Aladdin - the Arabian Nights

Chapter 16

Meanwhile, back on the streets of Agrabah, Aladdin's mother was shocked to see that her son was not only feeling perfectly fine the morning after hearing the girl he'd been obsessing over for the past two months had been given to another, but that he was as dreamy and lovestruck as the day he'd first seen Jasmine and insisted on marrying her. He went about his day as if his feet were floating off the ground, and Aladdin's mother knew better than to try and get an explanation out of him in that state. What was going through Aladdin's head was something like: And I thought she was wonderful before – wow! Nothing in the world, nothing, could possibly compare to the whole beautiful, glorious, irresistible person that was Jasmine. He no longer needed to imagine what she might be like when he finally met her. Now he knew. And now he could think about what nice things he might do for Jasmine the next time he saw her, now he had some idea of what she actually liked. In fact, Aladdin thought he knew just the right thing....

The only time Aladdin grew serious that day was when he noticed that the festivities for Jasmine and Jafar's wedding, which he saw for himself now when he went out into the streets to wander around, were still taking place. That meant Jasmine's unwanted marriage had not been annulled yet, possibly that she hadn't even told anyone that she and Jafar weren't truly married. He couldn't think why not. But that meant Jafar would be with Jasmine again tonight, determined to complete their marriage, and doubtless furious with Aladdin and maybe Jasmine too. Aladdin would have to be ready. He was going to ask Genie to go over well before Jasmine and Jafar would be brought back together tonight, just to be sure Jafar wouldn't have a chance to try anything. He was not going to successfully rescue Jasmine and get to know her one night, only to lose her the next.

***************************

And what of Jafar? He spent the day fuming, absolutely fuming, at the trick Aladdin had dared to play on him. Because Aladdin was behind it, Jafar was certain – who else could have transported him from the palace to an outhouse and prevented him from leaving the entire night, except the one who held the power of the Genie lamp? Aladdin would pay for this. He had gone too far this time.

Jafar had not, of course, told the Sultan what had happened last night – on the contrary, he acted like everything was fine, like he and Jasmine had consummated their marriage just as they were supposed to, and were now officially husband and wife. It was bad enough telling Iago, and having to listen to him yelling for half the day about how he couldn't stand that Aladdin always ruining their plans and how Jafar should have known better than to let that common upstart find out about the wedding and how they would all be better off once the little woman was pushed off a cliff. Tonight, however, would be different. Tonight everything would go according to plan. He was not going to let Jasmine slip through his fingers a second time. She was going to pay for this, too – how dare she resist him, Jafar, soon to be the most powerful man in all of Agrabah?!

And if Aladdin dared to test his power a second time – he would soon be sorry.

************************

Jasmine barely had a chance to look at Jafar's furious face that night before the mysterious force came rushing in and scooped up her and her bed, carrying her through the night air. As a show of trust that the boy was real and would come for her again, she hadn't changed out of her regular clothes that night, and was still in her matching turquoise crop top and low-waisted harem pants, with her chunky gold necklace and huge chunky gold earrings and her headband with the huge turquoise gem, and with her hair still in its usual triple ponytail. She thought Jafar had noticed this, realized what it meant, and been more infuriated than ever, but as she had hoped, she didn't need to worry about that now. "Thank you," she whispered to the mysterious force as it carried her along, still unable to open her eyes and look because of its speed, but almost enjoying the sensation this time now that she knew she could trust it.