DISCLAIMER: I do not own Aladdin or any of the characters associated with Disney, I do however; own any characters I have created.

Thanks:

Persian85033- Thank you for your enthusiasm and ideas for my story, they very much appreciated, this chapter is for you!

JaFaRcRaZy- Thanks for you support and always taking the time to review!

Rubyinnle- For being my divine beta :)

Ruthie- For your support and reviews!

Recap:

"Mozenrath," Jafar said gravely "Where is this intruder?" Mozenrath scanned the throne room. "I don't know, the spell does not say where, but there is definitely someone about" he answered.

"Search this room!" ordered Jafar, as he sauntered by the gold vase filled with Jasmines…

Chapter 17:

Tali remained crouched nervously inside the vase, hoping the men searching the room wouldn't check where she'd hid. Her mind was racing, her temples pounding, causing her to feel numb all over.

Jafar eyes darted around the room. He stood in front of the vase that Tali had hidden in. He gazed at the vase shiftily before striding towards Mozenrath.

"Mozenrath, I doubt the possibilities of an intruder in this room, but we must check the Amulet Tower!" he commanded.

Mozenrath looked sceptically at Jafar. "We haven't finished searching thi—""Don't question me!" Jafar replied gravely. Jafar turned around strode down the terrace stairs with Mozenrath close behind him.

Tali still sat crouching inside the vase. Have they gone? She though worriedly, afraid that if she were to peek outside she'd be discovered. The voices seem to have gone she thought hopefully.

Cautiously, she raised her head above the brim of the vase. Having glanced around the room, with no sign of those men, she quietly stepped out of the vase.

Ok, Now where to? She wondered. Tali breathed deeply, partially in relief but also to clam the sensation of uneasiness that was swirling inside her.

Her eyes immediately drifted towards an arched entry, leading into a narrow corridor, I suppose that's the only way! She thought as she wandered towards it.

Jasmine draped her arms around Aladdin, overjoyed from simply being with him, but she also felt, that their troubles were far from over.

Aladdin held his wife's slim body in a reassuring embrace. I can't believe everything! But whatever happens, I am thankful we are together! He thought determinedly.

"Aladdin," whispered Jasmine. Aladdin looked into her dark eyes "Yes Jasmine?" he asked softly. "I will always love you, no matter what," she said tearfully.

"I love you Jasmine, I'm sorry I ever did anything to make you doubt that," he said, the sadness showing clearly in his eyes.

She smiled, and buried her head into his chest playfully, savouring the moment which she'd remember forever.

Meanwhile, Nadira had left Aladdin and Jasmine. She walked up the winding staircase angrily and ran into a dark corridor. Nadira slumped against the wall, and breathed deeply.

She found herself recollecting her past, her memories. She remembered hr mother, a stunning woman, but, a prostitute. Tears sprung to her eyes and lump formed in her throat. She hung her head and found sobs escaping her.

Her thoughts turned back to her mother. Her mother was a woman who would leave her daughter alone in their carriage every night, sometimes without returning for nights at a time, while she went to do her work.

Nadira bit her lip, to stop herself from thinking such things, afraid of feeling the emotion of the things that had ruined her life, the things that had torn so violently through her thoughts at moments such as this.

She never knew her Father, whom she suspected was one of the men her mother saw regularly on her "duties". All her life it was travelling with her mother's troop of girls. She remembered that she herself entered this profession at the age of 15.

She remembered the last thing her mother said to her, before leaving one night, for her duties. Nadira saw her mother more vividly than she had ever remembered.

Her words pierced Nadira's mind, like a spear shattering glass, breaking it from its very core until it falls apart and all that is left are the broken pieces which can never truly be put back together.

Nadira's heart pounded inside her chest as the words rang in her mind, like a painful ostinato of remembrance; they stayed there, subconsciously tearing her apart, every living breathing moment.

"Nadira, you're now old enough to know this, if you ever learn anything from me, learn this, Men only ever want one thing from women, someday you'll know"

These words replayed in head. In her minds eye she saw her mother's eyes filled with sorrow as she placed a veil across her lips and departed. She never returned

Nadira's breathing became unsteady, tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She lay on her side against the wall, and silently cried her heart out.

Mozenrath and Jafar stormed up the stairs of the amulet tower. They arrived at the top, where they amulet remained peacefully resting on a cushion of air.

"There isn't a person in sight!" snarled Mozenrath. Jafar scowled at him "We must keep searching!"

Tali walked through the narrow hall curiously. The place spooked her, nothing in particular, just the air of eerie silence.

Ok Tali, We're going to find Aladdin and Jasmine, we just need…a spur in the right direction! She thought determinedly. Scratching her head in thought, she spied a room in the corner of her eye.

She shifted he gaze entirely, so that the room came into full view. It appeared bright, filed with a golden glow. I guess that's as good as it will get! She thought hopefully.

Quietly, she tiptoed towards the room. Tali paused, glancing around, hoping somebody wouldn't pop out of nowhere. Except of course if it was Aladdin! She thought.

The feeling of forbiddance still hung in the back of her mind. She entered; to find the room filled with mounds of gold and jewels. It was perhaps smaller than the throne room, she deducted, but just as vast.

Something still bothered Tali; she looked at the walls of the rooms, unsure of why she'd look there for answers. She saw a small cobra head carved in gold with emerald eyes hanging on the wall.

She neared it, noticing it was slightly off centre, gently she twisted the head and the wall, swung open.

Well, I suppose this is my direction then! She though as she cautiously wandered down the stairs that cascaded from the open wall.

Aladdin's head lay in Jasmine's lap, he wondered when they'd get out of the trap they were in. Jasmine stroked his head gently "It will be ok, I know it," she said, reading his thoughts.

Aladdin smiled and sat up "What are we going to do? It's not as though someone's looking for us," he said worriedly. He took Jasmine's hands in his "I just don't want this to be the way things are" he said weakly.

Jasmine smiled "Aladdin, Together you and I will find a way, and who knows maybe someone is out there, looking for us," she said hopefully, squeezing his hands reassuringly. He kissed her forehead and sighed. I sure hope so! He thought.

Tali continued to walk down the passageway steps. It was dark and unnerving, she wanted to turn around but felt that this was the right direction.

Tali lost her footing on a broken step, causing her to stumble down the remainder of the stairs. She landed with a thud in a strange room. That hurt! She thought painfully.

The room appeared oddly unreal, like a sorcerer's lair, it appeared almost fictional. It was dimly lit by a fire torch on the wall. A cauldron sat in the centre of the room, on a stand.

The room's circular walls had many shelves, cluttered with bottles and scrolls. Strange objects and phials were every where, appearing in disarray. The walls were covered with star charts and strange writings.

Tali looked at the room, feeling puzzled. Ok, remember the poem, "A spell will kill the hated, and rid the enemy, but a spell must also be broken to set a person free", that's not a huge help, but I guess I should search for a spell, she thought disappointedly, as she began sifting through the many shelves.

Nadira remained in the dark corridor of the dungeon, pondering her past, remembering feelings she thought had left her. God, why now? She wondered Why is it now that these feelings and memories have come back to haunt me?

The desperation was killing her. Suddenly she remembered someone. Omar…she thought sadly. The thoughts of the boy she'd trusted seemed to seep back into her mind.

I trusted him, I left home for him, I was only 14, and what did I know? He hurt me, he used me, I was his plaything, his…his…What does it matter now? His abuse will stay with me forever, I think maybe…I may have even loved him. But I know there's no such thing, no such thing as love. She thought sadly.

Suddenly a noise of bottles clanging interrupted her thoughts. Nadira stood up and wandered down the corridor to Wazir's old spell room.

She entered the room only to see a girl shuffling through the shelves desperately.

"WHO are you?" questioned Nadira. Startled, Tali dropped an empty bottle which then smashed to pieces on the floor.

She turned around, shivering in fear as she gazed at Nadira. Oh God, what now? Hmmm, she is gorgeous, I wonder who she is? She thought.

"I said, who are you?" Nadira asked angrily. Tali shuddered "I am Tali," she replied dubiously. Nadira looked at her expectantly. "I am Aladdin sister," mustered Tali, right away wondering if that was a mistake.

Nadira's eyes flashed and an odd gleam entered them. Tali looked at her suspiciously "Who are you?" she asked carefully.

Nadira smiled "I am Princess Jasmine," she replied.