Aladdin: The Thief of Aisha

Chapter 1

ALADDIN

I looked at my five camels loaded with silk from China, spices from India, animal hides and tusks from Zanzibar, and I smiled. For once I believed I'd come a long way from the orphan boy that roamed the streets of Zamaja.

All around me as far as the eye could see was sand. Crossing the desert was always an ordeal, but throw in sandstorms, bandits and cutthroats and the odds are grossly weighed against you.

A few more days and we'll be safe back home, I thought. I will sell my goods, repay the money lender, build a house, start a business as a merchant and maybe, just maybe, find a wife. I laughed out loud; a lot rested on the success of this trip.

"Kind sir, Aladdin," said Sule. "We make camp here. Close to the rocks for shelter." He pointed at a large rock. "The rock will break the wind. Keep the sand from our faces."

Even though the sun was going down, the desert was still hot, and sweat dripped freely from my brow. I looked at the rock. Yes, it would protect us from the elements, but also it would serve as a hiding place from anyone that wanted to surprise us. I dismissed the thought from my mind. Sule and his brother had come highly recommended.

"Yes, Sule," I said. "It works for me too."

Sule made some guttural sounds and hit his camel with a stick. The animal obeyed, and our caravan headed toward the rock. I directed my own camel in that direction and turned around to make sure that my white horse was still with us. Sule's younger brother, who brought up the rear, made sure the rest of the camels followed.

Sule was in his thirties and his younger brother was probably about eighteen years old, same age as me. I watched them quickly set up our tent. I normally would help them, but they told me that since I was paying, I'd be denying them the satisfaction of a job well done if I helped them. Who was I to refuse?

Sule's brother milked one of the camels. He gave the milk to Sule who then brought it to me, his flowing robes bellowing in the wind.

"Two more nights and we'll be in Zamaja," said Sule. He pushed the wooden bowl to me. "For you, Aladdin."

I smiled. "Thank you." I took the bowl from him and brought it to my lips. The milk was warm and had been sweetened with honey. "By the grace of the gods, everything will go well."

"Sleep well," said Sule. "Tomorrow will be a busy day."

I removed my flowing Sokoto and folded it up as a pillow. All I had on was a simple kaftan and Persian pants. My sandals lay beside me on the cooling sand. As I lay on my mat waiting for sleep to take me, my thoughts drifted back to many years ago when I was fending for myself on the streets of Zamaja. My father, a desert-scout-turned-tailor, had died after two weeks of high fever. Mother had followed soon after that. People thought I would die soon after, succumbing to the illness that took them. But I did not. Since then, I'd been alone in this world; no family, since my parents had moved to Zamaja from a place far away.

I sighed and wished my parents were here to see their son at the brink of success. With warm milk in my belly, I shut my eyes, my left hand resting on the dagger tucked into my belt. Within minutes, sleep engulfed me.

I dreamed I was looking into the smiling face of the princess. She smiled back at me. Since I heard that the Sultan was trying to marry off his only daughter, I'd been thinking of her more and more. I was neither a prince nor wealthy and had zero chance of ever having anything to do with her, but still, she occupied my dreams.

Maybe my newfound wealth would smooth the way for me. In the dream, I reached for her to take her hand and felt nothing. I woke with a start.

The wind howled. I could see stars above me. "Stars?" I jumped to my feet. The tent was gone. Everything was gone. All around was sand, rocks and sand dunes. The faint neighing of a horse and the grunts of camels drew my attention. Nothing. The wind caressed my skin and must have brought the sound with it.