Title: New Traditions
Dedicated To: My King/Prince J <3 -- We WILL make our own traditions one of these days, sweetheart!! <3
Fandom: Aladdin
Author: Apache Firecat
Characters: Aladdin/Jasmine, Rajah, Sultan/Wife
Rating: PG/K+
Summary: Jasmine has doubts while preparing for her big day.
Word Count: 1,328
Written For: Fan FlashWorks 474. Animal, 100 Ships 73. Jade, and 100FandomHell Fandom #71
Date Written: 25 March 2025
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.








She had received many presents over her years as a Princess, and she was certain more gifts would come not only through her wedding but as she gradually moved into her role as Agrabah's new leader. Her father and soon to-be husband did not agree on much, but they both wanted what was best for her and their people. Aladdin had made it clear to her father that he intended to allow Jasmine to rule when he stepped down, and to her shock, the Sultan had actually agreed.

After everything they had been through with Jafar, there had been no more arguments or doubt. Instead, the Sultan had nodded and spoken with sage wisdom of such a maturity that she had not heard him speak since before her mother's passing. Her mother had grown sick suddenly, and it had been painful for them both to watch her wither away. Jasmine would have liked to have blamed Jafar, but in her heart, she knew better. He perhaps had seen her mother's decline as an opportunity, but her sickness had been real.

So, too, had been her wisdom and grace. Jasmine could only hope that she would show as much in her journeys and decisions going forward. There was so much to do, so many responsibilities soon to be weighing her down. She was no stranger to such. She had tried for years to guide her father, but he'd been too stubborn to listen to her. It had taken Jafar's deceit and treachery to finally make her father listen, but now that he was -- Jasmine hoped he'd never stop listening to her, and even if he did one day, he would perhaps still listen to her husband.

Her husband. She found herself now gazing at Aladdin as her father squeezed her hand and then released her. This was traditional ceremony, of course, but Jasmine suddenly felt the very real weight of it all in her heart, chest, and stomach. She forced down the lump rising in her throat as she took the steps forward to grasp her husband's hand as she had previously her father's. This was all just another practice, of course, but the real ceremony was coming soon and everything had to be perfect, not just for her sake but for her people's. They had to know that their leaders were united, and no matter what came next, from the Sultan's decline in mental health to magic and trickery and perhaps even another cruel deceit, they would be cared for. Their children would be cared for, and so, too, would be their children's children and their children's children's children after that.

She forced down another tight lump and gripped Aladdin's hand harder. It was all so much! A Princess was not supposed to be afraid to wed. No girl should have to fear marriage, but she knew there were scores who did. Those who had to marry for their family's welfare would never think that a Princess would fear marriage with half the tortures and nightmares that plagued them, and she was lucky -- but still, it had all been so close. She had almost had to marry Jafar!

Genie popped up in the place of the Priest, even donning a cloaked disguise momentarily and carrying a real Qur'an. She heard him prattle on, making jokes with Carpet and Abu. She even heard Aladdin scold him once, but their words just seemed to drift around her as her memories took her back. She had spent quite nearly all her life in this castle, and this huge room held many memories, both good and bad. She remembered all the recent events, all the living nightmares as they'd faced things only real in fairy tales, but she could also recall trying to play in this very room to be near her Father as a young child. Her father had always chastised her, and then came back to play with her hours later when his duties were finally fulfilled, but her mother had always been gentle.

Her mother had always been gentle, and Jasmine had witnessed through very young eyes all her mother had suffered as the Sultan's head wife. Jasmine had always sworn she would never succumb to such a fate. Aladdin had promised her he'd never make her share him, had made it clear that he only wanted her, but there was still so very much to running a kingdom. She wasn't ready! She wasn't ready to take her father's place, or to watch him decline further! She wasn't ready!

Fear was beginning to fill her when a soft growl sounded beside her and a familiar, furry head bumped her hand with much gentility and care. She looked down and saw her ring bearer, the tiny, velvet pillow with their wedding bands nestled on top of them beginning to slip from his striped head as his eyes focused on her. Jasmine gazed down into those sweet, familiar eyes. It had been in this very room when she had first been gifted Rajah as a cub. Even then, she had recognized his regal and loyal spirit and his eyes as beautiful and green as any jade. The two of them had been nearly inseparable ever since, and he had been her most steadfast ally, protecting her, when necessary, even from her father to the best of his abilities.

Now he knew something was troubling her, and he wasn't the only one. Rajah gave a soft chuffing sound, and Jasmine gave him a gentle smile in return. This majestic animal was her very best friend in all the world, but they were far from alone.

"Princess?" Genie was calling her, full of concern. From out of the corner of her almond eyes, she was able to see that he had shifted from the form of a Priest to what was clearly supposed to be a concerned, buxom mother figure.

"Jasmine?" Al asked. Her heart was touched, and her smile grew as she heard the squeak he was unable to keep from his voice. She lifted her eyes from Rajah's and met his, so full of fear and adoration but also fear that he, as a former "Street Rat", would no longer be wanted.

"Don't worry," Jasmine assured both Aladdin and Rajah as she lovingly stroked the tiger's head. It was soon going to be time for her to lead, but she would be able to, with all them beside her. She might as well start today. She deftly slipped the rings off of the pillow and closed the distance that remained between her and the man who had been formed for her. "I'm not having any second thoughts," she promised with a small shake of her head. She lifted his hand, slipped his ring onto his finger, and then kissed its back. "I just, maybe, don't feel too much like following tradition." She shrugged.

Rajah chuffed again, sounding slightly different in a fond noise she had come to recognize as his version of laughing.

"And the Princess says she doesn't feel like following tradition!" Genie shouted and began to prattle off more silliness, but it was her Aladdin who had the perfect answer for what she needed to hear.

"No one said you have to, Princess, ever again." He smiled uncertainly at her, and she could tell he was hoping he'd said the right thing.

Rajah chuffed again, still laughing. For all they'd been through, they had finally found the right mate for her!

She grasped her fiancé, dipped him, and kissed him before the guards and all. She heard her father laugh, another wonderful sound, as Genie started shooting fireworks out of his fingers. She didn't have to be afraid of marriage any longer. She didn't have to bow to tradition. They would make their own traditions, they would rule together, and it would all be grand -- as fitting as any Princess' happily ever after ending ever was!




The End