“Well, it’s a—”
“Surprise,” she finished. “You and the surprises.”
“This one will be a surprise for both of us,” Ali said. “But I think it should be pretty nice, and my surprises have been worth it so far, haven’t they?”
“They have,” she agreed.
The steps were indeed large and sturdy, and despite how steep the cliff was, Jasmine was surprised how securely they made their way down.
She gasped when they took the last step onto the sandy ground of the shore. Just beneath the cliff was a glittering grotto and an aquamarine pond. Leaning down to touch the water, she found it was cool. One could look straight down to the smooth, sandy bottom below. Jasmine glanced about at the dark horizon.
“What do you think?” he asked her.
“The way it’s tucked under the cliff, it’s almost as if we are the only two people left on earth.”
They sat next to one another on one of the polished granite stones spread across the shore beneath the cliff. The clouds above them cleared to reveal a bright star-filled sky. Here, tucked away from all the world, with Ali by her side, they seemed to glitter particularly vividly.
“It’s the strangest thing to be here with you. I’d just about written you off when I saw you dancing at the Harvest Festival.” She turned to him. “I didn’t think you’d have room in your life for anyone but yourself.”
“I will never live that down, will I?” he laughed.
“Nope.” Jasmine shook her head and rested her head against his shoulder. “You’re going to have to deal with that one forever.”
Ali smiled.
Forever. Jasmine blinked. Had she just said that so easily? And yet, in this moment, she wished so much for that to be true. With the stars twinkling above and the waves gently hitting the shore, this was exactly what she wanted. To know this man who sat beside her forever. He was so easy to talk to, but sitting in silence next to him was just as comfortable.
This was the perfect way to end the most perfect night, but glancing at Ali now, she saw he looked preoccupied.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing, really. Sometimes my mind can wander. Can’t shut it off no matter how hard I try.”
“What are you thinking about right now?”
“I guess it’s just being in Ababwa. I mean back. It makes me realize I’m not the person I want to be.”
“Oh, Ali.” She looked up at him. “You have to forgive yourself for what happened with that man at the restaurant.”
“It’s not that. I mean, it’s more than just him.” He looked at Jasmine and hesitated. “I want to be a certain kind of person. Sometimes I’m afraid no matter how hard I try, I’ll never be the person I could be.”
“I feel that way sometimes, too,” she said. “Since I can’t be the leader I want to be.”
“No.” He shook his head. “You’re different. You are a leader.”
“Oh, yes,” she laughed bitterly. “Telling Dalia when it’s time to draw my bath? Figuring out what my evening meal might be? I’m quite the leader all right.”
“Even if you’re not ruling Agrabah like you deserve to, you’re still a leader through and through. Jasmine”—he turned to look at her, his eyes squarely on hers—“you are the smartest person I have ever met. You’re kind and warm and generous. Even if you aren’t an actual leader of Agrabah yet, you are a leader at heart.”
“Ali…” Jasmine felt her eyes growing wet. “Thank you. I can’t begin to tell you how much this time in your kingdom has meant to me. The way you let me sit with you on your advisory meeting, and helping Zaria and Maha…It felt good to be needed.”
“No matter where you are, you will always be needed.”
“Thank you,” Jasmine said. And then, she realized something. “And I think the country I am needed in most is Agrabah,” she said slowly. “I love it here in Ababwa. I truly do. It’s the most charming kingdom I’ve ever been in. I know you were only joking back there at the menagerie about staying here forever and never going back, but there was a part of me that thought, ‘Why not just stay here?’ My opinion actually matters here. I can make a difference. In just one short day, I have made a difference. Your subjects, most of them, are so kind and helpful. As far as a kingdom goes this one is as good as it gets, but…”
“You want to go back.”
“Being here I realize even more how much I am truly needed at home. Maybe I will never be as great and beloved by my people as you are here, but it’s a goal worth trying for. And even if my father and Jafar don’t think I can or should rule, I need to fight for the chance for my people. I need a seat at the table so I can help decide matters that affect the kingdom. Ruling for the sake of power only helps the powerful. Agrabah needs people in charge who care for both the kingdom and the people who live there. They deserve it.”
“Not only does Agrabah need a good leader,” Ali said, “Agrabah needs you. After spending this day with you, I know this much at least. Even if nothing else is real in this world, you are.”
Waves crashed in the distance as they gazed at one another. There it was again. The way he looked at her could still every worry within her. It could make her forget everything. And right now, the way the moonlight reflected against his face, something about his eyes was so warm and so familiar…. There was no way to explain it: she knew him. It was as though she always had. He leaned closer to her. He’s going to kiss me, she realized with a flutter in her chest. She closed her eyes and leaned closer. And then…
“Prince Ali!”
In an instant Ali and Jasmine pulled apart. Omar hurried down the stairs toward them.
“Omar!” Ali jumped up from the boulder and rushed toward him. The butler’s forehead was coated with sweat.
“I’m so glad I found you. I was looking everywhere. I didn’t know what to do. I’m afraid we have a problem,” he managed to say. “I don’t know how it happened. It’s never happened before. No one would ever dare…”
“What’s wrong?” Ali asked.
“Are you all right?” asked Jasmine.
“The magic carpet.” Omar breathed in ragged gasps. “It’s missing.”
