Aladdin - the Arabian Nights

Chapter 12

Aladdin was dreaming about Jasmine as usual, and didn't notice right away that his mother had something to tell him. She called him a good three times and got a bit annoyed, because it was going to be hard enough telling him without watching him come crashing down from the clouds like this. "Get your head out of the clouds, Aladdin," she scolded. "I have something to tell you, and you're not going to like it, but I did warn you that bad man Jafar wouldn't let your engagement last."

Aladdin's eyes went wide. "My engagement? What happened?" Had Jafar done something to Jasmine??

Aladdin's mother went on to explain about the festivities, and how she had been told they were for Jasmine's wedding to Jafar. At least, she went on, they should be glad that that was all he did, that he hadn't come after herself or Aladdin directly....

But Aladdin had stopped listening, gripped with an icy horror. Jasmine, that sweet, wonderful girl, married to Jafar?! How could this be happening? She didn't deserve to get stuck with someone so evil, no one did, but especially not Jasmine. Jafar had to be forcing her into this – Jasmine couldn't possibly want Jafar, at least not if she knew anything about him, and if she didn't know, that was worse. By the time she realized what a horrible man she had married, it would be too late; she would be tied to him forever, unable to escape from that terrible fate. Who knew what Jafar might do to her??

From there Aladdin also felt a tiny twinge of guilt – was it his fault Jasmine was being forced into this marriage? Would Jafar have had any interest in marrying her if he hadn't known Aladdin wanted to? Why hadn't he gone to see her before now, like Genie had suggested? At least he might have had some idea what was happening and been able to protect her from it!

And then – a streak of determination. It still wasn't too late to save Jasmine. He still had the Genie, didn't he? Jafar was not going to get away with this. No one was going to hurt Jasmine when Aladdin was around!

Hang on, Jasmine. I'm coming. I won't let him do this to you!

With a hurried word to his mother, telling her not to bother about his dinner because he had things to do, Aladdin rushed upstairs. His mother thought about calling him back or going after him, but decided against it. The boy had had a terrible shock. Let him sit by himself for a while if he needed to. It would take time to recover and get back to reality after living so long in a dream.

But getting back to reality, right now with things the way they were, was the last thing Aladdin intended to do. The second he was alone in his room, he got out the Genie lamp from its hiding place and gave it a quick rub, watching impatiently as the blue smoke came out and his friend appeared.

"Genie," he whispered urgently, the second the large blue figure had assembled himself, "I need you to help me rescue Jasmine."