Dastan POV

I woke up from my sleep. My eyelids felt heavy. But I pried my eyes open. I had not had a peaceful sleep yesterday. I kept tossing and turning in my bed. No thanks to the nightmares I had. They were horrible! It's the same thing everytime. I will see my father, Tus, Grasiv and Tamina die right before my eyes and there was nothing tohat I could do to help. I saw my father burn, Tus' throat slit, the darts puncturing Grasiv's chest. And Tamina… I was clinging onto the rock with one hand while the other was holding Tamina's hand. My heart broke into a thousand pieces when I saw her. Fear. That was only what I could see. Very slowly, I felt her hand slip from mine and hear her ear-piercing scream followed by me screaming her name.

When I was all dressed and decent, I walked around the palace. Soon, I came across the garden. The same garden that Tamina had brought me to, when she asked me to walk with her, yesterday, after asking for her hand in marriage. I knew she was suspicious of me when I returned her what she called 'a gift from the gods'-That cursed dagger. At that very moment I heard someone sighed.

Tamina POV

No! This is happening all to fast! I can't believe I will be wed to a prince of Persia! 'The Lion Of Persia'. That is such a ridiculous name! I sighed. I knew I was never meant to fall in love with anyone. I was only to marry for political reasons. But a Prince of Persia?! Are you mad?! Yesterday, the Persians had invaded my Holy City. So many lives had been taken away! Just because those idiotic Persians decided they could take over her city! My fingertips touched the cool water of the fountain. I was at my favourite garden. This was the garden I always come to when seeking for comfort and peace. What I didn't know was that comfort and peace could be sought in unexpected ways… " Tamina?"

Normal POV

Tamina turned around to see her soon-to-be-husband standing behind her.

"Good morning, Prince Dastan," She gave Dastan a nod.

"Good morning, Princess. Please, call me Dastan if we are alone like this," Dastan smiled sweetly.

"Likewise." 'Why is he being so nice? He's a Persian.' Tamina thought. She studied Dastan for a moment. Like all Persian men, Dastan was very built. He had evenly toned skin. She looked at his face. His lips were curved into a smile. The scar on his cheek showed his experiences in war. She moved up to his blue eyes. She cant help but smile. 'So blue…'. It was then she spotted something in his eyes. 'Fear?'. The way Dastan looked at her. It was as if he was afraid that she would die on the spot. 'He must know something.'

"May I ask what you are doing here, Dastan?" she asked. She was definitely getting to the bottom of this.

"Actually I was walking around the palace and I came across this magnificent garden. It truly is very beautiful, just like you, Tamina," Dastan replied.

"Flattering will get you no where," Tamina said. "Now I must attend to my duties. Let's meet here before dinner. We could get to know each other better. We are, to be wed in less then a month."

"Yes, let's" Dastan couldn't help but smile.