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Completed December 21, 2001

Chapter One: Bedtime and Breakfast

"Tell me a bedtime story, Momma," said the little girl as she sat up in her bed, her large, deep brown eyes shining.

"Very well, my darling," replied her mother, whose young face portrayed a warm, loving smile. "Once upon a time..."

The child's mother sat there for over an hour as she told of buried treasure in far-off lands, dashing princes on their heroic adventures, and a fairytale kind of love that only exists in books.

"...and they lived happily ever after," she concluded, her soft, angelic voice soothing the child to sleep.

Just as the mother stopped, though, the little girl's eyes, which were nearly closed, popped open. She sprung up from the pillow and smiled, exclaiming, "Mommy, that was so magical! You always tell the bestest stories in the whole world."

"Now, Jasmine," the older lady replied, "I thought you were going to be a good girl tonight and go to sleep after I told you a story."

"I tried..." Jasmine trailed off.

Jasmine's mother just let out a contented sigh and messed playfully with her daughter's long, black hair. "It's time for you to go to sleep now, my darling. Good night."

She kissed the top of Jasmine's head and walked slowly out of the room. Closing the door ever so quietly, she heard Jasmine's soft voice mumble, "'Night, Mommy. I love you."

"And I love you," her mother replied, barely audible to her husband, who was standing right behind her.

She turned around and gasped for a second, for she didn't know that her beloved had been standing there. "Oh, Hamed!" she scolded playfully. "What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?"

Her husband, who was much older than her, and shorter for that matter, took her hand and kissed it. "No, Dearest, I was just watching as you tucked our daughter into bed. You certainly have a way with her, you know."

"She's a wonderful child, but she certainly is stubborn about going to bed sometimes..."

"Artemina, my dear, I'm afraid she gets her spirit from you. This aging body of mine is more than ready to go to bed."

Hamed yawned and began walking, hand in hand, with his wife to their chambers. Once they reached the doorway, they silently entered and prepared for bed. When Artemina and Hamed had finally settled in for the night, they reflected on the day.

"I haven't seen much of you these past few days," began Artemina. "Have you been busy with the advisors?"

"Yes," sighed the elder man. "It's quite dull, really, but as Sultan of Agrabah, I suppose there's not much else I can do. I hope you understand."

"Of course I do," the queen replied with understanding. "I guess I just miss seeing you more. It seems that our lives have changed so much since we were married seven years ago."

Hamed sighed. "Yes, my love, our lives have changed. Sometimes I wonder what the point is to all this diplomatic stuff, but that's why I have advisors. They, I suppose, are more interested in doing all the paperwork."

"You have a child's heart," Artemina giggled. "With all those toys you've collected, I'm surprised I don't find you playing with them more often."

The sultan smiled slightly at his wife's light teasing, but he yawned again. "I suppose so..."

"Well, I guess I should stop before I get too carried away, huh? Good night, my love."

"Yes, good night."

With that, the sultan and queen of Agrabah closed their eyes and fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. The full moon hang lazily in the desert sky that night, and numerous stars dotted the blackness. Agrabah was calm. Everyone was asleep, too asleep to notice a young boy all alone in the streets.

The boy couldn't have been older than six. He shivered whenever the cool night breeze blew on his body. The wind played feverishly with his hair. It was times like this when he wished he had his mother back.

"Mom, where are you?" he asked the wind.

It stopped blowing, not giving him an answer. He walked down the main street of the city and looked at the palace. Her vaguely remembered stories his mother would tell him about his father. His father, he knew, was a sad man, a man who longed to make his family happy. He would stare up at the palace and tell his wife that they would one day be rich and happy beyond their wildest dreams. The boy's mother never had enough strength to believe those hopeless dreams, though. Two long years ago, his mother had died from a broken heart, believing that her husband was long gone.

The young orphan continued to stare in wonder at the palace. He wondered what it would be like to live there, to be rich, to be happy, to have a family, to be loved...

"Hey, Aladdin!" a voice from behind him shouted. "What are you looking at?"

Aladdin turned around to find his best friend, Amal, standing there. The other boy was the same age as him, and like Aladdin, he was homeless.

"Nothing," muttered Aladdin.

"Oh, really?" teased the other boy. "I think you were looking at the palace. Just forget it, Aladdin, we'll never live there. Stop dreaming foolish dreams. Here, I found a melon for us to eat. It's a little rotten, but it's still okay."

Amal split the melon on his knee and gave half of it to his friend. Aladdin took it and devoured it quickly. He was starving. This was the first time he had eaten anything in two days.

"You look yucky," retorted Amal. "Look at yourself."

Aladdin looked down at his body, only to see his ribs fully exposed, as if they could pop out right from underneath his skin. His hair was long and messy, but what choice did he have?

"Amal, just leave me alone. I don't want to hear it."

"Hear what?" teased his friend. "Hear that you're..."

"Just be quiet already!" yelled Aladdin. "What would you know anyway?"

Aladdin was tired to listening to Amal, so he ran away until he came to an alley. This was the alley where the hovel his mother had died in was located. Aladdin hated going up there, for it reminded him too much of those sad memories, but tonight it was too cold to be outside. He climbed the stairs and sat down by the large window in the room. He curled up on a couple of pillows and placed a blanket over him, falling asleep in the very spot where his own mother had passed away.

The vibrant sunlight penetrated every corner of the dining area that morning as the queen and the sultan entered the room. They were early to rise every morning, for they felt that it gave them more time to spend together before the sultan had to do all his royal duties. The breakfast consisted of mostly tropical fruits, which pleased Artemina. She was a light eater, unlike her husband, who at times indulged too much on sweet things.

"Hamed," giggled Artemina during the meal, "won't you slow down and actually enjoy the goodness of the food? How can you even taste it when you are practically inhaling it?"

Hamed stopped and smiled, a little embarrassed. "Well, my dear, I guess I'm just hungry, that's all. The last time I ate was last night at dinner. You can't expect me to starve now, can you?"

"You don't look like you're starving to me, Hamed," said Artemina seriously, looking at her husband's fairly wide waistline. "Haven't you ever worried about your health?"

"Well, you still look good to me, Daddy!" exclaimed a little voice from before. Jasmine came running up from behind her father and threw her arms around him. "Mommy, don't be too hard to Daddy. It's too early for that."

"Yes, don't be too hard on me," added the sultan. He smiled at his little princess and laughed lightly. "So, Dearest, how are you this morning?"

"Good!" piped the princess. She had such high spirit. "Hi, Momma!"

Artemina couldn't help but to smile at her daughter. Seeing her child made her completely forget about her worries. Mother and daughter hugged tightly, and when Artemina let go, Jasmine sat down next to her mother and ate a little bit of the fruit.

While the royal family was busy eating, the dark shadow suddenly loomed over the table. Not to their surprise, it was the sultan's head advisor, the royal visier, Jafar. "Good morning," his dark, smooth voice articulated. "And how are we doing today?"

"Oh, good morning, Jafar!" the sultan exclaimed bubbly. "We're quite well, thank you."

"That's so good to hear," he replied just as smoothly as before. His cat-like eyes turned to Artemina, focusing directly on her face. "And you, my queen, how goes it with you?"

"Fine, Jafar. I'm just fine," Artemina muttered, trying to avoid looking at Jafar in the eyes. He made her feel uncomfortable, although she wasn't sure just why. There was something about him that she simply didn't trust. His voice, his mannerisms, the way he strolled about, the dark clothes he wore, everything about him just seemed...wrong.

Jafar smiled slyly at the queen. He then turned to Jasmine, who was completely oblivious to her mother's discomfort around this man. "Hello, Princess."

"Hiya, Jaffy!" Jasmine laughed hysterically. "'Jaffy,' get it? Do you like it?"

"Cute," Jafar mumbled before he said to Hamed. "Well, I shall see you in the meeting room in a little while. Good day to you."

The sultan nodded, affirming his response, as Jafar walked out of the room. Hamed looked at his daughter and smiled. "Jasmine, you shouldn't talk like that to royal officials such as Jafar. It's not proper."

"What's the big deal, Daddy? He's just a person."

"Well, I just don't know if he likes to be talked to in that way, understand?"

"Yes," Jasmine said flatly.

The sultan was the first to finish up, so he left his wife and daughter at the table by themselves.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Jasmine's little voice asked.

"Nothing, Honey. I just don't like it when that man comes in here during our family time."

"Who? Jafar?"

"Yes, him. I just don't trust him."

"Why?"

"I don't know... Look, Jasmine, let's not talk about this. Just behave yourself, especially around the officials, like your father told you, okay?"

"Aw, you and Dad are no fun..." Jasmine complained. "How come I have to stay locked up in here all the time?"

"You are a princess. The palace is your home, and you know that," Artemina tried to explain. "Jasmine, there are a lot of bad things out there in the world. You are too young to understand, but one day you will understand that we only do these things because we love you."

"Maybe..."

"Not 'maybe,' Jasmine. We do love you."

"I know you love me, Momma, but why can't I see what's out there? Why can't you let me have what I want if you really do love me?"

"You don't understand," Artemina repeated. She didn't know what else to tell her daughter.

With that, Artemina walked away, leaving Jasmine all alone in the dining hall. Jasmine sighed and mumbled some incoherent words before she exited to the hallway herself. She walked back to her bedroom and went out on her balcony, looking at the city below her. From the distance, she could see the merchants setting up their shops for the day's business. The streets were still fairly empty at this hour in the morning. As she stood there for quite some time, more and more people filled the streets, until they were teaming with crowds of citizens.

Jasmine wondered what it would be like to be one of them, to just live a normal life in a normal house. She wanted to be just like the other little girls who played outdoors and have a lot of friends, but that wasn't her life, not at all. She felt as if she wanted to cry. She was almost six years old, and she had never once in her life played with another child. The only time she had even seen children in the palace was when her extended family was visiting, but she wasn't permitted to play roughly with the children. They were usually kept close to their parents' sides and told to behave, just as Jasmine's parents had told her to do.

"What if I don't wanna behave?!" she suddenly burst out, the words leaving her month before she had a chance to stop herself.

Jasmine ran out of the room and down the hallway until coming to a room that was completely empty. It was a spare room that merely had some furniture placed in it to make it look halfway appealing, but she didn't know that there was more to this room then met the eye. Without warning, the wall on the far end of the room slid open, and Jafar walked out. Not expecting to see the princess standing there, Jafar gasped for a moment, but then he quickly returned to his usual calm self.

"Why, Princess, what a surprise," he said, not knowing what else to say. "What in the world are you doing in here, might I ask?"

"Oh, nothing," mumbled Jasmine, but then her curiousity was aroused by the sliding wall that Jafar had just come out of. "What's back there?"

"Oh, in there?" asked Jafar, losing his calm, sly appeal and actually sounding somewhat nervous. "Nothing, nothing but a bunch of old rubbish, definitely nothing of your interest."

"Can I see?" Jasmine questioned, not able to refrain her growing curiousity.

"No," Jafar replied shortly, practically cutting her off.

"Why not? If it's just 'a bunch of rubbish,' then what's the big deal?"

"It's not safe. It's not the type of place a young girl such as yourself should be hanging around. It's dirty and dusty and dark. You might get hurt if you were to fall."

"Hmph," muttered Jasmine. "Then what were you doing in there? Does my daddy know about this?"

"I had to hide something, uh, for your parent's anniversary. Yes, of course. Didn't you know that they were married seven years ago come next month?"

"No, I didn't know..."

"Well, it's true. So, this little surprise I have hidden for them is a secret, okay? There will be no telling them about it."

"I can keep a secret," smiled Jasmine. "But can you tell me what it is?"

"Remember," began Jafar, "it's a secret. I can't even tell you."

"Darn."

"Now, run along, child. I have important work to do."

Jasmine nodded quickly and ran off, leaving Jafar alone in the room. He sighed a sigh of relief. "It's a good thing I'm a good liar," he told himself quietly. "I thought I was almost done for there."

Jafar looked back at the wall where he had just come from. He pulled on a rope that was hanging from the ceiling nearby, and the wall once again slid open. He walked into the opening, the wall quickly closing behind him. He was in a dark, damp chamber that only he knew about. When he had first come to the palace a few years ago, he accidently discovered it when he pulled on that mysterious rope. Hardly anyone ever went into that room that Jasmine had stumbled into, so Jafar assumed that no one ease vendured as to why there was a rope hanging there. Once he had pulled on the rope for the first time and found out that it let to a secret chamber, he would go there from time to time to simply be alone. It was quiet and desolate in there, and oddly enough, he liked that. The palace noises annoyed him frequently, and he often grew tired of the sultan's scatter-brained manners.

When he first met the sultan, Jafar actually thought that Hamed was a nice man, just not the type of man suited for the job of being sultan. As time passed, though, Jafar began to realize what a fool the sultan could be at times, and Jafar seriously thought something needed to be done. No one else ever complained about the sultan, but perhaps Jafar had gained some insight into who the sultan really was-- a bumbling fool with a child's brain. At Jafar's first thoughts regarding this, he tried to dismiss them, for Jafar's ways were not always evil. Every man or woman has a heart. That much is true, but not everyone's heart is a strong as it could be. As time passed, though, Jafar's heart grew smaller and smaller, until one day he woke up and realized that he simply didn't care. He didn't care about the sultan and his family. He just worked for them, and he was convinced that it was up to him to stop the sultan from ruling Agrabah with his scatter-brained ways. What Jafar neglected to see, though, was the good in the sultan. He couldn't see the good in anyone anymore, for Jafar had lost the good within himself.

The citizens thought of Sultan Hamed as a kind, fair, and just ruler. Hamed's family considered him loving, more loving than most sultans had ever been. Jafar didn't see those qualities, though. No, what he saw was a fool, plain and simple. Jafar was almost entirely consumed by his greed and desire for power over the sultan.

"Something must be done," Jafar muttered to himself. "Doesn't that idiot have any idea what he's doing?"

He studied his books that he had laid out on the table before him. Another thing the sultan was unaware of was the fact that Jafar studied the black arts. He was a sorceror-in-the-works, although he didn't use magic yet.

"One day he'll see who has the brains around her," smiled Jafar evilly. "One day that bumbling fool will bow down to me, even if I have to use magic. People like him shouldn't be ruling kingdoms..."

Jafar trailed off, and for a moment he found himself thinking that perhaps what he was planning was too evil of a thing to do. He didn't really know how he would force the sultan to leave his post, but he was so caught up in his scheming that all he knew what that he had to, somehow.

Truly, there must be a way, Jafar pondered. Or has this whole thing gone too far? His wife is such a lovely creature, although I know she despises me, and his daughter will one day be such a lovely blossom herself. Oh, why do such intelligent and attractive ladies associate themselves with such a fool? What is it that they see in him? What did I see in him that I first came to live in the palace and work for him? It was...his...

"His heart," he said aloud, almost with the slightest amount of compassion in his tone. Jafar quickly recovered himself, though, and spat, "His heart?! Ha! What a weakness! I just took advantage of his weak heart, and so, now it is my turn to show him my strength and receive my reward!"

He laughed insanely, inhumanly, and that was the very last time that Jafar ever showed the least bit of good.

Chapter Two: Defiance

Aladdin awoke late that morning, almost around noontime. He had been awake so late that night prior that he needed the sleep. He awoke to the sunlight shining warmly on his delicate face, illuminating his boyish features. Although he was a sad child because he had no parents, he was also hopeful. He didn't think that he would spend the rest of his life this way. Like all children do, he had dreams.

His hovel, where his mother had died, had a spectacular view of the palace. He knew that a princess lived there, a girl just a little younger than him. He didn't even know her name, but he would hear talk about her whenever he was roaming through the marketplace. People always said how she never came out of the palace walls, but if a commoner was fortunate enough to get inside the palace and see the girl, he would remark to all his friends on the streets how beautiful she was, even for just a little girl.

"It must be lonely," Aladdin said softly, "to live like that, to be kept locked up in the palace. Maybe she has a lot of friends who live with her..."

"Friends, huh?!" exclaimed a voice from behind. "Well, Aladdin, your best pal is here now!"

Aladdin saw Amal running up the steps. The boy was laughing as the ran, almost out of breath. When he reached Aladdin, he continued, "Oh, you shoulda seen it! I sure gave those ol' hoots a run for their money!"

Amal rolled around on the ground, holding his stomach.

"What's so funny?" questioned Aladdin.

"Well, this isn't funny!" announced his friend, holding a sack of golden coins up to Aladdin.

"Amal, where did you get that from?"

"Where do you think? Do you think I just earned it honestly or something? Yeah, right! I stole it, Aladdin! I stole it from those stupid, rich snobs!"

"You stole money?!" Aladdin exclaimed. "But why?"

"Why do you think?" retorted Amal. "Geez, Aladdin, I give you way too much credit sometimes. Are you stupid? I deserve this money! What do I have to show? Nothing! This is the beginning of the beautiful life for me!"

"You're way too excited about this," mumbled Aladdin, looking down at the ground.

"Ha! As if you're so innocent."

"I never stole any money!" yelled Aladdin. "I just steal food. I have to eat, you know!"

"Well, if we weren't living like rats, I wouldn't have to steal, now would I?" asked Amal. "It's just not fair. If you knew what was good for you, you would steal money, too."

"Amal, I just don't know..."

"C'mon, my friend, it wouldn't hurt to try."

"Well, maybe..."

"Let's go!" announced Amal with exaggerated enthusiasm. "We've got a long day ahead of us!"

Amal grabbed Aladdin by the hand, yanking him out of his seated position and out into the stairwell. They ran down the steps together and out into an alley that led to the marketplace. Business was bustling that day just like every day. Everyone was so focused on either their shopping or work that they didn't pay any attention to two young orphans running about the sides of the road.

"It's easy," whispered Amal. "Just watch me."

Amal hid behind a cart that was placed by the wall. There was a middle-aged wealthy couple standing there, buying silk for their taylor.

"My wife prefers the slightly more reddish tone," explained the man to the silk merchant. "I believe it brings out her eyes, wouldn't you agree?"

"Quite so, good sir," agreed the merchant, not really paying any attention to the lady's eyes.

"Does it please you, my dear?" the man asked his wife.

"Yes, it does," she spat. "Now if you'll kindly finish up and pay the man. We haven't got all day, Abdul."

"How much?" the Abdul hastily questioned.

"150 dinari," the merchant replied.

Right before Abdul reached into his back pocket, Amal reached into Abdul's pocket quickly and carefully with his small hands, pulling the sack of coins out. He snuck away quietly before Abdul even noticed. Abdul reached into his pocket, ready to pay for his purchase, but instead he found his pocket completely empty.

"Hmmm, that's strange," he mumbled. "I could have sworn that I placed it in my right back pocket this morning. Perhaps it's in my left back pocket."

He reached into the other pocket, but to no avail. He frantically searched his garments, but there was not a single coin on him.

"Oh, I don't believe this nonsense!" exclaimed Abdul's wife in anger. "You are making a fool out of us, Abdul!"

"Just give me a minute, my darling," he said, trying to remain calm. "It has to be here somewhere."

"Pardon me, sir," the merchant cut in, "but if you can't pay for it, I'm afraid I cannot sell it to you. I have other customers waiting to be served."

Abdul gave up, defeated. His wife continued to call him an idiot, and when he tried to comfort her, she shoved him away. She walked off in a huff, Abdul running after her like a fool.

From a distance, Aladdin and Amal had seen the whole episode. "You've gotta admit, Aladdin. That was pretty darn funny!" laughed Amal.

"Yeah, did you see the look on his face?!" laughed Aladdin. "It was worth it, you were right!"

"See, I told you! Would I, your best friend, ever lead you wrong?"

"I guess not!" piped up Aladdin, completely losing himself to the desire to simply have fun.

He knew in his heart that stealing was wrong, but he figured that this was the life he was to live, at least for now. Laughing and actually having fun didn't seem like too much to ask, especially for the mind of a young boy who just wanted to know what it meant to feel happy.

Later that day, Jasmine was skipping through the palace hallway when she noticed that Jafar was sitting in a room all by himself reading something. His concentration was centered deeply on the book that he had clutched between his long, bony fingers. He squinted his eyes at the pages, as if they were hard to read. Jasmine didn't know what he was reading, but being the curious child she was, she strolled on into the room and approached the table were he was seated.

He didn't even notice the little girl standing there. She smiled mischieviously and giggled after a few minutes. "What could be so interesting that you're reading it like that?" Jasmine asked, trying not to sound too amused.

Jafar was caught off guard, which was something that seemed to happened a lot whenever Jasmine came around him. He gasped for a second, but then he recovered himself and turned to the princess. A sly smile spread across his face.

"Oh, why, hello there, Princess. I didn't see you come in."

"Well, I've been standing here for quite some time now. Are you gonna tell me what you're reading, or do I have to figure it out for myself?"

"Well, it's rather like this, you see: It's a fairytale, a very good one at that. Haven't you ever heard of the little girl who knew too much?"

"No," replied Jasmine, a little confused. "Who was she? What happened to her?"

"Well," Jafar cooed devilishly, "it is said that she was quite the little sneak around the palace in which she lived. She knew so much about what was going on all the time that she knew things her little mind wasn't supposed to know, and..."

"And what?" Jasmine prodded, completely interested in Jafar's story.

"And-- Oh, my dear princess, it's too hard for a child such as yourself to understand. Maybe I'll tell you when you're older. Now, what is going on in your wild imagination?"

"Uh, not much. I just was thinking how nice it would be to see the outside."

"Outside the palace walls? Oh, well, let me tell you. It's quite an exciting world out there. You shouldn't miss it, Child. You have such a wild imagination that's always longing to learn more. It would be the perfect place for you."

"Do you really think so?" asked Jasmine, excited. "That's not what Mommy and Daddy told me. They said that I should stay in the palace, where it's safe."

"Well, your parents are right, you know. After all, I'm just an advisor to your father. I have no children of my own. What do I know?"

Jafar was playing with the child's mind, and he knew it. He knew that he had peeked Jasmine's interest to the point that the child was convinced that she would get what she wanted, one way or another. He knew that she would find a way outside if she really wanted to, and he wasn't about to stop her. With the princess out of the way, he figured he could carry out his plans for ruling Agrabah without her finding out. She had come too close before to finding him out, and he wasn't about to let that happen again. He couldn't bring himself to harm the child, no matter how evil his intentions were. He just wanted her gone.

"Well," Jasmine said slyly, "I've had enough talking for now. Thanks for your help, Jafar!"

"Oh, no, Princess, thank you," Jafar replied with malice.

With that, Jasmine skipped out of the room and went into her room. She removed her crown and placed a brown robe over her royal outfit. Then she proceeded outside to the menagerie. She looked back at the palace. It was the only home she ever knew, but she couldn't stay there forever. It had come time for her to live her life the way she wanted to, and she didn't care what anyone else thought. Even though she was just a child, she had a determination in her mind to get her way.

Jasmine noticed a bunch of carts on the entrance way that led to the front gates. Merchants were stacking melons on to them and covering them for transport to the city. Jasmine snuck behind one of the carts that was by the wall. When no one was looking, she jumped on to the cart and hid underneath the covering.

"That's the last of them!" she heard someone yell, and then the cart started moving.

The gates were opened, and the carts were driven out into the marketplace. Jasmine peeked out from under the cloth and stared in wonder and amazement at the people who were all over the place. A smile of excitement spread across her lovely face. This was her dream come true! When the cart stopped, she escaped before the merchant uncovered the melons. She ran into an alley, finding herself in a rather desolate and dark place. The sun was already getting low in the sky, and so, she thought it would be best to find a place to sleep. She noticed a stairway hidden in the darkness and went up it until she came to a small room. It looked abandonned, so she figured it would be the perfect place to curl up and rest. She found some blankets and pillows near a large opening in the one wall. She took them and placed them around herself until she was comfortable. The last thing she remembered before she fell asleep was looking out the opening at the palace off in the distance.

Chapter Three: A Unexpected Friend

Aladdin was worn out from the day. Amal and he had spent the whole afternoon and evening stealing money from the wealthier citizens of Agrabah. It was yet another cold night, and Aladdin knew it would be best if he went up to his hovel to sleep. As he walked up the stairs, he smiled as he counted all the coins he had in his hands. There were even more coins in his pockets, which were weighing his pants down. He didn't know if he would use the money to pay for food, or if he would save it up for a long time. Once he reached the room, he opened up a small wooden box in the corner of the room and placed the coins inside of it. He yawned and looked at his "bed" by the large opening in the wall.

It was quite dark, so he could barely see anything. He went to sit down on a pillow, but to his surprise, something from underneath him moved and shouted, "Hey, what do you think you're doing?!"

"Huh?!" Aladdin screamed, totally not expecting someone else to be lying in his bed.

He saw a young girl, who couldn't be any older than him, sit up in front of him. She rubbed her large eyes and looked at the boy in confusion.

"Um, what are you doing in my bed?" Aladdin questioned her. "C'mon, girl. This is my place. Go find your own alley to sleep in."

"But, I--uh, I don't have an alley," stated the girl, not knowing what else to say.

"Are you an orphan?" Aladdin asked her suspiciously. "'Cause if you are, you aren't acting very much like one."

"Um, of course I'm an orphan!" the girl protested, "and my name is Jas--"

"Jas-- ?"

"Jassy," she firmly said, nodding in approval of her white lie. Jasmine didn't want to reveal her true identity, not even to another child. She didn't want to risk being found out by anyone.

"Well, Jassy, that's my bed you're sleeping in," Aladdin said, expecting her to get up and move. When she didn't, he sighed, "Well?"

"'Well' what?" Jasmine asked.

"Look, Jassy or whoever you are, you can't stay here! This is my home!"

"This is your home?" Jasmine asked, completely at a loss for words. She couldn't believe it. This boy was living in this rundown, cold place.

"Yes, it is. It's not much, I know, but it's the only home I've ever known."

"Don't your parents have any money to buy a nicer place?"

"Are you stupid, girl?" Aladdin spat, getting upset at the mention of his parents. "I don't have any parents, okay? I'm so sorry that I can't compare to whatever dreamland of a life you're living in."

"I--I don't have any parents either," Jasmine lied.

"Did your parents die, too?"

"Well, no, but they never had time for me, so I ran away. They were too busy with doing other things, so I felt so lonely, almost like I didn't have any parents."

"That's not the same thing as having no parents. At least you had parents. Why would you leave them like that? Are you crazy?"

"I'm not crazy!" Jasmine exclaimed. "It's just that I'm lonely! Don't you ever feel like no one understands you?"

Aladdin was silent. He was looking out the window at the palace in the distance. Jasmine noticed that the boy's eyes were shining, as if he were about to cry. "No one does understand," he whispered. "I had to grow up so fast, and I'm only a kid. I've had no mother for two years now. She died when I was only four. Jassy, do you know what that feels like? Do you know what it feels like to watch your mom die, the only person who ever loved you?"

Jasmine was now the quiet one. "No," she mumbled, feeling really guilty for the acting the way she had and for running away.

Aladdin looked at the girl now and shook his head. "You will never understand," he said, "unless you lose your mother. I don't know where you came from, but you shouldn't be here, not with a nobody like me. I'm a street rat, girl. I'm the little skinny kid who runs through the streets bare-footed and begging for food, but I won't beg anymore, no. I won't do it! Why should I show them that I'm weak?"

"But you're not weak," Jasmine tried to convince him. "You've lived for two years without your mom, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, you are a lot stronger than you think you are. I don't even know you, but I can tell that you're a strong boy."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Aladdin smiled a sincere smile for the first time in a long time. He hugged the little girl who he hardly knew, and she put her arms around his bony body.

"You're freezing," she said. "Shouldn't you see a doctor?"

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Jassy, doctors cost money, and well, money is something I just don't have."

Aladdin thought about all the money he had stolen from people that day, but he didn't want to spend it. He decided to keep it hidden away until a time when he really needed it.

"I'm so tired," Jasmine yawned.

"It's time to go to sleep now," Aladdin agreed. "You should go home in the morning, though."

"I will."

"Good, you don't want to stay out here on the streets like me. Trust me."

Jasmine just nodded and yawned again. She curled up on the pillows. Aladdin lay next to her and pulled a blanket over the two of them. He didn't know that he was next to the princess that night. To him, she was just another little girl. Likewise, Jasmine thought Aladdin was just another little boy, not a street rat or an orphan. Little did they know that night that they would one day defy all odds together and break down the barrier between royalty and poverty that kept them apart.

"I don't understand where she could possibly be," Artemina said nervously. "Oh, Hamed...I'm so worried about our little girl."

"I'm worried, too, Dearest," said the sultan, "but we're doing all we can. The guards are looking for her. She must be in the palace somewhere."

"But what if she's not?"

"Where else would she go? She wouldn't leave the palace."

"What if she was kidnapped, Hamed? Oh, I don't know what I would do if..."

Artemina started to cry, but her husband placed his arms around her, trying the best he could to comfort her.

"Now, now, Dearest. Everything will be just fine, you'll see."

Hamed tried to smile, but even he wasn't sure what the outcome would be. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Jasmine had always stayed where they knew she would be. They were far too worried to sleep that night, even though some of the servants told them that they should get their sleep. After several hours, though, Artemina couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. It must have been four in the morning, and the hours seemed merciless on her. She finally closed her eyes and fell into a slumber that was unpleasant and filled with nightmares. Hamed looked sorrowfully at his wife next to him, but he tried his best to remain calm and optimistic.

The sultan sat up in his bed, watching his beautiful wife sleep. He heard a knock on the door after a while and thought that it might be good news that Jasmine had been found. He scurried to the door and opened it, but to his discontent, it was Jafar, all by himself.

"I heard what happened," he said smoothly. "I am so very sorry, Your Highness."

"Thank you for your concern," Hamed said politely, although he was far too worried to be talking to Jafar. Of all the people in the palace, Jafar was the last person Hamed expected to feel any sort of comfort from.

"May I have a word?" Jafar asked.

"Of course," Hamed replied, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

"Your daughter may have gotten the wrong impression regarding something I told her earlier."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"She told me how she wished she could see the outside world, and as you know all too well, she certainly does have an imagination. I told her that she should see the world, but I most certainly didn't mean for her to run away or anything of the sort. I meant that she should grow up a little first and then travel and experience the world."

"Well," the sultan hesitated, "I suppose she might have taken it the wrong way...but it isn't like Jasmine to just run away like that. She knows better."

"But she is a child, Sire. She could have easily mistook what I said, and if she did, I am sorry."

"Oh, Jafar," Hamed laughed lightly, "it's not your fault. I trust your judgment, and I know you would never do anything to put Jasmine in any sort of danger. She does have quite an imagination, I know, but I still can't believe that she would do something like that. Why wouldn't she come to me or her mother?"

"I don't know," Jafar replied, "but I have no children of my own. I don't know why children do what they do, but you can never be too careful with them. They can be quite unpredictable at times."

"Yes, yes, they can be..."

"Well, I won't take up any more of your time. Good night."

"Yes, good night to you as well."

Sultan yawned and went back into his chambers to be with his wife. Jafar sighed and smiled evilly. What a fool he is. He actually believed me. He actually trusted me. What a fool he is indeed.

Jasmine awoke to the sunlight shining freshly on her little face. She smiled before she opened her eyes, and once she opened them, she was confused for a moment as to where she was. Then she remembered how she had run away and was staying with the little orphan boy who she had just met a few hours ago. When she sat up, she noticed that he was still asleep beside her. He looked so peaceful, even though he was dirty and unkempt. She couldn't help but to giggle at his messy hair that hung in his eyes. She had never met anyone like him before, but she knew that he was a strong and kind boy. Even though she was only five years old, she understood that he had a good heart and that he just needed someone to love him.

Jasmine knew that she had to return home, for she had promised this boy last night that she would go back to her parents. She sighed, feeling sad that she had to leave him, but she knew she had to. She didn't want to wake him, but she knew she couldn't wait all morning for him to wake up either. She leaned over and gently kissed him on the cheek and whispered ever so sweetly, "Thank you, sweet boy, whoever you are."

With those final words, she stood up and left his humble abode. She walked slowly down the alley until she found herself in the main part of the city. She figured that there had to be some way to sneak back into the palace without being caught, but she didn't know where to look. There were people walking everywhere in every direction, but she decided not to ask anyone for help. She refused to be found out, so she made her way back to the palace. Once she reached the main gates, she hid behind a bush and watched as the guards let a cart go through. If she was fast enough, she thought, she could sneak behind the cart and jump on without being noticed. She made a run for it, but just as she was about to leap on, a big, burly hand grapped her by the back of her cloak.

"And just where do you think you're going, you little street mouse?" a harsh, demanding voice barked.

She found herself looking at the captain of the guards, Rasoul, straight in the eyes. "I, um..." she mumbled, trying not to look at him.

"Well?" he demanded, shaking her.

Jasmine's hood fell down, revealing her face. "Princess Jasmine?!" Rasoul exclaimed. "Wha--what are you doing out here?"

At the realization that he had the princess in his grasp, Rasoul placed the girl down. "I'm so sorry if I hurt you, Princess," he apologized. "But what on earth are you doing out here? Do you have any idea how worried your parents are? Everyone has been looking all over for you. I must take you to the sultan and the queen at once."

"But Rasoul--" Jasmine sputtered. "I don't want to--"

Rasoul ignored the child's comments and did his duty. He led the princess back to the palace and took her to her parents' chambers. He knocked on the door, and Jasmine swallowed nervously as she heard her father's footsteps nearing the door.

Chapter Four: Facing the Music

A few seconds later, the door knob turned, revealing the sultan standing there on the inside of the room. He looked down, and the moment he saw his daughter standing there, a smile of great relief spread across his face. Picking Jasmine's little body up, he hugged her tightly and whispered into her ear, "Thank Allah you're all right, Daughter. I was so worried about you."

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Jasmine said, choking on her words and trying not to cry.

When Artemina heard her daughter's tiny voice near the doorway, she rushed over to the scene. Her eyes almost didn't believe what she was seeing when she looked upon Jasmine, but she immediately wept and embraced Jasmine tenderly. Jasmine couldn't help it anymore. She, too, started to cry as her mother held her. After a long while, Artemina slowed let go of her daughter and placed her hands on both of Jasmine's shoulders. Artemina looked Jasmine firmly in the eyes and asked, "How could you leave us like that? Didn't you think we would be worried?"

"I--I'm so sorry, Mamma," Jasmine said in a trembling voice. "I didn't mean to upset you so much. It's just that--"

"It's okay, it's okay," Artemina said in a comforting tone. "We're just glad to have you home. Please, promise me that you'll never, ever leave us again like that."

"I--I promise."

"Good," Artemina smiled and kissed Jasmine on the forehead.

"You had us quite worried, Jasmine," Hamed explained, "but you are back now, and that is what truly matters. You see, Daughter, we are a family: your mother, you, and me. Nothing and no one can come between us. We will always be together forever."

"Forever and ever!" added Jasmine. "I love you, Mommy and Daddy! I love you so much!"

The proud parents were simply happy to have their daughter back. Of all their treasures, she was their greatest and most precious. They would give up all the gold in the world, their power, their thrones, their titles, and even their very lives for her. There was nothing they wouldn't do for her.

Aladdin awoke that morning a few hours after Jasmine had left. He stretched and yawned, smiling as he opened his eyes. He remembered talking to the mysterious little girl in his hovel the night before, but he didn't find her there anymore. He looked around to be sure, and then he wondered if it had only been a dream. He had slept so deeply that night, deeper than he had in a long, long time, and so, his memory of the girl who visited him wasn't that clear. She had been so kind and understanding toward him, even though she had never met him before. The only time Aladdin ever felt that way about anyone was the way he had felt when his mother would hold him tightly and lovingly in her arms. Whenever she would do that, he would fall asleep so peacefully, drifting like a boat over a tranquil and placid lake of innocent dreams and fond memories.

The very thought of his mother made him miss her all the more. Her name was Carina. He tried not to think about her much, but the memories would come back to him, including the memory of how she died:

"Mommy!" Aladdin yelled. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Carina coughed. "I'll be okay."

"I don't know," Aladdin frowned. "What should I do?"

"Just stay here by me, Aladdin. I need you here. Don't leave me like your father did."

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Why did he leave?"

"He died, Sweetheart...a long time ago...when you were just a baby."

"My daddy is gone forever?"

"Yes, Aladdin. I am sorry."

"Why do we die?"

"Just because...we get sick and become too weak or old to fight anymore. Sometimes people get sad because they lost someone they loved a lot...someone they couldn't live without. Sometimes, Aladdin, people just give up."

"Are you giving up, Mommy?"

"I have tried so hard, Aladdin, to be the best mother I could for you. I am so tired."

"Are you dying...Mommy? Are you leaving me like Daddy?"

"I don't want to, my dear Aladdin, but I have lost control of myself. I can't live without your father. I tried..."

"I know. I love you."

"I love you, too, Aladdin. Now be a good boy...be strong... Don't cry...and remember...remember...remember that I will always love you."

"Mommy?" Aladdin whispered.

Carina closed her eyes and stopped breathing. Aladdin nudged her and shook her more and more.

"MOMMY!!!" he cried at the top of his lungs.

Big tears streamed down Aladdin's little cheeks. He didn't understand what was happening. He was only four years old.

"Mommy, I don't understand. How am I supposed to live without you? You were always here for me. I need you. Mommy, why do you take this long nap? Are you tired? I can give you some food or a hug, but I can't make you open your eyes."

Emptiness. Simply emptiness. That was all Aladdin felt now as he felt a lonesome and rebel tear roll slowly down his cheek. He stared blankly outside at the palace, not knowing what to think or what to say. What had this little girl done to him? Had her presence reminded him of the things he had lost in his life? Had she reminded him of the love he once knew, and yet, she had run away from her own parents?

"Foolish girl!" Aladdin exclaimed. "If you were still here, I'd give you a piece of my mind! How could you just leave everything you had like that? How could you just come here and make me feel so sad, so angry?"

"Who on earth are you talking to?" Amal's voice asked from behind.

Aladdin spun around, completely caught off guard. "I, uh, I was talking to no one," he mumbled.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Amal retorted sarcastically. "C'mon, Aladdin, let's get to work!"

"Work?"

"Hello, Aladdin! Where have you been? Remember? Our 'work' from yesterday?"

"Oh, yeah...you mean the stealing..."

"Uh, yeah!" Amal yelled. "Now, if you're ready, let's get to work."

"I'm coming!" Aladdin exclaimed, pushing the thoughts of his mother and that strange little girl out of his head.

And so, Aladdin and Amal ran off to start yet another day of their 'work.' They stole money from many of the citizens who passed by, and since Aladdin had nothing else to fill that void he felt inside, he filled it with his growing desire to find happiness. He failed to realize that greed never satisfies the hunger or the longing. It would take years before he would realize that he would have to face what he tried the hardest to forget: love. Facing love would be the only weapon that could bring down the emptiness to its begging knees, for love conquers all. One day, though he didn't know it now, he would love more than most people ever experience, and her would throw his whole heart and soul into that love, giving anything and everything for the strange little girl he had met that previous night.

It came to pass that Jasmine turned six years old, and her parents' seventh wedding anniversary was only two weeks away. The child had tried her best to be good and to behave herself, and she felt the need to stay away from Jafar ever since she had run away. She didn't know why exactly, but she felt that it was partly his fault that she had run away. He had filled her head with ideas that contradicted what her parents had taught her, and she started to understand why her mother didn't particularly care for him. There was simply something about him that she just didn't like, and although she couldn't quite place it, she knew it was there.

Jafar found Jasmine out in the menagerie one sunny afternoon. She was sitting by the flowers and smelling them. As usual, he was up to no good.

"Why, Princess," he began, "I didn't expect to find you out here."

"And where would you expect to find me?" Jasmine asked with a harsh undertone. "Out in the city?"

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, you heard me!" Jasmine pronounced loudly, standing up and facing him. "You are a bad man, Jafar! I don't like you! Now, leave me alone!"

"Princess, whatever are you talking about? I did nothing to you for you to feel this way toward me. If I've insulted you, I am sorry."

"Your very presence is an insult!" Jasmine yelled, and then she ran off.

Jafar gazed hatefully at the girl as she disappeared in the distance. "She thinks she is so important and so right. Ha, well, she's got another thing coming to her. I'm afraid to say that her strong spirit has turned against me, and that is quite unfortunate, but I won't have anyone ruining my plans. Those royal fools all have another thing coming to them. Let's just wait for the 'big surprise' for the anniversary, and then we'll see who will be celebrating."

Jafar smiled maliciously and left the menagerie, returning to his secret chambers. There, he was becoming more and more knowledgable about the dark magics. Little did anyone suspect, but he was indeed a 'bad man,' as Jasmine had labelled him. His heart was now completely black and evil, and his mind was completely consumed by hatred and comtempt. Such a man should not be in power like he was, but such was not the case here.

Chapter Five: A Mother's Lullaby

Jasmine's mother had the most beautiful singing voice anyone had ever heard. She would often sing sweet and soft lullabies to Jasmine as she fell asleep in her bed, and this night was no different from the rest. Jasmine went to sleep that night just like she did any other night, knowing that her mother would be there in the morning to smile at her and hug her at the breakfast table. Tomorrow was also the seventh anniversary of Jasmine's parents' marriage, and Jasmine was quite excited about that. She had forgotten all about Jafar's little 'surprise' that he refused to tell her about.

Jasmine slept peacefully through the night and awoke the next morning to find herself a little drowsy. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, suddenly remembering what today was.

"Yay!" she softly exclaimed, getting up out of her bed. "Today is the big day!"

She dressed herself and went to the dining room for breakfast. She found only her father there.

"Daddy?" she asked. "Where's Mommy at?"

"Oh, she's sleeping a bit later today, Jasmine," the sultan patiently explained. "She said she wasn't feeling too well."

"Well, I want to see her after breakfast, if that's okay with you."

"Yes, yes, Dearest. You may do so. Just don't awaken her from her sleep, okay?"

"Sure thing, Daddy!" Jasmine said happily as she kissed her father on the cheek lightly.

The sultan laughed merrily and told Jasmine to have a seat beside him. After she sat down and quickly ate, she skipped out of the room and went to her mother's chamber. Right before she got to the door, though, she could hear some voices coming out of the room. Jasmine cautiously peered around the entrance to see what was going on.

"Oh, Jafar!" Artemina gasped. "I didn't see you come in."

"Well, here I am, Your Highness," he grinned.

There was something in his voice that Jasmine didn't like...that sly, sneaky tone that was never sincere. She never trusted him since a few weeks ago, and this time, Jasmine cautiously and curiously looked around the doorway to see what he was up to.

"So, can I help you?" Jasmine's mother asked politely.

"Yes, as a matter of a fact..." Suddenly, his hands were gripping her neck tightly. She shook and tried to scream, but Jafar pulled a blue bottle from his garments and forced the liquid down her throat. She stopped struggling and fell to the bed. Jafar positioned her body and covered her with the blankets to make it look like she was asleep.

Upon this horrific sight, Jasmine gasped quietly and ran quickly away to her room. She prayed and hoped that Jafar hadn't heard her, for she feared that he might come after her, too. Jasmine locked her doors and hid under the bed sheets, crying feverishly and unstoppably. She didn't know what she was to do. She feared telling her father, for she thought Jafar would find out and harm them even worse, but she knew that if she didn't tell him that she would live her life in agony remembering her mother's death. She didn't want to remember that horrible sight, but what other choice did she have? Her mother, the queen, was now dead.

Meanwhile, Jafar was still in the queen's room. He had heard a small gasp outside the door, and he was no fool. He knew that the princess had seen the whole thing, and he groaned angrily at the thought of that. That little girl was always sneaking around and getting into things she shouldn't have been, so Jafar thought quickly as to what he must do to prevent Jasmine from telling her father.

"I'll cast a forgetting spell on her," he said to himself. "She must never tell him. The spell will convince her that everything she ever saw never really happened. One day that child will be a young woman, and I would like very much to have her for my bride. She must live."

Jafar walked to Jasmine's room and opened the door slowly. It creeked, sending a shiver down Jasmine's spine.

"Oh, Princess?" his evil voice taunted. "Where are you?"

She shook in great fear underneath the bed covers, thinking that she was the next to be killed. Jafar came closer and closer to the bed. He could see Jasmine's body shaking underneath the covers, so he lifted them off her, exposing her fully to his view.

"Why, there you are! Oh, Princess, I've been looking all over for you. You see, I have a little something for you..."

Jafar pulled out a small green vial and said some words in a language that Jasmine didn't understand. He grabbed her face and forced the liquid down her throat. She struggled in fear and terror, thinking that she was about to die. "Noooo..." she mumbled, and then she fell asleep on the bed.

"My work for now is done," Jafar mumbled. "She will awaken and never remember anything she saw about her mother's death."

"Jasmine, Jasmine, Dearest," the sultan pleaded, shaking her daughter's body, "please, wake up."

Jasmine moaned and opened her eyes. She felt extremely tired and dizzy. Her vision was blurred, too. She tried to focus on her father's face above her, but he looked fuzzy.

"Daddy?" she asked weakly.

"There, there, Daughter," he said hugging her. "It's going to be all right."

"Wha-- What are you talking about?" Jasmine questioned, totally confused.

"Jasmine," the sultan said very sadly, trying not to cry, "your mother...she has passed away."

"What?!" Jasmine cried. "But no, that can't be possible! You said she was just a little sick!"

"I'm so sorry, Jasmine, but she has died in her sleep. You told me after breakfast that you were going to see her in her room. I never heard back from you, and I started to get worried. I came into your mother's room to find her lying there. I thought she was just asleep, but she was cold to the touch. I then came to find out where you were, and I found you here. Oh, Dearest, what will we do?"

Hamed sobbed like a child as he embraced his daughter. Jasmine couldn't believe that her own mother had died. She immediately started crying uncontrollably. She cried until she had no more tears left to cry. Emptiness. Simply emptiness. That is what she felt.

She felt it as the next couple of days passed and while the funeral was in planning. The whole city of Agrabah mourned the loss of their beloved queen, for she had truly been a blessing to the people. She was so young when she left them, and they wondered what was to become of the sultan now. He had to be strong for them, for they depended on him as their leader, but on the inside, he felt like a lost little child. To bury his own wife was the worst thing he could imagine doing, and now it was coming to pass. The word was on the streets that the queen was gone, and even Aladdin heard about it. He stopped for a minute and looked at the palace.

"That little girl princess had just lost her mother," he said sadly. "I know all too well how that feels. Mothers are the ones who sing the lullabies to their children that rock them to sleep at night. Mothers raise their children and love them forever and ever, but sometimes life isn't fair. Death wins and takes their lullabies away, leaving the children to sleep with nightmares going through their heads."

Aladdin's words were true, even though he was so very young. See, even children understand what love is. People like Jafar who are evil never know that love has the power to reign over the hatred that plagues their black hearts. Jafar thought he was winning, and even if he had won that little battle, he would not win the war. His hatred would only grow more and more in the years to come, but Aladdin and Jasmine's love would only grow all the stronger.

Jasmine didn't know what her future held, and especially on the day that she watched her mother be buried in the gardens, she never imagined that the person who would bring her the most love and the most happiness would be the little orphan boy who she had met on the street. She thought about him from time to time, and she pondered his words: "You will never understand unless you lose your mother." He had said these words regarding what it felt like to watch his mom die, to lose the very person who loves a child so very much. Now Jasmine felt that emptiness, and she longed to fill that void with something. She would grow up never really feeling the same love again as she had when her mother had been alive. True, the sultan loved her, and she loved him, but a mother's love is irreplacible.

Jasmine slept that night after her mother's funeral, dreaming of the fairytale romance her mother would tell her about. Above all, though, within the heart of a child, there was a sweet, soft lullaby of a mother's love that would live on through her daughter.