"What is the meaning of this?"asked Aida's father, sleepily.
Aida ran out of her room, climbed several staircases down, and ran to meet Francisco outside.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"I know we're already engaged, but, I figured it's never too late or too early, wouldn't you say?"
"I didn't know you could sing."
"Well, can't everyone? That is, maybe except when they're mute."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do."
Aladdin and Jasmine came down, on Carpet, and Genie following them.
"We have burglars?"asked Iago.
"No, no, just a serenata. Now, what song would you like to hear next? I don't know very much Middle Eastern music, and as you can probably see, I didn't bring the instrument, but, you don't mind if I sing in Spanish, do you?"
"I can understand a little bit."
"What's a serenata?"asked Aladdin.
"Just what you see here. I come and bring my sweetheart music to her window."
"Oh, why didn't I meet you before?"
"It's something that a lot of people do at home. Now I just hope that you won't kick me out."
"It's very romantic."said Jasmine.
"Oh, my, my, my."said her father, smiling.
"And I thought we needed to raise security."said Genie.
"Oh, Genie!"
"That was wonderful, Princess."Haifa said to Aida the next morning.
"Yes, it was very beautiful, wasn't it, Haifa?"
"Oh, yes. Who would have thought of something like that? Only Mister Francisco."
"It's really not that strange, Haifa. They do that a lot where he's from. It's normal, over there."
"It was very beautiful, imagine if you woke to that every single night."
"I don't think married people do that. That's before you're married, and if it was every night, don't you think it would lose its charm?"
"Oh, it wouldn't lose its charm for me, Princess."
"Well, if it did, or didn't, that's something else. Now, I need you to go to the marketplace for me, and buy some things. You know I'd go myself, but I have to stay here. The dress-maker will be here any minute."
"Yes, Princess."
Nahil decided that the best way to do what he had to do was to get inside the Palace. But how would he do that. If he broke in, or did something like that, he would probably end up in the dungeon, which wouldn't be good at all. It would completely ruin everything. So what could he do? He decided he must find a way to get a job in the Palace, as a valet, helping in the kitchen, anything. But how could he do that? He didn't have anyone to recommend him. His only shot would be to lie. Maybe by speaking sweetly to one of the maids. Maybe a kitchen maid. He knew that wouldn't be honest, but it was his only shot. He stood, staring at the Palace, rage going through him, just thinking that that man was living there. There! In the lap of luxury! A...he knew he had to do something. It just wasn't just. Suddenly, he saw someone come out, not of the main entrance, but of the servants'. A girl. If she came out of the servants' entrance, it obviously meant that she was a servant. He walked up to her.
"Hello."he said.
"Hello, sir."
"Don't call me sir. My name is Nahil. Do you work in the Palace?"
"Yes, si, I mean, Mister Nahil."
"Don't call me mister, either. And what is a lovely young girl like yourself doing out here, today?"
"I'm going to buy some things for the Princess."
"The Princess? You know her personally?"
"Yes. She is going to be wed soon."
"And whom to?"
"To a wonderful young man. His name is Mister Francisco. He's not from around here. But he has the most romantic ideas. Why, would you believe that just last night, he came here, and sang to her while she was asleep."
"Wouldn't he have woken her?"
"Why, yes, he did. And it was the most romantic music, too. I didn't understand much of what he sang, but she did."
"Where is he from?"
"I can't ever seem to remember the name."
"Well, when did he decide to live here, in Agrabah?"
"They are not going to live here, but they are going to leave, and go to wherever he's from. That's where they will live."
"Will you be going with them?"
"I don't know. Maybe. If the Princess wishes me too. She probably will. I'm her personal maid, you see. She might need me."
"I'm sure she will. You must indispensable to her. A girl like you. What's your name, by the way?"
"Haifa."
"Haifa, that's a very, very beautiful name. So, besides the Princess, who else lives in the Palace? I'm sure you know everyone personally."
Haifa smiled.
"Only her family. Her father, her sister, the Sultana, her brother-in-law, the Sultan, and the Sultan's father."
"The Sultan's father?"
"Yes."
"Why don't you tell me about him. What's he like?"
"His name is Cassim, and he came to live here, just when the Sultana and the Sultan were about to be married."
"But what about before?"
"No one knows what Mister Cassim has done before. Just that he came to live here, just before they were married."
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"Nothing else?"
"No."
By then, Haifa had bought everything Aida needed, and they were back at the servants' entrance to the Palace.
"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you."said Nahil.
"I hope so, too. Nahil."
"Yes. Congratulate the Princess on my behalf, and say hello to the Sultan's father for me, too, won't you?"
"Why?"
"Just because."
"Do you know him?"
"I guess you could say in a certain way I do."
"Oh, well, then I guess I will, if you like."
"Thank you. Shookran."
Haifa walked into the Palace.
"What took you so long, Haifa?"Aida asked irritabley. "You know how I hate people who don't hurry."
"I'm sorry, Princess. I spoke to someone."
"To whom?"
"His name is Nahil, and he asked me to congratulate you."
"Oh, he sends his congratulations?"
"Yes."
"But who is he?"
"I don't really know. I simply met him outside the Palace, and he accompanied me."
"Well, at least you didn't spend all day talking to him."
"He said he knew Mister Cassim."
"He what?"
"Or rather he said he did, but he said he didn't."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure. That's what he said. And he asked me to say hello to him for him."
"You certainly do meet the weirdest people on you travels, Haifa."
"Yes, I guess so. But I wasn't traveling, Princess."
"Whatever, you know what I mean."
Abruptly, another maid, Shariffa, ran into the room.
"Princess, the Sultana is about to give birth."she said.
"Oh, she is?"asked Aida, excitedly. "This is such good news."Aida got up, and left the room.
Haifa followed her.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear, everything shall be all right, my boy."Aida's father kept saying.
Genie had to tie Iago's beak with a heavy lock to keep him from talking, saying he was just making Al more nervous than he already was. Abu and Carpet just stood in a corner. Cassim kept trying to calm Aladdin down.
"Yes, yes, everything is all right, right Dad?"he kept saying.
Aida was also nervous, but she tried not to show it. A few minutes later, one of the midwives, came out to tell everyone that the Sultana had given birth to a baby boy.
