AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ha ha! I FINALLY got this chapter done. It was actually 17 pages or something, soooo...I hope this satisfies everyone till I get working on it again. Hope you like...and yes, I know, this chapter is definitely a cliffhanger.

DISCLAIMER: All characters pertaining to Aladdin belong to D!sney. Not me. I own Prince Muhammed, Hana, and Faatina. That's all.


III

Night had fallen upon Agrabah, the fires flickering from the windows of houses, the starts twinkling above like fireflies, the moon glowing in all of her heavenly glory. Faatina had always thought that Agrabah was at its most beautiful at night, when the air cooled down and the moon cast everything in blue and silver.

She had requested dinner being brought to her room, asking for extra food because she was feeling particularly hungry, and no one questioned her. They all assumed that since Hana was not feeling well, the princess refused to leave the side of her friend. Faatina did not mind at all that that was what they thought. In fact, she had been counting on it, and it was only after locking her door and having a very awkward dinner that she reassured Hana that she would be all right on her own and that she could go and rest. The handmaiden was reluctant to do so, but after the events of the day, she did as she was told, inwardly praying to Allah to protect her friend.

And so, Faatina found herself gazing down at the city from her balcony just as she always did, while Jafar was still finishing his meal. It had been almost comical to watch the older man eat; it was as if instead of being in the Afterlife he had actually been stranded in the desert for weeks and had been starving. But the moonlight had distracted her, and she couldn't resist its call, so she excused herself and let herself relish in how the world seemed so peaceful at the current moment. It was almost as if she weren't a princess, that she was normal like everyone else out in the world, that she wasn't a hopeless shrew, and that she hadn't just brought her family's greatest enemy back from the dead. Everything seemed good and right. That was why she liked the night. It made her feel free and peaceful.

'I see you have fallen in love with the moon as well.'

Faatina jumped slightly, turning to see Jafar standing beside her on the balcony. 'Oh, um, yeah. She's very beautiful.'

'Please forgive me if I may sneak up on you again like that in the future,' he apologized. 'I have a strange gift for doing so unintentionally.'

'No, no, it's all right,' the princess reassured him, her eyes returning back to the glowing moon in the sky. 'I don't really pay attention to anything when I start thinking while looking at the night sky.'

'You find peace while doing so, I assume?' The sorcerer asked.

'Yes. It's the only time during the day when I can actually forget about the fact that I'm a princess and know that I'm a person just like everybody else,' she admitted. 'The people are too simple to even understand that although one may live in a palace and have everything that they wish to have, there will always be something missing. Then again, I don't blame them. If I were them, I'd want to be me too. All of these riches and power.' She paused.

Jafar turned to her. 'I can understand. It must be tiring.'

Faatina smiled. 'Not tiring, just annoying,' she stretched. 'Well, I'm going to retire for the night now, so…you can sleep…um…'

'The chair beside your bed is fine,' he interjected.

'Oh…okay.' The princess turned from the beautiful night sky and the moon, crossing the balcony to her room towards the oil lamps on the walls. She turned the flames down, and approached her bed, pausing for a moment, wringing her hands awkwardly. 'Well…' she turned to the sorcerer. 'Goodnight.' She climbed into bed, trying to ignore the feeling that his eyes were boring into her. The sudden thought of the amulet around his neck gave her comfort, and so she closed her eyes, ready to surrender herself to sleep.

Jafar stood a short distance from her bed, merely observing her as her breathing slowly became calm and steady as sleep overcame her. She certainly was beautiful, he had to admit. Her rambunctious attitude was far more defined than her mother's was, and he could tell it would take awhile to get used to. Patience, Jafar, he reminded himself. A desert rose with thorns cannot be tamed after only giving it water and shielding it from the sun. No, you must care for it, and clip its many thorns until it is a blossoming flower that you may hold close. The sorcerer strode over to the chair beside her bed and laid his head against the cool surface of the vanity, never taking his eyes off of her. Good night, my desert rose, he thought as he watched her sleep. For you will be mine, no matter how sharp your thorns may be.

The Genie could tell that even though Aladdin did his best to hide it during dinner, he was worried about his daughter. From what the comical Genie could tell, Faatina had been acting strangely when her father went to talk to her, and when Faatina acted differently, it was quite hard to not notice. She was so loud, so temperamental, and didn't let anyone boss her around; however, she was a terrible liar at times, and this was why Aladdin motioned Genie to come and speak to him privately on his way to the chambers which he shared with Jasmine.

'She was acting like she was hiding something,' Aladdin told the blue Genie before him. 'I don't like it.'

'It could just be hormones,' Genie said. 'You know how those teenagers are…' His voice took on the tone of a sorrowful, angst-y youth. 'Dear die-ary, my life is so horrible….nobody loves me…woe is me…' He proceeded to cry mockingly into a black handkerchief.

'This is serious, Genie,' Aladdin said, his eyes becoming clouded with concern. 'Something was wrong, and it wasn't just Hana not feeling well. I want you to go and check on her. She's probably sleeping, so that will give you the opportunity to go ahead and take a look around.'

'Al, I don't know…if she finds out…well, let's just say we'll be seeing steam coming out of her ears,' Genie said, twiddling his thumbs nervously. 'I'm not so sure I want to have to face her wrath.'

'Please do this for me, Genie,' Aladdin said, his voice filled with worry. 'I want to find out what's bothering her and help her out before Prince Muhammed arrives tomorrow.'

The Genie gazed at the prince for a moment, and sighed. 'Could I ever resist the face of a worried parent? All right, I'll go take a look and see what's up. But when she finds out…you owe me one, little buddy.' The Genie took off flying out the nearest window, making his way towards the princess's balcony.

He never liked making Faatina mad. He'd rather be on good terms with her. He had watched over her since she was just a baby, and had always been able to make her laugh. Although he never interfered with any of the courtship that went on due to Aladdin and Jasmine's request, he was always there to calm her down after prince-so-and-so left. There had only been a few times in which she had become upset with him. One was when he was telling her and Hana a story, and he had frightened Faatina's handmaiden so badly that she was in tears. The princess was furious that he had made her best friend cry, and yelled at him with such conviction that he couldn't help but admire her and fear her at the same time.

This time isn't going to be any different, he thought. He knew she'd find out. She always did. He reached her balcony, and drew the curtain which separated her bedroom from the balcony slowly. Genie wasn't sure if she was asleep yet, and he certainly did not want her throwing things at him demanding him to get out. Quietly, the blue genie floated over to Hana's chambers, where the girl was sleeping peacefully.

'Huh. That's odd,' Genie muttered to himself. Hana didn't look as ill as Faatina had said she was. In fact, the girl's face was colored just right; there was no sweat on her forehead, and her hands didn't appear to be clammy. 'If Hana isn't ill, then why…?' Genie wondered.

He turned from the handmaiden's chambers and began looking around. There, on a table was the remnants of their dinner, and on a nearby pillow lay the parrot Iago, curled up deep in sleep, snoring. Well, at least that's normal, Genie thought in amusement. He continued looking around and decided that the princess must be asleep, and approached her bed slowly.

She's so peaceful when she's sleeping, the Genie thought to himself. Everything seems to be right here…she's asleep, the lamps have been turned down, and Jafar is sleeping in the chair next to her bed with his head on the vanity. He turned to leave the room, and then stopped.

Jafar is sleeping in the chair next to the princess's bed with his head on the vanity? That's not normal! He thought, glancing back. His jaw dropped as the realization hit him. Jafar. Jafar is alive. You've got to be kidding me. No way. He's dead. My mind must be playing tricks on me!

Feeling distinctly unsettled, Genie approached the supposed sleeping figure of Jafar. As he got closer, he could hear the man breathing slowly, and no matter how many times he blinked, the chair refused to become empty. 'Oh my…' he covered his mouth to keep himself from crying out in shock, zipping out of the princess's bedroom as fast as he could.

Aladdin is going to be so angry when he finds out, he couldn't help thinking. Oh, Faatina, please get a good night's rest…because you are not going to like what's going to happen in the morning.

Someone was pounding on the door. They were pounding so loud that it brought Faatina out of a deep dream she was having of flying on the magic carpet; flying all over the world, being free, not having to go back to Agrabah. Her auburn eyes fluttered open, and she stretched, sitting up slowly, the last remnants of sleep beginning to float away like clouds in the sky. Sunlight streamed through the windows and the balcony, and the familiar distant bustle of the city was carried to her ears on the soft breeze in the air.

Whoever was at the door was still pounding on it, and Faatina was beginning to become irritated. What can they possibly want? She thought, rising from her bed and striding to the door.

'Faatina! I demand to be let in at once!' Her father's voice from the other side of the door sounded furious, and the princess backed away slightly, thankful for the locked door between them. 'I know he's in there! You can't hide him forever!'

Who…? The princess wondered, but when she looked over back to her bed, she knew. Jafar was seated in her chair, his head resting on the surface of her vanity, obviously still asleep. 'Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no,' she whispered, rushing over to the sorcerer's side, shaking him by the shoulder. 'Jafar. Jafar, wake up!' She hissed.

Jafar stirred, blinking from his sleep, turning towards her with a look of slight confusion on his face. The pounding on the door became more violent, and suddenly sleep cleared away to reason as he saw the expression on the princess's face. He knows, the sorcerer thought, his face darkening.

'Jafar, you've got to hide,' Faatina whispered, grabbing one of his hands, pulling him towards Hana's chambers, Jafar following without protest. They entered the room, and the princess strode over to her handmaiden's wardrobe, pulling it open without hesitation. 'Get in.' He did so, asking no questions as the pounding was replaced by the sound of someone – guards, no doubt – attempting to break the door down. 'Be quiet as you can. If they find you…don't worry. I won't let them kill you.' She shut the doors, and Jafar shifted uncomfortably in the confined space; he had to lean slightly forward due to his height, and he couldn't help but feel doubtful as to the fact that she could persuade her father not to sentence him to death.

Hana stirred from her bed, mumbling, 'What's going on?' She rubbed her eyes, and Faatina felt a giant surge of guilt for her actions. She hadn't meant to get Hana messed up in all of this, hadn't meant for her to be an innocent bystander with what had happened.

'Hana…I'm so sorry,' Faatina whispered. The young girl's eyes widened as the slamming against the locked door became louder. 'They know. I'm so sorry for getting you involved in this, I didn't mean to…'

'No, m'lady, it's all right,' Hana murmured. 'If you are to be punished, I would want to be punished beside you.' The two friends gazed at one another for a moment, Hana rose from her bed, both entering the princess's chambers, Hana holding Faatina's hand tightly in fear.

The door finally gave way, and Iago, who was still sleeping on a pillow, woke with a loud squawk, and flew to Faatina's shoulder as guards rushed in, followed by Aladdin, who looked as though he would very much like to kill something, an apprehensive Genie tagging along behind him. 'Let me guess…' Iago muttered. 'They found out.'

'Hold your tongue, Iago,' Faatina whispered. 'Let me take care of this.'

The guards had their hands on the hilts of their swords, their eyes darting around the room as if the entire place was wired with booby traps. They remembered Jafar and what he was capable of, and the fact that the sorcerer was supposed to be in the room somewhere made them feel uneasy.

Aladdin approached his daughter, his rage apparent. 'Where is he, Faatina?' the prince asked through gritted teeth.

'I don't know who you're talking about,' she replied coolly, determined to stand her ground, no matter how angry her father became.

'Stop playing games with me; I know he's in here!' Aladdin said, his voice rising. Faatina said nothing, refusing to back down. 'Very well then,' her father said, and turned to the guards who immediately came to attention, their personal fears being pushed from their minds.

'Search the room, including the handmaiden's chambers,' Aladdin ordered, and they did so, beginning to look underneath the beds, going through cabinets and other nooks and crannies that the sorcerer may have hidden in.

'I know you are hiding him,' Aladdin stated, his voice lowering. 'Why? Why would…how could…?'

The princess still said nothing, and she could feel a distinct chill run down her spine as she heard the guards' cry from Hana's chamber, and felt a lump begin to grow in her throat as two guards dragged Jafar into the main room, a look of absolute fury on his face which seemed to deepen as he saw Aladdin.

'Well, well, if it isn't the cowardly snake Jafar,' Aladdin said, a triumphant smirk on his face as he approached the sorcerer. 'I have no idea how you were brought back to life, but after I sentence you, I promise you that you will never be able to see the sun, moon or stars ever again. Your only company will be those who are evil like yourself, trapped forever in the Afterlife.'

Jafar's eyes narrowed. 'You talk big, boy, but can you really go through with your threat?'

'After what you've done to me and those I love? Oh, I can guarantee it,' the prince answered.

'I wouldn't be too sure about that,' Jafar hissed, tearing his eyes from his enemy to look over at Aladdin's daughter meaningfully. The prince turned, and if the guards had thought Aladdin looked furious when he found out Jafar was alive, it was nothing compared to the look of anger on his daughter's face.

Faatina strode over to the two guards who held Jafar by the arms, her jaw clenched with determination. 'I demand that you let him go at once! What you are doing is absolutely unfair.' The guards glanced at each other nervously, and turned to Aladdin, who had a look of bewilderment on his face.

'Unfair? What are you talking about?' The prince demanded. 'This…this man tried to kill me, your mother, and your grandfather more than once! The only thing he wants is to rule over Agrabah and wouldn't hesitate to kill all of us to achieve that!'

'He can't hurt you!' Faatina shot back. 'I made sure he wouldn't! See that amulet around his neck?' The princess pointed to it. 'He can't take it off, and so long as he has that around his neck, he can't hurt anyone I love. I love my family, and so he can't hurt you. It wouldn't be fair to kill someone who can't even defend themselves.' She turned to the guards. 'I order you to release him at once!'

The guards shifted uncomfortably, and Aladdin shot them a look that clearly told them to keep their grip on the sorcerer's arms. The princess smirked, her hands balled into fists by her sides. 'Well…it seems my point hasn't come across,' she said, suddenly bringing one of her fists back and punching one of the guards across the face. He fell staggered backwards, releasing his grip on Jafar. The other guards cried out, but the princess merely strode over to the other guard who still held the sorcerer's other arm and kicked him in the groin with no hesitation. The guard stumbled, clutching his groin with a look of utmost pain on his face.

Jafar stared at the princess who now stood in front of him protectively. That was an unexpected surprise, he thought. He believed that she would have only protested and that in the end he would have gone straight to the executioner's block, but he certainly hadn't expected her to use force against her very own guards, who now were standing quite a distance from the sorcerer. He straightened his robes with a smug smile on his face. Things certainly are playing into my hands, aren't they?

'Faatina…please…you can't trust him…' Aladdin pleaded with his daughter. She stared back at him defiantly.

'You can't touch him or hurt him! He's my advisor now. I am sick and tired of all of these suitors coming around who go on and on about themselves, and how beneficial it would be for me to marry them because their kingdoms have so-and-so, and how that will somehow make Agrabah better than it already is. No. I need someone who can tell me if their kingdoms really are as great as they say it is, someone who can help me read between the lines and see their true intentions. That's why I asked Iago for help,' the princess told Aladdin.

Iago, who had been perched on her shoulder in amusement and had to keep himself from cheering the princess on when she punched and kicked the guards, quickly caught onto her story. They had had to make up lies before as to why she had turned different princes down, and he felt a small surge of admiration for how fast she was able to come up with a plausible story. Even though she was a horrible liar overall, for some odd reason she seemed to be able to tell this lie as if it really were the truth.

'I told her about Jafar's extensive knowledge,' the parrot spoke up. 'He has traveled to many places, many kingdoms. "If anyone can help you, it's Jafar," I told her.'

Faatina nodded. 'I knew he was dead. I remembered the stories Genie told me when I was little. So I prayed to Allah, asking him to please bring Jafar back to life, so that way he may seek redemption by assisting me. And then…he just sort of appeared.'

He's never going to buy it, Jafar thought as he saw the skeptical look on the prince's face. But to his surprise, Aladdin gave a sigh of defeat and ran a hand through his hair. 'Very well,' Aladdin muttered. 'You're too stubborn to back down; I know you too well. I will…tolerate his presence here for the time being. But as soon as you choose a suitor, he will most certainly be banished, do you understand?'

Faatina nodded. 'Yes. Father…how did you know that he was here?'

'I asked Genie to go and check on you while you were sleeping.'

The genie, who had been hovering over Aladdin's shoulder and trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, gave a short laugh, a nervous smile on his face. Oh Allah, she's going to kill me, he thought. If not now, then later.

'It was for your best interest,' Aladdin said. 'Please, Faatina, don't do this…if it's an advisor you want, I can summon a holy man from Baghdad-'

'My only wish is to serve you, princess,' Jafar interrupted, bowing to her in respect. 'I will use all of my knowledge to assist you with this… suitor problem.'

'Thank you,' Faatina said to the sorcerer. 'Now, if you'll excuse us father, we're going to go and eat breakfast.' She began to stride out of the room, Hana following her in silence, Jafar not close behind.

As soon as they left, Aladdin gave a cry of frustration. 'Curses, Genie, the only reason he's so willing to help her is because she's protecting him. I can't persuade her to change her mind; she's too stubborn. There's nothing I can do, and he knows it!'

Genie gave him an uneasy smile. 'Well…maybe we'll get rid of him sooner than we think; after all, Prince Muhammed is on his way here as we speak. He just might win Faatina's heart, and then you can banish him!'

'No…' Aladdin's brow furrowed. 'No, Jafar's not going to let Faatina get won over so easily. If anything, he's going to prevent it from happening.' The prince turned to the guards. 'I want you to watch him. Watch what he says; watch what he does, especially around my daughter. He may not be able to kill us, but if he is to act against us through my daughter, we'll be able to catch him in the act before he can strike. I don't trust him, not one bit.'

A smile spread across Faatina's lips as she walked down the hallway. 'Nice going, Iago. That was a close call.'

'No kidding,' the parrot agreed, ruffling his feathers in obvious relief.

'M'lady…I think that lying to your father was uncalled for,' Hana murmured.

'It was necessary,' Faatina stated. 'Remember what you said yesterday, if anyone found out that I had performed magic, the consequences would be fierce. I don't think telling the truth would have helped our situation at all, in my opinion.'

'Lying never did anyone any good,' her handmaiden continued,

'Oh, I don't know. If it's to help others…I would consider it a good thing.' Faatina glanced over her shoulder at the sorcerer, who still wore the smug smile. 'Don't you agree?'

'Perhaps. Princess, I must say…I underestimated you,' Jafar said smoothly. 'It's not everyday that you see one raise a hand to their own guards.'

'Like I said, it was necessary,' she repeated, pausing abruptly. They were mere feet from the dining hall, and seated at the table were the Sultan and princess Jasmine. Faatina swallowed the nervousness that crept in her stomach. She knew what Jafar had done, and knew that her grandfather and mother would be most unhappy to see him alive. Defying her father was one thing, but doing it to her mother and grandfather? She had a close relationship with both of them, which only seemed to increase during this difficult time for her.

No. I must be strong. Strong like my parents, strong like the Sultan and the Sultana was, she thought, her expression turning from one of nervousness to the utmost confidence. She strode into the dining room, her head held high, Hana trailing nervously behind her, Jafar bringing up the rear.

'Ah, Faatina, you're awake!' The Sultan turned to greet his granddaughter cheerfully. 'You know, the Genie came in this morning and spoke to your father, and he just went storming off! Do you have any idea…why…?' His voice faltered as his eyes fell upon Jafar.

Jasmine looked up from the wine she was drinking and dropped her glass, her eyes widening in shock. She thought she would never have to see that horrible man's face ever again. The one who had caused so much pain to her and Aladdin, the one who once wanted nothing more than her father's throne, who wanted to once make her his…and here he was, standing behind her only child, a malicious smile spread across those terrible manipulating lips.

'Faatina…what is the meaning of this?' Jasmine asked, slowly rising from her seat, ignoring the wine which had spilt on the table and floor.

'Mother, I am tired of having suitors come who expect me to believe everything they say about their kingdom. They talk about how they can make Agrabah better, when our kingdom is more than likely better that theirs! I needed someone who could tell me about these kingdoms and what the princes true intentions are all about. So, I prayed to Allah for an advisor to help me choose a suitor which would benefit me and Agrabah, and Jafar came,' Faatina lied, her voice full of conviction and determination. 'You cannot harm him; the amulet around his neck forbids him to do so. Allah made sure that we would be protected.'

Jafar stepped forward. 'I have nothing but the best interest for your daughter in mind, your highnesses,' he bowed. 'I live to serve her.'

'Jafar, you are a vile betrayer! You would do nothing but use her for your own ends and when you have no need for her anymore you would dispose of her!' The Sultan cried, enraged. 'I refuse to have you use my granddaughter, the future and hope of all that is good in Agrabah for your own cruel ends!'

Jasmine strode over to her daughter, taking her by the hand and pulling her away from the sorcerer. 'I also will not allow you to use my daughter, my only child. There is only one fate for you, Jafar, and that is death.'

'I highly doubt that, your highness,' the sorcerer murmured. 'Would you kill a man who has done no wrong yet? Who has already been punished for his previous sins? Who cannot defend himself against you since Allah forbids it to be so?'

Faatina pulled herself away from Jasmine's protective grasp. 'Mother, you can't kill him. Please, trust me. I know what I'm doing! I have everything under control. I prayed for an advisor, and I received him. He's my responsibility. Please…just trust me.'

A moment passed when the four of them gazed at one another in silence. Faatina, her eyes pleading; Jasmine, her expression full of a mother's worry; the Sultan, his lips quivering in disbelief and rage; and Jafar…

The treacherous snake, his eyes full of a cunning I have never seen before, Hana thought. He's up to something. The handmaiden stood off to the side, watching in silence as two wills bent against one in a battle for supremacy. Finally, when it seemed that the silence would engulf them all, Faatina turned away, motioning for her companions to follow her. They left the room without saying a word, and Hana looked back at the Sultan and princess. Jasmine's gaze caught her own, and she mouthed the words 'please watch over her', praying that the handmaiden would understand.

The sorcerer and handmaiden followed the princess through winding hallways, not speaking to one another. They walked, their footsteps echoing along the walls. I can't believe that old fool is still healthy and well…and Sultan for that matter! Jafar thought in disbelief as he walked. I would have thought he would have been ill and on his death bed by now! No matter. I won't let the presence of these three fools stop me. I am smarter, more cunning this time around. I know how to strike where it really hurts.

His thoughts were interrupted as they approached a set of closed doors which were guarded by a pair of menacing looking imperial guards. They gazed at the small group wordlessly, opening the doors and allowing the company to pass through. Jafar's eyes widened in amazement as the doors shut with an ominous thud behind them. The room which they were in was quite large, full of treasure from top to bottom. There were numerous objects laden with gold, rubies the size of a small bowl, emerald pins in the shape of leaves, sapphires carved in the shape of animals, diamonds embedded in clothing, rich tapestries hanging on the walls…these were treasures beyond even his wildest dreams.

'This is my family's treasure,' the princess stated, a tone of amusement in her voice as Iago gave an audible sigh and flew over to the nearest stack of treasure. 'The object we are looking for is around here somewhere…' The princess led the stunned sorcerer and obedient handmaiden to the back of the room, where a chest carved from jade sat closed. She bent over it and opened it, removing the object from within with great flourish, closing the chest.

Jafar's amazement quickly faded as he stepped forward in disbelief. Faatina held within her hands his golden staff, the source of all of his magical power. The head of the staff was carven in the shape of a cobra's head, its mouth opened in a never-ending hiss, its eyes blood-colored rubies. 'That…why do you still have this?' He asked, stunned.

'My mother told me that they had tried to destroy it, just as they did your previous one, but it didn't work. I thought you'd like to have it…that it would make you feel less vulnerable.' The princess handed the sorcerer the staff. 'I trust you. I know you won't hurt me or my family…mainly because you can't.'

The sorcerer didn't care if he was unable to hurt Aladdin or the Sultan. He felt more like his old self holding the staff in his hands. '…Thank you,' he murmured. He realized, suddenly, as she merely smirked back at him, that she could have very well refused to return the staff to its rightful owner, but she knew that he could not hurt her or her family, and she knew he wasn't foolish enough to try. 'Yes, thank you,' he repeated.

Faatina shrugged. 'I figured that if you can still perform magic, you might as well do it and help me at the same time.' She began walking towards the doors once more. 'Come on, Iago, let's go. I'm itching to go and duel with some guards…'

Iago left the treasure with a longing groan, not wanting to abandon the beautiful jewels and shining gold, but nevertheless fluttered back to the princess's shoulder, Hana trailing silently behind her, Jafar clutching the staff in his hands. He didn't know if his ability to perform magic had been stripped of him since he had been brought back from the dead, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to try…

'M'lady!' Hana suddenly cried out, alarming the other three. Hana had been very quiet so far, and hearing her cry out surprised all of them. 'Prince Muhammed is arriving today! We must make sure that you're presentable for him!'

Faatina turned to her friend. 'No. I am through with making myself look good for these egotistical princes. If they don't like what they see, then they and their kingdoms included aren't worth much anyway.'

Prince Muhammed was certainly not like the other suitors. His arrival was not full of bragging splendor; there was no loud musical accompaniment to his arrival, there were no gifts to be brought. He simply arrived with two other attendants, his skin so brown it looked as if it were leather, a thick beard adorned his chin, and his lips seemed to remain in a constant frown. In fact, Aladdin couldn't help observing, he looked as though he hadn't smiled in years. He seemed to be young, but with a beard that thick…it was hard to tell.

The prince entered the palace, his eyes taking in the size of the throne room, the marble, the throne, and the red tapestries which hung on the walls. His outfit was a dark blue color and very modest, a turban adorning his head.

'Welcome!' The Sultan greeted, optimism filling his face like always. 'Welcome to Agrabah, Prince Muhammed.'

'Salaam,' the Prince replied, bowing. His voice was deep and clear, one that clearly meant that he was not exactly the most outgoing individual. 'I have traveled a great distance to see your beautiful land and princess. I would very much like our kingdoms to combine as one. I believe it would benefit both of us.'

'Of course, of course. But you must understand, that is all up to my granddaughter,' the Sultan said cheerfully, rising from the throne.

'Oh…I see.' Prince Muhammed's frown seemed to deepen, if it were at all possible. Aladdin cleared his throat and stepped forward. 'I am Prince Aladdin, the father of the princess Faatina, and this,' he gestured to Jasmine, who stood nearby, 'is Princess Jasmine, my wife.'

'Pleased to meet you, your highnesses,' the prince bowed once more, and his brow wrinkled in discontent as his eyes fell upon Jasmine.

'Speaking of Faatina, where is she?' The Sultan asked, looking around. As if on cue, the blue genie appeared out of nowhere, in the guise as one of their servants. 'Your most esteemed highness, the princess is currently practicing in the battle arena,' the genie said with great flourish.

'Ah! This will be quite the treat for you, Prince Muhammed; Faatina is quite the swordswoman!' The Sultan declared, rising from the throne and leading them towards one of the corridors. 'Come, let me take you to my granddaughter.'

The others followed, an awkward silence hanging in the air. 'Where exactly do you hail from?' Jasmine asked, doing her best to be polite and friendly, hoping that he would show some signs of being interesting. She knew that if this is what he was like all the time, Faatina would reject him at the drop of a hat. This courtship might not even last a day, she thought.

'I come from Falujah,' Prince Muhammed answered. 'It is a holy city.'

'I see,' the Princess murmured. Silence fell throughout the adults once more, and Jasmine reflected back on what she and Aladdin had concluded about the fact that Jafar was now back from the dead. Aladdin told her what Faatina had said to him, and although they did not trust Jafar at all, they were willing to go on a limb and trust their daughter. It took awhile to convince Aladdin, however, who was certain that Faatina was mistaken about her blinding trust in the sorcerer. Jasmine, however, thought differently.

'She's almost eighteen,' she had told her husband and father. 'We force all of these suitors on her and she's very confused. She probably wants to choose someone that will please us, but she doesn't want to be married to someone who won't make her happy for the rest of her life. I know that we can't trust Jafar. I'm not saying we should. But maybe she'll gain a new perspective on things, and learn that not every prince is all that bad. Maybe she just needs a little push in the right direction.'

'Are you seriously saying that Jafar can push her in that direction?' Aladdin had demanded.

'In a sense, yes. You know just as well as I do that he's going to point out all of the negative things and do everything he can to make sure that she does not marry any of these suitors. But in the process of pointing out the negative things…people fall in love with each other, and some of the things that they most love about one another are their flaws,' Jasmine continued. 'Her heart might be softened, and eventually she'll find someone that she can identify with.'

Aladdin and the Sultan agreed reluctantly to stay out of Faatina's way, but only on the condition that someone keep an eye on her at all times. Aladdin even proposed that they have Hana tell them what Jafar might say to their daughter, but Jasmine forbade it, saying that it would hurt Faatina in more ways than one if she ever found out. Hana would come to them if something was wrong, she reassured them. The handmaiden was a good girl, and if trouble were ever to arise, she would come to them.

The sounds of sword fighting brought Jasmine out of her thoughts as they entered the room where the guards practiced their fighting. The floor was marble like always, and an odd assortment of spears, knives, daggers, swords, and maces hung on the walls. There was another area of the palace where they practiced archery, but this was where the hand-to-hand combat took place. A circle was painted on the floor, and it was within this circle that Faatina was fighting with a young guard who had recently joined the ranks. Basel, the oldest member of the guard who had served the Sultan even before Jasmine was born, stood off to the side, giving comments when needed.

'Watch your footing,' Basel said, reprimanding the younger guard for stumbling slightly. He spotted the Sultan entering the room and headed over to them. His skin was tan just like everybody else, and numerous battle scars adorned his body. He miraculously had a head full of graying hair, and a warm smile that always had given Jasmine the impression that he was more of a big brother than the commander of the imperial guard.

'Your highness.' The old guard bowed before the Sultan. 'You were looking for your granddaughter, I'm assuming?'

'Yes…and may I say, Basel, your training sure has pulled off! This is Basel,' the Sultan introduced the older man, who bowed his head in respect. 'He is the commander of the imperial guard and has served me for many years. This is Prince Muhammed,' the Sultan gestured to the prince who merely nodded, surveying the room skeptically. 'He is yet one of the many suitors to come to court Faatina.'

Basel laughed. 'Good luck with this one!' He pointed to Faatina, who was busy parrying the guard's blows, blocking every move he threw at her. 'She's like a cobra. She seems tame at first but as soon as you make her mad…' He turned back to watch the two fighting just in time to see the guard cut Faatina's hand, causing her to drop her sword. He kicked her legs from under her, smiling triumphantly at the beaten princess lying on her back. Faatina scowled, and kicked the young guard in the groin, getting up as the poor boy dropped his sword in shock, whimpering in pain.

'…And she knows where to strike exactly where it hurts. She seems to be doing that quite a bit today,' the older man murmured, striding over to the young man to see if he was all right.

Aladdin and Jasmine glanced over at Prince Muhammed, whose eyes seemed to darken with an expression of the utmost discontent on his face. Faatina strode over to the wall, placing the sword she had been using back in its place, and spotted her grandfather and the others standing nearby. Oh great…here we go again, she thought.

The Sultan clapped enthusiastically. 'Excellent work, my dear, you were fantastic!'

Faatina grinned and bowed, heading over to Hana, who stood silently nearby with a bowl of water and a cloth. 'M'lady, you're bleeding,' she murmured, dipping the cloth in the water.

'It's nothing, really. I'll be fine,' she reassured her friend, taking the cloth and dabbing at her sweaty forehead. 'Besides…I don't want to worry mother and father; they'll be forbidding me to fight if I make too big a deal out of it.' She glanced over to her parents who were striding over towards her, followed by an enthusiastic Sultan and…

'Is that Prince Muhammed?' Faatina whispered to Hana.

'It must be…he certainly looks like a prince,' her friend whispered back.

'He looks so…angry,' she pointed out.

'Maybe that's just the way he looks?'

'It's possible. But I doubt it.'

'Faatina, you were wonderful,' Jasmine greeted with a smile. 'Just don't work yourself too hard, okay?'

The princess was still slightly upset at her parents due to their confrontations that morning, but as soon as she saw her mother's smile and the pride in her father's eyes, all of her anger and bitterness was swept away like the sands of the desert. 'Okay,' she murmured, pulling her mother into a hug.

'I trust you,' her mother whispered.

'Thank you,' the princess whispered back. They broke the embrace and turned to the Sultan, who had begun talking like there was no tomorrow in the only way a grandparent can about their grandchild.

'Basel has taught her everything he knows,' the old Sultan was saying. 'She has excellent marksmanship at archery, and can punch like a man! If assassins were ever to arrive, she'd be able to take care of them before the guards even arrived!'

Aladdin gave a short laugh. 'Prince Muhammed, this is our daughter, the princess Faatina,' he gestured to the young girl who gave the best smile she could manage.

'Salaam, princess,' Prince Muhammed bowed, his expression only becoming more unhappy by the moment.

'This is my handmaiden, Hana,' Faatina gestured to her friend. 'I-'

'Faatina, you're bleeding!' the Sultan cried out suddenly, rushing forward.

The princess glanced down at her hand, the clean cut bleeding freely. 'Oh, that? It's no big deal, really…' She wiped her hand on her red pants hurriedly.

'I will take care of it.' The deep, manipulative voice echoed off the walls, and Jafar emerged from the shadows of the room as though he were a part of them, Iago perched on his shoulder.

Faatina gave a short laugh. 'No, I'm okay, I don't need anything-'

'Just let me take care of it. We don't want their royal highnesses worrying,' he murmured impatiently, reaching inside his robes to pull out a vial which contained small pieces of a dark green plant. Jafar opened the vial and poured a small amount of the plant into one hand, handing the vial to Hana who stood nearby. 'Just a moment,' he murmured, crushing the plant in his hand. He took the cloth from Faatina and squeezed it, causing a few small droplets of water to land on the crushed plant in his hand. He gave the cloth to Hana, pressing the strange remedy in his hands, and then proceeded to apply it to Faatina's injured hand.

'This plant will stop the bleeding,' he told her. 'Just keep it on for a few minutes and you'll be fine.'

'…Thank you,' the princess murmured, glancing up at the sorcerer momentarily. Looking away quickly, she fought to resist the heat that was threatening to fill her cheeks again.

'Who is this?' Prince Muhammed asked, gazing at Jafar shrewdly.

'This is Jafar, my royal vizier,' Faatina said quickly, before the Sultan or her parents could say anything. 'I realized after awhile that I didn't know a lot about the other kingdoms even though I have had quite a bit of schooling, so I sent for a holy man from Mecca. He is here to advise me on whether or not it would be beneficial for our kingdoms to combine through marriage.' Jafar bowed to the prince, his sinister eyes gleaming.

'Well, then, with all of that settled…' the Sultan clapped his hands together. 'Why don't we let Faatina and Prince Muhammed talk with one another?'

Birds were singing in the garden of the courtyard as Prince Muhammed and Faatina walked side by side. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the garden was full of jasmine, oriental orchids, lilies, freesia, and anthriums. Fountains were placed here and there, offering the plants relief from the merciless sun.

'I had hoped that I could have talked to the Sultan about our marriage, but apparently you do things differently here in Agrabah,' Prince Muhammed murmured. His voice was deep and it sounded as if it were rolling out of his stomach.

'Yes, we do. It wouldn't be very fair to me if no one asked me for my opinion, would it?' Faatina asked.

Prince Muhammed ignored the comment. 'I believe it would be very beneficial to our kingdoms if we were to wed. Agrabah receives plenty of water during the rain season, but my kingdom of Falujah does not.'

'Isn't it nice outside today?' the princess asked, ignoring the prince's impatience to get to the point. She wanted to savor the good weather while it lasted. With the rain season approaching, it would become cloudy and the sun wouldn't come out from behind the clouds as often.

'Yes, yes, it is,' the prince muttered impatiently. 'But as I was saying…' His voice drifted off and he turned around abruptly to find Jafar trailing not far behind them. The prince grinded his teeth in annoyance. 'Does he ever leave your side?'

'Oh, Jafar? No, not really. He's a big help, actually…' The princess gazed at her hand which still had the strange paste upon her cut tenderly.

Prince Muhammed cleared his throat as they came to a stop in front of a large fountain, where Faatina proceeded to sit down on the grass. 'As I was saying, princess…it would be beneficial for both of our kingdoms to…' The prince was interrupted as Jafar strode quickly to the prince's side, clearing his throat. 'What is it?' The prince snapped.

'What do you mean by "beneficial"?' Jafar asked.

'We barely get any water during the rain season, and drought season is almost over. My people are going to need water,' Prince Muhammed replied coldly. 'If the princess and I do not marry in time for rain season to begin, my people will be without barely any water. And it only becomes worse when many of my subjects prepare for their pilgrimage to Mecca.'

'But, prince Muhammed,' Faatina began, 'the rain season is when my grandfather stores water for our people, so that way they're not dying of thirst during the drought season. If you took some of that water away…that would mean that people here would start dying.'

'Excellent point, princess,' Jafar muttered in approval, his brow furrowing in thought. Falujah…I have been there before…

'Surely you can spare some water?' the prince asked. 'My people have it hard enough as it is, and I would hate to think that just because of your…naiveté you caused the deaths of many people.'

Oh, don't try to pull the whole guilt thing on me, Faatina thought. 'Well, it's your own fault for not taking care of your people. You're their prince. You could have come here at any time to ask for water. But you didn't. So don't blame your people's misfortunes on me…especially when we've just met,' she snapped.

Clever girl, Jafar thought, a smile beginning to form on his face. 'Princess, you shouldn't feel any guilt whatsoever. After all, Prince Muhammed hasn't been entirely truthful. You see…' Jafar turned to the prince, his dark eyes gleaming with cunning. 'Falujah is located right next to the Euphrates River. During rain season, the river fills up and is quite plentiful. There is no reason that his people should be deprived of water.'

Prince Muhammed's face flushed in anger. 'Well. It seems that you have chosen your advisor well, princess.'

Faatina smirked. 'Thank you, Jafar,' she said to the sorcerer. 'Well, prince Muhammed, I see no reason as to why I should marry you. I would appreciate it now if you would please leave so that way I may enjoy the rest of this nice sunny day in peace.'

Jasmine, Aladdin, and the Sultan had congregated in the room that led to the garden, waiting for Faatina to return with Prince Muhammed, a smile on their daughter's face, her cheeks flushed as she told them that she had chosen him. It was a far-fetched hope, but each of them had their fingers crossed.

Of course, the scream of rage that came from the gardens let them know that that hope was one that could never be. The three adults rushed out into the garden, following the path to find Faatina rolling in the grass in laughter, Jafar with his staff raised, and Prince Muhammed, who…

'What is the meaning of this?' Aladdin demanded angrily. Prince Muhammed was climbing out of the fountain, muttering incoherently under his breath, his clothes soaking wet, and leeches of all sides adorned his neck, hands, and, judging by the way he was clawing at his clothing, the rest of his body.

The furious prince turned to Aladdin, his face flushed with rage. 'This palace is cursed!' He yelled. 'This entire household is a blasphemy to Allah!'

'Please, Prince Muhammed, I'm sure Faatina didn't mean-' Jasmine pleaded.

'No!' He pointed to the princess, who ceased in her laughter after seeing the look on her parents faces. 'I refuse to marry a woman such as this! She speaks without being told, doesn't even wear a veil, and has a man of the devil working for her! I refuse to wed a woman so out of line as your daughter is!'

'Please, reconsider-' the Sultan began.

'NO! This woman will NEVER be wed!' He practically screamed, striding away as fast as he could towards the doors. 'Good day!'

Faatina rose from where she sat on the grass as the three adults looked at her sternly. 'Um…I'm…sorry?' she said weakly.

'You better be,' Aladdin muttered.

'But look, he wanted to take a lot of the water that we get from the rain seasons, but he lives next to this really nice river, and he was lying, so I called him a leech, and then he said that he wasn't, and then I said that I don't like to be leeched off of, so I told Jafar to show him how it felt, and…' The princess trailed off.

'You should have been more considerate,' her father reprimanded.

'Your highness, it was merely what prince Muhammed deserved. He obviously did not care for your daughter whatsoever,' Jafar spoke up.

'I do not want to hear a word out of you,' Aladdin hissed to the sorcerer. 'Faatina,' he began. 'I know you did not like Prince Muhammed, but what you did was rude, and I do not want you to give our kingdom a bad reputation.'

'A bad reputation?' Faatina asked incredulously. 'Is that what you think? That I am giving our kingdom a bad reputation just because of who I am? I'm sorry, father, but if that is how you feel, then you're just going to have to make Hana the princess and marry her off, because that seems to be the kind of women that all of these men ever ask for.' With that, she strode towards the doors, Jafar following her in silence.

'You were too harsh with her,' Jasmine murmured. 'Prince Muhammed will be fine. He comes from Falujah…they have over 200 mosques there. He wouldn't be her husband even if we wanted it to be. It wouldn't have worked. They are too different.' She laid a gentle hand on Aladdin's arm. 'Please, try to have patience with her. So much has happened today…just let her be.'

Aladdin turned away from his wife, refusing to speak.

The day seemed to drag on forever to Faatina. Prince Muhammed left just the same as he had arrived, with no spectacular fanfare proceeding in front of his caravan. Faatina was personally glad to see him leave. Hana tried striking up conversation as they headed towards the training rooms again, but the princess didn't say a word to her friend. She spent the rest of the day fighting with her sword, practicing hand-to-hand combat, and shooting arrows with her bow. She did not wish to speak to anyone as thoughts kept churning through her mind. She took out her anger through her fighting, and Hana and Jafar could only stand off to the side and watch.

Dinner was silent; the members of the household barely saying a word to one another. The Sultan tried to strike up friendly conversation, but to no avail. Aladdin was still fuming over the way his daughter had behaved, Faatina was still indignant for what she had said and done, and Jafar did not say a word, for he knew his life was on the line so long as Aladdin was angry.

After the meal was finished, everyone headed towards their own chambers. Jafar began to follow the princess, but was pulled back by his shoulder roughly by Aladdin. The sorcerer turned to the prince, who glared up at him with the utmost dislike. 'Your chambers are next to my daughter's. There are guards outside your doors. They are going to take note of whoever goes in and out. If I find out that you have gone into my daughter's chambers late at night, you will die. Do you understand me?'

'Perfectly,' the sorcerer murmured, continuing on his way.

'Good,' he heard the prince mutter as he strode to catch up with Faatina. The sorcerer, princess, and handmaiden neared her chambers silently, Iago perched on Jafar's shoulder. The parrot had been up in a tree during the whole Prince Muhammed fiasco, enjoying it from the comfort of the branches, laughing heartily to himself. Of course, his laughter silenced as soon as the Sultan, Jasmine, and Aladdin came into view, but he still found the whole situation amusing. The red and blue bird, however, was now keeping his mouth shut with effort. None of them seemed to be in the mood to talk, and he thought that saying anything would only result in one of them lashing out at him.

Faatina paused in front of her bedroom door and turned to her three companions. 'Hana…could you please head straight to your chambers? I wish to speak to Jafar in private…and take Iago with you,' she murmured. The handmaiden nodded, and as they entered the room she headed towards her chambers obediently, Iago fluttering behind her. Faatina waited until she heard the shut of Hana's door, and then motioned Jafar to follow her to the balcony.

The moon was out again, gracing Agrabah with her presence, and Faatina desperately tried to find some peace within her own mind. The words which Prince Muhammed had yelled that morning echoed within her thoughts, and as hard as she might try to not let them affect her, it stung her inwardly as if she had been slapped across the face. What he said had hurt her feelings, but she refused to let it show.

'…The moon is not giving you comfort tonight, is she?' Jafar asked abruptly, his dark eyes observing her carefully. The princess merely shook her head. He could tell by her body language that she was feeling especially fragile, and if he just waited till the right moment, he could put his plan into action. 'Your highness, are you all right?'

'…No,' she murmured, turning to look at him. 'You don't have to call me "your highness" all the time. You can call me Faatina when there are no guests around. I don't care.'

'As you wish…Faatina,' he murmured. The two descended into silence, both of them gazing at the sky and the city stretched out before them, a cool breeze on the air, ruffling the sorcerer's cape and the princess's dark hair.

'I can't believe the nerve of him!' Faatina burst out suddenly. 'I can understand Prince Muhammed saying those things, but…my own father agreeing with him? Who in their right mind would do that!'

'Perhaps your father is misled in thinking that your…energetic personality might cause others to think that your kingdom is weak,' Jafar murmured. 'However, I believe that to be false. There is a kingdom to the west whose leader is a woman. They are very powerful and strong.'

'It just…' the princess let out a cry of frustration. 'No matter what I do…even when I act all proper and polite, I always screw up. I keep thinking that maybe Hana should be the one receiving these suitors and not me.' She folded her arms and turned her back on the city. 'Sometimes I don't even want to be the future ruler and just be left in peace…I shouldn't have said that,' she muttered. Faatina turned to look at Jafar, who was now watching her once more. 'Thank you, though, for what you did. It was uncalled for, but…I haven't laughed like that in awhile.'

The sorcerer nodded. 'Of course. It is, after all, my duty to make sure suitors such as Prince Muhammed do not give you a false impression.'

Faatina smiled vaguely. 'You know…maybe I'm not the one who should change…maybe it's the suitors. I shouldn't change who I am. I just need the right kind of suitor to come along. What do you think?'

'I believe that may be true,' Jafar murmured.

'So tell me, my advisor,' Faatina said. 'What kind of suitor do I need?'

Jafar twisted his beard between his fingers thoughtfully. He certainly wasn't expecting a question such as this. But then again, he could use the situation to his advantage. 'Well…I believe you need someone who is just as strong as you, someone that can recognize that you are certainly not someone to be underestimated just because you are a woman.'

'Yeah, I like the sound of that,' the princess agreed, idly taking a step closer to him.

'The suitor should be respectful, and admire you for your traits. Not put you down because of them,' he continued. The princess inched even closer to him so that she was now standing right in front of him. He did his best to focus on the advise he was giving her instead of how close her body was to his, how she kept getting closer, so close…

'He should also, and this is most important, be able to please you…it shouldn't matter what your parents think, so long as you are happy…' He gulped, edging backwards to the balcony, trying to ignore the fact that she had an odd gleam in her eye and had taken a hold of the front of his robes. 'A suitor…'

'…like you,' she whispered, stepping on her tip-toes and pressing her lips to his in her very first kiss.