“Wish I could have met them,” Jasmine said.
“Me too,” said Aladdin. Jasmine looked up at him, and then, she reached out, took his hand in hers, and squeezed it gently. Just like that, Aladdin’s heart felt a bit less heavy. He knew their actual stations in life were worlds apart, but even with the different lives they had led, she understood him like no one else ever had. The past could not be undone. But when he looked down at her hand in his, and then into her beautiful wide brown eyes—for the first time in a long while, he thought seriously about the future. It was still unwritten. Normally all the uncertainty of that would fill him with anxiety, but right now, hand in hand with Princess Jasmine, the endless possibilities ahead felt like a wonderful thing indeed.
JASMINE AND ALI stepped through the wide glass doors that overlooked the grand sitting room and into the main courtyard of the palace. In contrast to the rest of the opulent palace, this courtyard was a breath of fresh air—simple and elegant. The walls were graced with murals of flowers and butterflies and birds designed intricately out of geometric shapes; flowers in pastel pots dotted the perimeter and trailed onto a wide-open pathway that looked like it led into the sprawling gardens and grounds of the palace.
“Now, this is nice,” she said. “This might be my favorite spot in your home! From what I’ve seen so far, that is.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Ali ran his hands along a wall of tiles layered into the image of a soaring white sparrow. “This is my favorite also. I designed it myself not too long ago.”
Jasmine felt bad that she hadn’t found much to compliment about the rest of his home. But the truth was that it was all so incredibly over the top. She was all for a nice flight of stairs, but was there really a place in any palace for four jewel-encrusted staircases? And those enormous minarets surrounding the building—why would someone go through all the trouble and put people at risk getting those things so high up like that? Surely it was also a hazard for the birds that flew about the kingdom. And then there was that ridiculous portrait of Ali grinning down upon any passerby from the foyer as though he just might leap out of the frame and wrestle them. Why would anyone commission a painting like that of themselves, much less hang it up as the first image guests saw when they entered the palace? She looked at the man next to her now; she couldn’t imagine him ever posing as pompously as that.
She knew her mother would have chided her for her uncharitable thoughts. “Be careful not to judge others simply because their worldview is different from your own,” she had often reminded Jasmine. “Others have not lived your life, just as you have not lived theirs.”
Jasmine knew her mother was right about this. For starters, Jasmine had never lived a life where a magic carpet could whisk her from island to city to country to continent in a matter of seconds. Even now she could scarcely believe all the things she’d seen. And the truth was that as over-the-top as this palace might have been, Ali himself was anything but. He was down to earth and kind and warm. He spoke to everyone he met, regardless of their occupation or social standing, without a trace of affectation or pretense. It was no wonder they’d lined the streets to greet him with so much adoration when the two of them had arrived. She couldn’t hold it against him that his ancestors had taste that didn’t exactly align with contemporary palace standards, could she? She knew what it was like to have to live with the choices others had made. And as for the smug, smiling portrait—well, no one was perfect.
“Do we have time for a stroll through the palace grounds?” she asked him. “They extend quite far into the distance, it looks like.”
“Absolutely,” Ali told her. “And there’s something I want to show you out there that I just know you’re going to love.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Can’t tell you. It’s a surprise!”
“No, no,” she protested. “There’s something you should know about me. I really don’t like surprises.”
“All right, fair enough.” He laughed. “Why don’t we go ahead and head over there right now, in that case?”
Just then, a door flew open and slammed behind them. Heavy footsteps approached. Ali gripped Jasmine’s hand and swiveled to see who it was. Upon finding that it was Omar hurrying over to them, he relaxed, his grip loosening.
She studied him curiously. Who had Ali thought was approaching them? And why did he appear so tense? She’d noticed the same look pass across his face when they’d walked up to the palace guards earlier—he had grabbed her hand then, too, and looked as though he were preparing to bolt at any second.
“Pardon me, Your Highness,” Omar apologized to Jasmine before turning to Ali. “Prince Ali, I have come to remind you about your meeting today. It starts in just about five minutes.”
“What meeting?” Ali asked him.
“The constituency council meeting you have every month with your people, my prince. Everyone is so excited you are back in time for this month’s open forum. People do rely on your advice so very much, and they’ve missed it lately what with your being away so much with all your travels.”
“Oh, right,” Ali said. “The constituency council. I had forgotten all about that.”
“You have an open forum with your subjects every month?” Jasmine asked. “Anyone can come and talk to you there?”
“I love helping people out and knowing what the issues may be in Ababwa.” Ali nodded. “I think it’s important for people who are charged with ruling a kingdom to listen to their subjects and give whatever advice to their troubles that they can offer, but…” He turned to Omar. “The thing is that I’m only here for a quick trip to show Jasmine the kingdom. I can reschedule the meeting for when I return next time. Would that be all right?”
“Of course, I will send them away and postpone it. Whatever you would like.” Omar hesitated. “But my prince, allow me to be so bold as to ask you to reconsider. They’ve been lining up outside the meeting room since they heard of your return. They are so eager to see you.”
“Well…” Ali sighed.
“It’s entirely your decision, Prince Ali. I can send them away if you would like. I am sure they will understand.”
“Don’t hold off on having this meeting on my account,” Jasmine said at once.
“Are you sure?” Ali asked her.
“Work comes first, and this is such important work. To listen to your subjects in this way—it must make such a difference.”
Ali studied her for a moment. “Want to join me?”
“I’d love to.” She nodded. “Gives me a chance to learn how this whole thing works.”
“Not to learn.” Ali shook his head. “I mean, would you be willing to sit alongside me and help advise? Two heads are better than one, right?”
“You want my help with advising your people?” Jasmine asked.
“Only if you want to,” Prince Ali quickly hurried to add. “If you’d rather rest or take in the gardens while I finish that meeting, I understand.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that no one has ever asked me to be part of any serious decision-making before. I…I would be honored, of course,” she finally said. “Thank you.”
“Thank you for being so understanding about this and for offering to share your insights.” He turned to Omar. “Can we get her an extra seat next to mine?”
“Of course,” Omar said. “I will arrange for it at once. And, oh!” He paused, reaching into a satchel by his side. “I almost forgot—your bag.”
Ali frowned at the gray pouch lined with gold thread that Omar proffered now. Ali looked at it but did not move to take it.
“Your satchel, sir,” Omar said, his hand still outstretched. “I forgot to give it to you when you first arrived. But I know you like to have it with you in case it becomes necessary.”
Ali took the bag from him and opened it. Jasmine saw a glint of gold from within and heard the sound of metal clinking.
