~Chapter 37~

Noella

I couldn't sleep for awhile after Joel and I said goodnight. My heart was racing and I was elated. I had fought against these feelings because I was so certain for awhile that he didn't feel the same. However, over the course of the journey things between us really had changed. From the beginning he was closed off and wouldn't let anyone in, but he's made so many friends since I met him and had opened himself up day by day. I wondered what had troubled him so much in the past, but that didn't matter now. We had kissed and that's that. First thing tomorrow, I had to figure out the mirrors clue about the diamond in the rough and find that next mirror. It would have been nice to ask this of Genie because he could give me a direct answer to my problem.

I dreamt of my mother once I finally drifted off to sleep, but it wasn't a good dream. She was in a cage trapped somewhere dark and as I ran toward her to help her, the cage kept getting smaller and smaller. Her cries for help stirred me awake. I sat up in bed wiping the beads of sweat from my forehead. These nightmares really needed to end. I saw sunlight peeking through the drapes in my room and I quickly got up and headed to Joel's room. I knocked eagerly and I waited, but no answer came. Curiously, I opened the door, but the room was vacant. The bed was made very neatly for having been slept in just last night. I went down the hall to Jasmine's room and I remembered the way after having tea with her yesterday. Again, no answer came and I entered the room and I was greeted by Rajah who bounded right up to me rubbing his head against my hand.

"Good morning to you too, Rajah." I smiled.

The tiger chuffed at me, the friendly noise tigers make I learned by watching Discovery channel back home. Where was everyone? I left the room and finally went to see Aladdin, but again nobody answered. Now feeling so alone in this unfamiliar palace, I found my way to the throne room. If the Sultan was missing, I would really begin to panic. Two guards at their post outside the golden doors, opened them for me as they bowed as I walked by them. The Sultan was there sitting on his throne with Jafar standing beside him with his staff in hand. Jasmine was present too and I overheard the conversation as I walked in.

"Has anyone seen him?" Jasmine asked.

The Sultan hopped off his throne and grabbed Jasmine's hand giving it a gentle pat.

"Don't worry, my dear. Joel must be here somewhere." The Sultan reassured her.

Once I approached, the Sultan waved at me greeting me kindly.

"Good morning Norah. I hope you found your accommodations suitable."

"Yes, fine. Thank you." I said quickly, but got right to what was on my mind, "Your fiance is missing, Jasmine?" I asked.

"Well, missing is a strong word. He could just be out." Jasmine shrugged, "But I just found it odd to not have seen him at all this morning."

"My brother is missing too." I added.

"Ladies…" Jafar suddenly chimed in, "You're jumping bridges. Missing is such a strong word. If it will please their highnesses, I'll send a small troop of guards to scour over all of Agrabah to find them. Is that agreeable?"

"I want word as soon as they're found." Jasmine said.

Jafar bowed his head and smiled with a sinister grin as he walked down the aisle to inform the guards. I however ran up beside him to walk him out.

"My father, the Sultan of Newcastle will not be happy about this ordeal." I said keeping up my royal facade.

"Yes, the Sultan in Newcastle." Jafar added, he turned his head away and I swear I saw him roll his eyes.

"You forget your place, Jafar. I demand your respect." I said growing angry.

"And you have it." He said with a very casual bow, "Now, can I escort you to the dining hall for some refreshment?" Jafar sneered putting his hand on my shoulder.

I wanted to bite his hand for touching me, but of course, I stepped away from him crossing my arms.

"No thank you, I'm not hungry just now. I want to know when my brother and Joel are found. Is that understood?" I said raising a stern brow.

"Yes, goodbye princess." He said coldly as we parted ways in the hallway outside the throne room. As his back turned away, a sudden realization rocked me to my core. The way he said goodbye was just like I heard it back at the cave. Faheem had said it to me as I fell. Faheem was Jafar? I had no proof, but I couldn't forget that voice saying that to me. I had to find Aladdin and quick.

I returned to Joel's room again looking for anything out of the ordinary or maybe he did leave a note behind or something. He wouldn't just leave out of the blue...at least not for a good reason. Something in my gut told me something was seriously wrong and I hated that feeling. I just kept repeating to myself to remain calm and breathe. Joel had a small satchel that I found hanging off the bed post. Curiously, I rifled through it and found no letter or anything, but I did find his mirror. I pulled it out and demanded to see Joel. Once the mirror responded, what I saw looked like something you might have happen to a TV screen when the antenna wasn't working. The screen was glitching out or something and instead of black and white static, it was yellow and noisy. I couldn't hear voices, but there was movement and shuffling about. What in the world? Maybe the mirror was broken. Ugh, a dead end, but I wasn't about to give up. I raced as fast as my feet could carry me to Jasmine's room and frantically knocked on her door.

"Noella?" She said once she finally answered.

"I think the boys are in trouble." I said coming into her room abruptly.

"How do you know?" She asked.

"Women's intuition." I shrugged not wanting to mention the mirror.

"Well, what do you suggest we do? I'm not allowed outside the palace walls."

I wished more than ever I had a genie of my own to make some wishes.

"Maybe we can use Rajah to distract the guards and get you outside these walls. I don't know where to start, but I'd feel better doing something rather than waiting here at the palace." I said determinedly.

"I'm with you, Noella." Jasmine nodded.

Rajah who was lying over on the other side of the room looked up upon hearing his name.

Joel

My head was beating like a drum as I came to. I glanced around frantically trying to retrace my memories of what had happened. Jafar! That sadistic madman! He wouldn't get away with this. I glanced beside me and there was Aladdin still unconscious lying right next to me. We were trapped in a large wooden crate with small cracks on top and sand was slowly pouring down on us filling the box. Aladdin and I had been buried alive. I noticed the height of the sand already. No wonder my body felt so heavy when I came to. It was all over us and would fill the crate to the top quickly. There wasn't much time. I tried shifting my body, but that disturbed the sand and only made it fall faster. Then I carefully, but frantically shook Aladdin to try and wake him, but he didn't stir. Soon, I saw a blue stream of smoke appear from nowhere and a small blue man appeared.

"Whoa." I said startled.

"You must be Joel." The blue man replied.

'Yeah hi, how did you get here?" I asked curiously.

"Well something rubbed my lamp." The blue man said with a casual shrug.

Once he noticed the circumstances, he turned frantic trying to wake Aladdin up, but he had as much success as I did.

"C'mon, can't you just poof us out of here?" I asked.

By now the sand was hitting my chin and I was frantic.

"Sorry Joel, Aladdin is my master. I can't do anything unless he wishes it." The genie shrugged.

"This is life or death, can't you intercede on his behalf to protect your master? There is a loophole to most rules." I reasoned.

"Well Joel, when you put it that way, but it will have to come at the cost of a wish." He replied.

"I don't think he'll mind." I barely muttered as I was spitting out sand from my mouth.

Then seconds later, Genie grabbed me and Aladdin and shot us out of the crate and atop the desert sand from where we were buried. I could see Agrabah at a distance, but it was pretty far. The genie started doing chest compressions on Aladdin and soon he finally woke up coughing up some sand granules. As he looked around becoming more aware of the situation, he looked at me curiously.

"Joel, what happened?" He asked clearly in a daze.

"I'll explain later." I replied.

"Don't scare me like that, Al." The genie scolded worriedly.

"You saved us?" Aladdin asked.

"I had to, but at the cost of a wish." The genie said glumly.

Aladdin immediately hugged him.

"Thanks for that. Do you think you can take us back? I have to talk to Jasmine before anything else happens."

"Well, someone had a good sleep." I teased.

"Someone told me to be honest and I know she's right." Aladdin replied.

"Ah Noella," The genie replied, "Give that girl a medal."

"So uh, Genie? You mind getting us back?" I pressed.

"The wish was to get you two to safety, so to safety you shall go. Hang onto your boots gents. Departing for Agrabah in 3...2...1."

AN: I gotta say I like how I differed from the movie in this chapter with the whole buried alive vs attempted drowning in the movie. Thought it was a perfect creative opportunity. Alright, blast off back to Agrabah. Ready for Jafar to go down? Stay tuned. Next chapter will be up soon. You readers rock! :)