The Secret of Immortality
An Original Story Inspired by Disney's Aladdin.
written by
Eva Luz Villalón Turrubiates
October 1998
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To Sedeara for all her help and support and the great inspiration she has
put into my life.
Without her this story would have never been finished.
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Chapter One
An Heir is Born
It was a warm dawn in the desert dunes.... the sun was starting to rise in
the sky making the golden sands shine... there was something in the air that
morning...there was something in the sky... it was a special day...
The proud city of Agrabah awoke that morning with the sounds of the horns
and the bells.... the Royal Messengers came out to the streets, marketplaces
and squares to proclaim the good news to the people.... every single man,
woman and child of the city felt joy filling their hearts.
Allah's blessings had fallen upon them.... a Prince had been born in
Agrabah!
At the palace, everyone was very excited with the arrival of the baby. It
had been a long and
extenuating night for everybody, but now the atmosphere was filled with
love, happiness and
tenderness.
The royal physician came out from a room. In the hall the Sultan, Genie,
Abu, Rajah, Carpet and
Rasoul were waiting. The Sultan asked anxiously: "Doctor, please, is
everything all right? How is my daughter? How is the baby?"
"Your Highness!" The doctor bowed. "As I announced earlier, our Princess is
fine... she's extenuated after the childbirth, but she's strong and she'll
recover in no time... as for the baby, believe me, in all my years as a
physician I have never seen such a beautiful and healthy baby... Your
Majesty, the Princess Jasmine and Aladdin gave us a wonderful Prince... the
heir of Agrabah's throne.... "
Everyone sighed in relief and the Sultan and Genie exchanged proud looks and
smiles. Out of
nowhere, Genie made cigars appear for everyone, and then a little stuffed
camel which he started to wrap in a gift box. He was obviously excited.
"Oh, I can't wait to meet my little nephew... I'm sure he's gonna love this
toy... Oh, a little baby! How cute! Can we see 'em, doc? Can we? Can we?"
"Well..." The doctor meditated the request for a while. "The Princess and
the baby are resting right now... hmmm... ok, but just for a second... and
no crowds..."
The Sultan nodded: "We'll do as you say, doctor... I want to see my
daughter... and my grandson..." He giggled happily. "Genie, you can come
with me... the rest of you will have to wait until they both are ready to
receive visits, ok?!?"
Abu make a mad noise, moved his arm angrily and then folded his arms across
his chest. Rajah made a noise and laid himself on the floor. Carpet was more
understanding. Rasoul just stayed there, guarding the door.
The Sultan and Genie entered the room. The curtains were closed, so the room
was partially dark. Aladdin, who was sitting on a couch next to the bed did
stand up when the Sultan and Genie entered.
Aladdin smiled widely. In his eyes they could see the pride and the love of
the new father. Aladdin
spoke quietly: "Sultan! Genie! I'm so glad to see you!"
"How are you, my boy?" The Sultan said in the same quiet tone.
"I'm fine, Sultan... tired, but happy... and proud..."
"And you should be, Al". Spoke Genie in that quiet tone too, giving Al the
gift box. "Here, it's a little something for the kid... the doc told us
everything about your beautiful baby... "daddy"... "
Al and Genie exchanged smiles. Then Aladdin said: "Jasmine is sleeping
right now... she was so brave during the childbirth... she deserves her
rest... the baby is sleeping too... but you can see them if you want...
come..."
The Sultan and Genie went closer to the bed, where Jasmine was sleeping
deeply, with a smile in her lips, holding a little bundle beside her.
Aladdin pulled tenderly the hair from Jasmine's forehead and then he,
carefully, took the little bundle in his arms to show him to the Sultan and
Genie.
"Here, Your Highness... he's your grandson... my kid... my son..."
"Praise, Allah!" Said the sultan smiling. "Here is the Prince of Agrabah...
my grandson... my beautiful child..."
"Al," Genie said tenderly, "this is your son... yours and Jasmine's... I'm
proud of you, kid, you both have done such a nice work! He's the most
beautiful kid I've ever seen, and believe me, in all my years I've seen lots
of babies..... "
The boy was, in fact, the most beautiful baby any of them had seen in their
lives.
Aladdin smiled proudly while he stared at the sleeping baby. The Sultan and
Genie were amazed with the child. He was amazingly beautiful. The Sultan
spoke: "I'll send right away messengers to all the Kingdoms around the 7
deserts to announce to them our good news... after 40 days from this blessed
day, we'll present the baby to the people of Agrabah, according with our
ancient tradition, and I'll give him the Royal Title of Prince of Agrabah...
I'm so proud of you, my boy! You and my daughter gave me all I could ask
for... but hear this, my boy, someday I'll
die and you will reign over Agrabah, Aladdin... and you have to teach this
boy who he is, where he comes from... that way, you'll be as proud of him as
I am of you".
"I will, your Majesty". Aladdin smiled.
Aladdin kissed the baby and placed him beside Jasmine again. The Sultan
kissed his daughter and then he spoke: "You need to get some sleep as well,
my boy".
"Yeah, I think so... I'm actually very tired, this was a long night.... a
blessed night.... but don't worry about me... I'm staying here with my
wife... and with my son".
The Sultan nodded: "You deserve the rest... now we are leaving....come with
me Genie, we have so much work to do".
"Yes your Highness.... Al, kid, I'm so proud of you".
Aladdin smiled as they left the room. Then Aladdin kissed his wife's
forehead, and then his son's face and he laid on the couch, trying to get
some sleep, but he was so excited, that he could hardly do it.
After a while Princess Jasmine opened her eyes. The room was still dark,
thanks to the heavy
tapestries and curtains. For a moment she couldn't remember anything but
suddenly she felt that little, warm body beside her own and everything came
to her. He was her son. She moved uneasily and took the baby in her arms,
hugging him closely and contemplating him in his sleep. She stared at him
for a long moment, smiling and feeling her heart beating faster. He was a
beautiful baby. She could tell he reminded her of someone else.....
Aladdin.... Jasmine saw her husband dozing on the couch next to the bed.
Jasmine kissed her son and smiled sweetly, looking at her husband. She
called him with a low and still weak voice: "Aladdin! "
"What? What's....?" Aladdin woke up jumping and ran his hand across his
hair. He saw his wife
looking and smiling lovingly at him. He returned the warm smile and
immediately went to her side,
sitting on the edge of the bed and kissing her on the cheek with love. He
spoke with a low voice filled with excitement and love while he took a lock
of her hair off her face: "Oh Jasmine! You're awake! How are you feeling, my
princess?"
"I'm fine, Aladdin.... I'm tired but feeling really well...." She looked in
his eyes lovingly. "I want to thank you, Aladdin.... thanks for being with
me the whole time during the childbirth.... It was not an easy thing but
your presence gave me force... thank you Aladdin, because.... "
"Oh, c'mon Jasmine...." He interrupted her gently. "You know I'll be there
for you always..... I won't leave you, Jasmine.... you can always count on
me.... and now," he smiled proudly, "my son can also count on me forever....
I won't let you down.... not any of you.... "
Both of them stared at the baby for a while, caressing him lovingly and
holding their hands in a
wordless declaration of love. After a while, Jasmine broke the silence:
"He looks like you, Aladdin.... and I feel so happy.... it's a new
feeling.... a sense of love... of life... I
never thought a baby could fill a life with such happiness and pride.... I
can feel a power inside me...something I can't explain... "
"No need for explanations, Jasmine, because I feel the same thing.... I
guess that's the magic of life...the power of love.... and now we are part
of that force, of that power..... in our son, Jasmine, we've reached
immortality..... "
Aladdin rested his head on her pillow and took Jasmine's hand in his. She
smiled and spoke:
"Father must be so happy..... "
"Everybody is happy.... the Sultan came to meet his grandson this morning
and yes, he's very happy and very proud.... everybody in the Palace is
happy.... there's a party in Agrabah right now in honor of our son.... but
no one is happier or prouder than me."
Jasmine smiled and looked at Aladdin. Suddenly he was looking sad.
"Aladdin?" When she spoke, her voice was worried. "What's wrong, my love?"
"Nothing...." He tried to smile. "It's nothing.... I'm fine.... just a
little tired.... "
"It's for Cassim, isn't it? "
Aladdin looked at her, then he looked at his son. He sighed; he couldn't
hide anything from Jasmine. She knew him so well......
"Yes, it's my dad..... I just..... I would like.... I'd love to have him
here right now... I want him to know his grandson.... he's a grandfather
now.... he'd be so proud and happy.... but it's been more than a year since
he left Agrabah forever..... the last news I had from him was eight months
ago.... he was searching for an ancient treasure near the River Nile.... "
"Don't worry Aladdin.... I'm sure he's going to hear the good news....
sooner or later... you'll see.... this kind of news doesn't happen everyday
in the Seven Deserts... an heir is born... the news will be spread all over
the deserts and it will arrive at Cassim's ears.... besides, don't forget
that Iago is with him....Iago is sure to have the news as soon as they are
in the streets.... "
"Iago!" Aladdin smiled sadly. "Allah knows how much I miss that cranky
parrot! We spent a lot of good times together.... I really hope someday
he'll come back.... "
Jasmine lowered her eyes and her voice when she spoke: "Maybe if I talk
with my father.... maybe he could forgive Cassim and Iago.... who knows,
maybe if... "
"Shhhh!" Aladdin quieted her gently, putting his finger to her mouth. "Don't
worry about that Jasmine....it's ok.... my father made his decision.... and
your father was very kind in.... "
"But he's your father, Aladdin.... and he has a grandson now... his only
grandson... he has every right to be here and hold this boy in his arms...
he missed your first years Aladdin... it's not fair that now he's sentenced
to miss his grandson's first years as well.... my father has to listen... he
has to
understand.... Cassim is your father.... "
Aladdin looked in her eyes and then at his son and caressed the boy's
little head as he whispered:
"I know... and I understand.... now I can understand.... "
"Aladdin.... "
"We'll talk with your father Jasmine..." He smiled. "We'll do it for
sure.... but for now we need to think of you and of our son.... besides, my
dad is a rascal... he'll find the way to get in here and meet his
grandson... you'll see.... "
"You think so?"
"I know so...."
Jasmine smiled and so did Aladdin. He leaned over to kiss her but the baby
made a restless
movement and started to make strange noises. Aladdin looked at Jasmine in
alarm. She smiled
reassuringly at Aladdin and then at her son: "He must be hungry.... I
guess it's time to feed our boy...."
"Gosh!" Said Aladdin with a shy smile. "I guess we need to get used to this
parent business..... "
Later on that afternoon the royal physician came to the room. The Sultan and
the Genie were with him. They all smiled when they saw the proud parents
and the sleeping baby. Jasmine spoke with a note of excitement in her voice:
"Oh father! I'm so happy!"
"My dearest! " The sultan hugged his daughter and kissed her forehead. "You
made your father proud, Jasmine! This little boy will be Agrabah's glory and
the glory of our family.... I'm so proud of you.... of the both of you...."
"We all are happy and proud". The Genie spoke. "Jas, Al, you have a
beautiful boy..... "
Aladdin and Jasmine smiled.
"Well," said the sultan, "here's Agrabah's heir.... have you chosen a name
for this young prince?"
Aladdin and Jasmine exchanged looks and smiles. Then Jasmine said: "His
name is Ali...."
"Prince Ali of Agrabah.... " The Sultan said proudly.
"Sounds good to me". Genie said giggling "It reminds me of another Prince
Ali I met a while ago...
why, the kid even looks like him... don't you think Al? "
Aladdin poked Genie's ribs affectionately. Jasmine giggled as well.
"Is everything all right with you, Princess? " The doctor asked. "Any
indisposition or pain?"
"I'm perfect doctor... everything is just fine.... Aladdin is taking good
care of me..."
"Good, I'm glad about that.... what you need to do now, princess, is take a
good rest.... and you,
Aladdin, you need to eat something... you haven't eaten anything since
yesterday, have you?"
"Yeah... " Smiled Aladdin. "I think you are right doctor... I really need
something to eat... with all this excitement I totally forgot about that....
but I don't want to leave Jasmine or my son.... "
"Go, my boy... " Smiled the Sultan. "Go and take a good rest... and a good
meal.... I'll stay here with my daughter until you're back.... "
Aladdin looked at Jasmine. She nodded. Aladdin came closer to her and
kissed her face. Then he caressed his son's head and whispered: "I'll be
back as soon as I can.... I love you... the both of you.... "
Aladdin left the room followed by Genie who was telling him how proud he
was and how beautiful the little prince was. Aladdin was shining with pride
and happiness. In the hallway Abu and Carpet came to hug the new daddy. Abu
climbed onto his shoulders making happy noises and Carpet rolled up around
Aladdin, just the way he did when they first met. Then Rajah appeared and
made Aladdin fall to the floor while he happily licked his face. Aladdin was
laughing:
"all right! That's enough guys! " He said, trying to get to his feet with
Genie's help. "I'm also very happy and very excited about this whole thing!"
Rajah looked into Aladdin's eyes purring, but with a worried face. Aladdin
smiled and, patting the
tiger's head, he said: "Don't worry Rajah.... everything is fine... Jasmine
is fine... she's resting now but she's fine... there's nothing to worry
about.... "
Rajah purred happily and rubbed his head against Aladdin's legs. Genie
passed his hand over
Aladdin's hair affectionately: "But now our kid needs something to eat....
C'mon Al, little buddy! I'm going to prepare a good meal for you..... a meal
that's fit for a sultan..... come with me guys! "
"Ok, but let's be quick about it.... I don't want to leave Jasmine or Ali
alone for a long time.... "
The Secret of Immortality by Evi