Part One

There was a thief in the palace.

Four, to be exact, but that was neither here nor there. Four thieves had been making their home in Agrabah's capital for two years now without incident.

This was different.

Something valuable had gone missing and blame had been assigned without pause.

There was a thief in the palace… and Babkak had a sinking feeling that this new moment of chaos wasn't going to end as quickly as it had begun. Not without a hell of a lot of shouting, confusion, and possibly some political intrigue. Because the man pointing fingers and naming names was Ahmad of Tcircacia.

And the one standing at the wrong end of an accusation was the Royal Vizier of Agrabah.

Babkak hadn't been awake for more than a couple hours that day when it happened. The kitchen was usually quiet in the early morning hours and that was just how he liked it. A calm before whatever storm the day might bring. A time to be alone with his thoughts and to center himself on the tasks ahead.

A time that wasn't usually interrupted by a half-dead Kassim, who came shuffling in looking like he could use a good night's rest—or five cups of coffee, at the very least.

"If anyone asks," Kassim said, always the first to break any sort of silence, "I'm not here." When Babkak raised a brow, the vizier sighed. "Just trying to avoid talking to people until I absolutely have to. I haven't spoken to a single soul this morning—well, besides you—and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as humanly possible. My head is killing me…"

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Babkak asked, letting his voice take on a touch of humor as he poured his brother the first of what would probably be many cups of dark black caffeination.

What was meant as a light joke earned a groan from Kassim. "No."

"Seriously? Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. Unless you're just aching to know every boring detail." Kassim rubbed a hand over eyes that seemed about ready to close and accepted the coffee.

"What kept you awake this time?"

The answers had varied over the years. Sometimes, it was one nightmare or another that kept Kassim awake. More recently, it was the stress of being Vizier, but those all-nighters had faded away weeks ago.

Doesn't mean he can't still be stressed. Even Aladdin had felt the weight of the crown more keenly in the last few days. The visiting dignitaries and courtiers from Tcircacia had seen to that.

Babkak had come to expect any number of responses to this question, but the simple shrug of Kassim's shoulders was definitely a new one.

"Just… didn't sleep much," Kassim eventually explained, savoring his drink as he leaned against the tabletop.

"What's his face and his cronies probably have something to do with that," Babkak offered with a scowl. "Even Al was just telling me yesterday that Jasmine told him that she wouldn't put up with them if this export deal they're negotiating wasn't so important."

"Tell me about it," Kassim mumbled and washed a hand over his face again. "If I hear Ahmed talk about how the palace at Tcircacia is so much more fine and up to date than ours, I'll tell him exactly what he can do with it."

"And bring a swift and painful end to the negotiations only a week in. Yeah, that will go over real well."

"I know they have the water and food supplies, and we have the funds and textiles, but I'll be the first to say it: there's something about the man I don't trust. He just… gives off a bad aura."

"Or maybe," Babkak said, "you're just on edge because you slept like a man with a death sentence."

"Come on, you can't look me in the eyes and tell me he doesn't drive you up the wall. Or grates on you even the least little bit."

"He's annoying, I'll give him that, but I've also been blessed with this sanctuary." Babkak gestured to the kitchen walls. "So I haven't had to engage with the guy very much."

"He won't stop asking Omar about the birds, that's another thing. If Tcircacia really wants to implement a homing pigeon system like he claims, he should go ask a breeder or something and stop bugging Omar." Kassimg shook his head. "I can't believe it's only been a week so far… I swear, that man is—"

"There he is! Seize him!"

Speak of the devil…

No sooner had Babkak glanced up at the sound of Ahmed's voice than half a dozen guards came swarming in.

And they were all headed straight for Kassim.

Living in the palace had softened the four friends in certain places, removing their street-hardened outer shells in favor of a more relaxed, smoother covering. It was nice to know, came Babkak's random thought as confusion settled over him, that this hardened shell wasn't gone for good. That any one of them could snap it back on in an instant, if necessary.

The way the guards made for Kassim like he had just swiped a loaf of bread from the nearest vendor made his brother's reaction seem very necessary.

One of the table chairs was the first thing to go, sliding across the room and into the guards' path at the insistence of Kassim's foot. Before they could get any further in their advance, Aladdin joined the fray, shoving his way past Ahmed and the guards.

"I said, wait!" he shouted. "These men take orders from me, not you or any of your friends. I understand your concern, but you have no right to go around giving orders to my guards and pointing false accusations at my advisor! And you," Aladdin continued, turning to the guards, "have no business taking orders from just anybody!"

"I am not just anybody," Ahmed countered. "I am the Royal Vizier of Tcircacia. And my accusations are not false, Your Majesty." He seemed to calm himself enough to address the issue properly. "Two of my jeweled pieces are missing, including a ruby pendant that has been in my family for generations. Its worth soars far beyond hundreds of thousands of dinars."

"Okay," Kassim said with a sardonic chuckle, "I could see it being thousands, sure, but hundreds of thousands? I think you're overpricing its sentimental value."

Ahmed took a sharp step toward Kassim, his hands fisted and expression sour.

"Highness," he said, addressing Aladdin, though never taking his eyes off the vizier, "as a guest in your palace, I expect to be taken care of, and that means justice."

"All right!" Aladdin began, his growing exasperation more than apparent. "Just give me a second to figure this out before you make a complete mess out of nothing." As he turned around, Babkak could see the conflict in his brother's eyes. The pain. The hope that this was all just a misunderstanding. "Kassim, where were you last night?"

Kassim furrowed his brows. "What do you mean, where was I?"

"Just answer the question," Al pressed. "Please."

That was the first thing Babkak noticed about the exchange: Kassim didn't.

"It's too early for this…" came Kassim's muttered reply, and Babkak couldn't help but focus on the dark circles under his eyes.

Ahmed took up the interrogation then, ripping the proverbial reins from Al's hands as he stepped forward. "Where were you at about three in the morning?"

"How should I know?" Kassim crossed his arms. "Probably sleeping like everyone else."

"Let me rephrase that… Where were you when my manservant saw you sneaking down the hall with jewels?"

Babkak felt his jaw threaten to drop, so he grit his teeth tightly together. Parading his shock around for all to see would do nothing to help Kassim's case.

He's right. It is too early for this…

Aladdin looked even more pained by the accusation, but Kassim, for his part, bit out a laugh.

"Why would I want to steal your precious pendant? I live in a palace! If I wanted one, I could probably get my own."

"Where were you?"

"According to you, stealing your jewels. If you already think you know what I was doing, why even ask?" Kassim scoffed and shook his head, glancing at Aladdin. "What is this? Do you honestly believe him?"

When Aladdin hesitated, looking from Kassim to Ahmed, the dignitary scowled. "You don't believe me?"

Choosing his words with care, Aladdin said, "I believe you saw someone, but not necessarily Kassim."

"My servant is not wrong and I demand justice."

"According to you," Kassim spat, "your servant saw me in the middle of the night. How on earth could he have known for certain it was me when it was that dark out?"

"The halls are well lit with torches," Ahmed shot back.

"Oh, because that gives so much clarity to this situation. Bra-vo." Kassim gave a slow clap as he glared at Ahmed. "Thank you for that revelation."

Babkak had to fight to keep from massaging the bridge of his nose. If Kassim wanted to diffuse the situation, this was not the way to do it. He almost reached out and pulled his brother back, hoping the movement would shake some of the sarcasm out of Kassim's tone.

Before he could move a muscle, Aladdin gripped Kassim's shoulder. "Come on… Where were you last night? Just tell me and we can get this all over with."

"Would he believe me if I said I was sleeping?" Kassim asked, nodding at a smirking Ahmed.

"You don't look like a man who just woke up from a good night's rest," the man said.

"Well, maybe I didn't sleep all that great. Did you ever consider that?"

"I don't have to consider what I already know. You snuck in last night and stole several jewels from my collection."

"Oh, now it's several, is it? I thought we were talking about two a few minutes ago. And why didn't you tell anyone about this last night when it supposedly happened?"

"My servant only just informed me of its disappearance this morning."

Another bitter laugh tore from Kassim's throat. "Sounds to me like you need to reevaluate who's on your staff."

"And it sounds to me like you're avoiding the question. Like you're hiding something. Guards—!"

"Stop!" When Aladdin shouted like that, using what Omar had started calling his 'Sultan Voice,' it left no doubt to anyone in the room exactly who was in charge. "I told you, these are my guards, not yours. You have no right to command them! And Kassim, if you don't give me a good alibi—give me something—I'll have no choice but to…"

Kassim shrugged Aladdin's hand off his arm, disgust twisting his features. "But to what? Are you seriously taking his word over mine?"

"Where were you last night?"

Kassim's silence spoke volumes. He looked like he didn't know what to say—or was trying to come up with something other than the truth.

Babkak knew that look all too well.

So did Al.

"Kassim," Aladdin hissed, the rising panic in his voice only evident to those who knew him best.

"Look," Babkak began, "this is clearly a misunderstanding, so why don't we all just cool down and—"

But just because Kassim didn't have the answer Aladdin wanted didn't mean he was finished. "How am I even supposed to prove to you where I was, anyway? Last I checked, I have my own sleeping quarters."

Something clouded in Al's eyes at that, instantly setting Babkak on edge. "Omar said he couldn't find you last night. He woke up, came to find you, and you weren't in your room."

"So, now you're interrogating Omar?" Kassim scoffed. "I can't believe this. Al, what is going on—?"

"Your conflicting stories are growing tiresome," Ahmed cut in with a hand of his hand, "so unless you have a viable alibi… Sultan," he went on, turning to Aladdin, "I demand justice."

The indecision in Aladdin's eyes followed by his sigh had the entire room sitting on pins and needles. The silence was suffocating and Babkak could hardly breathe. This all had to be a misunderstanding. It had to be. But even misunderstandings, he had come to learn, could result in more damage than any of them could ever hope to repair.

He prayed that this wouldn't be one of those cases.

In the end, Aladdin couldn't even speak the words, giving the order with a heavy wave of his hand and a quick nod to the guards. When they advanced on Kassim once more, Babkak added a petition for peace and cooperation to his silent prayers.

Kassim's resistance put a swift end to that line of hope.

A kick to the first guard's shin and another chair sent flying was as far as he got before two more guards latched onto his arms. As they tried to restrain him, Kassim kept up his struggle, never having been one to go down without a fight.

He had just shaken the guards off him when Aladdin stepped up and grasped Kassim's shoulders.

"Kassim," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper as the struggling ceased. "If you keep this up, you'll only make things worse. Just… let them do their job, okay…? And I promise, I will get you out of this."

Though Kassim still looked about ready to bolt, Babkak saw him give the slightest of nods.

"Fine," he conceded through clenched teeth. "But I really don't like you right now."

When the guards seized him again, he didn't resist other than to flinch against their hold and deepen his scowl.

"No need for chains," Aladdin instructed as they escorted Kassim out. Then, he glanced at Ahmed. "We'll get all this sorted out as soon as possible, but until then, I need you to let me handle things and stop trying to take control of my palace guards. Or I'll have you locked in the dungeon."

Ahmed was calm now, clasping his hands together as if they were all gathered here for a lovely morning chat. "As long as the thief is no longer free to steal more of my possessions, I am satisfied for the time being. Thank you, Your Majesty."

After a deep bow, Ahmed excused himself from the kitchen.

And Aladdin collapsed into one of the only remaining chairs at the table, burying his face in his hands.

"Are you going to tell me what all that was about?" Babkak asked after a moment of letting Al collect himself. "Or am I gonna have to guess?"

Groaning, Aladdin shook his head and muttered something into his hands.

"What?"

"I said," he repeated, moving to prop his chin on one hand while his other traced invisible lines on the tabletop, "it's a mess, that's what it is. Look, you know if there were any other way around this, I would have done it. I swear to you, I would, but it all happened so fast and accusations were flying left and right. Then, he grabbed a handful of nearby guards and I practically had to run to keep up with them. He swears up and down that his servant saw Kassim take his damn jewels, but…" Aladdin finally took a breath, slumping even further down against the counter. "I don't know."

Babkak raised a brow. "You don't know what, exactly?"

"Anything. What really happened, who's telling the truth, I just don't know."

"Okay, so let's backtrack here for a minute," Babkak said, pulling up a chair and sitting down across the table from his brother. "You don't know whether to trust an out-of-the-blue accusation from a man—sorry—that no one here even likes, or the word of your Royal Advisor? Sorry, Al, but the answer seems obvious to me."

"I know," Aladdin moaned, "I know, but… These negotiations are important. We need what Tcircacia can give. I have to handle this carefully, but the thing is, I don't know what that even entails."

"Well, getting Kassim out of the dungeon is a good starter."

Aladdin shot him a look at this. "After the show Ahmed just put on? Yeah, I don't think that would go over well. Besides…"

"Besides…?"

The hesitant shrug sent a small shiver down Babkak's spine. "I mean… You saw the way he did everything but answer the question. It was a simple question!"

"I also saw the sheer confusion on his face when Ahmed made the accusations. Al, do you even hear yourself right now?"

"Right." Aladdin heaved a sigh. "You're right. I just… I don't know how to handle this. Why couldn't Omar find him last night? Why doesn't he have a good alibi?"

The questions weren't harsh or accusatory. Instead, they were pleading and drenched in emotion, as if he was begging Babkak to give him the answers.

"I don't know, but the best way to find out is talking to him, not at him."

Al's face lit up a bit at this. "Could you? Go talk to him, I mean. Just… feel him out and I can take it from there."

"Fine, but only because I know this mess needs to get smoothed out as soon as possible."

The relief in Aladdin's shoulders was palpable and he managed a smile. "Thank you. In the meantime, I need to talk to Jasmine. Fill her in and get her opinion."

"You mean listen as she yells at you?" Babkak said with a smirk.

"Uh… yeah. Probably."

"You know she's not going to like any of this."

"Yeah? Neither do I."

"Where is she, anyway?" And how did she not know about this?

"I don't know, actually. I think she was helping one of her handmaidens. Something about Aisha's sprained ankle?" Slapping the table with an air of finality, Aladdin dragged himself out of the chair. There seemed to be a little less weight of the world on his shoulders, Babkak noted, though he still stood like a man who had just been sentenced to death.

Having to put your best friend behind bars will do that to you, came his dry thought.

"Hey," he said, rising and placing a hand on Aladdin's shoulder. "It's all going to be fine, all right? We'll get it all worked out."

"Yeah…" Aladdin let out a weary huff. "It's the question of how working it out will leave things that I'm worried about. Well, let me know what Kassim says…"

Babkak nodded as Aladdin left the room, realizing for the first time that none of them were going to walk away from this unscathed. Too much damage had already been done. Those kinds of accusations, the sudden arrest, and the sickening lack of defense were already burning a hole between Aladdin and Kassim.

It was all Babkak could do to hope that the hole wouldn't stretch into a chasm none of them would be able to get across.

Kassim's half-empty cup of coffee sat idly on the table, waiting for him to come back and finish it off. Babkak stared at the cup for longer than he would have liked—he just couldn't tear his gaze away. How had everything been so normal not ten minutes ago?

"Did you sleep at all last night?"

"No."

Babkak sucked in a breath. The sooner he helped clean up this mess, the better.

As he made his way down to the dungeons, however, his stomach churned with the feeling that it wouldn't be that easy.

Nothing ever was.