Chapter Two- Consumed
Aladdin put the wrapped bread under the table next to his chair with satisfaction. The bread would be the perfect way to end the date. He could hardly wait to taste it. Surely, it would taste as good as it smelled.
Wait, he thought. How can a bread still smell good long after it was baked? That makes no sense. Then again, it is a family-made recipe; maybe there's an ingredient that continuously exudes a scent despite being mixed and heated. That could be it.
Jasmine smiled as she primped in front of her vanity. Aladdin had promised a romantic date tonight, just the two of them. She sincerely hoped so as sometimes the date didn't go as planned. She wasn't about to forget the island date, thought the story of the girl and her prince was pretty romantic. Still, I would like a simple date with no monster, no enemies, and no guys.
The soft sound of music reached her ears. Curious, she got up and headed for the balcony. She stepped up to the rail and looked down into the courtyard. There, far from the fountain, was a table for two with lit candles and one of her favorite meals sitting on it. Aladdin, stood beside the table wearing his prince outfit and looking up at her while Genie played a violin nearby. When Genie saw that Jasmine had noticed, he vanished in a puff of blue smoke. Then Carpet soared up to her and folded part of himself into steps so she could climb up onto him. She did so and Carpet flew her down to Aladdin and he held out a hand to her. She took it and, once on solid ground, Carpet flew off and out of sight.
"Aladdin, this is lovely," she commented as he helped her sit.
"I promised a romantic date for just the two of us and I wanted to make sure I did."
"It's off to a good start. I was hoping for a simple date with nothing to distract us from each other."
Aladdin took his seat and the two spent a quiet, casual dinner, chatting about trivial matters and laughing over funny anecdotes. Aladdin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as he drank some water near the end of dinner. He twisted around in his seat to see if someone was around, but he saw no one.
"Aladdin?"
He turned back to Jasmine. "Sorry. I felt like someone was watching us."
Jasmine stared past Aladdin, trying to see if she could spot someone watching them, but she saw nothing. She focused on Aladdin who had been looking past her too. "I don't see anyone," she said.
"Me either," he replied. "I had felt the hair on my neck stand up, though."
Jasmine was silent as she pondered this. "Are we sure we're alone? Where are the others?"
"Well, Iago is visiting Thundra for a few days and the others are playing a board game."
"In other words, they're too busy to spy on us."
"Exactly." Aladdin cleared his throat. "Jasmine, I have a surprise for you. Something special to top off dinner and this date."
"Oh?" she asked as Aladdin reached down and brought up a package.
"I met a merchant who was selling bread loaves and I bought one that is made only by his family."
"Really?"
Aladdin nodded as he untied it. "He also said that if a couple breaks and eats it, it will re-affirm their love for one another."
Jasmine was intrigued. A bread to strengthen their love? Was such a thing possible? The cloth covering the bread fell open and she promptly forgot her doubts as a sweet smell wafted from the loaf. "Hmm, smells so good," she sighed.
"I thought as much when I first smelled it and I still think that." He inhaled deeply and his body almost tingled from the sensation. He picked up the bread by one end and extended the other to Jasmine.
She took the end and gripped it tightly as both tugged and the loaf broke in half. She licked her lips in anticipation before bringing it to her lips and taking a bite. A sweet honey-like taste greeted her tongue and prompted her to continue eating. She lifted her eyes to see Aladdin also eagerly eating his half. Yes, we love each other and, by eating this bread together, we have just re-affirmed our commitment to each other.
Aladdin felt like he was in heaven. The bread was soft and very sweet to him. It exceeded all his expectations of how it would taste. He noticed that Jasmine was eating her half and had a dreamy look as she did so. Her expression made him glad he had bought this bread and shared it with her. The perfect end to a romantic night.
Mozenrath focused his attention on the couple, using the fountain's water to spy on them. The initial start of the spell caught Aladdin's attention, but it soon passed, and Aladdin clearly dismissed it from his mind.
He watched in boredom as the couple had a leisurely romantic dinner, the brief check that they were alone being the only interesting point to him until Aladdin had brought out the bread. Its scent clearly affected Jasmine when it was uncovered ad Aladdin was still in love with the smell.
He watched with interest as Aladdin explained the supposed romance story before holding one end and offering Jasmine the other. A smile appeared on his face as they broke the bread and then it grew as Aladdin and Jasmine both consumed their half. He ended the spell and laughed in triumph.
They've eaten it! The magic within the bread is now inside them. I will check in on one or both of them in the morning to insure that their change into griffins is proceeding. They will be my loyal pets as the consumption of the bread is the cause of the change.
Speaking of the change, each one is unique to the person while the end result is not. Hmm…I wonder what part Aladdin will have and which one Jasmine will have. I will check on both of them in the morning.
"How did it go Al?" Genie asked Aladdin as the teen came home now in his street clothes.
"It was perfect," Aladdin said with a sigh and a smile as he laid on his pillows. "Jasmine loved every moment, especially the bread at the end."
"She liked it, huh?" Genie knew what Aladdin was talking about as he had told him and Carpet about his encounter with the merchant.
"I would say she loved it." Aladdin sighed happily at the memory before he curled up and his eyes slid closed which prompted the others to go to sleep. No one, not even Aladdin heard the soft purr that came from the slumbering hero.
"Oh, Rajah," Jasmine said to her tiger as she removed her hair ties. "It was the best Aladdin and I have had in a long time. I think the bread was the best part." She licked her lips as she recalled the taste of it. "I had no idea that bread could taste so sweet or even smell that sweet, which is a bit odd. It wasn't warm and usually bread only has a scent when it's freshly- baked. I think I'll ask Aladdin about that tomorrow. He might have an answer."
She rose from her vanity seat, stroked Rajah for a little before kissing his head and climbing into bed. Rajah curled up near the bed, closed his eyes, and was soon asleep, purring. Jasmine smiled down at him. His purring was soothing to her and it easily lulls her to sleep. Tonight was no different. She listened to the purr until she fell asleep, unaware that she was purring, too.
