Aladdin: The Thief of Aisha

Chapter 17

AISHA

It had been three days, and Aladdin hadn't shown up. Was Fatima right? The only way I could solve that for myself was to see him again. I would go in the evening and take advantage of the end of the day.

I tried to dissuade myself. If found out, Father would be disappointed. I succeeded. Then I tried to talk myself into making a move. Father would not find out, I told myself. All I needed was to see Aladdin and hear the rest of the story from him.

I gave myself a pep talk. Aisha, you must do it. I had to become my own person. You can't live under the influence of Father forever. Once I came back from venturing into the city, I would put a stop to the princes coming. The least I could do for myself was choose my husband.

By the time I finished debating with myself, the shadows outside were growing longer. It would be dark soon. I must go.

My stomach churned as I arranged and rearranged my clothing, especially my veil to cover my face. I slipped out of the palace through the back and headed towards the exit gate at the end of the palace. It was a less-used gate, and the guard, prone to distraction by little things. As I got close, I picked up some rocks.

Just as I expected, the guard was bored and kept on nodding off to sleep and waking up with a start. I walked closer, hid behind a shrub and threw the rocks against a metal shield that rested against the wall.

The guard picked up his spear. "Who goes there?"

Somewhere in the palace, a dog barked.

"These dogs," muttered the guard. "One of these days, I will spear myself a dog."

The guard moved away to investigate. My knees trembling and threatening to fail me, I slipped through the gate into the unknown.

The flowing spring gurgled and kept me company until I got to the road. I joined people walking and headed for the market. Fatima had described how to get there. Another maid had described how to get to the horse section.

I heard the market before I got there. I'd always passed in a carriage, and people would get out of the way as my entourage clattered through. Now, nobody got out of my way. Folks in a hurry bumped into me a few times.

"Watch where you're going, woman!" a voice screamed at me.

I jumped to the side as a man loaded with sacks of something that smelled like pee and rotten eggs barreled past me. After he passed, I stood and watched. The odor of his merchandise persisted around me.

"Are you going to buy or not?" said a female voice. "You are blocking my olives."

I whirled around. Behind me was a heap of olives on a tray. A middle-aged woman in a kaftan made from a light material with red patterns on the neck and sleeves stared at me.

I brought my palms together in front of me and bowed to her. "Sorry." I was about to walk away and stopped. "Please tell me, where is the horse market?" The directions the other maid had given me had evaporated.

Her eyes moved from my head to my toe, and back to my face. She pointed to her right.

"Thank you." I moved along. Did she recognize me? I felt her eyes on my back like ants climbing up and down my skin. Sweat poured from my body as if I'd been running. I continued in the general direction she'd pointed, all my senses alert. I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to myself.

The bleating of goats grew louder and louder as I approached the alley. I turned into the alley, and it opened into a street where all kinds of domestic animals were for sale. Goats, sheep, chickens, birds, horses, camels and cattle. I walked to the horse seller with no idea of what to do.