Aladdin: The Thief of Aisha

Chapter 26

ALADDIN

"I'm in love," I sang as I rode my stallion home. Things have gone well, and I was as rich as could be. Everything had worked better than I'd planned. Once home, I left the horse with a stable boy and went upstairs to my quarters. I changed into my sleeping clothes, threw myself on the bed and shut my eyes.

But sleep wouldn't come, and I tossed and turned. Aisha filled my thoughts, and I longed in my heart to be with her again. I smiled in the dark, thinking of the kiss. Then my musings drifted to Kassim and wiped the smile from my face. What became of him? If not for the genie, I would still be inside that cave and would die and dry up like the skeleton. I sat up and again wondered who it belonged to. What about Barack and the gang? I was yet to interact with them in this new reality.

Sleep eluded me. I got up and walked around, hoping the little exercise would make me sleepy. It did not. I stopped in front of the shelf with the lamps. I took out the magic lamp for inspection. There was nothing special to it. It looked like an ordinary lamp, and I wondered what stories it had to tell.

What was I going to do? Princess Aisha had told me everything about herself, and yet I lied to her. In fact, I had lied to her about how I got my riches and even that I was already a prince and a rich man the first time she met me.

I wrung my hands together and touched the ring. Where did it come from? Then I remembered and my heart ached. Things were not getting better but worse. Now I had stolen from the cave, something I'd vowed never to do again. To return it was impossible. Right in front of me, the tree grew bigger than any tree I'd ever seen. I couldn't uproot it even if I had the strength of a dozen oxen. Without Kassim for guidance, it would be an impossible task.

Outside, the golden rays of sunrise crept in through the windows. I had been awake all night. A cock crowed outside, and downstairs I heard a movement as my household woke up. Exhausted, I laid down on the bed and sleep grabbed me.

I didn't sleep for long. No sooner was I in a deep sleep than I was rousted.

"Master, master, wake up," said a voice.

I opened my eyes and shut them right again. "What is it this time? Can't a person sleep in peace here?"

"Master, remember, you are going hunting today," said the servant. "You said I should wake you up. Your friends are already waiting for you."

I'd forgotten about it. I groaned. It would be a long day for me.