Three Wishes: Cairo (11 page)

His heart was racing. Aladdin had escaped sweaty guards wielding razor sharp swords, yet he had never felt this rush of adrenaline before. He had awoken early; bathed in his brand new glass vase and even put on his nicest shirt. There was no conscious thought to any of this, because his body and mind just went through this process automatically. He felt relieved that she was rich and he was dirt poor. There were no real expectations that he would have to live up to.

Now as he and Darius made their way back to the site where he had first laid eyes on the Princess, Aladdin was anxious to catch another glimpse of the creature that had already stolen his heart.

Several times he even wondered if he had dreamed the whole thing. There was actually a swell of relief when he saw the two benches facing each other in a small clearing that was obviously out of place in a deep dark forest. This little patch of sunlit security reminded him so much of the home he had created for himself in these very same woods. He wondered if it was possible that two individuals from completely opposite sides of the social scale could have so much in common. Both sought refuge from their lives by escaping to a place that was private and secluded, yet provided a ray of warm sunlight in an otherwise dark and spooky environment.

Now it was time to wait. He paced nervously. Waiting certainly wasn’t his strong suit, nor was sitting. His heart was pounding, his skin was crawling and he was covered in sweat. ‘
I guess that bath was a waste of time,’
he thought.

The question of how long he would wait for her was answered soon after. He saw a wall of leaves move silently under power from a slender and beautiful hand. Soon, his eyes yet again fell upon the strange and exotic princess he had met only a day ago as she made her way toward him. He had decided ahead of time that he would try not to appear too anxious to see her (though the bright eyes and layer of sweat didn’t help). Before her eyes locked on him, he was mentally testing out his coolest nod. He would dazzle her with his smile, but let her speak first. He was practically jumping out of his skin in anticipation, but he would present a calm and smoldering demeanor. That whole plan lasted for about fifteen seconds. When Darius saw his former owner, he lost his mind and ran barking wildly at her.

“Hanif,” Enna said quietly to the dog. “You've come for a visit. How nice… you even brought along your human.” The dog ran directly into her, knocking her onto the ground and showering her with kisses that could melt glaciers.

Aladdin helped her to her feet, glared at his dog and again tried out his new nod. “Hello Princess, very nice to see you. How are things in the land of primpery?”

With that utterance, he noticed a distinctively darker mood than their previous meeting. He certainly had hoped for a laugh at this point and perhaps a smart retort, rather than a polite smile and a simple wave.

“I'm sorry… just kidding,” he stuttered.

“No, I'm sorry,” she said. “Life in the land of primpery, as you call it, is not good.”

“But you're a princess, Princess. What could possibly be wrong in your world? Is the palace too hot? Are the servants not serving? Don’t tell me that the gold has not been polished?” He smiled at her, quite content with his humor.

Her feisty look returned, “I’d somehow already forgotten just how exceedingly funny you are, sir.”

“Aladdin” he corrected. “I think we both know that I'm no sir.”

“Then Aladdin it is,” she smiled. “And just for fun, instead of calling me Princess, how about we just try Enna?”

“Agreed,” he said and then repeated that name to himself. “Enna.” Saying her name aloud for the first time felt like cool silk waved gently across the face. He knew she was royalty; someone from a completely different experience than his own, yet he just felt as if she should never leave his side again.

They shared an afternoon of stories. She found out about his past and his hopes for a different future. He found out about her father, the curses of being the only child in a royal family and the strange conversation she had been part of last evening.

“Katar is your father’s most important ally?” Aladdin asked.

“Yes, I have known him for several years. He moved into the palace after my mother died.”

“So, your father actually suggested that you marry someone that is just about as old as he is?” the young man was both shocked and revolted by this conversation.

“Yes. It’s nothing twisted on my father’s part. He only wants me to be happy. Katar is the only person he trusts, so he sees some sort of connection there. I certainly hope he didn’t envision a romantic connection.” She looked horrified.

“Oh, I think you would have known if he’d pictured that,” said Aladdin.

“How?” Enna replied.

“He would have closed his eyes, eased back in his chair and thrown up his meal.”

Enna laughed out loud. Aladdin was the first person her own age that she’d been able to converse with about anything. It felt good to share her fears with someone who wasn’t old enough to be a parent. Of course it didn’t hurt that this particular person was handsome, had almost golden eyes that stared directly back into her own and never wavered. Probably also didn’t hurt that her father would have never approved of this common boy that sat across from her and who hung on her every word.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“Well, I can promise you, I won't be marrying anyone older than a million years old. That probably eliminates Katar the Annoying.” Aladdin smiled at her sarcasm. “And I won't be marrying the
Prince of the Day
either
.
I can’t even imagine how strange it would be to have these eager bluebloods paraded in front of me like so many slabs of meat.”

“Marry me!” he blurted out.

“What?” She almost fell off of her bench.

“I'm serious. I'm not a million years old and I love this kingdom as much as you do. I'm pretty good at planning, so I can help pull this off. I don't give a rat's tail about letting you be in charge, and most importantly, we already have a son together.”

Darius barked to voice his opinion.

“You do realize that a commoner is not permitted to even speak to a princess without her father’s permission?” Her facial expression suddenly grew serious. “You could be beheaded for even saying that.”

Aladdin stopped smiling. “I’m sorry, Enna. But I’m serious.”

“You just don’t say things like that, Aladdin!”

“If I have offended you Princess, I apologize.” He looked a little hurt.

“I don’t know,” she hesitated. “Two wedding proposals in less than a day’s time; Katar is quite handsome, even for an older man.” Her tiny smile revealed that she had been playing with him.

“Then I will not stand in the way. You should marry Katar with utmost speed and begin the process of naming his wrinkles.”

“On the other hand, I do sort of like Darius.”

“You can name dogs or wrinkles; the choice is yours.” He smiled now.

Again the time had flown by and Enna realized that she would soon be missed in the palace. As she began to rise, Aladdin sprang to his feet and helped her up. He pulled her close and looked directly into her eyes for the first time. When their faces were within inches, their smiles disappeared as the seriousness of the embrace overtook them both. He was close enough to catch the slight fragrance of flowers from her hair. When he spoke this time, it was a mere whisper as his lips brushed her right ear. “I will be what you need me to be Enna.”

“Aladdin, that's sweet, but what do you know about being king?” Her legs felt weak and her head was spinning slightly.

“As much as you know about naming dogs,” he smiled.

With that, he kissed her gently on the nose, finally used his cool nod and separated their clench.

Now she was sweating.

When she spoke again, her voice came out a little higher than she’d hoped.

“My father and Katar will be out of town on business for two weeks. I think we should discuss this further. They are expecting me at dinner tonight, so I have to go. Can you meet me here tomorrow at noon?”

“Darius and I have a few prior engagements, but I think we can squeeze you in.”

“Tomorrow it is,” she turned and walked toward the palace after giving both of Darius’s ears a good rub.

As she walked away, he couldn't help but stare.

She felt his eyes on her and turned to quickly smile back at him.

She didn't feel alone anymore. She had someone she could talk to and laugh with. Aladdin had a reason to wake up each morning and a reason to be a better man.

Neither even noticed a third set of eyes monitoring the scene.

Katar didn't start off with bad intentions, yet here he was. He progressed through the ranks of servitude much like all others in the King’s employ. As a lowly gardener, he was brought in at a young age to tend to the gardens on the grounds of the palace. During this time, he first met the Sultan's wife, Dina. He was impressed with her style and the effusive manner with which she reacted to his work. He secretly fell in love with the young queen though he never would have even considered being disloyal to the Sultan.

As he grew older, he was promoted to the inside hothouses and conservatory that housed the massive decorative plants and vegetables for the palace. In this position, Katar began to study the wide variety of plant-based medicines that were beginning to replace the ritual-centric treatments of the past. The Sultan had a common interest in plants and struck up an amiable friendship with Katar over a fascination for all things green. The Sultan's interest in plant-based medicine turned overnight into an obsession when Dina became ill.

Though Dina knew that there was something wrong, she never felt the need to
bother
those closest to her. She had noticed a decline in energy over a period of time that began to exhaust her after even the simplest of tasks. She tried adding some additional rest to her very full schedule but eventually, the tide of the illness knocked her off her feet. From there, it seemed as if what started off as a simple fever had ravaged her to nothing in mere days. For those closest to her, it soon morphed from fighting to keep her alive to trying to keep her comfortable.

The King was angered by this powerless feeling. He had threatened his private physicians and admonished them for their incompetence, only to later find himself begging as he watched them failing to even slow his wife's declining condition. Finally, in an act of utter desperation, he turned to his gardener for advice. The two had occasionally discussed herb remedies and the power of healing through plants. Katar was aware of Dina’s condition and now the conversations became much more official and frantic. Paden knew that he really had nothing to lose with trying something new. After a steady regimen of common sense herbs and remedies, Katar was able to slow her rate of descent and buy her precious time to get her affairs in order. During this time and with a brief respite from her pain, Dina began to prepare her loved ones for her imminent exit from their lives. One evening, as she lay sleeping peacefully, Dina's heart simply stopped beating. There was a quiet honor about her death, as if the Gods had seen fit to bring her gently into the heavens.

Even though they had been given weeks to prepare and say their goodbyes, Enna, the Sultan and even Katar were devastated by the loss. To his credit, even at his lowest point, the Sultan never forgot the gift of time, however brief, that Katar had bought for the family. With that trust and a feeling that Katar was the only person he could count on following Dina’s death, the gardener was installed as the Sultan's chief right hand and instantly thrust into position as the second most powerful member of the Royal Cabinet.

Katar had always had an innate common sense and within weeks, he had mastered most of the intricacies of government. He threw himself into his work with great enthusiasm as much to dispel his own secret grief as to please the Sultan. In reality, the two had been in love with the same woman and they channeled that into a successful friendship and partnership.

The Sultan loved his daughter with all of his heart, yet he couldn't help but be reminded of Dina when he looked Enna’s blue eyes. It was probably for this reason that he began to unconsciously avoid Enna. Her stark resemblance to his wife was driving an unintended wedge between father and daughter. The Sultan didn’t even realize that his search for self healing was making his young daughter feel even more alone and isolated. She had lost her best and only friend and now was feeling the loss of her father as well. It was a very dark time in the palace. The staff of the palace, also mourning the loss of their queen, was being whipped to the brink by Katar with some overzealous need to prove himself worthy of his new position.

There was a brief moment of levity for Enna when her father purchased the dog for her. He was not yet ready to deal with his daughter and hoped to placate her with the fuzzy little pup.

Somehow, this poor little puppy became the flashpoint for everything that would transpire.

The Sultan had asked Katar to arrange to have the dog brought in for Enna. Katar secretly resented that he was forced to handle this trivial matter. Not only were Katar and Enna already started down a road of distain and distrust, but Katar hated dogs. He couldn't even pretend that he understood how Enna needed this animal in her life. He gritted his teeth while forced to smile as this rodent disgustingly licked his fingers. Being licked by a dog was not a gift of love… rather it was a search for food. There was no affection involved, yet so many were enamored by this little beast.

For Enna, Hanif was like a long lost friend suddenly thrust into her life. She was so thankful to have someone to talk to, even though Hanif never spoke back with more than a firm tail-wagging. Enna was intuitive enough to immediately see through Katar's false affection for the dog. She already had started to distrust the man with whom her father placed so much confidence. Their relationship had collapsed from terse one word answers to outright animosity for one another. Though their mutual loathing bubbled just beneath the surface, they didn’t discuss it aloud or with the Sultan for fear that it might even worsen. Though the Sultan was withdrawn and depressed, he was aware that his two closest allies were constantly at odds, yet in his current state, he didn’t feel compelled to act on it.

The dog became Enna's constant companion. Hanif was always game for anything, so she loved the time that they spent together. Because Katar had feigned real affection for the dog, the Sultan assigned more and more interaction with Hanif as a
favor
to his number one. Under the misguided notion that Katar actually liked the dog, the Sultan had hoped that a common interest might bring together his most trusted friend and his daughter.

The breaking point came during a three-day trip that the Sultan and Enna took to visit the Sultan's brother, Gerode. It was determined that Hanif would remain at the palace because, had he been really honest, the Sultan was not really a big fan of the mutt, either. Enna was not pleased. But even with Enna's heated protest, her father had the last word and she was forced to say goodbye to her best friend as they prepared for their trip. Before leaving the palace to a smarmy Katar and an always cheery Hanif, Enna stared directly into Katar's eyes and said, “I hold you directly responsible.”

Katar smiled humbly. “I will give this proud animal all of the care and love that it deserves.”

Before the royal horses were even fully out of sight, Katar was walking deeper into the forest than he had ever ventured with the damned animal in tow. With the words “I will hold you directly responsible” still ringing in his ears; he tied the leash to tree, turned and endured one last tail wagging before heading back to the palace. Who was this young woman to tell him what to do? He was quite pleased as he moved further and further away and the constant barking of the animal was absorbed by the dense forest.

When the Sultan and Enna returned from the trip, Katar told them the sad news about Hanif’s escape, an unfortunate encounter with the hunters that led to the demise of the poor dear dog. The reaction he received from Enna was predictably angry and emotional. What he didn't expect was the cold reception he got from his friend, the Sultan. “My daughter trusted you with her most prized possession and you have let the family down. I am very disappointed my friend.”

Katar looked away with the proper amount of contrition, while thinking to himself, “It was only a dog… a dog you didn't even like!”

But that stupid dog had cost him. The loss had brought the Sultan back to Enna. He began to seek her out and consult with Katar about her eventual rise to the throne. He was soon requesting her attendance at dinner each evening and she was now his date to formal functions. Though he should have known that eventually, the family would find their way back to one another, Katar just blamed that dog!

His thoughts returned to the present. That
same dog was barking happily along the side of the palace!

How could that be? He had hiked deep into the woods and tied that clueless creature to a tree over a year ago. There was no possibility it could still be alive, yet that screeching yip could only come from one source. He grabbed the closest stick and was making his way alongside the palace to investigate, when he saw the wall of the castle push forward slightly and move to the side. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? He stepped back, protected by shadows to witness the surprising site playing out before him.

Perhaps just this once, that pitiful canine had done something right. For if it hadn’t been for his annoying yips, Katar never would have discovered the scene playing out before him. He wasn't even trying to eavesdrop on Enna (not that he hadn't many times previously). He had watched her sleep countless times, peering at her through a secret panel behind her bed and wondering what she would do if she woke up and felt his hands on her throat. He had watched her grow in to the beautiful young woman she had become. The thought of killing her now came a close second to marrying her and stealing the kingdom.

Tonight's bounty had arrived entirely by accident. He now stood in the shadows transfixed by the secret rendezvous between the young man, the princess and that dog. What he saw sent chills to his very core. But that was the funny thing about information. He might not like what he was seeing and what it meant, but if he used it correctly, it could prove to be quite fortuitous.

His timetable would have to be adjusted. He would have to act now. There could be no more hand-wringing or guilt because any delay, and he might just find himself in the dungeon. Enna now went from a necessary nuisance to a direct threat to him. In a very short time, his numerous lies would be exposed. All this time, he had been protecting his secrets and here she was, with quite a few of her own.

His heart slowed as he took in both this new visual information and the barely audible conversation that followed. He was well-hidden, but was still cautious and careful. He could not afford to be discovered and thus ratchet up an already shrinking timetable for action. Enna was obviously familiar with this young man and also was well aware that her stupid dog was still alive, yet she had said nothing. He still had some time, but certainly not much of it. He recognized this boy from somewhere.  Was it possible he was the young thief who had been teasing his guards?

Like all good sociopaths, he didn't dwell too long on the negative. He didn't recriminate himself for letting this whole scene play out. Now he had the facts; he simply had to adapt. Perhaps he could now even accomplish his goals more easily?

He hung back in the shadows; barely breathing, like a snake ready to strike. He took shallow quiet breaths while he bore witness to the day's events. They never suspected he was there. He not only focused on their entire conversation, but also formulated a plan that would provide him with everything he wanted.

For now it was best to let her go on thinking that her secrets were safe.

Whoever this young man was, he would have to learn more about him before removing him from the equation.