FH-TW Part 2-Chapter 8

Faithful Hearts: The Wanderer
A fanfiction based upon the work of Andrea Avrett
by John P. Fadeley
Part 2-Chapter 8
Make Way For Prince Ali!

Manoman, did Genie make Al into a star!  Not only did he provide us with outfits to appear as servants for Prince Ali Ababwa (Aladdin's 'royal' assumed name), but he even conjured up hundreds of different servants for him.  Donald, Goofy, and Marina were disguised as servants, while I was made up to be "Prince Ali's" Captain of the Guards.
Ludwig got the funniest disguise.  He was made up to be the Royal Vizier to Prince Ali...complete with a staff that had a look-alike of his head.
For our entrance into Agrabah, we were up on top of Abu, situated around the sedan where Ali sat on top of his primate-turned-pachyderm.
During our grand parade, with Genie acting as the master of ceremonies, I just couldn't keep my eyes off of Marina.  She looked possitively radiant in the outfit she was wearing, which consisted of purple pants and top, a light purple vest, arabian-style slipper/shoes on her feet, and a translucent, shimmering skirt of light purple silk around her waist.  She also had two spiraling gold arm bands and a purple hairband that grouped most of her hair into a ponytail.  God, she looked so beautiful...
Of course, I had keep my guard up and stand to attention.  After all, I was the "Captain of the Guards"...I kept my hand on my Gunblade's handle, daring any malcontent to pull a fast one...
I looked up during our parade up to the palace and saw Princess Jasmine...seemed that she wasn't too impressed with all of this...uh-oh....trouble for the young Romeo here.
As we got into the palace, Genie flew back into the lamp, hidden under "Prince Ali's" turban...as he came down on Carpet before the Sultan (a small, round little man with a beard and whiskers of a mustache in royal clothing) and bowed courteously.
Jafar, (the Royal Vizier we met from the day before) slammed the doors shut behind us, after he pushed all of Genie's fabricated servants outside.
"Splendid!  Absolutely marvelous!" the Sultan cheered, clapping his hands.
"Your Majesty, I have journey from afar to seek your daughter's hand in marriage." Ala-er-Prince Ali said, stepping off of Carpet.
"Prince Ali Ababwa, I am so delighted to meet you!" the Sultan said, shaking hands with our friend, "Oh, and this is my Royal Vizier, Jafar.  He's delighted, too..."
If that was Jafar's face for delight, I hated to see his one for anger.  "Ecstatic..." he said, clearly unimpressed as Jasmine was when I saw her, "But I'm afraid, Prince Abooboo..."
"Ababwa..." Prince Ali corrected, bowing, the feather of his turban getting right into Jafar's face.  The Royal Vizier brushed it out of his face, irritated.
"Oh, whatever...You cannot just parade in here, uninvited, and expect to..." Jafar growled.
"By Allah, this is a most miraculous device..." the Sultan said, admiring Carpet...who then tweeked his moustache a bit, "Oh, my!  Prince Ali...you don't suppose I could..er...hmm?"  He pointed upwards, hinting at a ride on this magic carpet.
"Why, certainly, your Majesty." Prince Ali said with a smile, "Allow me."
He then helped he Sultan onto Carpet...but Jafar slammed his staff down on Carpet, with that parrot Iago perched on the cobra-head of it.
"Sire, I must advise against this." Jafar said.
"Oh, button up, Jafar!  Learn to have a little fun!" the Sultan snapped as he kicked Jafar's staff off of Carpet and took off around the throne room....leaving Iago to fall off of the staff and hit his head on the floor!  The Sultan was flying about the throne room, yelling and laughing like a little kid on a big ride.
"Good move there, kid!" Ludwig whispered to Prince Ali, "Making a good impression with the in-laws is always an excellent first step."
"And just who are you?" Jafar asked.
"I, sir, happen to be his Royal Vizier..." Ludwig said, holding up his own staff, "Who are you?"
"I happen to be the Royal Vizier to his Majesty, the Sultan...and who...or what...is that?!" Jafar asked...pointing to...WALL-E?!  What was he doing here?!
Wall-E looked up at Jafar, let out a small electronic shriek and hid behind Ludwig.
"That's my assistant!  What's it to ya, snake eyes?" Ludwig asked, pulling on Jafar's beard and letting go, letting this Vizier's teeth chatter a bit...until he stopped and sneered at them.
I was chuckling a bit...until I found myself under Jafar's gaze, "A bit young to be a Captain of the Guards, aren't you?"
"Recently appointed, Sire." I said, "The last C-O-T-G got caught getting a bit frisky with the hired help and...well, his head and the rest of him had a major parting of the ways, as it were."
Jafar sneered at me and turned to Prince Ali, asking, "And just...where did you say you were from?"
Ali paused and tried not to stutter, "Oh, um....well, much farther than anywhere you've been, I imagine..."
"Try me..." Jafar snarled...just as the Sultan soared right at us!  We all dove out of the way to avoid getting hit.
"He's really enjoying that, isn't he?" I asked.
Iago was unfortunate to be in the Sultan's flight path and was being chased around the room...until he crashed right into a pillar!
"Ow....that'll leave a mark...." Ludwig observed.
"Look out below!  I'm coming in for a landing, Jafar!  Watch this!" the Sultan called as he brought Carpet down close to the floor.  Carpet stopped and let the Sultan slide to a stop in front of Ali and Jafar.
"Oh, my goodness..." the Sultan breathed happily.
"Spectacular, my lord..." Jafar complimented...still unimpressed.
Marina giggled at the sight of this.  This Sultan seemed like a little boy's mind in monarch's body.
"Oh, what a splendid boy...and a PRINCE, besides.." the Sultan cheered...before whispering to Jafar, "If he's lucky, you won't have to marry Jasmine after all..."
Whoa...did we miss something before we arrived here?
"I don't trust him, Sire..." Jafar hissed.
"Nonsense!  If it's one thing I pride myself on, I'm an excellent judge of character!" the Sultan protested.
"Oh, excellent judge of character...NOOOOT!" I heard Iago say.  When we turned to him, he simpley acted like a regular parrot.
"Ho ho...Jasmine will like this one." Sultan said about Ali.
"And I'm pretty sure I'll like Jasmine..." Ali said.
I did my best to keep my mouth shut when THAT came up.
"Mi'lord, no!  I must preside on Jasmine's behalf.  This boy's no different than the others!" Jafar snapped, "What makes him think he's worthy of the princess?"
"Your Majesty, I'm Prince Ali Ababwa..." Ali said, pushing Jafar out of his face, "Just let me meet your daughter and I'll be sure to win her hand..."
"How dare you...ALL OF YOU!" we heard Jasmine accuse the three men...she heard everything, "Standing around here, deciding on my future?  I am not a prize to be won!"
"Oh, dear..." the Sultan gulped.
"Boy, that wath embarassing..." Donald whispered out of the corner of his bill.
"For all of them." Marina nodded.
The Sultan, still trying to remain a good host, said to Ali, "Don't worry, Prince Ali.  Give Jasmine a little time to cool off.  She just gets a little hard when it comes to choosing a suitor.  I'll have you escorted to one of our finest guest rooms."
"Your Majesty, I am his Captain of the Guards." I announced, "With his Highness' royal permission, I would like to do an inspection of the royal grounds...a security detail, you see.  We've heard reports of Nightmares being sighted in your fair city and I would like nothing more than to make sure that any time spent between His Highness and your beloved daughter goes...uninterrupted."
"Oh, absolutely." the Sultan said, "By all means, do so."
"Your Majesty, be reasonable...we have our own guards." Jafar began to advise, "If any of these...Nightmares happen to show their faces around here...OOF!"
Ludwig hit Jafar in the gut with his staff, saying, "That's not your call to make, wise guy.  I believe the Sultan has given his permission...and his Highness?"
"Uh...good thinking, sir!  Carry on!" Prince Ali said to me.
"My life is but to serve you, your Highness...and your Majesty." I said with a bow as I left. the throne room.
"What'th he up to?" Donald asked.
"Wouldn't we all like to know...." Marina said, narrowing her eyes a bit...
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Okay, so maybe a "security detail" wasn't entirely what I had in mind...but it was certainly a good idea.  There was something about that vile Vizier that rubbed me the wrong way...and maybe a little snooping around would help unravel anything about him...
As I continued my search about the palace, I came upon one very extravagent room...and fell right in the sights of a fully-grown TIGER!  It saw me...and began growling at me.
"Eh, heheheheheheh....nice kitty...nice...BIG...kitty..." I chuckled a bit nervously...just as the tiger got ready to pounce, "Oh crud..."
I didn't get far before it knocked me to the ground and pinned me down!  I could feel it breathing on me, its teeth bared..."And this is what I get for being cat person..."
"Rajah!" I heard a female voice in front of me scold, "Get off of him.  That's no way to behave around a guest...even if he's accompanying another boring, brash suitor."
As the tiger got off of me, I looked up...and saw Princess Jasmine!  Oh, be still, my heart....
"I'm really sorry about Rajah...he's just being protective of me...weren't you, Rajah?" she said as she hugged the tiger around its neck.  It purred from such affection.
"Hey, no problem with that...I'm still in one piece..." I said as I got up.
She looked at me a bit quizically and asked, "Have we met before?  You look very familiar..."
"I believe so...in the marketplace outside of the palace..." I answered.
"Right...you were that swordsman who protected me from those...those creatures." she said, smiling a bit.
"That, I am, your Highness." I said with a respectful nod.
"I thought so...though...why are you dressed like that?" she asked me.
"Eh, part of the dress code." I replied, "I was recruited by Prince Ali Ababwa as part of his royal guard.  He may have faced galloping hordes, but never Nightmares...those creatures that were after you...and they're far deadlier than any human being."
"Oh, really?  And do ALL hired guards go wandering around a palace the way you did?" she asked me, a bit of a smug smile on her face.
She was a smart one, I had to give her that..."Well, I received royal permission to inspect the grounds and see that the place was Nightmare-proof...I just stumbled across this room and your pet tiger here tackled me...but, hey, no harm done, right?" I said.
"Riiiight..." she replied, "So...what is this Prince Ali like?  Just out of curiousity."
"Well, from what little I do know about him...he's generous, kind, quick-witted,...and willing to help someone in need." I replied.
"You forgot to mention brash, over-bearing, arrogant..." she listed.
"Ooooh, right...back in the throne room." I said.
"He's probabely no better than any other suitor who's come to claim my hand in marriage." she said...a bit sadly, "But I don't know what else to do...I have to be married to a prince by my next birthday...which is only one day away...that stupid law..."
I looked at her for a moment...then said, "Your Highness...I know you've probabely heard this from your father...but...you could try and give this prince guy a chance, atleast....who knows?  He might just surprise you.  And for what it's worth...you deserve better than a prince...you deserve someone who will love you...for the person you are."
She smiled a bit and said, "Well, I won't be talking to that Prince Ali any time soon...but either way, thank you."
"Oh, it's no problem at all, your Highness..." I said as I started to walk away.
"Wait!" she said as she walked up to me...and gave me a kiss on the cheek, "That's for protecting me from those Nightmares."
I blushed like crazy..."You're welcome, your Highness..." I said, "And I wish you best...because you deserve that much."
She smiled at me...then walked with Rajah into her room...which I definitely think it was.
I walked away...with a bit of a spring in my step...just seeing her smile...*siiiiigh*..."If Al can somehow charm his way into her heart, he's gonna be one lucky guy..." I thought to myself.
Well, let's be serious....I'm WAY older than Jasmine...by about 10 years...and I'm way out of her league.  Still...it was nice to know she appreciated me a bit...but, it didn't take some fortune-teller with a crystal ball that her and I were not meant to be...such was not my destiney...
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"Alright, sparky, here's the deal...you wanna go courtin' with the little lady, ya gotta be a straight shooter.  Do ya got that?" Genie was saying to Aladdin, looking like Jack Nicholson...sunglasses, grin and all.
Whoa...did I miss something again?
Abu was trying to eat bananas...but due to his new form, he wasn't having a better time of it.  Silver was busy cleaning the pistol part of his cyber-arm.  Ludwig and Wall-E were busy working on the Nightmare Exterminator....and there was Marina...good God in Heaven, she's beautiful...well, so was Jasmine...but...oh, decisions, decisions....
"What?" Aladdin asked, trying to understand what Genie was telling him.
"Tell her...the...TRUTH!!!" Genie said, point to a chalk board.
"NO WAY!" Aladdin protested, "If Jasmine found out that I'm nothing more than some...some Street Rat...she'd laugh at me..."
"Women appreciate a man who can make 'em laugh." Genie said as a lightbulb above Aladdin's head.  Not encouraged by the advice, he tugged on a line...which shut the lightbulb off.
"Al, all joking aside...you really ought to be yourself." Genie advised.
"Hey, that's the last thing I want to do!" Aladdin said, "Okay...I'm gonna go talk to her...I've just gotta be smooth, cool...confident." He looked absolutely ridiculous..."How do I look?"
Marina sighed and rolled her eyes, "Like a prince..."
"Or a vampire on a day pass." Genie mumbled under his breath.
Once Aladdin got on Carpet and flew up to the balcony outside of Jasmine's room, we started laughing at Genie's remark.
Marina came to Genie's side and said, "If you ask me, I'm starting to miss the Street Rat Aladdin..."
Genie replied, "He's just addicted to the power from one big blue lug..."
Marina crossed her arms and said, "I just hope he uses his second wish soon.  He'll keep his promise to you and you'll be free.  He did shake hands on it, after all."
"I better go up there and see how our little Romeo's doing..." Genie said as he flew up there.
I then looked at Ludwig and Wall-E...that reminded me.
"Ludwig, no offense, but what were you thinking?" I asked him.
"Beg pardon?" Ludwig asked.
"There's a good chance these people have never seen a robot before...what were you thinking bringing Wall-E with you?!  That really could have blown our cover!" I said.
"Wait...you guys were undercover?" Ludwig asked.
"The POINT BEING is, that Jafar guy doesn't recognize us so far..." I said, "If he realizes that we're not really who we appear to be, we could all be in very serious trouble."
"By the way, Mister Barrix..." Marina said, turning to me.
"Speaking of trouble..." I muttered quietly.
"Where have you been?  And don't tell me on 'security detail', because that isn't going to work around me." she asked me.
"Well, for your information, Miss Seadrift, I was trying to find any clues about our shifty-eyed Vizier friend...when I found myself too close to her Highness' bedroom...and was set upon by her pet...a tiger!" I replied, "Fortunately, Jasmine stopped her pet from tearing out my jugular vein...and I kinda told her about who I really was...but I still kept to hiding Prince Ali's true identity."
"Well, atleast you did something right..." she said, "Even if lying is wrong..."
"You've got that right!" Jiminy piped up.
"So...you got to see Princess Jasmine, lad?" Silver asked me.
"Oh, yeah..." I said, "She's everything Aladdin said about her...and THEN SOME..."
"Heheheheh...what else happened?" he asked me.
"Um...Silver, that's something I'd rather not talk about right now...." I said, remembering that Marina was still in the vicinity.
"No, by all means...tell us what else happened." Marina requested, her eyes narrowed at me.
"She kissed me on the cheek, thanking me for protecting her from those Nightmares that were in the marketplace..." I said, rubbing the cheek she kissed.
"And that's it?" Marina asked, not believing me one bit.
"That's it." I said, wanting to end this discussion.
"I don't believe you...not one bit...you went behind our backs just so you could see Jasmine again!" she accused.
"I'm sorry...is that a hint of jealousy I'm hearing?  Such a thing does not befit a lady." I said.
She scowled angrily at that last remark and turned away from me
"Besides, what's to be jealous of?...I"m way out of her league.." I said.
"You've got that ri-...what?" she asked.
"A girl like that deserves someone far better than me..." I sighed...just as I saw Aladdin and Jasmine take off on Carpet, "And it looks like she just found that someone..."  I know when I've been beaten...and this was one of those times...