Hello everyone!
I apologise for the long silence and know that it was brought upon by a very difficult few years in my personal life. I must tell you that your reviews, messages and thoughts meant a lot to me. I kept postponing this and kept telling myself let me write the full story first. But it was important that I do it bit by bit. I hope to not let you down.
Much Love
A
Prologue
He had only been in the palace from the streets a little over a year, and the King had believed him ready to be presented. However, as Dastan made the turn to the throne room, fear gripped his heart, and he found himself running towards the library. He was just ten.
He had found solace under the massive desk countless of times; the dark hollow underside took him back to the days on the street. It helped him escape the whispers, the cruelty of certain servants and the pranks of Prince Garsiv who could not adjust to life with a new brother. Countless times he had hidden underneath the desk in solitude, but as he crawled into the darkness and sat in his corner, a small startled voice spoke.
"Are they cruel to you too?"
Dastan suddenly opened his eyes to see a little girl crouched in the corner, her knees drawn up to her chin. Her eyes glossed with unshed tears and he saw her lips quiver with sadness. He was not unfamiliar with fears of children. He had for years been with other children living and fending for themselves in Nasaf's unforgiving streets.
He nodded, "yes, sometimes."
A tear fell down her cheek. "They said I could not play with them because I am a four-year-old baby and worse, a girl baby!"
A sob swallowed the last words. Dastan's heart broke at the pain in her voice, and he crawled to the light and extended his hand towards her.
"Do… do not cry… you know since you and I are alone, we will be each other's friend," he smiled.
She looked at his outstretched hand beckoning her to step into the outside. He sat patiently for her to reach out and when she did, a smile brightened both their faces. He held on to her tightly.
"I am Dastan," he said as they merged out from the darkness.
She smiled and repeated his name, "Dastan… my name is Tamina."
"Well Tamina, we are going to be friends forever!"
From thence Dastan and Tamina were inseparable in their solitude with each other. They were kindred spirits both orphans, both thrust into a responsibility they could barely hold. He thought her to ride, swim and to the dismay of her guardians, climb trees and spit! She, in turn, was her constant calm and gentle presence, teaching in her way, the ways of a royal. He constantly watched over her, and she unfailingly kept him in prayers. They were family, friends and, as time went by, soul mates.
As Dastan reached the age of thirteen, his life and focus moved from childish games. No longer was he allowed to fall asleep in Tamina's room, swim endlessly in the lake with her or take up her time with carefree laughs. He was now being groomed to be a Prince of Persia. Through the next few years, they wrote endlessly, being each other's confidant.
As Dastan reached his sixteenth year, the letters dwindled and became few and far between. Tamina too was now deemed old enough at just ten to tutor to be the ruler of Alamut. He still saw to her safety, she always kept him in her prayers and held each other in their hearts.
As the godchild of King Sharaman, Tamina was no stranger to Nasaf, yet Dastan was far in the borderlands building his legacy. They have not met for years on, but the stories and sonnets of love suddenly had a subject for her to think as she turned sixteen. Tamina realised that she now loved the man who was her only and oldest friend
They laid his portrait at her assembly reading the confidential Royal decree of King Sharaman- a proposal of marriage, Princess Tamina of Alamut to Prince Dastan of Persia. She held her grace throughout formalities and nodding gracefully in agreement. She was to be received by King within a month. The portrait was brought to her room that night, and once she left to her solitude, Tamina looked at the image of Prince Dastan. A laugh escaped her as she imagined the fuss and complaining Dastan would have put everyone under as to, first; agree to a portrait and after that sit for it. It seemed that he had argued for a compromise as the portrait was not of a prince in his regal attire but full battle gear. He had his head turned to his right, providing a perfect profile of his rugged face framed by his hair captured as it swayed in the wind. He had two daggers on his hands, his arms bunched in muscle and power. They had not captured the Prince of Persia but the Lion of Persia. She traced his jaw with her fingers and drifted towards those lips. She pulled her hand to her as if they burnt her. If there was any doubt of her feelings, here it was displayed in a majestic gold frame. She loved him, and soon she will be his wife.
She held her disappointment for two days at the Nasaf festivities without an audience from the King or any sight of Dastan when finally his presence in the Palace was announced to her. "Please inform His Royal Highness at I will meet him at our first meeting place, he would know," she replied. Her heart did not still for a second as she made her way to that old library and hid underneath the desk, unaware that her whole future will change in a matter of moments.
Tamina did not move from her hiding place as the time for meeting passed. She crawled from underneath, her pride wounded and her heart heavy with the suspicion that he would have forgotten their special space. As Tamina resolved to leave, she heard the door swing open, and Dastan rushed in with a woman in his arms. Tamina ducked behind a shelf, away from their view.
Dastan had his arms around her waist as the woman tried to twist away from him, using her hands to push away from him.
"Jazilah… stop, please listen to me," he pleaded as he tried to subdue her, "nothing is going on."
She finally stopped struggling and looked at him, "then why is she here? She is here, brought by your family to marry you off!"
At those words, Tamina knew she was the subject of what was sounding like lovers spat.
She finally broke away from him, and Dastan shook his head in frustration, "she is a child!"
"She is sixteen," she spat back.
He shook his head and lowered his voice, "yes, but Tamina will always be a child to me… and throughout the years she followed me around as a sister would. Yes, she may be sixteen, but for me, she will always be a scared child I found, right in this room."
He went to her and took her hands to his lips, "but you are the woman I love Jazilah, and as you can see, I will go against anything including my family to be with you."
In the words of his declaration of love, she turned her face away as her eyes stung with tears. She slapped her hand over her mouth to stop the rising sobs.
"But this celebration is for your betrothal," Jazilah whined again.
"No, it is not. Nothing has been announced, and I made it very clear to my Father and my Brothers that there will be no marriage. If there is anything to be announced, it would be my declaration of love for you."
Dastan held his lady again and lowered his lips to hers.
Tamina laid sleepless on her bed that night, her dream of being with Dastan shattered as was her heart. It had unfortunately taken Dastan and his lady someone to leave as they had surrendered to their passion. She could not bring herself to enjoy the festivities and had retired to her room. Perhaps all will be well in the morning.
Sadly, morning brought more pain and scandal. Her Regent brought the information that a proposal may not be forthcoming due to certain concerns. It seems that there has been a passionate discussion amongst the Princes and marriage may not be likely. It would now be a matter of time before Dastan marries Jazilah. She bore all with grace as a Princess should without reaction or emotion. She bid farewell to the King in private comforting him that there is no bitterness over an engagement which never was.
As night fell, a horrid rumor burned through the palace, one which reached Tamina's ears through her trusted maid. It spoke of how an impending engagement between Princess Tamina of Alamut to Prince Dastan of Persia was broken due to the Princess not being a virgin. Tamina felt the shame although untrue and glances and sneers at dinner was a testament that it had spread like wildfire.
Tamina will forever remember this point as the time she became a true leader of Alamut. She came to a naïve girl of sixteen wanting love of a man she now realised she hardly knew. She now left behind that same girl who hoped for love and family. Her virtue was in doubt, her dignity shattered yet she did not allow her heart to ache. She was back to her life of solitude and service to her people. Perhaps they would have been together in another life.