Morning came early to Agrabah.
The sun had barely crested the horizon, but already the city was stirring — merchants unrolling awnings, camels grumbling as they were loaded with goods, the smell of baking bread and spices wafting through the warm air.
Helios stood quietly at the edge of the marketplace. Beside him, Alira tugged her hood up, her sharp eyes scanning the colorful chaos with interest.
Helios, however, was focused.
Today, he would find his diamond in the rough.
And, if his plan worked, the boy would come straight to him.
The plan had been set the day before.
When Helios had slipped into Soraya's chambers to retrieve Alira, he had also taken a small item — something of value, but not something irreplaceable.
A golden astrolabe, no bigger than a man's palm.
An ancient device used to map the stars, etched with fine silver lines and tiny sapphire inlays. Its craftsmanship was exquisite — a priceless object, even in a palace full of treasures. Soraya had kept it on a windowsill, half-forgotten gathering dust among potted herbs.
Helios had pocketed it, knowing exactly what it would represent for a young boy with no money: temptation.
He'd cast a thin layer of tracking magic over it, an enchantment subtle enough not to alert even the most sensitive magician.
Now he just had to wait.
It didn't take long.
An angry shout rang out from a few stalls away.
"Thief! Stop him!"
Helios turned in time to see a small boy darting through the crowd — bare feet slapping the ground, dark hair wild, an apple clutched in one hand.
It was the boy that Helios had spent two days looking for — the one with laughter in his eyes and hunger in his ribs.
Aladdin.
He weaved through the bodies like a seasoned ghost, slipping through gaps too small for the chasing merchant. He barreled right toward Helios, dodging camels and baskets of spices.
Helios didn't move.
The boy crashed lightly into his side, rebounding with a muttered "Sorry, mister!" — but Helios felt the deft fingers brush his coat, the feather-light tug at the hidden pocket.
Clever.
Very clever.
Helios smiled faintly as the boy disappeared into the maze of alleys.
Beside him, Alira tilted her head.
"Now?" she asked.
Helios ruffled her hooded hair.
"Not yet," he said. "Let's give him a head start."
Five minutes later, Helios closed his eyes briefly.
The tracking spell flared in his mind — a golden thread tugging at his senses, leading him deeper into the city's tangled heart.
He followed it easily, weaving through backstreets and shadowed courtyards. The crowds thinned. The buildings grew older, more crumbled.
Finally, he found him.
Aladdin was crouched behind an abandoned fountain, turning the golden astrolabe over in his hands, marveling at the intricate gears and shining stones.
Helios motioned for Alira to stay back.
He stepped silently forward — his boots making no sound on the cracked stone.
He leaned down just behind the boy.
"What have you got there?" he asked, voice smooth as silk.
Aladdin jumped a foot in the air.
He spun around, clutching the astrolabe to his chest, eyes wide.
"N-nothing!" he stammered.
Then — instinct taking over — he bolted.
Helios chuckled under his breath.
"Let's see how far you can run."
He sauntered after the boy, hands in his pockets.
The chase became a dance.
Aladdin ducked through alleys, climbed over crates, squeezed through gaps barely big enough for a cat.
Helios always followed — never rushing, never panicking — simply appearing behind the boy whenever he dared to stop and catch his breath.
The first time Aladdin paused, gasping, behind a butcher's stall, Helios strolled up beside him.
"Nice hiding spot," he said.
Aladdin shrieked and took off again.
The second time, Aladdin climbed up a narrow stack of barrels to reach a rooftop.
He thought he was safe, laughing breathlessly — until he turned and found Helios sitting cross-legged at the edge of the roof, watching him.
"Not bad," Helios said, giving him a slow clap.
Aladdin's mouth dropped open.
He scrambled away again, clambering down the side of the building with wild panic.
By the fourth encounter, Aladdin was visibly rattled.
He had darted into a fish market, knocking over a stand of eels in his desperation.
As he rounded a corner, he smacked face-first into Helios' chest and bounced back with a yelp.
Helios leaned down, hands on his knees, smiling like a patient wolf.
"Having fun yet?"
Aladdin dropped the astrolabe in shock — it clattered onto the ground between them.
He froze.
Helios knelt down, picked up the object carefully, and turned it over in his fingers.
"Very nice," he mused. "Very rare."
Aladdin swallowed hard.
"I-I didn't know it was yours!" he blurted.
Helios raised an eyebrow. "Really? It was in my pocket before. So I think there's a high chance it's mine don't you think?"
The boy opened his mouth, then shut it, fidgeting.
Helios laughed.
He tossed the astrolabe lightly in the air, caught it, and tucked it back into his coat.
"No harm done," he said. "But you owe me now."
Aladdin scowled. "I don't owe nobody nothin'."
Helios tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"Then maybe I should call the guards. See how long you last in the dungeons. We see that I can easily find you no matter where you hide."
Aladdin blanched.
Helios straightened, towering over the boy without needing to threaten further.
"I don't need much," he said. "Just a little help. A little job. After that, you're free to go — richer than you've ever dreamed. You get to keep what you tried to take."
Aladdin narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "What kinda job?"
Helios smiled.
"The kind only someone like you can do."
Behind them, Alira watched quietly from the shade of a tattered awning.
For the first time, something like amusement twitched at the corner of her mouth.
Helios saw it as he turned but it soon faded.