Askew Liberation

Aladdin groaned as rubbed his head yelping when he encountered a well sized knot on the back. Jasmine shushed him, gently parting his hair as she applied a gel to cool the feeling and dissolve any infection. Across from them, sat a dirt smeared and very confused Mozenrath. Actually, it wasn't dirt, it was motor oil from one of that crazy Greek's machines. He was greased up like a pig in mud and desperately trying to untangle his long black mane from the gloopy mess.

None of the trio were completely sure what to say to each other, not as sure as they had been say three hours ago. It had started off easily enough. Aladdin and told Mozenrath to stay in the palace while he and Jasmine sped off on that flying rug of theirs to play heros. Little had they known the fight would be brought right up to the palace doors, crashing through the throne room and melting a great deal of historical art work to the ground. Mozenrath had tried to stay out of the fight, hoping in a perverse way that Aladdin would be killed and the spell broken.

He had never been on the watching end of a heroic battle. Ever the antagonist, he preferred being in the midst of it, goading his now captors into action and reveling in every hit and blow. To his massive surprise he found himself constantly worried about the hero. He watched Aladdin and Jasmine, the way they worked together and to bring danger to a close. When one of the mechanical monstrosities giant pinchers had come down and given Aladdin a bloody, (but ultimately superficial) wound, it had taken all his will power not to rush out there and rend Mechanicales limb from limb.

Suddenly Aladdin had dove in, wielding a sword to slash the underbelly of the creature. He had hit well, spilling the oil against the white palace marble and all over everything in sight. Unfortunately, he had hit a spring as well, it flew out at him, and as the giant beetle fell to the ground, Aladdin was flung to the wall, out like a light.

The strange thing about taking action in a situation like this, you really have no clear memory of what you just did. You could remember what caused you to act. You can remember the after math. But the moments of intense danger become a big blur. That was all Mozenrath could see when he tried to think of what had happened, to remember it on his own.

But that didn't change the fact that he had saved Aladdin's life.

Jasmine bandaged Aladdin head and shoulder wound, taking great care with her beloved. She glanced at Mozenrath on occasion but the sorcerer seemed lost within his own world. She could hardly believed what she had witnessed. Just as the beetle had come crashing down, she had seem a figure dressing in harem cloths dodge in under it, summoning power (at what must have been great physical cost) to force field himself and the hero.

It had taken her a moment to realize that figure had been Mozenrath.

It was so illogical in her own mind she was just now thinking back on it. She had panicked when she realized she was too far away to save him in time, screaming out his name as the shadow of the falling creature had eclipsed her view. Jasmine had jumped from the carpets back, sailing to the floor just as she saw Mozenrath disappear under the bug.

And just like that it was over. The force field caused the metal to snap and fray, exploding against the palace walls in small fires and black sludge. She ran over to the epicenter, pulling at bits of twisted metal and gears, calling out for her husband. Tears were brimming up, waiting for the worst.

But she had seem a gloved hand appear, pulling it's way out from the wreckage as he pulled Aladdin with him. It took her mind a moment to catch up with her eyes.

Mozenrath saved Aladdin…(fact)

Mozenrath saved Aladdin…?(question)

Mozenrath saved Aladdin…!(joy)

Mozenrath saved Aladdin…(WTF?)

Now they sat their together, uncomfortable in one another's presence. The rules had changed. They all knew it now. It was apparent in the air that the whole universe they had come to know and be reassured by had decided to screw with things again.

Mozenrath snorted as another tangle presented itself. "Are things always like this?" the forced tone broke the silence. Aladdin tried a laugh but it caught in his throat. "I'll take that as a yes." Mozenrath muttered and stood, readjusting his sparse costume. "Well baring any further threats on your lives, I'm going back to the harem." He spun around on his heel, forcing anything from his mind save a hot bath, (perhaps several) and new cloths.

"Mozenrath…" Aladdin said softly. Mozenrath paused for a moment just by the door, then looked over his shoulder. "Thank you." He tried to sneer, honestly Mozenrath did, but it almost came out as a smile. Aladdin waited till he was out of sight and turned to his wife. "Did he really…?" he coughed, spitting a big of grease. "Did he really do what I think he did?"

"I know. It just doesn't seem possible." Jasmine turned to him. "Aladdin I was so afraid I'd lost you.' She hugged him, ignoring the grunt of pain. "I didn't even know it was Mozenrath at the time."

"I opened my eyes while he was protecting me. There was this strange look on his face, like he was in pain. I think using up magick like that hurt him." Aladdin rubbed his shoulder and tensed. "I mean, I expressly forbade him to use magick unless I said other wise. How did he force it through the spell like that?"

"I don't know." Jasmine leaned back. "We have to thank him for this Aladdin. If you'd have died nothing could have held him here. He might have taken advantage of the chaos and destroyed everything. He would have had the perfect opportunity to escape…"

"And yet he prevented it." Aladdin stood up gingerly and looked at himself in the mirror, a small smile on his face. "Jasmine. I think I want to give him something. Just this one time let him have what he wants. Will you help me?"

Mozenrath dunked his head under the hot water, wondering if he should get it over with and drown himself right now. Stupid! stupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupid!" He snarled at himself viciously. That was your fucking chance you moron! You could have let him die! You could have escaped and returned with a vengeance, broken this city to the ground and pissed on it's ashses! And all you had to do was stay still!

He came up for air, washing out his hair with a thick shampoo and watching little rainbows form in the sudsy water. He cleared his mind and remembered himself quite clearly, running across the slick floor as he saw his lover unconscious, about to be flattened. His reactions had been purely instinctual.

But I could have been free! He snapped at himself and closed his eyes. His darker, more pragmatic side began to take over, considering the implications of what he had just done, and what it meant. He had saved Aladdin's life at considerable risk of his own. He flexed his gauntlet in pain. He was suffering the after effects of disobedience and his hands felt like they were on fire.

But he had ready the look in Jasmine's eyes when she helped they from the wreckage. She looked as if she might kiss him or kill him. Then she saw Aladdin and forgot all about Mozenrath until later. And the hero himself. Well those eyes were nothing short of amazed! Maybe even a little grateful.

You could use that. His old self chuckled at the delight of a scheme. They owe you know. Both the princess and Aladdin. There's a lot you can do to manipulate them now. Guilt will be your best weapon. Make them feel ashamed to have imprisoned you. That they have misjudged your character, heros are so quick to believe that they were wrong. Oh this could be so sweet. Mozenrath grinned, washing the rest of his lean body.

Mozenrath stood from the pool and wrapped a robe around himself, taking a long look in the mirror to check for any missed filth. He knew quite well he could be a charming son of a bitch when he wanted to be. Mozenrath smirked and headed for the door, feeling like himself again. No time better than the present.

He threw open the gilded harem doors and was topped short by the sight of a smaller woman in front of him. It was Jasmine, hands on her hips, a small, indefinable smile on her pretty lips. She looked like a woman holding all the right cards, confident, and secretive.

Mozenrath scowled. "What do you want? Aren't you supposed to be staying as far away from me as possible?"

Jasmine shrugged. "I won't be staying long. I just wanted you to know that Aladdin left a thank you gift in your private area of the harem. Just something to let you know how much he truly does appreciate what you did today."

Mozenrath scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Sure he does. Which is why I'm still confined to this nauseatingly tacky apartments." He gestured around him at the opulent décor. True, the harem was…vivid. "You people have the nerve to call yourselves heros."

Jasmine reached out and took the sorcerers chin in her hand and sighed. "Just go to your rooms. I'm sure you'll like what he left you." She couldn't order him, not really, but she had a feeling Mozenrath's innate sense of curiosity would get the better of him. Secure in this, she turned on her heel and walked down the hallways. The construction crews were just beginning to rebuild on the throne room and she intended to over see construction.

Mozenrath slammed the doors again, no longer in the mood to set his plan in action. Not today at any rate. So he left me a present did he? Mozenrath growled and stalked off to his private area. There were many rooms adjoining the harem, most of them hade especially for the higher ranking concubines (fourth degree princesses, nobleman's daughters, expensive and well trained slaves) Mozenrath had been 'given' the largest of them, one which traditionally belonged to the head wife. He was, in part, grateful for it. It gave him a room to himself, somewhere to retreat and feel secure.

He paused in front of the doors, wondering out of selfish pride what Aladdin had left. Not that he cared. Really he didn't. He would relish picking up whatever bauble or trinket that street rat had picked out and breaking it against the wall. He thinks he can just but me off with pretty objects. Just toss a necklace or ring and I'll go squealing and crawling like a girl after it. That was after all the traditional gift for a sex slave who won favor. Some fancy jewelry or perfume.

Mozenrath was in a vicious anger right now. Angry at himself, angry at his forced position, angry at his surroundings, angry at Aladdin. He was so angry that when he opened the door, he didn't really notice the sight inside.

When his eyes adjusted, Mozenrath suddenly realized there was a figure awaiting him in the room, his head cast down in a pose of humility. Mozenrath felt his breath hitch as he realized exactly who it was. "Aladdin…" he whispered breathlessly and saw the hero turn to him. Everything in his mind evaporated. Aladdin was sitting there, posed as he had been so many times in the past few weeks. He stood spread eagle against the bed posts, his arms bound by thick silver chains. His naked body glistened in the candle light, a glowing honey brown color. He had the ball gag in his mouth and a not laying in front of him on the bed.

Mozenrath stepped forward, never taking his eyes off the street rat, almost as if he couldn't believe he was standing there. Aladdin looked back at him with that soft, waiting expression. It took the sorcerer a moment to look from him to the sheet of parchment and collect himself enough to make out the words.

One night.

He read the words again, written in beautiful, fluid, and feminine strokes. Jasmine must have been the one to bind him like this. Allah knew there were enough secret passages in this palace for them to have slipped in without his noticing. He stood up, an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach as he approached Aladdin.

Well? This is what you wanted isn't it? No…not exactly…Oh please don't fool yourself Mozenrath! You've been imagining a night like this ever since this all began. And here he is, giving it too you on a silver platter!Mozenrath was seized with a sudden compulsion. He reached forward and gripped Aladdin's chin and brought him around in a hard jerk.

"Is this what you want hero?" Mozenrath sneered, his eyes blazing like dark coals. "You want me to take you like you took me?" He felt a thrill as he saw just a shred of doubt in the hero's eyes. Maybe a little regret in his choice of gift. Mozenrath grinned in a near evil fashion. Too late hero. He grabbed a handful of rich, thick hair and jerked Aladdin's head back, laughing.

He tore Aladdin's gag off, baring his lips down on Aladdin's with a complete lack of gentleness. He heard a muffled whine escape through between their lips. It only served to encourage him. All his bundled anger, all his writhing need to control. He was going to show that damn hero exactly what it meant to enslave Mozenrath.

Aladdin yelped when he felt strong white teeth bit down on his lip enough to draw blood. His head was thrust back and he felt Mozenrath's soft tongue stroke over his lips, lapping up the blood. "Moze…" he whispered.

Mozenrath chuckled. "No slave…you gave yourself to me for this night, remember." He stroked Aladdin's hair in an almost loving way, he kissed him again, letting their lips graze against one another with caring rhythm. "Tonight, I'm the Master."