Chapter 9 - A decision was made.

Minutes after Aladdin had left Jasmine at the dance floor. She apologized to the Prince of Versai for passing him by and not giving him a chance to dance with her. The prince wanted to chat with her privately in the garden. He was witty with his comments and jokes. As they talked, they can hear that the band in the ballroom played another song. The Prince of Versai asked Jasmine to dance. Jasmine danced with him and closed her eyes trying to see a future. Still, she couldn't see herself being with him. The prince noticed that there was an iris on Jasmine's shoulder strap.
"A piece of string is sticking out of your strap." The prince pointed out. He tugged on it and the string got longer.
"Be careful there. You might undo the strap." warned Jasmine.
The prince pulled to yank the string and the string got longer. "I can't just leave it like this. We don't have any pair of scissors on hand." The Prince of Versai leaned into Jasmine to cut the string with his teeth. After the iris was cut, the shoulder strap fell off.
"Thanks for your help." She said sarcastically
"The one strap off of one shoulder, it looks pretty good on you." He commented.
Jasmine picked off the fallen strap and needed an escape. "I'm going to leave now. Before, you further pull strings off my dress and the whole dress falls apart."

The evening ended and Jasmine went upstairs to retire. She sat on her dresser and pulled the bobby pins that held her bangs back. Tomorrow her father wanted her decision on a new suitor. All these rich single men was there to seek for Jasmine's hand. None of them seemed to spark her interest except for one. Jasmine reminices and dreams away. The way he looked at her with such intensity and passion. The way he held her in his arms and the way he kissed her. His words of love seemed so charming. The way he danced with her. Jasmine could feel the chemistry between her and him. She could see herself being with him for the rest of her life. Suddenly, Jasmine stopped brushing her hair and spoke to herself. "Jasmine you have to stop this. You can't let him get to you. You promised yourself that you wouldn't. We can't be together. Our lives are different now. My life is here and his life here in Agrabah is not. He had the nerve to bring another girl here." Jasmine put her brush down and vented a puff of air. She tried to forget about him and kept herself busy not to think of him. Just when she was ready to move on with her life, Aladdin finally shows up. Jasmine was so angry because there was a trust and promises that Aladdin broke. If she let him back into her life then there's that fear that Aladdin might leave her again. But why is it hard for Jasmine to give him up? Rajah walked through her bedroom door. Jasmine was startled and accidentally knocked her jewelry box spilling all of its contents on the floor. "Darn it." said Jasmine as she picked up the jewelry one by one. She went under the dresser to pick up her bracelets. There was something that was hidden at the back of the dresser that got Jasmine's attention. It was a scroll that was tied in a red ribbon. She unraveled the scroll and her breath paused for a moment. It was the letter that Aladdin wrote! It was dated months ago! Jasmine read the contents and cried because she was such a jerk to him. Aladdin explained why he left, what has happened, the family he found in Morocco, that he would be coming home soon, and how much his misses her and loves her. Jasmine smiled, "He loves me."

The morning hours were hitting the over horizon and Aladdin had just gotten home to Bastailan. He never got his answer that he was looking for. Whether if Jasmine still loves him or not. His happiness hangs on a balance and this time Aladdin isn't so sure anymore. His mind was popping questions from left to right. Why did he let the kidnappers get away? He would've at least tied them up and delivered them in a carriage going to the palace. What if Jasmine was really pushing him away? What if she decided to move on? What if Jasmine still loved him despite all the obstacles that went in between? Will this redemption into Agrabah work? Or Will this redemption shamble into pieces? Will Jasmine come back to him? He tiredly put his horse away, went upstairs, and took a bath. He layed in the tub submerged underwater. Letting the calmness of the water sooth him. Aladdin was moved his eyes side to side. Still his mind was doing flashbacks and happy memories of Jasmine. He popped out of the water and out of the tub. Aladdin got dressed and went to bed. Every time he closes his eyes, his mind wanders to moment he saw Jasmine kissing somebody else at the menagerie. He wasn't able to sleep. He tossed and turned, it seemed hopeless to get any shuteye. The idea of someone else by her side, holding her, kissing her, and being with her which, drove his anxiety to heighten. Aladdin got up and needed something to do to get his mind off of things. He went into the garden to train. Hours later, Mr. Yamymogo came to Aladdin's room to wake him up for training. It came to his surprised that his student wasn't there. When he found Aladdin in the garden, the punching bag was nearly destroyed, the beau was in pieces, and Aladdin was working on a post for a dummy.
Mr. Yamymogo noticed that Aladdin didn't get any sleep at all. His eyes were baggy and had dark under circles. " No training today. Take day off and get sleep." He recommended
" I can't sleep. I need to get my mind off of things."
" What's troubling you my son?"
" Jasmine. I think it's over. I'm not sure that I can do this anymore. What's the point? What am I doing? "
" You think because of some girl is going to stop you from helping people that you saved or the people that you touched that changed their lives?"
" I know. Being a hero is my calling. Everything I do, it's always been for Jasmine. She's the reason I live. When I fight, as Aladdin the hero or the Midnight Vigilante. I struggle to survive just to be with her. Whoever, she chooses to be with and I know that it is not going to be me. Tomorrow, I'm leaving the seven deserts."
" You have a fighting chance. She never made a decision on a suitor yet. Don't give up until you know for sure that's over."
" Yeah, I guess you're right." Aladdin took the advice of patience and knowing for sure.
" Now, Go to sleep." Ordered Mr.Yamymogo.
" I can't sleep." Said Aladdin.
" Okay, let's us begin on a new lesson. " Mr. Yamymogo pulled a map on the human body from his compartment chest. " The lesson is about pressure points. When you attack on you're opponent. You can hit on some points on their body to give them excruciating pain." Mr. Yamymogo hit some pressure points on Aladdin's body that made him knock out. " And there are pressure points that make you fall asleep too."

Six hours passed from the early dawn. Aladdin awoke and found himself back into his bedroom. Lexie came into his room with a big smile on her face. " Great! It's about time that you're up."
" What's going on Lexie? You looked like a cat that swallowed a canary."
" Get ready! We're going to the marketplace. It's a surprise!"
" What time is it?" Aladdin got up, rubbing his eyes while he yawned.
" The sun is at the middle of the sky. It's high noon. Stop stalling and let's go!"
The marketplace was just the same as every other bodega in any city. People trading goods, making bargains for their merchandise, import and export large quantities. Buying meat, fruit, nuts, vegetables, and grain. Ready made dishes that the, smell of spices ooze out of the kettle. Children running in the streets playing their school yard games. Nothing compare to the vast chaos in the city of Agrabah. Aladdin and Lexie came in the courtyard that was the center of Bastailan and told him to wait for her. He was left alone while Lexie went to get his surprise. While Aladdin waits, he gets up and buys slices of melon from the street vendor. He sits on a bench and munches his food. Aladdin hears a gossiping group across from him yakking away. He couldn't help but to over hear because they were so loud.
" The princess of Agrabah is coming here today." One said.
" Do you think that she finally chosen the suitor?" said another.
" I think she has chosen our Prince." Said a young man.
Aladdin's stomach began to churn and he didn't feel like eating anymore. Jasmine chose the Prince of Bastailan? Was he remotely there? Was that the man he sees Jasmine kissing in the courtyard? He needed to get out of here. Without thinking about Lexie's orders, Aladdin goes home to pack.

Lexie came to the visitor's center and approached a long hair woman who was looking at the beautiful silk scarves and adornments for a woman..
" He loves you and you love him. That's why you're here." said Lexie.
The long hair woman turned around and saw the familiar face from the night before, " You must be Lexie. Aladdin has written to me so much about you. You are every talented. I apologized from the way I acted last night."
" Come on. Aladdin is waiting for us at the courtyard. He doesn't know that you're here. It's a surprise." Lexie helped Jasmine carry her bags and went to Bastailan's courtyard. Aladdin was nowhere to be found.
" Arrgh! I told him to wait here for me. Why did he leave?"
" Isn't that typical? He disappears." Replied Jasmine.
" Unless, he heard something that upset him." Lexie turned and saw the gossiping group. They were staring and pointing at Lexie and Princess Jasmine. The gossiping group moved toward them and starting asking questions.
" Did you like our prince when he met you at the ball?" one asked
" Are you marrying our prince? That's why you're here?"
" When is the wedding?"
" How did you know it's him?"
Lexie let out a big yell, " NO!" Everybody was quiet around her was quiet. " She's not here for the Prince of Bastailan. The princess is here for somebody else." Something whirled past Lexie and she had a premonition. " We got to head for home and quickly."

Back at the house, Aladdin packed his bags ready to leave. It's so heartbreaking that Jasmine chooses to be with the Prince of Bastailan. What a coincendence? Its an ironic turn that Jasmine's suitor lives in the same city. It would be hard for Aladdin to witness the joyous celebration of the new couple especially, if the bride was the love of his life. Aladdin holds back what was building up inside and toughens up. When he lived his life as streetrat Aladdin is used to having people come and go. He was foolish to let Jasmine come to his life. But, he believed that this one would last. Aladdin would never love anybody as much as he loved Jasmine. He wished that Jasmine felt the same. What a perfect opportunity to leave would be right now with no one to witness. Iago and Cassim were gone on vacation, Mr.Yamymogo was meditating at the temple, and Lexie is out in the marketplace getting a surprise gift. Where Aladdin was heading
to? He could head to the pyramids of Egypt, to the east orient to learn martial arts, or travel to the new lands that goes to the ends of the earth. He walked downstairs with his bags, placed a note on the table, filled his pouch with gold coins, and waited for the caravan heading out to pick him up. Aladdin glanced at himself in the mirror and he looked so handsome in his traveling clothes. No one would ever suspect that he lived his life in poverty.
The main door opened, Cassim and Iago entered in. They saw bags packed by the stairway and Aladdin sitting on the stairs.
" Where are you going son?" asked Cassim.
" I just needed to be on my own for awhile to think things through." He answered.
" How long are you going to be gone for?" asked Iago.
" Depends. Maybe forever."
" What about Jasmine?" asked Iago
" Iago, she never got the letter."
" How can that be? I left it on her dresser. How can she not see it there? It was right in front of her."
" She never got it."
" I did get it." a woman's voice called from behind.
" Jasmine?" Aladdin turned around.
Jasmine and Lexie came in just in time before Aladdin was going to leave.
Jasmine noticed the bags packed." You're leaving again? Aren't you?"
" I don't think that there's a reason for me to stay." Aladdin answered coldly
" Is that what you do now? Run and leave your problems behind? You're not the Aladdin I know."
" You're right. I'm not the Aladdin you know. Love changes you and I was a sucker for fall for that." He walks, turns his back on her and changes the subject, " Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be with you new boyfriend?"
" What?" Jasmine exclaimed. " I don't know what you are talking about?"
" Oh!" Cassim, Lexie and Iago said it all together. They can see that Jasmine was about to explode.
" He shouldn't have said that. "said Iago. " Have you seen the princess pissed off? Not a pretty sight."
" The citizens in the courtyard were talking about you and the Prince of Bastailan. " said Aladdin
" The Prince of Bastialan never went to the ball. He's in Illonia courting the princess there." explained Jasmine.
" Let's leave before dishes fly." said Cassim. All three left the room to leave the couple to argue out their differences.
" Then who was that I saw you kissing in the menagerie the other night at the ball?" pointed out Aladdin.
" What? I wasn't kissing anybody that night. The only person that I kissed was you when you came back for a split second and left again. What's going on inside that head of yours anyways?"
" I saw! What I saw!" Aladdin argued
" You need to get your eyes check because I didn't kiss anybody else that night."
There was a knock on the door and it was the leader of the caravan. " Sir? Are you ready to go?"
" Yes, my bags are right there." Aladdin replied.
Jasmine heart had this awful pain piercing her heart. She was about to watch Aladdin walk out on her. This time it could be forever. The caravan leader walked to get Aladdin's bags and Jasmine stopped him, " Don't get those bags. He's not going to need your services anymore. He's staying."
" I'm going." said Aladdin. He walked a couple of paces away from Jasmine.
Jasmine grabbed his arm for a last attempt to make him stay. " Please. Don't leave." A tear ran down her cheek and a second tear followed that fell from the other. " Hear me out. If you decide to leave then I have carpet to take you anywhere you want."
Aladdin allowed the caravan to leave without him and took Jasmine into the garden of his house. He sat on a bench in front of her and he was all ear was focused on Jasmine.
" A lot has happened between us for these past couple of years. I was so angry at you that I forgot to listen my heart. What you did was beyond your control and I would have done the same thing for my father. You did it out of love. This morning my father asked me, ' Who did I choose to be my suitor?' I told him my answer and he didn't believe me. I also told him, ' It's in the law for me to choose whom ever I deemed worthy.' Do you know the suitor that I told father I chose to be with?"
Aladdin knew the answer but didn't want to have his hopes up. He answered, " Who?"
" I choose the Duke of Abdullah Oblongata. The city of Agrabah is looking for three people; you, the Duke of Abdullah Oblongata, and the Midnight Vigilante. Right now, all three people are standing right in front of me. The man of my dreams, my soul mate, and the love my life."
Aladdin's heart jumped for joy and stood up in front of her. It was the happiest news that he had for a long time. " And you're the love of my life." Aladdin kissed her sweetly.. Jasmine wrapped her arms around him. This time the kiss was stolen or Aladdin wasn't in disguise. Aladdin felt that he was complete. They laughed so happily, being in each other's embraces, kissed each other over and over again.
" Ugh! My stomach is churning again. But it's better than my heartbreaking." said Iago. He was watching from the balcony with Cassim and Lexie.
" Come on. I think that they need a little privacy." said Lexie pushing them back inside the house.