Pointless oneshot, got a sudden inspiration from the scene in the film where Garsiv is hunting Dastan after Dastan talks to Nizam about the dagger. It's about 50 or so minutes in.
Garsiv's face when Dastan climbs onto the roof intrigued me. Just a 20 minute piece, also first in this fandom, written in 3rd person from Garsiv's POV.
Please review, they make my day :)
Garsiv knows.
He knows that the moment his little brother reaches the rooftop, the soldiers have no hope of catching him. That it is pointless to chase. Dastan grew up running away from soldiers. No one would be able to catch him, Dastan would pull every trick, every stunt, every crazy move Garsiv had ever seen him do and all the ones he hadn't.
So Garsiv runs to the street. He listens as his men chase Dastan. But the youngest prince evades all their attempts to capture him. Garsiv stands at the end of an alleyway as Dastan pulls a tent down from a rooftop then scrambles back upwards. Garsiv ignores his men trying to free themselves and runs to the nearest entrance of the building Dastan is now sure to be in.
Garsiv stands at the bottom of a central staircase. He can hear the giggling of women and catches a glimpse of a cloak.
Garsiv knows Dastan is here.
He sprints up the spiralling staircase, leaping three of more steps at a time. He suddenly finds himself surrounded by smiling women, but Garsiv is in no mood for their games.
"Where is he?" Garsiv snapped. The women blush and turn their eyes downwards.
"WHERE IS HE?" He yells. The women jump back, startled, fear in their eyes. Garsiv races back down the stairs, the women would be of no help.
Garsiv can hear sounds of fighting, it's Dastan.
Garsiv knows it is.
He lets out a hoarse yell as he turns the corner in a courtyard, banishing his axe. He is intent on killing his father's murderer. Dastan spins to face his brother then backs up scrabbling for the sword of the fallen man.
"Garsiv," Dastan speaks his brother's name as if it is a plea for mercy and forgiveness. Garsiv shakes his head slightly and picks up the fallen man's shield.
"I didn't kill Father," Garsiv rolls his shoulders and looks hard at Dastan.
"Then God will pardon you,"
Dastan's face falls and he shakes his head, as if he can't believe what is happening.
"After your head rolls," with this Garsiv leaps forward, swinging the hand axe. Dastan dodges backwards and just ducks under the axe. He keeps moving away from his brother only just keeping ahead of the blade. He kicks out catching Garsiv and knocking his attacker away for a moment. Dastan takes the chance to slash out with the sword. But Garsiv recovers quickly and continues his assault with a new fury. Dastan is knocked down and barely rolls to his feet in time to face Garsiv again.
"We aren't fighting with sticks anymore Little Brother,"
Garsiv can see fear and desperation on Dastan's face.
Garsiv knows his brother is scared.
The fight changes, Dastan becomes more aggressive, he knows now that his brother will now back down. Dastan is hit in the stomach and crawls up the steps to get away from Garsiv. There is a pause in the fighting.
"That's all you got?" He is cocky and defiant even now. Garsiv yells and swings his axe at Dastan's head. It catches in the stone wall and his brother moves faster than Garsiv anticipated. Dastan kicks Garsiv again, but this time the older man is thrown down the stairs. He rolls to a stop on his back, grimacing in pain. Garsiv can see his brother approaching, axe in hand. But he can not think to prepare himself for the death that he is sure will now come at the hands of his once-brother.
Garsiv hears the axe drop to the floor beside him and his brother's footsteps fade.
It is then that Garsiv knows, though he will not realise it until it is too late.
Whilst they are not bonded by blood, Dastan is his brother.
And he did not kill their father.