Princess Jasmine couldn't believe what she was hearing from her father as she clutched at his hands. "Razoul is dead, Father? You can't be serious. When did this happen?"

"I'm sorry, dearest, but it was some time after he'd gone off duty. Jafar tells me he apparently suffered some type of attack." Her father told her uncomfortably from his throne as he freed one hand to pat hers.

Jafar rubbed the head of his snake staff and smiled. "I did try to save him, Princess, but it was beyond even my powers. I'm so sorry."

Iago who was not looking at all comfortable griped softly from Jafar's shoulder. "Try it again with some real feelings, and she might actually believe you."

Jafar gave him a nasty look and then turned back to her. "I'm afraid we're going to have to make some changes around here. I'm replacing Razoul with Rashid. He'll be your personal guard now."

Jasmine blanched. Rashid was totally in Jafar's control and that meant so would she be. She could feel the dagger point pricking her throat. She grabbed her father's arm, pleading with him. "Father, isn't there someone else besides Rashid?"

He smiled as he patted her hand. "I'm sorry, my dear. Due to budget constraints we're limited in the number of personnel we can have and things are getting very tight here until the next tax collection. I'm afraid I'm going to have to let your personal maids go too." He smiled. "It'll just be temporary."

She slumped. Her maids were gone; banished just like Rajah had been banished by this evil snake of a Grand Vazir. And now Razoul too. She glared at Jafar. "This is your doing, isn't it? You want me totally in your power."

He grinned evilly at her and in desperation she turned to the Sultan and pleaded. "Daddy, can't you see what he's doing?"

"Now, now, dearest." He reassured her but there was no emotion in his eyes. "We'll get through this financial crisis I'm sure with of course Jafar's help." He smiled dreamily at his Grand Vizier.

Jasmine was feeling sick. She had to get away from this place, right now. Who was left who could possibly help her fight this insanity? By tonight she'd contrive some way go over the walls again and escape. She knew she was panicking but no longer cared.

Her thoughts were interrupted. Another of the guards came running in, went to one knee before her and the Sultan and cried out. "Your Highnesses, it's a miracle."

"What, what's a miracle?" The Sultan jerked his head around in perplexity.

"Yes, what's a miracle, you fool?" Jafar growled.

Jasmine heard the sound of someone else entering the throne room, looked up, and when she saw who it was she totally agreed with the guard kneeling before them. It was indeed a miracle. The panic was swept away by rising joy.

Iago looked at the doorway too and blanched. "This is so not good."

"Your majesties." Razoul said as he approached the throne, taking the place of the relieved guard who scrambled back unable to hide his smile of relief. He bowed deeply to both of them. "I'm well and reporting for duty as usual."

The Sultan stared at him and then looked with puzzlement at Jafar. "I thought you said he was dead?"

"I thought he was. I'm glad to see I was apparently mistaken." Jafar's face said he was anything but happy.

Iago whispered. "Your nose is going to grow for that one."

"Shut up, you fool." Jafar growled softly.

Jasmine's heart soared. Maybe there was someone she could still count on. "I for one am glad to see you're much better, Razoul." She gave him a dazzling smile.

He bowed, feeling his own heart soar in answer. "Thank you, Princess. I plan to take my station outside your door tonight as usual and." He glared at Jafar. "Every other night from now on so I can protect you from your enemies."

Jafar said sulkily. "I'm so glad to hear it."

"It's going to grow another foot." Iago got knocked off his perch for his troubles as Jafar savagely shrugged his shoulder.

Razoul looked over at Jasmine and saw she looked out on her feet. This time he could do his first act as her friend. He bowed to the Sultan. "With your leave, Your Majesty, if you and the Princess are done for the night, then I'll escort her back to her apartments as this has been a long day for both of us."

The Sultan started and squirmed on the throne, lost without Jafar's programming. "What? Oh, yes, of course, most certainly and, Razoul, we're glad to see the reports of your death were exaggerated."

"And premature." Jafar growled softly as Razoul led Jasmine away.

Iago landed back on Jafar's shoulder. "I told you it was love." He declared.

"Oh shut up." Jafar snapped. "I can see that I'll have to do this without magic."

"But not right away, buddy, or his death this quick might even be too much for even bubble brain here." Iago declared, indicating the mesmerized Sultan. "Can't we just drop this?"

"No! He has just weeks to live." Jafar snarled as he swept them from the room.

As Razoul walked behind the Princess and they approached the entrance to her quarters, she turned her head and said. "I meant it, Razoul, when I said I was glad to see you're feeling better." She stopped and turned to face him. "What happened to you? They told me you fell ill and then my father told me you died from a stroke."

If he was going to be her friend he couldn't start hiding things from her. The old Razoul would've just shrugged it off and said something inane. Instead he told her as much of the truth that would not have her thinking he'd hit his head too as he declared. "It seems I ran afoul of our beloved Grand Vizier, Princess. He tried to control me with his magic staff to make me turn against you and I fought him. He blasted me with his magic and when I awoke, I found they were burying me in the desert. Apparently Jafar thought he'd killed me."

Jasmine became very agitated. She reached out a hand as if to touch him and thank him for his efforts on her part, but then she dropped it back as she realized that this was not proper behavior between a princess and a servant. "Thank you, Razoul. I'll not forget your loyalty. It's good to know that I have someone I can trust." Her face lost even a trace of her smile. "We've got to tell Father at once. He has to be informed of what Jafar is up to."

Razoul regarded her sadly. "Princess, I'm afraid that would do no good. You seem to be immune to the power of his snake staff along with myself and one or two of my fellow guards, like Salim. The Sultan is already under Jafar's control as are most of the other staff. Haven't you noticed that the Sultan has been behaving a little odd lately, especially in his decrees towards you?"

Jasmine frowned as she considered this. "Yes, he has. Why tonight he just took away all my female attendants as an austerity measure." She threw her hands up in disgust. "That's ridiculous. Whoever heard of the daughter of a sultan without attendants?"

"I'm going to have to watch Jafar closely." He told her. "He's tried once to have you assassinated and I'm sure he'll try again."

She regarded him with sympathy. "I'm in your debt, Razoul, and you should be careful too, as I think you've made a very bad enemy tonight."

He smiled at her, showing his one missing tooth. "I like enemies when they're too obvious. The ones I don't like are the ones you think are friends until they stick a knife in your back."

She nodded in agreement and was silent until they reached her door. She saw something inside the door, frowned and then smiled. She turned back to him. "I'll bet you haven't eaten today."

At the shake of his head in answer she gestured inside the doorway. "When I heard you were sick, I lost my appetite but now I see my former servants left the dinner untouched on the table except for cloths to keep the flies off. You wait here."

She returned a minute later with a heavy tray with plates bearing thin slices of cut melon, rolls, and two small jugs of watered wine. "My appetite has suddenly returned and there's no one here I'd rather share dinner with than you tonight."

He bowed and tried to take the tray but she shrugged him off and put the plates from the tray on the edges of the outside steps. She discarded the tray and sat, gesturing for him to do so too. After he'd sat she raised a slice of melon to him in salute. "To better times." She said with a smile.