I was sitting in front of the mirror in my chambers when the door opened and closed gently. Sighing I ran my brush along the ends of the strand of the section of hair I was working on.
"What are your thoughts on all this?" came Sin's soft voice from somewhere behind me. I set the brush down on the vanity and turned on the stool. Sin was leaning against one of the bed posts, one arm horizontal to the floor in which he rested his forehead against.
"What kind of answer do you want?" I asked smirking up at him. His golden eyes peeked over at me and he flashed a smile.
"The supportive kind, followed by the honest, please." Sin pushed off the post in support for flopping on the bed, stomach first. Sinbad the sailor, looked like a fish for a split second. I bit back a chuckle as I stood and went to the bed. I sat down next to him, tucking my feet under me.
"I believe that no matter what you will make the right decision." I smiled as I patted his hand. He groaned loudly and then turned his head to face me.
"Alright part two, lay it on me." he tried to joke. I turned and laid on my back next to him, my hands folded on my stomach. I stared up at the canopy of the bed, watching as the dust floated around us.
"I think we need to be careful. Jafar said that there is likely to be an information leak from the inside, but with information like this, it has to be someone with pull, someone who can order troops to not be somewhere" I sighed, and rubbed my head. "Harun loved this country and its people, but he was human, he made mistakes that even I didn't agree with. That being said, for his sake, I want to do what is best for his country."
Sin turned and propped his head up with one arm, looking at me. One of his hands pulling at a strand of my hair, twinding it between his fingers.
"You make it sound like you were close with Mentor Rashid ?"
I tipped my head back, arching my neck and looking at him sadly.
"Yes, after I left, Harun wanted to take care of me, whenever I let him. I traveled around often, so he tried to support my travels, and had me stop by every so often. I went by a different name when I came to the palace, just in case you were to stop by, I was called Hadassah."
It was then that he sat up fully and swung his legs over the edge of the bed so his back was to me. Distance. I slowly sat up too, tucking my legs back under me and bowed my head as I faced him. The air around us started growing heavy. Naturally with the timing we have the door opened. It was a maid who took one look at us and paled slightly. She bowed and apologized before closing the door, leaving us in peace. In front of me, Sin sighed, his shoulders, that are normally so proud, slouching.
"Why did you leave, Esther? So much happened and you never came home, but you came to our mentor?"
Something wrapped around my chest and twisted hard. I looked away from him, my eyes squeezing shut. I moved on the bed, again. My knees came up to my chest and I wrapped my arms around my legs, resting my head on my knees.
"I told you why I had to leave Sin."
"It's been years Esther, why did you never come back?" He shouted.
I choked on a sob, burying my head in my arms. "Because if I did I could never leave again. If I saw you, if you held me, I would never have searched for my brother, I would never have tried to complete my mission. I would take the danger with me everywhere I went." I shook my head and felt my fingernails dig into my arms. I was crying, tears pooling on my arms.
"There was one time that I was so close to coming back. When you stopped writing to me I got worried and went to the company's headquarters. I ran into Rurumu, who told me everything. She had to keep me from running to free you, or from doing something stupid to break you out. I wasn't myself. I was having fainting episodes that made it difficult to function. Rurumu tried to hide me away, keep me minimally involved. She was with me when you were returned to us. But as soon as I saw you I knew that if I went to you I would never let you go, and you would never let me go. Rurumu promised me she would take care of you. Then she was gone, and there was nothing I could do. She made me promise to do what I had to before coming home."
I felt a hand on my back. Then arms wrap around me, weight settling around me. I could feel Sin's chest rise and fall with each breath he took and just above my ear, I could hear his heart pounding. Suddenly I found myself tipping over, or rather I was being pulled over. My eyes flew open as an unseemly yelp escaped my lips. I was pressed against Sin who had pulled me into his lap.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, and was obviously not talking about scaring me just now. I nodded and nuzzled against him.
"Does this mean you won't leave me again?" he asked quietly.
"I'm not planning to, but I'm not ready to leave Aladdin on his own yet."
Sin nodded and held me closer.
"How did we come to this?" I heard him whisper above me. I clutched the fabric of his robes tightly and breathed in his scent. I couldn't answer him. Part of me knew that when we first met I'd have to leave. I never imagined I'd fall for this man, as much as I'd love to bash his head in at times. However, we could always rely on each other, and I had to go ruin that. I closed my eyes and found myself dozing off to the sound of his heart beat.
Sinbad sneezed, again. He was hunched over shivering, trying to draw his shaw tighter to him. I had my sash wrapped around me tightly, I had loosened my hair cover so I could wrap it around my neck and shoulders as well.
Then he sneezed once more.
"So cold. South eastern countries are so cold on foggy nights." He whined as he shivered. Honestly this man was such a baby at times, was he so pampered in my absence that he forgot how cold Inchuckk could be? Perhaps he needed a reminder. I rolled my eyes, I was not going to baby him tonight, I was too cold. As it would seem, Masrur was on the same path as me.
"That's true." He replied dully to Sin's plite. I moved away from the pair, towards the wall of the mansion we were guarding. I set my stave against it, making sure it was not about to topple over as soon as I let it go, then rubbed my hands together. Apparently, holding metal makes one's hands cold, my fingers were as the icy waters in Inchuckk. I tried blowing in my hands to warm them up, but it was all in vain, that old remedy would do no good. In all honesty I should have rested more, my magoi was still low and if I chose to do anything reckless I would be having a friendly chat with my personal torturer. Good lord what I would do for heat magic, I thought to myself. I threw my head back, rolling my shoulders and stretching my back. If I squinted I could see the faint light of the moon and stars.
"Father, how were you so strong, I wish so badly to be weak." I whispered.
"Idiot stop moving!" Sin's voice shouted. I spun around to see Sin trying to huddle against the tall Fanalis guard. For all Masrur's effort he didn't seem overly upset.
"Please don't use me as a shield against the wind." was Masrur's calm reply. The window above me slammed open and I jolted in surprise. A pig of a man enrobed in fat and fur stood at the window. On either side a woman scantily dressed held onto him like a lover as he scarfed down the leg of some sort of animal. Those poor women were probably being paid.
"Hey! You down there! Guard the area properly!" He shouted down at us as if we were actually being paid to do this work. I placed my hands on my hips ready to let him have it, only he kept going. "For goodness sake, just because the army doesn't have enough manpower they sent over three guards making me so worried that I lost my appetite!" He turned as he kept eating.
"He's still eating." Masrur pointed out kindly.
"Eating warm food in a warm room, what a social status he has." Sin growled as he shivered again.
"Says the King and leader of the Seven Seas Alliance." the irony had to be pointed out. I pulled my sash off and draped it over his shoulders. For a moment he smiled at me, that is until my fingers grazed his arm. He gasped and grabbed my hand a little too roughly. The temperature difference was more than noticeable. His hand was outright warm in my own, even though he complained of coldness.
"You're ice." He rubbed my hand between his trying to get warmth into the extremity. I smiled at him lightly, brushing one of his bangs out of his eyes. His skin was warm and soft to the touch, and he probably hated it, but it was worth it. I leaned against him, he was so warm, and smiled.
"I'm fine, it's a side effect from the little episode earlier, holding a cold metal stave isn't helping. It'll be better with rest."
"Then you shouldn't have come out tonight." His arms went around me, and I nearly melted in his body heat. This big baby was complaining about being cold, he was such a wimp.
"Oh yes, and leave poor, sweet, Masrur alone with you. I am not that cruel." I rolled my eyes sarcastically going for humor rather than honesty. I spared a glance at the Fanalis who's lip twitched upwards slightly, the two of us were going to be good friends. I pecked Sin's lips and pulled out of his grasp to get my stave from the wall. My hand wrapped around the familiar cold and I took a deep breath, just a little while longer. An arm pulled me from behind and suddenly my back was pressed against Masrur. I looked up as him startled as Sin hesitantly approached a woman who was moving near us. Masrur gently pushed me behind him and crouched down into a protective stance. I had to grab onto Masrur's arm and peek around it to watch the scene unfold.
"Are you alright Ma'am?" Sin asked as he reached out to her. I was not expecting her to pull out a knife. I jumped, holding my stave at the ready as Sin jumped out of the way and back to the two of us. The sound of running footsteps surrounded us and out of the fog at least a dozen citizens came out. The three of us pressed our backs together.
"So, the Fog Troupe finally revealed itself?" Sin hummed before crossing his arms. "The fog blocking our vision is making it hard to understand the situation." Sin commented before grabbing me by the waist and pulling me close to him.
Suddenly there was a tremendous sound like lightning cracking and a whoosh of harsh air as the tree that had been standing behind me seconds ago was used to clear the fog. All around us were impoverished people wearing scrapps over their malnourished bodies. The woman who had nearly slashed Sin with a dagger was shaking as she held a skeletal looking baby close to her chest.
"We- we're just here to steal food, if you try to stop us we'll kill you. My daughter will die of hunger if she doesn't eat today. She's the third. I can't lose another child because of the high taxed of this country." the woman cried out. How dare the regime, Harun's own sons do this to their country. I was horrified. When we hid in the underground cities in Alma Torran food became scarce, but we managed it well enough that everyone ate what they needed, no one starved. To have such a discrepancy between a noble and a citizen. It is disgusting.
"Aren't these the residents of the slums? Shoo! You all stink! I'll give you this so you just go somewhere else!" the nobleman shouted from his window. The mother immediately dropped to her knees to grab at it, when Sin's hand wrapped around her's. Everyone looked at him surprised, some of the citizens even raised their weapons.
"There's no need for this. Go into that mansion and take as much as you like. Just promise to spare the lives of the people inside." Sin offered. Everyone agreed and as the woman went to stand up I knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder. Somewhere above the nobleman was shouting but with a trained ear I ignored him.
"If I may, I can heal your child for you." I offered looking at the baby who looked ready to join the rukh soon, even if she received food. The mother nodded.
"Okay, I'm going to cast a spell that will make her healthier, but you'll want to give her a good diet for a few days to make sure the spell sets, I suggest milk and honey for three meals for three days. I'm willing to bet that nobel has exactly what you need, so after, waste no time." the mother agreed with my instructions and I laid a hand on her baby. I took a deep breath and let my rukh slide out of me into the child as I whispered an incantation that Ugo and I had theorized once long ago. Immediately the child gained a healthy color and filled up to a proper size for a child that age. It started moving around and making noise. The mother cried out in joy and hugged me tightly. Before rushing inside the mansion to get what she needed to make the spell set. I however sat numb.
I slumped hunched over and let the smile fall from my face. Numbness spress from my fingers up my arm and past my elbows. Pins and needles stretched from my feet up my shins and my heart raced. I could tell that Masrur and Sin were talking somewhere above me but it all sounded muffled like I was sinking in water. I couldn't move, maybe if I just tried to lay down. My body was trembling vibrating with the sounds of the earth, shock, cold. Why did I do that. I had to save what I had, but that baby.
'Did you really think you could hide from me, little thing?'
My breath caught, this can't happen, not again. I fought against the graying and the dizzyness
There was pressure on my shoulder, a muffled sound. It was louder than before, just above me, probably to me. Then a second pressure, lighter, on my face, moving it up. Sinbad looked worried, his golden eyes scrunched together. His mouth was moving, saying something. I blinked slowly at him. His eyes grew wide and the pressure on my shoulder moved to the other side of my face. His mouth moved again, what was he saying? Suddenly I was staring up at the sky. I was in Sin's arms. He moved me around so my head was pressed against his neck. I breathed deeply against his neck. Sin smelled like the sea as always.
I closed my eyes and let him carry me where ever he wanted to.
'Little thing. Little thing come out and play. You cannot hid from me forever. You will join me one way or another.' I opened my eyes to a gray sky. I was pressed against a wall, for some reason, hiding. Well, this was a new experience. Below me the dark dust and ask sunk around me as I pressed further against the wall.
'Little thing, little thing' the voice called out. I nearly laughed in joy. It couldn't find me, for now. I slipped along the wall of the building trying to gather a view of my surroundings. Where the hell was I?
For each time I was brought here, this was entirely new. It looked like Alma Torran, or one of the underground cities. There were ruins around me, but there were building still standing. This was most definitely a city, an abandoned one, with only a madman as company.
I saw a building with an open door.
'Tick tock, child. I grow impatient of this game.' the warning was clear. However, I was my father's daughter. If I showed myself now the pain would be severe, but not as bad if I prolonged this so called game, though if I prolonged it I had more of a chance of escaping. I could make it to that door. Glancing around me I darted forward, only to have a sharp tallon like claw dig into my arm ad spin me around. They were staring down into me.
"Es, Es, open your eyes for me dear." A different voice called to me. My eyes shot open and I found myself looking into warm golden eyes, not those sickly demonic ones. I was half sitting up, one arm wrapped around Sin's neck, the other around his arm. He must have been leaning over me, trying to wake me up, because he moved to a seated position and I refused to release him from my grasp, effectively pulling me into his lap. I rested my forehead against his shoulder, closed my eyes, and tried to catch my breath.
I got away, I actually almost made it. My eyes snapped open. Oh, that demon was going to be furious the next time.
"What happened?" Sin asked, as he tried to pull me back to look at him. I refused, burying my head in the hollow of his neck. I felt his fingers run through my hair. He must have taken my covering off. "Please Esther, that's twice now. Answer me."
I had to bite back the smile trying to fight it's way to my lips. He's so bossy sometimes, it's cute.
"Esther, you've been out for a whole day, please."
I jumped up, off his lap, onto my feet. A whole day? I swayed on the spot. Sin grabbed my arms to steady me and set me down on the edge of the bed. Bed? I rubbed my forehead and looked around. These were not my chambers which meant only one thing, I was in Sin's chambers, in his bed, most likely. I glared at him
"I hope you didn't do anything unsavory while I was out of it." I hissed. He paled and raised both hands in surrender.
"I've been a complete gentleman towards you, I swear. You, however are avoiding my question." He noted.
"I exhausted myself, nothing to worry about, it happens from time to time. I told you before, I have fainting spells." I chuckled and ran my hand through my hair. Please work I begged. He looked at me seriously, golden eyes hardening. Then he knelt in front of me, taking one hand in one of his and my chin in the other.
"I thought you would never lie to me Esther, avoid answering me perhaps, but not outright lie to my face. You told me that the last time and look where that brought us? This is twice now this has happened. For your sake I took your word and ignored it, but no more. Aladdin mentioned someone had tried to get into your head. You mentioned you have fainting spells from when we were children, I know they re connected." His brows were pinched in worry and anger. There were few times I've ever earned his anger or concern. My random disappearances as children always earned them though. This had been the last thing I wanted to talk about. With him asking questions, who knows who will be asking next. I'm not about to tell Aladdin and he's the one who would ask the most in depth questions, like what am I talking about with Ugo? How did this happen? I groaned and pulled away from Sin, standing. I started pacing, I needed to move, to think.
Father how can I tell him without telling him I asked hoping to hear my father's wise advice respond. There was none.
"I can't tell you everything at the moment. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to tell you everything." I started. When I glanced over, Sin was half sitting on the bed, half standing, and most certainly about to disagree.
"I just can't Sinbad. Please, this isn't something that can be argued." I pleaded. Good lord, I must look like a mad woman. Sin nodded though and gestured for me to continue. I gripped my hair and paced some more before continuing.
"I once told you that my entire homeland was destroyed. The man responsible for the destruction… he has been haunting me ever since. When I left where I was staying it was to make sure that the people who were sided with him during the war weren't going to go after my brother. What I didn't know at the time, what I didn't remember, was that he wanted me. I have powers he thought was special, and he has allies that still remember that. Ugo taught me how to hide myself from those people, unfortunately a side effect of going too long hiding opens my mind up to invasion. He shows me visions of my past, tries to torture me with histories, shows me everything I fear the most, everyone I've seen die. The longer I'm there the more harm he can do. He thinks it's a game, a real twisted game. Ugo, knows the risks that are being taken, he doesn't agree."
"Wh-What does he do to you, what does he show you?" Sin spoke up. I stopped pacing and looked at him. A tear escaped my eye. I could see it all over again. The stone walls, water dripping down, no the blood dripping down. The chains rattling, screams filling the air. I shook my head.
"You don't want to know." I whispered to Sin. I heard something crash and jumped. Sin was standing, his back to me, and the things that had been on the bedside table were now scattered across the room.
The door opened and Jafar came running in. I glared at him. This was not the time for his intervention. Behind me I could feel Sin's dark aura rising. Jafar paled slightly.
"I'll just go." He muttered, exiting just as quickly as he came. Sinbad and I took a moment to calm ourselves. I moved to the bed and sat down on the edge. He paced back and forth for a moment before slumping down next to me, his hand covering mine.
"If you don't hide, will it protect your mind?" he asked. It was a legitimate question for someone who knew nothing about who was after me.
"It's a theory, this man is extremely dangerous, but it's only my mind and he can only do so much harm. My mind is all he can get to, and the pain it feels real, but I know it's not, I always wake up. His allies, however, are very real, and are everywhere. It would only take one stupid move for them to find me. I feel their presence here in this city. If I know I'm somewhere safe then I don't hide, but I know I'm not here." I explained calmly. Sin cursed under his breath. So much for a romantic reunion.
"I can protect you." He urged, clenching my hand in his. I leaned to him, and kissed his jaw.
"You can't, though, not against him."
I leaned against his shoulder and held his hand. Things were simpler when we were younger, carefree. All we were worried about was starting a country, or a trading company. For a while it was running away from the crazy assassin child who wanted to kill us, that one became my brother, ironically.
"So, I take it those people weren't the Fog Troupe?" I asked looking up at him. He laid back on the bed allowing me to stretch out over him and rest my head on his chest.
"No, just citizens. I fear that the country is already lost. The Fog Troupe however, paid a visit at the other location. You're brother seems quite upset, apparently the friend he had been looking for was one of them." Sin said softly. I sat upright at looked down at him. Why didn't he tell me all this earlier? Damn the man. I stood and fluffed my hair.
"I'm going to go check on him, he's probably worried sick." I said as I walked out the door, snatching my stave that was leaning against the frame along the way. I didn't hear the door shut behind me, that should have been my first clue. A hand gripped my wrist and spun me around. Then arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me against a solid chest and lips crashed down against mine. I was shocked, and froze in surprize. It took until the person pulled away to realize that the urgent kiss was from none other than Sinbad himself. He took my hand and pressed it over his heart.
"I am never leaving you. Whatever is happening, I'll be by your side. We will fight this monster together. Marry me." He was urgent sounding.
"Sin." I sighed.
"Marry me, Esther." He repeated, golden eyes plunging into my own. I leaned forward, pressing my forehead to his chin.
"I need to check on Aladdin." I whispered I kissed his cheek then went to walk away only to find my hand still trapped in his. "We'll discuss this later, when we aren't worrying about taking down a deadly group of thieves."
Sin smiled and lifted my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles. "I'm holding you to that."
"I trust you'll keep me honest, you're majesty." I teased before walking away, and this time he let me hand go, almost reluctantly.
I made my way back to my chambers and tapped on the door with two knuckles before opening walking in to let Aladdin know I was coming in. My little brother was standing in the moonlight at the window. He didn't even look over his shoulder to greet me. I walked towards him slowly, like he was a wounded animal. Sin said he was upset, after all, and that was something I never experienced. He was just standing there staring out the window clutching Ugo's flute in his hands.
"It's taken us a long time to get here." he whispered. I stood next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ugo said I've experienced a lot of things since coming here, Alibaba must have gone through a lot as well…" He looked up at me and tried to force a smile on his face. His blue eyes were wet looking, red lined. He'd been trying to not cry, little warrior.
"What should we do now? We have to set a new goal. I promised Ugo I'd find more Djinn. I also should speak with Uncle Sinbad and ask him thinks like being a magi and about dungeons."
I smiled at his enthusiasm. Uncle Sinbad, it was so cute, and no, I was not going to let that one go anytime soon. But there was no way in hell I'd let him fill my brother's head with adventure stories. The two of us barely made it out of some of our idiotic stunts.
"Oh, I know! I'll follow Morg over to the Dark Continent! I wonder what it's like? There's so many things I can do." He started trembling, and not in the excited sort of way. "I'm hungry again, I don't think I ate since yesterday, let's eat Essie"
He turned to walk away only to collapse onto his knees. I grabbed him before he could fall all the way over. He seemed shocked then tired. I settled down next to him, and pulled him into my lap. He rested his head against my chest. First his shoulders shook, then came the gasping sobs. He wrapped his arms around my middle as tears soaked my top.
"Oh, oh sweetie." I rubbed his back, "Shh." I rocked him in my arms, whispering nothingness into his ear trying to calm him down. Along the way I pulled his turban off and set it on the floor, placing the ruby on top of the pile. I smoothed down his bangs and loose hair before dragging my fingers through his braid undoing it. He rubbed his snotty, wet face against my shoulder. I rolled my eyes, he was still a child, despite it all. Then there was a loud screech that flew threw the room past us followed by a thump. I jumped, clutching Aladdin to me as we looked over to where the thump was. Up against the wall, upside down, was a golden haired boy, who was sweating profusely looking absolutely petrified. It had been years, but I recognized his face. Little prince Alibaba. He certainly matured. I loosened my grip on Aladdin then looked over at Morgiana who stood menacingly over the youngest prince of Balbadd. Aladdin slid off my lap rubbing his face, and smiled as Alibaba tipped over so he could sit upright.
"H-hey, sorry for disturbing you, Aladdin," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, uncomfortably. I stood, brushed down my pants and and went across the room to the vanity. I looked in the mirror quickly, catching the sight of my overly pale skin and the dark circles under my eyes. I need some serious rest. I grabbed the brush off the vanity, a small container of red paint from my bag before snagging a plate of food and heading back towards the three children.
"Morgiana, is there a reason you've kidnapped the third prince of Balbadd?" I asked as I set the plate down between the children. Her eyes turned to sausors and Alibaba nearly toppled over.
"L-Lady Hadassah?" Prince Alibaba asked.
"Indeed, but you can call me Esther if you wish. It's been some time Little prince, I'm sorry to hear of your father's passing. Please eat, all of you, I have a feeling this is going to turn into a long discussion. I know I for one just woke up, so food is not quite on the forefront of my mind." I joked as I moved to sit behind Aladdin. With one leg stretched out to the side and the other tucked under me, I brought the brush to his hair.
"Are you feeling better Essie? Uncle wouldn't say what was wrong, but he seemed worried."
I patted his head tenderly and smiled down at him.
"Don't you worry, I just need to rest up a bit more and I'll be right as rain. Now, grab some watermelon I know you're dying for some."
The boy darted forward and grabbed a few slices from the plate, hesitantly the other two grabbed something as well.
"Please get to the point." Morgiana bit out, glaring at Alibaba. I looked to the fanalis girl. She really was a wonder, such a calming voice with such a harsh aura. I really don't know how Ugo and I managed it, those fanalis, their looks are so deceptive. Such a small girl should not look so sweet and innocent, she's truly terrifying at times"You pointed your sword at aladdin so please hurry up and explain why you are with the Fog Troupe."
"Gee, you're annoying, I was actually getting to that part. Since you said it like that though, I don't feel like saying it anymore." Alibaba glared at her, crossing his arms. He on the other hand was still a child. I shook my head. Never could back down from a fight.
"This isn't a joke! Don't you see what's happening around here because of your Fog Troupe? Trade has stopped, the government doesn't care about its citizens' wellbeing. The innocent people who run away find themselves being caught by slave traders. I never thought that you would do these things. In Qishan you were a kind person. You donated your fortune to free slaves like me, to think I was grateful to you for that!" the poor girl was shaking, tears streaming out of her eyes as she shouted at the boy. Alibaba, though, was silent, bowed over, refusing to even look in her direction "I cannot imagine you're the kind of person who doesn't even care about someone's well-being" She continued, and that was it. I watched it fall, a single tear from Alibaba's eyelash.
"Morgiana, enough." I cut her off. She froze in shock at my sharp tone. I set the brush down and slowly stood up. I went over to her and crouched down to her level.
"Calm down, please. I know you're angry, I understand completely. You feel helpless and you don't understand why. Problems can't be solved by being angry, though. You are together with your friends, take a seat and enjoy the moment for now." I whispered as I placed a hand on her shoulder. She slumped forward and nodded, all her anger draining from her entirely. She sat down between Aladdin and Alibaba and I went back behind Aladdin to continue working on his hair.
"The moon is pretty tonight so let's talk about other things instead!" Aladdin offered cheerful smiling at his two friends. Alibaba jumped at the offer.
"So, Aladdin, how do you know Lady Hadassah?" Alibaba asked as he watched me brush through my brother's hair, taking care of every knot and tangle, as few as there were. Aladdin's head tipped to the side, confused. I sighed.
"Hadassah, is a name I went by when I didn't want to be called by my true name. It was your father's idea. Aladdin's only ever known me as Esther." I clarified gently.
"She's the only family I have left." Aladdin said softly, playing with the the tips of my hair, which were bound to get tangled in his now.
I noticed the lack of a defendant answer from Aladdin, which was strange. I had told him he could refer to me however he wished, yet now he didn't refer to me as anything but family. Have I been too distant now that he no longer thought we were close enough? He was letting me brush his hair though, and instinctually, it left him in a very vulnerable position so that couldn't be it. Perhaps the arrival of Jafar has him on edge. Maybe my other brother said something. The two could have had a talk while I wasn't around, or while I was unconscious. Maybe this was his way of acting out, I've been paying a lot of attention to Sinbad, he's not used to that. He still calls me Essie though, which means he's not mad at me, though I'm not sure mad is in his nature.
I brushed his hair lock by lock, braiding it with tender care as the three spoke gently. Maybe Aladdin was upset with me and he just didn't know how to express that any other way. I know ignorance was how Ugo dealt with frustrations and Ugo is the only father Aladdin's ever known. I finished Aladdin's braid and swept it down. Perhaps I need to tread carefully, or perhaps at the moment he just didn't know what to call me, sister or mother. I replaced Aladdin's turban, and gently turned him halfway towards me. Taking out the jar of red paint I dipped my finger in it and placed it against his forehead. He seemed confused for a second but allowed me to paint his forehead. He was never able to gain the third eye but many of our people paint it on, which is the experience I want to give him now. His first battle, he earned this. After I placed his ruby right in the center of it, a perfect fit.
Alibaba was telling his life story, from his time in the slums, to his experience growing up in the palace. Then to how his father died and the responsibility that Cassim, his 'friend' played in the fall of the mighty kingdom of Balbadd. Despite it all he blamed himself, for not seeing through all of the lies and games of his friends and of the government. I shook my head as he pleaded with us to leave. Suddenly wood moved past my vision and whacked Alibaba on the head. Aladdin was holding Baba's walking stick in his hand, and had whacked him over the head just as Baba had a tendency to do to the men of the village.
"Calm down, Alibaba. You are making things too complicated, so you can't think about them properly. It is true that the problems this country is facing are difficult for us to solve but, rest assured I will help you come up with a solution. Let me think with you, to come up with a way to help your important friend too. Essie, Ugo and Morg will also help. We can definitely think of a way if we all worked together." Aladdin motivated him. I smiled, he sounded like mother.
"I'm sorry for raising my voice." Alibaba apologize. Aladdin smiled and forgave him. They shook hands. I stood and placed a hand on Alibaba's shoulder. Then there was a loud crash and we were thrown backwards as the wall burst open. I rolled in front of the children, holding my stave at the ready.