"And there it is. The traitor Cassim abandons his own brothers-in-arms in their most dire moment, to follow a son he supposedly abandoned for thievery because he has somehow become an Emperor… HAHAHA!!" Sa'Luk said, laughing loudly as he stared at Aladdin and Cassim.
"Who is to say that all this isn't fabricated? Even the sceptre is fake? You led us here to be captured so you could ditch us midway, because you're connected to the Emperor, who's your so-called son, right?"
Without waiting for Cassim's response, Sa'Luk turned to the forty thieves chained on the wall beside him and asked, "Don't you agree that he's a traitor and isn't fit to be led or be called one of us?"
They all nodded in agreement.
Cassim wanted to respond, but held back his words and turned to Aladdin.
Seeing Aladdin remain silent and staring at him intently, he realised that this might be a test that would dictate his future relationship with his son. However, the issue was that he also didn't want to lose his companions, with whom he had spent the past few decades of his life. They were like his family as well.
If he hadn't chosen to raid Agrabah, then perhaps he wouldn't have encountered such a situation. However, that would also mean that he wouldn't have met his son and daughter-in-law.
The fact that he had to choose between the two slowly dawned on him.
Cassim sighed and said, "I'll make sure to do my best and get you guys out of here. Trust me. I'm the King of the Forty Thieves, aren't I?"
He turned around and left with Aladdin.
"TRAITOR!! TRAITOR!!" Sa'Luk yelled loudly, observing as Cassim and Aladdin exited the cell.
Aladdin paid no attention to him. Sa'Luk was one of those he had ensured would beheaded.
The moment they closed the door, the voice ceased.
Cassim sighed tiredly, slumping his shoulders in disappointment with himself.
"What's going on, Your Majesty?" Rakim asked suspiciously as Aladdin stepped out with the King of Thieves beside him. He gently held his sword handle.
He was worried that Aladdin had been charmed by the King of Thieves.
"I've decided to place him under house arrest. It's complicated, but I'll explain everything to you later," Aladdin responded.
After a brief hesitation, Rakim withdrew his hand and nodded in understanding. However, his gaze never left Cassim, as though waiting for him to make any sudden move so he could cut him down where he stood.
Cassim turned his head to the side and snorted. He had been brought into the cell blindfolded, so he took his time to look around at his surroundings.
Suddenly, the space around him warped as the light dimmed.
In the blink of an eye, Cassim saw that he was now standing within a wide, luxurious room. One moment, he was outside the cell, and the next moment, he found himself here.
"Huh!" Cassim uttered in confusion, taking a look around before snapping his gaze toward Aladdin, noticing his presence as well.
"You'll remain here under house arrest until we're able to talk. The servants will be here to attend to you soon. You can inform them of anything you want, and they will get it for you. Don't think about escaping from here. There might not be any soldiers here, but there are magical beasts guarding these premises. Any attempts to escape or pull anything will have them alerting the guards, and you'll be sent back to prison immediately," Aladdin said, pointing at the stone winged tigers and griffons placed on the balcony.
After in-depth studying of the clone spell he had mastered from Genie, which he had merged with transmutation, he had managed to use the spell on Rajah to create stone clones that could stand as protectors around the palace, similar to the gargoyles that he always saw in movies in his past life.
He had also been very imaginative by creating various elemental magical beasts, such as griffons and various giant birds of prey. Because these clones were made from animals, their intelligence was extremely limited, so he could only give them one specific task, or else he would've used them to massively fill up his armies.
That was the only limitation it had at the moment. However, due to the various events that had transpired, he hadn't yet had the time to create them. The one in the balcony was the one he had created, should his conversation with his father go well, as it had.
Cassim was speechless. "You're really keeping your father under house arrest," he asked in surprise.
He thought that Aladdin had said so to his guard because he didn't want the conversation to transpire in that very place.
"Yes, and don't try to talk your way out of it," Aladdin responded.
Just as Cassim was about to respond, Aladdin vanished into thin air.
Cassim blinked in surprise. He waved his hand at the position that Aladdin had previously occupied. Upon understanding that he was truly gone, he sighed for the umpteenth time.
"I'm very sure that he didn't get these skills from me."
Cassim shook his head and looked around the room.
"Well, at least I don't have to spend the rest of my days in that cell, eating prisoner's food. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts." He leapt onto the bed and lay on it with his arms spread, purring loudly.
"AH!! Yes!! This is life. Father of the Emperor of... what is it again? Ababwa... and Father-in-law to the Sultana of Agrabah... I like the sound of it... They should be very rich... Since I'm his father, will he?... No, it's too early to think about that for now," Cassim pondered before shaking his head.
"Firstly, I need to try to know and learn what he's been up to and try to see if there's a way to free the rest of the Forty Thieves."
"Then, find out what happened to Zena and how he survived to attain all of this." He closed his eyes as a look of melancholy covered his face.
"I never thought that I would be a father again. I hope that it isn't as hard as I imagined."
Aladdin appeared in front of the cell once more.
Then he vanished once more with Rakim, teleporting to the throne room.
Arriving within the throne room, Aladdin walked up the stairs adorned with a red carpet and took his seat on his throne.
The throne was made of gold and decorated with various priceless gems and jewels. It had a long backrest towering over whoever sat on it, and on both sides of the armrests were engravings of lion heads.
Before him was a wide hall, with banners flowing down from the ceiling representing the flag of the Ababwa Empire, the imperial and the noble household. Even the flag of Agrabah hung at a side there, representing one of their allies.
On the ceiling were illustrations of a golden lamp with the detailed imagery of the entire Empire of Ababwa drawn across it. It was obvious that Genie had taken his time designing it.
Several magical lanterns arranged beside the walls and above brightened up the throne room as though it were as bright as day.
Several armed guards lined up beside the walls from one end to another, and in front of the grand entrance doors as well.
Standing a distance from the throne was a group of soldiers holding a tray in their hands, covered with pieces of white cloth. The moment Aladdin appeared in the throne room, they immediately fell to their knees in silent respect.
Rakim took his position at the bottom of the stairs beside the throne.
"You may rise," Aladdin said calmly, shifting into his royal persona. Still, his words resonated across the throne room.
The soldiers slowly rose to their feet.
"I received word from Imperial Grand Commander Rakim that you've fulfilled the mission which I commanded," Aladdin added.
The soldiers nodded.
One of them, who appeared to be their leader, stepped forward and said, "Thanks to the magic carpets that your majesty gave us to take on our journey, we've collected all of the treasures you commanded, and are here to present them to you on the week of your wedding and coronation."
As he completed his words, he bowed.
Aladdin nodded and gestured for them to bring the items forward.
The soldier knelt forward with the tray in his hand, raised above his head. The white cloth was gently pulled away, revealing a pink orb within a glass casing, radiating a soft glow.
"Orb of Machana, your majesty."
Rakim walked towards the soldier, took the tray and climbed up the stairs with it. He placed it before Aladdin.
Aladdin removed the glass casing, took the orb and inspected it.
This was a magical artefact said to cure any genie illness. If he gave this to Genie, then he could further deepen their relationship.
The orb vanished into his storage space.
They were off to a good start.
The first soldier stepped back, and another stepped forward and knelt down, sliding off the white cloth covering his tray.
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