The Maharaja stood at the open doorway of the throne room. Watching in dismay as Prince Achemed strode angrily down the palace steps. What had been months of preparation had once more proven worthless. As another suitor leaves the palace in disgrace. And all due to his eldest daughter and Sangha.

Raksha came up behind her father. She placed her hand down over his shoulder in an attempt to comfort her father. He glanced back at her hand atop his shoulder, placing his hand atop hers. It was then he glanced back into the throne room at Jasmine and Sangha, the Maharaja glared in anger. He then turned and sauntered back into throne room. It was there the princess was narrowed down to her tigress, petting her as she nuzzled Jasmine.

"Jasmine!" he groaned as he came up to Jasmine.

Jasmine glanced up to her father as he came up to her.

"This was the last straw," He proclaimed to the princess.

"You cannot keep rejecting every suitor that comes to the palace. And you Sangha, you cannot keep frighten away our people from the palace."

Sangha simply growled up at the Maharaja.

"Oh father," Jasmine said, as he came up in front of Sangha.

"Sangha was only playing with him. Right, girl?"

The tigress chuffed as he nudged against the princess's side, purring. Jasmine of which smiled as she stroked the fur atop her head.

"Confounded, Jasmine," The Maharaja said.

"That beast has caused us the most trouble all these years."

The comment of which earned a stern glance from the tigress. As well as from Jasmine herself.

"Jasmine, the law saids you must be married by your sixteenth birthday!" The Maharaja reminded his eldest daughter.

Jasmine rolled her eyes at her father's insistence. She cared not for what they law asked of her. She would never be married to a self-observed, entitled, prince such as he. It was true love that the princess desired. Someone of whom would love her for her alone.

"Father, the law is wrong," she proclaimed to the Maharaja.

"I should be allowed to marry for love. The same way as mother did."

There was a moments pause by the Maharaja at the mention of his late bride. It was as true as her daughter had said. It was indeed love that was what led to their marriage. But even so, her mother had followed the laws of traditional marriage.

But that was not the point of the matter.

This was not simply to find a suitor for his daughter. This was for the fate of the Kingdom and their people. She of all people would surely see the importance of setting aside ones personal desires.

"Jasmine, please listen to reason," the Maharaja begged of his eldest daughter.

"Think of our people. I shall not be able to bear my crown forever. Agraba will need a good Maharaja once I am gone."

"They don't deserve to have a ruler like him," Jasmine insisted to him.

"They should have a ruler that will care for them and is more like you, father."

The Maharaja glanced to the side, appreciating what his daughter had just said.

"Well, yes of course," The Maharaja said, seeing her point.

"But Jasmine, that doesn't mean you just turn down every suitor that comes. It is your duty to marry as the princess."

Jasmine frowned and shook her head.

"Then maybe I don't want to be a princess!" Jasmine proclaimed to her father.

It was then that she and Sangha turned and walked out of the throne room. Leaving her father and her two sisters, stunned and in awe at the words of which she had said. Though whatever shock she might have felt at Jasmine's words was then replaced with frustration. Utter a groan as he turned and sauntered off into the palace, leaving Raksha and Aria the only ones in the throne room.

Raksha came up to Aria, who turned to her with a sullenly. Not for what bleak future that will soon come upon their kingdom. But of what will come of their family.

It was late that evening, Sangha was laying outside over the balcony of Jasmine's room. Laying her head atop her paws, she pondered of the words of the Maharaja and Prince Achemed. It was the one thing that all the people who ever came to the palace had said.

Beast.

A mindless Beast of the jungle.

That was the only thing that people had ever said of her. For ever since she came to live in the palace, the people of Agraba had come to fear her. Calling her a beast of the jungle. Jasmine, her sister and their mother were the only ones who had ever showed her love. Who didn't fear her. who never saw her as a beast of the jungle.

It all the more made her desire to return to the jungle all the more greater. Never would she be treated as so and would be respected by all the people of the jungle.

Stepping out from behind the curtains, Jasmine emerged from her room. She glanced down, where she found Sangha laying over the ground, growling sullenly.

"Sangha, what are you doing out here?" she asked, curiously.

Sangha only gave a small growl in response to her princess, glancing to the side. Jasmine came up to he tigress, where she kneeled down behind the tigress.

"Awe, what's wrong?" she asked, curiously.

Sangha lifted her head as she looked back at the princess. She then narrowed her eyes, chuffing to her.

"Did father hurt your feelings?" she asked, curiously.

Sangha once more gave a slight chuff to Jasmine, as if to say yes to her. Jasmine sighed and shook her head. She was well aware of the things people have been saying about Sangha. Calling her a savage beast of the jungle. She had heard her own father, the Maharaja say it before.

But Jasmine never believed it to be so. Sangha was not some wild beast that would sought to hurt anybody. None of them could ever see past that she was a tiger. For it was only the beast they all saw. But not of the kindness and loyalty she had displayed to the princess.

"I know how you feel," she insisted, stroking the top of the tigress's head.

"People treat me like I am just some prize to be won."

It was true, like Sangha, the people of Agraba had only ever saw her in one way. She was a princess to them. Nothing more. Therefore her life was to be dictated by all the responsibilities of a princess. To be married off to some prince of a far off land.

Sangha uttered a growl, understanding the princess's plight. In a way, they both were treated so unfairly by the people for what they were. But not what lied on the inside.

Jasmine placed her hands over each side of her face as she lifted her head up to look at her.

"Oh, don't listen to them" she insisted to the tigress.

"Your not a beast to me. Your my best friend in the whole world."

Sangha glanced up at Jasmine with such eyes. Eyes that were of hope and love by the love of the princess. Slowly Jasmine pressed her forehead against Sangha's, as the tigress gave a purr so soft and gentle.

The Maharaja paced back and forth within the throne room, in frustration. As yet he had to bear sight of another arranged marriage for his eldest daughter had been ruined once more. The future of his kingdom seemed more bleak with each passing day. As more suitors leave the palace, having been rejected by Jasmine. Her own mother was never this choosy when it came to marriage.

He paused for a moment, continuing to ponder.

"What shall I do?" he asked, himself.

"She is to be married in three days!"

He then sighed as he shook his head. He then turned and came up to the throne, where he sat down.

"Oh, this is all hopeless," he said, narrowing his head.

"How am I ever find someone for her to marry?"

Though right at that moment, he then heard the doors to the throne suddenly open. The maharaja glanced up to the opening doors of the throne room. Where he then heard a voice from the open doorway.

"Oh, but you mustn't lose hope your majesty."

The Maharaja sigh in relief as his fears were laid to rest.

"Oh, thank goodness," he said.

"Jafar, you have finally returned."

It was there, standing at the open entrance was a tall thin man with a small black beard, wearing black and red robes and cape, black turban with a red Dimond and feather at the center. Holding in his right what looked to be a golden Cobra staff.

"Oh, Jafar my most trusted Advisor," The Maharaja said as he hoped off his throne.

"I am most desperate for your guidance."

Jafar bowed to the Maharaja, careful as to hide the distain of which she felt of bowing before such a fool as thee.

"Oh, yes, your majesty," he said, bowing to him.

"I am at you beckon call."

"Jasmine has once more dismissed another suitor," The maharaja proclaimed to his trusted advisor.

"At this rate, she will never be married before her birthday."

"Oh, how dreadful." He said, though secretly relieved.

Princess Aria was walking down the hallway. When it was then she heard her father's voice coming from the throne room. She then paused for a moment, glanced to the entrance to the throne room. She came up to the side of the entrance, where she peered around the corner.

It was there she saw her father, speaking with Jafar.

"Oh, Jafar," the Maharaja said, turning as he came up to his throne.

"I fear for the future of Agraba."

The Maharaja narrowed her head, pondering over the crisis at hand. A sight that had not gone unnoticed by his youngest daughter, who frowned and glanced to the side. Seeing the despair over her father face, Aria could only imagine what her father may be going through at this time. Trying to ensure the future of Agraba by the time of his passing.

Though while Jasmine was quite stubborn at times, she could not place the entire blame on her. The suitors that all came to the palace for her hand could not measure to that of their father.

"Yes, you bear a great burden, your majesty." Jafar said as he came up behind the Maharaja.

It was then that Jafar gave a conniving grin as he chuckled.

"Here," he said, raising his staff to the Maharaja.

"Let me relieve you."

The eyes of the Cobra staff began to glow a bright Maharaja turned his head as he then gasped as he was then engulfed in bright flash of red light.

Princess Aria gasped as she covered her mouth. It was as the light faded and the guards quickly rushed to the Maharaja's aid, it was revealed that her father was gone. In his place, what looked be to be a small mongoose peering from the Maharaja's clothes. Jafar laugh connivingly as he approached the throne.

"At long last," he said.

"The throne is finally mine!"

Jafar then turned back to the Guards, who surrounded him. It was then he slammed the end of his staff over the ground, causing them to freeze in place.

"I am the new Maharaja of Agraba!" He proclaimed to them.

It was then the magic of his new staff turned his robes into white silks of the Maharaja. He then grinned.

"You all now bow to me!" Jafar proclaimed once more, holding out his staff to the guards.

By the magic of the Cobra staff, the guards then kneeled before the new ruler of Agraba.

Princess Aria gasped as she hid back around the corner of the entrance.

"I have to tell Jasmine and Raksha!" she exclaimed before turning and making her way back down the hall.