Finding the light

A Prince's Responsibility

" When I came to...I was notified that the king had passed away. And by the end of the day, I had fled from Balbadd." 

Alibaba stared down at the floor. 

" After that, I made a living by working for wages in the oasis villages.. And since I'd always dreamed about it....I hoped that if I'd entered a dungeon and got a hold of some treasure, I could make amends...I really started to believe it could be done. But in the end, I was all talk, and I spent my days just drifting along without a care." He looked up at Aladdin. " Aladdin! Alecs!That all changed when I met you two."

I heard more whispering from just outside the room.

' I cannot believe those three.'

Silently, I wrote a note and slid it under the door.

~3rd POV outside the hotel room

" Interesting..." Sinbad said. " So he was the former king's illegitimate child.." Him and Ja'far were crouched next to the door, using cups to listen in on the conversation, while Masrur stood guard.

" Really now, Sin. Eavesdropping on them is such bad taste!" Ja'far told the purple haired king. But he was shushed.

The group then noticed a note slide under the door. Sinbad grabbed the note and when he read what was inside, he paled.

" What does it say, Sin?" Ja'far asked. The king did not speak, but just showed his subordinates the note. The other two paled as well once they read the message.

' I'm so glad our PRIVATE conversation interests you three.'

                                                     ~ Alecs

" H-how does she know?"

~ Alecs's POV

" There's still something I don't understand." Morgiana said. " If what you told us is true, then Cassim is someone who once betrayed you. So why would you join the Fog Troop? It doesn't make any sense." 

" After we captured that dungeon, I wanted to settle something before taking that first step into my new life, so I came back to Balbadd." Alibaba paused, a saddened look on his face. " But what I saw there was....after the former king had passed everything had just kept going downhill. Then, this group of bandits attacked; they were called the Fog Troop. And they were led by..."

" Cassim.." I interrupted.

" At first, I thought he was to blame, that he was the one wreaking havoc all over the country. But after hearing him out...that wasn't the case at all." Alibaba explained. "And the one who was really at fault...was the government.." He clenched his fists. " Cassim told me that a year after I left, an epidemic broke out in the slums. They were quarantined off and the government did nothing to help. Even Cassim's sister died because of it. Then the slums were burned to the ground and Cassim formed the Fog Troop to protect the survivors. He asked me to join because if I joined, then they wouldn't be just a band of thieves. I know that he betrayed me once before. But as we were talking that night, I realized something very important. Cassim and I had a special bond.. He was my family and friend ...and that's why I joined the Fog Troop." 

Alibaba stood up." I didn't waste any time and took action right away. In order to win the people's support, we started sharing the goods we stole with the citizens of Balbadd. When the timing is right, I'll reveal my identity, then Ahbmad and I will have a long talk. I'm gonna do it!"

" Yes, I see..." Aladdin mumbled.

" And if things don't work out the way you want, what will you do then?" I asked.