Date : 27.09.2011
Title : The Hassansins' Secret
Author : ElaineDex
Chapter : 1 of ?
Rating : M
Pairings : Zolm/OC
Warnings : Some Sexual Content, Romance, Angst, Maybe Some Strong Language.
Spoilers : Possible references to Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time.
Disclaimer : I do not own anything to do with the Prince of Persia franchise. This plot and any O/C's are mine.
Summary : (AU) The Hassansins take on a mission that leads to the discovery of a secret from their past, one that could change their futures forever and Zolm finds out that maintaining emotional detachment isn't always quite that easy.
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Zolm made his way through the myriad of underground tunnels beneath his lair, heading towards the outer west wall where, by his reckoning, the man who had requested an audience with him should now be waiting.
Sure enough, as he stepped into the last reaches of the torch-lit tunnel he saw the shadow of a man playing on the wall up ahead and he slowed his pace, sensing that the man was not alone.
Kneeling, Zolm stretched out his arms and two Vipers, black and slender, slithered out from his sleeves and moving gracefully onto the ground before him, they turned their heads to look at him for a moment and he eyed each one with careful measure before allowing them to move away.
He stood then and made his way silently toward the man, appearing at his side as though he had materialised from thin air.
"You wished to see me…?" he said, his voice low.
Prince Azzam, cousin to the Queen of Parthia, almost left his boots he jumped so high and the small group of guards 'hidden' not too far away made ready as Azzam turned to face the Leader of the fabled Hassansins.
"So it is true…you are not disbanded," he said and Zolm cocked his head to one side as though weary as he replied;
"You must have believed it so for you to venture so far…your Highness…"
"Indeed," Azzam said, looking toward the general area where his guards lay in wait, just in case.
Glancing back to Zolm he said, "I have a job for you Hassansin…" and he swallowed as Zolm eyed him with a cold stare, adding hastily, "…should you be interested."
Zolm weighed the Prince up for a moment or two, his electric blue eyes taking in the obvious wealth of the man, sensing that he had a need for power, but that his need made him weak. Such a man would not make a good leader, Zolm was certain of that much, but it was not for him to ask questions of a potential employer…indeed mostly he was totally disinterested in the whys and wherefores of his would-be employers.
Nodding once to signal his interest, he waited for the man to proceed.
Azzam smiled and turned more to face Zolm, his demeanour conspiratorial, but Zolm remained expressionless as he began his request.
"I am cousin to the Queen of the Parthian Empire and I want her…removed…shall we say."
"You want her dead or merely removed? There is a subtle difference," Zolm said, his tone casual, almost lazy and Azzam bristled.
"I do not believe a woman can rule an Empire…the crown should have passed to me…I should be King, but she stands in my way, the only one to stop me from taking the position for my own. I want you to deal with her and take the Palace for me…the rest will follow. Do with her as you see fit…give her to your men before you kill her…I care not."
Zolm looked away, drawing in a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he considered the request.
"Name your price…anything to be rid of that bitch…" Azzam said and Zolm looked back at the cocky Prince, the prize he had in mind not one he would voice to such an arrogant, egotistical idiot.
"Gold," he stated simply instead.
Azzam laughed and nodded vigorously.
"Very well…when will you move?" he asked, going to reach out a hand to place on Zolm's shoulder, but the look the Hassansin sent his way had him changing his mind and instead he made a show of straightening the scarf that lay over his turban.
"You will have your palace before two sunrises have passed," Zolm said and before the Prince could say more, he disappeared once again into the shadows of the tunnel and Azzam emitted a nervous cough, the Hassansin un-nerving him more than he cared to admit. He had heard many a story of their strange methods and practices…all of which he had no interest in so long as they did as he bid and then stayed away from him or perhaps by then they would know too much…
Looking back into the tunnel, toward where the Hassansin Leader had vanished, Azzam's mind began to formulate another plan.
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Queen Zarina felt unsettled, the air in her bed chamber cool and the diaphanous drapes at the windows billowing in a way that was un-natural, given that there was no real breeze to speak of that night and she sat up in the huge ornate bed, her eyes widening as they fell upon the black viper coiled next to her feet.
Zolm watched from the cover of the balcony, his razor sharp eyes narrowing as a smile played upon his lips. Getting to the Queen's chamber had been insultingly easy and even as he stood there now, ready to watch her die, his men were spreading throughout the palace taking it soldier by soldier, claiming it for the Prince who would undoubtedly become a victim of his own greed…one day…
Zarina moved her legs slowly, carefully inching them away and reached out a steady hand toward the viper and Zolm straightened slightly, a frown marring his brow as he pondered her actions, confusion crossing his face for a moment as she began to whisper and he watched with a disgusted fascination as his snake slithered toward her hand, wrapping itself around her slender arm. No-one but him controlled his vipers and he looked from it, to the Queen, fury spitting fire from his ice blue eyes.
"Show yourself…" she spoke then and Zolm, never one to refuse a challenge, moved through the drapes of the open door way, unimpressed by her perception that the viper had not come alone and he came to stand at the foot of the bed, his eyes not leaving the Queen's for a moment.
"You have knowledge of snake charms," he said, his voice low and dripping with sarcasm, his lips curling in a snarl and Zarina, who had stiffened somewhat as the dangerous looking warrior had revealed himself, tipped her chin over confidently and replied,
"It is more than that, but do you have you any idea how poisonous…how deadly these creatures really are?" she glared at the stranger, trying her best not to show her fear of both him and the reptile that she was just about managing to keep at bay.
Zolm angled his head to one side, regarding her with barely concealed contempt and not bothering to grace her comment with a response; he withdrew his scimitar and held it in one hand, watching her as she moved from the bed to stand at its side.
"Who sent you…tell me that much at least," she asked, trying to inconspicuously get the snake looser on her arm so that she could hurl it at him at just the right moment. She had no idea that Zolm knew that that was exactly what she would try and do and just as she raised her arm, viper and all, above her head, he pre-empted her move and rushed at her, pushing her back against the nearest wall, the snake disappearing obediently down his sleeve as he held her there, one hand at her wrist, the other with his sword against her throat.
"It would seem, your Majesty, that your family do not feel that you are fit to rule Parthia," he said, looking down at her. She was tall, but not as tall as he and at such close proximity he saw that her eyes were brown and were full of fear.
She trembled, but Zolm felt a cool indifference to her. He cared not if she lived or died…he was there to do a job and when it was done he would be paid well and the gold would not go amiss. With Nizam's death had come the end of his supply of funds to their cause and though the Hassansins were far from poor, it never sat well with him to let their pot get too low.
He turned his attention back to the task at hand, increasing the pressure of his grip on the Queen's wrist as she began to struggle and as sounds of the battle with his men began to get ever closer, Zolm knew that it was time.
Zarina tried to twist herself away from the blade of the stranger's scimitar, but only succeeded in bringing it closer to the hollow at her throat and she pushed against his hold uselessly, the wide sleeve of her nightgown sliding down her arm to her elbow and as she emitted a sob, Zolm's eyes flicked to the skin of the exposed area, his forehead crinkling as he took in the snake-like mark that marred the soft paleness of her inner forearm.
"It cannot be," he hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he looked back to the Queen's face and she tried to shrink back from him even though it was impossible.
As banging began on the heavy wooden doors of the chamber, Zolm continued to stare at her, trying to weigh up the possibilities of what he had seen being coincidence or truth and knowing that he did not have the time to properly decide now, he sheathed his scimitar and back-handed the Queen across the face, lifting her over his shoulder as her unconscious form slumped against him.
Looking over his other shoulder momentarily, he disappeared into the darkness of the balcony and beyond as what was left of her guards managed to gain access to her rooms.
OoOo End of Chapter One OoOo