Genie's jaw dropped.

"Now, for starters, you really gotta find out why this changed all of a sudden. We had his attention perfectly, with that girl! Now, no more. So, you're going to oversee personally, that they get the very best! Hmm, try to make him think that...well, just try to get him to forget about Fahriha. You got it?"

Genie noddeed.

"Shouldn't that be a job for..."

"You, of course!"exclaimed Aladdin. "What are you waiting for, Genie?"

Genie left the room.

"Oh, now, you seriously have me worried here."Iago was telling Fahriha.

"You should be worried."she said.

"You're confusing me there!"he answered.

"I'm..."

Iago waited.

"You're what? Now, just when you were starting to do things right, you come along, and not even tell me. After all I've done you! Are you listening to me?"

Apparently, she wasn't.

"Oh, well. I'll leave you, then."and he flew away.

Genie fanned himself, and drank an ice cold sherbet, as he watched the boys race.

"Obviously, someone's just not here today!"he said, as they dismounted.

"Who?"

"Who else? But our guest here!"

"Why do you say that, Genie?"asked Khalil.

"Obviously just not riding to your full abilities."he said, checking his chart.

"Maybe I just don't feel like it today."

"Hey, Genie's right. You almost always beat me. And today, I beat you."

"You're getting better."

Genie walked with Khalil back to the Palace.

"So, tell me, what's really on your mind?"he asked him.

"Why do you think there's anything on my mind?"

"Intuition."said Genie.

"Well, your intuition is wrong."

"Being rude really won't help."he said, sighing. "I get enough of it around here, anyway. I suppose they do in the haremlik much more than I do."

"Why?"

"Because of the princess, of course. Every easy to distress. I say it's because she's possessed."

"Possessed?"

Genie nodded.

"Of course, I don't say I blame her. She's just...well, let's say, not an easy person to be around, that's it."

"Wouldn't you be in trouble if someone heard you say that?"

Genie looked at him.

"Well, they would agree with me, first of all."

"In what ways is she a hard person to live with?"

"In just about every way you can think of. She's quite...short tempered for one thing."

"She never struck me as short tempered. Quite the opposite."said Khalil. "The one time I saw her."he added.

"Only when it suits her. It's a little...dangerous for her to get to know you. She handles people so easily."

"You're making her sound like some kind of a...witch."

Genie paused for a second.

"I never thought of that. Maybe. I'm just telling you for your own good. That's part of the reason she's in the haremlik most of the time. She'll make your life a living hell, you know, if you're around her too long."

"You're just confusing me!"exclaimed Khalil.

Iago kept walking back and forth.

"I don't ever want to leave the haremlik again!"Fahriha exclaimed.

Iago rolled his eyes.

"Well, now I'm a little worried. But..."he shrugged. "I guess your dad might be pleased to have heard you say that."

"I don't want to leave my room, either!"

"Now, that's going too far."he said.

"It's your fault!"she told him.

"Me?"

"Yes! Now...what am I going to do?"