Razoul took the napkin Jasmine had handed him and wiped his mouth before depositing the soiled cloth back on the plate. "Thank you, Princess. I was starving. This dinner was very thoughtful of you."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." She folded her arms around her knees as she sat on the edge of the stair and stared at her arms. "I just don't know what I'm going to do. Daddy has just made an impossible situation worse and he's going to make me start entertaining more princely suitors so he can get an heir. He doesn't care a thing about what I want. Or I should say Jafar doesn't. If I'm anything, I'm just a broodmare to them."
She sighed with regret. "I just wish I could see more of the world before I have to marry. I'd even settle for seeing more of Agrabah outside the castle walls like I was doing that time when you caught me. I hate being cooped up in here."
Razoul thought. 'To be an effective Sultanas she must see Agrabah and the people in it as they really are if she is to govern wisely. I think I can help her, but this time she'll be as safe as I can make her'. He smiled at her. "So you want to see Agrabah, Princess? I think I can arrange it for you, but this time you'll do it in safety as I'll be going with you."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, we can't take a whole bunch of soldiers and attendants. In fact I don't think Jafar would allow it." He leaned forward. "What I'm suggesting is that you adopt a disguise and I chaperone you around as my visiting niece. We don't tell anyone and just slip out the back door where they deliver produce to the kitchen."
She smiled and clapped her hands like a child being offered a new and unexpected toy. "I never thought of that. Where would we go?"
He considered for a moment and then knew the perfect place. "I think the baker's quarter would be a good place to start and I will warn you that like your last escape you will need money to pay for any food or other purchases."
"What should we use for money?" She asked. Unlike last time she had a better understanding of money and its uses as she'd spent some time striving to correct this deficiency in her education.
He dug in his pocket and held up a coin for her perusal. It had a picture of the Sultan on one side and Jafar on the other. "I have a few coins I've saved from my pay and didn't your mother leave you some?"
She smiled. "Yes, but she said to save them for a real emergency."
He pocketed the coin. "Don't worry about the money. The Sultan allows me as your guard to withdraw a certain amount each month to pay for things I need in order to protect you. We'll have that until Jafar cuts it off."
Her eyes were alight as she leaned forward and whispered in barely concealed excitement. "When will we do it?"
"How about tomorrow morning right after they deliver breakfast?" He replied. "The guards around the castle change duties then, so there's a lot of confusion which we can use to our advantage. I'll get Salim who's immune to magic to take my shift. Salim is my friend so he'll be glad to do it. Unfortunately he's not the sharpest pin in the cushion and he'll be looking for a corner to hide in and sleep. Unfortunately for Jafar the presence of magic wakes Salim up in a very nasty mood. We'll not have that problem. Once he falls asleep we'll take off."
"I can't wait." She said with a smile and squeezed his hand and then realizing what she'd done, she dropped it with an embarrassed look. "Thank you, Razoul. You really are a friend."