𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒
following behind the exhausted boy, khadijah's eyes narrowed upon noticing aladdin begin to wobble around-after the little altercation between judar's comrades and her own, ugo had been sucked back into his flute, unresponsive and his star diagram nowhere to be seen. her eyes widened, quickly grabbing a hold of someone's arm, she sent them to bring sinbad and the other two kids before rushing over to aladdin and catching him in her arms before he hit the ground.
the sweat, paleness and heat coming from his small frame made her memories flicker, the smell of death and the sight of children dying in her arms-she shook her head, prying the flute out of his hands before running into a room.
taking off her blouse, khadijah immediately began to wipe his face and body. "is this because of ugo?" her sharp eyes flicked over to his flute, watching it constantly shine brightly and dim down before repeating the action. however, before she could go into thought, khadijah flinched when the door slammed open, morg, alibaba, sinbad and his comrades rushing inside.
"explain," her eyes narrowed dangerously, allowing morg and alibaba to examine their sick friend. "what's happening?"
sinbad crossed his arms, watching khadijah sneer his direction before she began to soothingly rub aladdin's head. "he overused his magoi. magi can use magoi from their surroundings, but they are limited to what their body deems capable. when he couldn't use the magoi around him, he used his own to transfer into that flute." he observed her face, noticing the lack of worry in her eyes; khadijah wasn't worried aladdin was on the brink of death-it was as if she was simply doing what she could to keep him comfortable during this time and already accepted his fate. "using magoi is the same as extinguishing your life force," sinbad uncrossed his arms, walking over to them as he placed his hands on morgiana's and alibaba's shoulders. "if your magoi is depleted, even if you're a magi, you can still die."
khadijah sucked her teeth. there was already a limitation on how much magoi someone had in their body and now, if that magoi was depleted, they would die? ruffling her hair in annoyance, khadijah stepped out of the room, walking towards the plaza of the broken building as she sighed. however, perhaps this logic didn't work on her-judar had screamed of her pathetic magoi level and was dumbfounded when she produced such beautiful flames that countered his magic. she knew she was different, but enough so where she defied their law-their natural laws? grinning at the sudden thought, khadijah raised her gaze over to the broken roof, relishing in the moonlight.
she was beyond powerful if this was the case.
"that smile of yours is creepy." ja'far stepped up beside her, watching her crazily smile at the sky. had she gone insane after the fight?
khadijah deadpanned, rolling her eyes over to the assassin. "you shit."
"doesn't feel nice when someone tells you your smile is disturbing, is it?" he quipped, walking away from her.
"💢" her hand reached out to choke his ass but stopped when the people had began to bombard alibaba with questions about the future of the fog troupe; their plans, strategy, next move, what would happen to them-questions that made khadijah huff in annoyance. were these people unable to think for themselves unless someone led them? "shut the hell up," she stepped in front of the brat. "i want you all to recuperate and help those who were injured during the attack," grabbing the nearest person who surrounded them, khadijah pointed to his dark eyes. "we'll talk about plans tomorrow morning, you're all exhausted and worrying will do nothing for you."
"help from my country is arriving soon, keep your spirits up until they're here!" sinbad quickly stepped up beside her, giving the group a warm smile that sent them running away, to do as they both said. "i'm sorry about before." he turned over to khadijah, blinking when she blankly stared at him. "that princess isn't someone you want as an enemy."
"so it gave you the right to throw me away as if i was some dog?" her hand flew to his hair, gripping it tightly as she brought his face closer to her own. "let's get one thing straight, i don't care about your reasons for comforting the bitch, but if you blatantly disrespect me and stop me from -seriously- killing someone again-i'll skin you alive, sinbad." curling her lip back in anger as she scowled, khadijah tugged his hair when he stood quiet. "i don't care if they have an army, kingdom or empire, do not interfere."
"T-THE IMPERIAL ARMY IS HERE!"
throwing sinbad away as she marched towards the front doors, khadijah nodded when alibaba threw open the doors, stance ready to defend. however, before anything interesting could happen, balbadd's general -as alibaba had graciously announced who the bulky swordsman was- had stood still in front of them, turning his head over to the royal carriage to which the tallest royal brother had stepped out of.
placing her hand on alibaba's hand, she frowned. "they're not here to fight."
"sabhmad?! what are you doing here?!"
(ง'̀-'́)ง
khadijah was absolutely fucking livid. her pupils had shrunken and sharpened like a feline, lips pressed against each other as she breathed heavily through her nose. ignoring she was topless and only had a bra on, everyone had stepped away, noticing her blue flames begin to flicker around her body, burning brighter with every passing second.
"you're brother did what?" her eyes snapped over to alibaba's older brother, watching him stumble back as he squeaked in fear. "your fucking brother turned balbadd into a slave market-and you! you useless, cowardly, pathetic piece of shit stood on the sidelines and did nothing to stop that fat bastards plan!!?" her hand snapped over to his throat, kicking away his platoon of guards who rushed to stop her. "being a bystander is just as worse!" throwing him away to balbadd's general -who was moments away from fighting her- khadijah snapped her eyes over to alibaba. "you aren't running away this time. we're stopping this bullshit immediately."
when the boy gasped in shock at the sudden attention, she watched as morg shook his shoulders, agreeing with her plans to dissolve the human extortion happening in balbadd-alibaba began to sweat, staying quiet as he flicked his gaze around, desperate for someone to take the attention.
how hopeless.
"alibaba! please!" sabhmad also began to beg, grasping alibaba's hands as he cried. "i-in five days there will be a signing contract.. ahbmad will be married to a kou princess-they'll be a wedding ceremony.. t-the people will be used as collateral when they'll be officially married." he began to cry harder, and khadijah stepped away from them, backing into masrur who stepped backwards. "i-if it's me, i can't do anything.. but if it's you, a-alibaba! you can do it! y-you can free balbadd and s-s-stop abhmad!"
whipping around to face masrur who continued to step backwards, khadijah wrapped her arms around his chest, nodding in success when he stood still, allowing the bear hug.
"i understand." sinbad stepped up, casting his gaze over to khadijah who was still harassing his commander. "i'm not sure if we'll be able to intercept the wedding in five days, but i promise we will stop the idiotic plan to export the citizens as slaves."
"then, we're counting on you."
peering over her shoulder, khadijah watched alibaba continue to stammer, sweating in his spot as his helpless brother rode away. "masrur, you're very warm." she sighed, leaning into him.
"thats only natural."
she ignored his response, snuggling into him.
(ง'̀-'́)ง
"walk with me, perverted shit."
"p-perverted?!"
khadijah didn't wait for him, walking alongside the shoreline as she sighed at the feeling of peace that surrounded her. "aladdin told me what you said after leaving my bar." side-glancing the brat who hiccuped, she stuck her foot out, laughing when he fell face first into the sand.
alibaba blushed bright red, snapping up as he reached out to tug her hair in response. he stopped himself, noticing the sudden seriousness in her face. "why did you bring me out here?"
"you've been training your life to fix the problems you couldn't-the problems you ran away from." khadijah picked at her nails, continuing to stroll down the beach as alibaba followed behind her, intently listening to every syllable that left her mouth. "yet now that you've been granted an opportunity to solve the problem, you ran away.. you couldn't even form a proper sentence to respond with." her tone was filled with amusement, eyes crinkling as she grinned. "you're really hopeless."
she frowned, eyes narrowing as she noticed how the words sunk into his heart and he remained quiet. was he really not going to defend himself? to at least comment that he wasn't-- "a hopeless coward who thinks he can't do anything." khadijah continued to smile, noticing how blank his expression was beginning to turn. "but, you're a courageous coward; i heard how you helped morgiana from the bastard who held her as a slave since she was a child." removing her hand from his mouth, khadijah reached up to ruffle his hair. "you conquered a dungeon and made a contract with a djinn."
"you're wrong. that was all aladdin--" he hissed in pain, hands reaching over to her hands that harshly tugged his hair. his eyes locked with hers, breath hitching at the close proximity of the woman--her eyes were glowing, purple and green clashing against each other beautifully as her eyelashes fluttered with every blink.
her free hand reached over to his chin, grasping it as she curled her lip back in annoyance. "no one likes the weaklings, alibaba. hurry up and grow so i can feel that power hiding underneath your cowardice." pushing him away, khadijah sighed before walking away.
his eyes widened, watching the morning sun dramatically shine over her frame.
khadijah was glowing.