Iago managed to escape the bostanji when Jafar was ordered to be executed. As he had forgotten to carry a bit of explosive powder with him, being in a hurry, and still fretting over not having gotten that stupid lamp, they were carried off to the dungeon. Luckily, they forgot all about the parrot. It looked like Jafar was not going to be able to get out of this one, so Iago decided to forget about him. The only problem was, how was he going to be able to get back safely into the Palace, and not be a powerless outcast for the rest of his days.

Jasmine sat, looking out the window, as Sirhane combed out her long, dark hair.

"I wouldn't have been so indifferent if I was you."she told her.

Jasmine turned around angrily.

"You were listening behind the door, weren't you?"

"How else would I have known if he was leaving."

"Don't you play dumb with me!"exclaimed Jasmine. "I'm not stupid! I've noticed just how you look at him!"

Sirhane sighed.

"Well, you said yourself you were only marrying him so you could get your father off your back, and to get back at Jafar."she said.

"If that was so, I would have married any one of them. And even if I had, I don't ever want to catch you, or anyone else, trying to get Ali's attention."

"Then I don't know what I'm doing here, exactly."

"You could concentrate a little more on how you brush my hair, for one thing. Not too hard. It'll get oily."she snapped.

Life here wasn't too different from life in the convent, Leonarda realized. The food was different, there was no hot chocolate, and she didn't bathe in cold water. Rather in warm water, and along with all of the other concubines. The thing that bothered her most was the fact that she slept in a dormitory, with several other girls. In the convent, each novicia slept in her own cell. The only ones who slept with others were the maids. Here, it was also very important to look your best. They dressed in the most expensive silks, and wore pearls and rubies in their hair. She realized, also that these people were not Christians as she was. They worshiped a different god, it seemed, however, in her hearth, she would always be a Catholic, and she always said her prayers and at least one Rosary ever day. As she sat on a little bench, and looked at the flowerbeds, she noticed two figures walking in the garden. One of them was the Kislar Aghasi. Probably accompanied by one of his guards. As if he was likely to get attacked here. She wondered why in the world he went just about anywhere accompanied. She turned her attention back to the flowerbeds.

"Oh, hello."she heard a voice say.

She almost lost her balance. She hadn't heard a voice like that in months. She looked up, and saw the Kislar and his guard above her. She realized suddenly that this could not be one of his guards. She must have realized it as soon as she heard his voice. He did not speak in the same type of voice the Kislar Aghasi and the other eunuchs spoke. His was a male voice, and she realized that he must have been the first complete man she had seen for a long time. Since…perhaps since she was captured. He wore a white turban, just like the Kislar Aghasi, except that it was fastened with a purple feather, and a great ruby. His clothes were also much more expensive than that of the Kislar and his eunuchs.

"I haven't seen you before."he said. "Isn't this, like, off limits to most of the concubines most of the time?"he asked, frowning.

Leonarda suddenly realized where she was. Sometimes, she was just so involved in her own thoughts, and wondered aimlessly, that she didn't realize where she was going, but it hadn't landed her anywhere that might be forbidden before.

"Oh! I, I thought this was the courtyard…um, I was looking for…"she searched her mind for an explanation.

The Kislar Aghasi was fanning himself with a silken handkerchief and looked as though he were about to faint.

"Um, I'm not exactly sure where I was going. I was just…walking. I came in through that door. I'm sorry, sometimes I just…forget myself. I'm supposed to be…"she couldn't think what to say. After all, there was nothing to do here, to explain where she should be and what she should be doing.

Bow, girl, bow!The Kislar kept trying to tell Leonarda behind Aladdin's shoulder. Leonarda saw him, and realizing the words his lips formed, she comprehended to whom she was talking to. She should have gotten on her knees, but thought it was a little too late for that, and perhaps there was no point anymore, anyway. Despite the fact of being here for the last months, she had never even glimpsed the Sultan. Now she couldn't see why she heard that the princess was not happy being married to him. She would have given anything. Even though his clothes were a little baggy, she could make out the fact that he was broad around the shoulders and narrow about the waist. Corpo de Dio! She suddenly realized what she was thinking. She crossed herself, and tried to drag her mind to more Christian sentiments. He looked confused by her actions. Then she forced her eyes to look away, and stared at her hands.

"What is your name?"he asked her.

"It's, well it was, Leonarda. Now they call me Shula. I came from Venice, see, but they changed my name. Perhaps because they couldn't pronounce it, I guess. No one here can. Not even the first syllable."

"Were you sold here?"

"Uh, no, I was captured. I was to become a nun, you see."she told him. "But I probably won't now. I don't know if I even had the right vocation for it."

Aladdin grinned, and took his handkerchief and placed it on her left shoulder. Then he walked away. The Kislar Aghasi stood, staring at her in wonder, then ran off behind the Sultan. Leonarda took the handkerchief, and sniffed it. Then she realized perhaps she should get rid of it. It was provoking sinful thought into her mind. She shook her head and walked away from the courtyard.