Jasmines chambers

The Throne Room of Agrabah was a spectacle of white marble and gold leaf, airy and open to the hot desert breeze. At the far end, playing with a stack of small ivory animal figurines, sat The Sultan.

He was a short, round little man with a beard as white as a cloud and a demeanor that suggested he had never faced a real problem in his life.

"Jasmine!" he cried out, knocking over his tower of elephants as we entered. He waddled down the steps, arms wide. "Oh, dearest! You’re back! Jafar told me you had run away! I was frantic!"

Jasmine ran to him, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry, Father. I just... I needed to breathe. But I was attacked in the market."

"Attacked?" The Sultan gasped, his turban bouncing. "By whom? Ruffians?"

"By monsters," Jasmine said, stepping back and gesturing to me. "But he saved me."

The Sultan adjusted his monocle and looked up at me. I towered over him, a dark, silent figure amidst the bright colors of the court.

"Oh my," the Sultan squeaked. "He is... quite imposing, isn't he? Very... sturdy."

"This is Ray," Jasmine announced, her voice ringing with authority. "And I have appointed him my personal bodyguard. He is the only one who can stop those shadow creatures."

Jafar, who had slithered into the room behind us, cleared his throat. "Your Highness, surely we should vet this stranger first. He carries a weapon of unknown origin. He could be an assassin."

"Nonsense, Jafar!" the Sultan beamed, clapping his hands. "If Jasmine trusts him, I trust him! And we certainly can't have monsters eating the Princess! You are hired, my boy! Hired!"

I bowed slightly. "I serve the Light, your Highness. And the Princess."

"Excellent! Splendid!" The Sultan chuckled. "Jafar, give him the keys to the guest wing. And tell the kitchen to prepare a feast!"

Jafar narrowed his eyes at me. "The keys... of course."

He walked over to me, reaching into his robes to produce a heavy iron ring of keys. As he handed them to me, his fingers brushed mine. They were cold, dry, and trembling with suppressed rage.

"Watch your step, bodyguard," Jafar hissed so only I could hear. "The desert has a way of burying strangers who dig too deep."

"And snakes often get their heads cut off," I whispered back, snatching the keys.

Jasmine took my arm again. "Come, Ray. I will show you to my quarters. You need to know the layout if you are to protect me."

We left the Sultan playing with his toys and Jafar fuming in the shadows.

We walked through the lush palace gardens, past fountains and peacock aviaries. Jasmine led me to a secluded section of the palace, guarded by heavy curtains and intricate lattice work. Finally, we arrived at her destination.

"This is my sanctuary," she said, pushing the curtains aside.

Her room was massive, filled with plush pillows, silk drapes, and a large balcony overlooking the city. But the moment we stepped inside, a low, guttural growl vibrated through the room.

From behind a pile of cushions, a massive tiger emerged. Rajah. He was huge, striped in orange and black, his teeth bared, his ears flattened. He crouched, ready to spring at the intruder.

Jasmine stepped forward. "Rajah, no! Down! He's a friend!"

Rajah didn't listen. He smelled the predator on me. He smelled the blood of the Heartless. He roared and launched himself through the air.

Jasmine screamed. "No!"

I didn't draw my Keyblade. I didn't step back. I stepped forward. I caught the tiger in mid-air.

My hands shot out, grabbing Rajah by the thick ruff of fur around his neck. Using his own momentum, I slammed him down onto the marble floor. THUD.

It wasn't enough to hurt him, but it was enough to stun him. Before the tiger could scramble up, I was on top of him. I pinned his neck to the floor with one hand, leaning my face down inches from his snarling snout. I let my aura flare, pure, unadulterated dominance.

"Submit," I growled, my voice deeper than the tiger’s roar.

Rajah froze. He looked into my eyes. He saw something ancient and terrifying. The growl died in his throat. His ears went back, not in aggression, but in submission. He whined softly, his tail thumping the floor.

I released him and stood up, brushing a tiger hair from my vest. Rajah rolled onto his back, exposing his belly, acknowledging the new Alpha.

I looked at Jasmine. She was standing by the bed, her hands covering her mouth. She stared at the tiger, her fierce protector, who was now acting like a kitten. Then she looked at me.

"You..." she breathed. "You pinned him. No one touches Rajah like that."

"I told you," I said, walking toward her, closing the distance between us. "I am not a guard dog, Jasmine. I am the wolf."

Jasmine backed up until her legs hit the edge of her massive, circular bed. She sat down abruptly, looking up at me. The defiance was still there, but it was cracking under the weight of my presence.

"So," she said, trying to regain her royal composure. "You work for me now. That means you follow my orders."

I laughed. It was a dark, dry sound. I placed my hands on the bed, on either side of her hips, trapping her. I leaned down until our noses were almost touching.

"Let's be clear about the arrangement, Princess," I whispered. "I keep you alive. I keep the darkness out. But inside these walls? You don't give the orders."

Jasmine’s breath hitched. She smelled the danger, the power, and the undeniable attraction. Her eyes darted to my lips.

"Then what do you do?" she challenged breathlessly.

"I keep you safe," I said, running a finger down the side of her face, tracing the line of her jaw. "And when the job is done... I collect my fee."

I pulled back, leaving her flushed and confused on the bed.

"Get some rest, Highness. Tonight, I patrol the balcony. The Heartless prefer the dark."

I walked to the balcony doors, casting a long shadow over her bed. Jasmine watched me go, her hand touching the spot on her cheek where my finger had been. She wasn't just safe; she was captivated.