Leonarda played her violin for Aladdin.
"Where did you learn to play?"he asked her.
"Ever since I was a little girl. They taught me to play the piano, harp, violin, and to paint, and embroidery."she said.
"You paint?"he asked.
"Well, yes. Just about everything a young lady should know."she said, remembering she was no longer a lady, plucking the strings.
"And what was it like?"
"Well, it was a very…rigidly controlled society. One never went out alone, and I was sent to a convent. It's not much difference from here, I suppose. There were no men, except the Confessor, and we wore much more modest clothes, and they were simpler."
"And you prefer it there to here?"he asked.
"Oh, well…it was the only life I knew. I don't know. Whatever God wills. I was born a Venetian, and raised to be a nun. My father didn't want to pay my dowry for me to marry, but that's fine. After all, my life would be simpler that way."she said.
Jasmine looked outside her window.
"Is he here? In the haremlik?"she asked.
"Why, yes."said one of the handmaidens.
"Where? Don't tell me with that little Gaiour?"
"I suppose so."
Jasmine crossed her arms angrily. That little Gaiour! But she wouldn't be the one who would take her place. No one would!
The next morning, Leonarda looked through her drawings. She looked at several she had done of Aladdin.
"There's something evil in me."
She immediately grabbed them, and burned them.
"There is something evil me."she repeated to herself. "How…a girl who was instructed religiously, and raised to become a nun…"she put her hands over her mouth. "Well, perhaps…I should have died instead. I should have refused, and been put to death instead of disgracing myself this way!"
Safiye seemed to sense that Leonarda was depressed.
"What's wrong?"she asked her.
"I fear for my soul."she simply said. "Do you think I am evil."
"No, I don't think so."said Safiye confused.
"You really don't?"she asked.
"No, why should you be evil?"
Leonarda didn't respond, but picked up her paintbrushes.
"Go away. I don't want to talk to you right now."she said.
She sat staring at the painting.
"Perhaps he will tire of me."she said to herself. "After all, he tired of the Sultana pretty quickly."
She didn't know if she wanted that or not. That was what she should want, but not what she really wanted.
"Tell the sultan I want to se him."Jasmine told the Kislar Aghasi.
"He is…"
"I don't care where he is. Find him and tell him I want to see him. Now."
Her eyes flashed dangerously, and the Kislar Aghasi knew that meant danger. After all, she had been here since she was born, and he knew just what she would do when she didn't have her way.
"Well?"asked Aladdin as he entered.
"You never come to see me."she said.
"I thought you preferred it that way. You never seemed to like it. I only thought to make you happy."
"And that girl likes you to go to her?"she asked sarcastically.
"She shows much more enthusiasm than you ever did. That's for sure."
"And why? She's a Gaiour. I heard that she was captures by pirates!"
"Yeah, she was."
"But I'm a princess! And you prefer her to me? Just what does she have that I don't! I have much more! She is nothing!"
"Well, she may be nothing."he said.
"She is nothing."she said, as she came closer to him. "You'll see. I shall prove it to you."