They arrive in Jabit.

The caravan arrived in the grand courtyard of Jabit's capital, where Jafar's provincial palace stood tall, a testament to his power and prestige. Although it was not as grand as the sultan's palace, it was still a sight that made travelers' jaws drop and merchants' eyes gleam with greed. The sandstone walls gleamed in the setting sun, the arches and minarets casting long shadows across the courtyard. Palm trees swayed lazily in the gentle breeze, whispering secrets to the ornate fountains that danced in the center. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the distant sound of laughter and music, hinting at the revelries that awaited them inside.

As they dismounted, they were met by a group of servants and officials dressed in fine silks and brocades. Among them, Jafar spotted his younger brother, Fadi. He was a handsome man, with the same piercing eyes and sharp features as Jafar, but his demeanor was much less intense. Fadi had always been the charmer, the diplomat of the family, and it was clear that he had used those skills to win the hearts of the people of Jabit (even if his charm could compete with that of his older brother) however, he didn't didn't have half the governance skills of his brother and while he could use magic, he wasn't nearly as powerful as Jafar. He knew how to craft and enchant flying carpets, how to command some snakes, but he wasn't even close to being powerful enough to use flesh magic.

Fadi's eyes widened in awe as he took in the sight of Aisha, not realizing that she was now a vessel for his older brother's spirit. She looked absolutely radiant in a gown that hugged her curves in all the right places, the fabric shimmering in the fading light. Her hair was piled high on her head, adorned with jewels that sparkled like stars. The sight of her took Fadi's breath away. He had never seen a woman so beautiful, so...perfect.

If Jafar was paying attention, the sight of his brother marveling at who was essentially himself at that moment might have made him laugh, but he wasn't paying attention. His eyes were locked onto the woman standing beside his brother: the beautiful scholar Natasha. Ah, Natasha! Jafar had fallen hard for her when she traveled to Jabit from her homeland some years ago. It was a distant, northern land called Russia and she came from there to study Arabic literature, folklore, history and science. She was a woman of great intellect who marveled at Jafar's collection of scrolls on magic, philosophy, ancient history and traditions and all sorts of other ancient scrolls that she was able to translate with the fluency of any local scholar. This had impressed Jafar a lot and they soon developed feelings for each other. One thing led to another. Jafar eventually kissed her and ever since then, she had been working for him, translating magic scrolls he found on the black market in complete secrecy for him to learn and use. Her intellect was far from being her own quality. She had perfect curves, piercing eyes that were blue like the clear sky, skin that was white, like a cloud and an otherworldly accent that made Jafar blush whenever she spoke. She kept her golden blonde hair wrapped in a bun to keep it from interfering with her studies. Jafar still thought no one could beat Aisha in terms of beauty, but Natasha was as close as could be and her foreign features made her a unique jewel in his collection, a jewel he was eager to claim once again.

"Your Highness, welcome to Jabit. We've been eagerly awaiting your arrival," Fadi said, his voice dripping with false sincerity as he bowed before the sultan. "I trust your journey was without incident?"

"Sadly not" said the sultan "We've been attacked and some of the soldiers still need medical attention. Could we trust you to take care of them?"

Fadi nodded immediately, eager to show his competence in his brother's absence. "Of course, Your Highness," he said with wide eyes. "Our finest physicians will tend to their wounds immediately. Guards! Take the wounded to the infirmary at once!" Then, he turned back to the sultan. "But how is it that you've been attacked? Who did this to you?"

"Bandits of the Sahar tribe. They attacked us from both sides, we didn't see them coming. They would have killed us all had it not been for the intervention of that mysterious stranger who turned their snakes against them"

Fadi's eyebrows shot up at the mention of snakes. That was definitely Jafar's doing, meaning his brother was probably close, which he found reassuring (he was starting to worry he wouldn't show up), but how could he have done it without revealing his identity? It was a clever move, one that he would have to ask him about later. "Their snakes, your majesty?"

The sultan nodded gravely, his eyes reflecting the horror of the battle. "Yes. They had us surrounded, but then this...this sorcerer appeared out of nowhere on a flying carpet. He had the power to control snakes. He single-handedly turned all of their own creatures against them. It was terrifying and awe-inspiring at the same time. He saved us all."

"Do you have any idea who this could be?"

"Yes! I think it was a very dangerous criminal who calls himself the Faceless One. Perhaps your brother told you about it. I briefly talked with him about this individual at the last ball some three weeks ago."

Fadi nodded solemnly. "Indeed, he did mention something about a Faceless One when he returned from the ball. I don't know much about it, but my brother seemed very concerned when he mentioned him." He hoped that his lie sounded convincing.

"As he should be," said the sultan "There's one thing I do not understand, though. Why would a criminal like this save me?"

"I do not have the answer to this question. Perhaps the royal inquisitors will know."

"Perhaps...one thing is for sure, when I come back to my palace, I will order the inquisition to put more resources into identifying this man. I need to get to the bottom of this. But for now, let's focus on the present. I'm not here for the Faceless One, I'm here because my daughter has accepted your brother's demand for marriage. We will hold the ceremony here in three weeks. Speaking of which. Where is your brother?"

"Ah, Jafar is...getting ready," Fadi said smoothly. "He's preparing himself for the grand entrance he knows you will expect of him. In the meantime, he has asked me to entertain you and make sure your stay is as comfortable as possible."

The sultan nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation. "Very well," he said. "In that case, I shall leave Aisha in your capable hands. Show her the sights of the city, introduce her to the court. We shall meet again at dinner, my dear daughter."

"Very well," said Fadi "Natasha, could you please show the princess around the palace? I will go with the sultan."

"Da!" said Natasha in her own language "come with me, princess."

Aisha's pussy went wet with Jafar's arousal as his brother unknowingly gave him exactly what he wanted: a chance to be alone with Natasha. He tried not to smile too much as he wanted to surprise Natasha with the revelation that she was not talking to her princess, but to her lover and master.

Natasha led Aisha, still under Jafar's control, through the grand halls of the palace. The walls were lined with intricate tapestries, the floors gleaming with marble that had been polished to a mirror shine. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the corridors, mingling with the distant strains of music and laughter that drifted through the open windows.

"Your skin, Natasha," Jafar said, his eyes lingering on her alabaster complexion, "it's like nothing I've ever seen before. Where do you come from?"

"I come from a land that becomes whiter than my own skin for half the year, princess. It is to the far north, beyond the Caucasus Mountains."

"And what led you to Arabia?"

"Knowledge. I am a woman of science and your fiancé has a seemingly endless collection of scrolls that I utterly devour."

"Ah, yes. Jafar is a man drawn to women of intellect. That's what drew me to him."

Normally, such a comment would have made Natasha furious with envy and jealousy, but another positive effect of the mind control kiss was that it negated any feelings of jealousy (except when it was in a playful manner like Layla had demonstrated in the milk bath) the women he kissed felt toward him. That made it so Jafar could have sex with hundreds of women without having to deal with any drama. It sure was great to be him. Since Natasha was under his control, she didn't react negatively, simply congratulating her for her marriage with Jafar with a sincerity that didn't contain any resentment.