Aladdin snuck away from the guards and quick as a flash scaled the wall surrounding the palace. He stuck to the shadows, praying with everything that he would not be missed for at least a few hours. He really and truly just needed a break. He loved his father and mother but did they really have to put in their wills that he had to be married by his 18th birthday or the entire kingdom would go to Jafar?!

It was even worse that he did not even get to hear that part of their will until 3 months before he turned 18. They "didn't want to pressure him unnecessarily," because three months to marry wasn't pressure or anything. And the fiancee they chose was a complete-... Well she was horrid. She needed everything in the finest silks. Food had to be cooked twice no matter how good it was the first time and the only thing she wore had to cost more gold and diamonds than it took to feed the entire kingdom for a week! Were they trying to give him grey hairs?

As it was Jafar was practically running the kingdom, between him and the head guard, Razoul, they "had everything under control". Thankfully Aladdin still had to sign everything as the technical Saltan. So Jafar could not do anything without his okay but still…

Regardless, he needed a break from all of the drama. And today was Sadira's day at the market. He quickly snuck into the abandoned building that he called his own (technically it was after all) and changed into the rags he'd borrowed from one of his servants. He quickly hopped over the debris that littered the floor and made his way to the market.

He'd seen Sadira by accident the first time he'd snuck out of the palace when he was barely fifteen. And he'd been slowly bringing his parents around to the idea of marrying a commoner but they'd taken ill and died before they could do anything and if Aladdin tried he would probably end up with a riot that he really and truly didn't need.

Needless to say it was probably a good thing that they had never actually spoken, he could not imagine what it would be like if he had to let her down after all of the work he had gone through. Lost in his thoughts as he was he walked right into the fruit stand. He managed to catch a mango before it all came tumbling down on top of him.

"Look what you've done, boy!"

The fruit seller came around the cart with a raised fist as he looked at the boy who lay in the fruit.

"I'm terribly sorry! I'll clear it up, shall I?"

For some reason that seemed to make the man even more angry, "And what would be the point of that?! Most of it is ruined! Worthless! You've cost me a week's earnin's and I expect to get it back."

"I can pay…"

"Oh you'll pay, alright." The man's eyes narrowed with an evil glint and he drew a curved blade from his belt.

Aladdin flinched back and scrambled backwards over the fruit, "Let me go to the palace, one of the guards owes me a favor, I'll just-"

"Quick!" A new, feminine voice broke through his desperate pleas as small, but deceptively strong, hands gripped his forearm and pulled him to his feet, "Arian is missing again! You're the only one who can help find him, where was he last time?! Hurry! Who know's what trouble he'll be in if we don't drag him out of it!"

Huh, well it looked like he would not have to go search out Sadira after all. What a coincidence...

The fruit seller was stunned by the commotion and his hand holding the blade started to fall, "What?"

"Oh and thank you sir for finding my friend here! My little brother is missing and he's the only one who can find him! He has a knack for it that no one else can quite grasp!"

The small girl launched herself at the large man, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss to his cheek. In another instant she was back on Aladdin guiding him away at a brisk pace and they soon disappeared in the crowds of the market.

"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along."

The hooded figure shrugged, "That man is horrid to everyone. Although you really should pay more attention, and it might be a good idea to pay him something or you'll be blackballed in the market,"

"Wait! Is there anyway I can repay you?"

"Look. I really do have to find my brother, he disappears all the time and I'm afraid that one of these days the palace guards will catch him doing something he shouldn't be. So I really do have to go, I don't fancy having to break into a palace to break out Abu."

"Your brother's name is Abu?"

"Yes?"

"Light brown hair, usually wears a purple fez?"

"How do you know him?"

Aladdin actually let out a little chuckle, "Funny story, I might actually know where he is…"

The girl gave him a disbelieving stare, "You're kidding? Nope I always run into him when I sn- come into the market. I don't know how he knows but he's always there when I get back."

"And how long has this been happening?"

"I started sneaking over here about 5 years ago and I think he showed up about a year after that?" Aladdin gave his own shrug, "Couldn't tell you much more than that, I didn't think much of it until he was still there to be honest."

"And how often do you 'sneak over' here?"

"Less lately, but it used to be once or twice a month."

"Look at that, my story holds more truth than I thought. Alright lead the way, Finder of Abu."

" . My names Al."

She let out a laugh, "Are you sure? Ala-Al.?"

"My real name reminds me too much of other problems so Al it is."

He started walking in the general direction of the abandoned home with Sadira by his side.

"Now I'm curious, what's your real name?"

"Nope! Al is my name from here until the ends of the earth. And I'll swear it before everything if I have to."

"You're no fun. Guess I'll just have to ask Abu then."

Aladdin frowned as a thought suddenly occurred to him, "You know, I don't think he actually knows my name, I've never actually told him."

"He tends to just give people nicknames, doesn't mean he doesn't know your real name, he has a tendency to find out. What's he call you instead?"

Aladdin fought down a groan, but judging by the giggle that rose next to him he failed, "Little Prince. Which is ridiculous for two reasons, one I am most definitely not a Prince in any way shape or form. Two, I am at least heads and shoulders taller than him. But does he listen, no."

"He calls me Jaded Eyes. Apparently there's a gem that grows far across the desert, beyond water ways, and past so many trees that grow so close together you cannot walk around them nor see the sun from under them. A green gem that just matches my eyes."

"I've seen jade before. I would say that he is telling the truth."

"It just seems ridiculous, how would he even know if such a thing exists?"

Aladdin shrugged and reached out a hand to help Sadira over a ledge. A hand which was ignored, "People travel from there with hair as dark as yours or mine and skin near the colors of our sands. They bring those pieces and the stories with them. He probably heard it from one of them."

"That's what he says."

"But he is right, the gem matches your eyes perfectly."

Sadira rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah. C'mon lead the way to my pesky brother."

The pair walked a few blocks in silence before Aladdin found something to say that he was pretty sure would not come off as creepy, or weird, or too flirtatious… or all of the above.

"You know, I never would have guessed Abu was your brother. You two don't really look all that much alike."

"He's my brother in every way that counts. But no, we're not actually related, technically."

"What do you mean?"

"I met Abu after I got kicked out of the palace."

Aladdin quite nearly chocked on his own tongue, "What? Too much mud on your shoes?"

"Hardly. My mom was the servant to the first consort. When she became ill a few years ago the sultan had my mother executed, the royal vizier had advised him that my mother might be to blame.

"When the woman got better they had their proof. Nevermind the fact that it was likely the cure my mom made her that helped her. So since, I was barely ten I couldn't be killed. Instead I was thrown onto the streets, out of the one home I knew, and told to fend for myself. If Abu had not found me and shown me how to survive (yes he was still a child at the time but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do) and here I am."

"So he thought he was being merciful to you."

Sadira snorted, "For a long time I'd hoped that the sultan would choke on the mercy he showed me. It wasn't until the ruler passed a few years back that I realized it had all been a set up by the royal vizier. My mom had almost foiled his plans, likely discovered them in the first place and Jafar-" The viscious way she spat the current regent's name shocked Aladdin enough that he barely heard the end of the sentence, "wasn't going to let anything in his way."

Aladdin was silent for long moments, Sadira used to work in his palace, a servant to his mother, but he had never even know. He resolved to at least take more notice of the servants on a daily basis.

"Of course, it looks like he got what he wanted. Jafar is practically Sultan, the Prince is putty in his hands. You think someone educated by all of the finest scholars would notice a liar and a power hungry man under his roof all day. But alas he's probably blinded by the gold he counts every day."

And that was so not fair, "I doubt he's that bad. I'm sure he's less happy in his life than we imagine. In fact he probably dreams about living outside the palace. Just as we glorify living within it."

"The prince has been a spoiled brat since the day he was born. One day I was walking through the servants halls, looking for my mother so I could eat. When the prince came prancing down the stairs. Then he had the nerves to berate me for being in his line of sight. He didn't want to 'ruin his royal eyes with all of the common-ness I was exuding' and I doubt that has changed."

"You may be surprised, people to tend to mature you know."

"I still have friends in the palace. Trust me. He sits in his room and pouts because he is marrying a brat and Jafar just fakes his signatures on laws."

"WHAT?!"

Sadira took a step back from him, "Relax. The prince doesn't know and most of the laws had been good for us. All of them good for Jafar. But one takes what they can get."

Aladdin guided her onto a rooftop and carefully walked across the plank he'd laid there a few hours prior. He was about halfway across when she went flying over him using a single beam of wood for leverage.

"I can't believe you just did that."

"Believe me, it's safer than walking across on a death trap like you did."

The next section was an easy jump and soon enough they were right by his hideout. And they could hear Abu inside, likely destroying something or at least attracting far more attention than any other sane street urchin would.

They shared a look before quickly climbing the stairs.

"Watch your head. That beams a hazard."

Aladdin's warning was brief and choppy as he tried to control his breathing. They came to a pause when they saw Abu held in the grips of palace guards.

Sadira paled at the sight, "Not Abu, please, not Abu."

In hiding or not there was no way they were taking this boy he stood up and walked into the center of the room before meeting Razoul's eyes , "Release him."

"And why would w listen to a street rat like you? Grab him too boys!"

Aladdin dodged their hands and used his sleeve to wipe the dirt of his face. Using a move one of the other guards had taught him (just in case) he grabbed the offending hand twisted his own body under it and took a step back as he dropped down on one knee. The guard went flying over him and landed, hard on the floor.

"Sir Ala-"

"Yes, Al, the Sultan's personal servant." The guard blinked at him, "I'm here under his orders to make sure the people are being treated well. And I'm afraid he's going to be very disappointed."

"We-" Razoul was cut off as Aladdin turned to face him.

"You are all going to leave this boy here and go back to the palace. I'll send my report to the Sultan when I return and he will deal with you then. Is that understood?"

"Of course, my L-"

"That's enough. Leave."

They all gave a small bow and a glare at the younger boy before moving slowly out the door.

Sadira stepped into view the instant the last guard had disappeared, "Sneaking out? Visiting the market? I guess that's why you kept trying to defend the Sultan, isn't it?"

Aladdin shrugged and reached over to the folded figure of Abu, "Hey? Are you okay?"

"I will be Little Prince. I will be. I see you finally met Jaded over here."

"And lied to me."

Aladdin sent a glare over his shoulder, "You asked for my name. Not my job, where I lived, or anything of the sort. I gave you what you asked."

"Are you going to have me arrested then?"

"For what? Advising his personal servant that the vizier is controlling the kingdom. Speaking your mind so the Sultan understand what his people think of him and the way he rules the country?"

"For insulting the Sultan?"

Aladdin shrugged, "I'm pretty sure people have called the Sultan far worse than a spoiled brat. I know I have."

Sadira glared at him, "I'll take Abu home. You should go deliver your message before the royal guard twists it around to suit their needs."

Anyone could have heard the need for time to think in her words, and the doubting that she really would not be arrested for her words. So the Sultan… 's assistant rose to his feet and gave her a small bow.

"I'm not too worried I seem to have a special place in the Sultan's ear. I'll see you around?"

"I don't see why not. It's not like I'll be going anywhere, anytime soon."

Something about her tone seemed…different to Aladdin, but he couldn't place his finger on it and he really didn't have the time either. He had a feeling he only had so long before someone tipped off Jafar and he lost the element of surprise.

The walk to the palace had given Aladdin plenty of time to think through everything that Sadira had told him. Jafar was passing new laws? Laws without his permission? Laws that put himself before the whole of Agrabah? Aladdin was not going to stand for it. Disgusting fiancée or not, he was not going to put up with that…man become Sultan.

"JAFAR! RAZOUL!"

"Your majesty?" The royal vizier showed up with what Aladdin could now read as a mocking bow. His downcast face likely hiding a sneer or something else sinister.

"Razoul. You and your guards take this traitor down to the dungeons."

"Saltan?"

"He has been abusing his powers as the royal vizier. He is a traitor to the Sultan and Agrabah."

"My Liege?" Aladdin went to shout at the man that the instructions were not that hard to understand but froze under the realization that Razoul wasn't even looking at him.

The question was directed at Jafar.

"What-?"

The vizier shrugged and he shook his head almost as though he was disappointed in Aladdin. Which was ridiculous because if anyone should be disappointed it should be Aladdin.

"Alas, it appears my plans were in vain, I had hoped that you would have handed over Agrabah and the throne without a struggle, but it seems I was…mistaken. Razoul. You know what to do."

Before Aladdin could even contemplate the meaning behind those words. He heard Razoul mutter something under his breath. Half a second later the leader of the palace guards turned and Aladdin was blindsided by the sword hilt that came crashing down into the side of his head.

At that last moment before the world disappeared he cursed himself for not thinking this through. And now the kingdom was sure to collapse.

Mother would be so disappointed.

Here it is! This is a response to a prompt by ObeliskX who I thank greatly for their patience waiting for this first chapter! Depending on the feedback depends on how fast the next chapter comes out and I also have a few other works as well. More reviews = Faster update.

But school, two jobs, Christmas, and rehearsals means free time is practically null and void. So please give me a little while before you start bugging me for another chapter!

Also this will be an Aladdin/Jasmine fic so don't get too attached to Aladdin/Sadira J