Thanks a lot for the reviews! I've corrected Alamut's spelling in this chapter, thanks for pointing that out (: and I'll try not to make the dialogues confusing (I just want to hasten the pace of this story so I dont bother much with description- the faster, the higher probability I can finish this)

~break~

"Tamina, come and see me! Tamina!" a hysterical voice resounded through the atrium of Princess Tamina's palace. Whatever the plan of the royal young man is, he could have easily executed, as none of Alamut's guards seemed intent to stop him, if not for a frail slightly older noble and his personal guard who forcedfully tugged and dragged the former back outside, towards one of the enclavatures of the garden.

"what are you doing? Are you not thinking at all?" asked the older brother. He then slapped the face of his sibling whose mouth is held shut by a meanly built eunuch. The younger lad squirmed a little more while in the clutches of his captor, before breaking down in tears. That is when the guard loosened him.

"Brother, I cannot lose her, I need to get her back."

"My dear boy, barging into her palace will not do the job for you, especially when the princess does not seem to want you back as well."

"But is there any other way?"

"The only way is to let her go."

"Never!"

"Listen, forcing yourself on her will do no good. You are powerless and causing a controversy will further endanger our already precarious political standing. It will be to our advantage to let the princess be."

"But what about love?"

"What about it?"

"Tamina loves me, brother! I will be letting her down if I let her go so easily!"

"It does not look like that to me."

"She has no choice but to break off our engagement." At this point, the young man leaned at his brother's shoulder and continued sobbing there. "She loves me and I am sure she is doing something to prevent our separation. I cannot sit around and do nothing myself!"

"Nobody is sitting around! We will gain control of Alamut once again, and with the turn of events, maybe even the whole of the Persian empire. Your little princess is out of my plan but maybe that can change. We will see what your part in this will be when you are more calm."

"Yes, I will see." responded Garsiv in the distance as he watched through a crevice in the garden wall while the city's governor and his brother leave.

~break~

"Dastan, the city maybe holy but the thoughts and actions of its citizens are not. You must be careful."

"You do not have to look so grim, Garsiv. I do have my plans. I will cleanse the holy order as soon as after the wedding festivities are over."

"The holy order? That is just a bunch of monks and nuns! They are all there only for Alamut's sacred appearance."

"Its sacred appearance is Alamut's bread and butter. Besides, I fear the order has been infiltrated with dangerous elements."

"And what will these do? Corrupt the sacrifice to the gods? That should not be the priority, Dastan. I do not understand father wanting us to interfere lightly on the local politics. I think doing so will bring us trouble in the future. Overhaul the whole political arena, I say. Assume the city's governorship right away. I will assign Mukbhar to replace the useless military head of this city and will leave you with two battallions."

"Governorship? Your favorite general and two battallions? Don't we all have more important tasks to do such as conquering new lands? It seems you want to miss me in the battlefields, older brother. I do not intend to stay here very long."

"Stay long enough to solidify our grasp in this city and to secure your bride's loyalty. Something is wrong here in Alamut."

~break~

"Needed to perform a last minute ritual?" Garsiv whisphered in her ear as he closed in on her from behind.

Tamina looked back at him with a frightened expression but quickly regained her composure when she recognized who he was. "Prince Garsiv. In the day, it is Dastan who would not let me out of his sight. I had no idea, it is you who guards me at night."

It was hard not to get distracted by her beauty when the distance between them is so little, but Garsiv did not see what the princess actually did at the temple and he is intent on finding out. "Who could help not to guard the mischievous little princess when she sneaks out the night before her wedding?"

"I am not yet a prisoner, Prince. I do not have to sneak out! I decided to take a walk in my gardens before I am forever imprisoned in a Persian royal harem by marriage to your brother."

"Be careful with your language in the dark, Princess. They betray the true feelings you hide behind your giggles when you are with my brother in sunlight." By this time, Garsiv have maneuvered Tamina to a wall.

"I never hid any of my feelings. Only a fool would believe that a princess is glad that her city is invaded."

"And what are you doing about it, Princess? Praying to your gods at the temple to deliver you from your marriage?" Garsiv has pushed her against the wall, his patience wearing off.

"I guess that is all I can do with Persia's armies a hundred times bigger than mine." Her voice hinted helplessness and the moonlight reflected sadness in her eyes. She looked fragile against him, very far from the image of the strong willed princess whose head is forever held up high.

She is an enchantress, Garsiv thought, using her beauty and looking helpless to get what she wants. He will not let her get to him. "Or are you plotting...?"

"Plotting what Prince? Plot the murder of the beloved Persian royal family and see your soldiers tear every citizen of my city to pieces? No matter what I do, I lose this game with you Persians."