right thing."said Francisco. "And I need to know whether you're going, or not. I'll have to apologize for you, but, it's not so much the end of the world. If you are going, you will have to keep your comments to yourself, Mother. I'm sorry for speaking to you this way, but I will not have you insulting Aida and her family in any way. Do you hear? Nothing. Maybe it would be better if you just didn't open your mouth to say anything, unless it was something constructive, useful, or a compliment. All right."
"Of course."said Ignacio.
"So, will you come?"
"Yes."
"Maybe we should reconsider."begged Esther.
"Mother!"exclaimed Francisco.
"I don't know. What kind of habits do these Muslims have?"
"Nothing unusual. They are just people, the only difference would be that they fast during a different time, and they have some different customs and habits. But differences of habit and language are nothing, especially when someone loves as much as I love Aida."
"Oh, they are important, Francisco. Tremendously important."
"Well, not to me."
Francisco's mother didn't stop her comments, even on the way to the Palace, but Francisco knew that when they got there, she wouldn't say anything. This was just simply one of her ways of making her views known, but she would never say something like that in front of other people. When they got there, and were greeted in the throne room, Francisco introduced his parents. Both of them looked impressed by the Palace.
"And this is Aida."he said, smiling, leading her towards them.
"We're very pleased to meet you, Aida."said Ignacio. "What a beautiful name."
"Thank you, my mother named me."
"Well, she had very fine taste. Very fine taste, indeed."
"Yes, she did."said her father. "Very, very fine taste."
Esther didn't say anything, but simply, kissed Aida on the cheek, hugged her briefly, and let go.
"Francisco's told me about you…"she didn't know how to acknowledge Francisco's mother as.
"You can just call her, Miss Esther."Ignacio told her.
"Well, Francisco's told me about you, Miss Esther."
Esther's face told nothing, she just looked about her, expressionless.
