A/N: I know. I'm late. I'm sorry.

I truly began working on editing draft 2 of Of Rats and Royals with the purest of intentions, doing my best to bring this little tale home. During my editing process, I thought to look up how writing a prequel is different from writing a standard story. I had just finished reading my second article on the subject when there was a knock on my door. I knew who it would be, but I opened it anyway.

And there she was, standing out in the rain with a bouquet of roses. I should have closed the door. Barring that, I should have told her that it was too late, that I had learned to live without her, and that I didn't need her help anymore, but then she started talking in that way of hers and I started listening. And damn it all, the next thing I knew I was letting her into my house, finding her some dry clothes to wear, and talking about what there was to eat.

Am I a fool for letting her back in after she disappeared for months with no explanation?

Probably.

I live in fear of the day she leaves out again and doesn't come back. But I can't quit her. No one else knows how to show me a good time like she does. Call it love, obsession, or a crazy metaphor.

I'm a writer.

When my muse knocks, I drop everything to answer.

And so, instead of a polished draft 2, I am beginning to edit and publish the new and shiny draft 3. I hope you all enjoy the fruits of my labor which finally bare the mark of my muse's long-anticipated blessing.


Chapter 17: Friends and Enemies

Aladdin's body moved automatically. It leapt from one building rooftop to another, doing its best to put distance between him and the animal tent, but his mind was still there.

5 minutes ago…

Aladdin had been on the verge of living happily ever after. That's what happened to heroes who did everything right. And for once, Aladdin fit the bill. He'd talked to the stuffy tiger and told it the plan. Then, even though he had been faced with a lock that should have taken the skills of a thief twice his age, Aladdin had managed to pick it open while hanging upside down!

And when that cage lock had fallen off, Aladdin had caught it before it could activate the booby-trapped floor full of slithering demons. He had saved the day. Again!

Normally, this would have been too much of a bother for Aladdin. He avoided hard work, sweating, and heroic deeds that didn't directly involve treasure or cute girls. He never would have thought he would voluntarily return to the place where Kassim and his old life had died.

But he had done it all for his reward.

And he knew it would be worth it.

As Aladdin patiently waited to see the tiger do its little backflip, the street rat had started thinking past this moment to the future he had just earned where he wasn't being constantly hunted, where he and Abu didn't have to move around every few months, where Babkak and Omar weren't badmouthing him to the other street rats their age, and where he and Abbi could see each other again and again. It would be safe, beautiful, fun, and just…

Perfect.

But then that tiger, that hoity-toity dumb as dirt animal had put its stupid paws on the edge of its cage and Aladdin had seen his bright future go up in flames.


It wasn't fair!

Aladdin kept running. It was all he could do. It was the only thing he did that worked, but it wouldn't help him get what he wanted. It wouldn't save him from Abbi's fury when she found out.

He knew. He knew that the truth wouldn't be good enough for her. She wouldn't believe that her precious half-wild monster was dumber than a flea. She wouldn't help him with Omar and Babkak. She would just blame him. Everyone always blamed him, but this wasn't his fault. There was nothing he could have—

Aladdin's thoughts were interrupted by an arm shooting out in front of him.

The street rat yelped, but his quick reflexes had him swerving before the hairy limb could make contact with his face.

"Hey!" a deep voice said. It was Omar.

Aladdin gritted his teeth and kept running. Omar wouldn't be fast enough to catch up to him, but Aladdin knew where there was Omar, there was bound to be…

A clay dish crashed in front of Aladdin and the street rat had to veer off to the right to avoid the shards. His head whipped up and Aladdin spotted Babkak as he knew he would.

Standing high above Aladdin on the roof of a mosque, Babkak was surrounded by a collection of mismatched pottery. "See how you like it, Ape!" he cried before he hurled a pot at Aladdin.

Aladdin dodged. And so, they began their song and dance again.

As per usual, Aladdin's old friends attacked with their words and actions. Babkak threw things at the street rat and said stuff like, "You fucked up, Ape. Did you think we wouldn't find you after you bribed an entire street?" while Omar chased Aladdin and said "Yeah!" at appropriate intervals.

Aladdin knew he was supposed to respond with witty quips as he ran for his life. He was supposed to pretend this was a game because even though his old friends saw Aladdin as an enemy, he still saw Omar and Babkak as his blood brothers.

But today was different.

I'll make Babkak and Omar disappear

Today, Aladdin knew that that's what he wanted. Today, Aladdin had risked his life because that was what he needed.

Thanks to that stupid tiger, Abbi wasn't going to help him get it, but Aladdin didn't need her. Aladdin didn't need anyone.

"You fucking chose a monkey over your brother! We're sending you straight to hell!" Babkak shrieked before throwing another pot.

"Yeah!" Omar echoed from somewhere behind Aladdin.

He definitely didn't need these two in his life. He had been putting up with their bullshit for five whole years. He had tried to apologize to them and Kassim's ghost for five whole years and it got him nothing!

Aladdin was done with that. He had seen what his happiness looked like now and it didn't include Babkak, Omar, or Kassim. So, if friendship, hard work, and his guilt weren't enough, then Aladdin was done with all of it. He was too angry to pretend that Babkak and Omar were his brothers, too angry to beat himself up about Kassim's death, and too angry to run and hide.

Because today wasn't about them.

Today was about Aladdin.

He wasn't going to let anyone keep him from his happiness anymore.

Today, this street rat was going to take what he wanted or die trying.


A/N: I have more than my muse to thank for this chapter. Thank you to March4fun, ErrantTalisman, BarrissOffee99, my new fans, and my old fans for your help and support.

I hope this was worth the wait. Did this development surprise anyone?

Welcome to draft 3, folks! It's longer, twistier, and hopefully more fun! The summer is not over yet, so I'll be seeing you real soon for more!