"Citizens of Agrabah!" The Sultan stood on the main balcony, projecting his voice to the crowds down below, "My daughter has chosen a suitor!"
The crowds all cheered.
Behind the scene, Jasmine and Aladdin peeked through the curtains, with Jasmine making the occasional comment that made Aladdin giggle.
"Ah, I wondered where you two had gotten to."
The pair turned to an amused Cassim, with Aladdin rushing over to jump into his Father's arms, Jasmine clearly only just resisting the urge to do the same.
"Where have you been?" she asked, watching Cassim make his way to the top of the stairs, "I think the whole kingdom's turned out for Father's announcement!"
Cassim felt like his knees were going to give out on him, as he neatened out Aladdin's outfit, finishing just in time for Jasmine to kiss him on the cheek and push him through the curtains.
"…. PRINCE CASSIM!"
As the crowds burst into cheers once again, clearly remembering Cassim's entrance into the kingdom. Cassim waved nervously at them, unaware of the presence watching from above.
…
"Look at them…" Iago sneered, "… cheering for him like he's more than just a simple, no-good thief."
Jafar smirked, "Let them cheer." He held the stolen lamp up and gave it three firm rubs, watching as a cloud of smoke appeared, morphing into the Genie.
"Hail the conquering hero, la-la-la- AH!"
The Genie, who was once a one-man band, yelped and shifted back into his original form at the sight of a smirking Jafar. Within seconds a script was in the Genie's hand, "I don't remember this… tonight the part of Cassim will be played by a tall, sinister-looking man, and Aladdin is now a parrot."
"I am your Master now!" Jafar growled, grabbing the Genie's beard and pinning him to the ground with one foot.
"I was afraid you were going to say that."
"Grant me my first wish! I wish to rule on high, as the Sultan of Agrabah!"
….
Dark clouds started to gather above the palace, swirling all around it as the sky darkened and heavy winds battered against the crowds, sending anything that wasn't fixed to the ground, flying into the air.
"What's going on?!" The Sultan cried out, clinging onto his turban as it threatened to blow right off his head. Unfortunately the wind proved too much, and the turban flew off into the distance… closely followed by the rest of his clothes, where they morphed and wrapped around a familiar figure.
Jafar cackled in delight.
"JAFAR!" The Sultan growled, "You-You vile traitor!"
Iago, wearing a turban of his own, smirked at their struggles, "That's King Vile Traitor to you… commoner!"
"How dare you!" The Sultan struggled ferociously, only to get nowhere.
Cassim wanted to do something… even the Genie wouldn't mind if he used the next wish to save the kingdom instead of setting him free… if only he had the lamp though!
"- Finders Keepers!" Jafar seemed to notice the panic on Cassim's face, gesturing dramatically to the sky, where a giant, familiar figure reached down and started to pull the place from the Earth, lifting it high into the sky.
"No." Cassim whispered, instantly recognising Genie as the carpet flew towards him, "No!" The carpet shot up to where Genie's face was.
"Genie, stop! Please!" Cassim begged.
"Sorry…" Genie shook his head wearily, "… But I've got a new Master now." The palace was then placed on top of a cliff.
"Jafar!" The Sultan yelled, "I order you to stop."
"Ah, but there's a new order now! My order! And finally, you will bow to me!"
Pushing Aladdin behind her, Jasmine stepped forwards and glared up at Jafar, "We will never bow to you!"
"Why am I not surprised?!" Iago cried out, as Jafar lost his temper.
"If you won't bow before a Sultan, then you'll cower before a sorcerer!" He turned to the Genie, "Genie! My second wish! I wish to be the world's most powerful sorcerer!"
As the Genie aimed his finger, Cassim cried out in alarm. "Genie, no!"
But it was too late. The bolt of magic struck Jafar head-on, a glow surrounding the man as he rose into the air, his staff reforming in his hands. "Excellent." He hissed in satisfaction, "Now, where was I… Ah yes, abject humiliation!"
He aimed the staff at the Sultan and Jasmine, a red glow surrounding them, forcing them to their hands and knees, despite their struggles. He then used the staff to raise Jasmine's head, "By the way princess, there's someone I've been dying to introduce you to."
"Jafar!" Cassim bellowed, flying straight towards the sorcerer, "Get away from her!"
"Prince Cassim, yes it is he, but not as you know him!" Jafar used his magic to pull Cassim off of the carpet, "Read my lips and come to grips with reality!" He then pulled Aladdin closer, "Let's meet a blast from your past, who's lies were too good to last… say hello to your precious Prince Cassim!"
"And little Aladdin of course!" Iago crowed.
Within seconds, Cassim and Aladdin's clothes were transformed from the rich clothes of princes, to the clothes they used to wear on the streets.
"Cassim?" Jasmine questioned, confusion in her voice.
"Jasmine…" Cassim rushed over, temporarily free from the spell as he grabbed Jasmine's hands, "… I tried to tell you, but- "
"- So, Cassim turned out to be a common thief!" Jafar interrupted, "Just a con, need I go on, take it from me…" He used his magic to remove a column from the main palace, lifting Cassim and Aladdin up into the air and throwing them into it through the open window, "… His personality flaws, give me adequate cause, to send him packing on a one-way trip, so his prospects take a permanent dip. His assets frozen, the venue chosen… it's the end of the Earth!"
"Genie!" Aladdin could be heard screaming, as the tower shot up into the sky, with the carpet following it as quickly as he could.
But the Genie could only watch… he had a new Master now.
A new Master who was cackling in evil glee.
….
The tower landed with a thud, rolling across the soft white snow as Cassim and Aladdin were thrown from the window, the cold hitting them like a horse kick to the back.
Cassim shivered, putting his hands under his armpits briefly, before reaching out and pulling Aladdin closer, wrapping his son up in his cloak.
"I'm so sorry…" Cassim sighed wearily, pulling his son closer, "… this is all my fault. I should have been more careful with the lamp…. It was lost because of me, Jafar has it because of me!"
Aladdin didn't say a word, his teeth chattering too hard.
"We've got to go back." Cassim continued, "We need to go back and fix everything!"
Wrapping Aladdin up, he lifted the boy into his arms and started to trudge through the snow… until he stepped on a very familiar, frozen rug.
"Carpet!" Cassim sighed in relief.
It was only when he glanced up, that he realised that the palace tower was pinning the carpet to the snow. He knew that tugging at the carpet wasn't going to help, so he started to dig at the snow, hoping that that would be enough to free the carpet.
But then the tower started to roll towards them, pushing them closer and closer to the ledge.
Aladdin curled up in his father's arms as Cassim ran, quickly spotting the window. He dived towards it, hoping that the tower would simply roll over them. Holding his breath, Cassim sighed in relief as the tower passed straight over them, rolling straight off the ledge and into the abyss below.
As the carpet flew free, Cassim practically threw his son onto it. "Come on kid. We've got a princess to save." They leapt onto the carpet, and hot off, speeding far away from the cold winter air and back towards Agrabah.
…..
"Polly want a cracker? Polly want a cracker?! Here's your cracker!"
Jasmine watched in dismay as her Father almost chocked on the biscuits. If she didn't have these shackles and chains wrapped around her, she would have leapt forwards to her father's defence… as it was, she could only beg for his life.
"Stop it!" She begged, "Jafar, leave him alone!"
Jafar held up a hand, and Iago reluctantly stopped. He then gestured for Jasmine to pick up a piece of fruit from the bowl, using his staff to hook the chains and pull the princess forwards.
"It pains me to see you reduced to this Princess…" Jafar mused, scanning her from head to toe as he took a bite of the fruit, making her skin crawl.
"… someone as stunning as you should really be on the arm of the most powerful man in the world."
Waving his staff around, the shackles disappeared, morphing in mid-air in order to form a beautiful crown.
"What do you say Princess." Jafar seemed so sure of what Jasmine was going to say, to the point where he didn't notice Jasmine's hand wandering towards a glass of wine, "With you as my Queen- "
"- NEVER!" Jasmine snapped, grabbing the wine and throwing it directly into Jafar's eyes, smirking as the man yelped in pain. Her victory was short-lived however, as Jafar lunged forwards, causing her to fall to the ground, with Jafar raising his hand for a backhand.
"I'LL TEACH YOU SOME RESPECT…." Jafar stopped, a sly smirk flashing across his face, "…. No… genie, I've decided to make my final wish. I wish for Princess Jasmine to fall desperately in love with me."