[center][img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Malfoys_one_and_only_girl/Signatures/Jafar.gif[/img][img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Malfoys_one_and_only_girl/Signatures/Freya.jpg[/img][img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Malfoys_one_and_only_girl/Signatures/Armand.gif[/img][/center]
[center][h1][color=Red]Jafar Sholeh[/color], [color=DarkOrchid]Freya Beauchamp[/color] and [color=Orchid]Armand Facilier[/color] - Present Day - The Moors Castle[/h1][/center]

Wiping a bead of sweat from his brow, Jafar rolled over from his back onto his side, wrapping an arm around Maleficent's middle and planted a soft kiss on the back of her shoulder causing her eyes to soften, resting her hand over his and turned her head back to look upon his face. Resting his chin then on the top of her shoulder, he kept his dark eyes on her, looking her face up and down, committing every angle of her face, every color of her complexion, every soft breath she exhaled to memory. For thirteen years he had been laying with Maleficent upon her request, but not one of those many, [i]many[/i] times could even compare to this last time. Something between them had changed, something (for lack of a better term as he could not place it) magical. Thirteen years ago he had agreed to give himself to her in return for his power, and for thirteen years he became her constant companion, her forever friend; but now... now he had not just a [i]lover[/i] but [i]finally[/i] someone he could call his own again; truly and officially. And for once, he knew that she felt the same way.

"Where did you come from?" Jafar asked, keeping his chin on the top of her shoulder, using his top hand to play with a few strands of hair by her temple. Realizing then that his question sounded more of a sentiment than what he actually meant, he quickly reiterated. "Were you born here? In The Moors? I'm realizing that there is very little I know about your life before we met..."

Keeping her dark brown orbs on him, her smile faded slightly as her mind turned to the answers that she wasn't sure she wanted to share with him or not. Pulling herself from his warm embrace she sat up her arms resting around her legs as her attention turned to look out of the large arch that led to the balcony, the stunning view of the Moors spread out below offered to them, "I was not actually born here... My home is further from here than even Agrabah my dear."

Jafar furrowed his brows together, listening to the tone of her voice that was usually the gateway to one of her temper tantrums. He opened his mouth to take back his question, not wanting her angry with him but she turned her gaze back to him, reaching out her fingers and sliding them gently through his hair pushing it back off of his face so that she could look at him properly as they spoke. 

"I come from a world where magic is non-existent. And before I came here, I did not believe in such fairy tales. I never once believed that it were possible that other worlds existed... Not until she summoned me through the portal anyway..." As she spoke her last words her gaze slid from him and over to the opposite side of the room where a large ornate mirror sat against the wall over her vanity cabinet, her reflection staring back out at her from the one thing other than her powers that she still had from the only woman who had treated her as a daughter.

Jafar's brows remained knitted together as he was trying to follow what she was saying, but he was finding it rather difficult. Other [i]worlds[/i]? He knew of other [i]lands[/i], such as Wonderland, Neverland, Atlantis and the like, but an entire [i]world[/i] altogether? Fairytales? Summoned? She? Thousands of questions began to plague his mind, unsure of where it was exactly he wanted to start, or which questions were even safe to ask as her temperament seemed a lot more isolated than she had been just a few moments ago.

Sitting up straight in the bed, he placed his hands on her upper arms, rubbing them up and down in a soothing gesture, kissing her shoulder once more, trying to convey without words that she needn't be so closed off to him causing the cornes of her lips to turn up in a small smile. Finally, he decided to start with the largest question that could and might hopefully answer some of his others.

"She?" He asked. "Someone summoned you here?"

Nodding at his questions she knew that eventually she would have to tell him what he wished to know, most of her past something she wasn't going to keep from the man she loved, "Yes, I was summoned to this world. She was dying, and wished to find a successor to take her place. With no children of her own she searched the worlds for someone who was worthy of her power and title, and after months of searching she found me, and brought me here."

Tearing her gaze away from the mirror to look at him for the first time in a while she let a soft sigh slip through her lips as she thought back on the woman she had considered a mother, "She looked after and taught me for eight years before she passed on, leaving her powers and Kingdom to me." 

Jafar nodded a few times, once he was able to wrap his mind around the fact that there were more worlds out there, the rest fell easily into place... though he was still trying to work out the fact that Maleficent hadn't even come from this world, technically she wasn't even supposed to be here, otherwise everyone would be crossing worlds left and right.
Pulling back slightly she took in his confused expression for the first time since she had started answering his questions realizing that he had no idea who she was actually referring to, "Maleficent."

"I'm... I'm sorry, what? Mal, you're not making any sense." Jafar commented, his dark eyebrow raising to his hairline.
"Maleficent was the woman who brought me to this world. When she passed away, I took her name in memory of her." Curling her back over she crossed her arms over the top of her knees her chin resting softly a top of her forearms as she let her eyes wander back to the mirror she had been staring at before, her dark brown orbs flicked over her appearance lingering on the horns that had grown from her skull causing her to look more like the woman she had succeeded than she could have ever hoped to, her mind flicking back to the days when she had been learning under her ever watchful eye.

Her expression softened as she tilted her head to the side looking just as happy now as she had been when they had finally admitted to each other how they felt towards one another, "Maleficent is not my own. I have many names, but that is not the one bestowed upon me at birth."

Jafar blinked... twice. Maleficent... wasn't her name? His brows furrowed together, making his expression dark as he raised both hands to his head, pushing back the sweaty black curls at the top of his forehead, pulling at the roots a bit in his minor frustration. Shaking his head, he pulled himself off of the bed, grabbing his cotton briefs and sliding them on as he got off the bed.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched his actions through his reflection in the mirror leaving her to watch on her own, anger beginning to once more bubble under her skin.

"Maleficent isn't your name..." He repeated, keeping his back to her for a moment, pulling the elastic waistband up to it's intended position over his hips before turning to look at her. Confusion was written all over his expression, but beyond that, his brown eyes had darkened a bit, hiding a sliver of hurt behind them. "I [i]know[/i] your other names Mal-" He stopped suddenly and shook his head. He didn't even know what to call her anymore. "They were all for a reason though, I..." He stopped to scratch his forehead, letting out a humorless laugh and looking up at the ceiling at the expense of not knowing what else he could say. He was beyond confused at this point. Other worlds, false identities... it was all too much, creating a pressing headache behind his eyes. "Who [i]are[/i] you?"

Her smile fell completely her lip twitching slightly as she let him continue to speak not only to her but mostly to himself about how he no longer felt he knew her. What more was it that he wanted? She had confessed her love for him, gave him both her love and loyalty, and now she was willingly sitting and answering questions that she would answer for no one other than himself.

Tearing herself away from the bed she let the sheets fall behind her the fire flaring with her anger as she brushed past him now unable to stand the fact that he was getting mad at her when in fact she had never once lied to him, "I took her name to keep her memory alive! I have reasons for the names that I have, yes I understand that you know this, but do not think you have the right to get angry with me Jafar. I have not lied to you and you know that I have no reason to do so!" Flinging open the wardrobe doors she glared at the outfits that were hanging within before she ripped one from the hanger her hands working to pull the saree onto her body the purple material hugging her curves.

"I have every right!" Jafar cried out, unable to help the fact that his tone was rising. For thirteen years he had been more than compliant with her, shrinking back when her temper flared, apologizing for things he had nothing to do with, but this... this he couldn't back down from. "I don't even know what to call you anymore! Or should I just throw all your names into a hat and pick one at random? Does it even matter? Does [i]anything[/i] matter to you?"

Swallowing hard, Jafar took a moment to breathe, forcing his boiling blood to cool before he really gave in to his anger. Running his hand over his face, shaking his head a bit, he added on, with his tone softer.

"I just don't know what to do with this..." Heaving out a great sigh, he sat himself back down on the bed, elbows resting on his knees and holding his head up, his dark eyes trained on her, pleading for some sort of explanation, [i]anything[/i] to help untangle the mess of thoughts now coursing through his mind.

Turning her head back so that she was looking at him over her shoulder she clenched her jaw finding no other way around the fact that she not only had to tell him what her true name was but also her reasoning for hiding behind the names she had accumulated over the years she had been living in his world, "You want to know about me? About my past? Okay, fine!"

Standing up straight she slammed one of the wardrobe doors shut her anger sending a small bit of her magic to bleed through into the action causing the wood to shatter on impact before falling to the ground at her feet, "I don't give a shit what you call me okay? Maleficent! Morgana! I don't care what you use in public, but before you decide to get all mad on your high horse, know the reasoning behind those names!" Turning her back to the wardrobe she turned to face him her eyes narrowed in a glare that could make the devil himself envious as she watched his each and every movement about the room.

"Back on my world I was despised by all but my father, only he saw the good that was within my heart, and that was all I cared about. My own mother hated me enough to try and kill me, and had it not been for a lucky break, I would be dead in the ground rather than standing here before you now." Crossing her arms tightly over her chest she began to pace her chest heaving up and down as she moved back and forth over the stone floor, "I want nothing more than to leave all that behind me! I am stronger than I was, and when I get the chance, if I ever get the chance, everyone who ever crossed me will perish by my hands!"

She came to a stop staring at him angrily until his change of tone and the pleading look upon the face of the man she loved took her aback her features softening dramatically as she let out a sigh, turning her head away from him she dropped her arms back her body resting back on the vanity she had stopped in front of her voice softer as she spoke, "This changes nothing Jafar... Everything I have told you before today is the truth, and everything I have told you today is also the truth... I love you, that is how I feel. But if it makes you feel more content with where we stand I will give you what you wish for..."

Pushing herself away from the vanity she moved forward closing the gap though keeping a few steps between them which he could close if he so wished to do so, "My name is Freya Beauchamp. I come from a place called Earth, where magic does not exist. Maleficent summoned me here to become her apprentice, and in turn her successor when she passed away. And once she had, I wished to keep her alive by the memory of her name." Bringing her hands in front of her she stood up tall before doing something she had done to no other besides her Mistress when she had been alive, closing her eyes she leant her shoulders forward her head bowing slightly out of pure respect, "It is a pleasure to finally let you know who I truly am, can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me hiding it from you all of these years?"

He was trying. By Allah he was trying! There was just so much information, so much he hadn't even considered thinking on before now. He knew he would have questions later after all of this settled, many, many questions, but with her revelation of her true name, as well as the soft bow she gave him, he had no doubt that her words were genuine. She was right, she never had lied to him before, she had no reason to start lying now; especially after revealing what her heart felt for him after all these years. Swallowing the dry lump in his throat, keeping his head tilted up to look at her, he opened his mouth to speak, wishing to try her [i]true[/i] birth-given name on his lips.

"Frey-"

There was an urgent pounding on the bedroom door, a guard on the other side calling for Maleficent in the customary manner of when she was in her bed chambers during mid-day.

"My Lady," The soldier called from the other side, knowing better than to just try the door himself. "You have visitors. And you might want to hurry, they've already destroyed half of The Entry Hall in their haste to gain your attention."

Straightening herself up she turned her head to stare at the door as soon as the sound of the urgent thumping on the wood echoed through the room followed by the loud voice of one of her guards interrupted them in the moment of pure honesty that they had been sharing, once his voice had fallen silent she closed her eyes her lips pursing into a thin line as she shook her head her hand lifting up a tiny amount and her palm flat in a small motion that said 'we will continue this later'.

Nodding, though unable to help the slouch in his shoulders, Jafar pushed himself from the bed and went to collect the rest of his clothes before moving back out to the balcony to collect his staff.

Turning away from him she moved over to the door flinging it open before allowing her feet to carry her slowly through the hallways until she came to a stop at the top of the large staircase that led to the lower half of the entrance hall her eyes coming to rest on the two figures duking it out for her attention. Shadows of various sizes and shapes darted around along the walls, ceiling, and even floors, as if they were alive creatures rather than the absence of light from the flickering candelabras. One particular shadow had grown to an enormous size, taking on the shape of a twisted human being with it's claws extended out as if holding onto something, and in turn one of the men in the room was being lifted off of the ground a few feet by the scruff of his shirt in the exact manner of how the shadow would have been holding him.

Standing in front of the man hanging in the air was the second man, a very tall, thin man wearing a black top hat, decorated with animal skulls along the brim, each no larger than an eyeball. Various bird feathers helped to decorate the hat with a splash of color like that of a red peacock and pheasant tail feathers, contrasting the cross on the center of the hat made from small bones. A small, live python was wrapped around his neck like how one would wear a scarf, his face painted black and white into the shape and detail of a human skull. In one hand he held a lit cigar carefully between his thumb and middle finger, in the other was a palm full of sparkling red dust which he looked ready to blow onto the man who had been lifted up into the air.

"Enough! If I see either of you cause my home anymore damage, I will not hesitate to inflict that same amount of damage on the both of you. Do I make myself clear?"

Halting immediately, [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/91/0c/9d/910c9d07b36d9f947a29f676cc63a958.jpg]The Shadow Man's[/url] purple iris' fell upon Maleficent, a quick flourish of his wrist and the sparkling red dust was gone in a plume of red smoke and the shadows dancing along the wall scattered like roaches until there weren't any left, forcing the man who had been elevated into the air to drop like a stone but The Shadow Man didn't seem to notice or care. 

Straightening himself up and placing his cigar in between his lips, he used both hands to pull on the lapels of his black suit jacket like any fashionable man in a suit would. Using the corner of his mouth to blow out the smoke he inhaled he returned one hand to the cigar and pulled it back out from his painted skull lips, saying nothing and keeping his purple eyes on the woman in front of him.

Landing in a crouch as he was dropped down to the ground the older gentleman stood up his eyes lingering angrily on the man who had sent him up into the air in the first place before he turned his head looking over at the woman who had interrupted them, Maleficent, the woman whom it seemed both of them had come to see. Standing up straight he brushed himself off remaining quiet as he let his dark orbs linger on her figure as his large dark brown robes once more covered him completely the long cylindrical glass pendant hanging on his hip as he waited, now more patiently than he had been before when he had watched the arrogant voodoo man step through the doors.

Once she was satisfied with their current and more peaceful state she continues on the path she had been taking her feet moving her down only a couple of steps before she came to a stop her arms crossed over her chest and her chin up eyes staring down at the two of them, "You come into my home, you act with dignity and respect. Do not think you can get away with pulling this sort of crap under my roof." Taking a deep breath she let it out slowly her lips pursing as she eyed each of them off one by one her mind only a third interested in what they had to say to her, "Now speak. I do not have all day and you have interrupted me in the middle of something that is more important than that of your petty squabbles."

The Shadow Man's purple eyes narrowed on her, inhaling so hard on his cigar that the end was glowing a brilliant shade of red, the brown paper around it burning to ash quicker the more he inhaled. Pulling his cigar from his lips once more, keeping his eyes narrowed on the horned witch, he began to close the distance between the two of them, conjuring up a thin cane with a small, glass crystal ball on the head for him to grab onto, it's use strictly for show.

"How 'bout you throw a bit of that dignity and respect my way for a change?" The Shadow Man asked, breathing out the smoke onto her face without even so much as blinking, forgetting all about the man he had been fighting with earlier behind him.
Narrowing her eyes slightly she lifted her hand up waving it back and forth to disperse the cloud of smoke that he had blown directly into her face, the dark haired woman keeping herself calm as she let him continue on his little rant.

"Two years now and I finally managed to find that arrant Prince you sent me to find..." Spinning his cane like that of a baton, the cane vanished in a blur, replaced in his hand instead an old, wooden talisman in the shape of a tribal mask suspended between his fingers. "And what do you know? It doesn't work!" Flicking his wrist, he tossed aside the talisman at Maleficent, the pendant hitting her square in the chest before falling down between them at their feet on the stone floor. "Do not disrespect me, little girl! Don't you derogate or deride! I'm not a man to be made a fool of, you can ask my friends yourself on the other side."

Seemingly from out of no where, a cylindrical spiral of fire about a foot in diameter hit The Shadow Man straight in the chest, knocking him back onto his ass a good ten or so feet. Scrambling with one hand to catch his cigar which had began to stumble from his fingertips, he used his other hand to pat down the singing fabric that now put a perfect dark circle on his chest.

"Temper's a little hot there, boy." Jafar said descending the staircase, now fully dressed right down to the crimson turban on his head, cobra-headed staff in hand with his blackening eyes narrowing on the Witch Doctor. Stopping just a few steps above where Maleficent stood, Jafar watched The Shadow Man pick himself back up, scooping up his hat and placed it back on the top of his head mumbling something under his breath. "No hiding in the shadows today." Jafar finished.

Raising his eyebrow, [url=http://filmint.nu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Lee+-+Rasputin.jpg]Rasputin[/url] crossed his arms over his chest his hand working to slowly stroke the long black goatee watching the situation unfolding before him the sight of the voodoo man getting thrown back off the stairs causing joy and amusement to fill his body as a small smirk played on his lips, stepping forward to the bottom of the large staircase he lowered his arms, one wrapping over his stomach while the other gestured to the empty space at his side his body bending over in a bow towards the woman who had given him the power to kill the Romanov line for good, "Ваше величество..."

Lifting his gaze up to catch the eye of the woman in question as he watched her crouch down picking up the small amulet that had been thrown at her moments before he re-spoke his words, though this time in English so that the others could understand him, "Your majesty..."

Lifting her arm up she tilted her head slightly her eyes gazing at the amulet with curiosity the magic she had forced into the small thing still pulsing through it without the hint that it had been touched at all, "Get on with it Rasputin... I have said it before, and I shall say it again. I do not have time to waste on you two pathetic imbeciles."
"Of course my queen." Straightening himself up he brought his hands together in front of him folding them over one another as he began to explain why he had come to her in the first place.

"Woah now, hold it there!" The Shadow Man protested before Rasputin had a chance to speak again. Still dusting off his jacket from the singed fabric, The Shadow Man looked between first Jafar, then Rasputin, and then finally on Maleficent again. "Whatever happened to the common decency of propriety? I was here first." His purple eyes glanced over to Rasputin again. "Now show a little respect to your superiors and wait in line!" The Shadow Man finished, pulling at the lapels of his jacket once more and keeping his chin held high, nose to the air.

"You will be silent. And you shall remain that way until I say otherwise." Lifting her free arm up throwing it out in his general direction causing the once annoyingly and rude voice to be silenced as though it had been completely removed from the man all together, turning her gaze away from the amulet she nodded towards Rasputin urging him to continue now each of those in the room knowing that they could speak without being interrupted by the impatient witch doctor with no sense of respect or personal boundaries.

Taking her lead, Rasputin cleared his throat before continuing on with what he was going to say before he was rudely interrupted, "My Queen. Everything that I had set out to do since agreeing to your terms all those years ago, has now been completed. I wish to discuss the matter of my soul. A trade, just as the one we had agreed upon thirteen years before." Lifting his hand up he once more began to stroke his long black goatee his eyes flicking to glance at Jafar close by her before turning to gaze back at her once more, "I wish to trade the powers you gave me, in return for my soul back."

"The answer to your question is no Rasputin. I will be making no more deals with you until you can offer me something better, and something worth my time." Flicking her hand again she once more returned the voice she had stolen back to the man that she had taken it from, her gaze turning once more back to the amulet as she turned her back to them heading back up the stairs to stand close by Jafar, "Now... If you have learnt a bit of patience, you may speak..."

Jafar couldn't help the smile that flickered across his lips for half of a moment. He loved watching Maleficent work. Her short words and quick temper quite amusing when they weren't directed towards himself; it was almost enough to make him forget about their small argument just a few moments ago.

Flashing Rasputin a glare, running his free hand over his throat as he felt his voice returned to him, The Shadow Man took another few steps forward, keeping his eyes now on Jafar's staff, the burning sting of his last encounter with the Wizard a clear reminder that he had to be more careful from now on.

"The talisman won't work. I did as you asked. I've got Naveen locked up back home as proof, but you don't want the Prince, you want his blood; or so you tell me. Now I'm starting to question what it is you even want in the first place. I can get his blood, no question to that, I've my own little collection of trinkets that would hold it for you just fine, but then, why would you have given me that?" He asked, gesturing towards the talisman Maleficent was still holding onto, though talking more out loud to himself than to anyone in the room.

Lowering her arm slightly she turned her head looking back over her shoulder at where he stood her eyes flicking to Rasputin watching him back up a bit obviously wracking his brains to think of something he could use as a bargaining chip before she turned her attention back to the man demanding information from her, "I never truly believed that I could meet anyone who was stupider than the sea witch, but it seems you have completely proven me wrong."

Turning back around she continued to watch him her eyes narrowing slightly as she held the amulet out before her, "I trust in you to do one simple little thing, however you cannot even do that. Pathetic." Turning her hand around she threw the amulet in his direction watching his reaction as it fell down the stairs landing a few from the bottom, "The amulet is pulsing with the magic I embedded into it the day I gave it to you.You are obviously missing a step..."

Crossing her arms over her chest she paused letting him stew for a bit finding amusement in the way his impatience seemed to get the better of him, "The prince stays alive, that is the way I want him. You get me his blood with that. If not... You are not the only one with friends on the other side..."

A flicker of green fire showed in The Shadow Man's eyes, balling up his cigar-free hand into a tight fist so hard, his entire arm was shaking all the way up to his shoulder. The snake around his neck reared it's head, picking up on his rising temperament and opened its jaw, hissing at Maleficent's general direction as a sort of warning. He was the Land's absolute best Voodoo man, of course he hadn't missed a step, despite what The Queen said.

"You play me for a fool, but I will play your games no longer. That is two years of my life I will never get back, and I won't waste a minute more playing as your puppet." Taking another few steps, The Shadow Man reached where the talisman lay on the stairs and raising up his leg, stomped his shoe down onto it, hearing it crunch as he ground the shards into the stone step. 

Lifting her eyebrow she watched on a twinge of anger pulsing through her body as she watched a thin strip of purple energy seem to rise from under his shoe only to wind its way back to her, sinking into her skin to join the rest of the magic that flowed through her veins.

"Get the damn Prince's blood yourself, or tell me what this is all about." Staring down Maleficent for a fraction longer, his shoulders eased up and his face visibly lightened from it's scowl. "Look, we're all adults here..." He said lightly, holding no regard for having acting like a child himself short of a few seconds ago. "So let's be straight with one another. Give me a working talisman, or allow me to use one of my own. Either way, you get what you want, I get what I want, and we're all happy people here; hey, maybe we can even throw a party."

"I just watched you waste the last talisman that I gave you, why should I waste my magic on another?" Her shoulders lifted slightly her expression mocking her curiosity as she glanced at both Rasputin, then Jafar lingering on him a little longer than intended before she turned back to Dr Facilier, "Although if it will get you to shut your mouth, I shall oblige and allow you one more chance. Do not screw this up, or fail me again."

Holding her hand out palm flat she waited for a moment a bright purple orb forming hovering slightly as inside it the magic began to take on a physical form, the amulet looking slightly different than the one before, dropping the orb around it she threw the new one in his direction her expression once more becoming cold and calculating, "Here, do not waste my time again, do you understand?"

The Shadow man reached his hand out and snatched the new talisman in the air, bringing his arm back in and examined the face of the pendant closely, noting the minor differences.

"Don't jerk me around like one of your play things, [i]your Majesty[/i] and I won't bother you again."

"Oh... But my dear Facilier... You are one of my favorite toys to play with..." Smirking she turned her back to the two men on the ground floor she took a couple of steps away from them before she stopped her hand coming up as though a thought had just crossed her mind causing her to glance back at them, "Your dear sea witch is roaming about my castle. Feel free, such as she, to stay for tea... I do believe we are having a delicious setting of fish being served..."

Jafar's posture stiffened, his chin holding just a bit higher than it had been before, unable to help his nostrils flaring slightly as he looked between Maleficent and The Shadow Man. Dr. Facilier, on the other hand, merely waved Maleficent's remark off with disinterest, even coming down to the offer to stay for a while longer and indulge in her hospitality... if having a sea-witch eating her own kind could be considered as such; he didn't want to dwell on those thoughts. Looping the new talisman's cord around his neck, The Shadow Man merely turned his back to The Serpent King and Maleficent, conjuring up his walking stick once more and pushed past Rasputin along the way to the exit.

"Better luck next time Rats-pukin." The Shadow Man retorted, tipping the bridge of his hat to the older man before exiting the castle, whistling a song to himself as he went.

Chuckling softly as she watched The Witch Doctor leave followed close behind by the monk who seemed to be speaking to the cylinder that held his powers she turned her head looking back to Jafar with an amused smile on her lips, "Well... I haven't had this much fun toying with them in years..." Catching the expression that was on his face she sighed softly closing the gap until she could reach out her hand gently caressing his cheek, "I may class them as toys, but you know in your heart I mean it as pawns. Each with its own purpose before, when no longer useful to us, being disposed of quickly. He is a child, and I shall treat him as such."

She paused for a moment her thumb brushing back and forth over his skin, "You are the only one I trust Jafar... With my past, my life, and my heart. You are no mere toy, you are my love. I will answer what questions you have waiting for me..." Lowering her hand from him she turned her head away the only time he had ever seen her look even a hint vulnerable, "... I just ask you not to leave, nor to breath a word of what we speak of to anyone... Besides that, I wish you to be the only one to know of, and to have full use of my true name..."

His deep brown eyes looked back to her, his body posture remaining completely stoic even when she placed her hand against his cheek where he would have otherwise leaned into her touch. Her words did not seem to soothe him, but neither did they stir up anything new.

"I used to be your toy... a pawn..." He said flatly, as though he were talking more to himself than to her. Closing his eyes for a minute as the weight of their previous conversation came back down on his shoulders, he breathed out a heavy sigh and looked at her again. "I won't leave, and I won't speak a word to anyone... but I [i]do[/i] need time to think... alone..." Not wanting her to get the wrong idea, he leaned forward and brushed his lips to her cheek, though his heart wasn't completely into it before taking a few steps down the staircase until he reached the floor. Stopping for a moment, he turned back around to look at her, puzzlement on his face for a moment.

"The talisman The Shadow Man brought back to you... was it really broken?" He asked curiously.

Вringing her hands together in front of her she turned her body so that she was facing him a small smile playing over her lips as she knew that her answer would at least amuse him slightly, "How could it be broken? Especially when it was never intended to work in the first place..." Her smile saddened though as she thought about how she had somehow hurt him came back to her mind, "You were never just a toy... Nor were you a pawn... You have always been different to them, special... To me anyway..."

Turning her back to him again she began to walk away her heart sinking as she felt him pulling away from her, all those years she had loved him feeling like nothing compared to the one mistake she had made moments ago, "I would give much to have you by my side... You do not understand how much that truly means, but it is more than you could ever begin to believe..." Sighing she moved back the way they had come her feet carrying her back down the hallway and out of his sight.

Watching her go, Jafar's lips turned up into a sort of smile at The Shadow Man's expense, having wasted two years of his life purely for her amusement. But just as it had come, the smile vanished as she took her leave after her last words, keeping the Sorcerer's feet glued to the stone as he pondered the meaning behind them.