Hello dear readers: I just want to take a moment to thank you all so much for the kind reviews! If anyone has a certain scene they'd like to see in this story, or have any ideas for plot direction, feel free to message me. I'm always open to new ideas, and if I use yours you'll get proper credit in that chapter's opening message. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter, and that you have a great day!

Oh, and who do you think should be making an appearance at the end of the chapter? Someone new? Someone cannon from either the movies or the tv shows? A friend, or a foe? Let me know!

Sleep never came to Jafar that night, and his mind wouldn't let him rest, so he stayed up planning and packing. Originally, when Jasmine approached him the day before, he had been digging through the library's archives in order to find a spell that would make Aladdin give up the lamp without harming anyone. Now, however, he had to admit that the princess' unorthodox plan was much more exciting than a single spell. Jafar's rebel side was yearning do something daring and out of character for his normally stoic demeanor, and he was eager to get some alone time with Jasmine.

Just before sunup Jafar made his way to the palace gate, his pack in hand. He had travelers bread, a blanket and several filled water skins. He tied a small tent to his horse, as well as a secondary pack filled with some various medicines and more water skins. He was pleased to see that Jasmine had been serious about their venture, and was ready and waiting with a similarly-packed horse. Jafar checked that none of their gear bore any jewels or the royal crest, and when he was sure they looked like common-folk travelers he informed Jasmine that he had a tracking spell ready to activate.

"Take my hand Princess. For both of us to see the trail you have to be making contact with me when I cast the spell."

"Of course."

She placed her delicate hands in his, and Jafar nearly let a smile slip. He couldn't show the Princess how giddy she made him, for that would be undignified of a man of his station. He forced himself to focus on the spell, his eyes scrunching up in concentration. He could feel the magic flowing through him, and he was once again thankful he had been born with magic in his blood.

Desert winds I ask your charity,

Lend me your guidance and your clarity.

Bring me to the thief Aladdin at this time,

Send to Jasmine that which she calls 'mine'.

Let this spell be not reversed,

Or placed back upon me as a curse.

With harm to none,

This spell BE DONE!

Jafar shouted the last words, his hands breaking contact with Jasmine's to thrust up towards the sky. The wind began to swirl sand around the two of them, forming a mini cyclone, until they were in the center of the vortex. Red streaks of lightning sprang from Jafar's outstretched palms, the tiny bolts joining the fray inside the vortex. The sanguine hue made the cyclone look as though it was on fire, and in seconds the column of sand shot straight into the sky. It exploded like a firework, and when the particles of sand touched the ground a red trail of footprints appeared. Jafar let out a triumphant laugh, his nerve endings tingling with magic.

The duo quickly mounted their horses and set off after the trail, their horses galloping so fast that the few castle guards in the courtyard were left coughing in a cloud of kicked-up dust. Normally Jasmine would have to be worried about being spotted as a princess, but Jafar had planned ahead for them. They had set aside their signature clothing in exchange for simple brown traveling outfits, much like the one Jasmine wore when she snuck out to the marketplace, and her face was shrouded by a niqab to help keep the princess from being identified.

The trail was only visible to them, and Jafar was infinitely grateful that there was no one to question why there were magical, glowing footprints on the ground. The princess and vizier followed the trail for an hour as it lead straight through the heart of the city, out through one of the side gates and into the arid desert. Jasmine had seen the open desert so rarely that at first she was almost blinded, her hand shooting up to shield her eyes. Jafar halted their horses to give her a minute to adjust, and the way her eyes widened in wonder made his heart race.

"It's beautiful!"

Her smile was infectious, and he felt his normal scowl melt. When he was with her he could tell he changed. He sneered less, he became open to having unexpected adventures and he felt like things would somehow work out. Even the looming threat of war seemed less overwhelming in that moment, and he almost wished he could stop the sands of time. His attention was quickly pulled back to Jasmine, who tossed him a playful grin.

"Catch me if you can!"

With that the princess took off at a gallop, guiding her horse to follow the trail perfectly. After their playful mad dash they steadied the pace, and they launched into a full blow discussion of the kingdom's state. Jafar filled Jasmine in on what had been happening within Agrabah, and he gave her advice and guidance until almost sunset, when the very saddle-sore duo decided to stop for the night. Jasmine had no outdoor survival skills, but she was eager to learn how to do simple things like start a fire and properly roast meat. As they sat around the fire Jafar began to discuss more of the political, potential war side of the issues that Agrabah was facing. The princess was aware of more of the circumstances than Jafar thought she was, and it pleased him greatly to see that she wanted to bring political stability to their city as much as he did. She was, however, still adamant about marrying for love instead of political gain.

"Princess, why is that so important to you? Your station merely requires that you marry a nobel, it does not say you have to lose who you are in doing so."

She was silent for a moment, then she tilted her face up to meet his eyes. It was the most serious he had ever seen her look, and it unnerved him just a little.

"I know that marrying a prince for political gain is what is expected of a princess. We are told to marry to gain an army, or to expand our father's territory or to stop a war with a neighboring country. All of those reasons are commendable, but I believe that I can find love from right within Agrabah. I would much rather see one of our people on the throne than a man from another country who knows nothing of our ways, and if I marry I want it to be for love."

"Are you implying that you would marry a commoner?"

"Yes. I am not a prize to be won, and until I saw Aladdin's dark side I thought that he had the potential to be a great ruler. He showed kindness to orphans, he seems rather fearless and he understands that the city needs to be fixed."

"And he was young and handsome."

Jafar could tell that, even in the light of the fire, the princess had blushed. He felt a bit annoyed with himself for letting such an unnecessary, snide comment slip, but he kept his face perfectly expressionless.

"Looks are not everything Jafar. Aladdin is conventionally handsome, but that does not mean a man who looks very different from him cannot be attractive. I want a man to rule by my side who is good and selfless above one with no merit who all the ladies swoon over."

With that Jasmine yawned, the young woman quickly excusing herself for the night. Jafar sat by the fire awhile longer, partially mulling over what the princess said, and partially trying to tune out the sounds of her getting changed not fifteen feet from him. Once the rustle of clothing and the annoyed mutterings about sand being everywhere stopped he was able to focus better.

They still didn't have a plan for how to get Jasmine's dowry back. He didn't know much about the Forty Thieves, but if their reputation was even partially true than their fortress would be hard to infiltrate. Their best bet would be to get someone on the inside to let them in, then they could get the items Aladdin took and get out.

There were so many things that could go wrong with their plan, and the thought of putting Jasmine in danger made him sick. He took a few deep breaths, willing his mind to quiet down enough to get some much-needed sleep. He would be a useless traveling companion if he didn't sleep for two days straight, and he wanted to actually be able to carry on a cohesive conversation. He wanted to continue his tutelage in the morning, instead of being miserable and exhausted.

The vizier shook himself from his thoughts, doused the little remaining fire with sand and dragged himself to his tent. He was sleeping within minutes, and he was so deeply asleep that he almost didn't wake for the quiet voice coming through the tent flap.

"J-Jafar? Are you a-awake?"

"Hnnnn?"

"I am s-so c-cold. My tent h-has a hole in i-it, so may I s-share yours?"

"Um, yes, of course Princess."

She entered his tent, her blanket and sleeping mat clutched tightly in hand. Jafar had no idea how to handle a situation like this, and when Jasmine laid down next to him it was the closest he had ever been to a woman. They laid back-to-back, their bodies barely two inches apart, and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms to warm her. Desert nights were frigid, and he could hear her teeth chattering even at a distance. He was perfectly warm, so without a second thought he gently placed his blanket over the shaking woman. She murmured her thanks, her face hidden in the blankets to bring warmth back to her nose.

"Princess, may I move closer to you to help boost your body heat? You have my word that I will remain proper."

"Y-yes please. I t-trust you."

She sat up so he could inch closer to her. He stiffly placed his arms around the princess, his heartbeat so loud he was sure Jasmine could hear it. They lay back down, his arms pressing the blankets to her while positioned carefully around her torso so that he was just barely touching her. A few minutes ticked by in silence, and soon Jafar noticed her shivering had ceased. He thought she had fallen asleep, so when she spoke he couldn't help but jump.

"Thank you Jafar, I am starting to feel better now. You can get more comfortable if you want. I know in some countries a man could be beheaded for touching a woman like this that they are not married to, but I do not feel that that is right."

"Thank you princess, I enjoy knowing my head will stay attached to my shoulders. I will take you up on your offer though, since I can admit this position is a bit uncomfortable."

He had been holding her so stiffly that his shoulders had began to ache, so it was a relief to be able to pull her flush against him and wrap his arms around her waist in a more natural position. She sighed contentedly, and he felt her wiggling back against him to get comfortable. If only she knew what response that movement had on his body. His mind was racing with a million lustful thoughts, and it took all of his willpower to keep his mind away from the image of peeling the blankets off of her to reveal her sleeping gown.

He knew it would have a somewhat sheer texture to it to help her stay cool on the hotter Arabian nights, and he could imagine seeing the delectable outline of her...He took a deep breath, once again trying to pull his thoughts back to non-sensual topics. War, the mission, even sand were better thought topics than the smart, strong, kind and beautiful young woman laying in his arms. Then she wiggled again. Jafar stifled a surprise hiss, his voice longing to turn into a moan. When it happened again, barely a minute later, he knew he needed to speak up. If he didn't stop her movements they would drive him insane.

"Jasmine?"

"Yes?"

"Please try not to move around too much."

"What do you mean?"

"Your little hip wiggles are keeping me up."

"Oh, I did not realize you noticed me shifting around."

"Trust me Princess, I noticed."

Jasmine's heart did a little flip. Never had she heard such a sexy, husky tone of voice come from Jafar. Some of the princes who had tried to woo her had attempted to sound seductive, but none of them had come even close to making her feel like Jafar was. How had she never realized that he had such a sultry voice? His arms felt so nice around her, and she wondered, for nearly the hundredth time, what it would be like to kiss him.

"What do you mean?"

"I, uh, I mean that, um, you see…"

"Jafar, are you alright? Never have I heard you trip over your words so much."

"Of course, of course."

"What is wrong?"

"Nothing to worry about Princess."

Jasmine hated being left out of things, so she decided to play a little game. If he didn't want to tell her what was going on she would do the thing that bothered him until he did. Pretending to yawn she stretched, her body arching right back against his. She heard an almost-tormented groan from him, and when she felt an unexpected hardness she suddenly comprehended the situation.

While she and Jafar had never given themselves to anyone, when they were younger both had secretly gone to the royal library and studied the extensive section on carnal topics. Jasmine had become familiar with the basic mechanics of male anatomy, and she understood that this situation meant Jafar was attracted to her. She had never thought that she had that sort of effect on the normally stoic vizier. If she had she would have given into her impulses sooner.

Before she could doubt herself and overthink things Jasmine rolled over so that her face was barely an inch from his. She met Jafar's startled eyes for a moment, and before she could change her mind she gently pressed her lips to his. They were soft and warm, and she instantly liked the sensation. At first Jafar didn't move, but after a moment she felt his hand gently cup the back of her head so he could deepen the kiss. After a moment they parted, and Jafar had the biggest smile on his face that she had ever seen.

"Thank you Princess."

His words were whispered so reverently, so quietly, that she almost didn't catch them. Her heartbeat was ringing in her ears, and all she could think of was that she wanted to keep kissing him. She had always been attracted to the vizier, but he had never shown any interest in her until then, so she had ruled him out as a potential suitor. Her crush on the mysterious, yet kind, man had grown over the years, though she had been careful to keep it locked away in the back of her heart. Their adventure was bringing them together in more ways than one, and it made Jasmine returned his smile.

"You are welcome. I just hope I was not too forward. I am sorry, and I should have asked your permis…"

Another kiss, this one more heated, cut her off. Their second kiss lingered a bit longer, and it gave Jasmine a pleasantly warm sensation all over. When they parted Jafar reached between them and took her hand, his fingers gently rubbing against hers. He had to hold back the urge to grab her and pepper kisses all pver her body, and he suppressed a growl at the thought of her in his arms without a cloth barrier between them.

"Princess, you could order any man in Agrabah to kiss you, and almost all of them would do so willingly. It is your right to take what you want from me, though I appreciate the apology."

"I never want to be that sort of ruler! I have no interest in making someone be with me just because I ordered them to."

"I know, and your moral compass is just one of the many reasons I admire you. At fifteen you used to be much more spoiled and petulant, but now you have began becoming the type of Sultana anyone would be proud to call their leader."

"Jafar, thank you. You have always been there for me, and while I am just learning about the being a good Sultana I am aware that without you the kingdom would have fallen apart by now. You are invaluable to the kingdom as a vizier, and to me as a friend. I could not ask for a better person to teach me to rule well."

He was speechless. The young vizier had been thanked now and then over the years in passing, but never had anyone in the royal family given him such a heartfelt speech of gratuity. With the Sultana dead, and Hamed's mind becoming enfeebled, the fate of the kingdom had rested largely on Jafar's shoulders over the last few years. It felt so good to finally be directly acknowledged for his hard work, and he very nearly let a tear slip from his eye. She gently cupped the side of his face, her thumb brushing softly along the curve of his cheekbone.

"For all of your sneering, and your sarcastic, stoic facade, I know that you are a good man. If you would be interested I would be very, very happy to call you my suitor."

Jafar couldn't bring himself to respond. For a moment he wondered if he had somehow died and was in the afterlife, or if he was dreaming, but the sand in his clothing was much too real. His feelings for Jasmine were being reciprocated, and they were together on an adventure. It may not be epic enough to ever get put in a tale, but this was easily turning into the best night of his life.

"Your wish is my command, and I gladly accept your invitation Princess."

"You do know you can refer to me by my given name, right? My title does not define me."

"I know, but I enjoy the way princess sounds when I say it. To me you are my princess, not just the Princess of Agrabah."

Even in the dim light he could see her blush, and Jafar could practically feel the warmth of it radiating from her. He absent-mindedly wondered if her sun-kissed skin allowed the blush to trail from head to toe.

"Well, when you put it that way…"

With that she kissed him again, one finger coming up to play with his beard. She twisted it around her finger, earning a surprised chuckle from Jafar.

"I have always loved your beard, it is so twisted. I have always wanted to play with it."

Before he could respond a scimitar cut through the canvas tent, nearly slicing into Jafar's foot. The pair sprang up, a fireball ready in Jafar's palm. A deep laugh came from outside just as Jafar pulled his arm back to fling the fireball, and the sorcerer got ready to throw it as soon as the tent flap would lift.