~Chapter 32~

Joel

Beads of sweat trickled down my face as I panted heavily. Was I on the brink of consciousness or was it nightmare fuel? Images of Noella burned in my mind and I didn't push her out of the way in time. She continually got pummeled by hundreds of pounds of stone again and again and this was continually playing in my mind on an endless loop. Finally my eyes popped open feeling the pain of the sudden intensity of the light in the room. I shot up frantically looking around for Noella who was nowhere to be seen. Pain swelled in my torso as I looked down and saw that my leather armor was replaced with white bandages and gauze. There was some swelling and my skin looked pretty alien considering all the discoloration from the bruising around the area. I glanced around the room and it was huge and I was alone. Though not for long because soon after Eugene came into the room carrying a steaming bowl of water and a towel hanging off his left shoulder. When he locked eyes with me seeing that I was conscious, his eyes held a look of relief and he sighed heavily making his way over.

"Joel, you're back amongst the living!" Eugene said putting the bowl down on the nightstand beside the bed.

I smiled weakly, but groaned immediately after.

"How long have I been out?" I asked curiously rubbing my neck, but it did no good as I immediately winced at the touch. Apparently everything above my waist was especially tender...understandably so.

"Not even a day." Eugene replied, "Your fever broke a couple hours ago and the doctor Adam sent for said that once that happened, the worst was over."

"That's good." I nodded reclining back on the bed pillow.

Eugene took the towel on his shoulder drenching it in the water he brought in.

"Don't bother." I told Eugene, "I'm fine."

Eugene rolled his eyes in mock annoyance.

"Yeah, says the guy with a discolored torso."

"Let's not fuss...I feel much better." I said gnashing my teeth through the pain.

"Okay tough guy, well I'll go let everyone know you're awake and lying through your teeth." Eugene said heading for the door.

"Don't it's fine. Just let them be for a bit." I shrugged.

I mean regardless how many times I ventured to this castle in the past everyone here aside from Belle were strangers to me. I didn't want to make a fuss and just get up, saddle a horse, and ride after Noella. She was waiting for me.

"Joel…" Eugene sighed, "Everyone has been so worried about you and we've all been taking turns looking after you."

"But why?" I asked incredulously, "I'm a stranger to most of them."

"It doesn't matter." Eugene snapped, "They care about Noella and thus care about you. It's kind of a package deal."

It always amazed me the tenderness within some people's hearts. Since I became a huntsman, people I had met in life were always a gamble with how they acted toward others. Traveling along with Noella had taught me a few things about the goodness in people's hearts and made me hopeful for this world. However, with people like Corissa out there tainting people and spreading darkness, it throws everything out of balance. I was pulled out of my thoughts by a gentle knock on the bedroom door and Belle poked her head in.

"I'm sorry to intrude, but I thought I heard your voice." She smiled warmly.

I sat back up wincing as I did so, but smiled warmly at her.

"Thanks for looking after me." I nodded.

"You mind some company?" She asked.

I shook my head and Adam came in the room just behind Belle. They both stood at the foot of my bed reading my facial expressions tentatively for any pained expressions.

"How are you doing?" Adam asked.

"I've been in worse scrapes than this." I nodded simply.

"What was worse...this or when I threw you from the balcony?" Adam asked honestly trying to lighten the mood, but Belle shot him a glare elbowing him.

"Adam." She scolded.

Eugene smacked his forehead with his palm at the comment. I smirked really noticing that not all Adam's human manners had come back to him yet.

"I think I'd have to say this is worse Adam." I answered humoring him.

The mood definitely lightened up after that. Without missing a beat, I sluggishly took off the covers getting up on my feet.

"Whoa, what do you think you're doing?'' Eugene pressed grabbing my arm.

"Look, I know you guys mean well, but I have to go and find Noella. Time is not on our side." I said.

Knowing Corissa's endgame was one of the worst things about the position I was in and knowing I helped was even worse.

"Joel, you're in no condition to travel." Belle pressed.

"I promise to take an easier ride on horseback." I paused looking at my mirror on the nearby dresser, "But I have to regroup with Noella." I said determinedly.

"And I'll make sure you do." Eugene nodded putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Well, I suppose there's no changing your mind then?" Belle asked.

"Sorry, but I want to leave as soon as possible." I replied.

"If that's your wish then please take my two fastest horses. They're in the stables." Adam said with a nod.

"Thanks." I nodded.

"And take the mirror." Adam added handing the handheld ornate item to me.

"You sure?"

Adam nodded putting a hand on my shoulder.

"This mirror is just a bad memory of what I once was. Please take it. It could prove useful on your journey." Adam said.

Over the next ten minutes, we started to prep for the journey ahead of us. Belle packed Eugene and I food for the road, Adam got the horses all saddled up, and Eugene helped me get my leather tunic back on. I couldn't stand up too straight or inhale a deep breath, but I didn't care at this point. After a warm departure of hugs from our friends at Adam's castle, Eugene and I took off. Though the pace was much slower than I liked, but it was all my wounded body could tolerate.

Following the directions Belle gave us regarding Noella's apparent direction a day ago we headed that way. I knew we were heading the right way as the forest trees began to clear up and we eventually were looking out onto a vast desert wasteland. Now what? Just as Eugene and I were pondering next steps, a great beast, a lion bounded up in front of us.

"It's you." The animal spoke.

"Excuse me?"

"You know Noella?" The lion asked.

"Do you know where she is?" I pressed.

"Yes, I'm here to lead you there as she requested." The lion replied.

"Well that was easy." Eugene smirked.

"Follow me to Agrabah." The lion said as he ran ahead of us leading into the depths of the desert. Eugene and I snapped the horse's reins following after him.

After a long several hour hike, slowed down due to my pitiful toleration of the ride, we got atop another large dune, but below we saw a large city. Here I was thinking it would be the size of Belle's village. A small and quaint one, but no, Agrabah had to be at least three times the size of the last village. Also at the far north side, stood a massive palace.

"Can you make it the rest of the way?" The lion asked, "Prides of humans make me nervous."

"Of course." I replied, "Thank you."

"I hope you find Noella. Good luck." The lion said and bounded off quickly.

With our escort gone, Joel and I made our descent down the dune heading toward the main gates of the city. Once we leveled out on ground level below the dunes, the city looked even bigger. The guards patrolling the gates looked at us clearly identifying us as outsiders not from here, but otherwise didn't bother us. We tied the horses at the stables and began our search on foot.

"Now, where do we start?" Eugene pressed.

"My gut tells me to head to the palace. The mirrors have all been found in the possession of royalty right?"

"Alright, I'll meet up when I can." Eugene replied.

I looked at him surprised.

"What? You're not coming?"

"Joel, I'm in a new place and I have to see if I can't get a lead on Rapunzel. Though, I didn't see Max at the stable...not that he'd willingly hang out there like an average horse." Eugene muttered.

"Alright you're mumbling to yourself." I teased. "Okay, be careful and we'll meet up later."

"You're a huntsman, Joel. I think you can handle this." Eugene replied.

"Wait," I said taking Adam's mirror handing it him, "So we can keep in touch."

"I'm not as familiar...how do these work again?" Eugene asked.

"Just ask the mirror to show you whoever you wish to see and the mirror will do the rest." I nodded.

"Alright, see you soon." Eugene nodded. "And be careful, would ya?"

I nodded as Eugene quickly turned around heading the opposite direction. I moved forward slowly groaning under my breath with every step. Just breathe, I told myself. It wasn't hard to find my way to the palace, but the way I was feeling, it must have been on the other side of the world. Finally, I made it and walked my way up to the guarded front doors of the palace. As I approached, the guards looked at me as the other two did at the Agrabah gates.

"What's your business here?" One guard asked me.

"I need to see a member of the royal family. Please it's an emergency." I pressed.

"Unless you're a suitor for her royal highness, Princess Jasmine, which clearly you aren't, go away." The guard replied.

In different circumstances if I was my normal self right now, I'd beat both these guys to a pulp and get my way, but obviously that wasn't happening. So I returned to the city rethinking my strategy. I needed to blend in and look like I belong while gaining entry inside the palace. So I found a lone patrolling guard, knocked him out with much difficulty considering his strength and my weak state. However, I won and quickly put on his attire. Everything from the pointy shoes to the white turban on top. I had picked the right guard because we were pretty similar in size. The black armored vest was paired up with cream colored pants with gold armbands for the wrists. The turban was quite nice to keep my head cool from the heat of the day. Now, I returned to the palace gates, but I was still stopped.

"Fool, we don't go in the front. Go in the back way." One of the guards scolded me.

"Right, yes." I replied.

The other guard pointed out the door for the guards nearby and I quickly walked that direction going down an alleyway and through a door leading into the palace wall. The door opened surprisingly unlocked, but there were several guards patrolling the door alone, so nobody but guards came through here.

"Where is Princess Jasmine?" I asked one of the guards.

"In the garden. I saw her an hour ago." One replied.

I nodded and went on my way making my way out of the guards quarters and back outside. There was a wide courtyard with a big, beautiful fountain nearby. There was sand all along the ground and yet this place was a beautiful and thriving garden. Soon, something from behind jumped on me slamming me to the ground. I cried out in pain as I rolled over to see what had hit me. To my surprise, a large tiger was standing there looking fiercely at me. I tried to talk calmly to the beast, but he was fixated on me.

"Rajah! No!" A voice called out.

Immediately the tiger backed off closing his mouth and sitting down as if he was a dog.

"Are you alright?" A woman asked.

Her face was in direct path of the sun and I was squinting so hard, I couldn't make out her face.

"I didn't get eaten by a tiger, so I think that definitely means I'm alright."

"It's so strange. Rajah never has attacked one of the guards." She replied, "I'm sorry."

Finally the woman stepped out of the sun and I saw her. She had long jet black hair tied in two blue hair bands down the length of her back matching her blue attire. However, I immediately noticed her jewelry and adornments especially the blue headband with a sapphire embedded in it and came to a conclusion.

"Princess Jasmine?" I asked.

"Yeah?" She replied looking at me curiously.

"I need your help."

AN: Hey Readers! Enter Jasmine...woot woot :)

Joel is a total stranger, but will Jasmine help him? Stay tuned...