It has now been a year since Jasmine's escape attempt and Razoul stood outside the Princess Jasmine's doorway and smiled as he heard her laughing inside with her two maids. It was good to hear her being happy as such times had been in very short supply lately. The two maids were the last of a staff that had numbered nearly forty at one time. But just as there had once been ten guards for her she was down to him and Salim. Where she once had a protective tiger, called Rajah, she was reduced now to the palace kittens.
Slowly, like some invisible and obscene sculptor Jafar had been trimming all her protection away and that worried him; no, that was not the word; it terrified him. For it meant that Jafar was getting ready to make a move against her.
Jasmine had to know it. She couldn't help but see what was happening with her mesmerized father and most of the court completely under Jafar's power. He could see it in the terror that hid behind her eyes.
He'd always cared for her and had tried as her guard to protect her and now the terror in the eyes of a woman who was always so firmly in control of herself frightened him. It meant she was running out of options and the end was coming.
In order to defend her he would have to take on Jafar and he knew that was a death sentence waiting to happen. Five guards who had refused to do Jafar's bidding in the last six months had just vanished and he could be number six.
He knew that Jafar had left him alone up until now because of his carefully cultivated tough guy appearance and actions. He was the one Jafar called on when he needed something ugly done. What Jafar didn't know was that the result was as never as ugly as the Grand Vizier had in mind and he'd avoided killing people who didn't deserve killing.
Oh, he had no compunctions about killing, especially when the opponent deserved it. After all he'd served five years in the army under General Wayverli, reaching the rank of captain and he hadn't gotten there without leaving bodies behind on the battlefield.
It was coming down now to the ultimate question. You care for her. Do you care enough to die hopelessly for her? He was afraid he was about to find out.
At least there were no suitors today. He hated her suitors like that idiot Abdul with a passion. More and more princes were calling on her and not one of them gave a damn for her and what she wanted. They saw only the power that would be theirs. They might be royalty but as far as he was concerned they were scum and not fit to even kiss her slippers.
He saw a cart approaching with the evening meal and two servants from the kitchen to distribute it. He checked under the cart and then lifted the tops of the dishes like he always did. He saw the magic symbol that the cook, a minor wizard, had placed on each dish to signal if poison was present. The symbols, which would change color if poison or too much bacteria or toxins were present, looked unchanged and he waved them on through.
A few minutes later his fellow guard, Salim, showed up. "The Grand Vizier wants to see you, Razoul, immediately." He announced. "He's awaiting in his quarters and he's in a foul mood. So I wouldn't keep him waiting if I were you."
"And you keep an eye on the Princess and keep her safe." Razoul growled. "For if you don't." He drew his finger in a quick slashing motion underneath his chin.
"Don't be so touchy. Gee." Salim motioned him on.
A few minutes later Razoul rapped on the column outside the entrance to Jafar's quarters. He had a bad feeling that he was about to get the answer to the question he'd just asked himself.
"Who is it?" The dreaded voice asked.
"Guard Razoul reporting as ordered." He stepped through the curtained doorway and rendered a salute.
Jafar was sitting on an imitation of the Sultan's throne with his parrot, Iago, perched on his shoulder. "Do come in, my dear Razoul." He said with his lazy smile which never once had an ounce of human warmth behind it.
Razoul noticed that Iago looked worried. That was a bad sign. Iago might pretend to be a dumb bird but as far as Razoul could tell he was the real brains and the restraint behind the two who really ruled the city and if he was worried, then this was going to be very, very bad.
Jafar got to his feet with his snake staff in one hand. He walked around Razoul as if he were a merchant deciding whether to buy some goods. In this case the goods were Razoul. "There are going to be some big changes here soon, Razoul, and you're going to help usher in a new era for this city." He said softly. "I've been impressed by how well you carried out my orders to remove some of the more troublesome princely suitors." He gleefully drew a finger in a cutting motion across his throat.
Razoul nodded in relief. It was obvious that disobeying Jafar's orders on the suitors was not why he'd been summoned here. If Jafar ever learned how he'd bent those orders, then he was a dead man. Jafar had wanted them murdered but Razoul knew that even if they were scum and unworthy of the Princess, they didn't deserve death and besides they had sultans for fathers who'd come investigating which this madman hadn't even considered.
So he'd taken each one quietly out into the desert and warned them with the point of his sword touching their Adam's apples that returning would not be in their best interests. To a man they had been sensible and agreed.
Jafar rubbed the head of his snake staff. "I have another chore for you, my loyal servant. The Princess has proven immune to my powers and so I must stoop to more mundane methods." He turned away and stood by the window. Iago turned on Jafar's shoulder so he could watch Razoul and he saw the bird was sweating and making bobbing motions. Was Iago trying to warn him?
"What do you mean?" Razoul asked as his hand dropped to the hilt of his sword.
Iago said softly. "This is a very, very bad idea, Jafar. Please, let's find some other way to solve this problem."
Jafar ignored him as he gazed out the window. "I mean I want you to arrange a fatal accident for her such as a fall from her balcony. In other words kill her, you fool. Then the Sultan will name me his heir and I will make you head of my guards and then…"
"Jafar, look out!" Iago yelled, flying up and away from Jafar's shoulder.
Razoul drew his sword as a blinding rage surged through him. Kill the Princess? Without a moment's hesitation his decision had been made. He'd die for her even if it was hopeless. He rushed the madman with the sword swung back over his shoulder shouting. "Die, assassin!"
Jafar whirled and fire blossomed from his staff to slam into Razoul. "Do as I command, you insignificant fool."
Razoul was caught in the grip of the burning magical fire but he labored on against the terrible pain, trying to reach Jafar. "I'll kill you, Jafar, and if I can't, I'd rather die than harm her." The magic forces grew in intensity but still he struggled against the terrifying pain to reach Jafar. Suddenly he felt the force lessen and he was able to take a pain-filled step forward.
"Jafar!" Iago shouted. "I think he's becoming immune to your powers." As if in answer Razoul took one step forward and then another as the force bled away but the pain still tore at him.
Jafar blanched. Now he had sweat pouring off his forehead as he held the snake staff out before him. "Then die, fool!" He shouted. The magic flared as he put all his power behind the blow. There was a thunderclap of sound and Razoul plunged smoking to the ground, his sword spilling from his outstretched hand.
Jafar stood there panting until he caught his breath and then he looked at Iago. "How did he manage to resist me?" He demanded.
Iago sighed. "This is only a guess, Jafar, but I think this lowly guard really and truly cares for her and that gave him some protection against your magic." He shook his head. "Unfortunately for Razoul it wasn't enough protection. Poor romantic idiot."
"I hate love." Jafar growled. "It's so messy and inconvenient when it interferes with my magic." He made a shooing motion at the body. "Call some of the guards. Let them dispose of this worthless piece of trash."
Unseen and unheard by Jafar and Iago as this was in some other realm three shadowy figures exchanged glances. "That was interesting." One old woman said softly.
"Yes. He just demonstrated true love." The second even older woman said. "And you know how rare that is."
"And so much magic is associated with it that we can use it to see that this world has a chance to survive the coming cataclysm." The third who was heavily built reminded them. "I think it's time for us to interfere like we have so many times before."
"Oh, goody." The first proclaimed. "Shall we do it like in our role as the three fairies in Sleeping Beauty?"
"I prefer to be like the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella." The second proclaimed.
"You would." The third retorted. "You got the only part."
"Well, I think I did a great job as the Blue fairy in Pinocchio." The first declared.
"Same objection." The second retorted.
"Ladies, ladies, calm yourselves." The third commanded. "We can all do it like we did in Hercules as the Fates."
They all looked at each other and then grinned. Each raised a hand and clasped her sisters' hands. "Come to us, Razoul, for we have much to discuss." They chorused. There was a bright flash of light.