I'd been successful at escaping the lamp before Jafar. I could stretch my bright red feathers in freedom. My boss however was still confined to the magical oil lamp. Tethered a prisoner until we could enact a deceitful scheme. I was to sell a greedy, gullible fool the lamp. There was just one scheme that took priority. Get a confession from Jasmine.

I flew into an open bedroom window at the palace. Jasmine was lying atop her expensive silk bedsheet. The brass lamp tight in my talons. I tried to be quiet as I set the magic lamp on her gold nightstand. I took a breath as I worked up the nerve to fly behind her mirror. Would this really work? Could I fool Jasmine by mimicking Jafar's voice? Convincing Jasmine that his voice beckoned her from inside the lamp? I practice a few strong echos, making sure I am rehearsed enough.

"Princess Jasmine." Immediately she's alert. In silence I chastise myself for calling her Princess. Jafar would never address her with such respect. Curses! She will see right through this ruse.

"Who goes there? Is that you, Aladdin?"

Success!

I deepen my boom. Determined to sound as maniacal as Jafar. "Guess again?"

"JAFAR! JAFAR? But how is this possible?!" She blinks a few times, still barely awake.

"You and the Street Urchin thought you'd seen the last of me? Oh, isn't that amusing."

Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest. She was definitely NOT amused. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't burn this lamp and send you straight to Hell!"

"Hell is the lifetime you've lived without me, my dear."

I didn't think that line would go over well. Jafar reprimanded me when I told him to rethink the script. As true as my prediction, it only angered the Princess. In a swift and tempered motion she grabbed the lamp and was ready to chuck it.

"Jasmine, your father see's you as naive. We both know you are no fool. Why, if you wanted me to burn... I'd be burning. This is no different than your... transparent passion you claim was for the sake of distraction."

Jasmine rested with the lamp for a second. Unsure if she should banish him... or listen to his ludicrous statements. "What on EARTH are you talking about, you MAD MAN?"

"I knew that the Genie couldn't make you fall in love with me. But YOU didn't know that I knew that! I wished for it to. . . challenge you."

Jasmine smiled decadently, all too pleased with herself. "Well if THAT was all just a challenge, as you say... All it proves is that I went to desperate lengths to distract you. Aladdin was the rightful owner of the lamp, Jafar! Are you saying I fell right into your trap?" She laughed mockingly, high with the feeling of holding the upper hand. "Your trap makes no sense. It proves nothing!"

"Nothing? It proves that you had always been curious. Forever wondering what a mere second on my lips would taste like."

I'm glad I am a red bird. It was hiding the blush. The seductive tone Jafar wanted me to use when conversing. The topic we were discussing. It felt all too intimate and private for me to be privy to. Jafar was sick. Setting me up to play a twisted Cyrano.

"Don't deny it, woman. You see... you know I never had any use for you. You know in my blackheart I cannot love nor do I seek love. I was bluffing to test the limits. You knew this... and we both know that NOBODY else in the room did. Certainly not your idiot father who doesn't know the first thing about being a Sultan. Not your impostor Prince. Not even the wise all knowing Genie knew that I was in the middle of a power play. Only you and I knew... So tell me why a clever girl such as yourself would fall into such a thinly veiled trap? Hmmm?"

Jasmine looked nervous. Immediately she stormed toward the hallway. She checked both ways to make sure no one was in earshot before slamming the door. She was huffing and puffing, clearly overwhelmed. The Princess mustered all the intimidation she could to confront the oil lamp. "Aladdin can NEVER find out about this, Jafar. What do you want from me? What must I give you, to keep you quiet?!" She fumed, her dark eyes burning.

"For you to humor me is all I require. Admit to me what we both already know to be true."

Jasmine sighed. There was heavy frustration. "Jafar... I didn't know about the no love rule. I was... admittedly intrigued you used a wish on me. It was... flattering even. I waited with anticipation to be spellbound, but no such luck. So, I ran with it. You had presented a situation where I could finally give into my curiosities... It was a perfectly convenient excuse for me."

Jasmine lowered her head in defeat. Cheeks hot with embarrassment. She felt icky inside. She felt a deep sense of shame. That she was somehow betraying Aladdin to own up to this. She wanted to tell Jafar off! To ask him if he was finally satisfied. His request granted, now could he just buzz off for the rest of their lives!? She was engaged to wed Aladdin. She didn't need this getting to him and messing up everything they'd overcome and built as a couple.

The frantic flapping of bird wings pierced the silence. Jasmine looked around- startled, confused. Iago ascended into the air, swooping up the lamp and making a dash out the window. In a reflex, Jasmine chased after him. Her hands reaching out trying to grab the devious macaw. It started to become clearer and clearer what had just happened. Iago had used his mimicry skills to dupe her.

Jasmine screamed his name... but he was already flying into the dark, dead of night.

The Princess fell to her knees. Her hands cradling her head. "What have I done? What have I done?" She tried to use logic to drive out the panic. After all, Jafar was still trapped inside the lamp. Only Iago had heard her drop the shocking bombshell. Who could Iago really tell? He wasn't welcome at the palace. He'd lost all credibility by pledging loyalty to Jafar. He'd made enemies with The Sultan and also Aladdin. Worst case scenario... the parrot would squawk. So? Not like Jasmine would ever admit to this. Iago had been right about one aspect of Jasmine's personality. She could be manipulative. If she had to use manipulation to convince Aladdin that Iago was making up a story to split them apart, then that's what she'd have to do.

Jasmine sighed in relief. Thankfully Iago had destroyed his believability.