Fic: Arabian Nights - Ch. 2
Title: Arabian Nights
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Gabriel
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The story of a prince, a watchmaker, and the magical lamp that changed their lives.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or Aladdin.
Warnings: Humor, Slash, AU, Language
Prologue| Chapter 1
The marketplace always opened at sunrise. The streets that seemed so quiet and still in the shadow of night suddenly exploded with life at the first light of day. When he was just a boy, unburdened by the troubles of the world, Gabriel would wake up early just to watch from his window as the merchants set up their shops, eagerly awaiting potential customers. Now that he was older with a business of his own, Gabriel was unimpressed by the tiresome opening process.
It was partly because of his weariness that Gabriel had decided to skip opening his own store altogether that day. True he desperately needed the money, but it wasn't as if he saw very many customers at all, let alone in the early mornings. Instead, Gabriel decided that today would be better spent dedicated to much needed training.
He sighed, looking up at the primate perched on his shoulder, his eyes eagerly flickering from side to side as he fiddled with the end of his tail. The watchmaker knew that Captain Parkman had been completely serious when he had said that Gabriel was now out of free passes. He couldn't afford to have Luke swipe one more item. If he didn't break the creature of his bad habit then the young man would soon be trading in his watch shop for a cold, dank dungeon.
The young man flinched as the monkey practically dug his little fingers into his shoulders as Luke struggled to resist the urge to scamper away and pinch something, anything from a nearby cart. A few hours of training and they had already made a great deal of progress, but they weren't quite there yet.
"Remember Luke," he began, his voice confident and stern, a quality it would never have when speaking to a human being. "The key is self control. You need to keep a calm level head, no matter how tempting an object may be, you'll have to keep your hands..."
Gabriel felt his words fade away, drying up and turning to mere dust on the tip of his tongue as he caught sight of the beautiful stranger wandering through the rows of fruit stands. His knees felt weak, his heart beat like a drum in his chest, and suddenly the idea of so much as blinking was painful as his eyes longed to stay on that dark, sculpted face. He had never felt this way about anyone, let alone a man, before and as he gazed at the breath taking beauty wrapped in such drab, ordinary clothing, Gabriel knew instantly that he was in love.
The young man flinched at the sharp pain in his ear. He scowled, cupping his earlobe when he realized that Luke had actually nipped at him. The watchmaker would have scolded him, but the curious, troubled gleam in the creature's wide brown eyes was enough to still the harsh words on the tip of his tongue. "Uh, yeah," he began sheepishly. "Don't steal anything."
It was ironic that the moment the words left his lips, Gabriel saw the young stranger casually grab an apple off of a fruit stand and hand it over to a wide eyed child. Wonderful. He had fallen for a shop lifter.
His opinion quickly changed when Gabriel realized that the other boy had made the mistake of pilfering an apple from Emile Danko's cart. Gabriel had never met Danko face to face, but there wasn't a merchant in the marketplace that wasn't aware of the man. His quick temper and tyrant like behavior was infamous. He never held back when dealing with thieves, a point made so profoundly clear that even Luke avoided stealing from him.
Gabriel watched in silent horror as Danko turned towards the stranger, his sharp eyes most likely having spotted the move. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he saw that Danko was now talking to the boy, who merely stared at him, dumbfounded. He cringed as the merchant grabbed the young man by his wrist, pulling out the knife he kept tucked into his belt, its sole purpose for situations just like this.
The watchmaker felt his blood churning, the sound more than enough to make his ears throb and the world spin. He couldn't let this happen, but what could he do? If he was spotted and the guards were called then he would surely be captured, but the boy needed his help.
He barely registered Luke leaping off his shoulder as Gabriel marched over towards the conflict, determined to do what he could.
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The sights and sounds of the marketplace were a bit overwhelming for a new comer and Mohinder found himself nearly tickled pink as he browsed through the stands, gazing not just at the goods, but the people. He had spent most of his life locked away in the palace, accompanied occasionally by a few servants, but usually left with only Nirand for company. This was the first time he had ever been surrounded by so many people. Young, old, tall, and short, it was almost too much for the giddy young prince.
His presence must have had some profound effect on the people, because everyone was staring at him. He smiled as each merchant offered him a sample of their goods, each passerby flashed him a friendly smile, and each child sent him a friendly giggle. Apparently new faces did not go unnoticed by these people. It made him feel flattered and frightened all at once. There was no chance that anyone would recognize him -- most of the guards didn't even know what he looked like -- but drawing too much attention to himself would be counterproductive to his plans.
It was then that his eyes fell upon a small child, a little girl with long reddish brown hair and bright, sad eyes staring up longingly at bushel of lush, red apples. His heart ached at the sight. He could practically hear the girl's stomach growling.
"You poor thing," Mohinder practically cooed, gaining the child's attention. "You must be hungry." She gave him a quick nod as he instinctively grabbed one of the larger fruits and handed it off to her. Her little face practically split in half as she smiled up at him, eagerly clutching the apple to her chest before hurrying away.
It was only when the girl was completely out of sight that Mohinder realized exactly what he had done. He felt himself stiffen as he silently prayed to whatever being was watching over him that no one had seen his careless gesture.
"Hey kid." Damn. "You'd better be able to pay for that apple."
The prince turned towards the merchant who was currently scowling darkly at him. He gave him his most apologetic smile, knowing right away that it wouldn't be enough. "I'm sorry, sir," he said sincerely, watching with growing dread as the man stepped from around the cart and glared at him, "but I don't have any money."
Mohinder instinctively stepped back as the man's hand flew towards him, but he wasn't fast enough. Despite the man's small stature the prince found that his grip was iron tight as the merchant practically dragged him back towards his cart. He barely heard the startled murmurs from the crowd that had gathered around to witness the occurrence. His heart was too busy thrumming in his ears as the merchant pulled out a large knife that he had tucked away in his belt.
"Well, then I'm afraid you're going to have to forfeit a different kind of payment," the man sneered, pressing Mohinder's arm down against the hot, flat wooden surface.
"No! Wait. If... if you let me go to the palace I could get some money from the sultan." He was babbling and this man wasn't listening. Why should he? As far as he knew, Mohinder was no different than any other person wandering the streets.
The prince cringed, his eyes instinctively screwing shut as the man prepared to bring the blade of his knife down on the boy's hand.
The blow never came.
He mustered up the courage to open his eyes and saw that a young man was now standing between him and the merchant, holding the livid man's wrist in his palm. "Thank you so much, sir," the young man breathed, his words confusing the merchant enough for him to actually release Mohinder's arm from his crushing hold. "I've been worried sick about him."
Mohinder blinked, straightening himself just as the other boy grabbed his arm and pulled him aside, a stern gleam in his dark brown eyes.
"I've been looking all over for you!" the boy chided, holding Mohinder firmly in his large, pale hands. The prince was about to ask what on earth was going on, but the wink his savior sent him was enough to silence the royal's protests.
The merchant wasn't so easily placated, however, as he grabbed the pale stranger by the shoulder and pulled him away. The boy was tall, several inches taller than Mohinder and he easily towered over the merchant, but his slumped shoulders and wide brown eyes gave him an innocent appearance and practically oozed self doubt as the small man glared up at him. "Do you know this boy?" the merchant asked.
"Yes, Mr. Danko, I'm afraid I do," he told him solemnly, slipping back into the role of a concerned companion with surprising ease. "He's a dear friend of mine and... not all there, I'm afraid."
Mohinder felt more than a bit insulted at the comment, but he had to remind himself that this boy was saving his life with these lies.
The merchant, Danko, scowled as he grabbed the front of the boy's ragged shirt in his hands and dragged him down to his eye level. "He said he knew the sultan," the man snapped. It was a curious thing to say considering that Danko had been seconds away from cutting his hand clean off.
The young man gave a short, strangled laugh and for a moment Mohinder feared they had been caught. "Sir, he thinks the monkey is the sultan."
A confused scowl flicked onto Mohinder's face as he followed the boy's gaze to a small, furry creature whose hand was half way into an unsuspecting pocket. The monkey turned towards them, knowing he had been caught, and pulled his hand away in what looked like a sheepish manner.
He smiled, deciding to play along. "Oh wise sultan!" Mohinder began, dramatically, bowing low to the startled animal. "How may I serve you?"
"Clearly he's not fit for this much excitement," the other boy muttered, grabbing Mohinder by his shoulders and dragging him to his feet. The prince made sure to keep a blank gaze in his eyes and a pleasant smile plastered to his face as he watched the young man reach into his pocket and hand Danko a gold coin. "I am deeply sorry for all the trouble he's caused sir. I'll be sure to take him straight home and put him to bed. Come along, 'Sultan.'"
Mohinder smiled as the simian squeaked and scurried up the young stranger's back. In the back of his head, the prince knew that he shouldn't allow himself to go off with the other boy, but he didn't fight against him as he was lead away. Mohinder could tell from his gentle hold that the other boy didn't have anything malicious in mind.
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Thick, gray clouds gathered and thunder boomed overhead, shaking the walls in a perfect replica of an actual storm. Thompson was many things, but he was hardly a patient man. He didn't have the time to wait around for an actual sand storm, not when the chance to discover how to get his hands on the magical lamp was right at his finger tips.
"How much longer?" Candice huffed. She sounded as if she were ready to drop dead any second. Clearly, parrots were not meant for hard labor.
Thompson smirked, removing the large blue diamond from its golden base and sliding it easily between the mouths of two golden vipers. "Soon enough," Thompson assured, watching as the sand in the top half of the hour glass spun, swirling like a miniature tornado. "Just keep peddling."
He barely heard the bird's grunt of agreement as the artificial storm above them intensified and the sands in the hour glass reshaped itself into a perfect replica of the Cave of Wonders. "Sands of time, reveal to me the one who can enter the Cave."
The yellow grains sank from the upper level of the hour glass into the bottom half, swirling wildly as an image flashed within. He saw a boy dressed from head to toe in tattered rags. He was a tall young man with pale skin, awkwardly long limbs, and black hair. Thompson smirked. This was it. His diamond in the rough.
But the picture did not stay still. The boy was moving, another person came into view. A sharp laugh escaped the grand vizier's lips when he saw that the young man was walking side by side with the crown prince. It was all too easy.
"Well, it looks like I've found our boy," he grinned. "And I know just how to get a hold of him."
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"I'm sorry I don't have much to offer you," Gabriel said sheepishly, placing the battered kettle over the small fire. "Just some tea."
The watchmaker felt awful. The first visitor he had had in what felt like ages and all he had to give him were a few dried out, flavorless tea leafs. The other boy deserved so much more. He deserved a banquet, a feast fit for a prince.
"Oh, it's more than enough," the boy said quickly, and Gabriel had to wonder where he came from. The boy's clothes were so plain, painfully ordinary, yet he spoke in such a polite, proper manner and held himself with the air of royalty. Yet when Gabriel looked into his wide brown eyes he saw nothing but kindness and a painful loneliness that he knew far too well. He was different, special, like no one the watchmaker had ever met. "After all, I'm the one who's in your debt. If you hadn't stopped that man-"
"It was nothing," Gabriel assured him, although he himself still marveled at what had just transpired. Under normal circumstances, Gabriel probably would have just walked away from the sight of a young shoplifter getting punished for his crimes. Yet when he saw that the boy was in danger, a dormant courage that had been sleeping inside of him woke up and took control, turning him into a whole new person. The young watchmaker had stood up to Captain Parkman in the past, but it was only because he knew that the captain of the guards was a good man, but Danko...
He sighed, groaned really, as his eyes began to sting. It was a familiar pain, one that had been occurring most of his life, but the fact that it was happening now, in front of his new acquaintance made the youth's face turn several shades of red.
"Is something the matter?" the boy asked. Gabriel flinched as a gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder. "What's wrong with your eyes?"
"No, it's nothing," he muttered, hunching his shoulders and bowing his head in embarrassment. "It's just... they bother me sometimes. It's nothing."
The boy cupped his face in his dark hands, turning him so that their eyes met. Gabriel knew his skin must have turned impossibly red as the young man gazed at him, staring intensely into his dark eyes. "You can't see very well can you?"
Gabriel shook his head, because it was suddenly difficult to speak. He could see well enough most of the time, but when he was tired or concentrated on something for too long his eyes started to burn and he'd have to shut them or look away for a while.
"It must be terrible for business," the boy mused, polite enough not to comment on the way Gabriel was reddening.
The young man cleared his throat, stepping away from the other boy's gentle touch. "Well, not really. I mean, it's not like I get many customers anyway." Gabriel cringed. He could have kicked himself for saying something so thoughtless in front of the other boy. They had just met and already Gabriel was burdening him with his life's troubles.
"I'm sorry," the young man whispered, kindly over looking Gabriel's selfish words. "Is this... do you own this place?"
He nodded. "Yeah... It was my father's.... He died when I was a boy."
The boy's beautiful brown eyes widened, filling to the brim with sympathy and pain at his words. Gabriel suddenly felt so guilty for making that beautiful creature feel an ounce of sorrow for him. "I'm so sorry," the stranger whispered, placing a tender hand on Gabriel's shoulder. "I know what it's like to lose someone important to you. I don't even remember my sister and... and my mother died just a few years ago."
"My mother died, too," Gabriel put in, his voice far too eager for such a grim topic. He was merely excited to have something in common with the other boy, but he probably hated him for taking death so lightly.
"You don't have a mother or a father?" the boy continued, too refined to focus on how inappropriate Gabriel was being.
The watchmaker merely shook his head, no longer trusting himself to give a verbal response.
"Oh," the boy whispered, bowing his head solemnly.
"What's wrong?" Gabriel asked, hoping he wasn't prying.
"It's just... I just realized how selfish I am," he said and Gabriel didn't think for a moment that this kind young man could have a selfish thought in his heart. "You don't have anyone and... and I ran away from home for what seems like such an absurd reason."
"You ran away?" Gabriel echoed, wishing he hadn't, although suddenly the boy seemed to make more sense. He didn't seem like the sort who belonged on the streets and from his behavior in the marketplace, he was probably from a fairly well to do family. "Well... do you mind me asking why?"
"My father's forcing me to get married."
The words were like a knife to his heart. His lungs burned, the room spun and Gabriel wished he hadn't asked. "That's... terrible."
The boy nodded. "It is... Well, it's not that terrible I suppose. My father is just trying to do what he thinks is right, but I just didn't like the way he was going about it. He threw all these women at me, expecting me to just accept them as my wife, but how could I? How could I marry someone I don't love? And now he's suggesting that I try looking for a husband! It's so absurd.
"I just don't know how to make him understand that I want more than to be locked away like a canary in a cage. I want to travel, to see the world. I want... I want to be my own person before being forced to settle down."
Gabriel didn't know how to feel. His mind was reeling at the overwhelming information. The boy didn't want to marry a woman. That was good. He wanted to marry for love. That was very good. But he didn't seem to want to marry a man either. That was disappointing. Not that it mattered. Not that he could ever have a chance with someone as beautiful and wonderful as the stranger who had happened into his world. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I know how you feel... in a way. I'd like to get out of the city some day, but... I just feel kinda..."
"Trapped?" the boy finished, understanding shinning in his sad brown eyes.
Gabriel blushed, nodding his head shyly. "I... I wish there was something I could do to help."
The boy smiled at him and it was without a doubt the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was like watching the sunrise after a long, miserable night. He felt warm and full and....
... and it was only then that he noticed the small furry hand reaching into the folds of the smaller boy's clothes.
"Luke!" Gabriel yelled, startling the monkey and the boy in the process. Luke flinched, pulling his hand back before scurrying away. The simian climbed up one of the support beams, perched high above the two young men, and began chattering and shrieking angrily. It was something Gabriel only rarely ever saw the monkey do and it startled him.
"What?" the boy frowned. He twisted around curiously, not at all certain what had just happened.
"I'm sorry," the watchmaker said sheepishly. "He... he kinda has sticky fingers."
"Oh," the boy said, chuckling awkwardly. "I thought he just didn't like me."
Gabriel frowned at the comment. That particular possibility had never occurred to him.
The tea kettle whistled, distracting him from those thoughts. "I should get that," he muttered, turning to prepare their drinks.
A far too familiar booming knock sounded at the door, stopping the watchmaker in his tracks and draining all the color from his face. "Alright kid," he heard Captain Parkman call. "We know you're in there, so just come out and let's get this over with."
"They're after me," he yelped, his eyes widening in shock when he noticed that the other boy had spoken those exact words in that same instant. "They're after you?" they said again, both boys looking at each other, equally confused.
Gabriel couldn't believe his luck. He should have known that his little stunt in the marketplace wouldn't go completely unnoticed. No doubt Danko had turned them in, claiming that the two had robbed him blind for no reason other than a malicious sense of humor. He sighed, weighting his options carefully. He could either stay and get arrested in front of the beautiful stranger or flee, abandoning his pathetic life once and for all. Gabriel took one last look around the shabby little prison, disappointed, but not surprised, to see that Luke was already gone.
He grabbed the other boy by the wrist, causing a startled yelp to well up in his throat, but Gabriel silenced him with his large hand. "Do you trust me?" he whispered. The boy stared, confused and uncertain, before eventually giving a slow nod. "Then follow me. And stay quiet."
The young man did as he was told, following close behind Gabriel as he lead them up the rickety latter just as the guards gave the door another forceful pound. Once they were at the upper level, Gabriel pushed the latter away, cringing as it collided to the ground with an audible clank. Yet he didn't have much time to dwell on the noise. He grabbed the smaller boy's wrist and dragged him towards the back window. It faced the alley way, and if they were careful they just might be able to escape without Parkman and his men spotting them.
"This way," he whispered, motioning for the other boy to lean out the window. They glanced down at the world several stories below them. There was nothing but piles of sand and wooden boxes waiting to break their fall. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. "Do you see those crates below us? Jump onto them and then start running."
"You expect me to leave you behind?"
Gabriel's mouth few open, shocked by the boy's stubborn tone and indignant stare. He hadn't really thought the other young man would want to stick around after all the trouble he'd caused him. "I-"
"I'll jump first, and then I'll help you down," the boy said, his mind already made up.
The watchmaker swallowed, the sound of his wooden door being shattered below echoing in his ears and telling him that they didn't have the time to argue. "Alright. Just go, please."
The other boy nodded, swinging his legs over the ledge and quickly sliding down. As he landed the crates gave out a loud groaning crack and suddenly Gabriel realized just how high up he truly was. He swallowed. He could hear Parkman and the other guards calling his name. He looked back down and saw the smaller boy waiting patiently to catch him. His mind made up, Gabriel swung his legs over the ledge and jumped.
He crashed into the boy, the crates cracking underneath their combined weight and sending them tumbling into the sand. They both groaned, but neither had time to think about how badly they were injured. Instead, they pushed off of the ground and headed towards the other end of the alley. They didn't get very far as several guards stepped out of nowhere, blocking their exit. Gabriel stiffened, as the other boy grabbed his hand, pulling him back as he turned to run the other way, yet that was no good either. They were merely met with more guards.
A dead end.
The watchmaker practically shrank into himself as he met Captain Parkman's disappointed gaze. "It's the end of the line, Gabriel," the man chided, iron cuffs appearing seemingly out of nowhere as he grabbed Gabriel's pale wrist in his hand. "You must have really pissed somebody off this time."
"What's going on here?" the smaller boy shouted, demanded, standing up to the guard as if he were a pet who had just ruined a new rug. "You let this boy go, right now!"
The guards looked at the other boy, studying his small stature carefully before cackling cruelly at him. "Sorry kid," Parkman scoffed, rolling his eyes as he placed the heavy iron cuffs onto Gabriel's wrists. "This is none of your business."
"Well as Crown Prince of Agrabah, I'm making it my business."
Gabriel blinked, turning to the boy's serious face then to Captain Parkman. The guard merely stared, dumbfounded, before a look of recognition washed over his features. "Prince Mohinder?" he breathed, fumbling for a moment before bowing low.
The watchmaker's head was reeling as he felt two strong hands press down on his back, forcing him to bow to...
...The prince? This boy was the prince? Prince Mohinder!
Gabriel cringed, suddenly feeling like the biggest fool in the world. The dead mother and sister, the fiancées, the regal attitude; it all made sense! And it had all been right under his nose this entire time, but he'd been too blinded by the young man's dazzling beauty and warmth. Miserable, humiliated tears welled up in his eyes. Gabriel was thankful that he was being made to bow so that Mohinder couldn't see the stupid boy he had enchanted crying in his presence.
"Your majesty, what are you doing outside the palace?" Parkman asked, still trying to wrap his head around the situation.
"That's none of your business, Captain," Mohinder sneered, regal, commanding, and so far above him. "Now do as I say: release him!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, your majesty," Parkman told him apologetically. "My orders come directly from Thompson. You'll have to talk to him. Now, please, let us escort you back to the palace."
Prince Mohinder huffed, pushing past Parkman and the other guards. Gabriel knew then that this would be the last time they saw each other.
Chapter 3 - The Cave of Wonders
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Gabriel
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The story of a prince, a watchmaker, and the magical lamp that changed their lives.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or Aladdin.
Warnings: Humor, Slash, AU, Language
Prologue| Chapter 1
The marketplace always opened at sunrise. The streets that seemed so quiet and still in the shadow of night suddenly exploded with life at the first light of day. When he was just a boy, unburdened by the troubles of the world, Gabriel would wake up early just to watch from his window as the merchants set up their shops, eagerly awaiting potential customers. Now that he was older with a business of his own, Gabriel was unimpressed by the tiresome opening process.
It was partly because of his weariness that Gabriel had decided to skip opening his own store altogether that day. True he desperately needed the money, but it wasn't as if he saw very many customers at all, let alone in the early mornings. Instead, Gabriel decided that today would be better spent dedicated to much needed training.
He sighed, looking up at the primate perched on his shoulder, his eyes eagerly flickering from side to side as he fiddled with the end of his tail. The watchmaker knew that Captain Parkman had been completely serious when he had said that Gabriel was now out of free passes. He couldn't afford to have Luke swipe one more item. If he didn't break the creature of his bad habit then the young man would soon be trading in his watch shop for a cold, dank dungeon.
The young man flinched as the monkey practically dug his little fingers into his shoulders as Luke struggled to resist the urge to scamper away and pinch something, anything from a nearby cart. A few hours of training and they had already made a great deal of progress, but they weren't quite there yet.
"Remember Luke," he began, his voice confident and stern, a quality it would never have when speaking to a human being. "The key is self control. You need to keep a calm level head, no matter how tempting an object may be, you'll have to keep your hands..."
Gabriel felt his words fade away, drying up and turning to mere dust on the tip of his tongue as he caught sight of the beautiful stranger wandering through the rows of fruit stands. His knees felt weak, his heart beat like a drum in his chest, and suddenly the idea of so much as blinking was painful as his eyes longed to stay on that dark, sculpted face. He had never felt this way about anyone, let alone a man, before and as he gazed at the breath taking beauty wrapped in such drab, ordinary clothing, Gabriel knew instantly that he was in love.
The young man flinched at the sharp pain in his ear. He scowled, cupping his earlobe when he realized that Luke had actually nipped at him. The watchmaker would have scolded him, but the curious, troubled gleam in the creature's wide brown eyes was enough to still the harsh words on the tip of his tongue. "Uh, yeah," he began sheepishly. "Don't steal anything."
It was ironic that the moment the words left his lips, Gabriel saw the young stranger casually grab an apple off of a fruit stand and hand it over to a wide eyed child. Wonderful. He had fallen for a shop lifter.
His opinion quickly changed when Gabriel realized that the other boy had made the mistake of pilfering an apple from Emile Danko's cart. Gabriel had never met Danko face to face, but there wasn't a merchant in the marketplace that wasn't aware of the man. His quick temper and tyrant like behavior was infamous. He never held back when dealing with thieves, a point made so profoundly clear that even Luke avoided stealing from him.
Gabriel watched in silent horror as Danko turned towards the stranger, his sharp eyes most likely having spotted the move. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he saw that Danko was now talking to the boy, who merely stared at him, dumbfounded. He cringed as the merchant grabbed the young man by his wrist, pulling out the knife he kept tucked into his belt, its sole purpose for situations just like this.
The watchmaker felt his blood churning, the sound more than enough to make his ears throb and the world spin. He couldn't let this happen, but what could he do? If he was spotted and the guards were called then he would surely be captured, but the boy needed his help.
He barely registered Luke leaping off his shoulder as Gabriel marched over towards the conflict, determined to do what he could.
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The sights and sounds of the marketplace were a bit overwhelming for a new comer and Mohinder found himself nearly tickled pink as he browsed through the stands, gazing not just at the goods, but the people. He had spent most of his life locked away in the palace, accompanied occasionally by a few servants, but usually left with only Nirand for company. This was the first time he had ever been surrounded by so many people. Young, old, tall, and short, it was almost too much for the giddy young prince.
His presence must have had some profound effect on the people, because everyone was staring at him. He smiled as each merchant offered him a sample of their goods, each passerby flashed him a friendly smile, and each child sent him a friendly giggle. Apparently new faces did not go unnoticed by these people. It made him feel flattered and frightened all at once. There was no chance that anyone would recognize him -- most of the guards didn't even know what he looked like -- but drawing too much attention to himself would be counterproductive to his plans.
It was then that his eyes fell upon a small child, a little girl with long reddish brown hair and bright, sad eyes staring up longingly at bushel of lush, red apples. His heart ached at the sight. He could practically hear the girl's stomach growling.
"You poor thing," Mohinder practically cooed, gaining the child's attention. "You must be hungry." She gave him a quick nod as he instinctively grabbed one of the larger fruits and handed it off to her. Her little face practically split in half as she smiled up at him, eagerly clutching the apple to her chest before hurrying away.
It was only when the girl was completely out of sight that Mohinder realized exactly what he had done. He felt himself stiffen as he silently prayed to whatever being was watching over him that no one had seen his careless gesture.
"Hey kid." Damn. "You'd better be able to pay for that apple."
The prince turned towards the merchant who was currently scowling darkly at him. He gave him his most apologetic smile, knowing right away that it wouldn't be enough. "I'm sorry, sir," he said sincerely, watching with growing dread as the man stepped from around the cart and glared at him, "but I don't have any money."
Mohinder instinctively stepped back as the man's hand flew towards him, but he wasn't fast enough. Despite the man's small stature the prince found that his grip was iron tight as the merchant practically dragged him back towards his cart. He barely heard the startled murmurs from the crowd that had gathered around to witness the occurrence. His heart was too busy thrumming in his ears as the merchant pulled out a large knife that he had tucked away in his belt.
"Well, then I'm afraid you're going to have to forfeit a different kind of payment," the man sneered, pressing Mohinder's arm down against the hot, flat wooden surface.
"No! Wait. If... if you let me go to the palace I could get some money from the sultan." He was babbling and this man wasn't listening. Why should he? As far as he knew, Mohinder was no different than any other person wandering the streets.
The prince cringed, his eyes instinctively screwing shut as the man prepared to bring the blade of his knife down on the boy's hand.
The blow never came.
He mustered up the courage to open his eyes and saw that a young man was now standing between him and the merchant, holding the livid man's wrist in his palm. "Thank you so much, sir," the young man breathed, his words confusing the merchant enough for him to actually release Mohinder's arm from his crushing hold. "I've been worried sick about him."
Mohinder blinked, straightening himself just as the other boy grabbed his arm and pulled him aside, a stern gleam in his dark brown eyes.
"I've been looking all over for you!" the boy chided, holding Mohinder firmly in his large, pale hands. The prince was about to ask what on earth was going on, but the wink his savior sent him was enough to silence the royal's protests.
The merchant wasn't so easily placated, however, as he grabbed the pale stranger by the shoulder and pulled him away. The boy was tall, several inches taller than Mohinder and he easily towered over the merchant, but his slumped shoulders and wide brown eyes gave him an innocent appearance and practically oozed self doubt as the small man glared up at him. "Do you know this boy?" the merchant asked.
"Yes, Mr. Danko, I'm afraid I do," he told him solemnly, slipping back into the role of a concerned companion with surprising ease. "He's a dear friend of mine and... not all there, I'm afraid."
Mohinder felt more than a bit insulted at the comment, but he had to remind himself that this boy was saving his life with these lies.
The merchant, Danko, scowled as he grabbed the front of the boy's ragged shirt in his hands and dragged him down to his eye level. "He said he knew the sultan," the man snapped. It was a curious thing to say considering that Danko had been seconds away from cutting his hand clean off.
The young man gave a short, strangled laugh and for a moment Mohinder feared they had been caught. "Sir, he thinks the monkey is the sultan."
A confused scowl flicked onto Mohinder's face as he followed the boy's gaze to a small, furry creature whose hand was half way into an unsuspecting pocket. The monkey turned towards them, knowing he had been caught, and pulled his hand away in what looked like a sheepish manner.
He smiled, deciding to play along. "Oh wise sultan!" Mohinder began, dramatically, bowing low to the startled animal. "How may I serve you?"
"Clearly he's not fit for this much excitement," the other boy muttered, grabbing Mohinder by his shoulders and dragging him to his feet. The prince made sure to keep a blank gaze in his eyes and a pleasant smile plastered to his face as he watched the young man reach into his pocket and hand Danko a gold coin. "I am deeply sorry for all the trouble he's caused sir. I'll be sure to take him straight home and put him to bed. Come along, 'Sultan.'"
Mohinder smiled as the simian squeaked and scurried up the young stranger's back. In the back of his head, the prince knew that he shouldn't allow himself to go off with the other boy, but he didn't fight against him as he was lead away. Mohinder could tell from his gentle hold that the other boy didn't have anything malicious in mind.
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Thick, gray clouds gathered and thunder boomed overhead, shaking the walls in a perfect replica of an actual storm. Thompson was many things, but he was hardly a patient man. He didn't have the time to wait around for an actual sand storm, not when the chance to discover how to get his hands on the magical lamp was right at his finger tips.
"How much longer?" Candice huffed. She sounded as if she were ready to drop dead any second. Clearly, parrots were not meant for hard labor.
Thompson smirked, removing the large blue diamond from its golden base and sliding it easily between the mouths of two golden vipers. "Soon enough," Thompson assured, watching as the sand in the top half of the hour glass spun, swirling like a miniature tornado. "Just keep peddling."
He barely heard the bird's grunt of agreement as the artificial storm above them intensified and the sands in the hour glass reshaped itself into a perfect replica of the Cave of Wonders. "Sands of time, reveal to me the one who can enter the Cave."
The yellow grains sank from the upper level of the hour glass into the bottom half, swirling wildly as an image flashed within. He saw a boy dressed from head to toe in tattered rags. He was a tall young man with pale skin, awkwardly long limbs, and black hair. Thompson smirked. This was it. His diamond in the rough.
But the picture did not stay still. The boy was moving, another person came into view. A sharp laugh escaped the grand vizier's lips when he saw that the young man was walking side by side with the crown prince. It was all too easy.
"Well, it looks like I've found our boy," he grinned. "And I know just how to get a hold of him."
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"I'm sorry I don't have much to offer you," Gabriel said sheepishly, placing the battered kettle over the small fire. "Just some tea."
The watchmaker felt awful. The first visitor he had had in what felt like ages and all he had to give him were a few dried out, flavorless tea leafs. The other boy deserved so much more. He deserved a banquet, a feast fit for a prince.
"Oh, it's more than enough," the boy said quickly, and Gabriel had to wonder where he came from. The boy's clothes were so plain, painfully ordinary, yet he spoke in such a polite, proper manner and held himself with the air of royalty. Yet when Gabriel looked into his wide brown eyes he saw nothing but kindness and a painful loneliness that he knew far too well. He was different, special, like no one the watchmaker had ever met. "After all, I'm the one who's in your debt. If you hadn't stopped that man-"
"It was nothing," Gabriel assured him, although he himself still marveled at what had just transpired. Under normal circumstances, Gabriel probably would have just walked away from the sight of a young shoplifter getting punished for his crimes. Yet when he saw that the boy was in danger, a dormant courage that had been sleeping inside of him woke up and took control, turning him into a whole new person. The young watchmaker had stood up to Captain Parkman in the past, but it was only because he knew that the captain of the guards was a good man, but Danko...
He sighed, groaned really, as his eyes began to sting. It was a familiar pain, one that had been occurring most of his life, but the fact that it was happening now, in front of his new acquaintance made the youth's face turn several shades of red.
"Is something the matter?" the boy asked. Gabriel flinched as a gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder. "What's wrong with your eyes?"
"No, it's nothing," he muttered, hunching his shoulders and bowing his head in embarrassment. "It's just... they bother me sometimes. It's nothing."
The boy cupped his face in his dark hands, turning him so that their eyes met. Gabriel knew his skin must have turned impossibly red as the young man gazed at him, staring intensely into his dark eyes. "You can't see very well can you?"
Gabriel shook his head, because it was suddenly difficult to speak. He could see well enough most of the time, but when he was tired or concentrated on something for too long his eyes started to burn and he'd have to shut them or look away for a while.
"It must be terrible for business," the boy mused, polite enough not to comment on the way Gabriel was reddening.
The young man cleared his throat, stepping away from the other boy's gentle touch. "Well, not really. I mean, it's not like I get many customers anyway." Gabriel cringed. He could have kicked himself for saying something so thoughtless in front of the other boy. They had just met and already Gabriel was burdening him with his life's troubles.
"I'm sorry," the young man whispered, kindly over looking Gabriel's selfish words. "Is this... do you own this place?"
He nodded. "Yeah... It was my father's.... He died when I was a boy."
The boy's beautiful brown eyes widened, filling to the brim with sympathy and pain at his words. Gabriel suddenly felt so guilty for making that beautiful creature feel an ounce of sorrow for him. "I'm so sorry," the stranger whispered, placing a tender hand on Gabriel's shoulder. "I know what it's like to lose someone important to you. I don't even remember my sister and... and my mother died just a few years ago."
"My mother died, too," Gabriel put in, his voice far too eager for such a grim topic. He was merely excited to have something in common with the other boy, but he probably hated him for taking death so lightly.
"You don't have a mother or a father?" the boy continued, too refined to focus on how inappropriate Gabriel was being.
The watchmaker merely shook his head, no longer trusting himself to give a verbal response.
"Oh," the boy whispered, bowing his head solemnly.
"What's wrong?" Gabriel asked, hoping he wasn't prying.
"It's just... I just realized how selfish I am," he said and Gabriel didn't think for a moment that this kind young man could have a selfish thought in his heart. "You don't have anyone and... and I ran away from home for what seems like such an absurd reason."
"You ran away?" Gabriel echoed, wishing he hadn't, although suddenly the boy seemed to make more sense. He didn't seem like the sort who belonged on the streets and from his behavior in the marketplace, he was probably from a fairly well to do family. "Well... do you mind me asking why?"
"My father's forcing me to get married."
The words were like a knife to his heart. His lungs burned, the room spun and Gabriel wished he hadn't asked. "That's... terrible."
The boy nodded. "It is... Well, it's not that terrible I suppose. My father is just trying to do what he thinks is right, but I just didn't like the way he was going about it. He threw all these women at me, expecting me to just accept them as my wife, but how could I? How could I marry someone I don't love? And now he's suggesting that I try looking for a husband! It's so absurd.
"I just don't know how to make him understand that I want more than to be locked away like a canary in a cage. I want to travel, to see the world. I want... I want to be my own person before being forced to settle down."
Gabriel didn't know how to feel. His mind was reeling at the overwhelming information. The boy didn't want to marry a woman. That was good. He wanted to marry for love. That was very good. But he didn't seem to want to marry a man either. That was disappointing. Not that it mattered. Not that he could ever have a chance with someone as beautiful and wonderful as the stranger who had happened into his world. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I know how you feel... in a way. I'd like to get out of the city some day, but... I just feel kinda..."
"Trapped?" the boy finished, understanding shinning in his sad brown eyes.
Gabriel blushed, nodding his head shyly. "I... I wish there was something I could do to help."
The boy smiled at him and it was without a doubt the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was like watching the sunrise after a long, miserable night. He felt warm and full and....
... and it was only then that he noticed the small furry hand reaching into the folds of the smaller boy's clothes.
"Luke!" Gabriel yelled, startling the monkey and the boy in the process. Luke flinched, pulling his hand back before scurrying away. The simian climbed up one of the support beams, perched high above the two young men, and began chattering and shrieking angrily. It was something Gabriel only rarely ever saw the monkey do and it startled him.
"What?" the boy frowned. He twisted around curiously, not at all certain what had just happened.
"I'm sorry," the watchmaker said sheepishly. "He... he kinda has sticky fingers."
"Oh," the boy said, chuckling awkwardly. "I thought he just didn't like me."
Gabriel frowned at the comment. That particular possibility had never occurred to him.
The tea kettle whistled, distracting him from those thoughts. "I should get that," he muttered, turning to prepare their drinks.
A far too familiar booming knock sounded at the door, stopping the watchmaker in his tracks and draining all the color from his face. "Alright kid," he heard Captain Parkman call. "We know you're in there, so just come out and let's get this over with."
"They're after me," he yelped, his eyes widening in shock when he noticed that the other boy had spoken those exact words in that same instant. "They're after you?" they said again, both boys looking at each other, equally confused.
Gabriel couldn't believe his luck. He should have known that his little stunt in the marketplace wouldn't go completely unnoticed. No doubt Danko had turned them in, claiming that the two had robbed him blind for no reason other than a malicious sense of humor. He sighed, weighting his options carefully. He could either stay and get arrested in front of the beautiful stranger or flee, abandoning his pathetic life once and for all. Gabriel took one last look around the shabby little prison, disappointed, but not surprised, to see that Luke was already gone.
He grabbed the other boy by the wrist, causing a startled yelp to well up in his throat, but Gabriel silenced him with his large hand. "Do you trust me?" he whispered. The boy stared, confused and uncertain, before eventually giving a slow nod. "Then follow me. And stay quiet."
The young man did as he was told, following close behind Gabriel as he lead them up the rickety latter just as the guards gave the door another forceful pound. Once they were at the upper level, Gabriel pushed the latter away, cringing as it collided to the ground with an audible clank. Yet he didn't have much time to dwell on the noise. He grabbed the smaller boy's wrist and dragged him towards the back window. It faced the alley way, and if they were careful they just might be able to escape without Parkman and his men spotting them.
"This way," he whispered, motioning for the other boy to lean out the window. They glanced down at the world several stories below them. There was nothing but piles of sand and wooden boxes waiting to break their fall. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. "Do you see those crates below us? Jump onto them and then start running."
"You expect me to leave you behind?"
Gabriel's mouth few open, shocked by the boy's stubborn tone and indignant stare. He hadn't really thought the other young man would want to stick around after all the trouble he'd caused him. "I-"
"I'll jump first, and then I'll help you down," the boy said, his mind already made up.
The watchmaker swallowed, the sound of his wooden door being shattered below echoing in his ears and telling him that they didn't have the time to argue. "Alright. Just go, please."
The other boy nodded, swinging his legs over the ledge and quickly sliding down. As he landed the crates gave out a loud groaning crack and suddenly Gabriel realized just how high up he truly was. He swallowed. He could hear Parkman and the other guards calling his name. He looked back down and saw the smaller boy waiting patiently to catch him. His mind made up, Gabriel swung his legs over the ledge and jumped.
He crashed into the boy, the crates cracking underneath their combined weight and sending them tumbling into the sand. They both groaned, but neither had time to think about how badly they were injured. Instead, they pushed off of the ground and headed towards the other end of the alley. They didn't get very far as several guards stepped out of nowhere, blocking their exit. Gabriel stiffened, as the other boy grabbed his hand, pulling him back as he turned to run the other way, yet that was no good either. They were merely met with more guards.
A dead end.
The watchmaker practically shrank into himself as he met Captain Parkman's disappointed gaze. "It's the end of the line, Gabriel," the man chided, iron cuffs appearing seemingly out of nowhere as he grabbed Gabriel's pale wrist in his hand. "You must have really pissed somebody off this time."
"What's going on here?" the smaller boy shouted, demanded, standing up to the guard as if he were a pet who had just ruined a new rug. "You let this boy go, right now!"
The guards looked at the other boy, studying his small stature carefully before cackling cruelly at him. "Sorry kid," Parkman scoffed, rolling his eyes as he placed the heavy iron cuffs onto Gabriel's wrists. "This is none of your business."
"Well as Crown Prince of Agrabah, I'm making it my business."
Gabriel blinked, turning to the boy's serious face then to Captain Parkman. The guard merely stared, dumbfounded, before a look of recognition washed over his features. "Prince Mohinder?" he breathed, fumbling for a moment before bowing low.
The watchmaker's head was reeling as he felt two strong hands press down on his back, forcing him to bow to...
...The prince? This boy was the prince? Prince Mohinder!
Gabriel cringed, suddenly feeling like the biggest fool in the world. The dead mother and sister, the fiancées, the regal attitude; it all made sense! And it had all been right under his nose this entire time, but he'd been too blinded by the young man's dazzling beauty and warmth. Miserable, humiliated tears welled up in his eyes. Gabriel was thankful that he was being made to bow so that Mohinder couldn't see the stupid boy he had enchanted crying in his presence.
"Your majesty, what are you doing outside the palace?" Parkman asked, still trying to wrap his head around the situation.
"That's none of your business, Captain," Mohinder sneered, regal, commanding, and so far above him. "Now do as I say: release him!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, your majesty," Parkman told him apologetically. "My orders come directly from Thompson. You'll have to talk to him. Now, please, let us escort you back to the palace."
Prince Mohinder huffed, pushing past Parkman and the other guards. Gabriel knew then that this would be the last time they saw each other.
Chapter 3 - The Cave of Wonders